Help, I need Somebody! – Ramona Heikel

What do bakers, dog-trainers, doctors, cooks, crane operators and The Beetles have in common?  They need somebody to help. To come alongside, as in…an apprenticeship!  So what about us writers, how about an apprenticeship for us?

I have run across a few instances of writing apprenticeships, but they are random and rare.  Some schools consider an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) to be an apprenticeship. (Have you had experience with an MFA?)

An apprentice is one who is learning by practical experience under a master, and I haven’t had a master author walk with me through these many years, guiding my writing. However, my writing apprenticeship has consisted of a variety of helpers: mentors in writing courses I’ve taken, successful authors in writing and critique groups I attended each month, and authors who write books and blogs devoted to writing skills.

             

Last fall I signed up for an online spiritual writing retreat with author Vinita Hampton Wright. Through this group “mentorship” and one of the exercises, I made a discovery; it was good news and bad news. I realized I have a tendency to write when I'm excited, but when the excitement wears off I stop working. I love the enthusiastic part of the idea process and that initial burst of putting my original thoughts and explorations down on a page. But often, when I go back to it, the novelty has worn off and I have lost momentum and motivation.  Because of this bad habit, I have many pieces I have started and abandoned.  I am ashamed to admit this because it seems rather childish and undisciplined, but I have to hope that simply realizing this after so many years of writing is a step forward!

My advice to a new writer, especially one who is juggling many other responsibilities, would be that your apprenticeship very realistically could take 10 years or even more. During this time, you shouldn’t assume you are going to write a best-seller, or even anything publishable.  Seriously consider getting a writing coach, which may be the closest thing to an apprenticeship. This is the route that I would have taken, had I realized that I would be spinning my wheels and wasting a lot of valuable time by trying to "do it myself."  (And it’s not too late. I am looking for one, so if any of you readers are coaches, or can recommend one, let me know.)

  

As I think about having help along the writing journey, it makes me think about how much help we have on our life journey.  Jesus is the Master who walked alongside his apprentices, allowed them to get to know him and watch him work, and demonstrated how to live life.  And after he finished his work on earth, he left another helper, our own one-on-one mentor, the Holy Spirit.  He knew we'd "need somebody, not just anybody."  I marvel that we are so important to him, that we “merit” his constant companionship!

Posted by Ramona

www.happilywriting.com

Photo credits:

A shoe repairman and his young apprentice, Apprenticeship, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apprenticeship; Road to Emmaus, Bloor Lansdowne Christian Fellowship,  https://bloorlansdownechristianfellowship.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/road_to_emmaus.jpg

Choosing Workshops at a Conference by T. L. Wiens

I’ve been busy trying to help put together the His Imprint Christian Writers Conference. I received an interesting comment from someone looking at the brochure. She told me she didn’t think many of the workshops related to her writing genre.

I don’t know why she would feel this way. We’re covering characters, dialogue, plots, sales, music and writing integrity as well as offering one on one sessions with our own president, Ruth Snyder.

I realize on first glance many of the session would appear to be only for fiction writers but that’s not true. All these parts of writing are important to non-fiction as well.

Plots. I have often read non-fiction pieces that I wish had taken more consideration of the plot. I realize there are limitations when recounting a true story but too often I’ve encountered poor flow in the retelling. Often, a lot of repetition. As with fiction, a non-fiction piece, whether it be a story or even a self-help type of book, needs to flow.

Characters and Dialogue. But non-fiction comes with a set character list. To a degree, yes but too often these characters aren’t as well rounded as they could be. A non-fiction writer would do themselves a favour to look deeply into their characters, fill out a character sketch. Dialogue is another area every writer needs skills.

Sales. This one is obvious. Every writer needs to know about this.

Music. This is one that not every writer may need but many aspects of the music industry reflect that of the writing industry.

Writing Integrity. Every writer needs to look at his/her reason for writing and what goals they wish to accomplish.

So come out and spend a day with some wonderful writers and let yourself explore the possibilities of where your writing journey will take you.