Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 178
November 21, 2020
Writing, Thanksgiving
Whether you’re writing a Thanksgiving story, or writing about gratitude, there’s a few things to keep in mind. First, take care the tone of the piece. While helping your readers to find the joy, and be thankful, be careful not to sound critical. They’re already reading your piece because they want to view their lives positively, so avoid the danger of a condescending tone.
Second, whether a story or a inspirational piece, I would encourage you to not take the obvious path. It’s alright to be sentimental, but try and do so in a unique way. You can include all the traditional elements. It can be nostalgic, or even a little cheesy if it calls for it, but make the story your own.
For example, you can tell a story about how a family came together to celebrate Thanksgiving, only try and take a different path to get to the sentiment. If your story involves a ruined turkey, rather than have it not defrost or burnt, have the refrigerator catch fire the night before. It’s not about being different for different’s sake, but presenting in an interesting way.
Third, and perhaps the most important, end the story at a point of joy. Gift the reader with a feeling of being blessed. Show them love for yesterday, happiness in their present, and hope for tomorrow.
Writing Thanksgiving is about first being thankful yourself. It’s been a hard year, but in it babies were birthed, people found love, and new ideas were embraced. Writing about the joy you found in your corner of 2020, may help your readers turn the corner. When a writer can serve readers in this way, both the author and audience can be thankful for the experience.
November 19, 2020
Writing, Tasks
Some of the most important writing, is sharing steps with someone. Whether they leadership steps, instructions to construct something, or time management steps, how they’re written is very important. Dry steps, overly dramatic steps, or worst of all, unclear directions, can cause a reader to abandon both the project, and your advice.
First, if you are writing anything, I believe in keeping it from being boring, but it shouldn’t be a trilogy either. I would encourage you to be interesting, yet concise.
Second, make the application clear. My Pastor taught me, no matter how amazing the idea, if you don’t provide application for the listener, you’ve let them down. Give the reader simple steps to follow, whether it’s putting together a Christmas toy, or a rocket ship. Especially if it’s a Christmas toy actually.
Third, be encouraging, not condescending. When you’ve accomplished something, at least in writing, it’s easy to come across the wrong way. This will turn your readers off. Expertise is wonderful, and will be sought out. The wrong attitude, even if only perceived will cause them to ignore the good you’ve shared.
These three simple steps will help you make any task clear. If they have questions, give them clear answers, in an intriguing way, and say it with the reassurance that they can accomplish it. This will make writing tasks, yours and their own, much easier for all to achieve.
November 18, 2020
Writing, Small
One of my favorite stories I’ve ever written consists of 80 words, including the title. It was written for a site that I don’t believe is still in existence, but the challenge was could you write a story under a specific word count.
I’ll post it at the end for example purposes, but it was exciting because of the limitations it presented. This is a great exercise to jump start a slow writing day, or deal with writer’s block. It’s also one of those tools to keep in your toolbox in the future.
I would encourage you to try today to tell a story in 80 words. It will be hard at first, but it will stretch your writing. You may find it helps you say more with less when you go back to your main writing project. Writing small can grow into larger writing achievements.
The Anchor
Eric stood at the wheel. The spray washed over his face. He was determined to push through.
The French crew was upon them suddenly. They searched the entire vessel, overlooking nothing.
Finally, they left Eric, a beaten crew, and a wounded ship. It would barely reach the next port.
The crew wanted revenge. A price for their pain, their pride, & their purse. Eric grinned.
“Hoist the anchor, & retrieve what they couldn’t find. Victory carries more weight than revenge!”
November 17, 2020
iPainting Autumn Trees
Writing, Tools
Every craft person has their tools, some are conventional, some are unique to them. Writers are no different. There are tools that are used by writers of all kinds, and then there are some that are very personal.
Each writer will find a routine that works for them. Some people can write anywhere, others need a specific place to write. I will say, having a specific location is like a jumpstart to your writing. However, others are less connected to a place, and more a state of mind.
If you are able to find a place to write, it will almost always go better. Even if a place doesn’t matter as much to you. It sets you up to be productive, and to be able to only focus on the writing.
I love using my iPad to write, but have written many things on my phone. In addition to having a best writing setup, have a field setup. Find an app, a physical notepad, or something you can jot ideas on. Save your ideas somewhere, treat them like bits of your favorite foods, they are that valuable to your writing future.
I mentioned it above, but my iPad is my favorite way to write. I love it, others can’t stand a keyboard. Many still write with an old fashioned legal pad and ink pen. Others use a laptop or desktop. Some still use a typewriter. Many have found recording audio the best way to write. Find what works for you.
Other tools are more unique. I’ve heard Agatha Christie used to act out every character to plot her books. I don’t know if she did, but in my mind I could see her in the kitchen or library waving her arms and trying her best accent for the Belgian detective.
For myself, one of the ways that I work is two or three totally separate ideas tend to merge together in an unexpected way. They may not be recognizable in the story itself, but those idea merges have sparked some of my favorite writing projects. At the same time, you want to avoid your tools going from routine to rut.
Try to introduce new things into your writing process regularly. This will not only keep your writing from being boring, it will keep you from being bored with your writing. Also remember, tools are wonderful, but they are still tools. Don’t get so attached to an old tool that you don’t at least try a new one.
New tools can be frustrating, but they will also add new elements to your writing. They can take you into areas you never dreamed of. Writing should never be something that you feel you’ve mastered, it should always be a subject you’re learning about. This is true whether you’ve written one book, or thirty. There is always more to learn, and new tools to explore in your writing.
November 16, 2020
Writing, Simply
Writing should speak to the reader, and not seek to impress the reader with ten dollar words. Ten dollar words cost more than you think, and they’re almost always at the expense of the writer. It’s not that the reader doesn’t know the words, it’s the implication behind them.
My Uncle used to take a couple of big bills, and wrap them around a large number of one dollar bills. This was designed to impress, the problem hit when you discovered how little it all added up to. Writing simply in plain English, connects with your readers, tells your story, and can turn out to be a masterpiece.
There is a reason that we love both A Christmas Carol and Huckleberry Finn. Each writer wrote quote unquote more sophisticated stuff, but these two simple masterpieces have touched lives around the world. These men didn’t write to show off their brilliance, they wrote to entertain and inform the reader.
How to write simply goes beyond not using impressive words. It’s about the spirit behind the words, serving the reader. When you make your writing, even your story, about the reader, you make a friend. Friends return often to visit.
Simply writing also doesn’t mean you can’t cover complex concepts, only that they should be communicable. The reason children fall in love with something complex as science, or adults who hated history class love documentaries, is because they’re told not in academic language, but as a communicable story. If you write simply, you will find yourself writing at a higher level than ever before.
November 15, 2020
Poem Leaves
Leaves find color when summer leaves
Experience, pain, and hope all weaves
Light into places dark and dry
There is way and reason to try
Keep going the season will birth
Joy, peace, and treasure worth
Every second, fight, and minute
Fall bears hope, and Thanksgiving in it.
Writing, Life
How do you put in words your own life’s story? Maybe it’s a specific event, or a period of growth, success, or even pain. I would start with giving the reader an idea of why you want to share.
For example, we as you may know by now, are proudly adopted parents of our son Nicholas. So we want people to know how wonderful adoption has been in our life. As well as how much we treasure our little boy. It’s our hope someone else will make adoption part of their lives.
I share our struggles beforehand. We tell of how our faith sustained us through it all. I walk people through the adoption process, but most importantly, I share how it was worth every moment. We’re the first to tell you, we would not change one second of our story, because it gave us Nicholas.
In writing life, whether the happiness or the struggle, I would encourage you to give readers hope. I believe this is one of the greatest gifts a writer can share with their readers.
Even if you are writing about a dark time in your life, or a current struggle, share hope. The hope that either brought you out, or the fact that you are in this to win. If you’re not to the finish line yet, let them see a teammate who is leading them into the winner’s circle.
Writing life from this perspective, not only provides hope, but gives the reader a road map. You are saying this is how I arrived at a better place. Your path may show them the steps that they had not seen for themselves.
This year especially, people are in need of examples of victory. They want someone to whisper you’re going to be okay, and here’s how to help get there. Writers share your experience, give the gift of hope, someone is waiting to read it into their very own story.
November 14, 2020
iPainting Mt Juliet Barn
The Beaver Egg – A Story Of Adoption
November is very special to our family, it’s Adoption Awareness Month. It’s also the month that our son’s adoption was finalized. This story is dedicated to all the families blessed by adoption.
Ed and Julie Beaver loved children, they longed for a little cub of their own. All of the other beavers had little ones, except for Ed and Julie. They didn’t understand at first, but then they prayed a simple prayer. They prayed it for a lot of nights.
One evening, there was a knock outside their home. When they opened it, no one was there, except for an egg. They took the egg inside, and put it in blankets, and waited.
A few days later, the egg hatched. When it did, Julie thought it was beautiful, even though she didn’t know what he was. He had a little beaver like tail, and fur, but a bill like a duck. She loved him instantly.
Ed had read a lot, and he had a book on Australia. “He’s a Platypus, though how a Platypus ended up in Oregon, I don’t know.”
They named the little platypus Nicholas. “You are our gift from God.” The other beavers were so happy for Ed and Julie, and fascinated by Nicholas.
Nicholas grew up knowing he was both loved and adopted, knowing that he was an answer to prayer. Momma would always say to her little platypus. “God always planned for us to be a family, we just had to wait for His promise to hatch first.”
Nicholas was a very special child. Everyone around him could see that great things were ahead of him. His parents loved him so very much. Nicholas knew God had something very important for him to do, and while he didn’t know what that was yet, he spent each day doing everything as best he could.
His Mom and Dad taught him how to swim, and build. To help others, even when it wasn’t easy. Also, to always be kind to everyone he met. Nicholas was a good listener, to his parents, and to others.
One day, when he was a grown platypus, there was a terrible storm. There was a flood, which affected the highway. A truck headed to the aquarium went off the road. While the driver climbed to safety, the animals inside were trapped.
Nicholas dove into the water, and managed, with his Dad and Mom’s help, to get the rear door of the truck opened. They were able to help the animals inside escape just in time. There were otters, fish in containers, and even a girl platypus named Penny. Nicholas was a hero, which was no surprise to his parents.
All children are special, not because of ability, beauty, or talent. They are special because they are given by God. The wonderful thing is, every parent, whether carried in the stomach, or the womb of the heart, thinks their child is the greatest. God never argues with this, because He designed it that way.
Julie and Ed had always known their son was special. From the moment God gave them Nicholas, they were in love with him. They never did find out how the egg arrived at their door. This was probably because they didn’t try, not that there is anything wrong with that, but the only answer they needed was held in their arms. Nicholas’ parents didn’t have to know anything, except that God had always intended for them to be a family.
