A Dream in Action

Without action, dreams mean nothing.  I know, because for as long as I can remember, I’ve dreamed of being a writer.  Though I'd like to say that life just got in the way, the truth is I lacked the discipline and the motivation.  However, last fall, when I turned 40, I realized my dream was passing me by.  It was time for action; that decision led me to Writing.com.  Still, I foundered, and it wasn’t until I discovered the Paper Doll Gang that everything seemed to click.  Suddenly, I had deadlines, directions, and most importantly, a cheering section.

I’ve been accused of being a professional student, and I suppose, there is some truth to that.  I need the structure of a class to push me, …to keep me moving, …to try new things.  I definitely found that here in the form of the weekly and monthly challenges.  There are so many things I never would have tried or even finished if not for a deadline. 

Poetry is a prime example.  If you had asked me last fall to write a poem, I would have said, “No, way!  Not happening.  I hate poetry.  I’m too wordy.”  Wait!  This sounds familiar.  I think I did say this. My, my! How far I’ve come?  Now, I’m graduating with almost as many poetry items in my port as short stories, and I can claim two poetry merit badges for first place wins.  No one could have been more surprised than me.  Though I still can’t say that poetry is my favorite thing, I can say it’s not quite sooo bad, and maybe, just maybe, I might continue to write poetry -- every now and then.

This class has also fine-tuned my reviewing skills.  As an avid reader and an English teacher, reviewing was a natural fit for me.  However, creating the review template and the weekly review requirements stream-lined the process, allowing me to do far more reviews than I might have otherwise.  Though the benefits are impossible to quantify, reviewing has taught me to read like a writer.  I’m so much more cognizant of what works and what doesn’t, and that has had a huge impact on my own writing. 

Perhaps the most helpful challenge was the required query letter and the article for Shadows.  Dreaming of going freelance, I have played around with the idea of writing various articles and have thought about how I would write a query letter, but something has always held me back – perhaps a fear of failure?  While that fear is still there nipping at my heels, I now have the confidence to at least try my hand at writing and submitting articles.  I owe that confidence to mystic_writer and her wonderful feedback and encouragement for both my query letter and my article.  Thank you! 

Of course, my biggest fan had to be Hannah ♫♥♫ .  There are no words to convey what her support has meant to me.  Every step of the way, she has been there -- cheering me on, telling me I can do it.  Before I joined the Paper Doll Gang, I had serious doubts about whether I could be a writer at all.  Would others even like what I wrote?  Hannah squashed all of those doubts when she nominated me as a Rising Star.  Not only did she think I could write, but she thought I had real promise.  What an incredible boost to my confidence. 

If that wasn’t enough, Hannah began her campaign to promote me to junior leader --before I had even graduated.  Her faith in me made me see I have something to offer other fledgling writers.  It’s given me a way to give back to a community that has offered me so much.  I cannot say thank you enough for that opportunity.

As we bring this class of newbies to a close, there is a sense of accomplishment, yet a sense of sadness too.  I’ve made so many good friends here, both leaders and classmates, that I am afraid to mention any by name for fear of hurting someone.  Just know that you have all been a critical part of jumpstarting my dream.  Leaders, you have provided us with the guidance and encouragement we have needed.  Classmates, we’ve been each other’s support system -- each other's cheerleaders; graduation will not change that.  Graduation just means that we get to welcome a brand new group into our midst – a group just beginning to act on their dreams.  So, please, stop by

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and welcome them aboard.

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