Into the Fire

So where does your mind go when it needs to escape from writing? We never fully escape. We wind around what we're working on, but we can't really get away from it. Once it's done, far easier to set it aside for the "aging" process. To remove ourselves from the finished product is a relief. We know we've accomplished what we set out to do, and we can rest in that. But, oh that nagging story that's not yet done.

I'm meandering. Can you tell?

Father, get me back to it. Really you're the only one who can. Please. Or let me settle into your timing. Whatever you want . . . In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

                                     Seahawks 29  Fortyniners 3

                                    12th Man set a new record.

                 136.6 decibels at Century Link Field

God, every victory is sweet. There are so many different kinds of battles. Thank you for the times we win, no matter when or at what. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

1 Peter 4:12-14 (NIV)

Are authors just a bunch of mutual admiration clique-ish people? And is that all wrong?

Anyone who's hung out with publishing industry people (authors, agents, editors, publicists, marketers, publishers, etc.) knows there are cliques. Let's face it: groupings create cliques. Whether it is at school, at work, at play, or on the web, we all gravitate to people who are like-minded or who challenge us or who make us laugh or . . . We tend to form groups where we either fit in or employ similar interests. We're either leading or following, contributing or taking it all in, in the center of activity or on the peripheral edge.

As a writer, I want to promote the authors who I think have done something special. I give honorable mention here in reviews to those authors who've given a good effort but either aren't in my normal genre selection or haven't quite exceeded expectations (good or bad). Recently, I've decided to reduce my reading, attempting to be more selective in order to avoid disappointment and, honestly, wasting my time. And, although reviews have much subjective material in them, reviews also reflect the type of writing skills, styles, or voices of the authors. There's a distinction which can be made between not preferring the genre to what constitutes less than impressive writing skills.

There's no accounting for particular tastes, but gushing over mediocre novels perhaps is the one thing in publishing cliques which doesn't work for me and makes me wonder if authors praising authors is a good thing. Of course many authors are avid readers and are entitled to their opinions of other authors' works, but if they're going to gush, they better give good reasons for doing so. Good reviews must sound authentic.

I want to support authors. I want good reasons to do this. I don't admire all authors, other than to give them props and credit for jumping through the various hoops to get their work between covers. They deserve appreciation and respect for that. 

Do you belong to the "Author Mutual Admiration Society"?

Father, please help me to be the best I can be in all areas of my life. First and foremost: to hear and obey your voice, Holy Spirit. If I can do that, I will be better at everything I do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

                                      See you over at Novel Rocket.

Father, thank you again for all the beauty you allowed to remain after the Fall. Thank you for seeing us through the hard seasons of life. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

                                                   09/11/01

     We will not forget when, who, and why. We will not.

             We remember. We will always remember.

God, please forgive us for what we have become. Please know that the remnant desires your forgiveness and we repent for the goings on, the travesties, the outright sins of our One nation under God. We understand your judgment, but we plead for your mercy. Please. In the Name, Authority, and Blood of Jesus, Amen.

Those of you who know me understand that "rules" must make sense to me before I will observe them. Of course this fact applies primarily to writing. When professionals decided that new writers needed guidelines in order to keep them from submitting manuscripts full of annoying prose, "they" created basic rules of writing so unfinished writers could examine their work with a measure of fundamental grammar knowledge and suggested methodology for storytelling language.

The problem with these rules is some writers take them as the law of the writing land and apply them religiously to their creative processes, stunting style and voice while being somewhat "correct".

The most important "rules" for me when I consider writers are these: know grammar and know who you are as a writer. Grammar knowledge reduces the stress of having your work edited. You will know when you consciously choose to reject the traditional grammar rules to enhance your work with a different style. The proper grammar which used to be taught in good schools is cumbersome for fiction and doesn't always work. But if you choose not to observe the rules of grammar and are unaware of breaking them, chances are your prose will appear poor, inexperienced, or crude. Especially to an editor.

Some of the rules often pushed with a note of authority are ridiculous and shouldn't always apply. I'm not going to list them because I don't think their value warrants repeating them here. As the funny graphic above implies, "House Rules" are the ones you decide upon as you create your story. The emphasis you use, the genre you choose, everything within the body of the story shouldn't be determined by the rigidity of writing rules. Expand your originality without abandoning good writing sense. Be who you are.

As far as writing according to a strict set of rules? Rule it out. And most certainly: Don't make deals with demons!

Father, your rules are designed to help us live a more abundant life. They're for our benefit. You allow flexibility in so many areas, but you do require Jesus. If only more of your creation would believe you are who you say you are. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.   

Either you decide to do it or you don't. Either way it's a commitment. As far as skills or hobbies or work goes, you either commit to it or you don't. You might think there's an in-between, but if you're lackadaisical or haphazard with something, you are not committed to it.

Most things that hold great value to an individual, a society, or a people require commitment. Within that commitment resides resolute intention, attention, and retention. Work in other words.

Ask anyone who commits to writing a book. Whether they fly through the pages or struggle with each word, to continue a project means that even when it's the least attractive to them because of other demands, laziness, fatigue, no inspiration, or a complete lack of desire to persevere, commitment requires the work be done. Whether or not it's painstaking or fluid, at some point commitment overrides all other objectionable reasoning.

You must decide what "it" means to you. Then commit. One way or the other.

Father, I'm committed to you. I fail miserably at times, but you own my heart and I want to please you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21 (NIV)

Five things that make me laugh out loud:

Good slapstick comedy (Think Lucille Ball, John Ritter, Carol Burnett)

A good joke

A clever parody

Some exaggerations

Great spontaneous wit

How 'bout you?

Father, thank you for good hard laughter. It's so freeing to laugh. And thank you for your sense of humor. You'd have to own one to put up with some of us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.