By all accounts, it was a productive year. Articles were accepted for publication. A book contract hung on my office bulletin board—front and center where I could draw motivation from the sight.
Several devotional collections accepted my submissions.
Then my husband sat down to wade through our tax returns and asked me for proof of how much I contributed to the household’s finances the previous year.
Not being a mathematician, I grabbed a scrap of paper and worked like a mad woman to add up the writing bounty…let’s see, add that, carry that number to this column, round up, no…round down…
The love of my life waited in quiet expectation for the grand total. “Um…well, it’s pretty much, uh… Wait. Let me add that column again…”
Sure enough, even with a busy writing year loaded with exciting news and opportunities, I barely made enough to take my sweetheart out to dinner.
Oh my goodness…what am I doing? When will I ever make enough to justify the time and effort?
Even with the promise of financial return on the horizon, it’s tough to keep writing and submitting without tangible payment.
But this is where we must dig in and persevere. The experts remind us: you are gaining experience, collecting clips, and building a platform. Keep writing!
If a magic formula exists, this is it: write, submit, and repeat.
The more we write, the better we become at forming and shaping ideas into words and sentences. We may not receive the green stuff for that newsletter article or VBS skit we labored over for hours, but we are glorifying our Lord by using the gifts He has given us.
With hard work and perseverance, the paying gigs will come.
Until then, keep writing!
Submission ideas: Church and associational newsletters, promo copy for special events at your children’s school or club, in-house feature articles on nursing home residents, obituary writing for families struggling to pull words together, letters to the editor, ad copy for local businesses (some of which could pay!)
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I am almost embarassed to admit how long I’ve been writing with little to show for it. Little to show except: a feeling of accomplishinig things most people will never try, a whole cast of the most interesting friends anyone could ever ask for, doing what God has called me to do.
No, those won’t pay for dinner (unless you’re out with said friends and “forget your wallet”), but twenty years of writing has taught me to appreciate the real gifts gained from this journey.
Thanks for sharing.
Ron, you are so right! There is nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when putting words on paper (or the screen). Thank you for the reminder of the real gifts of this calling. Keep writing!
I have struggled from the very beginning with the idea of being paid for my work. Although, I have written devotionals for which I have been paid, my main goal is to glorify God with my writing. I realize that much of what I write and share right now does not have a payment attached, and I am good with that. Eventually, God may lead me in the direction where payment ensues.
I have enjoyed the journey and love to pass on what I have learned. That excites me just about as much as writing! Passing on a golden nugget here or there to help someone move ahead in the writing industry is as important as publishing a devotion for me.
Thanks for sharing. It is always nice to hear how others look at their God given writing talents.
Sheryl, thanks for your encouragement. I love your writer’s heart! Payment comes in many forms, doesn’t it? 🙂
Hurrah! At last I got a blog from where I be able to really take valuable data regarding my study and knowledge.