Sometimes as a writer it’s hard to know how much impact your words are having in the world. After all, how do you monitor ‘impact’ – by sales figures, fan mail, awards, the number of stories you’ve published, Twitter follower figures, or something else?
I like to think of it in terms of whether my words are enabling me to do what I want to do in life. Right now I’m lucky enough to run a successful creative support business, which keeps me busy five days a week with editing, proofreading, book layouts, websites, giving talks, teaching, mentoring and tutoring. I also get to spend a few hours a day on my own writing, as well as spend time with my children, and even raise money for charity. My words enable me to do all that because of the impact they have. Since I’ve won over a dozen national awards, other writers want to learn from me in talks and classes, tutoring or mentoring; others want to hire me to help them make their own impact. Since readers enjoy my stories, they recommend them to others and send me emails like the one I got this week:
Zena,
I finished your book ‘Towards White’ last weekend
I really enjoyed it – you’re not bad 🙂
I have a question though – how do you know so much about Iceland? Did you live there?
All very impressive.
I’ve received an email every week or so since the launch of Towards White last October (how amazing!!) and each of them brings a smile to my face and a bounce to my step. Another recent email read:
I went back to the beginning of your book after I finished it and read how you said ‘For those we’ve lost’. Very poignant, made me think of my Mum and Dad and younger sister. I absolutely love that paragraph on page 250 when Becky realises that Mark wanted her to wonder and how we can never stop wondering. It’s really beautiful, Zena.
I’m chuffed to be impacting on other people’s blogs too. This week Towards White was mentioned in a post about writing in first person by blogger Simon Dillon over here; and one of my clients blogged about a book I edited for her and how hard the process was on her blog over here.
All about how hard life can be!
All about ‘point of view’
My ten-year-old daughter Ophelia started a creative business herself this weekend selling ‘Squissies’ with a friend – Squissies being material pockets of fluff to fiddle with or use as pillows for special things like pens, pins or cuddly animals (let me know if you want to buy one!). She watches me lead my writers’ group all the time and create co-authored books to raise money for The Kids’ Cancer Project (help out by buying a book from over here!), and for that I write contracts. Yesterday I found her drafting up her own contract. In it, she wrote
I agree to the rules and decisions of this company. I promise to always take pride in my work, and will not be a boss but a leader. I will keep an open mind and will hear and listen to the ideas of others, and take action from their words.
I will remember to respect the customers and will not tolerate the hurtful words of others, directed at me or friends and buyers.
I will continue creating products for this business for up to months. I promise to supply the equipment assigned to me, and will always deliver it on time. Nor forget. I promise.
Sincerely,
Leader of company:
He he, I guess my words are having an impact at home too, where we often talk about the difference between being a boss or being a leader!
Some readers are even trying to ensure my words have an impact on their kids nice and early:
One day of course I hope my words will reach even further than they do right now, but as long as they keep enabling me to do what I want to do, I’m happy. What about you? Do you seek to have an impact with your words and, if so, what does that impact look like to you?
