By Dana R. Lynn, @DanaRLynn
Hello friends! As I write this post, Easter is fast approaching. This season of Lent has passed so quickly. My church is open, my family is safe, and I will be seeing all my children at the same time for the first time in months. Once again reminded of how good and faithful God is.
Now, this might seem like a total subject change, but it’s not. I was having a conversation with a dear friend recently. We were chatting about our writing journeys. We also talked about what writers call “the imposter syndrome”. She laughed and said I was beyond that now. I’d been writing for eight years. But the thing is, I’m not. I’ve written 17 books for Love Inspired Suspense, 4 with Annie’s fiction, 6 novellas and 1 short story. That’s 28 stories. Plus, I’m contracted for 5 more. One would think I have it down, right? That I’m confident in my ability to start a new story and craft it beginning to end.
But I am the antithesis of confident when I look at that blank page at the beginning of each book. I also have an issue with the Fear of Missing Out. Otherwise known as FOMO. Seriously, it’s a real problem. Sometimes, it’s hard not to see what other people are doing, and think, “Oh! I want to do that, too!” It’s tempting to chase after every idea and every path. And there are many. Category Romance, like Love Inspired Suspense, has several lines. Trade length fiction with traditional publishers. Self-publishing, or indie. Small presses that allow more leeway in writing topics and word length. Conferences, conventions, and events.
None of these are bad. However, the great majority of authors can’t do them all. Chasing too many trails will lead to burn out, exhaustion and the failure to thrive in multiple areas of your life.
I recalled my stint as a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. Now, I never met Mary Kay personally, but I really admired the standard she set for her work force.
- God First
- Family Second
- Career Third
That motto has stuck with me, even though I don’t sell very much these days. Whenever I look at a new project, I must see if it will align with these priorities. For example, God first means making sure I am spending time with Him daily. Sometimes I fail, but He’s always there when I repent. Also, am I glorifying Him with the choice? I’m not saying any of the above writing options is wrong. They aren’t. Each author needs to discern for him or herself what they are called to. I know that God called me to write Amish suspense seven years ago. He’ll move me from that, and maybe he won’t. But there is a reason He put me where I am, so I need to be mindful of that. Then there are family responsibilities. My kids are older now, but when they were younger, I couldn’t take on so many writing contracts that it interfered with raising my children or being present for my husband. That meant I sometimes said no. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. Third, career. Like most authors, I have a full-time job. Any writing must work around that. For instance, I had an indie series planned for the fall. The Lord dropped an opportunity in my lap. I’ve postponed my indie series to follow the work He’s giving me.
This goes for conferences, too. Conferences are a wonderful place to connect. But sometimes, you must make the decision not to go because going would not gel with other responsibilities. Let me give you an example. There were four great conferences and reader events I wanted to go to between May and September. I rejected three of them and am still on the fence about the fourth. I have a child graduating high school and going to college. My other two children will be visiting during the summer, and my husband is running a campaign. If I had gone, I would still be able to focus on God, but my family and both careers would suffer. How would my writing suffer? Instead of writing the words I need to write at a comfortable pace, I would have to cram, and would end up turning in work that wasn’t edited or revised.
In short, no one can do it all. That’s okay. God is so good and so wise, He has gifted people to do these jobs, so we can focus on what He wants us to do. In the end, which is what will bring us peace and joy.
Dana R. Lynn grew up in Illinois. She met her husband at a wedding and told her parents she had met her future husband. Nineteen months later, they were married. Today, they live in rural Pennsylvania with their three teenaged children and enough pets to open a petting zoo. She is a teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing by day and writes stories of romance and danger at night. She believes in the power of God to touch people through stories. She has been on the USA Today and a Publisher’s Weekly Bestseller lists. She has been a Holt Medallion finalist, a Selah Award Winner, and a New England Readers Choice finalist and Award winner. She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. She is an avid reader, loves cats and thinks chocolate should be a food group. She enjoys engaging with readers and can be found on social media or contacted via her website www.danarlynn.com.