Keeping My Head Above Water

-

 Good evening everyone. Welcome to this week's blog post.

1. Writing/Life Update

It has been a heavy week at work. There are chaotic elements in flux that I can't control, so I am trying to be flexible and go with the flow. 

I didn't get much poetry written this week, but I did get a few hundred words of a short story drafted. I like the direction that it is going in. I think that I am enjoying the atmosphere. The plan is a sort of cyberpunk heist story, but it is still in its infancy so that may change. 

I received my latest poetry collection back from my editor, put in the final touches, and self-published it yesterday. You can find hit here. I also made the front matter, back matter and cover myself. The image on the cover is a featureless silhouette of a person afloat in stylized water. The person could be you. It could be me. It could be any of us who are still trying to stay afloat. 

 I think it looks good. What do you think?



2. Featured Poem or Excerpt


This week's featured poem is "The Porch Swing". We took a couple of days of PTO at the end of the week, and had a long weekend. The days were hot, but we were able to spend them together. It means the world to me. 

3. What's Ahead

Publishing "Treading Water" has been an important achievement for me. This is the second collection since returning to publishing this year. I am committed to keep writing, and keep putting stuff out there. I hope that these works reach the audience that needs them. They have been helpful to me, and I am sure that they can benefit others if I can get them in front of enough of the right people. I am still learning about marketing my collections. Look for these updates in the weeks to come:

  • I plan to create a book trailer for "Treading Water"

  • I am considering reaching out to local libraries and book stores to suggest a book signing/reading. 

  • I am planning to continue to post on this blog in an attempt to grow my audience. You can help. If this blog has resonated with you, feel free to share it with anyone you think might benefit from it or my poems.

4. Closing Reflection / Gratitude

Thank you again for joining me on this poetic journey. I am happy to be able to share my victories and pitfalls with you. 

I appreciate your understanding for my skipping the blog post last week. I am still working on finding a writing routine/schedule that works. There may be more tweaks, and I thank you in advance for your patience while I get things figured out.

As a closing thought, what helps you keep writing when days get heavy?



Thanks again, 

DRW

Poet

Subscribe to the Broken Echoes newsletter

https://buttondown.com/donnierwallen 

Follow Donnie R. Wallen on social media:

https://x.com/donnierwallen

https://www.instagram.com/donnierwallen/

https://bsky.app/profile/drwpoet.bsky.social

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Some Monsters

-
Image
  Some monsters walk in the daylight Some don’t live under the bed Or in children’s closets The moon doesn’t influence some Some monsters walk without shambling Some have healthy living skin Some eat a diet that doesn’t include brains Some look like you and me They scan your items at the market They walk their dogs and mow their lawns They vote and pay their taxes They drive carpools and set up playdates They work late, or have a drink at the bar They seem friendly and polite They fit in with every day folks But they are monsters nonetheless  
Read more

Vintage

-
Image
I have been a man with dreams I have dreamed big dreams and set big goals Time and life have changed me The size and scope of my dreams are smaller The corners and faces have been eroded From rubbing up against rough days From being dropped occasionally Tripped over frequently Neglected constantly They have taken on a pleasant patina A softness around the edges They are more peaceful, less aggressive They have a comforting weight to them They have endured much But they are still here, and so am I.  
Read more

Closing out May

-
I didn't write much of anything this week, not even in my journal. It has been a busy week, sure, but that isn't the reason. I always have a notebook in my pocket, so I could steal a moment here or there to write down anything noteworthy--anything that could be tugged at, stretched, manipulated and turned into an idea, a theme, or a poem. I didn't find anything to be worthy of writing down. My days were filled with mundane, repetitive, disinterest. Some days are like this. Some times they group together into larger masses. Sometimes they stand in the way for far too long.  As we finish the week, we also finish the month. Tomorrow begins the bright month of June, and I hope to progress my next poetry collection to publication readiness. I hope to continue these weekly blog posts, and the biweekly newsletters (subscribe here).   I am currently listening to " The Handmaids Tale " by Margaret Atwood during my commutes. It has been a compelling story so far, and the na...
Read more