by Cynthia Hickey
My days have passed, my plans are shattered. Yet the desires of my heart 12 turn night into day; in the face of the darkness light is near. Job 17: 11-12
Writing is a tough business. Someone once told me you can learn the craft of writing, but to be a storyteller is a gift from God.
So you believe God has called you to write — yet that elusive contract has yet to appear. You’ve studied, attended conferences, sent out proposals, and collected rejection after rejection. So many that you’re half-tempted to paper your walls with them and walk away from writing altogether.
Consider Job. He lost everything: family, wealth, home, and friends. Yet through it all, he held onto the belief that light would eventually break through the darkness. Most of us have never faced anything close to what Job endured.
I’ve come close to quitting many times. Still, the desire to write never left me. All I could do was focus on the next word, the next line, the next story. I’ve asked God to remove that desire if writing wasn’t His plan for me. He never did. The desire remained. The light kept shining.
If God has truly called you to write, then write. Let Him take care of who reads the words He’s placed in you. He may lead you toward traditional publication, or toward independently publishing your work — a path that has been a tremendous blessing in my own life — or He may simply want you to write for His eyes alone. Whatever the path, don’t stop. Put the words on the page and trust the One who gave them to you.
Let the light shine through the darkness.
Cynthia Hickey is a multi-published and best-selling author of cozy mysteries and romantic suspense/thrillers. She has taught writing at many conferences and small writing retreats. She and her husband run the publishing press, Winged Publications. They live in Arizona and Arkansas, becoming snowbirds with three dogs. They have ten grandchildren who keep them busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer.” Visit Cynthia’s website here: https://cynthiahickey.com
Comments 4
“If God has truly called you to write, then write. Let Him take care of who reads the words He’s placed in you.”
What a great perspective on doing the Lord’s work versus doing your work!
Love this and great message
Thanks for your article. Your words are true, without a doubt.
Thank you for this encouraging post. So many of us need this message.
Thank you for the words of encouragement. There are many days when I question why I struggle so much with storytelling. I even wonder if it is a God-given gift or if I am doing it out of selfish desire.
Sometimes, writing feels like climbing a mountain—one word, one sentence, and one paragraph at a time. When progress slows, doubt creeps in. Will people connect with the story? Will they appreciate the work that goes into writing more than eighty thousand words?
Then positive feedback comes, or someone asks when the next book is coming out. That spurs me on toward the mountaintop. You’re right. In the end, I need to write for the glory of God, not to build up my own pride.