Showing Gratitude As 2011 Draws to a Close

2011 has been an amazing year for me. Thanks to the wonderful writing and reading community, I have learned so much about the craft.

I wanted to express my gratitude in a fun way. Writers are:

Generous: It never fails to amaze me how giving authors and readers are. They are generous with their knowledge and their support.

Resilient: A true writer writes. They don’t let a less than stellar review or any other obstacle keep them from the craft.

“It is impossible to discourage the real writers—they don't give a damn what you say, they're going to write.”  Sinclair Lewis

They give a damn and process input, but you can’t stop the truly passionate writer.

Aware: Every moment in life adds to a writer’s story bank. Living life is invaluable.

Teachers: When they find out new information, they pass it on. They don’t covet knowledge, instead they use blogs to pass on what they are learning in this ever-changing industry.

Inspirational: The support from my writer friends keeps me going. When I have a bad writing week or stumble through parts of my story, they are there to encourage and give me that much-needed push in the right direction.

Thankful: The writing community loves readers. We know without fellow book lovers, our jobs would be less rewarding.

Unbridled: Writers access their heart and passionately release it through words.

“Words are the voice of the heart.” Confucius

Dedicated:  The writing spirit is contagious, especially when you see people who write through all life's obstacles.

Efficacious: Writers “have the power to produce a desired effect.” Words are the power.

“The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say.” Anaïs Nin

As 2011 comes to a close, I want to thank all my newfound writer friends for their support. You know who you are. And a special thank you to readers, especially those who have read Depression Cookies.

I am particularly grateful for the following writing communities I found this year: Kait Nolan's A Round of Words in 80 Days, Rachael Harrie’s Writers' Platform-Building Campaign, Michelle Rafter’s Blogathon, the SheWrites community, and Melissa Foster’s WoMen’s Literary Cafe.