Things I've Learned, But Needed Reminders

This week, I had two important reminders, life lessons that I've learned along the way that could always do with a little reinforcing. One: don't warm up boiled eggs in the microwave, at least not for thirty-five seconds. They can, and will, explode in your face; spewing hot flecks of yolk into your eyes and leaving a burn on your top lip that looks like a shark took a bite out of it. Yes, folks, I have the burn mark to prove this. Two, a pain-free lesson compared to the first one: never take the friendships you've made with other writers for granted. Since this is a blog about writing, guess what I'm going to discuss further.

It's so easy, terribly easy when you're bogged down in writing and editing, blogging, tweeting, the always-looming deadline, and all that other real-world stuff you do, to forget your friends. They've read and commented on your work in critique groups, validated your skills as a writer, subscribed to your blog, followed you on Facebook and Twitter, cheered each request for partial and full, listened to you cry on the phone over your latest rejection, and given loads of helpful advice. Yet, when you just need to get that last chapter done, you retreat into your writer's cave. Don't. The best writer friends will understand that you need time to yourself, because they do as well, but they will also be there whenever you decide to stop acting like a hermit. I am so blessed to have writing friends, whose lovely voices I get to hear on Skype every weekend, who trade emails with me almost every week, who have maintained long distance friendships with me, even though we've never met in person.

Thank you to all my writing friends. Your support and encouragement keeps me going in this crazy business we've all chosen.