Writing is a struggle against silence. ~Carlos Fuentes
I wrote these words sometime last year: I have so much to say. But it’s buried deep within. Writing is my way of bringing it to the fore. But it’s not always easy. I think the editor in my head plays a lot of games at times and prevents me from writing from my heart. I need to silence the editor and let my heart speak. I know then the words will flow – authentically and articulately. I’m struggling against silence. But I’m going to win.
I’m happy to report that I am winning. I have been writing a lot more this year. I’m grateful for all the encouragement I receive to keep at it.
Today, the very lovely Sabrina Lovejoy of Much Needed Advice has invited me to be a part of this blog hop to talk about my writing. Do read her post here.
What am I working on/writing?
I am mostly working on writing for my three blogs. My heart certainly lies with this blog. I’m enjoying working on some tutorials and putting my training skills to use on Write Tribe and on From 7Eight, I enjoy sharing short reviews of the fiction I read.
I’ve got an e-book in the works. It consists of short reflections – more stream of consciousness kind of writing. No, I’m not going to publish it. But I hope to offer for free to my readers here.
How does my work/writing differ from others in its genre?
I would say that my writing is unique only because it’s a reflection of me – and if I am unique, so is my writing! Sounds trite, doesn’t it? But it’s very true!
If you really want to know me, read what I write. When a ‘friend’ of some 25 odd years read my writing she said, “When did you get so deep?” Imagine, she had been meeting me so often, and she didn’t really know me until she read my writing. While I was mad with her for a while, I realised that the problem could be with me – I don’t come across as the ‘real’ me in person!
It dawned on me that my writing is a true reflection of me. It’s pretty straightforward, no-nonsense, what-you-see-is-what-you-get stuff. It’s also reflective and sometimes provocative.
Why do I write what I do?
Years ago, when I pondered the meaning of life – I still do – I thought about what success meant to me. Ralph Waldo Emerson had defined it for me already in his lovely words, some of which I quoting here:
To have accomplished a task, whether it be saving a lost soul, healing a sick child, writing a book, or risking your life for a friend…..this is the meaning of success. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
My love for words through the years hadn’t translated into writing, but whenever someone asked me about what I wanted to accomplish, I told them I wanted to publish a book. The reason – I wanted to inspire with my words, even as I have been inspired by words. Then I discovered blogging and haven’t stopped writing for 6 years now.
Today, I no longer want to publish a book – I’ve seen the whole marketing side of it and I don’t have the drive to do that.
I have decided to use my blogs as my ‘book’ and hope that they will inspire in some small way.
How does my writing process work?
When Stephanie Faris shared her writing process here, she called herself a ‘pantser’ – someone who writes by the seat of her pants! I can so identify with that. I have a hundred ideas of what I want to write about. I note them down, but I can’t flesh them out until a few minutes before my post is to go live. Before that, I’m looking for pictures, creating pinnable pictures, finding quotes, checking out that the post is SEO-friendly – all of which takes loads of time. The actual writing takes half an hour at the most! Crazy, that’s me!
That’s my writing story. What’s yours? You’re welcome to ask me questions about anything I’ve shared here.
I am now passing on these questions to three very talented bloggers, who will be posting for the Blog Hop on June 2. Let me introduce them to you:
Carrie-Anne Foster blogs at That Dizzy Chick. She writes about positive living, enhancing relationships, and inspiring/motivating others.
Carrie-Anne is currently working towards becoming a certified Life Coach with a goal of providing guidance to others in all areas of their life.
You can connect with Carrie-Anne on the following social media platforms:
Google Plus / Twitter / Pinterest/ Instagram
Damaria Senne 
has spent more than 25 years working as a journalist, communications specialist, writer, editor and publisher with employers and freelance clients including government, non-profit organisations, publishers and corporates.
As an author, her writing credits include:
- I’m not a baby (children’s story; published by Macmillan India as part of that country’s 2013 reading material for Grade 3 learners).
- Waking Up Grandma (children’s story, ebook, Damaria Senne Media 2012)
- How to get quoted in the media, co-written with Christelle du Toit (non-fiction, ebook, Damaria Senne Media; 2011)
- Boitshoko (new literate adults, Heinemann South Africa; 1996; translated into 4 languages)
- The Doll That Grew (children’s story; Macmillan South Africa; 1993 and the ebook version by Damaria Senne Media; 2011)
She has also contributed to anthologies including My First Time (Anthology Contribution; book edited by Jen Thorpe. Print; Modjadji Books; 2012 and ebook; World Books; 2013) and The face of the spirit: Illuminating a century of essays by South African women, published by the Department of Arts and culture of South Africa in 2008.
She was a finalist in the 2013 Mobokodo Awards (Digital Category), a national award for Women in the Arts in South Africa.
You can learn more about Damaria and her writing/publishing projects at Storypot and Advanced Writers about her gardening and home-making adventures at Growing Our Food.
Vidya Sury is a professional copywriter, editor and blogger.
In a previous life, she was a corporate powerhouse. She now works from home crafting connections between businesses and their target markets, but prefers to focus on collecting smiles, playing with her dust bunnies, showing her diabetes who’s boss and celebrating the little things. She loves coffee, people, cooking, reading, writing, photography and travel.
Vidya blogs at Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Coffee with Mi and Your Medical Guide. She enjoys writing for Blogging Betties and Write Tribe.
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Whew! What a fab post, Corinne! Such an interesting blog hop. Looking forward to carrying the torch forward. And I am eagerly looking out for your ebook!
Vidya Sury recently posted..Making Time to Smell the Flowers
Thanks, Vidya! You know the inside story on how crazy it’s been! I’m looking forward to reading your post and your ‘books’. 🙂
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted..The Windmills Of Your Mind
Thank you for tagging me Corinne. You do inspire and even when I don’t comment, I get your posts by email everyday and find them to be so “real.”
Wishing you the best in silencing that pesky editor while you write. I also face the same battle. I can also understand how you came to the decision that you no longer look to publish books because of the marketing end of the business. For me the marketing is really hard work.. and I find that writing the book feels somewhat natural, like that is what I’m meant to do. But I struggle to achieve the balance between writing/blogging and marketing and most times, I have to do one or the other or I just feel worn out.
I struggle with the editor in my head too. I enjoyed reading about your process and I look forward to reading the others.
Amazing post!! Loved reading what your writing process entails. I have never aspired to write a book nor a blog. I just kind of fell into writing and now enjoy it. It is fun, and when it ceases to be fun I will take a break…or stop altogether. Usually I get my fun back out of it. Someday down the road I may just attempt to write a book. Until then I will polish my creative force on short stories, 55er’s, 100’s, and haiku. Between that and all the commenting that keeps me more than busy!
Kathy Combs recently posted..I Will Follow
Congratulations on writing what’s on your heart. I enjoy your blogs and love the way I’ve connected with you and other writers via blogging connections. I started mine because I was told I should have a platform if I wanted to be published. Now it is my favorite form of writing although I am working on novel in spurts. Whether or not, it is ever published, blogging is great fun!
Dorothy Johnson recently posted..Memorial Day 2014
what an interesting blog hop! I usually write impulsively and remember to edit at least some things after I have hit the publish button 😛
Are you absolutely certain that you don’t have that book inside you, dear Corinne? 🙂 Never mind, you are living the dream and inspiring so many with your amazing blog. Though we’ve never met in person, I count you as the closest of friends in my circle. And, that’s entirely due to your own writing and the thoughtful comments you’ve faithfully left on my blog. Some would scoff that this could be real friendship, but I beg to disagree. You have enriched and enhanced my life in ways I could never have imagined just a few short years ago. Keep the inspiration coming and follow your dream, dear friend!
Love and blessings!
Martha Orlando recently posted..“Just Lay on Your Back And Float . . .”
This was such a wonderful read, Corinne! I like what you say about wanting to be known (known not as in famous, but like really ‘known’) through your words. Every time I read your stuff I do get a sense of you being no-nonsense, WYSIWYG kind of person 🙂 And I also appreciate what you say here about the marketing side of book publishing. Looking forward to your e-book 🙂 And thanks for sharing a bit more about your writing process! Writing from the heart can be daunting at times because it makes us vulnerable in a way, no? Thanks for this post. And I look forward to reading the other three wonderful bloggers you have tagged here.
Beloo Mehra recently posted..Designing Mom
Corinne , its nice to ‘know you further’ throughs your frank and no-nonsense writings.
You said you are aware of the whole marketing side of books. Why is it said that writing is easier (read better) than marketing?
Kalpana Solsi recently posted..soldier.
This post is so you Corinne. I love the way you write and what you write.
I discovered writing one fine day when I was upset over something and a poetry resulted when I put the pencil I had in my hand on paper. Years of sad and melancholic poems later, I discovered my true love – fiction. I don’t do/understand poetry anymore. It could be as a result of the fact that I overcame the depressing stage of my life or because I have consciously taken a decision not to foray into waters that might upset me 🙂
The question I have for you is what you said regarding the marketing side of books. What happens in that side of the world? Would you share something about that?
Bhavya recently posted..A Distant Dream
You are woking on so many writing projects 🙂
I think my writing is a whole new person and I am slowing turning into what I write. My story is somewhat similar to yours, my blog friends who knew me by my writing first and then as a person later on, find it hard to identify that it’s the same girl 🙂
Rajlakshmi recently posted..WTF Wednesdays – Fashion of Bagel Head
Looking forward to reading your book Corinne. Glad to know a little more about you through this post 🙂
Vinodini Iyer recently posted..The Last Meal
Wow looking forward to that book. That editing persona is always struggling to get out even before the writing or thinking sets in 😀
PhenoMenon
Pheno Menon recently posted..Trinity Sculpture of Elephanta Caves
Love the way you write and your writing journey and process, Corinne. You are doing such a fab job of inspiring so many of us! Looking forward to your ebook. And looking forward to know about Carrie, Damaria and Vidya’s writings too 🙂
Shilpa Garg recently posted..An Affair to Remember!
Your honesty certainly comes through in your writing, Corrine, and the sincerity is so obvious. Thanks for sharing this very personal part of yourself with us!
Michelle Liew recently posted..A Sweet Reunion
I am sure that whatever you write will resonate with readers, Corinne. As it always has. I like the reflective tone in this post, especially where you speak about the need to write for the sake of writing and how it is a reflection of yourself.
Shailaja V recently posted..Back to school- A Checklist!
Corinne,
I can definitely relate to the need to silence the editor voice within as you write. It typically begins to trip me up when I’m writing posts for my blog. However, I have not had it become an issue when I write my books. The passion seems to flow and I return later for the editing process. But I do agree that you can oftentimes lose your thoughts and voice when you are restricted by that darned editorial personality. 😉
I too am a self-proclaimed pantser. Although lately fellow author/blogger M.J. Kane has had me implementing outlines as I work on my book. They are helpful in a sense, but I still allow my novels to flow the way they must.
Corinne,
this post is Excellent.
Interesting.
Inspiring.
For me, the best thing about writing is the “deleting!’
xx
My Inner Chick recently posted..You Rise Over & Over Again
Whenever I read you, I come to know you better.Your writings always inspire me. I always feel that writing comes to you naturally. Looking forward to your E Book.
usha menon recently posted..Homecoming of a grand daughter.
Good luck with all of your writing ventures.
Joyce recently posted..#WW Wordless Wednesday: Tug of War
I am excited about your E book, All the very best, not that you need it, I already know its gonna be great !
Ananya Kiran recently posted..Mrs INDIA WASHINGTON – The End ??
loved the post Cory!But i thot ur offline persona is same as online…… No nonsense yet warm in ur own way!!! Mmmmm a chicken soup for sould kinda book?
I luved ur description of Vids
Meena Menon recently posted..Chinnu….
Thanks, Meena. This means a lot, because it is something I’ve been trying to work on.
No Chicken Soup – other hot stuff! 😉
PS: That’s Vidya’s description of herself. 🙂
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted..Ways to get a Good Night Sleep
I always find your posts uplifting and encouraging. I’m glad you took up writing and you’re winning!
Loni Townsend recently posted..Feature Photo Friday
Yep, that settles it, I’m definitely a panster when it comes to blogging! A lot of thought goes into it before hand and then it’s throw caution to the wind in the final minutes. I love no only how you’re able to maintain several blogs but also how you simply decided that the whole publishing thing wasn’t for you. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey. This was my first blog hop and I couldn’t be happier with the ladies that took the plunge with me. Thank you for showing up and showing out, Corinne!
I apologize for commenting so late, I thought I posted several days ago.
Brilliant Corinne! 🙂
Looking forward to your ebook.
I get stuck a lot while writing and sometimes need more than a nudge to get out of the rut!!
But, once I’m out of that rut, there is no stopping me till another wave of writer’s block hits!! 😀
Incredibly I wrote the writing tips post for the WT linkup and called it Writing from the heart! Your posts are always thought provoking and inspirational. Look forward to the e-book.
Suzy recently posted..Writing From The Heart
Lovely to learn so much about you and your Blogging style, Corinne 🙂
Wow! You manage such wow posts in just 30 minutes! Delicious like Pizza delivery 🙂
I take much longer… Need tips!
Anita recently posted..Religion No Bar
“The love for words” – that is the driving force… and I see that in your writings dear Corinne. Wonderful post, and very interesting to read – even to know you a little bit better. Will be waiting for your ebook:-)
Eli recently posted..Exploring Mumbai hotels
Loved reading about you and your writing .. I am glad how this writing has helped you to be the real you ..
simple girl recently posted..A to Z reflections post….
I still want to publish that book. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but it’s my dream.
Joyce recently posted..Throwback Thursday
Hurry up Corrine. Can’t wait to read your book.And yes do continue to write from your heart.
Geeta Nair recently posted..Book Review : The Evolution Of Gods