The seed is planted, Now it is the time to call out, Warrior Poets
Let's go back a few months to November. Does anyone else remember when I tried my hand at NaNoWriMo? Remember how that went? I'm tempted to put up a YouTube clip of Brock Lesnar tearing up an opponent in the Ocatgon, but I figured that you'd have gotten the point by now. NaNo completely and totally destroyed me. I didn't even get to 1/10th of the required writing. It left me drained, confused, and opened up a lot of holes in my self confidence.
Little did I know that it was only Round One...
You see, I am blessed with some amazing friends with great insight. One of them, an amazing writer named Celeste Hollister, showed me something interesting that is coming up. It is the 2011 April PAD Challenge. PAD stands for Poem A Day. She waved this front of me like a Twinkie, and I just have to take a bite. So soft, golden and good...
Glutton for punishment? You're half right. But I really started thinking this through. I did not write a novel in 30 days. That really isn't all that surprising. To not write in a constant fashion and to turn out a novel is the equivalent of a couch potato suddenly getting up and running the New York City marathon. More often that not, it leads to the most utterances of "What was I thinking?" that do not involve alcohol and waking in strange beds.
Poetry on the other hand, that I can grasp. In college, I wrote a lot of poetry. Later on, I would turn that love into crafting some lyrics for music that I wrote. There is something amazing that happens when words come together. They are pieces of a puzzle and the tools of art. You can use words to create and shape worlds, build up and tear down ideas, and move the world.
And you know me - I gotta get some of that.
But unlike NaNo, I am making a big change in the approach. I am not going to treat this opportunity like the last time. It is not going to be me against the project, the world or myself. No, this time, I am calling each and every one of you out. Right here. Right now. I am calling you out to do this challenge with me.
My friends are amazing. Each and every one of you reading this are brilliant. Do not think that I have never been amazed by what you have done in life. Some of your creations are awe inspiring. I am blessed to know you, my musicians, my actors, my directors, my writers, my bankers, my teachers, my students, and my peers. Each of you has at least one major gift - and I think now is the time to perhaps, perhaps, uncover a new one that might not be evident now.
I am sending out a call through the wire. I am looking to assemble a tribe of warrior poets. I have included the link detailing what will be starting on April 1st. All I ask is for a gathering of friends to band together and create something. The only requirements to join in:
* be fearless when you dive into the ether
* publish your poetry on a daily basis
Do not be daunted or fooled. This is both as easy and as difficult as you want to make it out to be. It is a creative process, and they are mysterious creatures. But you are not alone. This is something that some people do all the time, and for 30 days, you can create anything you want to. This is an open license for you to express yourself like never before, to explore new depths of creativity. You will be part of a mighty tribe that will be challenging the world. And you know me - if my friends are involved, there is nothing I won't do to see them succeed, thrive, and survive. Other people give shirts off their backs, I give clean shirts for you to keep. Together, we will find the means to grow like never before.
If you decide you wish to do this with me, simply reply either here or on Facebook, and state your intention to join in. Once assembled, we are going to have a lot of fun! - J.
http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/2011/03/01/2011AprilPADPoemADayChallengeGuidelines.aspx
Round 2 is about to starts, and I am ready to touch gloves with the unknown...
Will you join me? - J.
Little did I know that it was only Round One...
You see, I am blessed with some amazing friends with great insight. One of them, an amazing writer named Celeste Hollister, showed me something interesting that is coming up. It is the 2011 April PAD Challenge. PAD stands for Poem A Day. She waved this front of me like a Twinkie, and I just have to take a bite. So soft, golden and good...
Glutton for punishment? You're half right. But I really started thinking this through. I did not write a novel in 30 days. That really isn't all that surprising. To not write in a constant fashion and to turn out a novel is the equivalent of a couch potato suddenly getting up and running the New York City marathon. More often that not, it leads to the most utterances of "What was I thinking?" that do not involve alcohol and waking in strange beds.
Poetry on the other hand, that I can grasp. In college, I wrote a lot of poetry. Later on, I would turn that love into crafting some lyrics for music that I wrote. There is something amazing that happens when words come together. They are pieces of a puzzle and the tools of art. You can use words to create and shape worlds, build up and tear down ideas, and move the world.
And you know me - I gotta get some of that.
But unlike NaNo, I am making a big change in the approach. I am not going to treat this opportunity like the last time. It is not going to be me against the project, the world or myself. No, this time, I am calling each and every one of you out. Right here. Right now. I am calling you out to do this challenge with me.
My friends are amazing. Each and every one of you reading this are brilliant. Do not think that I have never been amazed by what you have done in life. Some of your creations are awe inspiring. I am blessed to know you, my musicians, my actors, my directors, my writers, my bankers, my teachers, my students, and my peers. Each of you has at least one major gift - and I think now is the time to perhaps, perhaps, uncover a new one that might not be evident now.
I am sending out a call through the wire. I am looking to assemble a tribe of warrior poets. I have included the link detailing what will be starting on April 1st. All I ask is for a gathering of friends to band together and create something. The only requirements to join in:
* be fearless when you dive into the ether
* publish your poetry on a daily basis
Do not be daunted or fooled. This is both as easy and as difficult as you want to make it out to be. It is a creative process, and they are mysterious creatures. But you are not alone. This is something that some people do all the time, and for 30 days, you can create anything you want to. This is an open license for you to express yourself like never before, to explore new depths of creativity. You will be part of a mighty tribe that will be challenging the world. And you know me - if my friends are involved, there is nothing I won't do to see them succeed, thrive, and survive. Other people give shirts off their backs, I give clean shirts for you to keep. Together, we will find the means to grow like never before.
If you decide you wish to do this with me, simply reply either here or on Facebook, and state your intention to join in. Once assembled, we are going to have a lot of fun! - J.
http://blog.writersdigest.com/poeticasides/2011/03/01/2011AprilPADPoemADayChallengeGuidelines.aspx
Round 2 is about to starts, and I am ready to touch gloves with the unknown...
Will you join me? - J.
posted by Jim Steinhoff at
6:21 PM
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