What I mean by that is Lori. As in Barber. She's been a great inspiration to me.
Let me explain. In my usual roundabout way.
When I was 14, my English teacher turned in some of my free-verse poetry to the local paper. The little weekly published it, and I was hooked. I sold my flute and bought a Smith Corona typewriter. I knew I'd never be a famous flutist -- have I told this story before? If so, please feel free to skip ahead -- but I felt I had a shot at being a writer.
And so I am. Among other things.
I wrote for a while. Write, write, write. Then decided to start my own business. Yeah, that's the ticket. I'll grow plants and sell them. So, for 12 years, I did just that. But still I penned detailed signs telling customers how to grow and enjoy the plants they took home. And for the byline junkie within, I wrote a weekly garden column for the local weekly.
For a couple years, I worked at my daughter's school. Subbed for the librarian and the secretaries, and worked as a teacher's assistant. Oh yeah, and I wrote the weekly parent/teacher newsletter. I also started slinging some freelance human interest pieces at the local daily paper. And they bit.
Bylines. Way cool.
I liked seeing my byline so much, I started bugging the paper to hire me on staff. It took months of bugging. Finally they caved. I can still hear echoes of what they must have said back then, "Let's just hire that @#*! freelance writer. Maybe that will shut her up."
Woo-hoo, daily bylines!
I closed the chapter of newspaper reporting to start a new chapter as a novelist. But it took months to write each novel, more months of sending pages and chapters to contests, agents and editors, and still, for all my efforts, no bylines.
Oh, there's the occasional freelance piece published, complete with byline. You didn't expect me to whip the beast cold turkey now, did you?
My sidecar -- as Lori would say -- is full of children. I don't have the months and months of available time to dedicate to writing and polishing another novel now. The paper I usually freelance for is running out of funds, meaning fewer and fewer bylines.
Feeling discouraged here.
Enter Lori, her wonderful published story of her grandmother's blackberry dumplings, and her words of encouragement. She told me a couple weeks ago that I can publish in magazines too, and why don't I try sending material to this one, or that? It's a path I've always meant to persue, and have, half-heartedly, over the years. But during the past week, I've buckled down to the task. I've sent both stories and photos to two different magazines. And even though Lori says it took her 18 months of waiting to hear back and receive payment, I'm a fairly patient person. I can wait. While I'm waiting, I'll keep filling the magazine pipeline, and raising babies, until I can swing back into full novel mode.
In the meantime...woooot! I feel a byline coming on.
It's a grand old feeling.
Thank you, Lori.
So, when your sidecar overflows, do you still carve out niches of time to write smaller projects? Do you write other things besides romance? And has anyone in our chapter been especially inspiring and helpful to you?
6 comments:
Danita, it's always fun to read what you write. I was one of the lucky customers, as you know, who got to read the charming signs you penned to describe your plants. Did you keep them? They'd make a great collection and what with your photographic bend, a neat little book.
Kudos to Lori for steering you in the magazine direction! It seems a natural, doesn't it? I read Lori's wonderful story too. I've never published anything but fiction. I know there's a whole world of other possibilities, writers who research a subject then write three or four articles for different markets using specific slants each time. More money that way (and, more bylines!)
As for me -- the first two dozen stories I published came with absolutely no byline so I'm obviously not addicted to that aspect. I do enjoy seeing my name on a book cover, however, but I can't say it's the most important thing to me.
I've found lots of people in our group to be inspirational in different ways. You for instance. It was you who got me going to meetings. I doubt I would have stuck with it if not for you. I can think of warm things to say about each member I know, but if I had to single out another, it would be Eli. She's somehow brought joy back to writing for me.
I loved your blog! And I also love the image of a sidecar filled with children.
As for people in our group that have inspired me
Lori is a little stick of dynamite isn't she?
I wrote, illustrated, and published a small book years ago called "Zero the Hero" after hearing my daughter's kindergarten teacher telling the class about how zero helped the other numbers. I wrote the story showed it to the teacher she loved it. Then I took it to a printer who printed it up for me. I still have teachers who use it and can't believe I couldn't get any publisher interested in it. I've written for the newspaper, had a short children's story published in a parenting magazine. And now my books.
The local writing chapter has what is called "Fall Literary Harvest" You send in a story that can be read out loud in 8 minutes or less , it goes before an editorial board and if you are picked you read it to the public at the harvest. I've been contemplating a story to write for that.
As for inspiration from the chapter... I would have to say everyone has contributed in some way to inspire me in different ways. Some with encouragement, others with philosophy, some with knowledge, and others with enthusiasm. This is an awesome group and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think how lucky I was to find the group.
Alice, I wrote to you a week or so ago to see how your DH was feeling, but I think our computers are still on strike against each other.
I remember you reading the greenhouse signs, and commenting that a writer had written them. It was a high compliment coming from you. Thanks again! I didn't keep them. The plastic tended to weather and crack and I had to rewrite them every other year or so.
I didn't realize your first stories didn't get a byline. Bummer. Although look where those stories led you...I take the bummer back.
I'm glad Eli has helped you return to your happy writing place. Way to go, Eli!
Paty, I didn't know about your Zero the Hero book, or about your children's story. How cool is that? One of the things I love about the blog -- all the new things to learn about each other. I did know you did work for newspapers.
Good luck on the story for the local chapter. I wouldn't enter since I hate to read my own stuff outloud to a crowd. Gives me butterflies just thinking about it. Ha!
And yep, Lori is a dynamo!
Hope your stress level is going down.
Danita, Oh, I'm so glad our conversation encouraged and inspired you. You're a great writer, photographer and writing friend...the triple thread! I wish we each had more time to talk, praise and ignite each other in our writing pursuits.
I can't wait to read your stories and see your pictures printed in one of the magazines you fired them off to. I love to brag about my friends!
I've come a long way since joining our group and you've all taught me far more than I thought there was to learn about the art of writing. You've all taken me hand-in-hand along new paths of learning, lifted my spirits, filled me with encouragement and sung praises that have touched the doors of heaven in my soul. You ladies are the best.
Special thanks to Paty, she's the greatest writing friend. She has patiently given of her time and talents to help this little bird learn to flap her wings, begin to fly and discover a much bigger writing world. She's one quality lady who gives over and over again.
Aw, thanks for the kind words, Alice. Mostly I think I bring silliness...but I'll take joy any day!!!
Danita, great to see you're excited about writing again. Having small kids definitely changes priorities and time, but it sounds like you've found something to fill the gap you've been feeling where writing is concerned. Please keep us posted on those submissions!
Congrats to your daughter on the 8 seconds. Wow. I'm amazed.
I'm with Paty...I love our chapter and have gotten so much from it and all the people in it in various ways. Each meeting I'm reinspired in some way or another. Sometimes it's a comment or a friendly face, or just talking books - my favorite pasttime. When I'm feeling overwhelmed by chapter administration stuff, all I have to do is go to a meeting and realize, "Yup. This is why I'm doing this. This makes it all worth it."
Other people specifically who inspire me: Lisa's enthusiasm inspires me (and, boy, do I miss her right now!), Paty's dedication inspires me, Bethany's rants inspire me (note to self: no over-the-top heroics!!!), but far and away I have to say that Alice inspires me, esp. when I'm feeling overwhelmed or self-conscious or worrying about this or that. She just has a way of making me feel good about writing and where I'm at in this crazy process. And yes, she makes this whole thing fun for me, too. :) I hope you aren't planning on going anywhere, Alice, because I don't know what I'd do without you.
Post a Comment