Blog Tour: My Writing Process

A week ago, my friend Naomi (@woobiesmum on Twitter) asked me if I would take part in a blog tour she was hosting on her blog. You should go read her blog, she is a true writer who has labored hard on her craft.

I agreed since it was different than other blog tours. Writers encouraging each other in their writing process and sharing tips on how they write. I never have and likely never will consider myself a writer, just a girl who babbles on and people humor me by reading along.

Q1: What are you working on? 

Currently, I am working on an outline for my book. In the next few years I plan on writing a few books. My first book is a non fiction account of my Twitter adventures. Everyone is always asking about how I got to do this or that? almost always the answer is, ''It started on Twitter'' so I am going to write a book about it.

Q2: How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Since I write non-fiction, the difference is nobody has lived my life and experiences. My stories are unique because they are my stories. Every writer of non-fiction has a unique story to tell. So every work of non-fiction is different.

Q3: Why do I write what I do?

Writing has always been cathartic for me. As I have documented, I have a super memory that is full of memories, stories, pictures. A giant Rolodex in my brain. So writing helps me get the memories out on paper for the world to see, improves my memory all while  sharing my life story. Really this blog is more for me for some reason, people like to read it?!

Q4:  How does my writing process work?

I write outlines in my mind, almost everything I write starts in my head, outline, blog, pictures are all put together there. Then I sit down and write it out on the blog. Very rarely do I use Word to write a blog. Everything is written on the blog itself. I edit as I write, going back and editing old blogs after they are published. I told you, I am not a writer.

If you're a writer and interested in joining the blog tour, let me or @woobiesmum know on Twitter and we will email you the information.

NaBloPoMo 2013

It's become my November tradition, dating back to 2007. My friend Di suggested we all join in with the Blogher ladies and do NaBloPoMo. I had never heard of such a thing but once again played follow the leader with Di and joined in. Used to be Andrea,Di and I blogging away for two years and then just Di and I. Now, I stand alone in the NaBloPoMo challenge.

This year, I have actually thought about not blogging. I am busy training eight hours a day, five days a week for the next six weeks for my new job. I am sitting at a computer all day, reading and learning. The last thing I really want to do is blog.

The thing is..........I have been writing several blogs in my head for the last few weeks. Yep, you read the right, I write all of my blogs in my head before I actually publish them. I start the bones of them that way before ever sitting down at the computer. My brain is a fascinating place, it is a like a giant Rolodex of memories and blog ideas.

Along with my photographic memory, I can write a blog and put pictures in it all in my head. For me,  this is  completely normal  until I realized, most people can't tell you every single picture they have by just thinking about it. Last night, I was looking for some Halloween pictures and really wanted one of Elizabeth in a certain costume, I knew that we didn't have a picture of her in that costume though. No need to search, I know exactly what pictures we have and where those pictures are in bins. ( I really need to scan my pictures into my computer, I am so lazy though.)

So anyways, this month I have several blogs lined up to share. I have a few posts that I have been asked to write by an author and an app company. This year, I am actually scared to fail the challenge. I am a purist, I don't write my posts ahead of time, they are written daily during the challenge. I am out of town tomorrow, so this could be challenging in itself. Still working that issue out in my head.

Life has been full lately. Full of learning, living, growing and changing. I hope to share that with you this month. Above all, the labor of love this blog has become is something I want to focus on. It has grown from its early days on Myspace, then switching to Blogger, now its own site which I am thinking of finally transferring over to hosted Wordpress. From maybe five views a blog to over 11,000 hits a month now.

My blogging friends that I started with have quit blogging almost completely. Here I stand, still writing and moving forward. The other night, a huge supporter of this blog actually was encouraging me. Sometimes I wonder, ''why bother? I am only talking about myself most of the time and people must get tired of that.'' but she was telling me that it made a difference and impacted her life. She really built me up and gave me the courage to continue on.

Now I am looking forward to sharing, continuing to be Just Jules and focus on topics that are important to me and my family. I am particularly anxious to share a few stories with you that have impacted my life this year. I hope you will join me on the journey as I attempt to blog everyday in November.

So Long NaBloPoMo 2012, Looking Toward the Future

I bet you're all happy! The last day usually means that I take a blogging break for a bit. Can you just be quiet for a bit? I bet you're all thinking that.

When I started this blog in 2005, I had no clue where it would take me as a person, writer, friend and family member. The doors this blog has opened for me are amazing and mind bending at times. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would become the place it has become.

Simply put, that is all thanks to you, my readers. From my first readers on Myspace, to my first blogging friends, my family and now the Twitter world. Thank you for reading, sharing, retweeting and helping me reach a far greater audience than my circle in life.

If I didn't have readers, I wouldn't still be blogging. It's no fun talking to yourself. I love hearing how a blog has touched someone, made a difference or inspired change. When someone tells me they read my blog,  I am always humbled, floored and honored.

 I love having a place where my friends can share with others too.

 On this note, I would love to see more comments. Don't worry, I don't bite and would love to hear your thoughts. It is super easy to comment, you can sign in with Facebook or Twitter. You can even leave anonymous comments. I try to answer every comment back and they truly are the payment for blogging.

I am also asking for feeback for the future. What would you like to see more of? What would you like me to write about? Anything you want to see featured? Constructive critcism? I am open to kind thoughts and words.

Also, would you like my Facebook page? Sign up for my email list? Share my blog with others? All of these things will help this site continue to grow.

Interested in guest blogging? I am always looking for submissions. I do reserve the right to decline but I am open to almost anything you have in mind. I would love to share my place and share with my readers another point of view.

Thank you for reading, encouraging and loving me along the way.

I owe a debt of gratitude to Lori, Vidya and Tiybor for constantly retweeting my blog. It is appreciated and it  does make a huge difference. Also thanks to Azu for sharing my post on Facebook.

Thank you to all who've recently retweeted me, it really means the world to me every time my blog gets retweeted. The benefit of having a super memory, I remember each one.

Thank you to Mary for guest blogging for me this month. Thank you to Bob for the blog link. Joel for the support and content.

To my Brown family,cousins, and parents for letting me use them as a source of material and supporting me. Without our story, Just Jules really wouldn't exist.

Thank you to Di for starting me off writing every November. Thanks Dan and Stephanie for writing a long this month.

Most importantly, thank you to Marty and the kids. I wouldn't be able to share our life without your support and encouragement. I know sometimes it is annoying and bothersome. Thank you for loving me and letting me blog.

I cannot wait to see where the future takes Just Jules. I hope you all join me.