Howdy y’all, and welcome to the event everyone has been talking about: the September ’08 edition of our What I Learned From… groupwrite project! Um… you have been talking about it, haven’t you? (Don’t answer that!)

As announced last week, the topic this month is one that should be near and dear to everyone’s hearts: What I Learned From My Friends.

Take a few moments and ponder a few of the things you’ve learned from your friends. Maybe they build you up. Maybe they encourage you. Maybe they challenge you in ways you’d never have challenged yourself. Maybe, just maybe, they’re even a good enough friend to tell you the truth, whatever that truth is (sound of terrified scream).

What to Do

Don’t worry; participating in our projects is easy as pie! (Although I’ve always wondered – just how easy is pie, anyway? I mean, it’s easy to make, dead easy to eat – but why would pie itself be, you know, easy? But I digress. And now I’m hungry.)

Anyhoo -

You’re free to write anything you like, as long as it relates to the topic. Be specific. Be non-specific. And, since I never impose a restriction on length, be as eloquent – or as brief – as you like. But most of all be yourself!

Not only that, but if you’re feeling particularly inspired, write more than one! (I’ve written as many as three for one project and many folks have written two.)

And let’s not forget the details: We’ll be open for contributions for one week, from now thru midnight, Sunday night, September 14.

(Remember, should you or any of your team be caught or killed, or, you know, break a fingernail or something during the execution of this project, the Secretary will disavow all knowledge of your existence. Not to mention being put to bed early without their supper.)

To participate, here’s all you have to do:

1. Write one or more new post(s) on your blog. As I said, feel free to be as eloquent (or concise) as you like. C’mon; show off for us, why don’cha?
2. Include a link to THIS POST (uh, the one you’re reading now).
3. Send me an email (rhruzek@sbcglobal.net) containing your name, the title of your post, and the permalink of the post. (To make sure I don’t miss it.)

That’s all there is to it! On Monday, September 15, I will post the entire list of entries right here at the Middle Zone, so be sure and drop by to check ‘em all out. (By the way, that list will also have a permanent spot in the WILF archive page.)

As always, groupwrite projects are open to anyone (you don’t even have to have a blog to enter – just send it to me and I’ll post it as a guest post). Remember, we only have two simple rules around here:

• For the sake of the general blogging audience, please keep it G-Rated. (Also please note: this is a request, not a demand, since after all it’s your blog and you can do what you want. Fair warning, though: I reserve the right to link to you or not.)
• Be nice.

All right, ladies and gentlemen; you know what to do! Grab the writing instrument of your choice and go for it!

[Further note from the Proprietor - I realize it takes time to write your entries (hence the one-week prior topic announcements), but would you mind too terribly not waiting until midnight on Sunday night to notify me? When everyone waits to the last minute (you know who you are!) it sometimes gets a little difficult to get them all compiled by Monday's 6 am post time. I surely thank you, and as a token of my appreciation - have yourself a cookie!]