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I stayed up way too late last night.
I am not a night owl anymore.
What Did I Accomplish Today to Be a Writer?
I did Day 117 of the 100 Words a Day Writing Challenge 2024 through L.A. Writers’ Lab.
Today I participated in Quiet Friday, led by Alan Watt. The prompt he started with was:
As your protagonist, write for five minutes: “The greatest hero of my life was…”
Here’s my candid response:
It took me a minute to get set up on this one; but as I scanned through the people I have known the same person that popped into my head the second this was asked stuck when compared with everybody else. I’d still say “Jean Wilson” – I knew of her before I knew her. She was the lady who had a pond just a hop, skip and a jump outside her front door and was known for swimming every day in summer.
She was the lady who could still flip her feet over her head when she was nearly one hundred years old.
She was the lady who had played in the barn that I loved when she was a little girl.
She was the lady who got mad for my sake when my grandparents’ farm was auctioned off.
She was the lady who took time to listen, telling me to write or call her every day, because she always had time to pray.
She was the lady who encouraged me to keep obeying God and not to compromise what I knew to be right.
She was the lady who gently urged me to be content in the midst of my loneliness.
She was the lady who insisted my life had meaning and purpose.
She was the lady who laughed with me and sang hymns off key when the words were illuding us both.
She was the lady who told me what it was like to sit with someone who is dying of cancer and cannot speak.
She was the lady who prepared me for what I didn’t see coming.
She was the lady who rejoiced about the barn being saved.
She was the lady who wept for me when my tears were locked up tight.
She was the lady who I could confide in.
She was the lady who knew she was never alone.
She was the lady who loved Jesus.
She was the lady who prayed for me.
She was the lady I most wanted to be like. She still is.
My Marketing & Distribution Strategies for Publishing & Improving My Platform
Oh wow – what a topic, especially in light of how lofty it sounds next to the description of that humble lady I loved who lived a quiet life in rural Indiana; but had endeared herself to so many.
Last night I went to see Anne Lamott speak at Earlham college. She was kind and endearing and gracious; but I couldn’t help but wonder if she just wanted to hide at the end when the long line waited for her to sign books. Something in me felt a sort of sympathy. Maybe I’m just pushing my being prone to be an introvert onto her; but I wondered if she sometimes wishes she didn’t have such a big platform, or so many fans.
Perhaps not. I’m sure there’s the perspective that this is how her income is provided – and there’s all that inner stuff about life-purpose; but it made me pause and wonder, “Would I want that sort of success?” I’m not sure. I pretty much hope to write and be a recluse.
As for self-promotion, I can barely hand someone a business card, even if I would like to keep a connection.
I’m not in any near danger of being an overnight star, so that’s a relief; but these are the sort of things I ponder as I peck away at my keyboard, wondering what kind of outcome there will be from all this effort. Anyhow –
Thanks for reading what I’m writing,
Jody Susan
It looks like 99 days ago I printed off my manuscript. I haven’t made too much progress from there. I’ve just been trying to figure out next steps and waiting on some editing opinions from other people:
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