Friday, September 10, 2010

Encouragement for Writers

Welcome to Fortifying Friday! This is the day we feature guest authors with their personal journeys to publication and encouraging words for writers.

But today we’re going to do something different.

We’re on this writing journey together, so this Fortifying Friday, we’re going to focus on encouraging and praying for other writers and each other.

Many of you will be attending the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) conference next week in Indianapolis. If not that conference, maybe you—or someone you know—plan to attend another in the coming months. It’s exciting to attend workshops, meet other writers, and even pitch your novel to an editor or agent. But it can also be an intimating, stressful, and overwhelming experience.

Perhaps over the next few days you could encourage or pray for someone who is

1) Attending a conference in the near future
2) Stressed about deadlines
3) Struggling through a personal or family crisis
4) Finding it difficult to financially make ends meet
5) Trying to meet the family’s needs
6) Feeling defeated and discouraged
7) Suffering through any illness, whether slight or serious
8) Searching for ideas while sitting in front of a blank computer screen
9) Desiring to have the support of spouse and/or family
10) Feeling spiritually dry
11) Seeking community with other writers
12) Needing to feel energized and inspired to write

Another way to offer encouragement is to write a note of thanks to an author who has entertained or inspired you through his/her words.

If you have need of encouragement, or would like prayer for yourself or someone else, please leave a comment. You don’t have to be specific. God knows your heart.

Blessings to you, dear friends and writers!

Dawn