Pride and Prejudice

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end; then stop.
                                                                                    --Lewis Carroll.


   I am proudly celebrating the above quote: I just finished editing my latest book.
  
   Sadly, the English language doesn't distinguish pride, the sinful attitude, from pride, the pleasure of doing a job well and knowing that you applied your divinely-granted skills aptly.

   Oh, the prejudice comes in about now: just like the proud grandparent, "Of course my grandkids are the smartest, kindest, and most handsome!" Likewise, the product of one's writing is seen with positive bias--that's why editors and discerning early readers are so deeply appreciated for their (honest!) feedback...if it's boring, I'll have a hard time telling, cuz it's my little baby and I just know that he's one superlative little feller!

   Now, the book has been flying off the shelves at national bookstores--well, okay, it hasn't actually been on the shelves, since I'm publishing it myself. That said, here's a sample, and it'll be on sale for $15 dollah, shipping included:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TL0SUJDBKmR2p-lqaimC7bpBaqUvM5rrntdzSae0PhM/edit

   Remember, feedback is the true breakfast of champions...and I crave your input. Thnx!

Creativity, revisited

Creativity, revisited.

"...God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." Rom. 4: 17.

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     To call something new into being is to imitate our Heavenly Father. Tonight, I am printing the first copies of my latest book: PROVERBS--Journeying to the Heart of God's Wisdom.
     I've been reading through the book of Proverbs several times a year for many years now. After reading that Billy Graham read a chapter a day of both Psalms and Proverbs, I thought that an excellent idea to emulate.
     While I have learned things both personally and regarding my business pursuits, Proverbs has so much in it that I have drafted a novel about the personification of wisdom.
     However, I decided to call into being a new work this year, based on Solomon's usage of the word "heart." Solomon uses this word, leb, some 94 times according to one source. The only other Old Testament writer to exceed Solomon's usage was his father, in the 150 chapters of the Psalms!

     In writing this book, I've learned a lot, and hope that my readers may derive fruit from my own pursuit of wisdom! May my puny efforts at creativity bring glory to our great Creator!


Link to sample:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TL0SUJDBKmR2p-lqaimC7bpBaqUvM5rrntdzSae0PhM/edit

Discover something new every day.

Discover something new every day.


   Thanks, Daniel, for the link http://tinyurl.com/clwfas7 containing that quote. One of my past pursuits, which I intend to resume, was to challenge myself to write a poem a day. It has been said that despots particularly feared poets and playwrights, as their use of language bored holes through walls, leapt over fences, and crossed boundaries that could not be defended by armies of mere mortals.

   Yellow fire above
Fights cool breeze successfully
   Heliotherapy wins.

   (Guess what: I just sat outside, reading in the sunshine. Ahhh...definition of a very fine day!)


   I am fond of the discipline of the haiku--it squeezes out excess verbiage--something all (good) writers should appreciate, and which we fledgling writers aspire to. (Hmmm, does J. Joyce fit in the "good writer" category?)
  
   Black words, white paper
Truth is black and white. I hope.
   Better yet, I pray.



   "Behold, I make all things new."

I doubt it.

"Doubt is the beginning of wisdom."

If doubt is the beginning of wisdom, is a question the beginning of a good story? As Stephen King says, he takes a strong character, throws him into difficulty, and then, wonders how the character will work his way through the difficulty.

Now, this doesn't work so well if the character is not well formulated. Some writers will develop their characters, writing several pages about each character, before they ever think about putting the character into a story. This feels a little formulaic for me; having tried it both ways, thus far I prefer to let the character develop in the midst of the stresses and strains of the story. Granted, I still have a fair idea if the character is wise and witty, plodder or speedster, fussy or messy, literalistic or willing to bend (or break--oh my!) the rules.

Where do characters come from? Usually, mine are purely imaginary. Oh, there may have been a leaping-off point, where one deed or phrase or behaviorism caught my attention in real life, but I think most authors are sufficiently creative to craft their own reality without much cribbing from the folks around us. Besides, how'd you feel, seeing yourself inside a story, waking up to:
   "Yipes, get me get away from this person--I don't know them, I don't want to know 'em, and I don't like the way he's looking at me, like a hungry lion stalking a lame gnu!"
   Heavy breathing in the background.
   "Help! Let me out of this story!"
   A wet gurgle that may have passed for laughter was the only reply.

   Being caught in that story...now, that would be bad gnus, baby!

   Okay, some characters are full of doubts, wonders, questions, and insufficiencies. Others are strong and capable and rarely doubt themselves. A story populated by characters of only one of these types wouldn't work terribly well, and certainly wouldn't smack of reality, would it? Sorta like you and, too much or too little doubt--either extreme doesn't set the stage for success. Solomon, by the way, would disagree with my opening quote; Solly seems to think that awestruck reverence for God is the beginning of wisdom. Whattaya think of that?

"Never in doubt...sometimes correct."

Did he say "bum" and "glue" in the same sentence?

ACME Bum Glue: Apply to your posterior. Sit. Write. (Do not use while writing in the nude.)

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Today was another day that needed a richer and thicker application of "bum-glue." Sure, there might be a different or better name for it: stick-to-it-iveness; persistence; old-fashioned work ethic. And I'd bet we all have areas in our life where we don't need it--but, others...uh-huh, direly needed. I am so easily distracted...but I wouldn't call it writer's block: the only block is the block-head who would rather play, read, chat, listen to Pandora, peruse FB...you name it, fiddle, file, sort, anything rather than work. Truly unique?--not. So, let us, as some wise old Hebrew feller urged us, "consider how to stir up one another to love and to do good works."
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"Just do it.".--NIKE.

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"Tell me what you measure and I'll tell you how I'll perform."

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