Writing Through Adversity

I read a few tips on writing from J.R.R. Tolkien today and this one, "Keep writing, even through adversity," really spoke to me because our family is facing a time of great adversity. 19 days ago, a large tumor was discovered at the base of my husband's spine. It turned out to be cancer and quickly turned our lives upside down. You can read more of that story here, on another one of my blogs.

Yesterday, I posted on The Total Writer's Facebook page that I'm taking a hiatus from writing in order to deal with my husband's cancer. Well, today, I'm discovering that I can't keep to that. I can't not write. I need to write and was feeling very much like I needed to write, but felt guilty as though, somehow, my writing was an invalid distraction to the cancer and all it entails.

But, today, I no longer feel that way. I realized, through reading J.R.R. Tolkien's tip to write through adversity, that writing through his cancer is actually a good, viable, acceptable activity. Not only does writing help me express what I'm feeling, it also helps articulate my husband's feelings. He has so often told me to write and keep on writing.

So, my hiatus from writing is hereby canceled. I may not be able to be consistent, but I was hardly consistent before his cancer.

Expect more. I will write my way through this cancer. It's God's gift to me to be able to write.
So, I'll be seeing you between the lines and portions of this journey will be scattered throughout my writings in the coming months.

A friend has set up a Gofundme account to help us with the ever-mounting medical, prescription and travel costs associated with this. Click here for that.

Write often.
Write well.
Just write.
~Tricia

Comments

Top Ten Most Common Edits - 2

My #2 most common edit is "toward." The vast majority of my clients use "towards" instead of "toward," as in, "Walking towards the entrance..." I correct this every time because in the US, where we use what is commonly called American English, the preferred choice is "toward," as in single. "Towards" is more commonly used in UK English and Australian English, as noted on Grammarly . In the USA, it's best to say, "Walking toward the entrance...." So, while "towards" is acceptable in other countries, for the US and Canada, "toward" is a much better choice. Keep moving toward good grammar! Write well. Write often. Just write. ~Tricia

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