Hi. I’m Amy. I work as a Search Coordinator on behalf of individuals in need of a bone marrow transplant.
Why is our profession one of the first things we share about ourselves when we meet someone new? Why is it often one of the first things we writers ask our characters as we interview them? Because characters’ professions reveal something about them to our readers.
Based on how I introduced myself, you might guess I know a little bit about science and medicine … and that I like to help people. You’d be right on all counts. Telling you what I do gives you insight into who I am — while also telling you a little about my identity.
As we get to know each other better, I would introduce you to other aspects of my life that make up the kaleidoscope of my identity. I’m a Christian, a wife, a runner and a writer. My hobbies, interests and experiences — as well as my job — anchor me into various communities of people with similar goals. I’m part of a church, a family, a health club (er … I should be) and My Book Therapy (MBT).
The same needs to be true of our characters: They need to be anchored in a broader world with a three-dimensional identity.
At MBT, each writer adds unique facets to this community. We have an opportunity to benefit one another by sharing our experiences and identities. In doing so, we enrich each other as individuals, believers and as writers. Have you ever noticed that a lot of what we learn by meeting and studying people seems to end up in our work-in-progress (WIP)?
Take time to get to know your fellow writers here at MBT. Be deliberate about it. Be willing to share who you are and what makes you unique. Be willing to be a resource for another writer. A day might come when you need someone to be a resource for you.
Ultimately, the best thing about the MBT community is that its founders and members exist to encourage writers. Wherever you are in your writing journey, someone has been there. Whether you just received your one-hundredth rejection letter or a contract to publish your first novel, someone else has been there. Not only have they been there, but we as a community will be there to cry or dance with you wherever you are in your writing journey.
~*~
Amy Lindberg has been writing for the past ten years. Her first publication appeared inGuideposts, and since then, she’s had success in writing contests. Currently, she’s completing her first novel and involved in the Voices ezine. During the day, she’s working toward a doctorate in Pharmacology. She and her husband, Gregg, live in Saint Louis Park, Minnesota. Contact Amy at flashfiction@mybooktherapy.com
