Monthly Meeting: January 2025 -
Created February 15, 2025 by Madeline Smoot
2025’s first Monthly Meeting showcased insights presented by Cate Berry, author of picture book SCORCH, HEDGEHOG OF DOOM (Page Street Publishing, 2024), among other publications. In sharing her “Secrets to Having a Long, Unshakable Career in Publishing,” Cate detailed ways creatives can avoid self-doubt and thrive in the publishing industry.
Meeting Highlights:
- Cate shared stories of her own life experiences to show how one’s creative “happiness is not a destination; it’s a direction.” (quote from Arthur C. Brooks)
- Cate’s journey as a writer demonstrated the ups and downs of the publishing business and shed light on ways to connect with others and with one’s “inner artistic best friend” for support along the way.
Practical Tips:
— When negative or unexpected things happen (or rejections), keep at it; don’t quit!
— Build a relationship with yourself, just as you would with a best friend: be authentic, trust and respect yourself, and check in often with yourself.
— Keep a journal in which you write to yourself as your own best friend, and your “artistic best friend” writes back. You might be surprised to read the encouraging and wise advice you give yourself.
— Employ self-care strategies such as:
- Collaborate with others
- Join critique groups
- Keep your self-talk healthy
- Remember that publishers want you to do well, so they will too!
- Avoid measuring yourself against others (“put down the measuring stick”)
- Remember that creating is a spiritual act, leading to self-realization
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