by Jane Kirkpatrick
Today my writing project is a second book in an historical series. The first book, Across the Crying Sands, Revell, comes out in May. When I turn this second manuscript in, it’ll be my 42nd book. You’d think I’d know how to plant seeds of words that would lead to a harvest but I still struggle with reaching that yield. I’d like to share a few tasks for that writing yield.
“Y” stands for “Yes!” Whether we have a day job and write at night, our passion and enthusiasm must come first. Saying “Yes!” to the writing struggles rather than groaning about the challenges a writer faces is an important step in reaching our goals. When I get discouraged all I have to do is to read the want ads and then my Yes! is loud and clear. Get back to doing what I’m privileged to do and find a Yes! in every day.
“I” stands for Incarn, an 1800s medical term that means “to grow new flesh.” A writer definitely needs to discover ways to do that – from the disappointments of a manuscript rejection to those terrible reviews, we can’t allow ourselves to be defined by the wounds. I do it by remembering why I write in the first place: I want to memorialize a particular period in history or one of my characters based on a real person; I feel called to do this work. I remind myself that hurt feelings from a cross word or a slight is evidence of my compassion and I need to go back into the room and keep writing.
“E” means Engagement. Someone once said that writing was a lonely process. I am never less alone than when I’m writing. All these characters fill my head and keep me in my office for hours working through their joys and sorrows. Staying engaged in the work is helped by staying engaged with the world. If I do that, I’ll be more able do what Kafka suggests a good story does, “be an ax to the frozen sea within us.” If we live disconnected from the world? Our yield will be ice.
“L” stands for Letting go. For me, there is always a level of guilt about writing. If I write all day long and enjoy it, then I feel guilty for neglecting my family, the dogs, cooking meals. If I don’t write all day long, I feel guilty for neglecting a gift or for pushing aside the lives of these characters. A sick spouse, a musical recital or soccer game for our child, even setting something we love aside promising a time when we’ll return. is often necessary in this business of life. I’ve found that letting go means moving forward rather than being set adrift.
“D” stands for Donation. A group of colonists I wrote about had a “Diamond Rule” that urged followers to each day make someone’s life better than their own. Dr. Karl Menninger the famous psychiatrist noted that generosity was the single most important indicator of a person’s mental health. “Generous people,” he wrote “Are rarely mentally ill.” So to have a great yield, finding time to give to someone else promises a mighty harvest down the road.
As a rancher – now retired, we kept diversifying crops to find the right harvest. I’m not wealthy as a writer; we weren’t as ranchers either. But we have a privileged life being able to do the things we love and we learn something new from each endeavor. As a writer I learn from my readers, too and the harvest of their comments, the way characters speak to them, well, that’s a terrific yield.
Award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick’s next title from Revell is Across the Crying Sands. She’s written 40 historical novels based on the lives of actual women. Her works celebrate the themes of family, faith and friends. She lives with her husband Jerry and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dividing their time between Oregon and California. Visit Jane on her website at: https://jkbooks.com/.
Comments 3
“Letting go” hit home for me. The guilt is less now that my children are grown, but it’s still there. I turn off my phone to write, then return to messages from a friend who needs a ride to the doctor’s, another who wants to walk dogs together, and a third who wants to chat. I thought retirement would make it easier to find balance–instead it’s easier to get distracted. Thanks for sharing your solution to guilt. No wallowing, just let it go!
That was soooo well said. Thank you!
What a lovely blog–with timeless advice for everyone who writes. Thank you, Jane!