CarolRose

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I've been a member of Litopia for almost a full year now, so it's time for a look back.

I came here not really knowing what it was all about, and truthfully I can't remember anymore how I found it. But I've never once regretted that I did.

I've learned that writers WRITE. They may whine and bitch and moan and grumble, but underneath it all, they WRITE.

I've learned that writers are the most generous group of people in terms of sharing wisdom, knowledge, and a shoulder on which to cry.

I've learned mastering the technical aspects of writing are as necessary as breathing, because without them, an agent or an editor won't read past the first few sentences of your query, no matter how compelling your story may be.

I've learned characterization, plot, and story can have different meanings to different people, but they all point to the same thing: your story must flow naturally from the characters' behavior, and the characters must behave in believable ways.

I've learned there were a few things I was already doing right before I found this place.

I've made amazing friends. And even though we may never meet in person because they live across the Atlantic Ocean, they're just as real and precious to me as the friends I see every day.

I've grown so much as a writer, and I've been humbled by how much there is yet to learn about the craft of writing, and about the publishing business.

I've spread my wings and taken the plunge, joining Romance Writers of America, the local chapter in Nashville - Music City Romance Writers - and I'm attending my first ever national RWA conference next month!

Most of all, I've learned that I truly am born to do this, and no matter what becomes of Cheri, Roland, Zachary, and Angela, they're characters I created, they have a story to tell, and I'm honored that I've been able to share those stories with the full members of this community.

Thank you, Peter, for making this place possible. And thank you to the mods who keep us from cyber killing each other.

Carol