Creative Ritual by Carol Harrison

My first thought on reading this month's prompt was, "Daily creative ritual, you mean I should have one?"

I've read and heard about carving out a dedicated time to write many times. Mark it on your schedule. Treat your writing like a business. Make appointments for writing, editing, other creativity and treat them as important. Yet I never seem to actually try doing something like that. 

However, there are things that work better for me than others do. 

Writing in the morning feels like the most productive time of day for me to write. However, I realize I need to be ready to jot down ideas whenever they show up so I don't lose them. 

Other creative endeavors, such as scrapbooking, card making, or making junk journals I leave until later afternoon or more often in the early evening. Weekends provide more time to play with paper. These creative endeavors allow a space to journal family stories as well as allow the imagination to take flight. 

Reading for pleasure occupies moments of time or provides a longer escape when I'm tired or lack focus to continue on writing projects, editing, or even continuing with other creative play. 

Do these loosely held time frames constitute daily creative rituals? Not really but they seem to be the way that works best for me. There are a few things I continue to do but they don't fit into what I consider the creative ritual heading. Yet I find them necessary in my writing process. 

The wall in front of my desk space and my desk itself may seem cluttered to some, but to me it provides inspiration. The pictures are done by family and friends and are a reminder of the creativity of others I know. The bits and pieces adorning my work space include things that I like, are gifts, or reminders to believe and pray. 

I like notebooks and journals and the store aisles containing them are dangerous to wander along if I don't want to add to my stash. Yet I like jotting ideas into notebooks. It is a step up from when I would simply grab any piece of paper and write them down, often losing the paper in the clutter on the desk. Yet my notebooks, although they corral the ideas, don't have a system for easy retrieval. Sometimes what I write becomes a reference for a book or story. Other times I simply journal events, thoughts, and feelings as a way to process everyday life. But even journaling is not a daily event. 

Taking the time for other creative endeavors such as playing with paper and especially

making junk journals helps break mental writing blocks and overcome frustration. Of course reading also helps give me a break from obligations, deadlines, or those frustrating parts of life. I've never needed much of a reason to curl up with a good book and get lost in the story someone else has worked hard to bring to life. 

Continuing to learn is another key element of my writing process. I have so much still to learn and others who are further along in their journey share important facts and ideas through posts or books they've written on the craft of writing. Attending workshops, conference, being part of a writing group, and sharing ideas with others helps spur the creativity and improve my writing. 

I can't say I have a daily creative ritual but I have found ways that make the creativity and writing journey work better for me - at least most of the time. It may change over time as I learn and grow but I doubt it will be time I schedule on my calendar. I just know that I need to be obedient in stewarding well the gifts and abilities God has given me no matter how that looks on any given day. 

 

Carol Harrison lives and writes from her home in Saskatoon, SK. Writing and playing with paper go hand in hand as she allows creativity to bloom in her life.

A Door Between ~ Valerie Ronald

 This is a reprint of an article I had published in ICWF's FellowScript magazine in November 2019. It best conveys the essence of my writing journey, not in facts but through my inner progression from word-struck child to seasoned writer -- still word-struck.

 

 An Indian princess opened the door for me. I found her waiting on a shelf between the faded red cloth covers of my first chapter book. She crouched behind a tree on page one, her black braids and fringed buckskin dress sketched above the opening paragraph. With a raised hand she pointed into the belly of the book, so I followed her.  

This first trip to a library marked my graduation from picture to chapter books, a momentous event not to be hurried. My mother waited patiently while I drew down volume after volume. Each cover was judged on its appeal, illustrations perused, and pages thumbed through. When the Indian princess beckoned me into her world, I knew this was the perfect choice. She rode home proudly on my lap, my fidgety fingers on the cover itching to let her out.  

So began construction of the revolving door between my two worlds. In my exterior world I contentedly lived an ordinary life. But my interior world whispered at the door for any opportunity to grab my imagination by the hand and run. It teased my waking hours with daydreams and at night it held sway, filling my mind’s eye with fantastic scenes and stories until I sank reluctantly into sleep. Discovering chapter books threw the door wide for a myriad of tales to march in, populating my world with rich characters and scenes often more real to me than my own life. 

Stepping through the wardrobe door into C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, I encountered the great lion, Aslan, who evoked a childish reverence foreshadowing a future faith in his prototype. The miniature world of The Borrowers found me prone on the floor acting out their story with dollhouse furniture. J.R.R. Tolkien’s wizard, Gandalf, took on the bushy gray brows and twinkling eyes of my teacher, Mr. Smith, who read The Hobbit aloud while doing all the voices. 

My unfettered imagination refused to be reined in, spilling words onto paper at every opportunity. Gypsies, haunted forests, princesses, and magic spells pushed their way through my pen, seeking form and voice in my amateur compositions. My vocabulary and writing skills developed simultaneously with the countless books I devoured to feed my appetite for stories. I could not ingest words quick enough to satisfy the ravenous hunger of one who saw the world as a continuous tale begging to be transcribed. 

Behind the exterior world of a shy, awkward girl a parallel world teemed with all that I did not possess. Like infants learning to walk, adventure, beauty, and virtue stumbled for expression in my writing. At first I hugged my novice attempts to myself. The exercise of writing brought a satisfaction wholly my own ˗˗ a solitary catharsis not dependent on affirmation from others. But what good was a story written if not shared? If one day mine was to be the book drawn from a shelf then I needed to let others into my interior world. The door revolved both ways. 

So I released some of my literary offspring and to my wonder they were affirmed as showing promise. This changed everything. Books were places in which I could be lost, but now they became where I could be found. Reading for pleasure evolved into exploring literature to learn from successful authors. Could I subtly comment on the social mores of the day like Jane Austen, create and populate whole worlds like Tolkien, craft an endearing heroine like Lucy Maud Montgomery? Could I spread my own heart across a page for others to peruse? 

Years later, the door to my interior world still stands open. Being vulnerable is the risk I take as a writer chronicling from the heart. Numerous books are welcomed in to refresh, stimulate, and feed that world. I leave the door revolving in the wind. Perhaps an Indian princess will pass through. 

More of Valerie's work can be read on her blog.

https://wordpress.scriptordeus.com/

Following God's Trail by Lorilee Guenter

 I stood at the trail head looking at the map, a decision to be made. Is this the path I want to hike? The map gives a general guide to what the experience will be as lakes and rivers are marked. The geography  of the area gives more clues. 

Do you know you write well? The question invited a decision. The way forward is vague, however, like on the trail others have walked this way. There are many options as faith and words combine. One trail leads to poetry, another to novels. Some trails cross over and combine many types in a "mixed geography." As with the trail, I chose to take the first steps in honing my skills.

One recent memorable hike combined forest and rock of the Canadian Shield. From the top of the rock rise, you can look over the trees and survey the surroundings. The vistas are amazing. To get there involved climbing over boulders and around trees that clung to the rock, their roots anchored in cracks and crevasses. The beauty became evident before we reached the top, but if we stopped we would only have a taste of what could be. In my writing life and in life in general, I am often tempted to stop before the top. I settle for the taste instead of the abundant feast. That particular climb we made was not easy but it was worth it. As God leads me through the obstacles that threaten to stop me, I need to look forward to what He has to show me along the way.

There is no water at the top of the rocks. The sun beat down and reflected back. The beauty, while amazing, can only be enjoyed for a short time before we must follow the path in front of us to a place of refreshment, to the still waters and green pastures (Ps. 23). The climb back down has its own obstacles. It takes trust to keep going, to continue on to the next place, to the next project God has prepared. In the descent, it was evident how the anchoring rock remains under the soil and vegetation of the forest. We can remain anchored, and indeed need to remain anchored, to have the strength to continue.

On our hike we passed through forest before and after the climb. On a hot summer day the shade of the trees offered a welcome break from the intense rays of the sun. The trail through the forest was well marked by those who walked that way before, yet obstacles remain. Roots running across the path trip the unobservant. Side trails can lead you off course. Fallen trees block the way, although hiking buddies can help each other scramble over them.

I have never undertaken a hike alone. Nor do I live my faith and writing journey alone. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses [Heb. 12:1], those who have and are walking with us. My faith and my writing are strengthened as I learn from others. They help me to throw off what holds me back as I learn from them and am encouraged by them.

Enjoying time on top of the rock

The first time we did that hike, we skirted around the overlook. We knew that there was more at the top than we had found but heat made us turn back. Before we left the area, we tried once more. As a result, we sat on the rock ridge and looked west over the forest and lake to see the beginning of the sunset, a gift of beauty. If I press on and don't skirt around the lookouts ahead of me, I have no doubt that gifts designed and given by God await.

Celebrate Each Step Forward by Nina Faye Morey

“Breaking big dreams into small steps is the way to move forward.”

~ Sheryl Sandberg

I was in my early fifties when I seriously began my writing journey. Writing was a life-long dream, but doubts lingered. What if I don’t have what it takes? What if I’m not good enough?

As a teenager, I had some poems and stories published in the Western Producer’s “Young Cooperators Club.” But before long, I became preoccupied with other things and didn’t pursue my passion again until midlife. My first query letter went to the “Farmlife” editor of Grainews. To my astonishment, she called to encourage me to send in my story. I worked hard on it for several weeks and submitted it before the deadline. She accepted it for publication! Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music!

Since then, I’ve progressed step by step in my writing, publishing articles, short stories, and poems in various publications. I’ve received writing awards and the Barnabas Fellowship from InScribe, published stories in two of their anthologies, presented workshops at their conferences, and served as the columns editor and editor-in-chief of their FellowScript magazine. Two novels and a collection of my published writing are current works in progress.

Thomas Carlyle said, “Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.” Each small step taken in my writing journey boosts my courage, and each successful step forward earns me the right to celebrate. So I give myself permission to do my little victory dance! It’s something I’d highly recommend. But if you have two left feet, here are a few other ways to celebrate success:

Celebrate your success with a commemoration. Commemorate your published work, positive reviews, and writing awards in some way. Frame that book cover or writing award and hang it on your wall; print out that admiring email from a fan and keep it in your journal; place that favourable review alongside your piece in your writing portfolio and post it on your website. These commemorations remind you of your successes and boost your confidence whenever you become discouraged or feel like a failure.

Celebrate your success with others. Share your success stories with family, friends, and the larger writing community. Call or email them, post announcements on your website, or share the news with your followers on social media or through newsletters. Don’t forget to thank those who’ve supported you along the way. Take them out for dinner or throw a celebration party.

Celebrate your success with someone else’s creation. Replenish your creative energy by enjoying someone else’s creation. Read a favourite author’s novel, watch a favourite movie, or gorge on a favourite bakery’s confection. Go ahead, don’t feel guilty. You’ve earned it!

Celebrate your success with a present to yourself. Gift yourself with anything your little heart desires, but you might want to consider something that provides physical benefits as ours is a sedentary profession. It doesn’t have to be expensive—a good pair of running shoes, a few free weights, an exercise band, or registering for a Zumba class. A special treat might be a visit to a spa or a massage for your aching back.

Celebrate your success with God. Remember to thank God for every blessing: a friend’s email that encouraged you not to quit when you were feeling discouraged, the devotional that lifted you up when you were feeling down, or the Bible verse that helped you speak to the hearts of both saints and sinners. No matter how small each day’s gift, keep a gratitude journal and write it down. This practice helps you maintain a positive attitude and demonstrates your faith and trust in God’s plan for your life.

Celebrating your success will refresh you mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually and provide fresh perspectives to help spur you on to even greater success.

The Writer’s Bread of Life by Nina Faye Morey

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.

Whoever comes to me will never go hungry,

and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

~ John 6:35 NIV

The Word of God nourishes and supports me so that I am able to remain faithful, focused, and fruitful on my writing journey. I look to God’s Word for:

Inspiration

My heart is stirred by a noble theme

as I recite my verses for the king;

my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

~ Psalm 45:1

Scripture is a great source of inspiration for my writing—both fiction and nonfiction. I often draw on Jesus’s parables for short story ideas, and I regularly employ His technique of using everyday experiences to illustrate my messages. The themes and plots Jesus employed in His parables could certainly form the heart of many insightful, present-day novels. For instance, the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32) provides the essential plot for a coming-of-age story. The Book of Revelation formed the foundation of possibly the best-selling Christian fiction of all time, the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. The Saviour’s Second Coming, the Pretribulation Rapture, and the End Times all served as the backbone on which they built their plots. Many of the themes, ideas, and characters contained in the Bible provide wonderful sources of inspiration for powerful and profound stories.

Guidance

Your word is a lamp for my feet,

a light on my path.

~ Psalm 119:105

There are times in the middle of a piece when I’ve lost my sense of direction and feel uncertain about the path I’m taking. No matter how lost I feel, God’s Word always points me in the right direction. It shines a light before me, so I don’t stumble down a treacherous path and fall in the darkness. There are also times when Scripture counsels me on how to deal with those cynical critics who make disparaging comments about the references to Christian faith in my writing (1 Peter 3:15).

Reassurance

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible,

but with God all things are possible.”

~ Matthew 19:26

Whenever I’m plagued by self-doubts, this verse bolsters my spirits. My attempts to write may be going nowhere and success might seem beyond my reach, but I know I can rely on God’s help to do what appears impossible. I may be an imperfect vessel, but His Light will shine through the cracks (2 Corinthians 4:7). Another Bible verse that helps me persevere when I encounter those inevitable potholes on my writing path is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Affirmation

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.

Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to

the work of the Lord, because you know that

your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

~ 1Corinthians 15:58

It is easy to get discouraged when I experience rejection after rejection. But if I wish to serve the Lord and truly believe in what I’m doing, it’s much easier to maintain my resolve. As a Christian writer, I believe that God has blessed me with this gift and called me to create (Ephesians 2:10). He plans for me to prosper, giving me both hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). While those who consider themselves worldly give me cold shoulder, I must remain firmly committed to my purpose (Proverbs 16:3). Since the Lord desires that I serve Him through my writing, I must put on His armour of light so that it may shine within me—and through me light the darkness of the world (Romans 13:12).

These are just a few of the Scriptures that sustain me as I pursue my writing path. What verses provide nourishment for your writing journey?

Photo Credits: Pixabay

Small Steps, Steady Pace by Susan Barclay

 

                                                            A small step – starting to write again during my maternity leave after my first child was born, reconnecting with my creative side.

                                             A small step – joining a writers’ critique group when the opportunity arose. Building relationships with other writers, honing my craft.

                              A small step – reading from my work at events; accepting the invitation to be on a panel; increasing my confidence in public speaking and engagement.

               A small step – writing in a genre I didn’t consider my own, when doing so meant almost-certain publication. Being published twice more by the same publisher, who eagerly awaits my next submission.

A small step – submitting personal experience stories to Chicken Soup for the Soul and having two of them published.

These small steps have not launched a big career, at least not yet, but each step has moved me forward in my writing journey, making me a better writer and readying me for whatever God has next. He knows what pace is best for me, what I am ready for, where I need more growth before bigger steps can be taken. I trust Him with my writing future and praise Him for every blessing He has so far provided.

_____________________

Visit my website, www.susanbarclay.wordpress.com
for more about me and my writing

Learn from Great Writers by taking this Quiz! — Ramona Heikel

Many, many authors in blogs, books, magazines, writers’ groups and conferences have taken me up one step after another on my writing journey. For example, in the book No one Cares what you had for Lunch, the author includes 100 ideas for blog posts, and one suggestion was a quiz.

I am motivated by fun, so here's a quiz for you, based on information I’ve collected in my binders of writing tips, tools and inspiration. (Don't worry, answers are at the bottom.) 

Have fun!

1. The literary organization Calgary READS handed out a bookmark at their fundraiser, entitled “50 books to read before you are 8”. Could you name 10 of these children's books?

2. What is the name of the recently published Inscribe anthology (including such topics as Time with God, Healthy Living and Marketing)?

3. Who wrote Writing the Breakout Novel? Who wrote Writing the Blockbuster Novel?

4. Which of the following authors would NOT be considered a Christian writer?

Francine Rivers

Penelope Stokes

Margaret Mitchell

Kristin Billerbeck

5. Which artist is the Bible referring to in Exodus 31 when it tells that he was “given the spirit of God to devise artistic designs... for work on every skilled craft”?

6. Name the author of one of the most successful children's novels ever written, who gave this advice: “Write... and improve as you go on. Read the best books and they will improve your style. Work for twenty years and you may someday find that you have a style and place of your own…I give you for a motto Michelangelo’s wise words: ‘Genius is infinite patience.’”

7. Fill in the letters with two authors’ names:
_ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ ‘s novel Jewel came out in 1991... But then people pretty much forgot about it...until 1999 when Oprah selected it for her book club… [He] says “ _ . _ .  _ _ _ _ _ once said that we don't need more books about Christians. We need more books with Christian values built into them.”

8. Fill in the blanks with the missing words in these titles from Chuck Colson's favorite books for summer reading:


The Brothers _______ , by F.D.
Out of the Silent _______ , by C.S.L.
Lost in the _______ , by W. P.
The Father _______ Mysteries , by G. K. C.
 _______ Progress , by J.B.

9. James Scott Bell wrote an article entitled “10 Disciplines for Fiction Writers.” Can you guess what the first two disciplines are ? Mo _______ and Mo _______.

10. At my first Inscribe fall conference in 2008, the keynote speaker joked that she heard the harpies on my shoulder saying negative, discouraging words about my writing (in a voice that sounded like Woody Allen), and I should just knock them off and keep on writing. What is the name of this keynote speaker, an author of award-winning historical Christian fiction set in the American West?

11. Poet John Milton composed a sonnet expressing his grief that he could no longer serve God with his creative writing. The poem ended “... God does not need either man's work or his own gifts. Who best bear his mild yoke, they serve him best... They also serve who only stand and wait.”  Why did Milton think he could no longer write? (Was he correct in thinking this?)

Congratulations! You finished!

How did you do?

I hope you got some inspiration and info from these quiz questions, and had some fun!

* * * * * * * * * *

Answers:

1.[See the image below of the 50 books] ; 2.7 Essential Habits of Christian Writers; 3. Donald Maass, Albert Zuckerman; 4.Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone with the Wind; 5. Bezalel; 6.Louisa May Alcott; 7.Bret Lott, C.S.Lewis; 8.Karamozov, Planet, Cosmos, Brown, Pilgrim’s; 9. Motivation, Momentum; 10. Jane Kirkpatrick; 11. He was blind; No, he was wrong, he actually created the masterpieces he is most famous for after he went blind.

Posted by Ramona

www.happilywriting.com  

Photo credit

“Jo Seated on the Old Sofa” courtesy of Cliff at Flickr 5223922465_ca5947bbb2_o

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

My Community of Writers Thus Far by Alan Anderson

“I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3)

I wear different “hats” as it were as I make my way through my journey of life.  I am a husband, a dad, a papa, a brother, a cousin, an uncle, a friend, a spiritual health professional and a child of God.  My relationship with God is the only one that allows me to be a child.  I kind of miss being a child!  More about that perhaps another time!

I would be negligent if I did not include I am also a writer.  I love writing!  I love reading as well!  In my writing I like to choose my words well.  In life I also like to choose my friends well!

I am a member of InScribe Christian Writer’s Fellowship and The Word Guild.  I choose my writing relationships well and have learned a lot from writers in these groups.  A goal I have is to one day be as helpful to these writers as they are to me!  I am immensely thankful for the encouragement I receive from such caring writers here and would like to mention a few.  Unknown to them, they are my community of writers!

Glynis M. Belec is a major encourager to me!  She is one of the experienced writers encouraging me to take the plunge and write one of the books living in my heart.  She is one of my stars!  I could go on but wouldn’t want her to start blushing! Well. Maybe I would!  Susan Harris is another writer I love like a sister, although we have never met and has been an inspiration to me.  Bobbi Junior is what I see as a writer unafraid to be frank and honest in her stories.  I love the blog posts of Gloria Guest.  I seem to resonate with her words many times.  Tracy Krauss gave me my first opportunity to post on a regular basis.  I am grateful to her for helping me bring some of my word friends into the light.  Christine Lindsay recently allowed me to be a guest author on her blog and has invited me to do so again.  Irish Beth Maddock makes words alive for children and is a treasure!  Ruth Snyder has also been a tremendous encouragement to me in her writing and leadership of InScribe.  Sheila Webster, our fearless editor of FellowScript Magazine, gave me a wonderful surprise recently by asking me to write an article.  That was an amazing honour!

If readers will please forgive the length of the paragraph above I would be grateful!  I just wanted to name a few people I admire.  I must note that I have never met any of my community of writers in person so far.  That will hopefully change some day in God’s timing!

Although I have come alongside people for many years and listened to their stories I have often been reluctant to share my own with others.  Perhaps my introversion has allowed that.  I can listen to the stories of joy and pain all the way to a person’s last few moments of her or his life.  I still, however, on some level resist the thought that people would be interested in my story.  Due to the encouragement of my community of writers I am taking my writing journey one step at a time.

My community of writers is in my prayers! I love you all!

Blog: ScarredJoy@wordpress.com