Writes of Passage: The PNN Book Collaborative

*UPDATE* - THE QUESTIONS POSED IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED IN A SEPARATE POST. CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW THE UPDATE.

I'm going to be bold and make a conceptual decision with regards to this collaborative book compilation.  I think if we don't pick one vision that encompasses all the goals but ensures a clear barometer for content inclusion -- we're at risk of being stuck forever.

I've spent the last two weeks reflecting on a vision that speaks both to the diversity of experience and voice represented within PNN as well as within women globally.

What do you think of Writes Of Passage?

A Rite of Passage is a ritual one goes through to move on to the next stage of life.  It can also be a ritual or ceremony signifying an event in a person's life indicative of a transition from one stage to another, as from adolescence to adulthood, for instance.

I've spent the last three months reading many blog posts here in this community - and we all have a 'growth' or 'struggle' or 'transition' story of some kind to share. The wisdom, healing and pain represented here spans the mental, emotional, physical, financial, spiritual and environmental.

And a unifying blessing that is consistently recognized throughout this blogging community is the strength and hope that comes from the support we're receiving from each other - and the compassionate and often loving acceptance for our stories that leads us to an ultimate belief in ourselves.

Imagine if we could embody this spirit of 'you're not alone' and 'you're perfect exactly as you are', and 'you're worthy, lovable and enough' amongst all women, everywhere?

Imagine the universal shift that would take place with this collective connection that nothing about us is too shameful or worthless to see the light of day ~ and that we each hold within us the power to ignite the dying embers of another, fanning their flames, stoking their fires until we all blaze with life in a dazzling display of kaleidoscopic wonder that warms and invites others to dance with us in the glow?

So - what do you think? Shall we share Writes Of Passage with the world?

An in keeping with the generous women we all have proven ourselves to be ~ let's nominate existing blog posts that have moved us in some way - either through its pain, its truth, its confusion/struggle, its connection to others or its ability to help us see the more humourous side of life, and the value of having a sense of humour and a willingness to be vulnerable as a means of establishing intimacy and connection? In essence, showcasing each other as opposed to showcasing ourselves - for the good of the collective whole?

If this is agreeable to the majority - I propose the following next steps:

1. Find the blog post(s) that still haunts you, or changed the way you see or think about something, or moved you to tears, or startled you with its truth and honesty and pain, or had you laugh right out loud.

2. Ask the person who wrote the blog post if they'd allow this post to be potentially published in a PNN Member Collaborative Book and provide them with a link to this post so they can get a better idea of the details.

3. Once you have the writer's permission - submit the link to the blog post to our group page with a brief explanation as to why you've nominated it to appear in Writes Of Passage.

4. The Volunteer Team who have stated a desire to serve as Editors will determine how many posts we'll ultimately use, and the best way to establish flow throughout the book. They'll also determine whether or not the Comment Stream that follows the post should be published as well.  (If this decision is made, then everyone in the comment stream will need to be contacted for their permission to have their comment published.)

5. The Volunteer Proofreaders will then ensure that the posts selected are print-ready.

6. The Volunteer Photographers will then be invited to see if any of the selected blog posts can be beautifully enahanced by their photographs. (Credit will be given for each photograph used.)

7. Once a workable draft is compiled ~ we'll finalize the book's title, perhaps include a sub-title, select a cover image, and then pass it on to the Volunteers who know something about publishing and marketing and media to tell us what to do next.

My Grand Vision: I see everyone who makes a nomination of a blog post that is selected sharing a brief bio of themselves and their pnn site links within the book too.

Perhaps you can share why you love this site, how it has helped/inspired/enlightened you and the benefits you continue to receive for being here. And I'd also love to include the reason you selected the blog post you ultimately nominated - how it affected you and how you think it will help/affect others who will ultimately read Writes Of Passage when it is published.

And remember, if there's a blog post in this community that still resonates within you today - for whatever reason (and it can be poetry or prose) - chances are, it'll resonate within someone else too.

Perhaps two parts to the book then, the first profiling the nominators/community members - the second, featuring the posts that changed us somehow and the women who wrote them.

For now, please leave me your thoughts/feelings about this concept.  If you have questions - don't be afraid to ask, chances are, this is far more clear inside my head than I've been able to express it on this page.

And if the consensus is to move forward -- let's start finding and submitting our blog post nominations after you have the author's permission to do so. (Remember, submit them to this link here - The Write Stuff - and join this group while you're there so you can stay up-to-date on what's going on throughout the process!

Blessings!