Ready to Quit Writing? Encouragement for Writers Who Feel Discouraged

From Edie: Andy Lee shares encouragement for those who are ready to quit writing. Find biblical encouragement for discouraged writers, overcome doubt, and rediscover God's purpose and calling for your writing journey. I'm so excited about Andy's next book—From Failure to Faith. Be sure to check out the description and link at the end of the post!

Ready to Quit Writing? Encouragement for Writers Who Feel Discouraged

By Andy Lee

The call to be a writer does not come without its difficulties. Sure, compared to the prophet Ezekiel who had to lie on his side for 390 days to bear the sin of Israel and forty days to bear the sin of Judah, being a scribe for the Lord doesn’t look so bad. But the writing life can be discouraging. We wonder if we heard God correctly, especially when rejection after rejection comes our way. 

But I want to tell you something. I’m proud of you. You did it. You stepped out in faith. You followed God’s lead, and you walked through the opened doors. You attended the writers conferences and made appointments with agents and editors. You started the blog and you are growing your platform. You even wrote the book—the one Holy Spirit whispered in your ear five years ago. 

Do you know how many people never step out in faith, never go for their God-dream? According to a study, ninety-eight percent of people die without fulfilling their dreams.*But you’re a part of the two percent who didn’t let fear stop you. 

Now that you did write the book or start the blog, has anyone been amazed at what you’ve done, but you felt a little sheepish in your response because you know you aren’t a New York Times best-seller, or a nationally acclaimed speaker? Do you compare yourself to others in your field and feel like it’s time to do something else because you just aren’t ranking up there with the big influencers? Maybe in your discouragement you’ve heard Walmart greeters are needed, and you’re considering applying.

Have you thought about how easy life would be if you quit? It’s tempting, isn’t it? But I want to warn you, the calling or dream you’ve followed will continue to follow you until the Lord closes the door. If the doors keep opening, if the ache inside won’t die, you aren’t done. Discouraged and burnt out, you just need someone to come alongside you, hold your hand, and help reclaim the fighter in you, remind you of God’s faithfulness, and lead you back to the initial call, that sacred place. 

I have a confession, after my first two books were published, I thought, If I die tomorrow, it’s okay because my books are written. Please hear me chuckling. I can’t put a laughing emoji here. It was a ridiculous thought, and my daughter would have a cow knowing I even thought it, but I’m still on this planet (thankfully), so I’m still writing. God has not told me to stop. Has He told you to stop? If He has, you don’t need this article or my latest book, but if He hasn’t, I pray this post will put a little spark into your pen.

Let me say it again, I’m proud of you.

Take a breath. You aren’t alone anymore. You, beloved, make up the two percent! That’s gotta count for something. I am proud of you, and I know the Lord is too. So, I want to invite you into the “tent of meeting” of sorts just as Moses and Joshua met with God. One of my favorite parts of this story is that Moses would leave the tent when he was finished conversing with God, his face shiny and bright, but Joshua lingered. He stayed awhile. I believe this was his preparation. 

We go through seasons when we faithfully spend time with the Lord each day, and other seasons we strain to find two minutes with Him. But if you’re struggling with discouragement right now, I want to encourage you to be intentional about your daily time in the Word. Grab a Bible study or a reading plan. I’ve written a 40-Day devotional to encourage you in your calling that provides “Linger” prompts to help you cultivate that time with Him again, and stories of biblical men and women who faced discouragement and the feeling of failure too.

This calling is a journey, my fellow scribes. It takes time. But have you ever considered that sometimes rather than waiting on Jesus, He’s waiting on us to be ready? Think of Mary Magdalene. He healed her, and she joined a group of women who travelled with the disciples and Jesus to take care of them. But one day, after His death, He met her in the tombs and gave her the greatest calling anyone has ever had. This was one of my favorite new thoughts I wrote about in From Failure to Faith:

“On the day He healed Mary Magdalene, Jesus already knew what her greatest purpose would be. Can you picture His smile as He cast out those demons and freed her from their grasp, knowing one day she’d proclaim His resurrection? Her greater calling wouldn’t come for three years. What if Jesus is waiting to give you a special job? What if it’s a job you could never imagine—a purpose you aren’t qualified to do and nobody on earth would choose you to do? Isn’t that just like our Jesus? We think we’re waiting, but He’s waiting instead. Maybe we need some healing, or the time simply has not come. Jesus, like the Father, does not rush.”

If you’re feeling discouraged today in your writing career, please hear me speak these words over you: “God is not finished.” I’m proud of you. Class of the two percent, the only thing you need to quit is comparing, doubting, and letting discouragement get you down. Don’t let discouragement defeat you. You have so much more to do. I want to pray you up. Hold my hands.

“Father, I give to you the two percent who said yes to you. They said yes to your call and the dreams you placed in their hearts. As they journey through your Word, may the strongholds of doubt and discouragement crumble. May the Living Word strengthen their weary faith muscles and clarify the call. I pray these Kingdom workers will find comrades along the way and be given glimpses of the fruit they’ve produced. Encourage them, Lord. All for your kingdom. Amen.”

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Ready to Quit Writing? Encouragement for Writers Who Feel Discouraged from Andy Lee on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

From Failure to Faith
A 40-Day Journey to Renew Your Faith and Reclaim Your Calling
by Andy Lee

You were called—but what happens when the dream feels like it’s failing? In From Failure to Faith, Andy Lee invites you into a deeply honest, Scripture-rich 40-day journey designed to help you overcome discouragement, redefine success, and rediscover God’s voice in your life. If you’ve ever wondered: Did I miss God’s call? Why isn’t this working? Am I failing… or still being formed? You’re not alone—and you’re not off track. WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER Through five transformational sections, you’ll learn how to: Reframe failure as preparation Discover how your past battles are equipping you for future breakthroughs. Redefine success through God’s lens Break free from comparison and worldly measurements. See your story with eternal perspective Understand what God is doing beyond what you can see. Return to your original calling Reconnect with the moment God first spoke—and why it still matters. Trust God’s timing with patience and perseverance Hold onto His promises, even in the waiting. EACH DAY INCLUDES: A Scripture-centered devotional Honest, relatable storytelling “Linger” reflection prompts to hear God clearly “Fuel for Faith” scriptures to strengthen your spirit SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE INCLUDED

Andy Lee is an author, Bible teacher, speaker, and host of the Beloved and Becoming Podcast. She has written four books, including From Failure to Faith: A 40-Day Journey to Renew Your Faith and Reclaim Your Calling. Passionate about helping others know Scripture and grow in Christ, Andy lives in South Carolina with her retired soldier husband.

*Cruz, Josef. “8 Powerful Excuses Why 98% of People Die Without Reaching Their Dreams.” Nov. 9, 2020, Medium. https://imjosef.medium.com/8-powerful-excuses-why-98-of-people-die-without-reaching-their-dreams-46fb401c7002#:~:text=According%20to%20Wealth%