Seasons of the Writing Life

 

Last week, Hallmark Publishing announced that it was closing its doors.

That news rocked the worlds of many of our fellow writers - maybe even you! Authors were left with questions, everything from what would happen to the proposal they had just submitted to what would happen to the book they had under contract. 

While that kind of news is never welcome, it's one of the seasons of the writing life.

I remember back in 2018 (or was it 2017?) when Love Inspired announced that they were discontinuing their historical line. I had published five books with Love Inspired Historical and had a sixth one under contract. 

My final Love Inspired Historical! 

You can order this book HERE!

And yes, the news rocked my world. But I knew that as writers, our careers come with no guarantees. 

There's no guarantee that your publisher won't close its doors. No guarantee that they'll buy your next proposal. No guarantee that your editor won't take a job at another publishing house. No guarantee that they'll even publish the book you have finished and delivered...which is what happened to one author a few years ago.

The only guarantee we have is that things will change.

Just like the seasons of the year change from spring to summer to fall, our writing lives will change. And when winter comes with the start of the new year, the cycle will continue...but it will look different.

Have you felt the change of seasons in your writing life?

Not too long ago, I was in a fruitful summer season of contracts, book deadlines, editing deadlines, and blog tours.

A bison's favorite place to be - knee deep in rich summer grass!

When 2020 hit, so did an autumn season which slid into a winter of reflection, reorganization, and rejuvenation.

These days, my career seems to be in an early spring. My new indie publishing venture has been a time of growth for me - much like a flower bulb pushing up a tentative shoot after a long winter. The early spring of indie releases and writing for a different breed of deadline has been like the beginning of a new year and new adventures.

As I'm sliding into late spring, though, I'm exploring different possibilities to turn this spring of beginnings into a fruitful summer.

Of course, it won't look anything like the summer of the past, but I'm excited to see what God will do.

Think of the seasons of the year for a gardener. 

Spring is a time of growth that leads to the fruitfulness of summer. Summer fruitfulness turns into the tasks of harvesting and preserving the produce for the future. The waning days of autumn means it's time to put the garden to bed - work that will lead to a productive garden in the spring. Then winter comes. Not a time of death, but of rest.

This year's crop of potatoes - the result of a summer of work.

What season are you in right now?

One thing I've learned is that the season we're in now won't stay forever. Time moves on. 

But each season has its own purpose. 

When our careers - or our lives - seem to be waning, it's easy to think that we're at the end. 

But each season is a time of preparation for the next one, isn't it?

What preparation are you doing now for the next season in your writing career?

I'm working on a proposal to send to an agent sometime soon - possibly, if it's God's plan, a step back into traditional publishing.

But it's still early spring. Cozy mysteries are still taking up the bulk of my time, and I'm enjoying them immensely!

There are no guarantees except one: Things always change, but God is always in control.

I'm content to see what He will do in the next season of my writing career.

Share your thoughts! Ask for advice! 

One commenter today will win an ebook copy of my newest release, The Case of the Artist's Mistake!

The new art gallery in town is causing quite a stir, and Emma is in the middle of it!
The Sweetbrier Inn is filled with guests, and the town is teeming with tourists who have come to celebrate Paragon Days, the official kickoff to the summer tourist season. But even before the festivities start, amateur sleuth Emma Blackwood stumbles upon a dead body. With no visible signs of violence, Deputy Cal determines the death is from natural causes, but Emma isn’t so sure. Why would a seemingly healthy woman drop dead? And what does the picture she was holding have to do with it? If Emma doesn’t solve this puzzle soon, a killer may get away with committing the perfect crime.

You can order this book HERE!