tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post9101988378367595629..comments2024-02-17T17:59:25.010+10:00Comments on Christian Writers Downunder: Dealing with DiscouragementJeanette O'Haganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11057798704247611224noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-82918342758519706742013-04-06T20:04:08.354+10:002013-04-06T20:04:08.354+10:00Great to hear of your brother's reaction - eve...Great to hear of your brother's reaction - even better when you know it's an honest response. <br />And yes, I think even a book a reader doesn't enjoy can get them thinking. :) Penny Reevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17673959533876970193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-70623004354913761532013-04-06T09:13:46.991+10:002013-04-06T09:13:46.991+10:00Thanks Amanda.
It can be hard separating our work...Thanks Amanda.<br /><br />It can be hard separating our work from our identity? I guess it's an ongoing process of surrendering both to the Lord.<br /><br />Blessings to you too Amanda for a lovely weekend.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-27864868296243607642013-04-06T09:10:13.295+10:002013-04-06T09:10:13.295+10:00Lyn, that's a beautiful response, thank you.
...Lyn, that's a beautiful response, thank you.<br /><br />I think as well we should expect negativity. Jesus has told us it will happen, and we have the opportunity to be gracious in how we receive it.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-46797179270534678822013-04-06T08:12:56.784+10:002013-04-06T08:12:56.784+10:00Great post Ian. I always try to remember that revi...Great post Ian. I always try to remember that reviews are subjective - the opinion of the reader - and in no way reflect me as a person. I think we have to separate our work from our identity.<br /><br />Also, when I read Jo's response, I remember a pastor friend who kept a file of 'hate' letters. He said he would read them whenever his pride was raising its ugly head.<br /><br />Perhaps both positives and negatives have their purpose - keeping us humble as already mentioned. :)<br /><br />Blessings, AmandaAmanda Deedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02430837640142332983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-2865984408345541552013-04-05T21:36:14.110+10:002013-04-05T21:36:14.110+10:00Not having had a book published yet, I haven't...Not having had a book published yet, I haven't received any reviews. I've seen some negative ones on the web sites of other published writers though, and have to say I felt a sense of outrage on behalf of the author. I guess what we need to do is ask if there is any validity in their comments, or is it simply a spiteful review done out of jealousy or perhaps because the author of the review isn't a Christian. As Christian authors, we write as the Lord leads (or at least we should) and if we know beyond any shadow of doubt it's from the Lord, we <i>know</i> that amongst our readers there is at least one person,or perhaps even several, whom the Lord speaks to through our writing. My favourite radio/TV preacher has a saying, "Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him." We know where our gift of writing comes from and one day we will enjoy "the applause of Heaven." May the Lord encourage you and give you peace and joy in your writing Ian. <br />Blessings,<br />LynAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-68549621825251907312013-04-05T14:26:25.353+10:002013-04-05T14:26:25.353+10:00Thanks Jenny.
Those quotes from Lincoln and Sava...Thanks Jenny. <br /><br />Those quotes from Lincoln and Savage are beauties, thank you for sharing them.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-47698177321113463262013-04-05T14:24:51.059+10:002013-04-05T14:24:51.059+10:00Thank Penny.
This morning my brother phoned to sa...Thank Penny.<br /><br />This morning my brother phoned to say he'd finished the novel. He's not a believer and so I was particularly anxious how he might receive it. We've typically not sugar-coated anything in our lives so I was pleasantly surprised how positive he was about it. He highlighted both strengths and weaknesses of the novel. I hope the story may have planted a seed.<br /><br />One of the great joys about Christian stories is we never know what God will do with them in the heart of the reader, even those who don't like them.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-32840020594543965962013-04-05T14:17:44.861+10:002013-04-05T14:17:44.861+10:00Hi Anusha, your point about discouragement serving...Hi Anusha, your point about discouragement serving to bring us back to God in a new way is very wise. And it is interesting how we so often are blessed through a difficult or unpleasant experience. Part of that humility thing that Jo-Anne referred to above, perhaps?<br /><br />Thank you for your generous words.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-43813866742660221762013-04-05T14:14:40.127+10:002013-04-05T14:14:40.127+10:00Love that Jo-Anne, yes, I've recently started ...Love that Jo-Anne, yes, I've recently started the positive reviews folder. Staying humble, yes, so important for us to do.<br /><br />Thanks Jo-Anne. Blessings to you too.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-22974460154967426532013-04-05T14:12:28.183+10:002013-04-05T14:12:28.183+10:00Thanks Jennifer, sound advice. Sometimes (well pro...Thanks Jennifer, sound advice. Sometimes (well probably more often than I care to admit) the discouragement can make me doubt what I believe God wants me to write. And that is exactly what the enemy wants, isn't it?<br /><br />It all keeps coming back to Him. <br /><br />Thanks for the encouragement.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-8528940827902368412013-04-05T14:09:57.988+10:002013-04-05T14:09:57.988+10:00Thanks Catherine.Thanks Catherine.Ian Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192687613923596829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-29369833627159453142013-04-05T11:37:11.108+10:002013-04-05T11:37:11.108+10:00Ian, I love the doughnut quote. Isn't amazing ...Ian, I love the doughnut quote. Isn't amazing that we let the 1% of negative responses to destroy our confidence rather despite all the positive ones. I know what feels like!<br /><br />I was sharing with my sister last night (a chaplain in two schools) the quote from Abe Lincoln "You can please some of the people some of the time all of the people some of the time some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time."<br /><br />Like you, moving my focus from the negative and letting it go helps. It also helps me to remember that every one has different tastes, ideals, experiences - so the negativity may have more to do with the critic than me, I don't have to please everyone. Another strategy I find helpful is considering what might be valid in the criticism - learning from that and discarding the rest (as John Savage says "Let the critic be your coach") and finally, that I don't have to be perfect to be accepted, that I am perfectly accepted in God's great love. <br /><br />Thanks for a relevant and interesting post.<br /><br />Jenny (PS not the Jenny of the story LOL)Jeanette O'Haganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11057798704247611224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-15341258926838549162013-04-05T11:26:07.864+10:002013-04-05T11:26:07.864+10:00Great post!
The "Is it that important?"...Great post!<br /><br />The "Is it that important?" question is a good one. <br />I've had a couple of reviews that have really bugged me (one in particular) but I think you are right about the danger of disappointment turning into bitterness. Ultimately once the book is off on its own it belongs more to the reader than to the writer. I think sometimes a book exists only in the interpretation of the reader and this is why it's so important to write what we are actually trying to say. But sometimes that reader gets it wrong. (unless EVERY review is negative and then perhaps we need to do some soul searching about the book itself.)<br />Your attitude to your reviews sounds healthy. Here's hoping Jenny can take a similar approach.Penny Reevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17673959533876970193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-80675464548167348592013-04-05T11:07:41.443+10:002013-04-05T11:07:41.443+10:00Thanks for your great post Ian. Letting go is ofte...Thanks for your great post Ian. Letting go is often hard - but so freeing when we do so isn't it? It's easy to focus on the one negative instead of all the positives. To let one difficult person get us down when a hundred others are for us.<br /><br />I agree that it's easy to get discouraged as writers. What keeps me encouraged is the joy and fulfillment I get from writing. That is my reward - far more than anyone else's thoughts about my writing. Also the knowledge that God has called me and that I am filling a niche that only I could fill.<br /><br />I do know that these discouragements often throw us on God in a new way - and then we are deeply blessed by the experience - because God comes through once again. So the situation turns into an encouraging one after all! :)<br />God bless you and keep writing! Anushahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17508779195790570276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-11031347364191137632013-04-05T11:05:25.316+10:002013-04-05T11:05:25.316+10:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anushahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17508779195790570276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-43509203517302603712013-04-05T10:43:49.894+10:002013-04-05T10:43:49.894+10:00Ian, I keep all the positive, encouraging emails I...Ian, I keep all the positive, encouraging emails I have received about my books in a special folder and even put some on my website, so that when those negative reviews or comments come along, I can get the whole picture in perspective. And I also try to remember that the negative comments just help to keep me humble! God bless and encourage you.Jo-Anne Berthelsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09775045057529728396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-12172146257567668152013-04-05T10:37:49.264+10:002013-04-05T10:37:49.264+10:00Don't be discouraged, keep staying true to wha...Don't be discouraged, keep staying true to what you know God wants you to write. Jennifer Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09284057776201270126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2208627029605402728.post-40915407252783919422013-04-05T10:20:22.252+10:002013-04-05T10:20:22.252+10:00Great post. I try to do that - ask myself to look ...Great post. I try to do that - ask myself to look at the situation 'in the light of eternity'<br />Thanks IanCatherine Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03947906623825971761noreply@blogger.com