If You Must Write, You Must Write by Alan Anderson

 

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11 (ESV)

Words of Encouragement from the Past

In his book, Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke answers questions in reply to young poet Franz Xaver Kappus, beginning in 1903. The book composed of a series of ten letters Mr. Kappus wrote to Mr. Rilke is a treasure of wisdom and insights. In the first letter, Mr. Kappus asks if his poems are “any good.”

Here is part of Mr. Rilke’s answer:

“There is only one thing you should do. Go into yourself. Find out the reason that commands you to write; see whether it has spread its roots into the very depths of your heart; confess to yourself whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write. This most of all: ask yourself in the most silent hour of your night: must I write? Dig into yourself for a deep answer. And if this answer rings out in assent, if you meet this solemn question with a strong, simple, “I must,” then build your life in accordance with this necessity…” (Rilke, Rainer Maria, Letters to a Young Poet, Merchant Books, 2012, p 14.)

You Must Write!

Writer dear ones, do you ever become discouraged in your calling as a writer? Has it ever crossed your mind to put your pen in a drawer and leave it there? Are there times you want to shut down your computer and ignore your words, your paragraphs, your stories, your plays, or messages, and forget about it all?

Here is a thought to contemplate. If you did all mentioned in the previous paragraph, who would collect your pen or restart your computer, or set your words free?...No one!

You see, Your pen knows you. Your computer awaits your ability to exercise its keys. With eager anticipation, your words await release to make the world better.

Words flowing from the creativity God has given you are your words. As a writer who is a Christian, what message do you have in your mind and heart? Give serious thought to this message and write it down. Bring this message to life on a page. Gather these words and set them free into the world.

We Must Write

Dear InScribe writers, every morning when you wake up, you do so with a writer’s view of the world. We are world watchers. Through our words, we can also be world healers. This healing comes about through words eager to encourage people to let them know they are not alone.

In this world of too many dark seasons swarmed by frigid misty days, our words shine bright and point the way to the Light. Consider the call we received by the grace of God and how He has gifted us to write.

Although separated by miles, we are in this world together. We are involved in a shared ministry. We learn from and encourage each other in a common cause. We are called by God to write; therefore, we must!

A Prayer to Encourage

To all my writer friends and others who want to make a difference through the written word:

Allow your words and actions to touch the sacred. See the beauty amid confusion and bring it to life. Breathe in peace. Breathe out anything that would distract you from who you are as a writer. May your presence shine! 

 

Alan lives in a small village called Deroche, British Columbia, with his wife, Terry, and their poodle, Charlie. He enjoys walking on the dike near his home, with trees all around and where he finds inspiration to write. He has occasionally written articles for FellowScript Magazine and is a regular contributor to the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship blog. Alan’s website and blog is https://scarredjoy.ca.

A Few of My Favourite Writers by Alan Anderson

 

“God gave me poetry to help me from losing my mind in the darkness.”

…Alan Anderson

Perhaps because I am growing older, I am particular in what I read. I keep current in what I read but hold on to favourite writers I have loved for years. If I were to write a post on my favourite writers, we would need to split it into at least two or three parts. In this post, however, I will highlight but a few.

Henri Nouwen (1932 to 1996)

The writings of Henri Nouwen continue to hold my hands and let me know I am not alone. His book, The Wounded Healer, has nurtured my heart since I engaged with it years ago. Throughout my studies at seminary, Nouwen often attracted my attention as I sharpened my people-helping skills.

Henri Nouwen’s words helped me free myself from the head knowledge of what I was required to read at seminary. The tone, the sensitivity, the honesty of Nouwen’s writing, are evidence he spent quality time with people and was aware of his own times of darkness. His awareness of himself as a wounded healer allowed him to come alongside other people in their brokenness. With this self-awareness, he brought hope.

The writing of Henri Nouwen helped me develop my personal tagline, “touched by grief, held by hope,” for much of my writing. If I cannot show I have walked alongside people in my writing, I have missed the mark.

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 to 1926)

A priest friend introduced me to Rilke’s work after my wife and I joined an Orthodox Christian church. I was hooked on Rilke’s poetry from then on.

Rilke’s stages of poetry paint a picture of one who is on a search in life. I appreciate his themes on existence, solitude, and the divine. A lesson to take from Rilke’s writing is to give deep thought to what one writes.

John O’Donohue (1956 to 2008)

If there was ever a poet of recent history I would have loved to chat with, Irish poet John O’Donohue would be the guy. I believe he and I would have been buddies. His book, Anam Cara, drew me in and established him as one of my favourite writers.

Anam cara is an ancient Celtic term for soul friend. This is such a beautiful thought to hold to your chest, dear reader. Here are a few lines from John O’Donohue to ponder,

“In everyone’s life, there is a great need for an anam cara, a soul friend. In this love, you are understood as you are without mask or pretension. The superficial and functional lies and half-truths of social acquaintance fall away, you can be as you really are. Love allows understanding to dawn, and understanding is precious. Where you are understood, you are at home. Understanding nourishes belonging. When you really feel understood, you feel free to release yourself into the trust and shelter of the other person’s soul.” Anam Cara, John O’Donohue, 1997, p. 14

Scott Cairns (1954 to present)

I first heard of Scott Cairns after listening to podcasts of poet Angela Doll Carlson. Both are Orthodox Christian poets I resonate with and love their way with words. Scott Cairns is a multi-published poet, memoirist, professor, workshop and retreat presenter.

These days I am reading his book, The End of Suffering, for the second time. He offers an even-tempered, not carried away by emotions, perspective on how one may find purpose in suffering and pain.

The writers I mention all stir my soul. There are those who make my soul weep. After reading their words, I often sit and ponder. I mull over what they teach me. There are times their words cause me to invite quietness and solitude to cloak me in silence.

I write best in quiet settings to calm my soul and help focus on how to present hope to those who honour me by reading my words. What about you, dear reader?

 

Alan lives in a small village called Deroche, British Columbia, with his wife, Terry, and their poodle, Charlie. He enjoys walking on the dike near his home with trees all around and where he finds inspiration to write. He occasionally writes articles for FellowScript Magazine and is a regular contributor to the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship blog. Alan’s website and blog is https://scarredjoy.ca.

How Do You Overcome Writer’s Block? – Sandi Somers

Every great work has its impossible moments—or days. Ideas just won’t come. You try and try to force the work, but your mind goes blank. Your creative well has just gone dry.

You’ve hit that dreaded thing: writer’s block.

Prompt: Why do blocks happen for you? How do you overcome these blocks? How do you keep yourself motivated and inspired?  What do you use to propel your writing forward?  How does God encourage you?

Creative Grace for In-Between Places

For the last number of months I’ve had health issues that have left me with little energy to write. Even some of my InScribe blogs—this one in particular—have been difficult to write.

So this summer I’ve set aside much of my normal writing time. Instead, I’ve gone out for coffee with friends, phoned or emailed family members in different parts of Canada.  Friends and I have taken day trips to the mountains or to scenic spots in Alberta. And long walks are building my stamina.

Long rests in the afternoons give me time to read, pray and reflect. I’ve journalled questions and insights, and sometimes I’ve taken out my “work notebook” to record and initial drafts for articles.

Rather than calling this time a “block”, I consider it creative grace in the in-between place. God has been drawing me aside to be renewed spiritually, physically and mentally.

But I also know that I’m in a transition. This extended period is giving me a much-needed perspective. “Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves…” Rainer Maria Rilke wrote.

As I wait for God in this in-between place, God waits for me. He is giving me His creative grace as I work through questions on life and writing.

My creative well is being filled with new ideas and new approaches. Louise DeSalvo’s, The Art of Slow Writing, has been particularly helpful, as she talks about more thoughtful ways of engaging with works-in-progress.

DeSalvo advocated we go more slowly and become self-reflective writers. “‘…slow writing’ doesn’t just take time, but makes time. Slow writing is a meditative act; slowing down to understand our relationship to our writing, slowing down to determine our authentic subjects, slowing down to write complex works, slowing down to study our literary antecedents.”

So as I lean into this time of rest and re-strengthening, I meet each day with thankful expectation. I wait in quiet trust and faith as God gradually opens up my way to write more productivity. 

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Don’t be afraid to put down your work during a block; it’s part of the writing process. Some authors even call blocks “friends”, because blocks are voices calling out to you that something is out of balance.

Discern what the blocks are trying to tell you. Listen to the signals, the inner nudges. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom—creative graces—for those in-between places. This pleases God.

Janice Elsheimer in The Creative Call, sums up my thoughts beautifully: “When we call first upon the Holy Spirit in those dry times and then…wait in… ‘confident expectation’, God will be faithful in His own time—and what he has for us will be worth the wait.”

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Now it’s your turn to flesh out this discussion. Tell us your story.

To kick start your efforts, you may want to read what great writers have said on overcoming blocks.