A Writer’s Best Energy

ACFWAdvice, Encouragement, Friends of ACFW Leave a Comment

By Melissa Tagg

Marketing.

I think a lot of writers hear the word and do a little scary-movie shudder.

Or maybe a full-on horror-flick scream.

Me, not so much because a) I’m more of a nervous laugher than screamer and b) I happen to work in marketing at a good-sized nonprofit. And I’ve realized something in the past few years. Marketing? It’s simply telling our story…in such a way that donors (or in writers’ cases, readers) want to be a part of the story.
Like Never Before
Well, a few weeks ago I read a book on marketing. It was packed with helpful information and had me scribbling notes like a madwoman. It’s like the book unleashed a hundred ping-pong balls in my brain. Which was exciting at the time. All these ideas! All these plans!

Then I finished the book. Set it aside. Went on with my week.

Real life set in.

And those ping pong balls started leaving bruises on my brain. Ideas take time…and energy. Both of which are sometimes a little lacking here in Melissa’s world.

And I’m guessing maybe yours, too. Whether you’re working fulltime like me or raising kids or both, you’ve probably faced the same issue. You’ve got a great story burning in your heart, but little time to write it. You’ve got a book in the works or on the shelves, but the energy to market is hiding out.

Enter: copious amounts of caffeine.

Sadly, I do not have miracle-working time-saving or energy-boosting tips to offer. I’ll leave that to the organizational experts and the people at 5 Hour Energy.

BUT I did come across the coolest piece of Scripture a couple years ago and it’s stuck inside me ever since. In my recent daze of idea kaleidoscope brain, it’s soothing me all over again:

Because we know that this extraordinary day is just ahead, we pray for you all the time–pray that our God will make you fit for what he’s called you to be, pray that he’ll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. ~2 Thess. 1:11-12a (The Message)

Ahh, don’t you just love that? The thought of God filling my ideas and efforts with his energy, well, it changes things, doesn’t it? Because suddenly:

-It’s not all up to me.

-I can trust He’ll make me fit for what’s ahead.

-I’m not bound by the clock…or a busy schedule…or lack of sleep.

More than anything, when it’s God’s energy working in me, I’m assured significance.

When I’ve committed each and every task to Christ–writing, marketing, the everyday stuff of life–I can know that what I’m doing matters. That it’s going to amount to something. That my life and all the stuff that fills it honors Him.

No amount of caffeine can beat that.

Melissa Tagg Nov 2014Melissa Tagg is a former reporter, current nonprofit grant writer and total Iowa girl. She writes romantic comedies in the banter-filled style of her favorite 1930s and 40s classic films. Her latest book, Like Never Before, was named by Publishers Weekly to its spring 2016 “Religion and Spirituality” Top 10 list. When she’s not writing she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book. Melissa loves connecting with readers at http://www.melissatagg.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

Comments 0

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *