Anticipation and the Writer

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The emotions of the writer run the gambit. We get excited about new story ideas. We get frustrated when we get writer's block. We are ecstatic when we get a request for a full manuscript from an agent or editor. We wallow in the depths of despair when we receive a rejection in our email box. Up and down, up and down, our emotions ride the roller coaster.

But there is one emotion in the writing journey that we tend to overlook because it is subtle.

Anticipation.

When I hear the word anticipation, I am reminded of Christmas Eve long ago. While a pregnant woman was being settled by her husband into a stable, heaven awaited with bated breath for the coming of the Messiah on Earth.

Anticipation.

While a baby lay in a manger, shepherds were hurrying to find the Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Anticipation.

You know the feeling....it is the hopeful expectation of things to come. The longing for something better. The desire for something new and good to come our way. The hope of having our dreams fulfilled.

Writers await with anticipation on a daily basis. We hope for a completed manuscript. We desire contest wins. We anticipate publication. Anticipation keeps us going.

While we write with the expectation of having our dreams realized, so often we let fear and comparison cloud our view. It is like fog creeping across the land, clouding our path and slowing us down. We must learn to slow down and focus on the path. Just keep writing and enjoy the journey, letting the words flow from the heart. The fog will soon dissipate and the way will grow clear once again.

Kindle the fire of anticipation. Just as we should always anticipate the return of our King Jesus not just at Christmas, but all year long, we must keep the anticipation of our writing dream alive.

There is much to anticipate in the coming year. What are you anticipating?


***This post first appeared on The Writer's Alley in 2013.***

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Sherrinda Ketchersid is a born and bred Texan, preacher’s wife, mother of 4 children, and works part-time as a bookseller at Amazon. With the children grown and out of the house, she weaves tales of fierce knights and their ladies in a time where men were warriors and women had to be strong enough to keep them in check.

After taking time off from writing, she has returned with a new motto in place to spur her on. “Writers write. Everyone else makes excuses.” ~Jack Bickham.  No excuses this time. She is weaving her love of romance with history to bring joy and the hope of love to those who may one day read her stories. Her first book, Lord of Her Heart, will release May 2019.

You can connect with her through:

Personal blog: sherrinda.com

Twitter: @sherrinda

Instagram: @sherrinda

The In-Between

Have you ever stopped to think about how much time we spend waiting?

We wait for traffic, lines at the grocery store, and bedtime (#kiddingnotkidding). We wait for big things in life like the day we'll meet our spouse or get pregnant. We wait for God to answer our prayers, and we get it in our heads that He only answers when the waiting is over.

But what if we're missing the bigger picture? What if God has something beautiful for us IN the waiting?

I was in a bridal store today, looking for a formal dress, and I started thinking about what a fun season of life being engaged is. It's full of so much planning, anticipation, and excitement-- not unlike writing a story! And though being married is much greater than being engaged, there's something uniquely special about that season of a relationship, is there not?

One of my favorite Bethel songs, "Shepherd," has a line that says, "In the process, in the waiting, You're making melodies over me." Those words have really hit me lately as I've realized it's not DESPITE the waiting, or AFTER the waiting, but IN the waiting that God sings over us. If only we would stop rushing on toward the next goal long enough to hear that song! It's as if He is saying, "Take a moment away from life-- a moment of the in-between-- to simply be with Me."

What does God want to do with your in-between?

Maybe today, you're thinking if you could just get published, the waiting would finally end. But then comes waiting for book reviews, contest results, release days-- you name it! The waiting will always continue, though it will take different forms. 

We must learn to wait well.

I want to encourage you to find beauty in this season, whatever you're waiting on. Today's wait is unique to today. You'll never get another chance to sow into this particular season, so sow well! You'll be glad you did when you see the blooms.

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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.

Grace for the Finite & Infinite Waiting

When I was first working on my brand as a pre-published author, I wanted my tagline to have something to do with the wait-and-see moments of life. Do you know the ones I'm talking about?

When all the pieces of the puzzle are in place except for the last one,

and all you have to offer is a mess of edges that don't line up. 

When you've done everything right and given all you have to give, 

but it's in someone else's hands now. 

When the minutes and hours crawl toward
a seemingly elusive square on the calendar. 

We've all been there. It's hard, isn't it? Really hard sometimes. While I went a different direction with my tagline to better represent the whole of my stories, the people who are in the thick of the waiting, they're my people. The ones who are always on my heart.

In the publishing world, there are different kinds of waiting. There's the long, open-ended silence after pressing Send that has no finite end. Even months later, you're still keeping one eye trained on your inbox and regularly checking your junk folders just in case.

Or, there's a giant date looming over your head. Pending contest results or a deadline or a big conference that could decide the future of your book. In some ways, knowing can be worse. I may or may not be that girl whose phone experiences multiple phantom buzzes on the day contest results are coming in. Who turns Mean Writer Bear when I believe a call was from a contest coordinator and not from my mom asking for a recipe.

But writing has taught me the beauty of the wait-and-see. That peace can be found even in a blank white holding cell before the decision is made.

When the answer was no, in those first seconds of shock and disconnect, I found myself craving just one moment of that blissful unawareness -- the same naivete I'd been wishing away minutes before. And when the answer was yes, I couldn't help but stop and revel in that contrast between before and after everything changed.

I know it's hard, being where you are. But try not to take your waiting for granted, dearling. Prepare yourself as much as you can so you won't be caught off guard, but don't let exhaustion and resignation steal your joy.

I hope waiting helps you never forget where you've been. And that you always remember that waiting is part of your story, so nothing is stopping you from writing it.

When you find yourself in the blank white holding cell of waiting, put some paint on the walls and decorate!

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Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business called 1624 Communications. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a two-time Genesis Award winner, and the runner-up in the 2015 Lone Star Contest's Inspirational category. Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com

Letting Your Baby Go...Then What?

Last week, I let my baby go. After spending more time on this project than I have ever spent on a book, I

freedigitalphotos.net by Michelle Mieklejohn

finished up my current novel and sent it in for a critique.

It reminds me of when I dropped off my first child to preschool. After years of spending every waking second with him, I suddenly had hours alone. And I just didn't know what to do with myself.

I would sit at home knowing a million things could get done, but feeling a little stunned emotionally that I didn't have the little guy next to me. Of course, mommy-guilt entered (it's something I have gotten better at flinging off quickly), but really it was mostly unfamiliarity with the open time, shock at the quiet, and anxiety in the anticipation of holding him in my arms again.

It kinda feels that way now. Not with the kids leaving me for a few hours at a time--I have soooo gotten used to that (ignore the very-guilt-free mommy joy in that, please)...but I miss my newest baby, the one I lost sleep on and carved time out diligently to nurture...my manuscript. 

I miss those made-up friends that I so delicately shaped. I find myself tempted to open up Word again, just to spend some more time--maybe reading a scene or two. I pass by Starbucks and reminisce about the many hours I spent "having coffee" with my characters...ahem...slaving away on my manuscript under that little square shop roof.

And I sit here, on this bed, wondering what in the world am I going to do with myself now--unfamiliar with the open time (well, whatever that is with four kids and life in the way), shock at the quiet (in my writer's head), and anxiety in the anticipation of finding the manuscript in my inbox...all marked up.

But, I know there isn't much I should do except enjoy the peace right now. 

freedigitalphotos.net by BrianHolm

After years of critiques, contest comments, and edits, I know that I will soon be wrapped up in the world of my characters, chiseling away after that feedback arrives. No, it won't be long when my baby comes back needing nurturing and growing and discipline. It will be as hard on this mama-writer as it will be on the book-baby. And that baby will blossom into a beauty and this mama will finally sleep well after a job well done.

Some might say to write away and fill the void. Instead, I am taking this much needed time of rest. Just like I did those first days of preschool when I suddenly had the couch to myself and the t.v. was not stuck on Disney Junior. I am choosing to  breathe deep instead of scribble away on a new book, or fret and worry over what I could change in my last one. This is a time for quiet after the mad rush of a deadline, because I know that I'll need all the energy I can get when my baby gets home and needs me again!

freedigitalphotos.net by photostock

So, what do you do when you've typed "The End" and hit send to a critique partner or an editor? Do you take the time to recoup for the next round...or are you ready to dive into your next project?

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Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written five Historical Romance novels, has a Historical underway, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets, selling Jamberry, and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check out her author page at www.facebook.com/dicken.angie and her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com 

When God Hits Pause: L.O.O.K. U.P.

"But this is what I’m finding, in glimpses and flashes: this is it. This is it, in the best possible way. That thing I’m waiting for, that adventure, that move-score-worthy experience unfolding gracefully. This is it.” -Shauna Niequeist, from Cold Tangerines

Chances are you're waiting on something in your life at this very moment.

Waiting for your Prince Handsome to come sweep you away to your "diamond sunbursts and marble halls" as my favorite Ann-with-an-ew would say.

Pinching pennies to buy your picket-fence house in the perfect cul-de-sac neighborhood that will fit the perfect quiver of a family you have planned.

Perhaps its that job promotion that was promised, the paycheck that never came, the change in title, position, some other change.

Then there's the writing life. A pleasant diversion when the rest of your world feels dumped upside down and sideways all at once. At least that's what it was...until...

It became another waiting game...

Waiting for the perfect agent for you....the house that is right for you...waiting for that contract that would enable you to quit your 9-to-5 drudgery...

Longing to hear back from the editor who has been holding your proposal since ACFW...to get those contest results back...

Some waits are for a season...and sometimes that season is indefinite. Maybe you are called to take a break from writing altogether as several of us here have done in the past or are doing now.

“Wait on the Lord" is a constant refrain in the Psalms, and it is a necessary word, for God often keeps us waiting. He is not in such a hurry as we are, and it is not his way to give more light on the future than we need for action in the present, or to guide us more than one step at a time. When in doubt, do nothing, but continue to wait on God. When action is needed, light will come.”  -J.I. Packer from Knowing God


Continue to wait on God...when action is needed, light will come....

How can you continue to wait on God? Here are some things that have helped me in my waiting times:

Waiting leaves us in a good place, with nothing to do but to seek God's face with desperate accord until he wants us to move. Sometimes when we are most "abuzz" with plans and excitement we take far less time to sit at his feet. 

When we're waiting, let's make a point to L.O.O.K. U.P.:

1)Let God search your heart.

What is the specific sin struggle in your heart with regards to waiting? And what might God want to do in you...perhaps it is something you are resisting and he is using a pause to get your attention.

Is it a lack of perseverance? Are you ready to give up because the wait seems too hard?

Is it a lack of trust in God's way? God's timing?

Perhaps you're trusting too much in other people: an agent, an editor, someone to give you positive feedback?

Is it pride, perhaps thinking that your work is better than others you see that are published? Thinking that your own writing will further his kingdom?

Confess all these things before your heavenly Father. He knows your heart.

2) Own your struggle.

We don't need to pretend with God, He knows all. No matter what our "wait" struggle is, come to Him daily asking for His help. You can't do it on your own. If this wait can produce in us further dependence on God then it is a small price to pay. 

3) Order your days.

Sometimes we spend too much time thinking about waiting and it can cause a bit of chaos in our days. Plan for the times when you struggle most with anxiety or overthinking about the waiting. For instance, a time I struggle with worry is bedtime. So I am now trying to play Christian sermons when I can't sleep to feast on the word and fill my mind with these things leaving little room for the anxieties of waiting.

What calms you and can keep your mind orderly during a time of struggle. Playing soft hymns helps me to get my focus on God. Also reciting favorite scripture verses. If you plan something to occupy your time with during the time those worries or bothersome thoughts crop up, you will feel better prepared.

4) Keep accountable.

Let a friend or spouse know that you are struggling to keep faith during the wait. Ask them to pray for and with you. During hard or long waits you may need to lean on them. Though facebook and online are great, I think it is best to have a friend you plan to meet for coffee or a lady you pray with at church. Waiting is a common human experience and maybe you'll find you can also pray for your friend who might be struggling with a wait in another area of her life.

5) Understand that he may be preparing you for another wait.

And no, I'm not telling you you will be published or you will find your dream agent...or be able to quit your job.

I'm talking about a different perspective. The one that truly matters and putting our life in line for that. Because even what's happening in our writing life is something God is using on a spiritual level.

I really think he uses what can be smaller waits to help us with larger waits. Waiting for a terminally ill spouse or parent to die. Waiting to deliver a stillborn months after her death. Waiting for the CAT scan on the brain to show all clear. God wants to teach us to wait in these moments, preparing us for the waits that will be present for our whole lives.

In the same way as Christians we are waiting and panting with longing like the deer for our eternal life:

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.-Romans 8:25

Let God use these times to stir up longing for our heavenly homes.

6)  Prepare and persevere.

What are your struggle points? Look for scriptures that will speak to those and print up the verses. Carry them with you in your purse. Post them next to your writing desk. Post them on your refrigerator. Ruth Graham placed Bibles all around her house so that she could read a verse here, a verse there as a busy mom.

Let God use your wait as a time of preparation for your own heart. Sometimes when we are in the throes of the good life we spend less time sitting at his feet. The perfect balm for your troubled heart is at his feet.


Bible Hub, and Blue Letter Bible are great online sites for finding verses to speak to your need and digging into all sorts of study resources for free. If God has called you to take a break from writing or seeking publication why not use that extra time to dig into his word even more than usual. 

Don't take your eyes off your source of hope. If you get a "no" don't let that discourage you from God's calling. God didn't call you to be published right now perhaps, but He did call you to write. Be obedient in that calling even if your feelings make you want to stop.

Maybe take a break and write something different, but write. Persevere in your calling.

Life and writing contain all sorts of waits. Let's use them as a reminder to L.O.O.K. U.P. and remember our Father is there with us through whatever we are facing today.

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 writing for Library Journal magazine and the blog Wonderfully Woven.




 

Pregnant Pause...

For those of you following on Facebook, no, in fact, I am no longer pregnant. Yippee! Pregnancy for some is a time of great anticipation and preparation. And while I can admit to feeling those things during those long nine months, most of my pregnancy days are more misery than anything else.

Last week of misery!

If you have children you know that life doesn’t exactly slow down when the pregnancy ends. Once that baby arrives life is more of a tailspin than ever. Well meaning individuals advise pregnant mothers to “sleep now” while you still can. And to “take time for yourself” because motherhood changes everything, including how much “you-time” you’ll have until your nest once again becomes empty.

But here’s the thing… Life doesn’t slow down or stop for anybody. There are seasons of sowing. Busy times of planning and plotting. There are seasons of growth, where the fruits of your labor need lots of nurturing—and energy you don’t always possess. And then, birth… and with it the beautiful product of your labor. Your baby. We are always moving forward, even in seasons of barrenness. But sometimes we need that time. That frustratingly unproductive pause in between, to breathe. To cultivate new ideas. New passions. New dreams. And new stories.

I have been in one of these seasons I like to think of as a sort of pregnant pause. I am anything but still. No less productive, though my productivity looks vastly different these days. My writing time is limited. My physical and emotional resources are tapped. And yet… I am gearing up, yearning to get back on the horse to embrace another season of writing and new stories to be told.

But while I wait here in this fissure between stories already woven and stories I’m desperate to unearth from my heart, I am finding something rejuvenating in the in-between. No, I wouldn’t call this time rest. And I’m certainly not “blocked” or uninspired.

I’m pregnant with anticipation, and filling up on dreams for the journey ahead. 

Alley Kitten - Eisley Violet Simpson born March 14, 2014

 

And I can’t wait to tell you about the stories God is preparing to birth in me! What about you? Tell me about YOUR baby! I’ve been out of touch for so long I’d love to hear about that little bun in your oven. And well, we’ve got to get those elevator pitches started for conference season. Hard labor, I know, but let’s hear some teasers about the next round of up-and-coming best-sellers. :)

Love and thanks for all the prayers and support!

-Amy & Eisley

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Amy Leigh Simpson writes Romantic Suspense that is heavy on the romance, unapologetically honest, laced with sass and humor, and full of the unfathomable Grace of God. She is the completely sleep deprived mama to two little tow-headed mischief makers and wife to her very own swoon-worthy hero. Represented by the oh-so-wise and dashing Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.

Keeping a sweet spirit from the sidelines

Some of you went to ACFW and had successful agent and editor appointments, requests for material, and positive feedback on your work.

Others of you attended, but felt that your meetings did not go well. Perhaps you bungled your pitch; maybe the agent wasn’t interested in what you had to offer, or the editor felt your genre was already over-represented at their house. Whatever the case, you came away deflated and feeling the sting of failure.

Still others weren’t able to attend at all. You watched from the sidelines as your friends went and returned, glowing with their successes and accomplishments. Your role has been a cheerleader, and although you’re glad to celebrate with your friends, a deep-down part of you wonders when it will be your turn.

freedigitalphotos.net, image by photostock

For those who fall into the last two categories, this post is for you. How do you keep a sweet spirit when it seems as if everyone is being promoted around you and you’ve been left far behind?

Here are some ideas.

1. Pray a blessing over those who are doing well.

Bless them? Aren’t they the last people in need of your prayers?! They’re already being blessed!

Perhaps, but this exercise has more to do with the state of your spirit than the state of the person you’re praying for.

Praying a blessing over someone else in their time of success is the best way to do spiritual warfare against jealousy. (click to tweet.) The enemy wants you to feel jealous; to compare yourself and feel like you come up short. When you turn this on its head and pray for God to heap blessing on the person you envy, Satan’s attack on your heart loses its power.

So pray, even if – especially if – you don’t feel like it. Pray for those God has blessed, for even more abundance, for favour, for new and better opportunities, for success overflowing.

The more you exercise this sort of spiritual warfare against resistance, the more God will transform your heart, bringing it into line with the words you’re praying, until you forget about yourself and genuinely desire the success of others.

2. Focus on the kingdom picture, not the glory of self.

We say our motivation in writing is to bring glory to God, but nothing tests this assertion like moments when there is no glory for self to be found. (click to tweet.)

Is your heart for God’s kingdom to grow? Meditate on this. Spend time in the word, reminding yourself daily of the bigger picture at stake. All our accomplishments will one day pass away, but God’s kingdom will last forever.

When our heart is in tune with God’s heart, our focus naturally shifts away from ourselves and toward kingdom values. Competition is replaced with teamwork. We’re all working for a common goal, so the success of another is your success, too.

Praise God for any way in which his word goes forth, whether it’s carried by you or someone else. The important thing is God glorified.

freedigitalphotos.net, image by Sura Nualpradid

3. Rest in God’s good plan for your life

Striving ties us up in knots and brings dissatisfaction.

It says, “I don’t trust God to work this out, so I must make it happen on my own.”

And when you can’t make it happen, or things don’t go the way you hoped, you feel depressed and lose your confidence.

Hebrews 10:35 says: “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!” (NLT)

This type of confidence doesn’t depend on attending a writer’s conference or having agents and editors request your work.

It’s a confidence rooted in your deep soul-knowledge that God loves you, that he wants his best for you, that he has ordered your steps from before you were born and is daily working out his purposes in your life.

Don’t throw that away to lean on your own striving.

Confident trust brings peace and rest and joy in the journey, no matter what the outward circumstances look like.

Be blessed, take heart and take joy! God has you in the palm of his hand.

 Did ACFW leave you elated or deflated? What is God speaking to you through this experience?

Tweetables:

How to keep a sweet spirit from the sidelines of the writing life: Click to Tweet

Celebrate the success of others without jealousy or comparison - here's how: Click to Tweet

Karen Schravemade lives in Australia. When she's not chasing after her three preschool-age kids, she spends her spare minutes daydreaming about the intricate lives of characters who don't actually exist. Find her on her website and Twitter.