Writers write – right? by Cindy Regnier

Well, yes, and maybe I’m going way out on the pen nub, but I’m going to say writers do something else that may be just as important as their writing. Writers encourage writers.

Writers encourage other writers, which in turn encourages those writers to encourage even more writers. Where would we be if we were in this all by ourselves? I’d venture to say not many of us would be anywhere close to where we are now. As for me, I’d rather have my writing sisters standing by ready to encourage, prod and kick me in the backside if the need arises, than to be standing all alone on top of a successful career with no one to pat my back or keep me grounded.

We all need each other. Everything is figure-out-able on this writing journey, but we can’t do it alone. Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will, so we all need that encouragement from our friends to get us over the humps and through the valleys.

I don’t hear a lot of disagreement going on over what I’ve just said, so let’s take it a step further and look at the other side of the page. How much encouragement do you give to others? Friends, encouragement breeds encouragement in the encourager. That’s a bit of a tongue-twister, but true nevertheless. Perhaps you have been assigned a mountain to show others it can be moved. Maybe you needed a heroine so that’s what you became.

Next time you meet up with a bout of that pesky writer’s block, just look for a way to lift someone else up. You’ll find that it’s usually enough to lift yourself too. Amazing how that works. Find your tribe and love them hard. Got a critique partner? Be an encourager in the process. Tell the negative committee meeting inside your writer friend’s head to sit down and be quiet.

I don’t say this often enough, but I am so thankful to each and every person who has encouraged me along the way of my writing journey. Believe me, I know how easy it is to get discouraged, but I also know there are many standing beside me and cheering me onward. They make all the difference. A special thanks to PAWS – you know who you are. None of us would be where we are without each other.

In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, “In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Writer community, let’s drown out the silence. Share some ways others have encouraged you or you encourage others, then let’s get out there and encourage!

Writers do something else that may be just as important as their writing. Writers encourage writers. via @cindysregnier #SeriouslyWrite #amwriting #encouragement

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Scribbling in notebooks has been a habit of Cindy Regnier since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Born and raised in Kansas, she writes stories of historical Kansas, especially the Flint Hills area where she spent much of her childhood. Cindy is married to her husband of 36 years, has two grown sons, a son residing in heaven, a beautiful daughter-in-law, and a beautiful daughter-in-law-to-be.

A graduate of Kansas State University with a dual major in Agriculture and Business, Cindy works for her local school district as clerk of the board of education and is active in her church and community. Her experiences with the Flint Hills setting, her natural love for history, farming and animals, along with her interest in genealogical research give her the background and passion to write heart-fluttering historical romance.