Shouts From Down Under

Like the biblical Ruth gleaning among the sheaves. Purpose..

This morning I managed a minor miracle, or at least fate managed the incidental steps for me, and I had the good fortune to attend the #10MinNovelist chat session on Twitter. This chat is an offshoot of Facebook group (of its own Twitter offshoot) 10 Minute Novelists, Hosted by Katharine Grubb.

The whole experience is excellent in the way that it is so NOW.

In no way does this take away from sites such as writing.com where our online writing presence can sit and grow over a long time. (Seven years for me on here so far)
As an example of long term encouragement and motivation, I was sent a postcard from the founders of this site only this week.
Yes, all the way from P.A to Tasmania came a card with the suggestion to hang it near where I write. The idea is to promote writing, and to basically cheer us writers up. Well, it worked.
Yes, I realise that these are probably cookie cutter generated and posted to everyone, but it WAS hand addressed and the effort put in, to do their best in encouraging the international community that makes up this highly dynamic site. I want The StoryMaster and The StoryMistress , and their unseen staff Writing.Com Staff to know this effort has been felt, and appreciated.

It IS personal to me. I thank them very much.



And yes, you can see an empty coffee mug with plate of toast crumbs. That's genuine real person scenery people, not spam. And the card is real, same as the people from whom it was thoughtfully posted.

So back to the Twitter chat with #10MinNovelists, I was helped as were lots of others, by the info shared during the clamorous hubbub of the session. I seriously couldn't keep up with the stuff posted. There's the thing. You can always go back afterwards and glean.

Glean: (www.dictionary.com)
verb (used with object)
1. to gather slowly and laboriously, bit by bit.
2. to gather (grain or the like) after the reapers or regular gatherers.
3. to learn, discover, or find out, usually little by little or slowly.

Ruth:
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ruth-2-16/
"And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not."

Writers, whatever our beliefs and understanding, whatever our upbringing, whatever our stance in life, our attitude, our outlook, we too can glean.

A couple of sites from the Twitter chat session that I managed to grab; re query letters (not querty ) to publishers, editors or agents:

http://www.agentquery.com/

http://mikewellsblog.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/15-common-mistakes-found-in-query.h...

But that means putting on the humble hat.

One of the posts in the chat session was this. And it gave me pause in my own thinking. Have I been a great fat ego on legs sometimes? Have I thought, I don't need to do the humble learning stuff? I hope I never think like that, or if I become aware of it, to stop immediately.

K Grubb ‏@10MinuteWriter
And BE HUMBLE. Don't EVER say, "This is the next The Help". That's a huge red flag to an agent. #10MinNovelists

And this:

Anna Snow Berck ‏@as_berck
@10MinuteWriter Don't say "my book is so much better than all the other drivel out there." Surprising how often ithappens. #10MinNovelists

Something that I've become very aware of through all these chat sessions, and all the advice etc on writing.com, is that all the learning and advice in the world won't do a thing, if we don't sit and WRITE.

Blogs are writing, but I guess it all depends on what your purpose is for your writing efforts. And a blog is not the pinnacle that I'm aiming for with all this.

Keyword: PURPOSE.

Handfuls of purpose were left behind on Boaz' instruction. That's what we can all do, whether they are intended for fellow writers, unseen but nevertheless lurking publishing agents, or just our general fellow humans. If everyone, each day, dropped something sustaining, (on purpose) for someone else to find, then the world's individuals would be happier, and feel remembered.

There's the thing about folks like Robin Williams. They feel forgotten or merely not needed by anyone. Their life seems to lack any real purpose.

Well, I'm hoping that in the next few weeks a lot of my motivation (or lack of) will change dramatically, and I have good reason to see light at the end of the tunnel regarding motivation. Nothing like a career boost to have you feeling much better! Bring it ON.

That's what I say.

BRING IT ON!

Sparky