My dreams of being published have finally taken a very big step !!
Last week, I received an email from Cindy Whitman. Cindy is an experienced editor with tons of background in writing and mentoring. I have attended a few of Cindy's workshops as part of the writing group she has founded "Beach Shack Writers". In her email to me, she wrote after reading my blog last week and having seen some of my other writing samples, Cindy felt I was ready for the next step.
I read her email during a business dinner I was attending. I think I shrieked and I read the email to some of my work buddies sitting near me.
After a few messages back and forth, we agreed to meet at Barnes and Noble/Starbucks on Saturday morning to have a business discussion and figure out how things would work.
Not surprising if you know me well ....... I was nervous on the ride there. I enjoyed the roads leading to Hilton Head but my mind was swimming.
It's one thing to dream about something happening but to actually see the possibility of it coming to fruition is scary, exciting and overwhelming.
I was on time, in fact I was just a few minutes early.....maybe two minutes.
Cindy arrived right on time and so it began. The conversation flowed as if we had known each other forever. I think getting to know each other is important as we build this new relationship. I learned so much just in those few hours....yes hours.....we talked for 2 hours !!!
I admitted to needing a schedule/deadline. At work, if you tell me a report is due 9:00am Tuesday, I have it done. If my deadline is left open ended......my tackling the project is open ended too. I also informed Cindy, I have no real knowledge of format.
I did tell her that my dream is to write a book, have a book signing and one day be invited to speak at one of her writing seminars.......all of which Cindy said could/would happen. My heart was beating so hard, I felt like it would jump out of my chest. I thought about letting out a big scream in the middle of Barnes and Noble but it might disturb the customers.
Now, I can say I have a "Developmental Editor" !!!!!
We will be meeting regularly, fine tuning my skills and getting all the ideas on paper and floating in my head into a cohesive form that can finally be printed and hopefully read by others......many others....
Now comes the work. The writing and rewriting and revisions.....all part of the writing process.
It's so wonderful that at this point in my life instead of looking to wind down, I am looking to take on a new challenge. While I have always thought of myself as a writer in my soul now the world will know it too!!!
Cindy shared in a FB post about our meeting yesterday. With her permission, I am sharing it with you......
Recipe For A Perfect Summer Island Saturday:
This morning, at the Barnes & Noble Starbucks, I spent two delightful developmental editor hours chatting with a new client/friend who has graciously invited me to accompany her on her long dreamed of writing journey.
She told me this morning that the first time she saw the Beach Shack Writers website, she said to herself: "This is for ME. Get me the tee shirt and the beach bag and let's go!"
You gotta love that.
She has attended two of our Beach Shack writing workshops, and today she took the Let's Go! one-on-one leap with me.
I'm honored and humbled and a bit in awe.
I now have three developmental editing clients.
And all three just happen to be native New Yorkers, like me. I think there's a certain symmetry to that. The fact that they each found the courage to chase their writing dream after I found the courage to chase my own ... well, courage is good.
This afternoon, after giving myself permission to purchase my first B&N book in I don't know how many years (a paperback; I'm not going crazy here), I came home just in time to pour a glass of wine and head outside for a little balcony reading in the pouring rain.
Beach Shack, baby.
Come on!
So there you have it......no longer a dream.....I am so ready to begin. I hope Cindy knows what she has gotten herself into........LOL !!
I even have a working title....not sharing it yet. And I also learned not to tell too much of my story as you will need to be surprised and not already know all the details of what I am writing. Many have you have heard me talk about what it was going to be about but by the time the finished product is done.......you might think WOW that was so different that what I thought it was going to be.
I never thought saying hello to someone in high school would change my life but it has. I never thought having best friends move south would lead to me leaving NY but it did. I never though once settled near Beaufort (something else I didn't even have on my radar) would lead me to search for a writers group to join. And from there a meeting at Starbucks......
So this "introverted extrovert" (I found out yesterday this is a perfect description of me) is saying to all of you .....find your passion....dream your dream......and then start to live it,
I can't wait to see what's on the road ahead......just around the next bend......
See you next week.....
See you next week.....
