By Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

It was only a few years ago when I stood chatting with a dear writer friend. “I don’t think I’ll ever be published. It’s been ten years.”

Funny thing, she frequently reminds me of that conversation. I admit. It was a whiny moment. We are allowed to have a 5-minute pity party every few years. That was mine. Oddly enough, it was just three short months later, I received my first contract with a traditional publisher. I was grateful for my friend’s belief in me when I seemed to have lost hope.

I recently moved my office from one room to another in our home. Paint day came and as I worked my way around the walls and dusted off framed awards, it hit me just how grateful I am. After all, none of us attain success without the others who stand behind us guiding and teaching. 

It would be easy to list the folks by name that I owe a debt of gratitude for their help and support, but unless I take the time to thank them, to tell them personally how grateful I am, then all the names in the world mean nothing.

The notion of saying thank you has become so skewed over the years that . . .well. . .we tend to forget. The art of writing a thank you note, a personal phone call, a small gift seems almost lost. Writers, we need to get back to the basics of where we began and who helped bring us to our current status.

Take time to include these steps in your daily writing life to become a deeper and more grateful writer.

*Start with your prayers

First and foremost, your success begins with the Father who has gifted you with talents and words. He has called you for such a time as this. Your thankfulness and gratitude should begin on your knees.

*Follow your instruction

The greatest compliment you can pay one of those conference faculty members, is to follow the instruction they give you. Their reward is in seeing you set flight and become successful. It’s a joy to know they’ve had a small part in helping you become a great writer.

*Say thank you

Most who teach writing do not stand around waiting for a thank you. It’s part of the honored job to be asked to teach at a conference and if these folks stood around waiting – well, they might be standing long after everyone has gone home. The truth is, few remember to say thank you, to simply show their appreciation for the time and effort put into preparing a class, giving up writing time and family time, maybe even job time, to be in attendance for a week at a conference. Conference teachers teach, not for the money, but for the love of the craft and for the desire to give back what they were given so freely. I attended the Write to Publish Conference in 2019. When I arrived home, for the next two weeks, I received a treasure trove of thank you notes. Some were for the classes I taught, some for appointment times, or even a walk/chat time. The point is, I’ve never been showered with so much kindness and it meant the world. Just to know that the effort meant something. Take time to say thank you.

*Be kind and appreciative

Kinda sounds like a thank you and it is in a way, but when you step up to the publication level, the work changes. Your agent spends hours, days, months, tracking trends, keeping up on what publishers want. They are developing relationships with editors, sending out your proposal, and following up. To be an agent is not a simple, one-day-a-week job. There is a lot of preparation that goes into selling your work. Learn to check in occasionally on progress but don’t keep after your agent weekly when proposals have been sent. Remember, they are waiting just like you are. When agents follow-up, their notes fall into cue just like everyone else.  They will contact you when they hear something. If you feel you must be in constant touch, then set up a monthly call ahead of time. This gives your agent time to gather any inquiries or notes they have about your work.  The publishing industry has never been known as a speedy business. It takes time for editors to sort through, read, and respond. This is just the nature of the business. It’s not something you can flippantly fly through.

*Send something special

Call me old school, but once you go through the process of receiving a contract, working with editors, marketing, and publishers…once that puppy hits the shelf…send a sweet gift to the team. I know, not everyone can afford this, but your gift doesn’t have to be expensive. Send cookies, a gift card for Starbucks – just something to acknowledge the hard work they have put into bringing your book into fruition. There is nothing that says how happy you are with the teamwork than a chocolate chip cookie! The average publication time is 18-20 months from beginning to end. Set aside $2-$5 a month so that when launch day hits you can celebrate with a sweet little something to the team. Like I said, call me old school. I don’t mind. 

In a world where gratitude and thankfulness seem to be on the back burner, make a difference. Be different. Set a new precedence. Take time to show your gratitude.

Cindy K. Sproles is an author, speaker, and conferenceteacher. She is the cofounder of ChristianDevotions.us and the executive editor of ChristianDevotions.us and InspireaFire.com. Cindy is the managing editor forStraight Street Books and SonRise Devotionals, both imprints of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She is an award-winning and best-selling author and the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com. @cindydevoted