Into the Fire

A recent comment on a blog I visited suggested authors couldn’t know if God had given them their stories.

Writers who blog often recite the rules of writing novels, quoting the authors who’ve penned them from their very well known and well read instruction books. Most writers present their favorites and quote liberally from their sources.

Depending upon the personalities and hard-wiring of different writers, one can learn the benefits of outlining or flying by the seat of the pants when writing stories.

Successful authors offer instructional posts for beginners and “post-grad” work for veterans. They cite their experiences—good and bad—along the journey to publication, and they often give advice for conduct at conferences.

Multiple professional blogs show sample query letters and book proposals or list those things to include in either which would impress them.

Such is the world of writing books.

Stripped down, these are my thoughts on writing fiction. A real writer must know grammar and the structure of the English language. A real writer must choose to dissect, diagnose, or discover by osmosis how a story is written (my method of choice). A real writer immerses him/herself in fiction, absorbing the beauty of different writing styles and voices. A real writer will listen to and study the rules of writing and discern which ones work for him/her, discarding those that don’t fit his/her voice or style, including eliminating “proper” grammar for stylish variations. Some writers need to perform or receive extreme analyses while others feel stymied and suffocated by intense examination and/or instruction.

Beyond these things, what is there? The passion for writing is provided to us by a creative God who gifts people with various talents to use for His glory. We derive our ability to be inspired from the Lord of heaven and earth, the One who gives every good and perfect gift. I can know where my stories come from because without the Lord I have zero abilities to forge ideas. I can’t speak for other writers, yet I recognize the Lord’s hand upon their work.

That’s the stripped down, bare naked analysis—at least how I see it.

Lord, thank you for giving me stories. When I write them well, it’s because of your touch on them. I know when you ask me to do something, and I pray I would always be obedient to what you have for me to do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.