Get Busy on Your Waiting (Writing) List

Edie here. I'm super excited to introduce you to our newest TWC monthly contributor, Kristen Hogrefe Parnell. I'm a super-fan of her books and so excited to have her sharing her insight and wisdom here in our community! Be sure to give her a warm TWC welcome!

Get Busy on Your Waiting (Writing) List

by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell @KHogrefeParnell

For something we writers have to do so often, we aren’t very good at it. Waiting, that is.

The other evening, I was talking to my husband James. Okay, I’ll be honest. I was complaining about one of my projects that is still publishing-house homeless.

James paused for a second and then said, “Babe, I wish I didn’t have to wait so long to meet you, but I’m glad I did.”

In that moment, I was both convicted and charmed. You see, my husband and I were in our thirties when we met and got married. We never imagined we’d have to wait so long to find each other, but we are so thankful we did.

Right then, I found the perspective I needed to go back to waiting in my writing career some more. Wherever we are in our writing journeys, we’ll always find something that requires waiting. Maybe you’re waiting to hear back from an agent you hope might represent you or from an editor who expressed interest in your project. 

The key is that waiting is not a passive activity. It’s very much active. 

Think of the waiter at your favorite restaurant. He isn’t twiddling his thumbs or slowly sipping hot cocoa in a corner. No, sir! He hurries from table to table, smiling, getting to know guests, making sure they are comfortable, and keeping tabs on their orders.

Likewise, we writers can be productive in the waiting. 

Here are just a few suggestions:

1. When is the last time you reviewed your website? Does it need a facelift? Do you have missing images or broken links? Make sure your site is inviting and relevant to your audience and message.

2. Where can you best serve your audience in the meantime? Do you blog regularly or have a podcast? Can you reach out to be a guest on a podcast or write articles for a website that shares your same passion?

3. Do you have a consistent brand across your social media accounts? Are you consistently posting?

4. What is a project you would love to do if you had time? Guess what. You’ll never have as much time as you do prior to signing a contract with an agent or publisher.

The bottom line is that we can find opportunities in the waiting. What suggestion would you add to the “waiting” list? It’s time to get busy.

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Kristen Hogrefe Parnell is an award-winning author and life-long learner. An educator and mentor at heart, she teaches English online and is an inspirational speaker for schools, churches, and podcasts. Her young adult dystopian novels, The Revisionary and The Reactionary, both won the Selah for speculative fiction, and she is working on several new projects, including a romantic suspense novel. Kristen and her husband live in Florida and enjoy sharing their lake home with family and friends. She blogs at KristenHogrefeParnell.com where she challenges readers to find faith in life’s everyday adventures.