Friday, April 20, 2007

You May Say It's Friday; I Say It's Friend-Day

Several things got me thinking about this post, one of them being Kristin Nelson's post the other day about mentors. I don't know that I'd call them mentors, but I have writer friends and they are invaluable to me.

My husband's wonderful, my family is wonderful, the lady next door is wonderful. But no one can understand a writer like another writer.

I spent a lot of time this morning e-mailing with some of my friends (cuz, Yanno, I've never actually met any of them in person. But I've seen pictures!!:)) offering support and sympathy, receiving the same in kind, giving and receiving advice, letting people know I care.

And they let me know that they care . . . even though they, uh, have never met me either. Ahh, the wonders of the Internet.

But it's fun to see people slowly slog through this world we call publishing. Where everything moved at the speed of glaciers and you wish they'd take a lesson from the cheetahs instead. A world fraught with rejection where almost nobody stops to pat your fragile ego. . . and when they do it's usually just to build you up for the inevitable rejection that comes next. Go figure.

It's like a battle field where you know most of you are going to die before reaching your goal, but you can't help but try anyway. All you can do is surround yourself with comrades who are holding big shields and hope that neither you nor they will fall short.

Doesn't it feel better to have those extra shields around you?

And doesn't it feel good to know that you are helping shield someone else too?

Ciao!

9 comments:

Michelle Zink said...

Awwww, what a nice post, Aprilynne.

We love ya!

David L. McAfee said...

That was a nice post. How sweet...

wait...

I didn't get an email. Harrumph!

(Kidding...just kidding! :) See? Smiley face!)

Tyhitia Green said...

Having shields are great, Aprilynne. Great post. You should read the one I wrote on April 11th. Check it out when you get a chance...

Aprilynne Pike said...

David! You got a PM! Don't complain.;)

Anonymous said...

Good post. Postitive. This is good.....

:)KC

ORION said...

We think alike! I just read your post now. The support of writers who understand the process is invaluable. Even though beta readers can give feedback on words, other writers are necessary for telling us to either be reasonable OR reassure us we are not insane.

John Robison said...

I agree with you about the support of other writers. The anxiety never ends, it seems. You wonder, "I wrote it. Will they buy it?" And I wonder, "They bought it! Now, will the public like it?"

And then it's, "Will I be able to write another one?"

If it's any encouragement to you, I just took on a British publisher for Look Me In The Eye - Ebury is going to release the book at almost the same time as Crown in the USA.

Hopefully you've going to get good news soon!

Mindy Tarquini said...

Hang strong, Maprilynne. You're very close.

Anonymous said...

Hi Maprilynne,
Got here through Sharon's blog.. of course I know you from AW.
Great post to read and just at the right time for me. 15,000 words in three days and now I wonder what I was trying to do.
May i borrow your shield for awhile.

Raphee on AW