Writing Can Be Dangerous by Susan Barclay

We've been challenged this month to describe our faith and/or writing in terms of a metaphor. 

Ugh. 

I know many of you will prove that not all the good metaphors are taken (like painting a fence and walking a tightrope, for example), but I was drawing a blank. Maybe metaphors aren't my phorté, I thought, misspelling intended. 

For lack of a better solution, I decided to google "writing is like" to see what treasures I could unearth. And then it hit me! Writing is like going on a treasure hunt!

Here's the scoop:

As a writer/treasure-hunter I start off looking for something. I may or may not have a X-marked map or even GPS coordinates of my destination (I am, after all, a pantser), but the germ of something, a gold (or fool's gold) nugget, an idea, has popped into my mind and must be explored.

There are tools at my disposal. Just as Indiana Jones has his bag of tricks, including whip, gun, knife and torch, I have mine - a creative mind, years of life experience, a way with words, methods learned in workshops, research skills, something on which to capture my work (paper, notebook, laptop, computer), to name a few. 

The path is almost never easy or straight. Oh, sure, there are days when the words flow from brain to keyboard in rapid succession, but just as often there are obstacles to circumnavigate - a family member needs my attention, I'm tired or sick (or sick and tired), I have to go to work, the words won't come. On days like these, I'm adrift, meandering and heavy-hearted, like a pirate marooned by his mates. At times I cast down my tools, throw up my hands in pleading or despair, or turn to other, more yielding subjects. 

Just like treasure-hunting (think violent rivals, poisonous snakes, dark places rigged with booby-traps), writing can be dangerous. Cribbing from author Jeff Goins, writing goals can be sidetracked by social media and Internet wanderings, writing can cause you to question your deepest-held beliefs and values, and ideas themselves have the ability to "launch revolutions and upset the status quo."

But when the seeker locates the desired object, what a thrill! The same experience awaits the persistent writer. When you follow a thought, when you let the story tell itself or lead you to its conclusion, why, there's nothing like that feeling of satisfaction and glee.

For all the work, the sweat, the tears, the battle scars, the sleepless nights and distracted days - it's worth it! You hold your treasure up to the light and admire it from every angle. You share it with your writing community and hope they see it the way you do or can offer advice that allow you to polish it until it shines. And then, instead of putting it in a museum or private collection, or stuffing it in a drawer for your own occasional perusal, you try to find a way to send it into the world so everyone can see.

A quote from Walt Disney beautifully sums up my metaphor:

There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island.

Treasure-hunting can describe my faith life too. But that's for another post!
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Susan maintains a website and currently blogs infrequently at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com 

Tools to Keep You on Course by Susan Barclay

I can't find it in the archives here, but I was certain I'd written about this before. I was hoping I could just direct you to the original post since nothing has changed (insert smiley-face). 

Here's the list:

First there are the physical tools: the writing instruments (pen, paper, computer, laptop, tablet) and the space you write in (separate office, niche in one of the room's of your dwelling place, library, cafe). Do you write best with or without music/background noise? Can you write in a cluttered environment or must it be clean and tidy? Make sure you have what you need before you get started - many of us writers are easily distracted!

Now onto the books and online resources:

The Writers' Market - specific guides for different types of writing: poetry, novels and short stories, material for children. These tools provide helpful articles as well as a variety of places you can send your work and agents who can help you with the submission process.

Writer's Digest Magazine - a monthly publication with helpful articles, columns, writing prompts, and contests. Also the Writer's Digest website.

The Inscribe website and listserv. Maximize your membership by utilizing these and reading the current issue of Fellowscript, which contains articles by the members as well as columns, contests and market information.

The best book on writing I've read so far is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself into Print by Rennie Browne and Dave King. It's been a long time since I read it, but I found full of  helpful advice for the revision process.

Participation in writers' groups. I've been part of a writers' group for fourteen years now and nothing beats the feedback and encouragement of fellow sojourners who know a thing or two about the writing and publishing processes. If you can't get together with writers in your local area (every Fellowscript issue lists Inscribe writers' groups), try to find an online critique partner and shoot your work back and forth. Nothing has improved my writing more than the practice and discipline of writing and receiving constructive criticism.

 Most importantly for writers who are Christian: be in God's Word daily and be in prayer. We want to be in the centre of God's will for our lives and for our writing. We can't be either if we're not connecting with Him. As it says in the notes of my Transformation Study Bible (Warren Wiersbe, NLT), 

"Our relationship to the Word of God indicates our relationship to the God of the Word."  

If our writing isn't going well, it's possible that we have gone off-centre and God wants us to refocus our attention on Him and what He wants.
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Post-script: I still haven't gotten around to reading Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way, but I recently noticed a couple of other books in the form of guided journals: 300 Writing Prompts and Complete the Story. These look like fun resources to get the creative juices flowing!
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Please visit my personal website at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.ca

Mrs. Jones's Car - by Susan Barclay

magnetic poetry photo by Natalie Roberts

The best writers are always learning – whether from life experiences (their own or others’) or from books or teachers. Games can be instructive also, whether they be games like Trivial Pursuit and Jeopardy or Scrabble and crossword puzzles.

When I was in junior high, I had a dusty humourless history teacher who spent time reading his dictionary every day. Once I had the opportunity to play Scrabble with him and he was an impossible opponent. Every time I challenged him on a word, he could prove its authenticity. It quickly became apparent that there was no point in dispute.

You’d think I’d have learned from this to spend time in my own dictionary, but it was an activity I viewed as a boring chore. Instead, my own vocabulary has been built over time through the more enjoyable act of reading. I may not always be able to give you a dictionary definition, but I can usually offer a word's gist.

This brings me to this month’s blog challenge: to find three words I don’t know the meaning of, look them up, and use them in a piece of writing. I’ll give you the piece of writing first. See if you can figure out which words I’ve chosen:

The accused squirmed in his seat to the left of the judge, whose gaze he felt most keenly. Under the fierce scrutiny of the prosecutor, he couldn’t keep his hands from trembling, though he tried to hide them from view. 

“Come, Mr. Jones,” the prosecutor thundered. “It’s a simple question: answer it. Why did you decide to replace the victim’s 1928 Ford Roadster with something more neoteric?” 

Mr. Jones’ insides quivered. He hadn’t, but should have, foreseen months ago that he’d be defending himself in a court of law. Was there a way of eliding the direct question while answering honestly? He was under oath, after all, and didn’t want to add perjury to his charges. 

“Please answer the question, Mr. Jones,” the judge prompted, not unkindly. “It’s germane to the case.”

 Blast and bother! Mr. Jones thought. It had all begun as what he thought of as an act of munificence. Apparently his intentions didn’t matter. 

He took a deep breath and exhaled it loudly. “Well,” he began, “The Roadster had a lot of problems, and I thought it was throwing good money after bad to continue getting it repaired.” 

“Was that your decision to make? The car wasn’t in your name, was it?” 

“No, but my wife and I had made similar decisions on one another’s behalf in the past. I wanted to surprise her.” 

The prosecutor looked from Jones to the judge with a laugh. “Well, you certainly did that.” He turned his back before rounding on Jones again with a scowl. “I suggest that it wasn’t just the cost of the car repairs that motivated you. In fact, weren't you jealous of your wife’s attention to the car? Hadn’t you been trying to ablactate her from it for some time?”

Jones sputtered and his face turned red. He hadn’t expected this line of questioning. His wife’s fixation on the car had certainly felt like negligence of him, but he didn’t realize his feelings had been so evident. His next answer would have to be carefully considered. He would not be emasculated in front of his peers.

Once I got started on the piece, it was hard to stop. But see if you guessed my 'mystery words' correctly. They were:

ablicate, meaning 'to wean'

eliding, meaning 'suppressing, omitting, ignoring, passing over'

neoteric, meaning 'modern, new, recent' 

Were any other words new to you? Is the dictionary a useful writers' tool?

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For more of my writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.ca and 

First photo credit
Second photo credit

Living the Dream by Vickie Stam

As a newbie writer I can think of a few 'How To' writing tips but there's one that always stands out. I hear it from writers who have years of experience that definitely trumps mine. 'Write what you know.' Those words are engrained in me.

I have to admit it feels a little strange to be offering up advice when most of my writing up until a few years ago landed between the pages of journals. Secret writing. Not something that was intended for an audience. In all of my journaling history I've never worried about spellcheck or poor grammar. And the daunting task of self-editing.... non-existent. No need to re-write. It's care-free writing.

Chapters, Coles or maybe even Staples are a few of my favourite stores where I go in search of that perfect journal. Each one has it's own unique cover. Trying to decide which one will come home with me can be a process. I like to run my fingers over the crisp blank pages that might soon house all my thoughts and cares.

On the odd occasion a silent scream rises in my chest when I spy the perfect journal without ever pressing my fingers against the grain. A cover instantly calls my name when I see its bright colour, read its poetic verse, or smell the bold scent of leather. Life is full of ups and downs. Journals are an anchor.

Then there's my need to sign up for a writing class. Three years ago I did just that. I enrolled in something of general interest. No pressure. No exams. Just writing for simple pleasure. Still, that class didn't come without digging up every ounce of courage I could muster. I was used to writing for my eyes only. The mere thought of another person reading my words was terrifying to say the least.

Amazing things happened since giving in to those fears. My confidence has grown. I'm encouraged to keep writing. And now I can honestly say, "I love it!" I look forward to signing up for more writing classes.

Here are some tips that motivate me:

• Keep writing and don't stop.
• Don't let negative feedback destroy your confidence.
• Follow your dreams.
• Find a writer's group or enroll in a writing class or program that will keep you connected to other writers.
• Find someone who will encourage you on your journey.
• Carry a pen and paper with you at all times.
• READ! How to books, novels, magazine articles. Change it up sometime. Read something you never thought would interest you.
• A thesaurus is a great writing tool.

Inside every person's heart lies a story.

"Writing is being able to take something whole and fiercely alive that exists inside you in some unknowable combination of thought, feeling, physicality and spirit and to then store it like a genie in tense, tiny black symbols on a calm white page." ~ Mary Gaitskill

I write because God opened the door to my dream.