You all know that I've jumped off the edge of the abyss and am free falling, as I attempt to carve out a sort of life for myself as a writer. It took me about 3 years and 500 blog posts to do it, but I actually did jump, and I actually am doing it. My pitch to story ratio is healthy enough for me to go "boom" *air punch* every time someone says "Yes please".
But what has helped me on this (sigh) journey (can someone please come up with a new word for "journey") is how blimmin generous and encouraging successful writers are. There are no tall poppies just gorgeous, talented ones who bend over and say "hey come on up here and join me, this is what you need to do..". Maybe I'm naive and a little star struck, but actually I don't think I am. On more than one occasion, I have heard a writer say we like to "pay it forward" - and my take out on that is someone may have helped them, they'll help me if I can help others along the way. I'll sign up for that right now.
I have a little posse of personal friends who are successful writers and editors. It's uncanny actually, that as the idea of writing started to evolve in my mind, I kept brushing up against those who did what I dreamed of. Call it coincidence, but I actually put it down to serendipity, and a little magic. My dream team are my go-to's for my Writing For Dummies questions. Unflinchingly (and usually quickly as my dumb arse question is usually in a panic,) they come back to me with a wise response to my dumb question. I am forever indebted to their generosity and encouragement. They are the Goose to my Maverick.
Likewise, there are many well known writers out there who give free little online seminars like Allison Tait, and Mia Freedman, where we can hit them with all our most embarrassing questions about how to write and they generously answer (possibly laughing into their keyboard as they do). These sessions are gold to me. I went on a course, a lovely writer Kerri Sackville was chewing the fat for 2 hours. I felt like I was sitting looking at myself in the mirror. "Get onto Twitter" she said, "Do it when you get home and follow me, follow my follows, and I'll follow you". And so I did, and so she did. And I was away online networking and have met many lovely people trying to do what I'm trying to do, that I have a sense of community.
I think today we're not used to being giving a helping hand, we feel that it's a dog eat dog world, a race, a competition. And there is nothing malicious or sinister in this, just individually determined and focused people trying to get on.
All I know is that I will always be grateful for the encouragement and support of all the poppies in my life. And for all those standing on the edge of the cliff looking down at me as I fall, hoping that there is a big fat old squishy mat to catch me at the bottom.
Who has helped you in your life, who's in your support team?
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