Hi friends and happy Wednesday. Today I’m so excited to welcome my friend and mentee, Lisa Kelly. I’m so proud of her and asked her to share her story with you. I know you’ll enjoy her post and I’ll see you back next time.
One thing I’ve learned since embarking on my writing journey is the importance of community. I don’t believe anyone can survive going it alone. I imagine this could be a reason Jesus thought it was a good idea for there to be twelve men who would grow in the faith together. They would be ready to spread the word to the entire world once He was gone, and they’d need each other to persevere.
In August, I accomplished one of my writing dreams. I won the 2023 Romance category in the ACFW Genesis Award Contest.
I may have received the accolades but I didn’t get to this point in my life alone. I had a community.
To show how wild God works I’ll give a little history. In 2018, author Dani Pettrey advertised she was hosting a writer’s retreat in 2019 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I’d been on a few launch teams for Dani and had this story I’d been working on for years. I sent her an email and asked if I could attend even though I wasn’t a published author. She said yes.
I headed to Lancaster in March 2019 thinking I’d learn something that would help me in my writing endeavors then come home and go about my life as usual. That was not the case. At that retreat, I met seven beautiful women who have become my community. We dubbed ourselves Dani’s Darlings and almost six years later we are still writing together.
Living life as a writer can be very solitary. It’s a hard life, too. One that is filled with more obstacles and rejections than I ever imagined. You don’t know how difficult it is until you actually start doing it.
Through the friendship of the Darlings, I’ve learned about the craft, publishing ins and outs, and made contacts that I never would have made had it not been for these fabulous ladies. Since 2021, I’ve entered one contest after another. I’ve semi-finaled three years in a row in the Genesis contest, and for two years that’s as far as I got. It was disappointing to lose but I had my community to cheer me up and remind me that I could write.
In 2022, I signed with Tamela Hancock Murray and still think I must have dreamed it. My Darlings remind me often, Tamela wouldn’t have signed me if she didn’t see potential. These ladies believe in me when I don’t believe in myself.
If you’re a published author, you probably have your own community and would second everything I’ve said. If you’re not published, I encourage you to find other writers to travel this road together.
The road is long and filled with many obstacles, twists, wrong turns, and detours. It’s also a narrow road to publication. Perseverance is necessary because at least at first there are far more losses than wins for most writers. Don’t give up. Find your own darlings and stick with them. They’ll get you through the hard times ahead and celebrate with you when you have a sweet victory.
Latest posts by Dani Pettrey (see all)
- Which Book World Would YOU Survive In? - May 14, 2025
- Celebrating World Book Day - April 23, 2025
- Five Faith Lessons My Corgi Taught Me - April 9, 2025
Lisa, thanks for sharing the road you’ve traveled. I SO wish I’d read a story like yours when I first started writing. As you said, you don’t know how difficult it is until you actually start doing it. But oh, what a difference it makes to have others come along beside you and walk with you, rejoice with your successes and mourn with you in the hard times. And Dani, thank you for being such a support to so many. What a gift you are to them! I know because I’ve had faithful and selfless writers come along beside me all along this journey. It is a gift beyond measure! All the best as you both write for Him.
Thank you for your encouragement. The support from my people is what sustains me.
Hi Lisa, I love traveling this road with you my Darling sister. We’ve laughed and cried together, and pushed each other when needed. Where would any of us be if it weren’t for that retreat where we met each other and Dani. Thanks for being one of “my people.” So excited to see where the Lord leads.
Thank you, Kelly. You help make the journey less frustrating and so much more fun.