Me n' writing.

I feel like I put myself in a box by saying that I would post every Monday and Friday. As you can see, I didn't post any links on Friday but I am collecting a bunch of ones that have caught my interest so I will share this Friday. I feel the pressure after mentioning a specific day and I've wondered if it's the right thing to do. When I was in school though, the pressure of a due date for a project was what got me motivated to get it done. I am a procrastinator by nature and having that deadline looming definitely helps me to focus. So I think it'll be good to have some accountability.

The thing is, I want to write. I want to find out what my voice is and I want people to read what I have to say. Sometimes it feels scary though. Kind of like walking into a classroom full of people and I've only got my underwear on. Writing what is on my heart and my mind feels like I'm exposing a piece of myself, like I'm showing the most vulnerable bits of myself. Yet I feel the urge to do so anyway. Which is weird because why inflict such pain on oneself? But maybe that is what being a writer is. You kind of put yourself out there and open yourself up to critique.

I've been reading lots of great articles lately on blogging and how to get started on it, as well as articles about writing in general. I also put a ton of books on hold at the library about writing and being creative. I think it's time for me to grow up and find out who I am as a writer. Maybe teach myself something along the way. But this is what I want to do: Write. And write and write.

I have lots to say but I think it's about teaching myself how to say it and evolve my thought process. I read a blog post the other day about how our writing is affected by social media and how our lives are thought out in small, catchy sound bites. You know, the short, cute little status or tweet that people will like and favourite. It's quite an enlightening read if you have the time and if that's your thing.

So this is my challenge to myself: To become the kind of writer I have always wanted to become. Words are my love language and since I can't have my dream job of editing in a New York publishing company, I will write on this here small blog.

One more thing. As weird as this sounds, this blog is a tribute to myself. It's a way of letting myself know that it's okay to be me. It's okay to have my own voice and not somebody else's. That might sound odd to some people, but I always find myself feeling insecure about my own writing. I always look at what others are doing or saying and how they're doing or saying it and judge myself against them. Wrong as that may be, it is what it is. But I am here to tell myself that it's okay to be Laura, to have Laura's voice. Not my sister's. Not the all the bloggers whose writing I am in awe of. But mine. And here I am.