Friday, August 31, 2012

It's Never Too Late...



 
 
There were many things I wanted to be growing up.  A writer.  A veternarian.  A horse breeder.  Always a writer above everything else.  The urge to tell stories would spill over into childhood play time.  I would place my stuffed animals in a circle as I read them stories and created some tales of my own.  The ebb and flow of characters danced in my head to a song only they could sing.
 
And I waited.
 
Waited to grow up...waited to one day be that elusive thing called an "author".  In my child's mind an author could create magical worlds with a wave of their hand, drawing their readers in with a more powerful potion filled with words than any magician could create.
 
And I waited.
 
Waited and wrote and wondered if my writing would ever be good enough.  Afraid to tell anyone of my secret desire to write children's stories.  Nervous to show my writing to the world because my fragile writer's ego might not be able to survive being told my writing wasn't good enough...that I wasn't good enough.
 
And I waited.
 
Until one day I had two notebooks full of poems, essays...bits and pieces of me just waiting to go out into the world.  Along came a vanity press agent telling me I was worthy.  That I was a writer and they would publish my poetry.  For a price.  And I thought that was all there was to writing and it was a price I didn't want to pay so I lay my pen down for more than twenty years.  Tried to quiet the voices inside my head and went on to create a life built around other passions.
 
And I waited.
 
I waited until the voices could wait no more and I returned to my writing.  Older, hopefully wiser, I took my time...learned new skills...made new friends...and started giving back to a writing community who always believed in me.
 
I've been lucky.  I've grown and blossomed as a writer and it looks like I'm about to have my first work published...a small step to be sure, but in the grand scheme of things a much larger one on this path to publication than I ever thought possible.  
 
I have discovered it's never too late to have a dream...to follow your first love...and I will try to remember...
 
 


22 comments:

  1. This is a lovely post with a very important message. Congratulations on having your first work published. That's wonderful!

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    1. Hi M.J. and welcome to my blog! Thank you for your kind words...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  2. Very nice, Donna! I like the hopeful atmosphere of your post. You are right, it's never to late to realize your dreams!

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    1. Hi Jarm! Thank you for your kind words...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  3. Grandma Moses revealed her first painting at age 76. She'd agree with you. And so do I.

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    1. Hi Janet! Thanks for your unfaltering support...let's just hope I don't have to wait THAT long for my first published book...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  4. I love hearing peoples stories of how they realized they wanted to write. Congrats on being published!!

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    1. Hi Jenny and welcome to my blog! It's a small start, but a start none the less...lol...fyi...I'm a new follower of your blog!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  5. Ha ha. sounds like me. I think, somehow, it just never occurred to me that writing was something real that I could pursue.

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    1. Hi Stuart and welcome to my blog! I always knew a writer is what I wanted to be...just doubted I could pull it off...apparently I can...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  6. You were always a writer. Dreams may fade but they never die unless we kill them.

    Lauren
    lauren-ritz.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Lauren and welcome to my blog! I agree with you...in my heart and soul I was always a writer...right now, just a much more vocal one...lol...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  7. Agreed! Nice post. I'm returning some blog karma. I also will add you to my link list! :)Thanks for directing me to your site.

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    1. Hi Carey and welcome to my blog! I commented on your flash fiction story...really cute!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  8. You're absolutely right. As long as we're still breathing and willing to keep working at making our dreams come true, it's never, never, never, NEVER too late. Congratulations on getting that first book to publication. I wish you much success with it.

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    1. Hi Susan and welcome to my blog! Thank you for your kind words but I must clarify...it's not a book...yet...it's a story that Chicken Soup For The Soul publishers bought and it will be in their upcoming book ANGELS AMONG US due out January 2013...

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time time! I'm a new follower...funny post about North Dakota!

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  9. Hi, Donna. What a beautiful blog post. I can relate to it as well and I agree with you - it's never too late. Congratulations on being published! :-)

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    1. Hi Stephanie and welcome to my blog! Thank you for your kind words. I could say it only took me a year and a half to get something accepted but that wouldn't be correct...I've been writing and working for this moment for over 40 years...it feels like it's my time now...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  10. Lovely post...... ditto what Stephanie Ingram said.

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    1. Hi Diane! Thanks...as usual...for your support!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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    1. Hi Jennifer and welcome to my blog! I try really hard to entertain, inform, and inspire...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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