Cause for Celebration by Darlene Franklin

Dear writer, are you longing for the day you reach a specific goal? Annette here. I can relate. But are we wishing our lives away with that end in sight? We can be, if we miss the journey. Here's Darlene Franklin's wise advice. Enjoy!

Darlene Franklin

Cause for Celebration
by Darlene Franklin

Lately celebration has floated to the top of my mind. Years ago, a piece of advice helped me as a fledgling writer. Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal. Celebrate the steps.

In other words—celebrate the journey.

On July 1st, my twenty-fifth book was published, It Is Well with My Soul. The joy doesn’t get old. Almost every book represents a significant step forward. In this case, it’s my first nonfiction book. It’s also my fifth book this year, in spite of the physical problems I’ve battled for the past twelve months. So I announce it and quietly rejoice.

Lest you think, That’s easy for her. She has so many books out there, I point to the facts. I wrote for fourteen years before I had that first book contract. Success didn’t come easily or quickly.

What steps can we celebrate? Writing the first word. Joining a critique group or a writing organization. Participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Completing a manuscript. Editing it. Sending it to a publisher (magazine or book or electronic). Receiving a rejection.

Celebrate all of that and more.

CONTRACT! Definitely calls for a celebration. But how about submitting the final manuscript, approving art work for the cover, doing the edits, proofing galleys—all of that before you receive the book in your hand (or it appears on line).

How do we celebrate? You get to decide! I’ve done everything from buying a Bible cover to getting a much-needed laptop.

Hand me that candy bar, please. 

~~~~~

Golden Dreams

Award-winning author and speaker Darlene Franklin lives in cowboy country—Oklahoma. Oklahoma has the benefit of being the home to her son, his wife, and their four beautiful children. Darlene loves music, needlework, reading and reality TV. She currently resides in a nursing home, which has become a place of blessing. Darlene is the author of twenty-five novels and novellas. She has also written around 250 devotionals and personal experience pieces for various publications, including her soon-to-release book, It Is Well with my Soul. For links to her books and other writing, check out the second page of the blog. Her latest book, Golden Dreams, releases this month. Learn more about Darlene by visiting her website/blog.