Thanks & Giving by Peggy Thomas

Like everyone else this week, I will gather round a Thanksgiving table and celebrate the many blessings in my life. But today I lift up a few things that make my job as a nonfiction writer easier and more enjoyable. I am thankful for:

• Getting a new idea
• Leo, my computer cat (as long as he doesn’t hit delete)
• My wonderfully perceptive editor
• Discovering that perfect kid-friendly analogy to show a complex concept
• Finding a dynamite quote that lifts me off my seat
• An extensive bibliography in the back of a book
• Experts who love to talk
• Independent bookstores
• Fifteen cent notebooks at a back-to-school sale
• Anyone who comes to my book signing
• Finding the perfect “Oh Wow” fact
• The smell of an old book
• Squeezing that last page out of the printer before the ink cartridge croaks
• Librarians and archivists who share their enthusiasm as well as their knowledge
• My fellow Nonfiction Ninjas who inspire me with their talent, energy and spirit. They are not just my critique partners, they are my cheerleaders, my teachers, my Mary-Poppins-bag-of-writing- tricks. Together they have taught me more than any MFA course could. I am ever grateful.

 
I’m sure all of you have a lengthy list of gratitude too. So how can we give back?

• Be generous with your critiques. Spend as much time on another’s manuscript as you would your own.
• Support other writers by going to their book signings.
• Write a thank you note to an author you admire. Maybe you used their book as a mentor text. You’ll make their day.
• Visit another author’s blog and leave a comment.
• Volunteer at a local school, and nurture the next generation of NF writers.
• Thank a librarian or archivist. Let them know how you used their resources. Acknowledge them in your author’s note.
• Visit your local bookstore and get to know the owner.
• And if your last royalty statement was a wowser, consider donating to a scholarship fund. SCBWI offers several scholarships as well as the Highlights Foundation, or perhaps there is one in your area. I can say from experience that a scholarship is a huge boost to a beginning writer. Many years ago, I was a Highlights scholarship recipient, and I am honored and blessed to be able to pay it forward.

​Let us know what you are thankful for, and how you give back.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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