Three Word Pictures to Describe my Writing

by Dwight David Croy

My writing thought life is best described as a percolator, puzzle, and a microscope. Time is needed to think, think, and think before writing. A percolator cannot be rushed but it is working on that perfect cup of coffee. My generation is from the “Java Jive” sung by the “Ink Spots.” Most words in that song need some historical context and research. In a microwave world, we elders need to explain that a percolator is with the see-through glass showing us that water was heating and flowing up through a tube to pour over fresh grounds of coffee. Writing for me is that way. After a proper amount of percolating my mind is full of the concepts, ideas, and unique exploration of explaining through the art of words that have been flowing through my brain. Then I have no choice but to write before the coffee stagnates and becomes bitter and cold.

Holidays is where I often have a tradition of putting a puzzle together. My mom is with the Lord now and it used to be our unique tradition in our large family with six children. Ideas are often like puzzle pieces. You turn them all over first to see what you are working with. Then you look for the straight edges to see what the parameters of the picture are. Finally, everyone works on that part of the puzzle that has great color, contrast, and contours that draw you in. You build on what seems most familiar to you. Eventually, you know that you will have to work in the sky, the black night, or a field of green. Story ideas are like that. We see so clearly the initial idea and write fast and furiously to capture it, but then we sort through many puzzles pieces to find the more difficult threads that connect to our story. We do this by writing many pages, lots of research, or writing a piece or section over and over again.

Microscopes that I speak of are the cheaper ones from my school days in science class. Mr. Morris would take time to teach us the basics. Nowadays, I am sure they have come a long way into the future with electronics. We soon learned that with different slides or dissected items that one focused on the detail by adjusting out or in, wide or narrow, and up and down depending on the words one used by your teacher. My thought in writing often moves in this way. At times, I need to stand back and look at the larger picture. Then, at other times, a certain section needs some special attention and detail.

Writing is a combination of fun, work, intrigue, curiosity, and giving glory to God. God uses writers unique viewing to flesh out a truth. We all are made in the image of God and that means that we have personhood, choice, and creativity. Writers have the ability to work together by observing how other writers observe and flesh out the world we live in. In my present writing of Biblical fiction, I have been enjoying the works of Tessa Afshar, Livingston, R., Chaffey, T., & Adams, K. M., and John Noble. Uniquely, as believers connected by the precious blood of Jesus Christ I feel a presence that reminds me of the stillness of meditation with a cup of coffee, a presence of loving people who put a puzzle together, and the presence of likeminded pilgrims in proclaiming God’s truth.  “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” (II Corinthians 13:14)

Dwight David Croy retired from the Army and received a Doctor of Ministry through George Fox University. He has taught Juvenile Boys for seven years in a non-profit residential home in North Carolina. God has laid on his heart the plight of the fatherless and is now working on a series of historical fiction for boys. Dwight wrote a non-fiction book, “God’s Focus on the Fatherless” receiving a “Literary Titan” Award. He is the author of the award-winning “God’s Gracious Killer,” and “God’s Illuminating Blindness.” Dwight also works as a volunteer chaplain, teacher, and speaker, and enjoys the blessings of grandchildren in North Carolina.