If you don't submit, you'll never get published. You'll never get your voice heard. You'll never be able to share your gifts.
Yeah, I said it: gifts. Each one of us has worthwhile things to share with others, and when we share, we connect with our readers. We might make our audience laugh, or nod their heads in knowing agreement. We might even help someone heal through our words.
I just got the news that two of my writing-teaching friends--Stephanie Gavin and Wyntra Storms--are part of the St. Louis Listen to Your Mother 2016 show. This gives me two more reasons to buy a ticket to the show in May.
(Wyntra Storms-- I know. Isn't that the coolest name? The kind of name that means that person is destined to become a famous writer.)
Think about submitting something this month. And don't forget to come back tomorrow for Back-of-the-Book Blurb Friday. It's a doozy of a photo...
I don't know about WORTHWHILE...but I love to share TOO MUCH. I do plan on submitting something this month. A couple of somethings, in fact.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to your writing-teaching friends! I have something to submit this month. Just need to polish it.
ReplyDeleteI submitted one essay so far this month, a reworked Erma Bombeck contest reject. :-(
ReplyDeleteThat will be the only one I send in March because I've decided this month will be devoted to working my historical novel! We shall see how far that takes me.
Pat
Critter Alley
You're right! The amazing thing is that we write for ourselves, itching for publication, not often giving thought to the people whose lives may be touched by our words (our gifts). My cousin in Nevada told me her friend has read my first novel three times. That's mind blowing to me. But clearly there is something there that speaks to her friend, and from my standpoint as a writer, this is humbling in the extreme.
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago, before we were fortunate enough to find a publisher, my critique partner changed my focus, which had been, quite simply, "get published." She said we had to stop writing for publication and start writing for the readers we didn't have yet. Her statement made sense to me. I may never have readers that number in the thousands, but my work will resonate with some. I believe my books will find their way into those hands, no matter how few they might be. It's enough. It is one of the things that keeps me writing.