manuscript , first publication , etc .
Thou shalt cultivate more curiosity than judgment about your writing .
Studies show that coming down hard on ourselves after a shortcoming or failure reduces creativity and chances of writing success . Put down your gavel and get out from under the judgment microscope once in a while and be your own person by doing something that pleases you instead of something that proves you .
Thou shalt befriend uncertainty because certainty isn ’ t a commodity a writer can count on .
With uncertainty baked into the writer ’ s life , try to live with “ maybe .” Once you realize there are many possible outcomes , you will be calmer and freer to focus on the writing at hand .
Thou shalt honor the trifecta of self-care : regular exercise , healthy eating , and plenty of rest and sleep .
This trio of healthy lifestyle habits gives us the stamina to withstand just about any challenge the writing world throws at us .
Thou shalt write something every day .
You don ’ t have to publish to identify as a writer . All you have to do is write each day . Accountants , attorneys , or physicians go to work every day . If you want to be a writer , you write daily . Think of yourself as a writer , call yourself a writer , dedicate yourself to the craft , and practice it on regular basis . •
Bryan E . Robinson latest books are Daily Writing Resilience : 365 Meditations & Inspirations for Writers and Bloody Bones . His novel , Limestone Gumption , was a multiaward winner for best psychological suspense . He maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Asheville , NC and resides in the Blue Ridge Mountains with his spouse , three dogs , and occasional bears at night . He is currently working on his third mystery / suspense , Michael Row the BODY Ashore and Crazy Papers : A Southern Memoir . www . bryanrobinsonbooks . com
Self care is not a waste of time . Self care makes your use of time more sustainable .
— Jackie Viramontez
In Author Words
WHEN GOD CALLS the HEART by Michelle Cox
I
’ ve attended many writing classes . None of them ever mentioned pizza as the starting point for a book contract , but that ’ s how it happened for our new book , When God Calls the Heart : Devotions from Hope Valley , and the companion When God Calls the Heart Journal . Both release on February 1 .
While at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference last May , the faculty headed into Asheville one evening for pizza and fellowship . I ended up sitting next to Brian Bird . I ’ ve been a fan of his show , When Calls the Heart , since the first episode , and an even bigger fan of Brian ’ s since we met at a film conference about eight years ago .
I love his heart for family-friendly entertainment . His movies include The Case for Christ , Captive , and The Heart of Man . He ’ s also been prolific in television with shows such as Touched by an Angel , Step by Step , and now as Executive Producer and Co- Creator of Hallmark ’ s # 1 show , When Calls the Heart . We talked while we enjoyed our pizza , and then Brian said , “ I ’ ve always wanted to do a devotional book in conjunction with the show , but I know there ’ s no way that could happen in time for the new season in February .”
I ’ ve written many devotional books and thought I knew a publisher who could make it happen that fast — and in one of those scenarios that only God could orchestrate , by the time we got back to the conference center that night , Brian and I had decided to write the book together , and we had a commitment from BroadStreet Publishing to do the book .
I think Brian would agree with me that we ’ ve both discovered what Elizabeth Thatcher learned when she hopped on a stage coach and headed West to teach in a small coal-mining town : When God calls the heart , you can expect an adventure .
When God Calls the Heart features 40 devotions based on the show , quotes from our favorite “ citizens ” in Hope Valley , a verse , and thought-provoking questions . More information is available at WhenGodCallstheHeart . com . •
Michelle Cox is a speaker and bestselling award-winning author of fourteen books . On the faculty of many Christian writing and media conferences , she is a regular contributor to Guideposts . org and ChristianCinema . com .
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