This past week I attended the biggest healthcare finance management conference in the United States. Yeah, I have a real job (sort of.) I know, B-O-R-I-N-G, is what you’re saying. I’ve attended this meeting for the past four or five years. Matter of fact, I presented at this same conference last year.
Here’s where it gets interesting. You see, we (indie authors, publishers, and readers) create a lot of noise about what we do—we reach out to help each other, we post best practices, and we even buy each others books!
For as big as the Indie revolution is, we are actually a small, tight knit group. The reality is, Indies Unlimited has grown dramatically over the past year and a half, yet, how big of a group do we really touch?
In addition, for the most part, we’re all on the same page. Yeah, every once in a while, there might be a little controversy about what is being posted, but it is very difficult to gauge how much we are influencing the Indie world. We’re here because we want to be. We’re here because we’ve chosen this path. In some cases, we’re here because we have to be.
This takes me back to last week’s meeting that had nothing to do with writing. Last year, I met a writer for a healthcare finance publication. He attended my workshop and he was kind enough to publish some bits from the workshop. He even had me write up something for his publication during the year. I hadn’t talked with him for about nine months.
I ran into him last week. Here’s how the conversation went.
“Jim, you inspired me.”
“Huh?”
“No, seriously. After spending time with you last year at this meeting, I listened to what you said about indie publishing. Since then, I’ve gotten the rights back on a previously published book and released it as an indie, I’ve written another book that launches next month, hard copy and eBook, and I have another in the final stages of editing to be released before the end of the year.”
*standing with mouth gaping*
Who would have known?
That helped me realize that we’re not all here because we want to be. Many people don’t yet know the what, how, where, and why of what we do. Some days we might feel like we’re preaching to the choir. However, someone out there is listening, making decisions based on what we share.
So what does that tell us? We need to write every post as if it might change someone’s life. We need to ask questions that some might think are stupid. We’re not preaching to the choir, we’re shouting from the mountaintop about something we’re passionate about. We must not forget that.
Sometimes … we might even influence someone’s life!
So true, Jim. We never know where we might connect or what out impact will be.
Thanks Yvonne!
Really inspiring. Thank you
Really? Cool! Thanks, Wendy.
Awesome. *high fives* 😀
Thanks, Steve …*fist bump* … awe man, I always do that … I go in for the fist bump when someone’s trying to high five me. Let’s try that again …*high fives*
How cool is that? Good for you, Jim! 🙂
Thanks Lynne!
So very true. It’s humbling when friends of friends who’ve heard about my indie publishing journey call asking for advice.
Good for you, yes it is humbling and it’s happening more and more.
Epiphanies, serendipity and inspiration. It keeps are eyes lifted to the future.
Great comment! Thanks
Nice story, Jim, thanks for sharing and, yes, all very true. Nice up here on the mountain top isn’t it.
Thanks TD, we just need to look for a higher mountain!
Love this post, Jim! You just never know…
Thanks DV, you are right, you never know.
Absolutely! Funny to think I’ve only been published since early 2010, and I have a bunch of “baby” writers that follow me, ask questions, and sometimes balance on my every word. Kind of feels strange! But as a retired USAF Master Sergeant, I understand about mentoring and how important it is to foster careers.
Right on all accounts, I didn’t publish until 2011 and I’m an old timer already. It’s rewarding to help others and watch them grow.
Jim, I love this!
We need to write every post as if it might change someone’s life.
So true! It’s great that you were able to find out (and pass along) in such a pleasantly surprising way. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Melissa, I’m am a lucky guy.
Good job, very nice story, Jim. Thanks for sharing.
A few years back I looked into self publishing, got frustrated with the lack of information and turned back. When I came back to the idea, I was pleasantly surprised by how much quality info was out there. This site and others like like it gave me the knowledge I needed it. As someone who’s still trying to climb that mountain, thank you for shouting from the mountaintop.