Less is More
I went to a conference where Linda Sue Park presented a workshop.
She said something I’ll never forget. “If you want to be a writer, you’re going to have to give up things. You have to make hard choices, maybe have less sex, give up television, sleep less.” It was the first time I thought, Do I really want to be a writer?
Then I realized that without writing, I wasn’t happy. In her keynote address, she told us about her latest book, 
A Long Walk to Water, about a boy named Salva from Africa, the amazing trials he had to overcome, and how he freed 150 other boys and went back as an adult to help his community. She’s an amazing writer who gives to the community and to kids all over the world. And she’s super nice.
Looking to her example, I decided that what I wanted most for myself was to be a published author. Life isn’t always easy to prioritize, and I’ve found there are things I won’t give up for writing, like time with my kids, because my time with them is slipping away. But I’ve managed to make writing a daily part of my life, and I love it!