A Positive Attitude = Success

I write novels as a hobby. I love creating characters, putting them into troublesome situations then figuring out how to save them. The problem with this pastime is, I can't really show off my handiwork. It's not like I can hang my novel on the wall for people to admire like a painter does with her work of art. My books are spending their time gathering dust in a Microsoft Word file. My husband tells me to simply enjoy the creative process and let it be. Good advice, but it's sort of like cooking a five course gourmet dinner and having no one come over to enjoy it. Something is missing about that loop. A writer needs readers just like a chef needs eaters and an actor needs an audience.

You may be thinking, why not publish your book?

I'm trying. I've sent out many query letters to literary agents requesting representation. A writer needs one of these sought after individuals so a publisher will pay attention to their manuscript. No luck.

Snicker, snicker. I hear you. You're thinking if your novel is good, you'll be able to get an agent. But that's not the case for me or any unpublished author.

 A.V. ~ Publishing did an interview with a small ‘mom and pop’ literary agency in Colorado. They receive 36,000 query letters a year. From those queries, 896 writers are invited to submit an additional 30 pages. Of those 896 submissions, a handful of full manuscripts are requested. They selected three new writers to represent in 2010. That's less than a one-tenth of one-percent chance of being picked up by a remote agency! If writer takes a novel to NYC, the odds are worse and if a writer does nab an agent, only 50% will end up finding a publisher. Not a good time to break into traditional publishing. To read the interview click here: http://www.avharrison-publishing.com/blog/?p=164

Will having a positive attitude get me a book deal? Maybe. I also have a Mega Million lottery ticket that is certain to win.

What do I do?

Give up my dream?

Or keep moving forward?

Keep moving forward. I will publish my novel(s) just not through a literary agent. I don't have the patience to put too much effort into an arena where my chances of success are less than 1/10 of one percent. Let's say I'm a realistic optimist. So what do I do? That's where my Pollyanna spirit shines through. I become my own publisher with the help of Amazon.com's CreateSpace, the booming e-publishing market and community support.

Will I sell books that way? Sure. Lots of people who e-publish and self-publish do. Why not me? It's a decent book and I have loads of energy to market it.

Will I become the next Jodi Picoult?

That is totally up to fate. At this point, all I want is for some people to read and be entertained by my novel and to have a little fun with the marketing endeavor. My happiness does not depend on making it to the New York Times Bestsellers List.

Let's look at the top selling author, John Grisham's journey. Did he write a novel, try to get it published and then mope around until that happened?

John Grisham

First, Grisham had a dream of becoming a professional baseball player then an author.

Grisham figured he was good enough to become an athletic pro after playing baseball for a year at Northwest University. He transferred to Delta State University so he could play for Dave 'Boo' Ferriss, head baseball coach and athletic director. Among other honors, Boo pitched the Boston Red Sox to the American League pennant in the 1940s. It was Boo who convinced Grisham that he was not cut out for baseball and told him to try something else-like books and studying.

Instead of crashing into a depression, Grisham transferred to Mississpi State University in 1975. He studied accounting and went on to become a lawyer. Somewhere during that time, he caught novel fever. He wrote his first two novels, but they were never published.

He began writing his third novel,  A Time to Kill in 1984 while serving in the Mississippi House of Representatives and it was published in1989 by a small press after being rejected by at least 28 publishers. A Time to Kill sold 5,000 copies and was quickly pulled from store bookshelves.

According to Grisham's website the rejection process didn't discourage him. "I never thought of quitting. My attitude was: 'What the heck, let's have some fun.' Honestly, I believe I would've sent it to several hundred people before I would have even thought of giving up."

Talk about the power of positive thinking! 

To help keep the creative juices flowing and his mind off the lengthy process of getting a first book published, Grisham took the advice of his agent and immediately began writing a fourth novel, The Firm, and we all know what happened to that blockbuster. For more click here:  http://www.jgrisham.com/

Was a positive attitude the foundation of Grisham's success? I never asked him or met him so I can only speculate. Based on his story, I would guess the answer is yes. If he was a pessimist, wouldn't he have given up on writing after his first three novels weren't successful? 

Where is he now with both of his dreams?

• Author - There are currently over 275 million John Grisham books in print worldwide, which have been translated into 40 languages. Nine of his novels have been turned into films (The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, A Time to Kill, The Rainmaker, The Chamber, A Painted House, The Runaway Jury, and Skipping Christmas), as was an original screenplay, The Gingerbread Man. 
•  Professional Baseball Player - Although John Grisham never made it to the major leagues, he now serves as the local Little League commissioner in his hometown. The six ballfields he built on his property have played host to over 350 kids on 26 Little League teams.

Adopting a positive attitude about endeavors works. It's been proven over and over again. The good news is it only takes a moment to turn a negative thought into a positive one. Try it.     

A Little Something Extra:

Click on the link below for an NPR story about several authors difficult journeys to success: 

<embed src="http://www.npr.org/v2/?i=142437700&#38;m=142438006&#38;t=audio" height="386" wmode="opaque" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" base="http://www.npr.org/" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed>

“Life is short..Live to the fullest..”
                         John Grisham, The Runaway Jury

The Glad Game

"You're so Pollyanna, Peggy," a colleague exclaimed at a meeting a few months ago. Apparently she didn't agree with my optimistic solution to a problem.

I sat back in my chair and smiled. On the surface it appeared that I took this comment lightly, as I'm sure it was intended, but on the inside I wondered what being, "so Pollyanna" meant. The way it was stated sounded a bit insulting, so when I got home I looked up Pollyanna on Wikipedia. Here's what the mastermind of the World Wide Web said,   

"Pollyanna is a best-selling novel by Eleanor H. Porter (1913) with the title character's name becoming a popular term for someone with the same optimistic outlook. Eleven more Pollyanna sequels, known as "Glad Books" were later published. Pollyanna has been adapted for film several times."

What's it about?

A young orphan girl, Pollyanna, goes to live in Vermont with her wealthy, but stern aunt. Pollyanna's philosophy of life centers on what she calls, "The Glad Game," an optimistic attitude she learned from her father. The objective is to find something to be glad about in every situation. With this philosophy, and her own sunny personality, Pollyanna brings so much gladness to her aunt's dispirited New England town that she transforms it into a pleasant place to live. 

I felt better after reading about Pollyanna. I hadn't been insulted at that meeting, I had been complimented. After all, don't lots of people spend money on self help products and many hours in therapy trying to be "Pollyanna."

And does it work? Can being positive actually result in feeling positive? If you Google that question, you'll find people who say, a positive attitude = a happier life and those who argue the point. I figured the Mayo Clinic was a relatively unbiased source so went to it via my search engine. Here's what they report:

"Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body. It's also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't smoke or drink alcohol in excess." For more click here:   http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009

So maybe Pollyanna was on to something with her "Glad Game." She explains it below (sorry about the marginal audio):

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If it works in the movies, it can work in real life, right? You bet. Over the next two weeks we'll focus on true stories about how a positive attitude made all the difference, even saved lives.

Kick Back Book of the Week:

Let's go with Pollyanna by Eleanore H. Porter. It's a classic that if you haven't read, you'll be glad you finally did. If you've read it before, read it again. It'll be a good reminder of how to play The Glad Game.

Kick Back Song of the Week:

Ordinary Miracle sung by Sarah McLachlan from the movie, Charlotte's Web. This simple song is about the "glad" that surrounds us everyday. 

A Little Something Extra:

Watch how Laverne and Shirley play the glad game without even knowing it.  

   

      

Happy Holidays!

No matter how or if you celebrate during this holiday weekend, I wish you the best. I'm taking a few moments to enjoy friends, family and a blessed year. Thanks to all you pingers who have dropped by to visit my pinpoint on the blogosphere. I'll be back on Tuesday.

 Don't forget to look for those spaces in your day where a bit of fun can be found. It'll make all the difference.

http://www.americangreetings.com/ecards/view.pd?i=551879138&m=9159&source=ag992

Light a candle for an Immediate Kick Back

Candles light up a birthday cake, illuminate a dark room, add romance to a dinner table and are used as a sign of remembrance and celebration in different religions around the world.

Lighting the Hanukkah Menorah is a ritual that has been observed since the destruction of the Temple in 332 BCE when the Jews refused to acknowledge the deification of Alexander the Great of Macedonia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_in_Jerusalem). The menorah symbolizes the ideal of universal enlightenment. The branches allude to human knowledge and the central lamp represents the light of God..



The ring or wheel of the Advent wreath of evergreens decorated with candles was a symbol in northern Europe long before the arrival of Christianity. The circle symbolized the eternal cycle of the seasons while the evergreens and lighted candles signified the persistence of life in the midst of winter. Christians now light one candle on the wreath each Sunday as a part of the Advent services. Each candle represents an aspect of the spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ.

The way religions around the world use candles warrants a blog of their own and I'm guessing there are hundreds.



What is it about a formation of wax with a flickering flame that makes humans feel at peace and gives them hope?

Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., Melinda Smith, M.A., and Lawrence Robinson (http://www.helpguide.com/) tell us that, "The speediest way to stamp out stress is by engaging one or more of your senses."

Think about the senses a candle ignites...a kaleidoscopic light in the dark, an aromatic scent, soft warmth and a whisper of sound as the flame dances.

The only way you can feel the calming effect of a candle is by lighting one and staring at it for a few minutes. There is no way you can experience the full sensuality of a candle over the Internet. Your eyes may water a touch when you first gaze at the flame. You may even see double, but as your focus settles in you will escape to a faraway place.

In honor of the candle, I'll share an award winning film, Lightheaded by Michael Dacko, which focuses on the journey of a flame. The animation is incredible. Click on the first link:
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/10470386?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/10470386%22%3ELightheaded%3C/a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/mikedacko%22%3EMike Dacko</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com%22%3evimeo%3c/a%3E.%3C/p>

A Little Something Extra:

"Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." 

~Chinese Proverb~



Instant Peace

...so what is peace?  

"Peace is a state of harmony, the absence of hostility," according to Wikipedia. "To be at peace with one's self would indicate a sense of serenity, calm, and equilibrium."

People that experience inner peace say that the feeling is not dependent on time, people, place, or any external object or situation. It's keeping oneself strong in the face of discord or tension. It is the opposite of being stressed or anxious. Sounds good, but how do we get it?

Way to complex for this blog, but here's a link to the Peace Pilgrim that should help launch your journey: http://www.peacepilgrim.com/steps1.htm#4prep

What I'll give you are some moments that evoke a peaceful feeling, at least for me. It's not scientific, but I have felt a warm sensation in my core, which I interpret as peace, when I have experienced the following:  

1. Giving - It can range from making a donation after a natural disaster, volunteering, and saying, "yes"  to the cashier at the grocery store when asked to donate a dollar to the charity of the month. It can be quite spontaneous too. This morning, while at the gym, I waited in line to get an exercise mat for class. The first woman lifted one out of the bin and instead of taking it to her spot on the floor, she started passing them out. Everyone smiled. This act of easy and unexpected giving generated that peaceful feeling.
2. Breathing - Taking slow deep breaths and focusing on them almost instantly soothes sorrow or anxiety that you may be feeling. Formally, it's called meditation and it really does work. 
3. Self Commitment - When I set a goal and accomplish it, I feel satisfied, at peace. It can be as simple as promising myself to make the bed in the morning, doing abdominal crunches before my shower or drinking eight glasses of water throughout the day. The bottom line is I valued myself enough to keep my word and it feels pretty good.  
4. Creativity - Doing something you love. For me it's writing. When I write, especially fiction, the world around me seems to disappear along with problems. We all have a creative side that, when accessed, helps us escape to a peaceful place, whether it's making an awesome play list on an I-Pod, snapping photos or sketching a pretty scene.
5. Smiling - Smiling is the true peace sign. If you give it away, you'll almost always get one in return too.
6. A Candle - There's something about lighting a candle then gazing at the flame that ignites peace -- an instant calm. I'm not sue why, but we'll explore that in my next blog post.

These are a few things that have given me a glimpse of what peace feels like. Please share ways that foster a sense of peace for you.

A Little Something Extra: 

Here's a short story about a mean school photographer who tries to get 4-year-olds to frown instead of smile for their class picture. The last little girl just won't give in. Does the magic of a smile work? You'll see. Click the link below:

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/30133754?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe><p><a href="/30133754">School Portrait (2011)</a> from <a href="/picopictures">Michael Berliner</a> on <a href="/">Vimeo</a>.</p>