The Writing Advice I Needed by Brenda Leyland

 

Photo by Ylanite Koppens from pexels.com

Hard-pressed to choose the one best piece of writing advice I've ever received, I finally gave up trying. Instead, I created this short list of sage words that inspired and shaped my early writing life. Each piece was the best at the time it came to me.

1. For the unsure writer...

Listen to the call within to write. If God has asked you to write, he has also equipped you with everything to get the job done. These words dropped into my heart as I sat listening to Kathleen Gibson during the 2002 Spring WorDshop—my first-ever InScribe event. I recently found them jotted in an old journal and remembered how I drank in the stories Kathleen shared of her own early writing experiences. I had already begun to sense stirrings in my own heart to write. I felt the tug. That's why I signed up for the event. Though for someone who'd never forgotten her aversion to essay writing in school, this almost yearning came as a considerable surprise to me in adulthood. At first I wondered, "Are you sure you're talking to the right person, dear Lord?" 

2. You don't need permission...

You have the right to write. Really? I didn't quite believe it. Surely I needed someone wiser to encourage me along this path. I always thought 'real' writers knew since they were five years old that they wanted to write. That certainly wasn't true in my case. I was glad, therefore, for two fine books I believe providentially crossed my path (the first was suggested to me by my husband's aunt) that addressed the issue: The Right to Write by Julia Cameron and If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland. Both books became well-thumbed staples in my own library. With many statements starred and underlined, and margins filled with notations, I soon considered the authors my writing mentors. Their words reached down from the bookshelf to steady the faltering steps of one timid, aspiring writer.

3. On giving up the habit to put it off...

Stop not writing. No one cares if you write or not, so you’d better. Sit down at your desk and keep your butt in the chair. Write one passage, conversation, and let yourself do it badly. Oh, I loved these words attributed to Anne Lamott (another cherished writing mentor). I loved the twist of that first sentence, the phrase 'stop not writing'. It made me sit up and take notice... made me listen to what she was saying.

4. On getting down the first draft...

Anne Lamott notes that almost all good writing begins with 'sh*tty first drafts'. And believes these dreadful first attempts are necessary to produce quality work. Her cheeky advice released me from the unrealistic tension to get it right the first time. I could, in fact, scribble down those barely formed first thoughts, finally understanding that the Editor/Critic peering over my shoulder should go wait her turn somewhere else. Author Jodie Picoult's sound advice made that clear to me: You can always edit a bad page but you can't edit a blank page.

5.  Creativity begets creativity...

"I learned . . . that inspiration does not come like a bolt, nor is it kinetic, energetic striving, but it comes into us slowly and quietly and all the time, though we must regularly and every day give it a little chance to start flowing, prime it with a little solitude and idleness." Brenda Ueland, If You Want to Write, p. 42-43

These words connected at some level and helped me to recognize that, through my own experiences as a young Sunday School teacher years earlier, I didn't have to work up the inspiration or rack my brain for ideas. The more I used my creative juices to make the lessons come alive for my students the more the creative ideas bubbled up. Creativity begets creativity. Use the idea you have and it will call forth the reserves for the next step. What a great reminder for my writing.

6. On establishing your work standard...

Aim to write your best work every time. Although I no longer recall who shared this advice, the words really struck a chord. And they still shape my writing to this day. Whenever I sit down to write I am compelled from within to give it my best effort. No 'sloughing off ' and no saying, well, this is just a blog post or a little article or there's no remuneration for this, so it doesn't really matter if I slapdash this together. No, no, no....

We've all been forewarned that whatever we send out into the world, particularly in cyberspace, is out there. Forever. Ever giving readers a glimpse of who we are and to Whom we belong. And me being a person who longs to reflect heaven's light and beauty in all I do and say, hoping to create little patches of heaven on earth in my corner of the world, this is specially true in my writing.

7. On giving yourself some slack...

Alongside #6 above, this is my own advice to myself: There will be days when I know it isn't my best work, but it's the best I have to give today. Life happens around us, and sometimes we don't have time or energy or we aren't skilled enough at this point to shape our work into something more polished—and sometimes we have deadlines to honour. Although I still don't want to be slipshod about anything I write, I know there will be days 'when good enough is good enough'. And on those days, when I can't quite find the best words to say it, I can at least spell them correctly and with proper grammar in place.

To wind up, here is one more bit of advice that gives me self-confidence to keep writing, whether or not someone leaves a comment (wink): "Confidence is knowing you [or your writing] are not everyone's cup of tea and being okay with it." as shared by @wiseconnector on X

Brenda writes from her desk by the window that overlooks her garden, the sky, and the birds. You can find her 'slice of life' writing on her blog It's (Still) A Beautiful Life. She is also on Facebook and Instagram (under Bren Leyland).

 

God’s Provision Through the Storm: A Christmas We Won’t Forget by Dana-Lyn Phillips

 

Please welcome Dana-Lyn Phillips as she joins us once again as our Guest Blogger.

We didn’t have much money when I was growing up. Although we never did without, there wasn’t a lot of extra for vacations. One year we decided to forgo Christmas presents and drive to Disney World for Christmas day.

We began the trek from Canada to Orlando on December 22, 1989. That same day, the eastern states got hit with a blizzard that impacted our entire route to Florida. Southern states that never see snow were not equipped to handle it. Driving became treacherous and hotels filled quickly with stranded travelers.

We made it to Georgia but at the hotel we, like Mary and Joseph, were told that there was no room at the Inn. In fact, we were advised to turn around and head back in the direction we came from because there were no available rooms any further south.

We reluctantly pulled back onto the highway, praying we would reach the destination safely, and there would still be available lodging. We thankfully got the last room in the area. It was a motel end unit, on the second floor, that had its carpet cleaned that day leaving it soaking wet and frozen under our feet.

Exhausted and anxious we crawled into bed fully clothed in an effort to stay warm. We contemplated whether we should go on in the morning or turn for home.

As daybreak came, the storm raged on. We couldn’t stay in our frigid room, and travelers further south were not leaving their hotel rooms, so we made a decision to head home.

We reached West Virginia and found a hotel tucked up on a mountain. It wasn’t large but had a lobby with a stone fireplace and a restaurant that served the most amazing hot apple fritters.

Christmas Eve day the storm continued so we decided to stay through Christmas. The only hotel guests consisted of my family and a stranded family from California. We quickly became friends and spent our days around the fireplace. Hotel staff got to know us and brought us leftovers from their family Christmas dinners.

For the first time, there were no presents to open on Christmas morning. There was also no Disney World. What we did have though was God’s provision. God had provided safety as we traveled the roads, a warm place to stay, new friendships, a home cooked meal, the kindness of strangers, the beauty of His creation in the mountains, and memories to last a lifetime.

Scripture reminds us of the countless times God has provided for His people through land, food, shelter, children and protection but God’s most precious provision was Jesus. That’s what makes the Christmas season so special. We can remember and celebrate the birth of a baby born to a faithful teenager and arriving in the most humble of conditions. This baby is the Savior of the world. God provided Jesus to pay for your sins and mine. There’s no greater gift.

“He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all,

how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.”

(Romans 8:32 KJV)

What I learned in 1989 is that Christmas is not about presents but about presence. The presence of God, the presence of family and the presence of strangers.

God is good to always give us the gifts we need - not necessarily the gifts we want. I’d like to encourage you this season that when it seems as though your whole plan may be falling apart, embrace it. It may just be the gift you didn’t know you needed.

Dana-Lyn is a wife, and mother to teenage boys as well as a 14 year old cava-poo named Hockley. She is passionate about encouraging Christian women in their faith and is stepping into her mid-life "calling" as a writer. Her happy place consists of a comfy chair, a great book, a hot cup of coffee and a chocolate…or three! You can read more of her work at https://plansfargreater.substack.com

When You Hear That Negative Voice: Guest Post by Peggianne Wright

 

Please welcome Peggianne Wright as she joins us today as our Guest Blogger.

 

My heart flutters at an almost immeasurable speed, my stomach does summersaults and is tied in knots all at the same time, my fingers tremble as they hover over the keyboard. There's a voice inside my head taunting me with a maniacal laugh saying, "Who do you think you are?".

Imposter syndrome.

We've all, at one point or another in our writing careers, suffered the anguish and self-doubt inspired by listening to the wrong voice in our minds. Allowing space for the negativity to creep in and grow. It's always been a mystery to me why, in our human nature, we're more apt to believe the negative than the positive? 

As a writer hovering somewhere between advanced beginner and competent, I find I am in need of learning and relearning the habits required to push self-doubt and overthinking out of my head. And, in the process of doing this, avoid the temptation of sinful pride. Whew, that sure can be a fine line. 

Scripture tells us that God created each of us for our unique purpose (Jeremiah 29:11) and He alone is in control (Job 42:2). If we endeavour to fill our minds with the right thoughts, the words flowing from our pens and keyboards will not be ours to claim, but the Father's, who has given us the manuscript. It is then, that we can beat down and smother that negative voice, knowing that our work is God-inspired and His to give credit.

Preparation to Propel the Enemy

Just as an athlete must prepare for a competition by stretching or a musician by tuning their instrument, so too should we as scribes do some pre-writing conditioning. Create a routine that includes the following steps and practice it before (or after, or during) each and every writing session. 

Prayer is more powerful than most of us realize. So, even before we open our laptop or pick up that ballpoint, let us stop and give thanks for our God-given talent. Ask God for His direction and pray that whatever writing we're about to do be of His will. Pray that what we're about to write honours Him and points our readers to Him. On my glass desktop I have written, directly beside my laptop, in bold block letters with erasable white marker "PRAY FIRST".

We must allow our faith and the Holy Spirit to guide us. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans" (Romans 8:26 NIV). Always remember that the Father wants us to be successful in whatever we do and faithfully guides us if we're listening closely. The Apostle Paul counselled his congregation, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." (Romans 15:13 NIV), reminding them (and us) that in all we do, we will be guided on our path by the Holy Spirit.

Bless others always. Fellow scribes are all experiencing the same feelings. We must take time to keep each other in our prayers as well. Just as the military needs to "have each others' backs", so too must we, as members of God's army, support each other. "Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, to build him up." (Romans 15:2 NIV)

We are all authentically original. So, in those times when that nasty voice murmurs those taunts, I have learned to immediately stop and call on the Lord for His intervention. After all, He alone has led me on my writing journey and I call it an honour, privilege, and duty to point others to Him through my craft. 

"But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you." (2 Timothy 3:14 NLT) 

                                       

About the writer: Peggianne Wright is a published author and is the founder of the pet parent ministry Paws To Pray, blending her passion for the Lord and all-things-K9 to form this unique, faith-based community. Peggianne is an ardent Bible study student, devoted dog mom, wife of 44 years, and lover of music. Her blogs Spiritual Scribbles and Fur-Kid Fanatics can be found on her website www.PawsToPray.ca and you can follow her on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PawsToPray/ and on IG @Sister_In_Prayer.

Encouragement Comes Full Circle by Dana-Lyn Phillips

 

Please welcome Dana-Lyn Phillips as our Guest Blogger.

After unexpectedly losing my job of nine-plus years, I decided to take some time to be intentional about seeking God’s direction for my life. Finding my purpose had been something I had struggled with for many years. Although I enjoyed my job, I always had this feeling of wanting something more…something ‘Kingdom Focused’ if you know what I mean.

After recruiting some wonderful prayer warriors to pray on my behalf, I intentionally spent a few weeks with God. God never disappoints. When I sought Him wholeheartedly, He showed up in big ways. Slowly and gently He began to reveal His plan for me. He knew I needed time to warm up to the idea. As time passed, God used multiple opportunities to speak to me and to direct me in the next steps. The problem was that I was sure I must be misunderstanding Him. He couldn’t really be asking me to do what I thought He was. As it turns out, God was encouraging me to write.

For those who don’t know me, I have to tell you how foreign this writing idea was. I have never written anything in my life other than a required school paper and an annual family Christmas letter. I have never dabbled with stories or journaling. I didn’t have a blog (nor had I ever read one), and I was not on any social media platforms. I’m also middle-aged and definitely do not have the technology equivalent of a gardener’s green thumb when it comes to computers.

Although I questioned where God was leading me, I tried for once in my life to give up control and decided to just trust, and follow. Eventually the plan became clear, and I was convinced that God was asking me to write for the purpose of encouraging Christian women in their faith.

I didn’t know where to start, or what I was doing, but I decided to jump into the deep end. I ended up creating a space on Substack where I would write to fulfill His plan for me. I named my newsletter “Plans Far Greater” because God’s plans for me are always far greater than the plans I have for myself. Substack has become a wonderful home for my writing, and the support has been amazing. I am surrounded by Christian writers who have encouraged and helped me all along the way. At the time I am writing this I have completed the writing of 13 posts on Substack and have been enjoying every minute of it. I have also written guest post submissions for a few other devotional publications. No word yet on whether or not they will be accepted.

I have always had a heart to encourage others, and this now allows me the opportunity to encourage people with God’s words, not mine. I always pray for help when crafting posts knowing that He knows who will read each post, when, and what they may need to hear.

I have been grateful for the encouragement of so many others. There are wonderfully talented writers who have been doing this for much longer, and I appreciate it when they offer me feedback and encouragement.

God encouraged me to write, and now I write to encourage others. The past few months have definitely been an adventure but one that I have been thrilled to be on. I invite you to check out my writing at https://plansfargreater.substack.com I welcome constructive criticism as well as words of encouragement.

If you are searching for your purpose in life like I was, I encourage you not to give up. It’s never too late. You aren’t here by accident; you have been created for a purpose. Don’t get discouraged but continue to pray for God’s direction in your life. Then, when He reveals it to you, don't be too scared to say “Yes”!

Dana-Lyn is a wife, and mother to teenage boys as well as a 14 year old cava-poo named Hockley. She is passionate about encouraging Christian women in their faith and is stepping into her mid-life "calling" as a writer. Her happy place consists of a comfy chair, a great book, a hot cup of coffee and a chocolate…or three! You can read more of her work at https://plansfargreater.substack.com

Drawn or Driven by Pattie Janzen

Please welcome Pattie Janzen as she joins us

once again as our Guest Blogger.

I was recently reading something in which the author, a friend of mine, expressed how she’d been gently drawn toward Christ many times. After reading her beautiful examples of this, I may have even verbalized my thought: 'You get drawn in; I get driven.' I couldn’t help thinking about the times God’s knocked me off my feet to get my attention.

One of the biggest examples of this happened 25 years ago. I rode on a rollercoaster one too many times and ended up springing a leak in my cerebrospinal fluid. This fluid circulates around the brain and spine and a perfect balance of this is important for our equilibrium, among other things. Unaware of what had happened, and after running around for days with an atrocious headache, my brain swelled and I ended up with a mild brain injury. In reality, I couldn’t fulfill my duties as a registered nurse for 18 months. Why? Because I couldn’t concentrate, read, watch TV, or even speak correctly for the majority of that time. The only treatment included a few medications that didn’t work, and lying flat in hopes that the leak would eventually seal. I’d been quite literally knocked off my feet.

Interestingly, the day before that happened, I’d prayed for something to change in my increasingly stressful life. God certainly came through with a resounding, “Yes! I’ll help!” It wasn’t in a way I expected, but He designed it perfectly, to prepare me for the two things that came next—one more immediately, and one a few years later.

Through exercises to regain my concentration, the beginning of my writing journey began with a weekly humour column, which I still write today. But that isn’t what I’ll expand on here. From early on, my husband and I had been concerned with our son’s lack of reading and writing skills. We spent many hours reading with him, only to see very little, if any, progress. His printing and attempts at writing also lacked form and structure, with no spaces visible between the words he struggled to pen. He was in grade 3 when a teacher finally admitted that he was having issues.

It would take reams of words to explain all the specialist appointments and tests we attended over the next few years. The result was always the same: Something’s wrong, but we don’t know what.

At some point, a psychologist suggested we ask our son what he saw when he was reading. I went home that very day, pulled a typed letter out of our mailbox, and placed it in front of him. My first request was that he point to the spaces between the words. He couldn’t. Then, I asked him to read me a few sentences before I stopped him and finally queried what the words looked like. “You mean the letters?” he answered. “Sure,” I said nervously. “You know, Mom,” he shrugged. “The letters move.” In my confusion, I’m sure I squeaked out something like, “What?” He smiled up at me then, as if it would be obvious since I knew how to read. “They jump up at me,” was his pleasant response.

In the moments that followed, all I could think was that this had been his normal. For all those years of sounding out the letters that made words, they’d been moving in front of his eyes. The whole time. Besides the guilt that poured through me for insisting he write and rewrite his many illegible assignments, all I could think was, 'How in the world has he been able to read or write anything? How could he concentrate at all?'

I quickly remembered how I’d had to retrain my brain to read, write, speak, and concentrate only a few years before. Since he was struggling even more in school, it quickly became clear that there was only one option to help our son best. Over the next three years, I homeschooled that sweet boy. I won’t say it all went smoothly, but at least God had given me a personal glimpse into what it was like to walk in my son’s shoes.

Sometimes God’s grace shows up in the strangest ways. It may even literally knock us off our feet. Although unpleasant at the time, now, when I’m travelling through the tougher stuff, I can’t help but wonder what God is preparing me for. Maybe I’ll need what I’m learning through my present pain, to help someone else. It might even be as simple as writing about it, to touch someone else’s heart.

As God’s children, there will certainly be times when He’ll more gently draw us to Himself. But sometimes, if you’re like me, you may occasionally require a more drastic approach—more like being driven toward Him. Either way, isn’t it encouraging to know that God never wastes our pain? He is incredibly good, whether we’re being drawn or driven.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB1995)

______________ 

Note: Today, we know our son’s condition is termed dysgraphia. It is a lifelong neurological condition and learning difference in which a person has difficulty writing at their age level. They may or may not have trouble translating thought into written words. (No wonder he aced those verbal exams!) There is no cure. Treatment focuses on management through interventions, accommodations, and exercises.

(Top) Image from Pixabay

PD Janzen (Pattie) is a published humour columnist, author of five emotion-filled Christian fiction novels, and an inspirational speaker. She’s married to Brian and they reside for half the year in Martensville, SK, and the other half at Good Spirit Lake Bible Camp, where they enjoy helping out all summer. They have three grown children and soon-to-be 14 grandkids. Pattie enjoys sharing encouragement and insights of God’s healing love through her blog at: pdjanzen.com

R’s—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle by Adriana Marella-Wolfe

Adriana Marella-Wolfe, a new member to InScribe, joins us once again as our Guest Blogger on InScribe Writers Online.

"This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, "Write in a book

all the words I have spoken to you." Jeremiah 30:2 (NIV)

The three R's—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle—are October’s blog prompt. Below are hints I use for my writing that are written out as a prayer. Enjoy.

“Heavenly Father, how do I reduce my writing? I am an over-writer. It’s true I admit it.”

Checklist #1

- Remove all the “that, just” and so on from “the list of unnecessary words in writing". Here are a couple of lists that I refer to: 43 Words You Should Cut From Your Writing Immediately by Diane Urban and 298 Useless Filler Words That Rob Your Writing of Its Power by Smartblogger.com

- An on-line copyeditor course “The Keys to Effective Editing” Southeast College in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada, has given me great guidelines.

- Marie Powell’s editing workshop. Count the total number of words in a paragraph. Divide it by two. The result is crossing out the unneeded words.

- Acronyms. Using acronyms helps me to shorten my ideas or give me direction. For example, r- reduce. My tangled web disappears.

- Discard repeated words like “said”. Use more action verbs.

- Use the five senses and intuition. Go with the gut.

- Reduce to three opinions for each character in dialogue: positive, negative, and neutral/undecided.

“Lord Jesus, my teacher, how do I reuse? I am a pack rat.”

Checklist #2

- Reuse patterns with my dual time lines. Consider locations and dates.

- Edit. Watch for spelling, grammar, tenses. That's my task as a copyeditor.

- Have empathy for your characters. Dialogue helps me to interact with them. I act it out.

- Reusing tones helps to generate arcs - rising, falling, and healing.

- Press "Save As" and then print a hard copy. When our computer broke down, I did not have a backup or printed copy. I lost everything. Now with my new computer, I save as and print a hard copy.

- Double check with a short list. On the side of my work, I write down the five senses and intuition: who, what, when, where, why, and how. I place a check mark or X beside each one after I look to see if I have inserted them.

- Yes, I am a pack rat. I have copies of my first draft ever. Travel pieces are a keepsake for me. I reuse places, times, and events.

- Headers/Footers. Here is a short video: How to Create Reusable Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word (on YouTube) by Erin Wright Writing.

“Holy Spirit, my advocate. How do I recycle my writing? “Yuck, who writes this? Oh yeah, it’s me.”

Checklist #3

- Keep all notes and old inserts. I may not use them, but I can recreate new scenes.

- My journals. Write past or present travel stories using location and dates. Check out these links: Journaling, slow living, and the analog life and 30 Inspiring September Journal Prompts (+ Ideas)

- Recycle emotions. Check out: The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Character Expression by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi.

- Phrases for giving constructive criticism. Check out this article by Zip Recruiter: 11 Constructive Criticism Writing Examples to Produce Results

- Use writing prompts. For example, write your life story in five sentences.

- Use action verbs. As a teacher, in my lesson plans I could not use “learn” as a verb. It must show movement, i.e., "The student sketches, using charcoal sticks, of their favorite fruit."

- Dialogue can be reinvented.

- Flashbacks are scenes of trauma. They are more than a memory. They can be emotional and/or physical sensations. They can be a sign of recovery. Check out the short article Experiencing Flashback by www.cisters.org.uk

Thank you for your guidance. Amen.

Adriana Marella-Wolfe is a retired teacher, wife, and mom living in Regina, most of her life. Adriana has a Bachelor of Education Degree, University of Regina, Laity - Archdiocese of Regina and People of the Archangel Publications - home-based business as a self-publisher, copyeditor, author with craft/trade shows. Historical/contemporary fiction, poetry and spiritual stories are published in anthologies, newspapers, and magazines. Adriana loves to travel, write, read, knit, and crochet.

Shine Your Light by Pattie Janzen

Please welcome InScribe member Pattie Janzen as our Guest Blogger today on InScribe Writers Online.

There has been so much strife in the last few weeks, and, as I’m sure many of you have, I’ve felt a weight on my heart. From Iryna Zarulska’s senseless stabbing, to the horrific shootings and assaults happening inside schools and homes, Charlie Kirk's assassination, and a woman shot closer to home—I’m beyond saddened by the condition of our world.

I’ve spent more time praying—not only for the families who are grieving through their personal devastations—but for the people who are living with a level of hatred so harsh that they commit these sorts of acts. If that wasn’t enough, the comments all over social media that applaud these crimes are appalling.

Our enemy preys on hearts and minds, and sometimes it appears as though the darkness is winning, but it’s important to remind ourselves that it’s not! Our fight is, indeed, with principalities and powers, but no matter how frustrated and angry, anxious and worried we might feel, we are not to hate others. Although we may disagree, we must not give room to hatred. Hate the sin—yes—but never the soul. So many souls in our world are in pain—confused and angered. But we know the truth about the deep love of God, who sent His Son to die so that we may be forgiven and set free! He is the power within us, and He makes it possible for us to authentically love one another.

In this world of chaos, we need to remind ourselves that we are the salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:10-16). If we light a candle in the day time, that small bit of flame is hardly noticed. But as the daylight wanes and the darkness creeps in, the fire from one candle can change everything. As our world grows darker, it’s even more important that our lights shine brightly! As believers in Jesus Christ, we are the light in this world. (Matthew 5:14 starts with: “You are the light of the world …”.)

Another verse I find most encouraging for days such as these: “… greater is He that is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4b NASB 1995).

How powerful, and uplifting! If we belong to Him, God is with us and He is GOOD! We have nothing to fear.

I know I’m a very small voice in a sea of people much wiser than I, but this I know as an absolute: I am God’s daughter, and I love Jesus! I’m not perfect or better than anyone else. I’m certainly not sinless, and I’ve acted the hypocrite often, but I have been forgiven by the love of the one and only crucified Saviour! And I will praise Him forever!

God BLESS us all as we write boldly for HIM!

(Top) Image by Pexels on Pixabay

PD Janzen (Pattie) is a published humour columnist, author of five emotion-filled Christian fiction novels, and an inspirational speaker. She’s married to Brian and they reside for half the year in Martensville, SK, and the other half at Good Spirit Lake Bible Camp, where they enjoy helping out all summer. They have three grown children and soon-to-be 14 grandkids. Pattie enjoys sharing encouragement and insights of God’s healing love through her blog at: pdjanzen.com

One Unfinished Project: Starting Again by Brenda Leyland

"To do it, you have to do it."

Susan Branch

 

There's nothing quite so daunting as picking up an old unfinished project. The word 'unfinished' gives our inner gut an unsettled feeling. And staring at a listless dog-eared pile (paper or digital) certainly doesn't encourage any kind of inspiration. If you've ever left a craft project undone, like counted cross-stitch, you'll know what I mean. You reach in the bag to find a jumble of supplies of thread and yarn (you're certain you never left it in such a state). First you peer with squinty eyes at the pattern to figure out where you left off, then you try to locate the exact spot on your half-stitched canvas where to ply the needle. It's doable. Just starting is half the battle.

We all know it's no easier for writers to pull out an old project with its various drafts and piles of tattered notes. Even if we might still have a desire to finish it, we've probably lost that first flush of excitement. In our mind's eye, it's old hat. As my dear friend's daughter Karla said, "[We] have to be reinspired to see the old content in a new and fresh way".

I need to be reinspired for a certain project that comes to mind.

In my last post HERE I mentioned a memoir that had percolated in my heart for numerous years before I started it the autumn of 2013. I had read Lisa Dale Norton's memoir writing book Shimmering Images, contacted her in California and signed up to take her memoir writing course. I learned a lot. Looking back, what I should have done at that point was to take advantage of her editorial services and further instruction. But I unwisely thought I could do it myself (resources being at a premium at the time). I spent 30 days gathering the memories and writing them down, also doing research from old journals. I had around 40,000 words. In May 2014, I went on a writers' retreat to work on it and received encouraging support from other writers. On my own, indecision, still unclear of what all I would include, and never settling on how to proceed got me tangled up (like those yarns and threads I mentioned earlier). I worked away on it here and there but having never undertaken such a large writing project—I was a blogger at heart—it all felt too big.

Until 2018, at which point Joy Bailey and I joined forces and became writing buddies. We were going to help each other get our writing projects done. We used as our how-to manual the book by Cary Tennis and Danelle Morton Finishing School: The Happy Ending to That Writing Project You Can't Seem to Get Done. Work plans were made; due dates were scheduled. We agreed to check in with each other once a week. Reviewing each other's work wasn't part of the plan, it was just to have some accountability to one another. Oh, and we'd send text 'pings!' when we started each day's work. We were on a roll. We met our writing goals. We were making progress. In this new restart, by this time I had mulled enough on my memoir that I had a clear idea of where I was going with it. I had chapter outlines, and several chapters had good drafts now done. It should have been clear sailing, right?

Then other things crowded in, those life events that happen to many of us; plans got railroaded. Joy and I still made weekly goals, but they grew smaller as we tried to fit our writing around all the other needful things going on. Things like health issues for ourselves and for family members, moving and building a new home for one of us, living through a global pandemic, family emergencies. Sometimes all the energy we had on check in day was to say, we got little done, but we're still here, hoping for better writing days ahead.

By this time it's 2022 and the project was on a slow burn to fizzling out. The desire to keep working faded. Maybe it had disappeared into the pandemic ether. Although the lockdowns and different life patterns during this time inspired many people to create new work, I was not one of them. Inspiration was near zero, as was the sense of urgency to get written what had lived bright in my heart for nearly a decade. Whose idea was this, I never really wanted to write a book, did I? I finally admitted to Joy this last spring that maybe the season to write this memoir had passed, and I didn't know if I wanted to start again.

But God... (as Connie Inglis has been known to say).

Fast forward to August 2025. Our blog's writing prompt happened to be about the seasons of life and writing. I hadn't planned to write a guest post for it, but I felt drawn to consider doing so (it's the one I mentioned earlier HERE). Publishing the post and receiving kindly feedback from readers, I have been feeling a rising interest...with gentle tugs at my heart to revisit this stalled project. This will make it the third or fourth restart since my first attempt. As autumn surges in on the refreshing breezes, it comes with a sense of hopefulness that maybe I can start again... again. I chatted with Joy to see if she'd be up for reconvening Finishing School. Yes, she was feeling a similar resurgence of zeal. Perhaps the pair of us joining forces once again, facing the 'elements' together, we'll achieve our goal of projects finished. We pulled out the Finishing School book to refresh our minds on how to proceed.

Now, I'm asking the good Lord to reinspire us, as Karla had suggested was needed. And to give us a fresh vision on how to go forward in this current season of our lives. You see, Karla after reading my last post said she knows people who would be encouraged by my story... should I feel His urging to start again. 

This time next year, perhaps someone here will ask, "Did you finish that memoir you were working on last September?" I would like to respond, "Yes, I did!" And, maybe, even hand them my book. Fingers crossed.

(Top) Photo credit: Image by Mark from Pixabay

Brenda has been a longtime member of InScribe and is glad for this company of writers with whom she can share the writing journey. At the present time, she guest blogs here and writes regularly on her own blog It's A Beautiful Life. She can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky.

 

The Season for Gathering Memories by Brenda Leyland

Everything has seasons, and we have to

be able to recognize when something's time has

passed and be able to move into the next season.

Henry Cloud

found on BrainyQuote.com

Little did I realize that I had been waiting for the season when I'd turn 60. Having reached this stage (successfully finishing 60 trips around the sun), I had some inner sense of having 'made it'. I'd come safely and reasonably happy through my childhood, young adulthood, and now middle age—and all that went with these various stages of life. It had been—and still is—a good life.

At the outset of this new decade, there were lots of things I didn't have to do anymore. By this time, I'd now lived the major portion of my life. I was no longer setting down roots for my future or laying foundational blocks, learning how to live the life God had given me or trying to carve out a lifestyle based on my situation, passions, and needs. But as a bit of a late bloomer—not having married until I was forty-one and never having dreamed of being a writer until I was older—I was well into my forties when I attended my first InScribe event around 2002. As the desire to write grew, I knew I wanted to write about life from my corner of the world, using my own life experiences as fodder. Somehow I came to recognize that I had had to live my longish life before I could write about it. I needed time and distance to see how God’s faithfulness, loving guidance, and grace had umbrella-ed everything that had ever happened to me. When I approached 60, it signaled something on the inside that this was the time the writer in me had been waiting for, and the season would start with a lot of rearview mirror gazing and gathering in the memories. 

I began curating my personal history, organizing the motley collection of photo albums, journals, yearbooks, scrapbooks, and multitudinous touchstone keepsakes. It was the season of gathering the fruit—stories, experiences, lessons—of my life. And putting some order to it. Based on the advice from Natalie Goldberg, or was it Julia Cameron, I created ten-year increments of 'Just the Facts' timelines, of my life from birth to present day. From there, I took the barebone facts and began creating a more detailed narrative timeline. A lifetime in a timeline. I felt so organized and orderly (smile). 

It was a such a satisfying season. Some things got wrapped up, some got sorted. Other situations remained shrouded in mystery and no answers to the whys of life but it was okay to let it be. Some things were dusted off as I paid close attention to which memories shimmered and begged to be told. Quite often bits and pieces of this material worked its way into essays for blog posts and anthologies. I self-published a magazine through Blurb that housed my simple but cherished childhood Christmas memories. Which made lovely Christmas presents one year and I was amazed at how much interest it garnered in sales from strangers.

From the start, I wanted to write about my lost dream to marry and become a mom early in life. My twenties disappeared as did my thirties; I was still single and earning my own way in an unchosen but good career for years. It wasn't the plan at all. It would be years before I'd meet my partner. I even thought about a working title for this memoir "The Journey Between a Prayer and a Proposal: Twenty Years of Waiting... and Living". I never realized until I started looking back that I'd been composing possible chapters in my head for years, ever rehearsing those touchstone experiences till they were etched in my heart of how I had learned to let go of my expectations and invite God to show me how to create his beautiful life for me. I had lived the story for years; the time had come to get it down on paper. I took a memoir writing course with Lisa Dale Norton and loved her book Shimmering Images on the topic. The first draft got done, but I never quite got up the courage, and energy, to push through and finish it. It's still a work in progress.

Turning another corner

That was several years ago now. The gathering season ended. The pressing need to collect those memories and record them was over. I just came across a line I'd jotted in my journal in 2023 which summed up my feelings at this time: "I don't want to keep living my old memories - I want to make new ones." My soul was longing to once again start looking forward and make some new memories. Some people use their retirement years to travel. I have traveled some, and I enjoy going away on holidays. Truth is, I'm really a homebody, where I'm happy in the heart of my home, near my writing desk, computer, and windows overlooking the garden. Where I can read books stacked up on shelves. And spend time with family and friends. Stay in wonderment and curiosity as I wander, wait, listen, pray.

I still want to share my life through writing... whether it's on my blog (my favourite place to write for these past 17 years), curating some of my favourite essays into small book collections, or finishing a memoir or two. I have known God's faithfulness and great grace through every stage of my life, including my writing life. Now as I edge toward my 'elder' years, a line from a song* Sandi Somers mentioned in her latest post seems such a lovely reminder: "In ev'ry change He faithful will remain". Amen.

_______________________________

Top Photo credit: Image by CongerDesign from Pixabay
*Be Still My Soul

Brenda is living her beautiful life in slower mode, having time to watch the world go by, sit in her comfy spot by the bay window, read, walk, watch the birds and clouds and flowers grow. And she enjoys writing on her blog It's A Beautiful Life and here on InScribe. She can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky.

 

 

Exploring a New Writing Direction by Adriana Marella-Wolfe

 

Please welcome InScribe member Adriana Marella-Wolfe today as our Guest Blogger on InScribe Writers Online.

How do I explore in a new direction with split themes or dual timelines? A split time novel must have multiple storylines in more than one time period. I am trying two time periods since I am a beginner. Dual timelines can be linear that bridges two time periods which bridges time and space.

Past publications in historical/contemporary fiction, poetry, and spiritual stories lead me to the next level. I am a late bloomer in writing. My spiritual fiction, Mystia, has been on pause. Plans to revive it are in the works. Resources navigate my path.

What have I done so far? I have self-published two spiritual books: A Time for God and A Time for Prayer; anthologies with Wascana Writers; newspaper articles in The Leader Post, Regina Sun, and North Battleford Optimist; magazine articles such as "Sisters of Charity" in FellowScript, Wascana Writers (freelance), and Saskatchewan Writers' Guild. My vision expands to a place where God uses my characters and me as instruments to connect with the reader.

What do I think will work for me? With my research at the Sherwood Village Library, the librarian finds two resources. First, one book online which I ordered—A Split in Time: How to Write Dual Timeline, Split Time, and Time-Slip Fiction by Melanie Dobson and Morgan Tarpley Smith, 2020. Three specific styles: staccato, sandwich, or sectional are recommendations. To me, staccato style is snapshots. Sandwich style is two in the present and one in the past, or the other way. Sectionals are the long version. My first attempt uses staccato and sectional. I will try staccato to refresh and add suspense. It helps me steer dual timelines.

With this resource, chapters are aligned with an ABA pattern. Present to past to present is my first try. I will weave them together. I need to reedit again to make it come alive for the reader.

The second resource from the library is The Memory House by Rachel Hauck, 2019. A split time theme and romance patterned contemporary, then historical. This book is on the way.

My InScribe writing group, with Sharon Hamilton and Sharon Heagy, aid me to identify where my spiritual fiction fits. Sharon Hamilton describes my work for Early Readers ages 5-10. She sent me to Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP). These resources have rebalanced my writing and business with positive critiques.

Illustrations are my next task. Choices are black or white, colourized, both, or none. At the conference, a cover illustration will sell a book in three seconds. I need the help of an illustrator, hopefully MaryAnn Ward to visualize my novel.

How do I incorporate business in writing? My home-based business, People of the Archangel Publications, is where I self-publish, copyedit, retreats/workshops, and author with craft/trade shows. I implement my tools into rural and urban areas booked by the librarian with the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild. God Moments is one of them by contract work.

People need to feed the spiritual side. My priest hires me to do a spiritual retreat, “From the Desert to the Promised Land” is another one of them. Biblical growth heals the wounds.

 
Social media and advertising are avenues to explore. Using the internet is new to me, since I am a people person. Instagram is the venue I use to keep track of views, followers, and promote my business. Advertisements through parish bulletins, word of mouth, and craft/trade shows are icebreakers for me. CANSCAIP was a godsend for me. I met other authors in the same field. It helped me with marketing ideas and writing a formula/synopsis for my spiritual fiction. I did not meet anyone who writes with dual timelines.

My adventure through the craft and business of writing is a teeter-totter. I will pray to God for the words to be an instrument to readers.

Adriana Marella-Wolfe is a retired teacher, wife, and mom living in Regina, most of her life. Adriana has a Bachelor of Education Degree, University of Regina, Laity - Archdiocese of Regina and People of the Archangel Publications - home-based business as a self-publisher, copyeditor, author with craft/trade shows. Historical/contemporary fiction, poetry and spiritual stories are published in anthologies, newspapers, and magazines. Adriana loves to travel, write, read, knit, and crochet.

Books and Life Long Learning by Colleen van Nieuwkerk

Today we are pleased to welcome Colleen van Nieuwkerk as our Guest Blogger. We hope you will enjoy reading how books have been her lifelong companions.

Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. There is hardly a day that goes by where I do not read something.

Reading was a pastime encouraged by my mother as she instilled a love for reading into me and my four siblings. She read a lot herself, she sometimes read to us, and we received many books as gifts from our parents as well as from our grandmother who owned a Bible Book Store which she ran from her enclosed front porch. There were many treasures found there!

I remember the first time I went to the public library. I was amazed. So many books from which to choose—The Trixie Belden series, The Bobbsey Twins, and Joy Spartan of Parsonage Hill. Grace Livingston Hill was a well-loved author I read as a teen. Required reading at school did not seem to be a chore to me. I have always loved to study.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre. I am the family archivist and reading historical fiction has helped me to understand what our families walked through as they emigrated from Europe to the United States and then into Canada. My husband’s parents lived through WW2 in Holland and emigrated to Canada.

Some fiction authors I enjoy are Brock and Bodie Thoene, Lauraine Snelling, Lynn Austin, Jane Kirkpatrick, Jan Karon, and Francine Rivers as well as many others.

A slower pace these days has not diminished the life-long desire for learning that was developed through reading and studying over many years. As I served in full-time vocational ministry in our church for twenty-three years, I chose to create a plan that would round out my reading and allow me to grow in many areas. In the beginning, about thirty years ago, I began to read in four separate areas, often writing notes and recording quotes:

1. Theology—Bible reading and study as well as authors such as Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Ann Voskamp, Elisabeth Elliot, and Beth Moore.

2. Womanhood—We can always grow as women, even as our age and stages of life change. I read authors such as Sally Clarkson, Jean Fleming, and Anne Ortlund. These authors and others have influenced me in growing into the person I desire to become. Many of these authors write in all these categories and I have collected many of their books in different genres.

3. Children and Ministry to Children—Authors such as Edith Schaeffer, Tedd Tripp, and Jani Ortlund, as well as many curriculum developers influenced my philosophy of ministry to children and helped me to parent our children.

4. Leadership and Ministry—Authors such as Kevin Leman, Oswald Sanders, Michael Hyatt, and Gordon and Gail MacDonald have all had an impact on my life. Since retirement, I no longer read in the areas of Children’s Ministry or Leadership, but I do continue to read about womanhood for my own personal growth, and also as an author who leads as I write and teach curriculum for women. Theology is still on my reading list. I have recently added two new areas of reading in these genres:

5. Grief and Loss—I became a widow five years ago, and have read excellent books by Jerry Sittser, Clarissa Moll, Lisa Appelo, Elisabeth Elliot, and Mark Vroegop who have helped me to learn to allow joy and sorrow to reside side by side deep in my soul. These books were hard reading and yet became so precious to me as I read good and practical advice.

6. Writing—I love to read Memoirs, Biographies, and books about how to grow as a writer. This is an area where I need more study.

Book clubs have never really interested me, except where I have gathered women in a church setting to read and study both the Bible and godly authors who help all of us to grow in our faith.

The ministry that I lead, Heart2Heart: Strength and Dignity, was influenced by reading books about intentionality and legacy. God used these topics to enlarge my writing as ideas for life and ministry alongside women became a new focus for me. I look back over these past ten years, as I have written and taught this course, and am amazed at how books we read can change us forever. Legacy becomes the opportunity we gain to encourage others who are on the journey behind us as we continue to learn ourselves from those who are ahead of us—this is lifelong learning!

Thank you for the opportunity to share my love of reading and studying with you all. I enjoyed reading your posts and now have some new authors to search out.

Colleen van Nieuwkerk is GG to three sons plus 3; twelve grandchildren; and two great-grandsons. She loves to read and enjoys reading to the littles in the family as well as gifting books to them. Colleen writes curriculum for women as well as teaches and is currently writing the story in book form of how this all came about. She lives in northern Alberta and can be found online @colleenvannieuwkerk.com

An Interview: My Reading Life by Brenda Leyland

Reading and writing cannot be separated.

Reading is breathing in: writing is breathing out.

The Language Nerds, as seen on Facebook

In our writing prompt this month, Lorrie Orr poses a few questions regarding our reading practices and how our reading influences our writing. I have turned these questions into an interview-style post which I hope you will enjoy.

What do you enjoy reading?

Reading is, perhaps, the great joy of my life. I enjoy many things, but I have loved books from the earliest beginnings of my time on earth. I feel most 'at home' in my skin when there's a book in my lap and a stack of them waiting on my bedside table. I read to escape, to learn, understand, remember, imagine.

I enjoy reading...

– For pleasure and adventure. For the sheer joy of holding a physical book in my hands, turning the pages that pull me into stories and descriptions that grab my imagination. I love 'meeting' heroes and heroines in books who are braver and more adventuresome than I—vicariously grabbing their skirts and shirt-tales to discover places and experience things I'll probably never do or see in real life.

– To expand my knowledge of who I am as a person and who I am in the Lord. I no longer chase for answers as I once did. I had so many questions as a young woman, which is really why I read in the end. Novels of all sorts, how-to and advice books, spiritual books, magazines, backs of cereal boxes, whatever I could lay my hands on. I was ever on the look out for what were the 'secrets' to a happy and successful life.

– To fill in the blank spots of my knowledge of world events - events that were a blur in my mind when I was young (WWII, Cold War, Vietnam, why the town siren blew every day at noon...). As I read about these various events, global and local, light bulbs go off, 'So that's what that was all about.' It's so satisfying a feeling to finally know. That's why I love historical fiction. Because even though the story itself is fiction, a good author will have done her homework so that she gives her readers as accurate as possible a sense of that time and experience.

– For companionship and for connection to other people and their stories, especially in memoirs and biographies. I like discovering how other people lived through their own challenges, how they faced their life-threatening situations. To be encouraged that I, too, might overcome my own life issues. James Baldwin once said, "You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read." Oh, yes. I read to know I'm not alone.

What genres do you prefer?

For pleasure and adventure, I most often reach for mystery/thrillers, literary fiction, historical fiction, some fantasy, and children's classics. For human interest, I enjoy memoirs and history. For heart and soul nourishment, I often turn to nature writing (essays, poetry), spiritual inspiration, books about art, writing, and creativity. 

Who are your favourite writers?

I have so many favourites, I'll just mention a few. Lucy Maud Montgomery and Alexandra Stoddard are forever favourites; both were early mentors in showing me how I could live life more beautifully. Lucy Maud also stirred my love for descriptions of nature and beauty. Favourite mystery writers include Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Donna Leon. Favourite poets are Mary Oliver, Naomi Shihab Nye, Billy Collins, and Stephen Berg.

C.S. Lewis was my first literary spiritual mentor, and I devoured everything I could find of his writings in my young adult years. Other authors came along like Luci Swindoll, Brother Lawrence, Henri Nouwen, Francis and Edith Schaeffer, Anne Lamott, Madeleine L'Engle.

Because everyone I know loves a book list, below you will find a short one mentioning a few of my favourite writers - the titles are a mix of forever favourites and current favourites.

Nonfiction:
- A Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
- If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland
- Heaven, the Heart's Deepest Longing by Peter Kreeft
- A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
- Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
- Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen
- Call Us What We Carry (Poems) by Amanda Gorman
- The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
- This Beautiful Truth and Reclaiming Quiet by Sarah Clarkson
- Common Prayer by Shane Claiborne, et al
- Steal Like An Artist by Austin Kleon
- Women Holding Things by Maira Kalman
- The Lives We Actually Have, 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days by Kate Bowler, et al
- Things to Look Forward To, 52 Large and Small Joys... by Sophie Blackall

Fiction:

- Anne of Green Gables (series) and Selected Journals (series) by L.M. Montgomery

- Little Women and A Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

- Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion by Jane Austen

- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

- At Home in Mitford (series) by Jan Karon

- Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim

- Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

- Pilgrim's Inn by Elizabeth Goudge

- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

- The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

- The Beautiful Mystery and All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny

- A Time for Mercy by John Grisham

- Brother Cadfael's Penance by Ellis Peters

- Once Upon A Wardrobe and Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan Henry

Do you follow a reading program, or read whatever books come your way?

I don't follow a reading program and tend to read whatever books come my way, either by recommendation, book lists, or when a gorgeous cover beckons as I walk into the library or bookstore. Since I don't have a reading program to share, perhaps I could give a few of my reading practices.

– Sometimes I like to read aloud, especially when I'm reading poetry or when something is so exquisitely beautiful or truthful I need my ears to hear it. I do enjoy reading aloud to my husband; that's most often for shared laughter over humorous passages.

– I read every day. It's never a chore, bore, or duty. When I don't read even a few pages somewhere in the day, I feel a deep unsatisfied yearning on the inside.

– I listen for little nudges and I will sometimes ask for guidance about what book to choose. This was more so during my younger years when I was eager in my learning, growing, and maturing. The first time I remember this happening, I was in the Canadian Bible Society bookstore on Jasper Avenue. I wanted to spend my money wisely. What to choose, what to choose. So I sent up a little prayer. Walking around the store, I felt drawn to a paperback which turned out to be 'perfectly' suited for me, a single young woman-in-waiting. And years later, there was a season when I wondered a lot about heaven and why there was this kind of homesick feeling way down deep inside. At the library, there 'gleaming' on the trolley of books to be reshelved was Peter Kreeft's Heaven, the Heart's Deepest Longing. I took it home and devoured it, feeling His pleasure in my pleasure as I read.

– I am a staunch believer in there being seasons for some books—divine appointments, as it were, to read specific books in the right time. Books out of season (and I don't mean winter, spring) are often a disappointing experience because the words can remain dull and uninspiring on the page. But when drawn in some mysterious way back to a book at another time, even though it's the same book with the same words, I have experienced where it suddenly feels alive, fresh, and nourishing. It was the right time, and then I'd be so glad I hadn't given it away earlier thinking the book wasn't for me. 

– Generally I can read quickly but there are times and books where I slow read. Paying attention to the story, to the descriptions, staying longer with favourite passages, letting them soak in. I find real joy in slow reading - there's a real pleasure in discovering the nuances and the subtle layers in the writing. As a youth always in a hurry to learn how a story ended, I'd skip past lengthy prose and descriptive passages—who cared how the sunset looked over the hills on a summer's eve? Little did I realize that one day I would take delight in such scenes. It started in my twenties during my reading infatuation with C.S. Lewis (I think I was a little in love with the man) when I found one of his books at the library called An Experiment in Criticism.* In it, Lewis described the mark of a literary person versus an unliterary person. Of course I wanted to be thought a literary reader so I checked out his advice (see End Note at the bottom of this post). I took out a lengthy novel from the library, Michelangelo by Irving Stone, and charged myself to read it word for word, slowly and carefully, paying attention to details, looking up words for which I had no definition. It was an amazing experience. Although I never read the book again it stayed fresh with me for decades as a touchstone reminder of how I want to read. I saw that finding out how it turns out isn't the only goal for reading a book. In turn, I have become a better describer of my own world when I try to share the beauty of it with my readers.

Are you part of a book club?

No. I don't want to spend my time sitting around 'patiently' waiting for a chance to share my thoughts about books I enjoy. And I don't like being in the 'spotlight' in a group setting. I prefer talking about books 'one on one' with a like-minded soul. In that case, I can get quite animated. I guess this could be considered a casual book club for two (for introverts).

How does your reading life influence your writing life?

I think it's Stephen King who said if you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Books are my tools. I can't tell you how many times I find what I need—an idea or phrase or word—that clarifies what I'm struggling to find words for. I learn so much from other writers, whether they write about writing or about another topic entirely.

Since my youth, I am an avid collector of quotations and favourite book passages. These gems of wisdom by other writers usually resonate because they are snapshots of my own views, beliefs, and what I value. And they startle me with their eloquence. Many quotes have become lifelong guideposts (including what I read in Scripture). They inspire me to carry on and to stay the course. They are also a great resource for my own writing—often jumping off points for blog posts, essays, and articles. 

I love elegant writing, and am inspired by the language different authors use. Enthralled by their unique turns of phrases and ways they describe things, I am spurred to find my own 'perfect' way of describing my life around me.

I enjoy seeing how some authors experiment with different ways to present their material. Years ago, I read Eat, Pray, Love, and I loved how Elizabeth Gilbert wrote her bestselling memoir using short vignette chapters, sometimes no more than a page or two in length, describing one small scene or event in few words, and then moving on. It lifted a weight off me as I realized I didn't need to write pages upon pages of details to tell my stories. I'm still learning how to write in that succinct, delectable way.

My writing is richer and more thoughtful because I read. Books and their authors are my mentors on a bookshelf. I couldn't do life without them.

_________________________

* End Note. An Experiment in Criticism is a 1961 book by C.S. Lewis in which he proposed that the quality of books should be measured not by how they are written, but by how often they are re-read. Lewis described two kinds of readers: the 'unliterary' reader who tends not to reread a book and the 'literary' reader who does.

In case you are interested, I found my notes of Lewis's list in my 1988 commonplace book in which he describes the mark of an unliterary person vs a literary person:

1. An unliterary person never reads anything twice. | Literary people read great works over and over.

2. An unliterary person doesn't set much store in reading, it's a last resort. | Literary people look for leisure and silence to read with their whole attention. They feel impoverished if they are denied this opportunity.

3. There is no sign of change upon reading the book. | The reading can be a great experience; a reader changes, sees things differently.

4. Never thinks or talks about what they've read. | Literary people mouth over favourite lines and stanzas in solitude. Scenes and characters provide them with an 'iconography' by which they interpret or sum up their own experiences. They talk to others about what they've read.

5. Books are only a marginal ingredient of their lives. | To literary people it is a main ingredient of their well-being.

6. Unliterary people are indifferent, not only to literature, but to other art forms and natural beauty.

(Top) Photo credit: Image by Nick Stafford from Pixabay

Brenda's sweet spot places for reading are on her bed, on the couch by the bay window, or in a comfy chair in the garden where she can look up to see birds and trees and flowers and blue skies. When she's not reading, she loves blogging at It's A Beautiful Life and here on InScribe. She can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky.