More than Writers

Photo from Wikimedia Commons Are you entangled in things God never intended for you to do? How do you discern His best will for your life? It’s taken me a lifetime to figure this one out, and I still have a lot to learn! This past week, I was pondering whether to volunteer for something.  The job suited my skillset, and I quite fancied having a go, but I wasn’t sure I had the time. I struggle to get so many things ticked off my to-do list, that in one sense it was madness to think of taking anything else on. Rather than worrying about it, I decided, possibly for the first time in my life, that my peace of mind would guide the decision. I didn’t over-analyse it, but trusted my heart and decided to go ahead.  I recently purchased a new robot cleaner, Rocky. I've programmed him to vacuum and mop my large kitchen floor daily, first thing in the morning. This is a wonderful blessing, as it saves me so much work. However, every so often, I forget to pick a floor cloth up before I go...

Well… I have been somewhat preoccupied the last few weeks preparing to lead a ‘Knitwits for God’ knitting and spirituality retreat day in March https://www.wydale.org/events/2026/3/11/knitwits-for-god   Hopefully you will hear more about this in next month’s blog. If I’m not still lying down in a darkened room wrapped in my comfort blanket. 16 ladies (possibly more), all armed with knitting needles and crochet hooks. It could get messy… At times I’ve questioned what my preparation has to do with writing. And I’ve questioned my sanity (nothing new there) as I’ve sifted through hundreds of patterns (you think I’m exaggerating). Knitted and crocheted visual aids (Jelly babies are NOT me, and I can safely say I’ll never knit one again…). Wondered where all these half pairs of knitting needles came from. And more importantly where are their mates and are they lonely?   However in the last couple of days two things have been so helpful. Jane Walters’ new book: ‘Bless the work of our...

Over the past two weeks, three so-called “book clubs” have appeared in my inbox. Each one claimed to have thousands of eager readers, all genuinely interested in my books. Each email provoked a different reaction. The first message didn’t mention any of my titles. Considering I have nearly twenty books published, that should have raised a red flag immediately—but it didn’t. Instead, I replied with a simple question: “Are your readers interested in sci-fi fantasy?” The answer, unsurprisingly, was an enthusiastic yes. I was invited to send a PDF of my book and pay a small fee in exchange for the possibility that some members might leave reviews. I politely declined. I don’t pay for reviews—full stop. Next came Patrick. He was more convincing. He referenced a specific title, Strangest Christian Myths Squished , and even mentioned my background in youth work. That detail almost won me over; it suggested he’d done his homework. He assured me participation was “completely free of ch...

 A movement outside my window made me look up and there, strutting nonchalantly across the lawn in front of my French windows, was a brightly coloured pheasant. Bold fellow seemed supremely confident in his finery. It's not something I'm at all good at. Strutting my stuff. In other words, marketing and promoting my books. I know I need to put the effort in to let potential readers know that my books are out there, just waiting for them to buy and hopefully enjoy.  But all the stuff that goes with it - photographs of me in bookshops and at events, holding my book up and grinning foolishly at the camera - or caught unawares looking even worse... No, it's really not me! (I don't mind the events - in fact I love giving talks about my books and my faith.) Maybe it's the way I was brought up: we were firmly told that boasting was not permitted. And there are plenty of Bible verses about how God really does not like the proud! So it sounds as if blowing our own trumpets is...

  Do you find it easier to write something that matches the mood you’re in, or something that contrasts with it? Imagine you come home from an emotional hospital visit, full of sadness and pain. And you sit down to work on a story which focusses on joy. Does it give you a break from your own strong emotions? Or do you just give up, unable to get into the right headspace. Last week I was struggling to write the next chapter in my current work-in-progress. The main character is angry with events and feeling isolated. She needs to express her frustration to God. And I felt a real resistance to even attempting to write the chapter. I’m familiar with procrastination, with the reluctance to get down to work. This resistance was stronger than that. I wondered if I had misjudged how the character was feeling. Sometimes the aversion to writing a particular scene is because the story has taken a wrong turn. Or I’m trying to force a character to go where they don’t want to g...

  The  Writer As A Work in Progress  By Sheelagh Aston Do you remember how, on a racing-track, every competitor runs, but only one wins the prize? Well, you ought to run with your minds fixed on winning the prize! Every competitor in athletic events goes into serious training. Athletes will take tremendous pains—for a fading crown of leaves. But our contest is for an eternal crown that will never fade. 1 Corinthians 9:23-25   J B Philips New Testament I first started writing when I was about nine or ten. I started with poetry and had a lovely English teacher who encouraged me. If it had not been for her kindness to me at that time, I would probably have stopped. Instead, I found a lifelong source of comfort and a passion which I have never outgrown or got a board of. Anguished teenage poetry came and went to be replaced by drama sketches for school and student events, then short stories, and finally novels. Nowadays I write a combination of all. In the scri...