"Pain is Temporary. Quitting lasts Forever."
Lance Armstrong
Almost every morning my husband and I ride a 5 mile loop on our bikes. We stop at Dunkin Donuts for coffee and tea before circling back. The other morning as we rode by the drive-thru I heard a man say to the lady next to him, "I should go home and ride my bike."
Wow - I had just inspired someone to go out and exercise. Little did he know he inspired this blog post.
In nursing (my day job) there is a generalization that nurses eat their young.
It's true that many seasoned nurses believe intimidation toughens new nurses when in reality it decreases confidence. I can vividly remember when as a new nurse I was initiated by fire. I also remember the nurse who took me under her wing and helped me develop my skills and confidence. The kind nurse is the one I have tried to emulate.
When I started to take my writing career seriously, I took the advice of a writer friend and joined writing groups. First I joined Romance Writers of America (RWA). At my first conference, I was amazed by the people I met. Strangers openly shared their experiences, encouraged my aspirations, and offered advice on everything from the start of my story to being published.
The other group I joined was my local chapter, Florida Romance Writers (FRW).
To this day the group has been wonderful. We share each others accomplishments, no matter how small. Rejections are dealt with with chocolate and inspiration to move on.
On a smaller scale, my critique group is made up of a group of kind and talented writers. I would have given up writing a long time ago if not for them.
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| Alyssa Maxwell, CynthiaThomason, Karen Kendall, Nancy Cohen, and Sharon Hartley |
We continue to celebrate events, share our knowledge, and inspire each other.
Wishing you inspiration, love, and chocolate.
This is a tough business we've chosen, made even harder by the onset of self-publishing. It is important to keep being inspired and inspiring others.
ReplyDeleteNice post
Love the quote that inspired this post, Zelda. I doubt that most people know how easy it is to discourage a writer or how important a few encouraging words can be.
ReplyDeletePublishing is definitely a tough business, but one of the best things about it are the people we meet, that we wouldn't have known otherwise. I hope we go on encouraging and inspiring each other for many years to come!
ReplyDeleteWhile the quote from Armstrong is inspiring, I can't forget that he is not an inspiring example of how to keep going. "Liars never prosper. Cheaters never win." Disgrace also lasts forever.
ReplyDeleteBe true to yourself and never quit. You are extraordinary because you are writing, not because you are successful.