Faith and Writing #9 – Big Write/Little Write

I love to write by hand.  I enjoy it because it feels good.  I enjoy it because it feels like I am writing, not just working.  I enjoy it because I can do it any time or place.

That last one is a biggie.  I write in an A5 notepad with a hardcover and ring spine, so I can flip it open and pen a few words whenever the notion takes me.  I write in queues, I write in traffic jams, I write in boring meetings, or just wherever I may be. 

This is what I call the “small write.”

It is a lot like prayer.  I don’t wait for a special time and place to pray.  Wherever I am, when the notion takes me, I shoot off a quick word to God.  I tell him how I am feeling, and ask him for help with something.  Or just say “Hi, it’s me.”

But I also like to write at set times.  Like for at least 30 minutes in the morning before I start the day.  It helps me to get the nights thoughts out of my head, and onto paper.  So I commit to an hour of writing in the morning.

This is what I call the “big write”.

I do the big write every day, regardless of whether I feel like it, or whether I have anything interesting to say.  I just write.  Because I need to make a habit of writing if I want to call myself a writer. 

The big write reminds me why I want to be a writer, and the small write reminds me that I am a writer.  I can’t live without both of them.

In the same way, I start each day with set prayer.  I pray at set times, like lunch, or at night, as well.  Even if I don’t feel like praying, or don’t feel like I have anything to say.  I pray, to remind myself that I am a Christian.

The set prayers help me to want to pray throughout the day, because it starts the day right, and keeps me focused on who I am.

“Small prayer” makes my life a Life of Prayer. 
“Big prayer” makes me want a life of prayer.

 

NaNoWriMo ’10 – Day 12-17

Well, it has been a while since I posted.

I have had a heavy week, and a heavy weekend.  Last night I only got back to my home/office at about 7PM, and the last thing I felt like doing was writing.

So, I am at 27000 words right now, where I should be at 28,333.  Which is not too bad, but I have been chasing that day’s lead since Saturday.  I should have written harder last week after the wonderful victory of Day 11.

On the plus side, my story threads are starting to weave themselves into a plot.  As they usually do towards the end of week two.  I now know why my main characters brother is leaving the clergy, and what it has to do with the plot.

I also just realised that the novel is not satire, but well-disguised Christian fiction.

Who would have guessed.

For a day-by-day account, go here.  To see more about my novel, go here.

 

 

Faith and Writing #7 – The Creative Spirit

We are told in the Bible that GOD made us in his image.  Male and Female he created us, and then he breathed his Spirit into us.

In his image.

With His Spirit.

But what does that mean?

Well, the first thing we see of GOD in the Bible is in Genesis where he is creating the Earth, and everything in it.  GOD is a creator.  More than that, he is a loving creator, who loves each beautiful thing he brought forth.  He created the peacock because he loves beautiful things, he created the Hippopotamus because he has a sense of humour.

And he loved each thing he created.

In my writers group at the moment, we are working our way through a book called The Artist’s Way.  The book is subtitled “A Spiritual path to Higher Creativity”.

I like that.  I like the fact that the author, Julia Cameron, says that GOD is a creator, and when he calls us to be like him, he is calling us all to be creators as well.  Suppressing your creative spirit is not only suppressing what GOD gave you, but also suppressing part of his purpose for your life – to create.

I have always felt a strong connection between my writing, and my spirituality, and I think this is one of the ways GOD wants me to express not just myself, but also Him.  I remember a line from Chariots of Fire, where Eric Liddell says, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.”

I believe God made me for a purpose, and it might not be to be a writer.  But when I write, I feel His pleasure.  Because then, I am using His creative spirit.

And I hope I can learn to love everything I create, not because it is beautiful, or humorous; but because it is my creation.

 

Living with confidence in a chaotic world.

 

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The book claims to be “Practical instruction for living a confident life in a world filled with chaos and crisis” and contains lessons about re-connecting with God and his message, with particular emphasis on the current worldwide financial crises.

The book did not really do a great deal for me.  The theology was sound, if a little cliched, and the ideas were good.  I just felt as if it was better suited as a series of sermons than a single written book.  Take note as well that while the book is not exclusively for US citizens, the language shows is a definite prejudice that way.  All the statistics are based on the US only, and the author refers to “we” as being US citizens. 
Read it and see what you think; take out some good ideas; but don’t expect anything groundbreaking, unless you haven’t read many other books of this kind in the last 10 years.

(I reviewed this book as part of the Thomas Nelson : Book Review Bloggers Programme. )

 

Free Will

I posted this poem over at fictionpress today.  It is not great, and I don’t know whether I am going to work on it anymore or not; but it summed up how I feel sometimes. 

Why can’t you just
overwhelm me already.
You gave me free will
a wondrous gift to be sure.
But I don’t think I’m using it right.
Can’t you take it back please?