 | |
| Melinda Viergever Inman |
Publish
His Story
The words jump out at me from my editor’s email. My novel
has worked its way to the top of his pile. He is ready for my manuscript! My
heart pounds. Excitement and terror simultaneously course through my veins. It
is time!
Is it really ready? Do I have everything exactly as I want
it? What might need to be changed? Should I go through the entire thing one
more time?
But now there is an accompanying emotion, because this is my
third novel. There is grief. I am also mourning. Today I say goodbye to my
characters as they are in their pristine form. Only my beta readers and I are
acquainted with them. We have shaped them.
I have tweaked them and cavorted with them. I have felt
their emotions, cried alongside them, considered each from the eyes of the
other, grown with them, and loved them. They are mine.
This will now end. My editor will slash and burn if
necessary. He will cut away some of my favorite descriptions and statements
from their mouths. He will wonder why Avery's clothes are important. He will
slash some of Prentis’s inner thoughts. They will be reformed and strengthened
and sanctified by his editorial eye. They will die to be reborn anew. And then
they will arrive in their final form, never to be altered again, immortalized
in print.
The editor will do whatever is necessary for the story.
I trust him entirely. We have a great working relationship.
We will haggle. I, like Jesus, will sit at his right hand and intercede for my
people. Writing has taught me a lot about sanctification and the necessary life
changes God brings into my life.
Until I became an author, I never understood the
intentionality that goes into the creation of a story. Now, I’m afraid I drive
my husband crazy, because throughout television series and movies I announce
periodically which way the author of the script will now take the story.
The characters must suffer, not only for their own good, but
for the glorious purpose of the story.
It’s easy to forget that God has created us, delighted over
us, and cherished us individually, while at the same time weaving our life events
together with all the other “characters” of His divine story of love and
redemption. We play our part. He perfects our individual character, works all
things together for our good and the good of others, and creates us to impact
His Story.
So, as I take my last peek at the manuscript before I send
it to the editor, I’m mindful of the larger picture, the bigger view of life on
this planet. We have been written into the greatest story ever told, the story
of a God who loves so much that He came down to be one of the characters, the
One who would die for the people, so that we might be redeemed.
As part of His story, He has gifted and equipped us, dear
writers. We couch His story within our tales in subtle and inviting ways, shown
rather than stated as theological fact, delivered with emotion to woo the
reader and to draw them toward the Savior, the One who loves so fiercely and
completely.
This is why we write.
The sacrifice of losing control of the manuscript and having
our precious words slashed and revised is necessary. It’s a small offering
compared to the sacrifice of the One who was slashed and crucified, but it's
our small way to be a part of His Story, to proclaim what He has done, and to
use the gifts He has given for this purpose.
And so, dear writer, go forth and write.
Love
takes action: The Creator God establishes the cosmos and shapes a man. Adam
rises from the dust. Envious, the powerful angel Lucifer despises him.
Oblivious to the threat, Adam is captivated by his strong, intuitive wife Eve.
In the Garden of Eden, they enjoy abundant food, gorgeous vistas, and
intriguing challenges, including their budding love and passion. They have it
all!
But
Lucifer’s deceptive brilliance tricks them into disobeying God. They eat the
one forbidden fruit. Their innocence is shattered. Their unity with one another
and with God is destroyed. Death will follow. Lucifer’s jealousy threatens
mankind’s tenuous beginning. But God is merciful. What astonishing promise does
He make? How will Adam and Eve survive—broken, shattered, and separated from God?
Melinda Viergever Inman was
raised in a storytelling family. There her roots were sunk. During years of
relocation, tragedy struck. Wounded and heartbroken, Melinda forsook her roots
and ran from herself and from God. A journey of trial and heartache brought her
home again. A prodigal now returned, she writes with passion, illustrating
God's love for wounded people as He makes beauty from ashes. Fallen is her second novel; Refuge, the sequel, is her first.
Melinda shepherds women in prison ministry and writes inspirational material at
http://melindainman.com/blog/. With her family she is involved with Mission
India/RIMI, rescuing orphans and providing theological and job training for
impoverished students.
Connections:
