Who does not need good advice? I certainly know I need someone to show me the ropes, whether I am a new mom, starting a new job or embarking on a new hobby. Writing for me is a hobby that I am dreaming can become a reality with a book published someday. Whether that will happen is yet to be seen, but I am certainly enjoying the journey.

Breaking out of my cocoon a few years back never felt so good. I had no idea how long I had been complacent sitting in that shell of mine. It took one shift to start a crack. Once I saw the light of day, breathed the oxygen and filled my lungs with fresh air, I was determined to break free of my bondage to my past and my family’s past and the past of all mankind.

Yesterday, sitting with like-minded people who love writing, who feel they have a story to tell, was invigorating. Granted, I feel everyone is a little paranoid of their neighbor, thinking someone is going to steal their next best story idea, but I talked non-stop. I wanted to hear how everyone had arrived to this point, whether they were veterans or newbies like me. I wanted to make new friends and find out who my potential enemies were. Most of all I wanted to leave that writing group reenergized in my personal walk with words.

So what was the single best piece of advice I heard? This may not be new to most of you and maybe new to some of you, but when this concept fell on my ears and made its way through my soul, I knew I had found a gem of encouragement.

In order to write the story you need to know the end!

Yes! That is what has been keeping me from knowing where to go, chapter to chapter. Each chapter is another step closer to finally finding closure. So I am off to seek the ending to my book and excited again to tackle this novel that is wrestling to emerge as I did.

Let me know if this too hit a nerve for you as a writer. Have you ever heard this advice before? Is it encouraging to you? Do you feel now you can get somewhere and produce a piece of fiction or non-fiction?

I would like to thank Juli Swisher, author of The Secrets of Lighthouse Bluff.  She gave a tremendous workshop and I learned so much. I look forward to the monthly meetings which are held the third Saturday of every month at the E38th Street Library in Indianapolis, IN from 4:00-6:00 pm. You can find their website at http://www.imcpl.org/about/locations/e38thstreet.html and they are also on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/E38Library?sk=wall.