Inspiration: Letting It Fuel You

It probably won't surprise you to hear that inspiration does show her face every hour I write.

Chances are that if you teach, build houses or paint portraits, you've noticed that inspiration is a pleasant visitor and not a lingering occupant.
But while inspiration is often unpredictable and fleeting, there are ways to keep it before you when whatever you're tasked with starts demanding too much, leading you uphill or not promising an end in sight.


Before I started writing my novel, "Swiftwater," I was inspired by the plot that was coming together in my mind. I knew there were stories hidden around the bends of the coal mining town of Roslyn, Washington. With so many of the buildings still bearing their original western fronts, I could ascertain what the town felt like generations before my time. In sitting down with a town historian and hearing his recounting of a tale of a murder plan gone awry, I practically felt that inspiration was falling from the sky. What if I borrowed a page from my husband's family history in the telephone industry and made a switchboard operator my protagonist, the one who is privy to the town's emerging secrets? The plot was shaping itself for me, or so it seemed.


While the first draft of "Swiftwater" was easier to write than some of my other works, I found myself drawing on the original inspiration-an intriguing plotline, nuanced characters, a fascinating era-when the going got tough. Words don't come as easily when you are easily distracted with two young children, mounting household chores, invites from friends that you hate to say "no" to, and side story lines you didn't expect to arise. I'd be dishonest if I told you there weren't times when I thought about shoving this novel in a drawer and biding farewell to the inspiration that first came knocking. There were even times I got upset with that initial inspiration, thinking it overpromised and under-delivered.


The artist, builder, writer can often find the way through seeking out at least a spark of that original inspiration. I liken this phase to "returning to the tried and true." If you know that visiting a particular restaurant stirs up the emotions you felt when falling for your significant other, why wouldn't you do this with your life's work too?

If I want to heighten my chances of having a more productive writing day, I know my odds are better if I visit a local coffee shop and eliminate thoughts of that next load of laundry. I'll close my internet browsers and stop checking my phone. I'll listen to music that moves me (this novel was written with Florence Welch's vocals in the background many an afternoon). And if my words are locked up, I've written myself into a tangle or need clarity, I know to lace up my running shoes and hit the pavement. If running doesn't beckon that day, I might break away from my laptop to read another writer's words or engage in an activity with my kids.


Perhaps you've found that inspiration is more accessible when you pause long enough to jot down that which you notice: snow-capped Mount Rainier, the gleeful sound of a child's voice, the far-reaching smile of a student who made the grade. Though I don' journal as much as I ought, I can tell you that the times I slow down enough to do so, I'm more prone to find inspiration's first light. Looking for the wonder in everyday surroundings also tilts the heart toward gratitude. There's a quote by writer Anton Chekhov that I've used with my own students: "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." These words wouldn't be penned if Chekhov hadn't stopped to drink life in.        


More important than summoning that spark of inspiration is identifying the "why." If you're compelled to teach a class of expectant students, construct a house or tell a story, have you explored the reason for that? That's where you'll unearth your ability to "keep with it," to sustain the effort. For example: I tell stories not only to entertain and explore the human condition, but to show that every person has immeasurable worth and value in God's eyes.


 In turning to the page, I know that some readers won't identify with me, that some might think it's just a "fun," tale, but that others will find hope they haven't considered.
In whatever you set out to accomplish, if nothing else, try thinking of those whose lives you'll touch. The inspiration found in keeping others-focused is the sort that doesn't run out so easily.

Writing What's True and Hard

"I want to see Christian fiction speak to the hard and real issues that tear people’s lives apart.  We need writers who are willing to ask the hard questions and go through the soul-searching and agonizing to find answers – and present these stories with skill that surpasses the general market."   Francine Rivers, bestselling author of "Redeeming Love" and "The Atonement Child"

Confession: I haven't read much Christian fiction in recent years.

Over time I got used to those glossy covers of blushing prairie brides who've met their beloved and readily sail into the sunset, and while I could in theory feel (slight) happiness for them, I couldn't altogether relate.

I could relate with the butterflies in my stomach, "is he looking my way," excitement so portrayed in young love, but not so much with the common lack of internal hardship from cover to cover. Perhaps
the protagonist experienced drought or famine on the farm (which I can't minimize), but why wasn't I reading about her inner turmoil, her feelings of doubt and unworthiness? Her less than beautiful moments as a human being?

It seemed that one of these characters bled into the next: she would straighten her bonnet straps and wear a hardy smile. If a character made a less than moral choice, let it be her best friend (only), and let her be the one to return that friend to grace or reveal it for the very first time.

It would be unfair of me to write off the many authors whose works I've never read. I'm merely observing a trend. If you're someone who enjoys such a series, there is undoubtedly good to be gained.  I'm just someone who prefers a more tried and true story that aligns closer to my experience of feeling from a young age that life packs punches, that sometimes the guy you first love
will fall for someone else, that sometimes it takes a long time to realize your own worth and beauty because of what you've been through along the way.

Through my teen years I began reading Francine Rivers, and my respect for her grew as I realized she wasn't afraid to tackle the hard. She didn't write in struggles with everything from personal worth to premarital sex to abortion to divorce for the sake of being provocative. She wrote these subjects in
 because she knows that behind a lot of the front we give people, these are the tangible issues we're wrestling with in our homes. Or if we're not, someone close to us probably is.

That's not to say that every read of hers feels "gritty" or "dark" in the least. Through a lot of trials her characters face, the reader can see how much more significant in His grace. That He doesn't leave us or forsake us when the going gets tough. That He is strength in our weakness, Light that overshadows darkness in its many forms. Think of Moses, Noah, Elijah, Mary, Peter and their many nuances.

Because of writers like Rivers, I'm encouraged to write characters and story lines that speak to readers and have them seeing where strength is drawn. While Rivers isn't the only spiritual writer to have mastered this art form, she's one of the first I've encountered, and what a difference her voice has meant to so many.

Out of the Drawer

It used to be enough to write hundreds of pages, see a story through to completion and have the satisfaction of knowing I did it. "The Lighthouse Keeper", "Ryan Havens", "A Shattered Mirror", "A Fading Smile", and in more recent years, "The Emblem", "Swiftwater' and "Ryan Havens" (again).

 Midway through my 30's, that fleeting feeling of finishing no longer satisfies. The pouring out of my imagination and the deep honing of my characters' flaws, driving forces and motivations don't cut it. When all is said and done, the metaphorical shoving the novel in the bedside drawer leaves me with almost more nervous energy than when I began. If my novel doesn't see the light of day and the only one savoring the experience is me, my writing process hasn't been meaningless, but it falls short of satisfying. When God gives you a drive to create, I think you're more often than not meant to bring that to the light and expose it to others.

Throwing open the drawer and dusting off the pages isn't as easy as it seems. Edit your words a second or third time, and you'll find embarrassing glitches you thought you'd polished over. Have a few readers take a stab at it, and if they're friends and family, you'll most likely hear the most promising aspects of your project. Perhaps one or two readers will be honest enough to tell you what wasn't working for them and kindly suggest you fix it (did you realize how often so-and-so was 'biting her nails to the quick'? or "stop qualifying your characters' actions. Just make it happen). Then there's the professional editing, the deeper observations of writing mentors, and the stretching that comes with each "final" draft.

I'd be fibbing to you if I told you that the "is this worth it?" question hasn't crossed my mind at least once or twice. The vulnerability starts creeping in, and you start wondering how your readers, who are spending their hard-earned dollars to read what you wrote, will interpret your words. Will your characters make them contemplate how they would respond in a similar situation? Or will they come away wondering why you took that angle to begin with?

I'm reminded by the words of my writing mentor/author Douglas Bond, "write for the audience of One." Though it might seem impossible not to care about the ending result of this entire process-when "Swiftwater" is bound and no longer there for me to tamper with-the truth is that the publishing process is teaching me to let go in a beautiful way. Taking my novel out of its drawer means less of me (and my hang ups) and more of how my readers will experience the story I've given them. While I can hope they get the redemptive themes I've woven in and come away with a greater sense of God's grace, it's time to drop the pen and let the rest fall into place. The outcome isn't mine to determine.

When Writing Goes As Planned

If you are an aspiring writer, you might know that there isn't one fail-proof path to writing a novel. After sifting through countless dog-eared pages of "The Writer" and "Poets and Writers," I've found that the true commonalities writers seem to share include: consistency, distraction-free writing time and an ability to drown out the noise of the critics. The rest is up for grabs.

Here's what I know works for me: if I need to produce something with minimal edits, on a time crunch, an outline with major character names and the story arc will serve me well. In the years I've written Thanksgiving stories and the Christmas series for The Columbia Basin Herald, I haven't had much margin for error. The deadline comes fast, and especially with a six-part series, I need to know where I'm headed. If not, I could write myself into a corner or end up with too many loose ends for word count. As a result of the story arc chart I make, I write much more fluidly, and there's no last minute panic about how I'm going to pull off such a winded effort.

When I'm writing a novel, I've been known to abandon outlines and only keep a list of character names at my fingertips. I'm trying not to do this anymore. The general outline serves me too well to skip it. When my stories are really starting to flow and characters seem to be acting without my making them, I'll often deviate from the preset outline, but it's nice to have it there as a guidepost.

In addition to always keeping a running outline, I need to keep working on a distraction-free environment. I do this best when I frequent a local coffee shop and give myself a preset time (or amount of words I want to produce). Unless I'm in the final stages of a novel and my attention is riveted on my story, it's best to stay away from home, where I am overtaken with breakfast dishes left out by my kids, piles of laundry, beds that still aren't made...The last, but perhaps most important distraction to rid myself of is social media. The successful writers I know will turn off their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts entirely while they write, and their word count and the projects they produce give testimony to the importance of shutting off the noise.

It can feel as daunting to me as any new writer to start typing when a white page looms in front of my eyes. But there's a beauty in getting started, pressing in and sticking with it even if some writing days are more promising than others. Writing-just like a planned presentation, a race, or a lesson plan-doesn't always produce the desired effect, but there are no regrets in showing up and giving it what you got.

Writing: It's A Process! : Part 1 and Part 11

I fell for my husband's small, coal mining town of Roslyn, Washington soon after he took me there for the first time over 12 years ago. With the old western buildings, the storied taverns, and the multicultural cemetery alone, it was evident I was walking through a ghost town.

Several years later, I was fortunate enough to sit down with one of the town's most knowledgeable history buffs, Nick Henderson. He has a treasure trove of Roslyn's anecdotes at his disposal. I started writing fast in my notebook once he told me of a potential mistaken murder that occurred around the time of the strike between Western Miners and United Miners of America in the early 1930's. I knew I was on to a story at that point.

When I form a plot, I often take a historical footnote and build around it. Since there's not much more interesting than a murder scheme gone awry, I decided to use that as my thread, and from there I began to integrate other aspects of Roslyn: the scenic winery, many of the actual storefronts and favored locations. The wheels of my mind started turning more, and I had an "aha" moment. What if I made my protagonist a switchboard operator and had her overhear certain aspects of the murder scheme? How interesting/engaging would that be?

Taking into account that my husband's family are the telephone (and technology, etc.) providers for the Upper County, I thought it would be fun to give a nod to days gone by. Though my novel is set a good decade before her time, I interviewed Marian Weis (my husband's grandmother) on what it was like to work as a switchboard operator. After six to eight weeks of research for "Swiftwater," my ideas had time to marinate, and my characters were forming faster than I could write them down. What if I made my switchboard operator a woman who was in love with one of the miners who stood to lose a lot if he didn't pledge abiding loyalty to one union over the other?  

While I wish the process was simplistic from thereon out, that hasn't been my experience. I began typing this story over three years ago, and in that time, it's seen six revisions, some more drastic than others.

After editing the novel several times myself, I learned of a talented editor (Jennifer Moorman, Harper Collins) that one of my few writing mentors (E. Hank Buchmann) worked with to get his books in publishing shape. I strongly believe writers come to a place where they can't see their own work with clear eyes anymore and greatly benefit from the instructive pen of another writer/editor. While Jennifer's insightful edits haven't been the "end" of the writing process for "Swiftwater," she carried me so much farther and made me believe for the first time I could publish my novel set in the oft-unheard of, but densely fascinating town of Roslyn.  

Though I feel like a capable writer most of the time, Jennifer Moorman (my editor, who works for Harper Collins for her day job) makes me better. She practically knows how to spin straw into gold. What I mean by this is: I can have all the needed elements on the page, but she enhances my words, chisels down that what is needless and leaves me with the best possible version of myself. What I appreciate about Jennifer is not only her intuitive nature, but the devotion and interest she takes in the story. Once Jennifer returns a manuscript to me (she has also edited my forthcoming novel, "The Emblem,") I go through it to accept/reject all her recommendations. I accept most that she advises, then she reviews it one more time and returns it to me several weeks later.

While many writers would feel "good to go" at this phase, I think one thing that's taken me longer with "Swiftwater" is the fact that I'm writing from a different time period, examining actual events and deciding as I go how much I can stray from fact. The fiction banner affords me a lot of creativity, but one thing that made me stop in my tracks and take a critical eye to this work was the release of "Coal Wars" by WSU Professor David Bullock (2015). I didn't know this account even existed until I was almost done writing my book.

In so reading his work, I saw I needed to make a few crucial changes: move the dates of the strike earlier, for one. The protagonist of "Swiftwater," Julie Fletcher is introduced to the reader as an elderly woman who visits Swiftwater Cellars. Because of her age, I thought I'd have to move the dates of the strike later. In wrestling through the pages of "Coal Wars," I no longer felt I could do that. In my sixth version of "Swiftwater," Julie would be in her mid nineties. While it might be asking readers to expand their imaginations in how she is still out and about, enjoying a glass of No.9, it's not impossible.  

Another reason my process has taken longer is because I had my highly critical, historically accurate husband take a red pen to "Swiftwater" before handing it over to my writing mentor/former teacher/author Douglas Bond who had further ideas for me. I'm excited to go with the brand he's started, InkBlots Press and know that in his shaping and molding me, my novels will become better and richer than I'd imagined. I hope my readers will notice the difference found in novels that are reworked and refined many times over.