Catholic Writing and Publishing – Page 13

Three Different Types of Editing (and why the title “Editor” is confusing!)

July 21, 2022/2 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Editing, Encouragement for Writers, fiction, non-fiction, Self-Publishing, Writing Tips and Tricks/by Anjanette Barr

“I sent it to an editor and it came back with so many errors!”

“My beta readers said I really need an editor, but I had it proofread,
so I don’t understand what they mean!”

“My manuscript is completely finished and now
I just have to get it into the hands of an editor who will publish it!”

Maybe you’ve heard writer-friends say things like the above? If you’re thinking that it sounds like these hypothetical authors all have different concepts of what an editor is and does, you’re spot on, and if you are new to writing and publishing, it can be very confusing! Before I started working at a literary agency, I worked for an editing and design company, helping authors take the necessary steps to self-publish or find a publisher for their books. I received emails all day long from people who needed help sorting through their editing options.

I’m going to outline the primary types of editing for you below, but if you’d rather listen to me speak on this subject than read about it, you can also find a loose reproduction of the text here on my YouTube channel, The Book Barr.

THREE TYPES OF EDITING

Developmental Editing

Most manuscripts need to start here. Developmental editing can be formally done by an industry professional or informally by a critique group or beta readers. This type of editing looks at the big picture — plotting, organization, pacing, dialogue, character development, worldbuilding, etc.

Both fiction and non-fiction authors need developmental work, and they need it long before they are ready to move on to the other types of editing that focus on more minute details like spelling and grammar. So much can change in a manuscript during developmental editing! The goal is to take a step back and look at the work as objectively as possible to increase readability and maximize impact.

People often assume that when you “hire an editor,” you’ll get both high and low-level help, but commonly, you’ll find editors gifted in one or the other, but not both, types of editing. Most of us are either concept people or detail people, right-brain or left-brain thinkers, highly creative or highly meticulous. Editors are no different. I’m sure you can think through the wide range of personalities and giftings God has given us and see why some people are going to lean more toward proficiency in developmental editing than what comes next, which is…

Line Editing

This kind of editing is also sometimes called copyediting, though there are subtle differences between the two. Because these terms are used interchangeably, it’s very important to determine what exactly you’re paying for when you hire any editor.

Line editing looks at grammar and syntax, line-by-line. A line editor looks at each word used and whether it conveys the intended meaning, is redundant, or sometimes even whether or not it’s offensive or archaic. A line editor may make suggestions about the paragraph-level organization, but not usually on issues that span the whole chapter or manuscript.

If a line-level editor makes a distinction between line editing and copyediting, what they usually mean is that copyediting is where very specific mechanical rules are examined. This is especially important in non-fiction when academic style guides like MLA or the Chicago Manual of Style are used. Fiction authors have a lot more leeway, and a line editor will be the one to make sure house-style (the preferences of a particular publishing house) is followed and grammar rules are consistent—whether or not to use an Oxford comma, for instance. (The answer is yes, by the way.)

Proofreading

Proofreading is the very last (and usually the cheapest) step. A manuscript should be as “done” as an author can get it before it goes to proofreading. Proofreaders look for misspellings, repeated words, missing words, incorrect punctuation, and other things that are easy to pass over when you’ve read something many times.

Proofreading is not the discount version of line editing. Proofreaders can get justifiably frustrated when they are paid a lower rate to clean up a very messy manuscript. Most of us in this industry love words, and no one wants to see a book go out into the world unpolished. So be kind and hire the right kind of editor to ensure they are getting paid to do the job they signed up for.

PUBLISHING HOUSE EDITORS, BETA READERS, AND BEYOND

To further add to the confusion, the primary contact for authors at a publishing house is also called an Editor. These are not freelancers that you hire, though they may be talented as developmental or line editors and may even do some of that work on the side. These Editors are the professionals who see books through from acquisition to publication. They are the ones you have to impress with your polished manuscript – which very well may mean you need to hire an editor before you can approach an Editor (capitalization is mine, but useful for thinking about these roles).

And as I touched on before, there are other ways to approach editing. You may have a group of writer friends read and give you feedback or hire someone for a brief manuscript critique. Your literary agent (I wrote a post about who needs one here) may also act as an editor to get your project as ready as possible to land that book deal.

Writing is usually done in solitude, but really good writing almost always involves a team. Don’t be afraid to add editors to your roster!

Cath-Lit Live: A Garden for Mary

July 20, 2022/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Childrens' Books/by Amy Cattapan

“Cath-Lit Live!” features brief interviews with Catholic authors who are releasing new books. Hosted by Catholic author and speaker Amy J. Cattapan, “Cath-Lit Live!” gives viewers a glimpse into the latest Catholic books while getting to know a bit about the author as well.

A Garden for Mary by Neena Gaynor; illustrated by Bernadette Gockowski

A Garden for Mary is a lyrical children’s story that gets to the root of devotion to Jesus’s mother through sacred prayer and scripture. With classic watercolors of vibrant blooms, buzzing bees, and curious chipmunks, families seeking an introduction to the rich catholic tradition of Marian Gardens will find a treasured resource to enjoy and pass down from generation to generation. Complete with an illustrated appendix of flowers associated with Our Lady, A Garden for Mary will inspire readers to grow bouquets for heaven and deepen their love for our heavenly mother. (TAN Books)

About the author: Neena Gaynor is a Kentucky wife, mother, and beekeeper. She’s spent much of her adult life living out of a suitcase with her husband, Wade, a former professional baseball player. Throughout the 30 changes of address, the stresses of moving a young family, and working many of those years as a nurse, she learned to embrace the peace that only comes from Christ. Now, Neena and her family are small farmers, raising chickens, sheep, bees, and two little boys. She is an adult ministry leader at her parish, the writer behind the Words Like Honey column, which is carried by many secular and religious publications, a frequent radio guest, and the author of the Catholic novel, The Bird and the Bees, and the newly released children’s picture book, A Garden for Mary. Find more at WordsLikeHoney.com

You can catch “Cath-Lit Live” live on A.J. Cattapan’s author Facebook page. Recorded versions of the show will also be available to watch later on her YouTube channel and Instagram.

Even Scraps, Received in Faith, Bring Healing

July 14, 2022/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Faith, Hope, Love, Mercy, Prayer, Spiritual Life, The Mystery of Suffering/by Allison Gingras

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone. ~ Mark 7:26-30

How many demons do we need Jesus to drive out? Do you struggle with insecurity, anxiety, uncertainty, maybe addiction, a difficult relationship, or financial crisis? How remarkable that even the smallest grace from Jesus, the scraps, has the power to transform our life. Imagine the possible freedom awaiting us if we embraced even a tiny bit of the blessings Jesus has to offer us. The gifts available from heaven are abundant, meaning we do not need to settle for the crumbs, yet if that were all we allowed ourselves to dine upon we’d still be filled.

Our lives would not be perfect or free from those things that worry, concern, or pain us, but there would be a sense of inner peace and hope that can only come from heaven. The woman came to Jesus prepared to be persistent, humble, and assured. Persistent in her begging; humble enough to address Him as Lord and take whatever scraps He offered; and surely she believed what He said was done because she left for home at His command. When was the last time I approached Jesus in that way—begging for some assistance, humbled by His majesty and glory, and yet completely sure that I would, in some way, receive a blessing? Confident in Jesus’ answer to my prayer, regardless of what I sought, accepting the scraps falling from the heavenly banquet?

So, what holds us back from being fed by Jesus? Feeling, perhaps, unworthy of even the crumbs from His table? How can the Syrophoenician woman’s example encourage us to approach Jesus for assistance in whatever demons we are trying to eradicate from our lives?

Jesus, I believe that you have so much more to offer me than I am ever able to accept. Lord, I thank you for calling me to your banquet, and whether I put myself at the table for the feast or at your feet for the crumbs, help me to be always assured I will never be without your blessing and grace.

Let Jesus In

July 8, 2022/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Inspirational/by Maria Riley

Discernment can be a difficult task, and as Catholic writers, this includes our discernment for our writing. I have found that the only way to find clear directions, regardless if we write fiction or nonfiction, is to invite Jesus to be our guide.

I long to do the will of God, but at times I am caught by paralyzing fears of inadequacy and ineptitude. I do not have a formal Catholic education, and in my weak moments I start to believe that I do not have anything to offer or contribute to the world of Catholic writing. Even though that I have family members, friends, and even my priest cheering me on, I fall prey to these vicious inferiority thoughts.

I read Saint Thérèse of Lisieux’s Autobiography, The Story of a Soul. for a project I’m working on. I highly recommend it! She wrote it as a response to a request from her superior in the convent, and it reads like a letter written to a friend. I felt like Thérèse wrote it directly to me.

Thérèse’s life on earth outwardly seemed unremarkable (she became a Carmelite nun at age 15 and died at age 24); but thanks to The Story of a Soul, people like me have been learning about her profound yet simple way to heaven for more than 100 years. It is not written eloquently, but its message has changed countless lives. Because of this journal-style book, she has been named one of only four female Doctors of the Church.

Many phrases and ideas struck me, but none more so than her open confession to not being educated by traditional means. She tells us that she struggled with understanding deeply theological books, but that Jesus gave her the knowledge and understanding directly. She says, “Jesus has no need of books or doctors of the Church to guide souls. He, the Doctor of doctors, can teach without words.” (Martin, Thérèse. The Story of a Soul. Translated by John Beevers. Image Books, 1989).

I reread those words many times to let them fully sink in. The concept of being taught by Jesus directly makes so much sense, even though I never realized it before. I now know, if I will let Him, Jesus will teach me too. I do not need extra letters after my name to have something valuable to contribute to the world, because my words are not my own when Jesus is my guide. As long as I am inviting Jesus in, His will can and will be done through me.

Seal of Approval, Second Quarter 2022

June 30, 2022/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing/by Katelin Cummins

The Catholic Writers Guild recently conferred the Seal of Approval on the following books:

Breastplate of Righteousness, Theresa Linden
Lucia of Fatima, Kathryn Swegart
Eyes of Fire, Mina Ambrose
Van Horn, Jim Sano
A Saint in the Family, Corinna Turner

The purpose of the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval is to help Catholic bookstores and venues in their determination of the Catholicity of a work. This reassurance from a professional organization can assist authors in marketing and promoting their works. Books are also judged by their editorial integrity as well. Books that are not professionally edited or publication-ready are not eligible for the Seal of Approval.

Authors looking to reach a Catholic audience, but whose books do not qualify for an imprimatur (like fiction), or authors who do not have access to the process to get an Imprimatur, can submit their book for the SoA. It provides a tangible reassurance to readers and bookstore owners that the book does support Catholic beliefs and values; and in the case that it does not, it gives the author some useful feedback.

Readers can be assured that SoA books will not offend their faith and have a certain level of editorial quality.

Store owners can be assured that they can stock the book on their shelves, host the author for a signing, etc. without compromising their appearance or mission as a faithful Catholic apostolate.

Get more information on the Seal of Approval, including when and how to apply, at CatholicWritersGuild.org/seal-approval.

Five New Marketing Ideas To Try

June 28, 2022/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Marketing Your Work/by Sarah Anne Carter

Once you have a book, most authors need to do some of their own marketing. The typical means are usually websites, blogs, social media and ads. The world is constantly changing, though, and new ways to market books and writing are coming all the time. Here are some “newer” ideas you might want to try.

Use a Cricut

Are there any items you could make that go well with your book? Mugs? Bookmarks? T-shirts? Bags? While you don’t necessarily need a Cricut to make items that complement your book, it can make it much easier. I was at a book fair and noticed other authors had bookmarks, coloring pages, t-shirts and bags for sale in addition to their books. I decided to make mugs, bookmarks, and a coffee sugar scrub to go along with my books when I sell them at a market or fair. It catches people’s eyes, gives them something to buy if they’re not a big reader, and gives you the option to sell packages of items.

Think about the Homeschoolers

Homeschooling has increased substantially over the past two years. If your book is for children or young adults, can you develop worksheets that can go along with the book? You could sell them with or without the book or even offer one or two freebies to get parents interested in using your book at home with their children. If your book is for adults, look at creating discussion questions that could be used with a book club. You could even offer to show up via Zoom.

Offer to do a School Workshop

Schools are opening back up to pre-Covid activities and they are often looking for enrichment opportunities to catch kids up who have fallen behind. Offer to teach a writing workshop and have a flyer the children can take home that lists your Web site and how to buy your books. You can also do these writing workshops at a library. Some schools and libraries pay the author a small fee and some don’t.

Podcasts

There are a plethora of podcasts out there now, but that also means there are many looking for guests to talk to on their shows. Going into a podcast platform and searching for key words related to your book or writing style should give you a long list of podcast hosts to contact about going on their show. If this is something you are highly interested in doing, it might be worth investing in a microphone or headset to increase the quality of your audio. Some podcasters also do video and post it on YouTube or other channels. If that’s the case, check your camera and lighting, too.

Substack/Patreon

Substack and Patreon are two new platforms where people can offer content for different pay levels. I honestly haven’t used either much yet (I just signed up for Substack), but I’ve heard them talked about on writing podcasts and they sound promising. You can use it as a blogging platform or put new content on it, like the serials in old newspapers. You could tease new chapters or books, too. (I’ll probably do a blog post on Substack after I use it more.) They sound like they’re worth checking out, though.

Have you come across any newer ways for an author to market their writing? Share them in the comments!

Do Catholic Authors Need Literary Agents?

June 16, 2022/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Marketing Your Work, Writing Tips and Tricks/by Anjanette Barr

The publishing world is constantly changing. It responds to new technologies (ebooks, print-on-demand), new cultural norms (demands for equal representation, trendy subject matter), and new opportunities for growth (higher literacy rates, more affluent readers, more authors to choose from). The status quo is never static for very long.

The role of literary agents continues to flex and change as well, and most writers are aware that, in some cases, agents are left out of the publishing process altogether. However, when you attend larger writing conferences or read writing advice, it might sound like a foregone conclusion that all authors desire or even require an agent to be traditionally published. What about Catholic authors? Is this true in our little corner of publishing?

What Literary Agents Do

Let’s begin by clarifying the role of a literary agent. Simply stated, a literary agent is an advocate for authors who assists them in securing advantageous publishing deals for their books in exchange for a percentage (usually 15%) of the profits. An author who is “represented” by an agent can expect to receive support in the form of career coaching, developmental editing, a foot in the door at publishing houses they plan to pitch to, help with contract negotiations, and management of financial and legal issues related to publishing.

Literary agents are go-between support, not affiliated with a particular publishing house. They are not paid up-front for their services but rather on commission. (Some agents have side jobs in other areas of publishing, and just recently, the industry rules changed to make it easier for them to make money as freelance editors and the like, but you should never pay for representation.)

Catholic Publishing

In the publishing world, the majority of titles that come out each year are considered “general market.” Publishers in this category have fairly standard expectations and procedures that include the use of literary agents. There are smaller niches within the larger market with slightly different needs and rules.

Religious publishing is a niche that runs the gamut from “Big Four” deals for titles that make it to the shelves at every Barnes & Noble to tiny presses marketing only to clergy. Catholic publishers are on the smaller end of the spectrum and, like many small presses, have a wide variety of acquisition methods that are not always aligned with the standards of the rest of the industry.

Who Needs an Agent?

These days, all but the smallest imprints of Big Four publishing houses require agent representation for their authors. Publishing houses like Simon & Schuster, Little Brown, St. Martin’s Press, and even Tor Books do not allow authors to pitch them directly. They would receive so many manuscripts that they’d never see the bottom of their pile if they didn’t use agents.

Editors at these big houses value literary agents as scouts who send them only quality manuscripts that fit their brand and who will help with communication and managing expectations with their authors so that everything runs smoothly. Catholic authors who write (fiction or non-fiction) for a general audience may very well find that getting a literary agent on your side is a necessary first step.

However, many independent publishers and most religious publishers, including all the Catholic publishers that I’m aware of, accept unsolicited and unagented manuscripts. Their submission load is small enough that they do not need agents to filter the flow, and they publish only a few titles per year so that contract negotiations aren’t a huge burden.

So does that mean anyone publishing with a Catholic publisher should keep their 15% and do away with literary agents?

Not a Need, but Maybe a Want

When I decided to pursue a career in literary representation, it wasn’t because the pay is lucrative (did I mention agents aren’t paid until after the book sells?) or because I’m power-hungry and want to decide who gets published. Agenting appeals to me because I love the process of book creation. I love seeing ideas fly out into the world and seeing readers and authors find the soul-deep connections that books magically facilitate. And, I know books.

All of the literary agents I have met are quintessential “book people.” Like editors and almost everyone else in this business, agents absolutely love coming alongside authors and helping them get polished manuscripts into the perfect reader’s hands. They are also serious about standing up for the rights and benefits of their authors. This service isn’t necessarily needed because publishing houses are exploitative (though there are some bad apples out there) but more so because publishers have their bottom line to consider and may not always offer their best deals to authors without some back-and-forth. Having an agent handle the gritty details spares the editor and author from uncomfortable conversations and helps ensure everyone is happy at the end of the day.

And even if having an agent doesn’t end up meaning a better deal (some smaller houses may not have the resources to compete for a title but might still be the perfect fit), it does mean having a partner. In a vocation that can feel isolating, having someone rooting for you can be priceless.

How We Learned About the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

June 7, 2022/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing/by Larry Peterson

Jesus gave St. Margaret Mary His Sacred Heart; St. Claude gave St. Margaret Mary to the world

Claude de la Colombiere was born in 1641 in the old province of Dauphine, in France. He was the third child of Bertrand Colombiere and Margaret Coindat. Soon after Claude was born, the family moved to the town of Vienne, where the young boy began his education. It was during this time period that Claude began feeling the call to the Jesuit priesthood.

Claude began his secondary studies at the Jesuit school in Lyon. He was now seventeen and, wrote in his journal, that he had “a terrible aversion for the life embraced.” Later on, those who knew him attributed those comments to his being away from home and missing his family, to who. he was very close. Plus, he loved the arts, literature, and an active social life. But the selfless side of Claude won out, and he entered the Jesuit novitiate at Avignon. Here he finished his studies in rhetoric and philosophy.

In 1666 he went to the College of Clermont in Paris to study theology. He took his first vows and completed his studies in philosophy. He became a professor of grammar and literature and stayed in that position for the next five years. Well known for his tact, poise, and devotion to the humanities, his superiors appointed him the tutor for the children of France’s Minister of Finance, Jean Baptiste Colbert. Unknown to Claude, God had bigger plans for him.

Claude, now a priest, returned to Lyon. Here he taught in the college and became a full-time preacher and also the moderator of several Marian congregations. After 15 years as a Jesuit, Father Colombiere began his probation in the Jesuits’ final spiritual formation. This is known as the Tertianship, and it would be the final pathway for the priest to his still-unknown destiny.

Upon Father Colombiere’s profession of solemn vows, he was named rector of the College at Paray-le-Monial. Most people who knew of Father Colombiere wondered why such a talented priest would be sent to such an unknown and obscure place. The answer was well known to the superiors’ who sent him.

He was sent there to see a simple, humble nun at the Monastery of the Visitation. Her name was Margaret Mary Alacoque. The reports were that she told her superiors that Jesus was appearing to her and revealing the secrets of His Most Sacred Heart.

Sister Margaret Mary was being spurned by the other sisters and ridiculed. She tormented over and was uncertain of what was actually happening. Jesus had told Sister Margaret Mary that He would send her the “faithful servant and perfect friend.”

Sister Margaret Mary had endured much because of the disbelief of the other nuns at the monastery. She felt isolated and alone, even though she had been chosen by Christ Himself to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart. When Father Colombiere arrived at the monastery and began hearing the confessions of all the nuns, Sister Mary Margaret knew the “faithful servant and perfect friend” whom Jesus had promised her had finally come.

She willingly confided in Father Colombiere and opened her heart to him. After speaking and meeting with her a number of times, Father Colombiere was convinced of the truthfulness and the validity of her visions. He became her most ardent supporter, and an apostle for the devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Father Colombiere left Paray in 1676 and headed for London. He kept in touch with Sister Margaret Mary by letter. He had been assigned to be the preacher to the Duchess of York, and later to the Queen of Great Britain. He even took up residence in St. James Palace.

Colombiere’s belief and loyalty to his Catholic faith never wavered, even under the intense pressure against the Catholic faith in England. In 1678 he was accused and arrested as one of those involved in the fictional “popish plot” designed to overthrow King Charles II. He spent over three weeks in squalid prison conditions weakening his frail health to the point of no return.

After his release in 1679, he was sent back to Paray. Father Colombiere died on February 15, 1682, from severe hemorrhage. He was 41 years old.

Jesus had appeared to St. Margaret Mary revealing His wishes for devotion to His Sacred Heart. But it was St. Colombiere who helped the quiet, humble visionary announce it to the world. Father Claude de la Colombiere was canonized a saint on May 31, 1992, by St. John Paul II. His feast day is February 15.

St. Colombiere, please pray for us.

Sacred Energy

June 4, 2022/0 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing/by Margaret Zacharias

“…When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues…

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven
staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language…”

From United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – Readings for the Pentecost Sunday
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060522-day.cfm

Who is the Holy Spirit? For that matter, what does the word “spirit,” even in its generic sense, really mean?

The author of Acts provides some vivid images that can help us discern a few hints about the domain of “spirit” — sound, wind, fire, and language.

Each of these symbols represents a different type of energy. All of them are energy with the power to transform.

Noise is a sound, and so is oral speech. Sound travels through the air in waves. It has been demonstrated by science to be a form of energy. Those sound waves can carry the musical notes of a Bach cantata praising God; or the horrific shock of sudden gunfire.

Wind is also a form of energy, a force of moving air that can engender metamorphosis.

Autumn gales blow colorful foliage from trees, revealing their skeleton structure and announcing a time of dormancy in the fertile underground. Windmills spin on plateaus and hillsides to provide the electricity that sustains our domestic appliances and technology. Yet a spring tornado or derecho can level thousands of crop acres. It can destroy entire villages, towns and cities.

Fire transforms matter into energy. The ancient images of a candle flame or a fire in the hearth evoke comfort, light in the darkness and warmth from the cold. But uncontrolled fire can consume and destroy everything in its path – forests, homes, and lives.

These images from the Pentecost readings suggest that the Holy Spirit is a vital new wave of divine energy. It was provided for Christ’s apostles and their listeners with preparation, direction, and purpose.

Its purpose is reflected in the apostle’s words of proclamation, a message that could be understood by each visitor to Jerusalem, “in their own language.”

The Holy Spirit, like the sounds, winds, and fire of natural creation, flows from the Godhead. On this occasion, its force erases artificial divisions and misunderstandings among human beings who speak in different tongues.

But note that everyone here is “gathered” in one place and described as “devout.”

The apostles have already been prepared by Jesus to receive this miraculous energy pouring forth from the Holy Spirit. They have been transformed and made ready to transmit it to others. The people in the crowd have also made themselves ready to receive it.

The energy carried by the Paraclete is graceful, intentional, and generative.

But we are all acquainted with other expressions of energy, and other kinds of “spirits.” In today’s electronic world, we are constantly bombarded by them.

So, as Catholic writers this June, we might want to contemplate:

What kind of energy seems to be most prominent in our daily lives?

How well are we focusing and directing our own energies?

How are we making time to receive the energy of the Holy Spirit?

How can we best communicate it to others?

Veni Sancte Spiritus.

Sometimes There Are No Words …

May 24, 2022/2 Comments/in Catholic Writing and Publishing, Encouragement for Writers, The Writing Life/by Sarah Anne Carter

There are some days when the words won’t come—and that’s okay.

It can be because of hard times. It can be because of good times. It can just be.

The best cure when the words won’t come is rest.

This life we live calls us to daily find a balance of the 24 hours we are given. A writer who is committed to writing 500 words daily may find days where it doesn’t happen—and that’s okay.

I’m one of those writers and the words haven’t come for about a week now. I’m writing this a week before you’ll read it and by then, I know I will be back to getting words written in my novel.

Tomorrow, though, my friend will bury her 11-year-old who died suddenly and tragically. My focus has been on that tragedy—dealing with the heartbreak and helping where we can. Tomorrow there will be no words— written or spoken—and that will be okay.

It doesn’t take a tragedy to take away words. It can be a bad headache, a terrible cold, a financial burden that must be solved.

It can even be wonderful things that take away words. It can be a day at the beach, a family member’s birthday or a day-long hike.

While writers make commitments and need to write, we also need to find rest and balance. (I know my last blog post was on writing consistently, but bear with me.)

Being a Catholic writer gives a purpose—a higher calling. Knowing that and resting on that gives a writer the leeway to be okay on the days when words won’t come. That day can still be used for God’s glory and good, but perhaps the writer is needed to be used in other ways than with words.

If a day comes with no words, take time to rest. Take time to be present. Mull over your story in your mind. Pray. Spend time outside. God made us more than to be just a writer—first we are His children.

Don’t make up the words the next day or beat yourself up because you’re “behind.” You are right where God wants you to be that day. He knows that awful or wonderful or just plain day is a day where the words won’t come.

After the days when words won’t come, there will be days when they do.

If you’re stuck, here’s a prayer from St. Frances de Sales on writing:

Ah, sweet Jesus, my Lord, my Savior, and my God, behold me here prostrate before your Majesty as I pledge and consecrate this writing to your glory. By your blessing give life to its words so that the souls for whom it has been written may receive from it the sacred inspirations I desire for them, in particular that of imploring your infinite mercy in my behalf to the end that while I point out to others the way of devotion in this world I myself may not be rejected and eternally condemned in the other, but that with them I may forever sing as a canticle of triumph words that with my whole heart I utter in witness of fidelity amid the hazards of this mortal life: Live, Jesus! Live, Jesus! Yes, Lord Jesus, live and reign in our hearts forever and ever. Amen.

What do you do when you have no words?