D is for Diligence by Carol Harrison

 

As I thought about which D word to write about for this post, I kept coming back to the words diligent, diligence, and due diligence. Diligence comes from the Greek word that means attention or care. A person who is diligent will have character traits like determination, steadfastness, and attentive to details. But diligence is a skill we can learn.

I think writers who are diligent will:

1        Work towards a goal

o   Not everyone enjoys the idea of setting goals, but we all need to have an end result in sight so we know where we need to go.  

2        Plan small steps towards the goal

o   A goal, especially a large one, can be daunting. Planning out small segments takes some of the overwhelming feeling away

3        Do those small steps one at a time

o   Setting a goal and planning those small steps is only the beginning. We actually need to work on doing those small bits so we can reach the final product whether it is a book, an article, a plan for more education, or anything else

4        Push through the obstacles

o   Obstacles show up in my life all the time, blocking me from writing. I realize I’m not the only one to experience obstacles.  

o   Some things like specific appointments, getting sick, or an unexpected obligation are legitimate reasons to put writing on hold for a time but I need to remember not to let them morph into excuses later.

5        Don’t settle for good enough or have the attitude that it doesn’t matter

o   Too often I get impatient and settle for good enough. And then get upset about dong it again. Doing the best I can is being a good steward of the gift God gave me to tell stories in various ways.

6        Produce excellent work

o   This is where obtaining critiques, edits, and more edits comes into play. I am so grateful for early readers and those willing to give critiques before the piece, especially a book, goes to the editor.

7        Finish what you start

Business uses the phrase, due diligence often. Yet there are ways we need to apply this to writing. Some good questions to ask to show due diligence in writing can include:

1.      What does the reader expect and need from this piece of writing, this story?

2.      How much research should I do to help make my work authentic to the time, place, and events in it?

3.      How do I incorporate that research without just being an information dump?

4.      Am I using words and phrases correctly to show I understand their meaning and allow readers to figure it out too.

5.      Does the wording I use reflect the time period of the book?

The list isn’t exhaustive but it gives us a start in the process of doing our due diligence in our writing.  

I also think being diligent with our writing means we will make time to write and then stick to it as much as possible. I have lots of project ideas, sometimes multiple ones going on at the same time. I need to learn to set the order of priority for them. Checking deadlines and writer guidelines and then following them is so important.

As writers, we always need to be honing our craft. I had the opportunity to sit down with Saskatoon’s writer-in-residence at our local library. She asked why I had sent work in and come to this meeting. My answer was, “There’s always something more to learn.”

I love to share stories both orally and in writing. Sharing the story of Jesus and His sacrifice on our behalf, continues to be something I love to do. Do I share it enough in my writing? Do I gently share or beat the audience over the head and preach to them?

In I Timothy 4 Paul charges the young man and pastor, Timothy, about being diligent in sharing the gospel. In verses 11-15, we see Paul’s instructions which apply to all of us who follow Jesus.

Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters, give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

I think these are important for us in our everyday lives, not just when we sit down to write our next book, story, article, poem, or anything else.

May we entrust ourselves and our work to the One who gives us the abilities, the desire, and the command to share the gospel with others. Then be diligent and steward all He has given as we write. 

Carol Harrison lives in Saskatoon and enjoys telling stories. Sometimes she writes them as well. Her favourite times involve telling the stories of Jesus to those who have never heard or
heard them all their lives.