Linda Brooks Davis

Let’s Chat! With Writer Linda Sawyer

Welcome, Everyone! And Welcome, Linda Sawyer!

 
Meet Linda Sawyer. It’s such a treat this week to introduce you to a writer and blogger at A Million Yarns whom I met at a writers conference about 10 years ago (but who’s counting?). Linda aims to see her name on the front cover of a novel. The right time hasn’t come around yet. But I want you to know her —and be looking for her first novel sometime in the not-too-distant future.
 
**Linda’s offering an Amazon gift card to someone who comments below!**
**Congratulations to Rachel Clemmons, winner of the Amazon gift card, compliments of Linda Sawyer!**

Who Is Linda Sawyer?


To begin with, a
s a child I loved exploring the woods, climbing trees and riding my bike much further from home than I was allowed in rural Clarksville, Tennessee.

I developed a vivid imagination and wrote plays. My brother and neighbors became my not-so-willing actors, my parents the captive audience.

On rainy days I crafted plots and developed characters for my cut out Sears and Roebuck paper dolls, designing lives for them with much drama as their families grew. 
 
Although I loved writing, I chose nursing as my college major. Through those preparatory years I helped a lot of folks and learned a lot about human nature.

Who Is Linda Sawyer, the Writer?

First, I write literary women’s fiction. I also enjoy writing short stories, essays, and I have a memoir in the works.

After a life-threatening accident in 1995, The Lord began calling me to write. (Click to Tweet That!) I continued my nursing career, but the novel inside me refused to go away.

 
Blessings Unexpected.
 
I wrote the entire piece over a period of fifteen years without studying a book on writing or attending a class. As you might guess, it lacked the polished quality of a publishable book.

Learning to Be a Writer

At my first writers conference, the instructors broke the news to us that it isn’t that easy to get published. They said one’s writing must be superb in every way. They had books to sell to teach me. I bought them.
 
Ugh! I learned how much my writing lacked. The story was still what God called me to write, but I needed help and lots of it. (Click to Tweet That!) I continued to study and attend writers conferences, something I enjoyed because writers understand one another. However being an introvert, it was painful to share.

A Break for Linda Sawyer

Then my first break came when a dear friend who worked at the United Methodist Publishing House read my book and passed it on to the department starting a new line of Christian novels.

M
y hands shook and my voice quivered the day I met the publisher. She liked the content and wanted to know about my platform. I’m a writer, not some social media bug, I thought. She quickly helped me understand I would get nowhere without a platform.
 

D
aunted, but determined, I continued to learn and write: three more novels, several short stories, some essays and the memoir I’m working on. I did well in contests and even got published on the Writer’s Digest Internet short short story contest.

A Platform for Linda

Still, at writing conferences publishers kept asking about my platform.

So, just over a year ago I opened a Facebook account and began making new friends and keeping in contact with those I met at conferences.

Then last fall I plowed into the world of Instagram and hired a professional to design a website/blog for me. After nine months with my readership growing, three acquisition editors at a conference wanted to see my synopsis and first three chapters. We’ll see how that goes.

Advice from Linda

My advice for fellow writers is to keep improving your craft, be faithful about writing and don’t let discouragement stop you from what God has called you to do. He has a plan for your work and my work. I truly believe it.

Where You Can Find Linda Sawyer


A Million Yarns is a blog collection of one woman’s stories of faith, adventure and the beauty in the everyday.

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter 

Lord, You are the Word, the Everlasting Word. We praise and glorify Your Name above all the Earth. You’ve given Linda Sawyer words to uplift others with the beauty in the everyday—a million yarns. Will You bless her now with her dream of a published novel that lifts Your name through the beauty of words?
We pray You’ll bless her every word for You.
~ For Jesus’ sake

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14 thoughts on “Let’s Chat! With Writer Linda Sawyer

  1. Thanks for sharing your writing journey! Here’s to the someday-sooner-than-later book publication, many blessings 🙂

    Keep on keeping on & learning more about the craft!

    1. Welcome, Trixi! I know Linda appreciates your encouragement. As noted in another comment, for some reason Linda isn’t able to comment on this blog, so I’m conveying her appreciation for her. You’ve encouraged both of us!

    2. Since Linda’s replies don’t “take” on this site for some weird reason—which my site developer is looking into—I’m replying in her behalf. Thank you so much for joining the conversation and encouraging her!

  2. Commenters, all:
    For some reason, Linda Sawyer’s replies to your comments aren’t “sticking around.” So she asked me to let you know she’s reading them and commenting in her heart as well as the cybersphere 🙂 She appreciates all of you and invites you to keep up with her by signing up for her blog, A Million Yarns.

  3. It’s so amazing that you never gave up your love of writ even after being told how hard it would be to get published. God had and continues to have great plans for you.

  4. Linda, nice to meet you on another Linda’s blog. I have no doubt your call to write will come to fruition in God’s amazing time and continue your journey. God’s blessings.

  5. Linda, what a joy it was to read your blog this morning! 🙂 I loved hearing about your girlhood adventures and the ups and downs of your writing journey. Trust me, we’ve all been there. 🙂 Praying you’ll see your name on the cover of a book soon! 🙂

    1. Hi, Christy. For some reason Linda Sawyer’s replies to comments don’t “stick around.” My site developer is checking on things, but for now—I’m commenting for Linda. Thank you for joining our circle. You’ve encouraged Linda so much!

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