Wow! Only three days until the ACFW conference. And only two days until I hop in a car full of one sheets, first three chapters, and a gala dress and drive eight long hours to a city I’ve never been. Eeek!
Then I have to talk to people I’ve never met. Pitch a novel to professional agents and editors. And learn A LOT.
The last one comes easy. The first two don’t. I’m worried I’ll go blank when someone wants to know what my novel is about, mess up my pitch, and spill something at the gala dinner. Maybe even on someone important.
So what do we do when we’re handling nerves and doubts? Maybe we’re worried about a contest entry, book sales, getting an agent, and the list goes on. Maybe we’re also thinking it would have been easier to have never taken up writing, and instead we should be doing something “more useful.”
I’ve thought all this and more, as I’ve prepared for this conference. Yet, you don’t have to attend the conference or even be a writer to understand what I’m talking about. In life we all doubt. We all deal with discouragement. We all have second thoughts.
So do we keep going and plugging away at this writing thing?
If the Lord has called you to write then YES! No matter if we’re attending the conference or not, no matter if we’re on our first rejected manuscript or our tenth, our writing is important to the Lord. If it adds something to His kingdom, even if you’re the only one who reads it - it matters to Him. Sure, we wants publishers to love our books, readers to leave glowing five star reviews, but if that’s the only reason why we write it’s time to revaluate. Rather than listening to what others are telling you, listen to the Lord, the One who gave you the talent in the first place. When we’re writing for the Lord it doesn’t matter if we get a contract or not. It doesn’t matter if we get five star reviews. All that matters, is Him. An Audience Of One.
It’s tough to keep this in mind when we’re being bombarded by the worlds messages, but with Him anything is possible.
And it’s by His grace and His grace alone, that I’ll be at the conference! Hope to see some of you there!!
The last one comes easy. The first two don’t. I’m worried I’ll go blank when someone wants to know what my novel is about, mess up my pitch, and spill something at the gala dinner. Maybe even on someone important.
So what do we do when we’re handling nerves and doubts? Maybe we’re worried about a contest entry, book sales, getting an agent, and the list goes on. Maybe we’re also thinking it would have been easier to have never taken up writing, and instead we should be doing something “more useful.”
I’ve thought all this and more, as I’ve prepared for this conference. Yet, you don’t have to attend the conference or even be a writer to understand what I’m talking about. In life we all doubt. We all deal with discouragement. We all have second thoughts.
So do we keep going and plugging away at this writing thing?
If the Lord has called you to write then YES! No matter if we’re attending the conference or not, no matter if we’re on our first rejected manuscript or our tenth, our writing is important to the Lord. If it adds something to His kingdom, even if you’re the only one who reads it - it matters to Him. Sure, we wants publishers to love our books, readers to leave glowing five star reviews, but if that’s the only reason why we write it’s time to revaluate. Rather than listening to what others are telling you, listen to the Lord, the One who gave you the talent in the first place. When we’re writing for the Lord it doesn’t matter if we get a contract or not. It doesn’t matter if we get five star reviews. All that matters, is Him. An Audience Of One.
It’s tough to keep this in mind when we’re being bombarded by the worlds messages, but with Him anything is possible.
And it’s by His grace and His grace alone, that I’ll be at the conference! Hope to see some of you there!!
Trust in the Lord with all your heart!
Amanda
Amanda
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