The Power of Believing
By Alex Marcoux

In an economy where publishers are freezing acquisitions, relinquishing existing contracts and cutting imprints, as writers, we have a choice. We can hop onboard and accept it – or we can believe in ourselves, stand out and shine!

Have you been seeking publication of your manuscript the conventional way? Then you know the drill ... hard work ... hundreds of queries ... many hours researching publishers or editors.

How’s that working for you?

As you march into this glorious New Year pumped to fulfill your new resolutions, whether that’s to lose weight, exercise, or quit smoking, may I suggest another resolution?

Believe in yourself! Believe that you will be published, find that new agent or publisher, or finish the project you’ve started. The power of the mind is real, and the power of believing is limitless!

This is a true story. There was a woman who believed she would be published. She had never written before. Yet she finished her first novel, naively dropped it in the mail to New York and five days later she heard from the publisher. And not soon after, she had a contract in hand.

That is my story. I went to my first Colorado Gold Conference with an unexecuted contract wondering if I should take it. I was naïve about the publishing business and oddly, it was my ignorance that became instrumental on my quick road to publication. I never bought into the statistics about becoming a newly published author. I had never gone to a writers’ conference before, so I wasn’t privy to the dues most writers pay to become published. I wasn’t aware of the typical rollercoaster ride of hundreds of queries, years of submissions, and flashes of triumphs and pitfalls. I often wonder if I would be published today had I been more informed about the publishing world.

I am not encouraging ignorance. I am however, suggesting that when you’re faced with what seems to be a daunting goal – believe in yourself and discard other people’s stories. When you hear about how a recession will impact the publishing world, ignore it, believe in yourself and shine!

I want to share with you a formula for getting published, which I’ve titled “Believe and receive.” First, you certainly need to have a strong, well written story. Query agents and/or editors to let them know what you’re selling. Next, forget everything you’ve ever heard about the odds of getting published.

This next step is important - ask your highest spiritual ideal for your goal! Whether that ideal is God, Jesus, Buddha, Yahweh, your higher self, or the Universe, you must ask. How? Ask out loud, ask in your prayers, or ask in writing. It doesn’t matter, just authentically ask!

Then you must believe at the core of your being that you will accomplish the goal you have set. Cultivate the feeling that you have already accomplished this goal. I’m not suggesting that you go out and spend your advance. But imagine how it will feel when you’ve succeeded, and feel it! To truly believe in ourselves we surrender and trust that our desires will occur. Trust that the Universe is moving and shaking things up to accommodate your desire.

Lastly, while you may not think this relates (oh ... and how it does), think positively! Eliminate those negative thoughts. Practice the lessons of the three wise monkeys, “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". Don’t surround yourselves with naysayers, those who doubt your ability. If you find yourself doubting, or worrying about achieving your objective, remind yourself that you are a remarkable being, believe in yourself, and affirm, “My (goal) is being drawn to me right now.”

If this is a stretch for you, consider setting small goals for yourself at first. With every little victory you will feel yourself building confidence, then it’ll become easier to believe and trust.

Next time you come across one of those horror stories about the publishing business and you find yourself thinking, ‘I have a better chance of getting struck by lightening than getting published!’ Stop! Remind yourself, ‘That isn’t my story.’

Think about what you want to accomplish in 2009, believe it and receive it!

Alex Marcoux is a novelist, she writes mystery/supernatural thrillers. She is close to completing her first nonfiction spirituality book. Alex is also a screenwriter and a short film based on her second book, Back to Salem has been produced. She’s currently working on the feature-length screenplay.

Originally published January 2009 in the Rocky Mountain Writer - Newsletter of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers

Visit Alex at her website, AlexMarcoux.com

Shine in '09


We all come into this world with a significant purpose,
with skills and talents to serve ... to shine!
Discover yours in ‘09!

The celebration of New Year’s dates back more than 4000 years to the Babylonians. Over the centuries the day has evolved into the holiday we celebrate today, a time to reflect on our past and start anew. It has become customary for us to set resolutions that help us such as losing weight, managing debt, getting fit, eating right, drinking less alcohol, quitting smoking, or reducing stress. I’m not sure about you, but it doesn’t take very long for me to get off course from these goals.

The other day as I cleaned out my fridge I contemplated the holidays and New Year’s resolutions. I tossed out the raspberry jam after seeing “used by” Aug ‘08, then out went that dressing with a “best by” Sept. ‘08. I paused, wondering what was in the Tupperware, then bravely pried one end open to reveal last month’s spaghetti sauce – now a science experiment. Out it went.

As I heaved out the old to make room for the new, I realized that some of the items I trashed I hadn’t even opened - I hadn’t even tried. What a waste! Not really sure how I made the correlation, but in that moment I wondered what talents I had wasted in ‘08. What gifts had I left untouched? What skills had expired or had passed their “best by” or “use by” date?

We have all been blessed to walk this planet in our present form for a certain period of time. While we’re here, we’re here to serve. We’re here to fulfill a destiny, for each of us it is significant. Don’t think your destiny is anything less than extraordinary! Without making your mark on this world by striving to fulfill your destiny, by shining, you will leave a void. Ask yourself what gifts you have that lie dormant waiting to be birthed? What is crying to come out that could change this world?

By not venturing out and trying new things, our undeveloped talents and skills don’t awaken, they don’t blossom. I don’t want to go through my life feeling like I’ve played it safe, never realizing my brilliant potential. I don’t want to live my life not giving it my all, and then wondering if I could have been exceptional. Instead, I want to shine.

The time is now to grow and expand, to explore new ways to live to our highest potential. There’s no room in the world today to play small. The key to searching for purpose, the key to working on fulfilling our destiny is found in joy and inspiration. When we find ourselves inspired by something, we are connecting to that energy that remembers our destiny, our purpose, our reason for being here. Explore those moments of inspiration – they are clues to your calling. Inspiration is commonly accompanied with joy. When we are doing what we are meant to do – we are joyful.


The outcome of inspiration is shining – the realization of our gifts.
The bonus is that we live joy-filled lives.


So this year on New Year’s day, when I pull out my journal and reflect on what my ‘08 resolutions were and contemplate what I want to work on in ‘09, I’m going to stretch a bit and include shine in ‘09. I’m going to seek inspiration to unleash those sleeping talents which will help me shine and serve my purpose.

In the New Year, I encourage you to question what dormant forces are crying to be explored in your life. Remember that when we don’t use our talents and shine, these untested possibilities will remain just that – untested possibilities.

Blessings to you in the New Year and Shine in ‘09!

Visit Alex at her website, AlexMarcoux.com

Thanksgiving
Increase Your Blessings with the Law of Gratitude

In a time when markets crumble and we feel the strain of a weakening economy – we have a choice. We can feed the fear that is sweeping this nation and accept that we are in a recession or depression. Or, we can express gratitude and thanksgiving for all the blessings in our lives. While we may be inclined to fall into the ‘woe is me’ option, may I suggest the alternative?

You are blessed! You are all so blessed! Rather than focusing on what you have lost – consider taking a moment and realize how truly blessed you are. Make a gratitude list right now of five things in your life you’re grateful for. For example, I’m so grateful for my family, my health, my home, my talents, my friendships - my list will go on and on – and yours will too!

If you can’t see just how blessed you are in this moment, consider that - 12 million American children go to bed hungry every night. Feel blessed yet? We should, shouldn’t we?

Have you ever noticed how much better you feel when you express gratitude? You’re more content. Being appreciative for what we have makes us realize just how blessed we are. This alone can help manifest increased blessings and abundance in our lives. The more grateful we are and more consciously appreciative of what we have, the more we will receive in return! This is the law of gratitude – one of the easiest ways of manifesting our true desires. By expressing gratitude for what we have we create the energy to manifest other reasons to be grateful.

Studies show giving thanks on a regular basis can make us healthier. Those expressing appreciation of life are generally less depressed, more willing to exercise, and live life to its fullest! When you’re feeling grateful for what you have, rather than dwelling on what you don’t, you will deal much better with the little hiccups in life, including tumbling markets. Why? When we feel gratitude, those negative feelings such as anger, despair, hatred and fear all disappear. And why is this important? Negative feelings hold us back! What we pay attention to will expand. If we worry about the economy, reasons to worry will develop in our lives.

During this Thanksgiving and holiday season, join me and express gratitude for life’s blessings, because we are blessed! With realizing this you will feel better and you will experience true joy.


Alex Marcoux


Visit Alex at her website, AlexMarcoux.com