How to Maintain Peace through the Publishing Process

This past Saturday I participated in two book events in Atlanta. I served as a mobile bookseller representing Mocha Readers Books for my write-or-die chick, author and publisher Dwan Abrams. It was great fun. I met more Christian fiction book lovers, wannabee writers, and a possible location for my Sunday Books & Brunch Events. I enjoyed myself.

As our day ended Dwan and I prayed Thanksgiving to God for a good day, and then she prayed for her own PEACE. Peace about her writing career and her personal novel sales goals.

Once home I prayed for her more, then my clients and my other writing friends. While we were book partying, my other write-or-die chicks needed special prayers. Sherri Lewis was at the Mall of America with 126 other ACFW authors signing books, as well as wondering if she would win the debut author category for the ACFW awards. Movie Producer Reshonda Tate Billingsley, Book Promotions Consultant Dana Pittman and Mocha Readers Bookstore owner Rhonda Bogan were recovering from Hurricane Ike. And Rhonda McKnight launched her editing service. Everyone needed prayer, including myself.

This past Thursday and Friday I participated in an Atlanta wide prayer cell event. We prayed for twenty four hours. I prayed one hour out of that time for those who sent me prayer requests, but missed--not even a thought in my mind occurred to me--to pray for Peace for  my Write-or-Die- Chicks and The Other Master's Artists, particularly these great bloggers here in my company.

However God is a great God. He knew I would eventually get to that prayer, so while I prayed with Dwan God gave me some words of PEACE for me, my friends and you. Can I share them with you?

"These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." John 13:33

When I read that scripture-- like right now-- it's hard to grasp. How do you have peace when agents and publishing houses tell you that you can't write or that what you write their readers won't like? How do you have peace when God created the world, but you are at the brink of losing your home/your piece of this world? Having peace while existing in a hard, hard world is a hard pill to swallow. 

But if you keep these three things in mind, you can maintain peace despite what happens to us and around us:

1. When You are Connected to the Source you will always have peace.

This past week I read Matt Roger's When Answers Aren't Enough: Experiencing God as Good When Life Isn't. Matt is a copastor at Virginia Tech. He recounts the experiences of his life and some of the students who were involved in last year's massacre on that campus. In Chapter Four he shares a chat he had with Derek O'Dell, a young man who has a bullet hole above his heart, a reminder of the massacre.  When asked "Where was God when this happened?" He answered:

I say he was in the building, because the death toll could have been a lot higher...I literally saw a person get shot in the head, bleed out, and survive. There is no question to me that a good God was there guiding to safety those who survived.

Derek like most of us are tapped into Christ. Even during our worst times something inside us gives us hope and stillness. Peace.

2. Christ is our Reason for PEACE

Mary Demuth wrote about her frustration with book marketing  and her spiritual battle with the concept.

...I've spent the last year frustrated. I've done practically everything one could do to sell and get the word out, following established methods. The result? The very book I was promoting threatens to go out of print. It's like the Lord is watching from heaven, a smile on His holy face. "She thinks it's all about her efforts. In her zeal, she's forgotten Me."

This past week I've contemplated whether I would continue working on a project with a pr client. Although I need the money and I love the product, my heart began detaching from it. The last few days I have felt an unwelcomed pressure in my spirit every time I began to work on it.

I had to stop and allow my spirit to discern and speak to my heart about this work. When I did that God washed peace over me.

He said it was okay to put this down."I will take it up and take them[the client] where they need to be. I want you to take on something else, something better then you knew you could do."

Even while working in Christian entertainment, even when you're writing with Christian themes in mind sometimes God has a better plan than that. Can you believe that? You must.

I tell you because I am a living witness to it. When you remember that God gave you strength to live in this pressured world, because He died for our sins, your body and your soul will line up in such a vertical way that you can't help but tap into your source of peace.

After listening to God's still voice I spoke with a contact within the industry for whom I was pitching my clients to for a national media spot. During the conversation we became fast friends and was asked to join in a business partnership with them. This partnership fits what I do much better and would more than meet my financial shortfall. I pray and hope in this project's fruition. I do not just because of what it will do for me, but will it say to so many of my write-or-die chicks who need PEACE.

Remember God gave us strength to live in this pressured world, because He died for our sins.That alone should be enough.

3. There are benefits to possessing PEACE.

The last time I was here I spoke about African American Christian authors triumph over a Christian publishing system that for some reason can't see their value. Racism is a demon that clouds sound judgment. It makes no sense. Yet it taints and hinders Kingdom Building. There is nothing I can do about that, but pray for victory over it. And God is good. There are AA authors within CBA who are sticking in there. Our ACFW Southeast Atlanta Chapter(VIP) is holding onto God's unchanging hand as well. We have a few Published authors in there. We see MLK Jr's Mountain Top. We see the yellow brick road of our spiritual journeys. We see that Heaven knows no racism, and that we all exist in technicolor. God bless those authors who possess PEACE in the midst of this publishing storm.They know that God turns trouble into triumph and has victory over hatred/racism/demonism.

I tell you I feel a change coming. Do you?

We must remember that Christ is the source of our PEACE. He is the reason for our Peace. And with Him inside of us we will benefit from this PEACE.

In my church we sing a song...

"This joy that I have the world didn't give it to me.

This joy that I have the world didn't give it to me.

This joy that I have the world didn't give it to me.

The world didn't give it

The world can't take it away.

 Hey, I'm hosting a free teleseminar on writing your book marketing plan next month. Register here.

Dee Stewart is a writing diva mother, publicist, News Editor for Hope for Women Magazine, inspirational book reviewer for Romantic Times Magazine, Atlanta Satellite Bookseller for Mocha Readers Bookstores, and owner of Christian Fiction Blog and The Christian Fiction Network. Her writings have appeared in: Spirit Led Woman, Gospel Today, Good Girl Book Club, The Dabbling Mum, Atlanta Christian Family, Mosaic Literary, Precious Times, Vertical Fix just a few. Visit me at Christian Fiction. Follow me on Twitter at DeeGospel. Or visit my site at www.deestewart.com

Comments

[Nicole]

Peace the world doesn't get. It's there for the asking.

Good word, Dee.

[Mary E. DeMuth]

Great post. Thanks for a balanced view of prayer and peace and this industry. And I love that you're listening to the Spirit, taking on jobs He assigns, and letting go the ones He asks you to pass on.

[Dee Stewart]

So right, Nicole.

[Dee Stewart]

Thanks, Mary. We are different and should be grateful that we are tapped in. You keep listening.

On the topic of books going out of print. I have heard so many sad stories this year about authors books not staying in the catalog. I think its an industry thing right now. Top sellers are okay, but the midlist will struggle a bit for a while until the economy gets better and your sales numbers come up.

[Rhonda McKnight]

Awesome post, Dee. Peace is a powerful gift. I'm glad you're walking in it. Thanks for the prayers. I'm praying for you, too.

[Dee Stewart]

Thank you, Rhonda. :)