TEN YEARS A WRITER

 

Today I’m celebrating ten years since the start of my writing journey. It all started back in 2015. I had already many years of creativity behind me especially card making and embroidery. I never even considered ten years later I would become the writer I am today.

It all started back in 2015, circumstances at the time weren’t great and often my frustrations would often be active or verbal. Several people in my home church including the pastor at the time Derek Hughes encouraged me to keep a written journal. It really helped me pen my frustrations down on paper than outwardly getting my frustrations out on others. During this season I really felt the presence of Jesus helping and guiding me. It was about a year and a half of journaling, that I was unknowingly penning my daily journal in poetry form.

 Over the years my poetry has developed: not only writing privately but also getting commissions from the church and other platforms I’m involved with. In 2018 my writing took another bold move when I was asked had I ever considered Blogging . This was a totally different genre for me, and one I accepted. A lovely young lady call Catherine taught me how to do this. Now in 2025 I am on blog post 73/74, writing a blog or two every month.

In 2019 I decided that I would try my hand at publishing a book of my work. At the time I belonged to a local writer’s group, it was a great group of writers but it wasn’t anything focused towards getting to be a published writer. A few years later the group folded due to the lack of interest. It was sad because I built up confidence and friendship with a group of like-minded writers. Two of the ladies that were part of the group I’ve stayed in touch with. However the book was hastily thrown to together with having barely any publishing experience. Today I have pulled this book from sale; because I wasn’t happy with it and it barely got any interest outside of family and friends. If there is to be a next book, I’m going to go through all the write channels and processes.

I have in the last year tried my hand at writing short stories after coming back from a writer’s retreat in 2024. Having had the excitement of developing characters, Experiencing the Horrors editing and proof-reader critics nibbling away at it. I have decided these stories need a lot more work and time spent on them before the public gets their mitts on it. To celebrate my ten years of writing I am of this week starting to collate and edit some of my past and present poetry with the hope of again getting it published.

There have been so many opportunities opening up to me to share my poetry. I discovered submitting to anthologies a real spring board. Currently I have had six poems published in four anthologies and hopefully more in the near future. Anthologies offer numerous benefits, including introducing readers to diverse voices and perspectives, providing a condensed introduction to literary movements, and serving as a springboard for writers to gain experience and recognition.

Recently I have been feeling if I should just give up on my writing altogether. On Thursday evening I sat and cried and ranted at God about this storybook. At this present time I feel like I am constantly in a ‘writer’s drought ‘, stuff I’m writing doesn’t fill me with complete joy and confidence. I felt God say ‘I never asked you to publish a story book’, I just asked you to wait.

So far throughout these ten years I estimated that I have written around 350 poems: Some have been consigned to history and others now held in journals. Poetry is my craft and mission field and for this I must use this gift to honour and serve the Lord. I am also now part of ‘Kingdom Story Writers and Association of Christian Writers, both of which have been instrumental in the latter years of me being a prolific writer. Only God knows what the future holds for this prolific writer. Lord give me ears to hear, a heart to write, and the wisdom to understand. Give me the tools to share your gospel through every word I write.

God bless

Sarah Joy