Friday, January 7, 2011

There Is No WE In Dream--But There Should Be!

DREAM IT! PLAN IT! LIVE IT!
Friday, January 7—There Is No WE in Dream—But There Should Be!

You’ve dreamed this week. You’ve set goals. You’re ready to have your best, most successful year of writing ever. Now come away from the schedule, the calendar, the notecards taped to your computer desk. Come back for a moment to the here-and-now. Take a look around you. As you’re strapping in to fly to the moon, who is on your flight crew? Who is manning ground control? Who are you taking along for the ride?

In the last year I’ve discovered that this picture book writing community has a lot of big-hearted people living in it. There are writers who encourage and help one another. There are critique groups that become cheerleading squads for one another. There are people who want us to learn from their mistakes and repeat their successes.

Excuse me if I’m sounding a little mushy here. But there have been a whole host of people in the last year who have wanted to see me succeed and lent a hand where they could. And all of them have told me to do the same for others. That’s the community of picture book writing. (Of course, there are others who don’t fall into this rather generalized description. But I have found that the number of scallywags is not all that big.)

I encourage you to find the circle of writers who will form a community with you. Find those people who inspire you and are willing to work with you. And be prepared to spread the love, share the wealth, and pay it forward.

It’s Your Turn!
1.     Acknowledge those who are supporting you in your writing journey.
2.     Make a commitment to grow your community of writers.
3.     Be prepared to do your part to help other writers along the way.

2 comments:

Lisa J. Michaels said...

Great stuff for new writers Rob, and you're so right. The best thing any aspiring author can do is begin by surrounding themselves with people they admire. I'm so thrilled to have YOU in my circle! It has made my personal journey that much sweeter!

Rob Sanders said...

Circle the wagons . . . the cirlce of life . . . we are fam-i-ly . . . so many thoughts are going through my mind right now. Thanks, Lisa!