The Journey | CWBC
Today is another installment of the ChristianWriters(.com) Blog-Chain. The subject chosen is inspired by the tremendous journey of discovery and hardship by Lewis & Clark, which began on this date in 1804. Two years later, in September, they returned home to St. Louis. According to Wikipedia, “During this more than two-year journey they succeeded in reaching the Pacific, mapping and establishing their presence for a legal claim to the land. They established diplomatic relations and trade with at least two dozen indigenous nations.”
It gives me pause, this feat of such courage and determination. It also makes me wonder, did either Lewis or Clark truly understand what they were taking on? It seems a somewhat ordinary question, and one that I have heard time and again in relation to life in general, especially when the end result is something quite extraordinary – be it negative or positive.
As writers, we face this looming beginning each day. What will the day hold us? Is there a goal deadline beating upon our brow? Have we dedicated ourselves to finally completing that high fantasy outline? Did the tickle of a rewrite idea find our fancy and require some brainstorming? From one day to the next we seldom know what awaits. Or, if we have the day planned out, we acknowledge the fact that at times we throw plans to the wind when inspiration strikes.
My novel-writing journey began more than twenty-three years ago when I set out to write my first book, a young adult fiction. The only thought in my head concerned that of my characters. Their existence could not be doubted, and their story rang inside my head much like a movie. No matter my destination, they traveled with me, written upon the fistful of paper in the three-ring binder in my backpack, or on the legal pad I took with me to Bible Study or church.
One story blossomed to two and then three as I struggled to keep up with the volatile lives of these teenagers so much a part of my existence. Being only sixteen, writing their life-story effected my own, and their world offered me an escape. These characters drew me into their compelling universe in such a way that I have never been able to forget them. Even now they patiently wait for me to finish my current projects in hopes that they will be next on the shelf.
Writing has been a study in heartache and euphoria, a love-hate relationship at times. Some days my love of writing is misplaced, replaced by despair. There are moments when I would like nothing better than to throw up my hands and give up this passion. It is a lesson in patience, determination, and tenacity to say nothing of the pressure to push the limits of your imagination. The writing journey is fraught with obstacles that hammer at your ego until you are nothing but a wind-teased collection of rubble and dust.
Then there is the after. After you are hammered and beaten and battered, your mind settles into an odd calmness. You take another step forward. You find your voice. Or you discover the true path of a character’s story. Or you uncover a hidden motivation that unlocks the magic of a previously droll tale. Like stepping from the wilderness or desert to the waiting oasis, you squint into the blissful warmth of hope, or an epiphany, or acknowledgement. Something. Anything that gives you an emotion of rest.
For me writing is a constant journey into the unknown. One sentence in front of the other, painting a world of words and emotion that tugs at the readers imagination and weaves in them empathy or hatred at my whim. My purpose behind writing has never been about money. It is about the character and their struggles, and how those challenges affect the reader. How my characters’ pain and redemption might trigger the same in the heart and soul of my audience.
Where has your journey taken you?
You can read more entries in the May Blog-Chain by following the links listed below:
- May 1: Keith Wallis, wordsculptures
- May 4: Chris Vonada, I’m Just Thinkin’
- May 5: Jan Christiansen, Refreshed By the Word
- May 6: Scott Fields, Dead Man Writing
- May 7: Cindee Snider Re, Breathe Deeply
- May 8: Traci Bonney, Tracings
- May 10: Janna Dyck, Writing for Life
- May 13: Chris Henderson, TheWriteChris
- May 14: Nona King, Word Obsession
- May 16: Liberty Speidel, Word Wanderings
- May 18: Victor Travison, Lightwalker’s View
- May 19: Tracy Krauss, Expression Express
- May 20: Carol Peterson, From Carol’s Quill
- May 21: Edward Lewis, Sowing the Seeds
- May 23: Debra Ann Elliott, Writing with Debra
- May 24: Lynn Mosher, Heading Home
- May 26: Sarah Grace, Write-Minded
- May 27: Adam Collings, The Collings Zone
- May 28: Marti Smith, Telling Secrets
- May 29: Chris Depew, The Beulah Land Blog
- May 30: Sheila Hollinghead, A Spring of Living Water
17 Responses to The Journey | CWBC
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I am a writer. I adore the spinning of the unwritten tale – that lesson waiting to be divulged to others. Each day a new story beckons. One last happy ending. My characters have a life outside of my own, and I always learn from their destiny.
~ Nona ~
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." ~II Corinthians 5:17
Great post thanks for sharing. Your layout is excellent. I enjoyed reading today’s article very much.
Nona,
Thanks for sharing this, the journey as a writer is relatively new to me but it absolutely builds character, and is full of unknowns. You made an excellent suggestion this month too for the Lewis and Clark theme!! Thanks.
Thanks for a great post, Nona! I love reading about other writer’s journeys. Each one is so unique and exciting. I’m lovin’ this path I’m on and the great people I’m meeting along the way.
Great post, Nona. It always encourages me to read about the journeys of those ahead of me on the writer’s path; I’m glad to know others have encountered the same difficulties I have (or anticipate having).
Nona–lovely thoughts. You’re right that writing truly is stepping into the unknown, even if, unlike Lewis and Clark, you have a map of where you’re trying to end up.
Nona: Fascinating post and spot on.
I found myself wondering exactly how someone begins writing at 16. Maybe at that age we’re too young to imagine there’s anything we can’t accomplish. To your credit, you’re still at it. Clearly, it was more that a passing fancy. Keep fighting the good fight…one word at a time.
Peace and Blessings
You hit it right on the head when you said the writing journey is a ‘love-hate’ relationship. We are driven to write, but then often suffer all kinds of lows through self doubt, rejection, or just burn out. Your post was so descriptive and eloquent and very, very true to the essence of what it is to be a writer.
There are moments when I would like nothing better than to throw up my hands and give up this passion.
Some would respond to this statement with the assertion that it can’t be a passion if you’re so willing to part with it. Theirs is the view that passion is defined as something you love to do; therefore, if you don’t love doing it (and all the time, at that) then it isn’t a passion.
To which I would reply: fiddlesticks. Passion is what compels us to do something even when we don’t particularly want to do it–those times we would much rather be doing something easier or more fun. Writing is the perfect illustration of that. For so many of us, it’s the passion that prods us to continue the journey when we’d just as soon go back home where the fire’s warm, there’s food in the fridge, and the bed feels just right. Passion is the very thing “wannabe” writers lack. It’s absence is the reason they don’t finish what they start.
Great perspective, Nona, as usual. Thanks for sharing!
And thank goodness for the ‘schedule’ feature! Between errands and my husband’s birthday, I completely forgot that Saturday was my day to post on the blog-chain.
Nona – it’s so refreshing to hear another writer…one who is further down the road than I am say that some days they just want to throw up their hands and walk away. I have those kind of days, too. Obviously, you have persevered on those days and continued on, which encourages those of us who are coming up behind you to press on as well. Thanks for sharing your heart!
Jan, I am so glad that my post was able to refresh/encourage you.
My post is only worth the effort if that is the end result.
Good job, Nona! Thanks for sharing a little of your writing journey with us. Always interesting to me to see how others view the writing life!
You know there’s something encouraging hanging out with other writers, which is why this blog chain is so great. It can remind us all that we’re not weird – or at least there are lots of other “weird” people out there.
It is interesting that a lot of the time money gets in the way of art. This is especially true in television writing. Fortunately, with novels, the writer has much more freedom to say “it isn’t about the money”.
Thanks for sharing your experiences on the journey.
Thank you, Sheila & Adam.
So glad you enjoyed it.
Great post, Nona! It’s always nice to know we’re not alone on our writing journey. Especially during those time when we feel like “a wind-teased collection of rubble and dust.” Those days do happen! Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Blessings!!
Nona, I REALLY enjoyed this post! It fed my soul. I’ve never written a novel, never felt the tug, but your words drew me along the journey with you. May you feel the emotion of rest and may your characters one day dance along the pages of a dozen books lining your shelves!
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