Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Writing in alphabetical order

Last Thursday, I completed my first A to Z challenge. It was an adventure and an... um... challenge. I never did come up with a theme, but, then again, my mind works in random ways so I might have felt stifled by a theme.

The challenge was made even more challenging by the fact that I forgot about it until day number three! Then I wrote one post with three letters, and that post was way too long! But we live and learn! Afterwards, the challenge was made challenging when I went off on the Walk for a Nuclear Free Future and went low tech for six days! I did manage to catch up but... wow, that was a lot of blogging in a short amount of time. Nevertheless, it was fun.

The letter X nearly demolished me. The post made so little sense that I decided that making sense is highly overrated.

My blog went in directions that I had not intended. I did not start out the blog with the intentions of doing online creative writing workshops, yet I did that with several posts. 

I did not write any posts in advance. My posts were spontaneous and, for the most part, I wrote one per day. Toward the end, it became obvious to me that I could keep up with the challenge. I felt very good about that.

I am now thinking about writing a book about my life and my adventures. I've walked for many miles for a variety of causes and I've spent a total of fifteen months in federal prison for protesting at the gates of Fort Benning. In fact, I am briefly mentioned in Piper Kerman's book, Orange is the New Black. My story is dramatically exaggerated in odd ways in that book. It's entertaining but inaccurate. But I wonder... would enough people want to read my story? Is it worthwhile to write it? I really don't know so I hope someone has some words of wisdom for me.

Life is good. I'm glad that I found this challenge, and I will try to do it again next year.

Last but not least. Thank you to everyone who read my stories and who posted comments. They were much appreciated. I visited a variety of blogs and enjoyed them all very much. I can't pick out any as favorites. You're all winners, in my view.

One last note: I never did understand the instructions for grabbing badges, so I had to leave the badges out of my blogs. They are awfully cute, and it would be helpful to have the instructions more user friendly for borderline luddites, such as me!
Bye bye for now.
alice 

4 comments:

Arlee Bird said...

Good to hear your thoughts on A to Z. I understand about the technical stuff like badges. It took me a while to start grasping things like that and I'm still learning.

I think themeless has certain advantages and can provide that fun element of spontaneity. Maybe I'll try that again someday, though I have gotten used to having the flow of a theme.

Sure, your life sounds like it would make an interesting read. My philosophy is that any life can be interesting if it is written well. I do have a memoir blog if you want some of my ideas or if you ever want to guest post. I haven't had a guest post in quite a while and actually my original intent with that blog was to have mostly guest posts.

Check in out by following the link in my signature.

Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Wrote By Rote

Mary B said...

I'd read that book if you wrote it! Just now getting around to visiting the blogs in the challenge. April was a busy month for me. Congrats on completing the A to Z Challenge! Looking forward to next year! See you on the Road Trip!

Mary www.JingleJangleJungle.net

Paula said...

I am cruising through on the A to Z Road Trip. Glad I stopped in. You have some fantastic pictures. Hope you will do the challenge again. I find it so helpful to plan ahead. Hope to see you again

Random Musings said...

I didn't have a theme either - like you I liked just writing whatever I fancied on the day!
Popping by on the A to Z Road Trip
Debbie
www.myrandommusings.blogspot.com