I have lots of writerly dreams that may or may not come true. I dream of seeing the words “based on a novel by Teresa Funke” roll by on the silver screen. I dream of being the first self-published author to win one of the prestigious literary awards. I dream of keynoting at a major writers conference. I dream of finishing my children’s series. I dream of starting college scholarships for kids who want to go into the arts.
When I was a teenager, I used to have a Louisa May Alcott quote taped to my mirror. It read: “Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead.” At various points in my life, that quote held different meanings. The other day, I took it down.
See, I’ve lived long enough and been lucky enough to have achieved some of my highest aspirations and to realize that dreams can come true. They don’t exist “far away,” but right here at our fingertips. And many of the dreams that don’t come true lead us to something better. Something we never would have seen if we’d achieved what we thought we wanted. I’m incredibly lucky to get the opportunity to reach every day for my dreams and to work with aspiring writers and artists who are reaching for theirs.
If one of your dreams is to acquire an agent and maybe land that big publishing contract, check out my newest video in my That Book Inside You series on YouTube. Watch it below, and if you want to hear about my videos when they first go up or see the art I give away each month, subscribe to my newsletter here.
