Qualities of a Successful Productive Writer by Sandi Somers

Often writers are guided in developing good habits, but this time I’m focusing on the qualities of writers themselves. 

Become quiet before the Lord and listen is our first priority. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10), is a theme that’s been on my mind lately. Often my thoughts are busy with projects on my to-do list. But God drew my attention to take time every day to shut the door to all that clamours and listen to how He speaks with tenderness, graciousness, and power. 

I was reminded of A.B. Simpson’s wise words: 

As I listened, it became to me the voice of prayer, the voice of wisdom, the voice of duty, and I did not need to think so hard, or pray so hard, or trust so hard; but that ‘still small voice’ of the Holy spirit…was God’s prayer…was God’s answer to all my questions, was God’s life and strength...it was the living GOD Himself as my life, my all.[i] 

Dare to trust God. He often calls us to tasks that are beyond our ability. Know that He goes ahead of you. I’m reminded of what God said to timid Gideon, “Go in the strength you have…Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:14). As we go in His power, He strengthens us step by step. 

Face your excuses. We’ve all sabotaged ourselves. We’ve procrastinated, succumbed to feelings of inadequacy. We've been afraid that our writing isn’t any good. Or we suddenly realize that the laundry needs attention. Bring your excuses out into the open, be honest, confess, and ask God to help you overcome what’s holding you back.    

Invest in yourself. Staying healthy maintains our stamina and inspiration. Walking helps us think through a writing issue. At times we need to take a big breakaway from a sea of words. Nancy Rue, one of our former Fall Conference speakers, takes two weeks off after finishing a book to relax, rest her mind, and go for long walks before she tackles the next book.  Follow the rhythms of life, and you’ll become refreshed in body, mind, and spirit.  

Persevere. My niece once gave me a fridge magnet with the message: “When the going gets tough, the tough keep going.” Like the turtle that won the race, persevere especially when the going gets tough. The writer of Hebrews advised us to run the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, who initiates and perfects our faith (12:1-2). Even if your drafts end up in the recycling bin, you’ll have gained experience and expertise for the next attempt. In persevering, you may discover a new wellspring of creativity and decisiveness in yourself, and you’ll submit more of your work for publication. 

…and finally, give God the honour and glory He deserves. It’s not just for ourselves that we write. God has placed in us the dreams, abilities, and ideas that will be part of His story to meet the needs of the world around us and beyond. Let the Lord shine through to your readers, to inspire them with His limitless power to transform.

Image by Pivotal Moments

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[i] A.B. Simpson, In Mrs. Chas. E. Cowman, Streams in the Desert, (Los Angeles, CA: Cowman Publishing Co., 1925, 1950) June 30.   

Q is for Quiet Reflection by Carol Harrison

 

Q is for Quiet Reflection

Exciting moments peppered our train trip across Canada in 2018. We saw new sights, explored new places, and visited far flung family members. Yet I also had times to pause and reflect on the journey, journal my thoughts, and see examples of God’s creation all around.

When I returned home I reread my travel journal and noted so many instances where what I saw reminded me of verses from God’s Word. These had been quiet moments of reflection. I gathered those thoughts and wrote some devotionals and published them in a little book called On Track. I’ll share one on this blog post.

Significant to God

With the artistry of the St.-Anne-du-Beaupre Basilica still fresh in my mind from the day before, I entered the much older and smaller Notre Dame cathedral in historic Quebec City. It sat at the edge of a narrow street, the only building on that corner. It did not have the impressive dimensions of the basilica but still commanded a presence in the old city with its stone spire reaching for the heavens.

A sign on the heavy wooden doors of the sanctuary advised us to enter quietly. As I left the high ceilinged, empty vestibule I stepped into another time. I sat on a wooden pew at the back as a priest offered mass in French for a handful of parishioners against a backdrop of stained-glass windows and gold covered images. The ornate ceiling drew my eyes upward. Images of white fluffy clouds, a light blue sky and accents of gold reminded me of lying on a grassy hillside and staring at the clouds floating overhead.

Lights reflected off a large empty cross and a golden image of Christ ascending to heaven, both overlaid with gold, at the front of the sanctuary. They stood in stark contrast to the low lighting at the back, the dark wooden pews and crimson padded kneeling ledges. I sat in quiet contemplation.

In my travel worn clothes and dusty feet I felt insignificant compared to the craftsmanship displayed in this two hundred plus year old basilica. Scripture verses flashed through my mind. In John 14: 6 Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus who died, rose again and ascended into heaven is the only way to God. I also remembered Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. In verse 24 he said “God is Spirit and his worshipers must worship in Spirit and in Truth.”

I gazed once more at the workmanship displayed all around me. I knew all of as human beings are God’s masterpieces. God does not require a fancy place for me to worship. He does not want empty religious rituals.

Ephesians 2: 8-10 (NIV) says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

I enjoyed the spectacular workmanship in Notre Dame even as my thoughts were drawn to God who created us. Verses from His Word reminded me of important truths. He just wants me to sit quietly before Him in awe, in worship and in praise. This keeps my life on track.  I took a moment to bow my head and pray that anyone who entered here would have their eyes and hearts drawn to God and know they are loved.

As I write this blog post, I ask myself if I remember, in the midst of life’s busyness, to pause for those moments of quiet reflection. What do those quiet reflections look like in your life?

Carol Harrison enjoys writing, family history, and reading and would love an old desk to sit

and reflect and write at but realizes those moments of quiet reflection can happen anywhere and at anytime.

Quinoa is a Quirky Word by Sharon Heagy

 

Quinoa is a nourishing grain from South America. One which the Incas nicknamed ‘chisiya mama’ – the mother of all grains. Quinoa (Keen-wah) is also a quirky word. Many folks have had trouble pronouncing it and spelling it, especially as this grain crept into the North American diet, on its way to becoming a staple for many.

The origin of the word comes from the Andean language of Quenchua. In the native language the word was kinuwa – pronounced keen-u-wah. As it became Anglicised the ‘u’ sound disappeared and led to the current pronunciation. Rather than adopt that spelling and language, someone thought it would be more clever to use the Spanish word quinoa instead. After all, English isn’t hard enough to learn.

As a phonetics era child, I wondered what quinn-oh-ah was when I first read it on a menu. Some knowledgeable soul took pity on me and pointed out that it was not quin-oh-ah but keen-wah. My face screwed up and I thought really? That’s weird. But I had learned a new word. I remembered a trick one of my grade schoolteachers taught us about spelling tough words and tucked away quin-oh-ah so I wouldn’t forget how to write it down.  She taught us how to spell Egypt by saying Egg-y-put. This fact is still in my overstuffed brain file of things I should delete to give my hard drive more space.  I still call Egypt Egg-y-put. Sigh.

Quinoa is a word that is tough to pronounce, just like some of the names in the Old Testament. Those names we start reading in a passage and kind of mumble over the endings. Many a person has suddenly become panic-stricken when they are asked to read a section of the Bible out loud. As they skim the names, letters swirling before their eyes, they mutter to themselves, ‘Oh, no! Why me?’  Names like Ashkenaz, Hazarmaveth and Ammishaddai don’t roll off the English tongue without a second look. It might have been the same in the New Testament if the names were in Hebrew. For instance, Matthew would be Matityahu, and John would be Yohannan.

Difficult names and words are to be avoided when we are writing for others. Nothing is more frustrating for some readers than having to stop continually and look up the pronunciation or the definition of words. Believe it or not, not everyone who reads has an absolute love of words. I know, I know, the horror! The sacrilege! But if we are writing to connect and inspire, to relay a message or tell a story, we need clarity and simplicity. A plot with as many twists and turns as the Assiniboine River still needs to flow and make sense, leading the reader forward.

Remember the thesaurus is your friend. In its pages we can find many substitutes for difficult words that will make a sentence go from ‘ugh’ to ‘ahh.’

Try reading your work aloud. When we do this it’s easier to find the hiccups and change the wording.

Most importantly, ask the Lord for guidance. Our God of order, clarity and detail will give you a word or phrase if you wait on Him. He can transform your words, the seed you sow, into ‘the mother of all grains.’ And when He brings showers of living water to your words, nothing will stop them from growing into a nourishing piece to encourage the soul and spirit of your readers.

 

Illusive Quietness by Steph Beth Nickel

In the busyness of life, how do you achieve quietness—physical quietness, emotional quietness, spiritual quietness?

Perhaps you have a regular routine for quieting your heart, mind, and soul. Or you may be like me, an extrovert who thrives on interacting with others, listening to podcasts, consuming audiobooks—until she doesn’t.

Adding quietness breaks to our daily schedule can do wonders for our mental and physical health.

As writers, we need to quiet our minds so we can think clearly and not allow the cacophony of mental noise to drown out our creativity, leaving us wondering how to get unstuck with our current writing project(s).

Below are a number of tips on how to capture that illusive quietness. Please note that those things that quiet our mind and body may also quiet our spirit and vice versa. Plus, I’ve just scratched the surface and look forward to reading how you attain peace, calm, and quiet as well.

Achieving Physical Quietness

There are two things that lead to physical quietness I’ve recently learned to appreciate. (They also lead to emotional and spiritual quietness. Bonus!) John Eldridge’s The One Minute Pause app and Emily P. Freeman’s The Quiet Collection app are such a blessing. Listening to these soothing recordings combined with closing my eyes and taking slow, deep breaths works wonders. As someone who often fills her days with the “noise” of conversation (IRL* and virtual), it’s like shifting from Fast Forward to Half Speed. (*In Real Life)

Achieving Emotional Quietness

There’s a reason they call it “doom scrolling.” If you find yourself being weighed down by what you read and/or listen to online, it’s likely time to set your phone aside. I’m not talking about becoming the proverbial ostrich with your head stuck in the sand, but unless you are specifically called to address a certain issue—and even if you are—it’s all too easy to become overwhelmed. If we allow this to happen, it’s highly likely we will become less effective in addressing issues rather than better equipped to do so. Long walks. Listening to your favourite music. Spending time with those who fill your emotional well. These and so many other things can lead to emotional quietness.

Achieving Spiritual Quietness

While prayer, the study of God’s Word, and soothing Christian music help us focus on the Lord and serve to quiet our spirt, the same is often true of taking a walk in creation—minus the headphones. You may even want to take your camera with you so you can capture scenes that serve to quiet your spirit as well as your mind and emotions.

How do you achieve illusive quietness in this day of go, go, go?

Quilting Thoughts from a Writer (or possibly, Writing Thoughts from a Quilter) by Joylene M Bailey

 

The first time I ever attended the Quilting Club in the village near my country home I had a bad attitude. My husband can attest to my grouchiness as I packed up my sewing machine, half-begun baby quilt, scissors, thread, rotary cutter, seam gauge, pin cushion, extra bobbins, etc, etc, etc.

"I have a perfectly wonderful sewing station at home! Why would I pack up all this gear and haul it to the village hall, to sew with a bunch of strangers, only to pack it up again in a few hours?!!"

In truth, my irritability was masking my jitters. I'm an introvert. I'm happy with solitary activities. I'd only made baby quilts up to that point. These quilters were practically professional ... probably. And what would they think of my meagre efforts?

When I arrived, I discovered that all of the quilters were regular people, who loved their craft. They welcomed me with no preconceived ideas or judgement. Over the next weeks and months, I learned how kind and gracious and fun they were, generous with their time and guidance. Each quilter was at a different level, from beginner to practically professional, and every week I learned something new.

Since that first day over a year ago, I've looked forward to Quilting Club every Wednesday. I'm learning so much. In fact, because of their inspiration and encouragement, I tackled my first full-sized quilt (above). It took me almost a year to complete - choosing the fabric, colours, and patterns; cutting hundreds and hundreds of 2-inch-square segments; piecing them together. It is now at a quilt shop being professionally quilted (which, if you're not familiar with quilting, is actually the process of sewing all three layers--quilt top, inside batting, and fabric backing--together to make the quilt).

This week I watched as my second adult-size quilt was quilted on the club's long-arm quilting machine by one of the members of the Quilting Club. Another day of learning. By the time summer rolls around I will have finished two more. That will make four finished full-size quilts in a year. If you had told me a year ago that I'd accomplish such a thing, I wouldn't have believed you. 

But there it is - the power of a group of encouraging and like-minded crafters. 

And another thing ... I feel like I can hold my head up now and own the title, Quilter. But the truth is I was a quilter before I even set foot in the village hall that day. I just have more knowledge and experience now. And I'll continue to learn and grow as I hone my craft.

*****

I was a writer before I set foot in my first writing conference. I was a writer eleven years ago when I called for like-minded people to join me in my home to form a writers' group. I was nervous, but when five strangers showed up at my door that first day, I discovered that we were all regular people who loved to write. We ranged from beginner to published author, and we wrote in almost every genre you can imagine. We learned from each other, encouraged each other, and kept one another accountable to our goals. We published a book of our short stories and poems. And we became wonderful friends.

My writing wouldn't be where it is today without this gifted group of people, plus the extraordinary gift of my accomplished Writing Buddy, with whom I check in several times a week, and who has also become a dear friend.

My writing has deepened and grown. I have more confidence in calling myself Writer. This is the power of encouraging and like-minded people.

Who are your people? Even we solitary, introverted, and sometimes grouchy crafters need others who love writing as much as we do.

~~~~~

Photo by Joy Bailey

Joy quilts and writes from her home in lake country Alberta, where the grass is finally turning green and her thoughts are turning to gardening. Although, whether or not she can call herself Gardener is yet to be determined. Find more of her joy-infused writing at her blog, Scraps of Joy.

Q is for Quotient, as In Emotional by Bob Jones

How is your EQ? 

All through my school years I was informed that IQ was the key to success. But then I learned about Emotional Quotient (EQ). The people who know about people say that EQ is more important than IQ when it comes to being successful.

 

I am a left-brain, conceptual kind of person. Logic and rational thinking come naturally. I’ve heard it said, “People won’t remember what you say, they will remember how you made them feel.” That’s all about EQ. By preference, I’m far more about choice of words and informing than inspiring. And I want to inspire. I wonder if using EQ is the difference between informing and inspiring in writing?

 

I coach myself to remember that the truth is, we’re driven by emotions. To write well, I need to understand people — their motivations, needs, hopes, fears, and dreams — and speak to them as the emotional, irrational beings we all are. I constantly need to remember that it’s OK to bring my whole self to the page, not just a few rational ideas. Could I ever be good at “people” and feelings? I hope so. 

 

 Logically, one of my writing goals for 2024 is to build my EQ.

 

9 Steps I Am Using to Build Emotional Intelligence

 

1. Take life seriously, but not taking myself seriously. If you take yourself seriously you will never fail because you won’t try anything new or hard or risky or controversial. And you will never succeed. I had to get used to having my motives and intelligence questioned, being misunderstood, and feeling like no one would ever ask me to write anything ever again.

 

2. Take a good hard look at addictions (we all have addictions: food, technology, thinking, alcohol, relationships, etc.) and considering how I use them to avoid feeling. My addiction is chips. Every kind of chip (except ketchup). Chips are my comfort food. I crave them when I need comfort and want to avoid feeling defeated or depressed.

 

3. Curiosity. Why do I act the way I do? What is driving me? Why do I have such a struggle with ending a sentence with the word “for”? All through school, we were informed that no intelligent writer would ever end a sentence with the word “for”. I am tempted to do it all the time. I feel lazy when I do because there must be a better grammatical way to end a sentence. And then I was set free by articles stating, “You can end a sentence with for.” Looks like ending a sentence with the word “for” is OK with everyday kind of people.

 

4. Seek to understand rather than judge. Believing that other people are doing the best they can (no matter how much you think the evidence screams otherwise) is the only way to live judgment free. You are doing the best you can, right? Same with others. And if their best is bad for you, there is no verse in God’s good Word that says you have to spend equal amounts of time with all people.

 

5. Have the courage to feel. Anger is a hard one for me. Not that I don’t get angry but that I don’t want others to see I am angry. Especially those who make me angry. And then I remember that no one can make me angry. Anger is a choice. Like rejoice. So saying, “I feel angry” rather than, “You made me angry” has been helpful for our marriage.

 

6. Slowing down. Really. S-L-O-W down. God’s pace is slow. Forty years in the wilderness and 2000 years since Jesus promised he was coming again soon.

 

7. Letting go of my ideas on how life should be and embracing how it actually is. I want there to be peace in Ukraine. I’ve been there, met new friends, little kids, and talented teens. I want them to live in freedom. I want to go back soon with my wife Jocelyn to introduce her to these wonderful people. But I have to be real and realize peace may be a long time coming.

 

8. Being vulnerable. Brené Brown is my champion of vulnerability. Her book, “Rising Strong” is my go to for vulnerability. She says, “Walking into our stories of hurt can feel dangerous.” I read her story about her addiction to alcohol. That was courageous to share. And she informed me how to live judgment free.

 

9. Giving up the irrational expectation that people and their actions should be logical and predictable. That's the only way not to die of disappointed when my brilliant ideas are found wanting by the people I am writing for.

 

How’s your EQ? How do you make use of it in your writing?

Sincerely, thank you for reading. And commenting.

 

Bob enjoys signing books for kids like Spider Mabel.

You can read weekly content from Bob on Ukraine and other interesting subjects at REVwords.com

Q is for Qualified by Susan Barclay

 Qualified

 

Right now, I don’t feel qualified

Qualified to write, yes

But unqualified for the place

You seem to be leading me

Out of my comfort zone

 

I sense a calling on my life

A calling out of solitary ways

A possibly public calling

One I’m not equipped for

Where You need to show up

 

It’s been said: God doesn’t call the qualified

He qualifies the called

He uses ordinary people, broken people

People just like me

And people just like you

 

I have to remind myself - you, too?

Moses felt inadequate

Gideon felt inadequate

Peter – brash as he was – felt inadequate

And God still used them, mightily

 

God invites us into His work

We can say no, resist, run away like Jonah

But I’d rather not find myself in the sea

Or in the belly of the whale

Better to say yes and trust

 

Trust God to show up

Trust God to equip

Trust God to qualify

To lead by a cloud or pillar of fire

To give me a voice and courage

 

Trust that God has a plan

That God has a purpose

That He is sovereign and good

That He will make me useful

And use me

 

Thank You, God, for Your wisdom

For Your Word and Your words

Thank You for ability as I yield myself to You

And that You qualify

Those whom You call

 

Where You lead, let me follow

 

c. Susan Barclay, 2024