Everyone knows that athletes and artists … (And probably a bunch of other groups that I can’t think of right now)… practice a lot. Most practice daily… For hours! And why do they do this? They do it to build muscle memory. In order to be good at what they do, they have to do it over and over and over. Repetition builds muscle memory.
And I think that’s what Nanopoblano is for us. This November challenge each year is a way for us to re-commit to writing by doing it every day for an entire month. And I think, for most of us, the hope is to build muscle memory… To build a habit… To fan the flame that burns inside anyone who wants to write.
Author, Elizabeth Gilbert tells a story in her book BIG MAGIC about an idea that she had for a novel. She had the full story developed in her head. She knew the characters. She had started doing research because it took place in another country. And then she got sidetracked. Her research, characters, plot lines, all ended up on the back burner because she was busy. Then she went to some kind of conference, and she met one of her favorite, authors Ann Patchett. They started talking, and Ann was celebrating her new book. She explained it to Elizabeth. It was almost the exact same story that Elizabeth had intended to write. And that’s when Elizabeth stated that she thinks that the ideas that come to us might just be some kind of a divine spark looking for a host. Ideas stop and visit with us. But if we’re not ready to engage, they move on to somebody else.
I am aware that this has happened to me many times. An idea will come. But if I don’t commit or engage with it in some way… It’s gone. And when I realize that I’ve lost that spark, I always hope that it finds more fertile ground with someone else… A better host!
My hope is that this month of daily blogging makes me a better host. I’m hoping that I have built some muscle memory … That this writing thing might start feeling more like a WANT TO and less like a HAVE TO!
So thank you to Ra Avis for pulling this together every year! Thank you to Bill Friday for helping as well. And thank you to all of my fellow Bloggers … You are all an amazing group of talented, big hearted people that I hope to continue to interact with for a long, long time.
And thank you to anyone who has stopped by and read my posts or any of the other posts by people in this group. Knowing that someone is enjoying something that we wrote really helps add fuel to the fire of writing. We are always, always grateful to have readers like you!
Thanks November! Now on to writing for writing’s sake! Wish me luck!
I’m glad you’re here💜
Barbara at MeMyMagnificentself.com/category/blog/
Bill at BillFriday.com
Charlene at TimeWithCharleneFranklin.life
Christina at EachLittleMystery.com
Cindy at RipplesOfInsight.net
Dinah at WithAngelsAndElephants.com
Hasty at HastyWords.com
J. Gi at JGiFederizo.wordpress.com
Janelle at BreakingMoulds.com
Jules at AberrantCrochet.com
Ka at FiestaEstrellas.com
Kathleen at KathleenHowell.com
Leanne at ReadAndWriteHere.wordpress.com
Linda at LiteBeing.com
Lisa at LisaMarieBlair.com
Lizzie at CatsAndChocolate.com
Lori at LoriStory.wordpress.com
Marley at DailyBastardette.com/
Ocean Bream at OceanBream.wordpress.com
Owen at NoTalentForCertainty.com
Paula at TheTemenosJournal.com
Ra at Rarasaur.com
Renee at ThisDeadHorse.wordpress.com/
Revis at RevisEdgewater.wordpress.com
TwinDaddy at TwinDaddyBlog.wordpress.com
Quixie at QuixiesMindPalace.wordpress.com
****This post is part of the 2022 Nanopoblano November writing challenge. We commit to writing a blog post every day if it all possible and to supporting each other in our writing endeavors. All of my cheer pepper friends would appreciate your support. You can find all of their blogs HERE:
With Angels and Elephants 
Congrats! You did it!! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
And congrats returned! You did it too!!! WEEEEE ALL did it together 💜
Feels like graduation day 🥰
LikeLiked by 1 person
togetherness is the best ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats Dinah! So glad to have spent November with you. And I LOVE this idea about an idea finding a host. Intriguing! Looking forward to staying in touch!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats to you too!! Wonderful blogging with you. Let’s absolutely keep in touch. I want to know about your surgery recovery! 🌺🌹🌺
LikeLike
Congratulations, Dinah! Your month-long daily blogs were all interesting and I admire your dedication to this project. Your final blog gave me some real food for thought. No matter the goal, repetition is almost always the key to success. Good job! Kay
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Kay. Your regular visits and support meant so much! I hope to be posting more regularly now. Fingers crossed 💜
And see you soon 💜
LikeLike
Congrats, and cheers! 30 days is no joke! Your muscles must be bustin outta your shirt by now! 😜🌶❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right back ‘atchya’ my friend! Congrats to you too. May we all find a way to continue our momentum and friendships! Happy writing to you 🌺🌹🌺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: The Liminal Space – With Angels and Elephants
Congratulations and well done on completing NanoPoblano! Great job! Also, I LOVE the idea of ‘idea’ sparks looking for the right host. I often tend to think our minds are our own private things but I do so adore the notion of ideas being somewhat divine. Good luck to you writing for writing’s sake! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks and good luck to you too. 💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Congrats! Big Accomplishment
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙏
LikeLike
I have enjoyed reading your writing and learning more about you. Maybe next year I’ll remember and can be added to the list of peppers. I am hoping that this exercise will help me to continue on, if not every day more often than before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve enjoyed getting to know you too. Let’s stay in touch. Another group you could post in every week is the weekend coffee share. They’re a really great group. A few peppers post there regularly. Just go to the bottom of my Liminal post from yesterday. Read Natalie’s post. Then click on the group link and read several to get a feel for it. Most people write like a chat. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t….depends how I feel that day. Let me know if you have questions. I’m happy to help 🙏
And thanks for reading!
LikeLike
Well done on completing the challenge, I fell by the wayside along the way. Mainly as I was writing but not sharing….most likely fear! I’m loving the book recommendation. Dropped into audible 2 for 1 sale this morning and I can’t believe the serendipity of the moment. I’d have definitely scrolled past it. Listening on my morning walk today. thank you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhhh I’m so glad you like it! I’ve loved 3 of her 5 books. Big Magic felt like having a coffee chat with a friend. And there’s good advice there too. I believe she even talks about how fear follows all of us. But she tells her fear that it can ride along in the back seat but it doesn’t get to be in charge. I love her!
Please keep writing and sharing. This weary world needs you and your heart!
💜🙏💜
Have you ever joined the weekend coffee share? That’s every weekend (except the last 2weekends in December)
Natalie the Explorer hosts it. You can see the link to her blog and to all the other coffee chats at the end of my post called The Liminal Space….I think it was on Thursday. Please check it out and join in with us. It’s a nice and supportive community 💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know what you mean, as I was listening to it this morning it was like walking with a friend, almost long lost….who knew exactly how I was feeling about my ideas! Whispering into my ear words of encouragement. The trouble with listening and walking I wanted to write her wisdom down so that I could remember it.
On the coffee share, our paths have crossed before. I post in fits and spurts so it’s no wonder you don’t recognise me, I’m the EdinburghCook in a past life, now ScribbleandScran.
Thanks again for the recommendation
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhhhh ok….I thought you had a different blog. I think I asked you if you had the Beleaguered Servant blog and you said no….and I thought for sure you had a second blog. Ok….I forgot Edinburgh Cook! Thanks for setting me straight.
Lovely to be reconnected!!!
As a side note…when I need to jot a quick note to remember something, I just pause the book, dictate my notes into an email and then save it as a draft….and then restart the book. Just a thought 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I need to go out with a notebook or do the email thing. I’d be constantly pausing like some wobbling penguin 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now I just saw that you do join the coffee chat! I’m sorry. I can never remember how I’m connected to blogs….coffee chat, cheerpeppers, Facebook….sorry. Anyway, please keep writing. The world needs your voice!
LikeLike