Sonee Singh's Blog, page 5

The “Meaning” of Travel

I used to travel a lot for work.

My previous career was in hospitality and it involved traveling a majority of the time.

I also traveled for pleasure. So, travel is something I am used to. I have since become a writer and author, and my time is my own. My desire for travel has now become a personal quest. I seek experiences where I can stay in locations for short and long term.

I have experimented with living nomadically in the past. I am currently living out of suitcases. I love to travel and thrive from immersing into different cities and cultures. It fills me personally and helps me get into a creative space to write with ease.

Travel brings me a renewed sense of self because and I feel empowered by my flexibility to be on the move. In September, 2020, I sold and donated all of my furniture and belongings. The remaining belongings are packed in boxes that are stored in my parents’ house. I decided to commit to the nomadic lifestyle in order to search for my next home, and my intention is to find a place to live by the end of the year.

Being on the move is part of my lifestyle and I thrive on having the flexibility to travel. My stories and poems include my experiences of different places I have lived in or visited, thus sharing these seems like an extension of what I have set as a goal and intention for myself.

Travel isn’t the only way I get fulfilling experiences. I also enjoy quiet time and practices that allow for me to feel stillness, and that can come from drinking a delightful cup of tea or even taking a walk outdoors. I wonder, what other people do? What do you do that brings you closer to yourself? That brings you stillness? That brings you meaning?

The Value of Writing Retreats

I have attended a few writing retreats, some virtual and some in-person.

I spend so much time writing on my own that when I am in a retreat, I feel as if I am part of a community. I can exchange ideas and learn from others. I improve my craft and expand my knowledge on the industry and related subjects. I get inspired by other authors, and I get motivated to continue with my writing.

Most recently, I was at a writer’s retreat in Peel Manor House, Western Australia, and Crom Castle, Northern Ireland. Both were completely different settings yet awe-inspiring environments. They are nothing like what I live through on a daily basis. That, in it of itself, was vital for me to refocus and reset.

What I value the most, however, is the opportunity to socialize and engage in loving and supportive conversations and situations. It is invaluable. I get a renewed sense of self, a confidence boost, and I am infused with the strength I see in those around me. I feel we all become stronger, yet there is also nurturing.

Personally, I feel nourished because writing retreats provide the space for me to be me. I would like to think that I provide others the same space for them to be themselves, but you’d have to ask them to know for sure. It is my intention to provide a calming presence and be there for others.

While I know that many attend retreats to find the time and space to write, for me, writing retreats provide a beautiful way to share laughter and joy, exchange stories, and collaborate in a genuine and spontaneous atmosphere. I do get some writing done, but it’s not the purpose of the retreat. What I am looking for is companionship and support, and for that, writing retreats are invaluable.

My First Fan!

I gained my first real-life fan at an event last week.

It is most significant because he isn’t a friend, family member, part of my writing community, or someone I have worked with in the past. I published my first book of poetry eight months ago with the release of Embody, and most of the people who have reached out to me with words of support or request for an autograph are my friends and family. But, this guy wasn’t.

Last week, I attended a writing retreat, and I had my three poetry books on display. I should clarify that of those three books, one was a proof copy because the book hasn’t officially been released. The manager of Peel Manor House, where the retreat was being hosted, came upon the display at night after the events had been completed for the day. He flipped through them out of curiosity, and was apparently, captivated by my words. He stayed up late at night reading my books, and he read them out to others on his team.

He said to me that he liked the books so much that he wanted to purchase them right then and there. It warmed my heart to see that he had placed a sticky note on each book, claiming it as his. And then, he tried to convince me to leave him with all three copies. I couldn’t, of course, given that the third book, Embolden, isn’t released, and the second book, Embrace, isn’t yet widely available. I could only sell him one book, the first, Embody.

I was in disbelief to see someone touched by my words. I have had friends and family tell me they enjoy my words, and although I appreciate it, I also know they love me and want to support me.

I wrote those poems at some of the most difficult times I have gone through, and I wrote them as a way to process what I was going through. When I published them, my intention was merely to share, hoping that others would find them entertaining. I didn’t think it would touch another person, much less that they would connect with them on a personal level.

To find someone who connected with them, was priceless. Getting compliments from someone who knows nothing about me, means the world to me.

How to Support a Writer

A while back I read an article written by Michelle Halket,

the publisher behind Central Avenue Publishing about supporting writers.

She said:

“I look at what writers go through (or any creative, really), and think that looks more difficult than what I do. They pour their heart and soul into this creation and then let it go into the world where reviewers tear it apart, people pick at the smallest details, or sales just never materialize.”

And it’s true. I have received a lot of support, as well as plenty of dismissals. And yes, it is tough. It’s hard not to take things personally. Publishing what we write is vulnerable, it exposes our creativity, our talent, and who we are as people. It can be pretty nerve-racking.

In the article, Michelle Halket mentions supporting an author on their journey, by buying the book, reviewing the book, showing up for their events, asking them about their journey, and trying to help them out in other ways. And she explains the reasoning for all of this.

To read the full article, click here.

I also came across the above meme, shared by fantasy author S. G. Blaise, so I can recognize that it is a common feeling. What is wonderful about her post, is that she details efforts that can be done for free.

If you have it in you, please support an author on their journey. It may cost you nothing other than a bit of effort, maybe you do buy the book and spend a few dollars, but regardless of the support, however small, I can guarantee that it will mean the world to the writer or author.

Author Spotlight by MMH Press

I am sharing the Author Spotlight

that MMH Press put together in honor of my collection of poetry books.

Embody was published in 2021, Embrace will be published on March 21, 2022, and Embolden will be out later this year.

This is from MMH Press:

“Author Spotlight this week is on Sonee Singh! The wonderful talent behind the poetry collections 'Embody', 'Embrace', and 'Embolden'. 

Sonee’s biggest inspiration for her poetry is life itself. She loves opening every single aspect of life, and then digging a little deeper. ‘Embody was about claiming my emotions and my experiences within myself. Embrace was about accepting them. Embolden was about finding a way to move forward.’

Her writing process is unexpected and comes from a deep stream of consciousness. When the COVID-19 lockdown first began, Sonee would start writing after a prompt or meditation session and found her words became poetic. She let it flow. She considers herself a pantser, she lets her creativity flow and guide her writing.” 

Mandalas

Mandalas have always fascinated me.

I love the work that goes into creating one, the intricate designs, how dynamic and alive they seem, even when they are only two-dimensional. And, I love the symbology behind them. Mandalas are spiritual symbols.

Mandalas represent circles and cycles. They are symbols of the universe, and a reflection that we hold the universe inside of us; that we are all connected; that there is unity in us and around us. Some use mandalas as a means to feel that connection, to meditate, and/or to attain higher levels of spirituality.

The other day, I tried to draw a mandala on my own. I was surprised that I could make a circle. It was lopsided but it fit the page and it was definitely circular-looking. I used a ruler for the first time in years, and it felt good to use it to trace lines. I realized I needed a central focal point from which to anchor the lines. It was like muscle-memory…a feeling of “Oh yeah, that’s what I’m supposed to do.”

It was quite beautiful. The depiction wasn’t beautiful, which is why I’m not sharing it, but the exercise was. It helped me reignite a connection within. I often struggle to be gentle with myself, and this exercised helped.

For me this meant that even in my disconnection, I was able to step away from the minutia and see the bigger pictures.

What in your life helps you explore yourself, your connections, your links?

Much of the poetry I write is about symbology and meaning. I reflect upon questions like this. This is the reason that I chose mandalas as the design element for my poetry collection. All three covers have a mandala on it. Don’t worry, I didn’t design those—a professional did, and she did an amazing job.

I am a person who sees connections. That is who I am. I establish good relationships with people and I also see the links between people, between events. I write about these links, especially those in my life. In doing so, I feel more myself, more connected within.

5 Questions to Better Know Myself

I am constantly working on myself,

as if on a perpetual search

to grow into a better version of myself. I do that by evaluating the what, when, where, how, and why of who I am. I explore a lot of this through mental self-reflection, but I also work through it by meditating and writing.

I do this as I reflect on what I experience, what I read, and what I watch. It helps me to know and understand myself better, and to accept that I am a constant work-in-progress.

When I reflect, I ask:

How does “this” pertain to my life?

How does this give me a better understanding of who I am?

How can I use what I have learned to add value to my life?

How can I add value to others?

What will I do differently from now?

As I answer these questions, I always keep my past in mind. I feel that understanding the past—my experiences and history—provides clues towards my future. Studying my past empowers me to make better choices.

By better knowing myself, I am able to better connect with myself, which leads me to be able to trust myself, my insights, my instincts, and my inner wisdom.

The more I know myself, the more I understand the important of not allowing myself to fall under the influence of labels. No one is as simple as a label. We are all more similar than we imagine, yet we’re wonderfully unique.

The goal, then, is to learn to live life on my own terms; be who I truly am.

How I Came to Write Poetry

I started writing poetry unexpectedly

when the COVID-19 lockdowns started in March, 2020.

There was something about being isolated that inspired me. I have had a habit of writing daily (not poetry) since 2017. My writing was meditative and spiritual, yet once the pandemic hit, I found that my writing had a poetic tone to it. I felt as if “something” had taken over me. I set it out into stanzas, and was surprised that it read like poetry.

I have come to realize that as my writing grew more intuitive and spiritual, my creativity unleashed and poetry was one of the results. The poetry I write is reflective, even though I find inspiration in expected (nature, emotions, feelings, experiences) and unexpected places (mundane, routine, random words).

Once I started writing poems, I couldn’t stop. Over the course of ten months, I wrote nearly 200 poems. Much of those ended up in my first book of poetry, Embody, and will be published in the other two books that will follow, Embrace and Embolden.

Although my writing fervor has calmed—sometimes several weeks pass before I write a poem—I continue to write, which is why I am working on a fourth book that I haven’t yet fully conceptualized.

Recent Features

I have continued to put myself out there

to promote the launch of my poetry book, Embody.

It reached #1 in Women’s Poetry on Amazon Australia.

I was interviewed by the Weaver sisters on WeaverBirds TV. We talked about taking chances and learning to say yes to some things and no to others.

I was on Radio Toni for a second time, and had a delightful conversation with Toni Lontis and Kez Wickham St George about writing, poetry, and other inspirational topics.

My First Book Review

Kez Wickham St George,

an international best-selling author, took the time to review Embody

I was delighted to hear her say, “This poetry set in my heart and bubbled away all day long.” I am so grateful to her for taking the time to read my book and post the review.