 |
| C. Kevin Thompson |
Please
welcome C. Kevin Thompson as a
Regular Contributor for Seriously Write. He’ll be here every fourth
Friday of the month, offering encouragement as we move into the weekend. I
really enjoy Kevin’s voice and insight, and I think you will too! ~ Dawn
How
Many Four-Letter Words Do You Need?
Facebook.
Marketing. Twitter. Platform. Blog. Followers. Brand. Instagram. Website.
Goodreads. Constant Contact. Ebooks. Analytics. Hits. Page Views. Likes.
Okay, so they’re not all literally four-letter words. But
admit it. You feel like they are sometimes:
“If I
hear one more person talk about ‘platform,’ I’m
going to jump from one!”
“Twitter
is for those who can’t spell and have to do so
in 140 characters or less.”
You’ve probably read scores of articles and books on those
four-letter words. Spend 30 minutes here, 15 minutes there, an hour a week
everywhere. Right?
I did the math: 126.4 hours a day would get all their
suggestions slated into my daily routine. That includes eight hours for
actually writing my novels, and six hours for sleep.
Oh, wait, I forgot to add family time.
So much for sleep.
Of course, my tongue is firmly planted in my cheek. Yet, the
truth of my words rings true. For many authors, the push to be successful
motivates them to do it all. They believe what they read and act on what they
believe.
But I have a question for you: What are your goals as a
writer? What defines success for you?
I’ve wrestled with these questions. When I first started
writing, all I wanted to do was “get published.” Ever been there? The problem,
I soon found out, was that I had not written down “getting published” as a
goal, per se. It was a desire. There’s a difference.
A big difference.
When you set goals, there is a sense of accomplishment when
you reach them. You have to reassess at that point. Set new goals based on your
present state of affairs. When you chase desires, on the other hand, there’s
always “something more” to attain. Old desires give way to new ones. When I got
published, we celebrated as a family. But then, another desire arose.
Sales.
Another four-letter word. I wanted to write full-time. I
needed sales. Ever been there? In America, sales denote success, or the lack thereof.
Capitalism at its finest. But when you couple this desire with naiveté, you get
a pushy writer who goes off the Christian rails. The kind of writer publishers
and agents talk about at conferences…and not in a good way.
Are those your goals? Getting published and great sales? Is
that why you got into writing? If so, good luck. You’re gonna need it.
Can I suggest a better way? Bloom where God has you planted
you. As you write, continue to improve on the craft. Remain faithful. God will
use you. And don’t be afraid to let Him define what that looks like. Let Him
help you set the goals. The last thing we need is more of the same. The Body of
Christ would look funny if we were all ears and noses (cf. 1 Cor. 12).
Christian publishing is no different. There are many readers out there who may
never pick up the Bible or an Amish romance, but may pick up your book. Make
sure it’s worthy by allowing God to take those four-letter words, wash them in
the Blood of Christ, and produce a beautiful garden with your life’s work.
Something
ominous lurks under the waters.
Dr.
Evelyn Sims, a brilliant marine biologist, is being watched. Her husband's mysterious
death at sea—with the only survivor of the Greenback telling a shocking,
unbelievable tale—has thrown her personal life into chaos. Her scientific views
are being scrutinized. Her
scientific views are being scrutinized. Her husband's office and their home are
investigated. Called in by the FBI to help solve the mystery, Evelyn is thrust
into her toughest research project ever...and forced into a maze of deception
and betrayal.
Micah
Gregson, the Coast Guard captain who rescued the Greenback, is determined to
find out why a special unit at the FBI—the one assigned
to cryptozoological cases—is involved.
Together
Evelyn and Micah will uncover a plot more deadly than anything the ocean could
ever produce. One that will either save Evelyn's life and redeem her career, or
destroy everything she—and myriad others—stand
for.
C. KEVIN THOMPSON
is an ordained minister, having served churches in New York, Mississippi,
Texas, and Iowa. He is married (for 33+ years), has three daughters, two
sons-in-law, and five grandchildren. He speaks in churches on occasion,
presently works as an assistant principal in a Central Florida school district,
and plays the drums in his church’s praise team. He is a huge fan of the TV
series 24 and Criminal Minds, loves anything to do with Star Trek, and is a
Sherlock Holmes fanatic.
Kevin is a member of ACFW, Word Weavers International, and
the Christian Authors Network (CAN), and his published works include two
award-winning novels, The Serpent’s Grasp (OakTara, 2012) and 30 Days Hath
Revenge (A Blake Meyer Thriller: Book 1) as well as articles in The Wesleyan
Advocate, The Preacher, Vista, The Des Moines Register and The Ocala
Star-Banner.
Website: www.ckevinthompson.com
Facebook: C. Kevin
Thompson – Author Fan Page
Twitter: @CKevinThompson
Goodreads: C. Kevin
Thompson
