January 8 is Clean Off Your Desk Day and I want to help you celebrate by not only giving you tips on how to clean your desk but also suggestions of what to put on that desk once it’s spic and span.
7 Steps to a Better Blog Post
Writing is a practice. Just as athletes must practice to get better at their sport and musicians must practice to get better at their instrument, we writers must practice to get better at our craft. That’s why I love blogging. I consider blogging the writer’s practice field.
Here are seven ways you can write better blog posts and begin to improve your writing overall.
18 Books to Read in 2018
Good writers read good writing — I say this a lot, especially when people ask me what they can do to improve their writing skills. But lately, I feel like a hypocrite. Because I am an English teacher, I read all the time, but it’s rare that I read for the love of the written word or for the sake of improving my own writing. In 2018, this is going to change. In addition to writing in my journal every night before bed, I’m also going to read at least a few pages of a book (that I’m not using in my classroom) every day. Here are 18 books I plan to read in 2018.
Hello 2018
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. — Proverbs 31:25
Hello 2018,
I thought you’d never arrive.
I’ve been waiting for you longer than you know.
For seasons upon seasons, I’ve been longing for a year like you.
Looking Back at 2017
At the start of this year, I declared that “grace” would be my word for 2017. Many people who know me well were surprised, assuming I’d pick a word like “hustle” instead.
But “grace” was my word for the year because I needed a reminder to be gentle with myself, to give myself a break and others the benefit of the doubt.
Sometimes gumption and grit aren’t enough. Sometimes you need grace.
And as I take a moment to look back at 2017 I need grace, indeed.
I need to be gentle with myself as I face the fact that I didn’t completely accomplish any of my major goals for the year.
I didn’t grow See Jane Write to 500 dues-paying members. I didn’t grow my blog traffic to an average of 100,000 monthly pageviews. I didn’t self-publish a book. I didn’t see my byline in one of my favorite national magazines. I didn’t participate in a women’s small group at church all year. In fact, I barely went to church at all. I didn’t take a real vacation with my husband. I didn’t lose 30 pounds.
But here’s what I did do: