Everyone Has a Story--Guest Blog #1

Jeannie Ewing

 

It baffles me that I’ve received recent accolades from friends and family regarding my authorship.  Somehow people think authors are set apart from “the rest” of society, but quite the contrary is true.  What differentiates between a superb author who becomes published and a wanna-be writer?  Perseverance, patience, and practice.

Perseverance

Most people don’t realize that published authors have to endure countless hours of “blood, sweat, and tears” before the finalized version of their manuscript is available for purchase.  It’s not an easy endeavor; in fact, it’s probably one of the toughest experiences I’ve endured in my life so far – minus giving birth to a child with a rare craniofacial condition. 

Writing for publication takes dedication and persistence, especially during setbacks and rejections.  Some writers take years before their work becomes publicly known, and that is why perseverance is such a critical virtue for a successfully published writer.  If you can stick through your frustrations, discouragement, lulls, fine-tuned editing, and prepare yourself for a long road ahead, you probably have the grit to become a published writer.

Patience

This virtue coincides with perseverance.  Writing takes a lot of time.  To reach a goal of publication, writers truthfully will need to make many sacrifices.  I’ve had to turn down social invitations that I’d otherwise attend with friends so that I can work on my manuscript.  It’s disappointing but necessary at times, especially when one has set a goal.

With anything in life, patience tempers that innate impulsivity for instant gratification.  The flames of zeal in our hearts are tamed into quiet embers that burn steadily but without as much exertion.  Patience creates endurance necessary for renunciation. 

Writing can be a chore at times.  It isn’t all pleasantries.  It’s intense and monumental.  Many people in your life may not understand your dedication, but it’s crucial that you do not give up and stay the course.

Practice

I began writing from a young age.  It was very informal at first – juvenile diaries with locks and eventually journals – but I wrote something every day.  To me, this is the most significant aspect of transitioning from a half-hearted hopeful writer to a serious published author.  It’s the practice of writing that makes one good at writing. 

There are days I’d rather be doing anything but writing, like reading or watching a movie.  But there is a particular interior discipline that nudges me to continue.  If I can relate the need for practice with my ultimate goal (publication), then all of the hard work becomes meaningful.

I’m a firm believer that everyone has a story.  Yes, it’s true that some of us are naturally gifted writers, while others struggle.  But that doesn’t mean your story has less value than someone else’s.  I think personal anecdotes are the most powerful teaching forces available to our modern culture.  Subjectivity can be shaky, but when life experience is substantiated by research or objective spiritual Truth, then it is potent and potentially life-changing.

Maybe that is what your story will do for someone else – change his or her life.  So begin by writing (uncensored) every day, and perhaps you, too, will become a published author one day.

Text Copyright 2015 Jeannie Ewing, all rights reserved.
Image Copyright 2015 “Chalkboard” by 742680 on Pixabay.

About the Author 

Jeannie Ewing is a writer, speaker, and grief recovery coach.  She is the co-author of Navigating Deep Waters: Meditations for Caregivers.  Jeannie was featured on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition and Tony Agnesi’s radio show Finding God’s Grace.  She offers her insight from a counselor’s perspective into a variety of topics, including grief, spirituality, and parenting children with special needs.  Jeannie resides in northern Indiana with her husband and two daughters, both of whom have special needs.  For more information on her professional services, please visit her websites lovealonecreates.com or fromgrief2grace.com.