Why Writing is Like Walking on Water

with Jessica R. Patch.


Thank you, Seekerville, for having me! I’m looking forward to spending the day with you.

I’ve walked on water many times. Sometimes, only the bottom of my feet gets wet. Sometimes, I sink. And sometimes, I get sprayed by waves pretty good. 

But man, I love it. The thrill. The adventure. 

Just not so much the fear. And there is always some amount of fear when walking on water.

One of my favorite accounts in the Bible is about Jesus walking on water like it’s an everyday kind of thing. I can picture Him just rolling on up. Hair damp on His forehead, tunic clinging to His legs. “Come on, Peter!”

First, comes some fear. But then imagine Peter’s rush of excitement as he lopes over the side and gets going. He’s looking right at Jesus and he’s. walking. on. water. 

Until he takes his eyes off of Jesus and looks at his surroundings. Then things get hairy and he starts to sink.

Writing is like walking on water. It is an everyday occurrence—if you’re writing every single day. 

Expect the Initial Fear.

The call to walk on water isn’t always as expected as one might think. For me, it came out of the blue in 2008. Like that early hour of three o’ clock in the morning when Jesus came walking to the disciples. They weren’t expecting that. Neither was I. Can I do this? How do I do this? What do I do once I write the story that’s burning in my heart? I want all the answers. All the steps. But they don’t come all at once. Like walking on water, it’s one foot in front of the other, one step at a time. And you will have to walk over waves. You’ll have to squint from the salty spray that will smack you cold in the face. It’s called rejections, criticism, and doubt. Keep walking. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

Because if you don’t, you will sink. You could easily drown in a sea of despair and hopelessness. You can quickly talk yourself out of the calling. You can bow to the criticism of man and not surf on the approval of God. But remember that when you sink, Jesus is right there to pull you up, hold your hand, and get you where He wants you to go. Think about this: How did Peter get back to the boat after he sunk? Me? I think he and Jesus walked right back to it hand in hand. Keep walking, friend.

Anticipate the Fun.

Anything to do with the ocean and the beach is fun. Minus sharks, jellyfish colonies, and hurricanes. Okay so maybe not anything to do with the ocean and beach is fun. But let’s just say we’ve overcome that initial fear and are trusting God to help us get through all the scary things left in the ocean. When called to walk on water, we can anticipate the fun. Because walking on water with Jesus whether it’s in writing, or any calling, should be fun! Adventurous. Jesus isn’t boring and when He plants a passion inside you, it won’t be either. I didn’t say it wouldn’t be hard. You’ll work up a sweat for sure, but we have that glorious ocean of grace and mercy to rest in and cool off. When the ideas swirl and you find a group of water-walking friends (like here at Seekerville!) this whole thing can become downright fun! Yes, you’ll battle monster waves. Colonies of jellyfish that sting. Even sharks. But nothing can hold down someone walking on water whose focus is clearly on Jesus. Make those hard times learning experiences and chances to grow closer and hold tighter, then pour them out into the stories you write! It’s a testimony. There is joy in traveling the ocean of the publishing industry (no matter which path you take—traditional, indie, small press, or hybrid). Don’t let that initial fear rob you of the fun. Keep walking, friend.

Find Your Footing in Faith. 

Once you leave land, there’s nothing but ocean. It’s all uncertain. Uncharted—for you. But there are no uncharted waters for God. He’s got the plan. He’s given you the purpose. But man, it’s tough to trust God once you get into the deep waters, isn’t it—when your feet don’t touch? It’s a struggle to remember that while you don’t know what will happen or when, God knows. It’s excruciating at times to see others who have been walking on water (maybe less time than you) make it to their destination. You see their books published and you think, “Lord, help me with my sea legs! Am I not walking fast enough? Why not me?” I’ve been there, but we can’t look at others and feel competitive. Rejoice with them! Mary believed what God spoke to her and she was blessed for believing. It came to pass. And it will come to pass for you. It almost 100% won’t look like what you expect. But tides change. Be flexible to go with the flow of God’s plan. Even when it feels like an undertow pulling you down. Stand firm in your faith. You won’t find the beauty until you’re in deep waters. 

Trusting God in the deep waters is what my newest book is about. This will be my fifth Love Inspired Suspense novel. I’m still walking on water. Every single day. Every book is a testimony of His faithfulness, but even when I had no book in hand, no contract, I had to trust Him and believe in what was unseen at the time. That’s faith.  Keep walking, friend.

I’m giving away a copy of Deep Waters! I’d love for you to enter for a chance to win. Leave a comment and a winner will be posted in the Weekend Edition. You can read the Prequel to Deep Waters FREE on Harlequin.com. Check out the online read Protecting the Witness here. 

Question for you: I’ve compared writing to walking on water. What would you compare it to, and do you have a favorite verse that helps you keep going?

Deep Waters

Thirty feet underwater when her oxygen tank fails, Caley Flynn fears it's been sabotaged—and she'll be the next to die. Her intern's already dead, her home breached and something's amiss at her Florida marine-life rescue center…but no one believes she's in danger. Except Shepherd Lightman. When Caley's brother asked him to check on her, the marine turned security specialist hoped it would be a case of calming down a nervous veterinarian. But the threats are all too real. Rescuing Caley and remaining alive isn't easy, but resisting his boss's sister is where the real danger lies. Because with his heart in the balance, he'll do whatever it takes to stop a killer who's desperate to keep a secret hidden.

Jessica R. Patch writes inspirational contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She is the author of the Seasons of Hope series and several Love Inspired Suspense novels including, Fatal Reunion, Protective Duty, Concealed Identity, and Final Verdict. When she’s not hunched over her laptop or going on adventurous trips in the name of research with willing friends, you can find her spending time with her family and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.