Today’s guest post is provided by Carole Mertz.

I am a relatively new writer. At the ninth assignment of a 12-assignment online writer’s course I balked. I don’t know why I balked, but I balked.  

This is when Steven Pressfield charged in with a rescue plan. Only I hadn’t met him yet. During that hot and rainy June we’d suffered a basement flood, travelled across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for a relative’s birthday, and handled a change of job for my husband with adjustments to his new schedule.  

I was introduced to Pressfield via his Kindle version of War of Art. In the full book version I encountered the very essence of Pressfield as writer, along with the feral Beast (Resistance). 

“When I wake,” Pressfield relates, “[w]hat I am aware of is Resistance. I feel it in my guts. I afford it the utmost respect, because I know it can defeat me on any given day as easily as the need for a drink can overcome an alcoholic.”* He then describes how, if he is to maintain self-respect, he defies the Beast.  

I’d grappled with my first non-fiction piece for the course, an article on how a parent engages a private piano teacher for her child, and to what purpose. The groundwork lay in my files untouched for three weeks. But the cement hadn’t yet hardened, the material remained malleable. 

The stakes were high for completing the work: either maintain your writing schedule or allow your husband’s change of schedule and your family obligations to disrupt your own schedule. Complete your work, or lazily submit a request to your mentor for an extension. Submit your work on time, or prove you are a mere amateur. Complete the assignment, or admit failure.

Two days prior to submitting my article I growled. Annoyance at self swelled. I reached for my folder. “You will not take hold of me,” I growled to the Beast, and my growl was louder than his. My not-so-silent voice within resounded, “You do want to complete your work, you do want to meet your deadlines as a professional, you will submit this article on time.” I worked through the afternoon and evening. I found I’d done more research than I’d realized. There was enough experience on which to draw and enough material to shape my soddy cement into an article. An interesting slant occurred to me; I used it. The Beast was chained. 

The next day I set my priorities: I’d work on the article, even through the night, until it was completed. I submitted it. Due to the groundwork, the unexpected gift of the slant, and the clarity of my sentences, my mentor returned a sparkling report. “This article needs no revision. It’s ready for submission to the magazine you’ve chosen.” 

I reflected on what might have happened had I not growled. I might have dropped out of the course. I might have given in to delay and lack of discipline. “Just one more drink,” I might have said, beginning a long cycle of “just one more.” “Resistance is the most toxic force on the planet,” Pressfield declares. “It is the root of more unhappiness than poverty, disease, and erectile dysfunction. To yield to Resistance deforms our spirit.”** I knew the Beast must be respected, but he can also be chained.

*See The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, (New York, N.Y.: Grand Central Publishing Edition, 2002), 64-65,142.

**See The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle, (New York, N.Y.: Rugged Land, LLC, 2002) EBook. 

Carole Mertz, a life-long professional musician, has turned to full-time writing. She is published by Concordia Publishing House, The Lutheran Digest, The Rockford Writers’ Guild, and online with several reviews and stories at the Long Ridge Writers Group Webletter. Carole lives in Parma, Ohio, with her Pastor husband.

I am pleased to introduce Geneva Cobb Iijima, a children’s book author. Since the 1970s,  70 of her articles have been printed and four of her books are published.

CM: Geneva, what prompted you to begin writing?

Geneva: We lived in Japan. Every day seemed to be filled with adventures. I didn’t want to forget them, so I enrolled in a correspondence course for Christian writers.

CM: How long did it take from the time you began writing until you actually saw your work in print?

Geneva: There is a lag between the time something is submitted until it is published, so maybe a couple of years for children’s articles.

CM: Did your first submission get published?

Geneva: My beginning was humble. My first assignment was to send in a puzzle to a children’s publication and it did get published. I remember how excited I was.

CM: What were the top three things most beneficial to you in learning the craft of writing?

Geneva: Attending an annual writers’ conference was a huge help. I met Mary Warren, a children’s book writer, at my first conference. She encouraged me, boosting my confidence. I joined her critique group and that sharpened my skills.

CM: It seems many writers are finding it very beneficial to attend conferences and join a critique group. I hear you have a book recently published, please tell us about it.

Geneva: Jesus Loves Us All, my most recent book, is a picture book of contrasts showing that Jesus loves all sorts of people. My original plan for it was to be a full size picture book with beautiful illustrations. However, God planned it as a 6×9 picture booklet illustrated with photos of many kinds of people. My church helped me print it in English to be placed in food boxes for poor people and for other children who might not have any books. Since the tsunami in Japan, we printed it in Japanese for families displaced by the disaster. I believe it will eventually be printed in many languages.

CM: That sounds wonderful! Anything else you would like to share with us?

Geneva: Persistence is important. I sent The Way We Do It In Japan out 25 times before a very prestigious publisher accepted it. Being sensitive to God’s plan for each project is also critical. As with Jesus Loves Us All, His plan is sometimes much larger than ours. Please visit me at www.genevaiijima.com.

CM: Thank you Geneva!

Today’s guest post is provided by Cindy Sproles.

May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4  

God spoke to me on a riding lawn mower—of all things. There wasn’t a major revelation or an earth shattering event, just a riding lawn mower.

I’d just gotten home from my first writers’ conference and the words of a successful author, and now dear friend, rumbled inside my head. “…your words may never fill a book on the shelves of Lifeway. They may only be meant for the guy sitting next to you.”

Okay God, I thought as I bumped down the grassy hill trying to keep my mowed rows straight. My desire is to write. I’ve wanted that since I was a child. I just wanna write. Can you use me?

God replied, “Perhaps.”

Thus began the road to being a writer. I find it hard sometimes to maintain as a straight line while mowing. Same thing with my spiritual walk.  I veer from side to side, straying from the words He’s placed in my heart, and leave a crooked trail that looks a little yanty-wampling (that’s Appalachian for wacky). Still, God knew my desires.

God promises to make our plans succeed but I think his definition is different from mine. I don’t have a novel on the shelves of Lifeway, but I have literally hundreds of devotions and I found out this week just how meaningful that is.

My friend was nominated for a Christy Award (The Christian equivalent of the Oscars). She invited me to an evening of accolades and fanfare. All in one room stood Christian writing’s elite.

Before the doors to the dinner hall opened, I sat awkward and shy at a small table. I wasn’t sure I could talk to the guy who wrote Braveheart or to the woman who’d captured the heart of women’s fiction. So I sat, star struck and tongue-tied — terrified to move or open my mouth.

An older woman touched my shoulder. “Christian Devotions? You’re She Said aren’t you?” Her British accent rolled off the end of her tongue as she waved her husband to my side. “I love He Said, She Said. I’ve booted my husband under the kitchen table more times than you know after reading you two. What impact and what bravery, to place your hearts on display for us all to learn from.” She pressed her ruby red lips against my cheek, then thumbed away the lipstick print.

“God uses you.”

She wasn’t a writer, a producer, or a publicist. She didn’t edit or pull in acquisitions. She was the mother of one of the Christy finalists – she was, an example from that first writers conference, the one next to me…the one that counted.

God equips us for the mission He has in store. With His foresight, He knows the exact moment He can use us…the second He can give us the desires of our hearts. Lord let me be a writer, I’ve prayed. This week He he gave me the desire of my heart. I am a writer, given the words that touched this woman’s heart.

He gently orchestrates the events of our lives, perfect to His will, to make our plans succeed in the venue they’re needed. Sure, I’d love to stand on a stage as a Christy finalist someday, but for now I’m good—satisfied that in the bustle of a noisy room full of big-name writers, God quieted the sound so I could hear the words of this one woman. God uses you.

Never be afraid to voice your desires to the Father. He’s placed the gifts inside you that will bring about the desires of your heart. Speak up and He will listen.

Cindy  is the founder of Mountain Breeze Ministries and cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. She has contributed  to Novel Journey and Novel Reviews, and Christian Devotions. She has written for PML Programs and contributes to the Times-News.net. Her devotions and articles are published weekly in several newspapers across the country. She cowrites the He Said, She Said devotions with Eddie Jones that publish in Common Ground Christian Newspaper. Cindy is the coauthor of He Said, She Said: A Devotional Guide to Cultivating a Life of Passion.
Cindy is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers. She attended Johnson Bible College and graduated with a BA in Business from the University of Phoenix in 2008.  She has led Sunday school, teaches women’s study classes and also in on-line teaching forums. She is a contributing writer to CBN.com . Cindy speaks frequently for ladies’ conferences, special events and teaches at writers conferences across the country. Contact Cindy if you would like for her to speak to your church, club or group. You can visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com

Today’s guest post is provided by Mary Elizabeth Webb.

When I was young, my life’s calling was softly introduced to me. It may not have been a path I would have chosen as an adult or of my own desire, but it changed me and made me who I am today. I guess my mother’s illness and death deeply impacted my life. I never forgot the realm of devastation or the pain it caused me as my days unfolded without her.
This strong inner impulse toward my purpose was the pure compassion. My heart ached for those who faced similar circumstances. I would reach out to people I knew or didn’t know, who had lost a family member or loved one. I started writing heartfelt letters or email expressing empathy and sharing my personal experience.

It’s not always easy to depict our callings. I have had many insights as to what I thought may be my purpose, but it wasn’t until I was in my forties when I realized it was to heal broken hearts. It wasn’t easy to understand, but as I look back death had become an enormous part of my life. My mother died from breast cancer when I was only twelve. My life was never the same. Years later, my father passed away from kidney cancer and then tragically, I lost my only older brother to pancreatic cancer. His death revealed more than ever my purpose in this life. Our calling is simply our heart speaking its truth. There are no mistakes in life. There are only purposeful moments.

The question is how are we all bringing love and light to the world? Not sure? Just listen to your heart. I listened and began writing. My intention was to write about tenacity, faith and learning to move through grief rather than constantly remind ourselves of what we lost and how horrible our lives are without that person near. A written testimony can have a profound impact on so many lives. The thought of comforting those who struggle with loss inspired me to persist through the stacks of disappointing rejection letters I received on a regular basis. I would feel this surge of excitement after grabbing the mail from our box and seeing a letter from one of the publishing companies I had sent a proposal to. As I opened the letter while still standing near the road, I could see the words, “regret, doesn’t fit, best of luck”, as I skimmed over the letter. My heart would sink with a quick moment of disappointment. The years of trial and error led me to a fury of research. I wrote more proposals with an excess of determination to make my story most appealing and hopefully get noticed. Becoming an author wasn’t about notoriety, fame or wealth, it was about reaching out to those in need.

I had a few articles published on a local level as well as a couple nationally. It was a beginning. The best way to begin the writing process, unless you are a well-known author or celebrity is baby steps. Learn about the industry and never give up. Never lose sight of why you love to write.

~Mary Elizabeth Webb

Lives in PA with husband and three grown children.

Author, writer and Interior Designer.   Advocate of living a faithful life. http://www.maryelizabethrobinson.com/

Welcome to Carole Marie, a place for writers and readers to be inspired, encouraged and nourished… from my heart to your heart.

Come learn, be refreshed and motivated to continue in your own writing journey, or whatever direction your life is taking you. Let’s enjoy the adventure together.