Why is it when you mention you’re a writer in any conversation, you get only two responses?
Firstly, there’s the vague, blank expression on the other person’s face which, is followed by that awkward, “That’s nice for you, dear” pat on the arm. Or, it’s an excited, enthusiastic, not taking a breath, “I- have-to-know-what-each-chapter-is-about and when-is-your-book-going-to-be-published-so-I-can-read-it!” response. Either one can bring you out in hives and cold sweats, sending you spiralling down a deep depressive hole quicker than the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. The first response makes you feel inadequate to write anything and the second pressures you to perform.
If you tell people you’re writing a book they’ll sometimes respond by saying that there is a book in them too just waiting to be birthed. (Now it’s your turn to have the vague, blank expression on your face). Hmmm, yes, birth. An interesting phrase when we talk about writing. It all sounds so romantic. Wanting to bring a child into this world is wonderful and yes, very rewarding. We writers do tend to see our stories as our little ‘baby’. However, it’s the reality of those labour pains, the sleep deprivation, the stench of nappies, and milky puke down the back of your favourite shirt that we tend not to think about when we’re looking at all the cute baby outfits to dress our newborn in.
Labour pains are hard, gruelling and uncomfortable. So, why do we want to go through with them? Why do we willingly go through so much agony just to see our words come to life? I mean, what defines a writer? Is it the seamlessly endless days sitting at your computer, writing word after word until your fingers are cramped, only to hit the delete button and start all over again? Or is it all those thankless, lonely hours of plotting, character building, and crafting your story arc that define you as a writer? Whatever it is that you believe qualifies you to wear the “I’m a writer” medal that you think gets pinned firmly to your chest after publication, each one of us, published or not, are birthing words that we hope will bring life and change to our readers.
Writers are sensitive, creative souls who wear their hearts within the pages of the written word, and they see writing more of a labour of love than of pain. However, to write words that move, change and help our followers, we have to go through the labour pains. We have to give birth to something that will grow, walk, talk and flourish to help the ones who need it. Writing is an art and it needs to go through the birthing canal and take its first breath, so the words have life.
Literary agent, Steve Laube believes diligence is the key to writing. He says, “Those words you struggle to express will be a gift for someone who is struggling to express their own.” I don’t know about you, but it’s quotes like this that keep writers going. They drive us to find a better word, a stronger sentence, a more active voice rather than a passive one which in turn becomes a compelling story/blog post/poem/novel. The labour pains of edits, re-writes, and proofreading are the processes that separate the novice from the pro. But after all the labour pains something marvellous is birthed.
In the Old Testament God told the prophet, Jeremiah, that He knew him in his mother’s womb. “Before I even formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew all about you. Before you drew your first breath, I had already chosen you to be My prophet to speak My word to the nations.” Words are tools for prophets and God’s words have the power to bring change in people’s hearts. Like the prophets of the Old Testament, we writers are forming and bringing forth the words Gods births within us. He chose you to bring those words to life which you’re struggling with right now, even before you drew your first breath.
So, as you go through the labour pains of writing be encouraged and remember that you’re birthing words, so they will bring change, transformation, and life to your readers!
Wendy xo
In what way do you struggle with the labour pains of your words?
Writing a book, I have found, is the easy and fun part. It’s the tedious process of re-writes, edits and production that is the part that is more like a grind. It is rewarding when somebody says to you, I finished your book in a day, and loved it. But then I think to myself I took nearly a year to write and produce it and people finish it in such a short period of time. Still I do it because I love doing it. Sometimes I think I might give up, but I just can’t.
Thanks for your comments, Meredith.
Yes, writing is definitely not for the faint hearted! I think we all have those “moments” where we think about giving up. But as I’ve mentioned before, our gift of writing is not about ourselves but about guiding people to Jesus, and that’s what makes us go through the agonising labour pains of re-writes!
Don’t ever, ever give up writing, Meredith. You’re a blessing to many.
W xo
When someone tells me they’ve thought about writing a book, I always tell them, “Go for it!” Who knows whether that might be just the encouragement they need to put words to paper, even if it never becomes a published book.
That is very true, Carol.
W xo