As I mentioned briefly in my previous blog: these are strange times for everyone. We are hardly allowed to leave our homes – though some are obliged to leave theirs! – and contact with others is barely possible.

Even I, being the introvert that I am, have realised that I am missing contact with friends and family more and more. On the other hand, I am really happy with the technology: through programmes such as Skype, Facebook and WhatsApp I can stay in touch with the people I usually see a lot of, and I have been able to get in touch with others I had not seen or spoken to for a while. Of course it is not the same as really being together, but it is definitely better than nothing! 😊

Oddly enough, it seems that in these times of quarantine and social distancing we are at the same time more connected than ever – and that is actually a wonderful thing.

Shut Up & Write: online

At the moment, I do not have a lot of orders to complete, and although that took a little getting used to, it is not all bad. It gives me space to take a step back and to think about how I want to proceed in life, both in terms of business and personally, and this, too, gives rise to positive things, such as the following example.

In addition to having made writing into a professional endeavour, to me, it is also a personal outlet. About a year ago, I found out about the ‘Shut Up & Write’ concept. This concept aims to motivate yourself and others by getting together and writing in silence for an hour. For me, it is the perfect way to reserve time to write poems and short stories in which I can write off my thoughts.

Since it is currently not possible to meet up in person, I got the idea to organise these meetings through Skype – with a small group at first. During the silent hour, the feeling of being together is maintained by everyone leaving on their camera, and the motivating effect is equally strong because of that. We have started to try and do this every week, and so far it has worked out great!

Write along

After having tried out the Shut Up & Write sessions a number of times with a small group, I am now comfortable with how everything works and how to best go about organising them. Now it is time to expand! So would you like to experience what it’s like to write together in silence for an hour? Keep an eye on IntraTYPical’s Facebook page!

Over the next period of time, I will post a link every Saturday night around 19.00h through which you can participate in the Skype call (you don’t need to have a Skype account to participate!). We will start with a short round of introductions around 19.30h, then write whatever we want in silence (microphones off), followed by a casual evaluation where everyone gets the opportunity to share their experiences and what they wrote, but nothing is mandatory. Everyone is welcome to join – I’d love to see you online!

-Marise

January came and went in a blur of work, work and more work.

February came and went in a blur of busy-ness.

March came… and suddenly, the whole world stood still.

Now it is April already. April 2020. Just like, undoubtedly, many others, I had to adjust to the situation. It took a while, but by now I have recovered a flow and a productive mindset.

2019 was my first full year as a freelancer: a year to see how everything would go with IntraTYPical. And it went well! So I had every reason to look forward to the next year filled with trust.

2020 would be a year full of developments, in which I would realise a number of my ideas and further expand IntraTYPical. The coronavirus outbreak seems to have put a stop to that for the time being.

But the year is not over yet! 8, almost 9 months remain to make plans and dreams into reality. And even though there is currently less work for me to be done, that does not mean the developments around IntraTYPical are also at a standstill. Now that I have less orders, I can take time to get rested and to recharge, and to become more active on social media again – all of which were, and still are, resolutions for this year and the future. In other words, there is some good to be found even in times of adversity.

At this moment, I am well and so are those around me. I hope it will stay that way, and that the same goes for you and yours. Take good care of yourself and be kind to one another. This, too, shall pass. And in the meantime, I hope to do my part in sharing knowledge and entertainment. See you soon!

– Marise

Everyone is familiar with this feeling – it is, alas, part of life… Missing a person who has passed away. It may diminish with time, but it stays.

This poem is from ‘To Be Strong // Sterk te Zijn’.

Does this poem remind you of anyone in particular?

– Marise / Maria M. Crouch

Over the next few weeks, I will share one poem each time from each of the four volumes in my upcoming collection of poetry ‘To Be // Te Zijn’, to give you a preview of it.

Today’s poem is from the volume ‘To Be Free // Vrij te Zijn’, in which the journey takes you from imprisonment to escape and freedom.

This poem is about the freedom to be yourself, and being accepted as such by others. The inspiration for this poem came from a character in one of my favourite movies.

What (or whom) does this poem remind you of?

~ Marise / Maria M. Crouch

The title of the collection of poems has been revealed, and today I am adding the titles of the four volumes (or ‘chapters’)!

In each of these four volumes, you – the reader – will be taken on an emotional journey.

• To Be Free: from imprisonment to freedom.
• To Be Strong: from weakness to strength.
• To Be Loved: from lacking love to giving and receiving it.
• To Be Alive: a journey through life itself.

This collection of poems is meant to be relatable and offer comfort. I myself love to read books in which I can recognise something of myself and in which I can lose myself completely – take a break from the real world. What is your favourite thing about books?

~ Marise / Maria M. Crouch