Hey Guys,
I hope you had a great weekend!
As you know, I live a very glamorous life and so my weekend was filled with organizing paper type stuff. Now I may be a writer and love paper and pens and such, but organizing mail and bills, etc., is not what I would call fun. Like at all. But now that it’s done I feel so much better—less stressed and more ready to tackle far more interesting projects.
I did manage to have some fun too though, watching my son play hockey and watching the Olympics so that means the weekend was a win. There’s something inspiring about watching athletes battle it out after years of practice, practice, and more practice that makes me want to tackle something big too and give it all I’ve got!
The Olympics have special meaning for me this time around. Just like the athletes, it feels all sorts of amazing to realize that something I’ve worked towards for so long was totally worth it. And that very thought got me thinking. I want you guys to have that same realization. Whatever your goal, whatever your wish…I want you to get to the point where you realize it was all worth it.
I know most of you reading this blog are writers or people interested in some aspects of the publishing world and books—like writing them, reading them, blogging about them, teaching with them, selling them, recommending them, or reading them to your kids. So your goal may be to get a book published, but it may not be.
Maybe your goal is to start a blog or you tube channel—to reach thousands of kids by recommending books. Maybe your goal is to open an ETSY shop of book related stuff. Maybe your goal is to become an editor because your world is made happier when you’re reading stories and making them sparkle. Or maybe it’s something else.
But you’re too afraid to take that first step. You don’t know where to start. You don’t think anyone would watch your channel. You don’t have any connections in the publishing industry. You don’t want to fail. You don’t want to waste your time if nothing’s going to come of it.
So I guess all those are valid fears, but I hope you won’t give in to them. Someone is out there who would love to read the book you wrote or the book you edited, or buy your word art, or watch your Youtube videos. I guarantee it. And if there’s one person, there’s probably more.
That’s what kept me going when I struggled through the days of finishing my draft, revising, finding an agent, signing a book contract, and what keeps me going now while I wonder if people actually like my book. Because as long as there is one…if my book made an impact on one reader, then I can’t help but smile—and shriek because ohmygodohmygod someone read my book and liked it!
There’s nothing like that feeling and I want that for all of you too.
This week I received a review on Goodreads from a reader named Elysa whom I’ve never met before. (Thanks, Elysa!) It really stood out to me and not just because she mentioned Spin the Golden Light Bulb in the same breath as Harry Potter! But really, can you even??
Her words resonated with me because of her comments about big dreams.
I absolutely adored this book. It’s fun and nostalgic and reminded me of what it’s like to be a kid with big dreams. I can’t remember what my big dreams were when I was Kia Krumpet’s age, but I remember that they changed often and seemed to get bigger and bigger. As I grew up, my dreams became smaller and more realistic, as happens with adulthood. But this book is incredibly inspirational. It teaches you that your dreams are within reach, you just have to work harder and get a team to support you.
This would have easily been one of my favorite books if I read this as a kid and would have deserved a spot on my bookshelf next to Harry Potter and Charlie Bone. As an adult, I still consider it a new favorite and have added it to my favorite’s shelves on Goodreads. I may be about 12 years older than when this would have been most impactful to me, but it’s better late than never, right? Besides, I still have room on my shelf next to Harry Potter and Charlie Bone where it will stay until my young family members grow old enough to read it.
I hope that you’ll think of her words as you go about your day. Just because you’re an adult, you don’t have to let go of your dreams and larger than life pursuits. Maybe, just maybe you’ll have a greater chance of achieving them because you’re ready to accept the challenge.
And I hope you are!
It’s Monday, my friends and there’s no better day to put one word in front of the other. That one word can lead to bigger things than you’ve ever imagined—or maybe the exact thing that you’ve always dreamed of!
Happy Monday!
Jackie <3
swirl and spark 