Do you have something to say? I do. I always do.
You see, I’m a very talky person. My sons have said I would talk to a tree, and, yes, I probably would. I am an extreme extrovert and love a good conversation.
The question goes further than me talking about the weather or my beloved Kentucky Wildcats. What about my writing? Do I have something to say on paper (or on the screen)?
Again, I think I do. When you feel God has called you to write, you have a message—the Greatest Message ever. God is love, He loves You, He wants a relationship with you. What better message exists? I can’t think of one.
God made us all different, and, therefore, our messages are different.
HOW we say something is important and makes our message accessible to the audience God intended.
For example, I would never attempt to write speculative fiction. Sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian—not my thing. I don’t have anything to say and would not even know where to start in creating the worlds and situations featured in this genre. BUT I know people who DO craft intriguing stories within that area and other people who love to READ that type.
When I first started writing, I thought I might like to write romance, which sells better than most anything. I read some novels in the genre and quickly realized it wasn’t for me. Why didn’t the guy and girl just get together already? Why did the person feel a “tingle” when the other person showed up? Why did so many coincidences and misunderstandings happen to these people? I appreciate the talent it takes to plot and to write romance, but I have nothing to say in the genre (maybe someday).
God loves variety.
What a boring world it would be if everyone was the same and wrote the same type of stuff. Even the Gospels were written by four different men with varying styles.
To paraphrase the words of talented songwriter Matthew West in his song “Something to Say,” if you’re living and breathing, you have a message to share. What are you waiting for? Talk to that tree. Um, I mean, fill that screen with your words and finish that piece. The world needs YOUR message in YOUR style.
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.
No Comments