Thursday 9 June 2016

CHESTNUTS by Rita Stella Galieh

Winter time is chestnut time.  Who can resist these delicious potato tasting nuts once they're baked?

And I wonder why they say an old joke or story is a chestnut?

But they have another side to them. The sweet inside nuts, besides their brown shell, are covered with nasty, large prickles. Pity the growers having to remove these but it must be done.

I couldn't resist this parable similar to the whole area of Writing. I'm sure every one of us who desires to write has to suffer many trials before cracking the actual kernel. Besides the numerous steps of getting your story into shape before you can hope for publication, then begins the tricky hunt for an agent or publisher.

Many of us have felt the discouragement of disinterest, or outright rejections. Worse still the acknowledgement the story is great, but perhaps your platform is minimal or non existent. Or that particular genre is not the trend right now. So what's the next step? Give it up as being too hard?

Most of us are very aware that before finding success, we have to wade through a pond of failures. The inventor's attitude is, 'These are just ways of not doing it' and they persist until they find the way that works. Mind you, we writers have all all the rules set out beforehand and supposedly we know what we shouldn't do. Then ... some author writes a best seller that seems to break all the rules. It helps if they have published before as they have already won the confidence of the publishers.

Now this is the time to step back and work out what's really important to you. And never give up!

To quote my Canadian writer friend, Christine Lindsay:
'When life happens
Admit you can only do so much.
Do what you can and leave the rest to the Lord.
Trust God that your writing career is in His Hands.

Don't let life happen and growl that it is hampering your writing career. But instead rest in the Lord and you just might be amazed at how he takes your efforts during your weary times and blesses you.

EMBRACE your life, the good and the bad.
REST physically and mentally.
TRUST God for the outcome.'

So when you're on the point of tearing out your hair, (as I've been at times) grasp the advice and promise of Proverbs 3:5 and 6.
 
Rita Stella Galieh is enjoying the challenges and rewards of Independent Publishing.

The 2nd edition of her Victoriana Trilogy  has seen her dream realised. As an art student at her convict built college, she wondered about its history. Research revealed the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt had visited there. One of the jailers joked about the local cat, meaning the cruel cat'o nine tails.

The Bloody Code was an all encompassing method of punishment for any offence deemed illegal. Often felons were sent to the gallows or faced transportation to England's brutal prisons in the Southern Hemisphere. After tracing the life of one innocent woman, on whom she based her story, this became the theme of her novel ... Signed Sealed Delivered. Book 2: The Tie that Binds, Book 3: A Parcel of Promises.

See ritastellapress.com     for information on both print and ebooks.

14 comments:

  1. Thanks so much dear Rita for a great post and for the encouragement which we writers need pretty often. I do like your analogy too. Yes, there are a lot of prickly bits to get through aren't there? And yes, it can be pretty disheartening sometimes. I do like your friends quote. Trusting God is what it's all about and Proverbs 3:5 and 6 are among my favourite verses in the Word to get through this life we are called to. Perhaps it's only in heaven that we will discover the real impact our writing had in the world. Till then, we shall persevere with glad and humble hearts. :)

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    1. I believe that with all my heart, Anusha. Every now and again someone will share something that has been an encouragement or a real help with a problem, but if we're committing our work to the Lord, He promises to bless. And in His time, not ours.

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  2. Thanks Rita for an encouraging analogy. There certainly can be a few prickles along the way but I think it's worth it. And I agree with your friend Christine Lindsay's advice - do all you can and wait on the Lord for the rest. (In fact, I think I said something along those lines at the end of my last post :) )

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    1. Oh, Jenny, it's the 'waiting on the Lord' that's one of the hard parts of writing. Still that's where faith and trust come in. And He always knows best.

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  3. Thank you Rita.
    This is my favourite part....
    ..."Don't let life happen and growl that it is hampering your writing career. But instead rest in the Lord and you just might be amazed at how he takes your efforts during your weary times and blesses you".
    'Growl' is such a wonderfully descriptive word!
    So often when I am writing, I am the one who is blessed, as I ponder life, even if it is the life of my story character!

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    1. Yes, Di I, have also found that I am blessed when writing. Usually because I have been through some struggle my main character is experiencing. Then as I look back I can see how the Lord has been in the situation. Hindsight is a good thing.

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  4. Thanks Rita for the encouragement and it is definitely worth the hard work and inevitable disappointments along the way. It helps us grow as writers don't you think? Love the inventor's attitude. I remember someone asking me when I first started writing - 'what makes you think you can write a book?' My response - 'well, I will never know if I don't give it a go.' The rest is history as they (whoever they are) say.

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    1. Hah! There are always the naysayers around, Lesley. I reckon as writers we are privileged to go through these hard times. Just as in real life we can say 'I needed to learn that lesson',or 'look how the Lord opened that door for me'.

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  5. Thanks, Rita! I love the perseverance you show in all things and your ability to keep going in God's strength.

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    1. My favourite promise is 'They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.' There are times when I've felt like giving up, Jo, but then I remember why I am writing and the Lord gives me the needed strength to keep at it.

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  6. Hi Rita,
    I love the warm, meaty middle of the chestnut, once the case has been broken through. Thanks for reminding us that many worthwhile things have their hard and prickly aspects to break through.

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    1. Me too, Paula. And yes, anything really worthwhile never just drops into our lap. And it is all the sweeter for having to strive for it.

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  7. This made me remember the chestnuts you gave me last year... and the Chestnut Trees in Germany, with all the prickly bits strewn all over the yard. It's like that with many things in life, not just writing. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  8. Hi Marg. We all need a little encouragement to balance the discouragements we often face. And especially if someone believes in you what a difference it makes.

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