What’s The Point?

By Tonya Calvert

What is the point of it all? How do I find my purpose? These deep thoughts came from a dear author friend. Write, submit, receive rejection, repeat. The routine had burned her out and left her wondering if she was wasting her time.

I pondered the obvious answers of purpose in life — love God, love your family, somehow do your little part to save the world, but what about the writing part? The part that had left her tired of running in the wheel of write, submit, receive rejection, repeat. That part seemed more manageable, so I thought about why I write.

I write because I see stories that need to be told. I write because I believe it’s what I’m created to do. I write because I believe it’s important.

As writers, I think we see the world differently, in a more observant way. We don’t just see people. We see characters and stories. I wrote my children’s picture book, Saylor on the Seashore, because I was inspired by the “characters” I met at the beach. My family and I watched a blue heron with a hook stuck through his beak. This fearless bird was stealing bait from the fishermen on the beach. I wrote about the bird in my journal and created a character, Big Blue Heron, who became part of the story. The character, Saylor, was also inspired by true events. A young seagull was caught in a fisherman’s net and as the fisherman struggled to free the bird, a story formed in my mind. If I did not tell their story, who would?

Maybe in the bigger meaning of life, telling one small story doesn’t seem significant, but for me there is a peace in knowing I am doing what God created me to do. Winston Churchill said it best, “Happy are the painters, for they shall not be lonely. Light and colour, peace and hope, will keep them company to the end of the day.” Surely, this applies to writers as well. Writing feeds my soul.

Picasso said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Today’s world is a pretty “dusty” place. I especially like writing for children because they are growing up in a harsh world and they deserve a little softness.

Thankfully, I don’t have to figure out the meaning of life or how to save the world. As Tolkien said, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time given us.” So, what will you write with the time given to you? The world is waiting to hear your story.

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Tonya Calvert finds inspiration all around her, especially on nature walks and at the Florida coast. She has a BS from Columbus State University and a JD from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School. Saylor on the Seashore (Clearfork Publishing 2017) is her first book. Her second children’s book, The Origami Elephant (Clearfork Publishing) will be released fall of 2018. She is married to her high school sweetheart. They live a blessed life in the Deep South with their three boys.

When is it time to throw in the towel?

By Carol Guthrie Heilman

After a sleepless night, a writer bolted upright among scrambled sheets. She threw up her hands and yelled, “I quit!”

I can relate. My writing has come to a screeching halt more times than I care to admit.

Months after I submitted a brilliant synopsis and the first three chapters of a dazzling novel, I received a form rejection letter. What were they thinking?

After a month-long hissy fit, I took another look at my manuscript and slowly began to edit and rewrite. I attended writers’ conferences, joined a critique group, and kept writing. That novel has never seen the light of day, but it may someday. More importantly, my writings slowly improved. 

Newspapers and magazines began to accept some of my family stories.

One day my mother said, “We don’t have any secrets any more!” My daddy hugged me close and said, “When’s your next one coming out?” My writings had acquired an admirer. My first.

The process to perfect any writing skills took years before I had a book published. Whew! I had arrived, or so I thought. Then one day I received a scathing review. Cut to the core of my soul, I believed the angry, ugly words and again could not write. I shut myself down to escape the pain. The voices in my head convinced me I wouldn’t recover from what I saw as a humiliation. All that work for this? Besides, I was fast approaching old age. Did I really want the stress of being vulnerable to a pack of wolves? Yes, I had overreacted, but I had lost all logical thinking at this point.

Finally I reached the end of my rope, the end of myself.

I gave up . . .

Trying to control things I could not. Bad reviews might hurt for a short time, but now I try to learn from them and keep moving forward.

I gave up . . .

Allowing my fears of never being good enough to paralyze me until I couldn’t breathe, much less write.

And I gave up . . .

Thinking my work is better, or worse, than it is. Now I love revisions because they allow me to step back and see my writing again with new eyes. Re-vision.

Writers work hard and we dream and plan and dream some more about becoming successful in the eyes of the world. If that’s all we strive for, we will always fall short. We will never have enough good reviews, or book sales, or awards.   

I’m a natural born worrier, but when I fret and stew and agonize over any writing that is finished and out of my hands, I am not trusting God to use it for His purposes, not mine.

Sir Winston Churchill and Agnes Hopper—a senior, spunky protagonist in my books—have both been known to say: Never, never, never give up!

Great advice.

My writer friend who shouted “I quit” into the early morning darkness was not giving up on writing, though she had considered doing just that in times past. No, she had finally surrendered her work to the God of the Universe whose plans are to bless us, not to harm us, and to give us a future and a hope.

What about you? Have you ever closed your computer or laid down your pen and said, “I’m finished with this writing business.”

Writing can be hard, lonely, and heart wrenching at times. But you do not have to walk your pathway alone. Let us hear from you.

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Carol Guthrie Heilman, a coal miner's daughter, married her high school sweetheart, a farmer's son. She began writing family stories, especially about her dad's Appalachian humor, for newspapers and magazines. One day her mother said, "We don't have any secrets any more!" Carol's book series, Agnes Hopper Shakes Up Sweetbriar and Agnes Hopper Bets on Murder, was inspired by her mother's spunky spirit and her dad's humor. She has recently moved, along with her husband of fifty-plus years, from the mountains of NC to Charleston, SC. They love to play cards, go antiquing, hike, and visit grandsons on the east and west coasts. Her social media links: Website: www.carolheilman.com  Author Page: amazon.com/author/carolheilman Facebook www.facebook.com/carolgheilman Twitter: twitter.com/CarolHeilman

I Write for the Money

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

With a stipend from his mother that was short of supporting a life style other officers were accustomed to, Winston Churchill turned to writing to supplement his income. Churchill began a career as a war correspondent partly due to a lack of income. He found himself as a second lieutenant with a less than desired income and unable to live the lifestyle of other officers earning more. Using his mother’s and familie’s influence, he made connections with several London newspapers and began earning what was considered a significant income.

Writing for the money usually does not work out if there is no love for the writing. Churchill did love expressing himself and informing the people back home of the current situations in such far off places like Cuba, India, Sudan and South Africa. What started as a necessity soon became a way of becoming a public figure. Once he was established as influential war correspondent he began writing his own books about the various campaigns he was in.

One way to look at doing something for the money is something I see on a regular basis. Young men and women starting out in business will tend to join civic organizations with the sole purpose of promoting themselves and their career. They choose the organization which they believe has the most influence in their realm of work and will hitch their wagon to it. Their lack of interest in the organization or its purpose is of very little consequence to them. They would never let their indifference to the organizations goals and efforts to achieve those goals get in the way of their selfish goals and the real reason why they are now a part of the group. Without the interest of the organization their membership will be of little value to them or their personal goals. You must love what you do.

The same can be said for writing. If you decided to get into writing for the love of expressing yourself you can easily find satisfaction here. If you are looking for wealth, notoriety or what the heck let’s just say it, “Fame and Fortune”, it may or may not come. One never knows. I suggest you enjoy the ride, love what you do and if all the other happens as it did to Churchill, enjoy that as well.

Here is hoping you find satisfaction and contentment in all you do, especially in your writing.  

 

      

       

The Eagle: My Bird of Choice for Thanksgiving

by Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor

We have an ample share of literature, movies and magazines that highlight the underbelly of our society. It takes little effort to find the demonic, pornographic or profanity packed works. It is available at every turn and is promoted in every manner. I was speaking to an ACW group and explained that if not for having grandchildren who generously share their G rated movies I would think there was nothing else but R rated movies and literature out there.

There is a large selection of wonderful entertainment available to us all. My concern is it can be difficult to find if it is something other than a Disney, Pixar, Thomas Nelson or other well-funded studio or publisher that can get the word out. There are many well done presentations that cannot get funded due to either the personal taste, social agenda or marketing decisions of a few executives. The works that are produced and not promoted must get the word out by building a platform and networking. With today’s social media, networking is a viable alternative.

Winston Churchill once said, “When the eagles are silent the parrots begin to jabber.” Feeling the parrots have jabbered long enough, Southern Writers Magazine was founded to highlight good literature and the authors that bring it to us. I feel fortunate to be a part of the marketing effort. This Thanksgiving one of my many things to be thankful for is the fact there are others that feel the way we do and they too are pursuing the good and positive part of our world of literature. To each of you who have become a part of the Southern Writers Magazine Family I say Thank You and Happy Thanksgiving! May your bird of choice be the eagle as you dare to speak and write words that positively impact the world.