Series on Words

Words - Part Three

Welcome to part three of our series on words. So far we’ve looked at words and original. This week, our word is ripples.

Words
Original
Ripples
D
S

What is a Ripple
Most of us have made ripples by throwing pebbles into a pond or lake. It works best when the water is calm and you can see the circles spreading out, further and further. We can create the same effect by putting our writing out into the world. If just one person reads it and acts on it, we have created a ripple.

How can I start a Ripple
There are many ways. First of all, write something that you feel strongly about and then find a home for it. If you’re just starting out, offer it to your church for their weekly bulletin or send it to a local newspaper in the form of a letter. Blogging is another outlet as are websites that invite you to submit content. Even a simple card to a friend can set off a ripple. Make a choice to be proactive and send out positive ripples as often as you can.

How far can a Ripple Reach
The bigger the pebble, the greater the distance the ripple will travel. Realistically, don’t expect to throw boulders when starting out. Just be faithful with what you can do, and in due time, the increase will come. Although you’re bound to get some feedback along the way, don’t forget the world is a big place and you’ll probably never know how far your words reach.

Ripples set off Ripples
This is an example from my own life. In August 2007, I read a post I on the Faithwriter’s message boards, written by Lynda Schab. She invited people to pop over to Pixnpens to enter a writing competition. Through Lynda posting a simple two line message, she set off a ripple in my life that ultimately led to me writing this column. (Thanks Lynda!) Not only that, I entered several competitions on Pixnpens and won a variety of books. One of those books inspired me to write an article entitled Physical Changes before Death. I submitted it to Suite101 in June 2008 and it is still averaging 600 reads per week. You’re welcome to have a look at it and read the comments about how it has touched people’s lives. The ripples keep going ...

Creating ripples is basically writing with a purpose in mind. How can I bless people with my words? How can I bring about change and improvement? How can I stand up for what is right and good? Answer these questions through your writing and ripples will flow from your pen and keyboard to untold numbers of people.

Have fun creating ripples and come back next Wednesday and find out what the D stands for.

Debbie Roome works as a freelance writer from her home in New Zealand. Read some of her work at Suite 101 , Take Root and Write and Faithwriters.