The Writing Life: Be Prepared

When I discovered my post on the Indie E blog was set for March 12^th, I knew I had to do something related to the birthday of the Girl Scouts / Girl Guides organization (https://www.girlguides.ca). Here I am getting “sworn in” as a Brownie way back in the 70s:

Besides my enduring love of the cookies, I’d have to say my time in the Canadian Girl Guides as a Brownie, Guide, and Pathfinder – has impacted my writing life. Through Girl Guides I was able to try numerous creative, physical, and mentally challenging activities. To volunteer, to survive winter and summer campouts, to fundraise, to perform, to sing - to fail and allow myself to try again.

That’s right, my friends, when you embark on a writing career it’s best to have a few merit badges under your belt. Ones perhaps along the lines of:

Thick Skin Badge,

Show Don’t Tell Badge

I Wrote a Query and Then I Wrote 100 More Badge

There’s No Such Thing as a New Story Badge

But That Was My Idea Badge

My Book Was Optioned But There’s Still No Movie Badge

I Self-Published My Rejected Novels as EBooks Badge

I Have Seventeen Social Media Sites to Maintain Badge

My Ass Gets Bigger With Each Book I Write Badge

But, seriously? Yes, I’d say my time selling cookies door-to-door and in malls around town has influenced my writing today. Girl Guides introduced me to the thrill of a good campfire ghost story, taught me tragic songs about the Titanic and so I understood the power of a sad ending, but mostly I absorbed their motto: Be Prepared.

That’s really it. Writing life will challenge you, scare you, thrill / astonish / uplift you and just as easily break your heart. So read all the manuals. Learn from your fellow writers. Lend a hand and be kind to each other along the journey.

And be prepared for the ride of your life.

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