10 Commandments for Writers
1. Pray before you start to work. For whatever strange reason, this one had never dawned on me before, but now that I'm taking my work more seriously, I think this is vital.
2. Study diligently to improve your craft, so the gift you give Him is your absolute best. Study, and seek help from other professionals.
3. Pray for the message you carefully weave into your work, that it may glorify Him and reach those He wants to call to Himself. We are the sowers of His seed. Pray that it lands on good soil.
4. Pray for the readers of your work, that your message finds a home in their hearts, and their hearts find a home in Him.
5. Pray for a stockpile of patience--to be patient with yourself when things don't go right, patient with others when they interrupt you, patient with God when He has other things in mind for you.
6. Pray for a joyous spirit when another author succeeds. Jealousy can eat away at you until it shows up in your writing. Comparing where you are in your career to someone else's path is a serious waste of energy.
7. Pray for an accepting and open heart when critiques and reviews come in. Not everyone is going to give you a glowing report. Pray for discernment--those whose critiques are informative, even if severe, are worth your attention; those whose critiques are vicious are probably having troubles of their own. Or, if this prayer doesn't appeal to you, pray for the tough hide of a rhino--or the waterproof feathers a duck.
8. Be diligent about your health and pray about it also. Sometimes we writers get slack about exercise and careless about what we eat and drink. I have to constantly remind myself that authors do not live on caffeine alone.
9. Be thankful for the little successes. Wordcount goals achieved, marketing campaigns designed, positive reviews, even just finding the right word--be thankful.
10. Be thankful always for this God-given talent and desire, and remember to hold your position as an author with humility. Good reviews, positive responses, words of praise from peers and friends and readers can make us forget Who got us started in the first place.
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His name, for the Lord is good." (Ps 100:4-5)
Linda W. Yezak lives with her husband and their funky feline, PB, in a forest in deep East Texas, where tall tales abound and exaggeration is an art form. She has a deep and abiding love for her Lord, her family, and salted caramel. And coffee—with a caramel creamer. Author of award-winning books and short stories, she didn't begin writing professionally until she turned fifty. Taking on a new career every half century is a good thing.
Twitter: @LindaYezak
Linda is offering a giveaway prize to one lucky entrant! As pictured, the prize includes a signed print version of the series, a 16-ounce Christian cowboy mug, a horseshoe picture frame, a Ph. 4:13 stretch bracelet, a cute set of magnetic page markers, and a Texas Rubiks cube just for fun. All you have to do to enter is to leave a comment.
The more posts you comment on during my tour, the better the chance you have of winning the drawing—but this is the last stop on the tour! Not to worry. Go to
Linda’s blog and you’ll find a list of all her stops over the past three weeks. Leave a comment on as many or as few as you wish!
The winner will be announced Monday, August 6, on
Linda’s blog.
