| Blogging: the Magic, Mystery & Power, Part II | |||||
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This is the second part of the speech I gave at the IWPA meeting on September 27. See the column archives for Part I; Part III will appear later. As I began writing a column about writing for the eGenerations boomer and senior website (http://www.egenerations.com), I began another blog, "Write your Life!" at http://www.seniormemoirs.blogspot.com. It began with accounts of my reinventing myself through writing. It promotes life writing for everyone, the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences with one's loved ones. I have offered and shared journal assignments, and later, miscellaneous thoughts on writing. I tried the journal assignments myself, and ten of them appear as examples in my second book, Seniorwriting: A Brief Guide for Seniors Who Want to Write. Essays that appeared first on the blog and then in the book include "What's in a Name?," "Show and Tell," "Parade Memories and July 4th at Grandma's," "My Red Cars," and "Facing Breast Cancer." I hope these examples encourage others to look into their own lives for things to write about. I also began to write some poems in "Write your Life!", some of which later appeared in my third book, Elder Expectations: My Life in Rictameters. I began to encourage my fellow seniors to express themselves in poetry as well as prose. I include a few book reviews in "Write your Life!" as well, mainly about books on writing. Blogs may also be private, limited to family or friends or a particular group. My third blog, "A Blog about Blogging," is not public right now. It appears on the new Clarity web site for residents of my future home, The Clare at Water Tower. This blog covers the basics of blogging and urges others to begin.The Clare's Director of Life Enrichment (I love that job title) encourages me, but so far, I don't seem to have influenced other future residents to blog. Still, the building's opening is still at least two months away. Maybe that blog will catch on! Apparently blogging is still a mystery to many of my fellow elders, and perhaps even to a few of you in the audience. Still, you know the power of writing, and while you may emphasize the professional and economic aspects, I'm sure you're aware of the many non-monetary rewards: self-satisfaction and the joys of writing to discover, to heal, to reinvent, to share, and to enjoy. That's the magic of blogging, especially for those of us past a certain age. My blogs and books all have the purpose of encouraging my fellow seniors (and everyone) to write. So far, I've had only limited success, but I am especially proud of encouraging one 80-something, physically challenged, wheelchair-bound Washington state resident named Wayne to write a brief memoir for his family, and even to experiment with writing poetry. He is too ill to write now, but he expressed his thanks on eGenerations, where he met me and began reading these columns. I've shared his complimentary remarks on "Write your Life!" The healing and comforting power of writing is amazing, and a blog makes a very convenient and inexpensive outlet for thoughts and feelings. Coming next: more on the magic of blogging and the conclusion of this speech. |
