J is for Joy. Happily Ever After endings fill us
with a sense of Joy. So does reaching the end of each successive draft. For me
each draft is celebration time as my Joy multiples. Honestly, with so many
things I do (or rather we all do) just getting the time to write can be quite
an effort. And managing to reach the end makes me super happy.
Joyous feelings fill our hearts when we hear of our
blog buddies, crit partners and friends success. When I heard that my critique
partner in New Zealand has got an agent I celebrated with her. There is a sense
of achievement (because in our small way we have helped them reach that
milestone) when we hear of all these accomplishments.
And seeing a book that you have read in the
manuscript stage sit prettily on bookshelves the world over is simply a joyful
experience. I was thrilled to see my
name in the acknowledgement section of my crit partner’s book.
What makes you joyful in your writing life?
Note: this is my post for the A to Z
Challenge. My theme is Emotions and Feelings writers experience.
What a lovely joyful post. I like the feeling when I reach the end of the first draft. Celebrating other's success is great too.
ReplyDeleteYour post made me smile. I'm from New Zealand. That makes me happy, and I have to agree with Suzanne - finishing the first draft makes me happy.
ReplyDeleteShelley Munro
As an amateur genealogist and family historian, any little discovery brings me joy. Solving the puzzle regarding an ancestor brings me joy.
ReplyDeleteWendy at Jollett Etc.
Finishing a first draft causes me to feel a sense of accomplishment. What gives me joy is getting done with revisions and edits.
ReplyDeleteI agree - it's the joy of seeing others succeed.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a great feeling to be able to celebrate the success of others with them. One of the best things about the blogging community. Great word for J. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Rachna. I love celebrating friends success and mentioned it in my J-post. :) Hope you're having fun with A to Z and that it brings you JOY!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely finishing a manuscript is a joyful experience - but seeing it as a book is an ecstatic experience!
ReplyDeleteYes--the joy of completion, of a job well-done, especially when it's a novel that's been a long time in the making. Also, comments on my blog fill me with joy... ;)
ReplyDeleteNice post, Rachna! :)
Hi friends, nothing beats the joy one gets at completing the dreaded first draft. Another joyful experience is our blog buddies' success.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It's important to have joy in our lives and especially in our writing. I get joy out of writing things my wife enjoys...and my beta readers too, of course:)
ReplyDeleteIt was a joy to read your blog today, Rachna. I am joyful to know firsthand of the camaraderie in blogland. It warms my heart and gives me much hope. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis post was cause for joyous celebration. When you share the joy someone else feels it transcends outwards. This was most upbeat.
ReplyDeleteI'm joyful in my writing when I share an experience that someone else can relate to. If the writing helps them then it helps me.
Gary :)
All of the things you listed make me joyful, too! My favourite is seeing a friend's "WIP" make it into the books stores! :D
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Rachna... I am always THRILLED to see my blogger buddies successes.
ReplyDeleteWe are all on the same journey and if we get to the same place eventually is certainly is cause to be JOYOUS and celebrate!!!
Joy is such a wonderful word - and experience. Bubbles of bliss.
ReplyDeleteLovely topic to pick, Rachna. We all need joy in our lives--we'd wither and fade otherwise! Looking back and finding pride in what I've written, or having others find joy in what I've written, always makes me joyful :)
ReplyDeleteFinishing a manuscript is joyous, and so is the pleasure of others' success.
ReplyDeleteWe feel a lot of joy sharing with other bloggers.
Uplifting post, Rachna.
Remembering to be joyful is what many of us need to remember to be. There is much to be joyful about, whether it's for yourself or for others. Love your outlook! Writer’s Mark
ReplyDeleteI love seeing my friends get published because I know how hard the journey is. I was thrilled when my crit partner found her agent, too, because I knew she'd been at it for years. So proud. :)
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a joy each time I manage to finish something. It's been a while since I felt that way though. Too much going on, I guess.
ReplyDeleteJ.L. Campbell writes at The Character Depot
and the Jamaican Kid Lit Blog.
Everything about writing and being with writers brings me joy. The biggest joy, however, is finishing a new first draft.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I've had a lot of joy in my writing life (agent, book contract, many positive reviews), but joy's in short supply in my day-to-day writing life. It's sad that the euphoria brought on by great news can pass so quickly.
ReplyDeleteThis also makes me joyful. I've seen my name on a book cover, in acknowledgements, and even in blurbs.
ReplyDeleteThis post made me smile, so you are spreading the joy. Congrats to your critique partner. I live in New Zealand, and love hearing of success stories out of our little country.
ReplyDeleteWhat a joyful post!
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about different writers and their success stories! That brings me lots of joy!