Recently, a close relative posted she was so glad she
stuck with a difficult job. In the early days, she had to get up at 2:30 a.m.
to get to work by 4:30 a.m. It involved heavy physical labor and long hours.
Her faithfulness and hard work paid off. She received a promotion to a
full-time position with benefits and decent hours.
The writing life involves a lot of "sticking with
it." I can't tell you how many times I wanted to give up.
Here are some things that keep me writing:
1. From the early
days, I've had a vision to communicate truth through my writing. If my life
experiences or knowledge gained can help someone else, I consider that my
greatest blessing.
2. Prayer - When
things get tough, the tough get on their knees. Many times, I've had to walk
away from what I was writing and ask for God's wisdom and direction. Since I
started writing fiction, He's often given me answers as I slept or in that
state between sleep and wakefulness. When our hearts are quiet, we can hear His
still, small voice so much better.
3. Connection with
other writers and readers - I've attended a writers conference every year for
the last 10+ years. Like other endeavors, writing involves steady growth. We
build upon our knowledge base and make adjustments to our non-fiction and
fiction writing.
4. Take a break -
Live life and be alert to ideas for blog posts, writing projects, and
situations for the characters in your manuscript. You can then return to
writing with fresh eyes and renewed enthusiasm.
Even negative experiences can provide fodder for writing.
When I broke my elbow, I took note of all that was involved in the diagnosis
and treatment. Hey, why should all that pain go to waste? Not long after, my
main character, Ellie, in The Moses Conspiracy, was injured. I knew giving her
a broken bone was a no-no because of where I wanted the story to go.
5. A review or note
from a reader, saying how much they enjoyed one of my books fueled my
creativity. When I completed The Moses Trilogy, one reader said how much she
would miss the characters. I may bring them back in the future for an encore
performance.
Yes, there are days when I ask myself why I'm on this
writing gig. I look back and think of all the joys and the thrill of seeing my
work published.
Yeah, I'm glad I stuck with it, too.
Writers: Do you ever
want to quit writing? Please share.
Readers: Have you
tried your hand at writing? Please share.
Photo Credit: Erhan Balkan