Posted August 20, 2011STEP INTO THE WATER
You've decided to become a writer. To be a writer, you need to write something. Get those ideas down on paper or the computer.
When you've written your manuscript and it's been accepted for publication, can you then rest easy that it's going to take off and hit the New York Times Best Seller list?
If you believe that, you know the old cliche, "I've got a bridge in the Nevada desert I'd like to sell to you..."
"But God will make it happen," you say. "I'm a praying writer. Don't you believe God does still perform some miracles today?"
Certainly, though not as many as He might because of our unbelief. But of course God performs miracles and He sometimes surprises us with more than we could ever imagine.
Paul states this in his letter to the Ephesians- 3:20-21. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end."
"So there you have it," you might say.
Hold up. If we back up to Ephesians 3:12, we're to "have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him." So by faith we can believe that God will multiply our loaves of bread -- so to speak.
However, if we take a look throughout the Bible, God's people usually had to make a move before God acted. They had to be bold. They had to believe. They had to DO something.
1. Abraham had to obey the clarion call and leave Ur. Everything he knew. He also had to take a step that seems horrifying to us today.
2. When God tested him to see if he would sacrifice his son, Abraham set out to do just that, knowing that God was sovereign, and he had to trust Him to provide a better sacrifice than his young son Isaac.
3. Another example is when God was freeing the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. The people had to obey and take action. They had to put blood above the doorposts of their homes so their sons would be spared.
4. Then when sandwiched between the edge of the Red Sea and Pharoah's chariot warriors, Moses not only had to raise his rod or staff for the sea to part -- requiring action -- the people had to step foot onto a path between the parted water. That experience had to be terrifying!
5. Then once again, they had to do something similar when crossing the Jordan with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant. Before the water would part there, the priests had to step into the water.
6. What about when Peter saw Jesus walking on water? He first had to get out of the boat to walk on water. And then we know what happened next. Because of his lack of faith that he could actually do what Jesus was doing, he began to sink. Jesus had to save him. But later Peter -- even though he was a corker and made mistakes -- he was at last able to succeed because he took action. He persevered.
And these are only a few examples. There are tons more in the Bible.
How does this tie into writing? Just because you've written the last book to complete a Gone With the Wind trilogy doesn't mean people are going to buy your book. Just because you've begun writing brilliant prose on a new blog doesn't mean your blog and website are going to be swamped with visitors anytime soon. It takes time to grow a following. It takes time to write quality blog articles that are informative with a takeaway. The world has to know you exist before they can purchase your books. Of course God can always whisper in the ear of the people to tell them to go buy your book, but normally He doesn't work that way. He expects us to take action. Then He delights us and gives us the desires of our hearts.
It all boils down to a reduction sauce of hard work. Hours of writing. Time taken for interacting on social media to draw people to your blog which means Tweeting and having a presence on Facebook and other web sites to help speed up the process. "Build it and they will come" might work for some venues, however, more and more people are writing these days, cranking out their memoirs and novel series. Competition is stiff. They're busy writing, promoting, marketing. You have to let them and the reading public know you exist.
To be successful in any field, you must stand out. The way you do that is to take action.
Don't you think it's time to step into the water?
Let me know if you've experienced a "stepping into the water" recently and the outcome. I'd love to hear from you about your own marketing and promotion successes.
Email your reply to....:vmoss@livingwaterfiction.com
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