None of us seems to have enough of this precious commodity. The Lord tells us to make the most of the time we have because of the very times we live in. As authors we have the great privilege having our words read by people we will probably never meet, so do we take enough time to make our stories count?
Anyone can dash off a story - it's done all the time. Yet to allow your reader to personally identify with our main character's struggles and triumphs means digging into our own soul. Even to baring things we'd hesitate to tell our best friend. Oh yes, creating genuine, true-to-life characters takes a lot of time. And it's time invested well.
Reading through some of our authors' posts gives a glimpse into the amount of time and effort involved in crafting a story with a great plot and characters with failings who finally win the battles they face outwardly and within themselves. To be able to trace how they deal with God's Holy Spirit working in their lives without a heavy hand takes loving finesse. Jesus, the master storyteller, shares His message beautifully without labouring the point. Likewise if we allow our readers to simply absorb our message it will stay with them for a long time.
The following is from the vantage point of someone who just ran out of TIME. Set to music on CD, if you'd like to be placed in a draw add your email (with spaces) to your comment.
Life was always full and busy so I never had the time
To ever get to know Him very much at all,
So I told Him that I would someday, I really meant it then,
Still I was occupied and never heard Him call.
When His final call is given and the universe stands still,
When the sands of time run out and clocks won't chime,
When silence reigns and earth is hushed to hear the Father's will,
Eternity begins ... farewell the end of time.
So I asked myself the question when my time came to an end
Why I didn't even spare the Lord a glance
For I've found he is my judge and yet He could have been my friend,
Now time has gone and I've forever lost my chance.
I don't have time ... I don't have time.
That's how it was and how it ever more will be.
There'll be no time ... there'll be no time,
There'll be no time left in Eternity.
Rita Stella Galieh has two Australian Historical Romances published.
Fire in the Rock & Signed Sealed Delivered, Book I of the Watermark Women Trilogy
See her website at www.ritastellagalieh.com
Time fascinates me. I've read about a dozen books on it. But I still don't get it (in either sense).
ReplyDeleteNeither do I Peter. And especially Eternity. It's hard to get around that!
DeleteYes, time is precious. We really can't afford to waste it. Who knows when it will run out ...
ReplyDeleteYes Amanda, I think I'm far more aware of its swift passing, especially as a young vibrant neighbour of mine who died of a brain aneurism? just recently.
DeleteI love it that as Christians we have an Everlasting future and we will one day no longer give thought to the passage of time. Looking forward to that day!
ReplyDeleteIt's a very wonderful assurance we have, Dottie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that interesting post Rita. Yep - we all have 24 hours a day - no more, no less. Time is a very precious commodity, I agree. And yet we sometimes squander it don't we? As I read your post I realised that one thing we Writers can exult in, is that we can influence people long after we are gone through our writings. No matter if we don't exist in time in the world anymore. Our books will continue to live on and shape the world. Now, isn't that an exciting thought?
ReplyDeleteHere's to each of us using the gift of time to write many masterpieces and to influence the world for good, long after we cease to exist in it! :)
Blessings Rita,
Anusha
That's an inspiring thought, Anusha. Even if sold out in the bookshops our words could still be circulating or found and read somewhere, sometime!
DeleteI love this idea as well - our work circulating for a very long time.
DeleteI think if we remember that Rose, we'll take care to make sure our message is clear.
DeleteYes so true, we are always in a dash with time. And, we do need to give our reader much to identify with our main character.
ReplyDeleteI have often thought about TIME. I suppose because of the Bible verses which tell us, a time to live and a time to die, a time under the Heavens for all things. I always said when I retire, I will no longer look at the clock. You may not know, but the first thing a nurse must do, in case of death, or similar important events, is to look at the time and remember it.
Much more time in this busy world also does need to be given to prayer and reading Gods word.Sometimes I give it and other times I don't... yet how will I feel at the end of my time, as you say, if God hasn't got time for me.. Much to contemplate on, God bless you Rita, for giving your time to remind us of ours. xx
So true, Crystal! There are SO many distractions today, what with texting and Ipads and Facebook etc, all taking up our time.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rita. What you've reminded me of is the importance to spend time savouring our books rather than whipping something off in a hurry.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid that could be what's happening to books today, Paula, especially if they are genre-bound!
DeleteRita, thanks for your thought-provoking post :) I often think about whether or not I'm using my time wisely, knowing that I have a finite amount of time here that could end in the blink of an eye. Is it more important to write that next sentence or spend a precious moment with my kids who seem to be growing up way too quickly? It can be hard to find the right balance.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the wonderful post! I am now following you thru google reader. It does take a lot of time to write a book Or anything worth reading.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the comments I just read on my news feed about being an author not being hard work - I find this refreshing. Thank you. I like my characters... most of them LOL but I am fair to them all. True to life characters you said. I agree. :) The only ones I like to read about, and write in my books.
ReplyDelete