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The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » The Writing Life » Page 74

The Writing Life

Unnecessary Worry

By Dan Balowon November 28, 2017
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In the third and final installment of my “unnecessary” series of blog posts, today we will explore the issue of unnecessary worry. (Yes, I am going for the “w” theme with the posts, starting with words, then work. I am a sucker for intentionality and the obvious.)

For followers of Jesus, you cannot venture very far into the issue of worry without bumping into Scripture, as worry is addressed throughout the biblical Gospels. Jesus speaks about it quite sufficiently, so no need for me to review anything he said. You can read his words on your own.

Authors and other people in publishing generate their own brand of worry, stemming from the same issues Jesus spoke about in the Gospels, but related to books. The same cautions, promises and reminders found in Jesus’ words regarding worry still apply, but authors and publishers often seem to consider their brand of worry somehow a different kind.

It is not.

Worry about Writing

Are you using the right words? Is this good enough to be noticed? How am I going to finish this by the end of the year? Did I forget something?

You might be relying too much on your talent and training.

Often, when I am confident about my ability to handle something, I skip the step of humility and submitting myself to God’s leading.

Nothing like competency to replace trust in God. I’d like to think I am following God’s lead naturally, but we all default to our own power and often need to intentionally press the “reset” button to put things back on track.

Write the very best you can, never holding back inspiration and energy for your work, just pray before you start. It places the work in the proper order.

Worry about Publishing

This has less spiritual implications than writing, but I believe it is a universal truth the more we know about something, the less we worry about it.

Knowledge in any field of endeavor decreases anxiety and worry.

When you know what to expect, there are fewer surprises. The guesswork is replaced by “I know how this works.” If you want things to go easier for you, with less worry, learn a little about publishing, especially if you have not yet published.

Seriously, in what career field is willful ignorance of the way things work not frowned upon?

If you spend some time reading about trends, ideas, business facts and best practices, your worry-level will diminish dramatically.

Worry about Impact

This is the big one.

In Christian publishing, a book is not going to change a heart on it’s own. It might be used by God to change a heart, but a Christian book never operates on it’s own power, in the same way a Christ-follower accomplishes little or nothing by themselves.

A book might remind someone or point to something, but the power to change a heart always comes from the Spirit of God at work.

Could it be intense worry, anxiety and eventual writer-burnout is simply a result of an author attempting to take on the responsibility of doing something only God can do?

Yes, sometimes God will use a book or what someone has written to accompany his Spirit in doing all this, but it is never the book alone doing it.

So, relax. God’s got this.

All this is pretty simple. Authors need to put their part of the equation into perspective. In your own creative power and personal energy, you will not be able to write with power, be published well and convince someone to commit their lives to God and grow in faith.

Stop worrying, it’s unnecessary.

You are not alone in this journey.

 

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Category: Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, The Writing LifeTag: The Writing Life, Worry

A Writer’s Hope Springs Eternal

By Steve Laubeon November 27, 2017
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Writers can be quietly optimistic amidst their seasons of doubt. It is that hope of success that helps make the daily slog a little easier. I reflected on hope by finding a few inspirational quotes: Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. ― Desmond Tutu Hope is the thing with feathers That perches in the soul And sings the tune without the words And never stops …

Read moreA Writer’s Hope Springs Eternal
Category: Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Hope

My 600-lb Book Life

By Bob Hostetleron November 22, 2017
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Recently I spent a few hours visiting a relative in rehab, and the television was tuned to an episode of the television series, My 600-lb Life. This is why I like to control the TV remote at all times. The episode focused on a fairly young mother of two children who weighed nearly six hundred pounds and was hoping to engage a surgeon for weight-reduction surgery. Her first several consultations …

Read moreMy 600-lb Book Life
Category: Marketing, Pitching, Platform, The Writing LifeTag: Marketing, Platform, The Writing Life

Unnecessary Work

By Dan Balowon November 21, 2017
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Continuing with my series of “unnecessary” blog posts (last week Unnecessary Words), today we cover unnecessary work, which I define as making something more difficult than it needs to be. So you understand my worldview, I always take the escalator, elevator or moving sidewalk, I know all the shortcuts on my computer keyboard and I love microwaves. Why make something harder than it needs to be? …

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Category: Agents, Get Published, The Writing LifeTag: Networking, Platform, The Writing Life, Work

The Curse of the Writer

By Steve Laubeon November 20, 2017
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Speaking from an agent's perspective...
I have more conversations with clients about their feelings of anxiety, apprehension or insecurity than almost any other topic. Almost every writer I have ever worked with as an editor or an agent severely doubts themselves at some point in the process.

Doubts occur in the midst of creation.
Doubts occur when the disappointing royalty statement …

Read moreThe Curse of the Writer
Category: Career, Encouragement, Faith, Inspiration, Reviews, The Writing LifeTag: Book Business, Doubt, Editors, Get Published, Pitching, Rejection, Writing Craft, Writing Life

A Writer’s Gifts

By Bob Hostetleron November 15, 2017
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Writer’s magazines often feature suggested Christmas and Hannukah gifts for writers: fancy pens, award-winning books, writing aids, and coffee mugs sporting famous writers’ mugs. But those gifts are intended to be received by writers; what about the writer who has trouble finding gifts to give? I’m so glad you asked. The following list is intended to suggest thoughtful and meaningful gifts for …

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Category: The Writing LifeTag: gift giving

Deadlines Are Friends, Not Nemeses

By Bob Hostetleron November 1, 2017
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When is your next deadline? What? You don’t have one? Why not? Aren’t you a writer? I know some writers create fine prose or poetry without deadlines—I just don’t know how they do it. “But,” you may protest, “I don’t have a contract yet. How can I have a deadline?” I suggest you always have a deadline, whether a publisher imposes it or not. No one is preventing you from making—and meeting—your own …

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Category: Book Business, Contracts, The Writing LifeTag: Book Business, Contracts, Deadlines

A Writer‘s Theses

By Dan Balowon October 31, 2017
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Fifteen hundred years after Christ died, resurrected and started the Christian church with a group of rag-tag disciples, the church had become a culturally, politically and socially dominant force, involved in all aspects of life.  Prior to the start of the Protestant Reformation, many felt the church had strayed quite a bit from its original roots and needed a course-correction. Martin Luther, a …

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Category: The Publishing Life, The Writing Life, Theology

Your First Writing Assignment

By Bob Hostetleron October 25, 2017
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If your writing doesn’t start with this practice, you’re cheating yourself. Lauren Winner, author of the wonderful memoirs, Girl Meets God and Mudhouse Sabbath,  tells about an experience she had when a writing student of hers showed her part of a memoir that was astounding, far better than this student’s usual writing. Winner asked the student what had transformed her writing over the course of …

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Category: Career, Faith, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: Faith, Prayer, The Writing Life

An Author Knows They are Having a Bad Day When…

By Dan Balowon October 24, 2017
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“I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there’s gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.”  (First lines of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, Simon & …

Read moreAn Author Knows They are Having a Bad Day When…
Category: Humor, The Writing LifeTag: Authors, Humor, The Writing Life
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