The Writing Life

At this point in life, writing comes to me sporadically. Some days, the words flow like a river. Other days, it’s a trickle. If you engage in art of any kind, you may have experienced something similar. There are those who take drastic measures to loosen their creative juices. Ernest Hemingway famously encouraged writers to “Write drunk, edit sober.” I like the occasional glass of wine, but nope, that’s not a great idea, as Ernest sadly went on to demonstrate.

A recent writers’ retreat I attended was edifying creatively and spiritually. As a Christian writer, I’ve learned to lean on prayer when the well runs dry. Talking and praying with fellow writers helps that flow to gain momentum. And a quiet moment with Scripture—like Philippians 4:8, urging us to dwell on what’s true and lovely—can spark a scene or character I didn’t see coming. At times it’s a simple matter of sitting before the computer and emoting until something happens. “Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it,” as Madeleine L’Engle said.

The writing life isn’t exactly glamorous, but it’s a gift to weave faith into stories that might just touch a heart. Even if it’s only one. The ever-discerning C. S. Lewis had it right: “We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand.”