By J. J. Hanna, a professional writing student at Taylor University
It is tempting to look at the other writers in your life and see only their successes. You see that one has a book contract, others are working the job you’d only dreamed of, others have drastically increased their platforms—and then you look at yourself and wonder what you’ve done with your life and how you’ve ended up here, surrounded by movers and shakers but not making much of an impact yourself.
Track with me here, because I promise this connects. When was the last time you went to the ocean, or one of the great lakes? I recently had the opportunity to go to Maranatha Conference Center in Muskegon, Michigan, which butts up directly to the Lake Michigan shore. As I sat on the beach, I found myself pondering this situation and coming to this conclusion:
No writer’s journey will ever be the same as that of those who came before them. Just like the waves, each crashes on the shore differently than the others in the ocean. Some come in with the force of a tsunami and impact the lives of many people. Others hardly lap at the sand, stirring up only a few grains of sand.
Your writing journey is like those waves. You don’t have to be a tsunami. You don’t have to be a ten foot wave. The way your words reach the ears of those few grains of sand could impact those readers’ lives. And, it is entirely possible that the person who your book needs to be written for isn’t alive yet. Isn’t that a little trippy? Whoever needs your book will need it when it will reach them the most. What seems like the right timing for you may not be the timing that is needed to have the greatest impact.
And yes, when you’re only stirring up a few grains of sand, it can be difficult to watch as your friends move in like tsunamis. But when your day comes to be the powerful wave that’s needed, it will be the right time.
Stay patient, dear writer. Hold tight to the belief that some day, you may get to be a tsunami. But don’t let those dreams steal the joy of stirring up a few grains of sand.
J. J. Hanna is a Professional Writing major at Taylor University. To hire her for editing or beta reading services, check out her rates on the Services tab. In her spare time, she makes YouTube videos and Comics, and practices Karate in a local dojo. Visit her blog at www.authorjjhanna.com for more insights on the writing world.
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