How do I thank thee? Let me count the ways… (apologies to Elizabeth Barrett Browning)
Here’s my “thank-you” list of all those who have helped me get my books out. Please share yours.
• Beta readers
• Editors
• Cover designers
• Book designers
• Printers
• Publicists
• Readers
• Fellow editors on BRP
• Fellow authors on BRP
• Commenters on BRP
• Family and friends who grant time and space
• All who encourage and support writing efforts
• Anyone who brings a glass of cold water or cup of hot chocolate or fixes a meal
Planting the seeds of a story, cultivating them through the arduous writing process, thinning them after editing storms, and harvesting them onto the printed pages hot off the press — this is what writing a book is all about. While it may grow out of long hours of lonely work, it is not a work that’s accomplished alone. Many or all the above people likely played a role in helping that seedling grow and blossom into a glorious flower.
Writing a book is a huge accomplishment. Even though the proceeds from it may not yet allow you to quit your day job, it’s some of the most mentally and emotionally taxing work you will ever do. Never buy into anyone’s implication that it requires less than stellar effort — it’s a real job.
Now, please, share your “thank you” list and publicly acknowledge (not necessarily by name) the unsung network of heroes behind your beautiful books.
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Linda Lane and her editing team work with writers at all levels of experience and in all stages of story development. You can learn about her team at www.denvereditor.com. |
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ReplyDeleteI have to thank my friends and family for keeping me sane,my critique group for keeping me on track, and the BRP gang for improving my craft. I also have to thank the inventors of writing software, printers, laptops and the internet. I could not do it without them. I also have to thank the fans that have taken the trouble to buy and read my work. That is the main reason I'm motivated to write. If I make a difference in even one reader's life I feel like it was worth it. I have a special scrapbook for notes and reviews from fans. It has more than one, so it has been worth it. :)
ReplyDeleteI love this, Diana! It has been said that we write for ourselves — we have an agenda — but in reality we also write for our readers. Our characters "live" experiences that we or others have faced and do face. They deal with problems common to people in many situations. If the lives and decisions of those characters somehow touch even that one reader, we have reached out to someone we otherwise would likely never have met. This is indeed a powerful reason to keep writing.
DeleteIN addition to your wonderful list Linda I would add thanks to the first person who thought roasting a bean, grinding it, then stewing it in hot water might be a good idea; Wegman's (grocery store) Market Café, Starbucks, and any other business that lets writers use their electricity to power their computers in a new environment; libraries and bookstores and online book sources; Goodreads and other forms of social media that can bring writers together; and book clubs.
ReplyDeleteAnd since I've already thanked all my supporters in past posts (thank you again!), here's an odder one: I'd like to thank all the naysayers and people who've mistreated me throughout my life. You've toughened me to the rigors of the publishing world, forced my personal power to grow from deep within, and given me a *%#&-load of material to write about.
Oh, yeah! Those naysayers and abusers provide a wealth of fodder for the writing grist mill. We can make our antagonists (as well as others) so true to life. Nothing exceeds the literary value of "been there, done that."
Delete:) I knew you'd follow me, Linda!
DeleteOh yes... those naysayers for those of us who have the stubborn streak. Good one!
DeleteWell, the short list would be my wife, my editor and my sister ... the long list would include all my teachers for providing me an education ... no matter how hard I resisted.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that somebody besides me can be resistant. :-)
DeleteI'm loving all the thankfullness here. You started with a great list Linda, and the comments have just enhanced it. I am thankful for all that has been mentioned so far, and also for pretty days that encourage a walk outside to refresh the creativity.
ReplyDeleteMaryann, you've touched on something here that I have resisted for years (please note my resistance, Christopher), and that is a refreshing walk outside. My terrible tendency is to stare at the computer for hours on end -- definitely not a productive habit. Lovely days -- be they sunny, cloudy, rainy, or snowy -- refresh body, mind, and spirit in a way that nothing else can.
DeleteI thank the members of Chicago-North RWA who presented a program at our local library over 15 years ago, They inspired me to become an author.
ReplyDeleteMorgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com
Yes, Morgan, those who inspire us are indeed deserving of thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have to include online writing groups like Book-in-a-Week and NaNoWriMo - "missions" that keep me focused for an extended period of time. Also Internet sites like Facebook and Twitter that help with the exchange of ideas and... well, just chatting about writing. Technology is just so hugely amazing to me - having started in this biz back in the 70s and being a rep in the 80s, the ease of communication and sharing of information is such a miracle to me. Being able to write to famous authors and get responses. That sort of thing. I'm very thankful for all of it. Terrific post, Linda, and thanks for all you contribute to the BRP as well. I do love this team and this blog.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the kind words, Dani. BRP is indeed a special group of people, and I feel privileged to be a part of it.
DeleteI have to agree with you about the difference technology has made in the publishing world. Resistant as I am at times -- possibly because my logic and its logic do not reside on the same planet -- I must admit the doors technology opens to writers worldwide are nothing short of spectacular.