So the other day I got my first tattoo. It’s small, simple, and exactly what I wanted.
It’s an ampersand.
And of course the first question is “What does it mean?”
I’m a bit of a smart-ass, so my answer is “And.”
Because that’s the beauty of the ampersand – it stands in for one of the best words in the English language.
One of the most nerve-wracking moments for me as a writer occurs when I hand a story to a friend for them to read. Sending it out for random editors carries its own stress, but in those instances, the connection routes through my professional side which moves criticism to a non-personal place.
I have yet to reach that level of maturity with my friends. Which adds the necessary barbs to each comment in order to pierce my being. And if the friend who snuck into the story more than I had anticipated reads it, I’d rather visit another universe for those moments.
My discomfort doesn’t stem from fear of/for the story, or lack of confidence in my writing. It reaches much deeper.