by hatfield13

Today is Say Something Nice Day (#peoplesucceed)

I’m posting a rare lunch-hour blog to make a declaration.  By the power granted to me by nobody-in-particular, I declare today, Friday, April 3, to be Say Something Nice Day.  If you are a twittering sort of person, you may use the hash tag #peoplesucceed. 

Recent online rants like #queryfail on Twitter and the #agentfail post at the BookEnds Literary blog made me kind of sad.  I know publishing is a tough, frustrating business for everyone, and I know people occasionally need to vent.  But I also know that some of those posts really  hurt people’s feelings – writers and agents alike.  And here’s the thing… We all fail sometimes.

A couple years ago, at a NE SCBWI Conference, I was in a workshop where the leader asked if anyone would be willing to read from a work in progress.  I was trying really hard at the time to figure out picture book writing, and I stood up and shared the PB manuscript I was working on.  It wasn’t ready.  And it also wasn’t really much of a picture book, for a bunch of reasons I won’t get into here.  I probably shouldn’t have shared it in front of all those people, but I didn’t know, and I wanted to learn, and I figured taking a deep breath and reading would be a way to do that.  Maybe you were there too, and maybe you remember.  Maybe you snickered when I read it,  and if so, I appreciate your snickering quietly enough that I didn’t hear.  The people who said things out loud weren’t mean at all.  They said kind, constructive things, even though I was being one of those clueless writers, reading something that wasn’t ready.  Looking back, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that. I was honestly doing my best, trying to figure things out.
 
And I really think most people are doing just that.  We all fail sometimes, but let’s remember to celebrate what people do right, too.  I’ll start:

The band director at my school organized an amazing opportunity for our kids to hear the Air Force big band today.  They were awesome. And the kids were a wonderful audience.

My husband did the grocery shopping while I was teaching on Tuesday and remembered all the stuff I forgot to put on the list. He is also awesome.

My agent made it a point to chat online with her clients last night  (from an airplane, no less) answering all our questions about her meetings with editors in NY.  She is one of the best communicators — agent or otherwise — I have ever met, and I appreciate that.  She’s awesome too.

Who wants to join me in proclaiming this Say Something Nice Day? 

Just leave a comment on this post saying something positive about someone you appreciate, OR say it on your own blog, OR tweet it with a  #peoplesucceed hash tag.  

*Editing to add my thanks and links to the folks participating on their own blogs!  It is always lovely when you try to start a movement and someone actually joins in.  Here are some like-minded bloggers, saying positive things today:

Michelle Knudsen
Mary Pearson
Becky Levine
Katherine Quimby Johnson

27 Replies on “Today is Say Something Nice Day (#peoplesucceed)”

  1. I love this post, Kate. I’m in. I love to rant and vent as much as anyone else, but I also like to remind myself about everything that is right with the world. Off to think about my “say something nice” post . . .

  2. This is such a great idea. I don’t tweet, but I’m all for choosing the positive. thanks.

    Andy

  3. Say Something Nice Day

    This is a great idea, Kate! I just posted some nice things over on my blog in honor of your declaration. Thanks for doing this – I agree that the queryfail sort of stuff often seems way more mean than productive, and it’s nice to focus on nice things instead!

  10. I hear negitive comments all day long. Seriously.

    I thought the band thing was awsome today. I hope they come back sometimes soon with more! 🙂

    I am going to post a blog about this aswell! 🙂 I am going to go work on it now! 🙂

    -Cody♥

  11. My post today was quite overflowing with love already, since I reported out on the library blog challenge. But I love your idea of putting some good vibes out into the world.

  13. Great idea! The world needs more of this!

    I will post something on my journal tomorrow — about to go watch North & South with my husband (which itself is a good thing since he’s been working nights the past several days and I missed him!).

  14. MY NICE STUFF:

    I think you are one of the smartest people I have ever met. Seriously. You are my inspiration and mentor. Thanks for your positive post!

  20. Love this idea! There’s so many authors I can say nice things about. Ones who are there when I’ve been down and also ones who’ve cheered me on. Where do I even start? Or the editors, who take time out of their mega busy schedule, to write comments on a submission. Those make me smile.

  22. Oh, I missed this yesterday…but I did something nice for someone…I took a “strange man” out to lunch! I think I said nice things to him…it was Kay P’s(aka Lill) husband, who was in Maine for a few days.
    This is a great “holiday” you’ve declaired…how about having it at least 3 or 4 times a year?
    Mona

  23. bit late but …

    this is too good to miss!

    Fellow writer, friend, and critique partner Martha and I met up for coffee Friday morning (after dropping our kids off at school). She read my revision of the start of novel #1, my rant about being stuck in the middle of novel #2, my excited blather about the whispering pines retreat, all before 9:00 AM in the morning. Thanks Martha, you’re the best!

    And thanks, Kate, for being nice enough to think of “Say something nice day”.

  24. Re: bit late but …

    Thanks for commenting. This sounds like such a great morning! I think we’re all lucky if we have a “Martha” in our lives!

  25. I’m sorry that I missed this upon initial publication!

    Every single day ought to be Say Something Nice Day. That’s my philosophy.