A Reason for Writing - Part Two of Two

A few days later, with great embarrassment, I told my mom that I'd started writing entries for these online friends to read. She told me it was called blogging. I told her no, it couldn't be blogging. Blogs were written by important people and were about current events or politics. This wasn't a blog. Couldn't be a blog.

But I soon discovered this was something I loved. As a bride of less than a year who was adjusting to my new life, I filled many a post with thoughts, emotions, stories, pictures, and quite a bit of craziness. It was, for the most part, just like my paper journals and the letters I used to write. Only this time I had more of an audience and actually received feedback each time I wrote a entry.

I was writing again. And suddenly one day I realized it felt like I'd come full circle. Just as the ebb and flow of my life had changed, so had the way I'd expressed my thoughts. I was back to square one. I'd fallen back in love with writing.

It didn't take long before I came to terms with the fact that I was, indeed, blogging. It was true. I had a blog, and I'd jumped in with both feet.

As probably almost every one of you can relate to, I was soon an addicted blogger, spending an utterly ridiculous amount of time on the computer. I can definitely say, "Been there done THAT!" Thus began the ongoing battle of keeping the proper balance between this thing we do called blogging and my high calling to real life as a wife and mama. I took breaks, returned to my blog, renewed my commitment to balance--several times. After a few years, I left the private online journaling community and made the move into the full-fledged, public blogosphere. Last summer I had an unfortunate experience which shocked me into remembering just how public this all is, had to move again, and finally landed. Right here.

Sometimes I wonder why on earth I'm doing this. I'm not a great writer. I don't remember all the rules of English. I don't "make" anything from what I write. Like most of us, I don't have hours of free time just waiting to be filled. I get overwhelmed at times, with either the fact that people I don't know actually read what I say, or the fact that my usual "voice" here on my blog doesn't always reflect what my heart wants to say. I get caught between having enough time to read other people's blogs and having time to write on my own. I find myself, once again, spending too much time on here and have to step back and reevaluate my priorities. I would be lying if I said I haven't come very, very close to ending this blog completely.

But then I remember. I can't not write. I can't stop putting my thoughts and my everyday life into the written word any more than I can stop talking to my family or stop living my life. God has given me a love for capturing those thoughts and dreams and, yes, even the craziness--harnessing them and finding just the right word to express them, whether for just myself to read, or for a group of friends I happen to call my bloggie peeps.

I've also found something interesting.

Just as my life has had many ups, downs, and sideways journeys, the thing I fell in love with at seven years old--writing--has mirrored every aspect of that. It has taken a journey of it's own in my life. Just as I can look back through my old journals and see what I was going through at that time and only fully understand the magnitude or the relative insignificance now, I scroll through the old posts here and in each of my old blogging homes and whisper to myself, Wow. Look at how that turned out. Look. Look at what God did. Remember where I was back then--even just a few weeks ago--and look at where we are now.

When friends in "real life" find out that I have a blog, they often ask why. Why do you blog?

I've heard people say that a Christian shouldn't blog unless it's to share Scripture or lay out the plan of salvation in each post. I've read posts where bloggers have criticized other bloggers for posting about life rather than posting more deep spiritual thoughts. I've questioned myself numerous times... why do I blog?

I blog for this reason: My creative Lord and Savior has given me a love of the written word, and I choose to use that love for the lifting up of His name. My regular, ordinary life is a daily testimony, through the good, the bad, the lovely and the not-so-lovely, of His work in the life of one of His children. I seek to honor Him in everything. Everything. Whether it is a post about His amazing power and strength to get me through a difficult time, or it's a silly picture of one of my boys, or it's a crazy anecdote about a completely wild day in our home--it is all part of the life He's given me, and it all reflects Him and His glory. His power and strength are amazing... He has made my boys hilarious and silly... He reveals Himself more real than ever, in a million little ways, when we have completely wild and adventurous day around here. He is in everything. So I give Him everything.

And that....that, is my reason for writing.

- by Ashleigh Baker

A Reason for Writing - Part One of Two

When I was in second or third grade, my parents chose a penmanship curriculum called A Reason for Writing. It was supposed to be a great curriculum... combining the learning of good penmanship with a bit of fun and creativity.

At the end of each week, I would pull one of the pre-decorated and lined sheets of paper from the back of the book, color the illustration framing the lines and then write a personal letter to send to a friend or family member.

It should have been fun, but let me tell you....I hated that book. I just couldn't stand that curriculum. I dreaded doing it each day. Dreaded writing row after row of curly cursive letters, keeping them uniform and within the correct lines. Combination of perfectionist and lackadaisical that I am, I would often end up in tears when I saw the red circles around letters I'd written sloppily. I wanted it to be perfect, but I just hadn't really cared when actually completing the assignment.

But while forming an aversion to writing, I was actually discovering, in my free time, a love for writing. Real writing. Not the "cross your t's and dot your i's" kind of writing, but the art of putting words to a page. Of capturing an abstract thought and harnessing it into something another person might understand. Of having a concrete place to save all my imaginings, my fears, my joys, my craziness.

When I turned seven, a grandmother-like figure gave me my first diary. It was beige with little hearts on the cover and the pages numbered by the days of the year. Best of all, it had a lock and a key. At seven years old, nothing could be more nifty than that. After the party was over and my little friends were gone, I turned to April 1, put my Lisa Frank pencil to the paper... and unlocked a little bit of magic in my heart.

By the time I was nine, I'd begun my first "novel." My writing buddy, had given me a thin three-ring-binder and a stack of paper after I'd read the first chapter of her "epic novel" and decided to start my own. Over the next couple years, I made it four whole chapters into my book, entitled Agarn Life. It was the story of the Agarn family (making up odd and outlandish names was also one of my hobbies) and their adventurous life on the prairie. I have absolutely no idea where that plot came from. It couldn't possibly have had anything to do with the Little House books I was pouring over. I don't remember much of the story line anymore, except for the fact that around eleven or twelve years old, I realized I'd better hurry this story along if I hoped to get it published sometime soon--as I was certain it would be--so I decided to do something drastic and kill off the family patriarch. He was trampled by cattle or something equally dramatic.

Over the next several years, I filled countless spiral notebooks with stories, wrote to dozens of pen-pals regularly, and faithfully wrote in my journal. During my particularly eventful and ridiculously drama-filled sixteenth year, I easily filled three entire journals in about six months.

In a girls' magazine I subscribed to during my teen years, I once read a short piece which called writing in a journal a "record of God's faithfulness." That little phrase stuck with me. Record of His faithfulness.

Is that what I was doing? I wrote in my letters and journals about my daily life, my ups and downs, my deepest thoughts and feelings. My stories were reflections of my imagination; often dreams written on paper. What was the point of any of it? Was it a "record" of anything, or just mindless words written by a young girl?

As I got a little older and the trail of my life rounded some unexpected corners, I continued to fill the pages of my journals and even still write short imaginative pieces. But soon most of the fictional stories were left, half-finished, in notebooks tucked in keepsake boxes. The pen-pals grew up and the letters became less frequent or moved to email instead. Even the journals into which I'd once poured my heart and soul were being opened less and less often. After a particularly difficult time during which I'd written page after page after page in my journal, only to later realize that, in fact, I'd not even been honest with myself in the folds of that little volume, I became less comfortable with putting my thoughts on paper. What was really the point anyway?

Soon I had a husband who was a quiet kind of guy and would listen to me ramble on and on and on for hours every evening. On the lines of my pretty little journal I'd write particularly meaningful scripture references, sometimes accompanied by a few brief thoughts. But now that I had someone who would listen to my ongoing and endless ramblings about life and such, I rarely wrote much about it on paper anymore.

Then I heard that some of those old pen pals and the girls who had read those sweet teen girls' magazines were actually still keeping in touch with each other--they'd all just moved online. I visited the online journaling site and saw names I recognized and quickly found old far-away friends.

And then, one night, while on the phone with my best girlfriend who was also perusing through the lists of mutual old friends...

I signed up.

...to be continued

- by Ashleigh Baker

An exclusive interview with Karen Hancock!

1. Can you briefly tell us how you began a career in writing? How long did it take to get your first manuscript in print?

I started writing in middle school, wrote a novel in high school, went to college and majored in Wildlife Biology where I wrote no fiction at all. Got saved, got married, and about a year later, my husband challenged me to do better than the bestseller I was complaining about. I realized then that I could write novels about Christianity! I started what became The Light of Eidon about six months after that. It was twenty-six years though before I was published (and that was Arena, not Light of Eidon!)

2. In your website bio you stated that the first book in the Legends of the Guardian King series, The Light of Eidon, was re-written three times prior to publication. How does the final differ from the first draft and how difficult was this to accomplish?

The basic story remained the same. But the opening was completely different and the ending was different. It differs in the quality of the writing, the structure, the worldbuilding, and in internal logic and consistency. It wasn't all that difficult to do, though, because I loved the story and never tired of trying to make it better. The three rewrites were total rewrites. I started from scratch without looking at previously written words -- so there are different settings and even sequences the subsequent versions. Shettai had no more than two chapters in the first version.

3. The Guardian King series has won several Christy Awards as well as other honors, even becoming top sellers in secular venues. What sets these books apart from the norm of fiction available? What response have your readers given to these books?

Well, they differ from standard fiction in that they're fantasy: realistic characters in a created world that is close to our real world, with the exception of a few selected extranatural aspects. They differ from standard fantasies in that they have the strong Christian element that runs intrinsically through the story. The characters have strong relationships with their god, and he is a character in the story as well, with goals and intents and a definite personality.

Some readers love the characters and the plot, some love the world and the writing but a lot of them write to say they love the way the books have encouraged them in their walk with God, echoing struggles they've faced in their own lives, and giving them hope and understanding they had not had before.

4. What advice and/or challenge would you give to young writers who dream of someday publishing books?

Read a lot, write a lot, learn as much as you can about writing, gain confidence in your own voice and ideas and stories, but retain the humility to see them through another's eyes and make changes if needed. More than anything, if you love it, never give it up. Even if it's not selling, even if the market is allegedly not interesting. I think in the long run it's more important to write something that you love and that is meaningful to you, than it is to do whatever you have to to get published.

Thank you so much for sharing with us, Karen. Your schedule is extremely busy; I appreciate your support of younger writers and fellow lovers of quality fantasy. Congratulations on the final installment of your series being released!

Further Reading:
Karen's Website
Karen's Blog: Writing from the Edge

The Library Through a Child's Eyes

From kindergarten on, the public library became one of my favorite places--due in part to its abundance of the classic children's books I loved so much. My first library. Can anything match the adventure of hurrying through the glass doors towards stacks of literary delight? I can still see the location of my favorite books on those endless silver shelves. One whole wing of the building housed the children's titles and I knew every shelf by heart. In first grade I had moved to reading the third and fourth-grade titles and by second grade nothing intimidated me.

On the first tall shelf beyond the picture books was Natalie Savage Carlson's The Orphalines which I loved because they were about girls my age, and the author shared my name. Then there were the Betsy-Tacy books, 3rd shelf back on the far right side. Nearly every trip to the library merited a perusal of that section, just in case there was a title I had not read yet. Most often I felt like romping through the beloved stories yet again, from Betsy-Tacy to Betsy's Wedding, the latter of which I could not get hands on for several long years!

Back in those days the librarians set a limit on the number of books each child could check out--I believe it started at ten. In first grade when I was competing to be the student in my grade who read the most books we would visit every evening. On the five minute home I would dive into the first of my stack. I still remember my delight when the limit was raised to 20 books. Most of the time my selections were more than my little arms could carry.

What is it about those first mind-shaping books we read as children? The illustrations and exact wording of some of my first books can still be brought to memory if triggered. Goodwill has yielded several long out-of-print titles I grew up with--the euphoria of such a find is best left to the imagination. Lois Lenski's The Strawberry Girl and Flood Friday...Beatrix Potter, Marguerite Henry, Louise May Alcott, David and Karen Mains...not to mention Rosemary Sutcliff, C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Michael Phillips, and John White.

Recently I sorted through every book in my library. I shall never, ever tire of picking up an old friend and wandering through familiar pages. The written word has the power to soothe, convict, encourage, and grieve.

"Of all the diversions of life, there is none so proper to fill up its empty spaces as the reading of useful and entertaining authors." - Joseph Addison

"There is a great deal of difference between the eager man who wants to read a book, and the tired man who wants a book to read. A man reading a Le Queux mystery wants to get to the end of it. A man reading the Dickens novel wished that it might never end." - George MacDonald

"What a joy there is in a good book, writ by some great master of thought, who breaks into beauty as in summer the meadow into grass and dandelions and violets with geraniums and manifold sweetness." - Theodore Parker

Not keep a journal!

How are your absent cousins to understand
the tenor of your life in Bath without one?

How are the civilities and compliments of every day
to be related as they ought to be
unless noted down every evening in a journal?

How are your various dresses to be remembered,
and the particular state of your complexion,
and the curl of your hair to be described in all their diversities,
without having constant recourse to a journal?

-Henry Tilney, Northanger Abbey

"This journal is a relief. When I am tired ... out comes this, and down goes every thing. But I can't read it over--and God knows what contradictions it may contain. If I am sincere with myself (but I fear one lies more to one's self than to any one else) every page should confute, refute, and utterly abjure its predecessor."

-Lord Byron, journal entry for 6 Dec. 1813

YLCF Team Members on Writing- Part Eight

This concludes the interview series...

What is your favorite thing to write about?
Lanier: I love to write about life itself, the day-to-day miracles of just being alive in God’s amazing world and all of the beautiful things He has given us to enjoy.

When did you start writing?
Lanier: Not long after I started reading! I remember being in elementary school and lugging an old typewriter out of the storage house and setting it up on my desk with great ceremony. I can still recall the setting and feel of that first story, though I have no idea what it was about. (I probably didn’t then, either) But, really, there was hardly a time since then that I wasn’t scribbling on something. I’ve kept volumes of journals over the years, as well, which is great practice.

Do you have any advice for those of us that are interested in writing?
Lanier: Write. That seems so trite, but it’s really the most important thing. Every day, if possible. Keep a detailed journal and use it to hone your skills. Record your impressions of the world around you, conversations you’ve overheard or were a part of (great practice for dialogue!), descriptions of places or people. It is an easy mistake to read about writing and talk about writing and never actually write. Put away your self-consciousness and fear of mediocrity and just get started.

Another essential thing is to read. Feed yourself on the works of the great writers, especially those that you particularly admire. Their influence is huge—hobnobbing with excellence can only enrich your vocabulary and broaden your perceptions of what good writing really is. Don’t waste time on drivel—read the good stuff. And your writing will reflect it.

Natalie: Practice, practice, practice. You must study good writing, but all the reading in the world will not mold your style unless you log the man-hours weaving your own words. Hundreds, even thousands of pages are needed to teach you how words work, how you can best communicate, and what approach suits your personality and talents.

It is frighteningly true that you will mimic the writing that you read. Do not fill your head with second-rate fluff. Read the best of the best--not just old classics but contemporary essays, theology, editorials, and even blogs! Writing is a constant journey. There is always more to learn and a good writer knows that she can improve until the very last page she writes.

Great truth on being a writer

This is from the staff at the Christian Writer's Guild, where I am half-way through my apprenticeship. I can definitely agree with the fact that sometimes the act of writing is very painful but the result is worth the effort.

Question: How do you know for sure that God has called you to write? Is desire and enjoyment enough or does publication matter? -T.W.

Answer: If God has called you to write, He's likely called you to share your thoughts with others. Therefore, your goal should be to be published and get your ideas as widely disseminated as possible. If you enjoy writing, you're rare. Most of us mostly enjoy having written. -CWG Staff

YLCF Team Members on Writing --Interview Part Seven

How did you start writing?

Jeannie: I really can’t remember a time I didn’t write! I wrote my first book, illustrated with stickers and magnanimously dedicated to “all the little children of the world” when I was eight. At age nine I updated the back cover with a list of my “other works,” including the amazing statement that “Jeannette has also written some fine poetry.” One poem listed was “Glenn’s Birthday Card” (written for my cousin) which simply read, “Glenn/Is ten.” I had no problem with self-esteem. ?

I was about twelve when HopeChest magazine published my first story. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement. I sent copies of that story to all my relatives and several friends. It’s a wonder I didn’t die of a swollen head! Amazingly enough, I later went through a time when I wouldn’t even attempt to have my writing published because I felt it wasn’t good enough (pride again, but in a different form). But I never stopped writing. Letters, journals, songs, poems, articles, stories – I love to write!

And today, even though I write regularly for several publications and have published a book, my first love remains journaling and writing to close friends. It’s such a part of me that I almost feel I haven’t experienced something until I write about it. This year I even started keeping a “family journal,” recording daily events and farm news. I look forward to seeing how the Lord will use my love for writing in the future!

Elisabeth's answer to this question will be recounted in an upcoming article: "The Writer Who Wasn't."

Natalie: Like Jeannie, I cannot remember a time when I was not writing for an audience. I have never been so good at journaling for myself...I journaled prayers, daily events etc. for the purpose of sharing with my family and friends. Before I could write I would dictate stories to my mom and illustrate them with stick figures and magic marker gowns.

Two sisters and I became more earnest in our writing around age ten. We decided to write a series of fictional books together--the sort of thing we most wanted to read. None of the novels reached completion but the pain-staking writing and revising of those hundreds of pages taught us much about how to weave words.

I started writing for publication by submitting non-fiction pieces, devotionals, and various fillers to small homeschooling magazines. Over the past eight years I've tried to continue to challenge myself to always improve my craft. It is tempting to settle into an environment in which you are comfortable, but I will lose the chance for growth.

What is your favorite thing to write about?

Jeannie: Without a doubt, my favorite thing to write about is what God has done for me or taught me. I love sharing things He’s done in my life, especially if they are things I know other girls can relate to. I shy away from “teaching” theology because that’s not my place (although I realize that my theology colors my outlook on life, and thus my writing, as well), but I love writing about my daily walk with Jesus.

Elisabeth: Things God has taught me and adventures that I have. I love the challenge of painting pictures with words so vividly that my reader gets to walk around in my shoes. I also love the challenge of being totally real when I talk about spiritual things.

Natalie: Whatever God has been teaching me! If I am excited about how I have seen Him work, what I have discovered in His word, or learned something about myself and my relationship to Him, I want to share it with others. If I thought I had an audience, I would delight in weaving allegories, fantasy short stories, and other such things teaching spiritual truths. Whether or not I am capable of doing thus well is another matter.

Do you have any advice for those of us that are interested in writing?

Jeannie: The advice I wish I could give everyone who is interested in writing is: Try it! Don’t wait until you feel you’re “good enough” at writing. If you have something to say, put it on paper. At first you will probably struggle over every paragraph, but it does get easier with practice. When you think it gets your message across, don’t stick it in a drawer and forget about it – find an outlet. Publish it somewhere! As your writing improves, you may cringe at your first attempts ? – just remember that you can’t get better without those first steps.

I’d also like to encourage you to be yourself. Don’t try to copy someone else’s style, or it will end up sounding stilted and forced. Personally, I love Lanier’s writing – it’s lovely and elegant – but I can’t write like her! I think it’s because writing is an expression of our personality, and God made us gloriously different. Don’t fight it – develop your own style.

Having someone critique your writing can be very helpful. My parents are excellent at this! Other people are able to spot inconsistencies, redundant passages, and undeveloped ideas. They can point out things like pet words or phrases (one of mine is “actually” – I take it out so often it’s not even funny!). Most importantly, they can help you stay “on track” spiritually, making sure that you don’t lead anyone astray, even unintentionally.

So by all means, write! The world needs more people who write for God’s glory. Go for it!

Elisabeth: Just do it! I started with a little thankful book and five sentences a day. Having an audience helps a lot. I'm not too motivated by an imaginary audience or the idea of "practice makes perfect," but I've gotten immense benefit (and good practice) just by letter-writing and emails. A real live audience who talks back is also great incentive to be interesting, clear, and concise.

Of course, I also gained a lot by taking a two-year correspondance course through The Institute of Children's Literature. (You can find info about them online). Though I'm not currently writing for children, most of the principles are the same, and I see clear results of that study in my fiction and non-fiction...and even when I write in Hebrew!

A writing friend who is willing to tell you what's wrong with your work is worth her weight in gold. So is reading a lot: you are filling yourself up with your raw material: beauty and a wide range of words. Finally, don't forget that you can't write what you don't see, so train your eyes and ears and heart to take in the details of life as it really is. Oh, and you do have something to offer! Everybody has the same subjects to write about, but only you see life from your unique perspective.

Elisabeth Elliot on Writing

A few notes to an inquirer about writing, from Elisabeth Elliot

You ask about writing. The best way to begin writing is to begin writing. One method is to start a journal. Not a diary which must be written in daily, but a plain, blank notebook in which you may write as much or as little as you choose, and only when you have something to say. I have kept journals since I was about sixteen. It is one way of forcing yourself to articulate lessons learned, prayers, experiences, descriptions of people, places, events.

The second very important exercise is to read books. Not just good books. Great ones. Observe what it is that makes them interesting. We find ourselves mirrored in great literature. We experience the shock of recognition. "That's it! That's exactly what I felt/thought/meant/wanted to say!" Great books are "an axe to the frozen sea within us," Kafka said.

A few rules:
1. Write about something you know very well.
2. Don't tell me, show me. In other words, don't say "It was a beautiful house." Describe the house so that I can see for myself that it's beautiful. Don't say "She was a nasty woman." Describe her. Let me draw my own conclusions.
3. Tell it straight. Hemingway practiced eliminating adjectives. If you can do that and still make it interesting, your prose will be vigorous.
4. Aim at authenticity, never at style, originality, or "creativity."
5. Make it simple.
6. Make it clear.
7. Learn to handle the English language. The best help for this is Strunk's The Elements of Style, a perfect gem of a little book, indispensable for all of us.
8. Read what you've written out loud. How does it sound?
9. Avoid sentimentality. Study Matthew 27:28-36. Make a list of the active verbs. Is this a powerful scene? What makes it so?
10. Delete every word that has no real work to do.

A word about the process of gathering material. A writer's "field" is the whole universe. Everywhere you go, everything you do or see, is the raw material. Make notes. As you find yourself thinking more and more about a particular subject, drop the notes into file folders labeled with broad topics. One of these days that folder may turn into a book, or, before you tackle a book, why not have a go at an article for your local paper, church paper, or a magazine?

One final word: don't be a writer if you can get out of it! It's a solitary job, sometimes a rather lonely one (who's listening? you say), and it requires relentless self-discipline. The world is not waiting with baited breath for what you turn out. A writer has to be some kind of nut to stick with it. But if, like the psalmist, you say, "My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned," then perhaps you will have to write.

The Writer Who Wasn’t

Unlike many writers, I wasn’t born with a pen in hand or books on my brain. Not like Louisa May Alcott and her character, Jo, or Lucy Maud Montgomery and her creation, Emily. Yes, I started a novel or two as a teenager, but my top ten list of life dreams didn’t include writing. Instead it came quietly in the back door.

Perhaps it began with the fact that my love language is words. It got fed by the rich and steady diet of good books I read growing up. As a teen, I wrote enough letters that I began to think that it had become, in a small way, my ministry.

In high school, I took a course called Wordsmith which told me how (in easy bite-sized pieces) to make my writing vivid. My descriptions got more vivid, but it did nothing to help my stunted imagination. I wrote a few stories, but the characters were sweet and flat, even to me. No wonder I never finished those novels.

Oh, I did write a play. My cousin and I worked together, taking alternating scenes, and writing a part for each of our classmates. Our teacher was a bit bemused at our idea of tying off a story neatly. Marry everybody off, of course!

One year I was required to submit a journal entry every school day. I filled it with the boring events of my life and, as often as I dared, with nonsense poetry. No gems there.

Then I got to Bible School, but was I a writer? No way! I had major writer’s block. I remember sitting on the top step of the basement steps in the dark in an effort to get my brain to focus enough to write an assigned essay. Perfectionism buster: pretend I was writing a letter to my teacher.

I didn’t really even keep a diary. Between eighth grade and my first year of Bible School, I filled perhaps two thirds of a red cloth-covered book. It took a girls’ meeting and a little turquoise notebook to get me started on that. Perfectionism evasion tactic: only write five sentences a day.

Fast-forward past the end of Bible School. Note that I loved tutoring my brother in English, but not much other writing activity. Then it was suggested to me that perhaps I needed to study something. A correspondence course? I didn’t know what to study, but I’d keep it in mind.

Well, my sister Katie had had a writing aptitude test in her drawer for years. On the phone to order a new one for herself, she turned to me. “You want one too?”

Me? I shrugged. “Sure.”

And from there it went like the house that Jack built. I took the test; I was accepted. I remember being terrified that I’d never have the discipline to complete the work. This is the girl who can’t even keep a journal unless it’s baby sized. Two years of writing assignments? I put out a fleece – unexpected provision of money – and within days or a few weeks I was offered a job.

I took the course.

Faithfully, God provided the grace to keep me mostly on top of the work. I changed location five or six times. My writing came too. Usually I had to grit my teeth every time I made myself sit down to write, but once I sat down and got absorbed in the process, I had fun! In fact, I began to feel a sense of rightness when I wrote. This, I thought, is what I was meant to do.

I even came up with another novel idea. There’s no way I’m ready to write a book, I thought, but this is my chance to pretend I can – while I’ve got a teacher. A chance thought: “How would someone whom Jesus had raised from the dead respond to His death? Would they expect Him to raise Himself?” It was supposed to be a story, but like Homer Price’s doughnut machine, it just kept on going. For this novel, set in first-century Israel, I’d soon be able to do on-the-spot research.

Yes, right after I finished my writing course, I went to Israel. That was on my top ten list of life dreams. It was so amazing and awesome that I just had to write about it. I turned to e-mail, where I learned how long-winded I am…and that, amazingly, some people are patient enough to read what I write anyway. I had an audience! Talk about motivation!

And I had something to describe, at last. No more boring tales from the homeschool day; I was all eyes, and there was still too much too see! As I experienced Israel, I wanted to share it. I wanted to put my readers in my shoes, give them all my senses, and let them enjoy my adventures for themselves. As I wrote, I fell in love with painting pictures with words. Perfectionism cure: splat those words onto the computer screen and rearrange them like puzzle pieces until the picture is just right.

In fact, now writing is an escape for me. Can’t sleep at night? Good time to toss words and ideas around in my head or even time-travel to ancient Israel. Sometimes it keeps me from sleeping, but it’s too much fun to mind much.

I have something to say at last. Nonsense poetry is, of course, necessary from time to time, but thanks to my Bible School experience, and a few more years of walking with Jesus, I have something deeper to talk about. Meeting people who didn’t have my spiritual heritage made me realize how rich I was. Thanks to a patient group of high school girls, (friends to whom I wrote a regular e-newsletter) I got to practice sharing it.

So now – “Surprise!” says God –I’m a writer. And my writing dreams have made it onto my top ten list of things to do with my life.

What are those dreams? Well, I’m not sure about my novel. It has so stubbornly refused to go away, that I may have to beat my way through my lack of imagination and write it anyway. It may morph some as I do (if I do), but that’s okay.

I want to write like Elisabeth Elliot does – with a down-to-earth, honest view of life and a voice that sounds like a friend’s. I want to make people laugh. I want them to realize they’re not alone. Maybe I can even paint a picture of life with Jesus that makes them want to dive into the adventure of knowing Him.

Of course, that takes time. I have to live that life before I can write it, and that’s challenging. But meanwhile I can practice by telling what I do know and what I have lived.

Yes, now I know that I'm a writer, and I know that I love it!

- by Elisabeth Adams

A peek in the past...Part Two

Part two of Gretchen's speech at a Christian Writer's Conference back in 2000...

One of the topics I write and share a lot about is a concept I believe in so much. It is waiting for God’s perfect timing and choice for my husband, instead of playing the dating game with its endless cycle of going out and breaking up (which is just training teens for a pattern of divorce when they get married!). For me, waiting instead of dating means that I’m waiting on God to bring “Mr. Right” into my life.

At 16, I’m not ready to get married yet (so as Joshua Harris has said, why shop when you can’t buy? We need to be willing to pass up something good now because it’s the wrong time, believing that God will give us better when it’s the right time. (Josh Harris) Right now I can enjoy friendships with guys—but viewing them just as brothers in Christ, not as potential boyfriends.

So many campaigns and programs today are dedicated to saving yourself for marriage—and that’s great. But what are we doing to get off the broad pathway that leads to such sin? It doesn’t help to say “How far is too far?” That’s approaching it from the wrong direction. We tend to view purity as a line in the sand—and in seeing how close we can get to the line we end up walking right into sin.

But we’re not supposed to get as close as we can to compromise—we should be running in the opposite direction like Joseph did. My purpose in writing is to exhort my fellow teens to get off the road that’s leading us to sin! If we don’t set our standards and boundaries ahead of time, in moments of temptation we are not going to be able to make decisions with the future in mind. This society lives too much for the pleasure of here and now, with little thought for consequences in the future. We need to raise a higher standard than this. I really like this quote from Joshua Harris: “This country will not survive another generation of Christians that fit in!”

I write a lot about homeschooling, too—having been homeschooled for my entire life, I’ve come to believe firmly in it. And a big purpose for my writing is to encourage other homeschoolers. Yes, Christian school can be a good thing—I’ve seen some good results from public school, too—but I would still choose homeschooling for my kids.

It has greatly reduced the negative peer pressure my 14-year-old brother and I would normally face, and has given us time to focus on and be grounded in what is all-important—God and His Word. It has also given us more family-togetherness—we have a 4-year-old sister and a 2-year-old brother, whom we get to spend lots of time with. Homeschooling isn’t for everybody, but I would highly encourage it!!

An Amish man once said, “I do not believe that the Amish way of life is the plan of salvation. I do believe that it is a real help to me in living in conformance to God’s will.” The same can be said for homeschooling, waiting instead of dating, and many other things—they aren’t the only way, but are a real help for families trying to live their lives in accordance with God’s will.

So that is my purpose in writing—encouraging others in living differently for Jesus. What’s yours?

In “Chariots of Fire,” Eric Liddell said, “When I run, I feel God’s pleasure.” You know, Eric didn’t run for man’s approval. He didn’t follow the proper “rules” of running—he kept his eye on the goal. Eric ran Olympic races, and the race of life, for God’s approval only. May we remember in our writing that God is the only one we have to look to for approval. Don’t compromise truth so that a book or article will be more widely read or appreciated. If you’re proclaiming the Word of God, not everyone will like your writing. You may have some strong opponents to your message. Just keep in mind that God’s pleasure is the only thing that matters.

I pray that God will bless each one of you as you serve Him through writing. As we do this thing we all love—writing—may we feel God’s pleasure, knowing that He made us writers for a purpose!

A peek in the past...Part One

Gretchen gave the following speech at a Christian Writers Conference about six years ago. It gives a glimpse of where she was at with the YLCF and her convictions on courtship and dating, etc.

Hello to my fellow writers! I am Gretchen Glaser, age 16½. I live in a small town with my wonderful parents and my three lovable younger siblings.

I just recently joined this association, after being introduced to it by my pastor’s wife. I count it a privilege to be in a room full of writers more experienced than myself, and feel honored to be able to share with you today.

I am blessed to have been raised in a Godly home, and I accepted Christ when I was 3½. Thus everything in my life is influenced by my faith in Christ—especially my writing!

In the 1981 movie “Chariots of Fire”, the story of Scottish runner Eric Liddell, another runner Harold Abrahams and his date, singer Sybil Gordon, are discussing their careers. Harold asks Sybil, “Why singing?” She replies, “It’s my job.” Then she corrects herself saying, “No, that’s silly, I do it because I love it.” I don’t know about you, but I write because I love it!

I have loved reading and writing for as long as I can remember. My parents read many books to me when I was young, and as soon as I learned to read, I couldn’t quit. Reading quickly became my favorite pastime—my nose always buried in a book. My love of reading soon spurred my love of writing, the books of my favorite authors Laura Ingalls Wilder and Louisa May Alcott being the main inspiration. I wrote many little stories when I was young, but now express myself mostly through poems, letters, and articles.

Mrs. Hake has asked me to share with you about the magazine I edit and publish, and about the stands I’ve taken. It started out as a little girls’ club when I was seven years old—we had a little newsletter telling when members joined, or when they had a new brother or sister. But as I grew up, the “club” became a newsletter—an outlet, a way for me to express myself, and a way of meeting new friends. (As a homeschooler I’ve never lacked for “socialization”, with hundreds of friends across the world!) The Young Ladies Christian Fellowship Journal is now a quarterly, 28-page magazine, through which I strive to encourage my sisters in Christ and communicate my beliefs. We have a readership of over 600 for our print magazine, as well as a website which has over a hundred visitors a week.

Eric Liddell, like Sybil Gordon, loved his job. But he didn’t just run because he loved it—there was a deeper purpose behind it. In the movie, Eric says to his sister, “I believe God made me fast for a purpose.” Eric knew God had given him his ability to run in order to bring glory to God. Through his fame as an Olympic Gold Medallist, he was able to share his faith with many. His commitment to God and respect for the Lord’s day have been an example to many over the years. Eric knew he was running for a purpose, and that affected his entire career.

My purpose for writing is to encourage my sisters in Christ. I am different from the “typical teenager” in a lot of ways—I’m homeschooled and I don’t date or have a boyfriend. My parents strive to raise a high moral standard in our home. It’s not always easy to stand alone when the majority is going along with what “everyone else” is doing. But my purpose in my writing is to encourage fellow teens that not “everyone else” is going along with the crowd. There are others who are living differently for Jesus.

In the Young Ladies Christian Fellowship Journal, my purpose is to—through my writings and those of my wonderful subscribers—encourage young ladies in living our lives fully unto Jesus, loving Him with all of our hearts, soul, and mind. We strive to encourage each other in redeeming the time, using this season of singleness in our teenage years for God’s glory and in serving Him—instead of trying to snag a cute boyfriend. I know that by resting completely in Christ, there is found a peace beyond description, that can never be found in a boyfriend or any earthly thing.

I strive in the Journal to emphasize character and virtue. Rules won’t save us—it has to be that desire in the heart to do good. My goal is to raise a high standard, and yet present a balanced Biblical perspective. We don’t advocate a list of man-made rules, because outward symbols of submission mean nothing when our hearts are not fully His (the book of James talks a lot about that).

Neither do we want to fit in with the world—we are in it, but we’re not to be of it, and in Romans 12 we’re commanded not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed! I write to encourage others to dare to be different for Christ’s sake...as always, our actions will speak louder than our words.

...to be continued tomorrow

Two great blog posts...

One to make you laugh, the other to encourage all you writers:

Bible Places is always good, but this morning's commentary really made me laugh out loud! Check out "Did Jesus Have Cold Feet?"

Then, if you want a look inside the mind of one of the top fiction writers today, visit Karen Hancock's blog. Her post on "Glory Hunting" is so transparent and honest--it really encouraged me. Thank you, Mrs. Hancock, for being real!

In answer to your questions...

It's a blustery Saturday afternoon. Jessica and I took advantage of the rainy day to reorganize the books in her room, now that I've emptied my books off the shelves. (Check out the books for sale page for today's additions.) It just doesn't look a bit like spring! Especially since Caleb's little Golden Retriever, Goldie, has "picked" all the tulips that usually are blooming around Resurrection Sunday.

Six weeks from right now, Merritt and I will be exchanging the vows that will make us one 'til death do us part. I hope the weather is a bit prettier on that day, if only for the pictures. But it really won't matter, because I will be marrying my love, my man, my best friend...

Many of you have asked what I will be doing after I'm married, and if I will continue to write for the YLCF. In answer to your questions...

First and foremost, my most treasured task, my highest calling, will be that of being Merritt's wife. His family has a farm with a huge garden and an antique store. They sell produce at the store, as well as at farmer's markets several times a week. Between keeping Merritt fed and happy, and helping out in the store, garden, and at market, I think I will manage to happily fill most of my waking hours!

But writing is in my blood. Most days I probably won't have time to write anything but a little note to Merritt, or an entry in my prayer journal. But I know the urge to put pen to paper will be there. And I hope, especially in the winter months, or in the slow hours at the store, to have time to write a bit more.

Merritt and I won't have the internet for the time being, but maybe I'll mail Natalie some of my writings to post, or find time to blog from the library once in a while. Meanwhile, I have many posts drafted, ready for Natalie to use whenever she likes--some from old writings, some from recent months when I've been in a writing mood and had a few seconds to spare.

I do hope to continue to share with you here once in a while. But I can't guarantee more than sporadic, at best. (Though I'm sure Natalie will bug me frequently!)

While the YLCF doesn't cater specifically to a certain age bracket, or marital status, we've tended to write about where we are at in life. I hope that those of you who are growing up and getting married along with us will continue to find encouragement here. Between Lanier, Elizabeth Lorenz, and myself, we will probably have some more "wifely" posts in the future, if you like. And meanwhile, as long as the rest of the YLCF team doesn't get married off too soon (it could prove to be epidemic, you know!), we will try to keep some single ladies in the ranks, so we have something for all ages.

For many years much of my ministry has been in the online world. It will seem strange not to get your emails and comments. And I will miss the continual writing outlet.

But all I have ever wanted to be is Merritt's wife. And I look forward to spending the rest of my life serving at his side. Truly, this is what I was made for...

Why Write?

Ladies Against Feminism has published a short piece I wrote on the purpose of writing. You can read it here: Why Write?

Words and Paper

If one measure's one's accomplishments by the amount you have thrown away, I got a fair amount done today. However, I could hardly get through one box of paper in two hours, while a few weeks ago my cousin and I packed more than a dozen boxes in a matter of hours. The sorting process is by far the longest part of the packing process.

If one measure's one's life by paper, I have probably lived several lifetimes in my twenty-two years' worth of paper accumulation. Some, like the Jr. High Sunday School notes, I can toss. Others, like the half-finished poems and un-sent letters, I can't bear to part with.

It seems that a writer's life is lived through paper, measured by words. On that paper, we have a tangible representation of the thoughts we thought, the life we lived. How strange it is, then, to go back and read what one wrote in years past. If one would write, one should learn to be careful what one puts down on paper. Some things, I wouldn't want my grandchildren reading, even after I'm gone!

But then there are the pieces of paper that make me laugh. The letter I wrote to myself setting forth all the reasons I shouldn't fall in love with Merritt (such as, "he communicates so well you'll never be able to complain about your husband," etc.), the 10-page emails Natalie and I exchanged (no wonder we know each other so well), and the paper on which I had listed names for 13 future children (I would name them alphabetically, of course! Abigail Beth, Caleb Daniel, etc. all the way to Yvette Zoe, for one must finish the alphabet!).

Maybe the reason it takes so long for me to sort paper is that I must read every sheet before I decide what to do with it. (Thankfully, one can judge a book by its cover enough not to read it before one packs it!) Much went in the garbage. Some went in a bag to give Natalie when she comes for my wedding (the bag grows by the week--she better bring an extra suitcase). And those silly love poems and all the un-sent letters go in an envelope to give Merritt someday, so he can laugh at the girl who has always been so crazy about him.

Yes, words are for remembering, pens are for deciding what to remember, and paper is for remembering again. That's why I'm glad Merritt and I have written letters all these years, so we'll never forget the hard times God brought us through, so we always remember the love we shared...

Jumpstart your creativity

Excellent book: Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne, Dave King

Linda Clare, February 2002

What Is Creativity?

Three Elements Of Creativity

I. A. Nonjudgment—put the inner editor away while you are in the creating stage of our project

II. Commitment—day each of us decides how to spend our time

III. Criticism—In order to put forth a new idea, you must be willing to take the risk that others may not like it.

Where Does Creativity Come From?

IV. God is the original creative Guy. Colossians 1:6 says, “In Him all things were created.”

V. In Genesis God created heaven and earth, stocked the skies with stars and the world with plants and animals, and even made people in His own likeness.

VI. Jesus gave us with the Holy Spirit to not only help us in our spiritual life, but also as a source to tap into for all our creative energy. (Luke 12: 12) “The Holy Spirit will teach you what words to say.” Romans 8—The Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

What’s the Best way to Smother Your Creativity?

1 .Tell yourself you’re not original (Eccles. 1:19) “...there is nothing new under heaven and earth.”

2.The da Vinci Complex—comparing yourself to a known genius so you feel too puny to have a good idea.

3.Worry about what others will think. Or fear that your friends and family will disapprove, your mom won’t speak to you and even that your dog might shun you.

4. Worry you won’t make money or enough money from your creative endeavor. When money is your motive, you’re behind the eight-ball and you lose freedom to think creatively. This isn’t to say that some of the best writing doesn’t come while under pressure. But if your sole motivation is to write in order to pay the bills, you may not be very inspired.

So How Can You Renew Your Creative Energy?

Write At Absolute TOP SPEED—Make a commitment to write. If you talk about writing, read about writing, go to writing meetings but you don’t write very much, your creative energy gets used up in the wrong places. Write. Write every day as much as you can. When you are STALLED, take baby steps. Are you sure you’ll never be able to write anything creative again? Write one sentence. Not the whole novel, article or story. Just one sentence. Now go nurture that quiet voice that wants to create.

Tell The Critical Voice To Shush

When you create your inner editor will try to interfere. So will daily activities and many other distractions. Don’t let that critical voice slow you down. Don’t be afraid to waste words—we’ll make more! The potter knows that he can always make another pot. Learn to love the process. Even if you throw away a whole day’s work, you’re that much closer to refining your ideas and you’ve dared to explore new ways of writing.

Exercise Your Mind And Body

When you are uptight, self-conscious and fearful, it shows in your body and in your writing. Stretch at your desk to loosen up tense muscles and think positively about your God-given talents.

TAKE A RISK Try to have fun with it! Learn the value of play: Jung said, “The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.” Jean Huston said, “At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.” Dare to be goofy now and then.

Write With Passion If you don’t care much about what you write no one else will care either. By writing from deep within, you will be more likely to grab your readers. In The Creative Brain, Ned Herrman says, “Creative people live as if there were no tomorrow, which is part of what enables them to be passionate about today.”

Plug Into The “Source” Daily. A great friend of mine has observed that, “The universe was created with words.” Ask God every day for the words you need.

Creativity Workshop Quotes

• Painting is just another way of keeping a diary. --Pablo Picasso
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• At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities. --Jean Houston
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• The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves. --C.G. Jung
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• Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he/she grows up. --Pablo Picasso
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• The mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible. --Oscar Wilde
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• We have, been taught to believe that negative equals realistic and positive equals unrealistic. --Susan Jeffers
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• To live our creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong. --Joseph Chilton Pearce
  

“Island Girl” is sweet and sensitive

I had quite a vested interest in reading book one of Sandra Byrd’s new series for young women. Not only had I heard much to recommend them as a rare new release worth reading, but the author happens to be a mentor of mine. All the more important for me to give an honest review of Island Girl for the younger readers of YLCF.

Thirteen-year-old Meg spends every summer at her grandparent’s berry farm, but this year a family from Mexico has moved onto the property to help her grandfather. Thus Meg makes a new friend: Tia. Together the girls work to run a successful roadside stand to raise money for a needy family—and end up becoming close friends.

“Sandra provides a realistic and compelling plot while subtly teaching valuable lessons about the importance of diversity and friendship.” Pleasantly surprised to find myself identifying and pulling for Meg, this young girl’s discipline and selflessness shine clear throughout the story and will challenge readers to live for something beyond their own wants even when it brings no personal benefit.

One element in most young adult fiction which hinders me from giving a positive review is the romance and guy-girl drama. Sandra does a tasteful job of recognizing that thirteen-year-old girls are aware of boys, while not focusing on it or allowing anything other than constraint and modesty to reign.

You can read more about Sandra Byrd’s books at her website, Friends for a Season.

YLCF Bookshelf

For you writers out there...

I will pass on to you a book recommended to me in my current study. No matter how long you have been putting words to paper, or how many articles have been published, the marvelous joy of writing is there is never an end to the learning. There is always another author's work to admire, style to emulate, and techniques to study. There is always more to learn in editing your own work.

On Writing Well by Zinsser is a good resource to have on hand, next to your dependable The Elements of Style. I am supposed to read the chapter on style right now. Speaking of which, I should go get at it, eh?

YLCF Bookshelf

Grama, what's the proper Grammar?

While editing the weekly newsletter at work today, I found myself at Dictionary.com once again, this time attempting to assure myself that I was correct in using ensure. Or was it insure? Usually I can keep track of whether the foul weather hurts the fowl. But loose usage of words in the past can cause me to lose the habit of proper grammar in the years that have passed since my 2nd grade encounter with ABeka's Language Arts book. This leaves me in dire straits, far from the straight and narrow path of proper grammar that my Grama was taught. I'm sure the rise of improper grammar principles these days would cause the principal of my grandmother's school to ask, just as Professor Kirke of Narnian lore, "What do they teach them at these schools?"

Well, you get the idea... :)

Today I discovered Suite 101's helpful articles on "Snare Pairs". I printed out their definitions of assure vs. ensure vs. insure, as well as affect vs. effect, and pinned them above my computer. Those are the words that I am forever mixing!

Thanks to Grandma and the Internet, I'm finding more and more tricks to help me remember my grammar rules. "The Wonderful Writing Skills Un-Handbook" taught me this simple sentence: "I can affect the effect." (Just remember that in this sentence, the words in question are in alphabetical order.)

I used to get stationery and stationary mixed up, until my grandmother taught me to remember the e's: stationery refers to the material with which you write letters.

Grandma also had a hint for complement vs. compliment, but with the i's this time: I give you a compliment.

Thank God for Grandma who can answer my grammar questions, and the Internet that's there when Grandma isn't!