Good morning! I am over-the-top excited to introduce you to my guest this morning. Patricia is a delightful person with a servant’s heart—and she’s a Georgia girl. I like that. I also like the fact that she works hard every day to bring writers and speakers the needed information to write, edit, publish, and market their books.

I recently attended a summit on her Facebook page. And I can tell you I was blown away with the information I found there. This morning, I want to share how you can have it too. (The live FB interviews are free! Yes, free!) If you know anyone looking for this type of information, please share the interview and check out the links below. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Now, let’s show some love to my friend, Patricia Durgin!

Personal

Good morning, Patricia. Please tells us about yourself.

Born in Massachusetts to Southern parents, I grew up in the Southeast. I met Christ and a young man named David in my 16^th summer. While Christ pursued me, I pursued David, announcing to his parents—who had never met me—that I would soon marry their son. How they must have prayed when I left their home!

Two years later, in 1975, I gave my heart to Jesus. A few months more, and David proposed. My relationship with both has always been intertwined. I like that!

Our two daughters are children’s pastors and our two sons-in-law are pastors. They’ve gifted us with three grandchildren, all of whom are adorable.  

Professional

Why did you choose your particular field?

For 30+ years I had an unofficial ministry to victims of family or marital abuse. I didn’t hang out a shingle. Christ just kept sending women from that environment into every arena of my life.

I taught them what He had taught me—not only how to survive abuse—but how to build and maintain healthy, long lasting relationships. Then one day, He said it was time to close that ministry, giving me 18 months to grieve the loss of “my people.”

Returning to work more than a year later, I took stock of the business and ministry assets left to me:  listening, researching, teaching, and writing. All the elements of a Christian communicator. And the topic He chose for me? Online marketing. It was the only door He’d left unlocked.

By then, I’d been studying online marketing for years. It still fascinates me.

In early 2018, He invited me to share my marketing knowledge—and to invite other Christian writers and speakers to do the same—via a Facebook live program called Marketers On A Mission, which is also the name of my website.

Each program is a 60-minute tutorial or interview by and for Christian writers and speakers. My guest and I discuss their latest project or upcoming event and during the last 10ish minutes, they share what I call a marketing element…teaching my audience their step-by-step process for some aspect of their online marketing. (I help them choose the topic, based upon my audience’s needs.)

We celebrated our first anniversary March 19^th, 2019.

In January, 2019, I hosted The Write Start Online Summit: 20 professional writers, speakers, and editors shared 20 secrets in 20 days. It was such a success that we added four bonus trainings.

You can have full, FREE ACCESS to those workshops until December 31st, 2019.

Here’s that link: https://marketersonamission.com/wss-members/

Eventually I created an online course, ReThink Your Mission. It helps Christian writers and speakers who don’t fit in the proverbial box discover the 4 parts of their Great Commission: their Core Market, Mission, Promise, and Product. They’re delighted to learn they don’t have to check their Christianity at the door when they don their professional hat. 

It will open again this spring.

I want to say thank you for all you do, Patricia. I know what it takes “behind the scenes” of a professional life. I love your Facebook live program. I like the fact if I can’t attend the live interview at 3 p.m., I can always catch the video later. Now, please share something you wish the reader knew about your profession.

I love what I do! It’s a full-time responsibility with many behind-the-scenes duties, but I know I’m doing exactly what Christ gifted me to do. How cool is that?

Plus, I get to read new, interesting books every week, as each guest is encouraged to send me a hard copy of their latest release. I read every one. That’s part of my preparation for our interview. I also research each guest thoroughly, because I don’t do “canned” interviews.

So, no list of questions is sent beforehand. When we go live, we have a natural conversation, much like we would over coffee or tea at a neighborhood café. Our audience is a vital part of each program, participating as much or little as they wish. It’s fun!

It is fun! Moving on . . . In your opinion, what is the hardest part of the job?

The never-ending minutiae. Like you, I’m a one-woman show, and there are lots of balls to keep up in the air. You know what I mean. 🙂

But Christ helps me create templates and systems as needed. That doesn’t mean I get to skip steps; it means I don’t have to start every task from scratch.

Girl, I do know what you mean. Let’s change gears. Here are some fun questions. First draft: Pencil or keyboard?

Pencil to get it out of my head. There’s great satisfaction in seeing ideas on the written page, isn’t there? Then it goes to the computer for refinement and structure.

Plotter or pantser?

I live by To-Do-Lists! One personal; one professional. I still miss items here and there, but when I do, it’s not too hard to take a moment, get it done, and then get back on track.

And like a lot of creatives, my internal clock is…askew. It’s normal for me to lose track of time when focused on a project. Last year, I coordinated my cell phone’s timer with tasks I need to do every weekday. When it buzzes, I force myself to break away from my project and complete that single, simple task. This allows me to do everything on my routine list, item by item throughout the day, rather than facing a long list to complete at the end of the day.

Ooh. That is a great idea. I may have to try it. 🙂  Tea or coffee?

Definitely Southern sweet tea (is there any other kind?).

Nope. But, I would add lemon. 🙂 Favorite thing to do when not working.

We live in a community with a large lake only a ½ mile away. It’s serene. My husband David and I like to walk alongside it. Or, if our two pups are with us, we power-walk. 🙂

Inspirational

This year’s theme is sharing hope. In Hebrews, the writer tells us to encourage each other while it is called today. Would you please take a moment to share a brief testimony to encourage our readers?

Christ has gifted me with a life I never dreamed could be mine. A loving family, healthy relationships, and a ministry that’s fulfilling. The icing on the cake? Helping other Christian writers and speakers shape, deliver, and market His message in them, so that lives are changed, and, in some cases, eternities are changed. What could be better?

Nothing could be better than that. Patricia, thank you for sharing your heart with my readers. I hope everyone will check out your links and find the needed answers for their questions.

ClicktoTweet: Women of Faith and Fiction with @PatriciaDurgin “And the topic He chose for me? Online marketing. It was the only door He’d left unlocked.” #WomenofFaithandFiction #marketing @GailJohnson87

You can connect with Patricia here: Facebook Twitter Website