Conference is just around the corner. What will you wear?
Beyond fashion, the most important accessory is …. crowdfidence!
That means not falling into the trap of feeling inferior when you join the hundreds of writers at the Colorado gold during speeches, workshops and events.
Confidence can be eroded when we compare. Look at that author! He just snared his first book contract, and with a major New York publisher, to boot. And her—she just released her fourth mystery, and it’s a USA Today bestseller. They sit in groups by the bar, laughing, surrounded by mobs of friends. And there you are, on the outside, looking in.
There are many others like you. We have all been there, and at all points in between, during our writer journeys.
It’s easy to fall in the trap. We watch the presenters, smooth and animated as they share their wealth of knowledge about craft and efficiency and marketing, and throughout all our comparisons, we come up woefully short.
This year, be kind to yourself. When you arrive for conference, stand up straight, raise your hands to the sun, and say, “This is the first day of the rest of my life as a writer.” Then remind yourself of your achievements.
You thought of a story idea, complete with a character or cast of characters.
You wrote your first ten pages of fiction.
You braved sharing pages at your first critique session.
You finished plotting your book.
You started a synopsis.
You reached half-way through your book.
You finished your first book!
You wrote a pretty good blurb about your book.
You braved writing a query letter and sending it to an agent or editor.
You actually signed up for an editor or agent meeting.
There are so many milestones in writing. Think of the victories you’ve enjoyed along the way, accomplishments that bring you closer to holding a printed book in your hands – or seeing it, almost magically, available as an ebook online.
If you’re a first-timer, RMFW has a ribbon for that. Be sure to add it to your name badge! Long-time members will see it and welcome you. If not a first timer, remember those words, “Hi. May I join you?” RMFW members are welcoming and supportive.
And be sure to put on your PMA, your Positive Mental Attitude. Avoid dwelling on your shortcomings, comparing yourself with others. Honor your own set of talents and strengths.
And wear this awareness along with your best shirt or skirt: It’s not a shortcoming to be a learner. You will see multi-published, New York Times bestselling authors attending workshops. Why? Because with writing, you never stop learning! With every book comes a whole new course in some aspect of craft and life insights.
With every small step – speaking in a workshop, moderating a workshop, appearing on a panel and eventually presenting your own workshop – you will grow, as a writer and as a person. Just as Kerry Schafer wrote in her blog a couple of days ago, there is simply not a better environment to thrive in than RMFW.
Enjoy! I’ll see you at the Colorado Gold!
Thanks, Janet. You made a good point that every person at Colorado Gold once had a “first” time. My first time I didn’t know what they meant by “genre” and certainly didn’t know what I wrote. Every step is new and some are pretty difficult. And some of us have been at this for more years than we can care to count. The best place for a newbie is at Colorado Gold because we respect the journey and where every writer happens to be walking on it, whether you haven’t learned what POV means or if you’ve just hit the NY Bestseller list.
When people say you have to “pay your dues” to succeed in an endeavor, the phrase alone rings artificial to me, as if those who have succeeded will not allow you to succeed until you’ve failed as many times as they have. You said it better here – when you are starting out, there are things to learn and hard work to do. There will be those who have succeeded before you, but don’t let that make you feel less than successful, learn from them. You are not a “never was,” you are a “haven’t YET!”