Fiona, that’s fantastic! Having just relaunched the DIY MFA website this fall, I can totally relate to the amount of effort that goes into launching a website, so congratulations on a big accomplishment.

Actually it’s funny because launching a site and finishing a draft of a novel have a lot in common. People outside the process only see the “before” and “after” so it’s almost like that transition happens by magic. But you traveled that road and you know all the false starts, twists and turns, even dead ends that lead you from one point to the other. Definitely celebrate these successes, because they’re huge!

Wow, Dianna that’s a huge success!

I can totally relate because sometimes it can feel like there’s a wall between getting jobs via referral and making it to that point where you can apply and get one without depending on a colleague to open the door. Don’t get me wrong, referrals and recommendations are awesome! But it’s a great feeling to know that you can also rely on your own track record of success to get work without always depending on others for that key first step. And often that first job you get on your own opens the door to more such opportunities so it’s a huge accomplishment. Kudos!

That’s a phenomenal writing success! After all, editing (even if the work belongs to another writer) is a huge part of the writing process. I find I often learn more from helping others with their work than through my own writing so I would definitely count getting paid for one’s editing skills as a major success!