The theme for January 09 is going to be audacity.
Making a reality of your audacious writing goals.
Relishing the wild, vibrant colours of bold, confident writing.
Finding the courage, the confidence and the audacity to write about the things that matter: that change things for the world, for other people, for you.
The theme is inspired, of course, by the season and the sense of possibility we all feel at the start of a new year.
Not to mention the sense of optimism that’s already building in anticipation of the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States later this month.
I hope you enjoy the theme. There’ll be plenty of opportunities for you to join in and add your perspectives on what it means to write with audacity. Stay tuned for more!
Photo Credit: Craving Colour by Georgie Sharp on Flickr
Joanna, Love your theme! Your reference to Obama is quite insightful. It’s going to take a bit of audacity for us to work our way out of the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into politically, economically, etc. As writers, we’re in a position to make a real contribution to that spirit.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Odds, Memes, and Ends
Hello Joanna. Well, at this point, after a more tiring than restful holiday, audacity and nerve is just what I need to get myself going. My writing seems to be in limbo these days. Looking forward to more of these inspiring posts. thanks.
Mmm … audacity. I like it! It sounds so bold, daring, and unafraid!
–Debs last blog post..A Sextet of Information
Brad, glad you liked it. It’s making me feel upbeat and energised as we start the new year too. Also glad my Obama ref went down okay… always a bit tricky to tiptoe into the waters of other people’s politics and culture.
Lucy, I hope you can find some of that bright red colour soon
Thanks for stopping by
–Deb, isn’t it amazing how some words can shift our state just by us saying them out loud? This one certainly works that way for me – I feel instantly more audacious as I think about it!
Hi Joanna! Happy New Year! I love the January theme and it goes with my own personal theme for the year. I love your nod to US politics and it is a great reminder of the interconnection of our world, what happens in our own backyard can impact others around the globe. I look forward to digging in this month and actively participating.
Karen Swims last blog post..At the Intersection of Been There and Looking Ahead
I think audacity is the perfect theme for January! Not only is it descriptive of the time of year- and the Presidential Inauguration, but it’s one of the primary qualities you need to run your own business- and to be a writer!
Here’s to all the audacity we can muster!
Teresa Halls last blog post..Upgrading a Word Press Blog Can Be a Little Tricky, Can’t It?
Joanna,
I like the theme – audacity is something I’d like to practice more – in my blog, in my job. I am looking forward to the discussions here!
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Happy New Year!
Hi Karen, glad you like the theme. Your contributions are always most welcome
Teresa, hello, and absolutely yes! Look forward to reading more audacious comments of yours…
Ulla, me too! I hope you enjoy following and participating in the theme.
I really like this theme. Oh, the posibilities and your timing couldn’t be better for me.
I’ve made one decision for the New Year, though. You are going back in my reader. The e-mail experiment has failed utterly as far as I’m concerned. I do notice your posts, but still don’t get to them any faster AND I don’t get them till the day after you post them! That I really don’t like. I’m late enough as it is.
Looking forward to a great 2009 and learning lots from you!
Debbie Yosts last blog post..Ability Tuesday
Audacious… coming up. Lol. No coincidence that I am going back to by truest painting love, but deeper, and hopefully finding the words that match. Will copy the word out and post it over my desk. Cheers… from a Republican even….*smiles* We are all wanting the good stuff.
Janice Cartiers last blog post..Ring Out the Old, Ring In the New
Debbie, I’m glad it resonates… and that I’m going back in the reader! Thanks
Jan, wow, I can’t wait to see where you go with that. It’s giving me goosebumps just thinking about the possibilities…
Love this! I’ve got audacity on the brain as well. Something about daring to survive and thrive in this wretched economic climate, maybe?
Sonia Simone | Remarkable Communications last blog post..Do We Really Need Brass Balls?
Sonia, I guess so… makes us realise that *we* are the ones that can and need to fix things. Loved your last post… and your audacious writing!
Hmm…, it seems that I have hold back too much in my writing. Maybe I should be more audacious and fearless to unleash my rage in my writing, Joanna?
By the way, I loved this theme!
wilsons last blog post..Low Cholesterol is The Warning Sign of Cancer!
Hi Wilson, audacity and fearlessness yes… rage – oh, I think I’d rather you tied it to a positive intention!
Audacity, it is. The audacity to take the bull by its horns and go after your goal. Write that book or start that blog. 2009 has arrived.
Gennaros last blog post..Painted Monasteries Of Romania
Gennaro – you’re right on my wavelength!
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The audacity theme was audacious. Thanks for making it top of mind for me during January. You struck a chord on so many levels — e.g., work habits, writing style, subject matter. At my advanced age, and now a teacher of writing, I have regrettably come to the conclusion that most people who love to write, but really don’t produce much of consequence that satisfies them and others (and this includes me), is their failure early in their years to grab the muse by the scruff of his/her neck and become one with it in the battle for dominance. This means writing despite the distractions that tempt us from our desks, writing several hours daily no matter what, and putting our skills and knowledge squarely on the line, and to be read and judged accordingly. Not for the feint of heart, that’s for sure. Consider how John Updike, who died this week, wrote. He is the paradigm and proof of what you recommend. May he rest in peace while others continue the kind of writing he embodied. Keep throwing it at us. Some of it will stick.
I’ll add my thanks too. Today , this last day of January, is my birthday. I promised myself , audaciously that I would begin posting from my new site . So in spite of the polish not being complete, in spite of the coy not yet written, in spite of me not knowing much about actually using wordpress….I thought, I would audaciously learn as I go. I am about process after all. So gulp. Sneak peek at what the Pen Men did for me. A proper launch to be held later.
It was you and your audaciousness, Joanna… so here we go, I hope.
“in spite of the coy not yet written,” that would be copy LOL
Don, thank you so much for that feedback, and for giving me such food for thought about how best to grab the muse by the scruff of the neck… and how I can best try and help others to do so. Sometimes I wonder if what I’m doing makes any sense or any difference… so the simple image of throwing it out at you and hoping some of it will stick is one that I find simply sweetly motivating. Thanks.
Janice, I am so moved by the fact that the audacity theme helped you to deliver on that promise to yourself. I love the new site! Thanks for sharing it as is. We can help you feel at home, I’m sure. BTW the typo made perfect sense to me … sounded kind of poetic!
[...] One of the reasons I decided to go with tenacity as the theme for this month is that it’s just what I’m needing myself. And although I do like to think of ways to make this blog work for all of you… a lot of it is for me, too. The themes rub off on me, and yes, by the end of January I was feeling kind of audacious. [...]