What’s your story? Everyone has one.

Here at The Lehigh Valley Writer’s Symposium, we believe that everyone has at least one good story in them. It may be funny, it may be sad. It may be gripping drama or hair-raising horror. It may be romantic, practical, newsworthy, deeply personal, science fiction, or simply fantastic. It may be simple, plain, outrageous or downright revolutionary. It may be any, all or none of these things.

None of that even matters. That’s simply the essence of your art: to tell your story in any form and genre you decide. The important thing is to tell the story. It doesn’t matter what era, costumes, props and language you use. We all have an internal Niagara of infinite memories, feelings, emotions, experiences, ideas, dreams, fears, and fantasies, which inform countless cameos, vignettes, scenes and themes. Sometimes you need to become still to hear them, but they’re there.

But one thing is for sure: You have a story.

It may be long or short, vivid or blurred, delirious or lucid. But you have a story. It may be profound, pedestrian, poetic or prophetic. It’s something you want people to hear. You may, in fact, have several stories—different ideas, different scenes, different events and characters. It may be romantic, pedantic, inspired, hot-wired, or a thousand other things. Others may see it, but only you can see it and understand it from your particular vantage point. It is uniquely your; uniquely yours. It’s your story.

How and why to finish your book and get it published.

Or start your book! Either way it’s time to get it in gear. Make it happen.

Now what happens when your book is published?

Ask yourself these questions: Will it improve my position, my attitude, my stature, my reputation, my self-confidence, my income? Will it improve the quality of my life, my work, or my relationships? Can it help me springboard or launch to even bigger and better projects? Will it give me greater control and artistic freedom in future projects? Will it mean more travel, more research or more contacts?