Dealing with the Uncertainties of Writing

by Jennifer Slattery

Jennifer Slattery

I’m a planner, in writing and in life. I love to-do lists and those daily organizers broken down by the hour. Mine’s filled in, from 7am to 8pm, every day except Sunday.

Uncertainties and unexpected changes really throw me.

I think that’s the hardest part of writing—the uncertainty of it all. We write book-by-book, contract-by-contract, not knowing if each story is our last.

The other night, the uncertainty of this journey really bothered me, so I told God all about it. His response?

Surrender. Trust. Focus on what I’ve asked you to do now, do it with excellence, and leave your future to Me. 

As God’s words settled deep into my heart, peace flowed through me, stilling my plotting, planning thoughts. Reminding me I am not the one in control. I never have been. Plotting and planning might give me the illusion of control, but in truth, God is the one perfecting His plans for my life.

I first heard that truth at an ACFW conference. It was my first national conference, and I went into it pretty freaked out and insecure. I had no idea what to expect—there’s that need for control and predictability. Seems God’s been working on this weakness of mine for a while. Will I ever learn??

So anyway, here I was at this conference. I knew a lot of writers through ACFWs email loop, but in truth, I didn’t know anyone. And I had no idea what my weekend would look like, though I had a sense it would be emotionally exhausting. Stress and insecurity has a way of depleting one’s energy stores.

I think it was the first session, the opening night of the conference. Brandilyn Collins was the keynote. I don’t remember much of what she said, but I do remember the intense look in her eyes as she addressed the listening audience. “God will perfect that which concerns you,” she said.

When I got home, I looked that verse up. It comes from Psalm 138:8, and when I first heard it, I found it incredibly encouraging because it assured me God was always working on my behalf. In other words, it felt like assurance that His plans for me would come to pass. But as I consider this verse now, I’m stuck on the verb perfect. It reminds me of Hebrews 12:2, which says, “We do this [--this being running the race God has mapped out for us--] by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (NLT, insert mine).

This—thinking of Christ’s perfecting action as we pursue our calling—makes me think of James 1:2-4, which highlights the training we receive as God grows, equips, stretches, and perfects us.

Many times, that training is hard. Uncomfortable. Sometimes even incredibly painful. I’m not a huge fan of this perfecting process, but I am a fan of the results. Because of this, I’ll surrender my desire for control, following Christ in whatever direction He leads, knowing the One who loved me enough to die so I might live is the very One who’s calling me now to lay my life down—for Him and His glory.

What about you? Are you facing any uncertainties? Any chance God is using those uncertainties to train you? To perfect that which concerns you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, because we can all encourage and learn from one another.

BIO: Jennifer Slattery writes soul-stirring fiction for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless. She also writes for Crosswalk.com, Internet Café Devotions, and the group blog, Faith-filled Friends. When not writing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband.

Visit with Jennifer online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com and connect with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte.

New Hope Publishers, 2015

ABOUT THE BOOK: Abandoned by her husband for another woman, Tammy Kuhn, an organ procurement coordinator often finds herself in tense and bitter moments. After an altercation with a doctor, she is fighting to keep her job and her sanity when one late night she encounters her old flame Nick. She walks right into his moment of facing an unthinkable tragedy. Because they both have learned to find eternal purposes in every event and encounter, it doesn’t take long to discover that their lives are intertwined but the ICU is no place for romance….or is it? Could this be where life begins again?

BUY IT:

CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/intertwined-a-contemporary-romance-novel/jennifer-slattery/9781596694439/pd/694430?event=ESRCN

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Intertwined-Jennifer-Slattery/dp/1596694432/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/intertwined-jennifer-slattery/1121268293?ean=9781596694439

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Overcoming Self-Reliance

by Jennifer Slattery

I’ve become quite accustomed to the writer’s lifestyle. I spend most of my time behind my computer, diving into a world of my own making. So, learning to lead—actual people—has become a challenge for me this year, in part because, well, I have a lot to learn about interpersonal skills.

Like sometimes you need to buffer conversations with chocolate and heavily flavored coffee. And people don’t always behave the way my fictional characters do, which is normal, and actually, beautiful. But sometimes it takes a bit of adapting to see the beauty. And most times, it takes a bit of tongue biting as well, because I’m learning my initial interpretations, and thus, reactions, are often wrong.

That’s been my greatest challenge this year—overcoming my ever-yapping mouth. And my desire to be right. And in control. And to know what’s coming next, whether that be in ministry or in conversations, because, well, I’m a plotter. That means, before I write scene one, I’ve pretty much got my entire novel planned out.

Wouldn’t it be nice if life worked that way? Then again, such interactions would greatly impede my growth. I suppose God knew that, which is why He’s placed me in numerous situations this year that have made me a wee bit uncomfortable. And uncertain. And relying heavily on Him.

So maybe that’s what I’ve most had to overcome—my almost innate desire for self-reliance. It seems just when I reach full surrender, something unexpected arises, and I long to sit back in plotting mode, working characters and scenes back into order.

But again, life doesn’t work that way. And I’m learning to appreciate that. To view all these unexpected situations, interactions, and diverse personalities through a glorious, grace-filled lens.

Although I think I still have a ways to go, which is why I’m so incredibly grateful that every ounce of grace God is encouraging me to give out is being equally lavished back on me.

Jennifer Slattery writes soul-stirring fiction for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless. She also writes for Crosswalk.com, Internet Café Devotions, and the group blog, Faith-filled Friends. When not writing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband.

Visit with Jennifer online at JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud.com and connect with her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte.

New Hope Publishers, 2015

Intertwined, part of New Hope Publisher’s contemporary fiction line, is a great reminder of how God can turn our greatest tragedies and failures into beautiful acts of love and grace. Readers will fall in love with the realistic characters and enjoy the combination of depth, heart-felt emotion and humor that makes Jennifer’s novels so appealing. Readers will be inspired to find God in every moment and encounter in their own lives! 

Buy it:

CBD: http://www.christianbook.com/intertwined-a-contemporary-romance-novel/jennifer-slattery/9781596694439/pd/694430?event=ESRCN

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Intertwined-Jennifer-Slattery/dp/1596694432/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/intertwined-jennifer-slattery/1121268293?ean=9781596694439

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Making Time to Write When Others Resist Your Efforts, by Jennifer Slattery

Each day, countless demands pull on each of us. A bit of laundry here, dishes done there, a phone call in between, and before we know it, our day’s gone.

With zero words to show for it.

Last month at a book signing, I met a woman who told me she’d always wanted to write. My response: Just do it. She then proceeded to stare at me, perhaps not understanding, so I repeated myself, pumping a fist in the air for emphasis: Just do it! Just sit your tush in a chair and get to typing. After which she looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. Or was suggesting she lose hers, for how could she ever find the time?

Perhaps you’re thinking the same thing, but before you walk away frustrated, let me suggest: We all have the time to do that which is most important to us.

The problem is not so much finding the time to write but making the time. For some, this comes down to simple time management: less television, Facebook, or crafting. For others, making time to write first requires conquering an inner and outer battle.

Because to say yes to something always means saying no to something else.

For the parents and spouses out there, this may even mean saying no, on occasion, to those you love.

This is where it gets hard, leading to all sorts of guilt and frustration—for everyone. I believe these negative and self-defeating emotions can often be avoided when we follow a few simple steps.

1. Begin by honestly evaluating your time.
Before you begin to randomly slice away at your to-do list, ask yourself: What activities do I engage in that have little relational, financial, or spiritual value?

For example, the average American wastes 5 hours a day watching television. In the course of a week, that’s 35 hours of possible writing time! Can you imagine how many words one could write in that amount of time?

What activities are you doing inefficiently? When I was a teenager, I worked as a waitress, and one phrase my manager repeated often: Full hands in, full hands out. This meant, always be doing something. When you return to the kitchen, grab a dirty plate to take with you. On your way back to the dining room, say, to take an order, bring a water pitcher.

In other words, find ways to maximize your efforts, and be intentional!

2. Engage your family in the time-management challenge.
But first, make sure you set the stage, because timing and setting is crucial. Don’t start demanding me-time during an argument or stressful period. Rather, wait until you and your spouse or family are engaged in a relaxing activity. Then, share your heart openly and honestly, explaining why writing is so important to you and how much time you’d like to devote to the craft. Then, ask them to share their perspective and feelings, and truly listen! With an open heart and mind.

3. Try to find a win-win
My family is much more responsive to my time-management efforts when I’ve demonstrated, through my words and actions, that they are a priority. Because honestly, if we’re not able to write AND spent time with our loved ones, we don’t have time to write. Relationships must always come first. We might, however, have time that can be divided between the two. When this happens, quality gains utmost importance. If you’ve got a crazy deadline, make sure to plan a family outing for after. Then spend the day and be 100% present.

Do you have any suggestions to share? How do you balance relationships with writing demands? Share your thoughts with us then we’ll all learn from each other.

Jennifer Slattery writes missional fiction for New Hope Publishers, a publishing house passionate

about bringing God’s healing grace and truth to the hopeless. She also writes Christian Living articles for Crosswalk.com; writes and edits for Christ to the World Ministries; and writes devotions for her personal blog, JenniferSlatteryLivesOutloud, and Internet Café Devotions. When she’s not writing, she and her husband are probably sitting at a coffee shop somewhere, he reading a sports article on his phone while she loses herself in a great novel.
Make sure to stop by tomorrow, when you can enter to win a free copy of Jennifer's latest release, Beyond I Do.

Marriage . . . it’s more than a happily ever after. Eternally more.

Ainsley Meadows, raised by a hedonist mother, who cycles through jobs and relationships like wrapping paper on Christmas morning, falls into a predictable and safe relationship with Richard, a self-absorbed socialite psychiatrist. But as her wedding nears, a battered woman and her child spark a long-forgotten dream and ignite a hidden passion. One that threatens to change everything, including her fiancé. To embrace God’s best and find true love, this security-seeking bride must follow God with reckless abandon and realize that marriage goes Beyond I Do.

You can find it here.

Read a free, 36-page excerpt here.

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