“That was good! Let’s do it again!”
A few years ago, I was a cast member in a community play featuring local stories, music, and creative movement . . . dancing.
Yes, I said dancing. Before you start laughing, you must know I was quite light on my feet in high school and, in college, I chose “Social Dance” as one of my PE credits.
Back to the play. One Saturday prior to opening night, we had a marathon, all-day rehearsal. Our professional choreographer decided her was going to spend the morning teaching the MEN a dance number to one of the featured songs. It was more like a set of simple connected steps, and, while I caught on rather quickly . . . I HAD taken a DANCE class in college (never mind it consisted of Fox Trot and Cha Cha) . . . many of my male counterparts struggled MIGHTILY.
“Let’s do it again!”
The choreographer said this phrase over and over and over and over. After nearly two hours and not much success, we took a break, and, when we came back, our leader changed his mind and dropped the number.
Maybe, like me, you have written a piece, left it to “stew” a while, and came back to it, only to think “I need to do this again.” Or maybe you have submitted something for publication, been accepted, and then received a mountain of editing notes.
“Back to the drawing board (or the keyboard)—do it again!”
Editing and rewriting are not my favorite parts of writing (just as dance numbers in that play were not my fave), but I realize they are part of the deal. To be a good writer, you to have to be able to edit effectively and rewrite as needed.
One of my favorite songs on Contemporary Christian Radio right now is “Do It Again” by Steven Curtis Chapman. The title suggests a theme similar to what I have mentioned above, but it is actually about watching GOD do it again.
Over and over and over and over, God does it again—moves on our behalf, performs miracles, wakes us up in the morning, provides inspiration. We may get discouraged in our writing efforts and feel like the editing is endless and the publication is never going to happen, but we just need to sit back and watch Him work.
We may not understand the direction our writing is going and may be unsure how to proceed, but letting go and letting God inspire us will get us on the right track.
When those words start flowing and those publications start happening, we can say to God, “Let’s do it again!” and dance with him.
Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.
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