MILESTONE MEANDERINGS by Joy Margetts

 I am in reflective mood again. I hope that is OK. I was struggling to find something intelligent and inspiring to write for this blog, as life is pretty full on at the moment. It wasn’t happening. And then I realised that this month marks a milestone and that got me thinking.

Four years ago, in October 2020, I signed my first publishing contract. Next month my fourth novel, The Stranger, is being published. This will be my sixth published book in four years, including my Advent Devotional, Christ Illuminated, and my little eBook novella, The Beloved, which I published myself through Amazon KDP. I have had the honour of working with all sorts of different publishers – traditional, hybrid, and the new model collaborative that is BroadPlace Publishing. I have learnt so much, so quickly, about things I actually had no clue about when this all started.

I am not saying all this to boast. I am actually pinching myself as to the reality of how much has happened to me in the last four years. How much my life has changed; in ways I never could have imagined.

When I wrote the story that became The Healing, in the middle of that first scary lockdown, I had no thought of being a published author. Sure, I had dreamed all my life of writing a book, and I had always loved expressing myself through the written word. But I hadn’t written a story since I was at school! And I was well into my 50’s.

No-one was more surprised than I when a tentative manuscript submission resulted in a publishing deal. I soon discovered how unusual this was. How many writers out there have worked for years to get published and been knocked back so many times. Did I think my writing was better than theirs? Absolutely not! Do I think God gave me a story, based on my own struggles, and couched in medieval landscapes? Yes, I think He did. It was His plan, and in His timing, that for this season of my life I was to become a published author.

Every subsequent book has been a gift from Him. That sounds holy, but it really isn’t. I have had to live the life and learn the truths that inspire my books. I had to learn to wait on Him for the ideas and words to flow. And I have often got in the way…

I am so thankful. Because I have found that I love writing, especially writing with Him. It brings life and joy and healing. I am thankful for every person that has believed in and championed my writing. I am thankful for every book sold and every person that has read and enjoyed my books. I am especially thankful for those who have been touched and blessed by the words in those stories.

My life has changed. I now know what a blurb is!  I also know how painful the editing process is, how thick skinned you have to become, how humbling it can be to have your work pulled apart and put back together again. I have experienced how tough the Christian Fiction market is, especially for new authors, especially in the UK. This journey has not always been easy and it has cost me, financially, and in other ways that I don’t have to share here. It is disheartening when the books don’t sell and when marketing becomes a loathsome slog. When not all your reviews are glowing ones.

Being an author has also gifted me with a whole new community of wonderful writers to be a part of. I have made connections with like-minded souls that have developed into some of the deepest friendships I have ever known. I have found joy in encouraging and supporting other writers, sharing my experiences, championing their ideas. The vision for starting Kingdom Story Writers came unexpectedly, again unlooked for, and that too has changed and enriched my life. Oh, and I have a (small) reader fan base now…

If I had known in October 2020 what signing that first publishing contract would have led to I would not have believed it. A complete innocent I was thrown into a world that was both terrifying and exciting in equal measure. Painful and joyous.

I would do it all again... I think!

How long will this season last? Am I supposed to be a writer now for the rest of my life? Part of me really hopes so! Maybe there will be more books. There are ideas, but there also has to be inspiration and leading from God. I am happy to leave that with Him. There is more to life than writing for publication… honestly.

Perhaps you are a writer who longs to be published, and it hasn’t happened yet. I’m sorry I don’t have the answers for you. I will say though, that God knows best! My experience is that the publishing journey isn’t easy, it demands a lot from you. It has the power to completely change your life, in good ways, but also in not so good ways. So I pray that you will be able to keep writing, keep trying, and most importantly, keep giving your desires to God, keep giving your writing gift back to Him. In His time and in His ways He will honour that, and it might come as a complete surprise when and how He does.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.

Psalm 37:3-5 NKJV

Joy Margetts is a published author and blogger. Her books are works of Christian Historical fiction. Set in medieval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, they tell stories of faith, hope and God's redemptive power. Her debut novel 'The Healing' was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021.

'The Pilgrim', her second full length novel, was published by Instant Apostle on 22 July 2022, and her third novel, 'The Bride', published on 20th October 2023. Her first non-fiction book, an Advent Devotional, 'Christ Illuminated' was published in September 2023.

'The Stranger', her fourth full length novel is coming soon! Due for publication November 2024