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Dear Reader Ages of Pages updateLast newsletter I wrote about taking baby steps towards a goal. On Saturday I attended the Ages of Pages event I have been highlighting at the end of my newsletter for a while. I don’t know if you picked up that I was terrified! I knew this was going to be more than a baby step. I wasn’t wrong! It was huge! Nerves a’jangling – here’s a snap of me with my table, before the event opened.
And what an outcome! It was joyous to meet so many authors and readers in one place. What an opportunity for connection. On Friday evening we attendees had dinner together and it was a wonderful opportunity to share our hopes for our writing selves. I met one lovely author, Heather Reyburn, who lives in my home town, Toowoomba in Queensland. How lovely is that! One thing I learned about my fellow writers is that ‘imposter syndrome’ is a widespread issue that I noticed among many of my writer colleagues. I decided to delve deeper into its meaning and discovered that, according to the National Institutes of Health, imposter syndrome is a behavioral health phenomenon described as self-doubt regarding one’s intelligence, abilities or accomplishments, particularly among high-achieving individuals. What’s interesting is that many of the authors gathered at this event are undeniably high achievers, yet they still grapple with feelings of inadequacy and doubt about their own capabilities. This discrepancy between outward success and internal confidence is a significant challenge that authors face. It was comforting to me to realise that I am in good company here and it’s given me a clearer understanding of my own. And it’s given me courage to continue with my writing. And perhaps with expressing my hopes and purpose in writing. For example, my hopes in publishing my Addict in the Family memoir was to make a meaningful connection with others who have a similar experience to mine. I am thrilled that I was able to make that connection with someone who is on a similar journey. The power of connecting with another who understands is huge, and I’m grateful to her for sharing her story with me. I am also thrilled that a counsellor saw that my story has relevance in her practice and is a worthwhile resource to add to her library. And I met Mrs Moa from mrs_moa_book_hub (on instagram) who posts short reels of all things books. Over the days before the event she covered authors who were presenting at Ages of Pages and, I am grateful to her, the link below is her comments on my books. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6DOd0UrFP3/?igsh=MXR1aG1zd2F4MjdjdA== Mrs Moa (not her real name I must add) commented that a link on my Beatrice book does not lead anywhere. You’ll be pleased to know that I am fixing that! Yay for observant people. Mrs Moa saw a similarity between my journey and that of Sarah Martin who has also written about her journey navigating the systems that was similarly frustrating. I’m looking forward to reading Sarah’s book and connecting with her. What a journey she and her daughter Alice have been on. Here’s a link to her website. https://sarahmartinauthor.com/ Let me know if/when you read her book. Maybe we can swap notes. Those “C” Words – again
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Courage and connection come unexpectedly
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