Growing up, there was this corner I found. It was this empty space between my dresser and my desk. It wasn’t a big space, but it was big enough that, if I was willing to fold myself up a bit, I could fit. There was even room enough for me to bring a couple small, book-sized things in there with me, when I needed to hide from the world.
Why I needed to hide doesn’t matter. Everyone has their reasons. Annoying siblings, demanding parents, un-done chores… There’s always something that makes life just a bit overwhelming, and the thought of having a secret space so appealing. If my childhood was a bit harder than some, it was a lot easier than others. So the why doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I had it. It wasn’t the most comfortable, or the easiest to get into, but it was mine, and it was wonderful. The books I read amazing, and shaped my life in ways that I’ll never be able to get the full measure of.
I’ve been working on restructuring how I approach my writing a lot lately. I’m trying to be smarter about it, and I’ve been reading a lot of very smart advise from very smart people. One of the best things I’ve come across is a bit of wisdom from some incredibly impressive indie authors, Johnny B. Truant, Sean Platt, and Dave Wright in their book Iterate And Optimize: “Know Your Why.”
My why is that girl. The one who climbs into a corner to hide away from the world for a few hours. One who reads books written for someone much older, dealing with subjects that adults don’t want to talk to her about, but that she’s dealing with all the same. The girl (or boy, really. I don’t discriminate!) who is looking for a window into a world she couldn’t find on her own.
She (or he) is why I write, why I publish, and why I’m going to do my very best to get my books into the hands of anyone who might enjoy them.
Lyn Lowe & Michelle Wheet 