TIS THE SEASON TO BE SNEAKY...

To all my current and future #DCSPeeps (DECIDE, COMMIT, SUCCEED), welcome to my new series in my continuing effort to inspire, amuse, and entertain you! Each Monday I will select a new word to analyze how it might apply to our writing lives and also give you a peek into my childhood growing up in the swamps of southern Louisiana. So kick back, put your feet up, and check out my story about TODAY'S WORD:

 

SNEAKY

I grew up in a very small town to a very poor family with six mouths to feed. Things may have been very rough any other time of the year, but during the holidays my mother made sure there were plenty of surprises under the tree to be opened on Christmas morning.

Only thing is, it was never a surprise what was in those gifts so colorfully wrapped. You see, I’m the youngest of four siblings and my brother learned how to be SNEAKY at a very early age.

As the baby of the group, I was the lookout while my parents slept, and my brother would very carefully unwrap each gift and tell the recipient what they were going to get the next day! Then he would just as carefully rewrap the present and return it to its rightful place under the tree. For years this was a Christmas Eve ritual with us kids.

And my mother never found out.

I know this because she had a very strict moral code when it came to things like that and let’s just say our backsides would have been redder than a baboon’s if we would have been caught.

Sometimes you have to SNEAKY. Take this writing journey we are all on. We all began this journey for various reasons. You know the ones I mean…

“My kids love when I tell them stories.”

“I want to see my name in print.”

        “I've read several books and I can do better.”

        “There's something I want to share with the world.”

But there are times when negative self-talk and doubters all around you try to sabotage your writing efforts. And if you truly want to be a writer, you have to be SNEAKY to trick your mind into doing what’s best to stay on this publishing path…not what’s comfortable!

My own SNEAKY examples:

1) Make it a priority to write every day, no matter what!

2) Participate in writing groups, whether in person or online to connect with other writers.

3) Take a writing course...or two...or three...to continue to improve your writing skills.

4) Don't be afraid to put your writing out there and get others to critique your efforts. Seek out the wisdom of those who came before you and learn from them.

Writing for me is not a hobby; not something I can simply set aside when something better comes along. For me, there is NOTHING better than writing and I intend to SNEAK in writing every chance I get for the rest of my life.

How about YOU?

I hope you have an awesome day today, DCSPeeps, because you deserve it!

 

 

Children's book author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a 'ninja' writer of children’s picture books, middle grade chapter books and young adult novels by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books. She is also a book reviewer for Harper Collins, and a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. Donna is a lover of dark chocolate, good stories, and an adoptive mom to 20-pound guard kitty in Knoxville, Tennesse

Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads
Linkedin
Amazon
Author Email: www.donasdays@gmail.com
Story Catcher Fan Club Emai: www.storycatcherfanclub@gmail.com