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So where does a writer go for support and encouragement--besides friends and family? How does she or he reach out to fellow writers for feedback, critique, input?
Why, a writers community, of course. Problem: there are LOTS of writer groups and communities online. So many you can easily spend all your time, spread all your attention and energy everywhere, and end up doing nothing. Especially not writing, which is what you're supposed to do if you're a writer.
A few months ago, I discovered a community that has become my literary orchard. It's called Story Cartel, and it has lots of healthy trees bearing fruit. This productive orchard has given me two harvests in a few short months. When I was editing "Verse in Arabic", several writers sent in detailed notes and comments. When I did a giveaway, many more took the time to read it, some twice, and submitted their sincere, and quite moving, reviews on Amazon. These are people I never met. Writers and editors I would have never discovered. I still haven't met them in person but I have gotten to know some of them, and they are wonderful. Supportive, encouraging, helpful, generous. Non judgmental.
Is your professional environment like that?
If it isn't, it really should be. I've had my share of office jobs I could not wait to be able to leave. But even if you can't have it at work, you can find it outside of work. It can be a local meetup. Or a professional group or association. It doesn't matter if you're not a writer. Whatever it is that you do, or want to do professionally, find that family. It's out there.
And for those of you secretly dreaming about jumping in and trying the writing waters, come on in to the Story Cartel. The water's great!
~ Birgitte
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Ever feel like you just don't have enough time... for anything, especially the things you really want to do?
I know, dumb question.
But there is an answer. It's called sacred time. This is a concept our modern rush-rush society has completely forgotten about. It's a concept the Maya and other native peoples have been living with and utilizing for centuries to get the most out of life. And guess what. Now quantum physicists and time theorists are discovering it too. They talk about the "elasticity," the "stretchiness" of time. They're even working on "time crystals," little perpetual motion elements that run not on classical energy sources but by breaking the symmetry of time (that one made my brain hurt, too).
Funny thing is, sacred time is everywhere, all the time. All you need to do is plug into it.
Whatever it is you'd like to have more time for, whether it's writing, cooking, family, work, or yourself, you can have it, but you might need a different way of viewing or relating to time. And that's the purpose of a new series of workshops on sacred time we're launching, which continue the work I did in my book "The Serpent and the Jaguar".
You can listen to the free introductory session online, and check out the upcoming sessions this month and in July on Sacred Health and Sacred Work (yes, as in, what sacred time can do for your health and your career).
And the best part? No required reading!
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As personal thanks to my Story Cartel family, I would like to tell you a little about my fellow writers who read and reviewed "Verse in Arabic." And so, without further ado, let me introduce the lovely and beautiful...
MELISSA MUHLENKAMP
Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, Melissa Muhlenkamp lives in Sacramento with her husband and two children. She is a writer of YA science fiction and fantasy, currently at work on a series of short sci-fi stories based on the ancient Roman gladiator games. Visit Melissa's web site.
SARAH FREEMAN
Sarah Freeman is a blogger, ghostwriter, and the author of an upcoming YA novel. She holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in International Business with a German minor. Read Sarah's writing on Writebygrace.com
AUDREY CHIN
A traveller through different cultures, Singapore-based Audrey Chin has learnt to be at home in the moment. An author of two published books, she's about to release a third, a novel set in Vietnam. Explore her work at www.audreychin.com.
Amazing diversity no? Do check out their sites. You might just find a new author to love, and keep on your bookshelf.
I'll introduce more writers in the next issue, as there are too many to list here at once.
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Next month I'm talking to a local book club about the wonders and challenges of writing literary fiction, specifically historical mysteries like "Verse in Arabic". Unfortunately, this isn't a public event but I will be sure to report on the experience!
GIVEAWAYS:
Are you on Goodreads? Do you LOVE Goodreads? It's a phenomenal reading community. I take multiple hats off to those power readers.
If you are on Goodreads, check out my giveaway for "Verse in Arabic", going on now! And if you're not on Goodreads, try it out, it's a lot of fun.
IN THE WORKS:
• My upcoming short story "The Seventh Crane" is now in production!
• Extracting every bit of sacred time I can find to finish my next "long" short story, written in the thought-stream style you saw in "Confession".
So, lots more to share next month! Thanks for spending a little of your sacred time with me.
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