Word Hungry by Pamela Mytroen

How hungry are we for words? Hungry enough to steal books, like Liesel did in the film, “The Book Thief”[1]? Living in the paralyzing fear of Nazi Germany, she became desperate for life-giving stories.   

Books were rare, most having been burned through Hitler’s ‘intellectual cleanse’. Liesel is in awe one day as she drops off clean laundry for Ilsa Hermann, the mayor’s wife, and is invited to read from her extensive library. With reverent whispers, Liesel chooses her favourite books each week and indulges in a page-turning feast. However, when the Mayor finds out about her secret reading sessions, she is banned from the hallowed library.  

But Liesel has tasted the power of words. She has also become close friends with Max, a Jewish fugitive her family is harbouring in their basement. When he falls seriously ill, Liesel begins a journey to save him through stories. Though books are forbidden, Liesel secretly returns to the mayor’s home, and at the cost of her life, “borrows” a book. She begins reading to Max, breaking the bread of life one precious crumb at a time, story after story, book after stolen book, until the fever is broken and he awakens to life and health.

Having been fortified by her beloved words, Liesel turns her attention to others starving for hope. She whispers stories to the scared families in the Air-Raid Shelters where her words tug smiles from their captive spirits.     

One day before Max leaves, he hands Liesel a copy of Mein Kampf, in which he had whitewashed every page. He says, “Write. In my religion we're taught that every living thing, every leaf, every bird, is only alive because it contains the secret word for life. That's the only difference between us and a lump of clay. A word. Words are life, Liesel.”

Writing in her re-purposed journal saves Liesel’s life one night as she falls asleep in her basement with pen in hand while all around the bombs fall on her village.

There is a secret word for life, like Max said. One word splits the rock of our tombs and calls us out. This Word is referred to in scripture. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). In verse fourteen we learn the identity of this Word: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Jesus Christ is the Word Who gives abundant, never-ending life.

It was the spoken words of the Word that created all we see. Jesus spoke the light into being. And he speaks light into our being too when He calls us from death to life.

Words are life. But there is one Word – Jesus – we cannot live without. Only His whisper has the power to break sin’s fever and wake us back to life.       

Writers would be wise to follow the example of Liesel. In our desire to share life-giving words with others, we must first find Jesus, the source of all life. We, like Liesel, may need to risk our lives in our search for the precious Word. When we find Him we must not let go, no matter the cost. Take Him in, and indulge in the feast of His love. Finally, being strengthened and built up by grace, we will be able to write the words that stir others back to life; words that shine light into darkness, and hope into despair.

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[1] From the film, “The Book Thief”, a 2013 American-German war drama film based on the book by Marcus Zusak, 2005, TransWorld Publishers.

by Pamela Mytroen

The Nitty-Gritty and End Results of Writing by Ruth Smith Meyer

Perusing my notes from several years of WRITE! Canada, my jottings had a definite effect on my reaction to the most recent books I’ve read. 

Over the years, those who attend WRITE! Canada regularly, hear various rules for writing repeated many times.  Here are a few:

• ·        Your first paragraphs need to contain a hook that will grab your readers and keep them reading through the rest of the book.

·        Choose your focus and make every paragraph move the story along.

·        Don’t go down “rabbit trails.”

·        Most of your writing should be on a grade five level so as not to lose any of your readers.

·        Your title and your book cover need attract your reader and indicate what can be expected inside the covers.

·        Edit, edit, edit—not just for grammar and spelling but to make sure the story flows in a consistent manner.

In most cases it’s wise to follow the rules, but sometimes they can be broken.  One book I recently read had no obvious “hook” in the first paragraphs.  It’s hard to judge what affect that would have had on me, had I not previously met its most charming author and seen first-hand, her enthusiastic spirit and sensed the depth of her experience of life. (But then, I am enough of a reading addict that a slow beginning doesn’t often stop me.  I’m always sure that it’s going to get better and be worth my reading.)  This book definitely was.  For starters much to this dictionary reader’s delight, it wasn’t written on a grade five level. I was elated to read words that tickled the senses and fed the spirit.  I even had to get out my dictionary for one word I hadn’t remembered reading before.  I was like an exited school-girl again, savoring a new word that I could add to my vocabulary.  It’s taken me a little longer than it usually does to read Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber because I don’t want to miss one word of it.  However it’s feeding me and giving me pleasure in a way I haven’t been gratified for some time. 

               Another book that I promised to review has been quite different.  The title and subtitle attracted me because I thought it was a subject that needed to be addressed in this day and age. I could scarcely wait to begin.  Being the eternal optimist, I kept hoping the book would come through with what the cover promised, however the text attempted to address too many side issues and never really got to the core of what I had been expecting.  Perhaps it would have been better for the author to write several books—a tribute to the life of his father, the strengths of and delight in his son, the agony of a breaking marriage, parenting as a divorced father.  It left me with a lot of questions that were never fully addressed.  I admire the author for trying to be vulnerable and honest about a difficult subject and time in his life, but it felt as though he never did come quite clean.  It made me wonder too; about the experienced people who helped edit and critique his book.  Surely they must have realized that rearranging some of the material would have improved the flow and perhaps assisted the reader to make more sense of it. In no way do I wish to be critical of the author—I would just encourage him to be more focused and honest about his feelings.  It is hard to be that vulnerable, but it will be more helpful in what he was aiming at—to be helpful to others going through the same thing.

               There are delights and pitfalls in writing—and reading.  The main purpose of writing is to get the stories out there in a way that will help other people grasp the lessons of life and absorb them into their own experience. 

Writing courses and writer’s conferences can make us much more aware of the things of which we need to be mindful. Even then, when we’re writing, we can’t always see the pitfalls clearly on our own, even with multiple reading.  That’s where friends, proof-readers and good editors and can help us. 

Living life openly and honestly and listening for the whispers of God will also be an advantage to writing in such a way that will allow readers to respond in a personal, meaningful way.

Words—Delightful, Expressive Words Ruth Smith Meyer

Words have always brought me pleasure. There isn’t much greater satisfaction than to closely look at an emotion or circumstances then choose a word with the ideal nuance or shade of meaning to perfectly portray the situation. Perhaps that is why, as a teenager, I read the entire dictionary. People have teased me about that and some have even scoffed at the idea of such boring reading. During that time, I decided to choose words that I could incorporate into my vocabulary. Each week, I would choose one and see how often I could use it in my normal every-day life.

Take for instance, my delight in words, described in my first sentence as pleasure. Without hunting in my Roget's or other sources, just using the Thesaurus that comes with my Microsoft Word, I can choose the nuance I like from enjoyment, happiness, delight, joy, bliss, contentment, satisfaction, gratification; amusement, recreation, fun, leisure, diversion; desire, preference, wish, liking, inclination, will. All of these are relatively common, but can enhance your conversation or writing.

On line, yourdictionary.com provides added synonyms: felicity, rapture, ease, comfort, gladness, delectation, relish, kicks

Further explanation follows: pleasure is the general term for an agreeable feeling of satisfaction, ranging from a quiet sense of gratification to a positive sense of happiness; delight implies a high degree of obvious pleasure, openly and enthusiastically expressed a child's delight with a new toy; joy describes a keenly felt, exuberant, often demonstrative happiness their joy at his safe return; enjoyment suggests a somewhat more quiet feeling of satisfaction with that which pleases our enjoyment of the recital

Of course, as a writer, there’s practical help in a variety of words. When we have need to repeat the same emotion or description several times in close proximity, choosing different words with like meaning can not only keep your writing fresh, but can add emphasis and depth to any scene or account.

Some people are especially adept at using the English language in refreshing ways. Poets are often among these, but some do so with prose. If you haven’t read Ann Voskamp’s best-selling book One Thousand Gifts or her blog Holy Experience, look for them. She is a master at phrases and descriptions that bring vivacious energy into the ordinary and routine. As an example here are a few quotes from one of Ann’s recent blogs.

“I bear the stretchmarks of my 2011.” (Doesn’t that describe a growing year?)

"There's only one address anyone lives at and it's always a duplex: joy and pain always co-habit every season of life. Accept them both and keep company with the joy while the pain does its necessary renovations." (What better advice, expressed in clear terms, could one want for the beginning of a ne year?)

I encourage you to do what I want to do this year--look at my ordinary, ever-day world and describe it in ways that will bring new meaning and understanding of the opportunities each moment presents.

Yeah for stretch-marks and renovations!

A Legacy of Words Ruth Smith Meyer

Our five grandchildren were ages 2 ½ -8 when my husband was diagnosed with colon cancer that had progressed too far for successful treatment. He was only sixty-three.

He had been feeling fairly well for some time after his second surgery when one day he kept going to the couch for a nap. My suspicions, aroused, I asked if he was sleeping because he was tired or if it was to avoid his thoughts.

“Probably the latter,” he admitted.

I suggested we go for a drive and talk. Driving through his favourite country-side the words tumbled from him.

“It’s not that I’m afraid to die,” he shared, “it’s just that there are so many things I still wanted do. I hate to leave you so soon, just when I thought I was going to relieve you of some of the house work so you could write. I’m proud of our grown children but I had hoped to continue to support and encourage them until they were much older. I have so many ideas for ways to spend quality time with my grandchildren as they grow up, now I will be leaving them while they are so young they may not even remember me or know how much I love them.”

The agony in his voice tore at my heart. What could I say? He was right! Then God planted a thought in my mind and I expressed it before I could give it more thought.

“You’ve learned in Marriage Encounter to write love letters to me. Even though you didn’t like to write and found it hard in the beginning, you do it beautifully now. Perhaps you’d like to write one to each of your children, in-laws and grandchildren.”

The face of the dear man I loved lit up in relief and gladness. There was a ring to his voice as he said, “I believe I will do that.”

In the next week or so, he labored over the words he wrote until at last he had written all twelve letters sharing special memories of each individual. His love and delight in each of their unique characteristics, his desires and wishes for them were all expressed with love affirmation and deep longing. He asked me to type them on nice paper and together we worked at fashioning envelopes for them. At first, he thought he would let me give them to the recipients after he died, but he couldn’t wait. I’m glad he gave them for it gave the adults a chance to reply to him.

What brings all these memories to my mind now? The two youngest were just, and not quite three when their grandpa died. For some time, their parents read their letters to them, but as time went by, they were stored away to be saved until they were older. As adults, we tend to think because we know and remember, the children will too. However at three, it’s hard to hang on to those details.

When the mother of one of those ‘little’ ones (now fifteen) casually mentioned the letter from grandpa, that young lady was shocked to know there was such a letter. When it couldn’t be immediately found, they asked if I still had them on my computer. I did. I read again those precious words before sending them on. The strong feelings and emotions of those days came flooding back, but something more happened. What a treasure my children and grandchildren have in those missives. Those words are a legacy that money can’t buy. Although I am still relatively healthy, I want to write letters of my own.

Expressing my love and delight in the strengths of my family and the people around me on a day-to-day basis has always been important in my mind. I want them to know while I am still living, how much they mean to me. I want also to express my encouragement and affirmations. However, there is something about the written word that seems more lasting. Some spoken words linger on in our minds, but if we can go back and read again what someone has told us, in their own words, it can be refreshing and sustaining each time we do so.

This blog is read by people who know the power of the written word. Our articles and books are also a legacy but may I suggest we all take the time to write personal letters to our loved ones or people who are important to us—letters that express our love and appreciation, our positive observations about who they are and our hopes and desires for them? We may choose to keep them until someone sifts through our important papers, but it may influence lives more if we give them right away. They could be a legacy that begins to give now.

The Gift of the Word and Words Ruth Smith Meyer

It’s fascinating how a small happening, a thought, the sight of something can start a chain of events or train of thought that leads to far greater significance than the original incident. This is true, especially if we allow ourselves to act on the impulses that pop up in our minds and hearts.
Just recently, at a time I needed a frank second opinion, I thought of a woman with whom I had a friendship several years ago. She was quite a bit older than me and at first acquaintance she had a rather gruff demeanor. Once I got to know her, I soon discovered she had a heart of gold. What I liked most was that she was honest and straight-forward with her opinions and extremely kind. Just thinking of her made me wish I could sit down and have a good long, heart-to-heart talk with her. I knew she would have told me how she sees it whether it was what I wanted to hear or not. There’s a certain comfort in that. Unfortunately, she died some years ago.
This past week as I sat behind a table of my books at a craft sale, I spied her only daughter surveying the variety of crafts. When she came closer, loneliness for her mother washed over me again. By that time she was close enough, and without giving it a second thought, I called her name. Her face lit up in recognition and she came close.
“Barb, I just wanted to tell you how much I still miss your mother. I often wish I could sit down and have a good chat with her. She meant so much to me.”
Barb’s big brown eyes softened. “Why thank you so much for telling me that! I miss her too, but sometimes I get to wondering if I’m the only one who does. Thanks for giving me that gift.”
The rest of the afternoon, between talking to customers, my mind raced on. My heart was filled with gladness that I acted on the impulse to tell Barb about what I was feeling. I like to think that she may remember my words in the coming weeks and feel warmth in the knowing. But my thoughts didn’t stop there.
At this time of year, most of us are also pondering about gifts. Some gifts lists are larger than others, some budgets are carefully set out and adhered to, some are overspent so that payment almost until next Christmas. Some are tired of the rat race of making sure they give a gift to everyone who will give them one. However there are those who love choosing meaningful gifts for their loved ones and who also delight in giving to those who can’t return the favor, finding ways to give that won’t make the recipient feel beholden to the giver.
Many of you reading this are authors or at least people who find words are life and joy. We know that words can bring comfort, enlightenment, inspiration, growth and much more.
What if we used our word-power as gifts this year? Start with your family. Use some nice stationery and write each of them a note telling them the unique, individual reasons you love them and what you wish for them. (Not material things, but strengths, growth, love, understanding—the things that make life worthwhile.)
Move on to other relatives, your friends and co-workers, people with whom you serve on committees, people at church, your boss. If you are the boss, think what it would mean to your employees to know what strengths, what characteristics of theirs are important to you and to your business and how much you appreciate them.
When I told my son about the ideas that were flitting around in my head since my talk with Barb, he just illustrated from his life what I wanted to say. In his business they had a large project this past year. It took a lot of hard work, commitment and cooperation from both his organization and the supply company to get everything up and running. Ninety people were involved in seeing it to completion. He has just finished hand-written notes of appreciation to each of those which he will deliver in person. The words in those notes, coming straight from his heart, are sure to make a difference in 90 lives. Yours and mine will too—changing our world one encouraging word at a time.
Isn’t that what Christmas is all about? The Word becoming flesh, giving life and light, changing the world! As writers who are Christian, we also hold that Word in our hearts and it’s ours to give along with our words of recognition and affirmation.
“We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.” 1 John 1:4

www.ruthsmithmeyer.com

Just the Right Word - Laycock

I am one of those people who loves words. Sometimes I’ll say a word in my mind over and over just because I enjoy the sound of it. So each day I open my e-mail with the tantalizing anticipation of receiving a new word from dictionary.com.

The other day it was actually an expression rather than one word, and it was French, our second language here in Canada. It’s an intriguing phrase that relates directly to writers – “mot juste” – literally, word just or just word. The meaning given was “a word or phrase that exactly fits the case, as in - The poet's concern for the mot juste nearly always makes his prose a thing of interest and beauty.”

Mot juste. I began to wonder, if I had to find a mot juste for God, what would it be? I quickly realized it would be a difficult task, perhaps an unending task. He has, of course, described Himself and perhaps that is where we should start. He gave himself many names – to Abraham he was El Shaddai, God Almighty, and El Olam, the God who has no beginning and no end. To Moses he was Yahweh, The LORD, “the God of your fathers.” (Exodus 3:14). David called him Yahweh Tsebaoth, the Lord of Hosts when he faced Goliath. When he built the temple, Solomon called him “Hashem,” The Name, and rejoiced that God had promised His Name would reside there and receive the prayers of the people. To Jeremiah He was Miqueh Yisrael, the Hope of Israel. In the New Testament Jesus offended the religious rulers by telling them to call God by the familiar, Abba, Father or Daddy.

Finding just one word for God is, indeed, an impossible task. His character is so vast, His essence so rich and deep that there could not be one word that would describe all of Him. But, as He Himself has shown us, in all circumstances there is a mot juste for God and that word will always make Him a God of interest and beauty. His character is multifaceted and His ways infinitely complex yet He constantly reveals Himself to us through His creation, His people and His word.
Perhaps His most dear name, to those of us this side of the cross, is simply Jesus, the One who saves. That is a mot juste that we can use and rely on and praise.

“Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10).

Marcia Laycock, winner of the Best New Canadian Christian Author Award, 2006, for her novel, One Smooth Stone. Visit her website – www.vinemarc.com

Famine of feeling - Wright

According to Tom Hayden, the lack of a proportionate response to today’s catastrophic human needs is due to "a famine of feeling". Hayden’s interview appeared in the May 17th Globe and Mail. I had no idea who Hayden was—a California activist prominent in the 60’s student movement—until I read the article.

He makes a good point. "What’s depressing to me is the lack of response in comparison to the need…the very dangerous exhaustion of belief in solutions on the part of the people who are supposed to be the world’s problem-solvers."

I admit to a certain exhaustion with 24 hour news coverage of tornadoes ripping through US neighbourhoods, storms ravaging Myanmar, and earthquakes devastating parts of China. Meanwhile no solution looms for Darfur.

Probably, the wave of popularity for Barack Obama’s platform of change reflects people’s cynicism with old institutions.

Evan Solomon, the columnist who interviewed Hayden, chose a counter-intuitive way to interact with Hayden. He sent him a photo with no explanation and asked Hayden for a caption. Solomon, a writer, journalist and host of CBC News: Sunday and Sunday Night, does this every month. He sends an unidentified image to someone in the public eye. The resulting interaction creates an interesting interview.

I wonder, however, if images aren’t the problem. Confucius, not Christ, claimed that a picture is worth a thousand words. Christ came as the Everlasting Word, without passing on any images. Today we have a billion images bombarding us everywhere we turn and making less and less impact. Perhaps we are suffering from visual exhaustion and need a few more well-chosen words.

The picture Evan Solomon sent Tom Hayden, of hands raised in entreaty, could have been interpreted in thousands of ways.

A church friend recently returned from Liberia with a story about murderous boy-soldiers turned compassionate missionaries. His story evoked many emotions: horror at the atrocities they’d committed, astonishment at their transformation, and praise for the God who did the impossible. Admittedly, the pictures he showed at church helped.

Pictures may supplement our attempts to evoke emotions but they will never render words obsolete. Hence, our mandate as writers to touch people with well-crafted word pictures.

Eric E. Wright, www.countrywindow.ca