Chained to a Computer

Being lonely and being alone aren't the same. I often like being alone, but being lonely--not so much. Writing takes me both places. Sometimes when I write, the inner dialogue and thought process rejuvenates me. Other times it isolates me. Like Joanna in Grit for the Oyster, I often ask myself: "Why on earth am I chaining myself to a computer when it all seems so futile?" [p. 97] My answer: "I love to write. I can't write. I need to write."

My next big project involves finishing a book started in the fall of 2005 originally written in 30-45 segments focusing on John 3:16. When Max Lucado released Numbers That Count the following summer, I was deflated. That was my idea. But Max's readership and platform exceeds mine by about one trillion. So I did what any discouraged writer does. I quit.

But God has a way of shaking us up even when we'd rather sulk.  A few years later during a day of solitude arranged by our church staff, I decided to read Paul's letters to the churches. Then Ephesians 5:1-2 re-stoked the writing flame.

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." NAS

A new book was born. Walk in Love will be finished this fall barring no unforeseen disruptions and with lots of encouragement and suggestions from my friends. I need that. I don't write well lonely.

Following instructions from a great author!

I don't want to be rude, but I'm going to make this quick, so I can get back to reading the best book EVER!

A mere eighteen weeks ago I was hanging out with my buddy Jerry B. Jenkins — you know, the author or more than 175 books including that little 70,000,000-selling Left Behind series. J², as I like to call him behind his back because he has no idea who I am, also holds five state championships in tournament Scrabble. (Just a bit of book nerd trivia you can use to impress others.)

J², former editor of Moody Magazine, vice president for publishing, and now chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, was the keynote speaker at the Indianapolis Christian Writers Conference last November.

Jenkins shared writing tips like:

1) “I try to read Strunk and Whites Elements of Style annually.”

2) Omit needless words

3) Write down good paragraphs

Jenkins also noted that he reads anything by Rick Bragg, former New York Times columnist and non-fiction writer of masterpieces like All Over But The Shoutin’.

I am currently reading Bragg's phenomenal work, and continue to reread his gorgeous phrases like pg. 85: "The old were of value. The old men could look at a leaf a younger man brought to church in his shirt pocket and tell him what kind of worms were gnawing at his tomato plants, and how to kill them. They could peek under the hood of a car that was running rough and, with a Case pocketknife, adjust the idling, reset the points and adjust the gap on the plugs, all before the first strains of "I'll Fly Away" drifted from the door."

Bragg's words are like hearing Bach or looking at Monet's paintings for the first time.

Gotta go...starting chapter 14!

Let me know if you've read his jewel printed on white paper?

http://www.amazon.com/All-over-Shoutin-Rick-Bragg/dp/0679774025/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_1