It Starts with Hello with Kat Higgs-Coulthard

Hello used to be hard for me.

It's one of the reasons I started writing--in the high school cafeteria, bending over a notebook, pen in hand, made me look busy instead of lonely. Creative, not terrified. I wrote words to avoid speaking them.

Until...one day at a bookstore I overheard a group of women analyzing the moves an author had made to build suspense in the book they were reading. After the group dispersed, I approached one woman who remained behind gathering her things and asked the name of the book they'd been discussing.

She introduced herself as Cynthia Furlong Reynolds and shared that her book group was composed of writers who analyze the work of other writers in order to inform their own writing. She shared that she was also a writer. PROFESSIONALLY. Until that moment, that was something I did not think was actually possible. She was kind and friendly and told me I should consider joining SCBWI. She belonged to the Michigan Chapter and because I lived in Michigan, I could too. In fact, I should come with her to the meeting next month.
I was terrified.
But I went.
It was tempting to sit in the back and hide in my notebook. But before I could, Cynthia introduced me to one person, then another. The hellos piled up; conversations began. I couldn't tell you who I met that day or what we talked about, but the message was overwhelming and clear: YOU BELONG.

I'm still afraid to say hello. But every time I do there's a new friend saying hello back. I've met some amazing people through SCBWI and I look forward to meeting even more.

Hello :)

Kat Higgs-Coulthard has been a writer as long as she can remember. She became a teacher out of a desire to help others share their words and has been a teacher for more than 20 years, first as an elementary teacher, then as a teacher educator at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame. Her latest YA book, Junkyard Dogs, is due out in March 2023 from Peachtree Teen.

Thank you, Kat, for sharing your Hello story marked by these descriptions of authentic emotion. I think many of us can relate to your experiences. From being terrified to looking forward to meeting more amazing people through SCBWI—may our greetings and smiles welcome the new faces we encounter virtually or in person! Pass it on!

Do you have a Hello story you want to share? Send me your submission at ohaginib@gmail.com (300 words or less).