I'll Take Door Number W for Writer, Please

Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing. Toby Mac 

My day job (property management) was intolerable. I've a flat spot on my forehead from smacking my head on the wall. As customers rushed to my office in hopes I would fix their self-inflicted problems, I

Peter Leavell

would reach for a massive lever, pull, and a trap door would open below their feet, sending them to a soft landing elsewhere. Freed from their insatiable needs, I would turn back to my laptop and sneak a few words on my laptop. In theory. I never wrote at work. 

At home, the kids were so eager to see me—and my wife starved for adult conversation—I tried to push my need to write off into the late night so I could devote uninterrupted time with them. 

The Hope of the "The End" by Amy Rognlie

Amy Rognlie

The Hope of “The End”

By Amy Rognlie 

The End. What writer doesn’t love those two little words? It’s the finish line. The culmination of hours and hours of blood, sweat and tears. But the ending itself would be meaningless without all that comes before it: the process of building word upon word, scene upon scene.

When it comes to the process of writing, fiction writers often claim allegiance to one of two camps: the plotters or the pantsers. Plotters are those who plan out their story in detail before beginning to write it, and pantsers are those who, as the name suggests, dive into a story without any (or at least not much) idea of where the story is headed. Surely there are writers who are somewhere in between? Well, ye-e-e-es, but most of us lean in one direction or the other.

I’ve always been a loyal pantser, even before I knew what to call myself. I’d start writing a story with just the barest image of a character or a scene in mind. I didn’t know how to do it any differently. And hey, it all worked out in the end, so why not? Well, because in a way, I made more work for myself. Went down paths that led to dead-ends. Painted my characters into corners too onerous to escape. Dug holes I had to explain my way out of.

I find this difficult to understand, because in my “real” life, I’m definitely a planner. I love setting goals, and (mostly) enjoy the hard work and the discipline it takes to reach those goals. So why don’t I approach writing as a planner? Um, I don’t know. Maybe because doing all of that planning ahead of time makes novel writing sound more like work than fun.

But I have a confession. Now, well into writing my eighth book, I’m starting to lean more and more toward the—gasp—plotting camp. I never thought I’d see the day, but the idea of actually knowing how my book is going to end does hold some appeal. Smile. I’ve also come to realize that when I know how my story ends, all of the scenes leading up to that end are shaped—some overtly, some almost imperceptibly—by that knowledge. How could they not be?

Musing about this recently, I started drawing spiritual parallels. I can’t help it. I’m always looking at life situations and asking myself, “How does this illustrate the faith journey?”

Here’s what I came up with: Everyone, in real life, will fall somewhere on the continuum of plotter or pantser. And if we are followers of Christ, we already know the end of The Story. We might not have any idea of what will take place between now and then, but we know where we’re headed. And we know that Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, has given us specific guidelines as well as general principles to follow, right?  So how do we mesh our natural bent as a real-life plotter or pantser with the everyday, in-and-out “followingness” of Jesus?

Hmm. If you’re a plotter, you’ve probably already noticed a serious problem: real life is messy. Messier than we’d like. And plot and plan as we may, our carefully outlined scripts of what life is “supposed” to be like are often ripped to shreds. Stuff happens, you know?

So what’s a plotter to do? What can a planner plan on?

Plan on God’s faithfulness. Plan on His mercy. Plan on His immutability in the midst of an ever-changing world.

And the pantsers? Those who don’t have time or inclination to sweat the “small stuff”?

Revel in God’s creativity demonstrated in your life. Strive for intentionality. Keep the end in sight.

Why? Because one of these days, we’ll all arrive at the end of The Story. Our individual journeys may have been long and arduous or smooth and relatively pain-free. It won’t matter, then. What will matter is that we have fought the good fight. Run the race. And entered into the ultimate happily-ever-after that only The Author could create.

So, keep your eye fixed on the finish line. Hold the hope of the end close, letting it permeate every thought, every goal, every plan…every scene of your life. It will be worth it all one day. I promise.

~~~~~

Make Haste Slowly by Amy Rognlie

Life in Short Creek, Texas is just what Callie Erickson expected it to be: calm and predictable…until the morning a gift bag—along with a dead body—appear on the doorstep of her shop. A terrible tragedy? Or something more sinister?

After moving halfway across the country for a new crack at life, Callie isn’t eager to become entangled in any more trouble than necessary. But a cryptic message, a needy neighbor, and her own heart won’t allow her give up so quickly. With the help of her indomitable Aunt Dot, and friends both old and new, Callie sets out to discover the truth. What she finds might change her life forever.

~~~~~~

 

Amy Rognlie writes inspirational fiction, including mysteries and historical novels. When not writing, she is teaching middle school language arts or leading a Bible study at the local jail. Amy lives in Central Texas with her husband, dogs (including a pug, of course), and a plethora of plants, yarn, and books.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Rognlie/e/B001K8KU9W/
Website: https://amyrognlie.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyRognlie/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/@amyrognlie/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amyrognlie/

Creative Process by Annette M. Irby

 

pen and notebook*

I’ve heard this phrase most of my life. I’m sure you have too. “Creative process” is usually used in reference to artists and how they go about either creating, or being refreshed during a creative season, or being inspired to get creative. I never really applied that phrase to myself, until recently. 

We’re creatures of habit, aren’t we? Since I edit and/or write most of the workday, I liked to spend time away from reading during the early evening. But as a fiction writer/editor, I adore story. This means, I relax and refresh by watching movies or TV dramas or comedies. I consider myself a student of story in several of its forms. What I didn’t expect was the exhaustion that happened when I had to change that routine. I hadn’t realized that activity was part of my creative process. Without that downtime/recharging/story-immersion, I was coming up empty during the creative time. I had a void in my creative life. 

Discovering our writing processes, which of course may change over time, will help us embrace them. Instead of feeling “lazy” for recharging (in whatever way, like a soak in the hot tub), we can remember that this activity is simply part of our creative process. 

I wanted to share some of my creative process, and I’d love if you shared yours. Here are some areas of my creative process:

Music—while writing I listen to instrumental music, mostly David Lanz and Jim Brickman. Over the years, I’ve discovered several pianists whose music inspires me. I tend to avoid minor-key music, as that’s not my preference. I recently heard from a fellow writer who was excited that her favorite band had just come out with a new project that she could use as a soundtrack to her current WIP. Something completely opposite (it seemed) to what I’d prefer, or what would work for me. But that’s the thing—we're individual writers, creating original works, so it makes sense that our processes would be individual as well.

Art—I have certain paintings on my office wall. I tend to appreciate landscapes over cityscapes and nature over things that are human made. I also surround myself in themed items. Like the anchor clock on my office wall. I’m writing maritime stories, so it fits. Researching the setting of my current series (beach-front/island stories) provides visual vacations that inspire me.

Exercise—long walks in nature inspire me, and relax me. Prayer walks are the best! Sometimes getting away from the computer is the wisest part of the creative writing process. Our minds will problem solve and/or offer a new insight. Last summer, during the hospitable time of the year for outdoor swimming, I found myself inspired while floating in a pool. 

Movies/TV—I’ve touched on this above. As a writer of Christian romance, I find watching wholesome romantic movies/shows is helpful for inspiration. But I also watch sci-fi and historical shows. I love documentaries. (*gasp—non-fiction) Either way, story (history or fiction) inspires me. 

Devotional time—this is part of my lifestyle, and some solely part of my creative process, but I can see where the kisses from God that happen in my devotional time with Him influence my writing. 

So, how about you? What is your creative process? Perhaps you take a pen and notebook to the nearest park, or coffee shop, or Panera. (*yum) Perhaps you like silence when you work, or do you prefer noise and chaos? How about deadlines? Do they influence your productivity? Panic is a strong motivator when that deadline is drawing near. Has your creative process surprised you, like it has me? Share your thoughts, friends!

~~~~~ 

Annette M. Irby

Annette M. Irby is a freelance editor and Christian fiction author who dabbles in gardening and photography. She has completely fallen in love with her grandson. She enjoys spending time with her family and husband of over twenty-five years. You can learn more about Annette by visiting her website or her page here on Seriously Write. 

*photo credit: the awesome folks at Pixabay