God’s Vision for the Book

I love quotes. Especially quotes about writing. And I’ve just found one that pertains to writing (or just about any other human endeavor), but comes from a man who found his success in advertising. First, the quote, then a few remarks.

“If I have gone higher than others in advertising, or done more, the fact is not due to exceptional ability, but to exceptional hours. It means that a man has sacrificed all else in life to excel in this one profession. It means a man to be pitied, rather than envied, perhaps.” Claude C. Hopkins, My Life in Advertising

From a practical standpoint, Mr. Hopkins is right. Many mediocre writers succeed because they are tireless and persistent in reaching for their goals. Other more talented authors remain unpublished because they gave up too early or became bored with the process or because some other more alluring activity captured their heart.

So, yes, practically speaking, it is mostly true that to be successful as a writer, it will mean “exceptional hours” and it will mean “sacrifice.”

However, the end result should not be, as it was with Mr. Hopkins, that success should warrant pity. Christians who pursue writing are doing so because they feel compelled by God to write—and to succeed. And so when success is attained, the person should simply feel satisfied that he or she has seen the fruit of their calling. Others should neither envy or pity the successful writer, but should look to that writer as someone who is joyfully doing what God wants them to do.

This brings me to another brief observation—and one I’m still learning (especially this week). When you feel you have a commission from God to do a specific writing project, it’s vital that all through the process you turn to Him for counsel and keep your own grubby hands off the work. My own example is that of a book I feel compelled to write (and no one feels compelled to publish….YET). The book proposal has gone in fits and starts as I’ve plundered and blundered along. More than once I’ve wanted to throw up my hands and give up. But as many of you have no doubt experienced in your own writing, this is “the project that will not die.” It won’t leave me alone, no matter how flustrated I get. (Did I just coin a new word there?).
And today it occurred to me—again—that there is no reason for me to be so distraught over this book. If God has commissioned it, then I just need to be faithful to that commission and keep my ears open for His voice telling me, “Go this way, not that way” or “Don’t write the story like that, you dunderhead” (okay, God does not call me a dunderhead…just in case you wondered).

What I’m getting at is that once I began this particular book, I had a vision of what it was to look like. But guess what? That’s not God’s vision for what the book is supposed to look like. And whose vision do you think must change? Every so often I catch myself working on the project in such a way as to match my vision….and that’s when I have to catch myself, back up, and do it according to God’s vision.

Here’s an assignment: if you’ve never read Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby and Claude King, I want you to do so and to do so with your writing talents in mind as you read. I think it will help you. Especially if what I’ve said above doesn’t seem to make sense.