Oooh! That “Full Disclosure” title peaked your interest didn’t it? Happily there will be no nudity. Excellent. Ok. Grab a tea/coffee/wine/gin-and-tonic or restorative beverage of choice that best suits your current mood and settle in. I’m about to talk about myself.
I’m going on tour. A virtual blog tour. When my online pal Naomi over at Poetic Aperture invited me to answer these four questions I immediately said yes. Ever since I “met” her in 2011 at an online memoir writing course I’ve been impressed by her zest for improvement. Especially with regards to herself, her home and her blog.I’m hoping that maybe some of that energy will rub off on me.
Ok let’s leap on in.
Full Disclosure
1. What Am I Working On?
Right now I’m mostly working on keeping my two recently returned coeds from throttling each other. Wait. What? Oh you didn’t mean domestically you meant creatively? Right.
Well I’m working on two things with my writing. One is this blog where I’m working on growing my readership and creating content that will hopefully entertain and amuse the folks that already endure follow it.
The other is the Life Lessons column over at Troy Media. The last one I wrote was about how it would be my niece’s first Mother’s Day this year and like the rest of us she can learn a lot from my 91-year-old mom who would be celebrating her 63rd. Should you toddle over there and check it out you might notice I’ve let the frequency of my submissions for them slide since I began churning out pieces for Just TypiKel. Why? Well it’s been really fun to grow and connect with readers and other blog writers here. The engagement between us all is what I love the most.
However, I should spread my wings a bit more and get back to writing for them more frequently. So I’m working on that.
2. How Does My Work Differ From Others Of Its Genre?
I’ve been told I write in such a way that it causes readers to become especially happy to realise they are not me. I’m a magnet for the quirky and the unusual. Always have been. I’m rather like my nonagenarian mom in that regard. As she says “things happen to us that don’t necessarily happen to others.” These oddities are what I write about. It’s my life and it’s all I know.
3. Why Do I Write What I Do?
In addition to the above “it’s my life and it’s all I know” quote we’ll have to consult the comments on my grade three report card as written by my teacher Mrs. Wenchabauk.
“Kelly would do so much better if she didn’t concentrate solely on being our class clown. She is such a chatterbox.”
Oooohhh I do love an audience. That’s why I majored in theatre at university. When I was on stage and got a laugh it was heaven. Yes laughter. Have to say nothing fires me up more. However there is an additional and quite unexpected blogging bonus I’ve discovered whilst I’m tippy tapping on the keyboard divulging a family secret and sharing a scenario. The memory comes back to life for me. I get to relive it and I’m finding (with the perspective of a little time and distance ) that this is rather fun.
4. How Does My Writing Process Work?
Ideas for my posts pop up at the oddest times. Sometimes an image will surface while I’m gardening or vacuuming. Like the time my son shut down McDonald’s. For a week. Or the time my mother shocked me at 38,000 feet up, or the time my dog ate the chocolate easter eggs, foil and all. Sometimes I awake in the night with a long forgotten memory bubbling to the surface. My ideas come to me. I never sit down and plan a series of posts in advance because when I do the writing doesn’t flow as easily. It tends to be stilted and formal and not me.
As for the actual writing I tend to do it early in the morning. When I was younger I was NOT a morning person. Now as a perk of advanced maturity and endless early morning swim meets I am.
So there you have it. Full disclosure.
It’s time for me to pass on the baton on this virtual blog tour.
Let’s raise a glass to three lovely blog writers who will answer the same four questions on their blogs on May 26th.
Karen Main who captures the breathtaking in the familiar. I first “met” this thought provoking and insightful Australian life coach a few online courses ago.
Helen Whitaker the very talented British photographer who likes to share her journey of discovery through her amazing photos on her blog A Flash of Inspiration.
Kelli Spencer a naturally gifted psychic medium who inspires me endlessly on her Love the Life You Have blog.
Thank you for inviting me along on this journey Naomi.
Enough about me and my full disclosure. I’m curious about you. What fires you up and stirs those creative juices? Are you naturally more of a writer or do you lean to other artistic outlets? Does the creativity always flow or do you sometimes stumble and trip along the way? If you’d care to share I’d love to hear.
24 Responses
First, my own disclosure: I’ve been missing in reading action because of too much stuff to do around the move. I’ve missed you, Kelly!!! Now I know why. I think you write in such a way that I read and can laugh at myself through you. Somehow those things that happen to you make me think generally of how life happens–but here’s your goodie: it’s not what happens, but our response to it. Your open, affable spirit inspires me to laugh at…well, those “shut down McDonald’s moments in my own life. As for me and creativity and writing–oh whoa no, it doesn’t come easy and why yes, I’m a stumbler. Briefly, an experience lands inside and somewhere along the way I write to shake out an insight.
Missed you too Susan. Thank you for your clarity. I did struggle with the “how does your writing differ from others in your genre.”
It’s not what happens but our response to it. Bingo. Thank you.
Well you got me all distracted with the McDonald’s ball room and now I can’t remember what this post was even about. But never fear, the image of Micky D’s balls will linger in my brain forever.
Micky D’s balls. Now there’s something you don’t hear OR think about every day. Glad to be of service …
Kelly, quirky is good, not everyone can claim to be quirky. And, yes, your first line about full disclosure definitely grabbed my attention:) Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading Nancy. Like the quirky is good comment!
Kelly, you never cease to amaze me with what has happened to you. My fav so far has to be when your son shut down McDonalds amusement area. You’ve also managed to remind me of the more than one time happenings of strange proportions that happen to me as well. This maybe why I’m so attracted to your blog posts. You give me inspiration to go back to them seeing there’s humor there some place. 🙂
Bingo. Thank you Kelli – the note about giving you the inspiration to go back and revisit the one time quirky events in your life hit me square in the face. Love that I somehow might inspire you to do just that. Thank you.
You have a true gift for writing Kelly, and never fail to either give me a good laugh, or sometimes even shed a tear ! I do not have any writing ability, but have always been a voracious reader, as you know, with the many books we have shared. My creativity tends to run more to the fabric side, as I did love to sew and quilt in a previous life ( before children), and think I might take up quilting again in my next phase of life.
Looking forward to many more blogs from you !
Thank you Jane. Your never ending support has been a huge boon to me. More than you know. And yes – we must talk about you picking up quilting when we next do a walk about. Excited to see you oh so soon!
I loved your links!!
The story about comparing your mom and niece was awesome – I love that your mom bought all of those bags (when she hadn’t even planned on going to the sale) and gave them away!!
And, the McDonalds story – UGH!!! I do NOT miss the days of ball pits and play places – that type of incident was always my worst fear. Thankfully my youngest just stuck to picking up random (probably regurgitated) food while playing and eating it – I sort of wanted to bleach his mouth but…..
Aw thank you so much for linking onto those links Kim! Funny you should mention your dislike of the ball pits and play places. I have a seared memory of being the only adult in the climbing jobby at McDonalds. Everyone else is under 6. My son was too small to keep up with his sister and two friends and so I had to go in with him and be chief hoister. So SO SO hot in there. Not in a good way hot. Sweating hot. Man alive. My pal would stay outside and grin at me whenever I popped back out for air. Thank the lord those days are done. Yes.
Oh, Kelly, your gift is not just writing — it’s your life! Thanks for sharing it with us. I love getting a laugh for my writing, but even more than that I love having a laugh myself, which I always do when I visit your blog. Thanks for sharing your other outlet for writing here. I don’t think I’d ever seen you share it before, so it’s nice to see where I can go for all things Kelly!
Thank you for your kind words Harmony! Love the “… all things Kelly.”
It’s always good when you can find inspiration to write. Better if it stays long enough to finish!
“… better if it stays long enough to finish.” So, so true!
You crack me up! And I think it’s both hilarious and perfect that somebody told you “to write in such a way that it causes readers to become especially happy to realise they are not (you).” So funny. I love your writing and all of your amazing stories – so often, I find myself saying “no way – really??” I enjoyed getting to know more about your writing process too, mostly because I never schedule anything in advance and always feel like a fat loser when I read about people scheduling posts a month out.
Uh yes the “fat loser” club. Understand and know it well Kristi. Glad to know you’re in the same “what’ll I write about”boat!
My creative process, eh? Mostly the most inane things inspire me and then I have to get a piece of paper as a blog post pours out. Like the other day when I stepped on a protective cup that goes in my son’s baseball shorts. I was like, how did I step on THAT? And then I started thinking immediately of all the crappola I have stepped on over the years. Lots of good stuff!
So So funny – stepping on the cup. Ouch. Hope it is still able to do its duty …
Kelly- I’m reading a book about introverts right now. I’m guessing you would consider yourself an extrovert?? 🙂
Well actually I think I straddle the fence on both sides Jean. I’m shy in some situations and out there in others. I’d be a good study.
Kelly you really make me chuckle! Tee her…. Sorry, I’ve been AWOL – not been myself the last few weeks … and so thanks for the laughs.
Oh I am glad if I provided a bit of tonic for you Helen. Hope you’re feeling better.