The past weeks have been full of good news for several writer friends. There's been a bout of joy rippling through twitter triggered by writers being taken on by fantastic agents, astonishing book deals, successful book launches...
The bearers of these good news received congratulations from all corners of the world sent by people whom they've never met in person, but they were honest messages. At least I think and hope they were, despite having recently read an excellent blog post about jealousy among struggling writers which got me thinking about this. In these cases, however, I'm convinced that we were all genuinely over the moon with their success.
Most of our happiness lied in the fact that they are very nice people whom we even consider friends, but I believe that part of our delight lies in seeing hope in their examples. These writers have worked hard, suffered rejections and been eaten by self-doubt for years, but they found the light at the end of the tunnel and they have shown us that it's worth all that effort and tears in the end. Their well-deserved success is the encouragement we need when our faith flags and despair casts a shadow over our expectations.
I can say that I'm truly delighted for those people and I hope that one day they will be as happy for me.
I'm so glad you blogged about this! It has been amazing to see people you and I "know" (even if only virtually) do so well over the past few weeks and you're spot on with your reasons why, Sarah. It's always great when good things happen to good people and it also gives the rest of us hope that it could be us next time!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post! It's so refreshing seeing genuine congratulations and well wishes. I love other people's success! Like you said, it fills me with hope and is so encouraging.
ReplyDeleteYes!
ReplyDeleteI echo everything you've posted Sarah.
ReplyDeleteSeeing ANY struggling new writer achieve publication and recognition in today's tough commercial world and with the economy is welcome, and encouragement for us all.
xx
Hi, Sarah. How are you doing? I see you on Twitter, but haven't had the opportunity to visit your blog very often. I'm glad I found this post of yours today. I have said before, no matter how long I decide to ride this writing wave, it has been so wonderful getting to know so many fantastic people. I love doing whatever I can to support them, whether it's doing a bit of promo or perhaps even purchasing their novels.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post,
-Jimmy
Lovely post, Sarah. I completely agree, it's thrilling to read about success coming to people we 'know'. It's inspiring and exciting and it's always lovely to see good things happening to good people.
ReplyDeleteI echo what everyone commenting before me has said - it was a lovely post, Sarah, and it expressed what I'm sure the majority of us feel when we hear good news about our friends' success.
ReplyDeleteYour time will come, and mine, too, I fervently hope!!
Liz X
Great post Sarah. Isn't it wonderful to hear good news, especially when the world is so full of doom-mongers, and it's great when those wonderful things happen to people we know and care about - because it proves dreams really do come true!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! It's great to hear good writerly news from good people. You're right that it gives us hope. Also, there's no need for jealousy, as writers are never really in competition. It's not like other businesses where having a sofa by X means you won't buy a Y one - readers rarely only read one author!
ReplyDeleteOne of the best things that I love about the literary blogosphere is how supportive everyone (or almost everyone) is when other members of the community score big. While I disagree with what Beth says about writers not being in competition with one another, it is really important for us as writers and as people to feel genuinely proud of and happy for those whose dreams actually come true...and believe that, one day, ours will too. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for following my blog. :) If you're interested, come sign up for my 100-Followers Blogfest, titled "Inanimation," it's going to be great!
http://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com/2011/04/100-followers-blogfest-inanimation.html
~TRA
It's always nice to hear good news because next time it might be any of us! You just have to keep trying.....
ReplyDeleteIt's really good to be able to think like this, because it shows how we are all interconnected in a wider universe, when sometimes it can too easily seem that everyone is 'out there just for themselves'. Most especially when the whole 'self-promotion fever takes over, as it can with some. But for the most part I have met some wonderful genuine people, mainly via Twitter and you are right, the success of other genuine people who have also suffered in the same way that many of us do/are (I know the feeling very well!) does offer real hope. I wish you luck (que tengas suerte) in your own writing endeavours!
ReplyDeleteIt is very exciting to see other bloggers getting their work out there - I know I try to buy books from all the bloggers I follow :)
ReplyDeleteWagging Tales - Blog for Writers
Hola Sarah, no es en realidad un comentario a tu blog pero acabo de hablar con Maria y me ha dicho que tienes un blog!!! No sabía que habías tomado la vía literaria, pero seguro que lo voy a seguir...Entre el 20 y el 25 de agosto estamos en torre, espero que nos veamos.... Saludos Patrick
ReplyDeleteSo very true. Joy is infectious - and it's wonderful that it can be spread around when anyone glimpses success.
ReplyDeleteSometime I try to feel sorry for people eaten by envy. Then I don't - they are missing out on the party, and all it takes is a little generosity and they could join in with the rest of us.