Michele Venne's Blog, page 6

Learning

I didn’t know there was such a thing as “summit season.” The end of September through October is a time where digital conferences reign. I received my first email inviting me to 3 free summits before the end of the month. As they say, nothing is really free. As soon as someone signs up for the summit, their email address is shared with the presenters. By the next day, one can expect a dozen new…

Source

Taking a Break

Transitions. A second month of August weather. Thirty homework assignments a week in this final class for recertification. A vet appointment for Holly. Work. Some moving pieces, some parts stalled out, others waiting for attention. Yep, sometimes a break is needed. Some rest. A chance to relax and just be. Let things settle, let temporary priorities rise to the top, and do what needs to be done…

Source

The Stream

The flow has started. It’s a trickle, but before long, it will deepen. and the depth over rocks and debris will expand. This is how I think of my writing. Grateful I was able to log in with other writers for three days this week, I’ve made a little progress on the holiday story. While driving, which seems to be my biggest piece of downtime, I thought about how the title will fit into the story.

Source

Transition

I remember a time when I didn’t have a horse. I filled my life with starting my career, finding fulfilling relationships, and figuring out how to be an independent adult. When I found a horse, it was as if my tilted world righted itself. There have been stretches of time after I decided to write my first book that writing wasn’t part of my daily or weekly routine. Returning to that artistic…

Source

Getting Closer

This week marks the end of the summer sessions and the beginning of the fall sessions. It’s been a lot of hours in front of the computer! Next week is part two of the rolling transitions. I’ll be on a community college campus as I begin the final class for recertification. Next week is part three of the transitions. If all goes well, I could find small pockets of time for writing.

Source

The Scent of Transition

With this week behind me, I can eye my calendar and know I’m five days closer to the transition that will flip my schedule. In two weeks, I’ll be straddling another transition. After three weeks, the first transition will be complete. That will open up writing time. I can’t help by peer down the calendar to the middle of October and know that at that time this rolling set of transitions will be…

Source

Published!

It’s finally here! My Voice: A Flash Fiction Compilation, Volume 2 is published (click the link to download for free). Completing the last three pieces wasn’t difficult. It doesn’t matter that I decided to leave out the last piece because it doesn’t detract from the whole. I’ve refrained (mostly) from telling myself, “It should have been done months ago,” so I can enjoy the feeling of achievement.

Source

A Pause for Breath

I like where this fella is standing. I miss being in and near water. I used to go to lakes often. Now, I’m away from water, and I don’t think I’m any better for it. Especially this time of year, which is my least favorite, I miss everything that water gives: life, buoyancy, calm, a focus for meditation, coolness. Perhaps someday soon I’ll make a trek to a body of water. In the meantime…

Source

Let Things Rest

I’ve learned that sometimes it’s best to let things rest. An idea, a completed manuscript, myself. As a high achiever, this concept of rest goes against the grain for me. I feel compelled to push through, to try the new idea, to start editing a manuscript right away, to tell myself I don’t have time to slow down or take time off. But when I do let things rest, everything is better for that space…

Source

One Day

Too cliche to add the rest of the words to the title: at a time. This morning, I was thinking, as I always do this time of year, how fantastic it would be to live in a place where there are seasons and green grass and trees and rain and less pollution and an easier cost of living (I could go on…). I reminded myself that I’m nearly half-way done with the credits needed for my recertification.

Source