So I did a video yesterday…yay me! That was so outside my comfort zone but I did it. Being the introvert that I am, I really struggled with putting it out there, but I answered the call and I’m glad I did. Some people were actually blessed by what I had to share. You can check it out on my Facebook page
Anyway I digress, I was reading Francine Rivers blog and I came upon a post titled the Creative Mind is Seldom Tidy… she struck the nail on the head for me. But forget not tidy, mine is currently a war zone that it is literally giving me a headache.
So here is my dilemma, writing is my passion, writing for God is my purpose. So I know I’m walking in my destiny and I’m so thankful for the fulfillment it gives me.But then my type A personality kicks in and herein lies the problem. I rely on the Holy Spirit for my inspiration. He is the source from which the words flow. But then I set deadlines I strive to meet and constantly entertain characters that are just talking ever so loudly in my head wanting their story told.
For example, I’m writing a 3 part series now called Sons Of Ishmael . I’m in the revisions stage for the first book titled A Scoop Of Love , Rasheed, the hero still needs to be vetted out but his brother, Jabir from book 2, Anchored by Love is driving me crazy. Oh, and it’s not just him…the whole gang is speaking at the same time.
Anyway I’m working as fast as I can but now I’m getting overwhelmed and the reason I know this is that somehow I don’t feel the Spirit working anymore. He is silent, so the revisions are becoming a painful process. *le sigh* I talked to my hubby and he gives me a couple of Bible verses to read and encouraging words to calm my nerves…
- John 14 : 1… “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God believe also in me.
- Psalm 61: 2 which is actually my best…. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint lead me to the rock that is higher than I
- Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this
They did the trick and I was at peace, but then this nagging feeling rears its ugly head again. Does a romance writer wait for something romantic to happen before writing? Some romance writers are not even romantic… you get my drift right? I know I’m writing for God, and I want my readers to get the best message out of the story but how long do I wait? Supposing I don’t ‘hear’ and my deadline passes?
Then something I read recently give me peace…“when you take your eyes of the “why” of your purpose it becomes about you.” Writing is not about me at all, so I’m going to have to learn that even though my deadline gets busted, His time is best. But I can afford that luxury, I tend to think about those who have contracts with others..how do they do it?
Are you a Christian fiction writer, blogger? Do you struggle with this too? Or do you struggle with deadlines in your everyday life?
Are you a reader of Christian fiction? If your favorite author delayed a book because of waiting how would you feel?
#RealWriterStruggles #ChristianFictionWriterWoes
Love to hear your comments,
Be Blessed
Unoma
Unoma Nwankwor 
So, I’m super late in joining this conversation, so you can tell how cluttered this mind is. As reader I wouldn’t mind waiting once or twice, but you can’t always be waiting on God and not hearing from, because I’d start to question your connection to Him. I don’t struggle for inspiration, just the decision on which, story to follow and when, because I might be entertained by on of the stories in my head doesn’t mean it’s the one that’s going to minister to people. There’s where the waiting comes in for me and I’m about to begin that wait right now as I prep for an attempt at renewing my contract. I’ve got two stories brewing in my head and I have to send in four chapters, now I have to wait and see which one is the one that’s fit for ministry.
“I don’t struggle for inspiration, just the decision on which, story to follow and when, because I might be entertained by on of the stories in my head doesn’t mean it’s the one that’s going to minister to people.”…Exactly!!!
Yes, I struggle with waiting for inspiration as well! As Christian writers there’s a fine line between waiting on God for inspiration/direction and being disciplined in meeting goals and deadlines. I’m learning more and more to simply write, even when I don’t feel like it, or have divine revelations. Just the discipline of writing benefits me. And I’ve noticed that the most successful writers force themselves to produce. You can always go back later and prayerfully review what you’ve written and seek God’s direction for revision and whether to publish.
That’s exactly what I did Faith. I started to feel lazy ‘waiting” so I just poured everything on paper. Took a step back prayed and picked it back up. That did the trick. I’m very disciplined so I was really bothered about the disorganization.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing…
I don’t know much about meeting deadlines, but i know that God wouldn’t want us to be people that are not dependable, sloppy and not up and doing. there is a place in scripture that said “not slothful in business, fervent in spirit..” so, i think God wants us to be up and doing and meet deadlines…most times.
if we lean on him, he would help us to meet the deadlines.
i think what causes the problem is the clutter, the mess, untidiness and noises that are always in our head which stifles the still small voice. i remember the Elijah story, where after seeing the fire he said “surely God must be in the fire..” but God wasn’t. So, over time, he learnt to ignore the noises and wait for the still small voice.
Maybe, and this is just me, if at the time the characters are making so much noise, you don’t rush to write about them but rather, you dedicate about an hour to just wait. it could be a silent meditation, praise or prayer time, but during which you silence the noises and just listen. The Holy Spirit will come and if you do this everyday, you can get to work everyday and still meet deadlines. And should He want you to not meet the deadline, He will be specific and it will be for good. Maybe to adjust the date for the release to meet a specific need or something.
i don’t know much about christian fiction but i write short stories based on bible accounts and most times, the inspiration comes when i am not even thinking about it. most times, it comes when i am just praying. i remember a night when i wrote a 4 part series about Abraham in 3hours. i was scribbling so much i couldn’t recognize my writing! Then when i finished the final version, it turned out to be in 6 parts. At another time, a friend suggested i write a story about Tamar and Amnon and try as i did in forming a story line, i couldn’t get the perfect story. i just stopped thinking about it, stopped trying the several plots in my head. Then one day it came and when i was through, i knew i couldn’t have come up with something like it. i would not claim that i wrote them well but i was happy and from the comments of people that read it, i think i did a decent job.
For me, i think waiting is the hardest part, and we need to practice shutting out the noises in our heads so that we can hear Him.
You just blessed me with this…thank you so much!