“…looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 ASV
As writers, how this verse speaks to our hearts! When God split our first cells, he knew who we would be, where we were going, and what we were going to do. We are God’s work in progress.
“A blank piece of paper is God’s way of telling us how hard it is to be God.” – Sidney Sheldon
Most of the time when we first glimpse a storyline in our mind, it’s faint and nebulous. No form. No edges. There’s a filmy type of character that we want to do this vague kind of thing.
First, find out what your hero wants, then just follow him! – Ray Bradbury
Next, we’ll add flesh to our fiction. Only a twenty-fingered writing beast can churn out seventeen books a year, we mere mortals labor on for months or even years to get our stories out.
Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. – E. L. Doctorow
We write with our souls and our hearts, reflecting our Christian worldview and faith, regardless of the genre. But what do we do when we hit a brick wall? Spend more time with the Author, Perfector, and Finisher. Use those brick walls to deepen our work and our faith. Remember our writing mantra: show, don’t tell.
- Show your doubt and plant a seed of faith.
- Weave in trials and project perseverance.
- Devise ways for our main character to conquer in the end and inspire our readers to do the same.
Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer. – Barbara Kingsolver
How can we deepen our faith? Personally, if I end my day in prayer, I sleep better. If I begin my day in prayer, my day may not be easier, but it will be easier to bear.
Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Finishing is the tricky part. Don’t waver. Write daily. We may not win with every piece, but we’ll certainly lose if we stop writing.
For more writing quotes, see http://www.writersdigest.com/writing-quotes.
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Angie Arndt is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency and is currently working on a series set in small Southern towns. She and her husband, Charles, live in the middle of a big wood with three dogs, Beau, Jade and Harley. She’d love for you to visit her website and her team blog, Seriously Write any time you need to be encouraged.