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| Candice Sue Patterson |
What
are some of the challenges you face as a Christian writer? Author Candice Sue Patterson names five
common hindrances that we can all probably relate to, and she offers
encouragement on how to handle them. ~ Dawn
Just
Keep Writing
As Christian Fiction writers, I sometimes feel like we paint
a giant target on our back for Satan to throw his poisonous darts at. Not that
we purposely taunt the devil, but we definitely get his attention with the
messages we weave into our manuscripts. He smells the truth and hope in our
plotlines the way us country folk smell fertilizer in the spring. It hits with
force and lingers, and Satan doesn’t want that.
So, he attacks.
I’m currently writing my fifth book, and I’ve felt his
resistance, in some way, throughout every single one. Even now. Praise God, His
strength and wisdom conquers. (Can I get an “Amen?”) I’m not here today to
whine and complain about how tough an author’s job can be, but to show you some
of Satan’s tactics from his book How to
Discourage a Christian Writer and how to overcome them.
Doubt. The
force is strong with this one. We solidify a great plot, get the go-ahead from
God, and a few chapters in, we close our laptops, drop our head into our hands,
and wonder how we ever came to be an author in the first place. The characters
aren’t complex enough. There are holes in the storyline. Were our previous
stories a glitch in the minds and computers of our publishing team? Had to be.
We no longer possess an ounce of talent, if we ever did.
Change. Nothing
like the dynamics of your life changing to throw off your writing mojo. I’m not
saying these life changes are orchestrated by the devil. These changes may be
part of God’s perfect plan for your life. However, Satan is very crafty at
oppressing us with fear and anxiety as we transition, throwing our scheduled
and focused writing off balance. It’s hard to throw your characters into tough
situations when you’re in the midst of slogging through your own.
Health. I
don’t know about you, but when I don’t feel good writing is the last thing on
my mind. Give me a cup of coffee, my pajamas, a warm blanket, my couch, a good
book, and I’ll see you on the flipside. But sometimes what ails us is more
serious than a two-day virus or a high pollen count. Our health affects our
mood, concentration, and energy. Deadlines are looming, and Satan loves to kick
us while we’re down.
Rejection. Your
plot is unique, the proposal sound, and that agent acted interested, yet you
still received a resounding NO. You toss rejection number fifty-seven into your
computer’s trash bin and decide to give up. Before you do, envision Satan’s
fist-pumping victory dance on your dreams. Yes, you’re disappointed. You’re
shedding tears over another dead end, and that’s okay. Pick yourself back up, roll
up your sleeves, poise those fingers, and write a bestseller.
Your
way.
The novel you’ve spent the last three years writing with that large publishing
house in mind has been replaced by a reputable small press. Their covers aren’t
shiny as the big house, nor the paper as high-quality. Your book won’t grace
the shelves of every bookstore across the nation. Your paycheck won’t come near
the five digits you were hoping would be deposited in your bank account so you
can pay off some bills or attend a conference.
Paraphrased, God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His
thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). It’s okay if reality veers off
the path of our dream. It’s HIS job to place our books into the hands of the
readers who need it. It’s our job to write what He tells us to write.
There are many other hindrances I could mention, but you get
the gist. So what should you do if plagued by a writing roadblock? If Finding Nemo’s Dory were an author,
she’d say, “Just keep writing.” Even if it’s only for five minutes a day. Keep
pounding away until Satan gets bored and moves on. I know it’s hard. I’ve been
there too.
Just keep writing.
Weddings
are the last thing beekeeper Huck Anderson wants to be associated with, considering
his past. So when he inherits a building occupied by a bridal boutique, he aims
to evict the failing business and open a sporting goods store. That is until
his tenant ends up being Arianne Winters, a woman he's indebted to from a
mistake made years ago.
When a
life-threatening injury derails Huck entirely, Arianne offers a compromise to
keep her boutique and her life out of bankruptcy—she'll aid in his lengthy
recovery if he'll allow her to remain in his building. But nursing her
adversary proves challenging when her adolescent crush resurfaces.
Amidst
a battle-of-wills, their lives intertwine in unexpected ways, providing
opportunity to overcome their pasts and start anew. Will this confirmed
bachelor consider holy-matrimony, or will Huck's choices sting them a second
time?
Candice Sue
Patterson studied at the Institute of Children’s Literature and is an
active member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Indiana with
her husband and three sons in a restored farmhouse overtaken by books. Candice
writes Modern Vintage Romance—where the past and present collide with faith.
Her debut novel How to Charm a
Beekeeper’s Heart was a 2012 ACFW First Impressions finalist and made
INSPYs Longlist for 2016. For more on Candice, visit her website at www.candicesuepatterson.com.
To connect with Candice and learn more about her books,
please visit:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/candicesue_patt
Website: https://www.candicesuepatterson.com
