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| Pay It Forward! |
I’ve
been working on a project about literary citizenship and how writers are
engaging with others for the ‘greater good’ of the literary community. After all,
we solitary beasts heavily rely on others in some capacity—we need encouragement,
we need support—whether that is in the obvious ways of needing readers and
reviewers, or in the not-so-obvious ways of needing to feel like we’re part of
something bigger than ourselves.
I’ve
had some truly inspiring conversations with writers, editors, reviewers—the whole
lot—but I’m still curious. I’m still asking questions. So, if you feel inclined
to do so, let me know what you’ve been up to, how you’ve been engaged within
the community, who inspires you to be a better literary citizen, and, indeed,
what does that term even mean to you?
Email me
with your comments and I may be able to include them in my project. Here are a
few questions to prompt your input:
- What does ‘literary citizenship’ mean to you?
- How has community engagement enhanced your overall writing life?
- Let’s face it; sometimes it takes a bit to get us showered and dressed, let alone out the door to an event. If you’re an introvert, homebody, or naturally shy person, what moves you to connect with others? Do you usually find a ‘payoff’ in making it out to a public event?
- What sort of activities do you engage in for the community-at-large that boost your writing life and impact others?
- Who has inspired you to become a better literary citizen and why?
- What sort of unique activities are taking place in your community that inspire you?
- How do you manage your time between personal creative needs and reaching out to others? Have you ever experienced burnout and how did you adjust?
- What do you hope to gain from your community of writers? Peer support? Encouragement? A sense of belonging? What else?
- If you have any innovative ways of connecting with the community-at-large, I’d love to hear about those, too!
Specific
examples are most welcome, but I also enjoy generalizations on this topic. I’ll
follow up any comments sent to my email, lori@loriamay.com,
and I’ll let you know a bit more about this project while I’m at it.
Thanks
for sharing your take!
