+ Her Barefoot Heart
my response to each #reverb10 daily prompt is a tip, a suggestion you might find useful in juicing every single succulent drop out of this month-long experience. some of the tips are things i learned over the past year; some are answers to questions reverbers have asked me privately; some are things i just pull out of thin air.
at the end of each day (or roughly thereabouts), the tip will be folded into the comprehensive list, a.k.a. the marrow. and hey, if a tip sparks another idea, i’d sure appreciate it if you’d drop me a note in the comments section so i can sprinkle it out to others. and do some sprinkling of your own: point others to the marrow in case there’s something here they can use.
now let’s get on with it cause my wand’s a wastin’ . . .
today’s prompt (from author Susannah Conway, creator of Unravelling, the e-course that i’m gonna’ sign up for one day before it sells out): Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?
today’s tip: when you’re stumped, (decide to) ask for help. the assistance is a gift you receive, and the opportunity to help is a gift you give. funny how that happens.
and hey, consider saying “thank you” publicly – in a tweet or a mention (complete with a link to them) in your blog post or both.
today’s tip is enkindled by these 2 tweets from this past week: “RT @traceyclark: good idea! RT @pixie658: Having a hard time on today’s #reverb10 prompt? Ask close friends what they find unique about u”
AND
from thesdcowgirl: “can i cheat on #reverb10 and ask someone what it is that makes me beautifully different? lol.”
. . . and i’ll fly if i want to.
change of plans, my #reverb10 friends. after today’s weekly check-in with my writing partner, julie daley (always a party), i was just plain tickled, giddy, bubbling over. so today’s tip (from @shauna: What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.) comes with a story:
i’m still hung over from the times when all my selves show up. which is, coincidentally, usually at the party on the page – you know, the one happening whenever i sit down to write . . .
there’s good girl who makes me dizzy in her constant frothy motion making sure everybody’s glass is at least half full (if not brimming) and that the spotlight shines on Everybody Else (though never so much that they glisten, mind you). she says she doesn’t want to take up too much space, professes the last thing she wants to do is be a bother, and tries to make herself believe that all she really, really, really wants to do is make Everybody Else comfortable. good girl knows – she flat-out knows – that the secret to good writing is to never use i, me, mine or any other personal reference.
there’s down-to-business girl who spends gazoodles of prep time making outlines and clearing the desk and making sure there’s ample ink. before arriving, she passes out treats to the dog and cats, gets a load of laundry on to wash, and cleans every single toilet. again. it’s all she can do to keep from charting the arrival and departure times of the party guests and documenting leftovers for future reference.
trophy girl wants Everybody to love every single word . . . and beg for more.
martyr girl nails herself to the cross at least three times a day. her to do list is so voluminous, she spends her best creativity justifying 15 (measly) minutes of writing time.
reticent girl entertains herself by listening in on conversations and wishing she had something blazingly new and noticeably worthwhile to add to the conversation. she vows right then and there to read more – to smarten herself up before writing another word. (i mean, really. who does she think she is?) fortunately for her, she has an ipad and can stop right then and order a hefty supply of books from knowledgeable authors. it’s a quick, easy, and (actually enjoyable, if expensive) penance.
there’s mischievous girl who fantasizes about, well, i can’t really tell you that. not yet anyway.
obedient girl came because she said she would. and actually, now that it’s feeling more like a party, she’s not showing up as much any more. which makes the other guests just about as happy as it makes her.
then there’s wannabe girl who lives in a lush, colorful, vibrant landscape where it’s Very Much okay to blurt things out without worrying-up a single wrinkle from fretting about how to defend them. wannabe girl chokes on statistics, numbers confuse her, and she stalls out on facts wondering why such silly hand-me-down things matter so much to other people when they just seem to get in her way. she is fluent in JustBecause and speaks it with an accent that’s prone to change three times in a single short sentence. and just so you know, JustBecause isn’t only spoken, it’s the language of action, too. wannabe girl writes books JustBecause. she dances JustBecause. she wears what she wants to – you guessed it – JustBecause. wannabe girl can fill a minute with eggs of laughter AND tears that sparkle so you want to take them to the jeweler and have them mounted. there are even things she does NOT do JustBecause . . . and it all makes perfect sense to wannabe girl.
if you want to know the truth, wannabe girl has a standing invitation, and when she shows up, she is always – and i mean always – the ravishing guest of honor.
~~~::~~~::~~~::~~~::~~~::~~~::~~~
today’s tip: make every prompt a party and delight in who (or what) shows up on the page. if you’re delighted, we’ll be delighted, too.
you know how it goes: every day i post a tip, a suggestion you might find useful in juicing every single succulent drop out of this month-long experience. some of the tips are things i learned over the past year; some are answers to questions reverbers have asked me privately; some are things i just pull out of thin air.
at the end of each day (or roughly thereabouts), the tip will be folded into the comprehensive list, a.k.a. the marrow. and hey, if a tip sparks another idea, i’d sure appreciate it if you’d drop me a note in the comments section so i can sprinkle it out to others. and do some sprinkling of your own: point others to the marrow in case there’s something there they can use.
my response to each #reverb10 daily prompt is a tip, a suggestion you might find useful in juicing every single succulent drop out of this month-long experience. some of the tips are things i learned over the past year; some are answers to questions reverbers have asked me privately; some are things i just pull out of thin air.
at the end of each day (or roughly thereabouts), the tip will be folded into the comprehensive list, a.k.a. the marrow. and hey, if a tip sparks another idea, i’d sure appreciate it if you’d drop me a note in the comments section so i can sprinkle it out to others. and do some sprinkling of your own: point others to the marrow in case there’s something here they can use.
now let’s get on with it cause my wand’s a wastin’ . . .
today’s prompt: Beautifully Different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. (Author: Karen Walrond)
today’s tip: reach out to at least 3 people every day and smack ’em with a smile, sprinkle a compliment, dabble out a spot of encouragement. twitter brings out the nice in people, and let’s face it: nice breeds nice.
—:::—
something new: recap i don’t know about you, but cali‘s prompt on community really revved up my circuits and lit up my board. i didn’t make it around to everybody, but here, in no particular order, are some of the blogs that i especially enjoyed on yesterday’s blog crawl:
any last word
julie unplugged
this space intentionally left blank
sally g: lighting up the heart of ordinary
first pages
amy oscar
mrsmediocrity
my response to each #reverb10 daily prompt is a tip, a suggestion you might find useful in juicing every single succulent drop out of this month-long experience. some of the tips are things i learned over the past year; some are answers to questions reverbers have asked me privately; some are things i just pull out of thin air.
at the end of each day (or roughly thereabouts), the tip will be folded into the comprehensive list, a.k.a. the marrow. and hey, if a tip sparks another idea, i’d sure appreciate it if you’d drop me a note in the comments section so i can sprinkle it out to others. and do some sprinkling of your own: point others to the marrow in case there’s something here they can use.
now let’s get on with it cause my wand’s a wastin’ . . .
today’s prompt: community. where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? what community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (author: cali harris, @caligater)
today’s tip comes from the effervescent @tiasparkles, solopreneur coach that you’ll definitely want to get to know. and hey, before we go any further, let me take a moment to offer another red-faced apology to tia and to give you the correct link to a post that just lit up my night a coupla nights ago. i meant for it to light up yours, too, but i had so many windows open, what with so many reverberations and all, i guess i inhaled some of my fairy dust cause something went wonkers and i tweeted out the link to another spectacular #reverb10 post. anyway, here you go: the right way to get to tia’s post you do not want to miss.
and tia’s tip: Pick 10 different peeps daily. Say hi & read & comment on their posts. You’ll be AMAZED at the community you create via #reverb10.
now get on out there and reverberate. and don’t forget to bear witness to others doing the same.
my response to each #reverb10 daily prompt is a tip, a suggestion you might find useful in juicing every single succulent drop out of this month-long experience. some of the tips are things i learned over the past year; some are answers to questions reverbers have asked me privately; some are things i just pull out of thin air.
at the end of each day (or roughly thereabouts), the tip will be folded into the comprehensive list, a.k.a. the marrow. and hey, if a tip sparks another idea, i’d sure appreciate it if you’d drop me a note in the comments section so i can sprinkle it out to others. and do some sprinkling of your own: point others to the marrow in case there’s something here they can use.
now let’s get on with it cause my wand’s a wastin’ . . .
today’s prompt: make. what was the last thing you made? what materials did you use? is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?
today’s tip: if you want to be found, make it easy for people to find you. if you want conversation, make it easy for people to comment.
check your twitter and facebook profile pages. is there a link to the blog that you’re using for #reverb10? several people have multiple blogs and list them all, or a business blog and a personal blog and link only to the business blog (the blog that’s paying for the dsl, no doubt). while we love knowing that you’re prolific and productive and wordyversatile, tick-tock, tick-tock, folks. we’ve got more than 2000 other blogs beckoning, so we need you to give us the shortest possible route to your reverb10 posts.
and about those comments . . . do people have to register/log in to leave you a comment? do they have to watch a commercial before being ushered to the comment box waiting to be filled? you’re clever – i like that. but does your invitation to comment clearly let people know that this is where/how they drop off a comment for you? think about it. tend to it.
now don’t go all red-faced on me – if it’ll make you feel better, i’ve private messaged many, many, many reverb10ers about these very things. i mention it here because not every reader has a fairy godmother clock that allows them time to track you down, so take a minute or twelve to show the way and clear the way for us. make it easy for us to find you and cheer you. go on now, scoot.
now lookahere, y’all: i’ve decided to shape my response to each #reverb10 daily prompt into a tip, a suggestion you might find useful in juicing every single succulent drop out of this month-long experience. some of the tips are things i learned over the past year; some are answers to questions reverbers have asked me privately; some are things i pull out of thin air.
at the end of each day (or roughly thereabouts), the tip will be folded into the marrow. and hey, if a tip sparks another idea, i’d sure appreciate it if you’d drop me a note in the comments section so i can sprinkle it out to others. and do some sprinkling of your own: point others to the marrow in case there’s something here they can use.
now let’s get on with it cause my wand’s a wastin’ . . .
today’s prompt: Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (by @finslippy)
today’s tip: you will be let go. in twitter terms, you will be unfollowed – it’s gonna’ happen, you can write it down – but don’t take it personally. don’t you pull the shades, turn off the phone, and take to your bed. you haven’t been dumped out on the side of the road by the (self-proclaimed) cool girls in the convertible. shoot no. you’ve just been unfollowed, and sometimes the tweep doesn’t even know about it cause sometimes the glitching gremlins do it without warning and without permission.
what to do? well, you can ignore it and continue to follow them. or you can send them a note asking “what’d i do?” (or maybe “what were you thinking?”; “have you lost your mind?”; or “what the heck?”, depending on your mood) or you can mash the unfollow button and let them go, too. i guess you could even use it as an excuse to lay out of work a day or two (and for the record: no, i will not sign your excuse), but listen up cause i’m gonna’ tell you what any self-respecting fairy godmother worth her fairy dust would tell you: they’re just jealous.
one thanksgiving, my usually mild-mannered, affable aunt rene voiced her grave disappointment when we put the turkey carcass out for the dog. as much as she loved the senator russell sweet potatoes and the dressing, aunt rene’s favorite thanksgiving delicacy was sucking the marrow from the turkey bones. which is, actually, a fine culinary metaphor for how she lived her life.
it’s no secret that last year’s involvement in last year’s reverb event changed my life, so i’ve put together a little smorgasbord of ways you can suck the marrow right out of these reverb10 bones. some are things i learned last year when i was a complete newbie, some are things i’m seeing as i do my fairy godmother dance from blog to blog, some are answers to questions i’ve been asked by reverb10 participants. you don’t have to do everything every day cause we all know you have to put food on the table, but if you’re willing to spend more time online during what is arguably the busiest month of the year, you will reap the benefits. i promise.
GET LEGAL
if you’re not officially signed up, it’s as easy at 1, 2, 3.
1. go here.
2. complete the pledge form.
3. click the “signed, me” button to submit.
FRESHEN UP YOUR NEST
4. grab a badge for your blog.
5. enable comments on your blog. you can always turn them back off in january (if you still want to).
6. make it as easy as possible for people to leave you comments. does the wording indicate where they leave comments? is it an easy process or does your blog platform make things cumbersome and unclear?
7. make sure your twitter name is visible so folks can reach out.
8. (added 12/6) if you want to be found, make it easy for people to find you. if you want conversation, make it easy for people to comment.
WRITING
9. write as succinctly as possible. i know you have a lot to say, but with over 2000 blogs to read, now is just not the time to wax on. next year when you have no idea what to write about, you can pick up a prompt and expand.
10. if at all possible, write every day. you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of tenacious commitment.
11. if you get behind, bundle prompts into one post to catch up. or just forget about it and start where we are when you get back. there are no extra points for perfect attendance.
12. don’t like a prompt? do the little sidestep. skip it. write about something else then creatively tie it to the prompt. or post it and let the readers practice their creativity.
13. (scroll down to the bottom and you’ll see that i addressed today’s prompt.)
14. (added 12/9) make every prompt a party and delight in who (or what) shows up on the page. if you’re delighted, chances are we’ll be delighted, too.
GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE
15. if you haven’t already, join twitter.
16. follow fellow reverbers.
17. when tweeting about reverb10, use the #reverb10 hashtag.
18. when alerting us to a new post you’ve penned, be sure to include the (shortened) url in your tweet.
19. shorten url’s before tweeting via one of the url shortening services.
20. the reverb population is international, so tweet your own posts at various times during the day to allow for different time zones.
21. if you’re on facebook, look me up (i’m InJeanneious/Jeanne Hewell-Chambers, but any links to my profile seem to always go wonky. sorry.)
22. consider using networked blogs to automatically post your blog as your facebook status.
23. it’s busy out there, so don’t hesitate to wave your arms a bit to get our attention about a blog post you’re especially proud of. how? tweet me (@whollyjeanne) or any of the crew members and invite us over.
MAKING NEW FRIENDS
24. read a post you especially like? tweet the shortened url, an adjective or two, and the author’s twitter name.
25. leave comments on blogs.
26. when somebody leaves a comment on your blog, email or tweet a thank you note.
27. don’t be afraid to say nice things publicly.
28. make other people look good: retweet their tweets. promote their posts. tell others about them – and do it right in front of god ‘n everybody. bonus: you can’t make somebody else look and feel good without making yourself look and feel good in the process. you just can’t.
29. take a minute to show your support by following blogs via friend connect and networked blogs.
30. search and follow #reverb10. check in and fill up.
31. (added 12/5) don’t take it personally when you are unfollowed or unfriended. they’re just jealous.
32. (added 12/8) reach out to at least 3 people every day and smack ‘em with a smile, sprinkle a compliment, dabble out a spot of encouragement. twitter brings out the nice in people, and let’s face it: nice breeds nice.
AFTER GLOW
33. troll sidebars to find other things you might be interested in being a part of post-reverb10.
34. set up twitter lists as you go so you’ll remember who you want to stay in touch with.
35. (added 12/4/10) sign up for email updates from those bloggers you really enjoy.
36. (added 12/4/10) google reader is another handy way to keep track of your favorites. (thanks, stephanie!)
37. (added 12/7) pick 10 different peeps daily. say hi & read & comment on their posts. You’ll be AMAZED at the community you create. (thanks, tia!)
SELF CARE
with over 3k people participating, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. it can feel like sipping from a fire hose, but don’t fret. you don’t have to read every single blog every single day. there may be blogs you want to visit every day. other days, trust that you’ll see the tweets and blogs you need to see that particular day. like twitter, reverb10 is a constantly moving stream of information. duck in and out as your schedule permits with no obligation to scroll back and see what you’ve missed. just duck in, swim a while, then get out when you need to, towel off, grab some snacks, tend to what needs tending, then jump back in again when you can. in and out, out and in. that’s how it’s done.
WRAPPING IT UP
it’s not an exhaustive list by any means, but i hope it helps. if you have questions or think of something i forgot, drop a comment cause i’m the fairy godmother, after all. it’s what i do: i flit, i float, i sprinkle my special-brew fairy dust to make sure you leave #reverb10 feeling mighty glad you came.
the woman who blogs before you is not the same woman she was on 11/30/2009 . . .
while strolling through the internet late last year, i came upon something called #best09, and when i saw that it was a month of daily writing prompts, i immediately figured out how to sign myself up. i had a blog, but the vacancy sign was on more than it was off, and for the last 31 days of the year, i wouldn’t have to think about what to write about. what’s not to love about that?
my daddy died on 12/2/2000, you see, so like #best09’s creator, gwen bell, this time of the year is tender for me. i flounder. i hear constant whispers telling me that i need to be doing something more, something significant. i grieve and chide myself about not being over it yet.
#best09 would be my sparkly distraction that would get me through the annual grief. it would give me focus. well, i’m here to tell you: it did that . . . and so much more.
participating in last year’s #best09 changed my life.
after spending years preserving other people’s stories, i took time to remember some of my own. after carrying around book ideas for so many years, I am writing them. after despairing that one day soon i’d open my mouth to speak and see dust flying out, i am digging into stimulating research and collaborating with other women on programs that i hope all will find life-affirming, life-altering. after resigning myself to spending the rest of my life on a day-in/day-out humdrum basis, i am making time for doing things besides cleaning up cat vomit.
through my participation in #best09, i discovered writers that continue to up my game. i connected with women who share my interests and enrich my life daily. i am delving into research that keeps my creativity sharp and my brain supple.
i’m now a permanent resident on twitter, where nobody runs the other way when i call spend 5 characters calling them “sugar” (comma makes 6), where i walden with friends every chance i get, where i laugh, cry, and cheer daily without the stigma of neediness or nerdiness.
this year gwen changed the name from #best09 to #reverb10, gave the event its own site, took on some rockin’ helper bees. there are changes, sure, but the essential core of the event remains the same. starting tomorrow, hundreds of us will come together as community, reflecting on what has been and reverberating what will be. we will meet people whose presence in our lives will make us better people. we will discover things about ourselves, and we will write like we’ve never written before.
we will bear witness to each other, and our lives will never be the same because of it.
if you’re looking for something to write about (wink, wink), perhaps you’d like to join us.
(you can thank me later.)
~~~
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This work by Jeanne Hewell-Chambers is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://www.TheBarefootHeart.com.
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