The sun sets on another day…
Sunset, ahh, the perfect blend of amazing light. It shone upon me for a few minutes and then once again was swallowed by the clouds. Still, I had enough and more, and I felt amazed at the power I had shared.
I was having a discussion with someone today that wasn’t quite published. They had so many ideas and had written so many things but didn’t quite get around to putting it all together into a book or a submission to some fantastic and otherworldly tome to be read by the masses.
We talked about it for a few minutes and I believe their words were “I’ve basically talked for a living. My art goes into the air.” After my Internet crashed and I had to work locally for a while writing both this post and working on several new books I need to finish I stared at the screen thinking about those words. This person also inferred that they were surprised I talked to them since I was a published author. I have interacted with this before and in some ways it is difficult for me to hear.
In my very strong opinion if you are a published author you should not think of yourself as any better than anyone. It is my opinion, you should not ever look down on anyone ever. You should never think you have put words together better than someone else, or that because you landed a deal with a large press that you are better than a small press or indie author. (Vanity, well, that is another story) I have said this at numerous shows and at several events I have led. I do not think I am any better than anyone else, I just made a decision that I was going to complete a single novel and fans did the rest. Without them, I am nothing.
Imagine for a moment being so arrogant to think that because you wrote a book you stood alone above everyone else. Imagine thinking your way was the only way. Imagine not having the presence of mind to see beyond yourself. Icky.
I am trying to help numerous people find their way with writing. I attend many writing workshops so that I can see the different approaches to finding imagination. This isn’t because I lack the ability to get lost in my imagination. It is because I most surely get lost in my imagination, and I’m not calling you Shirley. I love seeing people find their words. One of the groups I attend, which this person is also a member, is full of talented and amazing people that are far above many. They come from different walks of life and many different areas but it is always eye opening to me to see how their imagination crosses over into a single thought or a few interestingly cross-linked thoughts. In a recent workshop a picture guided many people to a uplifting series of ideas and it is there that I find people becoming excited about not only themselves but the people they are sharing with in a safe space.
There is a man who can meld words as though they were molten iron and always inspires, the person I was talking to has a presence that could shatter the walls of Jericho, another woman who has done so much in her life has a voice that could lure sailors off their boats in the midst of the oceans. Someone I introduced to the group is one of the most talented writers I have met, but they do not see it. They all teach me by showing perspectives that I may not have considered, and the two leaders of this intrepid group are patient and kind and offer more than just inspiration. They offer a little bit of themselves.
My point is we can all learn from each other. My point is we should all believe in ourselves. If you don’t believe in yourself why should anyone else?
For those of you looking for something else, I wrote a small item about publishing to help a group of about 50 people in June. The link is here.
So as the sun sets on another day, take a moment and realize how special you are. If you want to write start writing. If you don’t that’s OK. But if you are an accomplished writer, photographer, painter, textile expert, sculptor, or any other amazing type of artist, remember that it is you that should be humble because without the readers and those who appreciate who you are, you aren’t really very much of anything. Be something, overcome obstacles, and find your way to help others see their way whatever that may be, no matter what.
Sleep sweet, love life, and enjoy the night…