As children, we learn to share toys. From toys, we progress to sharing driving privileges with teenage siblings who also want to take the family car out to visit friends. College years bring the lessons of sharing a small living space with random roommates. Yet, the lessons don’t stop there. Even as adults, we’re constantly taught the importance of sharing (i.e. sharing workspace with that super-annoying-never-stops-talking-on-their-cell-phone coworker).

As difficult as these many lessons may be, learning to share our own thoughts and ideas are often the most difficult lessons of all.

When Catherine’s War was in its infancy, I had it safely tucked away in my mind. I could change it as often as I liked. I could add, take away, kill, and resurrect characters to my heart’s content without danger of criticism. Scenes unfolded in beautiful chaos. There was no order, rhyme, or reason. When I finally put the story to paper, regardless of being its first draft, hesitation crept in. I suddenly had boundaries for my characters. Even though no one else knew about Catherine, Henry, and all the others, I found that I was reluctant to share my ideas with my computer screen. If I selected one path for Catherine, it mean that I had to leave all the other ones bouncing in my head behind me. I would have to forget them.

Yet, I did . . . and it was hard.

Finishing the first draft was even harder. Finishing it meant closure, and I wasn’t sure that I wanted Catherine’s story to end. These characters had become dear to me, and I didn’t want it be over.

What’s the best way to breathe life into a story? Share it with others.

That’s what I did, albeit very, very slowly. Like a mama bear, I shared Catherine’s world with people at a snail’s pace, always hovering and preparing myself to tuck them away in the face of rejection. The full-fledged support and encouragement from readers wasn’t what I expected. It was thrilling to see them adore the characters as much as I did. Suddenly, sharing didn’t seem like such a bad thing.

However, the toughest lesson in sharing is still to come. Within a very short amount of time, I’ll be sharing Catherine with a much larger audience than I ever imagined. While part of me is nervous about letting go and giving the world a glimpse into my imagination, another part is excited.

By learning to share, I’m keeping Catherine’s story alive.