Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished. ~Michael Strassfeld
A recent post by my friend, Annette Lyon, has me thinking this morning about all the writers, editors, and publishers who willingly share what they know, what they are experiencing, and what they are learning through blogs and websites. There is a hefty amount of information out there, right at our fingertips, and we only need to read, or listen in some cases, to draw on that knowledge and apply it to our craft. Yes, we need to be wise and careful not to believe everything out there, but it's easy to get third and fourth witnesses of an idea, whether it works or not, or find an idea that clicks with our particular personality or methods, and improve ourselves.
Publishers post their guidelines for submissions on their websites, and the guidelines vary from company to company. Agents post what they require, what they are looking for, and what they are not accepting. Editors blast post after post about what they don't want to see, what they shouldn't have to edit, how to do it correctly. Authors post the in's and out's, the do's and do not's. They shout for joy and lament with us. They tell us to keep trying.
And all the while, we are encouraged, corrected, guided.
We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own. ~Ben Sweetland
Thanks, everyone, for the torchlight.
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