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[authorsharonforester]

A Dream Journal

Lots and lots of writers have dream journals. They write down their dreams as soon as they wake up because they have fascinating dreams they would like to turn into stories and share it with the world. It is as if the ideas come to them while they are sleeping, which is a good way to look at dreams if you are a creative writer and need new content. I guarantee this is how a lot of famous ideas were born!

I have a dream journal in my time tote that I've had since I was a little girl. I remember walking through the mall, seeing that Hot Topic store, and waltzing in to the aroma of Nag Champa. (I found out that's what the smell was the entire time before they took the scent off.) I looked at the little shelves and aisles and saw the Invader Zim aisle. I was entranced with the show, so I wanted to buy something useful with the face planted on it. I bought an Invader Zim spiral notebook. The front and back cover was black. The front cover had a bunch of tiny Girs in his dog costume expressing the word "Doom" in green and white lettering throughout the cover. It was the most exciting thing I bought. 

It started off with the purpose of me wanting to write down every single Invader Zim fan dream I had. I was hoping to be obsessed with the show for the rest of my life, so that when I was old, I could sit down and read the dream journal and realize how many dreams I've had of the cartoon since I first watched it when I was old. But you know things change in life as this crazy blue ball keeps spinning. 

In addition to writing down my fanfic dreams, I begun using it for the sake of writing down interesting dreams I didn't want to forget. The last thing I ever wanted to do was forget happy dreams that have been inspirational stories for other people to hear.

I have a lot of good stuff that I want to pursue and turn into books one day--after I am done with the stories I am currently working on. Once I find that thing, I want to share some pages that I thought would add to this blog post soon enough and show off an outline of one of my dreams! 

​P.S. Eventually, I would love to hear all of yours too!

[authorsharonforester]

Mental Health Blogging And Practice: Website Writing Sample

The website is called Mental Wellness Frenzy, and it provides content to help you care for your mental health. It's supposed to be a fake business website, but I am working on making it more legit.

I created a website called Mental Wellness Frenzy for mental health and wellness blogging and providing services to assist people's mental wellbeing. (Click on the NAME or the PICTURE to go to the website!!) Right now it is being used to demonstrate my web design and writing skills, but I do plan on using it to make YouTube videos dedicated to mindfulness meditation!

The idea sparked when I wasn't in such a good place in my head. I sought therapy and got better, then I wanted to help others in this field. I thought it was perfect for me because I am genuinely a people person.

As I debated switching careers, I decided to get certified to be a mindfulness meditation teacher and a life coach. I thought it was a crazy idea, but as I got to know these fields, I began to love it like crazy! I was so proud of myself once I saw the certifications. I wanted to change my career and get into the mental health setting, but I chickened out because I didn't think I was good enough for it. Now I am not as scared to showcase my skills, as I want to help people like I've been helped.

I hope that upon exploring the website to skim through the different options, you will be inspired and motivated by the information presented to you.

[authorsharonforester]

A Real Wedding, But A Fake Business: A Sample Website To Showcase My Writing

This website is a wedding planner website called Whimsical Heart Ceremonies.

I got married on October 29th, 2022 to my lovely high school sweetheart, Kyle. A year ago, I made this website when I was contemplating being a wedding planner, but...after I created the business name, the contract, packages offerings, and took a wedding planner course, I bailed on the idea. Despite that, I didn't want the website to go to waste after putting all that time and effort on it, so I thought I'd publish it and  use my blogging power to show off my writing and artistic abilities that I used to create *drum roll* WHIMSICAL HEART CEREMONIES (whimsicalheartceremonies.weebly.com). Besides the wedding planning, and the day-of coordination, I also included the option of renting a bridesmaid/groomsman. I thought that concept was amazing when I found it online from a famous woman who does it for a living. (I'd love to do that for a living too). This is also a good opportunity for me to show off our wedding pictures, if you're interested. ;)

Honestly, I don't know why I thought I could do it nor why I bailed on it... That's a lie. I know why. I got wedding fever when I was planning my own wedding, and then lost my confidence and motivation after dealing with an ordeal right after my husband and I came back from our honeymoon. 

I've also been kind of lost in the career department. I live paycheck to paycheck and always craved something more, though I was never brave enough to go after it. Even though I like being a substitute teacher because I love helping the students, it wasn't really the dream job I was seeking. I always dreamed of becoming a successful author, successful enough that I could make a living out of it. I know it a stretch to wanna be rich doing this (because it's rare that writers are), but I was angry about being stuck and being unable to move forward for a long time. Eventually it caused me to think about career changes that would be more personized to me and my personality type, but I haven't exactly nailed it.

refusing to lose hope, I have faith that while I continue this writing journey here, my creative dreams will soon sort themselves out. I have dreams that are scary and the fear is winning. Don't worry, though. I am in the process of beating fear.

[authorsharonforester]

W R I T E

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B O O K

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[authorsharonforester]

In this video, I express the writing projects I have been stuck working on for years! I am powering through finishing these once and for with the help of author blogging! Everyone should understand that we are not alone in trying to make it as writers/authors!!! We will make our dreams come true and smile that SOMEONE got inspired by OUR story! <3

[authorsharonforester]

Blanket Writing and Editing Techniques To Help You Finish Your Story Once And For All By Sharon Forester

Welcome to the writing and editing technique list, fellow authors (and lovely others)!

To learn more about me and my books, go to authorsharonforester.weebly.com.

There might be one reason or another why you're wanting to read this list today. My reason for having this list is because I want to share with the world what I have found works best for me based on what I've learned in life overtime as a writer. I believe it might help someone out there who might be struggling with following through with their plans of discipline on their writing or editing processes. On that case, you might be someone hearing this for the first time, someone who has been looking for a list of techniques and are now ready to see what will work best for you. You, the reader, might end up being one of them, and I am happy to help! Alternatively, you might be someone who already knows about these choices, but you're looking for a new perspective in order to regain your inspiration or motivation.

1) Write In Pencil/Pen First, Then Type

Writing in pencil before typing the story in computer is not a waste of time. People don't realize that by doing this you finish the first draft and the first round of editing at the same time! There are writers out there who are able to type in their stories the very first time with no problem, but if you are like me, and the creative juices stop flowing and you loose that imaginative rainbow, an old-school writing session might be the perfect answer to help you concentrate on your story and... Get. It. Done. Of course, in the end, you are going to do what is best for you if this item on the list ain't it.

As you read through this item on the list, here is something you might think about: I say to you, "Write the story first because when you type it in, you are editing the first draft, thus making you ready to print the second draft." But you say to me, "How is this any different than typing the story in the first time around, and then print it to edit the first draft? It's still a two-step process, and neither one is any faster than the other." But I say to you, writing the story out works well because you are letting the story out in a concentrated flow, you can write in places where there is no internet, and when you start typing the story in with your first edit, you are making a lot of changes that make the story better. When the story has been typed the first time, you are reading through and fixing edits before you go back to change scenes, switch vocabulary words, add or subtract sentences, and more. When you print out the story, you are printing it for the intention editing the second round instead of the first, finally, and you save computer paper and ink.

I am used to writing before typing because I have done it ever since I was a little girl. Since the end of sixth grade, to be exact. For a while, I was convinced it was a waste of time just based on the thought that I needed to eventually type everything into the computer and start editing the first time around to perfect it as best I could. That's also what everyone around me said I had to do if I chose to write first.

As I got older and began to work the process of getting my writing typed in in its entirety before getting it printed, I realized I wasn't going to type everything in word for word. It turns out, that would have been unrealistic and indeed a good waste of time. I was unconsciously editing what I typed, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph. It was inevitable for me to ignore the obvious errors on the pages. By the time everything was typed in, I had already gone through my first editing round, and therefore was ready to print out the second draft to edit it again, and get the story all that closer to publication. For me, that was the biggest accomplishment that changed my writing hobby for the better, and it might just as well do the same for you.

2) Print Out The Story Drafts

One major thing that will help you focus on editing your manuscript whether it's a short story or a full fledge novel is printing the work out. On the computer screen, the work is more accessible electronically but you are more likely to skim through the most important mistakes that could have been edited to change your book for the better. Printing the work out gives you the opportunity to write down specific notes when making your edits. The notes might involve stuff you are thinking about changing or enhancing as you correct the mistakes on the computer file. Some people like to print and edit several chapters at a time, other people like to print out the entire story and go from there. How you approach this is up to you, but they are suggestions offered to you for a better writing and editing experience. After printing out the files from your computer, you might be thinking about how to organize the pages that make up the short story or novel. Some people like to use rings to clip  the pages together like it's its own book and call it a day. Others like to go more in depth and use paperclips to clip the chapters separately (if there ate any), and place the entire manuscript inside a manilla folder or a folder with pockets. What I do is get a binder and a pack of sheet protectors. I place each chapter inside their own individual sheet protector, and then place them inside the binder in story order. I have seen others go the extra cost and length of placing each page of a singular chapter inside a sheet protector and place the entirety of the story inside a binder.

3) Use Different Colored Pens

There are people who don't need to be so detailed with this step, but if you are like me and need a colorful (or more organized) boost for focus and concentration, then colored pencils or pens are writing utensils you can use to help you through the writing and/or editing process of your story project. I normally print my stories out in black ink, but there are times where I will use a different colored ink to save on black (because it is used for everything else you print out and it can get pricy to restock). On either case, I use colored pens that are not the same color as the printed document to make the edits stand out when I need to look them over and type them into the computer when imputing them. I use one color pen to start editing, and when my brain feels done with that pen color, using another color to continue my edits does the trick. Some people--maybe it's you, maybe its not--like to use colored pens spontaneously like that. You might not read the same page multiple times, but you might find yourself reading slowly to make sure you caught everything before moving on. Now, other people--again, maybe it's you, maybe it's not--like a more organized approach. I've tried to organize my various edits by assigned pen color to fix everything at once. It was not something that has worked for me in the past, but I am open to trying it again in the future. I have the tick of wanting to fix everything in every editing category on one page with the same color pen before moving on to the next page because it seems like less work. Here is an example of this: I used a green pen to correct punctuation, blue to correct grammar, purple to correct story development errors (like plot holes), orange for added scenes or sentences, and red for deleted scenes or sentences. This kind of usage might require you to either read the same page several times or read the page very slowly to make sure you caught everything. How you structure your reading and construct your color-coded editing categories depends on your personal preferences and what works for your brain. This is when it is a good time to explore your organization tactics as you edit your story.

4) Read Out Loud When Editing Your Story

This is a really big item that took me a little while to learn. Reading your work out loud allows you to catch errors you need to edit more easily versus just reading it in your head as you move along the page. When you read out loud, you spot errors more easily, you finish the project faster, and it will withhold the obstacle of overthinking about editing and overediting the story. These things are exactly what you want to accomplish here. When you read in your head, your brain goes through this process of automatically correcting or adding any missing data in sentences without realizing that that data is the very thing we are trying to catch during the editing process. It's not a good thing to feed because it'll make the editing process take longer, it will cause you to overthink how or what you should edit, and you might find yourself overediting the same piece or the same page multiple times, making it hard to move forward. I avoided reading out loud for most of my life because I was convinced that it would waste my time. I thought that I could handle editing my stories without any other exterior help if I just read everything carefully and slowly in my head. When I gave in to the technique a while back, I was mind blown to realize I caught mistakes that mattered by starting to do this when I edited the third draft of my book. Obviously, I decided reading out loud was something I was determined to put into practice during my editing process from now on. It causes me less headaches, I edited my stuff much faster, and I wasn't overediting non-existent mistakes on the same page over and over again.

5) Write Notes About Your Story Project ​ One helpful hint for the writing and editing process is to always write notes about your story. It doesn't matter if you are in the writing or editing process. This will be equally as helpful to you. When thinking about the word "notes," we mean ideas for sentences, scenes, dialogue, descriptions with the intention of adding or changing information in the story. These notes might include ideas for new stories after this project is done or if you want to work on an alternative project. Some people like to have a separate electronic document or a notepad or diary/journal app where they type in all their notes. There are people who like to have a separate notebook or separate pieces of paper they put in plain sight in various locations to write down their notes as ideas come up for them. Some people prefer to leave notes when they comment on the printed or electronic documents they are editing. How you want to approach this is up to you, but this is a solid tip that is guarantee to help you move forward in writing and editing your stories. You are letting your thoughts, emotions, and ideas about the story flow freely and onto paper one way or another so you don't forget them. Those ideas don't always come back after you are done thinking about them when you've ignored the opportunity to jot things done, so take advantage of taking notes when that happens.

6) Grasp A Comfort Toy To Stop Nervous Ticks

If you have nervous ticks with your hands like I do, then you will want to have something on your person to occupy your hands, especially for the specific one feeding the ticks. Your ticks may look different than mine, but my personal nervous tick is pulling my hair, a common thing that happens to a lot of people. For this reason, I have a small blush doggy and a small plush bunny (both normal toys), and a squishy cake stress toy that I hold in my hair-pulling hand to withhold the habit. It keeps me more focused on my work and I don't end up bald on the front of my head. For some of you, the object may be a random item that isn't a toy. (I have met people that have told me they hold a big eraser or a banana in their hand to keep it occupied from hair pulling, and snapping fingers, or rubbing fingers together into a rug burn.) For others, it might be a normal toy, a fidget toy, or a stress toy. Whatever the material or type of toy or object, do what works for you. This process may take a bit of effort to incorporate, but if you stay disciplined, you will remember to tackle the behavior preventing you from staying focused in your writing or editing, and you may even get rid of the nervous tick altogether.

7) Take Advantage Of The Imaginative Rainbow

We all have bursts of happiness and sadness in our lives just as much as we have bursts of inspiration as well as discouragements. When you feel utterly inspired to write or edit your story at a moment's notice, it is so important to stop what you are doing to work on the project taking over your mind if you are able to do so. Even if it is sloppy on the page, you can always go back to fix it later, but remember that you can't have the idea back after it's gone. Savor the ideas or sessions when the creative juices are flowing and that rainbow is working because that is when the most creativity lies. It is normal to be taking a shower or cleaning the house or running an errand, and suddenly that rainbow inspiration hits hard. Sit down with your document and ride the way of the rainbow until it runs out. It is one of the best writing or editing sessions you will ever have. You don't want to miss out on the spur of the moment ideas that come with a suddenly active imagination. The reason it's so important for us to do this is because that rainbow means you suddenly have the most amazing ideas ready to come alive. When your brain is active like this, pour out your ideas onto the page because there is no better time to do it. I have found to been more likely to finish projects, amazing changes or additions, or have the most written ideas this way. This item on the list is related to the item informing you to take notes. Most authors carry a little notebook with them to write down notes in case of random bursts of inspiration. This is something I suggest you do as well if you are a writer. It will help you in the long run. It has genuinely helped me (note: I use the notepad app on my phone to take my notes when I get that rainbow).

8) Take Much Needed Breaks

No matter what we do, the mind will sometimes run out of energy for the current activity you are working on, eventually forcing you to take a break from writing or editing your book or story. At this point, your brain is telling you it needs to refresh. This happens for numerous reasons: mental overload, feelings of inadequacy, imposter syndrome, writer's block, burn out, and more. Taking mental breaks from writing or editing can help you regain control of your writing and editing process all the sooner than wasting time sitting there staring into space as time passes. If you are determined to finish your writing project but your brain is fried and not letting you, then a wonderful tip to put into practice is to taking a break from writing and/or editing to refresh the mind. One of the most common things you can do is keep your mind busy with another hobby for a while, watch some TV, listen to music, play games, or do some puzzles before returning to the writing/editing. You could do things beyond another activity, like practicing mindfulness meditation, taking a walk, getting a chore done around the house, going off to run an errand, or hanging out with a friend before returning to your writing/editing. After 10 minutes, 30 minutes or an hour, you might notice your brain is ready to start writing/editing again.

Now, this little part here is a warning about what you choose do when you are taking a break. Doing any of the activities up above are great ways to take mental breaks from doing one activity and occupying yourself with another. But there are dangers that can come with this. While you are switching activities, it is very important not to become distracted with the activities you are choosing to do. For this reason, you need to be disciplined in keeping your story in mind. You gotta prepare yourself to switch back to it once you feel your brain is ready. When you start playing a game, watching a show/movie, getting the sudden urge to rearrange your house, or staying out of the house for hours at a time, you might find that the day has passed you by. If you have a brain that wanders all too easily, then you might want to consider setting a time limit versus going with the flow of things. Test the waters during your break time without getting pulled away from your writing/editing to see what works for you. 

9) Read Other Stories/Books

We might come to a point in our writing or editing process that feels kind of bland. You might find yourself repeating the same words or sentence structures, as if your brain forgot all of the vocabulary and grammar you have spent years mastering in school. Reading other people's works helps you study creative writing as you enjoy someone else's story. As a result, you mentally feel capable enough to zhuzh up the story you're writing/editing. (Note: Creative blandness may also be a sign of burn out or a case of writer's block.) This is a golden nugget of a suggestion that not only helps you enhance your writing skills but also gives you something fun to do (which has some health benefits of its own). Reading other people's works helps you regain the freshness of all that writing knowledge locked away in the back of your mind. Not only that, but it also materializes ideas about the story you are working on alongside the enhanced sharpness of grammar and punctuation, sentence structure, and vocabulary. If you're suddenly beating yourself up comparing yourself to another author, a act caused of imposter syndrome, then it is advisable to take a break from your writing and reading, and return to the story with a clearer mind after occupying yourself with a different activity or allowing yourself some time to rest. Getting back to work on your own writing after you've read someone else's work is very helpful in making you feel better about your own writing skills when you are not undergoing imposter syndrome. The next time you sit down to write or edit, you see your enhanced skill accomplishment recorded on paper and you realize that you ARE good enough to be a writer. And that is always the best feeling the world.

10) Crush Imposter Syndrome Like A Bug

When you do a search on Google, the engine defines imposter syndrome as: "a behavioral health condition that causes people to doubt their skills, intellect, or accomplishments, even when they have evidence of success." None of us will argue that this is one of the worst feelings in the world.

When you're in the midst of writing or editing your work and you start feeling like you are not good enough, this is a time in your journey where your mind is out to get you by not wanting you to finish your work. Why? That's the million dollar question to creatives and other dreamers alike. I don't know why our brains do this to us, but it is the reality of something we need to fight hard against if we want to get anywhere with our dreams--in this case, our writing--whether its just to publish for fun or for profit, or both. Otherwise we are letting our minds control us, resulting in regret at the end of the road of life in not having achieved a thing.

There are a lot of important things you can do to keep the imposter syndrome at bay (a mixture of things mentioned in the other items of this list would help), but the one I will mention here is one of upmost importance in the mental wellness field: positive affirmations. Feeding your brain positivity is the healthiest thing you can do to clear your mind of negative toxicity that plants an obstacle in your writing dream. You can practice saying positive things to yourself (positive affirmations) wherever you are. You can also go to a place where there is a mirror, look at yourself, and dictate the words to yourself. This suggestion might seem silly, but the action rewires your brain to be kinder to yourself overtime, which is what you want in order to reduce, and, hopefully, eliminate negative self-talk. You can write down positive affirmations and stick them in places you know you will see them. Read them from time to time to give yourself that much needed reminder. 

One other important practice (as mentioned in the "Take Much Needed Breaks" item) to exist on top of the mental health field is mindfulness meditation. There are different ways to practice MM than just sitting down with crossed legs and closed eyes. There are endless techniques out there. You could try movement mindfulness meditation if you prefer to be more active, or you could try game-like meditations if you prefer to do something more interactive. Do some deeper research on the concept and try different techniques to see what works best for you. It's a wonder way to help manage your thoughts and feelings to reward you with more loving decisions towards yourself.

11) Change Your Working Environment

If you notice that you start having trouble concentrating and a multitude of tactics hasn't worked, then you need to spice up your environment a little bit because there might be a problem with it. Going about doing this depends on the kind of person you are and what works best for you.

If silence is what helps you concentrate better, then you will need to make sure the room you are in is an environment that won't have noisy distractions. Alternatively, if background music is what will help you focus and concentrate, then you can do a couple of things to satisfy that. You can put on background music or a random tv show or movie for the purpose of relaxation or white noise for your brain. Something about the intentional background sounds helps a lot of people get things done better than trying to shut the world out. It might be something that works for you too. It works for me but it depends on how I feel from one day to another.

One important thing you need to keep in mind about this is that the music or white noise should be something you are unfamiliar with or vaguely familiar with. Being too familiar with the sound risks the cause of distraction, which is the very thing you are trying to avoid. You can pick something you are familiar with, but you need to make sure it is something that won't steal your focus when you need to be writing or editing your work. Otherwise, you will have to change the sound or try something else. If, no matter what you do, you have trouble concentrating in the environment you are currently working in, then another thing you can do to ensure the work environment is to move to another environment that is more likely to meet your needs. 

12) Start An Alternative Writing Project

When feeling burned out, distracted, or unfocused, starting a different writing project before returning to the original one can do wonders for your writing or editing process. Some of us operate better doing one project at a time. Sometimes I hate stopping a project to do another one because it makes me feel like I am taking two steps back on my writing path, but there is nothing wrong with doing this for the sake of your mental health and writing momentum. The fact is when your brain feels done with a project, it temporarily loses its creative juices. You try dragging yourself along to finish it, but doing that will make you end up wasting more time than saving it. Even 5 minutes of switching projects to refresh the mind can help you get back on track in your original work. The bright side of this too is that you advance in two projects at the same time instead of just one. Additionally, you practice writing more often, which is a useful thing to do.

Congratulations! You have reached the end of the writing and editing technique and tips list! I appreciate the fact that you've read this far. I hope that you have gained some new knowledge or insight with this list that you can use with your own writing and editing projects. I've grown as this list was accumulated, and I'm always ready to hear what your story as an author is (and what your creative story is), and what process works best for you personally. Learning new ways to do things is an exciting adventure! And I could always use new ways of improving my writing and editing skills. See you next time!

[authorsharonforester]

A Real Life Dream (Monologue)

This YouTube video is a message for all dreamers. It exists because everyone needs to be reminded that they deserve to go after their dreams, regardless of what others say about it. Watch the video and see what Running The Galaxies has to say about the topic.  We need to believe in ourselves, to believe that we are good and strong and capable enough to achieve our daydreaming dreams before we die. This little monologue (or speech) has been sitting on paper for a long time, but now the message is out there for people to hear. Although, it will be up to people what they do after they watch it. Never give up on your dreams!!! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!!! A big tip to stop your mind from attacking you is not believing the negative things it has to say about you. Same when others say to your face. I know, I know. Easier said than done. It really is. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t do it. Fight it! When the thoughts come in, take a walk, do a fun activity, or talk to someone who makes you happy. The trick is to distract your brain, keeping it occupied until the severity of the thoughts go away. ​ A fun fact about this topic is that it is the very first thing I wrote as a monologue to act out. It started out as a school assignment in college, but I kept it close inside my time capsule for a day that it needed to come out.

[authorsharonforester]

Writing Sample: A Small Paper About Kids

At some point in my college career when I was studying to be an early childhood teacher, I was required to write a paper about infants and toddlers, and talk about their growth, development and

learning. I couldn't tell you how many times I've used all of those words, along with "multiculturalism" and "diversity" and "inclusion." Anyways... While most of my papers were long gone and lost, I did find this one that I still had stored online. I thought I would use it to share my writing style and sample on non-fictional writing, even though fictional writing is where my love pours out the most. I just love writing in general, which is why these blog posts even exist. The small paper is below. I hope you like it!

Infant/Toddler Growth, Development, And Learning ​ By Sharon Forester

Understand The Context Of Infant/Toddler Growth/Development

It is very essential to understand how an infant/toddler grows and develops because when you work the field, you want to do what is best for the child, demonstrating all the right things in front of the child to reach the set of goals that is made for them. We know that children are very honest, curious little things. They are also smarter than people give them credit for. They see everything and they tend to copy any example that is presented in front of them, and we all know that we don’t want all the bad things to stick on them as they grow older. Understanding how growing/development works on children helps caregivers/parents come up with the best ways of approaching the opportunities for learning and seeing the progress that is being made. Some matters about children are supposed to be really obvious in order for them to further grow, such as building relationships and trust with them. We can’t expect a child to follow our lead if they don’t trust or even know us. We also need to let them know that we care about them as individuals and that we are interested in who they are and what they want to do every step of the way. A child is not going to listen to us if we don’t show them kindness or support. The lack of kindness will only tell them that this world is unsafe for them and that there won’t be anyone willing to be there for them. Understanding what we need to do so we can be helpful to children and not be hurtful will allow us to build the proper curriculum for the classroom where we attend children daily. We want to be the kind of people that will cause a positive impact.

Redefining “Curriculum” For Infants And Toddlers

When looking at the word “curriculum,” the word is associated with topics and strategies that we write down for lessons that we feel is important to teach the children, so they can become mature, well-developed adults. I notice that a lot of people define curriculum in schools as all the paperwork and class tests that they need to do in the classroom so they can get the passing grades they need to pass grade levels and graduate. But that’s just it. Schools lately have not been about learning, it has been about passing, and that’s just getting worse as the years pass by, which is why we need to be caring teachers when working with children by remembering why we entered the position of being a teacher in the first place, and the same goes for parents. We need to let them know that school is important while teaching them that learning can be fun. If we have patience and understanding, then we will be able to function as good teachers and give children the help that they really need throughout their childhood. We need to be especially determined to be the best in the child’s youngest years, because those are the critical ages where we need to feed their minds and show them good examples to follow in life. Many adults don’t reach half the development in specific areas like social emotional development because their past caregivers/parents have not taught them those things before or after they enter school. Schools think that children need to already know how to read when they are first entering the classroom, and that’s not true. First-time schooling is the time period where children are supposed to first learn how to read in the first place. 99% come in not knowing how to read, and then when they have to do testing, they won’t know how to answer questions because they haven’t reached that point yet. The meaning of curriculum is all the important things that we need to be teaching children in a memorable way that will impact them for the good of the future, not fill their desks with paperwork after paperwork. In generalization, people don’t understand that every little thing you do with children is caught as a learning experience. Any little thing you do with a child will make or break a relationship or cause an emotion to stir depending how the teacher is impacting the child when they interact. Caregivers tend to not count passing time (such as getting ready in lines to transition from one activity to another) as a moment of learning as school hours. Of course these transitions are indeed as worth it as any other opportunity for children to learn things during school hours. When teachers create their own strategies for getting children ready to stand in line to go somewhere or transition to another activity, they are learning that there is an order in this world that they are all aware that they need to follow, just like anyone else does. They learn to identify the appropriate times of being silent or loud, in control or all over the place.

Respecting Infants And Toddlers

Respecting toddlers and infants means that we need to be aware that infants and toddlers are not objects and they need to be treated as equal human beings like we treat anyone else in our daily lives. A perfect common example of this is when a caretaker or a parent is taking care of a baby and knows there are going to be times the child is going to need diaper changes or help with potty breaks, but they tend to see it as something that they need to do and get over with instead of seeing it as a moment of bondage to strengthen relationships. The wrong way of taking care of bathroom time is quickly scooping up the child and getting the matter over with in silence as you distract the child with a toy to get the job done. The correct way to approach a diaper-changing session is by talking to the baby, letting them know that you are approaching them and informing them about what you are going to do with them before taking action. This is just one of many, many examples of good/bad behaviors between caregivers/parents and infants/toddlers. What I see the most often is when a child cries for a need or a want and the adult dismisses the behavior forcefully by demanding the child to stop being ridiculous without responding to how he feels and how they can help them feel better, or they just ignore the behavior all together, expecting them to stop crying at some point. A good caregiver/parent will respond to how the child is feeling in the moment, showing that they care about them and their feelings and helping them recognize the emotion they are feeling and guide them to learn how to handle and express them in an appropriate manner, such as encouraging them to use their words and not their bodies meanwhile having them comprehend why a situation has gone the way it has. ​ A short informative article about gaining wisdom on how to educate infants and toddlers to bring awareness to new parents and teachers alike. Link to the article: https://hubpages.com/education/Infant-Toddler-Growth-Development-And-Learning

[authorsharonforester]

Writing Sample: An Article About Pets

A long time ago, I wanted to write my very own article after reading so many of them online. I had forgotten, but I can say that I finally did it! And I made sure that eve-

rything was factual too. (I'm tired of all the lies Google carries.) I decided to tackle the subject of pets because I had a pet that gave me perspective into research before adopting/buying a pet with our hearts without our brains helping the decision-making process. I hope you like it! ​

5 Important Things to Consider Before Getting a Pet

By Sharon ForesterWhat You Should Know Before You Get A Pet

I grew up with pets around me, and I always figured they would be the easiest thing to take care of... You just spill the food in their bowl and play with them whenever you want. As I grew older, I noticed that this wasn't the case at all. If your emotions are stirred, and you want to get a pet, you need to consider a few things before getting ahead of yourself rather than going ahead and buying the pet, only to regret it later. You'd be surprised by how many people act on their emotions and hurt their pets without meaning to, but this is why I am here.

You see, taking care of pets is different for every single animal, and not everyone can handle the same kind of animal. Some people are dog people; some are cat people; and others do better with birds, fish, or turtles. The truth is, it all depends on who you are and what kind of work you are willing to deal with.

1. Decide What Kind of Pet You Want

If you have decided you want to get a pet and brighten your life a trillion times more, then the first thing you need to do is think about the kind of pet you would like to bring home. Let's say you picked a turtle. This is the pet you want to buy, and you're ready to go. Here's the thing: You may not know that much about turtles and/or how to take care of them. Here are a few examples of different kinds of pets you might consider getting:

Types of Pets Dog Cat Fish Bird Lizard Snake Frog Turtle Tarantula Guinea Pig Hamster Gerbil Horse Mouse Rabbit Chicken Sugar Glider Ferret

2. Research How to Take Care of That Pet

Here is what you need to do next: research. Find out what it takes to take care of turtles before you make any rash decisions. You need to make sure you are looking through reliable sources, however, for you do not want to be misinformed about pet care.

You will find out what kind of human interaction they would need and what kind of materials you need to buy. In the example of the turtle, you realize that you would have to buy items such as the following: ​

Tank

Heating lamps

Light bulbs

Basking deck

Heater

Filter

Thermometer

Toys

Then you realize that turtles are not all for touching, so you wouldn't need to handle them much (unless you're cleaning their tank), but taking them out for walks would help them exercise and explore, extending their life and happiness.

3. Ask Yourself Questions About Costs and Care

Now, this is the part where you start thinking about the money and the amount of time you can take to interact with your pet turtle.

Can you afford all the items you need for the turtle?

How often do you need to buy food?

How often would you have to buy new items when the current ones break down, like a new filter or a new light bulb?

What about the kind of temperature it can survive in?

Will you be willing to put up with cleaning the tank a few times each month?

Will you make time to take your pet turtle out for walks?

Will you have time to sit down and give them attention in or out of their tanks?

What about when it gets sick—does it get sick easily, and is it easy to remedy, or will you need the vet often?

4. Write Out Your Answers and Do More Research

This is where you come up with or find the answers to all your questions and doubts. You may take more time to research turtles to better answer your questions, trusting in reliable sources since the internet is really good at lying.

5. Determine If You Are Really Ready for the Pet

If you think you can make the time and effort it takes to take care of the turtle, then your journey stops here. You can go ahead and buy the needed items and bring home your new pet! If You Are Not Ready for the PetIf you have decided that you cannot find it in your heart to spend the budget or put in the time and effort to take care of a turtle, then what you need to do is cross out "turtle" from your getting-a-pet list and find another pet that you think will better suit you and your lifestyle. Then you begin the process all over again, starting with researching the next pet you chose to have an interest in.

A five-object list article about the importance of researching your pet. Link to the existing article online: https://pethelpful.com/pet-ownership/Consider-A-Few-Things-Before-Getting-A-Pet

[authorsharonforester]

The Overthinking And Over Editing Domino Effect

I know I'm not the one who feels this way, but have you ever started editing a page of your book, but then you started overthinking about one small thing, so then you are editing over and over and over again, and after you edit, you feel the need to fix it again and then fix it again and then fix it again? Well, I do. Every. Single. Time. I edit! Here's a question for those of us that don't even know the answer to: How do I make it stop?

Every single time I sit down and try to focus on editing a few chapters a day, it takes the world for me to even get through one chapter a day. I find that to be completely insane. At one point throughout my writing journey, I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and I thought, "Oh, that explains it!" I work through it. One day I'll overcome it. And everything else. And so can you, of course, with whatever you're struggling with!  

Let me give you some examples of what this looks like for some of us writers... ​

Example 1) I was editing a chapter in my book and stopped at a sentence that didn't sit right with me. I wanted to change the grammatical tense of the words. I use past tense in my book, so I wanted to make sure everything matched up. But then I questioned if the sentence sounded better in a different tense because of what the character was currently (...is currently? See what I mean?) thinking about the situation in front of them. Secondly, I kept changing the way I phrased the sentence, wondering if the words should be shifted around or if I should let it stand as is. Thirdly, I struggled with knowing whether or not the sentence belonged where it was to begin with. 

Example 2) In a different situation, I had five large paragraphs describing the way the main character's new house looked like--Yes, it's important to the story--but I was unsure about the best way of describing it so that it can be vividly pictured in the reader's mind. I juggled with thoughts of wondering if the paragraphs were too long or if chopping them would end up making them be too little and ruin the magical flow of being introduced to the new house. I struggled with the dilemma of being unable to cut it short because of all the sentences accurately explaining all the things involved with introducing the house. It felt like I worked decades on the scene before I finally edited the grammar and punctuation and left it alone to move on to the next chapter. Example 3) I wondered if I needed to tweak my vocabulary. I write with a particular style that caters to my personality as well as the age range of the story. So, should I have left it alone? I wondered if the characters should curse mildly to appeal to older audiences or not force it and leave it alone? (The book audience is targeted towards young adults.) I also worried if I used too many of the same words to describe something and if they were spread out often enough that it wouldn't be annoying to the reader when reading the page. It is hard to determine when it is your own story unless you are reading someone else's work. The purpose of this writing rant is that small negative thoughts on how to approach your writing journey when working on your very own project can create bigger negative thoughts that drive your emotions, and then ultimately, your actions. We have to be careful with that domino effect disaster. It will hinder your editing process, and you'll be stuck working on the same program forever. And don't get me started with the whole "I need a beta reader and/or an editor, I don't have a beta reader and/or an editor, where can I find a beta reader and/or an editor, yada-yada-yada." It is entirely possible to edit and finalize your own work if you have the right discipline, tools and strategies to help you through the obstacles involving editing. Some writers are better at dealing with this kind of stuff than others, but we were all created differently, which means we just need to support our strengths and be gentle with our weaknesses.

[authorsharonforester]

Loads of awesome writing advice! More learning for all of us in the creative writing world ready to make amazing inspirational stories!

Some writing advice

that I like to use when I write. None of this is meant to be taken as hard and fast rules, they’re just things I like to do/keep in mind when I’m writing and I thought maybe other people would enjoy! <3

Never say what you mean

This is an offshoot of the very common “show don’t tell” advice, which I think can be confusing in application and unhelpful for scenes where telling is actually the right move. Instead, I keep the advice to never say exactly what I mean in stories.

By using a combination of showing and telling to hint at what you really mean, you force your reader to think and figure it out on their own, which makes for a more satisfying reading experience.

You might show a character getting angry and defensive in response to genuine care and concern. You could tell the audience that the character doesn’t see/talk to their parents often. But never outright give the real meaning that the character feels unlovable because of their strained relationship with their parents and as a result they don’t know how to react to being cared for.

Your readers are smart, you don’t need to spoon feed them.

Be sparse with the important things

You know how in a lot of movies there’s that tense scene where a character is hiding from something/someone and you can only just see this person/thing chasing them through a crack in the door? You get a very small glimpse of whatever’s after the character, sometimes only shadows being visible.

Do that in your writing. Obscure the important things in scenes by overdescribing the unimportant and underdescribing the important.

You might describe the smell of a space, the type of wood the floor is made of, the sound of work boots moving slowly across the room, a flashlight in the character’s hand. And there’s a dead body, laying in a pool of blood in the far corner of the room, red soaking into the rug. Then move on, what kind of rug is it? What is the color, patterns, and type of fabric of the rug?

Don’t linger on the details of the body, give your reader’s imagination some room to work while they digest the mundane you give them.

Dialogue is there to tell your story too

There’s a lot of advice out there about how to make dialogue more realistic, which is absolutely great: read aloud to yourself, put breaks where you feel yourself take a breath, reword if you’re stuttering over your written dialogue. But sometimes, in trying to make dialogue sound more realistic, a little bit of its function is lost.

Dialogue is more than just what your characters say, dialogue should serve a purpose. It’s a part of storytelling, and it can even be a bridging part of your narration.

If you have a scene with a lot of internal conflict that is very narration-heavy, breaking it up with some spoken dialogue can be a way to give some variety to those paragraphs without moving onto a new idea yet; people talk to themselves out loud all of the time.

Dialogue is also about what your characters don’t say. This can mean the character literally doesn’t say anything, they give half-truths, give an expected answer rather than the truth (“I’m fine”), omit important information, or outright lie.

Play with syntax and sentence structure

You’ve heard this advice before probably. Short, choppy sentences and a little onomatopoeia work great for fast-paced action scenes, and longer sentences with more description help slow your pacing back down.

That’s solid advice, but what else can you play with? Syntax and sentence structure are more than just the length of a sentence.

Think about things like: repetition of words or ideas, sentence fragments, stream of consciousness writing, breaking syntax conventions, and the like. Done well, breaking some of those rules we were taught about language can be a more compelling way to deliver an emotion, theme, or idea that words just can’t convey.

Would love to hear any other tips and tricks other people like to use, so feel free to share!!!

[authorsharonforester]

The Childhood Songs of Imagination, Adventure, And My Past Self Album by Sharon Forester

This is going to ​to be a long blog post, so buckle up for the reading frenzy of 20 songs on paper! I've written down (more like, typed in) the songs I wrote when I was a little girl. My imagination was running wild, I was busy trying to figure out how to chase my dreams, and I was going through a lot of emotions. Some of these songs may make sense while others take a minute to figure out. The notebook that kept these songs was stored away for a good number of years. It was thrown out once I typed the songs on my computer. I will never have those pages with my childhood handwriting, but at least these songs will be in my files and on the Internet forever.

​The Childhood Songs of Imagination, Adventure, And My Past Self Album

SONG 1 ALIENS, LET’S FLY AWAY

Aliens in disguise Getting inside my mind So in love with them Every time they come To make my life so different

Putting everything else aside Fantasy comes to life Their pictures from the past Aliens keep bringing back

I don’t wish for them to leave, and if they leave, then I leave too

CHORUS Aliens, let fly away I want to fly away With aliens, fly away I want to fly away Aliens, let’s fly away I want to fly away So, aliens, let’s fly away I want to fly away

No one can understand what is happening This is the strangest love I could ever hold We are all aliens What is the difference here? We all live in the stars, together or apart

I don’t wish for them to leave, and if they leave, then I leave too ​​​ SONG 2 IT WAS EASY

Live the happy days Sad days go away Let’s just rejoice At our choice

We've been given our word To live in the world always Rendering but never pretending And w are who we will be Can’t stop us now We are at our feet

CHORUS It was easy to put my heart into something new  It was easy to live and breath with all effort, too It was easy good times I would never forget It was easy never having to regret

SONG 3 WAITING FOR A SHIP

CHORUS I'm waiting for a ship that’s coming to get me I’m waiting for a ship with aliens that won’t forget me I’m waiting for a ship to take me home x2

Im staring at the sky Waiting in the dark For my last hope Where is my home? I’m staring at the sky Smiling in the dark My only hope Out there’s my home

Did they leave me? Are they gonna get me? Out there’s where my home is And I patiently wait to go

SONG 4 MY ROBOT

Robots are everywhere and they make me stare What are we gonna do? My robot, robot, come with me Let’s get away My different little robot, we will forever be free

Everything has been destroyed This place is null and void So much dullness My robot, robot, come with me I can’t find you in the dust this way

CHORUS My robot, robot, are you out there? My robot, robot, come with me, I love you! My robot, robot, are you out there? My robot, robot, come with me, I love you!

I need you with me Let’s go so we can be free

Robots are everywhere Taken over thin air So evil, so restrained Lasers pointing to places Losing faces

Robot, robot, om with me Let’s get away, and we will forever be free

SONG 5 ZOMBIES

Zombies, zombies, zombies I love zombies They eat many things Zombies are dead, but aren't dead They are the undead

Zombies, zombies, zombies I can’t take the zombies They are slimy Zombies come to take revenge Zombies come to make new friends, Who are alive; half alive, half dead, and undead

CHORUS Zombies everywhere you go Zombies that will never go I love zombies, love them not Some are bad, and some are not Most are ugly, some are not They're all creepy, then they're not Zombies everywhere you go Zombies that will never go x2

Zombies, zombies, zombies I reach out to the zombies–the undead Zombies, zombies, zombies Don’t  reach out to the zombies–the undead They are green and slimy; they are cool and scary They eat brains; They give and take no pain What more can they be and not be? Zombies everywhere you go

SONG 6 ​SHEEP

Here are the herds Wandering oh so mindlessly Swallowed by the ancient curse If only they had a clue Of what they’re really dreaming of

There go the herds Following the poisoned crowd Swallowed by the ancient curse It’s land of the slaughtered The conscious try to get them out

CLIMAX They’re hypnotized so easily Killing themselves so easily If only they had a clue Of how they’re being controlled Love help us all

CHORUS The sheep keep talking, they say la-di-da The sheep keep walking, it’s like la-di-da The sheep keep gawking, they see la-di-da The sheep keep acting, they teach la-di-da

SONG 7 MAGIC

With magic, I can turn a pumpkin into a troll With magic, I could be something you wouldn’t know With magic, I can go back in time and change the past With magic, I can take back what I lost

Don’t be evil, magic can deceive you Don’t fall for magic, magic can deceive you

CHORUS Magic, magic, magic You could be good, you could be bad Magic, magic, magic You fade away, but then come back Magic, magic, magic You could be what I imagine Magic, magic, magic You fadeaway, but then come back

With magic, I can bring back the one that I love With magic, I can take away my enemies With magic, I can make what you can’t believe With magic, I can believe so many things

Don’t be evil, magic can deceive you Don’t fall for magic, magic can deceive you

SONG 8 LITTLE ROBOT

CHORUS Little robot is alone Little robot trying to find his way back home Little robot malfunctions Little robot trying to find his way back home

(fast beat rap) Brave, tiny, cute little robot Malfunctioning but passing over Looking for a home like a shiny Mars rover

CHORUS - (first line change) Little robot no give up

Poor, tiny, cute little robot Losing parts like other goners So unique, not acting like the others

CHORUS - (first line change) Little robot bright as sea

My sweet, tiny, cute little robot I will save you, no matter what I love you, no matter what x3

CHORUS - (first line change) Little robot is alone

SONG 9 ZOMBIE IN LOVE

CHORUS I’m a zombie in looooove I'm a zombie in loooooove I'm in love with you I want a piece of you

I watch you where you go Never wanna let you go Groaning for you’s what I do Lusting for a taste of you Yooooooooouuuuu

I'm a zombie in loooooooove I'm a zombie in looooooooove I'm in love with yooooooou I want a piece of you

Brains,  I need to eat those brains,  It drives me insane, I need to eat those brains Until nothing remains, Except the memories obtained

You walk through the magic portal To the place I call my life And you see me move, so immortal And that's when you know I longed survived You’re walking slow-mo through the graveyard In the cemetery, my home I stare intensely at you as you go But you don’t even, even see a soul

You walk through the horrid darkness And I follow as you’re in the light You see my face, you're super hopeless And I know that I’m on your mind You walked to me and asked me questions And I stared at your pretty face Then I see my chance to tell you ​What I've always wanted, wanted to say

SONG 10 PARADISE LOST

Damage is everywhere I look Broken hearts are in a group But the sky is turning bright instead of gray All the dullness finally goes away Graves disappear And robots are broken But I know I can fix them again Because all the dullness finally goes away

CHORUS Paradise lost is no more All the weeping is no more All the love is coming back All the beauty is coming back

Destruction has taken over me Rejection is so hurtful With so many color changes All the fullness finally goes away

SONG 11 WE REMAIN HAPPY

CHORUS We always wept Before we got shut down again When we got hurt again We always wept But now we remain happy with who we are

We’ve been pushed around, knocked to the ground, and as we fell, we were broken We still got to our feet, we didn’t even flee, but nobody cared we were broken Why were we so mistreated?  Did we deserve to be mistreated? Why were we so mistreated?  Is it because we are so different?

SONG 12 TO PALACE

CHORUS Selfish creatures in the world leave me weeping To my dream world place, I will runway What words can I say? I’m stranded, there’s no delay To palace, I runaway x2

Selfish creatures in the world, leave me weeping To my dream world place, I runway I don’t want to stay right here There must be another way For me to escape this dreadful place today

SONG 13 DAMAGED

CHORUS I’ve been damaged, unloved I’ve been all fixed up and loved I’ve been damaged, unloved I’ve been forgiven, and loved I’ve been damaged, unloved I’ve been damaged

My broken parts have fallen I’ve lost my powers I completely shut down I got thrown away

I’ve regained myself I’ve united with my powers I am no longer shut down Then I don’t get thrown away

SONG 14 LOVE

What is love? X2 Love is a powerful source in the living soul A wonderful emotion all souls know Love can be unconditional But many say it brings trouble

Many chose to make love seem bad As if it was worse than hate, that's sad But deep inside hearts Love can still be there I will always believe love goes on forever

CHORUS Love is patient, love is kind, love is not rude, love is not wrong What is love? What is love? Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it burns, sometimes it rips my world apart And sews it back together

SONG 15 PERFECT HOME

I crawl, I walk, I run To find a place where I belong The roads are empty, but There are plenty of Places all around

A house, a castle, a beach I try to find a place, where it’s perfect for me The roads are empty, but There are places all around

CHORUS I wanted a home, but found a haunted house It’s dark, it’s scary, but that’s what it’s all about I want to flee, but I don’t want to leave I need to find a way To make it my perfect home

SONG 16 THE IMAGINATION SONG

You imagine what would happen if I used my imagination? You imagine what would happen if I made all dreams come true? You imagine what would happen if I changed everything? With my imagination, imagination

CHORUS I sing the imagination song The sky is green instead of blue Darkness is colorful too Imagination, imagination Birds swim, and fish fly And I will always let my mind wander into space There will be no such thing as reality Because of imagination This is the imagination song x3 ​I sing the imagination song

You imagine what would happen if I used my imagination? You imagine what would happen if I could change the whole world? You imagine what would happen if I made everyone happy? I sing the imagination song

Everyone will be my best friend Everything is pretty from now until the end Imagination, imagination I will give the world many powers And I will fly forever Everything in life is able to speak There will be no such thing as reality Because of imagination

SONG 17 SHOW ME

Life falls out of place Cant reach the chase Emotions running slow Nobody even knows Show me your weaknesses The ones you’ve lived with

CHORUS Show me everything there is of you Show me the beauty you hide Show me the love you have inside Take all the negativity away Take the hatred away from this place

Although we have bad thoughts at times We need to stop thinking like that We need to be happy instead of sad It’s a disaster to see someone mad

SONG 18 CHAINS

Feeling so great Cradled by so much weight Floating I can smell peace Inner shelter Chains Used to bind Me But you know they provide Me With a foundation

CHORUS Chains that are broken have disappeared Words unspoken stand right here No longer bound, I fly away Chances I’m reminded Move me today

I welcome My- Self to every- One Some goodbyes Sweet lands Oceans Salt blur off Imagining I have this No need to contradict

SONG 19 YOU FLEE

Drive away in the dust Been picked up and then driven away Why be so heartless? Be a caring thing today Been blown away I forget What happened so I can be happy But no realization with Every slap you’ve given me Lost a bit of identity I fall to pieces Breaking my heart I weep, weep, and weep But i get back on my feet I am stronger than you think There is a person right here In the road of life In the end we all break free And not divert our lives

CHORUS Sometimes you flee your senses Go off, boast off, ignite something else There would never be a monster Because i have seen the worst But i still love, I still forgive And then run, not giving up life We run

SONG 20 JUST A MACHINE

I am so small I have metal all over me Filed with screws, wires, and chips And there are so many I can do But I will never be a creature

CHORUS How can I be a creature when I can’t feel a thing? How can I be a creature when I can see everything? How can I be a creature when I have programming? How can I be a creature when I’m just a machine?

I have the ability of x-ray vision I have the ability for endless walks I have the knowledge to do anything But I have no heart, no brain, no real energy I’ll never be a creature

[authorsharonforester]

What I Day Dream About When I Write

I daydream about bringing all of my family members to the red carpet to see a movie version of one of my books. I daydream of going to the bookstore and seeing my books on the shelves. Not just any shelf, but their very own shelves. I daydream about people coming up to me, telling me that my work has made a difference in their life, which is what a person would hope it would do.

I had countless times of driving an hour back and forth from towns where my characters show up really big over the horizon and they are talking to me, telling me to not forget them and to finish writing their story. 

When I am actively writing, I think about the scenes my characters are going through vividly. It feels beautiful until it stops and I am back to reality with the computer in front of my face. It gives me a weird feeling of sadness and accomplishment at the same time. I know it is because I wrote a few things, but also because I wish the imaginary world was real.

We can all relate to the feelings of failure we get when things don't go the way we want. We also sit down with a lot of thoughts that have to do with being confused, not knowing how we are going to make our dreams come true, how we should make them true, or overall, what we are even going to do. I write a story that touches upon this exact kind of nonsense. I made it to show the world that we all go through similar feelings. If you find yourself talking to people, in person or online, you'll find out that they think of a lot of the same things the same as you do. And even though you know it, you still don't want to think that everyone goes through the same thing or they simply don't understand, but the fact is that they do. 

I would reveal to you what the story is about and what it is called, but the fact is that one of the common things people have probably talked about is that they are afraid everyone is going to steal their stuff. I am not sure how true that I, but people online say that it doesn't happen as often as people think, but what do they know? They are Internet people. As far as we know, they could be lying. We don't know if sure if they have experience in that area. Then again, that sort of thing could happen to anyone too.

[authorsharonforester]

Messy Thoughts Stomp On Writing Routines

I am here to tell you that I am going to be dedicated to writing, and this is one of the ways it is going to happen  (maybe). I still have a lot to figure out, but instead of letting my head get the best of me, I am going to be figuring things out. One by one. One at a time... and not let my brain warp its attention to other things that won't be good for me.

I feel overwhelmed when I have a lot of projects I've barely started, projects that are halfway through, or projects that I haven't touched. I am also caught with wanting to be published and famous and have everything handled, but it seems like I am never getting there. Negative thoughts consume me regarding wanting to be in that heavenly place where you get to be paid for writing what you love in a way that sets you up for the rest of your life.  Have you ever had any of those familiar feelings before? Of course, you have. And if you haven't, then boy, lucky you.

I know very well that trying to do the work to make your dream come true is one of the hardest things we could ever do in life. We feel we need to get things done so quickly. if not, we feel we might die tonight. We are also eager to be in a place we are not yet ready for. We are also very good at comparing ourselves to other people. We also try to shoot too high on things. That's when we know we need to slow down.

It's like all of these things run over and over in your head and you don't know how to make it stop.

I know that accomplishing a fraction of a goal is way better than nothing. It is a very good way to make a goal that is easy for anyone to shoot for. In other words, we need to create baby steps to mark off from a checklist.

I see a lot of people out there in the world living their writing dream and accomplishing parts of their dreams the rest of us wish we could land in. I also see a lot of people trying to make their writing dreams come true, but it seems impossible, especially when we are sitting back and watching it all happen.

The trick to all this is that we need to make small actions everyday that make up the bigger works. There is no way around hard work. If you're in the "I wish" and the angry phase, that is okay. I have been this way myself. But the important thing is that I know that you and I are going to be all right. Writing this story is part of my small goal that is going to help me move forward. I'll have many more from here. It won't stop for any of us.

Right now, it is your turn to find your small goal that will help you move forward. So, what's it going to be?

[authorsharonforester]

A Frenzy of Short Stories!

Breaking news, I am making e-books from the short story anthology of When Life Strikes Midnight. To check out or read the book or some of the short stories, go to authorsharonforester.weebly.com!

As it is known, When Life Strikes Midnight is an anthology of 15 short stories. I am going to be making separate ebooks for each story so everyone can take their pick on what they want to read in a manner that is easy for them.

I am excited about getting the opportunity to learn more about how to make better-looking book covers as well as formats for the books. I am proud to have been able to work on that in a faster manner than I used to, which is a plus for me. Everything will be revealed very soon. I am excited about it! It is an accomplishment for me! I am still struggling to get a few things in order, especially since Amazon's editing program still has glitches, but I can work around it.

I have been able to accomplish setting up the files and finishing the book covers. They are ready to be sent off to the world. The only thing that holds me back (like anything else) is just the marketing and promotion. It will be the hardest thing I work on.

[authorsharonforester]

Sticking To A Writing Routine

​Welcome. Today, I will show you how hard it is to stay on track with writing and the ways to overcome it. Here at home, I will currently express that I haven't written in a long time. 

The trouble with that is that I really want to, and despite that, I am not writing. I have a hard time sticking to writing a little bit every day because I am worried about how I will finish my work and the work it takes to do my writing and then edit it.

People have different reasons why they procrastinate writing. For all of us, it doesn't mean we enjoy writing. We are just afraid of failure in some way. For example, for me it is the process of editing and how much work it is going to take. My brain tells me that I will never finish the editing process because it takes so much time. I want to do things that will take very little time.

The story I am working on is about an alien that joins his people's plans on wanting to invade planet Earth, but the alien doesn't want to partake in this mission, and meanwhile on Earth, a girl and her friend are desperate to meet a live alien. This is a novel that took me three years to write when I was a little girl. I have written the entire thing on paper and now I need to type it on the computer.

It is important to keep yourself accountable for getting the work done. I am on camera because I want to show you that it is possible to come and stay on track in the writing process if you really let yourself do this. There are different ways to hold you accountable. You just gotta pick the types that work for you because everyone is different.

-Make a schedule and stick to it -Make a goal and stick to it -Make a checklist and work on it for a duration of time -Make a sign in, sign out sheet -Set a goal for the day -Get someone else to keep you accountable -Dedicate a day for your tasks

What works for every single person is different, so it is important you find what works for you, whether it is something from this list or something you come up with on your own. What works for me is this (when I am disciplined): Setting a goal and using a day to accomplish it. ​ Let me tell you how I found this. I was roaming through YouTube one day when I found an interview with Stephen King on there. I clicked on it because the title said he was talking about how he was making books so fast. He went into the conversation to mention that he sets the goal of writing SIX PAGES a day and then having the entire day to accomplish this. He also mentions that when he is being overcome with obstacles in writing, then he will use that time to take breaks, and what he does in those breaks is either eat a meal, shop at the door for things he needs or do a chore. He uses his breaks to do something he needs to get some practice in his personal life instead of being distracted by the phone and TV, which is really important to getting anything done. It is like being at school at home. Sometimes it makes it easier to think of it as an assignment he needs to get done. All these little things work as a motivator for him while he is working. Then he will start over the next day until he reaches his day(s) off.

This was inspiring to me because everyone else always came up with ideas that didn't work for me, such as the list above. For me, working under a time limit didn't work because I didn't know what to expect to come in randomly in my life. Others are able to work under pressure… It all depends on who you are and that you pick what works for you. As long as you pick something that is realistic to you, then you are on your way.

The last thing that you need to remember is that you need to start with small goals and just write! before you set yourself up with bigger goals and worry about editing, or else you will never get anything done because you are overwhelming yourself. We will overthink everything and then end up messing up our own stories.