I am intrigued by time-lapse nature photography, a technique that speeds up a process which normally appears subtle and slow to the human eye. When a blooming flower is captured at one film frame per second, then played back at 30 frames per second, the opening of the blossom appears 30 times faster. It is fascinating to watch a flower grow and bloom in accelerated time.
Adaptive creativity reminds me of time-lapse photography. When I review a piece of my writing, it is like seeing a flower bloom in just a few seconds. The creative process takes its own time. A completed project, once edited, revised, honed — becomes a time-lapse of all those frames of creative time opening in the reader’s mind like a blossoming flower. I consider my writing as more of an organic emergence than a technique-driven process. From idea inception to finished manuscript, the emergence occurs through interactions with God. Prayer by prayer, one soul conversation building on another, they string together like a necklace of words to grace the throat of my Savior.
Prayer is the birth channel for all I write. Whether by assignment or to express my own thoughts, the nebulous seed of a new project starts in the womb of prayer. Scripture-informed prayer influences, directs and speaks God’s voice into my writing. I seek His guidance and advice, especially when beginning. I don’t know where my own thoughts end and God’s voice begins, but I have no doubt when it is Him speaking. Sometimes insistent, often subtle, the idea grows in the creative corner of my brain until I am ready to give it life on the page.
So is this adaptive creativity? Maybe not in the traditional sense. Certainly I have enough experience and knowledge to adapt one style of writing to another or change it to meet the requirements of a different market. Original creativity, however, keeps pace with life’s changing phases by adjusting to the climate of my days.
Some time ago, during a long period of struggle and trials, I filled pages of journals with the pain of a betrayed marriage and a broken body. Those bleeding words were not intended for any other eyes except God’s. Yet now that I am whole and healthy again, He has called me to adapt those private words for a public readership so those who are experiencing similar grief can learn from them. Like most change, it requires vulnerability to put my heart out there for others to see. I have done much wrestling with this assignment in my private conversations with God, but I cannot escape His gentle insistence. I must believe that on the other side of obedience there is blessing.
No map exists of the adaptation of my writing journey over the years. It has gone through many transitions, each with a lesson learned and a step toward the next phase. It began as the seed of a love for words planted in a child’s heart, then gradually blossomed into acceptance as a published author. Frame by frame, prayer by prayer, God planted the seeds of what He wanted written in my voice. He gives such joy and satisfaction in the process, as He adapts the words and the writer to fulfill His perfect purposes.
Valerie's devotionals can be read on her blog https://scriptordeus.wordpress.com
"Original creativity, however, keeps pace with life’s changing phases by adjusting to the climate of my days." Adapting to God's plan as we go. Lovely writing, Valerie! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lynn. It seems my brain sees all of life as possible writing subjects!
DeleteThe metaphor of time lapse photography is an apt one that seems to really express that seemingly slow process of writing from first thoughts to finished product. Thanks for this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Tracy. Photography is another passion of mine, although I haven't tried time-lapse photography yet.
DeleteWhat a magnificent description of what happens when we surrender our writing to God and give him room for input and guidance! Sometimes I am better at this than other times. May your story be a lesson and guideline for each of us, Valerie. Thank you, and may God bless you as you adapt your story for the readers who are waiting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the encouraging comment!
DeleteI agree with the comments here. I also love timelaps photography. This also reminds me of how I watched the shadow of a tall building move across the sidewalk. I could actually discern the eastward motion of our planet. You can do the same by placing a coin on a mirror outside on a partly cloudy day. The coin is stationary in relation to the clouds moving by. When we go about our days, we fail to notice things like this. But when we hold still, we can see what missed our attention.
ReplyDeleteInteresting observances, Bruce. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteLove this post, especially the line 'they string together like a necklace of words to grace the throat of my Saviour.' - beautiful. The metaphor of time lapse photography is absolutely wonderful. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your positive comment, Sharon. Time-lapse photography is on my bucket list!
DeleteHi Valerie. I love how you compare adaptive creativity to time-lapse photography and how this relates to the writing process. Cool stuff, thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Alan. This prompt made me think deeply about my writing process, which I found hard to describe until the idea of time-lapse photography came to me.
DeleteI also appreciated your metaphor of time-lapse photography, which you carried sequentially and smoothly throughout your piece. You summarize this so well with your closing, Valerie, when you say, "Frame by frame, prayer by prayer, God planted the seeds of what He wanted written in my voice. He gives such joy and satisfaction in the process, as He adapts the words and the writer to fulfill His perfect purposes.” God does know what He wants written in your voice, in my voice, and in the voice of each Christian writers. May God continue to adapt each of us and the words of each of us to his purpose. Amen, Valerie.
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