Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Confident Expectation of Good

Tuesdays with Tiffany
by Tiffany Colter

Yesterday I was scanning the web and I ran across an article summarizing the civil unrest around the world. When I read articles like this one my heart hurts inside. I realize that so many people have relied on other PEOPLE for their security that now they don't know where else to turn.

I know what it is to face sudden income loss. When my husband was diagnosed with cancer 3 1/2 years ago we were faced with the "what if" and the "how will we". I know how frustrating it was to realize that my tax dollars did not make me eligible for state benefits when our sole income was no longer there.

I had to face a moment where it was us and God.

The difference in our circumstance and what others around the world are facing is the subject of this blog: hope. Hope is a confident expectation of good.

And now, as I'm on the cusp of publication it seems the industry is imploding. This past Saturday I had three different projects rejected. It hurt, but it wasn't the end.

See, I serve a God who knew it was coming. He knows the perfect timing and I need to keep pushing forward with the same gusto I had before my triple strike out. I'm still working on book 6. I have to. I'm a writer. I'm also a child of the King who is called to write. I have to keep pushing forward.

I'm regrouping those rejections [none of which were based on craft...it was all market] and coming at it another way. I listened to the advice of my agent and trusted his insight. I keep plugging forward. Keep building platform and, in light of this 'set back', I'm spending even MORE time reading the foundational lessons of my writing business: Writing, Marketing, Speaking.

Each of us has a decision each morning. Will I write? Won't I write? What will I allow to block me from writing? How big can I dream? How much will I limit myself?

Will I press on? Will I give up?

Will I be a writer or a quiter?

Today, I'm choosing to be a writer?

What have you chosen?

Tiffany Colter is a writer, speaker and writing career coach who works with beginner to published writers. She can be reached through her website at www.WritingCareerCoach.com
Learn more about Tiffany's Marketing techniques on her main blog.
Read Tiffany's award winning manuscript "A Face in the Shadow" on her fiction blog.
She writes a blog for the Christian writer Tuesdays at Writer's Rest.

2 comments:

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Excellent post Tiffany. Very inspiring. It really does come down to us making the decision to persevere, or not. Glad I'm not alone.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Tiff -

Every time I sit down at the computer, I choose to write.

Every time I study the craft of writing, I choose to write.

Every time I encourage another writer, I choose to write.

Every time I pray for direction in my writing, I choose to write.

Every time I send out a submission, I choose to write.

It doesn't matter what circumstances try to dampen my efforts. God put that in me. Without it, I will experience leanness of soul.

Blessings,
Susan :)