Jewel Verses 03 / 2022 - September 2022

Hello and welcome to Jewel Verses - my way of putting updates of the month on writing fiction you can both read and investigate (the curiouser, the better!). If you’re new to my newsletter, Welcome! If you’re here from my previous journey as the newsletter ‘The Storygaming Plans’, thank you for your support and welcome back again.

Thinking About This…

My hunger for success and ambition has been questioned multiple times. In the same line, I have also been said to be ‘harsh’ to fellow creators because I ask questions with the intent of clarity and self-awareness. In response to this, I usually have one main question, both of which I have been thinking about lately:

What is “hungry”? And does it matter how others / external parties see you when you need yourself now?

So as I processed the above questions, I ruminated over three statements that could help -

Your Value is not purely based on your productivity

This is often super difficult to combat despite a good amount of us, deeply knowing this. “Productivity” changes definition with every generation, but value is more than just what you produce.

When babies are born, do you expect them to come out of the womb all ready with goals, strategies, and tactics on how to achieve them? Do you expect them to be hard on themselves, grinding things out so that they can run as fast as possible, and work as much as possible?

If we do, then why do we continue caring for and encouraging our babies?

If we don’t, then why do we treat ourselves that way, when progressing in life is about just taking the next step?

Who we are as people and individuals have value.

And that value, as “decided” by society lately, has been pegged onto our productivity and ‘net worth’ because, well, it’s easy and has a number pegged onto it. Therefore, comparison is easier, ranking is easier. Making sense of the world becomes easier.

But is easier better?

Does this mean that people who contribute, but contribute in a way that only yields outcomes that come in decades (where you don’t see the benefit of the contribution immediately or short-term), are of no value?

Does this mean that people who don’t “work” but dedicate their lives to looking after others who cannot look after themselves, are of no value?

What about people who “cannot contribute” in the way society deems to be contribution?

How ableist we must be to think and believe strongly like that.

So yes, take away your job, your accomplishments, your money, your works, and what is left behind?

Not knowing or acknowledging was what drove me to mindset work.

And knowing that there’s this gap helped me realise this - your true value is not just about contribution, productivity, money, or whatever metric the world decides.

However, the reality is that we live in a society that expects us to be a certain way!

Personally, my answer to that will come in three main statements, each of them being anchor statements for exploration for the next quarter worth of statements:

1. Listen to yourself, your body, and accept that you have your own levels of pacing and energy that you need to work with first.

2. Get to know yourself - do you love yourself? Do you want to continue being yourself if you don’t?

3. If you cannot control your circumstances, then what’s the point of doing anything? Does hunger mean you have to prove yourself to others all the time, whether or not it aligns with what you want? Are your goals a report card for yourself or for others?

Progress

Agent Topaz: Putting Unstable Directions 3 on hold for a bit - I just got an idea for a quicker story. (And other things for curious readers!)

Agent Opal: I’m letting the manuscript rest for a bit, while diving into something more bite-sized coming at the end of the year!

Agent Citrine: Nanowrimo is in less than a couple of months, so her story is peeking out. Time to plan a few things, then!

Check Them Out!

While we’re almost at the end of this month, there still are a few more days to go. So if you’re a fan of quick puzzles and fun brainteasers, do check out Curious Correspondence Club and their annual #Puzzletember - one puzzle for each day of September. While prizes can only be drawn on each puzzle’s day, the rest of them (from 1st Sept onwards) are still on the Instagram account.

Have a go at it!

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If you would like more updates from the Library of Exchanges, writer life, or even if you’re here just to look for the puzzles (if you can find them), drop a comment or share this with someone you think would like it as well. That’s it from me this month - take care and see you next month!

P/S: Wonder what the pigs in the pen wanted to tell us.

Note: Keep the answer to this puzzle in mind for later, it might come in handy!