15 Lessons I’ve Learned on My Writing Journey (Faith, Persistence, and Purpose)

From Edie: Learn 15 hard-won lessons from a 25+ year writing journey—faith, persistence, rejection, community, and purpose—to encourage you to keep going and write with confidence.

15 Lessons I’ve Learned on My Writing Journey (Faith, Persistence, and Purpose)

By Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Following my heart to become a writer has taught me a lot. I still remember the first time I got brave enough to call myself a writer, and the excitement the first time I sold an article. 

The past 25+ years haven’t been all rainbows and roses though. I remember the excitement of having my first manuscript taken to committee—and the devastation when the publisher ultimately rejected it.However, I wouldn’t have traded a single minute of my experience. Even that rejection was good because truthfully, neither my manuscript or me was ready for publication. 

However, the biggest struggles I've had haven't been in learning the craft of writing. The hard part is battling the voices in our heads, and learning the nuances (and etiquette) of the publishing industry. Today, I'm going to share those things I've learned and I hope some of them will help you navigate this writing journey with less difficulty than me.  

15 Things I've Learned on the Writing Road

• 1. God is the One who directs my path. I can (and will continue) to make plans—but I stay flexible. I would never have even dreamed of the opportunities God has given me.

• 2. Talent without persistence is worthless. So much of what we need to know to be successful, no matter what our goals, can be learned.

• 3. I’m stronger than I thought. If I had known when I started, the hard work and emotional toll getting to this point would take. I would have quite because I would never have dreamed I could do it.

• 4. This is a small industry. Be careful not to be negative about any one. And work hard to be easy to work with. Editors talk. Agents talk. Trust me, word gets around. 

• 5. Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss. When I first started down this road, I thought I knew everything I needed for writing success. I’m glad now that I didn’t know what was needed at the beginning. It would have been too overwhelming.

• 6. Give others the benefit of the doubt. It’s super easy to jump to conclusions based on what we know. However, we rarely know the whole story. I want people to give me the benefit of the doubt, so I try to afford them the same courtesy.

• 7. Quitting is the only path to failure. I’ve found writing success, but a lot of it has come simply because I refused to give up.

• 8. I can’t do this alone. First, I need God. But I also need other writers, editors, and industry professionals to come alongside me. Sometimes their advice is painful (editing) sometimes it’s not something I want to do. Whether I follow the advice or ignore it, I’m always grateful to others who invest in me. 

• 9. There’s a big difference between goals and dreams. They both have their place in the writer’s life, but a goal is something who’s outcome I can influence. A dream is something I wish would happen. It’s the difference between having the goal of getting a book published or having a best seller. I can achieve the first by hard work, but the second is ultimately up to God.

• 10. Detours aren’t the same thing as roadblocks. My path to publication has zigged and zagged so many times it looks like the path Mother Goose’s Crooked Old Man left behind. But more frequently than not, those detours ended up getting me further ahead, faster.

• 11. God is faithful with my calling and with my words. Just like acknowledging God is the one who directs my path, God is faithful. He is the only one who knows the beginning from the end. I can trust Him to send my words where He wants them to go—even when it feels like they are going nowhere. 

• 12. Generosity will always get you farther than selfishness. I have never once regretted putting someone else before me. I’d even go so far as to say that I’ve build my career (or at least my platform) by promoting others.

• 13. My reputation is worth solid gold, but it’s not something I can buy. I can only achieve it and keep it by guarding it. I always try to communicate honestly and above all, keep my word.

• 14. The joy is in the journey. The people I’ve met, the things I’ve gotten to experience have been the high points, not the achievements.

• 15. Publication isn’t the sole definition of writing success. Touching someone’s life through the words I pen, whether it’s on a blog or a book or an article, is way more important than a book contract.

These are just a few of the things I’ve learned while on this writing journey. What about you? Has writing taught you anything important about yourself and/or about life? Share your thoughts below.

Don’t forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

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Edie uses the truths God has taught her as an author, photographer, and blogger to encourage others. She’s learned to embrace the ultimate contradiction of being an organized creative. As a sought-after speaker, she’s empowered and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others call on God’s strength during challenging times, often using creativity to empower this connection. She also knows the necessity of Soul Care and leads retreats, conferences, and workshops on ways to use creativity to help strengthen our connection with God. 

She and husband Kirk have been married 44+ years with three grown sons and four grandchildren. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found with their big black dog hiking the mountains.