by Jeanne Takenaka, @JeanneTakenaka

I read a quote recently that said, “In a world full of Kardashians, be a Lucy.”

I love this quote for so many reasons! In a world that exalts certain “values” time and again, it can feel discouraging when we don’t fit into that mold.

The same is true in the writing world. In a world where there are multi-selling, multi-awarded Karen Kingsburys, Nora Roberts, Francine Rivers, Stephen Kings, and John Grishams, it is easy to see all the ways we don’t measure up. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not comparing any of these authors to the Kardashians. I promise.

But, it’s easy to look to authors who are well known, influencers, and wish we could be like them. That we could walk their journey.

We’re normal people with kids, spouses, jobs, challenges. We can fall into the comparison trap where we compare our obstacles to their successes. We’re left wondering if it’s worth it to pursue our publication dream.

Or, we hold famous authors up as our ideal, our inspiration, and we try to write like them. We study their stories and try to emulate their style.

The thing is? All multi-published, famously wealthy authors started where we are. They wrestled with their stories, with finding time to write. They grappled with life challenges as they tried to balance real life and writing life.  

And they found their way. Their path. Whether or not they acknowledge God, He directed their steps.

As we continue to do the work, to struggle with our stories while living out real life with our families and circumstances, let’s remember these things:

1. There’s only one you. Don’t try to be someone else. Let’s learn how God has wired us and strive to be the best version of ourselves as we work on our stories.
2. It’s okay—good-even—to study how others create story. But, let’s discover our own unique voice, and learn to write in it. This makes our stories authentic and best able to reach the readers God wants to touch through our words.
3. Study the trends, but don’t write directly to the trends. By the time our story is written and ready to become part of that trend, we’ll probably be on the backside of the wave. We can write with the trend in mind, but also write our heart.
4. The stories God has given each of us will be best told by us, not the household name authors. We should write the story with God, trusting Him to lead in the crafting of and completing the book.
5. Remember God’s got the perfect timeline and writing path for each of us. And it’s not going to look much like anyone else’s path. Lean into Him in the process.

As we seek to walk forward on our writing journeys, let’s remember to be a Lucy—to be ourselves—rather than to try and be like famous authors we admire.

Award-winning aspiring novelist, Jeanne Takenaka, writes contemporary inspirational fiction that tackles real-life issues with a heart to draw women closer to God and those around them. She lives near the mountains in Colorado with her amazing husband and two exuberant boy-men. She loves being God’s girl—always learning about His grace, hanging out with friends and enjoying a great cup of coffee. When she’s not writing you can find her with a camera in her hand, looking for #alittlebitofpretty in her days. You can connect with her on her blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter.