An Authors' Reality

by Cheri Chesley

This weekend has been an enlightening one, and I can blame/credit Facebook for that. I have the privilege of being friends with many authors in various states of publication and/or success--from National and International bestsellers to people still waiting to break in to publishing, or even those not so interested in publishing so much as sharing their stories or poems with friends and family. It's a blessed life.

And a cursed one. This weekend, several of my author friends have posted how their feelings of doubt about their abilities as writers have surged. These are established and even award winning writers. They have the chops. From the outside we question how they can doubt themselves or their abilities. They're proven successes.

But doubt and being a writer go hand in hand. It's the curse of art, I believe, or any artistic pursuit. We lack a standard by which we can measure success. Truly, success can be defined in different ways. Publishing a book. Getting the book contract. Having more than one book published. But, in truth, most of us just want to get better with each book. We crave the growth that comes with the process of writing. That is success.

It pains me to hear how my writer friends struggle. I know, from experience, that the doubt never really goes away. Right now I have what I think is the best manuscript I've ever written of to beta readers, and I know they're going to find problems with it. I want them to--so I can fix it, but, at the same time, I want to have the perfect book. Which I know is a pipe dream, but it doesn't stop me from striving for it.

To my friends who struggle with the process--and with their own doubts--I want to say that only you can define your personal success. As long as you are doing what you love, and doing your "Very best" as Gordon B. Hinckley would have said, you don't need to sweat the rest.

Recently, a friend asked if I could be anything I wanted or do anything I wanted in this world, what would it be. After some thought, I had to say I would be and do exactly what I'm doing now. I get to stay home and be here when my kids need me--which, after years of working, is such a blessing. And I get to write. I'm not the fastest or most prolific writer out there, but I'm steady. This has been my dream for so long, and I'm living it.

What would you be?

What Dreams are YOU Pursuing?

By Jodi Robinson, speaker and author of "Women of Virtue"

My post today is inspired by a quote from award-winning author, Josi Kilpack.



"God gives us bits and pieces of the gifts [or talents] we need to develop. It’s not an easy journey, and sometimes it doesn’t seem as though it’s worth it, but it is. Life will march on whether we are pursuing our dreams or not. Pursue." --Josi Kilpack, Author

It's a new year! A new beginning. So, I have a question to ask.  Are you pursuing your dreams?

I'm not an "achieving your dreams expert" by any means. I haven't risen to high acclaim and one might look at my life and say, "Ehh...it's pretty ordinary."  So, what can I offer the dream weavers of this universe? What do I have to say about pursuing one's dreams?

Well, I have dreams of my own and I can honestly say I pursue my dreams. In many ways, I feel that I have achieved at least a few of them already (and I'm not done, yet.) These dreams may not make the news or headline some celebrity talk show, but that's not how I measure the success of my dreams. That's because I believe dreams are about perspective. How we "see" what we are given and how we use what we are given to achieve.

I agree with Josi that we are given god-given talents and it is up to us to use them for good. My dream is to do the best I can with the talents God gave me and to use them for His purposes. I know that if I do that I'll be happy and achieve my dreams.

Dreams aren't made solely for celebrities or millionaires. They're for you and for me. Ordinary people who get and go to work; raise families and attend church.  Dreams stretch us. Grow us and help us to reach upward to that divine source, which is constantly calling out to us to remind us that our talents are needed in a world such as ours.

Life will march on with or without you and your dreams, so don't put off them off for some rainy day.  Put your dreams to good use. And don't worry if how you define your dreams differently than the outside world defines them. For me, mothering four children, keeping up with a husband, and nurturing good friendships, as well as keeping up with my writing projects, are all part of living my dream. I've learned that my dream isn't so much about the dream itself as it is the dreamers I am so lucky to dream with.

May you find happiness as you pursue your dreams.  As my Italian grandmother would say, "Salute!" To your health and well-being in a brand new year. May all your dreams come true.