Let’s take a moment and recap my indie publishing tips so far:
4) Patience
8) Hold Everyone to the Same Standard
And, My New Tips are:
9) Find Your Tribe
10) Take A Risk
I’ve listed these together because they have something in common. Both are inspired by the same person – Jone Rush MacCulloch – who is hosting Poetry Friday this week. Jone is posting my answers to an interview she did asking me about my recent indie publishing experience for Picture Perfect Poetry: An Anthology of Ekphrastic Nature Poetry for Students. I hope you read her post.
Jone has become part of my tribe. We’ve connected over our love of nature and poetry. She’s been extremely supportive of the anthology project. We follow each other on Instagram. We email or text when we need a fast answer. But, neither of us has been needy or intrusive, just appreciative and respectful of each other’s talents. I hope I get to meet her someday.
I appreciate Jone. I hope she appreciates me. I am grateful for her interest in the anthology and for spreading the word about the new book. She’s part of my community of poets, teachers, librarians, and photographers.
I’ve noticed these things about Jone because I’m still trying to find my tribe where I live. We moved in June of 2022 to our cabin in the woods of Northern Wisconsin. I’m still figuring out who I’m comfortable with. I know I haven’t found my tribe here.
Last year, Jone (at least I think it was Jone) wrote about taking a risk. I’ve never been a big risk-taker. But, at certain times in my life, I have taken risks.
I flew (for the first time) by myself at 18 to Japan. That was a risk.
After working hard at getting my first Master’s degree in Nursing, I became a stay-at-home mom. That was a risk.
I started an Etsy shop in 2008 selling my handcrafted jewelry. This was a risk, not a financial one but a “putting myself out there one.” I still have that shop. It makes me happy. Making jewelry is another creative outlet.
Starting student and parent groups – and there were several – over the years was a risk.
- Founded and taught a garden club at our elementary school for second – to fifth-grade students. This lasted for 13 years! Again, a risk that was a success.
- Founding and leading a district-wide parent Advocacy Group for Talented and Gifted Students was a huge risk. This risk wasn’t worth it, but I learned from it. It was a risk not supported.
Writing is a risk. You share your thoughts and feelings with the world. Starting a blog was a risk. Will people read me? Seven years and almost 2000 posts later, I am still writing in this space.
Writing a book is a risk. Getting others to join you is a risk.
But, except for the TAG group that I sincerely regret I founded, all the risks I’ve taken have been worth it! Risks make you rise up and meet a challenge. I’m glad I took the risk to curate the anthology Picture Perfect Poetry. It’s been my pleasure.
Today is Poetry Friday. Jone Rush MacCulloch is hosting. She is featuring an interview of me and the process of the anthology which is now for sale on Amazon.
The Apples in My Orchard 
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