I was led to ACFW in a series of coincidences that only God could have orchestrated. As I was called to be more serious about my writing, and God nudged me toward pursuing publication, I reached out to an author after reading a series of books she wrote. Nancy Moser returned my email in which I had asked for advice and recommended I join a group called American Christian Fiction Writers.

I joined in March 2018 and at first was reluctant to get involved. I think I was intimidated that all these published authors were members, and I am a nobody. But the emails begged me to introduce myself, so after a couple of months, I did. Since that first introduction, I have slowly joined more of the groups that they offer. I started with Novel Track Writing because I needed to work on my second manuscript, and that group promised to keep me accountable, pray for me as I worked toward my goal, and provide encouragement.

Boy, did they deliver! In June by the grace of God and through the encouragement, prayer and accountability provided by the Novel Trackers, I added 33,000 words to my story. (The Great Job star is my badge for making my goal of 30,000 words.)Success in that group prompted me to join Scribes, a critique group where I have been able to submit portions of my manuscript for members to critique. In turn, I critique the submissions of other members.

Both of these groups have provided fringe benefits. I have ‘met’ Christian authors from all over the US, exchanged ideas and encouragement, and shared in their lives. It has been a blessing I didn’t count on when I joined these groups. I was scared to say ‘yes’ to these opportunities, but I am sure glad I followed God’s lead and joined in.

Are you lonely? Do you feel as if no one cares? Get involved. Volunteer. Join something productive, preferably service oriented. Ask to help at a local food pantry or community organization. The best way to feel connected is to serve others. That’s why the groups I mentioned are so powerful. We serve each other through prayer and encouragement. Scribes members edit and critique each other’s work. Professional critiques are expensive. We are getting this for free and learning tons as we do it.

So if you are a writer aspiring to be an author, maybe even a published author. I recommend joining this group of amazing, talented, Godly people. They will nurture and support you as you travel this long and winding road. One thing I’ve found—it’s a lot more fun traveling in a group than trying to go it alone.

Here’s the link to the ACFW webpage: https://www.acfw.com

I pray blessings on your journey. If I can help, comment on this post or send me an email @ rebeccareed333@gmail.com