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Timmy, Max & Lucy are poster children for competing and comparing at dinnertime. |
Anytime I read or hear something three times, I stop and take note, which is one of the reasons my experience at the 2013 Arkansas Women Bloggers Unplugged Conference was so meaningful.
Although the offerings and speakers varied, each person, in her own unique way, presented some of the same principles I’ve been hearing at gatherings of writers over the past year. Each AWB speaker confirmed the advice of a previous mentor. Which takes me back my Rule of Three: Pay attention to the truth of a repeated message.
Here are some of the things I’ve heard again and again over past twelve months.
Don’t Compare! Don’t Compete! Don’t Compromise!
Wait a minute! If we’re going for the gold or a big scholarship, we’d be foolish not to compare our performance with others seeking the same thing. How can you break a record if you don’t know how you line up with your competition?
It’s a given that no one wants to lose that tennis game or play on a noncompetitive team. But that will happen if we don’t compete. Right?
And anyone who has been in a close relationship knows that compromise is important when family, colleagues or friends disagree. It’s a sign of maturity not to always demand your way. Maybe their way is better.
If Competition, Comparison and Compromise are such important components of our culture and obviously a part of human DNA, why don’t they belong in the world of writing?
Perhaps it’s partly because the creative arts are subjective. They can’t be evaluated by a stopwatch, scoreboard or test key. Even though there are guidelines in writing, we’ve all read things that appeal to us that aren’t the norm. Throw out a topic and take note of how differently individuals approach it.
I’m blessed to be in a critique group that meets once a month to discuss one another’s writing. For the most part, our group focuses on the positive, but we also challenge each other to do our best work. Otherwise, why meet? It has stretched me at times, but my writing is better for it. And we’ve formed friendships because our work is done in a spirit of encouragement, not comparison and competition.
Recognizing our natural tendencies to compete and compare is the first step in creating a healthy support group. If we don’t, the Three Cs will separate and reduce us both individually and collectively. As with much of life, these challenges are intertwined, so the answers to them overlap.
Here are just a few of the things I heard at AWB and other gatherings this year that resounded with me. Most can be applied to other facets of our lives, too.
DON’T COMPARE
It’s Okay to Be Who You Are!
To find my voice, I must Be Relentlessly Authentic.
To be Truly Authentic, I must write from my Own Experiences.
The answer to “Who am I to blog?” is:
I am a Person with Stories.
We’re all on Individual Journeys, but they all involve the same Universal Truths.
Don’t look at numbers, just write what’s on your heart.
Your message Won’t Appeal to everyone, but Your Audience Will Find You.
Authenticity is a Powerful Force.
I lost track of the number times we were reminded to look for ways to encourage and promote one another at AWBU. In this dog-eat-dog world, it doesn’t come naturally. But when you realize the other person is pulling for you, it’s easier to do the same.
Don’t be a Blog Snob, Promote Others.
Find blogs that Nourish Your Soul. Read. Comment. Interact.
DON’T COMPROMISEIt’s so important that I’m going to say it again:
It’s Okay for Us to Be Who We Are!
Just find the middle ground. Don’t blast your readers with a daily dose of angst, complaints or too much information.
Be Fearless.
Stop doing what the other guy is doing.
Ask yourself: What is my passion?
What do I know to be true
Remember that accepting and owning your own individual strengths, weaknesses and experiences makes you unique.
Don’t discount the power of your voice.
I have to express special appreciation to my friend, Talya Boerner, for prodding me to start a blog, helping me set it up, holding my hand all along the way and for telling me, “You need to join Arkansas Women Bloggers. You need to go to this conference.”
Talya is the perfect role model for this wonderful organization!
If you haven’t read her blog http://gracegritsgarden.com, I hope you will today.
T, You’re the best! I love you!
And thanks to all my friends who take time to read, like, share and comment on my blog. You are Wonderful!
So many good thoughts, Dorothy. It's great when we gain so much from a conference. Thanks for sharing. I'm so fortunate to be in Central Arkansas Writers with you.
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I feel that way about you and CAW too. I've gained so much from our times together. I do think you girls should consider joining AWB.
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Great post, DJ. It has taken me many years to find myself, so these lessons are valuable. Love the tie-in to the cats, too!
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Encouraging words and beautiful cats! The black one looks like mine. You are persuasive and I think I will join AWB.
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Thanks, that's Max. I've thought the same thing when I looked at your pictures. Max has a great personality. I do think you should join AWB. I know you already have a great following, but they offer lots of opportunities for people who don't know you to get a taste of your blog.
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Before your post, I had never heard the “three C's”–and I've been to plenty of conferences, heard many speakers, etc. Makes me wonder where I've been. Or maybe it's where I haven't been. Still, since I have other long-term projects, I won't be joining AWB, even though two of you have already told me: “You should…” (Maybe I'm resisting anyone suggesting I “should.” That's a Mom word, and she's not here.) But I'm glad for you.
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I understand. I knew you would have joined AWB before if you'd been interested. About the 3 C's, I heard them first from Pat Carr, but then when I looked back at my notes from Crescent and the speakers at the Christian writers conference, there they were again, expressed a little differently, as in be who you are, find, your voice, write your stories and support each other. I know you have lots going with two critique groups, your column and your poetry! Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Awwww thank you so much Dorothy. This is a wonderful post and reminder of the themes repeated at the writing conferences I've attended during the past two years. I'm such a writer newbie and have learned so much from the ladies who have commented above. One thing I would like to add to this…the more you give of yourself, the more you get back. This is just a fact…
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