Running Your Own Writing Race

On a summer's day in 1954, the air was palpable in the Empire Stadium in Vancouver. British athlete Roger Bannister and Australian athlete John Landy were about to compete in the one-mile race at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. They were the only two men to have broken the four-minute mile and this was their first head-to-head showdown. 

Landy was leading as they came into the final straight. He looked left to check the position of his opponent, and Bannister ran past on his right at that very moment. Bannister went on to win, with Landy close behind. Would Landy have won if he'd kept his eyes on the finish line instead of trying to look at what his opponent was doing? We'll never know. But Landy's sideways glance has become an iconic image. There is even a statue in Vancouver that captures that moment.

I'm not a runner, but I've watched enough athletics to know that middle-distance races are as much about tactics as speed. It's not a bad thing to be aware of your competitor's position, but you also need to run your own race and keep your eyes on the goal.

So what does this have to do with writing? 

I Am Not Kate Morton

When I started writing my novel many moons ago, I wanted to 'do a Kate Morton'. If you haven't come across her writing, she's a wildly successful Australian author known for her sweeping parallel narratives. Namely, books that weave different stories together within the same overall story arc. In Kate's case, this usually means having at least one story from the past and one story from the present, that move along in parallel and then intersect in a way that eventually brings the whole story together.

I especially loved her books The Forgotten Garden and The Distant Hours. To me, that was the pinnacle of writing and I wanted to do the same. I had the chance to meet her when I went to an author lunch and talk with my friend Janet Camilleri (fab founder and director of Front Page SEO). Not long afterwards, I enrolled in an intensive weekend novel writing workshop at the Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) to kickstart my fabulous career. When the instructor did the usual introductory whizz around the table to see what everyone was writing, I even said that I wanted to write a parallel narrative like Kate Morton. 

I persisted with that novel for about three years until I did QWC's 'Year of the Edit' course in which we had to critically evaluate our works in progress. After a big helping of denial, I finally realised that the novel I was writing just wasn't working. I was trying to fit the pieces together, but the links between the past and present story were becoming contrived. The past story had become the dominant one and I needed to pull that out and make that the story. That meant a lot more cutting, plotting, editing, writing and rewriting; but I think the finished product was worth it. My debut novel Scattered was an historical novel rather than a parallel narrative, but that was the best way to tell the story. 

I am not Kate Morton and that's okay. 

The Comparison Trap

There are a lot of wonderful writers out there and we can take inspiration from them, be encouraged by them and learn from them. But if we start comparing our writing journey to theirs and wishing we were like them, we can fall into a trap.

Discouragement

We might feel discouraged because our writing seems to pale into insignificance beside theirs. We can't imagine ever writing as well as they do; or achieving the sales, accolades or followers they do. 'Woe is me. I may as well give up this fanciful dream of a writing life. What made me think I could write a book anyway?'

Envy or Sour Grapes

Comparison can also turn to envy or good old sour grapes. 

'How come his debut novel is selling like hotcakes, while the sales of mine are still limping along after several years?' 

'My book is just as good as hers, but I wasn't shortlisted for the prize. That stinks.'

'If he's publishing that many books a year, they must be shoddy quality, unlike my stellar work. Another few years should do it!'

Envy is never a good look, especially for Christians who are supposed to be cheering each other on.

Taking our Eyes off the Goal

If we're too busy watching what another writer is or isn't doing, we're not focusing on our own writing journey and what God wants us to be doing.

Running Our Own Race

God has given each of us different talents and spiritual gifts. We have different passions and personalities. We have different backgrounds and life experiences. We are all at different stages of life and have different responsibilities. And here's the clincher. He wants each of us to serve Him in ways that only we can. He has called us to run our own race, not someone else's.

So what has God called me to write? I was working on the sequel to Scattered when God sent me on a detour to write a devotional book, which was published this year: Comfort Zone: A 40-Day Devotional on the Father of All Comfort. It turned out to be a big detour because I'm currently writing the second book in that series. I'm also putting together an anthology of short stories and poems on the theme of social justice, as well as a separate poetry collection. God has also been prompting me to do more with all of the songs I've written over the years, and the sequel to Scattered is still in the mix somewhere. However, there has been no mention of me 'doing a Kate Morton'. Funny, that!

The following verses, written to first-century believers, could just as well apply to us as Christian writers.


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

What race has God called you to run? I'd love to hear your stories and cheer you on.

Sources

Bible verses taken from the New International Version of the Bible that appears on Bible Hub. Featured photo of runner on track by Roshan Rajopadhyaya on Pixabay. Photo of Bannister/Landy statue by Paul Joseph from Wikimedia Commons and used under their licence. Photo of Janet, Kate and Nola from the author's collection. Author pic by Wayne Logan from Encouraging Photos.

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. Her books include the inspirational historical novel Scattered, the Christian devotional book Comfort Zone, and the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light which she co-edited with Jeanette O’Hagan. She also has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. She loves sharing the words and stories God impresses on her heart, and prays that He will use them to bless others. 

Nola would love to connect with you on her website: www.nolalorraine.com.au

Power of Committment by Jo Wanmer

It's a long time ago. Fifty-four years today. Yet I still remember. More the emotions than the event, for it was an emotional day.

No longer a Miss. Now a Mrs. I was young though I thought I was old and mature. So young my understanding of marriage was simple. I would have a husband to help me live my life and our lives would be like Mum and Dad’s. He expected his life to be like his parents with me adding adventure. He was an introverted introvert. I was a loud extrovert. What were we thinking? Did we even think?

Within a few days several things became obvious. He was and still is an owl. Meanwhile my eyes opened before the sun, my body wanting to rush to the beach to watch the sunrise. He countered my idea with an offer of sunset.

He loved rest and reading. I craved action and adventure. Yes, we were and still are exact opposites. On day two he reached the conclusion that we’d made a mistake.  When he tentatively expressed that opinion, I turned on him, furious. ‘Don’t you ever say that again!’

You see in that era, marriage was forever. I guess fifty-four years later we can say we are well on the way to achieving that goal.

 Do I wish I’d done it differently? Yes. In lots of areas but to make mistakes isn’t a reason to quit. Do I wish we’d given up? Not for a moment.

 A partnership of opposites develops character, if we allow it, if  we are committed, and we were. Before God, we had promised each other. And so, adjustments began. Compromises, often painful, were necessary. Through them we developed an understanding of each other. And an understanding of ourselves.

He became less introverted. I quietened and learned to listen. In time we realised, we complemented each other. We learned to respect each other's differences. He stopped many of my hair-brained ideas. I pushed him to new adventures. He kept me steady. I stopped him always doing everything the same. After about twenty years we really started to appreciate each other. Now the privilege of a life-long partner is a deep richness that few experience.

I began writing because he gives me space and encourages me. He excels as a coach because I believe in him, even in the early days when there was very little income. And our lives are full of joint memories, some very good, some very bad and many very ordinary. But we share every memory.

Today we mark our fifty-fourth anniversary. We will celebrate in a low-key manner. That’s our way. And we will thank our Lord for His faithfulness, His leading, His presence and the amazing miracle of a long life together.

What does this have to do with writing? 

Commitment. 

About fifteen years ago my husband pushed me into making a dream chart. A series of pictures that represented my goals. One of those pictures had a mock-up of a shelf of books with my name as the author. It was crazy. My only writing at the time was recording feelings in a journal and two sixteeen page booklets written for my grandchildren. 

The visual setting of a goal fired something in me. Ten books became the aim.

The commitment I embarked upon with ‘Writing’ was not an easy journey. Sometimes years flew past when I didn’t communicate with ‘Writing’ even though my first book, Though the Bud be Bruised, was published. You see, we often disagreed. ‘Writing’ can be very legalistic, inflexible, demanding. I just want to tell a story, uninterested in grammar, structure, or position of the comma. Under the seemingly never-ending demands of correct/good writing, I would often quit.

But my commitment would stir me up again and I’d write a short story or blog or even a book. ‘Writing’ and I would then have another disagreement. Discouraged I’d close the creative stream again.

The problem is always the same. I want to just bang out a story. ‘Writing’ always pushes and pulls to fix errors, to enhance characters, to improve the story with better structure.

With a lot of help from a committed friend, fellow wordsmiths, and influence of Holy Spirit I began to appreciate the finer points of ‘Writing’.  My words need to be clear and follow good writing principles to enable my reader to become immersed in the story.

We respect each other now. Without my creative input helped by Holy Spirit
no manuscript would emerge. Without my partner, ‘Writing,’ the words would be too clumsy to read. Without a dream, a commitment, we wouldn’t have formed this relationship and there would be no books. I’m thankful for both ‘Writing’ and that initial push, because I love what we are producing together.

What about you? How has a dream, a commitment, or covenant empowered you?

Jo Wanmer's passion is Jesus and family. Her writing has emerged from her experiences in these areas. The bookshelf above holds books where her stories have been published. We are still pushing to have 'Jo Wanmer' on ten spines. There are three other mini books and El Roi will be published later this year. Two more in the editing phase, but she's itching to sit down with Holy Spirit and create another adventure. Her latest book El Shaddai is getting great responses from readers. It's a book about the character, El Shaddai, and He is unexpected and amazing. If you'd like to read it you can contact her throughFaceBook and get a copy in your hands. 

Goals and Deadlines by Jo Wanmer

Are you a procrastinator? 

How do you make sure you get things done, or do they sit forgotten? We all struggle to get to some tasks. Especially if they are difficult to start and harder to complete. 

Take for example the laundry. I mean who wants to wash clothes? Boring, menial task. But yet we manage to do it…repeatedly. Why?

We want to smell good, look fresh, be clean. That’s our goal. And we need the item that is hidden in the laundry basket…we want to wear it tonight.

 A deadline. 

And so the job gets done. 

 A simplistic example I know. But it demonstrates a life principle. To get anywhere worthwhile we need goals. SMART goals. Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Recordable and have a set Time limit. 

How does that affect our writing? Ask anyone who has participated in NaNoWriMo, the classic writer’s SMART goal, and they will talk of increased productivity. 

What is a SMART goal and how do we set them? 

Let's look as NaNo’s method to get us productive.

 S - Specific Goal – 50,000 words 

 M - Measurable – our software counts for us. 

 A - Achievable – it’s a push, but possible. Thousands have proved it. 

 R - Recordable – a daily graph comparing where we are in relation to our goal appears when we record our daily word count. 

 T - Time limit. – One month, strictly. 

Therefore, the task for each day, or each week is clear. I thrive under it's discipline and have written three books that way. I love to write...to tell a story and the system inspires me. But, where are those books? Reclining on my computer, visible only to me. Why? In my head, publishing , seems to be an insurmountable task. 

I need a goal. That’s easy. The goal is to publish them. 

How to achieve that aim? Not so easy. 

One manuscript has been edited, adjusted, rewritten, re-edited, and yet still waits on my laptop. Several readers have read it and given positive reports. So wouldn’t you think some publisher would knock on my door and plead to publish it! 

After a strong encouragement from the Lord last October, including an Encouragement award from Caleb awards, I have pushed myself to cast off discouragment and return to writing. In that time, I’ve written another book (under the discipline of NaNoWriMo) and finished another that was languishing, awaiting inspiration. Good…but not good enough. They need to, deserve to be read.

How do I make a SMART goal to help me release these books out in the world?

First, I researched and wrote a list of necessary tasks that must be done to have a book ready for publication. It then became obvious. I need a progression of goals…and time limits.

So I created a deadline. I booked tickets for Omega Writer's Conference in September. By then I need to have blurbs, synopsis, book summaries done. I need to be ready to sell myself and my books to an agent. I need to improve my platform. Polish another book. The specific goal is to have two books ready for publication.  

I created a goal sheet with monthly goals that can be recorded, trying to keep the goals achievable. The chart enables me to record progress. 

To help with this, I’ve also created personal goals, covering health and spiritual well-being. I’ve yet to create a recording chart to track progress in this area. Until I do that it is not a SMART goal. However, my sugar readings, that are measured every day, have dramatically improved. 

After conference, I will set another goal. This will be TO GET PUBLISHED. I am determined. I have pushed down the negative voices and will self-publish if necessary. My stories carry God's heart and deserve to be distributed.  

 Accountability…is another important ‘A’ word. I guess you are now my accountability partners! 

How about you? How do you keep yourself on task? In this self-appointed, isolated occupation of writing, how do you keep yourself choosing keyboard over other pressing, time-stealing occupations, like the washing?

Jo Wanmer has lived in Queensland for over seventy years. She is currently celebrating 53 years of marriage to Steve. They have two children,eight grandchildren and nearly 9nine great-grand children. They are hoping this trend slows a little!

She writes out of her passion to bring a dynamic faith and daily experience of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to her readers. He loves everyone of them and is waiting to embrace them, chat with them and laugh together.

Her first book, Though the Bud be Bruised, won a Caleb award and was published in 2012. The other titles are coming!

Up, Up and Away: Writing Lessons from Superman's Creators

 

Do you have writing dreams? Maybe you’re working on your debut novel, but the plot and characters aren’t working. Perhaps you’ve tried to find an agent or publisher, but you've received a dreaded rejection letter. Maybe you’re self-publishing, but the learning curve has you bamboozled. Perhaps you sent your book baby off to an editor and it came back with hundreds of corrections and comments.

If you can tick any of those boxes, you have more in common with the creators of Superman than you think. Appearing in the first issue of Action Comics in 1938, Superman has become the iconic superhero that practically invented the genre and spawned a whole industry—radio and TV shows, movies, animated features, merchandise, fan clubs, cosplay, action figures, the list goes on. Superman movies and TV shows are still being made, and Action Comics is still being published by DC Comics. Indeed, Superman is one of the greatest publishing success stories of all time.

Wherever we are in our publication journeys, there are some lessons we can learn from Superman’s creators.

Meet Jerry and Joe

 

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster met in high school when they were about 16. (In the photo, Jerry's the one standing.) They gravitated towards each other through their shared Jewish backgrounds and their love of science fiction, newspaper comic strips and swashbuckling silent screen stars. A few years later, they submitted a comic book story called The Superman to a publisher, but it would be another five years before Superman made his public debut. So how did Jerry and Joe realise their dream?

 

Lessons for Writing

 

They Weren’t Afraid to Start Small

 

Siegel and Shuster started out by working on their high school newspaper, with Jerry writing prose and Joe drawing funny cartoons. They even collaborated on an illustrated series of stories called Goober the Almighty which was a parody of Tarzan.

Lesson – Don’t think that your first publication has to be a book. Short pieces such as blog posts, devotions, short stories, poems, and articles for your church newsletter are worthwhile and can touch readers who may never see your full-length manuscript. There is also a Biblical precedent for this in Zechariah 4:10 (NLT): ‘Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin …’

 

They Considered Different Routes to Publication

 

Siegel and Shuster were both fans of the pulp science-fiction magazines of the day, but Jerry submitted a number of stories without getting a sale. Undaunted, they started their own mimeographed publication called Science Fiction, which lasted for a few issues. One of the stories they published was The Reign of the Superman, though that story was vastly different from the Superman we know.

When they came up with another idea for a superhero named Superman, they initially envisaged it as a syndicated strip in newspapers, as that was more lucrative at the time. However, they were also open to it being used in a comic book. Newspaper syndication came after Superman’s appearance in comic books and not before.

Lesson – You may have a vision for your book, but don’t close off other avenues too soon. You may dream of having your book traditionally published, but indie publishing is also well-regarded these days if it is done in a professional manner. You may have an idea for a graphic novel, but it may work better as a novella, or vice versa. This doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on your original vision. If you’re prepared to think flexibly about your project, and keep it in prayer, an opportunity might come your way that you hadn’t even thought of.

 

They Didn’t Just Have One Idea

 

Although they dreamed of having their own syndicated comic strip with Superman, they kept working on other ideas. Some of their other stories—including Henri Duval of France, Slam Bradley, Federal Men, and Spy—featured in comic books before Superman.

Lesson – You may have a pet project, but don’t let that stop you from developing other ideas. You never know which one will fly first, and you’re developing skills along the way. Besides, God is the Creator of the entire universe and He’s the one who gave you your creative gifts and talents. With His help, you’ll never be short of ideas.

  

They Tapped into Universal Needs

 

Siegel and Shuster came from humble beginnings, and were teenagers during the Depression, so they knew what it was like to be in need. It’s not surprising, then, that they imbued their superhero with an unwavering desire for truth and justice. Siegel puts it like this:

[Superman] was very serious about helping people in trouble and distress, because Joe and I felt that very intensely … We were young kids and if we wanted to see a movie we had to sell milk bottles, so we sort of had the feeling that we were right there at the bottom and we could empathize with people. Superman grew out of our feelings about life. And that’s why, when we saw so many similar strips coming out, we felt that they were perhaps imitating the format of Superman, but something wasn’t there, which was this tremendous feeling of compassion that Joe and I had for the downtrodden. (Daniels, 1999, pp. 35-36).

 

Lesson – Doesn’t everyone want someone who cares about them and will fight for them against injustice? As Christian writers, we have someone even better than Superman. Our God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (2 Corin. 1:3-4). He is the champion of the fatherless, the widowed, the prisoner, the lonely (Ps. 68:5-6). Jesus defeated sin and death on the cross (Col. 2:13-15)  and is our advocate before the Father (1 John 2:1-2). The Holy Spirit is interceding for us now (Rom. 8:26-27). What a wonderful privilege it is to share God’s love and truth with a hurting world.

  

They Learned That Waiting Has Its Advantages

 

Siegel and Shuster had their share of disappointments on their way to achieving their dream, but that dream ended up being realised in ways they could never have imagined. During those waiting years, they kept working on their writing and art, they submitted ideas and comics, they had some publication success, and they had time to refine their pet project. The Superman that was finally published in 1938 was very different from the one that they conceived in 1933. They had time to work on his backstory, his personality and appearance, the supporting cast like Lois Lane, and the overall shape of the story. It also appeared at the ‘right’ time in history, as Hitler’s power was growing, along with his anti-Semitic philosophy that would plunge the world into war a year later. What better time was there for two young Jewish men to create comics about a superhero who would always fight for truth and justice, and stand against the forces of evil?

Lesson – You may feel like your dreams are out of reach, but if they’re godly dreams, they’re on His timeline. As Mark Batterson (2012) notes, ‘God is never early. God is never late. God is always right on time.’ 

Do you have a dream for your writing? Why not submit it to God before submitting it to a publisher. Then see what amazing things God can do through you. Before you know it, your manuscript will be 'up, up, and away!'

 

Sources

Batterson, M. (2012). Draw the circle: The 40 day prayer challenge. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Daniels, L. (1999). Superman: The Golden Age. New York: DC Comics.

Further Reading

See the entry about Siegel and Shuster in Comiclopedia: https://www.lambiek.net/artists/s/shuster_j.htm

 

Photo Sources

Featured photo is from the author’s own comic book collection.

Photo of Siegel and Shuster is in the public domain; available from Wikimedia:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jerry_Siegel_and_Joe_Shuster.jpg

Author photo by Wayne Logan from WRLPhoto

 

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine (aka Nola Passmore) has recently come out of the closet as a middle-aged retro comics fan and pop culture aficionado. (Yes, she still reads Archie comics.) She has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. Her inspirational historical novel Scattered was published in 2020, and she has also co-edited the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light with Jeanette O’Hagan. She has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. She and her husband Tim also run a freelance writing and editing business, The Write Flourish, from the home they share with their two adorable cavoodles in southeast Queensland, Australia. 

She’d love to connect with you through her website: www.nolalorraine.com.au

 

Are You being Wooed?

 by Anusha Atukorala

The business from whom I buy travel insurance sent me an email.

“It’s been a while since you travelled with us. We have a very special offer to welcome you back. Buy now and save 10%* on your travel insurance. Let’s go somewhere.”

 

Let’s go somewhere? What a novel idea! But … with covid rampant? 

Hmm ... I don’t think so!

 

I have not been overseas or interstate since THE virus entered my world in January 2020. Fortunately, we’d enjoyed a fabulous vacation in Sri Lanka just before we were grounded, so it hasn’t been the least bit difficult for us to stay put. In fact, I feel I am on holiday when I’m home—peaceful mountain views serenade me all day long, I have a little den where I can write to my heart’s content, and our lovely backyard brings me into God’s sweet presence.

The world calls out to us on a daily basis. Advertisers seduce us to do things we don’t want to do, to buy things we do not need. Who gets our attention? Whose voice sounds loudest in our ears?

 

God woos us. Time and time again. Like children following the Pied Piper when he played his flute, we too are summoned to follow our Creator. He will lead us into a road off the beaten track, to creative paths, to scenic locations and also into rough and tough terrain, where we’re forced to learn more of Him as we lean into the unforced rhythms of grace.

 Where is God calling you to this season? More breathing? More being? More reflection? More writing? More living? More doing? The call of that advertisement to ‘go somewhere’ made me think of places I can spend time in, even during covid times.  

 

The first place God woos me is into His loving heart. He calls me to become a worshipper, to spend time with Him, to know Him more and to grow in my love for Him. The next place He woos me into is into character growth. James 1:2-4 reminds us to consider trials as joy - as pure, unadulterated joy! But … how do we find joy in hard times? Perhaps the way forward is by focussing on heaven’s perspective, and not our own! Colossians 3:1-4 is a great place to start.

 

The third place God woos me into, is to bless others. Covid may have made us a little more selfish – we’ve been forced to care for ourselves and to keep away from others. This Christmas, I felt guilty that it was a self-centred kind of season. But then, as I sought God, He showed me what I could do. I could care for one person at a time, in any way possible. It opened my eyes and my heart. I was blessed as He led me and it was a rich season, as I connected in varied ways to reach and touch others.

 

The fourth place God woos me is in my creative journey. My writing has taken a backseat in the past few years. But this year is going to be different! I will be more disciplined. I will WRITE! Every. Day. Does that sound familiar? Will you join me?

 

The final place God woos me into is a place of rest. A little girl trusts her Daddy when he leads her into difficult places, full of the unexpected and the unknown. I too likewise am learning to trust Him in the rough moments and seasons. Like a baby learning to walk who falls time and time again, I have often failed! But the beauty life with Jesus is that He never condemns, only encourages us as I get up and try again.

 

To what kind of places and spaces has God been wooing you? I’d love to hear of your journey. Like a row of skittles being struck down by a great black bowling ball, Covid has thrown us all helter skelter! However, even if you have been sent reeling into a dark corner, be assured that God has not abandoned you. From that place, He will woo you into godly spaces. He woos us gently into learning to live from the heart, to discovering more of His goodness, His grace, His love and most of all that He is enough, because He alone is the All Sufficient One. 

He alone is the One our souls thirst for!

 

Come join me as we follow the Heavenly Pied Piper into the adventures of a New Year. 

Wherever He leads us is the best place to be! 

May 2022 find us writing well, living well and loving well.

Anusha’s been on many interesting detours in life, as a lab technician, a computer programmer, a full time Mum, a full time volunteer, a charity director, a full time job chaser, until one golden day (or was it a dark moonless night?) God tapped her on her shoulder and called her to write for Him. She has never recovered from the joy it brought her. She loves to see others enjoying life with Jesus and does her mite to hurry the process in her world through her writing and through her life. The goodness of God is her theme song through each season, as she dances in the rain with Jesus.

 

Her first book Enjoying the Journey contains 75 little God stories that will bring you closer to your Creator. Her 2^nd book ‘Dancing in the Rain’ brings you hope and comfort for life’s soggy seasons. Her 3rd book, ‘Sharing the Journey’ is a sequel to 'Enjoying the Journey' and was released in March 2020.

 

Do drop in on her two websites to say G’day! She’d love to connect with you.

Dancing in the Rain - https://anusha-atukorala.webnode.com/

Light in the Darkness- https://light-in-the-darkness00.webnode.com/

 

 

Dancing in the Rain: https://www.booktopia.com.au/dancing-in-the-rain-anusha-atukorala/book/9781925380118.html

Sharing the Journey: https://www.booktopia.com.au/sharing-the-journey-anusha-atukorala/book/9780648713869.html

 

Never Give Up On Your Dreams

 

I’m a space nut and have a lot of books and DVDs about the space program, especially the Apollo era. (Some would say I’m just a nut, but I digress!). One of my books is The Mercury 13 by Martha Ackmann, which tells the story of a group of women pilots who underwent a series of tests in the early 1960s to see if they were suitable for astronaut training. These tests were the same that the male astronauts had undergone to be admitted into NASA, though the women’s testing was privately funded and never officially part of NASA.

Thirteen women passed the tests, some of them scoring higher than some of their male counterparts. However, they were never admitted into the space program. In 1963, the Russians launched their first woman into space—Valentina Tereshkova. It would be another 20 years before Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. Another 12 years on, and Eileen Collins made history by becoming the first woman to pilot a space shuttle.

By the time that Sally and Eileen were making their flights, it was too late for the Mercury 13, but the photo below shows seven of them at the launch of Eileen Collins’ historic flight in 1995. Second from the left is Mary Wallace (Wally) Funk, the youngest of the group.

Photo from NASA, Public Domain via Wiki Commons

Fast forward to last week when 82-year-old Wally Funk flew into space as a passenger aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origins New Shepard rocket. Wally is one of only two remaining members of the Mercury 13, the other being Gene Nora Jessen. Her 10-minute suborbital flight made her the oldest person to travel into space, beating out spring chicken John Glenn who went to space at the age of 77. Click here to see some footage of Wally’s flight, and the awarding of her astronaut wings.

As writers, we all have dreams. It might be to pen that novel or memoir, win an award, have a bestseller, create a blog that helps people, or just have fun in the process of creating. But sometimes, it seems that those dreams are thwarted. We might get negative feedback that makes us wonder if writing is really what we’re meant to be doing. We might finish that book, but have trouble finding a publisher. We might get our book out there, but sales stagnate. We might hope to reach people for Christ with our life-giving blog, but few people comment. Should we give up on our dreams?

In 1 Corinthians 15:58, the apostle Paul assures us that our ‘labor in the Lord is not in vain’ (NIV). The Good News translation says that ‘nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless.’ We may not always see the results we expect here on earth, but God measures success differently. Nothing we do for him is ever wasted. Our words can make a difference in the lives of our readers.

During the 60 years when it seemed that Wally Funk’s dream would never come to fruition, she didn’t sit around twiddling her thumbs. She kept flying and became the first woman to qualify as a flight inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration. A few years later, she became the first female Air Safety Investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. She’s been the chief pilot for five aviation schools and has helped thousands of people to achieve their dream of becoming a pilot.

If God has placed a dream on your heart, work towards it, but also trust in Him. He will complete the good work He has begun in you (Philippians 1:6).

Dare to dream!

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine lives in southeast Queensland, Australia, where she and her husband Tim run a freelance writing and editing business called The Write Flourish. Their two cavoodles love helping, and can usually be found asleep under Mum’s desk or barking for ball games when she needs a break. She has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. She co-edited the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light; and has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. Her debut novel Scattered was published in 2020.To find out more, please visit her author site: https://www.nolalorraine.com.au

Photo Credits

Featured photo of lion and kitten by Leandro De Carvalho on Pixabay.

Mercury 13 women by NASA, Public Domain via Wiki Commons.

Author Photo - Wayne Logan at WRL Photo.

Happy New Year! Or Is It?

 As we venture into 2021, what is our posture? Are we excitedly entering a new season, anticipating a great year? Or are we hesitantly creeping in, carefully edging our way forward, wary after the unexpected challenges that unfolded during 2020? I must admit that I was approaching the new year tentatively, rather than expectantly. I was challenged about my attitude, my lack of enthusiasm for the coming year and knew I needed to change my outlook.  

At the beginning of the Covid pandemic I struggled with anxiety, and I missed people, the freedoms we took for granted, and my regular activities (aqua aerobics, Playgroup, craft). But life slowed down. I spent more time walking around our farm, taught myself to crochet, spent more time reading and my garden has never looked better. And best of all, I signed a contract to have my first book published. As I pondered this, I was reminded of how important it is to look for the silver lining and to remember that God is with us, regardless of where we are and what is happening.

Maybe like me, you struggled to write during 2020. Can I be honest? I didn’t want to write this blog. My mind was filled with doubts and fears. And that is exactly why I committed to doing it. I knew I needed to back myself into a corner where I had no option but to write. I needed to be bold and step out of my comfort zone and continue to pursue my dream. If you too have been struggling to write, may I encourage you not to lose heart. 2021 holds 365 (well 358 from today) opportunities for you to begin again. Let’s check our posture and our attitude. Let’s determine to forge ahead in this new year, to pursue our goals, dreams and God-given destiny and continue to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

 

Janelle Moore lives with her husband and family on a farm on the outskirts of Toowoomba, Queensland. She has had devotions and short articles published in various magazines and books and her first book, a devotional for Mums, is due for release this year. She is blessed to be part of the infamous Quirky Quills. 

 

 

 

 

Omega Writers Conference 2019

Wow! What a weekend. Raewyn Elsegood you did it again and thank you to everyone else who helped make it happen. There were some amazing presenters who came to speak at the conference including key note speaker, Steve Laube.

Nola Passmore, Adele Jones and Kirsten Hart were asked some questions about their time at the conference this year.

What inspired you most at the conference?

NOLA PASSMORE

It’s always encouraging to see and hear what everyone has been doing with their writing since the last conference. It always perks me up and reminds me why I write. Also Jenny Glazebrook’s sermon during our worship time really touched my heart, especially the inspiring story of her 10-year-old daughter sharing her faith without fear because she’s so in love with Jesus.

ADELE JONES

It’s a tough ask to pick one moment out of so many: from Keynote address by Steve Laube; Practical workshop sessions; CALEB awards; to meal conversations. As I have to pick one, I’m going to say seeing so many first time Omega conference attendees embraced by those who’ve attended previously, and watching those newbies become connected.

KIRSTEN HART

It's interesting how other people perceive things. It's the same with the books we write. Steve Laube shared a story (one of many) about a lady who expressed her thanks to him about a book he'd recommended to her, and how it had changed her life. The message she'd taken from the book had absolutely nothing to do with what the writer had intended for the story. If we can make a positive difference in one persons life, regardless of whether it's the message we were trying to convey or not, we've already succeeded.

What challenged you most?

NOLA PASSMORE

To redefine what I think of as success. Not to compare myself to others and think in terms of how many books someone else has published, what awards they’ve won, how many reviews they have, whether they’re with a big publisher, etc. Instead think of what God has called me personally to do with my writing. If we touch the life of just one other person with our words, we’ve succeeded.

ADELE JONES

I'm going to cheat on this one and pick more than one! I can’t remember word-for-word, but during one of Steve Laube's sessions we were challenged to honour our writing as a privileged opportunity to create powerful, God-honouring stories, and not treat those words with doubtful uncertainty or even contempt. (I’m not sure that was the exact message, but that’s what I’m taking away!) Another challenge from David Rawlings was to engage others in our writing journey so they can share that creative adventure. Oh yes, and hearing so many examples of brilliant writing. Always more to learn.

KIRSTEN HART

David Rawlings workshop, Managing a Writer's Workload presented some helpful solutions to the challenging areas of being a writer. He challenged us to go away and try at least three ideas to help with time management. The biggest challenge for me would be to do things one at a time. I've always created new ideas for more stories, written and edited a first draft, worked on social media platforms and researched bits and pieces for a number of stories all at once. I liked the suggestion to work on one thing per week. I might have to try this.

What was your most memorable moment?

NOLA PASSMORE

Steve Laube telling me it’s okay to say ‘No’ ☺

ADELE JONES

Seeing so many familiar faces and catching up on a year’s worth of life happenings.

KIRSTEN HART

After Steve Laube spoke on Friday night, I had the strongest urge to blow off all the workshops and just write for the entire weekend!

What are your goals moving forward?

NOLA PASSMORE

To finish the edits of my novel and have it published and on the book table next year ☺ And of course to be beach-body-ready for next year’s conference. Bring it on!

ADELE JONES

I need to complete revisions on the two manuscripts I’m working on, along with the “Wired for Story” course I abandoned mid-year, at about the 2/3 mark. I also need to get a couple of ideas off the ground on the social networking front.

KIRSTEN HART

To complete structural edits on my fantasy novel within the next few months and learn all about Instagram.