Day two of my journaling through Chelene Knight’s Safekeeping: A Writer’s Guided Journal for Launching a Book With Love. Yes, there were many other insightful questions and activities to do since my first post, and I will definitely be exploring those avenues, maybe even here at a later time, but this one spoke to me, especially after a hard day yesterday.
Along with rejections and no’s that threaten to knock us down, we should use that as fuel to stand taller and be prouder of the tries we took. Too often the feeling of imposter syndrome does take over and, while the heart is still showing up, the brain, at least my brain, starts to shut down. Starts to question if any of this is worth it. Especially these days with people boycotting big companies like Amazon, it shifts perspectives as buyers sometimes forget that in doing so they are taking away from those selling through Amazon, too. Not all profits from sales goes to one head honcho, authors are looking to earn a buck, too and their resellers are helping them do that. The economy is not Uncle Scrooge standing in his piles of riches, it’s the little guy doing maintenance on the building he’s standing it.
That said, it’s important to celebrate the moments that you align with and solidify you’re on the right track. For me, a recent mind-blowing and life altering moment was when a highly acclaimed and totally humble and kind author showed interest in my work and highlighted my efforts. It’s no secret I am part of a wonderful team that organizes Read by the Sea, a local Nova Scotia literary festival celebrating it’s 25th year this year. With that said, I am thrilled to be meeting and connecting with many award-winning Canadian authors to learn, befriend and be motivated. Lorri Neilsen Glenn was one such author who, within her praises for my organizing her visit, asked about my short story collection.
Admittedly, I try to separate my writing life from my festival life as much as I can, feeling the spotlight should be on the visiting author, so when she asked about my short story collection (Brain Tales) I froze. I then spit out something about it not being good, being a bit ashamed at the job I did in 2008. I grew since then, learning and reading and practicing my craft. It was a reminder that I needed to A) go back and edit it, B) need to compile a volume two, and C) I did my best at the time of doing it, which is actually much more than many can say.
The theory is we all have a book in us, at least one. The rumour is it’s easy to write a book, especially easy to publish one now through print-on-demand options. What isn’t easy, however, and I know this for certain, is having a book available for strangers and friends to read. To beg for reviews, when you feel so very insecure about who you were back then when it first came out. I was twenty-six – eager, naive, excited, still learning but willing to take the risk. I wasn’t fearless by any means, but at that time I felt ready and wanted another book available for readers. I was motivated and that, to me, was better than a perfectly edited and polished manuscript. The creativity was being released.
All this to say, I wouldn’t have done anything differently then, and do still encourage readers to enjoy the book, but to also appreciate who I am now because of it. Do I regret not having a copy to gift the visiting author – for many reasons, no. Do I consider mailing her a copy daily because it is proof I have come far because of the steps I have taken since – absolutely!
Thank you, Safekeeping, and Chelene Knight, for reminding me of the value of celebrating the steps in the right (and write) direction!
Stay tuned for my full review on The Miramichi Reader soon!
And thank you, dear reader, for giving me more reasons to write and celebrate,
*Yes, links within this post direct to Amazon.ca and each purchase through my affiliate link help support this Canadian author. 