This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:22-24 (NIV)
Of course there are multiple reasons for writing anything. If you must write for your business, for a speech, for an assignment, or for fun, there are many ways and desires to write. Those who choose to write novels usually give specific answers when asked.
I write novels because I believe in inspiration. I see and hear characters, and I learn what happens in their lives. Some are spiritually lost and others are spiritually found. They struggle, they hurt, they laugh, they cry, and they must figure out what impacts their lives. Without inspiration I couldn't write a word, let alone 100,000 words to form an actual story.
I write novels because I have been given something to say. What I have to say will affect some and not others. No matter how much I'd treasure writing The Great American Novel and touching many lives, it's ultimately not up to me. All I can do is write the stories with which I've been endowed. Strive to write them well, work to make them meaningful, and pray whoever might read them will be somehow affected.
I write novels because I love reading them, and even though "there is nothing new under the sun", there are unique characters who can find themselves in original situations and relationships and can contribute to the lives of their readers.
Those are my primary reasons for writing novels.
Father, thank you for the books you've given me to write. It's been an intriguing journey, and although not always what I expected, I don't regret any of it. I know you walk before me, and my request is that you won't let me stray from the path you designed just for me. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Fun time of the year for those of us who enjoy television. Two of my favorite series kicked off Tuesday night. For NCIS fans, this season will be bittersweet as they struggle to recover from the exit of very popular character "Ziva David" played by Cote de Pablo. She's endeared herself to many, and the outcry has been fierce. It was her decision to leave as it's rumored she's pregnant. Daniela Ruah who plays "Kensi" on NCIS LA is pregnant with her first child so it will be interesting to see how this will be handled. (Some die-hard JAG fans will recall when Catherine Bell was pregnant with her first child and managed to make it through the entire season with the use of clever techniques for shooting her scenes.)
With television characters we have visuals to add to dialogue. What contributes to our decisions to latch on to characters who become our favorites? Is it the same dynamic as the process for our favorite novel characters? What are those intangibles we often discover after allowing a character into our lives?
Father, I appreciate the creation of characters, the beauty of adding layers. May these unique actors discover who gives them their talents and gifts. May they appreciate the maker of their skills. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Once upon a time during my first year at the racetrack, I lived in a small cabin. It had a skinny bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower, a bedroom big enough for a single bed and a dresser with a floor rug in between the narrow space, and a tiny kitchen back to back. It was one step up to the only wooden door with a glass window and, I think, a red and white curtain over it. There was one small window in the back corner of the bedroom with a raggedy old screen on the outside. The cabin was settled amidst evergreens and a vacant house a few yards away and located not too far from the track. The landlord lived in a house a ways away behind the cabin.
While I lived there, I had one of the most – if not the most – terrifying experiences of my life when someone – to this day I don't know who – tried to scare me in the middle of the night and totally succeeded. What I learned from that episode is fear can be crippling and paralyzing. I couldn't scream, I stood gripping my car keys after moving half inches at a time to get my jeans pulled on over my pajamas so as not to make even a suggestion of noise. My heartbeat was all the noise I could stand. And I learned that I could only wait so long before I had to risk exiting the cabin and running to my car. (There were no electronic locks then either, so I had to fumble with the keys to unlock the car door.)
Well, this item isn't near as horrendous for me as that fright, but there can be the same crippling/paralyzing fear when it comes to writing. Some of you know I'm attempting to write a crime novel/police procedural. This is a huge stretch for this love story writer. It's a case of a story nagging me to the point where I could no longer resist at least laying down the first words which led to the next words which led to a few chapters . . . and so on.
I've had the true blessing of a professional aiding me in the procedural part of police work, and without him there would've been only a few words written.
So what's this got to do with fear? Right? Well, I'll tell you. I am so halted by the fear of making critical mistakes that I keep ignoring the voices urging me onward. After all, I'm over 70K words so it really is getting into book form, but, geez, each scene where I must bring the actual procedural aspects into the story stymies my nerve and brings a fearful halt to the continuation of the process. It's taking way too long to overcome and stomp into submission because of the error factor. To attempt this kind of novel and fail in the area which is critical to the story? Paralyzing.
What about you? Any fear factors affect your writing?
Father, you know I count on you. And even then I postpone and fret. Forgive me for the game playing, and please help me finish this work. Thank you, Lord. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Father, thank you for the many friends you've given me throughout my life. They've loved me, blessed me, taught me, consoled me, made me laugh and cry, prayed for me, and encouraged me. You have been my closest friend even when I failed to realize it. You've always known me at my core and stuck with me even when I didn't know you. Nothing and no one comes close to who you are, but you've given me the next best ones to walk with me through the journey of life. I love them all, Lord, and am so grateful for each one. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Just gotta do it sometime.
Father, thank you for your grace and innumerable blessings. Thank you for salvation. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city.
Acts 8:4-8 (NIV)
In the past two days we've talked about our good qualities and our less-than-stellar traits. Now the question for a writer is, "How do I incorporate what I know about myself to make characters seem real?"
We're never alone in our idiosyncracies. Our strengths and weaknesses are common to many. Creating characters who don't seem stereotypical challenges our capabilities to make personalities real and honest but still convince readers of both their unique and familiar tendencies. No easy task, but it's what makes fiction important and meaningful. By making fictitious characters feel like we "know" them, we cross the line between imaginary and real. We transpose a reality to our stories, manufacturing empathy and pushing investment, hoping to leave a lasting memory at the end of the book.
Do you see how valuable the positives and negatives can be when writing story?
Father, you know us all. When we yield to your design, we are useful and can do meaningful things. Apart from you: we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
So? Do it quick now. Top three negatives you perceive yourself to have. Here are mine.
Jealous Stubborn Suspicious
Am I jealous of "things" people have? No. I'm jealous when women speak to my husband first without acknowledging me – when any women act like that. Some Christians insist on replacing the word stubborn with determined. Huh-uh. I'm stubborn. Sometimes it's a good thing. Other times: not so much. And, yeah, I'm suspicious of just about everything and everyone until I can discern the situation.
Lord, help me to be the one you want me to be. All my negatives are generated by my flesh. Any goodness belongs to you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
Okay, I know you're not gonna like this, but: quick! Name three qualities you possess. And, yes, to be fair, I will name the first three that came to mind:
Loyal Listener Compassionate
Am I compassionate always? No. Am I a good listener? Most of the time. Am I loyal? Once I establish my loyalty to a person, place, or thing, I am fiercely loyal.
Thank you, Lord. Anything good in me I owe to you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
