As you can tell from the lack of posts here recently, I’ve been in a writing funk. It’s affected not only my blogging, but also my journaling. Worst of all, it was hindering me from getting out a proposal for my book.
In the past, painting has helped me get back in writing mode, but it wasn’t working this time. I tried other things that have worked before. I did some reading, went to a few of my favorite outdoor writing spots, and even watched movies I thought might inspire me. All that to no avail. So, there I stayed – for weeks – stuck.
Then, an interesting thing happened. I was scheduled to make a presentation to some college students on boundaries. I love public speaking. And I especially enjoy presenting on boundaries because it’s such an important topic. As I was driving home from the presentation, I was invigorated. I thought, “Yeah, that’s my sweet spot.”
I didn’t do the presentation to spark my writing. I did it because I had it on my schedule. But when I got home, I immediately started working on a post for LinkedIn. I had been thinking of doing the post for a few days, but … well, I had writer’s block. After completing the post, I went on to another writing project and have been back in the zone since. I even got the book proposal done and sent out!
My take-away from this experience? When you find yourself unable to write, do something else you love to do. Something that refreshes you. Something that builds your confidence because you know you do it well, even if it’s seemingly unrelated to writing.
Looking back now, I realize I had been feeling defeated because several things in my life had not gone as planned. By doing something that made me feel accomplished I regained my “I can do this” attitude.
My daughter is getting married in November, so our family has started a weight loss challenge to prepare for that day of constant picture taking. The six of us have lost a total of 71.8 pounds in the two months we’ve been at it. I lost ten pounds in February. That was a tremendous start for me. I’m not sure if I’ve ever lost more than five or six pounds in that amount of time before.
Unfortunately, after that record-breaking start, I only lost one pound this month. After reflecting on why that might be, I’ve come to the conclusion that it comes down to three changes I made in the first month, but didn’t continue in March. Three small changes: not drinking soda, having a tablespoon of coconut oil each day, and keeping track of what I was eating on myfitnesspal.com. So, I’ll go back to those three small changes for the month of April and test my theory.
All that got me to thinking about a post I’ve been meaning to write for a long time on how small change(s) add up to big results. So, after a long hiatus while I finished my book, I thought I was finally inspired to get back to blogging. But after inserting the graphic into the draft, I was suddenly … uninspired … again.
I’ve been finished with the book for almost a month, but just haven’t been able to get back to writing of any kind. I know a break is good every now and then, but I also know my all-or-nothing approach to things means I could easily slip into a pattern of not writing for way longer than I should. And since I’ve set a goal to make writing my career focus, that simply won’t do.
So, I decided this less than perfect blog post would be my one small change. I may write that other, more profound 😉 , article later. But for now, this one small step will have to do. After all, if I can’t take my own advice, why would I expect others to?
I’m stuck on whether or not to use a prologue for my book. Maybe you can help me decide by taking the following two single question polls.
My first question for you: Do you ever read the prologue to a book?
Now, to get more specific. Should I put the following information in a prologue or in the first chapter? Before taking the poll, here’s some information and excerpts to help you understand the decision I need to make.
The following is my prologue. I can’t decide if I should leave it as a prologue or make it the introductory paragraphs for the first chapter. The reason I have it separate for now is because the first chapter is actually a flashback to when my main character is a child.
Here’s the prologue:
Newman got up from his desk and stretched. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been at it, but sometime during his studying and writing, the sun had come up.
He twisted and rubbed his neck as he walked into the living room. He stopped when the bloodstains on the window frame caught his attention. He shifted his gaze to the stains on the grey damask sofa and then up to the ceiling, zooming in on the bullet hole.
Most days now, he could pass by without noticing these reminders of his past. It had been five years. He knew some people thought it strange he never patched the hole or removed the stains. But he didn’t want to forget where he’d come from – what he was saved from.
Shhh, man, I wish I could put all that in this sermon, he thought as he made his way into the kitchen.
Back at his desk with a fresh glass of water, he tried to get back to work. If I did tell that story, they’d probably kick me out of the church. He looked at the giant sticky note papers on the paneled wall to review the outline and thoughts he’d worked up so far for Sunday’s message. The title of the sermon was written in bold blue marker – From the Pit to the Palace. Lord, I want them to know you didn’t just do that for Joseph. You did that for me.
A few minutes later, he was thinking of another Bible passage. It was one he wasn’t planning to use in that week’s sermon. Am I my brother’s keeper? He pressed his fingers to his eyes to take away the sting of tears and hold them back.
After several more attempts to focus, he closed his Bible. He switched documents on the computer to work on the book instead. The truth has got to come out. There’s been too many lies. I’m tired of people not even knowing my real name. The feds already know I don’t want their protection from those in my past. And I’m tired of worrying about protecting my secret from those in my present. Twenty years has been long enough. His stomach churned as he started typing.
And here’s how the first chapter currently begins:
1 LITTLE MAN LEARNS THE HUSTLE
He was shy until he learned he could hustle. When he was a child, it was just a game. He never imagined it would become a game of life and death.
Newman “Little Man” Barton was known for walking the streets of his neighborhood with a newspaper or two under his arm. People said, “If you want to know what’s going on, ask Little Man. He’s always in that paper.” He also had a reputation for being charming and helpful. Newman’s love for the newspapers and his desire to be of assistance were traits instilled in him by his mother.
. . . He strolled along on his own more often than with his mother these days. The old heads on the bench outside the convenience store usually asked him to run inside and grab something for them. Honey buns were their favorite. They’d let him keep the change for his effort.
From there, he’d head over to the barbershop. It was just one of the places he was often called upon to help settle a bet by answering questions about the latest news or sports stats. The men always got a kick out of him being able to answer almost any question in the deep voice which had earned him his nickname.
“Hey, Little Man, how many field goals did Dr. J attempt last night against the Boston Celtics?”
“Dr. J was 10 of 25 from the field last night,” he’d answer with his broad, whole-face smile. That smile would usually make its way from his thick, broad lips into his cheekbones, causing them to round up toward his brown eyes, which in turn squinted almost shut … but not so much that the smile wasn’t still radiating out of them as well.
“Heh, I told you. Now, pay up,” the winner of the bet would chuckle to the loser. When the money was handed over, Newman was given his cut and he moved along to the next spot on his run. Making his hustle with the newspaper was one of his favorite childhood activities. Besides the fun of it all, he was glad he could bring home money to his mother who was struggling to raise six children without the support of a father in the home.
So, what do you think? Should I leave this as is or change it?
While I’m on hiatus finishing up the editing on my book, here’s a great read from Cheryl Bridges Johns at The Junia Project. Beautifully written and spot on. With my book off the to-do list soon, I hope to be writing on several of the topics she so eloquently summarizes. Until then, blessings to you.
Welcome to The Encourager’s Devotional Series. I’m so glad you took the time to see what it’s all about. Before we dive into the devotion, here are a few notes about this devotional series:
Since this is the first post in a series that will continue throughout 2015, you may want to take a look at the introduction to the series(if you haven’t already) for information regarding the schedule for posting and what you can expect in the weeks to come.
Throughout the devotions, I will present many ideas on how you may apply what you’re learning to minister encouragement to others. I pray you will see the suggestions not as a list of “to do’s” (who needs any more of those?!), but as “prompts.” Let the Spirit stimulate your thinking, but don’t let it stop with just thinking. As you…
If we are going to take The Curse as our guide for male and female roles, women should never have been allowed to work in the fields of agriculture – in any capacity. That would be the man’s role. It would emasculate him to have her take over any of his duties in that God-assigned arena, just like her taking a job outside the home would today.
I’m on my annual writing retreat. As one of the introverts mentioned in this post by a friend here with me, I’m staying on task and not blogging yet. 🙂
This week is my annual get away for a writer’s retreat. I find myself looking forward to it each year. It is a time when a group of my friends who love to write gather together in solitude. I know that does not make much sense–but in actuality we each have our own room where we write to our heart’s content and only come together for an evening meal. Some of us are night owls and some are early birds. The flexibility of only coming together for dinner allows us the freedom to work in our own time frames.
My friends (who are all introverts) are great at getting right to business and accomplishing many of their goals during the week. They write goals and state their BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal). They are good at eating frogs. Which means they get the hard things done first and then …
They saw ~ Look up Psalm 119:18 and write it out as you use it for a prayer prompt for your study time. ~ Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
They rejoiced~ Fill in the blanks for the following texts, looking for keys to maintaining joy in the Christian life.
John 16:24 – “… ask and you will receive, and your joy will be full.”
So, we can say that prayer is one key to maintaining joy. Now, go back to the previous chapter in John to look at some guidelines for prayer, to give some context to the promise, and to find another key to maintaining joy.
Verse 7 reveals what should motivate our prayers. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
Verse 8 reveals the intended purpose of our requests. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Verses 9-13 give us yet another key to maintaining joy. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
Notice that Jesus said we are to love one another as He loves us. The next verse hints as to how Jesus would ultimately show His love. Write verse 13 down. – Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
1 John 1:4 – “We write this* to make our joycomplete.” * Read 1 John 1:1-3 to see what “this” was. Note that it was in sharing “this” message that John and his fellow Christians found joy. Summarize in your own words what was being shared in John’s writing.
(Answers may vary.) They had witnessed the life of Christ Jesus (the Word of life) and knew Him to be the key to eternal life. The sharing of this good news brings us into fellowship with God and with one another.
To recap these keys to finding/maintaining joy:
We experience joy when we pray, especially when our prayers are inspired by His word and motivated by a desire to bear fruit which brings glory to God.
We have joy when we remain in His love and demonstrate that love relationship through obedience to His word and modeling of His sacrificial service to others.
And finally, we maintain joy when we share what we know about Christ with others.
Psalm 16:11 also says God fills us with joy when we are in his presence, so we must explore how it is that we experience His presence.
They came ~ While we, as Christians, are assured that Christ is with us always, Scripture does indicate that there are means by which we can make ourselves more aware of His presence. We are also told to come to Him to experience the benefits of His presence more fully. Continue reading →
They saw ~ Look up Psalm 119:18 and write it out as you use it for a prayer prompt for your study time.
They rejoiced~ Fill in the blanks for the following texts, looking for keys to maintaining joy in the Christian life.
John 16:24 – “… and you will receive, and your will be .”
So, we can say that prayer is one key to maintaining joy. Now, go back to the previous chapter in John to look at some guidelines for prayer, to give some context to the promise, and to find another key to maintaining joy.
Verse 7 reveals what should motivate our prayers. “If you in and my remain in , ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
Verse 8 reveals the intended purpose of our requests. “This is to my Father’s , that you much , showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Verses 9-13 give us yet another key to maintaining joy. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you my , you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my may be in you and that your may be . 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
Notice that Jesus said we are to love one another as He loves us. The next verse hints as to how Jesus would ultimately show His love. Write verse 13 down.
* Read 1 John 1:1-3 to see what “this” was. Note that it was in sharing “this” message that John and his fellow Christians found joy. Summarize in your own words what was being shared in John’s writing.
To recap these keys to finding/maintaining joy:
We experience joy when we pray, especially when our prayers are inspired by His word and motivated by a desire to bear fruit which brings glory to God.
We have joy when we remain in His love and demonstrate that love relationship through obedience to His word and modeling of His sacrificial service to others.
And finally, we maintain joy when we share what we know about Christ with others.
Psalm 16:11 also says God fills us with joy when we are in his , so we must explore how it is that we experience His presence.
They came ~ While we, as Christians, are assured that Christ is with us always, Scripture does indicate that there are means by which we can make ourselves more aware of His presence. We are also told to come to Him to experience the benefits of His presence more fully. Continue reading →
Pull Up a Chair 