Menu Close

Category: Writing

The Joys of 2020 & A Vision for 2021

Tracey Dyck 21 Comments
image via unsplash

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the power of thankfulness. How it grounds us in this present moment. How it drives out fear and replaces it with peace. How it leads to real, actual, hold-it-in-your-hands joy. It’s no coincidence that I’ve been reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. As I slowly page through Ann’s journey of eucharisteo—the Greek term for when Jesus broke the bread and gave thanks in Luke 22—I find myself on a closer lookout for reasons to give my own thanks.

2020 was wild and exhausting for many reasons, but in spite of it all, my rearview mirror shows me countless blessings. Silver linings. Little reasons to smile. All-encompassing gifts. And I want to pause for a moment to reflect. To say thank you.

It’s my custom every January to write a blog post looking back at last year’s progress and looking ahead to the new year’s goals. Because those are things I thrive on: setting objectives, measuring my momentum.

But if last year taught me anything, it’s that as good as goals are, I can’t measure the worth of my day, my year, or myself by them.

So THIS year… let’s do it a little differently. Instead of progress, I want to count blessings. And above setting goals, I want to cast a vision.

Pour a cup of coffee, grab your coziest sweater, and let’s reflect and dream together a little.

Keep Reading

Subplots & Storylines – July to October 2020

Tracey Dyck 10 Comments

SUBPLOTS AND STORYLINES IS BACK, BABY. And I am aghast, because how has it been a third of a year since I did one of these recap posts?! Let’s just chalk it up to this being the weirdest, timey-wimey-est year in history. But we’re here now, so pull up a chair. How’ve you been? What worlds have you conquered? (Or how many naps have you taken?)

Now, I know I said way back in spring or something that S&S was narrowing down to cover just book and movie reviews. (Since personal and writing updates are now featured in my email newsletter!) Buuut because it’s been so long since I gave you any sort of life update, how about a crash course on what my last four months have been like? It’s been kind of wild.

Keep Reading

The Brightest Thread Q&A

Tracey Dyck 10 Comments
[image from unsplash]

In honor of Sleeping Beauty being this month’s featured tale at Fairy Tale Central, I’ve snagged a list of questions to answer about my very own Sleeping Beauty retelling! It’s been an age since I shared anything about The Brightest Thread. Seeing as it’s the story carrying the weight of my publishing hopes and dreams (*cough* only partially kidding), this gap simply must be filled!

Not to mention there may be some new faces around here who think I’m talking about throwback Thursdays when I say “TBT.” 😛

So! Here we are: you, me, and TBT. (Oh dear, that rhymes. We’re off to a great start.)

When did you first read or hear Sleeping Beauty, and what drew you to retell it?

I honestly cannot remember the first time I figured out who Sleeping Beauty was. It certainly wasn’t when I watched the Disney movie, because I was already into my teens at that point. Maybe there was some obscure book of fairy tales that I’ve since forgotten?

Wherever the slumbering princess and I became acquainted, I never would’ve thought to retell her tale until the Rooglewood Press contest of 2015.

*blinks*

That was five years ago. Wow.

WOW.

Anyway, yanking myself back from memory lane here. The contest was called Five Magic Spindles, and the idea was that the top five Sleeping Beauty retellings would be published in an anthology together. I had already entered the two contests prior to this one (for Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast), so I wanted to keep my streak going.

I had no idea that I was about to discover what would become my favorite story I’ve ever written. No clue just how magical, groundbreaking, and (at times) hard this venture would be.

Keep Reading

My Writing Weaknesses & How I Deal with Them

Tracey Dyck 22 Comments

Writers, what’s your greatest weakness? While I believe it’s more important to focus on honing one’s strengths than getting too hung up on your problems, it’s still beneficial to recognize the areas you struggle. Then you can find ways to shore them up or at least minimize them.

My good friend Cassia Schaar asked how I deal with my writing weaknesses and it got me thinking! (I did a post on this topic waaaay back in 2015, but my writing has evolved since then.) So. I know my strengths include characterization, prose, and sometimes themes and worldbuilding as well.

But weaknesses?

hiddlescheekbatch: “Help him” Gif-set: http://maryxglz.tumblr.com/post/150854548757/hiddlescheekbatch-help-him

Oh, that’s right, I’m perfect. *flips hair*

KIDDING. I am confronted by my writing weaknesses almost every time I sit down at the keyboard. And I think even our writing strengths can give us problems sometimes, no matter how naturally those elements may come to us.

Keep Reading