![As a teenager and young adult, I wanted to be a writer [but] it became apparent that I did not have the dedication or talent to become a published author](https://wants.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/picture0045.jpg?w=640)
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When I retired after 37 years teaching I started this blog, partly with the intention of putting forward my views on education. It has now become a way of putting forward my views on just about everything, hopefully in a mostly positive way. It is a way of thinking things through for myself, and is also a small compensation for missing the endlessly interesting chat of the staffroom.
https://markoblique.wordpress.com/about
![[Stories] have been told through the generations and because they focus on human emotions and failings they are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago](https://wants.blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/amandacomms1-e6bb9d9bdb666b87f508a36b1ffcef1694a4125dc8d846f4148cb36d5fb1f0d7.png?w=800)
Keywords: #ayearinblogs , blog , blogs , communication , digital , facebook , social media , technology , internal communication , media , newspapers , PR , public relations , twitter
If that is the case, and we are all really storytellers, then why don’t we make better use of it in the modern era? Storytelling is all around us. In a formal way it is on the television in the news, entertainment and information programmes. There are stories in all the newspapers and to some extent this can be seen as a form of storytelling, as I sit writing this blog.
https://amandacomms1.wordpress.com/2016/01/21/i-want-to-tell-you-a-story
Keywords: Personal Story , Tech Career
This is the community I once needed.
https://behindtechcareers.wordpress.com/2026/02/09/it-took-me-10-years-to-find-my-voice-in-tech-heres-why-im-finally-writing
This is my way of giving back.
Keywords: ruminations
Now, I realize that I had inadvertently given my future self (which is now my present self, imagine that!) a goldmine of memories to read back on. You won’t find my old blog posts anywhere online (lkvy.com was so unpopular that even the Wayback Machine didn’t bother archiving anything): they’re all on two CDs. HUNDREDS of Salon of Shame-worthy posts that I can get embarrassed in secret about.
https://squaremeat.com/2018/03/19/look-at-me-pressing-some-words
Keywords: awareness , blogging , health , inspiration , life , daily writing , effective blogging , healthy-living , running , value of blogging
Invariably during my runs, especially on those long and tedious runs, I discover inspirations from my adrenaline pumped body, environment, or running partners. These inspirations are what I called my Buddha moments. I suppose I could have called them the Eureka moments. But since most of these inspirations are of a spiritual nature, the Buddha won.
https://run2src.wordpress.com/2015/10/16/why-running-with-buddha
Keywords: Author , book marketing , Book Reviews , Creative Writing , Independent Publishing , Organization , Self Publishing , Target audience , Writer , Writing Tips
It is so easy to get overwhelmed by the marketing and publicity process, and as an author those skills aren’t necessarily in line with your greatest strengths. But they are necessarily if you want to get your books out there. It may cause you to drift away from the act of writing, and I have realized just how important it is to keep writing in amongst all the business. To have a piece that does not have a deadline, maybe not even a purpose, just something that allows you to express your love for the written word, and have fun. To stay in touch with the reason why you are doing all the other stuff in the first place.
https://katekelsen.com/2016/06/17/getting-back-to-what-you-love
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I have to say, it’s a little sad to be writing my last post here. But you can always find me on basically every social media platform using Normal in Training, because that’s still me. Except instead of training to be normal, I’ve got my training wheels on because I’m learning how to fly.
https://normalintraining.com/2026/01/26/new-blogs
Keywords: Retirement
But mostly, this is a place for me to track my progress to a life lived unconstrained by corporate guardrails, schedules, emails and Slack messages. I write this for me, but I welcome others who may be curious about life as a retiree, and those who have already walked the path. Writing is my therapy, and I invite you to draw back the curtain on retirement with me.
https://goodbyecubicleife.wordpress.com/2026/01/11/navigating-career-transition-my-retirement-journey-begins
Keywords: Chatter , Life , Monthly Goals , author, goals, maternity leave, new baby, novel, writer, Writing, writing community
Some would argue writing and art should never be an obligation, but those people probably haven’t attempted to write a novel. If they have, I doubt they’ve finished a first draft. At least not in under a decade. You can overall want to do something and still need to schedule the day to day work of it and give yourself a little carrot/stick to get started. Also pattern design is kind of my day job, and day jobs care nothing for organically occurring motivation. You just gotta do them.
https://lgrovejones.wordpress.com/2025/08/31/writing-in-the-newborn-bubble
Keywords: agents , first blog , first post , literary agents , novel , publishing , query , querying , Writing
I already have a million writing projects I’m working on, so why am I doing this again? Maybe it’s because as much as I love writing, I love writing about my writing just as much, maybe more. Also, this is a pretty exciting summer for me and I really want to keep a record of it, but I’m never disciplined enough during the summer to actually write in my hard copy journal. Mostly, this will be a more permanent and explained version of what I put on facebook.
https://missmystra.wordpress.com/2010/06/25/more-writing-seriously
Wants 