This blog post was originally posted on Seriously Write on 3/17/17.
Greetings Writing Friend,
I have not met a writer yet who didn’t say it took courage to put pen to paper and tell their story. After all, it is scary to wonder what your critique partners or best friends or potential readers will say about the piece of writing you share.

“If we had to say what writing is, we would have to define it essentially as an act of courage.” Cynthia Ozick

I remember creating a children’s book for my high school freshman English class. This teacher, Mr. Crnich, loved the red pen and always gave feedback on my work. I had a lot of fun writing my story of a sweet little bunny who permanently scarred his bunny ear when a rose thorn poked a hole in it. He had to learn to live with looking different. I loved my little story and it took great courage to turn it in. Especially because I don’t consider myself an artist and I illustrated it myself.
Had we not had that assignment, I may never have thought of myself as a storyteller. But the encouragement from Mr. Crnich gave me the courage to see myself as a writer.
Dictionary.com defines courage as “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
I often think of the cowardly lion from The Wizard of Oz when I think about overcoming courage to write one of my stories. 
What did he do to gain the courage to approach The Wizard?

1. He admitted he was scared.
2. He surrounded himself with encouraging people.
3. He used positive self-talk.
4. He was afraid, but he did it anyway.

When I was writing my first book, Caregiver’s Devotions to Go, I was afraid. Did I really have thirty stories to tell? Would the editor like them? Would anyone read my book?
Here is what I did to get through to the end.

1. I admitted I was scared. I asked for prayer to help with my fear.
2. I met weekly with my friend and mentor, Cheryl Penn, and we talked about devotional ideas. I read her the stories and she helped me polish the prose.
3. I reminded myself that my stories matter and sharing them would help others.
4. When I wanted to quit, I pressed on and wrote anyway.

Just today, I received a note in the mail from a reader.

Dear Gigi:
I love your book, Caregiver’s Devotional to Go: The Women’s Devotions to Go Series. 
Please send me one more. I hope this money is enough. I saw you at Philipsburg, Montana where I bought three at the After Five group. My mom, Frances Glynn, Carol Bowen and I all love the book.
It’s the best spiritual book I’ve ever read and I’ve never been much of a reader. Carol has read it several times. 
I don’t have internet so that is why I’m writing you.
With Love, Thank you, Sandra R. Matesich.

 
If you are looking for courage in your writing, let me know and I will pray with you. I’d like to suggest a book that might help. It is called. The Courage to Write [How Writers Transcend Fear] by Ralph Keyes – author of The Writer’s Book of Hope.
May God Bless you with the courage to write that next sentence.
Bless you
Gigi Devine Murfitt
www.GigiMurfitt.com