It takes a village

By Heather Justesen

They say that it takes a village to raise a child, but how many people realize it take a village to write a book too--or at least to publish a book.

My case in point: I have a book written that started with an idea spawned from a news report somebody wrote. I mulled the idea, then talked to a friend about ways to make it work, ways to expand it, extra conflicts. Then I went online to research information yet another person culled and posted. Several other people, most likely.

I worked on the story, asking for opinions from an ER nurse, my parents, and husband as I was trying to form everything and make the pieces fit.

Next I took it to my critique group and they gave me more feedback about things they liked or that needed more explanation. They told me what wasn't working and made me think about different ways to convey that information.

When I eventually find a home for the manuscript it will go through several readers, editors, line editors, and possibly more revisions.

Did I write the book? Yes. Could I have written it and gotten it to the final format without any help? Perhaps, but it wouldn't have been as good, it might not have resonated with as many people if I didn't have input and direction on how to finesse the story. My characters might not have seemed as real to the final audience.

We always say that writing is a solitary profession, and for the most part it is. I'm the one who put those words on the page. I had to suffer through countless edits and tweaks as I worked to make the wording just right, but I didn't do it all alone. I have a phalanx of loved ones and supporters who also want my book to be all it can be, and who are willing to give suggestions and feedback to help me accomplish that goal. And I've had other writers, those who are smarter and better at the craft than I am, who have helped me reach this place in my writing career, and who continue to support and cheer me on.

Because of that, I know I need to do the same. Though I've been talking about starting a local writing group since late last summer, we finally pulled a few women together last month and met to try and make something happen. We've each been in touch with additional people, and hope that in a few months we'll have enough dedicated writers to create an official chapter of the League of Utah Writers. But if that doesn't happen, I now have a core group of at least three other women living near me who want to take this writing thing seriously. They're all extremely talented, so I know we'll all have something to contribute to the group.

When a job is as solitary as writing a book, it takes a cadre of friends to help us reach our goals.

The Last Day of the Year

Whoa! It's halfway through the last day of the year and I'm just barely blogging. I guess I've been too busy thinking about lots of things; my new year's resolutions, what my plans are for tonight, and what I was doing ten years ago today. (Because ten years ago today was the last day of the last thousand years, and I wondered what would happen with all the Y2K hype going around. I was also ten years younger, and ten years less wise. I had two less children as well, and the idea of becoming an author one day hadn't been sparked yet.)

But somewhere along the line between ten years ago and today, I decided that I wanted to become an author. So when a story idea came to my mind, and I wrote it all down, I had dreams of seeing it in a book one day. When that didn't happen, I gave up my dream of becoming a published author for a while, until my next story idea came to mind. This time around, though, I was determined to see it published, and I dreamed about what it would be like to see the contents of my brain's imagination in a book that I could hold in my hands.

But whether or not I realized it, I set goals to see that happen. For four years, every time a new year came, I would write as my new year's resolution, "Finish my novel and get it published." Finally I did accomplished my goal, but it took longer than I wanted.

As I reflect back on how it all happened, I realize there were some different ways to set goals that would have made my journey a little smoother. Maybe even chopped off three years. (I guess I won't really know, because it all worked out and I learned a lot along the way.)

One thing I learned about setting goals is that they need to be attainable, by breaking a large goal down into smaller goals. For example, I would like to have another novel completed and in the works to be published by the end of 2010. I first need to break it down into smaller, more attainable goals, like completing a chapter a week. That way I can feel satisfaction in accomplishing a mini-goal, and that sense of accomplishment is something that keeps me going. Otherwise, I think I would feel overwhelmed and just give up.

My goals also need to be flexible. For instance, is it reasonable to expect myself to keep my writing goal during Christmas? Not in my case. I decided to take the week off. I have also found that my goals need to work for the type of person I am. Everyone is unique, and what works for one may not work for another.

It also helps to write goals down. There's a sort of magic feeling that's generated when you write a goal on paper and an even better feeling when you can cross it off after it has been accomplished.

This concept of goal setting carries over into any goal, no matter what it is; getting into shape, learning something new, or achieving exaltation. When you look at the big picture, look at the little steps that need to be taken in order to get there, and recognize that accomplishing little goals along the way brings a whole different kind of satisfaction that helps to keep us moving to the big picture.

Now, I better get back to my goal of making New Year's Eve plans so I'm not doing nothing all night, and I wish you all a happy New Year!