Author: Miriam Drori

Author, editor, attempter of this thing called life. Social anxiety warrior. Re-Connections, a collection of short stories, published with Ocelot Press, 15/10/2025.

Categories
Social anxiety

A to Z Challenge: U is for UNIVERSITY

“The best years of your life.” Is that how you view university? Wild parties? Getting drunk? Leaving studying for all-nighters?

That wasn’t my experience. But I still enjoyed my three years at uni. I was lucky enough to find some real friends for the first time in my life. I’m still in touch with them.

Many students with social anxiety have a terrible time at uni. I know that because I’ve been on social anxiety forums where they write about their troubles. They’re shunned by fellow students and spend their time alone in their rooms. They worry themselves sick when they have to give a presentation. Many of them drop out.

It seems such a shame. If only they could get some help, their university experiences would be infinitely better.

Categories
Blogging Social anxiety

A to Z Challenge: T is for TWITTER

I wrote this comment recently on Catdownunder’s blog when she wrote about the joys of Twitter:

When you suffer from social anxiety, Twitter gives you an opportunity to feel as competent as the people you’re chatting to. Well, almost.

Almost, because I still worry that what I write doesn’t really express what I want to say. Or that what I write could be deemed rude or weird or something else I don’t intend. Or that the person I’m chatting with doesn’t really want to chat with me. So I often take too long to reply.

But yes, I like Twitter, and Facebook, and emails, and blog comments. I like the interaction that I miss or struggle with in the real world.

Categories
Uncategorized

A to Z Challenge: S is for SO MANY THINGS

Spring has Sprung.
The Sun is Shining.
Songs make me Smile.
I’m Stuck with SA.

Well, nothing’s perfect, but mostly things are Satisfactory. Sometimes they’re even Super and Splendid.

See you tomorrow with T for terrible… tragic… troubled. Or none of those.

Categories
Rhymes

A to Z Challenge: R is for RHYMES

During the two years I’ve been blogging, I’ve posted a few rhymes which you can see by clicking the Rhymes category on the right.

Most of them were just a bit of fun. Only one of them really says something. In fact, it says it all:

The voice in my head shouts out loud,
But its sound isn’t heard by the rest of the crowd.
The voice in my head speaks in no tongue,
And yet its caustic words have stung.
The voice in my head says I’m stupid and dumb.
The voice in my head says I interest no one.
I try to tell it it’s got it all wrong,
But the voice in my head just sounds the gong.
“Go back,” it says, “And hide away.
Nobody wants to hear you today.”

Categories
Books

A to Z Challenge: Q is for QUOTATIONS

Why do we pick out and keep certain sentences that we read or hear? I suppose it’s because they mean a lot to us, especially the ones that make us say, “Eureka! That’s it.” Like this one from Solar by Ian McEwan, which says a lot about my life:

“Like many men of his generation, he did not speak about his experiences and relished the ordinariness of post-war life, its tranquil routines, its tidiness and rising material well-being, and above all its lack of danger, everything that was to appear stifling to those born in the first years of the peace.”

And three I’ve posted before that seemed to describe me.

On the other hand, we might keep quotations just because we like them. Like the ones I jotted down when my children were small:

  • (On seeing a cow close by) “I’ll be happy at it not doing anything to me.”
  • “What are your eyes for?” “To see.” “What are your ears for?” “To hear.” “What is your nose for?” “To get mucus out.”
  • “Mummy, don’t lie on the grass, that’s Daddy’s job.”
  • (About younger brother who hasn’t cleaned his teeth) “He’ll be the black teeth of the family.”
Categories
Uncategorized

Two Shakes and I’m Gone

  • Many thanks to Deirdra Coppel, who has given me the beautiful Powerful Woman Writer Award on the right.
  • I will return on Wednesday with the letter Q.

Bye for now.

Categories
Social anxiety

A to Z Challenge: P is for PRESENTATIONS

I like doing them. Really. I love to stand in front of a crowd of people and deliver a prepared speech or presentation. I get a thrill out of it.

You see, I’m an extravert at heart. Social anxiety is just a veil that came to hide the real me.

Most people with social anxiety are introverts. They’re the ones who give nervous twitches and forget to smile. Me? I’m enjoying myself.

Categories
Books Social anxiety

A to Z Challenge: O is for OUTSIDER

I’ve always been an outsider.

As a child, I hated it. Being an outsider was definitely bad.

As an adult, I haven’t particularly liked it.

As a writer, it’s supposed to be an advantage. Perhaps it is. Perhaps I see things from outside that I wouldn’t see from inside. Or I see them differently. I’m not sure.

I still don’t really like being an outsider. It can be cold and lonely out there.

What do you think?

Categories
Books

A to Z Challenge: N is for NOVEL

I’ve had a funny relationship with fiction writing. At school, I was put off it. I thought I’d never be good at creative writing. I think I just wasn’t mature enough for the things I was supposed to write then.

Jump many years and suddenly I was writing my first novel, motivated by my urge to raise awareness of social anxiety. I worked hard on it, joining a writing group and learning a lot from the critiques. Eventually, with professional help, I came to the conclusion that the plot wasn’t strong enough. I wrote several short stories, tried another novel which I gave up because it wasn’t going anywhere, and suddenly, a little idea has started me off again and

I’VE FOUND MYSELF WRITING ANOTHER NOVEL!

I’ve written three chapters and have decided to join a group of writers who are going to write 80,000 words in 80 days, starting on May 1st. So if you don’t see me around much between 1st May and 19th July, you’ll know what I’m doing.

If you want to join in, it’s open to everyone.

Categories
Social anxiety

A to Z Challenge: M is for ME – MIRIAM

The surname I was born with began with an E. I loved being ME. But who was ME? Who is ME? Who am I?

I’m a wife, a mother, a sister, a cousin, a technical and creative writer. I’m British, Israeli, at least middle-aged although I feel younger. A car driver, a hiker, a dancer, a singer. I used to be a daughter, a piano and violin player, a mathematician, a computer programmer.

I’m wrapped in an extra layer, called social anxiety. But that’s not me at all. The wrapping has to be removed to find me.

And I still don’t think I’ve worked out who I really am. Perhaps I never will.

Do you know who you are?