Month: May 2024

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Actively Listening Enhances Our Writing

In my previous blog I said that learning to actively listen can make us a better writer. Let’s look into it.

In her book, Listening: Its Impact at All Levels on Reading and Other Language Arts (1979), Sara Lundsteen said, “Listening is the foundation for speaking, which is the foundation for reading, which is the foundation for writing.” She taught that since listening is a foundation for writing, active listening can further enhance the author’s writing. I want to follow up on that.

Actively listening to others – rather than passively listening, or interrupting – can increase our vocabulary. An increased vocabulary allows us to give people in our stories a wider range of expression.

Actively listening to others can teach us how others think. Learning how others think allows us to create a greater number of characters, with wider intellectual capacity, and a more complex personality. That, in turn, can give us the potential for a much more interesting story.

But actively listening also helps us personally. I found that when I learned how to actively listen, without interrupting, I began interacting on a more mature level, and people began asking for my thoughts and opinions. By listening, I gained a broader audience and became a better writer.

Listening will help you too, and help you to …

Write Creatively.

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The Art of Conversation

On October 5, 2015, Larry Alton wrote: “6 Tips to Rule the Art of Conversation.” Tip #5 is: “Let the other person do the talking.”

On July 21, 2014 Eric Barker listed 7 points of having a good conversation with #5th being: “Great Conversationalists Listen More than Talk.”

Brett and Kay McKay wrote “The Art of Conversation: 5 Dos and Don’ts” on September 24, 2010. #1 in the Dos section is “Listen more than you talk.” And #1 in the Don’ts section is: “Don’t interrupt.”

Yes, we should know how to prepare our thoughts, get our points across, guide the conversation, etc. But the best advice is: Don’t Interrupt.

That’s right: listen to the other person.

In New Mexico, a man came to talk about a problem. After about forty minutes of almost non-stop talking, he said, “Pastor Linzey, I need to get back to work now, but that’s one of the best conversations I ever had. I feel better already. Thank you.”

But I didn’t say much at all.

Interrupting someone as they are speaking is a manifestation of basic immaturity. Interrupting is rude. We expect interruption from a 3-year-old, but we should learn basic courtesy by the time we are eight. Interrupting reveals disregard for the one who is speaking.

One person often asks me a question, interrupts my answer, and forgets that he asked a question. And yes, I get good practice in listening.

As I was growing up, dad used to say, “When you talk, you’re not learning anything. But when you listen, you just might learn something. So practice listening.”

We should learn how to intelligently voice our thoughts. But the number one step in the art of conversation is the art of listening.  Listen to what’s being said so that you can respond intelligently.

James 1:19 (KJV) tells us, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak….”

But there’s one more thought to this blog. Here it is, and I want you to think long and hard about it. “Learning to actively listen will make you a better writer.” Why do I say that?

I’ll explain it in my next blog. In the mean time …

Write Creatively.

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Life is Changing for a Lot of People

What’s happening? Approximately 3.7 million young adults are graduating from high school, around 4 million are graduating from college, and about 1.65 million will continue to pursue their masters degree. Oh yes, and about 30% of the American work force will change vocations.

Life is definitely changing!

Another thought to consider: about 80% of our population would like to write a book to record their thoughts, memories, and stories, but only about 3% actually do it. Why only 3%?

It takes time, and many folks feel intimated at what they think is a complex process. But I have good news for you.

Yes, it takes time, but we at P&L Publishing & Literary Services can coach and mentor you in the process. What about the complexity? We at P&L handle that easily and you won’t have to worry about it.

So if you are part of that 80% who would like to write a book, let P&L help you become part of the 3% who are successful. Our award-winning staff will turn your manuscript into a beautiful book that you’ll be proud of.

Contact us at https://plpubandlit.org/ and click on Formatting Services learn more. Then click on the Get in Touch button to start the process, and be sure to …

Write Creatively. (Our editor will help you.)

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What do You Do?

What do you do when you realize that you haven’t kept up on your writing? I just now asked myself that question because with what I’ve got going in life, I realized that I haven’t written a blog since May 8. Let’s see now … that’s 12 days ago!

Should I feel ashamed of myself? Only if I was just goofing around and wasting all my time – which I definitely was not.

So, what do you do? Don’t peak around the corner and wonder who noticed your lack of progress. Do the same thing I’m doing right now: just start writing again. Don’t get in a hurry and try to make up for lost time. Just start writing, and enjoy the process.

And while you’re at it …

Write Creatively.

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Inspiration Happens in the Most Unusual Ways

I was sitting in my office in Lemon Grove, California, looking out the window. I was waiting for the next person I was going to interview, and watching for the next trolley to rush past. I had about 10 minutes and was also wondering what my next article would be about.

About that time, the trolley came barreling past. If they don’t stop for passengers, they are going 45-50 miles per hour here. During the weekend, only 2 cars run in tandem, but during the week, 3 cars run together. I walked outside to take this photo.

I began wondering about which one is either pulling or pushing, but then I observed the power system. Each car was receiving its own power from the electric cables above the cars. I suddenly realized that each car – the 3 of them connected together – was pulling its own load. And I had to write about it!

I tell you, inspiration happens in the most unusual ways and at the most interesting times. Always try to be alert as you go about your day, and capture those fleeting thoughts, those inspirations that rush by like the trolley cars.

Even though connected together, each car was pulling its own load. That reminded me about writers. We read each other’s work; we learn from each other; we often help each other. But each of us must carry our own load. We must do our own work.

So, as you write, be open to suggestions and receive criticism without complaining. Critics can be our best friends. But keep writing. Keep working. Carry your own load. Enjoy the thrill that comes when you finish that article, that manuscript, that book! And always be sure to …

Write Creatively.

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I Want to Write a Book, but ……

“You want to write a book, okay. But what’s your concern?” I inquired.

“I want to write a book, but the thought scares me. I’ve never written anything longer than college and university papers, and I think trying to write anything more than 20 pages is beyond my ability.”

We discussed his interests, background, and vocation. When he told me he was a newspaper reporter, I asked him how long he’d been a journalist.

“Oh, about seven years.”

“How many reports have you written?”

“Oh, 2 or 3 a week; I don’t know, maybe over 800.”

“Okay, here’s an idea. As a journalist, you have to keep your word count down, but you know there’s more to each story. Why don’t you select 75-100 of those reports, rewrite each one, and fill out the story with some of the details you had to cut. That way, you don’t have to think about the daunting challenge of writing an entire book – just a series of very short stories. Putting them together will get you your book. What do you think about that?”

He was elated! He’s been working on it now for about seven months, and we’ll edit it, format it, and get it published several months from now.

How about you? Are you ready to start on your book? Or perhaps you’re ready to get it edited, formatted, and published. Call or email us at P&L Publishing and Literary Services. Use the contact button above, or use this one https://plpubandlit.org/.

And don’t forget to…

Write Creatively.

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Where do I start?

Sometimes when we sit down to write, we get lost and wonder, “Where do I start?”

One answer: Choose a natural starting point.

When we read a good novel, it all seems to unfold so naturally from the first sentence, so why do we have a difficult time getting started? We need to remind ourselves that famous authors are faced with the same problem. Don’t laugh now, but they have editors to help them, too.

Think about real life. No significant episode in your own life sprung up from nothing; things happened that shaped the current event, and things happened afterward as a result of it. Think about your story in the same way. The characters have pasts and futures (unless you plan to kill them). Places, too, have pasts and futures. Therefore, every good storyteller jumps into his story midstream. Knowing this can help you relax about picking a starting point.

For example, I’m writing about Abraham, and I start with him as an adult in the desert with his camel when God speaks to him. Abe begins mulling over world events and planning his escape from Ur of the Chaldees without being caught. With that setting as my anchor, I build the story.

If you’re unsure where to begin, pick a scene you know you’re going to put in—you just don’t know where yet—and start writing it. You might discover your Chapter One right there. And even if you don’t, you’ll have story material for that scene when the time comes.

Or……

Write several character sketches. You need them anyway, and they’re great warm-ups for Chapter One. Ask yourself: What will this character be doing when we first meet him? Write it. Again, you might find yourself writing Chapter One…or Chapter three. But start.

Your could even do a Chapter-One-Only brainstorm and see what comes out.

You can write a great story starting from any of several places. But wherever it is, start with action! That will help you to …

Write Creatively.