Group Writing Project: Writing Lessons

by Joanna on March 6, 2009

With community the theme for this month it seemed like a perfect time to run another group writing project.

The topic is writing lessons – in particular the writing lessons you’ve learned from your blog community.

Pluma by elend on Flickr

Those writing lessons might be the ways in which your blog writing style has changed and developed, new forms that you’ve tried, or writing experiments you’ve done off the blog as a result of feedback and interaction with your community.

Your blog community can be defined by you – it could be your readers, other bloggers you read and connect with, or your micro-blogging community on Twitter.  Or a mixture of all of them.

The aim is simply to explore ways in which your writing might have changed or evolved in the context of your online community.

To take part:

  • Post your contribution by Friday 27th March
  • Link to this post
  • Leave a comment here to let me know your contribution is up

I’ll do a round up of your writing lessons before the end of the month.

Any questions, please let me know!

Joanna Young, The Confident Writing Coach
Because our words count

Photo Credit: Pluma by Eelend on Flickr

Related Articles:

Work with Joanna and learn to express yourself with confidence. Online classes to free the inner writer. Get help writing the pages that you need for an effective presence on the web.

{ 17 trackbacks }

Writing Lessons Group Writing Project } Group Writing Projects
03.08.09 at 12:33 pm
3 ways my blogging community influences my writing « wonderwebby
03.10.09 at 4:11 am
3 ways blogging community influences my writing « wonderwebby
03.10.09 at 4:12 am
A Writer is Never Complete
03.11.09 at 12:25 am
The Trouble With That | Jason Slater Technology Blog | Talking Technology
03.11.09 at 3:07 pm
Writing Lessons « Ulla Hennig’s Weblog
03.13.09 at 5:32 am
Balancing out your communities | Someday Syndrome
03.13.09 at 8:14 am
8 Things I’m Up To (and where you fit in) | Confident Writing
03.16.09 at 7:51 am
Writing lessons « Levite Chronicles
03.17.09 at 5:02 pm
7 Ways You Helped Me Write a Book | Confident Writing
03.20.09 at 8:01 am
What the Writing Community Teaches | Meryl.net
03.23.09 at 12:25 pm
Group Writing Project: A Reminder | Confident Writing
03.24.09 at 8:16 am
The Story Artist | Janice Cartier
03.24.09 at 6:04 pm
My Travel Community and Photos from Davenburgh | Sharing Experiences
03.27.09 at 11:51 am
Writing Lessons from the Confident Writing Community | Confident Writing
04.03.09 at 7:43 am
Writing for Business Blogs - Lessons Learned : Word Sell, Inc.
04.11.09 at 3:10 pm
5 Blogs That Will Jump Start Your Life & Blogging — Simply Blog
04.28.09 at 2:58 am

{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }

Brad Shorr 03.06.09 at 12:49 pm

Hi Joanna, Sounds like fun. Must think … still thinking … :)

Brad Shorrs last blog post..Pounding the Pavement Is One Tough Way to Sell

Jamie Grove - How Not To Write 03.06.09 at 2:30 pm

I’m in! Today’s post is a writing lesson, but it isn’t the one I’m submitting for this most excellent project! :)

Jamie Grove – How Not To Writes last blog post..From Blank Page to blank page in 30 seconds

Robert Hruzek 03.06.09 at 3:54 pm

All right! A new challenge! Count me in, Joanna!

Ulla Hennig 03.06.09 at 5:24 pm

Hi Joanna,
Count me in, too! Seems to me that the month of March will be a month of writing!

Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Spring is in the Air!

Joanna 03.06.09 at 8:37 pm

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback… I can’t wait to see what you all come up with

Robyn McMaster 03.07.09 at 12:22 am

Joanna, I have learned so much about writing from my blogging community. What a chance to give out some recognition to friends who’ve helped lift your skills.

Robyn McMasters last blog post..Put Fire to Your Feet!

Andrew 03.07.09 at 2:02 am

Joanna,

This project seems like a wonderful idea. I would like to gladly participate – the only thing is that I am not sure that my writing style has changed a great deal during my blogging life to-date.

But I’ll have a think about it, and if any obvious ways in which my writting has evolved come to mind, I will be more than happy to share these with your readers as well as other group participants.

Andrews last blog post..Thoughts for a nation in shock

Joanna 03.07.09 at 9:29 am

Robyn how like you to think about giving recognition as well as sharing your learning. I hope you get a chance to take part – your writing journey is fascinating to me

Andrew I hope you might be able to take part. You could think about content and topics you cover as well as writing style, or even things you know you want to try in the future. Or even what it’s like to take part in a group writing project, and how that changes the considerations you might normally take into account…

Michele 03.07.09 at 4:43 pm

Sounds fun, Joanna! I can already think of ways blogging–and the community that comes with it–has improved my writing. I can’t wait to read everyone’s entries. :-)

*smiles*
Michele

David Atkinson 03.08.09 at 1:27 am

Really sounds like a lot of fun and an invite I can not refuse. Should be a really interesting month with such a theme as community.

:)

David Atkinsons last blog post..Can Facebook,Twitter and MySpace Teach You How to Write?

Joanna 03.08.09 at 7:18 pm

Michele hope you might get a chance to join in – always good to hear from someone so full of smiles!

David great, I look forward to reading your contribution

Michele 03.08.09 at 7:21 pm

Well, thank you! How kind of you, Joanna.

:-)
Michele

Micheles last blog post..Confessions from an Amish Farm

Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome 03.09.09 at 7:38 am

I will definitely take part. I’ll make it one of my Friday posts – likely this week.

Alex Fayle | Someday Syndromes last blog post..Get rid of your somedays: personalized help now available

Joanna 03.09.09 at 8:24 am

Alex, great, I look forward to it.

Jasmin Tragas 03.10.09 at 4:47 am

me too me too!
3 ways blogging community influences my writing

Jasmin Tragass last blog post..Last Day for Photos

wilson 03.10.09 at 7:55 am

Oh, a new group writing project is going on… WoW, I must figure out something really meaningful, as I want to participate in this writing project as well, Joanna!

wilsons last blog post..My Nephew’s Tooth Pain Story!

Joanna 03.10.09 at 4:24 pm

Jasmin great, got it, thanks!

wilson you know I will now expect you to participate in all my group writing projects. You have set a precedent :-)

Jamie Grove - How Not To Write 03.11.09 at 12:28 am

Okie dokie. My post is up. Should be linked in the commentluv below. It’s called “A Writer is Never Complete” Thanks for such a great theme, Joanna! My blog has helped me in so many ways. I love all the folks who visit and take part in the conversation. :)

Jamie Grove – How Not To Writes last blog post..A Writer is Never Complete

wilson 03.11.09 at 5:34 pm

Joanna, I’ve written the blogpost for this month group writing project and you can have a peek by visiting the following link:

http://willyoumind.blogspot.com/2009/03/to-write-or-not-to-write.html

Hope you’ll love it! :)

wilsons last blog post..To Write or Not To Write?

Joanna 03.11.09 at 6:20 pm

Jamie your post is fantastic, and it just made my day that you wrote it as a contribution to this project. Thank you. It’s also been going down a storm on twitter – and yes, I think I’ve got you some new fans :-)

wilson I’m so glad you were able to take part. Thank you! And your 3 writing lessons are spot on. I look forward to sharing them with everyone when I do the write up.

sudharm baxi 03.12.09 at 11:52 am

Joanna,

Simply loved your site and soon going to write a post pertaining to this project. This is certainly a fantastic endeavour and i would surely be a regular follower/contributor of your site from now onwards.

sudharm baxis last blog post..My darling talk to me!!

Joanna 03.12.09 at 12:16 pm

Thanks for the feedback sudharm. Always good to meet new readers.

sudharm baxi 03.12.09 at 3:10 pm

Hi Joanna,

Here is my take on this project, give it a read at -

http://baxiwrites.blogspot.com/2009/03/writing-from-hot-pan-walk-to-cake-walk.html

Thanks again!!

sudharm baxis last blog post..Writing – From hot-pan walk to cake-walk

Joanna 03.12.09 at 4:25 pm

Sudharm, thanks for taking part in the project!

Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome 03.13.09 at 8:11 am

I went lightly off topic and offline with this one as it’s my offline community that’s been suffering…

http://somedaysyndrome.com/2009/03/balancing-out-your-communities/

Alex Fayle | Someday Syndromes last blog post..Balancing out your communities

Ulla Hennig 03.13.09 at 10:52 am

Joanna,
my post is up – thanks for organising this wonderful project!

Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Writing Lessons

Joanna 03.13.09 at 8:53 pm

Alex I loved it – thanks!

Ulla thanks so much for your wonderful post. I really enjoyed reading it, and recognised so many of the lessons you described.

Nithya 03.16.09 at 8:38 pm

Joanna, I enjoyed participating in Alina Popescu’s writing project last month and I’d love to participate in yours. There’s so much I’ve learned and I would love to share that.

Nithyas last blog post..The Monday Muse

Joanna 03.16.09 at 9:12 pm

Nithya, well, please consider yourself invited :-) There’s still plenty of time for you to contribute, and I look forward to reading your writing lessons.

paul merrill 03.19.09 at 2:08 pm

Hi Joanna!

Thanks for the challenge. Here’s my entry:
http://pmerrill.com/?p=306

paul merrills last blog post..What blogging taught me about writing

Joanna 03.19.09 at 10:48 pm

Paul, got it, thanks :-)

Janice Cartier 03.23.09 at 2:42 pm

A first group project for me. Just posted. ;-)

Janice Cartiers last blog post..The Story Artist

Joanna 03.24.09 at 3:04 pm

Janice, thanks so much for taking part. Your contribution is very special.

Paul 03.26.09 at 6:41 pm

Hi Joanna,

You set a really interesting question but I fear I have missed the boat to post something up on my blog this time around :(

My experience of blogging over the last year have seen lots of changes that I believe have been community led.

Readers and fellow bloggers have been the biggest influence on the change in my writing style in particular. A style that has evolved from its technical, report-writing roots to become more ’2-way’ conversational and engaging (a journey it is still on I would add!).

My intention is to be more organised for the next group writing project on your blog. Now that I am a subscriber I have no excuse for being late! :)

Best Regards,

Paul

Pauls last blog post..Why we search

David Bowman 03.26.09 at 10:01 pm

Joanna,

We’re throwing in our 2 cents (4 cents, actually). Our 4 lessons learned can be found on The Precise Edit Blog.

The post title is titled, not surprisingly, “4 Lessons Learned from Our Readers.”

Interesting topic. We had a good time writing to this topic. Thanks.

Joanna 03.26.09 at 10:27 pm

David, I’m glad you found it interesting, and thanks very much for taking part.

Joanna

Joanna 03.26.09 at 10:29 pm

Paul, no worries, I’ll make sure you have plenty of time for the next one so you’ve not get out of jail card ;-)

The change you describe is one that I think many of us have experienced as bloggers – your writing starts to soften, and become more conversational, partly because you’re not just acting as if you know your readers, you really do start to know them, and care about them, and want to find just the right words for them. It’s a wonderful journey to be on.

Andy Hayes 03.27.09 at 11:52 am

Just before deadline, I’m in! I was actually waiting to write up about an event I went to this week, so that’s the reason for the delay. But you can find my entry here:
http://andyhayes.com/my-travel-community-photos-davenburgh/

Note to fellow Confident Writing readers – go check out the post, you can win a prize if you comment! :)

Andy Hayess last blog post..My Travel Community and Photos from Davenburgh

Joanna 03.27.09 at 8:25 pm

Andy, thanks so much for taking part – I really enjoyed your post

Nithya 03.28.09 at 7:04 pm

Hi Joanna,
I know I’m late on this writing project due to extenuating circumstances. But I still wanted to go ahead and write, because as a new blogger, I’ve learned so much and wanted to put down my thoughts on it. Hopefully next time, I’ll be able to participate before the deadline.

Nithyas last blog post..Writing Lessons Learned from the Community

Joanna 03.29.09 at 1:32 pm

Nithya, thanks and no worries – I won’t be posting the round up for a few days so I’ll be sure to include yours. I’m glad you’re enjoying blogging so much and have learned such a lot from it. It’s a wonderful learning journey :-)

Leave a Comment

You can use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Comments, subject to my comment policy, are welcome and encouraged.

CommentLuv Enabled

By leaving a comment here you grant this site a perpetual license to reproduce your words, attributed to you (with your name and website).

Additional comments powered by BackType