Words for the Weary Writer (part 1)

(originally posted as a guest post on Aletheianna Mercy's blog. I've edited and modified quite a bit though)

Being creative is hard work. I’m sure there are many people out there who believe that being a lawyer, doctor, rocket scientist, or underwater basket weaver would be a harder career than something in the arts. I mean, how hard is it to snap a photo or memorize lines or learn chord progressions? How hard is it to type out a story? To learn how to draw?

The thing is, most people don’t realize how draining it can be to always be creating something. I can’t vouch for photography, acting, sketching, or really any other kind of art besides writing and music, but I do know that those two arts are hard. 

Take writing, for example. There is nothing simple about that. It’s not just coming up with an idea and writing it down in a way that makes sense. You have to constantly develop that idea, cut it, mold it, and refine it until it’s good enough that people want to read your book. You need to be aware of cliches, plot holes, flat characters, conflicting timelines, your facts (whether historical, medical, or otherwise), and believability. Oh, and while you’re at it, keep an eye on your grammar, prose, and story structure. Make sure that your themes fit the story and are clear without being too clear or over the readers’ heads. You’ll need between 10-15 beta readers to catch the things that your brain skips over because you’ve spent too long on that one story. And because of that, you’ll need to make sure that you’re distanced from your work so when they critique every detail or tell you that your story just isn't good enough, you don’t get your feelings hurt. Also, you’re going to need to learn how to write a story blurb, a pitch, a query letter, and other publishing things like marketing, talking to agents, and business skills.

That’s just a glimpse of the writing process, by the way. We haven’t even gone into all of it, much less the other arts. 

At first glance, it may seem like a lot of overwhelming work. Who has time to do all that? Is it even possible?

This post is for those of you who are tired of creating, who are worn thin with the process of perfecting your creation so others can see your work. This post is for those of you who can’t remember what it’s like to feel joy while you create something unique.

Why? Because creativity is a beautiful thing. And I’m here to give you three reasons to prove it.

(P.S. Part 2, coming next week, will explore some practical ways to apply all this XP)

1. When we create, we emulate God Himself

Ecclesiastes explores the idea that there is nothing new under the sun. On this earth, nothing changes. The sun comes up in the east and goes down in the west. People are born, and people die. Grass is green, the sky is blue, and stars come out at night. Fire is hot. Ice is cold. Everything is always the same.

In a way, that concept is also true with stories. Every single story that you’ve ever read has its roots in something that’s already been created. Humans are copycats. Ultimately, whatever we create, be it a story or song or building or garden, originally came from God.

Take Star Wars, for example. Nothing new there. Did you know the movies were based on books? And all those worldbuilding elements in there - the alien species, the different planets, even the Force - are based off of real-world elements that God made first. Let's look at the Force, for instance. George Lucas once said that he based the Force off of a combination of several world religions. Once you start listening to the movie, you’ll see it’s true: Yoda spouts a lot of Buddhist ideals; the Jedi pecking order resembles that of the LDS church’s authority system; and the Force itself represents a higher, god-like authority that guides everything the Jedi do. I could go on.

Copycating (within reason) isn’t a bad thing, though. In fact… it’s one reason creation is so beautiful. You see, as human beings, we are made in the image of God. There is some debate on that, but I believe that is one of the reasons why every human being has some creativity in them. Not all choose to follow the more spotlighted creative careers such as sculpting or music, but everyone still uses it in everyday life situations like problem solving or entertaining oneself. 

This is something I really enjoy about writing fiction - fantasy, to be more specific. I get to taste what it’s like to create a world, fill it with creatures, and then take each one of those creatures on an epic journey that may seem horrible and broken to them, but only because they’ve got such a limited perspective - only because they don’t see the end in all its awesomeness and how these hard things they’re going through is shaping them. I get to, in a way, see what it’s like to be the Author of all stories. And it’s so inspiring.

2. When we create, we're taken on a learning curve

I’m homeschooled, and one of the things my mom has said a lot about her homeschooling experience is that she feels like she’s learned more teaching us than we have by being in school. The same goes for writing. As you pound out those words, you’re learning things - be it spelling, structure, things about perfectionism and laziness, or even the very deep things when your theme echoes some of the questions you may be wrestling with in real life. To be a writer is to be a teacher, whether to yourself or others. And sometimes that means you learn twice as much as your reader through your own book.

James 4 warns that those of us who teach will be judged with a greater strictness. The lessons you present through your words should not be taken lightly. However, don’t let the seriousness of your craft take the joy out of it. Sometimes I think being a writer is all the more beautiful because of our responsibility.

3. When we create, we share light with others who need it

I attended a Colton Dixon concert in May featuring Jordan St. Cyr and Alexander Pappas. A friend had gotten a VIP ticket, which meant she got to do a Q&A with the artists and the other VIP people. I asked her to ask the artists why they thought Christian artistry was so important in our world today, and they all went pretty deep on the subject. One thing that stood out to me was that St. Cyr talked about how music has a way of bypassing the brain’s security system and hitting straight in someone’s heart.

I think that applies to a lot of artistry. When we craft a story or a song, we’re offering entertainment that people both in and out of the church are looking for. But when we create a story or song that starts off by hooking our audience, we have the unique ability to keep them interested long enough for them to open their hearts so the truth we are presenting can slip through their armor and hit them right where God intends.

Have any of you ever tried to strike up a conversation with a stranger about something controversial like religion or politics? Have you ever said the wrong thing and seen those walls go up around their minds and hearts? That’s something art conquers. We take the light and present it subtly but honestly. A conversation requires interaction and is easily ended. But a story or song, once started, tends to stick in someone’s mind and bug them until they want to go back and finish, just to see what was said. Art lasts. And because it does, the truth (or lies) our art presents last as well. Whether or not you like it, your creations affect others and reach past those barriers to strike their hearts. It can be terrifying, but the results are stunning.

(To be continued next week)

Until next time,

Take courage, pursue God, and smile while you still have teeth!! ;)

-Joelle

(P.S. HAPPY NEW YEAR YOU GUYS!!!!! How did 2023 work out for you? Good year, bad year, meh year? What have you learned? How have you grown (or declined for those of you with negative character arcs XP)? What was a highlight? How do you expect 2024 to pan out? TELL ME ALL)