Can it Possibly have been a Year?

My dear KaPeefer friends…

This is it. One year ago today, my shaking fingers typed out a vague and slightly snarky introduction letter. I didn’t say much, but what I did say, I endeavored to make it sound smart. (I failed.) I signed it “Ethryndal”. I didn’t half know who she was, but she sounded nice, and she sounded like me.

My finger hovered over the “Submit” button. Did I really want to do this? Once you hit it, you can’t take it back.

I hit it.

And no one could ever have told me how glad I would be for doing it.

Yup, one year ago today, I made my entrance into Kingdom Pen as a lonely INTJ elf, a writer who knew nothing about writing except to make it sound pretty.

I’ve learned a lot since then.

Words cannot express what this place has been like for me. Words cannot express what you people have been to me. Your ambitions, your dreams, your goals, your passion for Christ and your desire to write for His glory. You have taught me so much more than I EVER could have hoped to learn. You taught me about cliches; flat characters; plot holes; show don’t tell. Things I never even thought to question in my own writing. One year ago today, I was a horrible writer. Today, I feel confident in myself, my writing, and where I want it to go and grow.

You guys have been a support for me, a bright place when life gets rough and no one understands the shy little writer girl who lives in her head. I’ve met so many like-minded people on here, so many teenagers with a love for Jesus and worlds in their own heads that beat mine out of the water. I met my best friend here, and I can honestly say that all of you are the coolest people ever.

So… thanks, Kingdom Pen. Thanks, guys. Thanks for putting up with my glitter and snark and elvishness. Thanks for being the most helpful writing site I’ve ever found. Thanks for being the bestistest place on the internet.

This is your favorite elf, Sarah Baran, signing once again as,

~Ethryndal *showers glitter*

@dragon-snapper (KID) @Emma-Flournoy (*poke* BONJOUR!) @Kate-Flournoy (I salute you, my wise writing master) @Daeus (The first thing you ever said to me was “Watch out for dragons”. That’s wisdom to stake your life on. XD) @That_Writer_Girl_99 (LotR is better, FYI…) @GracieGirl (ZIKERS! Yeah yeah, I know you’re not around anymore. I’m tagging you anyway.) @Winter-Rose (We finally both have swords…!) @Jane-Maree (Please send me a kangaroo.) @Perfectfifths (You can send me one too.) @Mariposa (Have I ever told you how cool your name is?) @All-the-other-Kapeefers

And @Aratrea : Thanks for helming this ship. It’s a pretty great one.