Friday, May 8, 2009

What is Your Goal?

My friend and fellow-writer, Cammie, likens our writing goals to a football game. At the end of the field, just past the goal line, is God. At the 99-yard-line are people—our potential readers. In the center of the field, near the 50-yard line, stand editors, agents and publishers who sometimes help us carry the “ball” of our message to the people on the 99-yard-line.

In a world where dollars and trophies are common measures of success, it is natural to begin to view traditional publication as our main goal. But if we do, we will eventually become disillusioned when a rejection letter knocks us flat on the 50-yard-line. While publishers often excel at the craft of writing and editing, they are not the goal: rather, they are highly trained distributors.

What if you were the only human on Earth? Would you still write? To a born writer, writing is much like singing is to a born singer. We write because God created us to write. People or no people, a writer’s manuscript is a praise offering to God. Our manuscripts are beautifully wrapped packages, like the gold, frankincense, and myrrh offered by the three wise men to the Christ child.

God is able to distribute our words in a myriad of creative ways, both traditional and unusual. Our success is not determined by Doubleday or Random House, Tyndale House or Bethany House. Wise as they are, they are middlemen. Our success is determined by the Holy-Spirit driven power of our words and by the way God weaves circumstances together to distribute our words. Only God has the power to make words last.

May our goal be to see our manuscripts, bound or unbound, computer-generated or handwritten, reprinted or an only-copy, on the shelves in Our Lord’s personal library—our 100-yard-line.

And, may we keep our eyes on our audience of one, the Lamb of God and Shepherd of our souls.

10 comments:

  1. I LOVE this, Jeanette! You always seem to say just the right things that I need to hear! Wow, it's amazing how that happens, as if God is using you to minister to me personally. I'm going to print out your post as a reminder to myself that my books are beautiful packaged gifts that I'm giving to him to be put in his personal library! Thank you for your encouraging words! Hope you have a great weekend!

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  2. Jody:
    Wow, thanks! Your comment made my day. Perhaps my calling is not so much to write books and have them published, but to encourage other writers?
    Blessed weekend,
    jen

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  3. If I was the only human on earth I'd write with the Holy Spirit. It would still be so much fun. ;)

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  4. T. Anne;
    Good for you, girl! It would be fun, and no pressure to perform!
    Happy Mother's Day,Jen

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  5. Jen, thanks for stopping by my blog! It was a pleasant surprise to find such a sweet comment waiting for me.

    I see I'm in good company here, as I "know" both Jody and T. Anne. *waves* Oh! And I see dear Angie, Gumbo Writer up there, too, in your followers box. :)

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  6. WOW! I've been feeling this way but couldn't explain it. I've been asked why I use a pseudonym when submitting things outside of the blog and I said because it's not about me. Thank you!

    smooches,
    Larie

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  7. Janna:
    You are welcome! I enjoyed your blog. Join me anytime, please!
    Happy Mother's Day,
    Jen

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  8. Larie: Y
    ou are so right; it's not about us. I have to remind myself of that hourly, or minutely (is that a word?)!
    Love Jen

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  9. Wonderful post, Jen.
    I think I would still write just because I've always written. Started my first diary in second grade. LOL
    This is really beautiful. I was just thinking about this the other day, that I'd like to be published and have a career writing, but that I want my stories to glorify God too. To be both a gift to God and entertaining/life changing to people.
    Thanks for this post. :-)

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  10. You're back!!! Welcome home, Jessie! I bet you're as tan as a little nut! LOL!

    Thanks for stopping by, and the kind comments.
    Yes, I do believe you write just for Him. But, i also hope you are published soon!
    Blessings, Jen

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