Write your story...

I've been writing for the majority of my life. Whether it be diaries, journals, picture books, scripts, poems, chapter books, short stories, parodies, song lyrics, instruction guides...there's a lot of avenues to write in. However, I have not been involved with other writers very much.

I joined a children's writing course when I was seventeen or eighteen but I never completed the course. I didn't value the insight that they provided. I saw the tasks as 'hindering my creativity'. I couldn't be prompted on what to write, I was an artist (thought my teenage self). So, I discarded that useful information and never completed the course. Man, did I have a few things to learn!

Then I went to a writer's workshop and learned how to self-publish. That was a great experience. I was finally able to get my stories into the hands of readers. I was able to easily pick up on the mechanics of the process (formatting and publishing) but the marketing and promoting eluded me. So I had to turn my attention elsewhere (pretty much get a 'normal' job to pay the bills).

I also received an opportunity to work as a ghostwriter with a small ghostwriting company. I was nervous because I didn't (and still don't) have any professional schooling, awards, or anything like that for writing. I worked on a few projects and had a really good time. It pushed my limits as a writer. I found myself writing on different topics and writing in different styles to accommodate the voice of the 'author'. But because the unknown freaks me out a bit, I backed off and settled into a corporate job with a steady income rather than pursuing commission work with ghostwriting.

This past year, I joined a writer's critique group that started at my local library. After a few meetings I wasn't sure if I would make it. I felt like these writers were way out of my league. They were all educated in writing industry lingo that months later I'm still attempting to figure out. Most of them know all the ways that manuscripts can be submitted and rejected. They know all these English terms. It boggles my mind.

But despite all the ups and downs, the lack of knowledge, lack of confidence, lack of substantial income, one thing remains- I love to write. 

If you are a writer and, like me, you can't seem to get away from it, I encourage you TO WRITE! And keep these things in mind along your journey:

• Misspelled words and awkward sentences aren't the end of the world. That's why there are proofreaders, edits, and advance reader copies. 
• Rejections aren't the end of the world. It either means we've got a few more adjustments to make before our motor runs properly OR we simply haven't found the right buyer yet.
• Reviews should not make or break us. Whether they are amazing or awful, we should not allow our reviews to define who we are. Everyone has an opinion. There are things that we like and there are things that we don't like. The people that posts reviews are simply bold enough to say what is on their mind. Don't allow good reviews to inflate your ego or bad reviews to crush your dreams. Gleam whatever wisdom you can from reviews you receive and move along with your life.
• And the most important advice that every writer cringes at: WRITE! Don't talk about writing, don't think about writing, don't intend to write, don't make excuses as to why you haven't wrote yet- just write.