Timing: It’s a God Thing! from the Heart of Diana L. Flegal
GOD IS GOOD -GOD IS GREAT- GOD IS SLOW BUT NEVER LATE! (quote courtesy of Eddie Jones)
It’s not about you! We hear it all the time yet fail the test over and over again. You might email your agent many times to see what is happening, chew your nails down to the quick and lose sleep wondering if anyone out there is going to consider you a real writer or buy your second book. Waiting is often the most difficult thing a writer has to do.
God is all about the process. In our personal lives as well as our professional writing and agenting lives. God’s timing is often in question yet He is sovereign. When we think He is late- we are wrong. When we think He is early - we are wrong.
As literary agents, dealing with an industry that most often moves at a snail’s pace- we often hear the frustration of our authors as they wonder what is taking so long. Haven’t you heard back from the editor yet? – they were going to committee two weeks ago, or they publish books like mine all the time, why can’t I get mine sold? We often feel the same frustrations.
Eccles. 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven
God’s timing is impeccable. Joshua 10 tells us he caused the sun and moon to stand still. So many things had to happen astronomically for this to occur- so many things inter-related. In publishing we have the writer, the agent, the editor and their families. God is working in each life, orchestrating His plan through every one.
Here are a few suggestions of what one can do while you are waiting on God:
1) Further hone your skills by attending writer’s conferences, taking workshops, becoming a member of a critique group and availing yourself of the many ‘How To’ titles out there that can help you with plot and character development.
2) Build a platform through speaking engagements, developing a website and blogging.
3) Research the internet for comparative titles.
4) Read the genre you write in.
5) Join a critique group and surround yourself with ‘excuse me but you have Broccoli in your teeth’ folks
6) Edit, edit and re edit your material and your work will be the better for it. Even in this present economy with fewer slots open for each genre- great writing will find its way to a publisher.
7) Submit reviews to online bookstores like amazon.com, barnesandnobel.com and christianbook.com.
8) Write articles for publication.
I leave you with a wonderful thought to meditate upon. ‘God has the ability to orchestrate those who do not even know they are in the orchestra’, Pastor Lance Lecocq
GOD IS GOOD -GOD IS GREAT- GOD IS SLOW BUT NEVER LATE! (quote courtesy of Eddie Jones)
It’s not about you! We hear it all the time yet fail the test over and over again. You might email your agent many times to see what is happening, chew your nails down to the quick and lose sleep wondering if anyone out there is going to consider you a real writer or buy your second book. Waiting is often the most difficult thing a writer has to do.
God is all about the process. In our personal lives as well as our professional writing and agenting lives. God’s timing is often in question yet He is sovereign. When we think He is late- we are wrong. When we think He is early - we are wrong.
As literary agents, dealing with an industry that most often moves at a snail’s pace- we often hear the frustration of our authors as they wonder what is taking so long. Haven’t you heard back from the editor yet? – they were going to committee two weeks ago, or they publish books like mine all the time, why can’t I get mine sold? We often feel the same frustrations.
Eccles. 3:1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven
God’s timing is impeccable. Joshua 10 tells us he caused the sun and moon to stand still. So many things had to happen astronomically for this to occur- so many things inter-related. In publishing we have the writer, the agent, the editor and their families. God is working in each life, orchestrating His plan through every one.
Here are a few suggestions of what one can do while you are waiting on God:
1) Further hone your skills by attending writer’s conferences, taking workshops, becoming a member of a critique group and availing yourself of the many ‘How To’ titles out there that can help you with plot and character development.
2) Build a platform through speaking engagements, developing a website and blogging.
3) Research the internet for comparative titles.
4) Read the genre you write in.
5) Join a critique group and surround yourself with ‘excuse me but you have Broccoli in your teeth’ folks
6) Edit, edit and re edit your material and your work will be the better for it. Even in this present economy with fewer slots open for each genre- great writing will find its way to a publisher.
7) Submit reviews to online bookstores like amazon.com, barnesandnobel.com and christianbook.com.
8) Write articles for publication.
I leave you with a wonderful thought to meditate upon. ‘God has the ability to orchestrate those who do not even know they are in the orchestra’, Pastor Lance Lecocq
8 comments:
I totally agree with you. Unfortunately, I'm not a good "waiter" and God has to keep teaching me patience. Great suggestions!
Diana: I love this. Especially the suggestions for filling in the time while we wait. Don't you think most of life is spent in one kind of waiting room or another?
Thanks for caring,
Jen
Audience of ONE
AMEN! Patience is a virtue, especially in the writing field and especially when you're trying to find someone who will believe in you.
Thank you for this post.
Hi dear agent Diana :-)
At first I thought you were writing just to me! (Just kidding, but it sure could have been, as you well know.) I loved everything you wrote, especially your check list (and I can say "yes" to most of them, fortunately). It's a list I'll share with my WAITING writing pals. Thanks for the great advice and encouragement. You sure are the BEST! May our loving Lord encourage you today, TOO! :-)
So true! I'm so thrilled to be used by the Lord in any capacity and His timing comes with the territory.
Just yesterday I sat for over an hour in my doctor's examining room while she looked at my x-rays...the imagination ran wild and I began to wonder, "Maybe she's forgotten about me and went to lunch." But suddenly God filled me with a calmness and a peace, letting me know that she was coming and was attending to my care...And she was. And He is too.
Thanks, Diana, for that clear rundown of what you mysterious creatures a.k.a., agents provide your clients. Loved your quotes, too, something to chew on all day. As for the "what to do while waiting" list, always good advice.
Thank you so much for your inspirational words. I hope you do not mind if I add in one of my favorites.
Without faith, nothing is possible.
With it, nothing is impossible.
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