“Preparing for & Stepping into the New”
Dear writer,
I hope you enjoyed your week and had a chance to investigate some local writers groups! This week, we’re going to dive deeper into community as we take a look at writers conferences.
There are few things that can catapult your growth like attending a good writers conference! As you meet people, see places, and learn skills outside your daily arena, God can begin to raise the level of your expectation and expertise to move with confidence into the next stage of your writing journey. A good conference helps us step outside of what’s familiar into uncharted territory, where God often connects us with the people and information we need most to grow!
If that sounds a little intimidating, never fear! There are ways you can prepare yourself to wade into these new waters, and as we stretch ourselves, the act of engaging the unfamiliar strengthens and prepares us for what the Lord has in store. But before we dive in, let’s take a look at a few others who proactively prepared and stepped into the “new” that the Lord had for them!
Stepping into the New in History
Abraham Lincoln is a good example of a man who prepared for and stepped into realms far beyond his experience. Though he grew up in poverty on his father’s farm with no time for a formal education, Abe took every opportunity to learn. As a young man, he taught himself English law by reading and then—passing the bar exam—began practicing law. This profession enlarged his circle of influence and relationships and eventually opened the door for his political aspirations and the pivotal role he played in our nation.
You see, writer, while it may feel like your dreams of publishing or authorship are far away, there are ways we can begin to invest in ourselves now and take that next small step.
Stepping into the New in the Bible
Solomon is another good example of a man who prepared to step into a whole new arena. An attentive student of his father David’s wisdom, Solomon also sought the wisdom of God to equip him for his new role as the young king of a great nation. Solomon courageously took action to ensure Israel’s political peace by heeding David’s advice to set clear boundaries around potential insurrectionists. Through Solomon’s diligent preparation, the peace and greatness of the Kingdom of Israel multiplied exponentially, impacting the known world and fulfilling their call to be a blessing to all nations.
You see, writer, sometimes preparation for the new is not just about what we learn—but what we unlearn. And here’s the thing. As we arm ourselves with knowledge to navigate the new spheres God may be bringing us into, we must disallow the small thinking and lies that would try to hold us back and mount up an insurrection against the plans God has for us.
Stepping into the New in Life
I prepared for and stepped into the new in a major way as I got ready for college. As a homeschooled and highly distractible child, I had never finished a full year of school. As I neared the school year’s end, my mother would push me forward to the next grade. We skipped 7th grade altogether, since it was purely review. Though what I missed never seemed to impede further learning, as the prospect of college loomed ahead, I was suddenly terrified I would not have the mental or scholastic discipline to finish my first college semester and asked my mother if I could wait a year. Especially since I was a year “too young.” She gave an unequivocal no.
That senior year, I worked diligently, and for the first time, I finished on time. At college, I was amazed to discover I was one of the more disciplined students, winning “best in my major” for scholastic excellence. Not only that, but as I stretched into the “new,” I developed relationships that shaped the trajectory of my ministry and career. Relationships I would have missed if I had waited a year at home.
Stepping into the New in Your Life
It’s the same with us, writer. Sometimes preparation is about what we learn or unlearn. Sometimes it’s about building the habits we’ll need for success. But sometimes, it’s about stretching ourselves toward the people and places and experiences we thought were well beyond us. Here’s an example of what I mean…
- Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 3:13-14
- Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:18-19
- A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” – Isaiah 40:3-5
- We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. – Romans 6:4
…from him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. – Ephesians 4:16
You see, writer. Here is the most beautiful thing. As we stretch toward, prepare for, and step into the new, we are made new, too. But here’s the interesting thing. It cannot happen alone. God uses His body to grow us and mature us into the people we need to be. And it is no different with our writing.
Where to Start with Stepping into the New
So are you ready to consider stepping into the new at your first conference? If you are, here are some thing to help get you started!
- Know Where You Are. As you prepare for your first conference, take a little time to identify where you are in your writing journey. Clarify, to the best of your ability, your current goals, “why,” audience, challenges, etc. Know what you don’t know, what questions you have, and what areas you need growth in. Identifying these things will help you choose what kind of conference you attend and what kind of conversations to have and with whom when you get there!
- Prepare to Share. If you have a current work in progress, take time to prepare an elevator speech. Have some business cards on hand. Make sure your current questions are clearly formulated in your mind. A conference can be a busy place, and if you are ready and able to clearly articulate who you are, what your story is, and what goals and questions you have, the more easily will be able to get those questions answered. Does that feel overwhelming? Never fear! Simply make clarifying your message and questions a learning goal for the next conference you attend!
- Prepare to Have Conversations. A lot of learning at conferences happens simply from taking time to visit with the other conferees. As we chat, we learn from one another’s experience. You my do things in a totally different way from another writer and yet gain valuable insight and perspective from their process. And don’t discount the value of sharing your journey, too!
- Prepare to Own Your Calling. A sense of unworthiness or imposter syndrome is one of the worst insurrectionists against the “new” God is trying to lead you into. If you struggle in this area, take a month or two before your first conference to meditate on God’s call to write and what He says about you. Speak those truths and scriptures out loud to yourself with as much gusto as you muster! After a while, you will begin to believe them. When you do, your ability to engage and step toward the new—not just at a conference but in any area—will blossom!
Attending conferences is all about opening yourself to experience the new places and people and to learn the new skills that are part of the future the Lord has for you. It may feel a little wild. We may not know where the boundary lines are, but here’s the thing.
The Lord who called you to write will faithfully guide you forward as you trust Him. And here’s the most beautiful thing of all…
Our journey is not just for us.
Just like Abe’s path of preparation impacted a nation, and Solomon’s, the known world, when you take the time and intention to prepare for where God’s leading you, you cannot estimate the way His life and power will ripple out through you, too.
So I challenge you, today, to consider attending a writers conference. Explore preparing for and stepping into the new. Your writing journey is meant to be adventure! But it’s not one you have to—or even can—take alone. No, it’s an adventure deep into the heart of God and into the rich relationships and experiences He has stored up for you. A journey that could impact lives far beyond what you may ever see. And here is the final thought. It’s a journey that always begins with preparing for and taking that one next step toward the new.
#glory #preparation #new #EveryWriterWriting
