Prizes, prizes!

 

Yesterday I drew the winners for my ‘Fantastical Pre-order Prize Draw’.  You might have seen one or two posts advertising it on Social Media! I had come up with the idea in a attempt to engender interest in my second novel, The Pilgrim, which will be published 22^nd July, and recently delivered copies of which I now have in boxes ranged around my home. I hoped that by running a prize draw and offering exciting prizes that it might encourage readers to commit to buying a pre- publication copy. A good number of early sales would have been really good for the coffers at chez Joy.

It has only been fairly successful, and I think that many of those who did sign up and pre-order would have done so even if there had not been the added incentive of a very nice bottle of Welsh Mead. Would I run a pre-order prize draw again as a marketing aid? Probably not. But you have to try, right?

It did get me thinking about prizes, though. I actually was never very good at winning them, especially in draws or raffles. In fact I can’t actually remember winning one ever. For me I learnt early on that entering competitions based on chance lead to disappointment. I did earn a couple of prizes at school - one for English, naturally! And I swept the board in Sunday School prizes (it helped being the Pastor's daughter!). 

What about writing to win prizes? I know some of you are very good at entering your work into competitions. I’ve tried a couple but have never got anywhere.  Saying that I doubt very many of us write JUST in case we win a prize (although who wouldn’t accept a Booker if it were offered?) The same could be said for writing for financial reward… becoming incredibly wealthy from writing is about as likely as winning... a Booker Prize… (funny that!)

So what is our prize? What makes the writing worth it?

For those of us blessed enough to have our work published, it definitely feels like you’ve won a prize when you hold that printed copy in your hands. I experienced that delight this week and it is an amazing feeling. It is also a reward to know that people are reading and enjoying your writing. Even more so when we hear that people have been blessed, encouraged or moved by our words.

But what of the prize that tops them all… even the Booker Prize?

 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

                                                                Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)

In this verse Paul urges us to keep moving forward; like a runner heading towards his winner’s prize, living the life we have been called to live.  Our prize for living this life following Jesus? It is ultimately to be with Him. He is our finishing line, and He is our crown.

I don’t think we have to actually run fast (which is good, because the only running race I ever won was the three-legged race at school, and that was because we were the only ones left standing at the finish line!). 

I think we just need to be purposeful and keep going in the right direction, our eyes fixed on Him. Trying our best to honour Him with all that He has given us, our writing included. And perhaps with our legs tied firmly to His.

Does it matter if I never win a prize for my writing, or for anything else for that matter, if I know that the prize above all others is waiting for me? There is not a modicum of disappointment anticipated because winning this prize does not depend on chance, or on my achievements, but is purely a gift of His grace. And it’s not even a competition -  this is a race where everyone that runs it gets to win the prize. That’s my kind of race!

Joy Margetts has loved writing for as long as she can remember. A retired nurse, mother of two, and a new grandparent, she also has a lifelong interest in history. She makes her home on the beautiful North Wales coast.

Her debut novel 'The Healing', a work of historic fiction, was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. Joy has also self published a short novella, 'The Beloved' as both a companion to 'The Healing', and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available on Amazon Kindle.

Her second full - length novel, 'The Pilgrim', is due to be published by Instant Apostle, 22nd July 2022

More information on Joy and her writing, and her personal blog, can be found here www.joymargetts.com