by: Shannon Redmon @shannon_redmon

I’ve always loved steel roller coasters. The taller the hill, the larger the loop and I hopped on the ride. Smooth turns and forceful speed bring excitement and joy into the experience. But there is one type of ride I always avoid…the dreaded wooden coaster.

Most look like a relic of toothpicks, bolted together with steel beams and plates. But being a roller coaster enthusiast, I find myself in line with my husband wondering how often the framework is checked for decay. Once seated, a metal bar presses across our laps and the ride starts with the climb of breathtaking views. This is my favorite part.

At the top, I squeeze my eyes closed before plunging into a gravity defying drop, followed by multiple bunny hills and at least one dark tunnel. Smoothness is not a characteristic of the wooden coaster. Instead, the contraption jerks the rider around like a rag doll, sometimes reversing through the same rough journey.

When we’re called to write, our progress can be like a steel coaster at times, exhilarating, smooth, and speeding along at a rapid pace. We might sign with agent, get a book deal or win an award, all while enjoying the wind blowing through our writing fingers.

Other times, we experience the lurches and jolts of the wooden writing coaster, jerking our spirit up and down, while sending our bodies into a rough excursion of headaches and anxiety. We receive rejections, are excluded from awards or cling to the lap bar of what seems like unending waiting.

One thing is for certain, all writers experience both. So, how do we survive this roller coaster of writing?

Talk to God every day.

He’s the only one who knows what’s in store for us. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.” Write down the times God has blessed our writing and carry the other times to him in prayer. He has called us to be authors and his promise never changes.

Talk to other writer friends.

There’s not one serious writer who hasn’t experienced the same feelings we have. Even best-selling authors have been in the depths of the dark tunnel. Most writers are supportive, want to encourage us to keep going and not give up. Don’t hesitate to reach out to those we know for words of wisdom and hope.

Keep writing.

The enemy of God wants to kill, steal and destroy our motivation, our efforts and our time. Don’t let him. We must be determined and guard our writing. Complete word count, even if it’s minimal, every day. Faith pleases God and He rewards our perseverance.

If we find ourselves struggling, then it’s okay to take a break, even wallow, but only for a day. Sometimes, we all need a good cry and a pint of our favorite ice cream. Or maybe we go find a good steel roller coaster to ride and let God’s wind blow through our stories.  But when the day is done, we must be obedient and always return to what God has called us to do…write.

Shannon Redmon remembers the first grown-up book she checked out from the neighborhood bookmobile. A Victoria Holt novel with romance, intrigue, dashing gentlemen and ballroom parties captivated her attention. For her mother, the silence must have been a pleasant break from non-stop teenage chatter, but for Shannon, those stories whipped up a desire and passion for writing.

Shannon hopes her stories immerse readers into a world of joy and escape while encouraging faith, hope, and love for those around us.

Her debut novel Cave of Secrets will be released by Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line in October 2020 and her other published works have appeared in Spark magazine, Splickety magazine, The Horse of My Dreams compilation book, Romantic Moments compilation book, the Lightning Blog and the Seriously Write blog. She won first place in the Foundation Awards and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.