The Right to Write

I remember as a kid being fascinated with words. I loved their feel as they rolled around on my tongue. I loved their slender shapes sprawled on the page. In fact, I became so enamored with words that by junior high I would sneak a dictionary into my room and spend the afternoon reading nothing but words.

Words like defervescence and boride and academe. Words like penicillamine and featherstitch and quire. And thus, is it any wonder my favorite book was The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norman Juster? (Which, by the way, if you've not read you simply must!)

But in the midst of all these wondrous words, I began to feel smaller and smaller. In the midst of their power, I began to doubt my ability to string them together in stories people would want to read. I still wonder that at times. Do you?

Yet, there is a special something deep in my heart that tells me the God of our spirits feels otherwise. He, who creates universes, knows a thing or two about the import of creativity. And He fashioned us in His image. Do I (or perhaps you) really think He would fail to tuck away within us the creative gift? Could it be possible we, in this one area, are NOT like our Father in Heaven?

I think not! Thus, the next time I feel impotent in my ability to self-express, I will shun the thought. And I hope you will, too. We are created in God's image ... and as such, we have the gift of creativity. We have the right to write! May we use that gift well, working with all these wondrous words.

Use Your Writing Skills as Christmas Gifts

As writers, we have some built in Christmas presents we can give for little or no cost. If you’re not good at crafts, try some do-it-yourself writing instead.

I know a writer who enrolls the older children in her family circle in a story of the month club. Each month she sends them an installment of a story about the character she’s created. The gift lasts all year long and lets her play with a story suited especially to her audience.
What about term paper help? Naturally, we won’t write their term papers, but a nearby niece or nephew might appreciate some guaranteed help through the coming school year. Editing, advising, and proofreading are all much needed student gifts.

If you have a budding novelist on your list, give a favorite writing book, perhaps from your own collection, and include a gift certificate for help with this year’s writing projects. Perhaps a monthly meeting over lunch at your house will encourage your future writer, whether an adult or a child, to reach the next level. In addition, it demonstrates your faith in his ability to get published.

Is there a homeschooling family on the list? Why not create a personalized writing unit study for them to use this school year? Include an offer to read their writing. It’s more motivating to write when someone besides Mom is doing the reading.

Most writers are good at research. If someone in your family needs research done—not for a term paper, of course, but perhaps for a personal project, offer your services as an expert researcher for five hours.

Use your imagination. Writing involves a lot of different skills, many of which add up to a very nice Christmas gift for non-writers, future writers, and readers.

Though My Talents May Be Small

One of the many things on my desk--that actually belongs there--is a framed quote by President Hinckley, from a talk called I Believe. One part of the quote says, "My talents may not be great, but I can use them to bless the lives of others." The quote goes on, but ends like this: "I believe in the principle that I can make a difference in this world. It may be ever so small. But it will count for the greater good. The goodness of the world in which we live is the accumulated goodness of many small and seemingly inconsequential acts."

I read this over often as I set out to do my work. Because the majority of my writing is non-fiction, and designed to teach people things, it's something I like to keep in mind. My talents are considerably less than President Hinckley's, and sometimes I find myself wondering if there is even enough to make it worth the effort. But every now and then I get an email saying I helped. I may only be helping a small number of people, but as President Hinckley said, it's the accumulated small acts that add up to the good in the world. So my little morsal of encouragement or advice can be added to all the other morsals, or even the giant batches of help, and together, we writers are making a difference to someone.