by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

Writing is – well – a very lonely business. Writers hold up in a space, shut the door, and enter their own world of fantasy. After all, this is where we create. This is where we develop those stories or make notes for those steps of guidance we need to share. The door flings open once or twice a year, and conferences drag us out of our dens of creation. And who doesn’t love a conference?

I felt like, as Christmas approached this year, it was time to address the fears and emotions of a writer. It’s time to face what an impact writers have on others. Oh, sure, there’s the obvious – the stories. But there is so much more.

I’ve said this before but felt it valuable enough to state again. Alton Ganksy once said in a class, “If you want to write for God, then you need to understand that this may not be meant to be squeezed between two book covers and sitting on the shelves of a bookstore. It may only be meant for the person sitting next to you.”

It’s funny that if you asked Al if he remembers saying that, his likely answer is no because, like so many who teach, often unscripted things drop from our lips that don’t impact us but that change the lives of others. Al did that for me with these words. In those couple of sentences, he clarified for a first-time writer what needed to be my guiding force. That was God. It changed my entire perspective on my writing career, and I’ve used it hundreds of times as I’ve taught at conferences, hoping it changes the perspective of others.

What we do can change the lives of others. It’s not all about us. It’s about how God can use what we do if we offer it back to Him. Is that piece I’ve been working on going to be my next book, or is it simply meant for the person sitting next to me? I won’t know until I trust it into God’s hands. You see, we quickly say that we trust things into God’s hands, but the human side of us still fights to take it back, and when we do that, well, sometimes God lets go and leaves us to our own devices. The question then becomes, how have we impacted others, and the answer is usually pretty disappointing.

Here are a few things to ponder about your writer’s impact.

• Will I ever be published? – I’ve said this myself. Ask Dee Dee Parker. She wagged that bony little finger at me and asked if this was what I truly believed. Sometimes, we need those friends who love us enough to jerk us out of our pity party and put us back on the straight and narrow. I will always be grateful for her wack of reality. Because of her love, my perspective changed again, and when I let go, God took hold.
• I can’t return to my office and write after publishing my last novel. Can I ever write another novel as good? – Oh brother, I’ve been there and done this too. In fact, I hit this same roadblock every novel that comes out. I have to remind myself that God has gifted me with the talent of writing. He has my back. And as long as I allow Him to remain in control, He’ll make good of my work. In other words, don’t believe the lies of the Evil One who wants you to fail. Believe the truth that God knew you long before you were born. Again, He has your back.
• My words don’t mean anything – As my Mamaw used to say, “Hogwash.” Your words mean everything whether you write them in a novel or say them to a friend. Words are our sword. Wield it for good or wield it for…
• Nobody tells me they like my work – Again, I quote Mamaw Brooks. “Hogwash.” It’s self-assessment time. Why are you really writing? Are you writing for your glory or His? Remember what Al said! And besides, when was the last time you told a writer or a mentor what impact they’ve had on your life? So, let’s go back to Mamaw Brooks. “Regret is an ugly bedfellow. If you don’t say and do important things now, you can’t change it once you’re gone.” The same is true of our words to others. Say those things NOW because we regret not telling them once those folks are gone. I was blessed to call Yvonne Lehman my dear friend and mentor. Everytime I talked with her, I told her what she meant to me and how much she had taught me. I told her I appreciated her. When we lost Yvonne, I had no regrets because I knew, Yvonne knew, how she’d impacted my life. It’s not about people telling you that they like your work. It’s about you telling others how they’ve impacted you.
• My agent will fire me as a client if I don’t provide something for he/she to sell – Well, I won’t lie, that’s a real possibility because agents have to make a living and standing in the bean line waiting on a spoonful on their plate isn’t exactly fun. I’m a slow writer. I can’t turn out a book overnight. I rewrite them numerous times. I pray that my agent doesn’t give up on me, but should that happen, I know God has my back. He’ll lead me to the place I need to be at the right time. My point is that I trust my agent knows I’m working as long as I am making efforts and not simply sitting relaxed in my recliner. My agent knows I’m a slow writer with a learning disability. God has graced me with a kind agent and one that will probably give me the boot the day I stop working. Until then, I have to trust that God has filled my creative juices and is guiding me to do the work He has called me to do.

As writers, it’s easy to slip into our fears, but when we remember who has our back, then our perspective changes. Don’t fall prey to the negative voices that can creep up on you. Trust. Remember, your words have an impact,  and your life has an impact. I want to leave you with this link to click. I hope this is the life you lead. If you have someone who has impacted your writing life, send them a note. Send them this link. From the gospel group Greater Vision, listen to FACES.https://youtu.be/MaDqKdlY6Hs?si=zaqvCs5iFLoPPqgz

Cindy K. Sproles is an author, speaker, and conference teacher. Having served for a number of years as a managing editor for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas and Ironstream Media, Cindy now works as a mentor, coach, and freelance editor. She is the co-founder of Writing Right Author Mentoring Services with Lori Marett and the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Cindy is also the co-founder of Christian Devotions Ministries and www.christiandevotions.us, as well as www.inspireafire.com. Her devotions are in newspapers and magazines nationwide, and her novels have become award-winning, best-selling works. She is a popular speaker at conferences and a natural encourager. Cindy is a mountain girl, born and raised in the Appalachian mountains, where she and her husband still reside. She has raised four sons and now resorts to raising chickens where the pecking order is easier to manage. You can visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com or www.wramsforwriters.com.