Janet Rubin
One of my new year's resolutions was to actually crack open and read some of the many how-to-write books I have stacked in piles about my house (as opposed to simply being content thinking how scholarly having such books scattered around makes me look.)Last year I read two terrific books on writing: Stephen King On Writing, and Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott.
The first one I'm tackling this year is a book my sister Susan (possibly my biggest fan) gave me for Christmas, called On Becoming a Novelist, by John Gardner. I think it will be a good one because, even though I'm still just in the preface, I've found a great quote:
"It is far more satisfying to write well than simply to write well enough to get published."
It's no secret to anyone who knows me that getting a novel published is a dream of mine. Right along with seeing my picture on the book's dust jacket, having my own spot on a shelf at Borders, and maybe even doing book signings. Perhaps I'll see those dreams realized, and then again, maybe not. But getting published shouldn't be my big goal.
My big goal should be using my gift for God's glory, and letting Him use me in any way He wishes. If I'm writing for God's glory, I must strive for excellence, not publication. I hope that once I am published (Lord willing), I won't decide my writing is "good enough," and stop growing. I hope that all my life I'll continue improving and learning.
As the above quote suggests, it is possible to write well enough to be published, yet not be writing your best. But God has designed us in such a way that we find true satisfaction when we know in our hearts that we are doing our very best.
Colossians 3:23-25 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Lord, As I continue on my writing journey, please help me to keep my eyes on You. Help me not to be lazy or to lower the standards of what I'm striving for. I want to work at this writing thing with all my heart, working for You, and looking forward to the inheritance I'll receive from You as a reward. That inheritance will be far more precious than any contract or raving book review could ever be. Amen.
Get a Free Ebook
Five Inspirational Truths for Authors
Try our Video Classes
Downloadable in-depth learning, with pdf slides
Find out more about My Book Therapy
We want to help you up your writing game. If you are stuck, or just want a boost, please check us out!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Sunday Devotion- More than Publication
Janet, I love that quote and think the Scripture verse goes well with it. By inference, you make another significant point: Writing our best will please the Lord, but it may not get us published. For this reason, if our highest goal is to please the Lord, rather than to get published, we won't get bummed as easily by rejection. Thanks, Janet! Your Sunday devotionals are becoming one of my fave NJ events.
ReplyDeleteI pray the Lord gives you the desires of your heart, I know that you would give Him all the glory and that He would be acknowledged as the author and finisher of your faith.
ReplyDeleteYou have a heart and head full of talent, and that's the best kind. Just a head full doesn't minister. God bless you as you press on toward your goal.
I'm still reading...don't forget me when you are at Borders!
Janet, I agree with Mike that your devotions are a highlight.
ReplyDeleteAs a Christian, sometimes I've been tenative about sharing my discouragement for fear other Christians will say something to the effect that we shouldn't be discouraged if we're keeping our eyes on Christ. I know that's true, but discouragement happens to the best of us and it's cool that we can be authentic and say so.
I long to have a book published too and I'm not going to make excuses for that or think that shouldn't be a goal of mine. Why shouldn't it? If I apply for a job, I want the job and will feel a bit low if I don't get it even though I know there's something better around the corner. I think it's okay to have goals. Pleasing God should always come first of course and doing our very best unto Him has to be at the heart of what we do but striving to earn a contract isn't something we should feel guilty about. No more than striving to buy a house or working overtime to take a vacation or anything else in this life.
Sometimes God has other plans for us though and His timing is His timing and it's perfect. Sorry I'm going on, just thinking out loud.
Anyway, thanks Janet.
Thanks, Mike, Pat, and Gina. I appreciate your comments. Gina, I don't think striving for publication is a bad thing. I'm doing it- guilt free! I think the quote means that we shouldn't MERELY strive for publication, but rather to WRITE WELL. There's a lot of mediocre stuff published. I think you and I could acheive that. But we aren't wanting to JUST get published, right? We want to write the best we can, write something excellent, or as you say in your profile, "write the best book we can write." My point is that God made us so that we'll find satisfaction when we do our best. You could write a mediocre book and get it pubbed, but if you knew you weren't doing the best you could, it wouldn't really make you happy. God cares about excellence, I think. And that's what we're doing at Pennies, right? Spurring one another on to try harder, raise the bar, push ourselves to reach our full potential. Yes, to get published, but also to simple "write well." Now I'M going on:) God bless!
ReplyDeleteWe're in agreement Janet. Publication in itself isn't a difficult thing. Writing with excellence is the first goal, which hopefully lead to the other.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather write a hundred non-published manuscripts than to have one published that is less than my best. Good thing for acquisition editors who feel the same.
Janet, from your lips to God's ears!
ReplyDeleteJanet - great thoughts! I have a few writing books I need to crack open too and start learning from, and excellence has been my goal for the last little while. I have written a few novels and want to see them published someday, but I want my writing to be the best that I can write, so I know they still need work. Good luck in your goals!
ReplyDelete