Permission

I don't know how many of you know, but yesterday, August 10th, began something new in the writer conference world, Writeoncon. A bunch of kidlit authors got together (cyberly) and decided to create an online conference for kidlit authors. For free. They still have great speakers, agents, editors in the biz, everything you'd find at a regular conference...minus the hotel rooms and food that doesn't agree with you. It lasts through the 12th, so you've got a couple of days to catch up. I believe all the info will stay up for while after the conference, so if you can't make it right now, you'll be okay for a while.

Now living in Utah is usually a great place for kidlit and fantasy writers. There are many of us here, and we like to get together and chat and improve our networking and our writing skills. But because I had three kids in three years, plus the two older ones, I've been busy/out of money for conferences for a long time. I finally felt like my kids were old enough that I could do a conference, but they all coincided with times I would be out of town. And then the hubby lost his job, so now there's really no money for writing conferences. But I digress...

One of the speakers, Molly O’Neill, an associate editor with Katherine Tegen Books, gave a great presentation on giving yourself permission. Permission for what, you may ask. Permission for all kinds of things that can improve you as a writer. Take a look, and tell me that isn't the most inspirational list for a writer. If it wouldn't take so blasted long and take time away from writing, I just might needlepoint it on a pillow. So go ahead. Give Yourself Permission. Give yourself permission to take another couple of minutes and read something that will help open a new window in your writing. Just do it.

The one that was most powerful for me today? "Permission to write a scene or a story that might make certain people who love you shocked and surprised."  Tomorrow it might be another one, but this list of thirty empowering statements has been printed out and taped up next to my computer. I need that daily permission from myself to write what needs to be written by me. And I'm the only one who can tell the story the way it needs to be told. And so I give myself permission.

Go get your own.