• Home
  • About
    • Books
    • The Writing Place
  • Writing Services
    • Ghostwriter
    • Individual Coach, Mentor and Writer
    • $25/45
    • Testimonials
  • Workshops
    • Summer Writing Salon
    • Introduction to Memoir
    • Journal workshops and tuition
    • Feedback
  • The Writer's Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Store
  • Contact

The Writer's Life Blog

What will you write on the first blank page of your 365 page book?

28/12/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
It's coming up to a New Year and American country and western singer Brad Paisley said, "Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one." I am hopeful that 2021 will bring more good pages than bad ones.

​Will you join me at my Summer Writers' Salon on Sunday 17 January 2021 to write your first page? Let's begin our 365-page year book together with a day of writing at the Bay here in Whangaparaoa. 


Can we call 2020 'bad'? Or simply say, 'It is what it is - a not so good year. We've had them before.'  Not like this one, I would reply. I certainly did not factor a global pandemic into my 2020 business plan, no sir, although we did include earthquakes (possible here in Auckland) and a tsunami (also possible).

There is no doubt that this year inspired some extraordinary writing as we collectively experienced this COVID-19 virus. Many writers kept blogs, recording their daily thoughts during lockdown periods, expressing their fear, anxiety, sadness, depression - all of those emotions and feelings we have when normal life is off the rails and we don't know what could be coming at us around the next corner. I had never lived through anything like this before. Nothing even close to it.

Sometimes it seems that difficult times spawn more. They may be related to the main issue (COVID) or be something else altogether. I am still grieving for my old mate Miss Betsy-cat who died a few weeks ago, thinking I spot a flash of her tabby-brown coat in the sunlight under the lemon tree, or hear her pitter-patter on the roof. There are the orchards in Nelson/Tasman devastated a couple of days ago by horrendous hail, a loss of millions after a year of profound financial loss and struggle. Most people I speak to narrate tales of more loss, grief, challenge, change. 

But there is brightness too. We're lucky here in New Zealand, able to wander about freely and enjoy a long-awaited summer of sun, relaxation, get togethers with friends and travel within our beautiful country. Tomorrow I am heading up north to visit a friend who has a magnificent property overlooking the blue vastness that is 
Doubtless Bay. We will talk, laugh, share, and bring in the New Year with good champagne and some neighbours, sitting on her deck overlooking what I hope will be a moonlit sea. 

I feel humbled by all that has happened this year and I am going forward into 2021 with some care, stepping lightly, not wanting to make even a little wave just yet.

I have to feel my way a bit, test the water, see how it goes. That's what I'll be writing on my first page.

What will you write about?

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

Services

Writing
Workshops
Blog

Jane Bissell

About
Books
Store

Communicate

Contact
Newsletter

© COPYRIGHT 2018 Jane Bissell
  • Home
  • About
    • Books
    • The Writing Place
  • Writing Services
    • Ghostwriter
    • Individual Coach, Mentor and Writer
    • $25/45
    • Testimonials
  • Workshops
    • Summer Writing Salon
    • Introduction to Memoir
    • Journal workshops and tuition
    • Feedback
  • The Writer's Blog
  • Newsletter
  • Store
  • Contact