Short story - The Red Chair- Chapter 1

                                               The Red Chair

The red chair which sat in the corner was the only thing that remained when everything else changed, as I looked closer at the chair I noticed it wasn’t just a red chair. The chair was the very same one that was in my grandma’s home. I know the chair was the same because I secretly carved my name in the wood on the back leg. I don’t know why I carved my name it was just a kid thing back then.

Maybe I because when I became an adult I might come across it and remember doing it as a child.  I was now standing face to face with a part of my history and a decision to make. At what cost do I bring a part of my past home? At what cost do I bring the past into the present and possibly open wounds better left closed?

The longer I stood there the more the memories of my childhood came back to me, as a smile formed on my lips. The many wonderful stories my grandmother told me as I sat on her lap, than at her feet when I grew older. How could I not continue that tradition with the children who crossed my path? My own or those I cared for over the years. I took a deep breath, looked at the men who stood next to me and led the charge to retrieve what was mine many years ago.  

Due to circumstances the next post will be Monday Dec 1. Sorry for any inconvenience   

Dance like no one is watching

Well in this case write like no one can see you or what you write. That is what free writing should be. However there are times when that isn’t easily done. At least for me it isn’t. That’s because I tend to get stuck even free writing because I don’t know what to say, even if I’m the only one reading it. That’s because my critic is reading over my shoulder and nit picking about everything I am writing, even if it’s just thoughts of a first draft.

I am a charter member of those who believe if you are going to busy your self writing something, then it must be brilliant the first time or it’s a waste of time.  Well part of me think that anyway- the other part just says get it out and see what it looks like first, then worry about what you can do with it.

So yesterday in my email I found this link see below

 http://writetodone.com/finding-your-voice/

I won’t go into the article, I hope you will go and read it (and subscribe to get more great advice) but after I read it, it touched the child side of me, the side that says just write because you enjoy writing.

I have to stop worrying about what my first draft looks like and just write. Nanowrimo is a perfect place for that. It’s a 50,000 word challenge that millions embark on every November. After reading the blog entry about finding my voice I looked again at the Nano site.  They are saying the same thing in different ways. To be who you really are and get the story out that you have inside you, don’t worry what Joe shmo is going to think because it just might be that that person who is also secretly worried about getting that first draft right.

So my advice write (and dance) like no one is watching because in doing that you will find your voice who quite possibly was just waiting to go on and shine, missteps or misspellings and all. Remember just as dancers need to learn the steps and practice before the big number, you as a writer need the same practice, and that comes from your first draft and rewrites.

So enjoy the journey as you discover who you are after all there’s only one you.  Let your voice be heard.

For those interested here is the nano site its never to late to start on your great adventure.

https://nanowrimo.org/sign_in

See ya next time