MusingsWithTime

I am not sure what to write about but as Anne Lamott, the author of Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life Paperback says, just write so here I am ………………….. Just writing………..

I recently read the book, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life Paperback and I thoroughly enjoyed her writing style, sense of humour as well as her instructions on how to get started with writing. 

The tips she gave in the book are simple enough, yet are often easily missed because they are that simple.

Basically, she recommends three main things:

1. Write about what you already know
2. Write short pieces 
3. Do not worry about perfection

I intend to follow her advice in this blog. I have never thought of myself as being creative in any sense of the word. I associated creativity with arts, crafts, music etc. I couldn’t even draw the most basic things, the extent of my drawing skills was a heart shape. 

I’m not sure how and when that assumption was challenged. I just remember thinking one day that since God is creative and He said that I was made in His image, I figured that meant I must be creative too. So, in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, I decided to explore and discover if I truly had it in me to be creative. This was how this blog and other creative projects I attempted came about – see my blog 2021 so far…for some of those projects.

I keep getting stuck on what to write about so bearing in mind Lamott’s first tip above, I will write about what I already know. Books. Yes, Books. 

I am a self-confessed book lover. My books are one of my most valued possessions. I have been known to spend money on books rather than clothes and I’d definitely prefer a book over jewellery as a gift. When we were looking for a house, a library was one of my top non-negotiables.

My love for books started in my childhood. A lot of my earliest memories revolve around me always reading books, looking for books to borrow from friends and getting in trouble at school for not paying attention in class because I was reading a novel secretly during lessons. 

There is something magical about losing one’s self in a book, being totally immersed in the story and using your imagination to make the story come alive. I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction. I choose books to read depending on my mood and there are times I would be reading 2 or 3 books on the go. 

Lately, I have been drawn to non-fiction writing, specifically anything on leadership and productivity. I have especially become fascinated with the concepts of deep, focused work and flow. My interest in these topics has led me to some interesting books on the topic namely Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport, Indistractible by Nir Eyal, Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results by James Clear and my all-time favourite by Dr Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People® – FranklinCovey which I’ve rediscovered and reread again recently. 

In my quest to understand how to be effective in gaining traction on my work by becoming less distractible and more focused, I will be writing short pieces about my journey and the books I’m reading and enjoying along the way. And while I’m at it, I’ll pay no attention to perfection because I know that with practice, perfection (if there’s even such a thing) will come.