Do you have what’s needed to be a successful writer? I think you do!
- A teachable spirit. As a naive beginning writer, I wanted to make an impact by being different. But my story structure and plots were too divergent for the genre to which I aspired. For instance, an early draft of a novel that later went on to be published in a new form showed the character falling into sin at a party. Please note that the details about the party were scant, and I didn’t take the novel beyond a clean read. In her rejection letter, the editor kindly let me know, to paraphrase, that Christian readers don’t want to encounter scenes devoted to transgressions. As a new writer, I felt the transgression was the inciting incident. As a more mature reader and agent, I see the wisdom in not including sin incidents. We can all go to a dark place in the character’s past without reading about it in a novel meant to show God’s goodness and light. In large part, because I listened to sound advice, my career blossomed.
- A willingness to persist. I don’t want to give anyone false hope by saying that every single solitary writer who writes and writes and writes will eventually become traditionally published. Sometimes, we pursue a dream that isn’t meant to come to fruition, and that’s okay. The act of writing helps the writer grow. When we’re writing for the Lord, wordsmithing helps us grow closer to Him. As for becoming a traditionally published author, listen and discern feedback. If you receive more than a form letter from any agent or editor, consider their advice with the greatest care. Always follow up when the door is left open. Encouragement from industry professionals is huge in deciding when and how to persist.
- A healthy response to feedback. When readers contact writers or post online, negative feedback seems to appear more often than positive feedback. Perhaps this is because readers who love your work figure everyone else does, too, and they don’t want to impose on your time; but people who become angered by your books feel you must know about their reaction. They think you need to learn from them so you can change your ways! Sometimes, the more successful an author becomes, the more negative feedback she receives. Praise the Lord for His guidance in revealing who is and is not your supporter. And yes, I struggle to follow my own advice here because sometimes people I feel should be my supporters prove they are not.
Discouragement is inevitable. Ask authors at any stage of their careers. Writers must decide when to counter well-meaning criticism and when to edit, even if they feel like grumbling a bit. Deciding when to persist in writing and when to take a break is part of most writers’ paths. Even the most successful authors find unwarranted criticism and must deal with the envy of others. Regardless of where you are today, keep in touch with and focus on the Lord we serve. His plan for you will become evident.
I wish the story were not true,
that’s written in the darkling sky,
but the best thing now that I can do
is show you how a man may die
with hope availing to the end,
even though things fall apart,
and though a will of steel must bend,
it need not bend his heart.
In these hours ‘fore the dawn,
I hear the night-wind sighing,
and though my spirit’s nearly gone,
I’ll brook no maudlin crying,
for I have found what a
I did seek,
a place that that won’t abide the weak.
oh, Andrew … this made me cry. I’m sad AND excited for you. Knowing you’ll see our Lord face to face! That you’ll have eternal healing! That I’ll actually get to meet you for real some, sweet day!
When I pray for you, I thank God for your faithfulness to Him. And for your persistence to write these poems when you can hardly bear it.
I can feel the rumblings of “well done” coming your way. ((hugs)) And for myself, I’m so very thankful to have known you here.
Pam, I am grateful for your friendship, and truly look forward to seeing you on the other side. You, me, and Jesus, we’ll dance a hora!
YES!!
Dear Andrew…beautifully done…comes from a beautiful heart…and I only repeat Pam’s lovely reply to you along with my prayers.
I always enjoy your posts & find them both helpful & encouraging. You write with such a gracious spirit, I find it easy to embrace your instruction.
It’s all about not giving up, isn’t it? This is so timely because I’m heading to Blue Ridge for the first time with a story I’ve been trying to get published since 2000. I’ve revised, learned, submitted, revised , got rejected, and revised. I can’t give up. This the story of my heart! Somehow, I know this time is going to be different.
We can’t give up!
Wise words. They help me remember who I’m writing for. And good criticism taken correctly makes me better at my craft.
“We can all go to a dark place in the character’s past without reading about it in a novel meant to show God’s goodness and light.”
With all due respect, Tamela, how?
There are very dark places in the Bible, both old and new testaments. Some of the most transformative books I have ever read use dark places as a brilliant contrast to the light of Christ. Examples abound even in the current Christian market, virtually anything by Charles Martin, Lisa Wingate, Francine Rivers, to name a few.
I know very few people who have lives like the ladies in novels with no dark places. To me these stories are boring, and I have read a number of them. Give me a heroine who faces real-world challenges. Otherwise, I fall asleep.
Patricia, thank you for allowing me to clarify. If you were uncertain about my meaning, perhaps other readers were as well.
I don’t mean Christian fiction should never depict sins and struggles. However, our readers don’t need pages of descriptions of sin. For instance, if memory serves, REDEEMING LOVE leaves us with a girl witnessing a pedophile unbuttoning his shirt. That’s all we need to see to know what will follow. Also, the book tells of events unfolding, not describing sins that happened in the past.
As for the Bible, let’s look at Genesis 34:1-2 (KJV): And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
That’s description enough. Also note that the sin is the inciting incident to lead into the rest of the chapter. In my reading of the Bible, I find that sin is mentioned as necessary, not as a place to linger.
This is the distinction I was making. I hope this helps clarify my comments.
Perfect explanation and examples. Thanks Tamela!
Tamela, your response is so refreshing, and I totally agree with it. The Bible deals with very dark topics. Yet, they are never described in graphic detail. The Holy Spirit gives us just enough information to know what’s going on, and no more.
In my novel, The Madonna of Pisano, the inciting incident is the rape of my main character. But I do not describe the rape. I simply infer it with a single sentence.
Sadly, I see too much of this “pushing the envelope” in Christian fiction today. What concerns me is that the dangerous philosophy of “the end justifies the means” has subtly infiltrated the Christian fiction marketplace.
My prayer is that we Christian novelists may always follow the Holy Spirit’s Biblical example as we write our stories.
Blessings,
MaryAnn
Tamela, you are such an encourager! Thank you for this post.
Blessings,
MaryAnn
This post is good with excellent examples. The perfect guide to keep in mind as I write. Thank you!
Thank you all so much for being blog followers and for your questions, comments, and encouragement!