A Christmas Wish List for Writers
Dear Santa:
Writers who have the courage, creativity, and commitment to write the best books they can and do what they must to make them succeed are the new heroes of the business. They need and deserve all the help they can get, so I hope you will bring them these gifts:
- the vision to see problems as opportunities to grow and write
- the books they need to read both to become experts on the kind of book they’re writing and to establish criteria for their books. As Ernest Gaines, the author of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, says: “You can only write as well as you read.”
- the gift for making words sing
- enough readers to spot every problem in their work and tell them them how to fix it
- the support of friends, family, fans, other writers, and professionals in their field
- goals that challenge their abilities and make them jump out of bed every morning eager to do whatever it takes to reach them
- faith in their work, themselves, and other people
- the ability to make decisions that serve their short- and long-term goals
- the curiosity to learn more, understanding that someday they’ll be able to use their knowledget
- the means to live but not so well it diminishes their drive for achievement
- the gift for creating metaphors and titles that ignite interest in their books
- the spirit of service to their readers, their families, and their communities
- the dedication to sharing their work so it sells as well as they want it to
- optimism. It’s been said optimists believe this is the best of all possible worlds, and pessimists fear this is true. But optimism is better for you.
- the desire to experience life, because as Philip Roth once said: ”Nothing bad can happen to writer. Everything is material.”
- the most precious gift of all: the time to read, write, promote, and maintain the balance between them and the rest of their lives
I know I’ve asked for a lot, Santa, but, except for the books, these gifts don’t weigh anything or have to be wrapped. And writers need them to help them use the gifts they already have. Your generosity will inspire some of them to write about you, and you’ll be the hero of their stories.
Yours for the Write Way to Live,
A Hero Worshipper
The Eighth San Francisco Writers Conference / A Celebration of Craft, Commerce & Community / President’s Day Weekend, February 18-20, 2011 / Mark Hopkins InterContinental Hotel on Nob Hill / Keynoters: Dorothy Allison & David Morrell / Pitch your book to agents and editors from both coasts / More than 50 breakout sessions / 100 presenters / www.sfwriters.org / [email protected] / blog: https://sfwriters.org/blog / free MP3s at www.sfwriters.info / open to anyone: a day of in-depth classes on Monday, February 21st
New! San Francisco Writers University: Where Writers Meet and You Learn, a project of the San Francisco Writers Conference / Laurie McLean, Dean / www.sfwritersu.com
There can be no better wishes than the ones listed here – for all writers. As writers, we should excel, rise up & meet the challenges that Michael puts forth in his 12/14/10 blog. Essentially: “What do we hope our writing will do for the benefit of others? To benefit this planet? Those questions and these Christmas wishes should compel us to pause, to set aside time for consideration and thought, for our ideas to flourish and determine what our answers might be. And most importantly – how we can make our “wishes” come true.
http://www.peopleforpeople.info
However it is not hard to get anyone to look when you are new even when the topic is very current, the book is short and to the point and has been called brilliant !
http://ebookstoretoday.com/people-for-people/
My book is on facebook see link below.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/People-for-People/106835682721649?ref=ts
Dear Leigh Anne:
Many thanks for writing. Right you are. Best of luck with your writing!
Many thanks for your comments! You’re right. It’s easy to get editors and agents to look if a book sounds strong enough. Convincing them to take on a book, that’s the challenge!
i think ernest gaines is a terrible writer, his info about the story is all jumbled and is very hard to read. probably the worst author i’ve ever read, he fucking sucks!
[…] Merry Christmas! A while back, I stumbled across this post over at the site for the San Francisco Writers Conference, and now I pass it on to you: A Christmas Wish List for Writers. […]
A Christmas wish for writers | Writing for Your Supper » Many thanks. I wrote it. Happy new year!