Do You Struggle to Be Heard in a Noisy World?

Do you struggle to be heard in a noisy world?

Consider the following statistics that I heard in a recent author workshop taught by Alice Crider:

From 1880-1980 there were 40,000 books published in the English language. 100 years.

From 1980-1990 there were 40,000 books published in the English language. 10 years.

In 2012? More than 1,000,000 books published.

In 2014? More than 2,000,000 books published. Yes, you read that right. More than two million books in English in one year.

This is my medium - written words. But those are not all the words. There are spoken words. Advertised words. Digital words.

Everyone is SAYING ALL THE WORDS ALL THE TIME and you have nothing new to say that hasn't been said already. This is the message of a noisy world.

Are you struggling to be heard? You aren't the only one.

Even my cough drop is trying to market a message. Seriously? I can't hack in peace? My cough drop wants to give me a pep talk.

Currently, I am taking an online course on author marketing. I want to learn the new skills necessary for getting my words out beyond my circle of influence. This requires strategy. Learning stuff I don't know. I want my words to be heard in a noisy world.

But can I tell you something? I also want my words to be heard in a quiet world. One on one over coffee. Across the table in a restaurant with a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer. In a circle of young moms at our church as we talk about raising the next generation. On the phone with grandchildren. (Um....this is usually NOT a quiet world.) At the dinner table.

In this loud, digital, screen-always-in-our-hands world, I want to have my words matter to someone who I can look in the eye and call by name. To tell them, "You are not alone in your fear. You are not foolish to hope. You are never forgotten by a loving God. Never."

Isn't this your desire as well? As the world gets noisier, we all need places where we can step closer and be heard. To have someone speak our name. God offers this to us. I want to offer it to others.

Who is in your quiet world?

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I am super excited about doing a book club at Sibley's West in downtown Chandler on Wednesday, Jan 31. Come and chat about Under a Desert Sky with me. I'd love to hear about the beauty in your story--even in the hard places. IF you purchase the book at Sibley's, IF you register to attend, and IF you attend, you will receive a 20% OFF ONE TRANSACTION coupon to use at Sibley's West.  If you attend all three book clubs in the next three months, you receive a store credit for the purchase price of all three books. See details in the store.