Wreck this Journal ~ Week 2

Welcome to week 2! And a special welcome to all the people who are joining us for the first time this week. It's wonderful to have you here! To officially sign up, please fill in the subscription box on the left and to post your weekly Wreck this Journal update, add a direct link to the Mr Linky box below.

A few people have been asking me about how much wrecking they should do each week, and of course the answer is, as much as you like!The only thing you might want to keep in mind is that we'll be sharing the experience until July 31st. Now, that might mean you want to pace yourself to make sure you have some to savour each week. Or that might mean gobble it up create your own creative destruction if you run out of prompts!

This may just be an adventure that never ends....

What was your journal wreckage like this week?

Welcome to Week 1

Welcome everyone! Oh, it is so wonderful to see so many friends and also so many fabulous new people who are about to become friends. What a great place the blogosphere is, that we can be in a creative community, sharing an amazing adventure from our own little spot on the map. We are in this chaotic, playful, delicious experience together. May it help all of us shine brighter, stretch farther and laugh louder.

As a part of the Wreck this Journal experience, I'm trying vlogging for the first time. I really hope you enjoy this way of connecting each week. It's giving me another opportunity to bust out, try something new and make mistakes!

And before we head out into this week, I want to share a little secret with you. And I really want you to keep this close to your heart and remind yourself of it whenever you need to: there's no way to get it wrong. None. Nada. Whatever you do on this journey is absolutely perfect - so leave your worries at the door and play!

We're going to have ourselves some fun!

<1 Week Until We Wreck This Journal!

It's almost time to take the book off the shelf!
We start the wreckage next Friday, June 5th.
There's still time to sign up - just fill in the form in the post below.
If you have any questions, email me.

Most Frequently Asked Question: Where/When Do We Begin?

A lot of people are wondering whether they should be wrecking this week so they have something to post next Friday or whether they should actually start the book on June 5th. I always think of the first day as the day you crack the book open, the beginning of the adventure. I just love the idea of all of us, around the world, making a start at the same time. But, as always with the Next Chapter, there's no wrong way to participate. Do what feels delicious to you.

You might be wondering what you'd post about next Friday if you've only just opened the book. You could share what you're anticipating, what you're looking forward to and what you're nervous about. You might set your intentions for the journey, express what you want to get out of the experience, describe the first baby step you've taken with the book or why you've decided to participate. Write about what it means to begin. Write what's on your mind and in your heart as you stand on the threshold of this brand new experience. All you have to do is share.

I'm looking forward to sharing this experience with you.

with love and anticipation,
Jamie

Getting Ready for The Next Chapter: Wreck this Journal

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

Sign up in the form below.
You can also sign up for my monthly inspirational newsletter. That way you won't miss out on fun and creative events like Full Moon Dreamboards, Wishcasting & Circe's Circle.
(I will never share your email. Period.)

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.