WU’s Greatest Gift
By Vaughn Roycroft | January 24, 2022 |
If you’ve visited Writer Unboxed in the past few days, you know that the blogsite and the community recently celebrated its 16th birthday. Therese shared a few stats in the commemorative post on Saturday, so I thought it would be fun to start this post by sharing a few of my own personal WU historical tidbits and stats.
As near as I can tell, I first stumbled across WU in the autumn of 2008. I was a few years into my writing journey, but at that time carpentry was my main gig. I injured my shoulder earlier in the year, and by the fall I had accepted the fact that it was debilitating to most carpentry undertakings. I considered it a sign that I should finish the first draft of my first trilogy. But while I was recouping I even found typing on a keyboard difficult. Due to my physical limitations I did a ton of reading that year, and I decided I should get caught up on the current standouts in my genre. Which led me to read Jacqueline Carey’s wonderful Kushiel series. Which led me to click on an author interview. The subject was JC, of course. The interviewer and platform? Why, our own Juliet Marillier, right here on WU.
Beyond a fascinating interview, I was immediately intrigued by what I found here, and dove into WU’s backlog of articles and essays. I instantly added a link to WU to my toolbar, and it’s been there ever since. From that moment forward, WU became a daily reading habit. (Not to mention the bonus of discovering and devouring Juliet’s catalog.)
How about a few stats? Important stuff first: did you know that JRR Tolkien/The Lord of the Rings has been mentioned in the body of over 90 essays here on WU? And no, it’s not what you’re thinking—only a small fraction of those mentions are mine. Okay, on to my actual stats. My first essay for WU appeared here almost exactly a decade ago (January 6, 2012), and the one you’re reading now is my 55th contribution. This is my third year as an assistant editor. I was among the first thirty or so members to join the WU FB Group on the day Therese announced it, and had the honor of being a moderator there for over a decade (until very recently—big thanks to Mike Swift for stepping up to take over my duties there). I was also the speculative genre reviewer for Reader Unboxed and hosted a regular ‘community links’ feature in the WU newsletter (both discontinued). My first (and only) time being published in a book was as a contributor to WU’s Author In Progress, and my two appearances on writing conference stages were both as a member of WU panels.
But for me, the WU Effect goes beyond stats and bylines. When I stand back and look at how much WU has meant to me, and what a profound role the site and community have played in my writing journey, I’m truly gobsmacked. That serendipitous google search in 2008 changed my writing life more than any other single thing I can think of.
Oh the cherished gifts I have received. Allow me to list them, won’t you?
Education—Any list of WU’s attributes should have this one at the top. By education I’m referring to more than just the plethora of concrete, useful, accessible craft instruction that can be found here. I have also learned so much about the ins-and-outs of the publishing industry, of course. But more than any of those things, reading and interacting with WU over the years has taught me so much about actually being a writer, and living the writing life.
Daily Inspiration—Has this ever happened to you? You wake up on the day you’ve planned on getting in some writing, and you got nuthin’. No motivation, no clear objective, no idea how to grapple with a current problem. You start your slotted writing time by opening WU, and BOOM. At the very least, you feel reenergized. Or maybe some element of that day’s post gives you a bit of insight, or directs you to some aspect of your WIP that you’re actually excited to work on. At the very best, there’s the phenomenon in which the essay featured that day seems to address, and maybe even solve, the exact problem that’s been hindering you or your work. It’s happened to me so often it’s gone beyond feeling a little spooky. But don’t get me started down the woo-woo path.
Industry Connection—The list of people I’ve met, have gotten acquainted with, or have the honor to call a friend because of WU is a long one indeed. It includes teachers, mentors, editors, agents, and even a publisher or two. Not to mention authors at every stage of accomplishment. Because of WU I’ve come to perceive the publishing industry not just as some vast, abstract monolith, but as a network of people whose most basic shared trait is a love of reading and books. When you think of it that way, is there ever any reason to feel intimidated by the industry? When you think of it that way, can there truly be any reason to feel envy, when we’re all pursuing the same thing? Tell me that’s not a gift.
Connection—This one’s been huge for me. We all know how lonely this gig can be; how overwhelming the goal can seem; how paltry our efforts to tell a story that matters can feel. Yes, WU has loomed large in my having found connection and community with other writers. But more than that, some of my dearest and most meaningful–and enduring–friendships have come of it. And the connection point is right here, in what is for me, the biggest little writerly corner of the internet.
This is a partial list, of course. But as I jotted ideas for it, I realized there is a particularly noteworthy gift I’ve gained through my association with Writer Unboxed. It’s one I’ve only recently acknowledged, and lately I’ve been feeling like it’s an essential ingredient to my writing life. One that had been missing and that I now see will help to define what writing success looks like for me. Hopefully it can be a similarly essential ingredient for you, too.
The Missing Ingredient
This particular gift is a little difficult for me to talk about. The reason is that it takes no small amount of it to publicly say I have any at all. If you read my last post here, just before Christmas, you might recall that I’ve been feeling much more at peace with who I am as a writer, and this gift lies at the very core of that feeling. Indeed, it was in response to the essay that Therese very kindly pointed it out to me by mentioning that she was glad to see “my newfound confidence.”
Confidence can be a weird thing to attribute to oneself. I mean, humility is a virtue I admire and aspire to. Besides that (or maybe because of it), one of the reoccurring themes of my work is the sin of overconfidence, and how it can easily lead to hubris. Still, I can see that confidence is a virtue that can take one to the next level as a writer.
Today I’m more confident than ever that I’m writing what I am meant to write, in the way it’s meant to be written. I’m confident that the time has come to publish my first trilogy. I feel like this newfound confidence is built on a solid foundation because I know I’ve put the work in, and that I’ll never shy away from continuing to do so. I have reached the point where I’m certain that additional investment in revision of this particular story will offer a diminishing return.
With an eye to maintaining a level of humility, I remain mindful of what my confidence is not about. It is not an untethered belief that I will find any sort of publishing success in the form of sales, or readers, or acclaim. It’s not about whether anyone who finds their way to my work will even enjoy it, let alone connect well enough to recommend it. In fact, I’ve become confident that those things will not make or break me as a writer. I’m confident that I will continue to tell my stories in spite of these things, whatever the outcome.
It’s through my association with you that I’ve gained this gift. In regard to my writing journey, I have not always been Mr. Bright Side. If you were to sample the long arc of my essays here, you’d see it. I wasn’t exactly a pessimist, but there was a time when I projected a pretty dim outlook for myself. Through my WU essays, through our correspondence in the comments and via conferences and even in social media, I have come to trust myself as a writer.
Through my tenure and association with WU, I have come to recognize that I don’t need permission to tell my truth. I found my way first to an ability to ignore self-doubt, and then to mostly defeating it. Well, on the page, at least. We all have our days, right? But confidence is born of a core belief, not just in oneself but in what one creates. It’s a belief that gets hardened by the fires of commitment and persistence.
We’re In This Together
There’s a secret I’ve gleaned about confidence: You already have it. Yeah, you. I know because you’re here. We share the core belief I describe above. It takes a respectable amount of confidence just to decide that you have a story inside of you, and even more to commit to setting that story down in writing. Your core belief may or may not need hardening, but it’s there.
It’s a gift because it frees us from needing permission or validation to tell our truth in our chosen format. The confidence of our commitment can restore the joy we originally found, when we took those first wondrous steps into the life of the storyteller. We can stride forward with the assurance that we don’t need anyone or anything else in order to explore our passion and to share it.
I titled this piece WU’s Greatest Gift in the realization that all of the gifts that I’ve listed combine to offer us the joy and peace I spoke about last month. Through diligent study and practice; through seeing that our fellow writers and all of those involved in publishing are bound by a love of books, thereby shedding intimidation and envy; through our connection and community—through the enduring habit and resolve that we forge together, and a commitment to lifting one another up, we can be confident that we have found our calling.
I’m ready to accept that I’m confident. Are you?
What brought you to WU? Are there gifts that I haven’t mentioned? Do you acknowledge that you already have confidence?
Vaughn Roycroft’s (he/him) teacher gave him a copy of The Hobbit in the 6th grade, sparking a lifelong passion for reading and history. After college, life intervened, and Vaughn spent twenty years building a successful business. During those years, he and his wife built a getaway cottage near their favorite shoreline, in a fashion that would make the elves of Rivendell proud. After many milestone achievements, and with the mantra ‘life’s too short,’ they left their hectic lives in the business world, moved to their little cottage, and Vaughn finally returned to writing. Now he spends his days striving to finish his epic fantasy series.
Beautiful post, Vaughn. I think you’ve spoken for all of us.
Mary, that is the very best bit of praise you could’ve offered. Thank you!
Good morning Vaughn. What I remember today is that you wrote me an encouraging note, after one of your posts, and I printed it out and taped it to the wall by my desk. We all have a writing journey, we all have days when our fingers fly and days when we wonder if publishing is meant for us. Writing certainly is part of ME. I have written three novels, all unpublished, yet I am still trying to get the first one to a point where I will query again. I blog, I write. I read good literature, I write. I have been privileged to post three times on WU and need to start thinking about another post. Being here each morning stimulates me and I welcome the benefits that WU provides. Thanks to you, Therese, and all at WU. Though some members are published and some are not, there is purpose and satisfaction, desire and joy in each of us. It just manifests itself differently. Because bottom line, we won’t stop writing.
Morning Beth–I think your bottom line is correct, that we share the drive to continue, come what may. But I sometimes wonder how that drive would’ve manifested itself if I hadn’t found this community. I remember, a few years before WU, I met a local writer who’d been published and confessing to her that I was working on a novel. She told me I was going to need a community in order to find my way through to publication. She was right about the need, just wrong about the group she recommended. I just didn’t fit in.
I’m glad to have found my way here, and to the fellowship that attracted all of us to this spot. Thanks much for your support. I’m so glad about my note providing inspiration. Remember, you’re already confident! Keep honing your belief. Onward!
What a beautiful gift-of-a-post, Vaughn! I especially love your breakdown of confidence; it’s insightful and empowering. Thanks for 13+ years of being here. We are all the better for it.
Thanks for pointing it out to me, T. I honestly only thought about it because of you. And breaking it down made me realize that confidence doesn’t have to be about the external. Which is the sort of lesson I feel like I have to learn again and again. Thanks, too, for being the bright star at the center WU’s solar system. It’s what brought my community here. WU really is the best thing that’s happened to me on this journey.
Lovely post, Vaughn, and I share in every one of the gifts you’ve listed. Knowledge, confidence, network — I’ve gained them all through Writer Unboxed, but the most important gift for me has been friendship.
Hey Liz! It’s funny, I can sort of break down the gifts into the categories of “writing life,” and just… “life.” I guess the friendships are anything but “just” life. You’re right, they’re by far the most vital and cherished of all. Thanks for being one of WU’s gifts. (P.S. I’m so excited for you and for your release day!)
Both fun and heartwarming! Thanks for sharing it with us, Vaughn.
Thanks for your kind praise, and for being a WUer who never fails to inspire, Greer.
All of your posts, even the ones that regard less happy topics, feel like a cozy sit-down for tea and a talk by the fire in a cottage in the Michigan woods. I really think that is your calling, Vaughn, besides being an excellent wordsmith. Your care and concern for your fellow writers have definitely helped make WU the community it is today, imho. And, I don’t think you have one jolt of hubris anywhere in your body! I don’t know how my story as a storyteller will end up, but I do know that it’s been better for having you and the others here at WU in it!
Hi Lara! Talk about enduring friendships, eh? How long ago did you kindly host an essay of mine on your site? And, ah, such kind praise. I can’t imagine wanting anything more than to have my voice invite folks to a fireside chat in the woods. :)
I’m right there with you – unsure about the future, but hopeful, and grateful, because of those who climb alongside. Thanks for this lovely comment and for your support and friendship over the long haul.
“I have come to recognize that I don’t need permission to tell my truth.” So much that. Thank you for this thought-provoking post, Vaughn.
Hi LK! Talk about a gift. I’m so delighted to be watching your journey right now. Such exciting times. I can’t wait for your work to shine out onto the fantasy reading world. Thanks for being such an inspiration.
Vaughn, your post is a gift. Thank you. About confidence–I think to be a writer one deep down has to have some sort of audacity. I’m one of those people who immediately embraced the freedom writing brought to my life even when I was writing just 15 min a day and jumping into things without knowing much but discovering that I can do what’s being asked of me. A little bit of fear can do wonders for meeting deadlines, lol. I’d like to add JOY to the list of gifts on WU–the joy that comes in learning and receiving valuable insights into your own work and admiring and rejoicing in the accomplishments of others, knowing what is possible. Really, all the concrete things you’ve mentioned that ultimately bring joy.
Hi Vijaya – Terrific addition! Whenever I’m feeling like the joy I found in writing is missing, I have only to turn to my community here to be reminded of how to access it again. Thank you so much for the steadfast support and encouragement you have provided to WU!
Vaughn, you are one of my favorite gifts discovered here on Writer Unboxed—and a shining example of the positive support that’s hard to find anywhere else!
Hi Dee! Ah, sunshine from the sunshine coast. If I ever get one laugh from a reader, you will have been a primary inspiration for my ability to provide it. Can’t thank you enough for your friendship over the years. Hope to see you someday… In flip-flop weather, of course (not in the Mighty Mitten at the moment, according to my very thick socks).
I’ve loved reading between the lines of your frequent posts and noticing the growing confidence that you’ve shared with us all. And I think that it’s catching…I find myself buoyed with a can-do attitude about my daily process of brainstorming, outlining, and writing. While I, too, love insights from seasoned professionals like Juliet, it’s the familiar feelings/struggles of a fellow author-in-progress that keep my hopes up and my frequent visits to Writer Unboxed. Thank you for the inspiration…
Dang it, Christine. Now you’ve gone and made my eyes itch. See? Beyond learning, this is what we come here for! And, since we’re all seeking to make others feel something with the written word, may I say that you’ve succeeded? Stay confident! You’ve got this. Thanks so much – you really have made my day.
*Smiling throughout the reading of this post.*
WU is the gift that truly keeps on giving.
Hi Erin! That’s great news, because we can use all the sunny smiles we can get in the Mighty Mitten today, can’t we? (Not sure about you, but we’ve gotten about six new inches of the white stuff since I last shoveled.)
Thanks so much for being a part of my journey. You’re truly an inspiration!
Vaughn,
Even in an essay about identifying and owning your confidence, you remained vulnerable and humble throughout. You’ve always had that perfect mix of traits, which is why it has been such an honor getting to know you and becoming good friends over the years. You’re an all-around awesome dude, as well as a talented writer.
I think it was late 2011/early 2012 when I discovered WU. I had been corresponding with a friend via lengthy emails about taking care of my mother, who lived with me and suffered from Alzheimer’s. She loved the prose in my emails, calling them heartbreaking, yet humorous novellas, and urged me to consider writing a book. Heeding her advice, I began researching all things writerly online. I started by writing short stories on Writer’s Digest’s weekly prompts, and was directed to WU by a fellow writer. Here, I found everything I needed and more, and immediately became active in the community.
After Mom died, we had our first UnConference. I remember messaging you as soon as the news was released, asking if you were going to be there, that I was too intimidated to attend if I didn’t know anybody. You assured me all would be well. And due to a glitch in the WU Matrix, Therese and I had formed a bond, as well. That was enough for me to buy passage on the trip that would soon change my life forever. I was one of — if not the first — members to join the WU UnCon page, and was so thrilled about meeting everybody, that by the time UnCon came around, I practically knew all 100+ attendees.
The UnCon was magical and full of writerly wisdom. By Thursday, when we had our “Bedtime Stories,” I felt confident enough to share a short piece I had written that afternoon and finished just in time to sign up to read. The three martinis helped a great deal, too. To this day, the response to that story still blows me away. I lived on Cloud Nine for awhile, and wrote my first essay with WU shortly thereafter, again to much praise. It filled my heart and told me I was heading down the right path.
Personal crises at home stunted that growth, however, as I lost one battle after another, after another. My confidence took a beating, and I fell into a slump and almost threw in the towel on my writing career altogether. I lurked the site instead of actively participating. I felt like an imposter. I wallowed in a long span of depression, out of which I’m only now overcoming. I can truly say — by the grace of the members of WU — YET HE PERSISTED.
Vaughn, it’s a tremendous job to fill the shoes you’ve entrusted to me, and I can’t say how honored I am enough to adequately voice my gratitude. The entire Writer Unboxed community is incomparable to any other writing site I’ve visited, and I’ve made scads of friends along the way, but if it weren’t for you and T, I don’t know if I would have taken my writing any further than novella-length emails. Thanks, my friend, and all blessings to you as you progress forward and upward on your writerly path.
Darn it, my eyes are itching again. Aw man, Bro, I’m so glad you reached out to me early on. I think you started commenting on my old blogsite very early on – maybe even before I saw you much here on WU (is that right?). I’ve always been honored by your friendship.
I so clearly recall that Bedtime Stories session and your wonderful reading. I was blown away, and saw that others were, too. And I think it was because we instantly recognized the authenticity of your voice! It instantly draws in anyone who’s listening (or reading), Mike. I’m so sorry for the troubles you’ve endured. And I know this can sound not-so-helpful, but I honestly believe your struggle is a part of you. It’s not that you’ve been knocked down, it’s that you keep getting up. And that will shine through in your work. I’m so confident that your core belief is there and will carry you through.
I can’t wait to read you, Mike, so chop-chop, buddy, lol. Seriously, yours is a voice, and a set of stories, that the world needs. Now more than ever. Can’t thank you enough, for this kind and inspiring note, and – of course – for helping me and WU to carry the load. But most of all, thank you for your enduring friendship. As our inspiring leader always says, Write on!
Yes! I remember visiting your site many a time, and I do think it was before I ever had the nerve to post a comment on WU. Goodness, that seems a lifetime ago.
Thank you for your words of encouragement and confidence in me. It is indeed a baptism by fire, so to speak, that we are refined into the shining writers we’re meant to be.
Mike, what Vaughn said.
Vaughn, thanks for being a solid citizen, one of the good guys, and for your consistent honesty and willingness to probe here, even if you sometimes show up in your vulnerable undies. (Not that they aren’t stylish.) And now that you’re comfortable in confidence, I’ll borrow a bushel.
The world could use more Roycrofts—thanks the stars WU has this one.
Aw shucks, Tom – thanks for your kind words. And for noticing my stylish undies!
You’ll find the bushel I owe you at the bottom of the truckload of style and wit that’s already parked in your driveway. You’re welcome.
Because of WU I met people who would become some of my closest friends. When I joined the Facebook page, it had only 400-some members! I’m glad for the group and for Salem, which was priceless.
Hi Marta! Great seeing you (sorry for bailing on FB). Gosh, those days of being under 500 members were some wonderful times; a group that truly bonded and boosted one another. I don’t think that camaraderie can ever fade away. I’m so grateful to have folks like you that helped me to form that sound foundation for this journey. Thank you!
Vaughn, thanks for all that you do to sustain WU. You embody everything this writer’s community is all about: class, integrity, honesty, and a thirst for self development. I discovered WU in 2011 when I was about to publish my first novel and I was hooked immediately. It is such a welcoming and inclusive community. Congratulations to Therese on this special anniversary and I hope she lets me get my license.
Wow, Chris, can you believe we’ve known each other for a decade? I guess in ways it feels like the blink of an eye ago, and in others I feel as though I’ve known you forever. And regarding embodying this community, it takes one to know one. Your warmth and empathy are the hallmarks of your character, which is why you fit perfectly in this community.
Lol on the license! Thanks for your kind praise and for being such a stalwart comrade in our shared journeys.
So so lovely to read about your journey, and WU’s role in it. <3
Inspiration and connection are definitely what brought me into the WU community, and what keeps me here after all these many years.
Hi Kristan! You know, besides T and Kath, you’re the only one I perfectly remember from my earliest days commenting. Long before the FB group or any of the other stuff. You were just so resolute, and I truly admired it. You’ve always been an inspiration. Thanks for being not just a part of my community, but a part of my writing journey, Kristan.
Really lovely reflection here, Vaughn! For one, I love how you break down the different gifts. I always find this exercise important… to remind myself of what I value. And I really appreciate your analysis of the “confidence”, it’s a word I struggle with because my knee-jerk reaction is to think that I have very low self-confidence, but you’ve sort of re-framed what it means in a pretty wonderful way. Thank you for always being honest and vulnerable on the page. -y
Hey Yuvi – You’re so right about counting our blessings. It’s important to recognize, in order to carry the proper gratitude forward. And, boy, I’m right there with you on that knee-jerk reaction to confidence. I had it when T said something about “my confidence.” Really hit be with a wallop. And made me think. This was a really tough topic for me to tackle. Started over three or four times. I mean, who wants to hear someone actually say how confident they are – in any way shape or form? But I knew that I needed to say it, sort of to commemorate it. To make it real to me, you know?
Thanks so much for your very kind praise. I’m delighted that the post resonated for you, as yours always do for me. Have a great week!
Confidence. That goes with independence and persistence. The writing journey is a long road; and what’s nice is that it’s a road that doesn’t end. We get to keep traveling. I think that’s what I like about it, and about you. You are committed and that shows every time you are here.
Hey Don – The truly wonderful thing about recognizing any confidence we’ve earned goes hand-in-hand with the fact that the journey doesn’t end. It means we can more fully appreciate the joy going forward, instead of wrangling with the old doubt demons for half of our precious writing time.
Thanks much for this kind note. But thanks a million for being a big part of the confidence I’ve gained. Your coaching has offered a huge leg up. Hope you and yours are well, and that your writing is zooming down that metaphoric road smoothly.
This is such a lovely lush post, Vaughn. It is because of WU that I came to know you and your Mo, and had the honor of meeting you both right here in my little log home. I can’t even remember when and how I came to WU, but that’s how my brain works with memory and detail. Your “confidence” segment has me wondering – is that what I have been lacking for these years I’ve not written another book; not confidence in writing ability but in something else …? Hmmm – I must think on this!
Love to you and thank you for all you do and who you are!
Hey Kat! I just looked it up; Can you believe we visited you in March of 2014?! Dang, that seems like a couple of years ago, not eight! Wish we could do it more easily and often, or that you could come and see our beach and stay in our FROG (free room over garage).
Here’s the thing about confidence. It’s a slippery bugger. And it convinces us either that we never had it or don’t deserve it. So let a friend tell you: YOU’VE EARNED IT. Your voice is oozing with it when you’re *on*, and rightfully so. It’s what we all love when we read you, and we want more. So grab that slippery bugger and throw the harness on, and let it pull you along on the page.
Love to you, too. Miss you! Thanks a million!
This post is so timely, as I’m just entering the “Submit Proposal” stage. I’m confident that my story will end up in the right hands as I do my part to pursue excellence in both writing and marketing.
Huzzah! Confidence gathered when needed. I’m delighted to have prompted you to seek and find that it’s already there. :)
Wishing you the very best with it, Jan!