Come Down off Your Mountain

Once I resided on the side of a mountain here in the Ozarks without many contacts. I went to the store or the post office and greeted people in our small town when we met, but other than that I was here, growing a garden and canning, sewing, teaching piano, painting, and finally writing.

That’s when I began to meet more people than I’d ever imagined I would know. As writers we network. Before the Internet we attended conferences and other writing events and got to know each other. So many wonderful people write. Now we have added to that our friends on Facebook and Twitter, and links through the email.

Since I’ve been writing my historical column, in its 20th year now, I’ve also come in contact with those interested in what I’m writing about there. It’s amazing how many have their own stories and pictures to offer me.

There are those who have reached their 90th decade and love to spin yarns of their past and tales passed down in their families; there are the younger ones who are out looking for the history of their ancestors; there are also professionals like teachers, speakers, owners of companies and those beginning to write who reach out for help.

I could list many well-known, famous people here as well. Writers who have shared their knowledge with me, but only when I reached out for it. I could no longer sit here on my mountainside and write without being in touch with life and those who live it. I would soon grow stale. So I reached out to people like Jodi Thomas, who kindly wrote a blurb for my first published romance; Cait London, who has been a source of information shared for years; Jory Sherman, a man with over 300 published books who still takes the time to answer questions; a very good friend Lisa Wingate, who features my books on her site without being asked; Dusty Richards who has been a buddy through all the struggles; Linda Apple, whose new book Inspire has done just that; I could go on and on.

None of those people would I have known had I not stepped down off my mountain. Most of my stories would never have been had I remained in this back room typing away, shut off from everyone who could be helpful or a source of inspiration. So if I can give new writers one word of advice, it would be just that. Come down off your mountain and network. You’ll meet the nicest people in the world.