From humble beginnings...

When I first became serious about the writing life two decades ago, I didn't know much. Oh, I could spell real well, and my grammar skills were above average. Those God-given tools came from a gene pool largely endowed by my language professor dad, and a mom who spoke and wrote flawless English, as well.

Because I thirsted for the writing life, I thought and acted like a writer by attending nearby writing seminars and workshops where I rubbed elbows with 'real' writers (as in published ones) for a couple of days. I also invested in a couple of very good writing courses.

So, in my toolbox, I had God-given communication skills and some book-learning...but, still, I felt I lacked a certain something. For a time, I stopped referring to myself as a writer. Yet, I did must-do things to build a writer's business and world---I looked for markets, wrote stuff that, today when I re-read it, not only makes me cringe with humility, I get nauseous. It was kinda bad. Even bad writers, though, need validation to keep them on the road to good writing.

It was at that stage in my development that I stumbled onto a little publication of anecdotes for speakers that turned out to be such a confidence-booster that I do a happy jig whenever I think about it now. That little, bitty publication promised a byline, a modest payment, and a copy of the issue. So I prepared the manuscripts containing my stories featuring my children and sent them. Weeks later, a nice but brief letter arrived in my mailbox, telling me they were buying my stories. In my haste to read the letter, I hadn't noticed the piece of paper that fluttered to the floor. When I picked it up, I saw it was a check made out in my name, for the princely sum of eight dollars. I was so thrilled that I flew to the phone, called my mother and blurted out the details of my good fortune (eight bucks is still eight bucks). She was tickled for me, and said a few gushy things. When my copy of the publication arrived not long after, I eagerly scanned the pages until I found my stories...and my byline. Eureka, I was a published writer!

No publication is too small to submit to as we build our writing-at-home business. The boost to our fragile egos is glorious, indeed, and happy outcomes like mine are well worth the time we invest to get our names out there...in our quest to live the writing life.