I finally read and responded to all of the comments on my blog posts from the last nine days of this challenge.
I loved reading everyone’s words and the care with which everyone commented on my posts.
It reaffirmed the importance of feedback. Of what it feels like to have your words “seen” and “heard” by others.
Without this back and forth we may not know what resonates, what is not clear, what someone else sees and connects with that you didn’t expect.
This is why I share my thinking on my blog even on the days when all I want to do is crawl into bed and binge on Netflix. And, believe me, I binge on Netflix regularly.
I have struggled to create a consistent writing habit for years.
Sometimes I’ve succeeded at doing that for a short time and then I skip a day and then another one and before I know it, a month has gone by.
And I feel like a failure.
So, I start again.
Only to repeat the cycle over and over again.
Not lately, though.
Lately, I’ve been on the lookout for stories.
I’ve been listening.
I’ve been present and observant.
I’ve been making connections, drawing parallels, searching for threads to explore.
And I am so grateful to my teacher-writer community for sustaining me. For encouraging me. For pushing me to show up even when it’s hard, so I can discover myself in the words on the page.
Happy slicing!
Cross posted to The Two Writing Teachers March Slice of Life Story Challenge.
Elisa Waingort 
Elisa, good for you for finding your writing courage and consistency. I think I am where you used to be, easily distracted and out of the writing habit for a long time. I am taking away some of your post and adding these ideas to my writing ideas list:
“Lately, I’ve been on the lookout for stories.
I’ve been listening.
I’ve been present and observant.
I’ve been making connections, drawing parallels, searching for threads to explore.”
Though, they are an inspiration for more of a lifestyle and values change. Thank you for the challenge today.
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Thank you for your comment, Denise. I am carrying this feeling and momentum into my writing life moving forward. Really looking forward to capitalizing on all of the writing I did for the March SOL challenge.
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Yaaasss to all of this!!
“Lately, I’ve been on the lookout for stories.”
“I’ve been listening.”
“I’ve been present and observant.”
“I’ve been making connections, drawing parallels, searching for threads to explore.”
You are such an insightful writing. I love reading your Slices.
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It’s so true! Ditto for my writing habit; in the past, I’ve been so inconsistent, but joining the writing community has been an absolute game changer.
Also, I love comments people post as well – it’s so heartwarming how thoughtful commenters can be on my words! Happy slicing 🙂
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I can’t count the number of years I’ve started a diary. I love notebooks and have lots, but just can’t keep it up for very long. You are right. It’s nice to have a community that keeps you looking for stories all month long. And the comments make the motivation even stronger. I’m enjoying visiting you each day.
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I think your persistence is admirable and look at you here and now with a blog to share about your commenting experience. It makes me think about a student who told me yesterday that he felt like his blog comments were more thoughtful than his actual blogs. I told him “well, blog about your comments then.” I think we forget that our feedback can be just as powerful to someone and is just as much a writing task as any other genre!
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I think listening for stories has been the biggest benefit for me in the month long commitment to slice each day. I can see the stories around me with greater ease because I’ve taken time to look for them.
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