The Hard of Writing

" . . . writing a book didn't just happen. 

It wasn't like it was left under your pillow by a fairy, already written. 

No. It was hard. 

You had to erase."

 ~ Jan Karon

I've spent the last two years researching and reading books on cancer, learning from other cancer patients, listening to stories of those who won, some who lost before our conversation ended, and many still fighting the battle—when all I wanted to do was run far from this disease, spend my days    living, loving, laughing, playing, seizing each moment God gives me, and playing like a I-don't-have-a-care-in-the-world child. The hard of writing.

But God gave me a story and a desire to use my illness for His glory. The process is hard, but the blessings are easy and huge. Wonderful cancer warriors became my friends, my encouragers, my mentors, my blessings. As God always does, He uses the hard to mold us into His Image.

As a Christian author, I've met precious writers. Many have a story, because they lived a tragedy. A child died, is missing, or is in prison. A spouse left. An illness dominates their lives. Writing their journeys required them to go back to the hurting place, feel the devastation all over again, and write and rewrite and rewrite the agony. The hard of writing.

Why do we write when the writing is hard? We write so satan won't win the battle because Christ won the victory. We write for the glory of God. We write to heal our hurts. We write because God called us to tell our stories. to comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Christian authors are like angels—God's messengers to a hurting world. They desire, as I do, to give God the glory for their victories over the pain.

If the Lord leads, please pray for Christians to keep writing their God stories of hope, encouragement, and comfort. If Christians stop writing, what books will fill our bookstore shelves?

Today my next book is in the hands of an editor who is making my writing shine. Then, I'll have rewrites and more editing and (horror of horrors) cover design! A bad cover can destroy a well-written book. I am a writer, not an artist or a designer. The hard of writing.

So, while I wait for the next phase of the book publishing process, I seize each moment as a gift from God while I rest, read, live, laugh, love, and blow bubbles like a not-a-care-in-the-world child.

Have a splashes of serenity kind of a summer!

A Book Made Me a Grandma! Hallelujah!!!

Writing a book is not about ego or praise of man. It's hard work and an act of obedience to God's call to write in Psalm 102:18 "Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created will praise the Lord."

My heart rejoices this morning at the new-birth of a spiritual grandchild. Authors Penny and Tony Monetti received a phone call from a man telling them he was baptized with a copy of their book, Called to Serve: Encouragement, Support, and Inspiration for Military Families, tucked in his pocket near to his heart. Our words do matter. Books change lives.

I rejoice in this baptism and remember well the baptism of the authors, Penny and Tony Monetti, in the Rome Alliance Church where my husband served as Pastor. We sat with Penny and many other wives as their men left Griffiss Air Force Base to fight in Desert Storm. Upon Tony's return, Penny and Tony were baptized by my husband.

Over 20 years ago, I had no thoughts of writing a book, nor did Penny. We are now reconnected as authors and co-laborers in the work of the Lord. What joy to see the fruit of God's ministry.

Thrilled to see grandchildren born into the family of God today!

Check out Called to Serve and the Monetti's new book Honored to Serve releasing on June 1, 2013.

 

 



Support the military families you know with a book that will change their lives. Click the book covers above for an instant link to their Amazon page.

Praying for many more splashes of serenity in baptismal waters.



Christian Authors, Shout Your Books From the Rooftops!

 Christian authors can be quiet about their books. Afterall, they don't want to appear boastful.

 I say, "Phooey!"

Secular books scream their slime while Christian authors whisper the Good News afraid they might appear arrogant or offend someone.

Remember God's Word to us in Romans 1:16,  "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes."

My books contain the gospel. I am not ashamed. In fact, I feel disobedient if I don't shout about them.

 Donald Miller agrees with me in his blog, "Why I Self-Promote." You can read it here: http://storylineblog.com/2012/03/29/why-i-self-promote/

Boiling down his blog to one sentence:

 I self promote because my books help people.

Kudos to you, Donald Miller!!! I agree.

The differences between those who self-promote and those who don't seems to lie in who wrote your book. So, who did write your book? I didn't write mine. Only God could have written my three books. I don't have that ability.

Knowing that God wrote a book that will help people, how can I keep quiet? I will shout it from the rooftops.

I am not ashamed. I am commanded.

God gave me a mission and a passion and a platform.

 

None of this was my idea!

I encourage you to work wholeheartedly to promote the books God planned for you to write for His Kingdom.

Please Christian authors, shout your books from the rooftops!

Our books are splashes of serenity to a world that is drained,

Write What You are Passionate About--My Writing Journey, Part 3

Part 3 of my writing journey continues with this wanna-be-obedient-to-God writer enthralled by the speakers at Montrose Christian Writer's Conference.

Two dozen devotions in hand with no idea how or if they will become a book, I listened intently to each presenter.

"Write what you are passionate about." the author/teacher at Montrose said.

Ha! I'm passionate about a lot of things. Let's see. I'm passionate about my bath, I chuckled out loud at my own silliness. More seriously, I realized, I'm passionate about being a mom! And so I wrote, Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Moms

Oh, if only it was that easy. The book came four years later, but that first writing seminar is where the direction came for my first book.

My advice to you: Write what you are passionate about. It worked for me and, I hope, it will keep you from hitting your own head hoping words and illustrations and titles fall into your brain. If you are passionate about a subject, that's what God has for you to write.

Most writers don't leave their first writer's conference with a book contract in hand. Publishers want to see your writing in print other places before they'll risk printing the book of an unknown writer. You need to start building a resume.

At Montrose Christian Writer's Conference, and most other writing conferences, attendees are granted 15 minute appointments with authors, editors, agents, and publishers of their choosing. These people will read your work and give you their professional opinion. A word of encouragement: Not all publishers will like what you write. So, if one publisher isn't positive about your writing, don't give up because of one opinion.

That first conference, I was too intimidated to meet with a publisher, but I did want someone to read my devotions and tell me honestly whether I could write or not. In the gazebo, I met with Gloria Clover who published a compilation of devotionals in her books, Penned From the Heart.

So nervous, I handed my work to Gloria. Quietly, she read a few, looked up and said, "How many of these can I have? I want to put them in my book." My heart stopped--at least it felt like it.

I was now a published writer. For the next two years my devotionals appeared in Penned From the Heart. My resume building had begun.

What did I learn that can help you?

~~Write what you are passionate about.

~~Begin building a resume by being published in a smaller market.

~~Learn how to write a book proposal and a query letter.

~~Attend a writer's conference where you will learn the business and meet people who will help you on your writing way.

I left Montrose resolved to return the following year with a book proposal and a manuscript of bathtime devotions for mothers. Stay tuned for more tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I suggest a hot bath so you can soak all this in. It worked for me!

Elaine

A Christian Writer Must Cling to the Cross

I was asked this week, "What part does God play in my writing career?" My answer gave me cause for reflection:

God doesn't play a role in my career. God is my writing career.

As writers, our words are being read by the world. People from over 27 countries have read this blog. I've received emails from Christians in Pakistan thanking me and telling me the encouragement Splashes of Serenity is to them.

Words are powerful. We influence with words. Our words come from our hearts and our minds onto paper and then out to the world. For me, it is essential that my mind and my heart are pure and holy so that satan (I never capitalize his name) will have no entrance to my life, my pen, or my computer.

So, daily learning from His Word,and praying to Him are essential for me and for my writing and speaking. When my heart and my mind are empty of all else but Christ, the words flow. If the words aren't flowing, I get on my knees asking God to reveal sin in my heart that is keeping me from Him. I pray that all Christian writers have pure hearts so we can impact the world for Christ.

Writing is power. May we use the gift of words to tell the world of the hope of Christ. I encourage you to cling to the cross and write for Him. May we all hear from readers that our words brought them closer to Christ.

Clinging to the cross,

Elaine