In just a few hours it will be Christmas! We celebrate the season in many different ways, but I think that spreading joy and helping others is a common thread that we all share.
Giving gifts is one way to do that. And finding just the right gift for people that we care about doesn't have to be about what we can buy for them. You can put your creative mind to work and come up with something special. For example--
What can you give a struggling writer for Christmas? A new idea? Some patience, and perseverance? Time to write? Maybe a little bit of inspiration!
This year I gave my writer friends a sewing kit. It sounds like a strange gift for a writer, but if you think hard enough, you can turn anything into some inspiration. It’s all in your presentation.
My sewing kit contained the following items:
Thread
A needle
A needle threader
A thimble
Scissors
Buttons
A safety pin
A straight pin
I added the following instructions:
Thread—use to sew the right words into your story
A needle—use to pull a common thread through your story
A needle threader—use to get that thread started
A thimble—use to keep from getting stuck when writing your story
Scissors—use to cut words in the right places
Buttons—use to hold the pieces of your story together
A safety pin—use to keep it all together
A straight pin—use to help you stick to it when things get tough
Now, if this was a magical sewing kit, it would help get us through a few of the obstacles of writing a good book! And wouldn’t that be great!? But even though it’s not magical, the message is that I’m there for them, wishing them much success.
Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays to all my writing friends as we keep on working to create great books for kids (and adults), and to readers, young and old!
To everyone, as you celebrate this special season, may your holidays be bright and filled with peace and love.