Lisa is a Celebration Junkie

I love to celebrate. Give me a reason and I’m there. You finished your first manuscript. Hooray, break out the champagne! You took the plunge and started exercising. Let’s take a walk! Your kid passed his driver’s test. Let’s have a glass of wine! You passed your first class. Yippee, here’s a great big hug.

I really do think it’s important to celebrate the small things. Because life throws us so many curves and unexpected roadblocks that when we hit a high, it needs to be catalogued and acknowledged and well, celebrated.

So one of the things that happens once you become a writer is that there are milestones along the way that perhaps really only seem like milestones to other writers. (Or at least that’s what we like to tell ourselves). Seemingly little things that deserve a check mark on a list of actions that make us REAL writers.

Each of these moments are little triumphs in their own right.

Having a plotting breakthrough.








Pens plotting and query reading






Finishing a draft. Crafting a query letter. Hitting send on a manuscript.

Your first rejection.



A good reminder card given to me after a series of rejections

Tackling the revision letter. Re-sending your manuscript.

Your first book signing.



Rachael's first signing

Your first meeting with your editor, agent, publicist. Starting a blog. Starting a grog. Building a website. Your first interview.

Finding your book in a store.





A night of bookspotting (which is NOTHING like trainspotting)







Your first release. Your first award. Your first mention in the NYT Book Review. Your first list.

You celebrate for yourself and you celebrate for your friends. :)

I’ve hit some of these and I’m still waiting on others. But one thing remains constant...each time I hit one, the Pens will be there to celebrate with me.

Happy New Year! May 2011 be the year for you.


xoxoxo,
Lisa