The Hand You Are Dealt
by Roy A. Barnes
There’s an old saying that goes, “You have to play the hand you’re dealt.” I was born with Asperger’s Syndrome, a neuro-biological condition that is considered a high-functioning form of autism. It affects my dexterity, how I take in the environment around me, and makes it challenging for me to relate to people on an interpersonal level. As a lover of travel, Asperger’s Syndrome also affects how I get around, especially when exploring new places on my own. You see, I often get lost because I have a hard time understanding where I’m at in relation to maps, and on early trips, only with the help of the police and locals did I manage to find my way around.
Dealing with the Hand You Are Dealt
I have had to learn to compensate for the hand that was dealt me, which in turn helped me travel independently throughout the world. Having Asperger’s Syndrome may have been a blessing, too, as far as my writing is concerned, for we Aspies (those who have this condition) are very methodical and ritualistic when it comes to approaching things that interest us. These traits help keep me focused on certain aspects of my writing, such as tracking submissions and meeting deadlines.
Once I started getting more serious about my freelance writing in the late summer of 2004, my market searches came up with numerous publications wanting personal stories of people overcoming a physical disability or other life challenge, such as growing up in an alcoholic home, giving care to homebound people, or dealing with addictions. One publication, LaChance Publishing, was looking for written accounts for their book Voices of Autism. I submitted an essay about how I overcame Asperger’s Syndrome to become an independent traveler and was published in this widely-sold book. LaChance Publishing actively seeks accounts from writers about various hands dealt to them in life, and besides autism stories, they have published books on breast cancer and Alzheimer’s.
Playing the Hand You Are Dealt
I also published my article in You and Me Magazine. Sharing the link to my article with an agency in my home state of Wyoming that airs a show on disability issues resulted in me being invited to be a guest on their program in April of 2009. I was able to talk about dealing with Asperger’s Syndrome and my road to becoming a travel writer. That connection led me to another opportunity: one of the people involved with the program mentioned me to someone at another proactive disability agency in Wyoming, who in turn asked me to speak at their June 2009 conference on the subject of being self-determined when pursuing your dreams.
Winning With the Hand You Are Dealt
Radio host Don Imus said, “no one goes through life undefeated.” How can you best deal with the struggles you face? Writing is a cathartic way that helps us come to terms with the challenges we face, and submitting our writings to editors can lead to seeing our bylines in print, which may not only inspire others, but can also open the door to opportunities we would never have dreamed of, all because we were dealt a hand that seemed like a loser at first.
Online writing sites like Anthologies Online and Funds for Writers regularly list calls for submissions from publishers seeking stories about dealing with and overcoming life’s challenges. Think of the challenges that you have faced in your lifetime: divorce, illness, losing someone close to you. Subscribe to these sites, explore their archives, and see if your life stories fit what they’re looking for.
As writers, we can exercise our gift and ability with the written word to not only write about the challenges we face in our lives, but by sharing them via published articles, essays, and books based on our personal journeys, surprising opportunities may come our way.
Travel writer Roy A. Barnes is a past contributor to Sol Books and other writing-themed publications like The Willamette Writer, The Busy Freelancer, FellowScript, Writers Weekly, Writing for DOLLARS, Writer2Writer, and The Christian Communicator. He lives in southeastern Wyoming.
