Support Your Local Writers: Strategy #1

Sisters In Crime Book Launch Review

Writers are a kind of intangible asset. If you don’t like their style or their message, you just shrug your shoulders and ignore them. Think about that before you allow that to be your reaction. It is important to support writers, especially those in your own backyard, even if you do feel ambivilant about their work. There is tremendous value to your community to have producers of art living amongst you. Without your support, they can not survive and the impact on the community is silent and invisible, but felt nonetheless.

On Saturday there were several Muncie people in Indianapolis to pay homage to the Muncie authors in the Sisters in Crime anthology, Bedlam at the Brickyard. What a thrill for the Muncie authors to have their hard work compiled into a final produce – a wonderful sense of accomplishment for them. What an honor for them to be recognized, to sit at the destination of a long line of fans wanting their signatures! What a message of approval and an affirmation of support for them to look out into the crowd and see their local friends and colleagues in the crowd!

Personally, I was thrilled to see the faces of my friends illuminated by their own accomplishments. They will not become rich and famous from this endeavor and the book will not put Muncie on the map, so to speak, but their work has filled our community with positive energy that propels others into positive action. This is an intangible asset that is truly priceless! I am certainly proud that I live in a community that supports its own artists. I am also very proud of my friends for their individual accomplishment!

So my message to people everywhere is, by all means, support your local writers! Your local writers belong to your “from” and they are, in some sort of way, recording the history of your time and space in the world. Make them proud to live amongst you. Writers are the creators of beauty in your environment. Support their endeavors – before, during, and after publication. Sing their praises, cheer them on, lift their spirits, honor the guts it takes for them to pursue their passion. Do these things for your local artists and you will feel that internal joy that carries you over the rough waters in your own life.

Oh, yes! Do this and my words here will become unnecessary because you will know instinctively exactly what I mean.

Congratulations Sherita, Dee, and Tammy! Write on, sisters!