The Write Goals: How to Step Into Your Purpose with Silee Williams

Hey #JustWrite, as you know it has officially been a year since we launched the first meeting in May 2014. We have come so far from that first meeting. Our first guest at our inception was Silee K. Williams, author of  The Makings of A Champion: 13 Steps That Will Revolutionize Your Life and the upcoming book, Exceptionalism: You Were Created To Stand Out. Silee was also our recent speaker at last month's brainstorming session. It was only befitting to have Silee featured in this month's blog. Prior to last month's brainstorming session, I had a chance to catch up with Silee and discuss with him his journey as an author, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. Silee and I initially connected about 5 years ago via a Facebook group he started called NewBirth Connect. We knew each other from church and I had an opportunity to join one of his previous conference call sessions. It had literally been a year since I last saw him so it was great to talk and reunite with Silee.

Silee is the CEO of Silee Williams Enterprises, LLC, a publishing company he started as a way to self-publish his own books, taking ownership for when and what he wanted to publish, and to leverage the business side of self-publishing. This decision has helped him to grow and develop on that level. I shared with Silee that I didn't know anything about self-publishing years ago until I received a new follower on Twitter named Tiphani Montgomery (www.tiphanimontgomery.com) who teaches a class on self-publishing. Silee shared that it was our sister, Lakia Brandenburg (featured in #TheWriteMoment May's blog) who taught him how to self-publish his books. Yay Lakia!! Reach One, Teach One!! From there, Silee and I discussed the conception of  his upcoming book, Exceptionalism: You Were Created To Stand Out. Silee stated that the idea for the book came to him after being on the road doing speaking events. Different words would come to him. He was reminded of how each person in the Bible was gifted with uniqueness and how their obedience was needed to progress the plans that God had for them. The book talks about staying in your lane and using your gifts to walk in your purpose. It encourages readers to understand how God created you to stand out and how to capitalize on it. Silee's first book, The Makings of A Champion came forth in an unexpected way. In all transparency, Silee shared he wasn't initally inspired to write. In school, reading and writing were the most difficult subjects for him so the idea of writing a book was far from what he thought. However, Silee knew that he was great at communication, particularly verbal communication. Although, writing was out of his comfort zone, Silee received encouragement from others to write. In 2011, Silee started to put things on paper, which became therapeutic for him. It was then that Silee recognized that the center of his calling was communication and writing was one of the various channels he used to communicate. Silee believes that when people read books, they validate the existence of the author and what God's calling is for that author's life.

His book took a year to conceive, but the process for Silee was not easy. Although Silee had the outline, he kept procrastinating until life events pushed him to write. Silee realized that he had to build his confidence to write. A lot of his personal life was put into his book; he was uncomfortable at first, but as he wrote, he began to learn that the things he struggled with was for someone else; they happened to him, but they didn't define him. He was transparent about a moment in his life that affected him. When he started writing, he realized that the moment pushed him to write the book and deal with those events and forever close the chapter.  I shared with Silee that when we write, it's healing for the reader and the author. Sharing a story closes the chapter of the events and moves the person forward. Silee's transparency led me to share with him how my experience with the effects of my parent's divorce (from 11 years old to 19 years old) pushed me to write about it in college as part of an assignment. I was uncomfortable writing about it and didn't want to share even though the professor suggested that I should. I eventually shared years later. Another reminder that everything that happens to us is not for us.

I commended Silee for sharing his transparency on vulnerability with writing the book. He went on to share that "people tend to compare their worst days to other people's best days." At the time of writing his book, he didn't want to present himself as a perfect person. He wanted to show that if God can bless him in his mess, then He can bless them as well. We both agreed on how transparency is needed so other people can be released from their fears and discomfort. Silee stated that "when one writes, it is like having a heart to heart with the reader: one person shares their story intimately, then trust is built. Once the trust is built, it releases the other person to share the story.(This happened between Silee and I during our conversation.) People walk away feeling like they know the author without meeting him or her and taking the advice as legit." When asked about his advice for aspiring writers, Silee offers the following: 1. "the #1 thing is transparency; the more real a person is, the more he or she can create the change one desires. When readers see and apply the results of what the author is writing about, then change has taken place as opposed to reading general information with no authentic examples with just a simple response of, "that was a good book!" 2. Ask yourself the question, "Why am I writing?" "What am I trying to accomplish?" Sometimes we verbally say something, but our actions contradict it. When that happens, go back to the drawing board and ask those questions. 3."Writing a book is tough so be very clear on why you are doing it. Your vision has to be big enough to sustain you through the process. People tend to give up when it's hard so be realistic; don't underestimate the challenges you will face. Work has to be put in; otherwise, you're wasting time and it may not be the vision for you.(Ask those questions)" Remember, write the vision and make it plain.

When I asked Silee what he has learned as a writer, he reiterated that, "writing is an opportunity to affect change and help others. Writing allows me to understand and put life into proper perspectives. He used the process of baking as an analogy. We all know it takes ingredients to bake a cake.



Salt by itself is disgusting. Butter by itself is disgusting. These ingredients represent the situations in our lives that are not comfortable. When we put butter, salt, and other ingredients together, with instructions, we get a delicious cake. When we put all of life's uncomfortable situations and events together, with added directions and purpose, we have the grand prize of a wonderful story, a beautiful outcome of life. That's the beauty of writing. It is for the author and the reader. Silee says that he didn't realize his first book was a grand prize and the seriousness of his gift until doors began to open for him. Writing allowed him to connect with others and connect on different levels. Silee's book made it to Amazon's bestseller's list and in 2014, he received an award for the best book of the year. That moment led Silee to partner with Lakia and began working on his publishing company. Silee became more serious about his craft.



In closing, Silee stated he is "opened to what God brings his way to take him to the next level. He believes that his plans over God's plans would not be at the level of where God is taking him. Sometimes when we place barriers on what we want to do, then we hinder God's plans. Be present in the moment.  Silee further stated that, "#JustWrite is a great community of people. It is good to be among a great group of people who hold you accountable. Just like a family that wants you to do well, #JustWrite stresses the importance of feedback and accountability. Why not join them and take the advantage of the information and advice that's being offered?  In the word's of Sharon Frame, "Get on the Bus!"

Yes, #JustWrite, the goal is to make an impact, but it is not about numbers; it is about us helping you develop the vision God has given you. My prayer is that those who are engaged in the monthly sessions and blogs know that this is a place of community, wisdom, and growth.



For those of you who missed last month's #JustWrite meeting, check out the following 6 steps Silee gives that explain why goals are pertinent for what you want to achieve:

Jeremiah 29:11

 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

6 Steps

1. Goals Propel You Forward

Having a goal written down with a set date for accomplishment gives
you something to plan and work for. A written goal is an external
representation of your inner desires; its a constant reminder of what
you need to accomplish.

There’s a very common pattern that comes with working towards goals
that we’re all familiar with: you set your mind to something, you get
excited and work really hard at it, and then motivation starts to
fade. Having goals that you can focus on and visualize helps you
better connect yourself with your inner desires, and gives you the
motivational energy you need to work through periods where your focus
starts to wane.


2. Goals Transform Unconquerable Mountains Into Walkable Hills

Most of us have big dreams that seem at times impossible to
accomplish. Its easy to feel discouraged when you’re staring at a
massive, seemingly unclimbable mountain.

Proper goal setting can help break larger, intimidating aspirations
into smaller, more achievable stepping stones.

Planning towards these smaller goals not only makes it easier to
formulate a definite plan of action that we can start working on right
away, but research has shown that hitting smaller milestones provides
real motivation and greater contentment.

Take the mountains you need to climb and break them up into smaller
hills that you can walk. You’ll be happier and more motivated to start
working towards that next milestone on your way to greatness.



3. Goals Help Us Believe In Ourselves


Setting goals for yourself is a way to fuel your ambition. Goal
setting isn’t just about creating a plan for your life and holding
yourself accountable, its also about giving us the inspiration
necessary to aim for things we never thought possible.

Unless you see yourself slowly making progress, your dreams and
aspirations are nothing more than vague notions floating around in
your imagination.


4. Goals Hold You Accountable For Failure

If you don’t write down concrete goals and give yourself a timeline
for achievement, how can you look back and re-evaluate your path if
you fail?

There’s something extremely humbling about looking back on a goal you
set for yourself 6 months, 1 year, or even 5 years ago and realizing
that you were supposed to accomplish a lot more than you actually did.

 Its a concrete sign that whatever you’re doing isn’t working, and you
need to make real changes if you want to get where you want to be.


5. Goals Tell You What You Truly Want

There are certainly times where we set goals that don’t really reflect
what we want. Sometimes we think we need more money, when really we
need a change of environment, or someone to love. Sometimes we think
we want more free time, but what we really want is work that we can be
truly passionate about. Sometimes we think we want to be alone, but
really we need to be around more positive people.

By asking ourselves what we really want and constantly re-assessing
our goals, we gain the benefit of introspection and self-reflection.
We can figure out what it is we really want in life – and then we can
go out and do it.


6. Goals Help Us Live Life To The Fullest


When you take the time to set goals, you ensure that your life is
geared towards getting the most out of every moment. There’s so much
to do and experience in life, but many of the things we want to
achieve and experience won’t be handed to us; we need to work for it.

To stay connected to Silee, you can find him here:

Facebook personal page: Silee K. Williams

Twitter: @Iamsilee 

Instagram: @Iamsilee

Website: www.sileewilliams.weebly.com

God bless,

~Lequvia Ousley~

The Write Faith: "Bouncing Back" with Elder Craig Heath

Hey #JustWrite!! As you all know, the month of June is the month we celebrate fathers. I'm pleased to present this month's blog featuring Elder Craig Heath, a man of God who has a fatherly presence and a heart for men. I didn't know but God knew exactly what was to take place while speaking with Elder Heath. I learned through this divine conversation with him, that he and I both have similar testimonies to how God led us to the gift of writing.

Craig's ministry is entitled, "Bounce Back" ministries, a ministry birthed by God in 2006. In all transparency, Craig shared that throughout his life, he's always been active in sports and remembered men always gravitating towards him, asking him to be a mentor for them. Craig's wife, Peggy saw what was to come and spoke wisdom, stating that God is going to use him for a greater purpose. And indeed God made good on His promise. He groomed Craig personally, professionally and spiritually to take on the role of providing guidance and tools to men that will help them grow as men of God in the Kingdom as well as within their families. Craig stated that the blessing of the ministry was that his heart was always towards family, children, and couples. God specifically centered him towards the men. God spoke to Craig and said, "If you can get the men, then the rest will follow." And that is the foundation of the ministry, "Advancing the Kingdom, one man at a time." With the blessing of the ministry, there was also a burden of the ministry: how will women of God find those men of God that desire God and have the qualities they desire? As a young, single woman of God, I can definitely relate to that question. We as women need strong, spiritually whole men to lead us and our families. Craig further explained that his experiences with men has revealed to him that men still struggle with the independent-minded women; women who were raised with no father present in the home and women who were taught by society how to be independent. Men don't have the same vision as women. This ideal places women in difficult positions, because the men are not in position to be all that God has called them to be.

This burden led Craig to write the BounceBack Devotional and Journal series. The series is divided into 12 months. Each month has a specific title and topic. The first two months are entitled, "God's Plan" and "Overcoming Past Pain". The devotional series touches on topics such as father/son relationships, mother/son relationships, practical living in the areas of finance, prayer, spiritual walk, as well as, the issues that men deal with daily. One issue that Craig addresses is the fact that men tend to come to the church in a functional position as a deacon, pastor, maintenance person, usher, etc., but not spiritually. It was at a previous church, where the Lord laid upon Craig's heart to pray every day at 4 am after seeing the struggle of prayer during Bible study. It was a moment that was the prerequisite to the writing process for the devotionals.

Now, those who know me personally, know that my professional and educational background is accounting and financial management. I had the opportunity for the last 5 years to work with clientele that spanned various industries. It was in the field of accounting that God drew me back to my first love of writing/blogging. Little did I know that when I would speak with Craig that he would share a similar story. As some of you may know, Craig is an engineer, mathematician, and scientist, both educationally and professionally; he worked for over 24 years at IBM, a company that actually helped Craig began the writing process for the devotional series. Some of you may be asking, how can working for a huge corporation like IBM help someone write a devotional for men? Well, Craig shared with me that back in 2003, while on a plane to France, at 1am, God placed on his heart the titles and topics within 10 minutes, which would be part of his devotional series. Amazing, right? Flashback to 1982, the Lord spoke in a different way and Craig used punch cards from work to write different things God gave him. This process showed Craig how to teach and preach in a relatable way.  He continued to receive titles during his time at his previous churches in Illinois and Colorado and dated them on cards. He created the titles and he automatically generated the structure of the book. He didn't know what the titles meant but in his obedience, he allowed God to move and he wrote. When the devotionals came into fruition, it took a week to write most of the information. Some devotionals took research. Even the structure incorporated the mathematical and scientific side of Craig. He created spreadsheets and used various nomenclature to structure the book. From that process, the 1st devotional, "God's Plan" was published in 2008 and the 2nd devotional, "Overcoming Past Pain" was published a month later. The other books were written years later. Craig says that although he is visual in how he writes and how he sees, it was feedback that helped him during his isolation period as a writer. Yes, I said isolation period. Craig was used to talking to his clients and colleagues on a daily basis so writing became intimidating without feedback which sparked his methods for his processes.

So where did Craig's gift from writing blossom? Craig's writing journey began when he wrote stories in elementary school.  Next, in college, Craig's instructor gave an assignment that challenged him to be a better writer. "Don't stop writing!", his instructor encouraged.  Then at his corporate job, he received a revelation, "You know your stuff, but you can't communicate." God spoke to Craig and said, "If you don't finish writing, then you will miss your season." Craig struggled with leaving IBM because of the goodness of the company and the financial freedom, but he trusted God and in Feb. 2006, he walked away to pursue writing. This is the 9th year of his faith walk and the Lord has been faithful. God showed Craig that the things he learned in corporate America were not for corporate America, but to build up the church. He learned in college that his success was not in the natural, but in the spiritual. God gave Craig his abilities, and He was taking him somewhere.

Craig attributes his success to the support of his wife Peggy who unofficially became his official editor after offering her feedback on his initial writings and his diligence in writing. He says, that "just one word written down will help you remember what God is saying to you." Over the last 4 years, Craig's been sharing his devotionals at God's unction which has opened up opportunities to speak to men. One memory Craig recalls is when his 2nd book, "Overcoming Past Pain" was the most cathartic writing for him. Although it was a difficult story to tell, he's glad to have told it. Writing the book showed him who God was. Since the book's inception, it has been used at his wife's youth conference and NewBirth spent 9 months on what is considered to be a 30-day book. Craig shared just the introduction at a men's meeting and from that one moment, it allowed a 60-year old man to come forth and speak about dealing with his issues for years. Just hearing that alone blessed me and reminded me of the amazing things God does when we are faithful and obedient to the gift(s) and the messages He gives us to share with the world.

In the end, people didn't understand why Craig left IBM. Yes, there were sacrifices, the journey was tough and yes it was a hard transition, but Craig knew that if he didn't do this work that God placed in Him, then God didn't have anything for him to do and he would die. Powerful. Men of God, I pray that Craig's testimony will bless you and bring forth the urgency to be the man that God has called you to be. Women of God, I encourage you all to share this ministry with the men in your life. In order to have strong families, we have to build strong leaders. Remember, Phillippians 1:6, NKJV: "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ."  All it takes is the Write faith and the Write vision.

For more information on BounceBack Ministries and Elder Craig Heath, check out www.bouncebackministries.com.

Facebook: Craig Heath

Also for more encouragement, tips, and accountability, listen to Sharon Frame's message from the last #JustWrite meeting here:

http://rs1035.freeconferencecall.com/fcc/cgi-bin/share.mp3/7127757100-194812-13.mp3


Look for #JustWrite on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1436559053226684/

~Lequvia Ousley ~

The Write Vision: Girl Talk with Lakia Brandenburg

I had the opportunity to chat with Lakia Brandenburg, wife, mother, wife coach ,and author of two books, "Picture Perfect" and "The Tiara". She has a publishing company called, "Perfectly Imperfect Publishing", which has been in business for 5 years. Speaking with her was like catching up with a best friend. She was very open and honest about her life as a woman of God and journey as an author.

Lakia's main goals as a wife coach is to build relationships with women and to give them the tools they need to be successful. Lakia shared with me that her calling as a wife coach came from writing books. Her dream was to publish a book. Through her dream, God brought forth her calling to coach women in marriages. She is the director of "The Wives Society," a mentoring program that empowers single women before saying, "I Do". Lakia says that sharing her story with the women prepared her for her calling, which birthed a "Wifestyle" newsletter and "Wifestyle" sessions. She attributes her success in her calling to having an understanding that, "If you create a vision for your life, then the doors will open." "When you trust God, then He will lead the way."

To the ladies who are reading this, I know that you can relate to juggling various hats of wife, mother, daughter, entrepreneur, etc. You all know that balance in those areas is one of the keys to a successful life. Lakia views balance as, "being in alignment". She believes that when things are balanced, they are perfect which is an illusion. "Being in alignment" means bringing everything into order by 1.Being aware and knowing that you are not a perfect woman. 2. Prioritizing. 3. Understanding that being in alignment is a learning process. Lakia states that having a support system from her spouse and girlfriends keeps her in alignment as well.

Speaking of processes, Lakia shares that creating a vision board was key to her writing process. With her vision board, she was driven everyday and she envisioned herself selling books, doing tours, etc. She wanted the vision badly so she spoke life into her board and made time to write daily. This one step led her to do vision board workshops for her classes. Her diligence led her to write her first book in 6 months and publish it in 6 months. It was the rejection from a publishing company which prompted Lakia to start her publishing company. Lakia offers three things as encouragement for  aspiring writers: 1.Create a vision board 2. Ask yourself, "Why are you writing? The "why" has to be big that the "how" doesn't matter." 3. Trust God and the process.

As a writer, Lakia has learned that "there is power in the written word. Words carry life. Everyone has a story to tell. All things are possible if you believe you can. Imagination is everything. Vision, vision, vision is important!! Life is simple; we're the ones that make it complex. Follow your dreams."

As we closed our conversation, I asked Lakia where does she see herself in 10 years. She says, "I want to be able to look back and say that I've empowered lives and relationships. I am a woman who continues to be an example, an inspiration for following and living your dreams. I am constantly growing on this journey and open for the journey."

The conversation with Lakia was more than just getting feedback. Lakia ministered to me. Her authenticity and transparency helped me to understand how the dreams that God places in us are sparked once we trust the process and believe God for His guidance.

For more information about Lakia Brandenburg,  her books, and business, please check her out on:

Facebook: personal page, Lakia Brandenburg, business page, Author Lakia Brandenburg
Twitter: @authorLakiaB
Instagram: @authorlakiab

Remember write the vision and make it plain, you are on the Write path!!



~Lequvia Ousley

The Write Prayers: An Exclusive Interview with Barbara Winters

Hey Just Write!! As we mentioned before on the Facebook page, The Write Moment blog is taking the opportunity to learn more about you as authors, editors, publishers, etc., and to get your feedback on the Just Write group.

This month’s featured author is Barbara Winters.   Here’s what Barbara had to say about her experience with Just Write:

Services

      1.       How often do you visit the Just Write FB page?  About 3 times a week

      2.       Are we meeting your expectations as an author?  Yes.

            3.   Have you met a new person as a result of joining the Just Write Facebook group? Yes, a few people. One person in particular, Barbara Kershaw, was someone who I knew briefly before. Being apart of the group allowed us to reconnect.

                         4.    Have you used the Just Write page to promote your services or your book? No, I use my Facebook page to promote.

Functions

1.       Are you familiar with the Just Write Support group monthly sessions? Yes, but I'm not able to attend as much.

2.       Do you attend writer’s conferences and workshops? Yes, the last conference I attended was with a publishing company.  I’ve also attended conferences with artists and editors.

3.       Have you read any of the previous The Write Moment blogs?  No. I need to engage more in the blog. I would also like to learn more about blogging.

4.       Do you understand the purpose of Just Write? Yes, I understand that it is a tool for aspiring and accomplished writers, editors, publishers, etc.

About Barbara

     1.    When did you write your first book? I published my first book in 2005.

     

     2.       What is the name of your book? “Prosperity in Prayer: A Book of Prayers for Living in Wealth"

     

      3.       How long did it take for you to conceive the book after the idea? It took about 5 or 6 months. I remember always wanting to write. I always filled my journal with stories and prayers. I decided one day that I was going to take all of my journals/prayers and compose them into a book.

   

    4.     What would you share to encourage an inspiring writer? Listen to God and get directions from prayers. Pray over what God is showing you as your purpose, audience, topic, and genre.

        

        5.    What have you learned as a writer? As a writer, I've learned that we all have a purpose. When a person practices writing, it becomes easier for them to put their thoughts on paper. Writing takes commitment; write everyday, whether it’s one paragraph a day. Writing is a process that can make you think about your own life. Writers should be inspired in their own thought patterns. Writing should be fun with workshops or as a way to inspire students.  

Thank you so much Barbara for your time, encouraging words, and insight to you as an author!

To stay connected to Barbara, please connect via:

Facebook: Barbara J Winters

Email: barjwin@aol.com

Her book, “Prosperity in Prayer” is available at Borders, Amazon.com, and Kindle

The Write Moment would love to feature you, so please check out the survey on the Facebook page in the Tabs file.

God bless and as always, when in doubt, #JustWrite!!

Why Just Write

There are only 26 Alphabets

I had dreams of writing a book for almost twenty years, before I released my first one.  I've assisted others in accomplishing their milestones and often questioned myself, “what’s taking me so long?”   I've attended conferences, workshops/classes about writing, starting a book and the whole nine, only to learn, that writing is a gift from God and I needed to write my words carefully.  Writing was no longer about having a good idea, but a God idea.   When I finally completed my first project, I realized it was a lonely experience.  I wanted to share my work with others to get feedback. 

                                                                                                                                                          

Throughout the process, I often heard people say, “I need to write a book” or “I want to write a book” or something similar and that was also me for twenty years.  No one followed up with me after sharing the desire to write.  I understood the feeling of wanting someone to hold me accountable or encourage me through the process, like a “Write or Die Partner”.  CALLING ALL AUTHORS: How long did you know you wanted to write a book?

This writing challenge reminds me of the salvation experience.  Nine times out of ten, when we are lead to read Romans 10:9 “confess with my mouth and believe in my heart”, we all have confessed or said we wanted to write a book.   Now, I don’t fault anyone for not holding my hands or for holding me accountable because we know at the end of the day,  we have to work out our own salvation.  The end results are about the choices we make, but nothing compares to like-minded people in your midst during the journey, like disciples, especially if they've gone through the process before.

The word of God says “it’s not good to be alone”, so when we incorporate the principles from the salvation experience,  such as confessing with our mouth, which determines what’s in our heart and our actions, we must follow up with what’s in our heart.  I know that there are many distractions to battle each day, this is the reason why prayer and a “Write or Die Partner” are needed to help us stay focused.  We can always find an excuse, but when we place priority in what we believe we are called to do versus seeing a way to make money or sell a grand idea,  then we will take action.  The first step in the process is to create a writing plan and keep it moving. 

There is so much work to be done after the written book and Just Write is here to assist you along the way, to ask those heart questions and to pull you through, so we can support one another.  Some of you may have the same subject matter, so why not connect?  No one can do what God called you to do; God has inspired you specifically for a reason so remove that fear of sharing your ideas.  God has given you a voice to reach a certain type of people. 

Let’s share information about workshops and events and pass on information so others can bless others.  We can benefit from being a part of a community of inspiring writing and authors.  There is a need to net-weave; some of you know photographers, graphic designers, and publishers.  The Word says “iron sharpens iron”, so find out what others are doing, so we can grow.  Don’t be afraid to ask.  There is enough pie to go around and if not,  let’s make a bigger pie, so we can make this group what we desire based on your writing needs. 

If you know someone who’s an author or is in the process of writing a book, send them to the ARTS:  Just Write Facebook Page.  Now go ahead and share what you are doing.  We would love to support you, if we can. If you can, reflect a minute on James, John, Luke and Matthew to name a few; they all wrote a book in the bible.   Aren't we glad, they completed their task?

~Kim Sharkey~

The Love of Writing

It seems it’s pretty easy to say what we love.  Regardless of what we love, there will be challenges to test what we desire.  Love is a choice.   Love doesn't mean it will feel good all the time.  As writers, which is an action word requires writing, but surely we would prefer to watch television or talk on the phone.  There are times when I've scheduled to write, but instead I’ll find myself doing laundry or the dishes.  I believe it’s because I don’t want to face what I have to deal with like telling the entire story or dealing with a message.  Isn't that how love operates?

Disciplined writing isn't all that joyful, but we are proud when it’s accomplished.  We know it’s something we must do, if we desire to get our story, message or work out.  There are times when you need counseling, which I would call the “Focus Group”.  It’s a group of people, who will be honest with you about your work.  They will read your material prior to the assigned session

and provide feedback in reference to your writing style, whether or not they were interested to keep you writing.  People usually say things like “break a leg” for dancers, and “until the fat lady sing”, but what do people say to writers who are expected to do well, “It will be a best seller”?

Just like love, writing is a process and it requires work.  So make a date with your computer, pad or whatever writing devices you have.

Letter.   Word.   Sentence.   Paragraph.   Page.   Chapter.   Book.

~Kim Sharkey

There Is No One Like You (Kim's Testimony)

There was a stage in my life where I would not share my book ideas. I thought someone would steal the idea and write a book before me or better yet, write it better than me. I got the confirmation that although my book idea could be a good one, no one could write it like me because what’s in me must be filtered through me outwardly. No one else knows my thoughts like me and most of all I should be listening to God for guidance in regards to my writing.

When I desired to share what I wanted to write, I had no one to share the ideas with. I believe I was seeking validation, hoping someone would like my thoughts. We are in a new year where people start to set goals. I can attest that you can have the idea all you want, but if you are not setting aside time to write out the story, message or idea, it will only be that, an idea.

This need for moving forward reminds me of the passage in the bible where God was calling Samuel, in 1 Samuel: 3. Samuel thought Eli was calling him. Do you believe being a writer is “a calling”? When I got serious about writing, it felt dreadful. I had to be disciplined and schedule time when I thought the words should flow. Writing requires focus among other things. In the story about Samuel hearing God, it was Eli who said to Samuel, "The next time God calls you, say “Speak, your servant is listening”. I believe as writers/authors we need to have the same practices. We must understand that as we write, it’s not just our ideas. I believe God is using us to speak to specific people about a particular message. 


~Kim Sharkey