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

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!