I cannot remember the last time I was this happy! I have no words! And I’m going to need words… I just won a #PBChat mentorship with the fabulous Adam Wallace!
!!!!!!
I’m going to document my mentorship over a series of blogs. And this first blog is going to be two-part: BEFORE my first conversation with Adam, and AFTER.
BEFORE:
I had to work a double shift the day the mentees were announced. Would I turn my phone off and check it in the evening? Would I check it at the sound of each ping? When would Justin announce each mentorship? Why did I feel like an imposter? These were the questions going through my mind Tuesday evening (okay, maybe for the entire month of July!)
Let’s backtrack even more… I had hit a point in my writing career where I had nearly stopped querying. I felt like every manuscript was more trash than gem, and I struggled to find the time needed to revise all 17 manuscripts. I also felt guilty for the time I spent writing, which was always time NOT spent with my family.
Enter #PBChat. I latched onto #PBChat and sunk my teeth into it; hungrily devouring the Twitter feed each Thursday morning (I had to work late Wednesdays, when #PBChat took place). I became addicted. I became obsessed.
Obsessed you say? Yes, I became hooked on the idea that winning a #PBChat mentorship would be my nod that I was going in the right direction. If I won, then I’d know all this time writing and therefore all this time away from my kids would be worth it. God or whatever you believe in would be confirming that I am indeed allow to pursue my dream of being a children’s picture book writer.
Okaaaaaay. I know I was being irrational. But I also know me. And one of my weaknesses is that once I get something stuck in my head, it’s really hard for me to get it out!
At 10:10 am on July 31st, my phone beeped. I was supposed to be taking a patient history for one of the sisters at a nursing home for nuns.
I glanced briefly at my phone, just looking for the shape of the cards that Justin’s #PBChat announcements came on. I would check my messages later (otherwise, I knew I wouldn’t be able to give my patients the attention they deserved!)
But my brain, in that split-second glance, recognized my name! WHAT? I grabbed my phone with two hands, ignoring whatever the sister was saying to me (probably in French). OH. MY. GOSH. I was the first mentee ever for #PBCHat, and I had won my first choice, Adam Wallace!
I can honestly say my happiness was disproportional… I was happier beyond belief. And I still am. It’s the longest running happy high I have ever had in my life!
I let it all hang out in my application to Adam Wallace. I said what came to mind, uncensored. I felt like I was cheating when I wrote that application. I had FUN with it. It was 100% me.
So to have someone select me being 100% me – if that makes any sense – is mind-blowing and life-altering for me. I’m going to allow myself to be me for this entire mentorship. I wonder, will I explode?
Okay, I’ve got to go make dinner. I get to meet Adam in less than two hours!!!!
AFTER:
I’m back!
It’s definitely meant to be! Adam said our first goal was to get the “me” in the application into my manuscripts. Haha! I can’t wait!
Been on any first dates lately? What about first dates where you know you’ll be seeing a lot of the other person for the next few months, regardless of whether or not he’s just as okay in person as he is on paper? I felt a little like that… except for the dating part. Haha!
You know what? We clicked! Hooray!
The result? I am even more excited – if that’s even possible – for this mentorship. Woo-hoo! Let’s get started!
Speaking of started, I’ll be checking out the book The Artist’s Way, as well as spending 10 minutes each morning freewriting whatever comes into my head, uncensored.
Oh, and I sent over a bunch of my manuscripts. You know that feeling of vulnerability that comes with sharing your work, your baby (even if your baby is a little underdeveloped, haha) in a query or critique group? Well, magnify that by something-fold: sharing a lot of works all at once is QUITE. A. FEELING.
I’ll keep you posted over the next several days and months ahead. I won’t promise stellar blog writing, but I do promise to share.
How about you? What are you working on? Any pre-writing tips you’d like to share? Any big or small news or plans?