Tuesday, November 22, 2011

4 Reasons for writers to be thankful


At this time of year, a lot of people reflect on what they're thankful for. As a writer, I'm thankful I have a certain amount of skills. That alone is worth being thankful for. But these days there are other reasons why writers can be thankful.
  1. More opportunities. The publishing world is shifting every day, and it's tough to keep track of what's up and what's down. But all this change is good for us. Writers have more opportunities than ever before. If Plan A doesn't work, try Plan B. If plan B doesn't work, come up with a Plan C. We have choices, and that's something to be thankful for.
  2. Mountains of information. If our hearts are open to learning, there's an abundance of teaching material available to us--most of it for free. Authors' blogs, ebooks and paper books about craft, and links via Twitter. Sure, the amount of information out there can be intimidating, but if we sift through it all and find what works for us, we're connected with unlimited learning potential. Great places to start are The Bookshelf Muse and Writer's Knowledge Base.
  3. Readers. If you're published, you already have them. If you're pre-published, those readers are out there, waiting for your work. Let's give them our best!
  4. Each other. Writers are generous, friendly, and supportive. Being a part of this community is priceless. Feeling down? Need encouragement? Need advice? Throw your (edited) thoughts out there, and fellow writers are sure to offer just what you need. There will be days when you can return the favor.
What else can writers be thankful for? Feel free to add anything that I've missed.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

26 comments:

  1. Great list, Julie. I'm thankful for my supportive family, especially my sweet husband, who, when I say, "I've gotta go write!" says, "Go ahead!" :) He did that the other day and it made my heart warm. I closed my bedroom door, covered up with the duvet with my laptop on my lap ... Ahhhh! Bliss! And a thankful heart.

    Amy

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  2. Excellent list! We can also be thankful that reading is still going strong and every day we gain more potential readers.

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  3. Julie,
    I so agree with all you suggest as far as what we have to be thankful for, but most importantly is number 4...thankful for all the wonderful people!
    Happy Thhanksgiving!

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  4. What else? The joy of hearing a relative or friend say well done. :0)

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  5. Those are excellent additions, guys. Thanks!

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  6. I'm thankful for you. If we hadn't met, I don't know where I'd be right now. *sniffles*

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  7. Writerly thanks? I'm thankful for those who have supported my blog tour during this busy time of year.

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  8. That's a great list! I'm so grateful for all those things, particularly other writers (blogging friends, etc.) who are so supportive of me and my writing. Have a great week!

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  9. That's a wonderful list!I'm thankful for each and every one of you. You keep me going through the tough stuff. :)

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  10. Wonderful post, Julie. I shared a few of the things I'm thankful for in today's blog post. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  11. Well said, Julie. I am thankful for all my blogging friends who make the whole process so much easier and thoroughly enjoyable. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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  12. What a great post! I am thankful for YOU, Julie, and all that you do to add to the writing community. And for plugging The Bookshelf Muse. I'm not gonna lie ;).

    Becca @ The Bookshelf Muse

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  13. Excellent reasons we should all be thankful! But for me, this list extends to being thankful for having a venue to release my creativity, explore new worlds, share ideas and concepts, and have the freedom to write. I'm thankful for everyone in this industry who is keeping it alive. And for the shifting of tradition... that is truly opening new opportunities. I'm thankful for you. Happy Thanksgiving!

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  14. Your list is gold! I'd like to add colorful post-it notes and a legitimate reason to buy lots of office supplies.

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  15. Lovely list! And let me just say that I really love Thanksgiving and I would love it if we'd celebrate it too here--but we don't. :(
    Still Happy Thanksgiving! :D

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  16. This is the perfect post for this week! Happy Thanksgiving, Julie!

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  17. Great post, Julie.
    I'm certainly grateful that after twenty years of dreaming, I am living that dream now.

    I, too, am thankful that my family has allowed me the freedom to see what may come from this.

    However, what I may ultimately be most thankful for are the fellow writers that I have met...because they understand.

    Happy Thanksgiving to all.

    -Jimmy

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  18. Of your 4, I'm most grateful for number 4. My own to add: writing time. Love it when I get several hours strung together. In general, I'm grateful for almost everything. All of it shapes me in some way.

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  19. Great post, Julie. I am currently in an extremely thankful mood as my plotting is going well.
    Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

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  20. I totally agree. I'm thankful you write this blog. :)

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  21. Well said!

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Julie.

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  22. So very true, Julie! We need to remember how many people are always there to help others! Enjoy your Thanksgiving! :)

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  23. Lovely list, Julie! Hope you'll have a wonderful Thanksgiving. :)

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  24. Thanks for calling these things to my attention. No matter what, people will always read. So we should always write.

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  25. I'm thankful for a husband who supports my writing addiction. And for a publisher who is my #1 biggest fan.

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  26. These are fabulous things to be thankful for. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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