Writing is a Daredevil Sport

Please note: A version of this post appeared here in August 2008 and this version went out in my Changing Churches: News and Views e-mail newsletter today. 

Writing a book is a daredevil sport!  I liken it to being out on a limb or jumping off a cliff.  Changing Churches: A View from the Pew is the name of my book. The outline dropped into my mind in my quiet time in August 2008. I prayed about it and began to write early in 2009.

I have new respect for writers and I’ve learned many ways to improve my writing. I’ve learned to avoid “to be verbs” and use active verbs. I’ve learned to eliminate most adverbs. I’ve learned to be creative, avoid clichés, use word pictures and illustrations. I’ve learned to show rather than tell.

Many times I was ready to quit. I sought God's will repeatedly, daily, as he's the one who got me into this! I gave the book to him over and over again. I never heard him say "You can stop now." So I kept going. The book will soon be in print!

Out of My Comfort Zone

Writing a book has repeatedly taken me out of my comfort zone. This is both scary and exciting. It has brought me to tears and to my knees. It has compelled me to share my work and seek feedback from friends, pastors, elders, and writers. Every step of the way, each morsel of feedback I received showed me another viewpoint and led to more revision and also spurred me on. 

Now I must focus on marketing – a whole new area to both scare and excite me. I’ve had a blog for a year and a half and I joined Facebook nearly a year ago. At the time these also were scary and new, but they connected me mostly with friends and acquaintances. Recently I joined Twitter and Linkedin – open to everyone and anyone! Will I do it right? How do I learn to do all this? Many questions fill my mind and keep me awake at night.

My respect for writers increased with the realization that virtually all writers must market their books. So now I must tell everyone about my book. I’m an introvert by nature and I do things slowly and methodically. All of this is challenging my comfort zones. God loves to stretch us.

Readers, please pray for me. Pray that the marketing and the book will be to God's glory. Pray the book will reach those who need to receive its message. Pray the book will help Christians navigate church changes while remaining true to Christ. Pray the book will help build up the church.

What’s the book about? Changing Churches describes through the eyes of one couple the difficult journey “church switchers” travel; a journey often precipitated by disruptive church changes. Changing Churches encourages Christ-like transformative change in churches rather than man-devised makeovers.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Blessings, Dottie