From this day forward, this blog is going to be about reading and writing. Period. One of the challenges I’ve had as a writer is choosing a topic and sticking to it. That’s why this blog has become somewhat of a hodgepodge of different ideas and topics.

Take the recent post on conflict that I based on Mark Nepo’s book Seven Thousand Ways to Listen. That post wasn’t a book review but rather some thoughts based on Nepo’s observations, and it belonged on the Mom’s Musings blog (www.marlajayne.wordpress.com).  That blog began as a medium for sharing thoughts about topics as disparate as raising children to running marathons and everything in-between. I’ve even been known to mix politics and religion on that site.

What belongs on this blog are book reviews, progress on my writing, writing tips, interesting information on other writers and their habits, and other pertinent material including news of local happenings. If I get off course, any reader has the right to say, “Jayne, get back on topic.” I won’t be offended. After all, I’m learning to be a writer, and one of the cardinal rules is to get organized.

A couple of years ago I started a blog about teaching (www.jpbowers.wordpress.com) and have been slack about updating it. Starting this week, however, I’m going to get back to that. After all, since I’ve been teaching for decades, I have plenty to say about it. Whether my thoughts are worth recording is up to the reader.

There’s a psychology blog too (www.psychcentral.wordpress.com). I started it as a way for students to earn extra credit a few years ago, and although my posting has slowed down considerably, the site is still up and running and offers opportunities to think about the applications of psychology to daily living. Since I don’t teach full-time anymore, I don’t have as many opportunities to promote the blog, and truthfully, my interest in posting has diminished somewhat.

Writing this post has clarified my thinking about the purpose of my blogs. If I get off track, let me know. In the meantime, check out the other blogs if you get the chance.

And since this is my writing blog, I’m going to leave you with some advice from William Safire. “Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.” Do you have some writing advice to share?