All writers at one stage or another wondered if they had anything original to say/write. This self-doubt is one reason why many of you put off doing anything with your writing until now. This feeling that you might not have any talent is one you share with nearly every writer. Even successful writers are unwilling to believe that they have written something worthwhile and also sensitive about criticism.
Creative writing makes one think of the Creation. Two words that are used in the Bible in Genesis 1 are CREATED and MADE. God created every living organism with a word. He used many things He had created to make new things with. God also created some things out of nothing! Have you ever made something out of things that have already been created? In the Hebrew language the word CREATE means to make something out of nothing. The word MAKE means to make something out of a thing that has already been created. When we write we create new worlds, new places, new ideas and cross continents. We can explore worlds, share ideas and change peoples lives for the better. Every idea or vision, every book written, every song written and sung began with a word. The creation began with the words “Let there be...”
Before you can begin to write a poem, short story, a song or a prose, we need to get together everything you may need. In order for God to have done the Creation He had to use His voice. Imagine hearing God’s voice saying “Let there be...” and then seeing it appear before your eyes. Wow! In order for you to create/write you need to use a pen and page or computer. How exciting it must be to take a pen and start creating a poem, song or story and seeing it appear right before your eyes.
STARTING OFF
When you look at the Creation it is evident that everything happened at the right time and in the correct order. Think of how He separated/divided the waters. He made a space between the waters below and the waters above. It was like a curtain. Imagine taking curtains from one side of a window and pulling them across so that they cover the window. Now think how God could have done that with the sky or heavens.
God knew what He wanted to make and when. Remember: “The right time and correct order.” God knew what He was doing when He placed the moon and sun in the sky. He organized for certain things to happen regularly. In words of encouragement from the Apostle Paul to the Philippians he says: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Remember that poetry is the conscience of society; it reveals the soul of a nation and community. We need more Christian-based books, stories and films from Christian writers that are bold and adventurous. However, do not compromise. It is possible. Know your purpose. Know your assignment. Let us through our creative writing raise a banner in the name of our God. We must infiltrate the market place. We must transform it, but how? Our gifts will make room for us.
WRITING AS A GIFT: It is easy!
All you need to write is a pen and paper. Maybe a quiet place as well. You can write during lunch at work or school, after everyone has gone to bed or on the bus. You don’t have to be young or old, or from a certain area or social class to be a writer. I remember where I come from and all the adversities I went through. I was a teenager during the turbulent apartheid years. At the time it seemed as if there was no end to apartheid. It was the eighties and the streets were burning. Everywhere we went there were “Whites only” boards on beaches, in front of restaurants and hotels. Top jobs were reserved for whites. Can you imagine how as a teenager I must have felt when my class teacher asked me in front of everyone what I wanted to be one day? How it felt when you said you wanted to become a poet and writer? How it felt when everyone laughed at you? My vision and my dream never left me. I did not allow it to be taken away from me by anyone; not even apartheid. I ruled my world. I created my world. By continuing to write I was saying “It is my voice, my words, and it must be heard. So many people want to become writers, but keep it a secret, not wanting to be thought weird or somehow having a high thinking of them. It is okay, think highly of yourself. You are a child of God and deserve only the best. In 1985 I entered a short story competition run by Sanlam. I did not win, but my talent was recognised even though I was a Coloured. They applauded my determination and persistence. My gift opened a door and made room for me. Yes, writing is easy. It is completely democratic. You just need to say something and put it in writing. Remember it’s your voice, and your words.
Writing is cheap and accessible. If your star is David Beckham and you want him to be your mentor, it is not going to be possible. He is a busy and important man. But in the field of creative writing your prefect mentors are always around and available. How? Books! You can read your favourite books and authors for as long as you need them.
STAND AND STARE: Writing for therapy
We all have busy lives and move at a frantic pace. There is no time just to “stand and stare” as a poet once wrote. We spend so much of our time fire-fighting and reacting to events that we leave little time to investigate the causes of all the small blazes in our life. Why do we do the things we do? Why do we feel hurt, sad or neglected? How can we better our children, friends or companions? How can we make sense of a world gone haywire? Is there a point to it all?
Surely at least part of the point of life is to decide who we are. Our identity is the most important factor in our life. As Christians we know by now that our crisis assists in finding our identity. When we decide who we are we first ask how can we do it and then find a unique way to express ourselves. For some people their natural mode of self-expression might be to form a band or group. Others might paint, take photographs, make or act in films. Today more and more of us want to use one of the oldest and simplest forms of self-expression. We want to tell stories. We want to tell our own stories and write new ones.
Writing is a good way to reduce stress. Therapy might not be your primary motivation for becoming a writer, but writing is an effective way of keeping anxiety at bay. Simply writing any troubles down makes it seem more manageable. Reliving past traumas on a page can reduce their power to haunt. Writing is a way of taking control over your life. By keeping a journal will further give you control over your life. Write and read aloud. (I will talk on journal writing in another lesson in future.)
FINDING TIME TO WRITE
Forget the excuse that you do not have time to write. Everyone has time to write. You will find time to write if you want to badly enough. It just means that you must cut back on TV and movies. Writers make sacrifices. Suzanne Berne wrote her first book having determined to set aside at least five minutes a day in which to write. She achieved her daily five minutes and within a year published her first book. Kingsley Amis wrote at least a thousand words a day. With five minutes a day or a thousand words a day you will achieve much more than punishing yourself with a four-hour writing session. There’s a saying: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” Most of us should have started writing long before this. But we can’t do anything about that. Don’t fret. Let go and start writing.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
You don’t need a laptop or computer to be a writer. And having one doesn’t make you a writer either. Yes, a laptop might make things easier, but don’t confuse convenience with utility. Work on a computer looks deceptively finished at an early stage. Cut and paste might seem to look as if you are doing serious editing when in fact you are merely moving inadequate material from one place to another. Write with a pen/pencil and notebook. I learnt a lesson by relying too much on computers. I lost more than fifty short stories and hundreds of poems. Today I have a notebook with me at all times!
IDEAS AND INSPIRATION
Creative writing can become a family affair. It is a good way to get and stay close to your family. Older family members may well have interesting stories to tell you. I remember listening to stories my uncles and aunts told me. A lot of these stories became poems and short stories. Today my mother still tells me stories that I never heard before. You might find that writing a story about your family can become a family project. You will soon discover family members regularly asking you on the progress of your story or poem.
We need to learn how to generate ideas, develop them and the potential it has. Your notebook is a tool or weapon for holding your free-range thoughts. Ideas are tricky fellows. There are millions around. They run through your head at all sorts of odd times. Believe me, they come at odd times! If you have a notebook with you at all times, you will stand a good chance of noting them and developing them. Some times these ideas develops in your subconscious so that when you go back to your notes looking for stories or poems, you’ll find that your idea has put on some muscle while you were away. Thoughts are opportunities and by having a notebook is the best way to grab hold of these opportunities. Don’t trust that you will remember your ideas, you almost certainly won’t. If you don’t write them down they will vanish.
Always have a notebook on hand! Always have a notebook on hand!
Exercise: Try your hand at free-writing. Write for 5 minutes. Don’t allow your conscious mind to interfere, just keep writing. Now keep your pen moving for the whole time. At least one nugget might come from this exercise.
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