Overcoming the Opinions of Others

You know who the Statler Brothers are, right? Don Reid, retired lead singer for the Statler Brothers, tells this story in the September/October, 2011 issue of Homecoming Magazine.

As a kid, he loved Southern gospel groups like the Speer Family and the Statesmen and The Blackwood Brothers. When he grew up, he wanted to be "one of those guys."

His first stage appearance was at the age of 6 for a spring concert at his elementary school. The students practiced every day in class to get the songs just right.

A few days before the night of the performance, his teacher pulled him and three other students aside. She told them that during the concert she wanted them to just "mouth the words because [they didn't] really sing all that well."

Don Reid says this: "Such irony fills the memory and yet never scarred the dream. God bless you, Miss Carrier, wherever you are. This next song is for you."

I know a few writers so bruised by critique they put their pursuits aside. As a writer, has someone stepped on your dream? God bless them. Now write.

Reading Betty

Recently when my writer friend Betty and I got together for lunch, I asked her read two articles I wanted to submit. The first piece of 250 words took her a very long time to read. Maybe she was searching for the words to tell me the article was a little off, in her opinion.

The second piece I wasn't too sure about, but Betty liked it. "Submit this one," she said. I did, and just got notice that it was accepted for publication in October, 2011. And the other piece? Well, let's just say I get a chance to find another editor who might like it better than the first one I sent it to.