By Susan Neal
Writers understand rejection. But sometimes the doors that
close and those that open may be divinely ordained. Persevering through the ups
and downs of this career is key to success.
The writing life surges with rejection. Part of it has to do with learning the craft. It takes a while to grasp grammar, learn plotting, or appropriately research a topic. Even choosing the right genre can be challenging.
At first, I tried young adult fiction, then Chicken Soup stories, Upper Room devotions, and a multitude of magazine articles. I received a rejection letter with everything I tried. However, I read that Stephen King nailed a spike to a wall and hung each rejection letter on the spike. That gave me hope, so I kept writing.
Year after year, I continued to hone my craft. I joined a Word Weaver writing group and attended writers’ conferences. I pitched my book ideas to publishers and agents, all to no avail. Finally, I self-published my books. My first two books sold very few copies, definitely nothing to write home about.
Nevertheless, I kept trying because I felt spiritually lead to pursue this career. One day, I got the idea to write a book to help others quit eating sugar and refined carbohydrates. I intertwined my personal story of how I lost and regained my health and my sister’s story of getting off sugar and gluten into the book. Currently, this book sells over 400 copies per month.
The writing life surges with rejection. Part of it has to do with learning the craft. It takes a while to grasp grammar, learn plotting, or appropriately research a topic. Even choosing the right genre can be challenging.
At first, I tried young adult fiction, then Chicken Soup stories, Upper Room devotions, and a multitude of magazine articles. I received a rejection letter with everything I tried. However, I read that Stephen King nailed a spike to a wall and hung each rejection letter on the spike. That gave me hope, so I kept writing.
Year after year, I continued to hone my craft. I joined a Word Weaver writing group and attended writers’ conferences. I pitched my book ideas to publishers and agents, all to no avail. Finally, I self-published my books. My first two books sold very few copies, definitely nothing to write home about.
Nevertheless, I kept trying because I felt spiritually lead to pursue this career. One day, I got the idea to write a book to help others quit eating sugar and refined carbohydrates. I intertwined my personal story of how I lost and regained my health and my sister’s story of getting off sugar and gluten into the book. Currently, this book sells over 400 copies per month.
Suddenly, the doors of opportunity opened. Now, magazines publish my
health-related articles instead of rejecting them (see January 2019 Southern
Writers article “How to Sell One Thousand Books in Three Months”).
Last month, a dream came true when my interview on Christian Television
Network’s Bridges Show aired across the nation.
All those years of rejection ultimately led to a path where I could use my nursing background and own heartfelt experience to help others regain their health. I am finally pursuing a divine direction, but it took me years to figure it out. I wasn’t supposed to be a fiction or devotional author; I was supposed to use my background to assist others with health issues. I encountered much rejection along the way, but I continued to persevere. Have you determined the spiritual writing path that you should pursue?
All those years of rejection ultimately led to a path where I could use my nursing background and own heartfelt experience to help others regain their health. I am finally pursuing a divine direction, but it took me years to figure it out. I wasn’t supposed to be a fiction or devotional author; I was supposed to use my background to assist others with health issues. I encountered much rejection along the way, but I continued to persevere. Have you determined the spiritual writing path that you should pursue?
__________________________________________________________
Susan U. Neal, RN,
MBA, MHS, has a mission is to improve the health of the
body of Christ. She has her RN and MBA degrees, as well as a master’s in health
science. She published five books, the Selah award winner 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and
Carbohydrates, Christian Study Guide for 7 Steps to
Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates, Healthy Living Journal, Scripture Yoga a #1 Amazon best-selling yoga book, and Yoga for Beginners. She published two sets of Christian
Yoga Card Decks and two Christian Yoga DVDs. To learn more visit SusanUNeal.com. Susan blogs
and provides healthy menus, recipes, and corresponding grocery lists on HealthyLivingSeriesBlog.com.You can follow Susan on:https://www.facebook.com/SusanUllrichNeal
https://www.pinterest.com/SusanNealYoga/ https://www.instagram.com/healthylivingseries/
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