Penned Without Ink: Behind the Scenes # 1

Last time I told you about my book, Penned Without Ink: Trusting God to Write Your Story, which will be published late this coming summer by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Thank you for your wonderful support and comments both here and on Facebook.

I also mentioned that I would be blogging about the process--giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how this book went from a wobbly idea with several false starts to acceptance for publication. I hope, in the process, to encourage you to pursue your dreams. It will most likely take hard work, perseverance, and patience. The outcome may look very different from your original goal, but God has a way of directing our steps. His timing is always perfect.


In the next few months, I plan to give you snapshots of the process. Today, I'll begin with a confession. I happened to be a kid who labored to write in school. I just couldn't get the hang of it. Finally, in my last year of high school, my English teacher made us write a character sketch every week. Every week! Little by little I began to improve--enough to do a pretty decent job writing term papers in college, anyway.

Fast-forward twenty-plus years. By this time, my husband and I had two teenagers and a three-year old. Busy? Stretching? A little crazy? All of the above! I decided to take a local evening poetry class for a few weeks, just to get out a little--and actually enjoyed it. The next summer I brought my humble offerings to the Montrose Christian Writers Conference and made an appointment with Marlene Bagnull, who patiently read my work and encouraged me to keep writing.

So I did. And I had the nerve to send my work to editors. Some publications, online and print, accepted my poems and articles. Some did not. But all along the way, I was learning how to write (I still am!), how to follow writers guidelines, and how to wait.

After our car accident in 2003, I wrote bits and pieces about our experience. In 2005, Horizons published an article titled "Ready for Anything?" (September 18). In it I discussed "several areas of preparation--essential in the event of a crisis of any kind." I'm still passionate about this topic.

From there, my interest in writing escalated. God continued to open doors for me to submit short pieces. I never dreamed of writing a book until later, but I needed these years to learn the craft of writing, to find a writing group, and to appreciate the process.

Next time, I'll let you in on a scenario when I said no and then eventually said yes. No matter what your gifts and abilities, God has a plan for you. Maybe you're like me, the kid who couldn't---you fill in the blank. He equips us all with experiences and gifts to bless others and bring glory to Himself.

I'd love to hear the beginnings of your story . . .