Lawyered…well sort of

In last week’s blog I talked about beta readers and will forever be thankful to everyone who read the manuscript in its early stages to provide feedback. The “biggest fan” award is currently a tie and goes to Jean C. and Tonia I. Their enthusiasm and support will never get old! Love to you both!

As I ended the last blog post, I wrote, “I got lawyered.” Let me explain. My dear lawyer friend, who is my favorite mom to mom with, volunteered to read the manuscript. I told her to please be honest and not to worry about hurting my feelings. She said, “Yeah…I’m not worried about that.”

I’d like you to meet Beth. Boss lady, amazing mom, outstanding friend and one of my biggest cheerleaders.

One of the first versions of the story involved the students in the book jumping into a painting with a magical kindness machine. From there, students learned to be kind through this magic lens. Beth asked me, “Does the machine have to be magical?”

(Cue shocked and appalled look from me). “Yessssssss,” I wanted to scream. Instead I said, “Why do you ask?” She said, “You don’t want kids to think they can only be kind if something magical happens.”

Holy moly…why didn’t I think of that? Kindness shouldn’t need special parameters in order to happen. After pacing around the house, I rewrote the story. I was surprised when I didn’t have to make a million changes. The story really wasn’t relying heavily on magical elements like I thought that it did.

I am grateful for her honest feedback that challenged me. I am unsure if a publisher would have picked up the manuscript with it falling into the fantasy genre.

“In a world where you can be anything…be kind.” Not tomorrow, not later, not when something magical happens…but right now.