Several years ago, I spoke with an aspiring Christian author who had several good book ideas on a wide range of projects for children to adults but, first, wanted to write about their lifelong struggle with a certain sin issue.
Once it was published, they would move on with their life and be a beacon for biblical truth on all sorts of other projects.
My initial reaction when they explained their plan was that no matter what they did from that point on, they would be known as someone with that “sin issue” and, very likely, never be able to get beyond it.
I suggested they write the memoir they mentioned and put it aside in a folder on their computer. More often than not, writing a difficult personal story is cathartic, as it documents God’s faithfulness through shadowy valleys.
But published for the world to read for the rest of your life? You would never be allowed to close that drawer and lock it away.
We are not talking about how God sees you through his righteousness given to you when you were saved. We are talking about how readers view you.
Books never go away, just like everything else on the internet. And there is a difference between sharing a piece of your life in every book you write and writing a book about your life with all the gory details.
Your first few books establish your brand, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Getting some personal things off your chest might be therapeutic. But unless you want to continue that brand for a very long time, you might want to think more about it before jumping headlong into something that the world will use to define you forever.
Ricardo Sanchez of Times Square Church in New York wisely said, “The Devil knows your name, but calls you by your sin. God knows your sin, but calls you by your name.”
Readers are not the Devil; but mostly, they will call you by your sins. Readers are not dogs or pigs either, but there are some who will tear you to pieces as Jesus says in the first six verses of Matthew 7:
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces (NIV).
Any counselor or pastor warns a person with a difficult past to be careful with whom you share your story.
The same works for books, where anything you write can and will be used to define you forever in the world’s eyes.
Thank God we have a heavenly father who doesn’t.
Your Passion Is Good … but Not Enough
Well said. Thank you. We tend to trust readers, but as you say, more people than the trust-worthy fans will have access. I appreciate that you said, “write it, then put it away for now.” Deep hurt and healing can show up in stories and be cathartic for readers without the prejudice that comes from knowing it’s “that author’s real life.”
I can relate to this so much. I used to be a secular horror author. I had a big, God-led, life change, and now I’m writing Christian fiction. I wrote my first Christian fiction book under a pen name, and my dear mother was disappointed. (Can you believe I’m a middle-aged woman and still worry about what my elderly mother thinks?) So I plan to use my real name with my next book, but my real name has a history of horror.
There are none that have the right
to know the man I used to be
deep in my Egyptian night,
when I was too blind to see.
I am not compelled to tell
for cathartic purposes,
though my past would fit quite well
into my chosen craft of verses,
but might I touch another soul
through sharing fell experience?
If God can make another whole
through me, then it perhaps makes sense
to own my past of blood and thunder
though it make me One Hit Wonder.
Isn’t it sad that the least safe place to share our struggles is in the church.
Yes, agreed. Autobiography is only of any interest to other readers, if the author is already well known. Try a podcast or an article instead.
This is very good advise. Thank you for sharing.
God knows each of us by name and His Blood washes us clean! When that reality takes root we are free! Hallelujah!
You gave some wise advice, Dan! And I love that quote … “The Devil knows your name, but calls you by your sin. God knows your sin, but calls you by your name.”
Always good food for thought. God bless!
These blogs never fail to stop me in my tracks. Makes me ponder for a while, makes me think twice before I move forward with my story.
Thank you, Dan.
Good advice. Thank you, Dan!
Writing is an art like other forms of creative activities. A persons soul is part of the process. God is the one who shares His creativity with us and gives us our talent. And He allows us to heal in the processes. Creative thinking releases happy chemicals in our brains. Once you publish something it does tell people who you are. I am not afraid of letting people know that I am a Christ follower nor that my life has not been perfect. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We just have to continue to stay close to Him, and not get too full of ourselves.
Thank you for sharing this story, Dan. I’m a few years along on a similar path with a book I “have to write first” before I can pursue all my other ideas. That book and my writing path has been very much reshaped as I’ve listened to the wisdom of people like you who are attuned to the Holy Spirit AND experienced in the world of publishing. It’s hard to see the path get longer as I go, and I did a lot of resisting and arguing with God for a while, but I am more and more convinced it takes time to let a book (and a writer) become what it’s meant to be–even if it’s meant to be a labor of love that lives in a drawer (the book, not the writer : ).
I love this post Dan. God truly knows our names as well as any past shame. Yet, His love for us will never change. Hallelujah!! I hope the author heeded your advice because it was truly loving and wise counsel for him and for us. Thanks for the guardrails! 🙂
We’re all sinners saved by grace alone.
I read recently that using a Pen Name isn’t a good idea because we can’t develop the “Market Plan”.
These Market Plans seem to be indispensible. Well, it would REALLY be better if I could use a Pen Name. Am I dead in the water?
Thank you so much for this gleam of wisdom.