Celebrating the Little Moments in Your Writing

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by Lisa Jordan

I read a brief devotional from Joy for a Woman’s Soul, written by the Women of Faith ladies. The late Barbara Johnson had written a piece titled “Celebrate Joy.” She reminds us “celebrate anything you can think of.” After all, “every day is worth a party-not just the cookie cutter moments.”

If we applied that to our writing, imagine the changes we’d begin to see in our perspectives.

I know writers who have been writing for years, and publication still hasn’t happened for them. I understand their pain and frustration because I was one of them-I had written for over a decade before I received my first contract.

I remember the moment I received “the call” so clearly…my poor agent had a sobbing client on the other end of the line. The joy I felt that day is one of those moments that is hard to put into words. But, you know what – not every milestone in our writing careers will be as exuberant. That doesn’t mean they aren’t to be celebrated!

Celebrate joy in your writing career in small ways:

• You finished a challenging scene or chapter.
• You entered a contest – that takes lots of courage, my friend.
• You signed up for a writers retreat or conference.
• You made a meaningful connection with another writer.
• You brainstormed an intriguing plot.
• You felt God’s presence woven within your words.
• You had an hour or two of uninterrupted writing time.
• You completed NaNoWriMo or another personal writing deadline.
• You queried an agent or an editor.
• You received a rejection letter – yes, those are to be celebrated too.
• A loved one supports your dream.

Every day doesn’t need to be celebrated like Christmas with lots of decorations, beautifully wrapped gifts or parties with lots of food.

Celebrate the dream God has placed on your heart. He didn’t give this dream to you to snatch it away or to leave you hanging. God loves you. God favors you. His blessings happen daily, even if you don’t receive the sale your heart is long for. As my friend and mentor Rachel Hauck reminds us, “You are His favorite one!” What an incredible thing to celebrate!

God’s timing in your career is perfect. He calls each one of us to minister through our words, but that doesn’t mean we won’t face trials, challenges and emotional roadblocks. We grow as writers and as Christians when we take His hand and trek through those valleys of discouragement and restlessness.

Take time this Christmas season to pray and ask God to fill your heart with joy, and then be sure to celebrate the little moments in your writing. They make those larger milestones all the sweeter.

LisaJordan2x3HeadshotRepresented by Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such, Lisa Jordan is an award-wining contemporary Christian romance author for Love Inspired. She believes in promises of hope and happily ever after and threads those themes into her stories. Her third novel, Lakeside Sweethearts, releases in June 2014. Visit her at www.lisajordanbooks.com.

Comments 0

  1. I appreciate this article because publication can’t be the only reason we write. If we never get that big book deal, will we feel we haven’t been successful? If God’s timing is perfect, even in our careers, then we can trust that if we’ll be faithful to do the work of writing, He’ll bring us where we need to be at the right time. Thanks for sharing these encouraging thoughts today.

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