A Daily Life

Having trouble figuring out what to write?  Try using some prompts.  I find that often it helps keep me going until I start generating my own ideas again. The other great thing about using prompts or participating in a challenge is meeting other bloggers.  I’ve read a number of new blogs that I wouldn’t have […]

I enjoy using prompts for finding ideas to write in my blogs and journals, as well for my daily devotions and even conversation starters. One of the prompts I’ve been enjoying each month has been the joy dares from Ann Voskamp, author of the book “One Thousand Gifts”.  I’ve shared in different posts how I’ve […]

The A to Z Challenge for 2012 starts today.  The goal is to blog a different letter of the alphabet (sequentially) in the month of April.  You can use a unifying theme or not.  You chose the word.  It’s that simple. Over 1600 people have signed up to participate!  It’s a great way to make new […]

I believe that prompts have their place for the diarist and blogger.  One of the prompts I’ve particularly enjoyed this year has been the Joy Dares by Ann Voskamp, author of the book “One Thousand Gifts”. The purpose of the Joy Dares is to find three gifts a day from God in everyday, ordinary life.  The […]

Looking for a challenge to celebrate women’s achievements?  Paige at The Authentic Me has a challenge going, inviting her readers to “remember the contributions of notable and ordinary women“.  I’ve already posted links to stories about my grandmothers & great-grandmother, whose ordinary lives shaped the generations after them. Here’s what Paige is inviting you to […]

Ollin Morales, over at Courage 2 Create, has a great blog for writer’s and creative people.  He recently had a post in which he explained why he doesn’t think writer’s should use prompts.  It’s worth checking out.  To sum up, his reasons are: It only works because it’s acting as a mirror to what is […]

Today’s guest post is from Judith at the blog, Diabetic Redemption.  When I left a note at how impressed I was with the questions, she laughed and said “. . .unpaid student loans owed to a seminary that no longer exists at least taught me what questions to ask!” At the bottom, she does qualify […]

Today’s guest post is by Chris Donner at Chris Donner, Mystery Writer.   One of the really great things about Chris’s blog is that along the left side she has chapters to her mystery book that is in progress. A few weeks ago, Chris did a review of “A Writer’s Book of Days: A Spirited Companion […]

Today’s guest blogger is Cee Neuner, who posts over at Cee’s Life Photography Blog.  Cee coordinates a fun projected called, “Share Your World“, as a way for bloggers to get to know each other better.  I’ll let Cee describe it herself: About Share Your World I discovered Jesse Jaca’s blog and saw they had a Getting to […]

Peggy Hostetler, author of the blog The Simple Woman, has a powerful set of questions to help diarists and bloggers record their life at the present moment in time.  You consider things such as what you are doing, thinking and wearing.  It asks about your plans for the rest of the week and invites you to […]

One of the more unusual challenges in 2012 is that of the “no comfort zone” by Marge Katherine at the Inside Out Cafe.  Marge encourages her readers and fellow bloggers to every week take a step outside of their comfort zone and do something different. I very much enjoyed reading Marge’s posts on this, from her […]

Last year, I coordinated and participated in a daily random word challenge.  Each day, myself and other participants wrote a post, using a word that had been randomly selected by the computer. Having finished (survived) a daily challenge, I highly recommend it.  It’s a great way to get consistency, get into the habit of writing, […]

Today’s guest post is written by JudithB at I choose how I will spend the rest of my life.  I’d noticed her references to Judy Reeves in several of her posts.  Although I don’t have this particular book, I have several others by Judy.  Judy also does on-line classes at the International Association for Journal Writers.  From […]

Ann Voskamp, author of the book “One Thousand Gifts”, has a January Joy Dare to help her readers achieve a goal of noticing three gifts a day from God.  Note that these ideas are good for any day of the year, not just in January. I blogged the January 11 idea here, about three yellow things that […]

After doing a daily challenge in 2011, I would highly recommend them as a way to get into the habit of blogging and developing a body of work. For 2012, WordPress is encouraging 365 challenges.  It’s been interesting to reading all the ideas people have for a 365 challenge this year.  Take a look and […]

At some point, we all run dry on ideas.  Fatigue and stress contribute, sometimes it just happens. That’s when it’s great to have some resources to turn to, where someone else has written out a list that you can scan until you find something that appeals. Here’s a list for your back pocket of things […]