This is a question often asked of creatives when you know them personally or you are following someone’s work.  It is interesting to see what they are doing and sometimes it can inspire you to try something new.

It reminds me of the excitement I used to feel as I headed out to the mailbox to see if I had received a letter from a long-distance friend or family member.  I wondered what they would have to say, what they had been up to and their latest news.  Sometimes, I miss those days.

It was easier then to write and one felt comfortable with the act of writing because you were doing it on a regular basis.  If I were a professional writer, which I am not, this would be less of a issue.

To answer the question, I have been working on a few things.  A daily art journal, a new painting and last month, I made a commitment to myself to write something everyday for one year.  I felt it would be a good exercise to write something a little longer in length than a Facebook post or short email.

With the arrival of email and social media, there can be less opportunities to practice your writing skills.  Sentences are now short and sometimes feel choppy.  Many people today have less time or are not interested in writing or reading a long email or post.

As a result, I began to do less writing and when I wanted to write something longer in length such as a blog, I found that I was out of practice.  So, I decided to start a writing exercise and get back in shape.  I could pick whatever subject I wanted and it had to be about two pages in length – long hand.

I began my project on August 09, 2016 and have been writing each day.  I do most of my writing in the morning so nothing gets in the way.  As I think of ideas for a topic, I add them to my list and then pick a subject that interests me on that day. Some days are easier than others and it is rewarding to reach my goal at the end of the day.  I don’t worry about it being perfect.  I just write away.

At the end of the year, I plan to go back and revisit each article and do some more editing.  It will be interesting to see how my writing progresses at the end of my project.

It may be challenging to come up with 365 topics; however, my approach is to take it one day at a time.  I am enjoying the assignment and I look forward to seeing it through to the end.

What are you working on?

Judy Hardiman