 |
- Column - From the Trenches - |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
December 17, 2000 Lessons Learned By Susan McBride Author of And Then She Was Gone I can feel it in my chest. The year is winding down, and I can almost breathe again. There was a point in my life when I wondered if I would ever be published, which, of course, only made me all the more determined. When that dream came true, I never imagined what I was in for: endless hours putting together flyers, packets, and assorted mailings; long stretches on the computer sending and returning emails, contacting reviewers, joining discussion lists, writing for web sites; setting up signing events at local and out of state bookstores; registering for conventions; packing my bags and traveling all over the place. And I had to continue working at my part-time transcription job in the meantime to actually pay my bills. Time for writing? Ha. Almost made me yearn for the tenuous old days when I was unpublished. Least I make it sound like the year was a total grind, I’d better mention that it was also one of the most interesting, fulfilling, stimulating and incredible times of my life. The lessons I learned were invaluable - some I already knew, but were simply reinforced. Just to get into the holiday spirit of giving, I figured I’d share them with you: - Don’t be afraid to make a fool of yourself as long as your intentions are good. Sometimes being a little goofy isn’t a bad thing. - Say thank you when someone lends you a hand. Generosity is a very under-appreciated gift and worth so much more than we realize. - Be open to meeting new people. You never know which ones may give you a boost or turn out to be lifelong friends. - When traveling by plane, always carry on your luggage if humanly possible, or the one time you check your bags will be the day the plane has mechanical difficulties, has to make an emergency landing at an airport in the middle of nowhere, and you and your suitcase will be rerouted on different flights, through myriad airports, possibly never to be seen again. - Never write an email when you’re extremely emotional. Your words may come back to haunt you, especially if you accidentally hit the "reply" button on a list and several hundred people read them. - Carry an extra pair of pantyhose in your purse or you’ll inevitably get a jumbo sized run right before you have to get up in front of an audience to speak. - Never pass up an opportunity when it’s dropped in your lap. The pay might not be good and it may not even exist at all, but fate has a way of making us regret not taking risks. - Read books that you normally wouldn’t. I delved into a few historical mysteries this year and found I liked them. I even dug into a novel that I’d put aside - despite great word-of-mouth - because it looked too fat, and I told myself I didn’t have the time. Turned out to be one of the best books I read all year. - Don’t be afraid to share information. No one can take away anything from you by knowing what you know. And the next time, it might be you asking the questions. - Never let them see you sweat. - Remember the ones who brung you. However humble your beginnings, they are a start…and you can always build on that foundation. Don’t get discouraged. Lots of obstacles get thrown in our paths everyday. If you quit, you won’t ever know what might have been. Frustration is a part of life, so don’t let it make you blind to the other directions you could take to get to where you need to be. Be grateful for whatever you have at the moment. It’s probably more than most. Happy Holidays! |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||