Author: Gene Linzey

I am the owner of P&L Publishing & Literary Services. Contact us at plpubandlit2@gmail.com and speak with a person - not a recording. Also, you may check us out at plpubandlit.org for more information.
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Out of Shape!

Carol and I had been in California for several months while I was helping a church through a major change. During that time, although I did walk an average of 2 miles per day, I did very little other exercise. Arriving home, I had the satisfaction of helping a church and many folks who were associated with it, but I was not satisfied with myself.

I was physically out of shape.

What was worse, I found that I didn’t want to put out the effort to get back into my pre-trip routine. But willpower and diligence are winning the battle. I can now play a couple of games of racquetball with our 42-year-old son without suffering exhaustion.

The same kind of problem develops when we get out of our writing routine. We lose our edge, our creativity diminishes, and we may become emotionally exhausted as we attempt to get back into shape. But willpower and diligence can help us. And YES! It takes both.

If you’re trying to get back into your writing routine, start with a couple of short stories. Don’t plan on publishing them, just write for the practice. Who knows … they might turn out to be more than you imagined and could be your next books.

So be sure to …

Write Creatively.

By the way, I should tell you: Michael still beats me in racquetball, but we have a grand time! One time he hit the ball so hard that it blew out like an exploding tire!

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A Blowout!

Have you ever had a blowout? Everything seemed to be going smoothly until … oh, wait a minute. What I’m talking about is a flat tire – not an interpersonal eruption. Both can be heart-wrenching, but the tire blowout is easier to fix. Usually.

We were in the Columbus, Ohio metroplex when one of the four tires on our trailer blew out. This trailer is Carol’s and my “home-away-from-home,” and we were returning to Arkansas after one of our grandsons was married in Ohio.

There’s no need to get upset about getting a flat tire because having an emotional blowout only causes confusion and hurts relationships. But I was tired and needed a rest, so my daughters advised me to drive to the next freeway exit and into the parking lot of a Shell gas station.

After making two phone calls, they discovered that an automobile tire dealership was only a block away, and they happened to have the trailer tire we needed. Wonderful! The owner managed to squeeze us into their crowded schedule, and we were back on the road in less than three hours. I didn’t get upset, I had a good rest, and we were almost on time as we reached the Cracker Barrel restaurant where we celebrated our younger daughter’s birthday.

It’s much easier to ask for assistance in the middle of a problem than to ask to be forgiven after an emotional blowout. So, if you find yourself in what could be an emotional crisis, try to relax and ask for help. And later, you will be able to remember the situation more clearly, be able to talk about it with a clear conscience with family, and be able to write about it.

And as you write …

Write Creatively.

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Where Have I Been?

I was stunned when I realized I hadn’t written a blog for almost 2 months! Yes, I was busy, but … well, instead of making excuses, here are some events that took up my time.

In early April, I received a call from a pastor who needed my help. The church leadership was considering transferring from one denomination to another, and asked me to oversee the project. That took two very busy months in California, but we got it done.

Before leaving Southern California, we attended an air show in Central California … before the fires broke out. Our older son and two of his sons are pilots, and we had a great time.

We then headed east to attend the wedding of one of our grandsons; it was a long drive from California to Ohio.

Returning home in early July, our 9-year-old grandson, Joshua, came to spend two weeks with us. Although his school was out for the summer, he volunteered to use my 24-year-old DELL computer to begin writing a short story about his family trip. Doing quite a bit of internet research, he did very well and it might become a 65-page booklet. I’m proud of him.

And I taught him the basics of playing racquetball! After he and I played very slowly for 45 minutes to teach him and give him experience in the game, he watched a dynamic, hard-hitting game between Michael (our 42-year-old son) and me. Michael normally beats me, but it sure is fun.

I spent the next three weeks getting caught up on my business of formatting books. It was then that I realized I had neglected my blog. So, friends, please forgive me, and I’ll get back on track. And I’ll endeavor to …

Write Creatively.

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What Did I Say?

Some years ago, when I was teaching an adult Bible Study class, I saw one man’s eyebrow raise after a comment I had made. I realized he disagreed with what I said, and I wanted him to have an opportunity to air his thoughts.

“Mike, what did I say that you disagreed with?”

Not wanting to be confrontational, “Nothing, pastor.”

“Class, whenever I teach, I greatly appreciate open communication. If I say something wrong, I like to correct it, and when you all interact with me, I have the opportunity to learn. Now, Mike, will you please tell me what I said, and what you thought about it.”

After he repeated my statement, I asked the class if they heard the same thing. They all heard it, and many of them shared Mike’s concern. I was glad for the opportunity to clarify a misunderstanding.

I restated the concept in a manner that was more suitable for their age and educational background, they understood, they retained their confidence in me, and we continued.

Dear readers, in writing blogs, newspaper articles, and books, we usually don’t have the opportunity to clarify incorrect or misunderstood statements as we do in live settings. Therefore, we need to write well, and edit it carefully. The lack of editing, or poor editing, can doom a potential best seller.

So, have your editor ready, and be sure to …

Write Creatively.

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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.