5 Things To Do When No One Supports Your Writing

What do you do when those closest to you—your spouse, your family, your Christian friends—don’t support your writing journey? When their words make you question your calling, doubt creeps in, and you wonder if you heard God wrong.

In this episode of Anointed Scribe, we’re diving deep into the loneliness, discouragement, and spiritual battles that come when the people in your life don’t understand or validate your calling as a Christian writer. I’ll share personal experiences, biblical wisdom, and practical steps to help you stay rooted in God’s purpose for your writing—even when no one claps for you.

🔹 Why doubt often comes through those closest to us

🔹 The enemy’s strategy to discourage your calling

🔹 Biblical examples of waiting, faith, and perseverance

🔹 How to respond with grace (without arguing or giving up!)

🔹 Why human validation isn’t necessary when you have God’s approval

If you’ve ever felt unseen, unappreciated, or doubted in your writing journey, this episode is for you. Because God sees, God understands, and your obedience will never be wasted.

💬 Let’s continue the conversation! Join the Anointed Scribe Tribe group on Facebook for encouragement, support, and community. Link in the show notes.

Transcript

What do you do when the people around you don't see your calling the way you do?

I know how discouraging it can be when someone close to you says something about your writing that makes you question everything.

Maybe it's a casual remark from your spouse when they say you spend so much time on this, but you haven't brought in any money. Or your sibling makes a joke at the family dinner and says, oh, you're still trying to be an author.

And suddenly the confidence you had in your calling feels like it's crumbling. Doubt creeps in, you stop writing and you start wondering, did I hear God wrong? Am I even meant to be an author?

So how do you keep going when no one seems to support you? That's what we're diving into today, friend. Grab your coffee and a notebook and let's talk about it.

This is episode 16.

I'm Urcelia Teixeira, ex real estate agent turned award winning author of Christian fiction. It wasn't that long ago that I wrote my first novel on a bucket list whim, setting the course for a spiritual journey that transformed my life.

But the journey through self publishing hasn't been easy as I soon found myself obsessing over book sales rankings and getting to the top of the shelves, all the while trying to stay rooted in Christ and live out my purpose.

But God has graciously been teaching me how to navigate the spiritual pitfalls of the brutal book publishing industry, and now I'm sharing them with you. Welcome to the Anointed Scribe Podcast where each week I open my personal diary to share soul nourishing stories designed to inspire, uplift and equip you for your writing life.

If you're already a Christian author or one in the making trying to balance faith with business, you're in the right place. Because for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's anointed scribe.

Are you ready? Let's get started.

Hey, it's your author friend Urcelia. And welcome back to another episode of the Anointed Scribe Podcast.

We are tackling a real heart and mind struggle today, friend. One that I think pretty much every Christian author goes through at some stage of their author journey. Especially if you're a self published author and don't necessarily have the worldly validation or backing of a publishing contract.

But before we get stuck in, as always, I want to thank you for choosing to tune in with me today for what I hope will feel like you're having a cup of coffee with a friend who Gets it.

Someone who's in the trenches with you, cheering you on, praying for you, and helping you thrive in both your spiritual growth and your author career.

And also just to say that I.

Love hearing from you. It's really the only way I'm able to connect with you.

So it makes this feel more like.

A heart to heart rather than just me talking into a microphone, you know what I mean?

It really is awesome to hear how God has been speaking to you through these episodes and it just reminds me what an incredible God we serve. He is right here with us in every episode.

Right? And it just goes to show that this author journey of ours is so much bigger than just producing the next book.

So, yes, thanks for choosing to be here with me every week and for being faithful to what I believe God is calling you to do.

Go ahead and share a victory with me in a review, or if you feel comfortable, even a struggle. And let's come together in our mission as Christian orthopreneurs.

And of course, if this is the first time you're tuning into the show, let me officially welcome you to the Anointed Scribe tribe.

I know what it's like to feel like your spirit is at war with the worldly pressures of building a thriving author career. And so I'm hoping these episodes will show you that firstly, you are not alone in this author journey.

And secondly, that there is a biblical way to write and thrive as you build and grow your Christian author business.

We're in this together, a community of Christian authors who get it. The struggles, the doubts, and the deep desire to honour God through our words while we make an income from our books.

We get it. I get it.

I've personally experienced all of these things I share with you on this show in my own journey as a Christian fiction author. And thankfully, by God's grace and Holy Spirit teachings, I have been set free from many of these writing and business strongholds.

Which is precisely why God has called me to share them with you here so that you have a shortcut to overcoming or avoiding them. Right? So you can reclaim your calling and purpose to thrive in your writing and grow an author business that truly honors God in every way.

With that said, I'd like to encourage you to always pray before you listen to these episodes so that the Holy Spirit can reveal the areas in your author life and business that God wants to focus on.

And always take what you feel resonates with you back to the Word and to God in prayer.

I've also just created the Anointed Scribe Tribe private Facebook group. So I'd love for you to hop on over to the group and join because I'd like to create a safe space for us to hang out together.

Not to compare or compete with each other or walk away feeling despondent like I often do with most of these groups, but a place where we discuss our struggles and our challenges, have conversations about any of the topics I talk about in these episodes, and just encourage each other and stand in the gap for each other.

Because fellowshipping actually. Is that a word? I don't know, but whatever. You know what I mean. Fellowship is crucial. The Bible teaches us to come together as his church, and so that's what I'm hoping to create with this group.

Anyway, if you feel led to join, the link will be in the show Notes okay, so let's jump into today's topic, which was actually inspired by one of my regular listeners who reached out to me and I know I've had had this happen myself so I could immediately relate and offer some insight.

In fact, I know many authors have struggled with this at some stage,

so it happens more often than you might think. So yeah, perhaps you might need a little bit of wisdom and encouragement in this area too. So tune in, pull up a chair, rewarm your coffee, and let's talk.

You know, one of the hardest things about writing isn't the writing itself.

It's the loneliness.

And no, not just the physical loneliness of sitting behind a laptop for hours, but the kind that comes from feeling unseen, unrecognised, even questioned.

Especially when those closest to you don't understand why you do what you do.

Writing isn't like preaching a sermon or leading a Bible study where the impact is immediate. It happens behind the scenes, often in the quiet when no one is watching.

And when you're sitting there typing away, pouring your heart into something that doesn't always have instant visual results,

it's easy to wonder, does this even matter? Is anyone even reading my books?

And if there are no sales or reviews to show for,

really tends to mess with your mind. And if dealing with that isn't hard enough,

someone close to you says something that makes you second guess everything.

Maybe your spouse doesn't get why you spend so much time on your book, a book that hasn't yet kicked off the way you had hoped it would.

Maybe a friend or sibling laughs and says, oh, you're still trying to be a writer.

Maybe someone in your family or a parent says, that's great, honey, but have you considered getting a real job. I mean, you've got bills to pay.

Can you relate?

And those words, they sting. And let me tell you, they more often than not hit us at the exact time. We are already up in our heads doubting if this author business thing is really what we are meant to be doing.

Is it a timing coincidence? Absolutely not. It's when the enemy who has been prowling, waiting for his chance to strike,

goes in for the kill, friend.

And then instantly you feel defeated.

You might even think there's truth in what they're saying.

And when the people you love also don't see it,

you start wondering, what if they are right and I'm wrong? What if they see something I don't?

What if I am wasting my time?

And listen, let me just say, it's not always the people you love and know either. You could have read something online or listened to some video somewhere.

And so starts a back and forth battle in your mind that sows doubt, fear and discouragement.

And in that moment, it's hard to not let those words affect you. Right, I get it.

But here's the thing I want you to focus on instead.

The next time you are faced with a moment where your spouse, your mother, a friend, says something that makes you doubt your purpose,

I want you to stop. And to remember. It's not just about writing that book, finishing that book, publishing your books or selling it. It's about what God has called you to do, full stop.

It's about the calling you feel deep in your soul, the whisper that only you heard.

And if you can tune out the noise, their thoughts, their opinions, which let me tell you, often stem from their own places of weakness and lack of faith.

If you can tune that out and reconnect with God,

recall that moment when God commissioned you to write for Him. Then all that matters is that trust in your relationship with God and what you feel deep down in your spirit.

And here's something else.

If you look beyond the comments they made, you will very quickly find that there's actually a little bit more going on here than you might see at first glance. Yes, just stick with me for a bit here.

We're going to go deep here.

Because you see, I've been there.

I've had those moments where someone's words sliced into my insecurities,

where I started questioning if this path was worth it. Because it's really hard to do God's work. Being a Christian author on a mission for God is not for the faint of heart.

But here's what I've learned and the revelation that snapped things into perspective for me.

God's calling is not dependent on human approval.

Click the 10 second playback and listen to that again, friend.

All throughout the Bible,

we see people who were called by God but had to endure seasons of waiting, of obscurity, of doubt from others, even ridicule. And I'm here today to tell you it's not all for nothing.

Jesus, God himself spent 30 years in quiet preparation before stepping into his ministry.

Moses, he spent 40 years in the desert before God called him to lead. And David, he was anointed as king while he was still a shepherd boy. But instead of heading straight to the throne, he went back to tending sheep.

His time in the field wasn't wasted. It was preparation.

And that's what I want you to hear today.

Your waiting season isn't wasted.

Just because the world doesn't see your progress,

just because you don't see your progress, just because the people closest to you didn't themselves hear God's voice when he called you, doesn't mean God isn't at work behind the scenes.

Because the Bible tells us this in John 5:17, when Jesus said, my Father is always working and so am I.

He is working through you and in your business, even when you're sleeping.

And yes,

not getting the emotional or physical support you need from those closest to you isn't the easiest to shake off. I get it, because we're only human.

But let's look at this quickly.

What do you do when doubt comes knocking, Especially when it's coming from people you love first? Whatever you do,

don't get into an argument about it. You'll be playing right into the enemy's hands.

It's important to remember that that hopefully your friend, spouse or parent is coming from a place of love.

They are the ones who are watching us work till all hours of the night trying to meet a deadline. They are the ones who moan, who we moan and groan and complain to when the sales aren't happening.

They see our pain and in a roundabout way, they think they are being encouraging.

From their point of view, all they want to do is make it go away. They want to make it all better.

So leave space for grace in these moments, okay?

The second thing you need to do when those close to you don't support your author career is to take it straight to God.

Don't let someone else's doubt become your own.

Before you internalize it, before you let those words take root,

bring it to God.

Ask him to confirm what he's already spoken over you, because he will.

Jeremiah 33:3 says, Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

When you feel uncertain, when you need reassurance,

call on God first.

Ask God to also reveal your calling to your spouse, your mom, your brother or friend.

Pray that he shows them how they can help and support your mission. Because let me remind you, when God is for you, who can be against you, right? That's Romans 8:31.

Now, this next piece of advice might stretch you a little, depending on the relationship you have with a person who isn't supporting you. But it could be the most freeing thing you've ever done, and at the same time, it could strengthen your relationship with them.

The third thing I want you to consider is to ask them to consider. Asking them to pray over your writing and author business with you.

Take hands and pray together.

Ask God to confirm your calling, to show you the way, to guide you, to get to. To get them to. To guide you to, you know, to show to them how they can support you.

Let God do, in air quotes, the convincing on your behalf. He's far better at it than you are. Okay.

Which brings us to the fourth thing you can do when no one supports your writing. And that is to stop looking for validation in the wrong places.

I know it's natural to want the people in our lives to cheer us on, to believe in us, to support our calling. And when they don't, of course it hurts.

But here's the sad truth of it, though.

If we are constantly seeking human approval, we will always be disappointed. Why?

Because, spoiler, they are flawed too.

They have been bruised and influenced by life.

Their faith might not be as strong or their walk with God not as intimate as it should be. Whatever it is, they are only human.

They were not called to write, you were.

And as harsh as this sounds, you don't actually need their approval. If you have God's,

who would you rather disappoint?

One of my favorite verses to lean on in times like These is Joshua 1:9 that says, Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident.

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for I, the Lord your God, is with you.

Anchor yourself in what God says to you and about you.

Isaiah 55:11 reminds us, so is my word that goes out from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Your words, your writing, your business,

when surrendered to God and his plans, will accomplish something,

even if you can't see it yet. Even if the people around you can't see it yet.

His will, his plans will accomplish something.

And the final thing I want to say to you is find your people.

Not everyone is going to understand your calling, and you need to be okay with it. But you don't have to walk this journey alone either if the people closest to you don't get it.

Ask God to bring the right people into your life.

Friends, mentors, or even an online community like this one who will encourage you when doubt creeps in?

Join my Facebook group, send me an email or a message. The links are in the show notes and I'll be there encouraging you, helping you, cheering you on, praying for you.

It's literally the calling God has placed on my heart with this podcast to help you get rooted in Christ, to overcome these struggles so you can do what he called you to do.

If God called you to be an author, I want you to keep writing.

Even when it's hard.

Especially when it's hard.

Even when no one claps for you.

Even when the people closest to you don't understand.

Galatians 6. 9 says, Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

And I love that. Because writing is an act of faith.

Every word you write is a seed planted in obedience.

You may not see the fruit today, but in God's perfect timing, it will bloom.

So, dear Anointed Scribe, if you are feeling unseen today, if you are questioning whether your words matter, let me remind you, they do.

Even if no one else sees it, God does.

Even if no one else understands it, God does.

Even if no one else supports it, God does.

Your obedience can never be wasted.

So I want you to keep writing,

keep trusting, keep showing up, even when you're not getting the support you want. Because for such a time as this,

you have been called to thrive as God's Anointed Scribe.

Thanks for listening to today's episode of the Anointed Scribe Podcast. I hope you're leaving feeling inspired, encouraged, and on fire to step boldly into your calling as a writer chosen and set apart to fulfill a unique purpose in God's plan.

If you found value and liked today's episode, would you stop right now and share this episode with someone else who's struggling to balance their faith with building their author career?

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And if you want more of the lessons I learned in my personal journey, good news because I drop new episodes every Friday.

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There's also a link where you can shoot me a message or ask a question or or if there's a specific topic you'd like me to talk about in a future episode, you can use the message link for that, too.

I look forward to our next episode together. And remember, for such a time as this, you have been called to thrive as God's Anointed Scribe. I'll see you next time.