Thursday is Thanksgiving. Sunday is the deadline for NaNoWriMo. Then there’s Hanukkah/Christmas/Kwanzaa in short order. Plus my personal favorite, the anniversary of John Lennon’s death. I still remember that morning/mourning.
But since it’s the eve of Thanksgiving, I want to talk about giving thanks today, and not just to the usual suspects of family, friends and co-workers. If you are reading the Fuse Literary blog, you’re most likely in the publishing industry. If you’re a writer, when was the last time you thanked your critique partners, beta readers, inspiration, or any member of your writing team? If you’re an indie editor or cover designer or any other member of the fast-growing base of indie publishing service providers, when was the last time you thanked the people you’ve worked with to bring a book to completion. (Don’t forget the interior book design team…they are so important as self-publishing evolves.)
And I’m not talking about a blanket blog or email thank you. I’m talking about a card or phone call…remember those? What about thanking people with homemade baked goods even? Sure it’s the thought that counts, but doing it in a non-wired way has a lot of impact…especially this time of year. So reach out and call. Just to say thanks. Or handwrite a note. I can’t tell you how amazing it is to get something other than bills and sales fliers in the mailbox. Before Christmas!
Finally, here’s someone else you really need to thank. The most important someone. Yourself. Maybe you can leave the mobile phone at home, or at least don’t take it to the Thanksgiving table. Taking a break leads to a different perspective. I’m worried that we’re becoming addicted to our little wireless friends and Thanksgiving is a great time to enjoy the other things in life we used to have plenty of time to do but that are now just memories.
Take a walk. Clear your head. You don’t have to be on 24/7. Problem solving and new idea generation come quickly and clearly when you stop, look and listen. Especially in nature if you are near enough to sample its beauty. And if you’re stuck in the snow or rainstorms this weekend, still do something non-internet related. Play a boardgame with your family or friends. Learn a new recipe and cook it for a group. Watch an old movie, or a new one for that matter. (Why can’t Guardians of the Galaxy be out already???) It is important that we step away from the relentless treadmill of this business, even if just for an hour or a weekend, and recharge our own batteries. I encourage you to give it a try. Thank yourself for all the hard work you’ve expended throughout the year.
We at Fuse Literary have a lot to be thankful for this year. And we want to share it. Our six, count them, six, Short Fuse Guides on contracts, subsidiary rights, plotting tips, queries, working with book bloggers, and book proposals are FREE until 12/31/14. They are our gifts to you. Our thanks for riding along with us on this crazy madcap journey through publishing’s rebirth for the future.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are really thankful that we have you in our lives.
