Running Your Own Writing Race

On a summer's day in 1954, the air was palpable in the Empire Stadium in Vancouver. British athlete Roger Bannister and Australian athlete John Landy were about to compete in the one-mile race at the British Empire and Commonwealth Games. They were the only two men to have broken the four-minute mile and this was their first head-to-head showdown. 

Landy was leading as they came into the final straight. He looked left to check the position of his opponent, and Bannister ran past on his right at that very moment. Bannister went on to win, with Landy close behind. Would Landy have won if he'd kept his eyes on the finish line instead of trying to look at what his opponent was doing? We'll never know. But Landy's sideways glance has become an iconic image. There is even a statue in Vancouver that captures that moment.

I'm not a runner, but I've watched enough athletics to know that middle-distance races are as much about tactics as speed. It's not a bad thing to be aware of your competitor's position, but you also need to run your own race and keep your eyes on the goal.

So what does this have to do with writing? 

I Am Not Kate Morton

When I started writing my novel many moons ago, I wanted to 'do a Kate Morton'. If you haven't come across her writing, she's a wildly successful Australian author known for her sweeping parallel narratives. Namely, books that weave different stories together within the same overall story arc. In Kate's case, this usually means having at least one story from the past and one story from the present, that move along in parallel and then intersect in a way that eventually brings the whole story together.

I especially loved her books The Forgotten Garden and The Distant Hours. To me, that was the pinnacle of writing and I wanted to do the same. I had the chance to meet her when I went to an author lunch and talk with my friend Janet Camilleri (fab founder and director of Front Page SEO). Not long afterwards, I enrolled in an intensive weekend novel writing workshop at the Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) to kickstart my fabulous career. When the instructor did the usual introductory whizz around the table to see what everyone was writing, I even said that I wanted to write a parallel narrative like Kate Morton. 

I persisted with that novel for about three years until I did QWC's 'Year of the Edit' course in which we had to critically evaluate our works in progress. After a big helping of denial, I finally realised that the novel I was writing just wasn't working. I was trying to fit the pieces together, but the links between the past and present story were becoming contrived. The past story had become the dominant one and I needed to pull that out and make that the story. That meant a lot more cutting, plotting, editing, writing and rewriting; but I think the finished product was worth it. My debut novel Scattered was an historical novel rather than a parallel narrative, but that was the best way to tell the story. 

I am not Kate Morton and that's okay. 

The Comparison Trap

There are a lot of wonderful writers out there and we can take inspiration from them, be encouraged by them and learn from them. But if we start comparing our writing journey to theirs and wishing we were like them, we can fall into a trap.

Discouragement

We might feel discouraged because our writing seems to pale into insignificance beside theirs. We can't imagine ever writing as well as they do; or achieving the sales, accolades or followers they do. 'Woe is me. I may as well give up this fanciful dream of a writing life. What made me think I could write a book anyway?'

Envy or Sour Grapes

Comparison can also turn to envy or good old sour grapes. 

'How come his debut novel is selling like hotcakes, while the sales of mine are still limping along after several years?' 

'My book is just as good as hers, but I wasn't shortlisted for the prize. That stinks.'

'If he's publishing that many books a year, they must be shoddy quality, unlike my stellar work. Another few years should do it!'

Envy is never a good look, especially for Christians who are supposed to be cheering each other on.

Taking our Eyes off the Goal

If we're too busy watching what another writer is or isn't doing, we're not focusing on our own writing journey and what God wants us to be doing.

Running Our Own Race

God has given each of us different talents and spiritual gifts. We have different passions and personalities. We have different backgrounds and life experiences. We are all at different stages of life and have different responsibilities. And here's the clincher. He wants each of us to serve Him in ways that only we can. He has called us to run our own race, not someone else's.

So what has God called me to write? I was working on the sequel to Scattered when God sent me on a detour to write a devotional book, which was published this year: Comfort Zone: A 40-Day Devotional on the Father of All Comfort. It turned out to be a big detour because I'm currently writing the second book in that series. I'm also putting together an anthology of short stories and poems on the theme of social justice, as well as a separate poetry collection. God has also been prompting me to do more with all of the songs I've written over the years, and the sequel to Scattered is still in the mix somewhere. However, there has been no mention of me 'doing a Kate Morton'. Funny, that!

The following verses, written to first-century believers, could just as well apply to us as Christian writers.


Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3, NIV)

What race has God called you to run? I'd love to hear your stories and cheer you on.

Sources

Bible verses taken from the New International Version of the Bible that appears on Bible Hub. Featured photo of runner on track by Roshan Rajopadhyaya on Pixabay. Photo of Bannister/Landy statue by Paul Joseph from Wikimedia Commons and used under their licence. Photo of Janet, Kate and Nola from the author's collection. Author pic by Wayne Logan from Encouraging Photos.

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. Her books include the inspirational historical novel Scattered, the Christian devotional book Comfort Zone, and the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light which she co-edited with Jeanette O’Hagan. She also has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. She loves sharing the words and stories God impresses on her heart, and prays that He will use them to bless others. 

Nola would love to connect with you on her website: www.nolalorraine.com.au

Why Write, when cost is so high?

This morning I met with a group of passionate writers. We come together under the banner of Omega Writers Sunshine Coast. Sharing with like-minded people is an encouragement. We laugh, celebrate our wins and share the load.

 As I drove home and mulled over our conversations, I asked myself again. ‘Why do I write? Why spend the hours and the dollars to produce another book that I love, but few read?’

 At home I opened the emails. My publisher confirmed that she’d love to publish, El Roi, my third book next year. How exciting! One more book in the birthing canal. Another opportunity to spend hours editing, pouring over words that they may skilfully portray the story to a reader. Another opportunity to spend dollars, lots of dollars, on professional editing and printing. Why? So a few people pick up the book and absorb it, be inspired to walk and talk with our amazing God.

 My question extended. ‘Why do feel such excitement and satisfaction out of a project that would horrify any business person?’

 The answer comes in a quiet idea that sneaks into my mind. ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing about.’ (John 4:32)

 Jesus, when he walked with men, was more satisfied by a conversation with a Samaritan woman than he was by the bread the disciples had obtained for him. It reminds me of the opportunities I’ve had to preach. A sermon where I watch revelation awakening in a listener is so satisfying. In one way. In another it often left me depleted, craving a good steak. Even when my physical body wanted food, my spirit was deeply satisfied.

In the gospel John goes on to explain. ‘My food is to the will of him who sent me an to bring it to completion.’ (John 4:34) In other words, following God’s leading was Jesus’ source of satisfaction. Jesus broke a lot of the current social rules and religious expectations as he walked among men. His obedience came at a cost. Yet he delighted to do ‘the will of him who sent me’. 

Writing comes at a cost, so why continue? Unlike Jesus I’m not called to save the world…but I am called to inspire others to experience Jesus. I preached for a season and that was satisfying, but writing is the same call with a different look. Written words can reach multitudes. The possibilities are endless.

 

I write stories because Jesus told stories. If God wants me talk about his light touching lives of those he loves, I could write a teaching book. Or I can write a story. A story can hide new ideas and theology in fast moving action, demonstrate who God is and how much He loves the people of the world. A good book can display the love of God to a protagonist. A reader who relates to the question the heroine struggles with will receive the new truth.

 

There lies my answer.

My time is the Lord’s. My money is the Lord’s. The Spirit fills me, and brings stories. I continue because the call of God is on me and really there is nothing else I’d rather do.

My next book, El Roi, is coming soon. Dan is trying to find light… and he needs a good father. Here’s a short insight into Dan’s search, if you’d like to get a taste.

“On the end of his bed, near the open window, he sipped coffee and opened the Bible at random.

'Our Father in heaven...'

There's a father in heaven? Dan shuddered. Whose father? His father wasn't there. One thing he knew; he wasn't going to heaven if he had a father there. He read on... 'hallowed be your name.'

Dropping the Bible, he gulped hot coffee. It didn't even make sense. Why was his grandmother so fond of the book? He preferred a God who claimed to be the light of the world, rather than anyone's father. How he could he find more about light? He needed light. The darkness was freaking him out. Flicking through the book, he looked for light, reading bits here and there.

Jesus went up the mountain to pray... why would he do such a thing?

The disciples started to argue... Well, that sounds normal.”

 

What about you? What inspires you to continue following God, even when it’s costly and time consuming?

Jo Wanmer is a story teller. But struggles to put those stories into accepable prose. She writes with the help of the Holy Spirit. Without His inspiration there would be no books. Though the Bud be Bruised was published thirteen years ago. Last year El Shaddai was released and it's prequel, El Roi, is just been published. 

She lives with her husband of fifty-three years just north of Brisbane. Family, God and writing are here three passions. Eleven great-grandchildren (under 5) now fill their home with love and chaos. 

 

Using Metaphors and Similes for Deeper Understanding

 

Are you a visual person? Do concrete examples help you to picture what’s happening in a story? The Bible is full of it. Brilliant imagery, that is. Metaphors, similes, strong verbs, parables, word pictures—they’re all there and help us to understand God's word at a deeper level. Let’s consider two of them in this post—metaphors and similes.

Metaphors and similes help us visualise a scene by comparing one thing to another. The difference is that similes typically include the words ‘as’ or ‘like’ (she’s as quiet as a mouse), while metaphors state that one thing is another (she is a mouse).

There are hundreds of similes and metaphors in the Bible, but here are a few examples.

Biblical Examples

Similes

• As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. (Psalm 42:1)
• [Jesus speaking] Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. (Matthew 23:37)
• Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:7)
• [Paul speaking] I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. (2 Timothy 4:7)
• The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. (Proverbs 4:18)

 

Metaphors

 

• Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life’. (John 6:35)
• You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. (Matthew 5:13)
• Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ (Acts 4:11)
• Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)
• [The false prophets] are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 13)

 

Tips for Crafting Similes and Metaphors

 

If we stop and think about those word pictures, it can give us a greater understanding of the scriptures. In the same way, well-crafted metaphors and similes can help paint a scene for our readers, whether we’re writing fiction or nonfiction. Here are some tips for writing metaphors and similes that sing (and zing!)

Avoid clichés  

Try thinking of something fresh.  Instead of saying an object is ‘as white as snow’, think of other things that are white and use something less common (e.g. milk, pearls, clouds, whipped cream, photocopy paper, bridal gown).

Change perspective  

Don’t just look at obvious similarities between two things. Try looking at it from different angles. I attended a workshop in which poet Cameron Semmens asked us what the moon is like. Most people thought of round objects like a ball or a pizza.  He then asked us to think of different phases of the moon (e.g. crescent moon, half-moon) or to consider what the moon looks like at different times of the day or with different types of sky as a background.  The variety of examples people came up with was amazing. 

Match the mood  

Ensure that any similes or metaphors correspond to the mood of the piece you’re writing (e.g. amusing metaphors for a funny article, dramatic similes for a serious scene).  Your protagonist’s eyes might be ‘so bloodshot they look like a Google map of Mars’, but that humorous description may ruin your heartfelt scene.  Save it for later and write something else. 

Less is more  

Metaphors and similes have a greater effect if used sparingly.  You want your reader to linger over your beautiful words or funny analogies rather than being jarred out of the story.  This is especially true for action-packed scenes.  A well-placed metaphor or simile can heighten the action, but too many slow it down. 

Ensure they make sense

‘Her voice was like a stick of liquorice in a jar of boiled lollies.’  Huh?  You’ll be happy to know I just made that one up, but it’s not unlike some metaphors and similes I’ve seen in published work.  What sound is conveyed by a stick of liquorice in a jar of boiled lollies?  Is it the clanking sound as you stir the lollies with the liquorice?  Does it mean her voice seemed out of place with the others in the room?  The author obviously had something in mind, but the reader is left clueless.

Avoid mixed metaphors  

These occur when you combine two metaphors, similes or clichés that don’t really go together and thus create a confusing image.  For example, ‘This toothache is a pain in the butt’.  Um … I’m not sure where your teeth are, but … you see what I mean.

Avoid anachronisms  

You know how Mel Gibson wears kilts in the movie Braveheart?  Well, they weren’t invented for another four centuries.  That’s an example of an anachronism—something that is out of place in a particular time period.  So if your novel is set in the 1880s, you can’t say your hero’s snoring was so bad it sounded like a jet taking off.  However, you can say his snoring was like a locomotive or a foghorn. 

Match the setting or theme  

Are you writing a rural romance?  Try including some metaphors or similes with a rural flavour (‘Her hair was the colour of rust on a corrugated roof’).  You wouldn’t want to overdo these, but a well-placed one can really add some punch to your narrative.  Anthony Doerr’s short story So Many Chances tells the story of a family from America’s mid-west who move to coastal Maine to start a new life.  The daughter is entranced by all of the new things she discovers while exploring the beach.  By the time we hear ‘her mother’s face retreats inside itself like a poked sea anemone,’ the contrast is palpable.

Use extended metaphors

If you have an important scene, you can also use extended metaphors for added impact.  For example, think of the girl with hair like the rusty corrugated roof.  You could keep the rural imagery going by describing other aspects of her appearance or personality in rural terms (e.g. eyes the colour of cornflowers; disposition like an electric cattle prod). Jesus’ illustration of the vine and the branches (John 15:1-8) is a great example of an extended metaphor.

Final Thoughts

It takes time and thought to come up with just the right image, but it’s worth it if it helps the reader to gain a better understanding or deeper appreciation of your words.

 

Have you used metaphors and similes in your writing? I’d love to hear some of your sizzling examples.

Sources

All Bible references are from the New International Version that appears on Bible Hub. Featured photo from Hans on Pixabay. Author photo by Wayne Logan from Encouraging Photos.

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. Her books include the inspirational historical novel Scattered, the Christian devotional book Comfort Zone, and the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light which she co-edited with Jeanette O’Hagan. She also has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. 

She would love to connect with you through her website: www.nolalorraine.com.au