A Simple Reason Why

   

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Can you articulate in a single sentence, why you write and work in publishing? When you discover and can verbalize your “why,” it can serve as a motivator for consistent action in your writing life.

In this article, I will tell the story of my “why” and how every day it movitates my work in publishing. I have a simple motivation for my work in publishing. Day and and day out I do this work because books change lives. I know this fact firsthand because as a sophomore in college, I read a book which changed the direction of my life.

I chose to study journalism at Indiana University on the main campus in Bloomington with over 30,000 students. Early in the semester I joined the writing staff of The Indiana Daily Student newspaper. Six days a week we produced a full-sized newspaper and gained a great deal of practical experience through this work. I was rebelling from my upbringing and joined an active social fraternity. One night I had been out late partying and was hung over in the city room sitting at an old Royal typewriter (in the pre-computer days) and could not get my fingers on the right keys. When you made a mistake (and I was making plenty), you backed up, x’ed out and continued writing. I knew my copy was going to look terrible and my editor would be telling me about it. Each time I made a mistake, I muttered to myself, “Jesus Christ.” 

Finally the blonde-haired girl sitting next to me could not stand my cursing and said, “Don’t say that, Terry, because one day when you need Jesus you will call out for him and he will not be there.”

I thought to myself, “Not true. I’m a Christian. I go to church when I’m at home. I even read the Bible in church when I am at home.” I had no personal relationship with Jesus.

She encouraged me to check out a bookstore two blocks off the campus which had pretty cards and posters. “Maybe you will find a book which interests you,” she said.

A few days later, I wandered down to this bookstore and bought a book called Jesus, the Revolutionary. I wondered how Jesus could be a revolutionary. At that time I was rebelling from my family and how I was raised. I read this book and it showed me a different side of Jesus than I’d ever seen before. About that time, I was invited to a Jesus people gathering in downtown Bloomington. Everyone sat on the floor on scraps of carpet in this open area with little candles as lights. The people in that room had something that I didn’t have. I bought a Bible and decided to change the direction of my life.

Initially I was planning to be a newspaper reporter on the Indianapolis Star or some other newspaper. Instead when I completed my degree, I joined Wycliffe Bible Translators and studied linguistics. I spent several years in Guatemala working among the Southwest Cakchiquel people and celebrated with them in 1990 at the publication of their New Testament.  

I began to write for magazines and attended a writers’ conference and met an editor who liked my idea for a children's book called When I Grow Up, I Can Go Anywhere for Jesus which was published in 1992. In the decades since I’ve written more than 60 books for traditional publishers and I continue to write and work with many authors on their books. I’m acquiring or finding books at my third publisher, Morgan James Publishing, where I’ve been for the last 13 years. 

As I began this article, my “why” is simple: I work in book publishing because books change lives. It drives what I do every day. In 1998, I published this little story in an article called Two Words That Changed My Life (follow the link to read it). Books can go places that we will never go as writers and influence lives that we will never touch this side of heaven.

Take some time and think about the reason you are writing. Can you capture it in a short sentence? If you can do this, let me know in the comments below.

Tweetable:

To motivate your consistent work in publishing, this prolific writer and editor believes you must have a simple reason why. Read the story and understand how to create your own why.   (ClickToTweet)

New Podcasts:

In these articles, I’ve encouraged you to use PodMatch or some similar tool to book and record podcasts. Last week two more podcast recordings launched:

 

Wisdom Okonkwo interviewed me about how you should stop waiting for someone else to create your success on the Relatable Wisdom Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/4oWYb6H 

Roy Coughlan (@Poleire) and I spoke about Podcasts Can Help Promote Your Book on the PodFather Podcast. Listen at: https://bit.ly/41uLBBC 

My Writing In Other Places:

With these articles, I encourage you to publish your work beyond your blog in other places. Below are three articles which were published in other online locations than this blog.

Once a month, I guest blog for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference blog. This month I encoruaged writers to be open to a world of possibilities then provides a partial list for our writing. https://bit.ly/3HwqxDZ

 

Also once a month I blog for Writers on the Move. This month I wrote about how publishing has many pitfalls. My article gives a cautionary tale and a series of actions for every author: https://bit.ly/45NDzpT 

In addition, once a month I blog about book proposal creation for Almost An Author. This month I wrote about how an excellent proposal involves hard work at:  https://bit.ly/4muNo1X 

New Podcasts:

rewrite Much of the publishing process is outside of the writer’s control. 10 Publishing Myths helps writers have a realistic perspective and take action. Get 10 Publishing Myths for only $10 +FREE shipping + over $200 of free bonuses.

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