I
was delighted to be asked by Lucent to join in with this blog hop about
writing. As I respect, admire and like Lucent enormously, I was keen
to join in. Writing about writing; what could be more fun? Here are
my answers to the 4 questions we were set.
What
am I working on?
Not
much if I am honest! My blog writing has been a little sporadic of
late but that is a positive thing because I've been practising what I
preach: spending less time online, reading, exercising, gardening
and, of course, decluttering. But I am writing a whole lot more than
I was two years ago and this is a great achievement and a continual
source of joy for me. Writing is my perfect waste of time. Writing is
my indulgence and an accessible outlet for my creative urges. Writing
enables me to escape and connect at the same time. Writing is a room
of my own.
This
blog was born through a new found passion in simplifying my life but
as a result my love of writing was reborn. Writing was something that
I enjoyed as a child and young adult. I wrote stories, poetry,
entered essay competitions and I chose English as my degree. Somehow
I dropped writing in my twenties and thirties – those busy years of
creating a family and career. The last time I wrote for pleasure was
during my first pregnancy when I was very disciplined and kept a
detailed diary that is hilarious yet beautiful in its naivety.
These
days spending hours on text for a blog post is pure indulgence. I
constantly strive to be a better writer, to be both spontaneous
and polished (well, with as few mistakes as possible). I am beginning
to seek new avenues for my writing. Blogging has given me the
confidence to tackle new writing projects like producing text for a
website and copy for programmes for our local arts organisation. I
enjoy writing reviews of festivals. Poetry is another favourite
outlet for the words that roam my mind and the emotions that I hold
close to my heart. Sometimes I post my poems and they help me to
deal with difficult times.
For
now the writing opportunities that blogging brings is more than
enough for me. I don't schedule my posts much in advance but I do try
to keep my writing varied. I was very driven when I first started
blogging and posted daily for 6 months but although I post less often
now I still have lots of enthusiasm and ideas for moving Just a
little less forward.
How does my writing differ from others in my genre?
Just
a little less is both a minimalist blog and a lifestyle blog. I know
I have a blogging voice (just like I have many other voices) but I
hope my writing sounds natural and reflects my values and
personality. I think when I write about minimalism I adopt a more
ardent style and my writing carries more gravitas. There are many
minimalist blogs, especially in the USA, but few are written by
married women in their late forties - so I guess that makes me a
little different. When I write online I always try to be honest and
upbeat and I like to invite readers to comment on their experiences.
I often describe Just a little less as a beautiful look at
minimalism; my version of minimalism is not too bare and likewise my
writing is quite elaborate at times.
Why
do I write what I do?
I
was inspired to start blogging after 18 months of devouring blogs on
minimalism and simple living. I felt it would be worthwhile to record
my ideas and progress and that it might give hope to others feeling
overwhelmed by cluttered homes, over scheduled lives and that trapped
feeling of being a wage slave. My writing has a purpose to inform and
inspire others but it also helps to keep me on the simplicity path.
Writing my blog is rewarding. I enjoy the creative process,
connecting with like minded people, receiving emails and comments
from readers and just having a record of this stage of my life.
How
does my writing process work?
I
usually write whilst sat on the sofa, tip-tapping away on my laptop.
I quite like background noise and people around me (except when they
peer over the screen). I mostly write in the evenings as I would lose
entire days to blogging otherwise. If I have an important or
difficult post to write I might start writing it on paper first.
Writing comes easily when I write about experiences and projects that
I'm working on. I quite like researching new things though, and I'm
an avid word collector, grammar nerd and thesaurus user. Often ideas
for writing come to me when I'm in flow and involved in a repetitive
task such as digging or ironing. Sometimes too many ideas come at
once and I have to write them down or I forget them. I edit my writing a
lot and try to keep my posts fairly short. I sometimes ask my husband
to read my draft copies before publishing. I re-read posts too much
before I publish and I always feel a little nervous after they've gone
live. Some posts are done in one sitting but I prefer to come back to
my writing several times with fresh eyes. I still find mistakes after
publishing which I have to correct. I'm writing this post as a Word
document first and it seems to be taking ages and it's too long, but
sometimes you just have to set limits on a piece of writing and let it be,
Thank
you to Lucent, my minimalist loving friend, for the invite. Here's a
little more about her.
Around
here she’s known as Lucent.. Lucent is a legally blind woman who
shares her photographs with a few words of gratitude or a long
rambling piece that is definitely not minimalist. She is always
honoured when people spend time in her online space and has made
special friends through it. She values genuine relationships, travel,
good food, photos and experiences the most. She’s completely and
utterly in love with her handsome husband, adorable dog and thinks
her mum is always the prettiest woman in the room. If you’re her
friend you’ll know without a doubt that she treasures you. Lucent
appreciates the simple joys and is a resilient optimist taking on
life’s challenges with a smile and the occasional tear. At 33 years
old she is finally totally smitten with her hair in its natural state
and colour – her mum can’t understand what took her so long!
Cloudy days make her bounce out of bed even more cheerful than usual,
as her eyes relish the gentle light. Autumn is her favourite season.
Finding greenery in urban environments makes her quietly congratulate
it for its optimism and beam of life through the concrete. She’s an
(attempting) sophisticated jeans-woollen jumper-and-loafers city
dweller crossed with outdoor boots-waterproof jacket-country woman.
Sometimes she struggles with her desire for privacy and the modern
expectation of oversharing. She feels she’s lived a couple of lives
in her pursuits, but now calls herself a housewife first. But labels
don’t define her anyway, pfffft. You will find her seeking out the
quiet corners of the café with comfortable chairs. Her
husband is the one who drinks coffee, she just photographs it. She
totally digs hugs, laughs and smiles, and would like to pat your dog
please.
I
hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed conducting
this little interview with myself. I have asked others to join in but
I am still awaiting replies. In the meantime if you would like to
join in with this please feel welcome. This blog hop has opened new
simplifying blog writers to me. If you read Lucent's post you will find links to other like minded people such as Rebecca and Kali.
Happy writing xo
