Publication: God’s Plan or the Tree in the Garden of Eden?

Tree with drops of ice sparkling in the sunshine

Publication—it’s a dream for every writer, whether a magazine article, a novel, a poem, or a short story. It says I have succeeded as a writer. It says I have accomplished a lifelong dream. It says someone wants to read my writing.

As Christian writers, we know God has set forth a plan for us.

Sometimes, though, the mirage-like goal becomes like the tree in the Garden of Eden—a sparkling temptation. We want to know the future of our writing, so we submit when a piece is not ready. We put in more hours at the expense of family time. We forget to pray about our writing.

When I pray for my writing, I find more focus. While I cannot know the outcome of my writing, I write with joy because God designed me with a passion to write. The destination for my writing, I leave in God’s hands.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

—Jeremiah 29:11

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.

—Genesis 3:6
Tree with drops of ice sparkling in the sunshine

Suffering From Writer’s Block? Take Out That Book on Writing You’ve Been Intending to Read

Like every writer, I have suffered from writer’s block. I have stared at the screen, willing words to come. I have grabbed a pen and a notebook, hoping a change of format might spark a new idea. I have switched projects in hopes of settling my mind. Yet when I return to the project, the words still don’t flow.

What story magic am I missing? Is the story simply not viable? Would the story be better in the Trash folder, never to be touched again?

Thankfully, I have found a writing road map in Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. This book breaks down the story into three acts, then further into the parts of each act.

In my most recent writing project, I put my main character through many ups and downs. Act 1 morphed into Act 2 through a wonderful catalyst. (I think it’s wonderful, anyway!) Act 2 brought even more action…and then my writing stalled. Something was missing, I knew deep down.

So I cracked open Save the Cat! and realized I simply forgot that after all this turmoil, my character needed time to breathe, time to think, time to make a decision, before she went from Act 1 to Act 2. She had to react to the events.

I read on and also realized I haven’t added any B Story characters to help my character find her way. Without a B Story character, the theme has been murky and difficult to write about and my character doesn’t quite seem believable. She can’t figure everything out on her own. She needs help—and I do too.

As a writer, I need to read books about the craft of writing. I have read several and grown as a writer each time. Some I like more than others. And some, such as Save the Cat!, occupy prime space on the top of my desk, ready to be thumbed through in an instant.

Lessons Learned From NaNoWriMo 2021

In November, I took part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) for the first time. Fifty thousand words in one month—a daunting challenge. It seemed impossible.


Yet I succeeded! For the first time ever, I finished the first draft of a novel.

NaNoWriMo gave me a new perspective on writing. I noticed that my usual mode of writing involves editing as I go. I constantly change sentences, add and delete punctuation, and erase scenes that I don’t believe worthwhile.

It’s exhausting…and has never led to a finished novel.

NaNoWriMo taught me the importance of getting words on the page. Even if they’re not good words. Even if the sentence is really, really bad. (I still cringe whenever I don’t like the sentence, but now I try to move on and fix it later.) Words lead to more scenes—better scenes! Words not only help my characters to grow but also help me to grow as a writer. Words spark ideas for a new novel.

NaNoWriMo also allowed me to experience goal-setting. Every day, I logged on to the NaNoWriMo website and updated my 50,000-word goal. The website also offers badges for milestones reached, such as updating your goal three days in a row and making 40,000 words. I watched as the progress bar inched closer and closer to finished. I triumphed with one day to spare. Setting this goal gave me a responsibility to myself.

Although I haven’t quite broken my old habit of revising as I go, I am writing more words every day and recording my progress as I go.

Next up: revisions!