Dare to Dream...and Dream Big

Dare to Dream~

It is said that every person has at least one good story in them! Some people are gifted to have more than one.

Do you know a future writer ? someone who dreams of writing fiction, poetry, or short stories? Maybe that future writer is?you! If you dream of writing, then why not write?

Why not Dare to Dream?and Dream BIG?

There once was a young girl who dreamed of becoming a writer. Her goal was to become the next Stephen King?or 'Stephanie', at least. When she was about 16, she started writing a novel. It took her over a year to complete it and at 17, she tried to find a publisher. She submitted query letters, partial manuscripts?and her dreams, for other people to judge. She received rejection letter after rejection letter.

The first strike against her was that she had very few published works ? a few town articles in a small local paper were her only credit. The second strike against her was that she was Canadian, struggling to get into a predominantly American market. 95% of the major, big-league publishing companies were American. She hit a brick wall ? hard.

For the next few years, she wrote mostly poetry until she submitted a health and beauty article and landed another column in a small newspaper. And then a year or so later she ended up in a New Brunswick newspaper, as the writer of a song dedicated to the Gulf War soldiers. This was the first indication that she had power ? power to influence people's emotions, to make them feel something.

Years passed as she struggled to find a way to make her dream come true, to be that writer. She continued to write, took a course in journalism/short story writing and graduated with a 98% average. She wrote two children's books, complete with illustrations and tried desperately to get them published. They became her 'babies', her creations. Her children's books were well received in schools when she did readings, but no one seemed interested in publishing them. After two years of more brick walls, she gave up trying. Her dream dissipated?died a slow death.

More years went by, until one day she was talking to a friend about a story she had always wanted to write. It was a story about a young girl who experiences a tragedy and loses part of her memory ? a tale about killer whales and native legends. It was a story about wolves and dreams, love and life, death and fear?but mostly it was a story about triumph and forgiveness. Her friend told her "You need to just WRITE it! Even if it never gets published, write it for YOU!" Her friend was right!

Dream BIG~ If my friend had not encouraged me to write "Whale Song" then I would have let an awe-inspiring story slip away, lost in self-doubt! I would be at home, working a J.O.B., giving up on my Dream.

Whale Song was more than a story to me?it was my inspiration. It played itself out like a movie in my head. The story haunted me for two years until I finally began writing it. Once I sat down to write, the story flowed as if I wasn't even there. Some stories simply demand to be told, and this was one of them.

Then came the brick wall: how to get it published.

I knew of two options: find a reputable publishing company and get them to notice my novel out of the hundreds of manuscripts they receive, or self-publish.

The problem with traditional self-publishing is that those companies expect you to fork out thousands of dollars so they can run a huge print job with hundreds or thousands of copies that you have to warehouse yourself, in a basement or storage unit. And then you are left on your own to sell/market your books. Who has $20,000 to throw away?

Six weeks after I started writing Whale Song, I located a Canadian publisher via a search on the Internet. Trafford Publishing is a Canadian company with offices in 5 countries, Canada, the US, Ireland, Spain and the UK. They are on the cutting edge of a process called POD ? Print on demand. Trafford offers a form of self-publishing, but the difference is that they help promote, sell and advertise your work. As with any business (and a writer is his/her business) there is an investment, but it was unbelievable SMALL compared to what I received. Trafford made it POSSIBLE to finally realize my Dream?but it hasn't stopped there!

I have been featured in local newspapers, on TV, and have used Whale Song to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Edmonton.

Whale Song has grown beyond a simple novel?it is BIGGER than my original dream. Why? Because I live my motto: Dare to Dream?and Dream BIG!

Do you have a dream? Dare to dream it! No matter what it is, whether to be a writer, an artist, the next Canadian Idol or a doctor. Then take that dream?and Dream BIG!

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Copyright 2003 Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, Canadian author, was recently nominated for the prestigious Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Arts Award. Tardif's debut novel, Whale Song, is currently being considered for a film option, and her latest novel, Divine Intervention, has been compare to J.D. Robb's (Nora Roberts) 'In Death' series.

Tardif has appeared on Global, Shaw TV (Red Deer and Edmonton), RDTV, CFRN, and A-Channel. She has been interviewed on CJSR radio and New Age Radio (Illinois), and she has appeared in magazines and newspapers in Canada and the US, including a recent articles in Real Estate Weekly (http://www.rewedmonton.ca) and California Chronicle (http://www.californiachronicle.com)

Tardif is the owner of BookAdz.com, a promotional website for US and Canadian writers. She is also the creator of A.F.T.E.R. ~ Authors For Tsunami-Earthquake Relief, an organization that raised money for the tsunami survivors.

For more information on Cheryl Kaye Tardif: http://www.cherylktardif.com http://www.authorsden.com/cheryltardif http://www.bookadz.com http://www.aftercanada.com

---

Parable for a New Age

Daddy was a very, very odd little man-possibly a schizophrenic-for... Read More

I Havent Failed...I Just Havent Finished Yet

How many times do we fail at something, then attemp... Read More

What It Takes To Be A Champion

What is a champion really? Sure, all success oriented people... Read More

Success Tips From Boxing

Ray Winstone, the London East End barrow boy, who became... Read More

Job and Life Rules to Follow

Decide which game to play. Is winning that... Read More

Is Shyness Affecting Your Job?

It is accepted that most people have felt shy at... Read More

Learn Faster, Change is Coming

Challenges posed by recent economic and market shifts, though predicted... Read More

Forget Dreams...Have Visions!

Do you still keep that all important 'Inner Spark Alive'?... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Give Back

Give back Once you've achieved success, use your skills, talents,... Read More

Top Ten Success Strategies

1. Believe in yourself and what it is you do.... Read More

Today I Choose

Here is a great way to create affirmations that may... Read More

The Art of Adapting to Change

One of the main reasons that may hinder us from... Read More

Using A Weekly Review To Improve My Life And Business

"What a week!" you say at the end of a... Read More

Are You An Expert At What You Do?

One of the most common refrains I hear from people... Read More

Failure

Any person who goes through life without experiencing failure is... Read More

Empowering Other People

Everything you will ever have and accomplish in life will... Read More

How To Become Rich and Famous

If you want to be rich and famous, you have... Read More

Failure IS an option.

I wrote an article on this very subject, with the... Read More

Achieving Success with Authentic Joy: 12 Reflections

Success begins with a personal dream that is bigger than... Read More

Achieve Success Now - What Are You Waiting For?

Are you ready to finally realize your dream? I'm talking... Read More

Reading-The Best 15 minutes Youll Ever Invest

I recently was made aware of two comparative statistics that... Read More

10 Tips for Sensible Living

Here are a few suggestions that I try to put... Read More

As Long As You Try Your Best, There Is No Such Thing As Failure

I always say to my children, as long as you... Read More

Finding Time For Success: Important Vs Urgent

If you have a choice each day in the tasks... Read More

Changing Your Luck

In this week's New Age Notebook, I am going to... Read More

The Power of Mind-Imagery

Today I feel inspired that I should speak more to... Read More

I am my Fathers Daughter-An Optimists Viewpoint

One of the greatest compliments I ever received in my... Read More

How the Subconscious Mind can Accelerate Self Improvement and Success

Just how powerful is the Subconscious Mind and how can... Read More

Five Ways To Take A Vacation Without Taking A Vacation

Last month Along The Purpose Path was about how to... Read More

5 Steps to Greater Workplace Productivity

Step 1 ? Learn a powerful key to increase financial... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Make A Game Out Of It

Make a game out of reaching your goals Go to... Read More

Self-Confidence Is The Key To Personal And Professional Success

In my audio program Book Yourself Solid, The 7 Keys... Read More

The Major Key to Your Better Future is You

Of all the things that can have an effect on... Read More