I’ve been a bit of a baby lately
January 4, 2010 | Books, Just thinking out loud, Knowing Christ
“Why is this so hard?”
“Why can’t I just come up with a title?”
“Why won’t THEY hear what I’m saying?”
I hate to admit it, but I’ve been a bit of a baby this past week. I’ve been stuck. Oddly enough, stuck on a title for a book about “being stuck”.
The night before a message from my agent landed in my in-box. “Try again,” she said.
Again? Really? I could have written the book by now.
I was discouraged. I shut my laptop down and turned on a Hallmark TV movie, hoping to be inspired, or at least distracted.
Last night Richard and I went to the evening service. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to do that. Our church is a 90-mile round trip, family has been in, Richard has had to study… lots of reasons to keep us away on Sunday night.
But I wanted to go. I needed to go. I looked forward to seeing friends, to worship, to something anything besides brainstorming for a title.
Pastor stood in the pulpit. “Did you know that the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul had to pray one week for a title for his book?” he said.
What?
He went on to share how one of the founders of Chicken Soup was in angst over a title. And every title he came up with just wasn’t good enough.
He decided to pray for a week. When Chicken Soup came to him, he resisted. Why would his grandmother’s soup be a good title?
People are sick, he thought. That’s why. They need something warm, something uplifting for the spirit.
No, the soul.
The right title was key. That first book sold 200,000 copies. Now the series has sold millions of copies.
I sat in the pew, shaking my head. What were the odds that the Sunday evening I attended the sermon would be about finding a title for a book?
I’ve resisted. I’ve whined. I’ve been discouraged.
But this title matters. So I’ll go back to the drawing board prayer room. I’ll ask for help from the One who knows the name of every beautiful reader who will pick up the book because they feel stuck.
Father, have I mentioned lately how much I love You? I do.
And
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Suzie, thank you for being such an inspiration! Lots of prayers coming your way in the search for that perfect title! Love ya
And, CONGRATULATIONS on the grandbaby-on-the-way… you and Richard will be unbelievably wonderful grandparents!!!
January 4th, 2010 at 12:15 pmAs I pray for you daily I will ask God to give you the perfect title for your book. Reading your blog today has pushed me to do something God has been wanting me to do for a few weeks. That is to put all the things I’m praying about for other people in Braille so I don’t have to memorize everything and then watch God work as he answers prayer.
January 4th, 2010 at 2:52 pmThanks for this reminder. While I am not searching for a title, I am stuck in other areas waiting for answers. Waiting is hard. It is so much easier to fret, rant, dispair, etc. (And I have done all of those) I needed this to remind me that I need to go quietly to the Lord and wait, while getting ready to act when the time comes.
January 12th, 2010 at 11:30 am