Tag: thankfulness

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Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Live in The Moment

Recently, I spent time talking with a neighbor whom I got to know during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. We spent many days in her living room talking about life and connecting. I never knew she was originally from North Georgia where my mentor lives.

I stopped in to check in on my neighbor because I knew she had been having health issues and wasn’t home for a month. What started as sepsis ended up revealing she had stage IV colon cancer. Needless to say, everyone was shocked and saddened by her diagnosis.

We were all relieved to finally have her back home after 30 days bouncing between hospitals and rehabilitation centers and now she begins her chemotherapy for her second battle with cancer. During those days we spent talking at her home after the storm, we never imagined she would soon face a personal storm that few could understand.

It reminded me how we get too focused on the future or what we want instead of living one day at a time. We avoid the present out of our ignorance of the future for various reasons.

  • Hopeful
  • Stressed
  • Inpatient

After my accident, I was headstrong about speeding through my recovery so I could get back to my normal life and finish school. I was so laser-focused on my goals and my hopes that I was out of touch with reality.

Even with the doctor’s warnings, I foolishly tried my best to get out of the hospital as soon as possible. I didn’t know at the time how my brain injury had changed me forever. I didn’t understand that my TBI caused me to be impatient, made it harder for me to process information, and caused me to struggle to focus. My T. B. I. taught me to live in the moment, instead of being fixated on the future or the past.

Live in the Moment

It’s been a hard year for a lot of people, especially for those of us living in the southeast. People have lost their lives and loved ones. Others have lost their livelihood and many more have lost their homes.

Perhaps that’s why many of us all looking forward to the holidays and the new year. We want to get lost in the hustle of the holidays and forget the hardships of 2024. Hopefully, the holidays will distract us from the hardships of the year.

We want to spend time with our friends and loved ones whom we don’t get to enjoy quite enough throughout the year. However, the holidays seem to speed by themselves.

Instead of trying to rush through life, we need to slow down appreciate what we have, and live in the moment. If anything, 2024 should have taught all of us that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed and no one knows what the future holds.

Many people didn’t live to see the holidays and many who did have no homes to celebrate with their loved ones. It shouldn’t take the holidays to help us make memories and appreciate the time together.  Daily living in the moment helps us enjoy the journey, instead of dreading it.

The Writing Journey

As writers, we have goals and dreams that each of us is working towards. Sometimes we are focused more on the destination, than the journey. We learn early on from the writing community, that a writing career is a marathon and not a sprint.

Even as writers, we need to slow down and live in the moment. Because when we rush the process and the journey, we miss out on the information and opportunities that are critical for the writing path.

It is the journey that prepares us for the career and helps us to polish our prose so it stands the test of time. The journey is what prepares us for the destination. There are benefits for writers to live in the moment, instead of stressing and focusing on the future.

  1. Shape your voice
  2. Hone your skills
  3. Network
  4. Build platform and brand
  5. Health benefits

Journeys are best experienced, not exacerbated. When we rush the process, we short ourselves invaluable experiences and wisdom. Some ways we can live in the moment as writers are: grounding techniques and mindfulness exercises, putting away distractions, plan our to-do’s so you can focus on the moment, practicing gratitude, rest, be habitual.

Don’t miss the little things on the journey to your big destination or dream. Be thankful for the little things and even the hard things. Writers need to learn to practice an attitude of gratitude.

Be Thankful

Now that the holidays have officially arrived, most of us will slow down and give thanks for the blessings we have been given. However, we often forget to be grateful for our hardships.

It is our struggles that make us stronger and help build our endurance. As writers, we can be thankful for closed doors, rejections, and lost opportunities. Learning to accept our disappointments helps us be present and prepares us for the future. Below are some fruits of enduring the disappointments of the writing journey.

  • Experience
  • Humility
  • Wisdom
  • Thick skin

If you haven’t learned by now, a writing career comes with criticism and professional feedback. After my accident, the hardest lesson for me to learn was that I would never be the same.

I will never forget the time I fell off of the toilet in the hospital (disclaimer: this video contains medically graphic images), because it taught me that I was not ready to go home or return to my daily routines. It humbled me. It also taught me to appreciate the little things of life. Hardships can force us to learn to live in the moment.

Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJohnson.com  and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for November

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Come Write with Us: Having Fun with Flash Fiction with Sophia Hansen

Novelist and flash fiction editor Sophia Hansen shares tips on writing short stories—less than 1000 words—in this fun and creative “Come Write with Us” episode. From there, she leads us in developing a story idea based on a character bio and three prompts provided by Story Dice (a free app). These basic ideas are fleshed out with an imaginative brainstorming session by participants who write in a variety of genres. Whether you write short stories or mega-novels, this episode is like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day–fun and refreshing.

Watch the November 5th replay.

Sophia Hansen is an organic author, using no artificial ingredients in her stories—unless absolutely convenient. She writes and edits flash fiction for Havok Publishing and her debut novel, Water’s Break, released in January, 2024 to critical acclaim. Sophia, who resides in the South with her husband of thirty-six years, can be bribed with good coffee, crispy bacon, and dark chocolate.

The Way We Share Truth Matters with Annette Marie Griffin

In a world where truth is becoming more and more relative, people still search for real answers to life’s deepest questions. But instead of looking to the Church or the Bible for spiritual guidance, the go-to source for enlightenment is now Google. In this episode of Writers Chat, award-winning author, Annette Marie Griffin, covers how Christian writers can impact the world by using Google analytics and best SEO practices to ensure their online content reaches those searching for truth.

Watch the November 12th replay.

Annette Marie Griffin is an award-winning author and speaker who has written hundreds of top-ranking articles for Salem Media Group, she’s a columnist and acquisitions editor for StarLight Magazine for kids, and she teaches workshops and training classes at local and national writing conferences. When Annette isn’t writing, speaking, or teaching, she loves making memories with her brilliant husband, 3 adult children, 2 teens, and 3 adorable grands!

Thanksgiving Roundtable: Sharing Blessings

The Writers Chat community counts our blessings while playing “Thanksgiving Roulette.” Our illustrious host, Johnnie Alexander, drew questions from her writing box and posed that question to someone in our audience. We had questions like: what is your favorite Scripture for writing? What mentor has blessed you? Where is your favorite writing place? What lessons did you learn the hard way? Where would your dream writing retreat be? And so much more. Be sure to check out this episode if you need encouragement, laughter, or simply want to see a delightful show.

Watch the November 19th replay.

Disclaimer: The opinions and viewpoints presented by the cohosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and viewpoints of Writers Chat or Serious Writer, Inc.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

‘Tis the Season of Thankfulness

lighter look at a writer's life

Even though Christmas items have been up in stores for what seems like forever, ’tis the season of . . . thankfulness! Lest we skip over Thanksgiving for the season of holly, mistletoe, and Christmas nougats (my favorite), I decided to make a list of reasons writers need to be thankful. So, here’s the list, and feel free to check it twice (Sorry, I couldn’t resist).

1. Writers can be thankful for the gift and talent of writing.

Some people are talented at singing, while others are gifted in working with their hands, like woodworking, mechanical tasks. Those are worthwhile things, but God made writers a special breed, wired to share His story on the page. It’s a wondrous gift and a serious responsibility.

2. Writers can be thankful for technology.

Even though it drives us absolutely CRAZY sometimes, technology makes writing easier in this day and age. Personally, I’m thankful I don’t have to fire up an oil lamp, write everything out in longhand, and then “snail-mail” huge manuscripts to prospective publishers. I’ve been a teacher so long that you probably could not read my handwriting anyway.

3. Writers can be thankful for websites like this one.

With a few clicks, we can get top-notch instruction on everything from where the commas go to how to write travel pieces. Speaking of commas, we can even read endless debates about whether to Oxford comma or not (For the record, I am firmly in the Team Oxford Camp).

4. Writers can be thankful for other writers.

I don’t know about you, but I found my “tribe” or “squad” or whatever you want to call it through writing. Our fellowship is unique, as we relate to the struggles, commiserate the rejections, and celebrate the successes. Bonus thankfulness for writers conferences, where we gather to consume caffeine while we are talking, laughing, and eating way too many sweets. Oh, yeah, we also take classes and discuss writing (most of the time . . . well, some of the time . . . well . . . ).

5. Writers can be thankful for readers.

Where would we writers be without our readers? You are the reason we do what we do. Your support and feedback are invaluable

Now you know my thankful list—what’s on yours?

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.