No, You're Not Hopeless.

Check out my latest children's picture book, Detective Dimple and the Colourless Coral Mystery: https://a.co/d/i7XILvq

I remember listening to a live stream one day back in 2020, when things were chaotic, but strangely quiet. Trips to the store weren’t part of our routine, getting together at church and having game nights and …. well you know. It was quiet. Incredibly quiet. And as we tuned in to more podcasts, TV shows, books and live streams than we knew what to do with, there was a growing echo of the message, “you’re not alone.” On this particular day, while the live streamer was doing a myriad of other things on his channel, I’ll never forget the way he explained why he does this for a living. And this one line has stuck with me ever since.

Do you find as you’re on the journey of authorship like you’ve no idea what you’re doing? You’ve probably even questioned on those dark late nights, “why am I even trying?” It’s because we are all called to experience life in a completely unique, and utterly profound way. No 2 people will have the same memories. No 2 people will react and share an experience the same way. Ever been on a trip and later when you’re retelling the story, the friend you were with says, “No it didn’t happen like that!”?

That’s the drive that makes authors write. That’s the importance of YOUR story. IT’s wholly, and completely yours. No one else will have that walk and experience it the way you do. And that matters. It matters to people who pick up your children's picture book, it matters to the children who feel the way you did in that story. Your children's story matters and can change a life. And that should mean something to you as an author.

Back to the live streamer in 2020. So someone in chat popped in with an honest question, “how do you get into live streaming? I only have 4 followers and it feels like I don’t have what it takes to make it work.” When the live streamer read this, he responded with a powerful message for any and all creatives, whether you’re an author, podcaster, journalist, illustrator or fine artist. “If I wake up, and see even one person in my live stream, I’ve changed a person’s life. If I have only 2 followers, then I’ve changed two people’s lives. That’s an incredible experience. Maybe you don’t have 500 viewers. But the fact is, someone connected to you and your live stream. Someone you’ve never met before saw you and said, I like what they’re doing. I connect with their message. That to me means the world, no matter what the numbers are.”

How does your children's story reach other people? Only by you telling it. No one else has your unique voice, and your insight into the experiences you’ve gone through. And it can change someone else’s life.

How incredible is that!?