On Writing – a September update

There was a heatwave this time last week, but as I type, it is cooler, cloudier and greyer. September has arrived. As the academic year is about to begin, it has a similar feel to the New Year. Parents are ordering school uniforms, new stationery lines the shelves of stores and the countdown to the end of the summer holidays is ticking closer. With the start of September (and a very quiet August on the blog), I am taking the opportunity to share with readers what exactly has been going on with my writing life.

Writing is what I have been passionate about since I was a girl and it hasn’t changed in my 28th year. But it’s not just about passion. It’s about work. It’s about turning up with the laptop open and typing. It’s a commitment and I pray that it will continue to bring forth results. There are busier seasons and quieter ones, but there is really never a dull moment for me as I sit down to compose sentences. It’s what I love to do. So here’s a little glimpse of what’s been happening…

Blogging

It’s been a whole month since I wrote a blog post, but I am hoping to be more consistent from now. I’ve been busy writing articles and planning content behind-the-scenes, but that is the stuff you never see. The blog will continue because I always have a lot to say (shock) and have found it to be a great place to splurge my thoughts. I’m hoping to arrange some more interviews, as well writing more consistently for myself for the sheer pleasure of it. Please hold me accountable.

I’ve been thinking about the general direction of ‘The Mustard Seed’ blog and ruthclemence.com as a whole and I believe that the subheading ‘To Know Christ More | To Make Christ Known’ is what I want the content to reflect. It’s a space where I want to encourage other Christians in their own walk with Jesus, to help them to look to the Bible as a strong foundation of truth in an uncertain world and to hold fast to Christ in their everyday life as individuals and with others.

Articles 

I am excited to continue planning and writing articles, as well as pitching to more websites and magazines. It’s been helpful to have a mentor who has encouraged me to narrow my focus, rather than my usual scattergun approach to firing off lots of ideas for multiple different projects and not really getting very far with anything. This has been helpful as I have chosen what to focus on and have just got on with it. I still have a tendency to daydream and juggle more ideas than I can handle, but thinking upon this advice to narrow down has helped me in this season.

Writing for the web and for magazines with a journalistic style is a lot of fun. I really enjoy this type of writing and the internet has provided a plethora of avenues to explore and hone my craft and writing voice. It’s a learning curve to be self-employed and navigate the business side of it (why didn’t we look at this in school? I’d happily replace algebra with this…). I have also landed my first paid writing gig to an overseas market which is a dream come true.

Going forward

At the right time and if it is the right thing to do, I would like to launch a podcast which continues to build upon the scope of this blog. This is something that I am praying about at the moment, but I’m not in a hurry to launch. I’ve made plans in notebooks and have placed it to one side for now. It would be great to hear from you if you have any suggestions of what kind of content you would like to hear from a podcast by me – do email me to let me know: ruth.m.clemence@gmail.com.

I listened to some helpful advice from Christian singer Rebecca St James who said the advice she gives to aspiring worship leaders is to ‘bloom where you are planted’. I feel that this is a timely word for me as a creative. I want to concentrate on being the best writer that I can be, right where I am – now. I do dream of writing books and sharing my content with audiences around the world. I love to travel and meet new people. I am curious and that is what continues to provide fuel for my ideas – that, and a whole lot of help from God. But God has given me this moment in time. I shouldn’t be in any hurry and His plans for me might be wildly different than the ones I have for myself. And that’s OK.

Corrie ten Boom said:

‘Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.’

It’s exciting. I am genuinely looking forward to all the possibilities that writing gives me. I’m not sure what the future holds, but I can pursue God, seeking Him first, knowing that He has a beautiful plan for it all. I just need to keep trusting, thinking and typing. Please pray for me as I continue to trust God with my writing and to follow His lead in it all.