In this series of posts I’m interviewing writers who God has placed in my life to complete His divine mosaic. Each piece of a mosaic is called a tesserae. I’d like to introduce another tesserae in my mosaic—Patricia Tiffany Morris. I first met Patricia through an online critique group. The combination of her technical expertise and artistic talent blew me away, but it was Patricia’s willingness to take the time, apart from our regular meetings, to lovingly share her knowledge that caused me to consider her a dear friend.
Patricia had a huge publishing dream. She worked hard and invested time and money to plan for that dream. Finally, the time to realize that dream came and … a series of major technical setbacks threatened to steal the joy of seeing her dream come to fruition.
But God…
1) Briefly explain the original dream/plan for your journals
After my husband retired, and the empty nest stage of life arrived, we had little capital, but enormous dreams.
We brainstormed ideas to create a residual income for ourselves and our children after our death. Leaving a legacy, using my skills in creative writing and art, sparked my imagination. With my architectural and design background, I sketched plans and details of a perfect tiny house nestled in the mountains of North Carolina. I designed a home in college in the style of Sarah Suzanka’s Not So Big House, and continue to write and draw, filling stacks of notebooks and journals.
Two years ago, I pulled out a planner concept I’d developed over the past 20 years, still in a folder with no concrete plans.
A fresh idea germinated. One that planted itself between my desire to write and create art, and my need for organization. If wanted specific identification of my journals’ contents, I reasoned that others also did. You see, whenever I wanted to locate an entry, I would pull the assortment of journals out of two overflowing 18-gallon Rubbermaid containers.
If I wanted to find a book title, why couldn’t I design a journal with the words on the spine or color-code the cover so writing journals were one color, and creativity or spiritual journals were their distinct colors? I color-coded our family cups and towels. Why couldn’t I categorize journals the same way?
I immersed myself in this project. I could spend my entire life developing this planner or complete a portion of the project right now. For however long God plans for me on earth, I hope to share inspirational writing prompts, organizational ideas, and create places to brainstorm, sketch and create. And dream.
2. Can you tell me more about the journal series?
The series of journals separated by various category topics or by content, could help other creatives manage their creativity and planning needs and provide that financial legacy for my children.
I cracked open my new bullet journal and prayed. One idea after another poured onto the pages. Categories took shape. Digital art programs aided the workflow and Journaling Scribbles came to life.
The idea of a series of color-coded journals, organized by categories labeled with a colored band, found momentum with a small group of friends who encouraged me. Some joined my launch team and propelled me toward the goal of self-publishing.
I’m not sure I would have had strength through the many setbacks without my empathetic and courageous launch team.
3. What sorts of twists and turns did you encounter while trying to publish?
A more precise question might be, “What sort of trials didn’t I encounter?”
We don’t know how much we don’t know, unless we experiment and learn from our mistakes.
I believe that technology became my biggest enemy. Also, my lofty expectations that I would be published before Christmas in 2020. Ironically, I’m writing a fiction series called the Virtual Strangers Series. Technology is the ultimate antagonist to my heroine and her family. It also becomes the helper to solve the mystery. Fiction imitates life.
I experienced many crashes, lost files, and consumed hours and days of extra work. The temptation to give up and the waves of depression that I might never publish, brought me to my knees more often because of my need and a realization that I wasn’t in control.
The digital learning curve throws me daily, but I’m thankful for geeky solutions and platforms that help meet my long-term goals for the Journaling Scribbles™ series of journals.
4. How did you handle the discouragement?
In addition to having a wonderfully supportive husband who prays for me and with me, I found courage to ask for help and prayer. As setbacks delayed my timeline and as each twist developed, like any true plot-twist in a novel, I could either give in, press forward, or wait.
Option 3-Wait. I reset the iPad, worked on what I could. I dove into yet another unfamiliar app, but at least I inched forward in the waiting.
I put some steps on hold and grappled with the reality that my timeline was not in God’s. I struggled with the KDP proof-copy and pulled the books from Amazon’s distribution in November 2020. The proofs were sub-standard, see-through paper, and not at all suited for journaling.
I asked for prayer and announced the delay while researching options. Integrating my artwork into the software asset library proved almost therapeutic. I also brainstormed ideas with my husband again and continued to create journal themes to keep the dream alive.
My team was immensely supportive and patient with schedule changes. I found renewed hope. Even during this set-back, I could search for solutions and make progress toward the dream of self-publishing and creating a legacy for my family.
5. What practical lessons have you learned through your set-back that might help another author, who is just starting out?
I think I may have appeared foolish to many people, but that doesn’t usually stop me. When the Lord continues to shine through the pages of the Bible and keeps me in His presence despite the trials of this life, I’m confident I can’t fall without Him catching me. Ideas may fail, but He reminds me I’m not a failure.
I also developed a practice of taking notes during worship and lettered His words while watching the sermon. Illustrations came to life through videotaping the coloring process. Sundays kept me grounded in the Word and exercised my creativity. These times swept away discouragement and allowed me to dive into the writing and publishing flow on Mondays.
6. What God lessons have you learned that you might not otherwise have gleaned on a smoother publishing journey?
Remember I mentioned “my timeline”? That was my biggest lesson. I am much afflicted by pride. And I need God’s timeline. His plans might ask me to wait, but I can keep learning. The waiting time is so important.
As authors, writers, and artists, we create and design. We make plans and press ahead sometimes without waiting for the Lord’s direction. How precious and glorious when I rest in the flow of His purpose. Like riding on a calm lake, floating sometimes propels me off course or causes the craft to drift to the shoreline or get caught in the weeds. Sometimes stepping into the boat at the top of a hill and careening through a waterfall upside-down until I emerge in yet another stream toward the goal.
I think there’s always another stream to navigate. Don’t you? Another trial. Another goal. Success resides in the journey, the process, and how we view ourselves as we travel. We can either walk on our own merits, or with God’s direction and a bit of community cheerleading to remind each one of us that we need one another to succeed in this world.
7) If you had it all to do over again, would you take a different path?
This question tumbles through my mind quite often. My dream would still be present. Or another dream stacked waiting for my time. The imagination pulses continually. That’s who I am. My creativity and inspiration to create, flow from my allegiance to Christ. But the path along each tributary is fluid. I see many tributaries in this journey. I might have taken the path of Ingram publishing instead of KDP. I may have hired a marketing director instead of the FB team. Or I might have bought into the Adobe Design software instead the Affinity products.
But the dream still keeps me awake at night.
If not this dream, another equally complex and time consuming one would surface, because the goal to create a product that meets other believer’s needs for reflection and planning and creativity would still be there, wrestling for an answer to the problems of our identity in Christ. And souls like me, who find peace and joy in processing our thoughts, words, and ideas, might still be waiting for us.
While the exact path might be different, the end goal or product faces me and reminds me to keep pressing forward.
If you are a writer. If you are a creative artistic person who wakes up to a dream, keep pressing forward. If you need to hop out of the figurative boat to reassess the current, do it. If the dream calls to you, and God doesn’t say no, or stop, keep praying. Keep researching and reevaluating your path. And brainstorm, collaborate, and network until God redirects your path.
I’ll pray for you as you write, create, and inspire others to do the same.
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:26, Hebrews 10:24, 1 Peter 3:8
Fun Fact or Helpful Resource:
Artist, writer, and Christian creative, Patricia Tiffany Morris, weaves original hand-drawn artwork, digital illustrations, and traditional planning elements throughout the pages of the journals. For more info check out Patricia’s website: https://www.patriciatiffanymorris.com/
Annette Marie Griffin is an award-winning author who has managed and directed programs for children and youth for more than twenty years. She has written curriculum for character growth and development of elementary-age children, developed parent training seminars to benefit the community, and counseled at-risk youth. Her first children’s book What Is A Family? released in 2020. She and her husband have five children—three who have already flown the coop and two adopted teens still roosting at home—plus two adorable grands who add immeasurable joy and laughter to the whole flock.
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