The memories I have of attending summer camp as a youngster are some of my most cherished treasures. I can recall sitting around the campfire and staring at the stars with my fellow Camp Fire girlfriends. The first time I ever saw a shooting star was at Camp Melacoma - I had been amazed. However, waiting for another flash across the night sky was excruciating. I found myself enjoying the view of the Big Dipper - it was so massive and bright hanging in its reliable location in space.
As a writer it is tempting to write a novel using the best creativity and craft I possibly can, but as quickly as I can. However, if I was lucky enough to have that story published it would probably be like a shooting star - a flash that quickly disappears. How much better it would be to take the time to research, build, and write a novel that has a chance of lighting at least one young person's path - a constellation.
One of the themes that seemed to echo over and over again at the recent SCBWI Summer Conference was the idea of writing something classic - something timeless. That message has inspired me to go back, yet again, to my W.I.P. with a new vision and a new vitality to "connect the dots" of my manuscript in a more complex manner. Rather than just get my story launched into literary cyberspace, I hope to have a chance to send it into orbit. Although I've mentioned Brian Littrell's quote on my blog before, it's just too appropriate not to use again:
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.
