Twenty-four year old Denby Fawcett - combat journalist - Vietnam.
Today we're holding a contest. Partly because I'm performing an experiment to see if contests really work, and partly because I have a lovely Bermuda colors calendar to give away. Yes, I know that tomorrow is February! That's why I want to give it away.
As I sat answering some interview questions yesterday, I started thinking about the character of Kristin in Yesterday's Tomorrow. At twenty-five, she took herself halfway round the world to a country she knew virtually nothing about, landed in the middle of a war, and somehow survived. Although Kristin is a fictional character, young women reporters were a strong presence in the Vietnam War. Some of them, like Kristin, struck out on their own, with only a few dollars and a sense of adventure to get by with. Some were hired over there, some were already seasoned reporters and sent by their respective newspapers. But, after reading countless stories, books and first hand accounts of what it was like in-country, I know that none of them returned home the same as when they left.
And I thought, "Could I do that?" Would I be willing to risk it all and put myself in danger like that? Truly, for those women, and I dare say the male contingency of the press corps, it was probably the hardest thing they've ever done.
So that's where the idea for my question came from. And then I thought, why not just have a contest?
Okay, so here are the rules -
1. Answer the question in the comments. Tell me what the hardest thing you've ever done is and why. You can be specific, but I want to know the outcome. Did it change you?
(I'm fully aware that the majority of people here are writers. Don't just make something up. I am all-knowing).
2. You must invite at least two people that don't currently read my blog, to come check it out and leave a comment saying who recommended them. Yes, this is a shameless attempt to drive up traffic and gather potential readers, but hey, it's a dog-eat-dog world out there.
So that's it. We'll run this until Friday, then I'll narrow it down to the best stories, and maybe even ask you to help me pick the winner!
Ready, set, GO!
3 comments:
Interesting. Nobody wants to play.
Okay.
I hereby conclude that contests DO NOT work.
Experiment has ended.
I'm playing! I'm playing! And I'll *try* to invite people but no guarantees.
As far as the hardest thing I've ever done, it's pregnancy. All four pregnancies have been hard but my first was the hardest as it was so unexpected and difficult and I wasn't even sure I WANTED a baby. I was depressed and overwhelmed and felt trapped. The outcome? My son was born and I fell in love and it all seemed worth it. And it made it so my other pregnancies--though just as difficult-- were easier to endure.
The second hardest thing I've ever done is write a book in 2 months... I got my contract and it said I had to have a complete manuscript in two months. I talked to my boss and she wouldn't give me time off, so I had to be a part-time editor, full-time stay-at-home mom and author all at the same time. The outcome? I finished and now I know I can do it!
Now to go see if I can drum up someone to comment on your blog so I can win that calendar...
For me, the hardest thing I've ever done is move to another country. (Granted, I had a job before I went over, which made it a little easier.) I spent four years in Japan. Met my wife there.
Post a Comment