Writing [and Living] in First Person Point of View

Just this week I finished reading the highly controversial book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, written by Amy Chua, a Yale law professor. Although she used extreme discipline in mothering her two girls, I found her dedication and involvement in their lives refreshing. While both daughters were extremely gifted in music, the high expectations worked for the oldest but not so much for the younger one.

About midway through the book, a writing revelation sideswiped me. When I was in journalism school back in the 1970's, this book never would have been written nor published nor promoted. Only fiction writers crafting their characters' dialogue used the intimate first person point of view. The nonfiction realm simply dismissed anything in the personal narrative genre as not appealing to the masses. During my classroom days, I taught students to avoid using the pronouns, I, me, we us, in their writing. Beginning a paragraph with the pronoun I was considered narcissistic. Over the last 40 years our communication has morphed from sterile objective to extremely personal. The journalist in me would hope balance could be achieved [or is it, "we could achieve balance"?].

However I'm thrilled as you should be, too, our God lives in the first person point of view. When Moses was worrying about leading the Israelites out of Egypt, he needed God to get personal:

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?" God said to Moses, "I AM who I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Exodus 2:13-14, NIV.

I'm thinking if God's memorial name is first person point of view, He approves of our writing [and living] in it.

Joyce

If you've got time, read these reviews of The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. The first one is written in the more objective third person point of view while the bottom one is written in first person.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/books/20book.html 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/07/AR2011010702516.html

A Lesson about Hunting Dogs, Church, and Writing…

Didn't see that coming... I stopped to talk with two men who were running their dogs (17 beagles flushing out rabbits) — what I learned from these two men (one married 50 years, the other married 55 years) about dogs was totally pertinent to our churches today and our writing ministries.

The husband and I had walked a few miles in southern Johnson County today and heard the dogs running and barking like they do when they're running after a rabbit. Curious, we stopped and talked to the owners for awhile and asked them lots of questions.
I noticed they were conferring because they'd hear the dogs barking and then watched the pack chase a rabbit across an open part of the road. One or two small beagles couldn't keep up and they could hear it barking away from the others....they knew which dog was away from the pack by the sound of their bark...."Yeah, Ruthie got left behind again...."

Even though these two men couldn't see the dogs running through the brush, they kept careful track of them -- knowing where they were and if they were "working" or tracking game by their loud group barking.

Here's the Church lesson: The eldest man noted, "when they're working, you can keep track of them...it's when they're not working you lose them. It reminded me of our churches: When the flock have a place to serve in the house of God (working) and are diligently studying God's Word in Bible Study (also working) we can keep track of them — when they are doing neither, we tend to lose them.

And so it goes with our writing. When we are penning (or keyboarding,) we have a voice. But when we lay our pens aside, our voice gets lost — and we lose the story.

With the closing of many Bookstores (Borders) and the popularity of ebooks, I wonder  if we will  lose our love of opening a book and turning its pages. I love this Medieval Help Desk ‘How to read a Book” video Joyce and I first watched at the Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference a few years ago.

Janet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ&feature=related

Because I Have a Voice! - Yes, You Do!

A Sunday afternoon early Valentine’s Day date struck a chord. When watching The King’s Speech with my husband, I was amazed how that true story parallels what Janet and I want to do with this blog. Its plot focuses on the younger brother, the second-in-line for Britain’s throne who ultimately became king but who was terrified of public speaking because he stuttered. Actually he feared failure. And that’s what captivated me along with the millions of others who’ve applauded this film.

  

What student, writer, musician, artist, leader, child and parent, [list infinite to the 9^th degree] doesn’t fear failure? Lionel, the speech therapist, helped “Bertie” (aka King George VI) replace his fear with confidence. He became his friend in the process. Our goal in writing about writing is to help you overcome your fears by developing confidence.

Back to the movie, Lionel defended his lack of a PhD by explaining his experience. After soldiers returned from the Great War, he helped them articulate their feelings.

“My job was to give them their voice.”

That’s our goal for you—to help you find your voice. Each of us has our own. You’ll know when I’m writing, and you’ll know when Janet’s at the keyboard. Our voice differs. And that’s OK.

Begin that story, memoir, song, poem, screenplay, note, essay, letter to the editor, blog, or whatever God has put on your heart. “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31b.

Avoid comparing yourself to others. It’s your voice.  Use it to glorify the King.

Joyce

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/thekingsspeech/

Diving off the Writers' Block

Sometimes the hardest part of writing is turning on your computer and staying off social networks and search engines. After we leave the starting block, we've got to figure out something to say. It's kinda like unscrambling eggs. Or as Janet's brother-in-law advised her daughter: "When you dive off the starting block, it's easier entry if you're faced toward the pool water and not the deck." Writer's block!! Seriously. No concussions here!

If words have been swimming in your head, just get them down on paper (old school for inputting and saving). It's never been easier to communicate! But it's never been more difficult to focus. Writing is the best pistol start for diving in. On your mark, get set, go!