Getting Ready for The Next Chapter: Wreck this Journal

Our Next Book: Wreck this Journal by Keri Smith
Start Date: Friday, June 5.

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Welcome to third session of The Next Chapter book blogging group, a creative satellite of Jamie Ridler Studios. You are invited to join the adventure through Wreck This Journal by the amazing Keri Smith.

About The Next Chapter

The concept behind a book-blogging group is that a community of bloggers work their way through a book together, sharing their experiences by posting on their own blog and by reading what other participants are sharing. You can choose to share as much or as little as you like. You can join at any time. This blog will be our home base and will host the blog roll of participants. I will be sharing my own personal explorations through the book on my blog, Starshyne Productions.

About Our Third Book: Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith

From the first page: "Warning: During the process of this book you will get dirty. You may find yourself covered in paint, or any other number of foreign substances. You will get wet. You may be asked to do things you question. You may grieve for the perfect state that you found the book in. You may begin to see creative destruction everywhere. You may begin to live more recklessly."

How fun is that?

Or maybe you're a book perfectionist like me and the idea of wrecking your journal makes you gasp!

Either way, it's sure to be a creative adventure and you won't want to miss out!

To Join In:

• Simply sign up in the form above.
  
• You will need a copy of the book. Unfortunately, this isn't one you can get from the library. Well, you could get it from the library but they probably wouldn't appreciate you wrecking it up. The good news is that it's very affordable. You can purchase it here in Canada and here in the US.
• You will need a blog. If you don't have one yet, you can set one up quickly and for free on Blogger.
• You might also want a camera or a scanner, so you can share pics of your weekly creative destruction but that's totally optional.
  

Timing

• Start: Friday June 5
• Finish: Friday July 31
  

The book is non-linear, so each Friday we'll simply check in and share how much we've wrecked, how our journals are looking and what the experience has been like. Starting June 5th, I'll put a post up on this blog that will include a space for you to add a link to your own blog post. On the first day, all you have to do is have your own pristine copy of the book in hand and be ready to get wrecking!

Badges

Put a badge on your blog to share that you're participating and to encourage others to join in. Thank you Suzie for creating these beauties. If you need help with putting the badge up, please check the FAQ.

This summer - let's play!

FAQ

Can I still join?

You are always welcome. You can join at any time.

How much of a commitment is participating?

It's entirely up to you. There is no pressure to participate. You can post once or every week. You can visit a few other blogs, all the other blogs or none. You can write a paragraph or an extended post. Whatever you are called to do is just right.

What's a direct link and how do I post it?

When adding your link to each week's secret, you want to use a direct link. A direct link is the address that takes you directly to the relevant post instead of to your blog generally. For example:

• Direct Link (okay to post): http://starshyneproductions.blogspot.com/2009/01/12-secrets-of-highly-creative-secret-1.html.
• General Link (don't post) : http://www.starshyneproductions.blogspot.com/

To get that url, click on the title of your post and see the new url that appears when you're looking directly at that post.

Scheduling

There’s no hard and fast rule about when to post. Each Friday I will put up a post and create a space for you to leave a direct link to your post. In my experience, the closer you post to the Friday, the more likely people will come and visit. But remember, everyone has their own rhythm. This is supposed to be fun and inspiring. So find what works for you.

All the links are gone. What's up?

On occasion, Mr. Linky hiccups and for a time the links appear to disappear. It usually only lasts a short while and they are all back, intact and ready for more additions. If this happens, come back a bit later to check the status. If after a few hours it hasn't resolved, feel free to let me know, and I'll contact my hero, Mr. Linky.

How do I put up a badge?

If you're using Blogger, the easiest thing to do is Add a Gadget in your Layout. Choose Picture. Add the address for the badge you want:

• Dark background: http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/true-diva/The%20Next%20Chapter/wreckthisjournaldark.jpg
• Light background: http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/true-diva/The%20Next%20Chapter/wreckthisjournalwhite.jpg
  

Then add the address: http://tnc-wreckthisjournal.blogspot.com/

For direct HTML, please email me for the HTML code. I haven't yet figured out how to post it without it simply giving you the badge itself.

Do I have to go to everyone's blog? I'd love to but there's just so many people participating!

Not at all. This is meant to be a joyful adventure, not a chore. Let's drop the pressure on ourselves and each other. Drop in and visit when you have the time and don't be hard on yourself when you don't. When you do have a chance, consider a mix of old friends and new faces so that our community can continue to grow with support and connection.

Why aren't people coming to my blog?

Sometimes it can be a simple, technical thing such as not posting a direct link to your post with Mr Linky. If people come to your site and can't find your Next Chapter post, they'll likely just leave. If that's not it, it can help to visit other people's blogs, find ones you really relate to, and connect through leaving comments. Try not to take it personally. Sometimes, it's just a busy week.

If your question hasn't been answered, feel free to email me at jamie (at) openthedoor (dot) ca.