Bridge to Success

Posted by Linda

Award Winning Genesee Bridge, I-70, Exit 254

As previous blog posts suggested: Writers write. They write articles, books, newsletters, and even snail mail. My writing muse lifted its head recently for a different kind of writing which took me out of my comfort zone.

I read an article in a local Northern Colorado newspaper which I felt needed a personal response to the editor. I know budget constraints and small staffs require local papers to pull free articles from other sources about people outside their readership.Still, why can’t they introduce the same subject about members of their own community?

This article highlighted a woman artist in Arizona and quoted a man who said women artists were not good enough to exhibit in art shows. The statement was probably made many years ago. But, why write about an Arizona artist when Northern Colorado hosts a wealth of women artists. I emailed the editor.

I suggested his community offered plenty of fodder for articles on women artists. I quoted my research on early women western artists so a reporter might inform the readership on how many women have accomplished artistic success since the 1800s and even before. I named local women artists he could have featured. Unfortunately, his response indicated he missed my points. I figured I burned that bridge. So, I tried to “kill him with kindness.”

I apologized for insinuating he might support such a ludicrous comment, assured him I never believed such a thing, and restated my point. A few weeks later, an article on a local woman artist appeared in the paper. I sent a congratulatory email on a feature well done.

Sunday I received a phone call from a reporter with the paper. He wants to interview me today about my books. I asked where he heard of me and my writing. He said his boss assigned the article.

Guess my bridge wasn’t burned after all. Have you writen out of your comfort zone and found a bridge to success?