When I Grow Up I Wanna Be A…

How many adults have been fortunate enough to be what they wanted to be when they were children? Certainly not me. For many of us real life steps in and we get derailed. Maybe we could have fought harder for what we wanted. Granted, no amount of fighting would have worked if lack of funds was the hindrance to fulfilling our dreams.

For me, there were many things I wanted to be, but one thing remained constant – I wanted to write. Writing and reading were and still are in my blood. So yes, I never got to be a lawyer, granted it’s not too late especially since I believe it’s never too late to do many things unless you are dead.

So have I been writing, yes…I write…lots. I write website content and blogs for others. I have some unfinished novels, and children’s book, one finished, one unfinished. So what is holding me back? Fear of failure – I fear that publishers will reject my labour of love and while I get great feedback I still fear rejection. And yet I know that a fear of failure is a surefire way to not try anything new.

Of course, I sometimes think of one of my favourite authors, Stephen King and his multitude of rejections to boost my confidence. It’s not that I’ve not had anything published, I have. My first real submission to a collection, Letters to My Teacher was published. I think often of J. K. Rowling and the success of The Harry Potter books and movies. I know that nothing ventured, nothing gained.

So what do you think? Maybe we should all try to be what we wanted to be – after all, it’s never too late unless you are dead. Some of us are just late bloomers – I know I am.

I am writing this to motivate myself to follow my dreams…when I grow up I want to be a published author. To do this I need to submit, submit, submit…