Monday, February 10, 2014

Paying It Forward





I'm pretty sure most of us remember this scene from the Pay It Forward movie where actor Haley Joel Osment plays a young boy who creates the concept of a world of expanding good deeds done for one another by "paying it forward".

I loved this movie when it first came out and love it as much, if not more, today because I have seen this concept work again and again within this writing community. I remember how it felt to be brand new at this writing stuff...trying to believe in my ability to become a published author and yet afraid to imagine others would believe in me as well.

I thought to myself I would try to figure all this stuff out on my own and maybe one day when I begin to think I actually know what I'm doing, I would be able to become one of those "pay it forward" people and do what I could to help others achieve their writing dreams as well.

But one day an amazing thing happened. I was on the internet, just fumbling around, and came across Karen R Sanderson's wonderful blog THE WORD SHARK. You click on this link to find all kinds of fabulous writing advice...http://karenrsanderson.wordpress.com. Just looking around her blog made me realize I was not alone. That there were others out there paying it forward every day by sharing their knowledge, love and support of ALL writers, great and small.

That was when I realized I didn't have to wait until I was published myself to be able to pass along MY good deeds to help other writers fulfill their own writing destinies.  I created my FREE AUTHOR PROMOTION event and began sending out emails to every author I knew...and many I didn't...explaining what I wanted to do for them. Some of them were thrilled and some were sceptical.

"You want to help me promote my book? FOR FREE??"

The first year I tried it I managed to convince 30 authors to take a chance on me. To trust that I truly wanted to simply help them by paying it forward in the best way I knew how. I learned a few things from that first year:

1. Writers have very generous spirits.
2. There will always be people who doubt FREE doesn't actually come at a price.
3. Kids (and many adults) think having an autographed book in their hand is like winning the lottery.
4. No matter how many things I give away at my booth, I'm always saddened I didn't have more to give.
5. The hours are long and the pain is real (I'm allergic to the sun) but I know in a heartbeat I will do it again each May during the Children's Festival of Reading because it give me untold JOY to be able to share so many lovely books with the world! 

Now that a book of my own is in the process of being published I am sure some of my friends will help celebrate the moment with me and who knows? Maybe around this time next year there will be one or two people willing to "pay it forward" and help me share MY story with the world. Until then I will keep loving that movie and doing MY part to keep the love going...








18 comments:

  1. I am sure there will be heaps of people ready to pay it forward for you. I for one want to be first in line to review your book :) I love that movie too.
    All the best, Donna. *hugs*

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    1. Hi Diane! I know I can always count on my buddy across the pond...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  2. Me too (waving hand) - re: reviewing book..... yeah, I think we all try to help the folks muddling along with us.

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    1. Hi Sue! I am amazed at the willingness of everyone in this community to help anyone in need. I'm not sure there is another community quite like this one and I'm happy to be a part of it!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  3. I love the concept of paying it forward. It does so much more that just paying it back.

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    1. Hi Genevieve! I like how you think...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  4. I have an inside track, right. ;)
    So proud of you! Can't wait for yiu to get to hold that darling of yours!
    I want to review it too.

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    1. Yep, Tracey...that's the advantage of being my critique partner...;~) And thank you for your kind words!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  5. I've got lots of space on my bookshelf for your books. Can't wait. My annual sun burn comes in MAY. Even got it last year in the rain.

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    1. Hi Janet! If I'm really lucky, you will see more than one or two books with my name on it on that shelf in the future...;~)

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  6. Hi Donna .. I remember your Reading Festival posts from last year .. and the give aways .. those are great. Good luck with getting your book out there and I'll be happy to buy a copy ...

    I have some children's books here that I was about to take to St Wilfrid's Hospice, but I know you'd make good use of them .. give me an email and I can post them to you .. As long as they go to a good cause .. what more can one want.

    Especially in this foul weather .. hope you're dry and safe .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Hi Hilary! Thank you for your generous offer. I was going to send you an email but when I tried, it sent me to Outlook and the old computers I work with aren't set up to use that. If you would be so kind as to send me an email to DONASDAYS (AT) GMAIL (DOT) COM I will be able to reply with my mailing information. The kids will LOVE your books I'm sure!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  7. Donna, congratulations on the upcoming release of your own book and thank you for your excellent heart and for your wonderful organization. Having recently published our first, in a, hopefully, endless series of motivational Children’s Books, I can now honestly state that I am a Self-Published Author and have been for more than three weeks.

    Having only recently changed my, still rather privately, preferred job description from Business Pro who writes too much, to Writer who hopes to teach children To LOVE, To LAUGH & To LEARN, I was both excited about the potential for sharing a caring spirit, while being incredibly disappointed in the lack of a friends helping and promoting friends communities, where authors are concerned.

    As a business guy and in the spirit of professional research AND after investigating and actually joining quite a few Author/Readers Groups on FaceBook, I kept finding a similar self-serving, “BUY MY BOOK” mentality in every single one. If one can be considered an expert in Author’s groups by joining at least 100 groups, then I am, therefore, and an expert Plus Six.

    Quite by coincidence, I too love the “Pay It Forward” concept. I believe in it as a life guiding principle and I know that it can be effective in the promotion of any business, including that of our particular passion, children and the books that inspire and instruct them.

    That, my friend, is my typical, long winded introduction to the connection I wanted to make with your “Pay It Forward” process. In an effort to quiet the self-serving din from my 530,000 (I know!) fellow Author’s Groups members, I recently decided to start my own group, which I called: The Authors Pay It Forward Project.

    The suggested purpose of the group was to join Authors of Children’s Books in to a collection of friends who would, download, purchase, Like, Share, read & review their fellow author’s works. During a designated period of time, in order to positively affect the infamous algorithms of Amazon.com, to be specific, authors would volunteer to respond to a call to action, which would be announced in advance in the group’s event calendar.

    In summary, while this newest of groups has yet to master the process of “Paying It Forward”, I still believe, wholeheartedly in the concept. As the late Zig Ziglar used to say, paraphrasing here, “A person WILL become successful, AFTER that person has helped enough other people become successful, FIRST”…or something like that.

    I hope that I may be able to participate, contribute, share and learn by observing your process and passion at work. I particularly enjoy writing reviews for well written children’s books. As I have 12 other, really short books in the illustrations, audio recording and print on demand preparation processes, I must limit my availability to the review of short children’s books, at this time.

    If I can be of assistance in any way, please contact me at your convenience at author.david.freeman@gmail.com or visit our website, where there is an email link: www.MushroomTales.com

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  8. Donna, what a wonderful idea. Personally, I think we get back so much more than we expected when we give. :-)

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    1. Hi Tracy! I couldn't agree with you more! I don't know if you realize this or not, but I help promote illustrators as well and I've had some autograph their work to send my way in the past. If you want to participate in my FREE AUTHOR PROMOTION even just send me a private message to donasdays (at) gmail (dot) com and I'll give you the mailing address to send your things. I would LOVE to be able to promote your work to the children!

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  9. Hi David and welcome to my blog! I'm sorry you have come across authors with a self-serving, "buy my book" mentality.I have been most fortunate in my inactions with all the many writing groups I participate in. Every one of my groups are filled with incredibly kind, generous, and supportive writers who share both their knowledge and their love for writing with each other.

    To be part of a group with 530,000 fellow authors boggles my mind and I wonder how you have managed to honestly connect with them all? Now THAT would be a process I would need to observe...;~)

    I think the idea of your Authors Pay It Forward Project is a lovely one and I wish you much success! For myself, I am merely one individual who feels immense JOY out of helping other authors share their books...their visions...their dreams...with the world. I may never make the connections on the level you have achieved but hopefully, in some way, I am embodying the true meaning of paying if forward...even if just for a handful of authors.

    Thank you for your kind offer of assistance and if you decide to share my FREE AUTHOR PROMOTION event information with any of your author connections, I would be thrilled to help promote their books!

    Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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  10. Donna,
    While our new books will not be ready for participation for your upcoming event, I will hopefully have printed books to share on future events.

    If you or any of your friends would like an Excel Spread sheet listing of my personal list of URL's for 106 Author/Reader groups on FaceBook, let me know and I will forward a copy via e-mail. There are certainly many members duplicated in numerous groups, but with more than half a million current members, there may be an opportunity to make a few quality connections.

    Best regards,
    Dave

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    1. Hi David, what a generous offer! If you would like to forward the list to my email at tkd2lady (at) yahoo (dot) com, I would be happy to share with any of my friends interested.

      Thanks for stopping by and come back any time!

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