Into the Fire

If you’re a first time author who has completed your first novel or you are working on your first novel, you might want to take a look at the rather impressive array of professionals addressing their thoughts/advice for first-timers over at C. J. Darlington’s blog (http://www.cjdarlington.blogspot.com/). Mixed in with an occasional blog tour post on a novel, several editors, a couple of agents, and a few authors have answered the inquiry about what they would say to aspiring authors. Interesting comments. Some ring true, others sound like the usual schlock—no offense intended, but how many times can you say, “Write the best story”, etc., or other such platitudes without incurring a smattering of resentment?

If you want to get in on a few teachings on the craft, Brandilyn Collins (http://www.forensicsandfaith.blogspot.com/) is doing a series on the rules of writing, and in keeping with the current trends/demands is in lock step with most of the accepted norms/suggestions for how to write that “best story”, giving examples and reasons for each opinion.

If you want to look at some statistics which document how successful book publishing really is, Chip MacGregor presents some computations under his post “The Hard Questions” on his blog (http://chipmacgregor.typepad.com/main/).

If you want some thoughtful posts on the craft from yet-to-be-published authors, you can visit Dayle James Arceneaux’ blog (http://www.daylejamesarceneaux.blogspot.com/) and get his take on it or Rebecca Luella Miller’s blog (http://rebeccaluellamiller.wordpress.com/) for a short series.

Either you will soak it all in and absorb it into your system or memory banks, or you will allow it all to seriously overwhelm you.

Here is my two-cents worth which in the greater scheme of all things publishing is reduced to a mere opinion . . . If you write solely to please man, you will never please them all and possibly not even the ones you intend to please. If you trust man’s wisdom to implicitly guide you in a God-given gift, the chance of reaching your full potential in the spiritual aspects of your life is limited at best. If you assume that every piece of instruction is absolute and infallible, you will be disappointed to learn of all the exceptions to said instructions. If you have yet to determine your aim or goal as a writer, the only plausible source for truthful evaluation is God. Spending time with Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to clarify the deepest intentions of the heart, often exposing those less than flattering motivations, and to provide solutions to those hurting, discouraged places we present to Him . . . If we don’t want to abide by the best for us, we can bull our way through the game, declaring our self-induced determination to conquer the publishing world with our sterling efforts of eye-popping literature. And then we can measure our success with our worldly wisdom and watch it turn to ash.

Father, for all those who write from their hearts and desire to please you in the process and to follow your leading in their lives, I ask your encouragement to rise up within them and give them peace and clarity. I pray for each one to take courage and gain patience in whatever process you are guiding them through. I pray they would seek after you with their whole hearts, devoted to discovering the exact path you’ve designed for them. I pray your ways would become their ways. For all of us, Lord, be close and made strong in our weaknesses. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

*Please remember to pray for Kristy Dykes.*