After a mild December and part of January, the infamous
Blizzard of 2016 dumped 30 inches of snow where I live. Old Man Winter sure had
the last laugh on us that day. It's like he stored all the snow and then dumped
it on us at one time.
Baltimore and New York shut down, not
allowing anyone to enter their borders. Philadelphia
stopped its trains and buses. Snow plows barreled down highway, trying to keep
the roads clear.
Yet, good things happened as well. Kids scaled snow
mountains and slid down them. Neighbors came to the rescue of those who
couldn't do their own shoveling. People were nice to each other.
Sometimes writers and authors encounter those who put us
down, question our abilities, belittle our stories, and wound with their
Frankenstein edits. Some will complain if they have to pay anything for an
ebook. They are the blizzards of the writing life that leave us frozen and
unable to move forward.
Thankfully, the majority of the writing community
helps others the way those neighbors came to the aid of their fellow man. When
we need someone to give an opinion on a book cover, point us to a resource,
critique our work, or teach us what they've learned over the years, they share their knowledge.
I'm grateful for the authors and writers in my life:
1. The friends who
critique my work and pray for me.
2. Those who gave me
one of their book proposals, so I could use it as a template.
3. All the bloggers
who invite others to guest post, be interviewed, or highlight a new release.
4. My agent's
assistant, who teaches me about Social Media marketing and guides me through
the maze of publishing.
5. Established
authors who made introductions to the powers-that-be in the publishing industry
and gave endorsements.
Part of the writing community that are unsung heroes are our
readers. They reach out and:
1. Review our books
on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, and other outlets.
2. Share our blog
posts, Facebook updates, and Tweets.
3. Tell their friends
about the great book they read.
4. Encourage us with
their enthusiasm and appetite for more of our work.
5. Snap up our new
releases and older titles.
Writers and Readers: Who are the heroes in your life? How do
you express your gratitude?
Photo Credit: Copyright c Susan J. Reinhardt 1/24/16
6 comments:
Glad you survived the blizzard! Hoping this next round doesn't bring too much your way. You would be one of my heroes, with all the advice and help you've lent over the years. :) I'm blessed and thankful to have good friends like you.
Wow, that is a lot of snow. We are having a very mild winter here. My heroes are those that support my writing, period. And those that take the time to comment, read, and promote. And writers like yourself whose tenacity, even with blogging and social media, are inspiring. Thank you.
Hi Karen -
It's snowing now, but we're expecting only 2-4 inches.
Aww, thanks a bunch. You've pulled me through quite a few rough patches as well.
Hugs,
Susan
Hi Lynn,
Yes, it means so much when people support our efforts. My late husband and Mom both encouraged me to keep moving forward even when it seemed like this publishing journey got frustrating.
God bless,
Susan :)
Susan: You ask who are my heroes in my life. I have two very special friends who helped us while I was in the rehab center. One stepped in to my spot on the visitation team and went with my partner to see the ones we see every two weeks. She also helped us get some medical equipment we might have needed once I got home. The other one gave me an i-pad to use so I could continue with writing while I was there. I couldn't get it to work right. Our son got it up and going for me on Christmas Day. Right now, it is not working. I intend to ask that friend if her husband could take look at it for me. If he can't I have another 'friend' whose son-in-law maybe can do something with it.
Hi Quiet Spirit - I experienced the same thing when I went through tough times with my late husband's illness and my own challenges. It's such a blessing when people reach out and help. I'm glad you're doing better and back to blogging.
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