If you're a writer or an aspiring writer, never, ever give up. You have an important story to tell, maybe many. It may take months or years for your writing to find its place, but I want to encourage you to keep on keeping on.
With my husband cheering me on, I left the workforce in January 2013 to pursue being a writer and musician full time. Over the past dozen years, I have had a number of successes, but there have also been many personal, relational, and financial challenges that have negatively impacted my writing journey. There have been times when life circumstances stole my desire and ability to write. There were times when I experienced rejection. There were times when life circumstances dictated other priorities. But I kept on keeping on.
I was thrilled early on in my journey to have my story “Love, Shania and the Whispered Wish” published by Chicken Soup for the Soul (CSS) in its Canadian bestselling version Christmas in Canada. That was in 2014.
In those first few years, two more of my pieces were shortlisted but didn’t get into the final publications. Since then, it became a personal writing goal to replicate my feat of getting published in CSS. Over this past decade, I have continued to occasionally submit stories to CSS, but to no avail. It felt like I would never be published in CSS again.
For over a year after the death of my husband, I had no desire to write. But in 2024, I found a way to segue back into the writing world. I made writing a priority and soon the writing started to flow. As difficult as it was to see my career fall by the wayside for the prior six years, it has been the source of many compelling stories.
One of those stories, called “Single Dog-Parenting,” caught the eye of CSS. I am thrilled to announce that my story has been included in the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul publication What I Learned from My Dog, releasing in stores April 1, 2025.
I recently read that CSS receives 4000-5000 submissions for each of its titles. It is a real honour that out of those many aspiring and experienced authors, my story was hand-selected as part of this 101-story anthology.
It’s sad it took such a devastating time in my life to come up with a story that resonated with the editors, but I am thrilled to have finally reached my goal of getting published in CSS one more time, almost 11 years later. I find joy and hope in that accomplishment. And I hope and pray the same for those of you who have been through your own valley experiences.
Remember, never give up. Your stories are important.
Sally Meadows is an award-winning author of children’s books and short fictional stories; a four-time national award nominated singer/songwriter; and a non-fiction contributor to writing magazines and anthologies such as Freelance, FellowScript, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and the Hot Apple Cider series. She delights in sharing her work at author readings for kids and adults, as well as speaking at writing workshops and conferences. Sally was the recipient of InScribe’s Barnabas Award in 2019 and the Janette Oke Award in 2020. She is also a Certified Colour Consultant helping women find their best colours to look, feel, and be the best version of themselves as Ambassadors of Christ. Connect with Sally at https://sallymeadows.com, https://instagram.com/sallymeadowsstudios, and https://facebook.com/SallyMeadowsMusic.
I was thrilled early on in my journey to have my story “Love, Shania and the Whispered Wish” published by Chicken Soup for the Soul (CSS) in its Canadian bestselling version Christmas in Canada. That was in 2014.
In those first few years, two more of my pieces were shortlisted but didn’t get into the final publications. Since then, it became a personal writing goal to replicate my feat of getting published in CSS. Over this past decade, I have continued to occasionally submit stories to CSS, but to no avail. It felt like I would never be published in CSS again.
For over a year after the death of my husband, I had no desire to write. But in 2024, I found a way to segue back into the writing world. I made writing a priority and soon the writing started to flow. As difficult as it was to see my career fall by the wayside for the prior six years, it has been the source of many compelling stories.
One of those stories, called “Single Dog-Parenting,” caught the eye of CSS. I am thrilled to announce that my story has been included in the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul publication What I Learned from My Dog, releasing in stores April 1, 2025.
I recently read that CSS receives 4000-5000 submissions for each of its titles. It is a real honour that out of those many aspiring and experienced authors, my story was hand-selected as part of this 101-story anthology.
It’s sad it took such a devastating time in my life to come up with a story that resonated with the editors, but I am thrilled to have finally reached my goal of getting published in CSS one more time, almost 11 years later. I find joy and hope in that accomplishment. And I hope and pray the same for those of you who have been through your own valley experiences.
Remember, never give up. Your stories are important.
