Bragging rights.

A true, though somewhat exaggerated but not too far off the mark, social interaction. And not verbatim.

I understand that career bragging tends to be industry specific. And the appreciation of the brag may be determined by your understanding of that industry. The difference with children’s publishing is that when we brag, it is just as likely that we’ll be bragging about someone other than ourselves. We support each other and celebrate each other’s successes as if they were our own. Every success seems a shared success. So it is difficult when at a non-industry social function discussion of work comes up. I’m usually met with polite acknowledgement of my update on what I’m working on. Then the subject quickly shifts. It’s difficult, but I’m okay with it. We all like to think what we do is interesting to everybody. But it’s not. If nothing else, I’ve learned to be a better listener to other people’s brags and try to be engaged. And in the end, I know where to find my kid lit peeps to rally with!

—kevan atteberry

http://kevanatteberry.com