When the Best of Intentions Isn't Enough

 I always thought that it made much more sense to host NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in January rather than November. Who has time in NOVEMBER to write 50,000 words? Wouldn’t JANUARY be a much better month to set aside for writing a book? For much of the country, the first month of the year brings the kind of wind and cold that encourages folks to huddle under blankets by the fire. But November finds us scurrying about with Thanksgiving and Christmas to-do lists as long as our arm. Not a very conducive atmosphere for hunkering down with a commitment to churn out a book-length manuscript in thirty days’ time.

Well, apparently many writers make it work. According to stats posted on the official NaNoWriMo site, more than 798,000 novelists have completed nearly 368,000 novels since the first month-long challenge took place in July of 1999. In 2000 NaNoWriMo moved from to November “to more fully take advantage of the miserable weather.” While I agree with the sentiment, I still think January is a better option.

Several of my friends took up the challenge this past November, not deterred by the approaching holidays, jobs, family responsibilities, or sundry distractions. I determined in October that there was no reason I couldn’t participate as well. Why not take advantage of the energy surrounding the annual tradition to finish my resisting-completion young adult novel? Why not indeed.

I’m disappointed to report that my good intentions failed miserably. Why? Because those “good intentions” weren’t followed up with action. I wanted to do it. I reasoned that I could do it. But I didn’t approach it with an intentional mindset. My intentions were good, noble even, but not accompanied by an action plan.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Yesterday was a perfect example of how life can and will get in the way of the best intentions. An unexpected four-hour Zoom call sucked up the time I’d set aside to devote to the novel. Today is another day, offering another opportunity to devote time to my characters and their story. It will also present more opportunities for life to interrupt. Like the one hour and twenty-one minute phone call this morning with a friend experiencing a mega-sized medical, emotional, and mental crisis.

The reality is this, if I don’t become much more intentional about bringing this series to a close, it’s not going to happen. No matter that the cover and ISBN number are ready and waiting. No matter that an anxious teenage reader questions me weekly about the book’s progress.

In this case, being intentional will mean removing things from my schedule and replacing them with dedicated writing time. It will mean adopting a no excuses attitude. It will require an examination of the distractions that shoot flaming arrows at my good intentions. It will definitely mean being more intentional about praying for the words to string themselves together in the way that best tells the story.

NaNoWriMo works in November because of intentional action. It would work any month of the year for those committed enough to make it happen. 

Life won't stop so we can pursue our passion. People and things beyond our control will try to interfere. Only those who have wrangled with being intentional will win. Are you being intentional about your writing? What better time to assess our intentionality than at the beginning of new year. Drop your intentionality tips in the comments below.  

Beth's combined experiences teaching high school Sunday School, substitute teaching in the public school, and connecting with the teenage staff at the fast-food joint where (pre-COVID!) she claimed a "back booth office" helped inspire her young adult "Choices Matter" fiction series. She's a "cheerleader" for saving sex for marriage and for "renewed waiting" because it's never too late to make wiser choices. Her "Waiting Matters . . . Because YOU Matter" blog series helps people of all ages navigate the choppy waters of saving sex for marriage and inspired the "Waiting Matters" non-fiction booklet series. Her "Slices of Real Life" posts find GOD in the day-to-day moments of real life. 

As a genetic genealogy enthusiast, she writes and speaks about her experiences as a "foundling" who located her birth parents. Her journey to find and connect with her biological family is chronicled in the blog series "A Doorstep Baby's Search for Answers." All of her writing endeavors can be found on her website: https://bethsteury.com

 

  

 

 

 

 

Are you fully invested?

Saturday night my husband and I finished viewing a crime-thriller-drama series via online streaming. Thirty episodes spread across three seasons but all accessible to watch at the time of our choosing. We love how streaming services make it possible to “binge” or, in our case, watch an episode or two each night. My aging memory so appreciates not having to wait seven or fourteen days for the next installment.

With social engagements being slim these past months and network TV shows forced to take an extended hiatus, the appeal of anytime, anywhere viewing of a vast selection of series took on even greater appeal. As a lover of stories—of both the true and fictional varieties—I adore how these new-fangled viewing options allow me to more fully immerse myself in the characters’ lives and become super invested in the storylines.

The downside? Due to the easy-peasy access coupled with the high engagement factor enhanced by the easy access, we tend to “blow through” said series at a pretty good clip. And then it’s all over, leaving us sad and a bit mopey which soon finds us channel surfing through 200+ cable channels of mostly reruns and offerings that do not interest us.

Sometimes it takes a few days before we’re ready to take the plunge again, to dive wholeheartedly into a new series. Why the hesitation, especially seeing as how we love this whole streaming thing? Well, what if  . . . 

• We don’t LIKE this series as much as the last one? 
• What if the storyline is lame? 
• The characters unrealistic or underdeveloped? 
• The actors run-of-the-mill or just plain bad? 
• What if the amount of foul language leads us to abandon the show despite other positives? 
• What if we just can’t get “into” the story?

You can imagine the dilemma. And understand the wavering.

Despite a carefully curated watchlist, one never knows if a series will pass muster once we venture past the description and reviews. Remember, we will potentially be spending many hours of unwinding time within this story world. We will allow the highs and lows of these characters’ lives to take us away from the realities and mundaneness of daily life. We will anticipate their fate even as we cheer for their success. We are choosing to invest ourselves in the unfolding of this particular story.

 Photo by Jude Beck on Unsplash

As I look ahead into 2021, I have similar hesitation-related questions. 

• What if THIS year is no better than LAST year? 
• What if it’s WORSE? 
• What if the key players really muck things up?
• What if more bad things happen? 
• What if ___________ ?

While most of us are anxious to leave 2020 behind, the mere flip of the calendar page doesn’t insure we can simply close the door on the happenings of an unprecedented year. And considering the events of the very first week of this brand-new year, the above noted concerns have already been proven valid. We sincerely, with our whole hearts, hoped for a better, brighter, smooth-sailing 2021. But the unknowns loom as large and worrisome as ever.

Back to our which-series-next dilemma. Last night, with remnants of the last series still swirling in our minds, we chose a new a show from our watchlist. Settled into our recliners, we took the plunge. Heart, mind, and soul engaged, we dove in. It wasn’t the thrilling, edge-of-your-seat kind of action we’d enjoyed from the last series. But the cast of characters—some endearing, others villain-like or humorous—piqued our curiosity as numerous, subtle questions posed in the first episode began to engage our minds. While it didn’t garner an immediate, “I LOVE this show!” from either of us, we concurred we’d give it a go. We’ll invest our end-of-the-day unwinding time in this series.

I doubt any of us have yet announced, “I love this year!” But it’s what we’ve got. While no year—day, week, or month even—comes with a script, still we are tasked with diving in. And unlike the streaming series that we can choose to stop watching at any point, we can’t get out of 2021 so easily.

So, what do we do? We commit to giving it our best effort, to being all in. We cling to the fact that Jesus never, ever changes. We walk close to His side, seeking direction and discernment and wisdom. We lay our 2021 questions at His feet. We walk through the doors that He opens. We guard our hearts and our minds and our tongues. We remind ourselves that He has a plan. With the Father’s help, we invest our time and energy and passion where He directs. 

Here's to traversing 2021 with Him. All in and fully invested. 

Beth connects with the YA crowd via substitute teaching and through her “back booth” office at the local fast food joint, and by reading YA fiction. 

She's a "cheerleader" for saving sex for marriage and for "renewed waiting" because it's never too late to make wiser choices. She writes and speaks about her experiences as a "foundling" who located her birth parents and is making up for lost time with her biological family. Find her at BethSteury.com and on Facebook at Beth Steury, Author.

 

 

 

 

 

A Phrase for the New Year

One day as I prayed for my adult children, my mind swirled with requests concerning their health and safety, their relationships, jobs, and finances, my daughter’s and her husband’s parenting of our grandson, their relationships with God the Father, the insulation of their hearts and minds against the world’s influence. My requests culminated in, “May they seek you above all else . . . ”

I paused pondering those last words, realizing that’s exactly what I wanted for my life.  “Oh, God, may I seek you above all else.”

Photo by Denise Karis on Unsplash

That phrase wafted about my brain the rest of the day. I’d been considering adopting a word or phrase to focus on for the year. What did I want to accomplish in the coming twelve months? A mental list of ambitious goals mixed with wishful thinking notions had bombarded my thoughts as the days of December wound down. I could think of no better focus for the year ahead than to seek GOD above the myriad of voices clamoring for both my attention and my allegiance.

As writers we can choose to seek fame and fortune. We can align ourselves with the trends that promise success. Fashion our writing content and publishing decisions around money and notoriety. Be less concerned about the opportunity to influence the world around us than on what’s in it for us. Or, we can pursue His will for our writing endeavors, above all other influences. Commit to write what, when, how, and why He desires.

As Christians, we have the opportunity to minister to others and to glorify the Lord with our writing. But that will only happen if and when we seek HIM above all else. If we try to imitate a favored author or charge ahead when His guidance says wait or fritter away time and energy that should be spent putting His words to paper, we squander opportunities to be His instrument, to bring hope and healing to a hurting world.

As the pages of a new year lay before us, waiting to be filled, I want my overall life goals and writing agenda to be aligned with the Creator’s. Will you join me in seeking HIM above all else in 2020?

Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash

2014 - A Year of Destiny and Purpose

Dear Fellow Writers,

     2014 looms ahead like a bound book of blank pages waiting to be filled. For some, all that white is paralyzing. Others itch to fill the pages. Still others press the first page flat, prep the pen, and plan. Whatever your style, I encourage you to include God for only he can cause us to get it right. Do you doubt me? Look at 2013 one last time before you file it on the shelf.

     The Book of My Life 2013 is filled with scrawls, inkblots, and scratch outs, as well as exclamation points, underlining, and stars. So is yours. Evaluate it through God’s eyes and you may be surprised. What you marked as failure may have held important God-moments that will help you succeed in your writing life or as a person. The success you did reach may have not been as sweet as you anticipated. Why not? The Bible is filled with men who followed God and knew success, only to become prideful, neglectful of family or driven by accolades.

     As writers, we incorporate our experiences into stories of impact. We describe what we see and feel so that readers identify with us. With written words we define and clarify what escapes others. In effect, we are God’s reporters weaving truth into fiction in such a way that light comes to dark minds.When you look at it like this, every moment has the potential of being a God-moment.

     You have a destiny, a purpose to fulfill. This next year will move you closer to it if you let two truths guide you. They are true whether 2014 is a mountaintop or a desert experience.

1.   God has a plan, a destiny, for you that is good. He tells us straight out in Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you… plans to prosper and not harm you, to give you hope and a future.”

2.   You choose your destiny. This destiny is not assured. It requires a decision to follow Christ’s direction. He gives us freewill, yet invites us to follow him and obtain full joy. “I set before you today life and prosperity or death and destruction…now choose…” Deuteronomy 30:15-19

     The year 2014 will hold surprises. Some will delight you. Some will devastate you. One thing is assured. God is faithful. Listen to him. Each day search for the God moments. Be grateful. Then you will say, “Look what the Lord has done!”

                                                             

Happy New Year! 

May this year be the closest you've ever been to the Lord. Live for him. Write for him. 

              Mary Allen