Wednesday, October 31, 2007

It's Here!

The publication with the first installment of my new column arrived yesterday. How exciting! I ran (up the hill, huffing... I'm no runner) from the mailbox and burst through the door. "It CAME!" I yelled to my husband, who watched my frenzy with the newspaper for a half-second, then returned to his project.

Soon after discovering my treasure amidst sales flyers and a cell-phone bill we had to leave the house. I absorbed the column with new eyes as we drove to our destination. I was nervous, excited, proud. I was grinning like mad. And I was a bit disappointed to see they changed the wording in one of my sentences. Actually, it was supposed to have been two sentences, but they replaced a period with a comma and ran (on) with it. Hmph.

During our excursion I was able to show the article to a friend, who hadn't really been acquainted with my writing yet. I stewed while she quietly read, afraid of what her response might be. Is it really that good? I wondered. Is she gonna think I'm a dork with only mild talents? ...She did seem to like it, but then my string of doubts took over.

Through fits of wakefulness last night I kept thinking I should have included this or That word should have been omitted. I reread it now and, though I'm proud of it, I worry it'll flop. Maybe it won't get the warm welcome I'm hoping for within our community. What if I'm not the next Erma Bombeck? ;)

But I just have to get my mind out of the funk. I have to believe in my writing, right? And I do. I just need to keep remembering that not every single person will enjoy my words. But if I write them true to myself, making them as entertaining as I can, I will have succeeded at my job.

6 comments:

Teige Benson said...

Congrats - that had to be an exciting moment. Enjoy it.

And you're right. Write true to yourself and show your voice to the world.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!!! Very exciting and nerve-wracking, isn't it? Try to enjoy it. Soon it'll be old hat, I promise. :)

Janna Leadbetter said...

Thanks, guys!

Twizzle - I'm not sure what happened to your second comment. I published it, but it's MIA. Maybe it'll show up later?

Teige - Here's to being true to our writing selves.

:)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Congratulations! That's such an accomplishment! Good luck keeping up the momentum, I'm sure you'll do great.

Janna Leadbetter said...

Thanks Melanie!

Anonymous said...

AWESOME Janna! Congratulations! It's kinda cool to get what you want sometimes, huh?