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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 83

The Writing Life

The Hardest Part of Being a Writer

By Karen Ballon June 8, 2016
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If there’s anything I hate to do, it’s wait. At the gas station, at the grocery store, at the doctor’s office…it’s wait, wait, wait! Drives me nuts. I want to get going, get things done, move, do something! Not just stand or sit there.

If you’ve been at this writing gig for long, you’ve faced that most difficult aspect of writing. The Waiting. You scramble to refine your craft, make your manuscript strong, put together a proposal, and send it off. And then? You wait.

And wait.

And wait.

And…

Well, you get the idea. It happens at every stage of the process. When you send it off to be edited. When you’re waiting to hear from an agent. When you or your agent send it out to editors. When it’s being taken to committee. When you accept a contract (getting that hard copy to sign can seem like it takes FOREVER). And believe me, the waiting doesn’t end when you have a publishing contract. If anything, it gets worse.

I know it’s hard. So I wanted to give you a couple of tips to endure. First, when you’re waiting, don’t stop. If you’re waiting to hear from an agent, keep writing, keep working at refining your craft. If you’re waiting to hear from the editors to whom your agent sent your proposal, keep moving forward. If your manuscript isn’t done, finish it. If it’s done, get started on your next project. Work on your platform. Improve your presence on social media. Learn all you can about promoting your book. Waiting doesn’t mean stopping cold. It means you’ve done all you can in one area, but there are plenty of other areas to keep working on.

Second, and more important, remember that you are not in control. I know, I know, doesn’t seem right, does it? But friends, you’ve got an almighty Advocate on your side, and He’s at work on your behalf. No, not getting you published, but refining you so you are an ever clearer reflection of Him. So when you hit a waiting period, why not study what Scripture has to say about waiting. Such as:

Psalm 27:14–Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Take heart, because God is in control. What do you have to worry about?)

Psalm 5:3–In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. (Be expectant! Not anxious or driven, but expectant. God is at work, and His ways and path for you are perfect. Rest in that.)

Psalm 130:5–I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. (Your hope is in Him, in His word, not in your writing, in your agent, in a publisher…keep your focus on Him.)

And those are just a very few Scripture from the Psalm. Dig in and see what God has to say about waiting, friends. I’m guessing you’ll find it’s not a hard time, but a time of great growth and blessing. And a time when, if you keep your focus on Him, you can be at peace.

 

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Category: Book Proposals, The Writing Life, TheologyTag: book proposals, The Writing Life, waiting

Enjoying the Journey of Publishing

By Dan Balowon April 12, 2016
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The issue of competition requires regular reminders to everyone who is currently working or desires to be part of the book industry, so I am walking in the same footsteps of previous posts. An element of competition is involved in every aspect of publishing, down to the smallest detail. One need not be obsessed or discouraged by the competitive environment, rather the opposite, with eyes wide …

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Category: Book Business, Career, Platform, The Writing LifeTag: competition, The Writing Life

Turn Envy Upside Down

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 10, 2016
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Envy is one of the seven deadly sins and not easy to conquer. Who hasn’t felt jealous over someone else’s success, especially when it doesn’t seem deserved? Seeing an outright enemy succeed is even worse. It doesn’t have to be this way. Instead, take your feelings of envy and put them to good use. That is, make those feelings work for you so you can succeed. Here’s how: When someone in your sphere …

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Category: Career, Communication, The Writing LifeTag: Career, Envy, The Writing Life

You Might As Well Face It, You’re Addicted to Input

By Dan Balowon February 9, 2016
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With great fear of being sued by Robert Palmer for messing with his song lyrics: You like to think that you’re immune to the stuff…oh yeah It’s closer to the truth to say you can’t get enough You know you’re gonna have to face it You’re addicted to love INPUT. Publishing is such a subjective field of endeavor that at one point or another an author, editor or …

Read moreYou Might As Well Face It, You’re Addicted to Input
Category: Career, Communication, Editing, The Writing Life, Writing CraftTag: Career, Input, The Writing Life

Give Yourself a Break

By Karen Ballon January 20, 2016
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George Bernard Shaw said it best: “We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” Sometimes you just need a break from it all. A few minutes to distract your brain, or even—dare I say it?–have a bit of flat-out fun. For some that means making a beeline for some kind of snack, and that’s fine. But here are some other things you can try. (And one even lets you …

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Category: The Writing LifeTag: Break, The Writing Life

Satan Speaks to Christian Authors

By Dan Balowon January 19, 2016
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Throughout our lives, a great number of “voices” compete for our attention. Family, friends, co-workers, marketers, technology, and even your pets are vying for your undivided attention. Christians yearn to hear the voice of God in their lives and succeed because we have his words written down for all to read and hear, as well as the Holy Spirit reminding us of those words constantly. But the …

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Category: The Writing Life, TheologyTag: The Writing Life, Theology

A Writers’ Advent: Week Two

By Karen Ballon December 9, 2015
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In this second week of advent, let’s take a look at both the second and third candles: the Angel and the Shepherd candle. As I thought about these two groups, I realized they played two very specific roles in the birth of the Savior: the angels proclaimed God’s glory, and the shepherds bore witness to what God did. All through Scripture, angels bring us messages. They speak God’s truth so that we …

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Category: Faith, The Writing LifeTag: Advent, Faith, The Writing Life

A Writer’s Advent

By Karen Ballon December 2, 2015
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Last Sunday, November 29th, was the beginning of one of my favorite seasons of the year: Advent. Some of my earliest memories are of Advent, of doing devotions as a family around an Advent wreath, my two brothers and I eager to be the one to light the candle each week. I don’t know about your traditions, but for us, the four purple candles were the Advent, Angel, Shepherd, and Bethlehem candles. …

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Category: Career, Faith, The Writing LifeTag: Advent, The Writing Life

Are You Seeing Ghosts?

By Karen Ballon November 25, 2015
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I read something this morning that I don’t recall ever reading before. I mean, I’ve read the story more times than I can count, but one line caught me today: “But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!” Recognize it? It’s from Luke 24, when Jesus appears to the disciples as they’re walking along the road. He even tells them, “Peace be with you.” And what do …

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Category: Faith, Personal, The Writing LifeTag: Faith, thanksgiving, The Writing Life

Write from the Deep Places

By Karen Ballon September 16, 2015
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Far down, under the ground many of us walk on day in and day out, are roads and buildings and the remnants of long-ago lives and loves. Underground cities, they’re called. I’ve visited the one in Seattle. Peered down through the dark and dust and imagined people, horses, carriages…life. Under our feet. In the deep. I’ve been to other deep places, too, but these weren’t quick visits. Nor were they …

Read moreWrite from the Deep Places
Category: Book Business, Career, Communication, Craft, Creativity, Editing, Get Published, Inspiration, Marketing, Money, Platform, The Writing Life, Theology, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Encouragement, Inspiration, The Writing Life
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