I’ve answered versions of this question before, usually in connection to what made me want to pen a specific work of fiction. Recently this specific question was posted in a chat, and I felt stumped. How could I answer such a broad question, tapping awkwardly with my forefinger at the tiny keyboard on my phone?
A Bookish Nerd
MY UNFORMED DESIRE TO WRITE began when I first learned to read. Soon I was introduced to a library, and as I surveyed the little room of children’s books, I vowed to read every book inside its walls. I was frustrated a month later, when I realized someone had shelved new books in the B section I was half-way through. Though I didn’t recognize it at the time, this was when, this was the beginning.
I continued reading voraciously, addicted to the written word, both fiction and fact. I loved encyclopedias, but the librarians wouldn’t let me check them out, so I read for the hour my mom allotted, and I carried home the library’s alotted limit each week. Some time in early gradeschool I wrote and illustrated a book about a little white dog. In fact, I owned a litle black puppy, so this was my first fiction.
A high school teacher was my first writing mentor. Victor Kelly taught writing in a way I could understand. He also recommended me to the Arizona Republic and Phoenix Gazette as a “teen correspondent” for their weekend magazine. I wrote sports and human interest pieces. A few times they sent me on special assignments, once to interview twin teens skating in the Ice Capades. I enjoyed this time in my early writing career – the wealth of topics to write about, the weekly deadlines, and the special assignments.
Banging My Head Against Walls
But although the power of story held me in its grasp, I couldn’t seem to write fiction – my burning desire. In a similar way to my white puppy story, my fiction seemed to mirror my own life. I was bored by my own writing.
This changed when I took a class at Community College on creative writing. During the class we formed critique groups to review the prior week’s assignments. At the end of the semester several students wanted to continue meeting, so the group named itself “The Loaded Pencils” and began meeting regularly in restaurants to eat and critique. The group continued over years. Even now, I write with one of the original members and another inductee, both talented and insightful writers.
Over several years I produced many unfinished novel attempts. Finally, a story I felt proud of emerged. I entered it in contests to varying degrees of success. I submitted to agents and publishers to varying degrees of no.
What Writers Know
My story is similar to many writers. Most of us work at it a long time before publication. It’s kind of a dull story. What’s interesting is THE POWER OF STORY. It intrigues me anew everytime I read or listen to or watch a new book, audio, or film.
Happily, I’m just as intrigued with the books I’ve written and the book I am currently writing. I’m amazed when the story is a new idea and when it finally comes together on the page. At the end, I feel a deep sense of gratitude. It never is only from me. It is from every book I’ve ever read, every minute I’ve lived, finessed by my critique partners and my editorial team. It is also from the great Creator, who inspired many authors to write The Greatest Story Ever Told – the Bible, where I get most of my ideas.
If you’ve read the Bible, you may have noticed many stories aren’t completely fleshed out. When there is a blank place, the questions start popping in my head. What happened before? What happened after? What was the world like then? What was this character feeling? Who were his friends or enemies? And always of great interest to me – what did he have for dinner?
What About You?
Are you a writer? If so, what are you currently writing? Are you creative in other ways? Tell me about both in the comments.
If you want to know a more on this topic, check out the blog categories WRITING, BIBLICAL FICTION, and THE CHRISTY AWARD.
Inspired by the Bible story of Elijah raising the widow’s son from the dead, author Dana McNeely wondered what became of the boy. She began research for her novel, “Rain,” which tells the story of the three-and-a-half-year drought from his perspective. No stranger to drought, Dana lives in an Arizona oasis with her hubby the constant gardener, two good dogs, an antisocial cat, and migrating butterflies.
In 2021 RAIN became a finalist in The Christy Award (use the registered mark) and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award® and was also a finalist in the 2022 ACFW Carol Award.
WHIRLWIND, the second novel in the “Whispers on the Wind” series, tells the story of a king’s downfall and a love that transcends war.
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