No Longer Alone by Tandy Balson

When I started writing I enjoyed the support and encouragement of my husband and a close friend. Since I had no intention of writing for a larger audience this was enough.

God had other plans for me and soon my sporadic hobby became more focused. I felt compelled to write and the words he gave me cried out to be shared.

My husband realized I would need contact with other writers long before I did. He saw a notice in our local paper about a writer's group that met weekly at the library and suggested I check it out. I didn't consider myself a writer so was reluctant, but knew he wouldn't let me off the hook until I attended one of their meetings.

What I found was a small, dedicated group mostly comprised of poets. None wrote from a Christian perspective and I felt out of place. They were welcoming and interested in what I wrote. The next week I returned and shared one of my stories. It didn't take long before these people were no longer strangers and I was part of the group.

When my first book was published, these new friends gave up their regular meeting in order for me to hold a book launch at the library. Their support and encouragement gave me much needed confidence. I still attend this group.

After a couple of years I longed to find a group where I could advance my writing skills in conjunction with others who shared my Christian faith. Through a series of events God led me to Ruth Snyder. She told me about InScribe and I had no doubt this was what I was looking for.

My life has been enriched through the writers I've since met, both in person and online. When I attended my first Fall Conference I felt as though I'd come home. The genuine caring and support was like nothing I had ever experienced. Published authors were happy to share their knowledge and experience with those just staring out. I came home inspired and encouraged.

I prayed for a chapter to start in my area so I could immerse myself even more. The mentoring and relationships were things I desperately wanted.

Again, God's plans were slightly different than mine. Instead of joining a group, I am now co-leading one. The men and women attending are all brand new writers with a desire to serve God through the written word.

I don't feel equipped to lead a group. They need so much more than I can offer them. When I asked for guidance InScribe was there to provide me with resources.  I'm now encouraging the participants  to attend the Spring WorDshop in our area. My hope is that they will join the membership and be inspired and blessed as I have been in this fellowship.

Pink Mountains …. by Jocelyn Faire

We cannot accomplish all that we need to do without working together. Bill Richardson

Every time I walk into a library or a Chapters book store I question my call to write. As I gaze row upon row of published books, it seems that there are more than enough words flung out onto the vast empty pages. A main reason, I was reluctant to join a writers group, is because I did not feel as though I qualified as a writer.

And how do you define writer? The online dictionary defines writer as:

noun

1. a person engaged in writing books, articles, stories, etc., especially as an occupation or profession; an author or journalist.

2. a clerk, scribe, or the like.

3. a person who commits his or her thoughts, ideas, etc., to writing :

My credentials come via point three—I am a person who commits my thoughts to writing. As I connect with others who write, I learn and improve my writing practice. It has become increasingly important for me to connect with others along the writing journey. It's what keeps me going back to put pen to paper. I have a writing partner that I met via Inscribe. We meet monthly to spur one another on. I always feel energized after our time together. Then the knowing that we will meet again spurs me on because I need to have something worked on for the next time.

As I publish my post today, I will be celebrating the second last day of a spiritual retreat. Two dear friends join me in February for what has become known as the Pink Mountain Retreat. The name has developed from nature. In the clear February air, the morning sun reflects back on the snowy mountains, and on occasion the skies pink hues descend onto the mountains with their rosy glow. It is especially during these times I have been encouraged to write. These soul sister friends also provide the rosy glow in my life as they reflect their spiritual inner light and love.

These ladies have walked the miles between my story happening and the publishing of my first book; they have helped edit grammatically and helped improve clarifity. They have asked me if I didn't want a shorter sentence. Did I mean to sound angry in that section? Should that be a semi-colon? And they have embraced the writing and say well done.

Like good undergarments, these ladies are foundational for my writing; they lift me up when I am doubting, they separate the good from the not so good, and they are close to my heart. (Perhaps they would ask if I want to shorten that run on sentence.)

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.Proverbs 12:25A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word.Proverbs 15:23 (The Message)

We can and should cheer one another along in the journey of writing and life. 

And Thank-you fellow Inscribe bloggers

Jocelyn is the author of Who is Talking Out of My Head, Grief as an Out of Body Experience, 
She blogs at http://whoistalking.wordpress.com

 

Writing Snuck Up On Me by Tandy Balson

Writing snuck up on me.  It wasn’t something I had consciously pursued.   There also was no Eureka moment when I discovered this was my calling.

Looking back on my life, I see the signs that God kept placing before me.  My hindsight is 20/20 but my vision over the years was too clouded with self doubts to even consider the possibility of being a writer.

In his book, The Art of Work, Jeff Goins said, “A calling is what you have when you look back at your life and make sense of what it’s been trying to teach you all along.”  My life had been trying to teach me that I should be a writer for many years but I wasn’t paying attention.

When I finally acknowledged that this was something I wanted to pursue I knew I would need help and advice. I spoke to a friend who was a writer and she gave me the encouragement to get started.  I appreciated her insight but as I wanted to focus on Christian content and this was foreign to her, I knew I needed more.

Though research I found The Word Guild and became a member.  Through this I was introduced to InScribe and quickly joined this group as well.

The people I have met through these groups, both in person at conferences and online have been a source of information and encouragement.  They are always willing to freely share their knowledge.  I have found opportunities through them that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.  The more I learn, the more my confidence has grown.

In my mind I am a writer.  This still isn’t easy to vocalize when people ask me what I do.  I did it for the first time at a meeting I attended recently.  The guest speaker was the publisher of a local magazine.  When I introduced myself to her, she asked what kind of business I was in.  Without hesitation, I smiled and said, “I’m a writer.”    I must have said it with confidence because after a brief conversation, she mentioned something about the possibility of doing a feature story on me.  Maybe I had the Eureka after all!

blog: https://www.timewithtandy.com

website: https://www.tandyb.com