Feb 9, 2017 |
Jacqueline Patterson’s Key to Success
by Jacqueline Patterson @jacpatterson
Frankly, My Dear . . . Jacqueline Patterson’s Key to Success
“The more we work to help others,
the more we begin to enjoy the life we’re living.”
I raised my heavy-lidded gaze from the laptop screen and the quote on the coffee cup stared back at me. Like I really have time!
My eyes shifted to the blinking light on the phone, the sure indication that yet more messages were waiting for me.
I couldn’t take care of the rest of the world.
I turned my phone so I could no longer see the blinking light.
I had too much to do, too much to plan and consider and rewrite if I hoped to finish my book by my self-imposed deadline. After all, this was my story, my words, and that meant my work was most important, right?
Right.
And I wouldn’t let this distract me.
I turned back to my laptop, but my fingers were lead on the keyboard. I added a solitary word here, a phrase there, but my gaze continued to stray back to the quote.
“The more we work to help others . . .”
“No,” I said, and my voice was firm with resolve. “You will finish this story.” My friends would take care of themselves, the way they had a hundred times before. I would pray for them, then check up on them once I finished these edits. Surely things weren’t so severe they needed me right now.
I started at the half-empty page on the screen, and found myself rereading the words I had added since spotting the quote. Most were repetitions, rambling and distracted. How long had I been locked into this writing frenzy anyway? Days? Weeks? I couldn’t remember the last time I sought out contact with a friend other than with a quick writing question. I had simply burrowed away into my writing shell, where all that mattered was my story . . . and me.
As if friendship wasn’t even important.
But . . . Wasn’t it my duty to put my book first? After all, I was the one who went around reminding everyone they were the only ones who could write their story, and how would it look if I didn’t keep up my reputation for busyness? I shouldn’t step back from my writing. Even for an hour.
I had work to do.
I glanced between my laptop and my phone, my mind rebelling as I made my decision.
There would be time to work on my book later. I would always make time. There were no guarantees that all my friends would last until tomorrow.
The key to success was not to push myself forward, but to care for others. Even my writing was not for myself, as much as I wanted to hold to the comfort of that illusion. Why seek publication except to reach others?
It would be an empty journey without friendship. Without sharing dreams.
I closed my laptop and reached for my phone.
CLICK TO TWEET: Frankly, My Dear: Jacqueline Patterson’s Key to Success.
Jacqueline Patterson
Jacqueline Patterson wrote her first book at the age of five: the tale of an assassin hen on the trail of a crafty fox. (OK, so the story wasn’t that epic, but the hen was mean.) That first story hooked her, and she hasn’t stopped since. She is currently editing Primate, the first book in her Forever in Time series, in the hope of publication . . . If she can ever convince herself that she’s found the perfect draft. Talk to Jacqueline about books, and she will be your friend forever. You can connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Oct 7, 2016 |
Molly and Beckie
This week’s guest blogger is my beautiful friend and prayer partner, Beckie Lindsey.
We met through a mutual friend’s monthly dinner gathering, when I was invited to share my stories of how The Unemployment Cookbook and Penny Parable came about, and how I use them as missionary tools.
Beckie contacted me several months later and asked to take me to Starbucks in exchange for “picking my brain” on writing. Who am I to say no to a free Starbucks, right? Of course y’all know the answer was “Of course!”
And we’ve been friends ever since.
I asked her to write a post about blogging for God. It’s not just for writers. Read on.
How Blogging has Made Me a Stronger Christian
Heart pounding, my finger hovered just above the enter key on my laptop. I drew in a deep breath and clicked “post”. That was almost two years ago and yet I still go through some of the same angst before publishing a blog post.
I started my blog because I have fallen in love with God and His word and desire to share my journey in hopes of inspiring others. When I began writing Spotlight, I never imagined the blessings and trials that I would encounter—and yet it is both that have made me a stronger Christian. Here are a few reasons why.
Teaching Means Learning Double
“To teach is to learn twice over.” ~Joseph Joubert
Every post requires research and study of scripture. Blogging has made me a better student of the word as I teach to others what I have learned.
“Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.” Luke 6:40 NLT
I’m Accountable to My Readers
Research shows that putting a goal in writing along with sharing it with others increases our success by 85 percent. Since my major goal is learning and putting into practice scripture, blogging is a huge benefit to me in my spiritual growth.
“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24 NLT
Support and Prayers from Others
I cannot express how grateful I am for the support of other writers and Christians. I’ve gained a large community of some wonderful encouragers and supporters whom I’ve also learned a great deal from.
“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” 1 Timothy 2:1 NLT
Trials—it’s not all Rainbows and Butterflies
Blogging means making myself more public, and with that have come some difficulties. I have also noticed an increase in spiritual warfare. These issues have occasionally made me want to put a halt to sharing with the World Wide Web, but I know that God has used the trials to strengthen and grow me.
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 NLT
You don’t need to be a writer/blogger to benefit in the same ways I’ve listed above. All of us are called to teach, be accountable, support, and pray for others. In addition to these, the Bible states we will go through trials and tests in order to strengthen our faith.
God uses the many things we go through in our lives to draw us closer to Him—IF we will let Him.
“But Jesus replied, ‘My Father is always working, and so am I.’” John 5:17
Even though my heart still pounds just before hitting “post”, the plusses of blogging far outweigh the minuses because God uses the process to lead me closer to Him.
Beckie is a wife and mother of three adult children and two adorable cats. She is thoroughly content with a piece of dark chocolate, a cup of coffee, and a great book. She loves to encourage others to not only know the truths of the Bible but to experience them personally and practically in everyday life. Beckie is a freelance journalist, writer, and blogger with two book projects in the wings.
Connect with Beckie on:
Blog: beckielindsey16.com
Twitter: @lindseybeckie
Instagram: beckielindsey16
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Mar 24, 2014 |
It’s been over a month ~ a month! ~ since I last posted. And before that, it was quite a while too. That’s a far cry from the NaBloPoMo I used to do, posting every day for nearly two years.
I can’t believe we’re at the end of March, and I’ve so few posts this year.
But rest assured, I’m still writing!
My “new” workspace ~ a real desk!
The desk, chair and glider behind the desk are all birthday gifts from my mother. We found the glider and desk at our local Salvation Army. I can’t believe how inexpensive they were to begin with, and we happened to be there on a day when everything was 50% off. I guess the writing gods were smiling that day! The two-tone desk chair was picked up at a discount furniture store. Since it was one of only two left and slightly dinged, yup, you got it . . . 20% off. I know, right?!
The piece de resistance, however, is this wonderfully personal gift from Dot.
Ernest Hemingway Pen Box
Of course, prior to these wonderful investments in my future, Megan and I have been busily adding to The Grenalia Chronicles. We locked up the prologue and Chapter One, and added not less than twenty pages of new material for the next few chapters. I also drafted the next two sections of NOLA, as well as started indexing the two compilations I’m working on.
This Girl is very busy.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m healthiest when I write. The last few months were painful and distracting. Being unable to write ~ really write ~ added insult to injury. But trudge through the muck, I did. Look down into the dark holes and find the glimmer light, I did. Come through it, get through it, thrive because of it . . . I have, I did, I am.
This Girl is empowered.
So while I may not have blogged much in 2014, the words I write ~ whether for the blog, the books, or the grocery list ~ are all sincere. Intentional. And valuable.
I cannot promise you I’ll post every day. But I can promise you, when I do post, it will be worth it.
Here’s to you. Thanks for reading.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Jul 31, 2013 |
Recently I’ve been asked by several people to offer guidance on starting a blog. Apparently, I’m doing something right, if people are coming to me for inspiration.
Let’s face it: there’s a lot of blogs out there. It’s hard to know which ones to emulate, imitate, or eliminate. I like that Frankly, My Dear… is a “small” blog: by that I mean, it’s still personal. It’s a two-person operation. My web designer fixes the glitches and comes up with some amazing designs. I dream, create, cook, craft, photograph and write.
That’s not to say I wouldn’t love to have thousands of followers each month with more paid sponsorships, but I’ll take what I can get. Because I love being a Blogger. I’m in it for the love of the game.
Who can forget the Grand Reveal of the new blog design with this post just two months ago:
Field of Dreams
So yeah… I must be doing something right.
There’s a lot of advice to offer someone who’s thinking of starting a blog. The most important thing I can tell you is this: Take that first step. Ask yourself why.
My dear friend Chuck told me just tonight [paraphrasing here], “What are you afraid of? You have to put yourself out there. People aren’t going to hand you what you want until they know you want it.” And he’s right.
I’m a big fan of magical thinking. But the problem is just that: it’s only thinking. And I don’t really believe in magic. So. Back to the basics. Remember the TGIF: One post? It all starts with One. One idea. One step. One goal. One accomplishment. One foundation.
For those of you thinking of starting a blog, my first question to you is
WHY?
Never mind if others don’t get it. If you can satisfy yourself with the answer, you’re on your way.
There are many reasons to write a Blog. Some want a creative outlet or a place to vent. Others are looking for recognition or perhaps another avenue to promote themselves (writers, especially). Large companies and small mom-and-pop operations blog now and then to personalize their business.
There are Food Blogs, How-To Blogs, Craft Blogs, Family/Parenting/Mommy Blogs, Political/Religious/Viewpoint Blogs. Is the sky blue? There’s a Blog for that. Why is the grass green? Do you want the physical, environmental, creative, or religious perspective? There’s a Blog for that.
Knowing why you want to blog will guide you in designing your blog and how you promote it. But don’t feel you’re limited to just one theme. One overall idea, yes. One theme? Stagnant.
A traveler can blog about so many things: the different foods, customs, jet lag, environment.
Food blogs not only have recipes, but great kitchen product reviews and giveaways.
Photographers share their images and the stories behind them.
There’s no wrong reason to want to blog.
Do you have something to say? You can blog it!
But if you want to blog for fun without a sense of a Blog theme, I caution you to think about it first. Your Blog name will be your Brand. And if you don’t have a direction for your Blog, what you name it on a whim may end up not being at all what it’s about.
When I first started “Frankly, My Dear…” everyone expected me to write with an “I don’t care” attitude. And I can honestly say, that’s still me. Yes, the Blog has transitioned from a social experiment to a personal “here’s my day” recap to something much more fulfilling and substantial: my tales of Faith, Family, Food, Fun, and everything in between. But it’s still Me. And I don’t sugar-coat much (ask my best friend Julie. We pull no punches with each other). So whether it’s a new recipe or a movie review or a video of my cats, I blog because I’m a writer. And I can’t not write. I was born with ink in my veins. I have to write. Does it make a difference if others like my posts? Of course! I love the likes, shares, clicks and comments. Who wouldn’t? But I write what I write the way I write it. Because that’s me. And if I didn’t write the way I am, how could I authentically ask you to read my blog?
Blogging can be an adventure. A daily diary of your journey through life even if you never leave your chair. It can be an eclectic collection of poetry and prose that you’ve dusted off from the corners of your mind and want to share with the world at large. Or it can be a story, your story, on a continuing basis. Because you have something to say. And each day that you’re alive, you have more to share.
In future posts I’ll discuss ways to start a Blog and basic design options as well as posting Do’s and Dont’s. So if you have any questions about blogging, leave them in a comment below. Share this post with your friends who you think would make great bloggers. And be sure to subscribe to both the Blog (look in the column on the right) and the monthly email newsletter (click here) to stay updated with Frankly, My Dear… and New Inklings Press.
Here’s a Bonus Bit for today: Don’t be afraid to share yourself with the world. Whatever you write, write it authentically. Readers know what’s trite and what’s true. Don’t underestimate the worth of how you tell your tales.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading these blog samplings:
TGIF: A-P-P-R-E-C-I-A-T-I-V-E-L-Y
TGIF: One
Kitchen Craft: Aromatic Mason Jar
Destination: Mission Inn, Riverside, CA
Feta Tomato Spinach Salad in a Jar
Writing Prompt: Songs
When I Get to New York
Mojo Movie Review of the Week: “Eat, Pray, Love”
Mar 5, 2013 |
Before I devoted more efforts to my Unemployment Cookbook and other writing projects, I blogged much more regularly. From August 2011 through November 2012 I blogged every day. Every. Single. Day.
And while most of it was wonderful, you must admit, there were times when you, as a reader, weren’t too keen on the fact that I wrote every single day. Quality over Quantity was not always my motto.
Of course, now it is. Now, with the Cookbook in production, A Study on the Ten Commandments in pre-editing stages, joining the California Writer’s Club, working a full-time day job, Meal Planning and starting this year’s Housing Project, I’m busier than ever before.
My relationship with Dot has changed. She’s 18 now, an adult. But she’s still my child.
Me & Dot
Our time together is more precious to me as our conversations are deeper than before, and our outings more adventurous. I love hearing about her college experiences. I like a little less that she drives. A lot. She loves it. And I love having another driver in the family. But I dislike the whole waiting-up-until-she-gets-home-no-matter-what-time-it-is thing. [Side Note to My Mother: I am now, and assuredly will always be, grateful for the endless mothering moments you endured without losing your sanity. You are my example!]
So… as you can surmise, I most definitely have not been mindlessly blogging of late. Previously, on my Facebook page, I would link up the posts from a year ago any particular day. Since I haven’t been Blogging daily since the holidays, that little task went by the wayside.
As a way of getting back into Better Blogging, and to make up for that lack thereof, the following are a few links from the Year-Ago Files for the the month of February.
Happy Reading!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Teaching My Teenager How to Drive (Or, Rather, How She Taught Me to Teach Her)
“Life is What Happens When You Make Other Plans…” Yadayadayada…
A Good Name
Teeter><Totter
For The Birds
Unsure
This Thing Called Pinterest
Beholding Beauty
Mojo Book Review: “The Haunting of America” by Jean Anderson
Why Does Being Politically Correct Mean the Loss of Common Sense?
Davy Jones is Dead
