How to Have It All as a Christian Writer by Emily Conrad

 

I’ve had the privilege of talking with a bunch of established novelists this year, and as you might guess, I’ve learned a lot. But perhaps what’s most striking is what I’m unlearning.

The Closing of the Circle by Sara Davison

Sara Davison

How do we know when our writing has gone full circle? My guest today, fellow Mountain Brook Ink author Sara Davison, is here to share her wisdom and an aha moment that resonated with me. Enjoy! ~ Annette

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As I have always been deeply uninterested in being in the spotlight, I have often wondered why I have such a deep, driving need for the words I’ve written to actually be read by someone. At least, I have wondered about this driving need until recently, when I came across a quote in a book. The words hit me so profoundly that I literally had to set the book down and contemplate them for several minutes, letting the truth of them sink in.

The quote was by Max McLean, founder of the Fellowship for the Performing Arts, who said, “…I am amazed at the communicators who have never quite understood that a story is not a story until it has been received.”

Wham! The revelation struck me like an apple falling from a tree and bouncing off my head:

The stories I write are incomplete until someone reads them. It is in the reading that the connection is made, the process is completed, the circle is closed.

It’s the whole tree falling in the forest thing: If a writer pens a story and no one is around to hear (or read) it, does it make an impact? Of course not. And making an impact, connecting with a reader on some level, “stirring the blood” as McLean describes it, is the entire point of the story-telling process.

Which is why I long to have my words read: to establish that connection with another human being, to in some way touch them with the truth of God’s goodness, faithfulness, and love.

Whether the feedback is positive (which I love and appreciate), or negative (which I see the value of, especially if it is kindly done or at least kindly meant), receiving it affirms that my words have been read, the blood has (hopefully) been stirred, even if just a little, and an impact, however tiny, has been made.

The story has just become a story.

When does a story become a story? @SaraJDavison

The Closing of the Circle by @SaraJDavison

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Vigilant by Sara Davison

Vigilant

She must choose between the man who represents the law and the one who may have taken it into his own hands.


Neglected by her parents for most of her life, Nicole Hunter keeps everyone, especially men, at arms’ length. So when Attorney Gage Kelly walks into the diner where she is waiting tables one evening, she fights her attraction to him with everything she has.

Gage and his brother Holden grew up in an abusive home, and Gage has baggage of his own. But the connection between him and Nicole is too strong to ignore, and Gage manages to convince them both that their relationship is worth the risk.

Then children begin disappearing in the night.

When Detective Daniel Grey starts to close in on the child snatcher, and enlists Nicole’s help, she faces her deepest fear. Everything and everyone she has clung to so tightly could be ripped from her, leaving her completely alone.

Except for one.

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Sara Davison is the author of the romantic suspense novel, The Watcher, and the romantic suspense series, The Seven Trilogy. She has been a finalist for eight national writing awards, including Best New Canadian Christian author, a Carol Award, and two Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a Word and Cascade Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario, Canada with her husband Michael and their three children, all of whom she (literally) looks up to. Get to know Sara better through her blog: www.saradavison.org; on Twitter: @sarajdavison; or on Facebook: @authorsaradavison.

The Gift of Knowing Your Calling by Annette M. Irby

Feathered Quill*

Hey everyone, Annette here. This weekend I heard two songs in a row that reminded me of a much less certain time in my life. The songs had the theme of finding one’s purpose and knowing God’s blessing on that pursuit.

More than two decades ago, I couldn’t have told you what my calling was.

As I listened to the songs, I thanked God because somewhere along the way, He both showed me and equipped me (and He still does). I’m guessing He’s done the same for you, dear writer, am I right?

How it All Started

Now I know my calling is writing, but I didn’t always know that. The draw began much further back—all the way to my youth when I read The Outsiders and watched the movie. For the first time, I saw the tie between a book I truly enjoyed and an engaging movie where the story came to life. A spark kindled and though I couldn’t see this far ahead, I began typing stories on my neighbor’s typewriter. You know, just for fun.

Then, as a young married woman I started frequenting the library in my new hometown. Such a challenge finding wholesome novels twenty-something years ago, am I right? You could, but you might have only a few authors to choose from. So, I’d search the shelves and hope for the best. Now I know which publishers I can trust, but then I had no idea. These days, there is a huge market for Christian readers as well as a teeming marketplace of Christian authors. Over twenty years ago, that wasn’t true.

God Both Gives the Desire and Fulfills It

It wasn’t until I began to pursue God with all of my heart that a distinct desire arose to participate in offering wholesome entertainment to Christians. I’d graduated to a desktop computer by that point, and I developed a couple trilogies.

And I clung to this verse: Psalm 37:4. You know the one:

Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (NKJV)

That’s when the equipping began. Writers’ conferences and writerly connections. Making friends. Finding tools. Attending workshops, buying software, and gathering books, lots and lots of books—both fiction and non. Going on retreats. Fellowshiping with fellow authors. Critiquing. Growing and writing and learning and writing. And writing, and writing, and writing.

Still writing.

Over and over God has shown me His provision, His faithfulness. And He’s planted new dreams in my heart, new hopes for the future.

Looking back, I can see how God put all of those pieces together. I’m guessing that if you took a few minutes, you could list some pivotal moments when your calling became clear. I’m guessing you could also cite how God has equipped you both through experiences and resources, yes?

It’s encouraging when we see God at work in our lives. And pursuing one’s calling is in itself refreshing.

So, your turn. When did you first know you were called to write? What dreams has God placed in your heart? Have you seen any come true yet?

Write on, friends!

~~~~~

Annette M. Irby has two published books and runs her own editing business, AMI Editing. She is also an acquisitions editor for Pelican Book Group. See her page here on Seriously Write for more information.

* Photo Credit: Feathered Quill by Simon Howden at freedigitalphotos.net

Creative Best Series: Nine

Annette M. Irby

Good Monday, friends! We've come to our final post in our Creative Best series. How are you doing with the elements we've discussed so far? I've been challenged! I hope you've been encouraged. I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. 

Okay, on with it! Here is the passage we've examined over the past several Mondays, from Galatians 6:4-5 in the Message Bible: 

Make a careful exploration of who you are

and the work you have been given, 

and then sink yourself into that. 

Don’t be impressed with yourself. 

Don’t compare yourself with others. 

Each of you must take responsibility 

for doing the creative best 

you can with your own life.

Today's focus is on the phrase: (for doing the creative best) you can with your own life

Consuming

Writing can consume your life, can’t it? Ideas come in the strangest places. In the shower, for example. Now, how practical is this? “That’s just what would fix that scene! Where’s a pen?” Shampoo is running into your eyes. Not exactly the best place to scribe a chapter revision. ;-)

The writing life is just that—it’s your life. It’s your focus. But that's not all bad.

Writing is a calling. From God. As He was knitting you together in your mother’s womb, He knew your calling. I imagine Him looking ahead to the days when you would realize your life’s purpose. And the day you’d accept it. The first time you would take pleasure in doing what He created you for. Do you remember those moments? Cherish them.

But, like other areas of our lives, this can go sideways. Writing can become an obsession. That’s not what God wants. He is our everything.

Writing can offer so much affirmation and acclamation, that we fixate on our books, our next project, positive reader letters, good reviews, rewards, contests. Careful. It’s going sideways.

The Overflow

Writing can bring us so much joy we forget to draw what we need from the Lord first and write out of our overflow. We turn to the act of writing or editing or blogging in order to fulfill a deep need for communion, accomplishment, success, or affirmation, rather than to God who longs to fill that place inside us. 

Of course, the flipside is the pain of a bad review, or a rejection, or difficult contest results. If we've sunk all our hope (for our future, for a fulfilling life, for joy) into our writing career, and things don't go according to our plans, we might be devastated. We might even give up. That would be tragic.

Our Original Message

Another aspect is we can write from our own experiences in ways that will minister to others. Our testimonies may help others through their pain or trials. In this way we use our lives to be our creative best.

So, this writing thing is about your life. It is the focus of your life’s calling. It cannot be your top priority—God is. It cannot take first place in your activities, (to the detriment of family, for example). But it must be a high priority. It must be a cause you’ll spend your life on.

Are you doing the creative best you can with your own life?

 

~~~~~

Annette M. Irby is a published author who runs her own editing business, AMI Editing. She is also an acquisitions editor for Pelican Book Group. See her page here on Seriously Write for more information.