write

The Take Away

| Marie Griffith

Last week was a a life changer for me. My heart was refreshed, my confidence renewed, and I was reminded of why I do what I do. I attended a conference called Speak Up, a speaking and writing conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I will glean from the abundance of all that was shared at the conference for a long time. There’s still a lot for me to sort through but I know the people I encountered and the knowledge I gained are what impacted me the most.

The People

The most significant take away:  new friends, colleagues, and mentors who want me to succeed and are willing to share their knowledge and help me grow. They not only shared their expertise, they shared the stories of their lives. The kinds of stories that caused hope to grow in our hearts. The conference director, keynote speakers, other writers, an editor with a large publishing house or author of several books. Speaker to thousands or one just starting out. It didn’t matter….all were generous with their knowledge, stories and encouragement.

I was able to participate in a critiquing session at the conference. Authors, publishers, editors or literary agents were given samples of our writing to read aloud. The group then offered encouragement, feedback, and critique of our work. This was the first time professionals evaluated my writing and I’m thankful for the opportunity to hear from them.

The Knowledge

Without even meaning to, I learned a whole new vocabulary last week. I know what a pub board is and what literary agents and acquisition editors do. I learned how important felt need is to a book proposal and the process of a book getting published from beginning to end. I didn’t take the speaking track but I learned so much from those who did during our conversations at lunch or mingling in hallways.

The breakouts were valuable sources of information and practical advice on a variety of topics. I now have a collection of resources I’ll use over and over again as I take my next steps.

But what now?

I Work.

If I do nothing with the knowledge and renewed confidence I’ve gained then my time at the conference is wasted. I’m better equipped to do the work of writing and sharing what I write and what it takes is work. Lots of it.

Having a simple system or plan in place will help me stay focused and disciplined with the work. At least it will make the work more manageable.

Where Are You

Where are you in pursuing the dreams of your heart? What are your gifts and talents? Your work or craft? God gave them to you and they’re meant to be used to offer the world something wonderfully unique.

Each of you has received a gift to use to serve others. Be good stewards of God’s various gifts of grace.   1 Peter 4:10

Whatever your craft, passion, or dream – people, knowledge, and work are important influences.

Gather with others who share your passion or those who want to learn your craft. Whether they’re experts or newbies, the ideas and know-how exchanged will be beneficial. Who better to give feedback than someone who knows or wants to know your craft?

Surround yourself with people who believe in and encourage you. It’s important to have others who will remind you of why you do what you do and dream what you dream.

There are lots of ways to get the knowledge you need. Take classes offered at your local college. Join a club or read a book. Ask a master if you can watch and learn. And remember……you can Google and find a You Tube video of almost anything. Make a habit of learning something new about your passion every day.

Now the work.

Practice doesn’t always make perfect but it makes us better. Make time for the doing of your craft. For some of us this means it happens after a full day’s work, dinner, and laundry. A calendared plan will help get you through your low energy levels. This is also when those encouraging friends and mentors will remind you why you do what you do and give you the boost you need to keep at it.

One of the keynote speakers, Bruce Martin, quoted a verse in his talk. My verse. The one I’d underlined and highlighted and starred years ago because it said what I felt so strongly!

But if I say, “I will not mention the Lord
    or speak anymore in his name,”
his word is in my heart like a fire,
    a fire shut up in my bones.
I am weary of holding it in;
    indeed, I cannot.     Jeremiah 20:9

This is why I do what I do. More than with the words I write…..but with my life…..and how I live it. Every part of it. The good parts and the messy ones. My life at home and work. My writing and speaking. Who I am with the people who love me and those who hurt me. Who I am with strangers and friends.

Let our craft, passions, and dreams…….let our entire lives tell of the One who gave them to us.

Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

 

Face Your Fear

| Marie Griffith

Earlier this week, a story I wrote was published in Shattered Magazine. This is a first ever for me and something I’ve wanted and waited for a long time.

But I almost didn’t write the story.

The stories I write are remembered ones…..the ones I’ve lived and felt. This one was going to be an altogether different way of writing a story and I wasn’t sure I could do it.

Instead of letting my fear of failure scare me out of trying, I took it on. I knew I would learn from the experience even if the story wasn’t published. The online managing editor worked with me during the process and I was right:  I learned so much!

First, I realized I have a lot more to learn about writing for publications like Shattered Magazine. I also learned the importance of doing things in spite of being afraid of them. This is one of those lessons I seem to have to relearn again and again.

During the process of writing the story I made another decision. I’m a writer so I’m going to write. I will submit a book proposal at the speaking/writing conference I’m attending in July.  This is another new and scary thing for me but I know whatever the outcome, I will learn from the process.

And that’s a win-win!

I urge you to do something new and scary this week. Set a goal, move toward a dream, make a plan, have that conversation you’ve been putting off, ask the question, start the project. Face your fears and go for it!

Because it matters!

Live like it matters.

The story I wrote is about Zach Williams and his journey to freedom. You can read the story here.

 

 

Someday

| Marie Griffith

Someday I’ll write that book.

I’ll travel when I have more money.image

Next year I’ll learn a new language.

I’ll go back to school when I have more time.

I’ll reconnect with my friend soon.

Monday I’ll start eating healthier and exercising.

Someday I’ll patch things up with my dad.

Tomorrow I’ll apologize to my brother.

Someday won’t just happen. You have to make it happen.

Stop making excuses. Stop waiting for more time or more money or better circumstances. Don’t wait until you’re not scared anymore.

Someday can be today. Step into the fear. Make the call. Book the trip. Enroll in that class. Skip the McDonald’s value meal and go for a walk instead.

Make today the someday you’ve talked about for years. Move toward what you’ve always wanted to do and see what happens.

You have nothing to lose!

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.    Ephesians 2:10 NIV

 

Enroll

Anything

| Marie Griffith

My “to do” list for the weekend wasn’t long.

  • Go to the grocery store.  Like the “load down the cart” kind.   Done.  My husband does a lot of this lately but my family says I do it better.
  • Actually do something with the food I buy at the grocery store and cook a great meal.  Done.  This made my family very happy.
  • Finish addressing our son’s graduation announcements.  Done.
  • Reconcile our bank account.   Done.  And to the penny…..in an Excel spreadsheet.   I love it.  I’m an accountant, people.
  • Trim the hedge and cut the dead branch out of the cedar tree.  Done. My husband finished this because he’s taller.
  • Post on my blog. There’s no “done” here.

On my drive to work this morning, I was thinking of the one thing that I hadn’t checked off the weekend “to do” list.  It bothered me terribly.  It didn’t matter that I’d accomplished way more than what was on the list.

I cooked and cleaned. I visited the neighbors, talked with my kids, and washed five loads of clothes.

I played with the dog, trained to increase my 5K speed, pulled weeds, and watched two great movies.

Folded clothes.

Piled the clothes in front of the appropriate doors so the owners would put the clothes away.

I laughed with my husband.

Had a nice lunch with my mother-in-law on Mother’s Day.

I did hundreds of things this weekend.  But all I could think about was the one thing undone.  My blog.

I want to write.  But I can’t push “pause” on every other part of my life so I can blog.  I do close myself off in my room to write but the interruptions come.  I’m distracted.  My son has a question.  My daughter’s boyfriend comes to visit.  My husband wants me to look at something. And then I stop my writing to be with them.

I’m still a wife and mother. A friend and a mentor. A sister. An employee.

But if I could just post something……anything on my blog.

Then I could check off the last thing on my list.

Well, here it is:

ANYTHING.

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Those Dishes Won’t Do Themselves.”

Write

| Marie Griffith

Anne Lamott wrote in Bird by Bird  “To be a good writer, you not only have to write a great deal but you have to care. You do not have to have a complicated moral philosophy. But a writer always tries, I think, to be part of the solution, to understand a little about life and to pass it on”.

I’ve always written…….in a journal, notes to friends, poems, and prayers. I want others to read what I write, but not because I think I have some remarkable message to share. But, I do know things and my perspective on life will definitely be different from yours. If my experiences teach you something, reveal a truth, make you think about something you’ve never thought about before, or simply make you feel less alone, that is enough.

I write to share what I’ve learned, and struggled with. Or what makes me laugh. What moves me or changes me. But mostly what I struggle with. I share it so you’ll know you’re not the only one. I end up feeling less alone, too.

I’ve done what I set out to do if I’ve caused that middle-aged teacher to feel less guilty about his anger over caring for his widowed father while caring for his own family.

Or maybe the girl that’s on her 5th try into the new year to make good on her resolution to lose weight. Maybe she feels hopeful and decides to press on because of something I put out there. Or maybe instead she decides she likes her curves. Either way, she’s better.

If I’ve given you the courage to ask for a raise, I’ve done what I hope to do.

I write to encourage, inspire, and connect. To give hope, to make you ponder a question you’ve never asked before, to make you laugh or cry. To help unlock a memory stored away. I write to help you see someone in a new way, or help start the journey of forgiving, or put into words what you can’t seem to.

I write to pass it on.

In response to the Daily Post’s Guilty.