Golden Globe Envy

Watching the recent Golden Globe Awards, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit jealous. And it had nothing to do with all the rabid attention and all the fawning praise and all the shiny golden trophies.

But after hearing actor after actor – Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Daniel Day-Lewis, Christoph Waltz, Anne Hathaway – accept their prizes, I noticed the same useful phrase used over and over again.

“I want to thank my team.”

Man, I wish I had a team.

Writing books is such an individualistic pursuit. (The preferable cliche is “lonely pursuit,” but I’m not lonely. At the very least, I have my imagined characters to keep me company…!)

But actors have teams. Agents, managers, hair stylists, makeup stylists, clothes stylists, trainers, nutritionists, nannies, etc. – talented people who help and support you through thick and thin. And on award show nights, they get thanked.

Now most of them are on the payroll… but still…

••••

Now teamwork was in the back of my mind when I organized the First Authors Club: currently comprised of other authors who recently published their first books.

The idea was to occasionally gather and talk shop. You know… trade information, complain about the frustrations of the industry, inspire, laugh, eat, drink, and ultimately support each other. (The lobster grilled cheese was a big hit too. We, authors, even have the same taste in food!)

But when we hugged each other on the sidewalk, clutching our new autographed books in our hands, we each returned to our homes to work alone again.

••••

Then a strange thing happened… (okay, not “strange”… but forgotten…)

While I’m currently writing the final section of my second book, I had to re-assemble my readers – those good friends of mine who will give me the tough criticism and positive feedback that I need to improve my manuscript. They all wrote me back immediately – of course, they would help!

Then I had to e-mail my book editor to peek her interest in working with me again to edit the book. She enthusiastically agreed and promised that even if she was busy with other projects, she would still gladly edit my book.

And then I had to e-mail my book designer to peek her interest as well. She echoed my editor’s enthusiasm and promised to create something special.

It was certainly a load off my muddled mind. And only then did it dawn on me… I do have a team! I do have talented people who help and support me through thick and thin. And on the “acknowledgments page” of my book, they will get thanked.

Now some of them are on the payroll… but still…
 

For more posts about the day in the life of a writer, check out:

https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/a-day-in-the-life/

https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/small-announcements/

https://www.johnmeyerbooks.com/changes-great-and-small/