"Guide me in your truth, and teach me, my God, my Savior. I trust you all day long." Psalm 25:5 (NCV)
As a non-fiction writer, attempting to write my first novel, I sometimes catch myself wondering what makes me think I can write a novel good enough to compete with thousands of other novels vying for the attention of agents and publishers these days.
From what I've read, only about 10% of queries or submissions ever make it into print; 10 in 1000 books. Those odds alone are enough to make you wonder if it's worth pouring your heart and soul...not to mention hours and hours of your life into writing a book.
In spite of the odds, I am convinced that if God has placed within you the ability to write and if you cultivate that ability by learning your trade and if you persevere at your craft, you will be published. If you feel God prompting you to write a book, write it - I did and my book was published by the first publisher I approached. (You can read how it happened HERE.)
So, the next time you doubt your calling to write, don't listen to all the statistics or the nay-sayers that tell you it's next to impossible to get published these days, instead, listen to the Voice of Truth!
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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)
As a non-fiction writer, attempting to write my first novel, I sometimes catch myself wondering what makes me think I can write a novel good enough to compete with thousands of other novels vying for the attention of agents and publishers these days.
From what I've read, only about 10% of queries or submissions ever make it into print; 10 in 1000 books. Those odds alone are enough to make you wonder if it's worth pouring your heart and soul...not to mention hours and hours of your life into writing a book.
In spite of the odds, I am convinced that if God has placed within you the ability to write and if you cultivate that ability by learning your trade and if you persevere at your craft, you will be published. If you feel God prompting you to write a book, write it - I did and my book was published by the first publisher I approached. (You can read how it happened HERE.)
So, the next time you doubt your calling to write, don't listen to all the statistics or the nay-sayers that tell you it's next to impossible to get published these days, instead, listen to the Voice of Truth!
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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)
2 comments:
How true your words are Jan. I heard just this past Sunday in my church service that God does not give us our gifts for ourselves but to bless others with them. God did not give the gift of penning words in a way that paints the most marvelous picture of what He wants others to hear through you. Our words are our testimonies, our life is our song. When these two elements are joined together and shared with the world, amazing things happen, miracles take place, people are healed, renewed, refreshed, broken and made whole, strengthened, encouraged, inspired and loved. People's lives are changed at the voice of God through the written word. God's truth finds its way in people's hearts and souls piercing the lies of the enemy and the fear that lies in human souls everywhere. What else can we do but use our gits for the Lord. Great post and song, I'm a CC fan indeed.
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