Today is November 1st. Every year, since 2009, I have started a new novel/work at the outset of November with the Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge (a challenge to write 50,000 words of a novel within the space of November's 30 days). Throughout the past three weeks of my writing sabbatical, an internal argument raged over this year's participation. I'm fatigued and broken, not in a position to begin a new novel. The novels I've written languish in files, unworthy of agent/editor attention. Thanks to my Write-to-Publish critiques, my writing mojo has vanished, replaced by insecurity over my ability to pull off a well-written novel. The problems seem myriad: inconsistent point-of-view usage (head-hopping), insufficient world-building, passive voice construction, weak characters the reader cannot get behind, too much back story (information dumps), too much telling instead of showing, and secondary characters overshadowing the heroine. That's a lot to swallow, a tremendous amount to overcome. I feel paralyzed just trying to approach these weaknesses in my writing.
Yet, deep within, I cannot believe my writing efforts are hopeless. I know that God has given me some talent (even if insufficient at this point). I'm also convinced He intends me to use the talent He has given. So, in thinking about this significant day, I made an alternate decision. I will use this month to tithe on my talent, giving every word written in November back to Him. I will focus my efforts on words devoted to His glory.
Christians often emphasize the imperative to tithe on the monies that God puts at our disposal. I have no personal money. I make no income (perhaps that is why I fight those feelings of uselessness). But I desire to write and give my words back to Him. With the little drummer boy, I offer my humble rat-a-tat-tat. Like the young boy in the crowd listening to Jesus, I give up my meager loaves and fishes for His use.
Even though my novels build on a Christian framework, I have no fresh ideas for stories to glorify God. Perhaps, as my husband has suggested, I am supposed to focus on non-fiction words dedicated for His interest. Even as I enter this set-apart month, I don't know fully what that looks like, but I'm determined to live out my "nothing wasted" mantra and committed to tithing this month's words to His purposes.
If you are a Christian writer, how do you tithe on your talents? What does that look like for you? How do you give a tenth of your talents and efforts to God's glory? I guess if Christian practice suggests a tenth, one month doesn't even suffice. If I'm eager to devote a tenth, I should give the whole month of November and one week of December. Everything I have comes from God. I'm ready to give Him the "first fruits" of my labors. I'm ready to use my words solely for His glory and to win others to His kingdom.
2 comments:
I applaud you for finding a creative way to use your November writing time! I use my writing to find worthy stories to tell about happenings in my church and I write for the monthly Epistle or I tell the stories on our closed Facebook page. I'm cheering you on this month!
Jennifer - Thanks for your comment. Every bit of encouragement helps keep me pursuing the path and showing up (the rest is up to God).
Post a Comment