Hang on while I go brandish my sword

I am fabulous at keeping all the threads of my life going smoothly at all times.

Not.

Over the past few weeks, I've been getting ready to compete at a huge Tae Kwon Do tournament. For a number of reasons, I am much more nervous about this one than any other, one of which is that I will be doing a form I choreograph myself. What was I thinking?!!!

So the preparation has been occupying my time and mind, leaving not much space for blog-writing. I did however, continue to work on my Work In Progress. I wanted to touch base with folks who check in periodically, to let you know what's going on.

Step-spin-hook-kick, here I come. No, maybe I should tweak the moves at the end of the sword form. No, maybe I should...

A brief note

I just came back from a big national martial arts tournament and my husband just returned from a 3-week business trip and so my attention is currently focused on non-blog related things.

Not surprisingly, experiences from the tournament have sparked off my thinking about writing and publishing. Stay tuned.

Everything I know about writing I learned from Tae Kwon Do

How to execute an awesome kick.

On a regular basis, spend time practicing exercises that will:

• develop an intuitive sense of balance
• strengthen the appropriate muscles
• teach the proper technique.

As you kick, you need to:

• stand on a solid sole
• keep your eyes on the target
• be intentional
• commit
• Yell!

How to write an awesome story:

On a regular basis, spend time to:

• develop an intuitive sense by reading tons
  
• strengthen the appropriate muscles by writing tons
  
• learn the proper technique by reading and writing and getting feedback from trusted sources

As you write, you need to:

• stand on a solid sole, rely on the foundation you've laid by reading, observing, writing, analyzing, absorbing;
• keep your eye on the target, remember why you're writing: whether to understand, to communicate, to express, to resolve, to entertain, to engage;
• be intentional, don't get sidetracked;
  
• commit your time, energy, effort;
  
• yell! um....
  

[photos found at Flikr Common, by kalbara and louveciennes]

My post comparing gardening to writing received some wonderful responses. Perhaps it's because many of us find that most things in life are related and similar: gardening, writing, playing. Observations we make in one area are very likely to be true in other areas of life. When I taught piano, I drove my students batty by constantly comparing playing the piano to brushing and flossing their teeth.

So, as much as I learn from gardening, I also learn from TKD, or making curries. or relating to my children...