Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

encouragement

Investors, cheerleaders and what makes the dream work

I don’t know who coined the phrase, “Team work makes the dream work,” but that person was totally on to something. I saw it play out in real life.

A few weeks ago, I told you about the chance to pursue my dream. Or at least take a step in the pursuit of my dream. Last week, I went to the writing conference in Nashville, nervous, excited, scared, insecure, hopeful. I had no solid idea of what I was walking into.

All I knew was that I didn’t walk alone. And yes, I mean that I know God was with me because His Spirit is everywhere, but I also mean that I had a team–some members near, some far–cheering me on. One friend sent a text: “Come home with a book deal!” I laughed because that was so far beyond the dream, but I loved her enthusiasm and belief in me. Another friend texted a lengthy prayer of encouragement about what she saw in me as a writer. I almost cried. Another friend let me know when she was praying for my appointments, and I knew that she was joining me in Spirit in those meetings.

These were my cheerleaders, encouragers, supporters. They did their work from another state but their work lifted me with every new step.

Mathias Jensen via Unsplash

Mathias Jensen via Unsplash

Then there were the other conference attendees, the ones I either only knew from Facebook or had never met in my life. Would you believe me if I told you that there was nothing but support and love for each other as writers? No feelings of envy or competition, just a spurring one another on? It was refreshing and humbling.

One of the opportunities this conference afforded me was to meet with agents and/or editors to talk about my writing. I requested two agent appointments and got them. Then, I freaked out because the story I consider “finished” is anything but and I thought maybe I should cancel because I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. More than once, an author I barely knew asked, “Are you pitching?” (i.e. presenting your story idea to an agent or editor).

“Uh, maybe. I’m not sure,” I replied.

“You should go for it.”

And again, “Give it a shot.”

“Don’t be nervous.”

I decided to go for it, and I had this great plan to visit the prayer room before my appointment so I could calm myself and gain some perspective. Then, the main session ran late after lunch, and I really had to pee and there was no way I had time to go to the bathroom and visit the prayer room, so you can guess which need triumphed. As I was standing in line for the bathroom (because there’s always a line at the women’s rest room), I must have mentioned my upcoming appointment, and I kid you not, two complete strangers (who are now friends) stopped and prayed for me. In the line to the bathroom!

I couldn’t believe it. They knew nothing about me except that I was a fellow writer and Christian and I was nervous about the appointment. I’ve told the story many times, and I still can’t believe it.

And then there was my friend Beth, who gets a special mention because she was not attending the writing conference but she decided to spend the money and travel with me to Nashville. When she first mentioned the idea, I wasn’t sure she was serious. Who would do that?

But she did. We traveled together, laughed together, explored together, and at the end of each day, she was there for me to download to. If not for her, I would have cried more and I certainly wouldn’t have fallen in love with Nashville because I never would have left the hotel.

This dream of mine was made possible by a whole lot of people: my husband, who practically pushed the computer key when I hesitated to register; my family, who took care of the kids their first week of school so I could do this for me; my church family, who picked up responsibilities I was absent for; and probably more that I’m forgetting.

It is so humbling for people to believe in my dream because I don’t always feel like I believe in it.

I’m so inspired by people who go for their dreams. It’s what I love about Kickstarter (and similar) campaigns. You put your dream out there and you ask people to invest and spread the word. This one particular campaign that ends in a few hours is a BIG dream monetarily with worldwide potential impact. I love the opportunity to be a co-founder of this dream, and I want to find ways to be a co-founder, an investor, in other people’s dreams.

Dreams need investors because all dreams cost something.

[bctt tweet=”Dreams need investors because all dreams cost something.” username=”lmbartelt”]

And all dreams need cheerleaders because the journey from dream to reality is long and winding and full of obstacles. Dreamers will doubt their dreams–and themselves–so they need people to rally around them and urge them to continue working toward their dreams. At the writing conference they talked a lot about the 20-year-overnight-success of being a writer–how the authors some of us look to for inspiration didn’t get that way overnight. They put 20 years of hard work into their writing to get where they are today.

I am thankful beyond words for the investors and cheerleaders for my dreams. And if you want to be one or the other for me, stay tuned for some specific ways you can help.

Because I’m going after my dream of writing and publishing fiction. And I’m going to need your help.

What dreams are you pursuing? How have you seen people invest in or encourage your dreams? 

When the end is only the beginning

I did something this week that I’ve only dreamed of. I wrote “the end” on a story I’ve been crafting for years now.

The End fancy

I knew it was coming soon; I just wasn’t sure how soon. And I know that might sound weird but if I’ve learned anything from this process of writing a novel, it’s that it’s nothing like I expected. I can’t explain how it happens, that even though I’m the one writing the story, I still didn’t know when it would end.

What has surprised me most is the outpouring of support and enthusiasm I’ve received from family and friends and Facebook acquaintances. I have written a book that needs a lot of work and is far from finished and yet people tell me they can’t wait to read it.

That’s frightening. And humbling. And encouraging. But mostly frightening.

They are cheering me on and I’m not even sure the game has started. I still feel like a spectator sometimes, watching other people pursue their dreams, or if not a spectator then a benchwarmer. I’m observing, learning and waiting my turn.

So these people, the ones who encourage and cheer like I’m actually already in the game, they scare me with their unconditional belief in me. Or maybe they can see something I can’t. I don’t know. I don’t want to think about it because then I might turn in my uniform altogether and try to forget I ever thought I could do this.

Because I don’t want to disappoint people. It’s okay if I disappoint myself. I’m used to that. But those cheerleaders? Bless them. I don’t want to let them down. And I’m afraid that I’ve written a big pile of stinky manure and the cheerleaders will hold their noses and turn away when they realize what it is.

Or that they’ll give up cheering because it might be a while before these words go public.

Writing is a marathon sport. Even if the novel was ready today, I couldn’t publish it tomorrow. Even if I had a contract from a publisher that I signed today, it might be a year or more before the book became something I could hold in my hands.

So, I’m afraid these dear people trust me too much and expect too much and will give up when the journey is long. I’m afraid of the same things for myself: that I put too much pressure on me, that I expect too much too soon, that I will give up when the waiting is long.

Please don’t stop encouraging me. Having written the two most important words of the novel–the end–is really just the beginning. A lot of hard work is behind me but a lot of hard work is yet to come.

I wish I could tell you that this book will be published and give you a date. I wish I could show it to you in all its edited, cleaned up glory. I wish writing “the end” meant it was truly over.

But it’s not.

So just hang on with me? Wherever this writing journey takes me, if you’re willing to stick it out and come along, I’m glad to have you. I can’t promise it’ll always be exciting. Some days it might be downright depressing. But it won’t be boring.

It means the world to me to have people in my corner. If that’s you, then thank you. I’ll keep you updated when I know what’s next. In the meantime, you can pray that I would see where God is leading and be faithful with the time and words He gives me to write.

Again, thank you. We’re in this together, and I couldn’t do it without you.