A Book Review: Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life

Today’s review is of the book Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life by Douglas Wilson. This book was originally given to me by my father-in-law before he was my father-in-law, some time either before or during college. And it was as inspiring and challenging this read-through as it was the first time.

Why I Picked it Up

I started reading Wordsmithy for a few reasons:

1.       It’s one of the few books written to people like me. When I say “people like me,” I’m not trying to be vain. What I mean is that it’s written to Christian writers who want to write more than devotionals and Christian paperback romance. It is, however, also written to them.

2.       I have fond memories of the first read-through. This might’ve been the first book I read on writing. I read many writing books in college, some that have become writing canon for me, but this stands out as foundational. It’s content was a goad, guide, and gateway for me.

3.       It was short. I wanted to write a book review. I needed a book that was short and that I knew I already wanted to read. Here we are.

What I Liked About It

1.       It’s funny! This book reminds me a lot of Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style. Benjamin Dreyer writes from a secular perspective, whereas Wilson writes from sacred, but their pith is similar. It makes what could be boring into something entertaining, but not something of a joke. This way of writing encourages you to not take yourself too seriously, but to remember that writing is important.

He said concerning the appropriate use of snippets,

“If someone misses it, that’s fine. They probably have other important things to think about. But if it is caught, then great. Free fun.” (pg 77)

And then, concerning writing stinginess,

“If a striking expression hits you, don’t hold back just because you are writing an email to your sister. If you think ‘I need to save that kind of thing for my memoirs,’ you are a stingy writer with a heart like a walnut, and you won’t have any memoirs to save it for. Who wants to read the Memoirs of Old Walnut Heart?…Pianists don’t have a limited number of C major chords they are allowed to play in the course of their lives. They aren’t afraid of running out.” (pg 83)

2.       It encourages broadness. I’m not talking about physical girth here, but rather experience. Wilson encourages the reader to “enlarge the corners of your tent,” to be open and generous with your energies toward writing, to not be stingy in phrases, in darlings, in ideas. He encourages the reader to exhaust every means of creativity, and then do more. He also encourages writers to be more than writers, but not less, to look at the world around them instead of getting stuck inside their own head. We can’t assume all the material is inside us instead of out there.

“You can often tell if someone is busy being the star of his own show by the ear buds, which are worn in situations that don’t really call for them. In fact, the only reason someone would be wearing them in that situation is if they needed a soundtrack for their own personal movie, starring them, as they walk down the avenue looking at reflections of themselves in the shop windows. This is not the discipline of an effective writer.” (pg 23)

3.       It pulls no punches. He’s not trying to protect the reader’s feelings. He does a lot of, “Hey, wake up. Stop thinking so much about yourself and think about something else.” And I need that kind of talk in most areas of my life.

What I Didn’t Like About It

I’m glad I first read this when I was younger, single, and without kids, and that I now get to read it when I’m older, married, and with kids. When I initially read this, I easily and diligently applied most of these disciplines. But this time around I felt overwhelmed at how many things Wilson encourages writers to do. Many of his tips involve reading, for example:

·       “Read boring books on writing mechanics.”

·       “Read widely enough so that you are not provincial, but not so widely that you become some sort of deracinated cosmopolitan.”

·       “Collect and read dictionaries.”

·       “Start with one or two books a week.”

Other tips involve learning and exploring different languages, reading phrase books, seeing the world, getting a broad liberal arts education (it’s not what you think), and more. And he’s not intending to overwhelm the reader. He wants to spur them onto to writerly ambition: live like this is your calling.

But as I’m scraping away at a page here a page there of this book, I’m surrounded by crumbs on the counters, the floor, the table, dishes piling up in the sink, small plastic toys under my feet, pillow forts, and baskets of laundry, and so this content makes me feel…tired.

As you can see, however, this has little to do with the content of the book. This more has to do with my expectations of myself as a writer in my season of life. Instead of sitting in overwhelm, and thinking “Well, I just don’t have time to do all of that,” I should take the principle of what he’s saying and apply that in whatever small way I can. There are ways to do everything, but not everything needs to be done.

Final Rating

This book is for writers, by a writer. It is also written with a Christian audience in mind.

However.

There’s a lot of overlap in the essence of these Hot Tips with secular writing books, like the aforementioned Dreyer’s English. And while that’s not supposed to add any credibility (Wilson has credibility regardless), it does add relatability.

That being said, this book is good for any writer looking to fully embrace not simply their job as a writer, but their calling as a writer. This book is for “[cultivating] the kind of soil in which a writer might grow.” (pg 67) And I will be reading it again.

Godspeed.

The Writing Grind: September Edition

The last few months have not been as ambitious in the way of writing as the preceding months of the year.

Writing, however, has still happened. Since I have been passive about submitting to writing contests this year (and the year is 75% gone), I have switched focuses.

The Short and the Long of It

Most writing contests I’ve found are for short fiction or poetry of a specific genre. And you can argue with yourself about whether poetry is its own genre; I’ll bring popcorn.

Most of what I’ve been working on does not fit this bill. Both of my projects are novels of fictional realism, a vague genre with few boundaries.

These things considered, I knew I needed to take a short break on the novels and focus more on the short stories. That transition, however, has been awkward. I drifted for a few weeks between the novel launch pad and the short story landing pad, stuck in the collage of my thoughts, before finally committing.

I’ve settled on writing two new short stories instead of revamping old ones (which was another decision I was trying to make), and these are both written with specific contests in mind. I have enjoyed the challenge.

Fantasy and Magical Realism

One of the short stories is actually the origin story of one of the characters in a fantasy novel I’d been writing for several years. I gave up on that novel because, while I want to be Tolkien- and Lewis-level creative with world building, I’m just not. I have wondered, however, with my new discipline of writing without editing in the first draft, if I could go back to it and develop something really beautiful. Maybe next year.

This character is epic. I’ve wanted to write her story for some time, but she’s a supporting character and so the effort of this task seemed to distract from the main storyline. Writing her origin story this way—with a generous word count max of 17,000 words—has been great.

I also, within this origin story, wrote a retelling of sin being introduced to the Garden of Eden, and the transition of originally perfect beings now living in a cursed world. I didn’t realize I’d done this until I was telling my husband about the storyline and getting super excited about it and then he said, “That reminds me of C.S. Lewis’s space trilogy, when sin comes in.”

So I feel very blessed by the Lord that the very thing I’m hoping to develop (and help others develop) is actually developing. I actually, subconsciously, wrote my faith into my story. Praise Jesus.

The second short story I’m working on strikes a totally different note. It was originally inspired by a whacky dream I had, and I’m still not sure where it’s going or how it will all end. All I know is that the opening pages depict several friends going on a kind of patched together getaway after years of not seeing each other, and (shocker) it doesn’t start off well. There’s a reason why they haven’t seen or talked to one another in years, but I’m not sure what it is yet.

This one has been much more challenging but no less enjoyable to write.

The Hope

My writing rhythms will have to change because of various circumstances. Jake is starting a new job which makes him less available to give me extra time to write. We’re developing our friendships here at Fort Jackson and so more of our time is spent with other people (yay!). And the kids and I are gaining solid momentum in their school.

All this to say that I’ll need to reevaluate when would be the best time to write. It’s still mostly been during the afternoon quiet time of our home, and late Sunday afternoons up until dinner, but we’ll see how even those change as the weeks progress. But I have a lot of hope with finishing out the year strong, and I’ve been encouraged by how the year has gone so far.

I’m praying for you, writer, as you consider how to finish the year well. May you start to reflect, start to plan, start new projects, finish old ones. And may you see your writing as a way you reflect the image of God, Who created you to create these stories.

Godspeed.

The Origin Story

I believe every writer has an origin story. I’ve described when I felt writing was a calling on my life, but I’ve never shared when I actually started writing.

So, here’s the story in writing for the sake of my own reflection and hopefully your inspiration (and amusement). I’ll be using books that have inspired me to write in each phase of my growth as a way of telling the story. Buckle up.

The Beginning

“I don’t know why everyone is hating on her writing,” I said to my roommate. “It can’t be that bad.”

I hopped off my dormitory bed, dragged a box out from underneath it, and rifled around in it, trying to find Twilight in the dark.

It was late, and my roommate and I were discussing the criticism of Stephanie Meyer’s authorship in light of the premier of the Twilight movie.

“Like, this book is what inspired me to write, no shame,” I said, having finally found it. I kicked the box back under my bed, opened the book to a random page, and I was very, very much ashamed.

The first and last time I read Twilight was in the first year of middle school. I was far less focused on her actual writing than I was on her world building.

I know, I know…world building?

Yes, world building.

By this, I mean making the vampire like something he’d never been before. She created a new kind of vampire that was accessible and attractive to modern readers, and made them question past “renditions” of the vampire legends.

But the point is that I read her writing and thought, “Oh wow, this is so creative…I want to write something like that!”

Another book I read around the same time was The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson. Ironically, this attracted and inspired me for the opposite reason. This novel is just about everyday life. There’s no tangible magical element, though you could argue there’s a splash of magical realism. There is, however, a dependence on the ideas of fate, luck, and destiny.

Now, I am neither convinced of nor attracted to the ideas of fate, luck, or destiny.

But the point is that I read this book and thought, “Oh wow, who knew someone could write a book for teenagers that made life seem like an adventure without putting sex and violence in it!? And it doesn’t read like a baby board book!”

And so, Stephanie Meyer, regardless of her slight lack of craft, and Mary E. Pearson, regardless of what she’s popular for now, were my writing origin story. And in all my awkward glory, coupled with some whacky Before-Christ ideals, I started my writing journey.

Writing this bit makes me guffaw at the means God uses to achieve His ends.

The Middle(ish)

I was reading Emma, by Jane Austen.

In my room, one dreary spring day, I struggled through the rising action of the story. I had made the painful discovery that Emma, with all her best intentions, had tried to control the people around her, and had lost all her friends in the pursuit. At that point in my life, she felt like a “kindred spirit,” as Anne of Green Gables would say.

The resolution was so satisfying, and I felt that if there was redemption for Emma, there was redemption for me. I had started following Jesus Christ and the way of Christianity only a few years before, and I was realizing how controlling I was…and how this made my friends and family feel about me.

Emma was the next level of writing inspiration for me. This book showed that common experiences of human life were timeless, and always good material. It promised that I could write about my experiences, and it would deliver. It was good, even monumental, to write about life as it is.

In this same year, I read The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. 

The Screwtape Letters inspired me because it was just so creative. This response in me was a more mature version of the response I had to Twilight. There was real thought put into it, and I could not have imagined anything Lewis came up with. It is so cool, and posed to me a challenge of, “What could you come up with?”

Wuthering Heights is not what you think it is. I can’t stand any of the characters, and yet Emily, in how she’s written them, won’t let me despise them entirely. She writes her characters in such a way that, even if they’re despicable, you still pity them. She chose the trope of “sympathy for the devil,” and she succeeded. Her writing of her characters revealed how complicated people can be, and up to that point many of my characters were one-dimensional.

The real-time training I experienced in these books still affects how I write today.

Not Quite the End, but Now

My criteria for “books that inspire me to write” has evolved over the last ten years in a surprising way. After college, I found it difficult to enjoy fiction, because I couldn’t turn off the editing function of my brain. For many years, I didn’t read any fiction except for classics. I stuck mostly to Christian living, theology, books on writing, and some biographies.

But now, whatever book captures my attention and draws me into the story, overriding my editing function, is the book that inspires me to write. There’s little consistency between the books, and they work for vague and intangible reasons

Having established that criteria, here are two books and a series I’ve read within the last couple of years that fit it:

–The Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan, by John Flanagan

–The City of Ember Series, by Jeanne DuPrau

–Catherine the Great, by Katharine Scherman

Looking Onward and Upward

I’ve mentioned a lot of books here, and I hope it’s encouraged you to take stock of your writing heroes and their productions. I was challenged consistently in school and beyond to pay attention to the writing styles of the books that I read, to sit at the feet of the authors of the books that I love.

I do have to say though that the book with which I do this the most is the Bible. I didn’t list it here, because its author is literally God and I feel like He should be in a different category. It stands out among all the others, both the Author and the material. It has stood the test of time for me as a writer, and despite the Bible’s many genres of writing (which could pose a risk for a snob like me), it has never left me dissatisfied. God truly is the best writer, and the One whose Book teaches me not only to write, but also to discern, to learn, but most of all, it teaches me how to live.

Godspeed.

The Power of Breaking Up Routine

I was at Starbucks.

And I was feeling really, really sick.

Not only was I on day three of a caffeine detox, but I also had a head cold (graciously passed onto me by my children, thank you very much), and my youngest had woken up several times during the night. Any time I got comfortable in the afternoon (the kids’ nap/quiet time and the only chance at rest for anyone during the day), settled down with my Bible and my books, a kid crisis would happen—someone would start bleeding, someone hit someone else, “Mommy, I want something fun to do”—or I realized I’d forgotten an obligation.

I’d also had very little time out of the house for a long time. I don’t mean “time-out-of-the-house-without-the-kids.” I mean time outside the walls of the house. Jake encouraged me to get out.

At some point during my time in that Starbucks I was going to write. I chose to neglect the Digital Story this time, leaving my laptop at home. Several crises had popped up within a week or two, and the kids were feeling our stress, which meant they were more emotional in general. And instead of running headlong into the need, I was tempted to escape. This was showing up in the temptation to sit on my laptop watching reels, listening to music, and rotting on the couch at any “free” moment…

So, yeah, I left my laptop at home.

But then at Starbucks, I’d ordered a vanilla cappuccino with cinnamon sprinkled on top in one of their yes-for-here mugs, and so now I was drinking caffeine when I was trying to avoid it. This of course made me feel even worse.

Anyway.

I started by staring into the void while sipping my drink for the first twenty minutes, as one does. And then, before writing, I had a very thorough devotional time with the Lord. I prayed. I cried. I was confused and encouraged by what I read in the Bible. I tried really hard to avoid eye contact with people who probably wondered if I was having a mental breakdown. I memorized Scripture.

A lady, who I believe was German asked if she could sit next to me. This gal, who was probably my age or a little older, had ordered a full-blown, mocha Frappuccino WITH WHIPPED CREAM, and I suddenly wondered when I stopped being fun.

I asked her what she was working on.

“Well, I’m a researcher at USC, and I hit a wall on a topic, and so I decided I would just come out here today with just my notes and some paper, no computer, to see if I can break through that wall.”

“Good for you!” I said. “You will succeed. Your brain will have space to breathe and focus instead of being overstimulated by whatever computers do to it.”

What the heck am I even saying? I wondered. When was the last time I talked to a stranger?

Thankfully she laughed and thanked me instead of looking at me in disgust and sitting on the other side of the coffee shop.

We made some more small talk and I talked to her about my prayers and quiet times, and then we both got to our work. And I realized that I was doing almost exactly the thing she was doing, only instead of trying to break through a wall, I was trying to run from distraction within my routines.

Inspired by the success I anticipated for her, I spent the next hour and a half working on Leather-Bound. I hit so great a stride with that story that I got up and ordered another cappuccino just for a reason to stay and keep it going. And regardless of how sick and tired I felt, I felt God’s pleasure, and like I was whole again, like there was hope again, regardless of all that was happening to us.

I feel like I write a lot about the importance of routine, and I still believe that setting up good systems and habits are the backbone of getting things done effectively and efficiently. But there are also times when a break in routine is what’s needed to recover your stride.

So, here is a reminder for you (and me), that if you’re distracted and tired and feel like you’re hitting a wall, whether in your writing or in life in general, it’s good to break up routine a little bit. Write by hand instead of using your computer. Go out to write instead of staying in. And hey, if you don’t believe in Jesus, give Him and His heart and His mission a shot. He makes it all worth it.

May you be brave enough to break up routine and do the crazy thing necessary to move forward in your writing. May you not rot in old habits because they’re comfortable and familiar. May you not despair of the art of and investment in writing when life gets hard. And may you see your writing as an avenue to the Creator-God.

Godspeed.

Writing Goal Update

Around the beginning of the year, I posted about writing goals for the year 2026. It’s over half way through 2026, so it seems appropriate to do a check-in to see how I’m doing thus far. My hope is that this will help me determine what the rest of the year of writing could look like.

I’m going to evaluate these in two ways. The first way is to see if I’m fulfilling the “letter” of the goal: am I functionally and practically doing the things I wanted to do?

The second way is to see if I’m fulfilling the “spirit” of the goal: regardless of how this looks practically, is the big idea, the heart of the goal, being accomplished?

Let’s go!

Goal Letters

We should start with remembering what the goals were. Directly quoted from my original goal post (hehe), they were/are as follows:

1.     Keeping the Habit: “I’d like to spend three to four days writing each week, whether it’s for 10 minutes or an hour.”

2.     The Blog: “Another goal is to post on this blog every other Tuesday.”

3.     Checkpoints: “I’d like to submit works to at least two writing contests throughout the year.”

In Keeping the Habit, I don’t think I’ve done well by the letter. I’m definitely not writing three to four days a week, but more like one to two days a week, on a good week. I’m also not counting the writing I do for the blog posts…although maybe I should. If I had to balloon it up to a broader measurement, I’ve been writing about 8 days a month.

In The Blog, I’ve been the most consistent. I think this comes down to accountability: I know you all read the things I post and that you’re expecting them. That knowledge drives me to get the work done consistently. I actually have a spreadsheet (try not to cringe if you’re not a spreadsheet person) of the title and topic of the posts I want to write biweekly for the rest of the year. I helps me think, “Hunter, you don’t have to just pull something out of your brain; the topic has already been chosen. Just write.”

In Checkpoints…Okay, I’ve done nothing with this. I was hoping to submit a short story to the Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Contest, but by the time I thought about it, the final deadline was a week away. I’m also working on two novels instead of short stories, so I haven’t set myself up for success here. Out of the three goals, this one needs the most attention. So, if you guys have any recommendations for writing contests, drop them in the comments!

Goal Spirits

Now that I’ve evaluated my goals practically, I can evaluate them a little more loosely.

In Keeping the Habit, despite my lack of meeting the weekly writing goal, I have totally established a motivation for and habit of writing. I expect myself to write, I plan to write, and I make time to write. I’ve become far more opportunistic in writing. I am no longer crushed by feelings of dread and failure before I even start a writing session. This habit has offered the most growth thus far.

In The Blog, the hope was that it would offer accountability and establish a habit of indirectly passing on what I learn to other writers and to encourage them. Both of those things have thus far been accomplished. I have had writerly friends who read the blog tell me that they not only enjoy reading it but that they are inspired and encouraged to write. I’ve also had a few family members who follow the blog (hi guys!) and who are not writers tell me it has also inspired them. And, again, as far as accountability is concerned, this has been fuel for building other habits.

And I won’t even talk about Checkpoints because I’ve fulfilled neither the letter nor the spirit so we can just move on…And yes, this does bother me.

Final Rating

What are the “sustains”?

1. Blogging
2. Responding well to accountability
3. Being opportunistic

When I say “responding well to accountability,” I mean something crucial to keeping my writing goals that I haven’t mentioned yet.

My husband often asks me about the last time I wrote, and asks me when I’ll write next. He often suggests writing as an activity to do when there’s a chunk of time unaccounted for. It is a rare kind of fodder for my habits, someone I trust and respect, the closest person to me in my life right now, who is interested in what I write and who asks out of that interest. And I think (in my own estimation) that I do a good job of responding well to that.

What are the “improves”?

1. More accountability wherever I can find it
2. A little more planning

I need to put at least an afternoon’s worth of work into researching and planning to submit to some writing contests, and then go from there. I think it would also be helpful to set aside at least two days a month where I go to a coffee shop and write. I functionally do this already, but it usually happens because my husband notices I haven’t gone out of the house alone in a while and he tells me to take the afternoon.

Yes, he is the best.

But in the spirit of trying to add in a little more planning, it seems like it’s worth trying to pin down something that’s already happening on “accident.”

Overall, I’m really happy about how I’m doing this year with writing, and I’m looking forward to more of the same. And I’m praying for you, readers! I’m praying that whatever goals you have, whether you are a follower of Christ or far away from Him, I’m praying that your goals draw you near. I’m praying that as you pursue honing your talent and your skill, it will influence toward your Creator. I’m praying that your writing, however you use it, will bring Him glory, and bring about your good.

Godspeed.

The Writing Grind: July Edition

Sorry for the late blog post! We had lots of visitors over the weekend and into the week, and I’ve been swept up into glorious catchings-up and encouragements and Jesus and all the jazz.

Other than the deepest apologies, I’m starting out this post similar to the last Writing Grind post: I have really enjoyed the last couple of months of writing. But for very different reasons.

I said last time: “There have been many days when I was just putting words down on paper to check the block. But there have also been many days when I wanted to write. This is always exciting to me; it means that I’m writing often enough to create motivational habits for my brain to fall back on. It’s the best. This also means that the future is full of more often wanting to write than making myself write. Literal chills.”

Well, we are in the future, and I am now more often wanting to write than making myself write. And it’s great.

Let me show what this has looked like!

Level 1: Coffee Shop

I’ve sometimes sat at a coffee shop, namely the Starbucks 10 minutes from our house. There was one afternoon in particular when I went there without my laptop. I’d brought only my Bible and journal, and then my leatherbound book in which I’m writing my and Jake’s story. So there was no chance for micro-distractions via social media.

Random tangent: My brother-in-law (who is also a writer) recently made the observation that if you’re out in public, there’s little need for artificial distractions because there’s so much real distraction. Some of these include conversations, music playing, coffee machine sounds, and people walking in and out, standing up or sitting down, or just waiting for their orders and deciding where to sit.

But I digress.

That afternoon, I sat and read my Bible and prayed, and then I started writing. And I got into a groove, you guys. I felt like I could’ve written for the rest of the day. Once I hit that groove, I realized I’d just finished my cappuccino. So, I ordered another one to fuel the groove. And I wrote more of the story with more motivation than I have since I began writing this year. So when I came home from the time out at the coffee shop, I felt very satisfied. My lively brain mulled over when I would/could write next, and what was happening in the story.

Level 2: The Kitchen Table

I’ve other times sat at my kitchen table.

There was an afternoon where Jake was home from work. I had spent the better part of the kids’ afternoon nap working on The Digital Story. And I once again hit a groove. I noticed the clock: just a few minutes before the kids would have to get up.

“I’m planning on sending the kids out to the pool after they get up from their nap,” said Jake, as if reading my mind.

“Oh!” I paused. I looked at my empty iced latte next to my laptop. “Would you mind watching them while I make another coffee and keep writing for a while?”

He smiled. He likes it when I write, and wants me to take opportunities to do so.

“Sure.”

And so then I had another thirty minutes to an hour of working on that story.

Now, those were not the only times I wrote during the last couple of months, but they’re representative of how I feel writing has gone since I last published an update.

The One Tactful Tip

One of the things I’m still practicing is not editing as I write. I haven’t gone back and corrected something I wrote because it’s inconsistent or incoherent. I’m not even editing grammar. Do you have any idea how hard that is for me?

It’s really hard.

But it allows the writing process to keep rolling.

I have names and aspects of characters, timelines, and locations written down so I can keep things consistent, but I consistently choose to disregard that information for now. I do this so that I don’t get distracted by making it accurate. Instead, I let it be totally inconsistent and inaccurate so that I keep writing.

Now, obviously this means that the first edit of the first draft is going to be a doozy. But the first draft is supposed to be a doozy. This practice helps me accept that. And who’s going to see that crappy first draft? Me! And maybe Jake…oh, and God. But those are the people in my corner anyway. So what if it sucks?

“Until Next Time…”

Maybe one day, instead of just having days that represent how I feel writing is going, I’ll have a spreadsheet tracking how many words I wrote per day or how long I spent writing. Maybe one day, “just do it” won’t have to be my motto, and I’ll be able to outline and world-build and the like while easily getting words on paper. Maybe one day I’ll write a whole novel in one day and edit one draft each day of the week and then be done.

Alas, it is not this day, and what I’m doing right now is working really well.

So, find writing processes and places that work for you! Try not to get caffeine poisoning, and let the first draft be super messy and inconsistent and a whole lot of work. Do the writing thing, and may you be blessed and sharpened in your efforts.

Godspeed.

The Pocket-Legacy of George MacDonald

Unlike C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, George MacDonald seems lesser known. I’ve mentioned him in a previous post—as I’ve mentioned Lewis and Tolkien. He was also an author who was deeply devoted to Christ, but whose works are respected and consumed in both secular and sacred contexts. In fact, MacDonald’s book Phantastes: A Faerie Romance is part of what led C.S. Lewis to Christ. But his legacy, as you’ll read later on, is different than the other two.

Full disclosure: I’ve read fewer books about MacDonald than I have Lewis and MacDonald. I’ve embarrassingly read none of the books he wrote, so this legacy will be shorter, but will still include a list of books of his that I’m interested in reading (I know, I have unrealistic expectations). In fact, I’ve read only one book about George MacDonald, and it was actually about his wife, Louisa MacDonald. So, buckle up, because it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

Before we begin, here is the title of the book I’ve read about George MacDonald:

–Far Above Rubies: The Life of Louisa MacDonald by Jolyn Canty

And here is a list of his books (and books about him) that I’d like to read:

-The Princess and the Goblin, by George MacDonald

-Phantastes: A Faerie Romance, by George MacDonald

–George MacDonald, by C.S. Lewis

–Sir Gibbie, by George MacDonald

-The Diary of an Old Soul, by George MacDonald

Why Write if so Dumb?

As you might be able to tell, I’m a little self-conscious about writing this particular pocket-legacy because I’m pretty uninformed and under-read concerning the content. But you’ll see why I wanted to include George MacDonald, regardless of my ignorance.

I’ve wrestled for years over how spiritually productive my writing could really be. I’ve struggled with my desires to improve craft, to study grammar, to dissect dialogue, just for the sake of learning, instead of only focusing on my theological education. And I can chalk this struggle up to a whole lot of things. But regardless of whence the struggle originates, it’s the resolution that matters most to me.

Don’t Look; Just Leap

The book Far Above Rubies: The Life of Louisa May MacDonald was originally suggested by and lent to me by my sister-in-law. As I struggled (I do a lot of that…) to support Jake in his job and endeavors while also pursuing my own (and wanting to harmonize the two somehow), she suggested I read biographies of respected Christian wives. And she’s really great at making a suggestion and then helping me follow through on it, and so she lent me this book.

Here’s what I saw:

-The MacDonalds started out in professional ministry. George was the shepherd of a local church in England, and Louisa was his wife and the nurturing heart of the church. But there was a shift. George started writing stories, some of which were sermons and spiritual illustrations, but most of which were not. There was a point where the MacDonald’s observed that there was more Kingdom work happening because of George’s stories than because of his preaching. So they left professional ministry, and redirected their energy.

-They moved many times because of George’s health, the needs of their children, or because of writing and speaking opportunities.

-Louisa also wrote and put on plays and stories, but only after she was no longer nursing or pregnant, and her children were beyond toddler age.

Within these decisions, there was no moral guilt or wrestling. Louisa, at least in Jolyn Canty’s record of her life, was content to be at home and mother her children and cultivate peace and joy in their private space. She didn’t think she ought to be doing something more important. And when she had opportunity to be creative, she did it and whole-heartedly, again, without thinking she ought to be doing something more important.

Similarly, when the MacDonalds turned their energies toward George’s writing, they just did it. They assumed that because God had given George success in drawing people to Christ through his writing (and had given George the talent to write in the first place), that’s where they needed to be. Again, they did this without thinking they ought to be doing something more important.

What to do with this?

Abiding in Christ and having natural resources in a specific direction, and going in that direction without deliberation, is very uncomfortable to me. It feels like I ought to always question if I should be doing something more important.

This is probably because, particularly when it comes to writing and children, culture says so: “You won’t make any money doing that.” “But what about a real career?” “Will you ever actually go into work?” “But, you’ll finish your degree, won’t you?” “Well, your future is over if you go in that direction.”

And, yes, I have had people say all of these things to me about being a SAHM and about being a writer. These things, along with lots of my own insecurities and blind spots in my relationship with Christ contribute to the constant feeling that, no matter what I’m doing, I ought to be doing something else, something more important.

And this is why, between C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and George MacDonald, I think George MacDonald (and of course Louisa) is the author that challenges me the most. He wrote stories and believed that because God gave him the talent, made him effective, and provided for him to write, then he should be writing and give himself over to that kind of ministry.

And so, why can’t I get comfortable with God’s call on my life, my free time, my discipline, my everything? Well, thanks to the example of George MacDonald and his security in Christ—along with many other real-time Christian friends—I can.

May you abide in Christ and understand His vision for and calling on your life, and may you “get comfortable” with moving forward with Him.

Godspeed.

A Book Review: Bird by Bird

Today’s review is of the book Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. This book was really fun to read. There were several nights where me and my husband were reading together and I patted him excitedly, barely able to speak through my laughter, saying, “Babe, babe. Stop, listen. You have to hear this.” Or, “Oh my gosh, this is exactly what this feels like,” and sharing that with him. My husband is not a writer, but even he enjoyed the parts I read to him.

And without further delay, here is the review!

Why I Picked it Up

Just like with The Hero with a Thousand Faces, this book was in the list of writing canon handed to me while in college. Also, my brother read it before I did while he was working at Liberty University’s collegiate newspaper, so I had to read it in order to catch up with his writing know-how. Obviously.

What I Liked About It

1.       The Author. Anne Lamott is an interesting lady. She’s deeply but not devoutly religious. She’s new age but also rooted in some reality. She communicates absolute truth while also saying there really isn’t absolute truth. And she favors the phrase, “I was talking to my gay priest friend about this…” which is a really disorienting thing to say. She writes “tongue-in-cheek,” but I also believe she’s earnest. She knows that she’s saying things that contradict and fold back on each other. And that’s the point. At the end of the book you don’t really know what she believes about most things, but you know that writing should be fun, transformational, and authentic.

2.       The Advice. Lamott dispels all notions of a grandeur and fame in writing. She emphasizes the practical, day-to-day tasks of not only maintaining disciplines, but also becoming a better writer. Without cliché, she communicates that writing is a way of life. Also, all of her experiences concerning writing feel very relatable to me. You know, except the part where she drinks herself silly while waiting to hear back from her agent…Can’t say I’ve done that one.

3.       The Application. Lamott writes poetically, but it’s easy to make that poetry practical. She offers her own experiences and practices but also pulls from her friends who are writers. She encourages at least two broad applications. The first is to spend more time with people (especially other writers) who will add to your writing through experience, encouragement, and feedback. The second is (shocker) to spend more time actually writing. Neither of these are new, but they are simple and, again, very practical.

What I Didn’t Like About It

Under the “What I Liked About it” section, I mentioned that she wrote poetically. There were some spots where she wrote so poetically for so long that I skipped ahead. My brain couldn’t gain traction on where she was going or what exactly she was saying, so I zoned out and moved on until my mental tires had forward motion again. There were paragraphs and even pages that I moved past, and if I were the editor for the book, I would’ve cut them out. But, full disclaimer, I also struggle with reading poetry in general, so language like that, even in nonfiction, has a similar effect.

I was also distracted by the same contradictory statements that made Lamott so endearing. As she communicated her “instructions on writing and life,” the logic behind them broke down, and I quickly felt I couldn’t trust what she was saying. She is a hippie-esque, COEXIST kind of lady, a way of life that doesn’t work if you have any convictions about what is true and real based on something other than vibes. I believe, however, that Lamott would see someone like me (I do believe in absolute truth that applies to everyone, with no doubt) and still encourage me to write from my convictions and beliefs, even if she doesn’t believe them herself.

What I ended up doing was laughing and relating to her experiences as a writer (as I mentioned above), discarding most of her thoughts on spirituality and religion, and pocketing her advice on writing. Regardless of my discards, I’d totally want to have coffee with this lady.

Final Rating

Anne Lamott wrote a very relatable, very practical, very funny book on writing. She offers no calling, but offers much encouragement to observe, enjoy, sit down, write, and experience not only for the sake of writing, but for the sake of living.

This book is not for everybody, but it’s definitely for any professional or aspiring writer, and I’ll likely re-read it like I re-read The Elements of Style. And I’ll end this review with the quote that struck me most:

“In any case, the bottom line is that if you want to write, you get to, but you probably won’t be able to get very far if you don’t start trying to get over your perfectionism. Your day’s work might turn out to have been a mess. So what? Vonnegut said, ‘When I write, I feel like an armless, legless man with a crayon in his mouth.’ So go ahead and make big scrawls and mistakes. Use up lots of paper. Perfectionism is a mean, frozen form of idealism, while messes are the artist’s true friend. What people somehow (inadvertently, I’m sure) forgot to mention when we were children was that we need to make messes in order to find out who we are an why we are here—and, by extension, what we’re supposed to be writing.” (pg 31-32)

Writing as a Mom: Part 2

We were just going for a walk as a family.

“Mommy!”

I turned to see Rhoda racing toward me with a notebook gripped in both hands.

“I’m writing a book right now, and I’ve called it God’s Good Creation, and I want to bring my notebook on this walk so I can write down and draw all the good things I see.”

I hesitated. I want to be the mom who’s immediately jumping for joy over the pursuit of creativity, but I’m just too practical for my own good.

“Okay…as long as you’re able to stay with the family, and you’re responsible for carrying your book and pen the whole walk.”

“Yes, of course,” she said, pulling on her shoes.

And surely enough, she’d run ahead of us, sit somewhere, look around, write words and draw pictures to go with them, and then she’d catch up with us after we’d passed her. She did this in spurts for the entire walk, speaking very little, but smiling very much.

The next day we were driving as a family, and she announced that she had finished her story.

She passed her notebook up from the back (giving her four-year-old brother urgent and specific instructions on how to handle it), and asked that I read it out loud.

And so I did.

My conflicted thoughts went as follows:

Yes! This is so great! She’s written her first story…kind of. It doesn’t have a plot, or real characters. I mean, I guess God is a character. The pictures are nice, and I love that she wrote words and drew pictures to illustrate what she was saying. That’s something, right? There’s not really a conclusion…Oh, gosh, there’s so many grammatical mistakes and misspellings. Who even taught her to spell? Oh, wait, that would be me. Gosh, we’ve got to work on that next school year. Wait, her story. Right. Do I say that it’s good? It’s totally not good. But is it good for her level? What is her level? What should I expect? No, Hunter, you’re totally overcomplicating this. Regardless of whether her story is well-written, she wrote a story. That’s really the hardest part of writing, right? The actual writing part? Okay, we’ve established this. Now what do we say???

“I’m so glad you wrote this!” I said, “I can’t wait to see more.”

“What do you do, exactly?”

The night before the momentous walk, we were having dinner as a family. At dinner, we take turns asking each other “What was your favorite thing you did today? What was your least favorite thing you did today?”

When Rhoda asked me, I shared how much I enjoyed writing in the afternoon during the kids’ nap time.

“What were you writing?” she asked.

I hesitated. It’s not like we hadn’t talked about the topic, and it wasn’t like they didn’t have friends whose mommies and daddies “didn’t get along.” Why was it uncomfortable to share?

“I’m working on a story about a mommy who loves Jesus, but she’s still learning how to be like Him, and about a daddy who doesn’t love Jesus and who doesn’t love that mommy.”

If I’m being totally honest, I don’t remember how they responded to that. I want to say that we talked a little bit more about God’s design for marriage and about what it looks like to follow Jesus Christ, and how to share Him with other people. I feel like Jake and I at least made an attempt. Regardless, I probably don’t remember because Rhoda saw a cardinal in the bird feeder out the window and was trying to quiet Hector’s “beep, beep, beeping” at the table, because “he’s going to scare it away!”

Two things, from this.

The first thing is that it felt so uncomfortable to answer “What were you writing?” because I’m insecure and uncomfortable with talking about my writing…still. I am getting more comfortable talking about it with adults, but kids are a whole other level, as I’m discovering. I also want to say I’m writing something more kid-focused, but I’m not. But just because I’m not doesn’t mean they won’t find it interesting. Really, I just need to get over myself.

The second thing is that I want to believe that this conversation is what prompted Rhoda to write her God’s Good Creations story on our walk the next day. And that’s great.

No Longer Waiting on Change

Since the creation of Rhoda’s first story, I’ve been thinking over what writing habits I’ve changed in the last few months.

I often write when the kids are napping in the afternoon or when they’re asleep in the evenings. Sometimes I write at a coffeeshop while Jake takes care of the kids. But I feel challenged by the “Go” in Matthew 28:18-20, which, as I’ve mentioned before, is really “as you go.” And how can I hope my kids will have an interest in writing (and the spiritual disciplines in general) if they’re uninvited?

So.

I’ve been trying to write when the kids are awake, usually after nap time when Jake is home, and they’re playing outside. Sometimes I do it when we have a slow morning at home and everyone is playing well together. This means that when they come inside for a drink of water, or come over to ask for a snack, they see me at the dining room table, writing. And they usually ask me what I’m doing.

On good days, I do lots of describing and explaining and answering of all their questions (if they have more than one, which they usually do). On my tired, low-energy, please-don’t-touch-me-I-feel-like-I’m-on-fire days, I either don’t write at all, or I answer their question and add on a “Please go back outside.”

I wish the good days were perpetual, but my family is made up of humans, and so the “on-fire” days still play a part. I hope to continue to trying to write when the kids are awake, and possibly organizing a semi-regular “story-making” family event, where we all write stories together. We’ll see.

In the meantime, I’ll continue to update you, reader, on what it’s like to be a writer and be a mom. I hope you find it inspiring…or at least entertaining.

Godspeed.

The Pocket Legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien

I recently posted a pocket-sized version of the writing legacy of C.S. Lewis. Today, I’m posting something similar, but this time it’s about J.R.R. Tolkien.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is another author I’ve cited as being deeply spiritual and devoted, but whose works and words were respected and consumed in both secular and sacred contexts. I’ll never be able to match Tolkien’s skill in writing, but I’d like to be like him in his versatility and ability to reach diverse audiences with biblical truths.

That being said, here are two main things I’ve observed from J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing (and books about him) that form this pocket legacy. These are the books I’ve read about him or by him over the years that are informing these thoughts:

–The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

-The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien

-The Heroes of Tolkien, by David Day

-The Hobbits of Tolkien, by David Day

These are books I’m currently reading concerning him:

-The Tolkien Reader: Stories, Poems and Commentary by the Author of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings”,by J.R.R. Tolkien

-The Ring Legends of Tolkien, by David Day

These are books concerning him that I hope to read:

-Christian Encounters: J.R.R. Tolkien, by Mark Horne

–The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien

–Beren and Luthien, by J.R.R. Tolkien

-The remaining titles in The World of Tolkien series by David Day

“In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit.”

The first thing I observe is his characters. When I read the book The Hobbits of Tolkien by David Day, it was like I was struck by a lightning bolt. This book in particular showcases his love for language and writing, but especially his love for his characters.

Here’s an excerpt from the book:

“’One of the candidates had mercifully left one of the pages with no writing on it (which is the best thing that can possibly happen to an examiner) and I wrote on it: ‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.’ Names always generate a story in my mind. Eventually I thought I’d better find out what hobbits were like. But that’s only the beginning.’” (pg 14)

And another:

“…Tolkien behaved as if that character (or thing or place) existed in a sort of parallel world where its whole nature was waiting to be discovered and recorded in the most minute detail. Tolkien did not see his job as a writer as being that of a creator but that of an explorer and chronicler of an already existing world that awaited discovery through the language itself.” (pg 15)

Ironically, the chapter of The Hobbits of Tolkien from which I pulled the quotations is titled, “In the Beginning Was the Word: Hobbit.” This sounds much like the beginning of the Gospel of John. And this whole process reminds me so much of the creation account in the book of Genesis. The seven-day process begins with the creation of the heavens and the earth, and ends with God resting, but the culminating event, as its written, was the creation and placement of the man Adam and the woman Eve. The world was designed for them to discover, just as Tolkien discovered hobbits and Middle-Earth.

The Freedom to Write

This aspect of Tolkien’s writing process also shows his freedom in writing. What I mean by that is it seems like he saw the creation of these characters (and languages in his case) as a form of play, where there was freedom to discover and experiment and engage.

In reading The Ring Legends of Tolkien, also by David Day:

“Tolkien once described how the discovery of the One Ring in an Orc cavern by Bilbo Baggins was as much as a surprise to him as it was to his Hobbit hero, knowing, at the time, as little of its history as Bilbo Baggins did. Tolkien has previously explained how it grew from a simple vehicle plot in The Hobbit into the central image of his epic tale The Lord of the Rings.” (pg 10)

It didn’t seem as if he felt a whole lot of pressure to perform in writing. He wrote because he was curious, because he was fascinated, and because there was beauty and also adventure to be had in discovery. I think if I could harness that freedom as a writer, a lot more writing would get done, and it would be better writing.

The One Author to Discover it All

We can sum up J.R.R. Tolkien’s pocket legacy by saying that he discovered. Just as Christians choose to follow Christ, and in turn spend the rest of their lives discovering what He’s like and who He is, J.R.R. Tolkien discovered his characters and their world, and shared them with us.

This way of writing mirrors my relationship with the Lord. It teaches me not only to write powerful characters who exist autonomously (and are therefore much more compelling to readers), but also to remember that I have not discovered all there is to know about Christ. There are aspects of the Bible that I don’t understand, and Scriptures I haven’t memorized, and there are depths of Christ’s character that I have yet to plumb.

And so, reader, there is a lot of work for us to do. Not only do our characters need some TLC in the investment department (or maybe yours don’t…you’re probably super squared away), but our capacity for discovery and fascination needs broadening.

So, go discover. Go there, to the beyond in your writing, with freedom, and come back again.

Godspeed.