Sometimes when I watch a PraiseWriters interview, I get discouraged. Catherine Mulhern did a fantastic job with her book launch. Her social media posts are inspiring. My posts seem self-serving and boring. Mike Thomas reached out to 100 influencers to promote his book series. I don’t even know of 100 influencers, and the few I contacted were dead ends. Some authors can write a book in two months when I’m struggling for over a year. I wonder, if I’m doing God’s will, why don’t things go as smoothly for me as they do for others? Maybe I’m not supposed to be writing.

Sound familiar? Surely I am not the only writer who has felt inadequate at some point in the writing process. As I reflected on my experiences with the interviews, I realized that I had fallen into the comparison trap, measuring my process and results by the process and results of others.

That’s likely a spiritual attack designed to keep me from writing, but it doesn't have to be that way. In every interview, I hear the message, "Let God lead. Your path will not be mine, but maybe something I do will be helpful to you."

Over my two years as a member, I have learned a few things about how to get the most from the interviews:

1. Before the interview, consider what you might want to learn or hear. Is there a question you hope to have answered? It could be related to the specific interview guest or something that you’re struggling with in your writing. It’s good to be listening for something specific, while being open to whatever God has for you.
2. Allow Claire's opening prayer to soak into your mind so that the Holy Spirit will speak to you through others on the call (the guest, Claire, Mike, other members). I may have a question in mind, while the Holy Spirit has something else for me.
3. Do not assume that you have to follow the path of the guest being interviewed. We are each unique, and God may be taking you a different way. If Instagram is their primary marketing vehicle, that doesn't mean it should be yours. If they have a robust website that is updated weekly, that doesn't mean you should. They may write for three hours each day, but you have little ones and that kind of time doesn't exist. Ask yourself if the ideas shared are appropriate for your situation.
4. Do not compare your writing success (or lack thereof) to theirs. Remember that God called you to write, he didn't call you to success. Leave the outcome to him. One recent guest, Dr. Michel Therrian, said, "Our success will be because of the Lord, not because we orchestrated it." It gave me a healthy perspective on the launch of a book. Do what God calls you to do without worrying about what you are not doing.
5. If you feel discouraged after an interview, pray to discern the source. Are you questioning your gift as a writer because they write more quickly than you? Are you feeling guilty because they have 10 books and you haven't finished one? Are you overwhelmed by all the things you could be doing with writing but aren't? Take this into prayer and discern if it is God's voice or Satan's that is discouraging you. Joelle Maryn said, “God has a plan for your life and so does the devil. Neither ever gives up” When the devil brings discouragement, reject it.
6. Choose one idea to ponder from each interview. It could be an action or a reminder. One week the idea was to choose a "Saint Board of Directors" to intercede for my writing. Another time it was a reminder to pray before, during, and after writing. God will always give us something if we are open.
7. Take notes. I have a notebook dedicated to PraiseWriters. During interviews, I record any ideas that are helpful to me and any actions I might want to take. It also makes it easy to find a specific interview if I want to listen again.
8. Support the person interviewed in whatever way appropriate. Let the guest know what was helpful to you. Follow them online if their work is interesting. Buy their book and post a review. My sister writers often say that writing is a lonely process. We can make it less so if we reach out to others and affirm their work.

I love the interviews because every one of them emphasizes the importance of prayer and discerning God’s will in our writing. God’s plan is better. And although the interviews have sometimes reminded me of where I might fall short, more often they encourage me to trust in God’s plan and inspire me to get back to work—and to do it my way.

Colleen Orchanian is an author, spiritual director, podcaster, and retreat leader. She is retired as Adult Formation Director and Director of Religious Education. She lives in Blairsville, Georgia with her husband, Tom, and son, Tommy. You can visit her site at colleenorchanian.com