Margaret D. Pagan

Dear God,

Please help me be the best writer I can be.

Help me to avoid comparing myself to other writers, either negatively or positively.  I am among them, not in competition with them. 

Help me to be honest and truthful in my work, and at the same time respect the people who read it—their intellect, their sensibilities, and their beliefs.

Remind me when needed that the fate of the world does not necessarily hinge upon my writing.  Success lies in accomplishing the work itself, not in its fruits; if I write well, I have achieved success. 

Please allow me to accept both rejection and success gracefully, and to remember that rejection can be a step toward becoming a better writer. 

I pray that I will have the courage to take chances; accept failures; be open to new experiences and ways of doing things; and above all, to keep writing.

"All writing comes by the grace of God." Ralph Waldo Emerson