Facing Discouragement about God's Calling

Today I decided to pull a post from the archives because I felt a nudge about how this applies to the new year. Are you facing discouragement today? Do you see 2015 as another year you're entering with a heavy heart and not-yet-realized dreams? Then I hope today's post encourages you! Be of good cheer-- God has not lost sight of you or your dreams.

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"He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:24 


Hi, writer friends! Today I want to talk about something that-- after five years of being a part of this writing journey-- is close to my heart. And that is... disappointment. I see so many friends go through the ups and downs of hope and disappointment, and believe me, I've been there myself. Maybe that's how you're feeling today. Perhaps you didn't get the feedback you were hoping to receive from a contest, or an editor you really respect recently rejected your manuscript.

Image by  Evgeni Dinev from FreeDigitalPhotos.com

I'd venture to say that every. single. writer. experiences disappointment in this journey. For some, the disappointment cuts so deeply, they feel like giving up. Others actually do give up-- they walk away when their hearts just can't seem to take anymore rejection. The mountains just seem so high.

Let's get real for a minute. Writing is not for the weak of heart. It requires diligent adherence to deep vision, and dismissal of all those outside voices vying for your attention. You know the ones. Over time, they just seem to get louder, don't they? Have you ever caught yourself letting these sentiments echo in your heart?

• An editor isn't going to like that.
• Your hook isn't strong enough.
• Why are you doing this, anyway? It's not like you have any actual readers.
• Your characterization falls flat.
• Your dialogue is stilted.
• A scene describing a pencil would be less boring.
• Wait a second-- did you just rehash the exact plot from While You Were Sleeping?

As writers, we have this crazy hard job of simultaneously putting 100% of our hearts into our stories-- weaving the fabric of our being into the fabric of our characters' struggles-- and protecting our hearts from criticism and rejection. Have you ever noticed that some people are better at one than the other? When I first graduated with my M.A., I was excellent at receiving criticism. Believe me, I was well used to professors criticizing my rough-draft essays-- it was just part of the process for everyone. But you know what? As I've gotten farther along on this writing journey, criticism has actually gotten harder-- in a way-- to receive, because I find myself investing more and more emotion into each story. And that's okay.

Some people think, "If I could only get published, everything would be easier." And while, yes, I personally think having real-life readers (as opposed to merely imaginary ones) does make things easier, at the same time, publication brings its own set of rejection and disappointment. Maybe your sales numbers aren't what you want, or you're having agent troubles, or you got a round of really harsh reviews on your story.

The writing world goes a little something like this: rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. hope. rejection. rejection. a sale!!! rejection. rejection. rejection. rejection. a sale!!!

And repeat. 

Image by vorakorn,from FreeDigitalPhotos.com

But here's the thing. If we aren't careful, we can allow ourselves to become crushed in this process. It's like we've been in an emotional battle of sorts, and we come out wounded and scarred along the way from overly-harsh criticism and dreams that seem to have crashed and burned. 

That's where 1 Thessalonians 5:24 comes in. "He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

And with that in mind, I want to issue a challenge to you today.

God. is. faithful.

Do you believe it? 

Do you really believe God is faithful? And if so, that leads to my second question. Do you believe God has called you?

Because if you do, then you have a responsibility to protect and to chase your dreams. Through all the pain, and all the disappointment, and all the rejection, the One who has called you is stronger. He has a much bigger plan through it all, and He has not led you down this pathway only to desert you. If you feel like giving up, hold on-- cling to Him as you never have before, and you may find unexpected growth and opportunity when you least expect it.

God has a purpose for your stories. That purpose is greater and bigger than anything you can imagine. He's promised that. So don't give up on Him. There is a reward for those who are faithful to the calling. Imagine if your favorite novelist had thrown in the towel just before publication. How would your own life be different? Your writing journey? What if God wants you to be that author for someone else? Maybe even for the next generation?

And don't forget that God's promises are sometimes different from our own. Maybe God never intended for you to be a NYT bestseller, but He does want your story to forever change the life of the elderly widow down your street. Be open to where His plan leads, because the ultimate fulfillment is in following Him, and learning to see writing as a form of worship.

So, what do you think? Do you ever find yourself discouraged by the ups and downs of writing? What promises do you hold on to to keep you going?

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Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

When Writing Looks Different: Navigating a New Season in Your Writing Life

I've experimented with four different novels in the past year in varied genres.

A sequel to my women's fiction novel...wrote 15,000 words then gave it up.

A locally set historical novel...loved plotting it, but again, stopped writing after only 10,000 words.

Another historical...and a young adult novel...

And I've ended up at the conclusion that there is more to writing than novels.

This year I transitioned from homeschooling one of my children to two of them, its been a hectic and busy season. We’ve also been dealing with a chronic health problem in our family.The  Its hard to write a novel when you're lucky if your family has clean laundry and a meal that didn't start out in the freezer.

Writing in my own mind meant writing novels.

 To fit the season I'm in a mental shift needed to occur. 

What about you? Maybe you are in the throws of postpartum depression or just overwhelmed with life with a newborn…

Perhaps you just started a new demanding job, or switched directions in your career, or went from part-time to full-time…

Or maybe you have a special needs child or a major health concern in your family…

It might take energy just to get through the day and the thought of a novel with all its intricate details can be overwhelming.

Don’t. 

Stop.

Writing.

Here are some suggestions that have helped me during this season, in the hopes that one or two might work for you, too:

1                 Write something, anything.

Sometimes it seems like its all about the novel. There’s something about completing a novel with its length requirements and plot details that is satisfying.

BUT there’s something to be said for the short story. Many well-known authors find it harder to write a good short story. Limiting the length while still including all elements of plot forces the writer to learn a more succinct style. You learn how to say what you want to say without mincing words.

Joann Penn of The Creative Penn writes about 5 Ways Writing Short StoriesCan Help Your Career.

A friend in my critique group entered a writing contest where her work was read by an editor who creates science fiction, fantasy and horror anthologies. The result has been five published short stories in as many months. Payment has been small, but she’s been building her credits in the hopes of querying her first novel. Every success helps.

Katie Davis pontificates on the finer points of writing poetry in Why Write Poetry. I’ve often found poetry to be a great release of emotion. I struggle with description and poetry is an excellent way to build your word painting skills. 

Consider freelancing:

For a small time commitment, you can get more than you put in to it.
Freelancing can also help you to make valuable connections and one article often has a way of leading to another.

For instance, writing an article last fall about trends in Christian fiction gave me a better understanding of who’s who in the various publishing companies and a bit of an insider glance.
Carol Tice, founder of Make a Living Writing, tells how she pulled in asix-figure income through freelancing. I’m not saying that will happen, but you can certainly make enough to recoup some of your writing related expenses.

Keep up with the industry.

From mergers to closings of bookstores to changes in library acquisitions, it is necessary to keep the pulse of the industry even if you aren’t writing a novel at this point.

One great way is by reading publications such as Publisher’s Weekly and Library Journal. Both of these publications can be pricey (although if you are a member of ACFW there is a discount available for the former). 

Subscribing to Publisher’s Lunch and Shelf Awareness are other great ways to keep up with the news in the bookselling world. Both are online newsletters, Publisher’s Lunch contains a list of new acquisitions by publishers allowing you to watch trends in the making. Shelf Awareness is a newsy daily pub on all things book-related. I would recommend this newsletter for any serious reader as well as for those in the industry.

Stay active on social media, but not too active.

Yes, I’ll admit it I struggle with this vice, too. But time is best spent on writing activities. 

However, keep those connections going even when you don’t have a novel on the front burner. 

Since many of us live in places where we have few connections with local authors, Facebook and Twitter can be a necessity. 

Be kind and promote those who do have good news. Share some linky love to other blogs. Take a few minutes a day and use them well on building relationships.

Read, read, read.

Again, if you have 15 minutes before bed use it to read. Reading will help get your juices flowing again. Read the best books and think about why they are the best books. Find new genres to expand your horizons.

 Maintain real life connections centered around writing.

Although I have not been writing a novel, I continue to attend my critique group meetings at a local Barnes & Noble. These writers offered me the valuable suggestion to write short stories during this season of my life. After talking story and reading other’s work I often leave more motivated in my own writing. I think the coffee helps, too, but often on the way home a new idea will begin spinning in my brain.

Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for events for writers. Since I am not pitching a novel, I decided not to attend ACFW this year but God opened the door for a next-to-free opportunity to hear some writers this weekend. Watch for conferences, booksignings, readings, and other events that might help you make connections with other writers and learn something in the process.

What about you? Do you write in other forms beside the novel? Has your writing life looked different during different seasons?

 Julia enjoys writing women's fiction whenever she can find a chair free of smushed peanut butter sandwiches and lego blocks. She is a wife and homeschooling mama of two littles. She also enjoys reviewing and writing for Library Journal and the blog Wonderfully Woven.

A Season For Everything

On www.freedigitalphotos.net by Naypong

I've never been one to sit around and stew for very long. I am a fixer. If it's messed up, I immediately scramble for a solution. If it's a "no" and I want a "yes" I begin to contemplate scenarios to work toward a change. Maybe one would call me a go-getter...or a spoiled brat (cringe). Sometimes it's a good trait and sometimes it's a bad trait. Just depends on the situation.
Lately though, I have stumbled into situations where the "fixability" is just not so obvious...the quick solution is just out of the question. I have felt broken (click here for my personal post on this).
Whether it be a slew of rejections on the book of my heart with less and less hope for a "yes", or a broken relationship where time is the only medicine, I am starting to realize the importance of a season versus a momentary lapse.

On www.freedigitalphotos.net by Grant Cochrane

I would rather throw a fit, move forward, and slap a huge happy band-aid on my struggles. It's worked before. A new contest to enter, a new book proposal to whip up, an apology, a change of scenery...

But what happens when those things just don't cut it? When the future...while glimmering with hope in the distance...just isn't all that pretty in the up-close? When the writing doesn't come, the desire is as parched as a dried up inkwell, and chaos is frantically buzzing around?

If you are anything like me, I don't give myself a chance to just mourn the situation. I feel lesser and selfish when I do. I want to pick myself up by the bootstraps (pardon my cliche...not shooting for a polished contest entry) and brush it off and prove that I am strong, mature, and following God's wisdom. It's a good attitude to have right? But it doesn't always heal...it just has me walk away from one mess and straight into the next one. It's like cramming for a test and forgetting the knowledge as soon as you put your pencil down.

You don't learn a darn thing.

I'll admit, that lately, I have given myself time to mourn...personal stuff and writing stuff. I have sat here and felt like a wilted flower that, no matter how my friends and my God try to lift me up to standing, I have no will to look toward the sun or receive refreshment. I have wallowed, I have cried, and I have done absolutely nothing to change the pace.

On www.freedigitalphotos.net by Serge Bertasius Photography

You know what though? I needed that rest. It didn't look pretty, and it certainly felt stagnant, but it gave me the chance to weep when I needed too, to flesh out all the horrid thoughts and regrets, and to remember I am nothing...without Christ.

 I just need to give myself time. And not always try to push through. I need to be still in the season and know God will work. His word is clear:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:...a time to weep and a time to laugh,  a time to mourn and a time to dance..." Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

There is a season for everything. Why do I always hope for Spring when Winter must run its course first?

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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous, mothering days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Soaring in Your Writing Time for This Season of Your Life and GIVEAWAY

Busy, overloaded, and stressed?

Perhaps you need to fit more writing into your schedule.

What, did I mishear you? I'm working 80 hour weeks, going through stuff in my marriage, my toddler is keeping me from sleeping through the night.

Here's why you NEED to fit writing into your schedule.

"You may be stressed out but you have to fight it. Find those few things that make you feel energized and invest your time and effort into them." -Crystal Paine, Money Saving Mom blogger and author of Say Goodbye to Survival Mode: 9 Simple Strategies to Stress Less, Sleep More, and Restore Your Passion for Life

About two months ago, I started working out five times a week. I've really learned more about the "runner's high." My energy levels are higher than they've been in years. I wondered how would I fit bicycling into my already stuffed schedule. It was an excuse that kept me from exercising.

I work out around an hour, yet I have gained back this hour in the energy I bring to homeschooling and most any task I do. Life is less overwhelming.

The things we choose to do can also sap or increase our emotional energy. Time and money management expert Crystal's advice is spot on for those going through trials or difficult times. Making time for writing isn't being selfish, its using the gifts we have been given for God's glory and it will strengthen us.

Have you allowed writing to create some more "white space" in your life? Time to ingest a deep breath.

I've learned a lot from Crystal's blog Money Saving Mom about making the most of what you have in terms of finances, time, and life in general. Here are some insights both from Crystal's blog and from my own life about how to find time for your passion no matter what life season you are in.

• Get your "peeps" on board.

Crystal says her number one help to keeping on task is her supportive husband. The same is true in my own life. Its great to have a motivator in your home.

My husband can be the "writing fuhrer" reminding me to keep on task, all the while being a gentle, Gandhi-like supporter. Contradictory? Neh, that's what love does, spurs us on toward our best. Look at Jesus, he loves us enough not to want us to stay mired in the depths of those sins and weaknesses that hold us back.

A friend can play the same role in your life, reminding you to keep up with your writing.

"But I don't have those kind of people in my life. My family thinks I'm wasting my time and my friends call getting published a 'pipe dream.'"

1) Pray for God to provide that type of support for you.

You are never going it alone, God is always on your side. He gave you these gifts and if he wants you to use them in this season he will find a way for you to do so.

2) Consider: am I neglecting my family's needs when I write? Are the times I pick honoring to my family? For instance, if your husband works an active job and you are often writing when he comes home delaying dinner...perhaps this could be why you're lacking his support.

Think about the best times to write, taking your family into consideration.

3) Can your family see the benefit?

This is probably one of the #1 reasons my husband is so supportive of my writing. He sees that it helps me keep my emotions in balance, brings me personal fulfillment and is intellectually stimulating in a season where I often don't talk to a single adult until my husband walks through the door each evening.

• Consider that not all seasons are created equal.

If you are working full-time and looking for time to write:

Is there a quiet corner where you could retreat with a pad and paper during your lunch break?

Can you voice record your ideas on your long commute home?

Can you break your writing into fifteen minute chunks throughout the day?

If you are staying home and have small children (or homeschool):

Think about teaching your kids to have a quiet time of their own. Consider making it a family writing time and buying your children pretty journals to use.

The quiet pre-dawn and late hours are sacred space for stay-at-home moms.

As a nursing mom, I learned to type a few quick notes during a feeding.

If our children see us fully present with us the rest of the time, they are more willing to understand that writing time helps us be more in the moment with them later because our own cup is filled.

This season is not forever. Find a solution that works for now. Be willing to revise your plans on a regular basis.

• What can you take off your plate to allow time for writing, while keeping your priorities still in line?

Are you wasting too much time on Facebook or Pinterest? (OK, I admit I'm preaching myself under conviction on this one.)

Can you multitask by writing on a treadmill like Pepper and Mary do or writing ideas in a notebook while standing in line?

Crystal has social media free Sundays. This frees her up both to spend time with her family and to have more creative energy. How can you create margin from these technology distractions? I know one of the Alleycats doesn't use a computer on Sundays and it frees her up to enjoy more quiet.

• Have goals and stay accountable for them.

Writing my goals on the calendar in the form of daily word count is a helpful reminder.

An accountability buddy can be even better and it doesn't even have to be a fellow writer. Just someone who will ask you the hard questions.

Knowing a friend of mine is checking in with me every Friday has sure made it easier to keep on track with my workouts and the same is true with writing life.

Reward yourself in a small way when you make your goal for the day or week. Maybe an hour this week rereading a favorite book or a cup of coffee.


So, let's hear from you. Share your best time management tip for your writing life and I'll enter you to win a kindle edition of Crystal Paine's 21 Days to a More Discplined Life. I'm willing to bet, you'll be blessed by Crystal's time management tips. Please include your email address to be entered in the drawing.

Julia writes contemporary fiction to mirror truth. A former assistant librarian, she now channels her card cataloguing skills into homeschooling her elementary aged littles and writing for Library Journal. She has reviewed for a variety of websites for several years.

Waiting on God with an Impatient Heart

I first posted this blog in July 2012, but felt today was an appropriate time for a reminder about God's grace for waiting (as well as impatient) hearts. He is always faithful. He is always good. Whatever you are waiting for, take heart: our God is good.

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Picture this.

There's an old man sitting on a park bench with $10, 000 cash in a bag and a signed, first edition copy of your favorite book in his hand. And maybe some donuts. He owns a publishing house, and he's ready to make you a great offer on your work in progress.

The catch? He'll only be sitting here five minutes. And once he's gone, that's it. He's gone for good.

What lengths would you go to to get to that man on time? Too early or too late, and you will have missed the opportunity. It seems obvious, doesn't it? We would do anything it took to get there at the right time.

And yet it hit me the other day that metaphorically speaking, this is exactly the situation we are in every day as writers. We have a story inside our hearts. We have faith in God's call upon our lives. The man is sitting on the bench, so to speak. So why do we struggle so much to believe it's all going to work out?

We operate with such a limited perspective. Remember the kaleidoscopes you played with as a kid? When we look at just this one moment in our lives, it's like we're viewing the world through a kaleidoscope. We color the limited landscape in all different ways with just a turn of our hands. The thing is, God's got so much more planned. He has a purpose for your whole life. He sees it all.

Source: Uploaded by user via Joanka on Pinterest

Have you ever looked at a book you've written and felt anxiety about it? Maybe you feel that way now. I think most writers operate with a certain level of worry existent all the time. Is my book going to be good enough? Will I ever find the right agent? How long before a publishing house buys it? And then, what about the reviews that roll in?

But these worries come because we allow ourselves to get out of sync with God's timing. We believe in His promises, but we try to get ahead or behind the pace He's set. Doing so causes all sorts of trouble for whatever season we're facing in our writing lives.

Imagine yourself running with a crowd of people. Yes, I know that for some of you, the image of yourself running is difficult to picture, as, if you're anything like me, it hasn't happened since high school. But bear with me here. The race starts, and you all start running together. Before long, you fall into a rhythm. Some people rush ahead of you, and others fall behind. Some are running right alongside you and help you find your own groove. (We call these critique partners, and they rock.)

Before long, you become very observant of everyone else. Those in front of you are getting all these opportunities, and those behind are learning from your mistakes.

How much easier is it to look at everyone around us rather than to see the opportunities right in front of ourselves?

The thing is, God has equipped you with a particular pace, and operating outside of that is going to throw you off. If you rush ahead, you're going to get tired, and if you lag behind, you're going to miss the opportunities He's set in your path.

I want to encourage you today that God knows right where you are in this season of your life and your writing journey, and He has you there for a reason. Resist the urge to look ahead or behind. Instead, look around. You don't want to miss the opportunities He has placed before you because, like the man on the park bench, once those are gone, they're gone for good.

We can avoid so many of the things we worry about if we just press on. If we stop telling God we need to be faster, or things need to slow down. Forcing something that's the wrong timing will never make the timing right.

And when the timing's right, we will have peace in that. Imagine what would've happened had you never gone to the place you met your spouse, had you never met your best friend, had you never decided to write. A few moments, a few choices different, and your life wouldn't have been the same.

So whether you're waiting to hear from an agent, a publishing house, or even to hear God's next step for your life, be of good heart. God has not forgotten you or let go of His plans for your life. He is holding them, carefully tending to them, as He has been doing all along. Every day, every moment, is just another step toward the next chapter of His plan.

Your moment will come.

Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." 


Can you think of a time in your life where you waited and you're glad you did?

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Ashley Clark writes romantic comedy with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

The Tarnished Gift

NEGLECT

On Flickr by EllYouKayEee

The silver tray peeked out from under a pile of unused house decorations. When I cleared it all away, I frowned as the once shiny gift did not hold my reflection, but a rusty dull tarnish. Was it ruined? Had I neglected it too long and now it was no longer the treasure I received for my wedding long ago?

Panic fluttered in my chest as I wondered if the silver tray would ever match up to the shining beauty in my memory—(and I also feared what my mother would think if she'd seen how much I neglected the gift!)

Have you tucked your writing gift away, and allowed time to eat its way through your confidence, your dream? And when you dare to face that gift again, does the panic rise, the fear that, perhaps you've lost it, you've allowed time to suffocate the beauty in your ability?

I have.

In the name of taking a break, I tucked my gift away. And now, as I venture to blow the dust off my writing skills, that same panic I felt when I saw my neglected tray, niggled in my heart. Had I abandoned the gift God gave me—forever? Sure, I'd enjoyed the progress of six years of writing, the baby steps I'd taken toward publishing, and now, with a new year upon us, has my gift deteriorated to rust?

What if I can't write well anymore?

What if the break wasn't a time of rest but a destructive neglect of my ability?

But as I remember God's whispers to me long ago, I have you right where I want you, and that This path IS where I wants you, I can trust in the God who gave me the gift in the first place.

POLISH

On Flickr by MyLifeThroughPhotography

A little silver polish and some elbow grease was needed to make my tray shine again. This writer just needed to refocus, using Scripture and prayer to work off the rust. God's word tells us:

"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to devote ourselves to the good deeds for which God has designed us." Ephesians 2:10 NEB

I am currently taking the study, Everything Is Possible with God by Rick Warren,  which is perfect to get me back on track with polishing my gift. Warren talks about God's hand in fulfilling our dreams. Warren makes four points using Scripture that also spurred on questions of my own:

1. DON'T FEAR: “I will never leave you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5 TEV

If I am certain that my writing really is God's gift to me,

 than why would I think He would take it away and abandon me?

2. DON'T FRET: “Rest in the Lord; wait patiently for him to act...Don't fret and worry—it only leads to harm.” Psalm 37:7-8

If I rush into writing again, without God equipping me, 

then what good will come out of it?

3. DON'T FAINT: “Always pray and never lose heart.” Luke 18:1 PH
   
   
   “They that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31KJV

Have I prayed about God's direction to polish my gift? 

To write the stories He wants me to write? To use His words, not my own?

 

     4.  DON'T FORGET:  “I will bless the LORD and not forget the glorious things he does for   

            me.”  Psalm 103:2 LB

          “The LORD is not being slow in carrying out his promises...rather, he is being patient with 

           you.”  2Peter 3:9 NJB

How many things has the LORD done for me on this writing journey?

Why would he forsake me now?

With care and quiet diligence, I rub the polishing cream over the soiled surface of the tray, and as I smear away the neglect, the gift returns a glimmer of hope, and then a bright shine of promise that it is still a piece to be treasured.

On Flickr by Kotomicreations

Do you know that your God has given you your gift for keeps? That no matter how much you lay it aside, or tuck it away, if you seek His will, He will bless you anew with the treasure He crafted only for you?

What will you do now? Walk away without hope in the shine, or begin to polish for a bright treasure ahead? 

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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.