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Step Three – Made a decision to turn our writing and our writing career over to the care of God

After we have learned to turn our writing over to God, we feel a sense of peace and contentment. We think we have reached the end, the climax of satisfaction. However, people will tell us otherwise. The world now expects more and we are directed by others in the literary profession. We are told that this is just the beginning. Those with more experience warn us that a writer wears many hats. In the new publishing world, a writer is expected to now put on their marketing hat and do promotion. However, often the very thing that makes one a good writer works against you in the marketing and publishing fields.

Writers tend to quiet and isolation. We like to daydream and envision worlds that don’t exist. As spiritual writers, we tend to contemplative prayer and holy hours with the Eucharistic Lord. We enjoy living in our imagination, dreaming of a world where justice prevails and truth is each person’s nature. We are romantic. Yes, even those of us who write horror or science fiction. Whatever our genre we are deeply idealistic. Even those writers who write murder mysteries have the murderer caught and allow right to prevail.

Just getting published requires we wear another hat. We are told that we need to turn off the creative and put on the rational. We may find a publisher because we can hibernate at our familiar desk and do the research. We are good at research so we don’t have a problem discovering publishers with the right fit. However, I and many of the writers I know have more trouble writing a cover letter then we did writing an entire novel. Why – because we have to display confidence and confidence in our work and ourselves.

We have to leave our dreamy, prayerful selves behind and become business-like moguls who can convince others that we can not only write but make money. It goes against our very nature. We plunge ahead until we find a publisher. But our transformation doesn’t end with our success. Now the world tells us that we have to become marketers.

We are told that marketers have to be bold and talkative. In order to be successful we are instructed that we have to promote both our work and ourselves. This is especially difficult for people who have been taught to be humble. This was especially difficult for me. I would watch others gain attention with flashy signs and tables. I would sit in awe when others would have no trouble asking for an appearance and reserve the booking that enabled them to sell numerous books. I would politely decline when people asked me to speak at an event because of my fear of public speaking. Fellow authors and friends would encourage me but I would always find a reason to say no. It seemed so against my nature or at least that is what I would tell myself. In reality, it was just plain old fear.

The Bible says that “Perfect love cast out all fear.” I didn’t have perfect love. I suffered from the fear that others would judge me. I thought they would judge and find wanting, my appearance, my Jersey accent and my work. Fear caused me to decline talks and bookings. Worry caused me to find excuses not to promote my work. Insecurity had me hiding in my home and using my need to write as an excuse. Notice something here? The use of the word “I” and “me” are prominent. This fear was all about me, not about God. It was all self-centered, not God-centered. When I realized how selfish my fear was, I handed that fear to Him. And a strange thing happened, the fear started to shrink.

And as the fear began to shrink, other things started happening. I would be asked to ‘help out’ and fill in for a speaker who couldn’t come. Not wanting to leave someone in the lurch suddenly put a different spin on giving a talk. It wasn’t about me anymore. It was about someone else’s need and that put me in a whole different frame of mind. The more I did things for others, the more marketing opportunities came. I believe God was teaching me that the writing, publishing and marketing was never about me. It was all about Him. Was I willing to turn everything over to Him – even my fear?

Last week, I was asked to appear on a television program. Some guest had an emergency. Normally, I would have been terrified. Instead, I was filling a need. When I got to the studio I was shocked to see a professional stage and cameras. I don’t know what I expected. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. It is then that I remembered to pray. With prayer I decided that I would just sit and talk to the host of ‘Catholic Corner,’ Msg. Nolan, as if he were a friend. I like talking to people and hearing about their faith. I would just forget the cameras and lights and just be myself. And the worry disappeared. The show ran longer than expected because the conversation became so interesting.

Suddenly, I knew. I knew that God gave me the gift of writing and the gift of myself. Trying to be someone else, someone that everyone else told me I had to be, wasn’t turning my career over to Him. He made me. He made me with a Jersey accent, a gentle nature and a short chubby body. I didn’t need to go against my nature and push myself. I only had to be open to all the opportunities that He would present. I only had to have the courage to be myself and go through the doors that God opened. So when everyone tells you that you have to be or act in a certain way to be a successful writer, smile. You only have to be yourself, turn it all over to Him and watch the magic that happens. Turn it all over to God. He will lift you to places that you never imagined.

 

Karen Kelly Boyce is a mother of two and grandmother of two who lives on a farm in N.J. with her retired husband. She and her husband love to camp and take ‘road trips’ around the country. She has published four novels and three children’s books. Her website is www.karenkellyboyce.com

Karen Kelly Boyce lives on a farm in N.J. with her retired husband. She is a mother and grandmother. She is the author of “The Sisters of the Last Straw” series published by Tan Books. You can see her work and learn more about her on her website: www,kkboyce.com

One Reply to “The Twelve Steps to Being a Spiritual Writer”

  1. Thank you for sharing. I think you put into words what many feel but are unable to articulate about their own experience.

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