I was talking to my good friend, and critique buddy, Shallee McArthur last week on the phone, and she said something amazing. “Allow yourself to believe what you want for five minutes. And then accept the reality of the situation.” Okay, it might not have been exactly that, (I wasn’t recording the conversation), but that’s the general gist.
So what does it mean? It means, dream big. Dream of being a NY Times Best-selling author. Dream that your book becoming a HUGE movie. Dream that you will be the literary smash of the decade… or the century.
Do that for five minutes.
Okay. Now focus on reality. Some of that stuff might happen, but then again, it probably won’t. You might not be the next J.K. Rowling, but that’s really okay. Not every basketball player can be a Michael Jordan, but a lot can still play for the NBA. So for now, accomplish goals within your reach. You CANNOT personally make every person in the world buy your book. But you CAN polish your pros until they shine. You CANNOT make an agent ask to see your book. You CAN send out a good query letter, though.
Someone else dared to dream. He dreamed something everyone thought was impossible… and yet, he made it that dream a reality. So aim high, and work hard to make that dream come true.
Focus on what you CAN control.
So what are your dreams? And what is your list of the things you CAN accomplish?
Chersti Nieveen 
Yea for good query letters! 😀 Also, did you see that netgalley is letting everyone download Code Name Verity? If you request it you get it….so, check it out. 😀
My mantra has become “can I control this?” Such good advice!