T is for Training by Lorilee Guenter

 

Once upon a time, my daughter challenged me to walk/run a 5K with her. I was an overweight, asthmatic who could not run 30 seconds. But how do you say no to the argument: you tell us to just try? I set out to train my body to run for 5 minutes, convinced I would fail. My plan was to run 5 minutes and walk 5 minutes. If I could run more great. I had to work with diligence and intentionality. To my surprise, it worked. I no longer run preferring to hike instead. Because of the earlier training, I know I can hike up to 5K even on a more difficult terrain. 

Somewhere around the time I started training my body, I started retraining my mind. I had written for fun. I kept a journal on and off. I decided I wanted to try writing a novel. I built on my journal habit and sat down to write each day in November that year. The result is a disjointed mess. I had not taken time to build my story telling skills. I might break it up into short stories. I might leave it on the shelf as a reminder that I can try and I can learn. I can train to improve my writing. I have a series of novel attempts. Each better than the last. One is almost ready to publish. During these training exercises, I learned what I like to write and what I struggle to write. The first draft of my writing is always a case of the missing comma. However, with practice, I no longer miss as many commas as I once did. 

Books, workshops, and writing communities are integral to my training. So is reading. I am always reading. Just as an athlete continues to train in their sport, as writers we need to continue to work on our craft.

In Hebrews 12:1 we are challenged to "run with perseverance the race marked out for us." We are also given guidelines for training in faith and life. By fixing our eyes on Jesus we can reach the goal. I can not run this race alone. In each of the training examples above, I had a group of people challenging me,  guiding me and cheering me on. In life and faith we have the same support when we engage with the community around us. No matter how large or small our faith family is, we have a friend and mentor in Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit. A life of consistent faith is the most important training we will undertake. May we each follow the training plan He has for our lives. 

T is for Travel Journal by Carol Harrison

 

I don’t travel often, but when I do I keep a travel journal. I record sights I see, people I meet or watch, and thoughts and ideas to keep the memory alive through photos and written words. By keeping a travel journal it becomes easier to recall little details you noticed and share them with others if you choose to do so. Travel journal plus photos equals well-rounded collections of memories of the story of your adventure.

 Another part in my travel journal is jotting Scripture that I’m reminded of by what I’m seeing and experiencing. In 2018, my husband and I went on a cross-Canada train trip that took place over the course of two months. I journaled along the way, capturing thoughts, sights, and people I met to help me remember the details of the adventure.

 After we returned home, I read through that journal and found I had almost fifty Bible passages or verses highlighted on various days throughout the trip. I used these verses and thoughts about them to write over forty devotionals which I published in a little book called On Track.

But a travel journal can also help with other types of writing than just devotionals. When we people watch, we get glimpses into character traits and what people might look and dress like. Travel journals become a wealth of research into characters, locations, travel methods, and how it affected you and might affect a character in one of your stories. How much time did it take to get from place to place? What did you see along the way? What interactions did you have with people or with guides when you were sightseeing?

 One example of this from my travel journals came from standing on a high mountain in Jasper National Park and walking a little way to the summit from the tram station. I can look back at photos to be reminded of the scenery, but those don’t tell me how cold I felt. They can’t tell me how the wind felt like it might push me off the mountain if I left the path and went too close to the edge. Only through documenting what I saw, felt, heard, and experienced do I get the full picture of what a character would experience in that type of situation. It helps with believable characters, feelings, and emotions, as well as small details about the location.

 Looking through travel journals for research purposes is still a work in progress for me. How about you? Do you keep a travel journal when you head out on an adventure? What have you gleaned from it by rereading it? If you haven’t kept a travel journal, I encourage you to try it. You might be surprised at the wealth of research information and how it jogs your memory as you share your stories.

 

Carol Harrison writes from her home in Saskatoon, SK but loves to hear and read stories from many locations. 

Tape - Holy Duct Tape by Sharon Heagy

The conversation whirled around me as I sat and listened. Theories and opinions stated as truth without investigation. Attacks and slander stated by people who didn’t know and didn’t care if the people involved actually committed the acts they purported. So, I turned off the TV.

Sometimes the same thing happens during an in-person conversation. It begins as a respectful discussion and somehow descends into some sort of ‘I’m right and you’re wrong,’ mudslinging, toxic event. When this occurs that old familiar discomfort starts in my belly, clenching muscles, heightened nerves. An anger fire starts and burns up into my chest, heading upward, towards my lips. It’s then I ask the Lord to apply holy duct tape. Please shut my mouth and stop me from adding fuel to the conflagration. Give me wisdom to pour out words of living water to put the fire out and restore unity, respect, kindness and friendship. We can all get carried away with our passions now and then.

Looking back to the days before belief in the Lord turned into relationship, there were many times I wish someone had put out my fire before I said something hurtful and explosive as my body shook in response to something I thought was ‘just wrong!’ Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t but my response did absolutely nothing to glorify God.

I am thankful for God’s duct tape. It helps me to be less sarcastic and flip. Not everyone appreciates my sometimes-warped sense of humour. Not everyone needs to hear my voice all the time. Yes, there are still times when I rip the duct tape off and blurt out whatever my knee jerk reaction might be without regard to God or the people I am with, or the warning bells going off in my own brain. It stings to tear duct tape from my skin and it is always followed by regret. Then I find myself once more praying for the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 22 -23, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” And God is changing me from the inside out, but it’s a journey.

As writers we must also be careful with the words we write, especially when writing about a passionate subject. One that is dear to our hearts. It’s important that we don’t intentionally offend, though sometimes when people disagree with what we’ve written they may take offence, but this is just fall out. Particularly if it’s a sensitive subject. It does no good in helping people understand your position by being headstrong or by bullying. We can use bold, strongly worded sentences without insulting or belittling our readers. Words have power. Power to hurt, power to heal, power to increase understanding and power to provoke anger. Power to further God’s kingdom and power to drive people away.

All our work needs to be prayerfully committed to God, first and foremost. And one of the prayers I pray is that God would apply His holy duct tape as I ‘speak’ words onto the page. Help me as I edit, Lord, to use the duct tape to rip out words that don’t belong, that edify no one. And, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14 NIV) God bless.

            

Travelling as a Source of Writing Inspiration by Steph Beth Nickel

 

Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/airplane-sky-sunrise-sunset-6074629/

A writer's inspiration can come from any number of places: snippets of overheard conversation, a display of souvenir merchandise bearing unusual names, a random quote you can't forget.

And . . . travel!

Next month, I will be travelling to Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland with my husband. Our eldest son and his wife will serve as our tour guides. (They live in Scotland and spend a fair amount of time in Iceland, a place they especially look forward to showing us.)

Needless to say, a trip like this has the potential to provide a plethora of ideas for future writing projects, more ideas than I'll ever be able to pursue I'm sure.

While I could wait until I wing my way across the Pond to make any definite plans, I thought it best to get my creative mojo flowing by brainstorming ideas as to what I could write based on this once in a lifetime trip.

From poems to pictures books. Devotionals. Memoir. Blog posts. Newsletter content. Speculative fiction. Cozy mysteries. 

And so much more! 

To prime the pump, I asked Claude AI for ideas. While I won't be using any of the ideas "as is," they have served as inspiration.

For example, I asked, "Give me picture book ideas for books set in Scotland, Ireland, and Iceland," and Claude came up with three ideas for each location. 

Among other ideas, it suggested, "Tartan Tales: A patchwork quilt comes to life, sharing stories of Scottish history and folklore," "The Littlest Leprechaun: A tiny leprechaun tries to prove his worth by granting the biggest wish ever," and "Puffin's Big Adventure: A curious puffin explores Iceland's diverse landscapes and meets unique wildlife."

Like any other technology, generative AI can be used for unethical purposes. However, I've found that it's a great brainstorming partner.

In order to record the ideas that come to mind, I have purchased a blank journal which I plan to write in every day and a guided journal, should the idea for a novel begin to percolate. (I'm sure there will be many.)

I may take coloured pens, a different colour to use for each category so I can quickly scan the journal when I return home and develop the ideas that jump off the page at me.

I will also be taking a camcorder with an external mic to keep a video record of My European Adventure and a record of the magnificent scenery that is bound to grab my attention. I may also take my digital camera. We'll see. It is rather bulky but will likely be well worth it.

What corners of God's creation have inspired your writing? How did you keep track of that inspiration? What have you written based on your travels?