last week, i got to meet with published author, lake pointe member, and overall amazing woman, mary demuth. and recently, we added to our staff the knowledgeble kurt bruner, who was previously on staff at focus on the family, and an author of several books.
both mary and kurt graciously read over the articles i’ve written in the last year, and responded with encouragement and feedback. something that has impacted me the most was something kurt noted:
I encourage you to try telling a few uplifting stories to test your craft. Strange as it may sound, it is easier to write about evil characters in drama, murder in fiction and painful situations in non-fiction than it is to portray the good and beautiful as truly appealing. That is why Tolkien is considered by many to be the greatest writer of the 20th century ? he managed to portray the heavy darkness of evil without blinking, yet makes you yearn for the light of goodness.
Yeah, he totally nailed me on that one. So has my husband.
I have a little over a month until my next article is technically “due” and at this point, I know I must venture into the realm of uplifting. Easier said than done. I am by default a melancholy soul, and although consider all things joy, and realize God wants to give me abundant joy, it is easier for me to write about my mistakes and shortcomings (because they end with redemption).
I would really appreciate your prayers as I listen to the Spirit’s voice while determining what I am supposed to write about next month. And if any of you have advice or encouragement or even writers you love that have a more positive slant to their writing, feel free to share their links or articles.
Hey, thanks for the mention. I was so glad to meet you!
Here’s some advice my writing mentor told me that might be helpful. She said to elevate others’ stories and tell your own foibles. So, be lighthearted as you share your mistakes, but write about the triumphs of others. It has helped keep me humble to remember that advice.
And perhaps this is all about God doing something new in your heart. I can’t tell you how many times God has performed small acts of healing because of me putting word to page. So maybe just maybe, as you hinted to here, God is trying to help you see His abundance and how He wants to fill you with it.
Mary
http://www.relevantblog.blogspot.com
In other words, its easy to be emo (as a writer)? I think as a musician, I see this in musicians, too. Interesting.
i think that one reason it’s so easy for me to write somberly is that i’ve grown up in a context that thrives on the antithesis: good vs. evil, knowledge vs. ignorance, joy vs. pity. everything becomes so extremely black-and-white that if we drift even a millimeter across that false line people wonder if Christ was ever our Lord in the first place.
growing up in that kind of context creates such a bursting intrigue with “the other side” because we are taught that at the moment of Christ “comes into our hearts” we will no longer face corporate and social sin, depression, addictions, because “[we] can do all things through Christ who strengthens [us].” the truth is that we live in a tension of the already/not yet – Christ has come and is bringing His kingdom [already] but it is not fully here [not yet]. His victory will be complete when he returns again in the flesh.
as Christians (and especially as writers) message is that hope, though, and i agree that it’s more difficult to display a worldview of hope and salvation when sin and evil still confront us every day.
just found your blog through carlos whittaker’s blog, i’m new to sandals church (about 6 months now) and even newer to blogging. i know God has led me to both in order to bless me in new ways!
so, i’m a closet writer and have found that writing about the amazing things i see God doing around me keeps me focused on “whatever’s true, noble, right…” found in Phil 4:8. because i tend to lean towards depression, i find that sharing stories about God’s beauty in others serves as good therapy.
noticing the good He does and pointing it out to others is my artist’s soul just doing its thing.
Fun stuff going on in Pittsburgh
http://catalystfaith.wordpress.com