I love when I have the opportunity to feature a young writer. Today, Sarah Holman is our guest and she's very generously offering a free copy of her novel The Destiny of One to one lucky, US resident. To get entered to win you may either ask Sarah a question or tell us what inspires you to write.
The Destiny of a Writer
Destiny. It is such a powerful word that inspires those who hear it. I mean a destiny sounds unchangeable, unlike ideas, thoughts, or plans. At seventeen my plan was to become a nurse and do some writing on the side. What God had in mind, my destiny, was quite different.
What does God want me to do now is a question all of us face at one point or another in our lives. Most of us ask it many times in our middle to late teens as high school graduation looms before us. Even if we think we have it figured out, sometimes God has a way of changing our plans. This was the theme that became The Destiny of One. One girl searching for what God wanted her to do with her life and finding a destiny much bigger than she could ever have imagined.
My name is Sarah Holman. I started writing my first book when I was eleven years old and haven’t stopped writing since. I wanted to write adventurous books that were also encouraging to people’s faith. Although The Destiny of One was not the first manuscript I have written, it is the first one that truly was any good.
It was the first book that really came alive in my head. I truly had the feeling that I was watching the story unfold and trying to keep up. Maria and the rest of my characters seem so real to me that I imagine that, if they turned up on my doorstep tomorrow, I would not even be surprised.
The other thing that set apart The Destiny of One from my other book is how much God taught me through it. Especially as I wrote the first draft, God was teaching me so much about my own destiny. Maria was like a traveling companion through that tumultuous time in my life. I felt that her journey through the book to find her destiny in the book mirrored my own struggles.
I never did make it to nursing school. Instead of having a career and writing part time I am writer that works part time a local elected official’s office. A pretty big change in plans, isn’t it? Thankfully, God knew the plans he had for me the whole time. He planned my destiny before he created the world. You know what I find more amazing? He did this for each and every one of us, including you.
God has a destiny for you and your writing, so don’t be afraid. Take that leap of faith and start writing, and he will show you where to go from there.
Hi Sarah!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the hardest thing about writing for you?
What is the easiest thing?
Hello Sarah! I really enjoyed hearing your story. My question is, what inspired you to start writing?
ReplyDeleteHey Sarah!!! Love your article on destiny. My question is- What was the hardest part about trusting God with His destiny for you?
ReplyDeleteYour story was great!I'm a Dutch girl, so I cannot win your book, but it looks like beautiful! My question is: When you started writing your book, did you know that it would be with a lot of yourself?
ReplyDeleteWhat inspires me to write is just everything around me. It changes with what I am writing. If I am writing for A cause the cause is what inspires me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great interview, Sarah! As always, encouraging and inspiring! :) <3 I can't wait to see what you come up with next!!
ReplyDeleteSierra, I looooove Tangled!! A modern-day Rapunzel? That sounds so cool!
*please don't enter me in the giveaway...I already have a copy of this amazing novel
Ellyn ~ The hardest thing about writing for me is descriptions. I have to remind myself often that my readers cannot see what is in my mind. The easiest thing for me is the plot; it always feels easily.
ReplyDeleteCosette ~ I started writing at age 11 because I was frustrated at the lack of really good books. To read the whole story you can read it here http://destinyofone.blogspot.com/2008/08/it-all-started-when.html
Anonymous wrote “What was the hardest part about trusting God with His destiny for you?” ~ This is a wonderful question. I think that hardest thing was dealing with the disappointment of the people around me. Although my Dad, Mom, and siblings supported me, my grandparents and many others were disappointed. They thought I should get a degree and start a career.
Sierra ~ Different characters I got to know different ways. Some of the characters I base off of people I know, they are the easy ones. However, the main way I know the characters is I create a back story for them. What happened in their lives before the story opens. It isn’t enough that I could write a book about (at least at the moment) but it is enough for me to get to know them. However, it is hard for me to pinpoint how the characters come alive in my mind, I think it may have something to my vivid imagination.
Anonymous Wrote “When you started writing your book, did you know that it would be with a lot of yourself?” ~ Yes and know. I knew that Maria and I were going to be a lot alike but I had no idea that I would be putting so many of my struggles into the pages of this book
Hey, Sarah! This is a beautiful interview, and I would love to read your book. My question is did you ever doubt whether writing was what God was calling you to do? And how did you deal with those doubts?
ReplyDeleteWhat inspires me to write are people. People with stories, with heartaches, with faults. As a writer I try my very hardest to put real situations of people in my stories to inspire others in the world. To show them that even though life can be hard and knock you down, God is constantly faithful and can get you through. I have found this to be true so many times in my life and I would LOVE to show that to as many people I can with my stories. :)
Clarebear ~ I never doubted it was something God wanted me to do. The only think I doubted was how much of my time I should spend doing it. Sometimes, when people said I should get a real job, I wondered if they were right, but that never seemed to last long.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah. :)
ReplyDeleteMy question is...
How did you cope with not knowing your "destiny?"
Because I'm only fifteen, and my dream is to have a professional career in writing novels and things... but sometimes I have a hard time dealing with not knowing if I'm going to get to have that. I have a big fear of God wanting me to do something completely opposite, because writing is really the only thing that I have confidence I'm actually a little bit good at.
Jazmine ~ I truly believe that God put gifts and desires in us for a reason. If he gave you a love for writing, then pursue it. It may not be what he has called you to do forever, but it may be what he is calling you to do now. I think that to often we are worried about what is ahead of us, when what we should be doing is just doing what her has sat right in front of us. Don't be afraid! Do what God is asking you to do right now whether that is right novels, teach, go to collage, lead a Bible study, blog, or help out with your siblings, and when the time is right, he will show you what to do next.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sarah!
ReplyDeleteMy question is, which genres are your favorite to read and/or to write and why?
-Rachel C
Rachel C. ~ I like to read biographies and historical fiction the most. I am so inspired by real people and events of the past not only in my own life but in my writing. As for the genre I like to write, I plan to write books in just about every genre. I like to play around and not being tied to one genre. after I finish the Destiny trilogy, I think I will move on to a historical fiction, then go on to a contemporary.
ReplyDeleteI'm inspired to write by the great books that have touched my life.
ReplyDeleteJazmine, you're our winner! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you, Sarah, for sharing your story with us.