Supporting Freewrite House and SBI - Giving away 75 SBI shares!
I doubt anyone has been paying attention, but I haven't been posting to Steem. But I have been paying some attention to a few Discord channels and have seen some crazy stuff happening.
There's a crusade against @steembasicincome by someone who doesn't agree with their existence. Granted this person has a right to think whatever they want and the system lets them downvote to express their opinion.
But the question this person should be asking themselves is "I can downvote, but should I?" Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. I've seen there have been attempts to reason with this person but instead he's taken to downvoting more, though he has changed his target to vote only people who give shares rather than everyone who gets an upvote from SBI (at least as of this writing).
I was troubled by the downvoting actions designed to take down SBI, a Steem project designed to provide to support to members of any size account. But then @freewritehouse became a target.
That was me when I found out. @freewritehouse, besides being a welcoming supporting community, has used Steem to help REAL people struggling with REAL LIFE issues. They've run campaigns to support those in Venezuela when their economy crashed. They've raised funds for individual members when they've needed the help. I can't remember specific examples but that's part of what this post and giveaway is about.
For many of us, the few cents or dollars we earn from posting to Steem is chump change. For others though it can make a huge difference in their life and @freewritehouse has been instrumental in coordinating and helping in any way they can. @mariannewest, founder of @freewritehouse, is one of the most kind and generous people I've met online and off.
Targeting such a person and community is just cruel.
Taking out your anger or spite on a community like this just to prove a point or pad your own pocket is disgraceful. I have to assume that the downvoter doesn't know what harm they are doing and that's what this post is about.
My experiences with @steembasicincome and @freewritehouse have been incredibly positive. No, more than that. Uplifting. Rewarding. Empowering. I'm not the only one I know.
Share your story
So what about that SBI I promised? Well, here's what you need to do to get some.
- Share a positive story of how @freewritehouse or @steembasicincome has impacted your real and/life or your Steem life in the comments.
I'm looking for genuine stories, ones that make it clear why the communities are positive forces here on Steem. I'm going to give at least 75 SBI units to those who respond and appear to be valid, authentic stories. How many each person gets depends on how many people respond.
The shares will be sent with @freewritehouse as the sponsor so that account can get all the benefit!
Please resteem so many people can have the opportunity to share their stories.
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Join the Freewrite fun today! Visit @Freewritehouse
Proud to be part of the
Please the Bananafish god by entering the Finish the Story Contest
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All images are mine or licensed from Adobe except where noted. Freewritehouse, and the Bananafish Tribe used with permission from their owners
Escribí hace muchos meses atrás un cuento sobre una hormiga, se trata de una serie en la que trabajo para niños. @mariannewest encontró uno de estos cuentos y quiso leerlo en su programa de radio, así que le dije que si.
Ese fué mi primer contacto con el grupo de escritores freewrite. Para entonces solo existía una versión en inglés y @mariannewest me invitó a escribir para el grupo y probar la publicación en español desde mi cuenta. Así inició el Spanish Freewrite.
Soy de esos usuarios que experimentan muchos problemas económicos por la situación en Venezuela. @freewritehouse y @mariannewest me tendieron una mano amiga para ayudarme a crecer en Steemit, recuerdo que participamos juntos en un programa para hacer llegar útiles escolares a niños necesitados de donde yo vivo y también puedo asegurar que, en su bondad, ha ayudado a personas con necesidades específicas.
Recuerdo con mucho cariño el cómo @freewritehouse y @mariannewest se avocaron junto a muchos escritores del proyecto a ayudar a una participante que se enfrentó a una cirugía bastante difícil. Se reunieron fondos para apoyarla y se logró hacer la cirugía y contribuir con parte del tratamiento.
Es toda una injusticia querer castigar a una comunidad que desde sus comienzos ha buscado el bienestar de sus integrantes. Yo mismo puedo decir que hoy puedo costear algunos de mis gastos con las recompensas y el trabajo duro y genuino que se realiza aquí. Además, se ha formado una grupo de personas geniales de habla hispana que aportan contenido de calidad y más importante aún, que aportan sentido de pertenencia a algo productivo.
Cuando la comunidad empezó a usar el programa SBI no entendía bien cómo funcionaba o cómo podía esto ayudar a los escritores. Hoy puedo ver como los que escribimos para el proyecto nos beneficiamos de esta entrada gracias al SBI.
@mariannewest no solo es una mujer muy bondadosa que usa su experiencia para ayudar sin interés comercial, también es una mujer muy valiente porque desde que comenzó a tener problemas con estos votos negativos NO dejó de utilizar el programa SBI para seguir ayudando a la comunidad de la Freewritehouse. Debemos ser valientes como ella y ayudar todo lo que podamos a nuestra valiosa comunidad de escritores. Gracias @ntowl por esta iniciativa.
Espero que muchos de los escritores españoles puedan sumarse y escriban su experiencia con el proyecto también; aquí mencionaré algunos:
@lisfabian @isgledysduarte @jakim7 @saulos @sacra97 @cefralelo @oneray @mllg y estoy seguro de que faltan más personas por mencionar...
Thank you @latino.romano for representing the Spanish freewrite community. I know you've been spearheading that branch for some time and it is a symbol of how inclusive and welcoming @freewritehouse and @mariannewest are.
I'm so glad you were able to share the personal story of how you've benefited you and your local community. This is exactly the type of information I was hoping people would share to prove that the communities don't deserve a blind downvote because those downvotes hurt people.
I hope others in the Spanish community respond to your call! Thank you again for sharing.
I know how hard you work to keep the Spanish community of @freewritehouse going, @latino.romano. We are so lucky to have you, and I am so excited to see what more comes.
!engage 50
@latino.romano you have received
50 ENGAGEfrom @fitinfun!View and trade the tokens on Steem Engine.
I thought you were finishing your book @ntowl 😁 and that's why I hadn't seen you. 🙏 Great contest and thank you for your @freewritehouse love, I'm sure you'll get plenty of entries. 🤞💕
!trdo
Posted using Partiko Android
Hey @wonderwop! Yes I'm finishing it up. My school workload was pretty tough last term too.
Do you have a story to share? You've been an active supporter as long as I can remember...
Hey @ntowl I agree completely, blindly targeting @freewritehouse just because we support @steembasicincome is just cruel!
Yea I say We!
I started into the @freewritehouse and learned of @steembasicincome at about the same time... it was a tough time for me dealing with health concerns, right @mariannewest? From embracing the daily freewrite and challenging myself as a distraction from my health concerns I discovered something within me I had not known. Creative writing from a realism stand point runs deep within my veins and I am able to work through the thoughts and feelings that make no sense till writing them.(maybe such as this comment)
This led me to embracing regular posting and I won @Partiko partnership with my writings. Was welcomed into the @steemitbloggers community for strength of my writings and consistency ultimately leading me to my most rewarding time on STEEM pushing me to create the best content I could!
Nothing lasts forever and I tired, @partiko has shut down its support for partners, I was booted from @steemitbloggers due to inactivity(strict rules and I totally understand), I even lost the majority of my support from larger whales due to(what I assume) the noticeable downtrend in my content. Yet there was a light simply because I knew some votes would not disappear!
Some may argue this is why @steembasicincome has to go but I say it’s the reason it has to stay! I have experienced the creator burnout and bounced back several times on my 2 year(as of tomorrow) journey on STEEM, which I remind you I discovered all I know about content creation that has become my therapeutic outlet enabling me to get out of depression for the first time in my life! I say SBI must stay because without a baseline to the value of my content based on my willingness to invest(that STEEM is locked up for life don’t forget) there is no visibility for me which gains the desired interaction/acknowledgment for what I am creating.
At the point of my burnout I had a pretty stable bottom support because I know how to make use of services available to me, I tested a few posts without and seeing pennies after becoming used to dollars was painful and semi insulting. I even questioned my entire journey on STEEM as if it was a facade, yet looking at what I have accomplished by being willing to pay forward the support I receive stops those thoughts cold. Support such as SBI or @OneLoveDTube the community I founded.
So what is my story of how @SBI and the @FreeWriteHouse has influenced me? Well take a look at my journey of self discovery, healing, and learning and you tell me that both of them didn’t play an influential role in my journey!
Plainly stated, I found myself! The self I hadn’t met yet! Man ohh man is he a cool dude 😎 such an amazing outlook on life ✌️
This reply - and yours, @wandrnrose7 - are worthy of being entire posts.
(Could be you did post but I don't check my newsfeed often enough.)
Go @d00k13! Dude!
We can unite - we've already done that! - and we can get the downvoter to move on. How much damage can one voter do? How much power does downvoting help him imagine he has? Maybe the guy needs a rescue dog to distract him from his negativity. (I'm afraid to post this, lest I'm throwing gas on the fire.)
As for me, I have found inspiration and camaraderie at #freewritehouse and friends I will treasure for life, whether or not we ever meet face to face. When I look back at the freewrites I've written since joining here, I'm amazed at the quantity and variety of stories that emerged from a simple prompt. Also, I love seeing how other writers respond to the prompt. No two are ever the same. Each is unique and so many of them have drawn out personal, heartfelt tales (and, in a related vein, the #31sentencecontest drew a story from @deirdyweirdy that is not to be missed!).
I can't say enough good things about this community, the supportive upvotes (even when we don't have two cents to offer), the contests, and, dare I say it, the SBI... not to mention the charitable causes.
There are others who malign freewriting but at least they're not downvoting - just failing to see how the freewrites help build stronger writers. The main complaint seems to be publishing freewrites in their raw, unedited form. So many of these have been polished and edited - and look where @kaelci is going with her Jenny and Joey series. It's fun. It's productive. We even have an anthology published (on amazon) with stories that began here as freewrites - @felt.buzz spearheaded that (correct me if I'm wrong I should never rely on my memory!).
Thank you @freewritehouse and #freewriters for being a great community!
Thank you @carolkean! You are an amazing encourager and your comments have often lifted my spirits! You have truly touched the heartbeat of the @Freewritehouse and our unique blessing of daily prompt delivery by the amazing volunteers. That idea of @mariannewest goes far in encouraging emerging writers!
Awww thank *you - you're definitely beyond the "emerging" stage as a writer. Your prose style and your heartfelt stories are a testament to the talent at freewritehouse. You're also one with personal stories that are heartwrenching. I appreciate the courage of people who've survived child abuse or a manipulative, controlling spouse (@mariannewest, @wakeupkitty, @deirdyweiry to name just a few). It does my heart good to come across the occasional happy childhood like @wonderwop's - the sadness there is losing a wonderful parent to old age. And yes, the prompt delivery team is an amazing group of volunteers. I know how time consuming that once-a-week job can be!
Big hugs 🤗. You did it again. I sit here suffering the first day of this awful flu and you affirm my writing like a pill of sunshine, sister.
Ohhh not the flu!! May you be better soon! And writing/reading. Alas, when bedridden with the flu, even reading is a challenge. Much less writing.
I wonder if you got the flu shot - I've done so every year since 1988, and only once, last March, did I get the flu. Last week I got the new shingles vaccination. I am aware of the controversies, but I continue to get needled, figuring it's better than getting the thing itself, whatever that may be. Be well! Sending you sunbeams :)🤗
This is by far one of my favourite parts of the community... arguments of positivity and well being 🤣🤣🤣
😘 when I’m feeling low I so get a kick outa reading you two’s comments 😅 though in those moments I often don’t respond
You had ample cause, recently, getting rehomed, and all, for feeling low - but I hope all is well now.
Who has time to respond to everything, especially when we might be wasting dust votes of cluttering the blockchain with emojis? You have a life! Thanks for stopping by with a comment this time. Not expected, just fyi! No guilt!!
I keep trying to respond as myself (marianne) but I guess I am failing on that one. So, yes, I do remember well when you were having health problems. So glad that you are still here and more so, that you are doing better!
Big hug!
The trick I use is separate browsers, chrome and brave have the same extensions and work the same Firefox for any extras 😉 still gets confused some times 😅 I can remember a dookie post on onelove and a onelove post on dookie 🤦♂️
Thanks for all the support my dear... what did I say once... freewrite mother, was it? ❤️
I am the writer I am today because stumbled on @mariannewest account and learned the simple art of freewriting.
I wrote 99% poetry but longed to develop my writing and become more confident. At first I was having a problem letting my mind go and just write what came from my creative well. The acceptance I found with @mariannewest and the @Freewritehouse allowed me to share things I wouldn't have shared before; raw, honest feelings and fiction.
When SBI came into the picture I started getting a bit of the steem rewards and confidence grew. I didn't join for the money and never cashed out when the bull market exploded like many, nor did I leave when steem took a dive. I do enjoy helping others and gifting upvotes and steem at times when fellow bloggers hit low spots.
I learn from my freewrite friends and applaud the successes of so many whose writing has brought them to bigger things here and, like you, publication. How wonderful we can encourage each other and help.
I've been a member of steem since June 2019 and have no plans of leaving. Best wishes to each and all who write and read. My gratitude to all who have spent time liking and sharing my creations. Let's keep up this great community!
Thanks @wandrnrose! Opening up and sharing your work I think is incredibly difficult for writers in general, especially those that are writing for themselves more than anything. I know it is for me. But this community is so supportive of everyone, where they are and where they want to go. It's a real treasure, not one found easily anywhere but especially online where people tend to give into their worst behaviors thanks to the anonymity.
@freewritehouse is truly special and I hope others are able to see that after reading these responses!
Well, dang, I want to #ditto EVERY comment I see here today.
Thank you for this post @ntowl and for all your support!
Let the positivity flow!
It is truly a pleasure to speak up on this wonderful community and you for your generous support. For all the naysayers out there, you have no idea what you're missing.
Exactly the acceptance to share what ever it is you want to share makes all the difference for me as well 👌
It's been a joy bumping into you 😘
I am happy we did @d00k13!
@mariannewest is a big reason why I continue on Steem
There are some key people on the blockchain and as long as they are here, I will be here
Marianne is the first to make this list haha
And I am truly hoping to meet her one day .... soon
That's how I feel too @kaerpediem. Do you have any specific reasons you can share?
I can't remember the Venezuelan's username but she needed to get a surgery done
And her insurance backed out at the last minute
So Marianne, decided to give all the Steem she was earning from her posts from there on til enough to help out
She also called out to the Free Writers if they so wanted to help out
The surgery was a success, and they were so grateful
Marianne did not know this person and did it in good faith
I did know Marianne and did it in good faith though I did not contribute anywhere close to what Marianne did
This will always be my first reason to stay with Steem - @mariannewest and her band of merry FreeWriters...
@cefralelo es la usuaria venezolana que recibió la ayuda... @kaerpediem
Ditto that! And what ntowl said: @freewritehouse, besides being a welcoming supporting community, has used Steem "to help REAL people struggling with REAL LIFE issues." They've run campaigns to support those in Venezuela when their economy crashed. They've raised funds for individual members when they've needed the help.
Who'd punish a community for that??
Right?! That's why I think it must be ignorance of the good they do. Thank you for piping in!
I can only be grateful that I have been here since June 2019, to be more exact with the 5 minutes of my friend @latino.romano. Those phrases that make our imagination fly and we can recreate ourselves in a healthy way. Continuing on this platform is a great help as I read for many sure is nothing but for another so much is everything. A hug and to understand that we can all be in these spaces. I give resteem to the publication.
I think we could all use more hugs and understanding! Glad to have you here @lisfabian!
I have enjoyed writing since I was ten or twelve years old. I sometimes thought I might write a book some day, but mostly it's just fun to sit and scribble. (Hence my Steem name.) @freewritehouse has provided me with many options to indulge in my scribbling, from freewrites to we-writes. Other writers have been very encouraging to me in their comments, and I try to pass that on to others. In fact, there are days when I think I am a better comment-writer than story-teller. Sometimes several days will go by without me posting on Steemit, but I can always count on @mariannewest's freewrite prompts to get me back in gear. In fact, that's what I am going to do next!
there are days when I think I am a better comment-writer than story-teller.
I have no doubt about your comments, but please know your storytelling skills are still TOPS!
Sometimes several days will go by without me posting on Steemit, but I can always count on @mariannewest's freewrite prompts to get me back in gear. Same here! I had stopped writing fiction for weeks, or months, not just days at a time, but Freewritehouse woke up the muse!
Thank you @scribblingramma! I'm sure writing good comments helps your storytelling ability too. And from what I've read your story-telling is already pretty strong! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on @freewritehouse. Fingers crossed people "in power" can see why it doesn't deserve an automatic downvote.
Hi there,
I don't want to pretend that I am with @freewritehouse because I wanted to help people from Guatemala, Congo or Indonesia. I don't mind if it would come to it, for, like any other sane person, I'd like more even distribution of production and consumption around the World and thus wishing for financial wealth spreading more evenly among poor and suffering people. Yet my incentive reason for joining the club was different.
By trade, I am a programmer and in lieu of this occupation, I am pretty much left to my own devices all-day studying guidelines, defining the business models and writing code. Then you come home, meet your family, and once in a blue moon meet other people at a party. Not much interpersonal communication, not much opportunity to find out what other people, who live next to me think, feel and what is their spiritual essence.
Therefore in writing, you are secluded and trapped by your experience (mine is very specific as I am an immigrant) and have no idea what goes through the minds of your fellow countryman or for that matter other people in the World.
Thus, "finish the story" exercise offers you a benevolent opportunity to expand your circle of topics, find out what other people think and how they go about fitting in the offered situation framework. The prompt sort of throws you in the river and you either have to swim and sink.
Another advantage of the "finish the story" is that you are given the backbone of a character. Unlike the situation when you have to come up with your own characters, you don't have to spill all your guts on the "paper" so everyone can see and secretly laugh at you. ))) You as if are jumping on already moving bandwagon. All you have to do is replace the coachman and know how to drive horses.
We all come to Steem and the communities for our own reasons. I didn't start out at the freewritehouse because of the charity either but my own selfish need to work on my writing. But I knew I found a good home when I saw all the good they do and @mariannewest's kind and welcoming heart. I'm glad it is helping you meet your need for socializing and understanding more about how people thing (I think we all need help with this!)
Participating in @freewritehouse writing exercises has greatly helped me grow on Steem. When I started out five months ago, I had difficulty earning even a few Steem. Mostly, my posts went to dust. Then, I explored around and discovered the @freewritehouse community. I started participating and most especially liked the weekend freewrites. My growth was fast-tracked, thanks to these weekend freewrites.
PS. I miss the #we-write exercises.
They helped me grow too, though I've been far from consistent in my posting. So many ideas and so many opportunities come from the freewrites. Don't quote me on it but I think there may be more we-writes sooner than later!
Yipee! That's very good news indeed ^_^ I look forward to the comeback :) happy weekend!