Slice of Life 8: Week 2 Challenge Check In

By Janice Ewing

It’s a week into SoL 15 and, as a first-timer, I’m thinking about what the experience has been like so far. The first word that comes into my mind is fluency.  Each morning I’ve written something, without a lot of self-censorship or second-guessing. I guess that speaks to the power of deadlines! Also, knowing that I’m writing the post for that day, not the oeuvre of a lifetime, is very freeing.

That’s not the only motivation though. There’s the sense of being part of a community of writers. Stacey and the rest of the team do a great job of keeping everyone on track and connected. Being part of a community not only provides much-needed social support, but also a sense of accountability. I signed on for something, along with many others. They’re holding up their end, so…

Along with the community comes the feedback. Stacey has stressed how important comments are to the whole process. How true! Whether it’s someone sharing that she or he enjoyed the post overall, a reference to a specific line, or the words “I felt that way too,” we need the validation that our words reached someone who made a connection.

Reading others’ posts has been so illuminating. The range of topics, themes, and overall approaches to the challenge is vast. One thing in particular I’ve noticed, and hadn’t given much thought to before starting, is that some writers tend to post varied observations from their day, focusing on family, classroom, or the wider world, while others tend to stay with one topic or theme and develop it day by day. Interesting… I don’t know if the one-themers made that decision ahead of time, if that’s what they’ve done in the past and it worked for them, or if they just found themselves doing that. That’s something I’m reflecting on, entering the second week. Not sure yet… I guess that’s part of the whole experience too – not knowing where it will take us.

* This “Slice of Life” post is part of a larger blog series, hosted by the blog site, Two Writing Teachers: A Meeting Place for a World of Reflective Writers.

Janice Ewing is an adjunct for Cabrini College and a co-director for the Pennsylvania Writing & Literature Project. Janice co-facilitates PAWLP’s “Continuity Days” and this blog. She is an avid reader and writer, and especially enjoys writing poems.