Whew, I made it!
Thirty-one of this writing challenge, done. Check the box!
As I reflect on the month long slice of life challenge, four areas of importances stand out.
The importance of writing to an authentic audience: Publishing puts the pressure on. Writing publicly everyday helped build my confidence as a writer. Knowing other writers may read my posts, made me work hard at sharing something original and meaningful.
The Importance of a deadline: At first I thought I would be an early morning writer, composing my slices before the outside world woke up. Instead I worked on my daily blogs after papers were graded, teacher plans were prepared, and email correspondences were completed. Writing happened after dinner was made and dishes were cleared. On average, I would write my slice somewhere between 9 and 10 pm. On many evenings, I met the midnight deadline with only a few minutes remaining. Nonetheless, the daily deadline loomed and served as the catalyst to my eventual submissions.
The importance of a routine: Routine is important to me. Without the daily writing requirement I would have never completed 31 writing submission. I may have found time to write on half of the days. Knowing I had to write every day created a routine I followed strictly, without fail.
The importance of commenting: Reading other slices provided me with the following:
- Exposure to new formats
- Mentor texts
- Access to new teaching strategies
- Beautiful connections to nature and the human spirit
- Highly recommended YA books reviews.
Thank you Sally D. for encouraging me to give the 31 day slice of life challenge a try. I am about to place the last sticker on my writing calendar.
The Way I See It 
I love your list of learnings – I could ditto many of them but I think the one I truly celebrate is the 4th one on your list.
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You add something new to the discussion with all your points about what we learn through commenting- wonderful.
I also thank Sally D. for starting me on this path!
Thanks for sharing it with me.
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I love this focus on four areas of importance. Routine is huge for me as well–I always find it easier to do something every day than to do it once or twice a week. I always think the time aspect is one of the most interesting things about this challenge. Before March, I always wonder where in the world the time will come from because I always feel like I have too much on my plate as it is. But somehow, an hour or more opens up every day for writing, reading, commenting.
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Thanks for the comment. The irony is that I expect my students to find that extra 30-60 min a day to read and write, but I often claim I don’t have the time to do the same. Thanks March SOL for proving me wrong.
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