Pink Mountains …. by Jocelyn Faire

We cannot accomplish all that we need to do without working together. Bill Richardson

Every time I walk into a library or a Chapters book store I question my call to write. As I gaze row upon row of published books, it seems that there are more than enough words flung out onto the vast empty pages. A main reason, I was reluctant to join a writers group, is because I did not feel as though I qualified as a writer.

And how do you define writer? The online dictionary defines writer as:

noun

1. a person engaged in writing books, articles, stories, etc., especially as an occupation or profession; an author or journalist.

2. a clerk, scribe, or the like.

3. a person who commits his or her thoughts, ideas, etc., to writing :

My credentials come via point three—I am a person who commits my thoughts to writing. As I connect with others who write, I learn and improve my writing practice. It has become increasingly important for me to connect with others along the writing journey. It's what keeps me going back to put pen to paper. I have a writing partner that I met via Inscribe. We meet monthly to spur one another on. I always feel energized after our time together. Then the knowing that we will meet again spurs me on because I need to have something worked on for the next time.

As I publish my post today, I will be celebrating the second last day of a spiritual retreat. Two dear friends join me in February for what has become known as the Pink Mountain Retreat. The name has developed from nature. In the clear February air, the morning sun reflects back on the snowy mountains, and on occasion the skies pink hues descend onto the mountains with their rosy glow. It is especially during these times I have been encouraged to write. These soul sister friends also provide the rosy glow in my life as they reflect their spiritual inner light and love.

These ladies have walked the miles between my story happening and the publishing of my first book; they have helped edit grammatically and helped improve clarifity. They have asked me if I didn't want a shorter sentence. Did I mean to sound angry in that section? Should that be a semi-colon? And they have embraced the writing and say well done.

Like good undergarments, these ladies are foundational for my writing; they lift me up when I am doubting, they separate the good from the not so good, and they are close to my heart. (Perhaps they would ask if I want to shorten that run on sentence.)

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.Proverbs 12:25A man finds joy in giving an apt reply—and how good is a timely word.Proverbs 15:23 (The Message)

We can and should cheer one another along in the journey of writing and life. 

And Thank-you fellow Inscribe bloggers

Jocelyn is the author of Who is Talking Out of My Head, Grief as an Out of Body Experience, 
She blogs at http://whoistalking.wordpress.com

 

How Writers Cafe Was Born - Joylene M. Bailey

In late 2012 I was becoming desperate for like-minded people. We had been living in Edmonton for 5 years, and I was missing my writer’s group in Saskatchewan. I started thinking that surely there must be other writers out there who felt the same way I did. Maybe I should start a group of my own.

But then all the scary thoughts started plowing through my mind:

- I can’t lead a group! What do I know about writing?

- I need them; they don’t need me.

- Do I really want one more commitment in my already busy life?

- Is there a set protocol for writers groups? I don’t even know what I’m doing.

- Will anybody show up? If I build it, will they come?

But the insistent thought Maybe I should start a group wouldn’t go away. It kept popping its happy head up through all of the negative noise. Gradually I came to realize that this wasn’t just a thought I had come up with on my own. God had put it there. He was nudging me to start a group.

I prayed and prayed, asking God to show me if this idea was really from Him.

LORD, please give me a sign that this is Your idea.

January 2013, just before my husband and I left for a 2 week holiday, a mass email came out to all InScribe members in the Edmonton area: there are no Christian writers groups in Edmonton. Would anyone be willing to start one?

There was my sign.

Still, I hesitated.

We went on our holiday, where that email was never far from my mind. I continued to pray for direction and courage. And I started to get excited.

When we got home I replied to the email. The response was that there had been one other who had shown interest in starting a group. I was given her email address.

We met for coffee. In our conversation we realized that we each had different visions for a group and decided to each start one – meeting at different times of the month and in different parts of the city - and see how that went. We both set our start dates for May.

From March to May our groups were advertised through InScribe’s different venues: website, FellowScript, listserv. I also contacted a couple of writer acquaintances I knew.

When May 8 rolled around I was nervous.

Five strangers showed up, and it was obvious from the start that these people were as anxious as I was to be around other writers. We immediately clicked. I saw that all of my hesitancy and nervousness had been unnecessary. Hadn’t I believed that God had nudged me to start this group? I should have been confident that He would bring the people He wanted and that it would be a safe place from the start.

We met again in June and before we broke for the summer we had decided on a name, based on what people were looking for in a writing group:

Community

Accountability

Feedback

Encouragement

And Writers CAFÉ was born.

In September a few more people joined.  Over the years, others have come along. Some tested the waters for a short time and didn’t stay, but the core people have been around from the beginning. At present we have 10 committed members who come every month. One of our members travels 2 hours, one way, to be with us. 

We range from beginning writer to published author; cover genres from children’s books to poetry, fiction, non-fiction, script writing, and blogs. Each writer is on her own writing journey. Each voice is unique. But we all come together in unity and mutual respect.

I discovered I really didn’t need to worry about leading. I host and facilitate but we all learn from each other. We have become a sisterhood, and the trust we have established is of inestimable worth.   

God is present. It is His group, after all. Together He is molding us and making us into the writers He wants us to be so that we will use our gifts in our unique ways to make Him known.

I love Writers Café, individually and as a group. I have ventured places in my writing that I never would have dared without their encouragement. And their prayers have moved mountains in personal lives.

God is doing marvelous things in and through Writers Café, and it wouldn't have happened this way if I hadn’t been obedient to God’s nudge.

Writers in the House by Loretta Bouillon

I can see the value in belonging to a writer’s group.  Unfortunately, we don’t have such a group in our little town of a thousand people.  I suppose I could start one but I’m not really at that place in my life to do so. I am, however, very blessed to live with another writer.

My 18 year old daughter is a true born, through-and-through writer.  She has been journaling and writing stories since she was five. Throughout the day she spends time in her head with the characters of her various stories; and to relax she spends time on her bed with large story boards propped up around her.  The other night she came home from a five hour bus ride excited to write because she had been developing her story in her mind all that time. I wish I was that kind of writer but I am not. I joke and tell her that I want to be just like her when I grow up! J

I tend to write about reality: a memoir, devotions, short magazine articles, and blog about life with my teens. However, we are both writers and God calls us to exercise our gift in different ways. When life is going relatively smoothly for me I write a lot; for all to see. When life throws some curve balls, I become a solitary writer for God’s eyes only. Sometimes I think I am writing to build my testimony. One day, I might share it to help other’s that are walking in the same place.  But for now, I just write my feelings, my experiences, my joy and my prayers.

It’s handy living with another writer. She proof-reads all my writing and critiques it honestly. She encourages me and inspires me. Next September I lose my built in editor as she ventures off to university… Maybe then, it will be time to start a writer’s group in this little town.

Home Sweet Inscribe Home - Tracy Krauss

I am more than familiar with the solitary aspects of the writing life. I spent about sixteen years in the 'closet' writing my first novel before I ventured to let someone read what I'd written. Even after that breakthrough, it took several more years before I made any significant connections with other writers. Until my first book found a publishing home, I shied away from even calling myself a writer. In some ways I felt like a  fraud - not really good enough to make such a claim. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have been quicker to find support, but I didn't actually understand how much I needed it.

It wasn't until my first novel came out in 2009 that I realized I needed a lot of things. I had zero platform, no website, and social media was a foreign concept to me. I naively thought that just by virtue of being 'out there', my book would sell itself. After a quick and rude awakening, I jumped head first into a cyber world that was totally unfamiliar and started to flounder around as best I could. It was a very steep learning curve, I assure you!

The first real support I felt was through an online group called 'Edgy Christian Fiction Lovers'. It was a forum for Christian writers and readers who didn't mind a bit of 'edge' to their fiction. It was a place where I felt I fit and I soon made some wonderful relationships with other authors that still exist to this day. (Sadly, the site itself closed down a few years ago.)

After that I kind of went crazy and joined almost every online group I came across - about thirty at its peak! Some were more beneficial than others, but it was difficult to maintain any kind of connection when spread so thin. I was also introduced to ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), a group that requires paid membership, and I joined.

It was somewhere in the summer of 2010 that I came across InScribe Christian Writers' Fellowship. It was purely by accident while doing some kind of online search. I can't describe the thrill I felt when I discovered that there was a Canadian organization for Christian writers. Added to that, I had previously read some blog posts written by Marcia Laycock on another site and had felt a connection to her because we had both lived in the Yukon. When I discovered she was actually the president of Inscribe at the time - well! I couldn't get my cheque in the mail fast enough! 

When I received my first copy of Fellowscript, I was thrilled (again) to discover that there was a writing group fairly near to where I lived. (A two hour drive, but its all relative...) Marnie Pohlmann, the leader of the group, has since become a wonderful writing friend even though I can't make it to most meetings. I attended my first conference that fall and have only missed one. Fall conference has become one of the highlights of my year.

These days, I'm more selective about the online groups I participate in, but online groups are still an important aspect of my writing life. I'm also a member of The Word Guild, and I maintain my ACFW membership. However, Inscribe remains my main source of encouragement as a writer. Somehow, ever since I became a member, Inscribe just feels like 'home'. I suppose it's why I feel so privileged to do my small part for the organization, like maintain this blog, for instance. It is truly a joy and I enjoy reading and sharing each wonderful post.

You can share, too! Just click one of the sharing options at the bottom of this post or along the sidebar. It's easy! 

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Tracy Krauss writes from her home in northern BC. She is also more than happy to serve on Inscribe's executive as this blog's moderator, the coordinator for 'Local Writing Groups', and as the BC Rep. Check out her website for details about her many published books and plays.