April Letter from the Editor

By Debi Archibald

I am writing this on Good Friday so we are exactly three weeks away from PPWC15. This will be my third conference and I find myself reflecting on how differently I feel about Conference, writers'

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groups and writing in general than I did in Spring 2013 when I joined PPW. I had just walked away from a management career that required a grueling travel schedule. One of the promises I made to myself was that I would make use of the time I now had to return to a long-neglected love of writing. But the world of publication, promotion and "real" writers seemed very other-wordly and looking back, I can see I participated in PPWC13 with that mindset.      

Now two years later I have completed two novels, been privileged to edit the Writing from the Peak blog and attended dozens of workshops. Two concepts that continue to bubble up as a result of this engagement are demystification and accessibility. PPW has drawn back the curtain and revealed that the world of published authors is populated by people who are just like me. And the group has given me access to an insiders pass for information regarding craft, editing, trends, and the workings of the industry.

I share this not because my journey is unique or fascinating. As writers we all want to think we are special but I suspect there are many others out there who feel safer in the periphery just as I did that first year. So let me encourage you not to waste the opportunity of this upcoming conference as well as all the other PPW events through the year. Take risks, make friends and realize this world really does belong to you as much as anyone else. There is no Wizard behind the curtain; just the door to the wonderful, nerve-wracking world of words.