Thinking It Through…
“You have a story that needs to be told.”
This is the phrase I featured on my website, business cards, and it’s even at the bottom of every single newsletter that I send out.
If I’m going to be honest, I never really put much thought into the phrase when I chose it as my tagline. But recently, I had an experience that made me completely rethink what it meant to me.
The Lecture
Last week, I gave an interactive lecture at the writing department of my local community college.
The topic was my own writing process, which meant that I actually had to sit down and figure out how I usually go from a blank page to a published book.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, or if anyone was even going to show up, but in the end, I was pleasantly surprised to have over twenty individuals in attendance.
I noticed people jotting down notes, or nodding as I talked, but it wasn’t until halfway through the lecture that I realized how much of an impact my simple little presentation was making on everyone.
The Shift
The head of the department had asked me to create a writing exercise related to my writing process, so I picked something quick and easy for everyone to do within a ten-minute time frame.
That’s when it started.
As I explained the exercise, I looked around at my audience, and watched everyone’s eyes light up—one by one.
There was a complete shift in the atmosphere of the room as the ten-minute countdown began and everyone picked up their pencils.
It felt as if inspiration was practically radiating from each person I saw.
Everyone completed the exercise before the timer went off, and some people even went above and beyond.
But the coolest part—and something that I didn’t expect—was that everyone shared what they wrote. Even the people who were shy about their writing, or who didn’t even consider themselves to be writers.
And not only did they share their writing—they were excited about it.
That’s when it hit me.
Somehow, everyone in the room had a story to tell, whether they wore the title of “writer” or not.
Were their stories perfect?
No.
Did they know that?
Yes.
But did that stop them from sharing their stories?
Absolutely not.
During the exercise, nobody frowned at an empty sheet of paper, made excuses, or opened their phone to ask AI for assistance.
They just wrote.
The Things That Hold Us Back
Everyone has a story that they want to tell—or a book that they want to write.
But there are so many obstacles and barriers that we allow to hold us back:
- Fear
- Guilt
- Time/other priorities
- Distractions
- A “lack of creativity”
- Self-doubt
- Waiting for “the right moment”
- Perfectionism/shame
- Procrastination
- Depression/anxiety
- Discouragement
- “Writer’s block”
- Spiritual warfare
I’ve dealt with just about everything on that list, and it’s only by the grace of God, and because of the support of my family and friends that I’ve made it this far in life, and my writing career.
Writing a book is not easy, but it’s not impossible either.
If you have a story that needs to be told (and I know you do), then keep writing.
Don’t let anything on that list of obstacles claim victory over you.
An Ambassador’s Ploy: My Story
In two weeks, I’ll be releasing my third book, An Ambassador’s Ploy, into the world.
This book is extremely important to me—not just because it’s the final book in the Adventures in Eldnaire trilogy, but because it’s proof.
Proof that depression, anxiety, perfectionism, fear, self-doubt, and all those other things didn’t win.
It’s proof that God is good, even when life isn’t.
And best of all, it’s proof that my life’s story isn’t done being told.
And yours isn’t either.
Before You Go…
While there are only a couple weeks before the release of An Ambassador’s Ploy, there’s still time to join the launch team and gain early access to the book (along with some other special prizes)!
To learn more or join the launch team, click here!
Also, if you’ve been wanting to grab a copy of the Fantastical Summer anthology, now is the perfect time! It’s currently on sale for 99 cents! Click here to get the Fantastical Summer anthology before the deal expires.