Friday 1 June 2012

Emerging Writers' Festival Blogging Masterclass - being a good person

I've been locked in a classroom since 11am today.  I am tired.  My brain is full.  I paid for the privilege.  I'm pleased and inspired.  I've been at the Blogging Masterclass presented by the Emerging Writers' Festival at the Wheeler Centre.  Apart from the presenters themselves, I had some really interesting conversations with other participants, took pages of notes and had the unexpected pleasure of spending the day with Rose Wintergreen.

divacultura will celebrate her first birthday in July, so it's timely to be drinking inspiration and thinking about what I'm doing.  My tool kit is bursting and my well of ideas is chockablock.

One of the things I loved most about today was the level of contradiction amongst the presenters.  It highlights that blogging can be anything you want it to be and for any purpose at all.  It's up to you!  I plan to think about everything I heard today.  Some things I may implement.  They may work or fail.  Other things I already know  will be discarded because they don't fit with my personal philosophy and purpose.

Many times today, I felt myself thinking that I had already written on the subject being discussed; in particular the value of reciprocity and good will. My post "In the flow" holds really true.  John Tjhia (blogger for the Wheeler Centre) resonated when he said that social media works the same as social encounters in the real world.  His motto?  "Try to be a good person".  So simple.

As I have time to reflect I'll be writing about today's discussions and what I'm thinking as a result.

Feeling inspired is a wonderful, wonderful thing!

What inspired you today?

2 comments:

  1. The masterclass! Getting to have lively chatter with you! Each and every one of the presenters and bloggers who attended that class, and all the writers I got to meet and chat with at the Emerging Writer book launch tonight.

    Also:
    - meeting several people today for the first time who seemed familiar, and then realising we know each other through Twitter and have been "following" each other for some time online already.
    - conversations I overheard on the tram.
    - strolling through the city streets on my way to the launch, crunching on my apple and watching everyone waiting to cross at the lights.
    - noticing that, as I cut through a large square of public space in the city, there were only five people standing in the centre. But not one of them was standing still. They were pacing/strolling in tight circles. Then I noticed they were all talking on their mobile phones. It looked choreographed. I looked around me again to see if there were any signs it was a planned public performance. It wasn't (but you never know in Melbourne!).

    Lots more too, but that's enough to leave you with!

    Looking forward to reading more about your reflections from today as you process them.

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  2. It was a very full day indeed! Always better when you can share the experience with someone. Personal reflection is great, but it's also valuable to have other people's perspectives. Just makes the whole thing even richer!
    I love the image of the choreographed mobile phone dancers. Nice observation.

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