WHICH ROAD TO TAKE?

SIMPLIFYING FAVORITES AND ROADS TAKEN:

In an era of growing mass production, when technology hurdles the next update faster than we can blink, and while a silent revolution creeps into our lives with the horrifying advancement of Ai, we need to pause and reflect on our role. And more often than ever before, we need to find our own road map for business as a writer and creative.

Those of you who have followed me since I started writing in 2018, must think I can’t decide what I want to be when I grow up.

I do have trouble deciding favorites in anything.

Favorite color? All of them.
Favorite food? Any whole food.
Favorite writing tool? How long do you have to hear all the amazing applications and software programs I’ve tried?

And if you asked me last year which genre I prefer to write, I might have said, “I haven’t tried writing all of the various genres yet,” or “It might be shorter to tell you which ones I don’t enjoy writing.”

Favorites before 2025:

§ Poetry
§ Short Story
§ Flash Fiction
§ Personal Essay
§ Contemporary Fiction
§ Suspense
§ Mystery
§ Game Lit
§ Split Time
§ Time Travel
§ Sci-fi
§ Children’s Picture Books
§ Young Adult
§ Activity Books
§ Writer Resource Books
§ Devotions
§ How-To Articles

Genres I haven’t yet tried to write:

§ Bible Studies
§ Historical Fiction
§ Romance
§ Police Procedural etc.

Genres I don’t write nor read:

§ Horror
§ Paranormal
§ Magic
§ You get the picture.

But in 2025, one of my major goals targeted and challenged my overall focus as a writer and author. I asked God to help me sort through my eclectic assortment of projects, genres, and activities, and help me focus on fewer areas. I desire to simplify my pursuits.

Can you hear the clashing of symbols and thunderous clattering of pans dropping on a tin roof?

Me? Simplifying?

WHICH ROAD FIRST:

I choose to embark on fewer roads. However eclectic my pursuits were, I was racing toward self-destruction and certain sleep-deprivation. Not to mention a nagging and growing frustration with not meeting deadlines. After a few episodes of swirling confusion—times when I forgot which character belonged in which story line—I tucked a few projects into my portable hard drive storage.

While writing ‘not to mention’ negates the previous phrase entirely, I found myself increasingly chasing the next contest which would offer me judge comments with potentially ‘perfect clarity’ about which genres I should more keenly focus.

The clarity wavers and rests hazy but my road, or fewer roads, clears a path for greater concentration as I continue to pray.

What next, Lord?

NEXT STEPS ON MY JOURNEY:

Realizations come more slowly to me. I suspect because I try to steer my own proverbial ship without the end destination clearly in mind and without always the directive of the captain.

Realization #1: I don’t pray nearly enough.
Realization #2: I can’t do it all.
Realization #3: My time on this earth is finite.

Did I mention that I also ‘dabble’ in illustration, fictional maps, family tree relationship graphics, font design, logo and branding creation, and offer technical services to other Christian creatives? Oh, and I adore speaking and teaching to the writing community on a wide variety of topics that I find fascinating.

I digress. But not entirely. My personal and professional writing road also includes my artist, visual skills and interests. In retrospect, I realize I embrace the somewhat now obsolete renaissance mentality and dive into many creative disciplines with immense enthusiasm and intensity. Some would say I have a compulsion to design and create. It’s part of who I am as a child of the Creator God.

Others have said to me often, “How do you do so much?” or “When do you sleep?”

I ask myself that question often. And God answers, “You need to rest.”

Scrolling back to realizations 1, 2 and 3, I need a plan. And an intervention.

WHITTLING WORDS AND PICTURES:

With those in mind, I began whittling away the genres, examined my projects and interests, and set up a plan to pause a few of the more challenging activities that I didn’t want to give up, but needed to breathe while I pared down the other areas of interest.

Firstly: Which genres do I most want to focus on in the next year?

This was so difficult. But this is part of why you haven’t heard from me for months. I’ve been battling both physically and spiritually as I dedicate this next year to these areas:

1. Sci-fi with a faith element and imagined science. I didn’t know how much I enjoyed imagining new technologies, creating characters who live in the future, and crafting fictional worlds. I understand this will overlap with YA, time travel, or split time sub-genres, and maybe short stories related to a main novel-length project. But the primary focus will be the novel-length work and drawing maps of the new worlds.

2. Poetry. Hope-filled poems and prose remind me of my faith journey and the struggles we all face every day. I began writing poetry during high school. Most poets start their writing journey there. This is my first love, and I’ve found some success in poetry awards and even earn a few dollars for contest wins along this path.

3. Children’s storybooks and concept books. While some of my stories are focused on healing for people like me who experienced trauma in their childhood, others are concept picture book prose where I can combine my illustration experience and my lyrical writing tendency.

WHAT ABOUT ARTWORK?

My art path and teaching drive began in 4th grade art class staring at a painting of Andrew Wyeth’s called “Christina.” You’ve probably seen this classic painting of a young girl sprawled on a hillside reaching for help (my middle grade interpretation) toward a dilapidated house on the top of the hill. Do I reach out for help or stay strong for the journey whatever road I pursue?

Childhood trauma (fill in the blank.) But we can rise above the noise and move past our hurts when we call on God through Jesus. There is nothing He can’t heal. There is no situation He can’t rescue us from, but if He does not, we do not despair. I became stronger and more empathetic of others because of my trials. I can’t say that for others, but for me, I am standing on a path with choices and plans, but I want my Creator God to direct my steps.

And I suspect it helps when I cooperate with Him by letting go of some of my wants and side road trips along my grand journey through this lifetime.

LAST WORDS FIRST:

I don’t like last words. Parting words are often grief-filled, and I hate to say goodbye. Having the last word when sorrow or pain join the conversation often leads to regret.

I want to live and work without regret that I’ve done my best. That I’ve walked by faith. That I’ve pursued God’s path of righteousness and love. But we are human. We make mistakes and find ourselves tangled in misunderstandings and false accusations, broken relationships and hurt feelings.

I’d like to share my favorite verse for these types of situations.

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (“Matthew 11:29-30 NKJV)

Next month I can’t wait to tell you all about my experience in Iowa with the Whispering Woods Workshop. The children’s picture book retreat ignited my soul to write for children and the adults who experienced trauma in their childhood.

Thanks for reading and sharing your story with me.

I’d love to hear from you.