Seeing my first novel in print was a long-term dream come true, but my elation was smothered by fear. Why? Because I dreaded the task of book marketing.
It was up to me to promote my book, and I was sure I’d be a dismal failure.
That was a year ago.
In January, I released my second mystery, Fountains and Secrets. This time around, my attitude has been much healthier, because over the past year, God has been showing me how my attitude and my fear were hindering his plan.
He gave me the talent to write, he put certain stories and characters in my heart, and he knew who needed to hear those stories. Yet, so long as I believed my inner critic’s lies—that I would be a failure at marketing, and I would hate every bit of it—I wouldn’t be doing all I should to bring my writing to potential readers.
God reminded me of Ephesians 2:10.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (NLT)
I’d spent years creating my debut novel, and God’s plans for it weren’t finished. Despite my fears, I needed to continue following his will, even when it meant scary marketing tasks. It helped that I could stand on the promise in Philippians:
“I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 (HCSB)
The promise has held true. Every time I attempted a marketing task outside my comfort zone, God was with me. The attempts weren’t all wildly successful, but they taught me that marketing wasn’t as awful as I’d feared.
God helped me renew my mind, replacing the old beliefs (that I would hate marketing) with a better attitude (sharing a product I’m passionate about is enjoyable and worthwhile).
To everyone who has creative dreams or a story to share with the world, may you learn from my mistakes and know God is with you every step of the way. 
An engineer-turned-mystery-writer, Lisa E. Betz, infuses her novels with authentic characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her debut novel, Death and a Crocodile, won several awards, including Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021). Her second mystery, Fountains and Secrets, released in January.
Lisa combines her love of research with her quirky imagination to bring the world of the early church to life. She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in the Livia Aemilia Mysteries. Lisa directs church dramas, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit her at www.lisaebetz.com.
In the Livia Aemilia Mysteries, Lisa E. Betz draws inspiration from thirty-five years leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the early church era that include eccentric characters, independent females, a touch of humor, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat.
Be sure to check out Lisa’s newest historical mystery release.
You can find it on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble or anywhere books are sold.
How many of you have suffered from fear and need an attitude adjustment to face those fears?
Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Blessings,
Loretta
Appreciate these words of encouragement.
Me too, Beth. I think we’ve all been in her shoes.
Always happy to spread encouragement.
Everyone needs kind and encouraging words. Thank you for sharing with us, Lisa.