by Peter Leavell, @PeterLeavell
I dreamed of being a professional writer. Now I am.
You can make your dreams come true as well, and here’s how: Don’t give up.
Hold your dream in the palm of your hand. Notice how the seed shines and pulses with a radiant heat. Lovely, and so full of potential.
The following part is hard. Brace yourself.
Take the tiny kernel and plant it where you can’t see it anymore.
But the soil isn’t just any dirt, and you must prepare the ground carefully.
First, gather a bit of perspective through research. Perspective means you must define your dream. A writer…great. But what kind of writer? Fiction? Nonfiction?
Notice, you’ll need different kinds of sunlight, water, and temperate zones depending on what kind of plant you want to grow. A bit more research is in order. You could go to a home and garden show (writing conference) and get your questions answered quickly. Or you could go online and read blogs (like you’re doing now). Or a dozen other ways to learn the best soil in which to plant your seed.
When you know a bit about the soil type and sunlight needed, you’ll know better the work involved. For example, do you have rocky soil that needs cleaned (bad habits that make writing difficult, like watching TV all day)?
Next, plant your dream as deeply as you can. Germination may take a bit of time but remember to plant the seed and work the soil at the same time. The season isn’t getting any younger. Be weeding and researching best gardening tips (writing and working on bettering your craft).
Note something important. You are pouring love and work into your garden. And in return, you receive hope and purpose—Hope that someday your dream will grow, and purpose as you cultivate your vocation. These draw you back to your garden even after the initial passion for the work has waned. In a spiritual sense, modern society may use the term ‘dream,’ but God is interested in your faith in Him and the purpose He has given you (Philippians 2:13). These give you emotional dividends that nothing can compare.
Slowly, over time, your garden matures. Naturally, you can’t force growth. But rather, the more you work on cultivation (learning and writing), the more the plants draw on your nurture and reach for the sun.
Some plants grow to their full potential. Others, no matter your effort, falter. Yet, your vocation is to be a gardener (writer). And the harvest yield is up to God (1 Corinthians 3:6-8).
Never give up on your dreams. Cultivating the soil will cause something to grow. You may not know what, but good things happen when you don’t quit. Keep going. The work is worth the expense. And with hope and purpose, you’ll strengthen your faith with every word you type and weed you pull.
Philip Anderson keeps his past close to the vest. Haunted by the murder of his parents as they traveled West in their covered wagon, his many unanswered questions about that night still torment him.
His only desire is to live quietly on his homestead and raise horses. He meets Anna, a beautiful young woman with secrets of her own. Falling in love was not part of his plan. Can Philip tell her how he feels before it’s too late?
With Anna a pawn in the corrupt schemes brewing in the nearby Dakota town, Philip is forced to become a reluctant gunslinger. Will Philip’s uncannily trained horses and unsurpassed sharpshooting skills help him free Anna and find out what really happened to his family in the wilderness?
Peter Leavell, a 2007/2020 graduate of Boise State University with a degree in history and a MA in English Literature, was the 2011 winner of Christian Writers Guild’s Operation First Novel contest, and 2013 Christian Retailing’s Best award for First-Time Author, along with multiple other awards. An author, blogger, teacher, ghostwriter, jogger, biker, husband and father, Peter and his family live in Boise, Idaho. Learn more about Peter’s books, research, and family adventures at www.peterleavell.com
Comments 1
This was so encouraging for me to read as I sit here reflecting/recovering from an accident. At the beginning of this year I had set myself a goal to complete my book that I began working on about 30 years ago. Self doubt in my writing ability coupled with a lack of confidence in my writing skills has kept me stagnated with lots of procrastinating along the way. After consulting with an
Author for mentoring earlier this year, I enthusiastically continued writing until I was involved in an accident, grinding my writing to a sudden stop. I’m grateful for this time of pause, prayer and reflection. I’m also grateful to have the time now in being able to read and learn more.