In This Time Of Change, We are Here and Want to Celebrate Your Success

At this time when things feel so uncertain, give yourself grace. It's the best gift you can give to yourself. Don't compare what you are doing to someone else. Trust me, I have to remind myself of this every day when I see some of the amazing things that some moms are doing at home. Or when I hear that a writer is still managing to meet their word count or publishing their books. My friend posted this meme "It's okay" on my Facebook wall this week.

Here's the thing: not only are some of us scared and possibly sick, plus isolated, we are also undergoing all kinds of change--change for us, for our partners, for our children, for our coworkers, for our friends and family. Everyone is under change. And what's that saying?

Change is hard.

Our routines are changed. Maybe you're used to writing at your local coffee shop, and now have to stay at home where it's noisy and chaotic. Maybe you're used to writing once your kids go to school, only now you are home with them all day, every day. Maybe you and your partner share an office, and now are both home at the same time, trying to use it. Whatever the change is big or small, it takes time to get used to it.

So please, allow yourself some time to breathe. If you can write on your typical schedule, that's awesome! Keep it up. If instead right now, it's easier for you to read--that's a way to work on your writing--you're reading in your genre. Even if you're on Facebook, discussing writing with some other writers, that's networking! Look at the positive things you're doing, and do not beat yourself up for the things you aren't able to manage to do right now. It's okay.

Breathe deeply.

We're still in full swing at WOW! if you want to join us. Currently, Angela and I are working on the query letters we received by March 15 and are narrowing down our decisions this weekend. So some of you will have contracts for articles! We have classes starting in our WOW! classroom. We still need Friday Speak Out bloggers--need a platform? Need a place to express your feelings right now? Check out any Friday post and then write your own.

We have contests to enter and judging to do. In the summer and fall, we'll be taking more queries--start brainstorming now. We are a paying market! Next time  I blog, I'm planning to talk about querying us and provide some tips; but if you want to start preparing now, I did a podcast interview with Shelly X. Leonn and LL Montez at The Writers XL podcast. I talk a lot about writing and editing in this interview; but if you're specifically interested in how to write for WOW!, then start listening around the 17-minute mark by clicking here or download the podcast episode where you typically listen to podcasts.

And finally, we need your SUCCESS STORIES! 

In a couple weeks, you'll be getting a  really cool newsletter in your inbox from us (sign up here at the top of the toolbar, if you aren't on our newsletter list yet), and we would love to put your success stories in there, too. Since the beginning of 2020, who has something to celebrate in your writing life? We want to hear about contest wins, publications, goals met, blogs started, new jobs, and more. Please try to keep it under 100 words. Also, include a link if it's something that is online. We really do want any success stories, including things like: "Under self-isolation, I managed to meet my word count each day."

Let us know! Motivate your fellow writers and celebrate. You can email these to Margo at margo (at) wow-womenonwriting.com or write them in the comments below. (If Margo does not reply, try margolynndill@gmail (dot) com.)

Take care of yourselves, wonderful writing community.

Margo L. Dill is the managing editor at WOW! Women On Writing. Her next classes are Writing Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction: A Study and Workshop  , starting on March 31 and WRITING A NOVEL WITH A WRITING COACH: One-on-One Instruction , starting April 3. Find out more about her writing and editing at https://www.margoldill.com.