Self Motivation

January 27, 2014

By znjavid

A conversation between the dreamer side of me who provides the motivation with the practical side who actually gets things done.

So what’s up?

Nothing much, just the usual.

How’s that “Freshly Pressed” post coming along?

Haven’t written it yet.

And your novel?

Writing it slowly but not really inspired.

Why what happened, I thought you set yourself a goal of finishing it this year?

Yeah, but ever since I didn’t win that competition I feel I’m not really that good. Why would anyone read my novel?

You won’t know till you write it. You know it is a good idea.

If my best wasn’t good enough, I don’t think I can write any better.

It shouldn’t be about winning, but trying and giving it your best shot. If you decide to quit that’s when you really lose.

It’s easier said than done. I’m the one doing all the work.

That’s why you need to believe in yourself and stop putting yourself down. Be your own supporter and stop looking to others to tell you that you’re good.

The others are the one who are going to buy my novel.

Yes, but until you don’t believe you can do it how can you convince anyone else?

OK you have a point.

Where are you going?

To write a post. I got a great idea.

Daily Prompt: Obstacle Course

Blurb for my novel

January 24, 2014

By znjavid

Mary Ann struggles to adjust in her new life working as a house maid far away from her own country and family. She has to contend with the callousness of her employer, the competition from the other maid, the sullen Nurul and the overtures of the handsome driver next door Rahul as she tries to focus on the reason for leaving her son – to earn enough to give him a comfortable life. The little boy Youssef who she takes care of and reminds her of her son becomes her only solace. Will she survive the two years she has signed up for?

I had this idea for a novel some time ago and had started writing but somehow I stopped. Thanks to my friend Silverleaf I have started again and aim to complete it this year.

Daily Prompt: BYOB(ookworm)

Blogger of good repute

January 17, 2014

By znjavid

There was once a blogger of good repute. He was honest and caring and always wrote close to life. He would answer each and every comment and thank others for reading and subscribing to his writing.

But there was one person who really annoyed him. This person would always leave a pingback but never comment or like his writing. Even though the blogger of good repute would in return read his posts and like them. This continued for several months. Now the blogger of good repute was a good fellow but he was running out of patience. He wrote and wrote in the hope that the gentleman who left the pingbacks would appreciate his writing also. But it never happened. Tired, the blogger of good repute left a message on the other gentleman’s blog:

“I’ve written great posts and good posts but all you do is leave a pingback. Why is it that you never like my writing? Couldn’t you comment and let me know how I could improve my writing if nothing else? Surely you’ve read all the comments I’ve left on your posts, how come you never reply to any of them? Are you some sort of a grump?”

He finally received a reply from the gentleman. A simple “Yes.”

This post is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to a person in the real blogosphere is purely coincidental.

Daily Prompt: Blogger of repute

Craving Appreciation

January 14, 2014

By znjavid

If you could have a guarantee that one, specific person was reading your blog, who would you want that person to be? Why? What do you want to say to them?

I would want my husband reading my blog. There I said it.

What would I want to say to him? It’s not what I want to say to him, if I wanted to say something to him I would say it the next time I met him. It’s what I want HIM to say.

Wouldn’t it be a dream if the next time we went out and we met someone he knew, he would introduce me as follows:

“This is my wife, she quit her job to look after our son and now she’s a brilliant writer!”

What can I say, I crave appreciation. And there’s no use telling him that I want to hear this because then it’s not the same, is it?

He does read what I write occasionally (sometimes I send him the link) and he does tell me it’s good but sorry that’s not good enough. He has to tell me it’s brilliant without my prompting him.

What is that you’re saying? Maybe I’m not brilliant after all? Well yes, that could be it 😦

But aren’t husbands SUPPOSED to say nice things about their wives?

So should I send him THIS link?

Daily Prompt: Singular Sensation

A Good Idea

December 30, 2013

By znjavid

The best idea I’ve had is to write down some of my son’s interesting anecdotes.

You know that moment when your child does or says something cute and funny or really smart and you feel proud and happy and can’t stop laughing? A few weeks pass by and you still remember that feeling but for the life of you, you can’t remember what exactly it was that your child said.

After that happened a few times to me I decided I would start writing it down.

I wrote my son’s anecdotes in the form of a story. Then I thought “What would my son think of his own stories if I read them to him? He might find them dull if it was just text and no pictures. So why not include some pictures.” That’s when I started illustrating the stories. When I compiled them together and read them to him he wanted to hear them again and again. That got me thinking, “Other children his age would like them too, wouldn’t they?” I found a publisher on the internet and wrote to them. I sent them my work and that’s how I got it published. I didn’t want to wait for a traditional publisher who would take years to publish my work, if at all. By that time my son would be much older and the moment would be lost.

One good idea led to another. My publisher suggested I start a blog. I did. And here I am writing to you all about how it started.

My books and my blog have kept me busy. I have worked for more than 10 years in a telecom company and I am used to being busy. And now that my son is older and going to school I had some time to myself which I didn’t know how to utilize. And so my good idea solved my problem.

Most of my good ideas come to me when I’m lying in bed at night. Everything has been done for the day and my mind is free to think. That’s when some sort of brainwave pops in. And then I have trouble sleeping as I’m planning out all the details and I can’t execute them till the next morning. When I finally do go to sleep, the excitement I feel when I get up in the morning is unmatched.

Daily Prompt: Brainwave

Determination

December 16, 2013

By znjavid

I have to give my son full marks for his resoluteness. At 1 yr+ he was trying to climb the bookshelf and at 4 years he’s still at it.

If only I could show the same determination in my writing maybe I’ll get somewhere (Freshly Pressed if nothing else?)

A little celebration

October 5, 2013

By znjavid

I think this calls for a little celebration. It’s been a good 2 months and 9 days. 81 posts later this is where I stand: 102 follows, 3364 views and 1002 likes.

Stats apart I’ve had great fun with my first experience in the world of blogging. Being a mother has been my greatest inspiration in writing but I’ve written about a lot of things, some very personal, thanks to the Daily Prompts and the Weekly writing challenges and photo challenges. I actually wrote my first poem as one of my posts and am now thinking of collecting some of my children’s poems into a book. That will be my next project. I had just started promoting my children’s story books when I started blogging. Now I have so many other ideas as well. I have a novel in my head and am just starting to write it down. Again the idea came to me when I was writing a story for one of the challenges.

Most of all I’ve come across some amazing people. Always ready with kind comments and encouraging remarks. I want to thank all of you for being there and making life so much better. You are an inspiration for me. A special thanks to Pat(ricia), Olga and Victoria for their very welcome feedback, Angloswiss for her inspirational writing, Angie and Connie for their inspirational photography, Sheenmeem and KraftedKhaos for motivating me to write poetry, Salam, Harsha, plaridel, Dries, Randomly Abstract, Imexcited, stemgirl, Inigo boy and Bams for their frequent visits, iamfunny2 for his clever challenges, Ray Ferrer for being the first one to click that follow button and No Virgin Mary for being the 100th.