Open for registration｜Mate City free writing "Seven Days Book": Accompanying you to complete your life diary

Do you have an inner story you want to express?
But how long have you been unable to continue writing?
How long have you been unable to believe in your ability to write down whatever comes to your mind?
After working in the camp every day, when I get home, I can finally turn on my computer and write down something for myself, but I can’t start typing on the keyboard?
If you have a mindset and believe that writing down whatever comes to your mind is precious; if there is a supportive community that continues to write, would it be better?

Matters has launched the "Free Writing" project and is recruiting the "Seven-Day Book" writing group for the first time. We hope to practice with you every day and accompany you to complete your life diary. At the same time, you can exchange diaries with the authors of the group and read with each other.

In this seven-day plan, a group of companions will work with you to complete a seven-day diary in a free-writing style with one topic every day. It is an exercise that allows you to accumulate the story of your life while also having the courage to believe in your own writing; it is a companionship, knowing that there are people reading on the way of writing. It is a journey of your own and a companion.

Free writing is a specialized writing technique that means people write within a limited period of time, sometimes based on a designated topic. They do not pay much attention to rhetoric, conventions, and structure when writing, allowing their thoughts to flow naturally. The work does not have to be perfect or rigorous, but it can help the author overcome the obstacles of self-criticism. Author Peter Elbow is committed to promoting freewriting, which he believes is liberating and allows authors to generate ideas faster.

“The upshot of writing is that you have to start with the wrong words for the wrong meaning; but keep writing until you use the right words for the right meaning. Only in the end will you know what you are talking about.” — Peter · Peter Elbow’s quote emphasizes the importance of the writing process. Sometimes, we may not find exactly the right words to express what we want to convey. However, Peter Elbow suggests that it is only through the process of writing that we finally understand what we are talking about.

"Free writing" is also about returning to the place in your heart. Corresponding to a topic, you only write for twenty minutes or half an hour. When writing, you must protect this time, block out distractions, have a dialogue with your thoughts, and finally see what you wrote. , and try not to judge it. Because you have to believe that you have written down the most important content.

 「自由寫」心法提示： （一）動筆之前，先預定好一段專心書寫的時間（建議20 到30 分鐘） （二）不需嚴謹處理文法、修辭，也不作修改，只需要在指定的時間內寫作（三）相信過程、相信自己的思緒，直接紀錄，不要批判你的內容（四）不要介意作品是否有完整結構，看到題目之後，讓思緒帶著你，相信當下的感覺是重要的，並且寫下來

Matt City freely writes the "Seven Days Book" topic:

On the first day, write about a place that has always existed in your heart. It can be a city, hometown, a different place, a place discovered while traveling, or as small as a street. (You can use code names to write, for example, A city, B country, C street), the station that rotates, the park where you think about life, the path back, the people on the ground, the place that makes you have a sense of existence, what makes you Have you always held this place close to your heart?

The next day, write about a space that you thought was magical, full of fantasy, and full of possibilities when you were a child. What kind of magic does it have? It could be a place of childhood fantasy, or your own little secret base. I hope that the place you share is a magical and unique place for you.

On day three, write down the language you used growing up. For example, did your family speak other languages? How many dialects and languages ​​do you speak? Did you learn a new language when you went somewhere else? Has language created any identity or estrangement for you? Or share the slang you use at home, school, and among your friends. Which language do you think you are most confident in speaking and writing in?

On the fourth day, write about a place you dare not go to again. It may be because something particularly scary has happened to you, or it may be emotionally unbearable for you, or there may be huge memories in your life there. What are the people and things that you dare not touch again (once)? Do you choose to coexist with these people and things or forget them?

Write about your home on the fifth day! The "home" that immediately comes to your mind at this moment is the home you most want to write about. It can be your childhood room, the workplace you moved out of when you grew up, a home in a foreign country away from your place of origin, or the first home in your life that gave you a sense of belonging. What is the scenery like its corridors, dining tables, and windows? What special feeling does this home bring you? Does it or does it not make you feel like home?

Day 6 Write about a place in school or work where you can escape reality for a while. You were confined to the school system during your youth, or you worked all your shit jobs when you grew up. Which place can bring you great comfort and allow you to temporarily escape from the current predicament? I hope that the place you share is a place where you can take a breather and take us together to escape reality.

On the seventh day, don’t think about it. Write down a place where you most want to live, travel long-term, nomadic, or travel now or in the future. And describe that place for us.

The Seven-Day Book is based on seven days, with a diary entry written every day. Participants complete the writing according to the timeline and publish it on the Matters website:

timeline:
Registration date: April 1 (Monday) to April 7 (Sunday) at 23:59 pm (East Eighth District). Deadline for seven days. Official start of application: April 8 (Monday) to April 14 (Sunday)

During the period from April 8 (Monday) to April 14 (Sunday), you need to:

• Post a diary for seven consecutive days in your Matters account. The title is up to you. Please add the hashtag #七日书when posting.

• We recommend that you create an anthology of seven-day books (guide here) to fully present your writing

• Matters users are located all over the world. In order to take care of friends with different time differences and writing habits, the deadline for posting every day is 10 a.m. in East 8th District the next day. (For example: If you are used to writing quickly late at night, you can send out the first diary entry on April 8 before 10:00 am on April 9, and the second diary entry on April 9 before 10:00 am on April 10. diary, and so on.)

How to participate in "Seven Days of Free Writing"?
You must register to participate, and the registration process will not be completed until you receive confirmation.

Registration Process:

• If you want to register, please leave a message in the comment area of ​​this article. The content needs to include (1) the name of the account you use to participate in this project, (2) the author's introduction (100-200 words recommended), (3) a brief sharing of why you want to participate Seven Days Book. After receiving a confirmation reply, it means your registration is successful!

• This event does not accept mid-way registration. Please register before 23:59 pm on April 7 (Sunday) in Dongba District. It doesn’t matter if you missed this issue, you will have another chance next time!

"Seven-day Book" process:

• According to the title, the author will issue a diary every day for seven days.

• You can find your companion's diary through the article tag "Seven Days Book", read, leave messages, interact, and encourage each other

• We will record the author's writing progress. Those who complete each day's progress will receive a "Daily Stamp", and those who fail to complete will receive a "Reader's Card" so that we can understand each other's writing progress.

• If you forget to write in your diary one day, it doesn't matter. We will give you a "Reader Card". You can use it to leave comments and interact with two companions' articles, which can be used to redeem the writing quota for that day.

• "Seven-day book exchange diary" series: In order to better display and organize the seven-day book, we will issue a "seven-day book exchange diary" every day for seven days starting from April 9, which will list the diaries and authors of the authors. Introduction, selection link, and selected messages from readers are compiled into a seven-day series of free writing results. Through daily compilation, you can remember everyone’s daily book, the interaction of someone who has read your story, and the comments left by readers. of encouragement.

If you complete seven days of writing:

• Authors who register and complete the seven days of writing can participate in the "Matt City Free Writing" voice activity (tentatively scheduled for 8:00 pm on April 17, East 8th District). After seven days of free writing, what feelings do you want to share with everyone? Having written this, would you like to share more connections between writers? Did you overcome any writer's block during the process? Which topics have inspired you the most, made you feel the most, or helped you understand yourself better? In this voice activity, we want to get to know each other, and we encourage you to read your own comments on other people's articles, choose and read aloud your favorite diary excerpts, or share any feelings you have. Let us accompany writing and reading.

• If you happen to be in Chiang Mai, Thailand, welcome to attend the "Chiang Mai Seven-Day Book·Physical Party" on April 16th! See instructions below for details

• The author who completes the seven days of writing and gets the most responses will receive a selected writing course e-book

＼＼＼Same scene: Chiang Mai Seven Days Book·Physical Party ////

Use seven days of practice to get to know yourself, use seven days of words to get to know each other, and get together in person in Chiang Mai!

Chiang Mai has been a popular place for living and immigrating in recent years. Many people meet, get to know each other, and reunite here. Friends who have participated in the "Seven Days Book", if you happen to be in Chiang Mai, welcome to attend the physical gathering, and let us start online Move to the scene, communicate face to face, and feel the warmth of words.

Activity content: Get to know, communicate, and share your seven-day writing experience (you are also welcome to come with your life story)

Date: April 16, 2024 (Tuesday) 20:00 Chiang Mai time
Location: Enclave Chiang Mai (10/5 Huay Kaew Rd, Chang Phueak, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300)
Contact person: Ying Xin (telegram: @yingshinlee)
Registration method: Please leave a message in this announcement "Sign up for the Chiang Mai Seven-Day Book" or directly contact Yingxin's partner: Chiang Mai 706