WRITING IS HARDER THAN IT SEEMS

Finishing a small writing project was quite an enjoyable process over the weekend. Belonging to several Genealogical Societies in Ontario, I had promised myself to try to write an article for each one this year, i.e. their newsletters. Surprisingly a 3 page one took 6 drafts. Needing to find the details and make them accurate. Citing my sources correctly. Rewording and double checking for meaning and trying not to use the same word twice in the same paragraph. Sometimes I wonder how I wrote 20 -50 page essays at University. Then I remembered a whole week would be used revising and rewriting and it was in the days before word processors and computer spell and grammar check. I thought the greatest invention was paper that can be erased with a pencil so I could put the paper back in the typewriter to correct the sentence carefully. Of course my job was being a student with little else to do.  Now I am on a roll. There is something about finishing and sending a submission even if it is to a simple newsletter read by a select audience. Like this blog. Just writing and using my photos keeps me on my toes or should I say my keyboarding fingers. Organizing other areas that are boring, brainless activities are being completed. With a card table in the corner of my bedroom, the little mess can be left so each night for 2-3 hours I am awake watching TV while I methodically work on the project. I am very pleased with myself. During the summer I found myself doing nothing at night, even had trouble reading. So now with the monotonous task a lot is getting done in a timeframe that does not interfere with other activities. Then reading several pages of my current book before drifting off to sleep. There is something about just doing it. Just take an insurmountable task and attack it. Over time the pile becomes smaller and the end product is a neatly organized project. Of course, my Christmas list was written the end of August and slowly little purchases are being made. Day by day! A little at a time! The little messes where my projects live are out of sight from visitors so there is no need to try to tidy before company comes. How are your projects going? Just get started and see where they go.