• Home
  • Books
  • Other Media
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blog

Jessica Ferguson

Author, Writing Coach, Speaker

Z is for Zig Zag

April 30, 2012 By Jessica Ferguson Leave a Comment

Zig zag
Noun
1.
zigzag – an angular shape characterized by sharp turns in alternating directions
a shape having one or more sharp angles
Verb
1.
zigzag – travel along a zigzag path; “The river zigzags through the countryside”

I’ve zig zaggedthrough my entire writing career. The first thing I ever got published was a prayer in True Story magazine. It was called A Prayer from a Divorced Woman. I was paid $25.00 for it. That prayer was the first thing I’d ever mailed out so naturally I thought, “Getting published is easy!” We all know it is not easy.

Sometimes (in my life and in my writing) I feel as though I’ve zigged when I should have zagged. I’ve wandered off on little trails that have taken me to odd places. In 1976 I started the Longview Writers Association which is in Northeast Texas. When I started the group, I wrote short stories and poetry. I submitted faithfully. My writing goals have changed a lot since then. Through the years I’ve zig zagged my way into teaching leisure learning and/or continuing education writing classes, being an editor/writer/photographer of a regional publication, co-editing a literary magazine, writing for newspapers, being president of a writer’s group in Louisiana, writing (and selling) a novel, blogging, being a staff writer for a magazine, encouraging, proofing, editing others and …

I’m still zig zaggingmy way to a writing career. Doing it all. No, trying to do it all. Every now and then I stop and ask, “Have I accomplished those writing dreams?” Truth is–I have and I haven’t because my dreams are ever changing. When I try to pinpoint why I zig zag, the only thing that pops into my head is that I’ve never taken my dreams too seriously. I stop way too often to smell (and pick) roses along the way, running wildly in other directions when a fresh crop of wild flowers pop up.  

This year in Oklahoma is supposed to be a year of focus for me–a year for some serious accomplishments. There will be: No zig zagging allowed.  

Share this:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • More
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: dreams, goals, writing career, zig zag

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Reality Faith.
Reality Fiction.

"As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Acts 4:20

Get my newsletter

Want to receive my newsletter with news & book release info? Click here to subscribe!

Connect with Jessica

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Blog Archive

Join the conversation

  • Diane Weidenbenner on IWSG: The Mentor
  • Shannon Lawrence on IWSG: The Mentor
  • Jessica on IWSG: The Mentor
  • Pamela Thibodeaux on IWSG: The Mentor

Copyright © 2023 · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · An Oxblaze Media & Marketing Website· Login