Into the Fire

Learning the craft of writing is an ongoing journey, but, you know, it’s also a paradox in some ways. When you visit the different sites of professionals at all levels of the publishing world, you will definitely hear some constants. Have you ever tried to strip it down to the “bottom line” of instruction? Here are the ones I’ve decided will appear on just about anyone’s list: Read, Write, and (no, not arithmetic—thank goodness, BTW) Study the Craft. Interestingly enough, if you read enough and a lot, understanding the craft does “rub off” if you will, but the basics of writing should’ve been learned in school. Shouldn’t they have?

The craft itself can be learned, but the spirit of creating is a gift. Creative writing is not everyone’s gift. Not all good journalists will translate to writing novels, but some will. Not all non-fiction writers will eventually turn to successfully writing novels—and vice versa for that matter—but some can and do.

As a Christian, we have to look to the One who assigns the different gifts and talents. It’s His “call”. I keep emphasizing no call is better than another because the One who gives them is the source of all the value, and He assures us He is no respecter of persons. And since He speaks the truth to us, we have to know we’re all of equal value in His eyes no matter what we do. However, He expects us to dedicate the service or enactment of those gifts to His purpose and glory, thereby giving us the incentive and impetus to perform them well and to the best of our abilities. To do the hard work when necessary to improve or to become the best we can be is a given, a responsibility, a requirement, and not solely in order to please man but to please God. We come up against man in the process, but ultimately our offering of writing is to please our Lord.

Learning in writing has to start with the basics—as I said to be learned in school. The grammar, the punctuation, and what those tools constitute when transcribed to the written page must have a basis in orderly reality. We break the rules only after we understand that we are breaking them for effect in one way or another. The incomplete sentences (like this one), the non-sentences, the run-on sentences, the one word sentences. They’re most effective when the writer employs them for a certain reason of his choosing. Call it style, call it what you will, but when done well, it’s effective. If a writer doesn’t have the basics down, no matter how beautiful the prose, it is hindered by the distractions of poor grammar, ill-advised punctuation, and a visible lack of understanding of the craft of writing.

Writers are told to “find” his/her “voice” and to write with passion and/or from his heart. They are also told that publishers are looking for “fresh” voices. Solomon tells us, “There is nothing new under the sun.” So, many writers study and try to absorb the books of instruction regarding the craft/art of writing. Authors turned teachers or teachers turned authors are generous to lend their directions and thoughts, each one having valid examples and reasons for each instruction. Then there are agents turned authors and authors who are agents and editors giving their expertise for selling that “perfect” book via a sterling proposal or query letter. Other writers give their formulas for daily exercises of writing while still more authors insist their routine is what works best for them and might for you, while yet more wordsmiths convey their agonies and wrestlings with the English language to produce the perfect words to illustrate the exceptional novel.

What’s a writer to do? Read, write, and study the craft. Study becomes a misnomer after you’ve done it for awhile. Certain writers are intrigued by the knowledge and variety of proven instructors, and other writers want to understand the nuances of every avenue of creativity put to pages. Some view studying as incentive, inspiration even, to incorporate new techniques and to attempt new genres. However, once a writer understands writing, he simply must continue to do it and allow the development of his craft to proceed.

If God has called you to this process, He most certainly will assist you with it as well. He is capable of leading you to the sources you need to investigate to go deeper into your work, and He is the Author of Life—even life that comes to a page, the creative process if you will. This is what I’ve been insisting throughout this blog: God is able to infuse His desires for you into you. It’s a relationship we have with Him, not a hit and miss greeting or inquiry now and then. HE is able, and apart from Him we can do nothing.

It IS about Him . . . about our obedience to His call for us. After a point, once the groundwork is laid, we use our faith in His abilities to guide us to move on into what He has for us. The unique process to get us to this point is different for many of us, but, nevertheless, the need to obey His plan is foremost. Some of us have been or will be published, and others will not. Although it is our natural goal and deserves celebration when it occurs, it is not the end-all cure-all for value and worth. We have to trust His plan for us and go down whichever road He chooses for us to travel.

Let’s face it. We can produce what we believe to be excellent—and for us it will be—but to others it might not seem so. No matter. As long as it’s done in obedience to the One who ultimately inspired it, we have achieved success and should reap the joy of knowing that.

Father, thank you for the joys of writing. Thank you for the processes we go through to get to where we need to be. Thank you for keeping us humble and reminding us where our creativity comes from. Thank you for being the giver of gifts. Help me to write the stories you have for me to tell, Lord, and to always be faithful to you in the process. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.