The Hover Manoeuvre

 

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As writers, our pens and keyboards are our mouthpieces, and just as ‘death and life are in the power of the tongue’ (Proverbs 18:21), so too are death and life in the power of everything we scribble or tap out, often with little thought.

It seems to me that social media encourages some fairly loose tongues to be converted to some equally destructive words on the screen. The effect is often instant and, once out there in cyber-space, it’s hard to take those words back or pretend the comment was never made. A quick search through someone’s social media posts can reveal much about a person’s attitudes. It’s a snapshot of the soul. And that should give us pause for thought.

 

 

It should also keep our fingers hovering above the keyboard until we’ve thought through our reactive responses. It’s so much easier to blurt out an indignant comeback when we’re not up close and personal with our alleged adversaries. Anonymity gives us false security and an overinflated sense of our own outrage and courage. Keyboard warriors abound and sadly, Christians are not exempt.

FreeDigitalPhotos.net/holohololand

 

 

 

In the current state of a country (indeed, a world) under significant stress, I am witnessing more and more people being attacked over their differing political and social views. Disagreement is fine. Judgement is not. Ridicule is not. Insults and put downs are definitely a no-go area, and unfounded accusations and outright abuse are serious boundary transgressions. They hurt! Scripture is extremely clear on this point.

James 1:26 speaks out strongly!

‘If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.’

 

 Proverbs 15:1 makes our responsibility clearer still.

‘A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.’

 

Does it mean we need to be silent on important issues? Not at all.

Anger, in and of itself, is not sin. The way we express it, however, can be, and too often is. I wish I could say I’m not guilty of this particular transgression but I am. I confess I’m extremely frustrated with people posting about their inalienable rights to not wear a mask, use social distancing and hand sanitizer, and to flout the gathering size regulations, all requirements that have entered our reality since the advent of COVID19. If you could only hear the words buffeting around inside my head as I hover my hands over the keyboard, you might be a little shocked.

Ten years ago, I’d have ‘let rip’. And, shamefully, I may even have been proud of it, as difficult as it is to admit. These days I hover (mostly) and if, as I wrestle with myself, I can’t find a way to righteously express myself, I scroll on by. Not every post needs my questionable wisdom. It’s been a long and winding road, and one I see so many people, Christian or otherwise, struggle to navigate.

I’ve found the following Scripture from Romans 12:20 particularly reassuring. It strengthens my resolve.

‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’

 

What if we witness a brother or sister mocking, judging or belittling someone who holds different views, on social media?

Galatians 6:1, directs us as follows:

‘Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.’

It’s not easy to find the right balance and sometimes, no matter which approach we use, it will fall on deaf ears and the online abuse will continue. What to do then? It seems harsh, but here it is.

Proverbs 22:10:

‘Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarrelling and abuse will cease.’

Clearly, when push comes to shove, abuse is not to be tolerated.  Do your best and if all else fails, hit that ‘unfriend’ button and reclaim your peace. But don’t forget to hover first. We might later regret a hasty decision and it will certainly be awkward to explain. Tricky, isn’t it?

Happy hovering!

Melinda Jensen

 

Melinda Jensen has blogged extensively on emotional and psychological abuse and is currently enjoying a sea change from writing fiction to writing non-fiction, self-development books. Who'd have thought? A keen student of human nature, she's had articles, short stories and poetry published in a variety of magazines, newspapers and journals, having juggled single-motherhood and chronic illness for about 25 years. She's still almost sane and definitely has a heart for God and a yearning to bring a couple of books to fruition this year. Apart from that, she's besotted with cats, makes jolly good fudge and is living her dream on an acre and a half of beautiful soil bordering rainforest. On that note, she’s extremely passionate about the natural environment God has gifted us all with.

 

 

2020 CALEB Award Finalists Announced

By Iola Goulton, 2020 CALEB Coordinator

Like so much of what has happened this year, the 2020 CALEB Award hasn’t gone according to plan. Our past practice has been to have a combination of published and unpublished categories in the Award each year, and to announce the winners at the annual Omega Writers Conference.

Well, between fires, disease, and murder hornets, the 2020 Omega Writers Conference has now morphed into the 2021 Omega Writers Conference. The place is the same: Peppers Kingscliff, in northern New South Wales, from 8 to 10 October 2021.

This change led to us switching up the 2020 CALEB Awards. As such, the 2020 Awards are for manuscripts from unpublished authors in three categories:

• Adult Fiction
• Young Adult Fiction
• Nonfiction

The first-round judges have completed their tasks and returned their scoresheets. I’ve done my Excel magic, and I am thrilled to be able to announce the finalists in the 2020 CALEB Award.

Finalists: Adult Fiction

Helen Carr
Emily Maurits
Mindy Shaw

 

Young Adult Fiction

Kirsten Hart
Judy Rogers
Jean Saxby

 

Nonfiction

Susan Barnes
Jeffrey McKee

Congratulations, everyone!

Note that the Unpublished Award is a blind contest. Judges don’t know whose manuscripts they are judging, and we don’t reveal the manuscript titles to keep that anonymity.

The final-round judges now have until 30 September to read the full manuscript and pick the winner for each category. I don’t envy them!

The winners will be announced via a Zoom celebration in lieu of a conference.

This is provisionally scheduled for 16 October 2020, and the time is to be confirmed. We’d love it if you could join us!

Members of Omega Writers will receive an email invitation. If you’re not a member of Omega Writers but would like to join us, then consider joining us!

Alternatively, email me at caleb @ omegawriters [dot] org, and we’ll add you to the invitation list (note: finalists and members will be given first priority if we have any limit on numbers).

A Good Storyteller

The Storyteller

Once upon a time

The plot thickens

Strange goings-on

That can't be good

I’m a good storyteller. 

That statement may sound either arrogant or the sign of someone who is extremely confident in their own ability.

However, it is a statement that each of us who attempt fiction or memoir need to know is true for them. 

As writers in the current competitive world of bookselling, it is also a statement that is possibly challenged and undermined on a regular basis.

Let me tell you a story:

About twenty-six years ago, before my first novel was published, I had been writing a lot, having discovered the joy of writing fiction. When my father’s sixtieth birthday was approaching, I decided I’d like to write a story about him. My dad is a larger-than-life character, and I had plenty of material from my childhood observations and from all the stories my grandmother used to tell me about my father. When I think about it, the storytelling gene came down from my grandmother. The first part of the book, I recounted tales told to me as a child. Then I interviewed my mother, and got some of the finer detail about Dad’s young adult years, and their story of romance and marriage. 

At the time of writing, I had not had the advantage of having attended writing workshops or even knowing what the editing and publishing process was about. I simply wrote from the heart, and told story after story about my dad—most of which had a lot of humour attached. I finished the book, and gave it to him printed on A4 paper and spiral bound. And that was that.

Three years later, I self-published my first piece of fiction, still without the benefit of the proper editorial processes and reviews. That title, to this date, has sold over 8000 copies in Australia and has had five editions.

Fast forward to recent years. Being a member of Omega Writers, having attended many conferences, read many blogs, consulted may experienced editors and writers, adjusted and reworked much of my work, I don’t have that happy, ignorant confidence I had when I first began. In fact, my current work, in my humble opinion, is far superior to what I wrote in the early days, and yet I struggle to find an international publisher, agent or even market. Confidence has crashed in direct inverse proportion to the increase in the quality of my work. I have talked about this with writing friends and colleagues, and while we can comfort each other, and encourage one another, it doesn’t usually make any difference to the quest to let our work fly free into the greater reading world.

So back to the story I wrote for my dad. 

 I was up visiting my now 86-year-old father on the farm a couple of weeks ago. My mum is still living there as well, and she is in the throes of writing her memoirs. Being a sufferer of rheumatoid arthritis, she is not very mobile anymore, and spends a lot of time at the computer. I was cooking dinner for them one evening, and mum asked if she could read a section of her memoirs to me. She began to read, and I was engaged and amused. It wasn’t long before I realised she was reading what I had written 26 years ago. 

‘I decided not to rewrite this section,’ she said, ‘as you’re such a good storyteller’.

Having just listened to it being read back to me, I agreed.

 By jingo, I am a good storyteller.

And then it struck me. The piece she had read was written pre-education. It was pre-editing and polishing. It was simple, unedited storytelling, and it was delightful.

So the message came to me to share with you:

Are you a good storyteller?

 The question isn’t: have you found a niche in the market?

 It’s not: have you found an agent who has accepted your work?

 It’s not even: Do you have a mailing list of thousands of fans who can’t wait to pre-order your book?

No.

The question is: are you a good storyteller? 

The answer to that question for me is: yes. Yes, I am a good storyteller. 

Will I ever find that agent, or that international market, or list of thousands of fans?

 Maybe. Maybe not.

 But have I delighted my readers over the years—well written or not? 

The answer to that question is a resounding yes. Though I cringe when I read any of my work pre 2012—head hopping everywhere, speech attributions galore, adverb heaven, and telling, telling, telling (who knew what showing was?)—the general feedback I get from anyone who admits to having read one or more of my books is: I love your books! 

These people pop up now and then, and are enthusiastic in their praise. Bless them. I want to apologise for all the poor writing, but they don’t even understand what I’m talking about. They engaged with story and character, and loved it. 

So …

I am a great storyteller. I also think I’m getting better as a writer.

How is it going for you?

 Do your family and friends love what you write? Are kids enthralled when you’re telling them what it was like ‘in the old days’ (you know, back in the 1970s when dinosaurs roamed the earth).

Chances are, you’re a good storyteller too, and there are those in your life who love the stories you tell.

 Getting agents, publishers and international markets to buy it is a whole other matter. But does that really matter, in the long run? Or do you get pleasure out of telling a story?


Meredith Resce
Author of 'The Heart of Green Valley' series; For All Time and many other titles
President of Omega Writers Australasia


Meredith's Website