The Power of Abiding
When I first started on my writing journey, I’d heard repeatedly that in order to be published, I must have a literary agent. It was a given, not an option. Mind you, this was 2008 or thereabouts, when independent publishing was frowned upon as something only those who couldn’t get published the traditional way would “resort” to doing when all else failed. How times have changed!
So, I followed “the rules” and began submitting my manuscript to agents who represented Christian authors. Imagine my surprise when it caught the attention of one of the top agents who told me I had one of the best queries he’d ever read. I’d done my homework—studying several of his blog posts and learning about his personal interests. When I mentioned one of those interests in my query—a great fondness we shared for a beloved author—that’s what had him hooked. As requested, I sent him the first three chapters. What happened next? Suffice it to say, I’ve never had an agent. But—32 books later, that’s okay. He told me I wasn’t ready, and you know what? A few tears, rants, and months later, I reached the conclusion that he was right (as I told him when I first met him at a writing conference). As always, God had a plan…
At the time, I was a member of an online writing group that offered paid critiques from well-known contemporary Christian romance authors. I signed up for a critique, and it was harsh and borderline scathing. She advised me to leave my characters on the proverbial cutting room floor and move on to greener pastures. Gulp. What? After all, this was the story I knew God wanted me to try and publish first. Contrary to what she assumed, it wasn’t the first novel I’d drafted, but more like the fourth. The one where God had (I believe) miraculously restored half the story after I’d lost it! Not only that, but He’d confirmed it was “the one” (you can read more about that at www.joanndurgin.com).
Thankfully, another author came along and encouraged me to keep working on the manuscript because “readers need to hear your story.” If nothing else, once I set my mind on something, I keep plugging away. I’ve been known to do things just to prove I can—within reason. It doesn’t always work, of course, but sometimes it does. Taking the second author’s advice, I revised the story and made the heroine less snarky. Then I made my story more humorous, longer, shorter, you name it, before submitting to more agents. You see what I was doing, don’t you? I was changing my story to please others, and in the process, I’d lost my writing voice. Not to mention I was driving myself crazy. No more!
Miss Determined then reworked those first three chapters. I wrote them my way, praying all the way. Then I went online and did a search for Christian romance publishers that accepted unagented submissions. I went through the list, weeding out those that didn’t fit. I sent queries (some with the first three chapters) to six publishers, and one of them became my first publisher a few months later.
My church recently participated in a Priscilla Shirer “Going Beyond” simulcast. What I didn’t know until I sat in the pew that day was that her theme was “Abide.” I was especially encouraged and thrilled since the seventh book in my Lewis Legacy Series is titled Abide with John 15:4-5 as the novel’s theme verses.
4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (NASB)
As I’ve moved along in my writing journey, I’ve learned the power of abiding. Priscilla’s message reminded me what that truly means—remaining and receiving, being patient and quiet (admittedly a challenge for me), and then (this is so important) listening for that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. The idea of abiding also embodies the concept of Be still, and know that I am God. ~from Psalm 46:10 (NIV).
I bought a T-shirt at “Going Beyond” with this message: Live by Grace, not perfection. How I love this! My mother always lovingly “accused” me of being a perfectionist. Isn’t that what God expects from us? No! He expects our best, and we need to understand our human imperfections. If God doesn’t expect perfection, then why should we? The only Perfect One has already come! What a freeing thought that is! One of the bottom lines in publishing is this: you can write a grammatically and/or technically correct book, but when it comes to fiction, it’s so subjective and everyone’s got an opinion. Men can be critical, but God grants us His grace. Amen! Be guided by the Word of God, not the opinions of man.
Whether you’re starting your writing journey, or if you’re currently involved in pursuing publication, or whether you’ve published one or more than a hundred books, God has a plan. Whether you have an agent or not, He has a plan. Whether you go the route of traditional publishing or pursue independent publishing, the Almighty has a plan. Pray and abide. Wait on Him in everything in your journey—timing, purpose, and content. And then listen for His voice.
If you do those things, then you’ll be just fine. Blessings, friends.
Until His Nets Are Full,
~JoAnn
Matthew 5:16
Live by grace, not perfection. #seriouslywrite #thepowerofabiding via @Gr8tReads
Abide
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| Abide |
Catherine “Caty” Lewis is thrilled to be home again with her family and friends. After working as a chief accountant for a multinational oil corporation in Dallas and then Lubbock the past five years, she’s been transferred to their new world headquarters in downtown Houston. Before she can even inhabit her new office, she schedules a private meeting with the reclusive founder and CEO. Someone in her division appears to be embezzling funds, and Caty prays she’s not the prime suspect.
After suffering a deeply personal loss, Caleb Reid is struggling to raise his precocious twelve-year-old daughter, Lauren, on his own. He moved to Houston for a fresh start and to escape the threats that have plagued him the past few years. Then quickly discovers he can’t outrun them.
When these two meet, romantic sparks fly. Caty stares down fear with the kind of strong faith Caleb has neglected along the way. Can he risk endangering Caty in his fight against an unseen threat? Have the walls he’s built around him and his daughter served to protect them or to keep others from getting too close to his heart?
ABIDE. An enduring love story between a man and a woman. A story of standing firmly on God’s promises, never giving into fear, and placing our trust in the One who is infinitely more capable.
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| JoAnn Durgin |
