I once received the following question from an award-winning author:
Is it common for an author to hit a wall of discouragement? To feel as though they’re working so hard for so little? To question why they’re doing this?
Unfortunately, it is quite common. Doesn’t mean it aches any less. Sort of like getting old: everyone does and it aches, but it is a common malady.
One writer in the general market wrote in their blog, “Why am I doing this? I work so hard for so little money only to have critics tell me I have no talent at all.”
It truly comes down to whether your calling is stronger than the frustration and anguish of the writing process. I will never forget reading Charles Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students (in particular chapter two starting on page 19 of the linked PDF). I read it in college while trying to decide whether to pursue becoming a pastor or a teacher with my Bible degree.
Spurgeon, in essence, said the only reason you should become a pastor is if you cannot do anything else. The call is that strong. I realized I was making the pastorate one of a number of options, which immediately revealed where I placed it in my passions. So I began changing directions immediately. I set my sights on becoming a professor of theology after going to seminary and graduate school (my fiance, now my wife, would be a professor of Old Testament). But in my last college semester, I began working part-time in the Christian bookstore located one block off campus. And a rather different journey to my profession began. If God had not led me to make a life-decision regarding my calling, I may not be where I am today.
In some ways, it is like the life of the writer. If you can’t not write, then you know where your passions lay. If you can put it aside and write only when the inspiration strikes, then that may speak to your passions differently, and you should treat writing as something to explore. I find this separates many in this profession rather quickly. There’s nothing wrong with the latter. In fact, you won’t know if the skills and passions are aligned until you explore. I think you catch my intent here.
The author who asked the original question above replied a day later with this:
“I had two dark days, for whatever reason. But yesterday afternoon, wouldn’t you know, those dark hours translated into my writing in just the way the manuscript needed. I’m learning that the work of writing and the love of writing are a bit different. I love having written! And I could step away from it for a time, but writing will always woo me. I fought for 17 years to follow what I believed was a call from God, so throwing in the towel now would be silly.”
I pray that, for you, this is not a day of discouragement, but one of hope and joy. That you take every thought captive and your work is for the glory of God, in everything you do or say.
Your Turn:
What do you do when discouragement strikes in your writing career?
Fun Fridays – June 3, 2022
Steve, I ask your pardon in advance, for this long comment. Your topic was serendipitous, to say the least, and I figured my recent experience might help someone.
It’s not discouragement so much in my writing career, but in life.
This last weekend I was presented with three questions…by God, if you will.
1) Is your use of humour to deflect virtually everything courage, or is it a way to keep people (including my wife) and fear of a fast-deteriorating cancer-situation at arm’s length?
2) Are the projects on which you work (custom rifle stocks and knife hilts) ‘valid’, or merely a way to pass the time while thinking you’re doing something worthwhile?
3) Are you writing the truth as your heart sees it, or something that just makes you look good?
The overarching question, of course, is “might everything you are trying to do and be, be wrong?”
Some long-dead Greek said that the unexamined life isn’t worth living, but when you lack the breath to walk across the room (my tools are mostly at bedside, and yes, that means wood shavings between the sheets), self-examination gives a “Really? This TOO?” feeling.
The answer to everything, which sounds a bit presumptuous, came an hour ago. Nice coincidence.
Humour is part of me, but I need to know my audience and have a care not to hurt people. No need to embrace my inner wimp, but it’s wrong to make light of loving people who genuinely care for me.
Projects are great, but not if they’re the wrong ones. Get back to work on the aeroplane whose part-built components s linger beneath sad dust, and ask for help in gaining access. Swallow your pride.
Don’t let your writing become a gimmick, because a gimmick is in the end all about you. Sonnets are nice, but not always needed, or wanted.
But to close, here’s one.
The dark night of the striving soul
is not a thing of beauty,
but to keep your manhood whole,
facing it’s a duty
that should not be ducked or shirked,
covers pulled atop the head,
for every problem can be worked
if you don’t hide, but stand instead
and meet the demons face to face,
see the scary meeting through,
and respond with thankful grace
to wisdom they might offer you,
advice ‘gainst which ego may rail,
but in its lack, you’re bound to fail.
Andrew, this line made me laugh out loud: “Sonnets are nice, but not always needed, or wanted. But to close, here’s one.”
Well played, brother!!
Damon, thanks! Even when trying to be serious, I can’t resist the lure of fun.
Praying for a miraculous recovery for you Andrew.
That line on sonnets got me too 😅
Thank you so much, Hannarich!
When discouragement hits, I think about two facts — I do not want to practice law, and no one will pay me to ride horses. Then I get on my knees and beg God to use me to write something useful. Then I go to my computer and start working.
Robyn, I had to smile over your comment. Nicely put!
Thank you, Sheri!
I had not previously seen that Spurgeon quote.
My first day of seminary, the first sentence out of the first instructor’s mouth in our first session … “If you can be happy doing anything else, don’t go into full-time ministry. I reasoned he was tryintg to emphasize that it’s difficult at times, wearying, challenging. NO!! He was serious and literal. If you can be happy doing ANYTHING else …
Writers write because we write. We can’t not write. It is in our DNA. Singers sing. Composers compose. Writers write.
I think a coincidence is God’s exclamation point. Two days ago I posted “Should you be a writer?” on my blog, “The Book of Works”.
I write a letter to God. Goes something like this during those days:
So, God? I thought I was doing this for you. Thought you were guiding my my pen. Thought the words were acceptable in your sight. But I was wrong. No one wants this thing I poured my soul into. The words go no further than this room. Since there is no bolt of lightning telling me otherwise, I am done. It’s a total waste of time. I’d make more of an impact cleaning the bathroom. Or making soup.
I make soup. Chop and dice and add a dash of this or that, including a few salty tears. Then something strange happens. Could be an hour later, could be a couple of days. Or even a week. That still, small voice I’d shut out of my life. A gentle whisper. The image of the character I’d abandoned. Or maybe a sentence of scripture like a firm guiding hand, leading me back to that fork in the road I’d once chosen. The road less traveled that I know in my heart is the right one. With renewed resolve, I wash and put away the dishes from my pity party. It’s time to get back to work.
I remind myself that God’s timing isn’t always what I want, but it is perfect. I look back and see how my writing is better for all the delays I’ve already been through. So, there must be an improvement yet for me. While that doesn’t always translate into joy at the prospect of waiting, eventually, I catch the excitement of getting better.
Taking time away from writing to read for the pure enjoyment of it can also inspire me, but I limit the break lest it become a form of procrastination. If the wall is purely from laziness or fear, I force myself to write until I get a breakthrough.
Then there are days like today when I ride on the coattails of someone else’s excitement. My husband got into an art show, and it has spurred me to tackle that annoying short story I wanted to use for a lead magnet. So, I’d best get to it!
I go for a walk and pray. I wash dishes and think. I try to imagine what other creative outlet I would do that I love … there isn’t one, ha! Stories keep coming and even though it is so frustrating and heartbreaking sometimes, my day is worse if I haven’t at least tried to write something. So, I keep trying.
Thanks for this piece Steve. I was reading “50 People Every Christian Should Know” over the weekend. The author mentioned Charles Spurgeon’s “Letter to my Students ” , it was next on my list. Thanks for adding the pdf to this.
With 3 little kids under 5 years, I hardly can get time to write, but when I do find the time, I wish time would freeze so I could write and write and write.
You’re so right, Psychologist call that feeling of thoroughly enjoying what you do the “State of Flow”. Despite the discouragement that really is quiet common with everything in life, that state of flow during writing is a feeling I’d never exchange for anything else.
I believe they say similar things about teaching, though they also say other things such as “those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” Thanks a lot, buddy! I teach because I was called by God to do so.
Great topic, Steve. If God called you to write, He will enable you to do it.
Since 2005, after prayer and finally realizing God wanted me to write, I haven’t been discouraged one day. I’ve not had what writers call Writing Block (a perfect description of discouragement), and I’ve not once regretted becoming an author.
If a problem arises in my writing, how to fix a plot hole, where to go from the last chapter, etc., I do something else for a while like gardening, cooking, cleaning (UGH), and come back to the writing later. So far, it’s not failed that the solution presents itself.
And I praise God that he called me to be an author. Never forget to be thankful.
What do I do? I write. I believe that response is similar to the saying about falling off horses…you get back onto the horse.
It comes down to discernment. At this stage of life, I have found that when you are going through a tough time, working with The Father to learn whatever it is He is trying to get through my stubbornness, I find there is eventually a blessing on the other side. This has taught me to cooperate with The Lord in the process to shorten the distance to the blessings.
Plus, I write not so much for approval (at least not from men), but that is where I find intimacy with Him. It’s that place where I connect with His creative nature. Where I realize what I was made for.
The words from La Boheme: “Cosa faccio?-scrivo, Come vivo? -Vivo.” “What do I do? I write. How do I live? I live”.
When I think I want to quit writing, I’ll put on a favorite movie, pour a glass of wine, and sit and pout for a while.
Then I go on Facebook where God (and I mean it) has people share memes that I KNOW are for me to keep going. Some random encouragement that couldn’t mean anything else. And I say, “Seriously?” And I keep writing. haha!
Before FB, I would want to quit, but every single time, I’d sell a devo or get an email from a reader or my Scripture reading for that day would be in my face.
And one time, I was ready to give up and I got a gift from my best friend. It was a statue (she found it at a yard sale and it made her think of me) of Mustardseed from A Midsummer Night’s Dream And the quote on the bottom says, “With fairy grace, we shall sing, and bless this place.”
Yeah. I bawled.
The fairy has her hands up to her mouth, like she’s proclaiming something, and I knew … I KNEW … God wanted me to keep going, because He has things to proclaim through my fantasy writing.
It sometimes takes me a week or so to get back into it, but I always do. And I always wonder why, if I’m called to write ~ which I love doing ~ and God shows me vividly I need to keep going ~ do I continue to get back into the place of wanting to quit?
Humans can be so dense.
Thank you for helping me see that I may not be a writer and it’s okay to walk away.
That was a very raw answer at a huge wall of discouragement. My husband reminded me of a few things. Sometimes we can only survive and can’t do what helps us thrive. Hard seasons don’t change who we are or what we’re called to do but those hard seasons may not look like what God has planned.
Got to read this just after I got up this morning, and it made me smile.
Last year, when I was working my full-time day job (high-stress retail), there came a point where I went to my car on lunch hour and cried because I couldn’t do what I knew I was called to do–write. That was the day I told management I was leaving.
Now, I love every single day, and though the work is hard, it’s that wonderful breed of difficulty somewhat akin to breathing in higher altitudes.
“I’m pressing on the upward way.”
– Johnson Oatman Jr.
Exactly what I needed today. Thank you.
I remind myself the call to write is not a hobby.i can’t simply decide to try my hand at watercolors.
As a writing coach, the first question I ask of potential new clients is, “Why do you write?” I’m stunned by the number of responses that fall short: “Im not sure. I’ve always thought it would be cool to see a book with my name on the spine.” This is the most egregious, but others come close.
If you are certain God has made this your calling, go all in. When the time at the keyboard gets tough, keep pressing in.
I am right there now, so this is helpful today. Thanks for sharing.
Today’s blog post is very good. The responses are very, very good. Thanks everbody!
Dear Steve,
I don’t write to publish; but I write because it is a venue to release the emotions I can’t express verbally. I started writing stories and poetry as a child growing up in the forest with nature all around me declaring the glory of God. The reality of my life was painful and I found that keeping a journal enabled me to release the pain of my experiences in the pages of my journal. Then they belonged to the page not to me. I find that writing is a spiritual experience allowing God to see the depths of my soul whether in anguish or in joy. Now at the age of 72, I treasure the lessons I’ve recorded in my journals and can translate them into inspiring messages for my family and friends. For that reason, I rarely get discouraged because my primary purpose is to glorify God and His opinion is all that matters. So I’ve probably disqualified my comments as being relevant to your readers. The bottom line for anyone who writes is to question their motives and leave the rest to God’s intervention who will open the doors to their success.
Thank you for allowing me to share.
When the shadows of doubt invade I often turn to piecing fabric into quilts. The bits, often fragments left from other projects form something beautiful that will wrap an infant or hospice patient in a fabric caress.
Then words tumble through my mind as I pray for the recipient and God directs my thoughts to a scripture or solving a conundrum in a scene. When I choose to work with my hands He speaks to my heart.
Hi Steve,
Thank you for sharing – I find that discouragement often strikes. However, I’m a pretty optimistic person, so when I feel at my lowest with my writing, I usually tend to find some silver lining. That silver lining can come in many forms, but I always revert back to the joy I get from writing!
I am at that point now, so it’s nice to know I’m not alone.