by Jeanne Takenaka, @JeanneTakenaka

What do you do when your writing life doesn’t go as planned?

I’m going to let you in on a secret. I might be a Starbucks queen. As in, I’m slightly addicted to a few of their drinks. Not long ago, they had a game to play in their app. At first, I won with each move. Wow, maybe I had a chance at winning one of the big prizes!

Then, when I’d completed some of the smaller tasks, I began receiving the message, “You’re not a winner this time. Please try again.”

I’ll be honest, when I had four plays and I received that message four times, for a few days in a row, I got, as my sons describe it, “a little salty.”

How, you may ask, does this relate to writing? Well, our writing life can be like this. We start off, people encourage us as we jump into this new endeavor. We may final in a contest and even win. We’re optimistic and excited as we throw words on the page.

But then we face disappointments. We finish our wonderful manuscript, shine it up, and send it off to an agent or an editor, expecting a contract . . . 

And crickets.

Truths about the writing life

Truth 1—What we decide to do when the writing life becomes challenging—when we receive rejections—will frame the rest of our lives. I know. Sounds dramatic. 

But, here’s the thing. God knows what our journey holds. Unlike us, He isn’t confined to only seeing this moment. He sees each step we have yet to take. He knows each hardship we will face. And, our Father knows the character shaping He desires to do as we walk this writing road.

Truth 2—As we make decisions after each step forward, God walks with us. Sometimes, He may call us to put down our pens and focus on something else in our lives. Other times, God uses the ups and downs to conform us into the image of Jesus.

One time, when I was deeply discouraged and considering giving up my dream of becoming published, God surprised me. On a whim, A few weeks earlier, I’d entered four contests. I learned I finaled in two of them.

Yes, I may have done a happy dance. Those finals encouraged me. The biggest lesson I’ve learned on this journey is that God’s timing is always, always perfect.

Truth 3—I have not moved on this road at my speed, but at God’s. And on this journey, He has taught me a lot about Himself. And about me. He’s brought healing to wounds in my life. God has taught me about trusting Him more than myself. And no, I haven’t mastered this lesson. But, in my writing life, He has shown me certain things I could never have learned in any other aspect of my life. 

Conclusion

Circling back to Starbucks. Did I win their big game? 

Of course not. 

But, life is about more than indulging our favorite guilty pleasure. Our writing life is about showing up, doing the work, and trusting God to bring about His best plan in His perfect timing.

What’s one important truth you’ve learned about the writing life?

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Award-winning, aspiring novelist and blogger Jeanne Takenaka writes contemporary fiction that highlights how faith and grace hold hands in relationships with people and with God. She, her husband, and two boy-men call Colorado home. She loves being a God-seeker, hanging out with friends, and savoring oat milk lattés. When she’s not writing, you can find her, camera in hand, searching for #alittlebitofpretty. She’s a member of ACFW and Novel Academy.