This week: It's Fun-tober Time Edited by: Gaby  
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Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.
~ Sai Baba
I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
~ Michael Jordan
Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.
~ Sholom Aleichem
Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.
~ Mike Singletary |
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Amazon's Price: $ 7.99
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I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.
~ Michael Jordan
This particular quote above struck a cord with me. I was a hard core Chicago Bulls fan in the 90's, long before I came to the States. Dennis Rodman was my favorite player. I couldn't stand Michael Jordan. I hated every game where he'd get the ball for the winning shot. I knew his chances were 50/50 of making that shot but most times he'd mess up and lose an important game. Every time, it broke my heart because if someone else had had the chance to do it, the team might have had a better chance of winning.
Fast forward some 20ish+ years later (Wow!) and this particular quote pops up and it makes me look at things different. It's not always about winning or making the winning shot. Sometimes it's just for the love of the game. Do the best you can and keep going. Without knowing failure we cannot succeed. Without trying the chances of winning are zero.
It's the same with contests on Writing.com. It took me years to get comfortable enough to participate in a contest. I've always felt that my writing wasn't good enough. I had a hard time getting my point across. As a matter of fact I still have trouble with that, even in an email. Is it just my thought process or is it the fact that English isn't my first language? I'm not sure. However, I've decided that I don't care anymore. I like contests. Not because of what they are offering when it comes to winning, but what they are offering in general. A learning experience. Ideas. Challenges. If I want to write, then I have to challenge myself in order to get better.
I've been writing since I was seven years old. First, it was in my language, then my writing switched to German because that's where I moved to and that was the language I preferred. Now I'm here and English is my main language. I continue to write, never mind how good or bad it might be. I write for the joy of writing. Also, I like to know what people think about my writing. I cannot improve unless I get feedback. I cannot learn if I don't challenge myself and stick only to what I know or think I know.
For years I wrote - or tried to! - romance, because I love reading romance. It broke my heart when I realized that I wasn't good at it. I couldn't see outside my little box because I tucked myself within four walls and thought that if I can't write romance, then I can't write at all. I'm not good at it. That's false. Just because I enjoy reading something doesn't mean I have to write it. Come to find out I actually enjoy writing horror, mystery, erotica. I escaped my little box and opened my eyes to different things.
How did I do that? I entered random contests and tried my hand at different genres to see if I'm capable of doing it. Turns out, I was very wrong about what I can and cannot do. It's all in my head.
What about you? Did the contests and activities on the site change your perspective? Your writing style? I'd love to hear your story!
'til next time!
~ Gaby 
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| | Book Brothel (18+)
A hole-in-the wall reading challenge with goals, incentives, and motivating adult banter.
#2233315 by Brooke  |
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Contests & Activities: October 04, 2023 Issue [#12208]
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