Sorry this is late, but I’ve spent most of last week/weekend/today–save for an all-day Junior Bible Quiz tournament on Saturday featuring the Prodigy earning his first team and individual trophies. (Dad is very proud)—working on an application for a weeklong writing workshop on "Poetry, Prose, and Prayer" in A Gripe: I’m always frustrated by Christians who say they want to write, but don’t write because it's hard adn they're all alone and there's no examples and no one to encourage them daily. All true.
They also don’t encourage themselves by surrounding themselves with the most obvious encouragements. Yes, it would be lovely to live in a writer’s colony where everyone wrote, then shared writing insights in communal settings, enjoying deep conversations at book clubs covering the (contemporary and ancient) classics, and always had a writing buddy about to keep us focused. Most of us aren’t going to get that chance though. So we need to think sharper.
Look at it this way though, people who just attend church on Sunday generally aren’t considered superior Christians even though they might be surrounded by superior Christians.
It’s no different to be a successful (not necessarily a published) writer: we are defined by our actions. And it’s not just writing words regularly (hopefully daily), it’s our choice of friends (are they all the same type of people? do they challenge and encourage us or make excuses for our mediocrity?), what we read (do you get writing magazines? Literary journals? Books of interviews? Literary blogs? or do you just read the kind of books and magazines you've always read?), watch and listen to (lots of author interviews on YouTube; podcasts too), then giving this amalgamation to God to use.
It’s a life commitment that can help us create our own little writer's colony in our own homes if we're willing to sacrifice for our gifting. So start improving today!
I'm Kent d Curry, and I approve of this message.
Yep, you're talking to me. Which doesn't suprise me since inspiration seems to ooze from your pores. That said, I have to say that being a writer is alot like being a pastor. People think it's all glitz and glory until they do it and realize it's alot of hard work and sacrfice. And that is why only the most dedicated rise to the top. When I first became a writer, I have to admit the draw was to 'see my name in lights' aka get published. But more and more it's about being diligent with the gifting God has given me. Thanks Kent for always challenging us to grow. Your points are well taken and worth a deep long mental soak...
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