Have You Found Your Passion?

Posted: 11 years ago | By: Christine Somers | In: Life Management | Read Time: 1 minute, 43 seconds

I had a terrific weekend. My days were spent at the 14th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference with some really talented and inspiring people. I was surprised yet pleased to meet people from all over the United States as well as the world. Apparently New York is the "center" of the publishing world and anyone that wants to get their children's book published comes to this conference. I have completed one children's book and have started another.  I made the decision that this was the year that I would learn more about the how-to of getting a children's book published. The SCBWI Conference was the perfect place to start.

There were numerous writers and illustrators who spoke at the conference as well as editors and agents who gave real world advice on how to get noticed by editors and agents. The headliner for the event was Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton. Yes, that is THE Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma; they are a collaborative team that has written The Fairy Princess Series, the Little Bo books and the Dumpy books. Both women were bright, articulate and witty and Ms. Andrews looked fabulous! They spoke about their process for writing and why they write children's books. All the speakers shared their passion for the profession and I came away from the weekend jazzed about my own efforts to put my stories on paper. 

What is the promise that hovers in the future, the one you are going to get to eventually? Do you keep telling yourself that one day you will learn to bake the perfect pound cake, take up tennis or learn how to play guitar? I ask you, why not today? Not enough time? I found once I set my priorities in life and turned off the TV, my time multiplied. You don't know how? Get out of your comfort zone and learn from others. Attend a conference, check out your local community college and surround yourself with people who want to explore and grow. Join them and learn together.