by Kariss Lynch, @kariss_lynch

We celebrated my first book with a launch party. Family, friends, and strangers flitted around the room throughout the night. I remember constantly thinking: will they still celebrate once they read it? What if they don’t like it? What if they see every part of my heart wrapped up in the story?

Not only did I launch my first book that night, I launched characters, conflict, and romance. I launched my thoughts, my story planning, and the finished product. I launched my hopes, dreams, and what the Lord was teaching me during the process of writing that first book.

I launched myself.

And then I remember waking up the morning after all the dust settled with one thought clanging through my head: “Well…now what?”

Whether you’re working on your first novel, fifth, or even fiftieth, one thing is true about writing. Finishing the book is not the destination. It is just another stop on the journey.

Writing is about discovery. The reader should feel every bit of the struggle, discovery, and ultimately the hope found at the end, the hope that no story ever truly ends and that each holds a unique purpose.

I remember many late nights after my day job, keys clicking away as I let the story flow. As I wrote, I remember discovering the theme of each story.

Shaken is about learning to live again after life’s earthquakes. Shadowed is about learning to love again after the pain of loss. And Surrendered is about learning to let go in order to love fully and selflessly. As my characters learned these lessons, I discovered what the Lord was teaching me, too. I became a better writer, a better Christ follower (hopefully), and with each lesson, I took more steps in my journey.

Part of writing is not saying everything you want to say, but instead, helping your audience feel everything you want to say. You may be on a journey while you create a journey for your characters, but you are leading your reader on a journey, too.

So how do we create a journey for our readers?

We write what’s real and true. We weave in what God is teaching us. We don’t shy away from the hard stuff and we don’t over-glorify the good stuff. We write – honestly, boldly, and passionately.

We realize it won’t be perfect. We realize we’ll grow more through the next story and the next. And along the journey, we link hands with new characters and new readers. Together, we celebrate each step.

Kariss Lynch is the author of the Heart of a Warrior series and writes contemporary romance about characters with big dreams, adventurous hearts, and enduring hope. In her free time, she hangs out with her family and friends, explores the great outdoors, and tries not to plot five stories at once. Connect with her at karisslynch.com, or on Facebook, Instagram, or Goodreads.