Author: L.M. Nelson

L.M. Nelson is a certified teacher, author, Childcare Director, and CPR/First Aid instructor. She enjoys poetry, music, photography, gardening, and nature walks. Aside from The Guardian and her Scrubs series, she has written several poems, some of which have been selected for literary magazines and poetry collections. She co-wrote the article, ‘Gifted and Talented Education at the Close of the Decade of the Brain’, which was published in an educational journal. She has also composed several guest posts for various blogs. L.M. Nelson grew up on the west coast, and currently resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three cats, and her dog. She is a member of Writers Cooperative of the Pacific Northwest and the the Alliance of Independent Authors.

Mountain Retreat

On By L.M. NelsonIn nature inspires, Pacific Northwest, photographyLeave a comment

My work colleagues and I spent the last few days on a leadership retreat in the mountains. We all stayed in a cabin in the woods doing some team building, having insightful discussions, and enjoying this beautiful location together.

There are many things I love about living in the Pacific Northwest, but by far my favorite is the amazing landscape in this area. We have the Pacific Ocean, Cascade Mountains, Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, millions of trees, and innumerable lakes, rivers, and streams. We experience the change of seasons every year, and there’s wildlife pretty much everywhere you look.

Most recently, I’m hearing and seeing geese flying in formation overhead, deer are popping their heads out, and bald eagles are nesting in the treetops. Quite often, I will see them soar overhead checking out the terrain. Owls hoot from within the forests, and several bluejays and chickadees have been hanging out out in my yard.

The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful part of the country, and I’m glad I get to experience the wonders of this place every day.

Pick Up That Pen

On By L.M. NelsonIn the life of a writer, why do writers write?, Writer's block, writing, writing challenges, writing inspirationLeave a comment

Sometimes writers write because there’s a voice inside their head that is dying to be heard. Characters speak, images paint a scene, and the story writes itself, at least that’s what happens to me when I write…most of the time.

Getting the creative juices flowing sometimes comes easy. I can just jump right in and the story takes off. Characters create their own dialogue and the scenes easily build from one to the other.

Other times, it’s not so easy. The words won’t come no matter how long I stare at the blank screen or tap my fingers on the keyboard. Writers block kicks in. The story is still there, I just can’t get the words out.

So what do I do?

I step away and find something that inspires me. This could include a number of things: walks, hanging out with my dog, music, being in nature, painting, the list goes on and on. As I take a step back and ponder, I begin to wonder why I write in the first place.

Am I hoping to make money from it? Do I want recognition? Am I fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a writer? Or do I write because I have something that needs to be said? Whatever the reason, I write for myself first. It’s my story, no one else’s. And the bottom line is, that’s all that matters.

Push aside the critics and the haters and the millions of people in this world who will jump in to criticize me and the work I do. It’s my story, my voice. I’ll express it any way I want.

As I think about this, I realize I write simply because it’s something I love to do…

Maybe it’s time to pick up that pen again.