3 Gifts Authors Offer Their Readers

Let’s face it: There isn’t a guaranteed and instant pay off for the writer who works hard at finishing his/her book. Especially when this book isn’t under contract.

Perhaps you’ve invested hours into growing in your craft and writing your book—only to receive harsh critiques. Maybe you’ve been tempted to give up on this dream altogether and find a more profitable way to spend your time.

The ugly truth is, you’re not guaranteed success in this industry. You’re not guaranteed that this book will become a best seller, receive a literary award, or obtain shining literary reviews. So is the little income you might receive from this book worth the blood, sweat, and tears you’re pouring into this project?

I believe the answer to this question lies in your underlying motivation for writing your book.

If you only write in hopes to become a best seller, then no, you might not receive the pay-off you long for.

If you only write in hopes to make a full-time living as an author, then you might find yourself disappointed when your first paycheck arrives.

This is why I’ve made it my goal to view my writing as a ministry and not just as a career. Because when I view it through these lenses, then my perspective shifts. The fuel I have to keep pounding away at the keyboard no longer stems from imagining the award I might receive in some distant future.

It instead stems from obeying God’s call to use my gift for His glory. It stems from imagining the readers who might someday be touched by the words I write.

In other words: If God wants me to write, then He must have a plan for these words. They won’t be used in vain. No, I might not receive much of a profit from them—but my readers might.

So what can our readers gain by the books we write out of obedience?

Here are just a few…

• The gift of a story.

Stories are priceless treasures. What books have you read that gave you a unique perspective or challenged you in some way? Have you experienced the escapism that comes from being swept into a fictive dream? Oftentimes, we relate certain books with specific seasons in our lives. (How many people have thanked J.K. Rowling for “making” their childhood?) When we create a story that becomes a treasure to our readers, we leave a legacy. Our words and characters will forever leave an imprint on their hearts. And when we receive a letter from readers who tell us how much our book meant to them, that’s when we know our work paid off.

• The gift of encouragement, inspiration, entertainment, motivation, etc.

This might vary based on the genre you write. For instance, do you write science fiction in hopes to entertain? Or do you write Christian fiction in hopes to inspire? You never know: The book you’re working on now could be the very story that motivates one of your readers to follow their dreams. Or put God at the center of their marriage. Or perhaps your book will simply entertain your readers and allow them to take a break from the demands of life and find enjoyment through escaping into another universe.

• The gift of characters.

 Be honest: Have you ever developed a friendship with a book character? Although readers understand that the characters in fiction stories don’t exist, there’s still a sense of reassurance that comes when we “meet” a character who resonates with us in some way. Ultimately, characters are the reason we’ll remember a story. Tweens and teens especially like to find a friendship in the characters they read about. (I felt this way when I read The Christy Miller Series by Robin Jones Gunn as teen.)

The next time you’re tempted to give up on your book, return to your underlying motivation for writing. Make a list of the gifts you hope to offer your future readers, and allow this to serve as fuel for your passion.

Because when our core motivation stems from the gifts we can offer our readers rather than the “success” we hope to attain, then we’ll likely become far more content with the outcome in the long run.

What other gifts can authors offer their readers? What gifts have you received from stories you’ve read? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show teens they’re not alone. Her passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as an Associate Agent at Hartline Literary Agency, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. Tessa’s first teen devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, will release with Bethany House in 2018. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating her insulin pump, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: www.tessaemilyhall.com.