A Slice of Sustenance by Leigh Anne Eck

As a young girl, my writing life consisted of writing stories and poems and entering them in writing contests.  In high school, one of my favorite classes was a creative writing class.  My childhood was filled with words and stories.

My adult writing life came about because of a writing community.  I had followed a few blogs and eventually was led to Two Writing Teachers and the Slice of Life Community.  I had no idea how this community would change my life as an adult writer and as a teacher of writers.

This community is where I found teachers who believed in the importance of teacher-writers, who lived in the power of story, and who recognized the need for moral support of a writing life.  The four of us #TeachWrite Chat creators "met" through the Slice of Life Community and have since become friends across the miles.

You may be asking just what is this Slice of Life Community?  Where do I find it?  And do I really need it?

What is A Slice of Life?

A slice is a piece of writing from a small part of your day.  It's a storytelling technique that can be captured through narratives, poems, pictures, lists, or words.  The mission is to tell the story, but the possibilities are endless.  The Two Writing Teachers' graphic below explains what a slice is and is not.

Graphic provided by Two Writing Teachers

Each week, the Two Writing Teachers Blog calls for slices, and slicers (another word for writers) post and share their slice for others to read.  Reading other slices and leaving comments is what builds the community.

But even more important, it is what builds the writing habit and becomes the inspiration to continue to write each week.

What is the Slice of Life March Challenge?

If you are looking for more than a weekly challenge, then maybe the Two Writing Teachers' Slice of Life March Challenge is what you need.

For the month of March, slicers write and link up every single day.  Yes, it is a challenge, but it is so rewarding.  When I look back and see that I wrote every day for the month of March for the last four years, I am proud of myself. Creating a writing habit takes stamina, dedication, and perseverance.  The Slice of Life March Challenge is just the place to help build that habit.

Graphic provided by Two Writing Teachers

As we move into this second month of the year and look at our goals we set in January, why not consider taking part in the Slice of Life Challenge for March?

Let's connect with new writers and get reacquainted with writers you may already know.

Let's build community and find inspiration between the words.

Let's find that slice of sustenance and continue to build our writing habit!

Last year over 300 teacher-writers signed up for the challenge.  You can find more information at the Two Writing Teachers Blog.

I'll be there; will you?


Leigh Anne just started her 11th year of teaching.  She has taught 4th, 5th and currently teaches 6th grade ELA at a middle school in Indiana.  She is currently working on her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction at Western Governors University with a goal of becoming a literacy coach.  Leigh Anne has a passion for connecting kids with books and helping teachers develop a writing life.  You can connect with her on Twitter @Teachr4 or find her slicing for the month of March on her blog, A Day in the Life. 

Write for Us!

The #TeachWrite Twitter Chat Blog is dedicated to providing a space for our community to connect and share their voices about writing and teaching writing.  We are looking for guest bloggers who would like to blog on topics related to being a teacher-writer. Educators and writers of all levels are invited to join us in this space. More information can be found at https://teachwritechat.blogspot.com/p/write-for-us.html.