[Stylist] [stylist] Reviving the List

Sat Jan 13 16:47:35 UTC 2018

hi, my name is Becky, though my email address says Rebecca. I joined this list a few months ago, and would also like to see it be livelier. I belong to two other writing groups, one a guy dogs writing group, and one a couple of friends and I who like to write will have a teleconference each week, so I don't know how much I'll get written that I can attribute to the word or line or phrase or whatever. However, I think this would be a lot more interesting if there were more posts and more writing. The idea of having devoting a discussion to publication or in the publishing or finding an agent those topics would all be really interesting to. So that's my one and a half cents worth. Looking forward to hearing how this evolves. please pardon would seem like errors in this message. I'm using my iPhone, as you will note by the signature line, and I don't really want to go back and correct all of this. However, I do edit my own writing. Here we go I'm sending it now.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 12, 2018, at 3:10 PM, Miss Thea via Stylist <stylist at nfbnet.org> wrote:

  Hi, Vejas.
I love words, and could help with the word of the week.
Not the word of the day, but the word of the week, perhaps.
www.dictionary.com has a word of the day. Only I wasn't going there.
Also, maybe some months, we could feature a person writing about something they hate, that actually makes them a better, or more unique, writer.
You know, the blessing in disguise, the one that feels like a curse, that you most bitch and whine about, that is actually your best friend when it comes to writing.

Like, for instance, I have some mental illnesses that I'm always praying God to remove.
Yet, these interesting brain configurations that some would call crazy actually have a God-given purpose.
My anxiety disorder allows me to write some of the bone-chilling scenes you've probably read in the Lucy story, or elsewhere in my writing. I've experienced euphoria that is responsible for the loveliest of scenes.

Maybe we could have people write in and tell us what harshly-wrapped gift they use most in their writing.
My mental illness also lets me feel some sublime euphoria. My synesthesia allows me to touch words, so when Lucy is filling herself with an Andorphian drink I created in this draft of the story, she suddenly begins to feel the sounds of fuzzy words.
There's a non-sexual sensuality about the whole thing that I could not pull off, if it weren't for these mental illness things.
I can get away with all sorts of shit like that, thanks to the weird way my brain is wired. Hahahahaha.

Or we can have one month where we talk about publishing, our experiences with publishers, what they offer, why we wouldn't trade this publisher for all the tea in China, or work with that one again, even if it were the last publisher on Earth!

What do you think?
Thea
-----Original Message----- From: Vejas Vasiliauskas via stylist
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2017 10:57 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Cc: Vejas Vasiliauskas
Subject: [stylist] Reviving the List

Hi Everyone.
I know, in one of my last emails, that I described how our
Division still needs a lot of work.  I completely understand
everyone's frustration.  But I think that, as a community, we can
at least try to make this list grow again.
I joined Stylist in November 2011.  I had just turned 15, and am
now 20.  When I joined, this list was extremely active.  I took a
quick look at the archives today (apparently back then I had more
time to post!) Topics of discussion included:
- Word of the Day (originally started by Brad Duns�)
- Having a new prompt each month
- Short stories
- Different types of poems
- Excerpts from novels
- Discussing books we're reading
- Giving more book recommendations
- Some computer topics
Before I go on, I want to take the time to thank these,
especially Chris and Bridgit, who read my writing in the "olden
days." My writing used to be lacking in the form of structure to
it but, as time went on, my writing became much more readable
and, seemingly to many, enjoyable.
I think it is possible that we can start reviving the list with
some of these topics.  I completely understand that most of us,
including myself, are busier, but maybe if we all work together
we can make something happen.
- Words of the Day.  I found these interesting, and I know when I
took it over for awhile people found it interesting too.  I'd
like to do it with someone...  maybe alternate weeks, if anyone
is up for that? I know that times as a college student would
become very busy for me and I will not always have the time some
weeks.
- A prompt each month.  This was always enjoyable.  Maybe we
could all take turns giving out prompts...  that way everyone has
an equal say.  In order to do these prompts again, though, we all
need to make the effort to both participate in the prompt and try
to have a majority of people to critique the prompt.  More people
(myself included) can work with experimenting with writing and
reading different styles of writing.  I have a few ideas.
- Books: When I first joined the list, I would sometimes start
threads about great books I was reading, which often spurred
discussion.  There were also threads on "What are you reading
right now?" Maybe, we could do this every once in a while.  It is
just something that spurs good discussion and which I know many
people will enjoy.
Finally, I think that we should try to make it a goal to maintain
this list and not have the writers' division items be transferred
over completely to the Facebook page.  I understand that many
people enjoy social media.  (I personally don't-to me it gets too
much scrolling through and people update so often that it's easy
to miss a lot).  More to the point, though, I think that parents
in general would be happier with younger students being on a
protected Listserv than on social media.  I know that for me, as
someone who just turned 15 when I joined, my parents were much
more comfortable with me joining this monitored list, as opposed
to a Facebook group that may not be as heavily checked.  Plus,
being part of this list I would say I've gotten to "know" many of
you through your frequent posts.
I really think we can make this work and hope you do too.  As I
said earlier, I understand the frustration and the issues that we
have, and everyone's feelings are valid (I feel the exact same),
but I don't think that dwelling on them too much is really going
to do us much good.
Have a great evening,
Vejas

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