Letter to the Busy Writer

Well hey there, you diligent, skee-doodlin’, busy bee you! Word on the street says that you’re a little tied up with all your boring, adult obligations. I’ve been there, and isn’t exactly an enviable state. I mean, having food in the fridge and a regular paycheck is nice and everything, but writing is your hobby. Heck, more than that, it’s your passion! Life is withholding you from your destiny, like a healthy mom subjecting an aspiring baker to a vegetable-ridden existence. Listen to me. I know your purpose because I share it: you are going to be a great writer whose works will be read across oceans and continents just to satiate the imaginative minds of hungry artists like yourself. But, until then, you are stuck, so it seems, in the hub and the droning lull of the writer’s most feared word: obligations. Heed my words, fair writer, for I am your ally; I, too, am bound by the schedule created by success-driven communists who have carved out a “perfect life” for us and expect us to follow it with no qualms! *lowers raised fist, takes deep breath* But that’s beside the point. The crux, the true gem amongst your busyness is this: you can still write, and you can become better at it, too. Here’s how.

#1. You’re an experienced craftsman; I probably don’t need to explain to you, a writer, the benefits of reading. However, despite the fact that we know the importance of reading, we still neglect to do it. Instead of looking at your phone during moments of waiting or periods of downtime, carry a book in your backpack or purse. Remember again what it is like to entertain yourself with the turning of a page rather than the scrolling of a feed.

#2. Find a way to write something small every day. Yes, you can do it, and no, it doesn’t have to be lengthy or Pulitzer-prize worthy. Try purchasing a journal with daily prompts and dedicate five minutes to it each day. Even a cleverly-constructed grocery list can suffice as writing material. No artist ever improved by letting their tool lay idle; if you don’t force writing to be a habit, your skills will stay as stagnant as a corgi’s desire to stop being the cutest creature alive. (Sometimes I write short poems about my corgi, Beasley, when I’m stuck for ideas. That’s a free pro-tip for you.)

#3. Finally, find a show on Netflix (one you haven’t binged on before) which dramatizes a favorite book or falls under a category you enjoy writing about. You want to write mystery novels? There are dozens of crime shows awaiting your criticism and scrutiny. Obsessed with Jane Austen? *Gleeful giggle,* there is a plethora of watching material available for you. TV and books aren’t such different mediums; we can learn a lot about one by paying attention to the other.

Unofficial tip number four: stop telling yourself that you don’t have time to write. There are many things we should and shouldn’t have time for, but when something is important to us, we prioritize it. Even if you don’t enjoy the writing process as much as you used to, these tips will help it to feel more like a hobby again, rather than another time-consumer meant to further your dusty dreams of being a bestselling author. Trust me on this. I’ve been in your shoes, and I know what to do. As Ulysses from O Brother Where Art Thou so aptly put it, “I detect, like me, you’re endowed with the gift of gab.”

Written by Karoline

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Letter to the Writer Who Doesn’t Know Where to Start

Dear Writer,

You aren’t alone. I never have any idea where to start. I’m supposed to write this encouraging blog to writers who don’t know where to start, and the only thing I can come up with is just…

In the words of Shia LaBeouf, “Just…. Do it!”

Writing is a lot like running. You have to get into the groove before it starts to be fun.  It takes practice, it takes work, and it takes planning. Starting is always the hardest part because either you don’t want to endure the pain to begin with, or you don’t know what you’ll do if it doesn’t turn out like you hope. Or maybe you don’t even know how to start!

Unfortunately, as many college students find, professors require papers to be written. If writing isn’t one of your hobbies, you probably feel much like I do when I try to run. But as with every skill, it cannot develop until it is used. Sometimes, it’s not fun until you can write what you want and at the skill level you want.

Writing is a strange form of art. It constantly develops, and if your writing skills grow, so does the writing. The important thing is that we begin. Thoughts are, from the start, rough and undefined. Have you ever been in a situation where your mind races far faster than you can put words to the thoughts? Even when we have time to sit and think, it is often difficult to place words to the ideas and emotions we feel. Writing can clarify those thoughts, but in order for them to mature, they must be placed upon the page.

Writing, therefore, is the art of development, not only for the writing itself, but also for our way of thinking. The time it takes to ponder and develop these words often causes us to realize new facets of our argument or flaws in our logic. It can deepen our understanding when, otherwise, we might have left such things behind with a brief glance.

But we must also consider things like grammar when speaking of writing. While we might understand our line of thought completely, and have developed it through exhaustive practice and writing, we must also be sure that others understand the ideas being presented. Therefore, while it might seem irritating and unneeded, grammar further aids us in the growth not only of our own thoughts but our communication as well.

To develop communication skills, you talk to people. Similarly, with written communication skills, the conversation needs to start before the writing gets better. It doesn’t have to start with the deep stuff first. A lot of people like small talk, at least until they get used to a situation.

I write as a hobby, but here’s something I don’t often share: I don’t usually enjoy the process. Sure, when a scene plays out perfectly, the words come easily, and my thoughts come smoothly, it’s fun. But more often than I’d like, writing is like pulling teeth. But the thoughts and ideas I’ve put onto paper would never have been shared if I had not taken time to sit and just… start. Maybe I’ll go back and reword things later on. It is one of my dreams to eventually publish a fantasy novel of my own.

If I hadn’t taken the risk of starting, or taken the risk of showing others my story and being disappointed, I would’ve never gotten so much written. I’m over sixty pages, and that’s a phenomenal personal achievement. I’d never gotten more than two pages in any other story before I started forcing myself to write whatever was there. Many scenes in my head turned out better on paper, and even better when my friends enjoyed reading them! I was very not skilled when I began. But, again, in the words of Shia LaBeouf, “don’t let your dreams be dreams!” And so my slightly masochistic attempt at achieving those dreams actually produced something.

So, I will say to you, don’t let your dreams be dreams. You can finish that paper! You can write that blog, that lab report, or that book report. Don’t let your dreams of freedom elude you! If I can write my story, you can write that assignment! Start with a few sentences, which don’t even have to be about your project. Maybe write about your day. Work on getting your thoughts clear. And then…

“Just… do it!”

Written by Isaac

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Easter Every Day

Easter, considered to be the most significant Christian holiday, has come again. Filled with bunny rabbits, oval-shaped chocolates, and wild Easter egg hunts, the occasion holds more than just the short-term blessings of joy and happiness; Easter gives us a chance to celebrate and receive once more, with grateful hearts, the eternal blessings of hope, peace, faith, and love. Two thousand years ago, a Jewish man, the son of a carpenter, hung fragile and exposed on a cross. It may have seemed somewhat insignificant to the onlookers, and even today many groups, communities, and nations believe it to be so. But to the Christian, Easter commemorates the life-changing gift of salvation through the death and resurrection of the world’s Savior, Jesus Christ.

Although this celebration occurs only once a year, Christians all over the world honor Christ’s sacrifice daily. The cross is the core of the Christian faith and Christian living. It not only grants all of us a way into eternal life, but restores our relationship with our Creator. Christians, those who have accepted God’s wonderful gift, now share life with Him every day, abiding in His delightful and sweet presence, alongside Him who is a constant helper, companion, protector, and friend. With the promise of His continual presence and a glorious inheritance, we can know that God has abundantly blessed us both here on earth and in life after death.

For Christians, these truths about God’s promise of blessing hold the energy to transform our lives day by day. Firstly, knowing that God waits for us in Heaven, gives us tremendous hope: hope enough to stand when life knocks us down; hope enough for us to see the light when we feel that the darkness is closing in; hope enough for us to keep walking even when storms are headed our way. Because the cross proclaims that this life is substantially brief and momentary in comparison to the eternal glory to come, we can have joy in all circumstances. Secondly, because God has gifted us with His unceasing presence, we can constantly speak to Him, present our requests to Him, and intercede for others on their behalf. He has promised to hear us. God sees everything and generously supplies all of our needs. He has promised to carry us through every single day.

Therefore, Easter, unlike many other holidays, far transcends its bounds of one week in the springtime year after year. Instead, it permeates each and every second of a believer’s life. Outside of charming Easter decorations, blissful fellowship with family and friends, and overflowing Church services, the true joy to be found in Easter is grasped in the stillness of the mundane, in the repetition of work and routine, and in the times of defeat, struggle, and pain. The cross is worn on millions of pendants, displayed in thousands of windows, and stuck on the bumper of countless vehicles but its reach is far beyond a worldwide festival. It holds the weight, power, and glory to give hope in every situation, to shine light into every circumstance, and to remind us of everlasting love every day.

Written by Jeka

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Shades of Dirt

Ever since I was a little girl, my parents have taken me on mission trips around the nation and into surrounding countries. For some, the idea of being dragged from place to place every summer for the better half of their lives seems exhausting and unappealing, but for me, nothing sounds more intriguing, more comfortable, or more like home.

Traveling has always been one of my deepest passions. I love to see new places for the first time: the way the air smells, the color of the ground, and the mixture of noises that roll down the streets are the very first things I notice and document (because one should always document the brown-ness of the dirt when traveling).  I am a sucker for aesthetics, and there really is something beautiful about observing the physical characteristics that make a town, country, or village unique. However, in the midst of God’s extravagantly stunning terrain, there is something about each new place I visit that never fails to captivate me the most: the people.

I have never journeyed to a place where the people weren’t completely and whole-heartedly hospitable to me. Yes, this might sound ridiculously naïve of me to say because, hello, we’re living in a world where people tend to thrive off of nothing but hating, shaming, and ridiculing others. However, I’m here to tell you that, for the most part, people are generally good at their core, at least to those who are sincerely interested in knowing them.

Don’t read me wrong.

I know that there are rotten people in the world. I know that violence, hate, discrimination, and terrorism are real and prevalent today. I know that the world isn’t full of rainbows and unicorns, and trust me when I say that I know that not everyone is nice, accepting, or honest. I know that the media reports more on arbitrary acts of brutality than random acts of kindness. I know all of these things and understand them to be true, but I also know that warmth and sincerity are appreciated. I know that compassion and generosity do not go unnoticed by their recipients. I know that, by taking the time to truly get to know someone, strangers can be made family.

I could tell you a hundred stories about the mission trips I have gone on, the places I have seen, or the shades of dirt that I have written about in my travel journals, but the thing that I feel most passionately about today is hospitality. Being hospitable is most commonly associated with the idea that one should welcome others into their homes, feed them, and care for them when they are in need, and while that association is appropriate, it isn’t exactly the only way of showing hospitality to others. Hospitality can be as simple as welcoming a stranger into a conversation, showing kindness to the driver who can’t pick a lane, or accepting the fact that someone else can hold an opposing opinion on politics. Showing hospitality isn’t difficult. It isn’t costly or even that time consuming. It’s important, it’s cherished, and it has the power to change someone’s world.

“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” –Hebrews 13:2

Written by Haley

Image credit: Haley Briggs