This is the week where Americans sit down around the dining room table, look at the people around them, and think “who are these guys?”
Seriously, in two more days, we’ll all take a breather from everyday life and stop our incessant worrying about our next novel, our faltering ad campaign, the agent who hasn’t responded, the short story we need to find a home for, and instead take a moment to remember what we’re grateful for. Each of you have your own list, I’m sure, but I thought I’d share mine if for no other reason than it reminds me of how far I’ve come in this writing journey.
I’m grateful for my skill
We all spend time sending critical messages to ourselves. Our descriptions are ho-hum, our dialogue wooden, our plot holes gape. But this week I’m choosing instead to remember how far I’ve come since that first writing instructor said, “Let me teach you what a scene is.” Yes, that was me six years and three novel drafts ago. A true novice with a huge hill to climb. And while I’ve still got a lot to learn, I’m giving thanks this week for how far I’ve come and encourage you to do the same.
I’m grateful for my readers
Several thousand readers have taken a chance on my story. They’ve downloaded the e-book, purchased the paperback, or listened to Amy McFadden read the novel on audio. They’ve checked it out from the library, they’ve written me personal notes, they’ve left those precious reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. With so many other demands on their time, they’ve chosen to spend hours of their life entering into the world of my characters, people I created from nothing but my own imagination. How cool is that?
I’m grateful for my spouse
When we married, I wasn’t a writer. But my husband has been supportive of this new venture—accompanying me to book festivals, picking up the slack by preparing meals and doing the laundry when deadlines loomed. He’s genuinely proud of my success and encourages me to take chances to expand my audience. And he’s a great first reader of my work, always ready with both words of praise and wise suggestions.
I’m grateful for social media
A lot of my fellow writers have a love/hate relationship with the internet. I get it. But for me, having access to both readers and writers through my keyboard has been a godsend. Being online has been a cost-effective way to find books I want to read, authors I want to follow, and events I want to attend. When you don’t live in NYC or Los Angeles, when you don’t have five bookstores within walking distance or a writer’s hub like Grub Street or The Loft nearby, social media sites like BookBub, Goodreads, Instagram, and Facebook can be a lifeline.
I’m grateful for freedom of expression
At a time when some individuals want to ban books that express an opinion they don’t share, or explore a lifestyle they don’t agree with, I’m grateful for the freedom of expression I still have to write stories I believe in and share ideas that reflect my core values and life experiences.
I’m grateful for my writing community
Whether it’s a critique partner, a developmental editor, a fellow debut novelist, or a writing guru, the friends I’ve made in the writing world are true companions, even if some of them I’ve yet to meet in real life. I know the name of their dog, their kids, and where they went for their anniversary. WFWA has provided me the wonderful job of hosting their podcast, RMFW has let me share my monthly musings, Chicago Writers has trusted me to manage their on-line e-zine and Sisters in Crime has welcomed me to their fold with open arms. I wouldn’t be the writer I am today without the help, support, and feedback I’ve received from so many writer friends. The family you choose is sometimes just as important to you as the family you come from.
So during this week of turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie, of football games and parades and naps on the couch, take a minute to give thanks for all the gifts that have enriched your life because, somewhere along the way, you decided to become a writer.
[Photo courtesy of Bia Braz from baseimage (Canva Pro license)]
