tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33847271461477354752024-03-19T05:12:06.988-07:00Christian Teen Writers"Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story." Psalm 107:2Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-44176378388376144552013-11-10T23:33:00.001-08:002013-11-10T23:33:22.247-08:00my "Spot" I have a "Spot."<br />
<br />
Do you have a spot? Or an item? Or a hat? I don't know... something?<br />
<br />
I have a "Spot," and when I'm in that "Spot" it means that I'm in writing mode. Sitting there in front of that ancient mac computer at that chunky desk in an ratty desk chair turns my brain into writer mode.<br />
<br />
Or... I used to have a spot.<br />
<br />
A few years ago, the computer quit and my parents sold the desk and the chair. Naturally, it was about the time I went away for college. But along with the sale of the items that belonged to my spot, went my inspiration to write. I suffered from the worst writer's block for the next year. I had to force myself to write and I couldn't remember EVER having to force myself before.<br />
<br />
So, I've decided to find a new spot... or maybe I'm going to buy a candle, or a jacket to wear, or a scarf... something to get a routine and rhythm into my writing. A regularity of some kind to turn the creative side of my head on.<br />
<br />
So how about you? Do you have a spot?<br />
<br />
<br />Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-39195639958949422202013-08-21T23:44:00.001-07:002013-08-21T23:44:43.431-07:00Taking It All InIt's been said that in order to write life, you must live life. Never were words spoken so truly. And being a teen writer, never will you experience so much that can feed your writing. Each day, you go to school and interact with those you love, hate, admire and envy. Emotion exudes from those interactions and it can flow into your characters easily if you harness it and let it go.<br />
<br />
After all, writing is therapeutic, isn't it? As a high school student, I can't even begin to describe the roller coaster I went over. Day to day my friendships were turbulent. Without even realizing, my characters began to have turbulent friendships. Struggles that I faced showed themselves in my protagonists. But how else can a fictional problem begin to feel real unless it is written out of experience?<br />
<br />
Don't let life scare you.<br />
<br />
Most of us writers are introverts. Life seems easier for us when we are in our comfort zones. Being challenged is a scary thing. But when you become so sedentary and stop moving almost altogether, you'll begin to notice that like a water spigot, your ability to write will turn on and off, and writers' block can set in. Worst nightmare right?<br />
<br />
And honestly... God doesn't want us to hide at home either. That's hardly the life He imagined for you. Like me, you can make excuses about how writing CHRISTIAN fiction is fulfilling His calling for you, OR you can realize that our greatest calling is to live heaven here on earth. That means investing and working on those HARD relationships. It means going outside and praising God for the beauty he created all around us. LIVE LIFE. No matter how hard. The creativity and realness will flow from it.<br />
<br />
Hugs,<br />
<br />
EmilyEmily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-67744836739626747252013-06-12T13:09:00.000-07:002013-06-12T13:09:10.682-07:00we're all readers hereWe can talk about writing well all we want to, but our desire to write stems from the fact that as children, we fell in love with books. So here's my question to you... what is your favorite book? Of all time? comment with the title and author. Why is it your favorite?Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-28218927832744613452013-05-13T11:19:00.002-07:002013-05-13T11:19:54.161-07:00Write RealOne of the strangest oddities about being a writer stems from our strange propensity to write about life rather than live it. Rationally, writing is how we process the world. It's our little hole through which we view things. It alters the light through which we showcase our thoughts and emotions.<br />
<br />
But what about REAL life? Not just the life we write about. Certainly the life we write about is altered and effected by real life. But in order to KEEP writing about life, we have to keep living it. Go outside, sit on a park bench, go to a restaurant, go shopping or take a hike. GET OUT. Live real life. Take note of the little details of everyday life so that you can better describe it in your stories.<br />
<br />
One of the things I like to do is carry around a small notebook with me - one that snaps or ties closed. Every time I experience some noteworthy moment - even something as odd as feeling perturbed over the person sitting in the pew behind me poking me with their foot because the put their feet up to rest on my pew. Things like that. Jot down the exact feeling you get when your crush waves at you at school. Write down all those moments! They'll help you add something real to your writing.<br />
<br />
When real emotions and experiences are littered throughout your writing, your reader will pause when their read it and smile because they KNOW that feeling you wrote about. they experience it in their own lives.<br />
<br />
Write Real. Write something that isn't so far fetched.<br />
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<br />Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-41300039296493310122013-05-02T14:01:00.000-07:002013-05-02T14:02:01.747-07:00Advertising Christ Through Our WritingI was at my younger brother’s little league game the other day. His team is sponsored by “Kleenex” and “Kelloggs”—and their uniforms proudly show it off. Why do major businesses often sponsor sports teams? They’re looking for some advertising. Think about it: Every time a little kid walks into a public place with his uniform on, he’s advertising the business that sponsored his team. Not only do people notice the business, they also notice that the business did something good for the community by sponsoring a team. So . . . I got to thinking. As a Christian writer, God is my biggest “sponsor.” All Christians have God’s sponsorship over everything they do. That’s pretty cool if you think about it. I also realized that we writers can learn a thing or two from the little league foundation. When God sponsors us, we need to advertise Him through our writing (forgive my business terms). Our writings (if we choose to show them to other people) are like baseball jerseys—people notice them, and when they “advertise” Christ, people notice that, too. If we are Christians, our writing can be used as an incredible missionary tool! Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15257686797967420522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-53714901394178350222013-04-29T22:42:00.001-07:002013-04-29T22:42:46.655-07:00That Vague Little Thing Called Writer's BlockWhat happens when you just can't write... Ick. Such an awful realization. For us Seat-of-the-pantsers, it's like a death sentence. Plotters usually have an easier time getting back into the swing of things. <br />
<br />
So what do you do? We live for writing. It's the very air we breathe sometimes. When that air is gone, life seems pretty empty. But somewhere out there, a solution has to be waiting.<br />
<br />
Well, here's my ideas... the things that I do. Considering that I'm a Seat-of-the-pants writer, I can't promise that these things will help a Plotter.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Often, we are inspired by seeing things around us and since Writer's Block stems from lack of inspiration or motivation, one of the counters to Writer's Block, is getting excited about a new story or an old one. Try watching a movie that has a similar or completely different plot. Sometimes different can give you new ideas. Or read a book. Same idea. And if the story is historical or themed... Go to a location that relates to the setting. Seeing my setting always gets me excited to start telling a story. Museums help too. They get the wheels in my head turning</li>
<li>Other times, Writer's Block means you have no motivation to write whatsoever. That's a dreadful place to be. The best thing I can say, is sit down at your computer and type until you get yourself into a rhythm. Do some editing on old work. Just force yourself to focus. Eventually writing will become habit and the words will come a little easier. </li>
<li>Something else that helps... Move away from your current project and work on something else. I always have 2 stories that I work on simultaneously. One that is my primary project, and another that I use when I get Writer's Block. Working on something fresh takes my mind of wherever I got stuck on and gets it going. Eventually, the old project becomes appealing again. </li>
</ol>
Well... that's what I do. If you have any other tips for Writer's Block, comment with your solution below. Let's ban together to defeat that vague little thing called Writer's Block!<br />
<br />
Emily Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-31759219516381056612013-04-13T06:55:00.002-07:002013-04-13T06:55:47.479-07:00Test Time!What makes books good or bad? Oftentimes, even we (writers) can’t really tell exactly what makes a book a winner. Sure, we know if there is an exciting plot, excellent imagery, or beautiful, poetic writing. But sometimes we can’t tell exactly what made this book appealing to us—and why it appealed to the people who published it. And if we can’t tell that for ourselves, how will we know how to make our own books or stories winners? I’m the type of girl who has a hard time putting down a book—even if it’s really mundane. I just can’t stand the thought of not finishing something. That has been to my determent, because I haven’t come to realize what it is in the book that makes me not want to keep reading. I just read on, no matter what. So I’ve started an exercise. When I go to the library, I head to my favorite section (definitely the Christian Historical Fiction) and I pick out three books. Two of them are books that I definitely want to read (usually ones that friends recommend or that I have a steadfast trust in the author). Then, for the third one, I pick a random book that I’ve never heard of. I read this book until 45 pages (I found out that this is usually the farthest point a bored reader will read to until they finally put it down). After that, I stop, and I write a paragraph in a designated notebook about why or why not I want to continue with this book. Is it a successful plot? Has the story engaged me from the beginning? Have the characters’ voices engaged me from the beginning? After I write my paragraph, I can use the pros I found in my own stories, and I can make sure not to use any of the cons I found, too. It’s a great exercise—and I’ve even found a few new favorite authors!<a href="http://image.naldzgraphics.net/2011/11/3-bored-reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://image.naldzgraphics.net/2011/11/3-bored-reading.jpg" /></a>Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15257686797967420522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-16371325762816354892013-03-20T19:12:00.001-07:002013-03-20T19:14:27.369-07:00Leap FrogAy yi yi... this really bugs people when they read your writing. POV. There's lots of different perspectives, and they are all pretty viable options for telling a story. But one has definitely earned a disapproving eye from editors. THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT is <i>dangerous.</i> Now we get to explore why I have so fondly titled this post, "Leap Frog."<br />
<br />
One of the worst things about third person omniscient is what we like to call, "head hopping." Believe me, I've been called out on this little mistake.<br />
<br />
So what is Head Hopping?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h4>
Head hopping is when the reader is allowed to know the thoughts of all characters involved in a scene. </h4>
</blockquote>
Do we get it just a little now? Essentially, Head Hopping is just outright confusing to read. The reader hops from one head to the other. In one paragraph, they are listening in on the thoughts of John Boy and the next they get to hear how much Sally Jane thinks John Boy smells. Back and forth. Back and forth. It's really no good at all.<br />
<br />
So what do we do then?<br />
<br />
Well, THIRD PERSON LIMITED is the next best thing. Stay in ONE characters head for the duration of the scene. If you'd like, create a SCENE BREAK and then change to another's head. Make the transition <i>very</i> obvious. (if it's a novel you're working on, try not to go into the heads of more than 3 characters)<br />
<br />
And if you've never considered it, try FIRST PERSON. That's always an interesting change of pace. (avoid first person present because the tense of that POV is hard to handle as a reader, though it is accepted). I would list SECOND PERSON, but that's not a very popular one, just because it takes skill to do well and few write in second person for Christian Markets. I can't say how editors will receive it. <br />
<br />
<br />
SO! No more leap frog.<br />
<br />
Emily<br />
<br />Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-74047581876342634882013-03-20T13:34:00.001-07:002013-03-20T13:35:51.066-07:00More to Come!Hello, Lovers of the written word =) At the end of this week, I'm taking off for Mount Hermon. This will be my third year going to the writers' conference and I'm absolutely thrilled. I'm gonna soak up every possible grain of information that I can so I can come back and share with you.<br />
<br />
The Mount Hermon Christian Writers' Conference is what inspired me to start the facebook page, "Christian Teen Writers" that led to the making of this blog. Most of what I've posted here somehow started at the conference. If you manage to make it there this year or next, or the following, etc, look for me. I'll be the one with a big stupid grin on my face because I'm so excited to be in the company of other Christian Writers.<br />
<br />
So... look forward to new and fresh information! It's gonna be amazing. I promise to post pictures.<br />
<br />
EmilyEmily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-20431142277428712532013-03-20T09:28:00.000-07:002013-03-20T11:19:00.654-07:00Mirror, Mirror!Have you ever seen a movie in which the acting is terrible? The lines seem forced and unreal, the actor’s tones and facial expressions are either too cheesy and cliché or not dramatic at all, and you go away from the movie theater wishing you didn’t waste ten bucks on the ticket. Believe it or not, books can be the same way. We’ve all read books in which we read something (a phrase, an action beat, even the whole plot) that was unrealistic or poorly written. It leaves us thinking, “No way would a person in real life say/do that.” And when a character in a book is unreal, readers don’t get a chance to bond with him or her. And that’s what the main objective in a book is, isn’t it? I don’t know about you, but if the character is unreal, says ridiculous things, and “giggles” out her words every four sentences (really, how many times do you “giggle” while you talk?!), chances are, I’ll put the book down, because I can’t connect with her. So, what is one of the things you can do to keep from making this error in your own book or story? Mirror, mirror! I got this idea from Christine Tangvald, a wonderful and enthusiastic writer and writing teacher from Mt. Hermon. I had her edit some of my children’s book, and she suggested that I take my work into the bathroom and act out a scene in a mirror. Before long, I was giggling myself because of the ludicrous and highly cliché things that I had put in my manuscript. By doing this, I was able to fix a lot of things and make them truer to every day life. And yes, there were times where I realized I had to spice things up a bit. It also gives some great ideas for those action beats (character’s actions that go before a quote) in which you can’t figure out what to say. Instead of saying, “She/He scratched his/her head” several times, you will be able to come up with things that have to do with the plot. Things come naturally in the mirror. So, print out your work, head to the place in your house with the largest mirror, and act away. First, though, I would highly recommend you do it when family is not around (that’s another story).
<a href="http://www.antiquetrader.com/wp-content/uploads/Girl-at-Mirror-image-QU-08-08.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://www.antiquetrader.com/wp-content/uploads/Girl-at-Mirror-image-QU-08-08.jpg" /></a>Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15257686797967420522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-21680195853422361672013-03-19T10:28:00.001-07:002013-03-20T10:46:00.653-07:00An Ultimate Love StoryWriting a book or a story is the beginning of a beautiful relationship between you and your imaginary characters. Don’t even try to resist the urges to laugh at your funny one-liners, cry when your favorite character dies, or obsessively hate your villain. And don’t be too embarrassed if you accidentally call your best friend the name of your main character. But keep these things to yourself, because your family will think you are nuts.
Writing wasn’t always this way for me. My name is Esther. I’ve been writing fiction since I was six or seven—not that that writing was anything I am proud of. At thirteen, I wrote my first REAL book. It was short—a children’s book about a young girl with a crazy grandma who drives a rocket ship. It’s the first piece of writing I’m not wholeheartedly ashamed of, because it’s technically pretty clean. I started going to Mount Hermon’s writing conference that year, and I got some great editing. But I wasn’t in love with my writing. It was nothing more than a hobby—almost seemed like school to me at times. There were times my mom forced me to go to the computer. I had this unrealistic dream that I was going to get that book published. I went to Mt. Hermon twice. No interest from anyone.
Last year after Mt. Hermon, I had this new idea for a book. As soon as I started writing it, I felt something change. What was it? I fell in love with writing. It just sort of happened—I didn’t try. I found myself waking up before school at ridiculously early times to write a scene. I would goof off during school work dreaming up what would happen next. When I was supposed to be online finding scholarships for college, I would be—you guessed it—writing. And my focuses turned from trying to get published for money sake, to just writing because I loved it and couldn’t stop. I still want to be published, believe me. I’ll be going to Mt. Hermon again in two years to try. But even if I don’t, I won’t stop, because writing is a part of me, and I’m never letting go.
I hope that this can be of some inspiration to you.
Estherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15257686797967420522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-33131178373043624682013-03-18T22:45:00.000-07:002013-03-20T10:46:42.255-07:00Composing a StoryHow do we even begin a craft a good story? Now I know well that some of you are "plotters" and some of you are "seat-of-the-pants" writers, and there are benefits to both styles, but this is something everyone should and CAN do. Even us "seat-of-the-pants" people can manage this.<br />
<br />
Make your own version of this and tack it up on your computer so you never forget as you begin your opening scene:<br />
<br />
CHARACTER'S NAME: _______________________________<br />
<br />
What is their <i>exterior</i> GOAL:<br />
<br />
<br />
What is their <i>interior</i> GOAL:<br />
<br />
<br />
What is their <i>exterior </i>MOTIVATION:<br />
<br />
<br />
What is their <i>interior</i> MOTIVATION:<br />
<br />
<br />
What will get in their way:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
If you can fill out this simple chart, you will be on your way to writing an awesome story.<br />
<br />
<br />Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-90032667149473051672013-03-18T22:35:00.001-07:002013-03-20T12:45:52.521-07:00Being a CHRISTIAN Writer<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
<br />
<div>
It's been a
process... beginning from the moment I created this page until now, and
even trailing into the future. We are writers who are Christians, right?
Or are we Christian writers? I suppose I'll leave that one up to you.
Not all of us want to write for the Christian market. Some of us are
called to write for the secular market because that is where we can give
God the most glory. That's what important. Where has God called you
into His ministry?<br />
<br />
Ever thought about it that way before?
That writing is your ministry? It took me years to wrap my head around
that. I just knew I liked writing. I didn't quite understand God's role
in my writing. The two seemed separate, yet inexplicably bound together
in a jumbled mess. I'm sure many of you can sympathize.<br />
<br />
But this is what I discovered.<br />
<br />
God
created us. He knows our inmost being. In fact, He even gave us our
gifts and talents, he designated them to us. Think back for a moment of
the parable of the talents that Jesus told. Each servant was given gifts
so that they could take them and make use of them for the benefit of
the master, and eventually, themselves. Can't you just imagine God
saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant"?<br />
<br />
We were
gifted with the talent of writing - the joy of writing! So why shouldn't
we expect that God wants us to put that talent to use and gain profit
from it? It's the whole point of having the talent! What use would it
be... what purpose would it have if we just hid it under and rock? God
intended for us to use our talent.<br />
<br />
But here's the real question... how do we use it? And what is profit?<br />
<br />
Those
answers will vary from person to person. But when I say profit (this
answer will be universally true) I do NOT mean money. It is inevitable
that you will reap some financial benefits, BUT <i>IF YOU ARE WRITING</i>,
shouldn't your writing serve some purpose? We were created to give
glory to God and declare His Holy and Precious Name. This does not
necessarily mean you have to write Christian works, but I do think that
your works should reflect the values of our Creator and should focus on
having an identity founded in Him. What this means will vary depending
on your subject matter. Profit will first and foremost mean directing
people to look upwards for answers. Use? Well... what story has God laid
on your heart to write? Only He can tell you.<br />
<br />
Hugs.</div>
</div>
Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-60549706996413415432013-03-18T22:34:00.005-07:002013-03-20T12:46:05.926-07:00Thoughts...<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
<br />
<div>
Characters are
funny things. In many ways they are completely open. In other ways, they
are very closed off. Knowing when they are supposed to be one or the
other to the reader, is a difficult lesson to learn. Primarily because
everything depends on circumstance.<br />
<br />
Most writers botch
this art thoroughly in the form of thoughts: when the writer goes into
detail about a character's thought process during a scene. It's the one
time we really get into the character's head and see exactly what they
are thinking. But often, what most writer's get wrong, is that few
stories are told from the prospective of a character looking back on
their life. Most characters are living in the moment.<br />
<br />
One
of my biggest pet peeves is "information dumps." Most characters
understand themselves and should not feel the need to explain
themselves. In Shakespearean dramas, such things are called an "aside."
If you need to say something that helps the reader to make more sense of
the character's life, then you have done something horribly wrong in
previous scenes.<br />
<br />
The ultimate tool for a writer is CONTEXT
and HINTING. Nothing is ever stately bluntly in a novel because most
characters are too engrossed in their dilemma to be thinking clear
enough anyways. Aside from that, most of them don't constantly feel the
need to reiterate their backstory as they go through life. This would be
a little weird if someone in real life went about thinking such things
like.<br />
<br />
<i>As Marty walked through the halls of Lincoln
High School, he considered his upbringing at the family cabin by the
lake. He had two sisters, Lizzy and Beth, twins actually. His dad was a
pastor at the local church. </i><br />
<br />
NO NO NO. It's not
relevant to what the character is experiencing and it just sounds
awkward. It's the author creating an information dump. It's especially
easy to do when working on a series where the lives of the same
characters are followed. When this happens, it's tempting to practically
summarize what happened in the previous book at the beginning of the
new book. <i>Like I said...</i> Most characters live in the moment and do not have their life story rolling through their mind 24/7.<br />
<br />
Now... how do we fix this?<br />
<br />
I told you before that Context and Hinting are powerful tools. Let's look at Marty once again. <b>If we NEED to know</b>
that he grew up in a lake cabin, we can use things in his life to help
the reader catch on to that bit of information instead of blatantly
stating it.<br />
<br />
To do this, we can start a new scene with
Marty sitting at home and interacting with his family. His dad might ask
how he likes his new school, to which Marty might answer that he misses
being home schooled back at the lake house. Then, his sisters might
pipe in. Marty might smile at the way they always speak at the same
time, a twin trait, he guesses. The twins might say they don't miss the
lake house at all and that they like their new teacher.<br />
<br />
Same
information gets across, but it sounds less awkward and it's not an
information dump. The reader still understands the same ideas about his
past. It's all about CONTEXT and HINTING. Never just dump information
into a story. Characters should think and process things the same way
anyone in real life does.</div>
</div>
<span class="UIActionLinks UIActionLinks_bottom" data-ft="{"tn":"=","type":20}"></span>Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-74898433765556314162013-03-18T22:34:00.001-07:002013-03-20T12:46:26.720-07:00Critiquing Services<br />
Hey writers... well all know that sometimes your own eyes don't
catch all the problems. If you could use some help editing, this is
something super simple we are happy to do for you...<br />
<br />
Email us at CHRISTIANTEENWRITERS@MAIL.COM<br />
<br />
Include your first name<br />
"Title of Your Story/poem/script/non-fiction"<br />
and email address<br />
<br />
Provide
a short summary of your work, Include the basic outline of what you
have written from start to end. If it is a story, we'd like to know what
the character wants, how they go about getting it, the black moment and
the resolution. This helps with editing purposes so that we can help
you weed out extraneous scenes.<br />
<br />
then attach a word
document or PDF to the email. Format the document in MLA style. This is
easiest to work with. 12 pt. Times New Roman, double spaced. We will
accept up to 20 pages.<br />
<br />
you will receive an email in return with our notes. This follow up should come within a week.Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-53678740637564819052013-03-18T22:33:00.002-07:002013-03-20T12:46:56.739-07:00Easy Edits<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
<br />
<div>
So, we've
mentioned before that it's important to weed out words like "was," "had"
and ly adverbs. But just do a word search in your manuscript and you'll
quickly find that the task isn't as simple as it may seem. There are
two different instances in which we find "was" and "had," one of which
is easy to fix, the other, not so much.<br />
<br />
the first is like we've mentioned before:<br />
<br />
<i>"He was singing in the choir until September of last year."</i> becomes,<i> "He sang" </i><br />
<br />
Easy
right? Well, what about that other instance where you can't simply
conjugate the word? Well, that is where we all learn to become better
writers...<br />
<br />
<i>"The sky was grey and overcast." </i><br />
<br />
Hmm...
can't just conjugate that one. But let's think about this sentence for a
moment. It's just fine grammatically, but for a work of fiction, it's
just not very descriptive. It's shallow. So let's dig in a little deep
and watch that "was" disappear.<br />
<br />
<i>"Alisa looked up into
the clouds and noted the way they sagged with the weight of rain. The
blue sky all but disappeared as the clouds moved into place, preparing
to drench the parched ground." </i><br />
<br />
Well! How about that?
We just took a simple sentence and created something beautiful and
descriptive with feeling! Our characters only comment on things that are
of some importance to them, or effect them in some way. FEELING and
description is a crucial part of setting the scene. So don't be so
scared of rewriting. It takes work... but your story will come alive.<br />
<br />
WAS,
HAD and LY ADVERBS are crippling to your descriptions! They cut the
picture off at short, sweet and simple. We don't want that! So delve in a
little deeper and give your reader a better picture.<br />
<br />
Love and Hugs</div>
</div>
Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-22589283723160603422013-03-18T22:32:00.005-07:002013-03-20T12:47:10.331-07:00Heart Works<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
<br />
<div>
Writing is a work
of the heart, isn't it? It's one of the most personal careers one can
have. I've met so many authors... when I read their novels, I can hear
their voices and see their personalities come through so completely.<br />
<br />
So
how about Christian versus Secular books? The Christian heart comes out
in writing. Values and struggles make their way into our stories.<br />
<br />
I
was marveling over some of my early stories the other day - some of the
stories I wrote in late Junior High and early High School. It struck me
as I was reading that I could still see myself in those stories, the
self I was in those days, anyway. I've changed so much. But as I took a
close look at the characters in those stories, the struggled my
characters were facing suddenly looked much more like what I worried
over while I was writing the story.<br />
<br />
There is something to
be said for those English teachers who force you to take a closer look
at the assigned readings and how they relate to the author who wrote
them. Writing IS personal. We bare our souls as we work through the
muddled state of our own hearts. As the character finds resolution, so
do we.<br />
<br />
God is SO involved in our work that it just looks
nuts from the outside. How does He do it? I can't exactly explain it. He
is wonderful, though. That I can say for certain. He does it on
purpose, I think. He corrects and disciplines those He loves... so why
not use the process of crafting a story to train up an author?<br />
<br />
So the next time you sit down to write, close your eyes and talk to God.<br />
<br />
<i>Lord, Everything is from You. </i><br />
<i>In fact, I'm nothing without You. </i><br />
<i>Wonderful creator, thank you for loving me so completely</i><br />
<i>You work through me and change my heart</i><br />
<i>You inspire the way I craft stories to change the hearts of my characters</i><br />
<i>As I sit down to tell this story, work through me</i><br />
<i>Show me exactly what to say. </i><br />
<i>Even as I hope my readers will learn, please also help me to learn</i><br />
<br />
<i>Amen</i></div>
</div>
Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-49277350308906208252013-03-18T22:32:00.001-07:002013-03-20T12:47:23.488-07:00Pet Words<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
<br />
<div>
I see it all the
time... Writer's have pet words. Those little phrases or words we like
to use all the time. A common one is, "suddenly." But then you might
have a pet word all your own. Some will say things like, "she got a
feeling in the pit of her stomach," and use that phrase over and over
again. After a time, it starts sounding odd, though it is a very
descriptive comment. Avoid Cliches too. Those are no bueno!<br />
<br />
"Was"
and "had" are horrible ones. When many first begin writing, they are
very easy words to slide into almost every sentence, but same as
before... they SOUND ODD when used AGAIN and AGAIN.<br />
<br />
My new
favorite trick is this little thing called, "right-click." If you
right-click a word and select synonyms, your Word program will give you a
whole list of words that mean the same thing. "Was" and "had" are just
as simple to get rid of. They often appear just before words with an
"ed" or an "ing" on the end.<br />
<br />
for example:<br />
"She [was working] for that company" becomes "worked"<br />
"She [had worked] for that company" becomes "worked"<br />
<br />
It all means the same thing. Get rid of the excesses!<br />
<br />
"Ly" adverbs can be your downfall too. Use them <i>sparingly</i>... get it? haha. And please don't put more than two adjectives in a row.<br />
<br />
Well, there's your editing tip for the day. Get rid of pet words!<br />
<br />
Love and Hugs</div>
</div>
Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-85262982401721195342013-03-17T17:48:00.002-07:002013-03-20T12:47:37.643-07:00Childhood Memories<br />
<img alt="" class="photo_img img" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/379226_286806108111757_1773391026_n.jpg" /><br />
I remember when I fell in love with books... with stories.
Goodness, I remember it like it was yesterday! I started reading in
Kindergarten, you know, those books with the same words repeated over
and over again that they send home with you to practice? But when I was
in first grade, my mom began taking me to the public library all the
time - she liked to read to. It was the Paso Robles Public Library
across the street from the park with the old library they turned into a
museum. This new library had a gift store in it. I remember that too.
But towards the back of this library, there were chapter books. I was
only in first grade.<br />
<br />
I loved books. I could never get
enough of them. I used to read all the time. I would bring home armfuls
of The Boxcar Children and The Saddle Club. Then at night, my dad would
read me the Chronicles of Narnia and my mom would read picture books to
me. When we didn't want one of the picture books, she would tell a
story. There were two she had made up that she would retell to us.<br />
<br />
Books
really left their mark on me. I practically drowned myself in them, I
suppose. More and More so as I got older. But reading books became the
reason that I started writing. After I would finish a story, I liked to
dream up in my head what happened to the characters when the story
ended. I would make up new adventures for them. Peter Pan was my
favorite, but I also used to do this with the Pevency Children from
Narnia and the siblings from the Boxcar Children. Sound familiar?<br />
<br />
Looking
back, it is so easy to see why I love making up my own stories. Stories
impact us in powerful ways. Almost every author loves reading or movies
or something story related. It all starts somewhere.<br />
<br />
I
found this out when I started reading with another little first grader I
was working with. I was the teacher's aid in her class my senior year
of high school. Reagan and I would spend lots of time together after
school because her mom was a teacher. In the school's library
collection, I found my old favorite - the Boxcar Children. Spotting the
first book in the series, I dragged Reagan aside and we began to read
the story... then Reagan wanted to read it aloud to me. I saw that
spark.<br />
<br />
Reagan took those books home and read them through on her own. It made me smile to see those books touch someone else.<br />
<br />
Whatever
purpose it may serve... think back and try to remember when you fell in
love with stories. It'll bring a smile to your face. Then share your
love of stories. Stories teach people things - they provide
companionship, and they take you on adventures.<br />
<br />
Actually...
it can also serve an amazing purpose. Reading can fix writer's block. I
SWEAR it works. Sometimes, i find I just can't write, but when I go
back to the source of what got me writing in the first place, I get
excited and the words begin to flow.<br />
<br />
<br />
Reading is the Beginning of Writing.Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-42910016361651141662013-03-17T17:36:00.004-07:002013-03-20T12:47:55.840-07:00Writer Funnies<br />
You know you're a writer when...<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>you hear voices inside your head, but you KNOW you aren't crazy because they happen to be your characters. </li>
<li>you are in the middle of doing something important, but you really
wish you were staring at your computer screen because a new idea just
hit you.</li>
<li>someone does something really intriguing and your first thought is to work it into your novel.</li>
<li>you stare at people in public places. </li>
<li>a two sided conversation happens, but no one else can see who you're talking to. </li>
<li>you feel guilty about harming a fictitious being. </li>
<li>you start to tell people that your story "tells itself" </li>
<li>instead of counting sheep, you plan your next scene as you fall asleep. </li>
<li>each character has a "distinct voice" inside your head as you read.</li>
<li>your thoughts always come out better when you are writing than when you try to speak. </li>
<li>you get distracted by the internet when you were actually just trying to research something for your novel. </li>
<li>someone interrupts you and you have a panic attack because you're afraid the inspiration will leave.</li>
<li>you have a list of names that you like just in case you have a character strikes you. </li>
<li>after a while... you become "so immersed" in the world of writing that you get WAY too picky about the books you read. </li>
</ol>
<br />
we can laugh at ourselves right? we certainly are an odd bunch.
That's what makes us so great though. The odd ones have more fun.Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-82423477524847818022013-03-17T17:36:00.001-07:002013-03-20T12:48:30.619-07:00The Sky Turned Black<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
<br />
<div>
Somewhere along
the journey of writing a story, you fall in love with your characters...
or at least, you SHOULD. They become like children or best friends to
you. They live in your head and become SO real that they nearly tell the
story themselves. But quite sadly, the downside to this miracle of
writing is, once we fall in love with our characters, sometimes it
becomes difficult to do something that is absolutely necessary.<br />
<br />
In order for a story to be worth telling, a character must overcome
an obstacle that has the potential to ruin the life they have sought for
themselves. Anything less that this is boring. It's like... <i>"Sally
Sue lived with her perfectly nice mother and father in a beautiful
house. One day, she met Danny Doug. Danny Doug was very nice and they
spent lots of time together on nice little outings. Sally Sue and Danny
Doug fell in love and got married. The end." </i><br />
<br />
Seriously... lots of pretty words... but not a story that will keep
us on the edge of our seat completely enthralled. It's boring, no matter
how "nice" it is. It's just not a worthwhile story! What Sally Sue
needs is a problem!!!<br />
<br />
If you have a Sally Sue character, you may have fallen in love with
her as a character and the idea of trowing something bad into her life
may horrify you. You may have to separate her and Danny Doug, or maybe
one of them gets a horrible disease! Gosh, that may upset you. But part
of being a writer is creating characters that the reader can identify
with. Your readers have problems in their lives and when they see a
character who goes through a similar circumstance and overcomes, they
feels strengthened and encouraged. Isn't that the whole point of a
story? Reading something that makes you feel good?<br />
<br />
This is why a Black moment is so necessary. It puts the character in a
place where they must make a choice, a place where they learn
something, or a place where they must reach beyond themselves in order
to overcome. THIS is good reading! Readers love this! So let's go back
to Sally Sue and see if we can give her a moment where the sky on her
pretty little life seems to turn completely black and she almost looses
hope. It'll be fun! I promise!<br />
<br />
<i>"If anyone in the town of Littleburg looked at the life of Sally
Sue, they would have thought she lived the perfect life. Everything
about her seemed wonderful... her parents, her house, she even had met
the perfect man, Danny Doug. But all was not so well as it seemed. Sally
Sue's family had a secret. Mr. Sue was a murderer! Sally kept this
secret all to herself. She feared that Danny might not want her if he
ever found out. But one day, on her way home from a nice outing with
Danny, Sally overheard her Dad plotting to murder Danny too! She had to
warn Danny, even if she never saw him again, his life mattered above all
else. </i><br />
<br />
<i>"So Sally went to Danny's house and begged him to believe her. He
thought she was joking. But Sally couldn't let anything bad happen to
Danny. When she saw her Dad sneaking out that night, she followed him
all the way to Danny's house. She got in through the back door and
placed herself in front of Danny's bedroom door. Her dad came up the
stairs with the knife poised and began to lower his weapon, aiming for
Sally's chest. but then the light from the moon dipped on Sally's face
and her dad froze. Her dropped the knife and ran out of the house. Sally
called the police and they caught Mr. Sue on his way back to the
perfect little house. Danny was safe. The end."</i><br />
<br />
THAT is called a good story. Did you catch the black moment there? It
makes all the difference in the story. When Sally Sue risks her life
and her chance at living happily ever after with Danny - that's what
makes her a character we admire and care about.<br />
<br />
Try a black moment in your story, even if it means upsetting your character you love so much.</div>
</div>
Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-40431568101845895002013-03-17T17:35:00.002-07:002013-03-20T13:36:10.716-07:00Chance of a Lifetime<br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlqafO7Q2Ub1IPdEgI-1PMkFpl9ONVBR-V8zbV0wsarPHSmaG_Xw32j5W6jiM7LwbOMI8fcU0d0qOD13P8KzzVpD4DR62o1hbw0MH_68QuvPhJekbqfx9DqvVtkg7QF2ae24JNeLgeC0/s1600/group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRlqafO7Q2Ub1IPdEgI-1PMkFpl9ONVBR-V8zbV0wsarPHSmaG_Xw32j5W6jiM7LwbOMI8fcU0d0qOD13P8KzzVpD4DR62o1hbw0MH_68QuvPhJekbqfx9DqvVtkg7QF2ae24JNeLgeC0/s400/group.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
I've been trying to stress this a lot lately, but I just wanted
to take the time to really punch this one hard. This page is designed
to help teen writers find the resources they need to be recognized and
possibly get on the path to publishing earlier than most authors do.
That's something to get excited about.<br />
<br />
My name is Emily and that's me in on the far left in the picture next
to Lauraine Snelling, author of the Red River series. I started
writing... really writing... in eighth grade. By 9th and 10th grade, I
was obsessive and so my parents decided that we needed to do something
about my obsession with writing. I spent most of the day after I got
home from school sitting in front of an old mac computer working on a
series of stories that were actually inspired by Lauraine Snelling's
books. She wrote about her Norwegian heritage, so I decided to write
about my Swedish heritage. I used to spend hours on those stories. And
that's where my story begins.<br />
<br />
My mom found a Christian writers conference online and wanted to send
me, but we found the conference a little late. By the next year... my
Junior year, my mom jumped on it. That spring, i found myself at the Mt.
Hermon Christian Writer's Conference with my dad and surrounded by
authors I knew only by their books. I flipped. I'd never been so
excited. These authors felt like celebrities to me. They were rather
human idols though... I got to know them over the course of the
conference. They were a lot like me. Being writers, I'm sure you
understand... we're a strange breed of people... we eavesdrop, talk to
ourselves, make up stories in our heads, stare into space, and take note
of weird details. Trust me... you are not alone. Meeting other authors
was amazing. It made me realize that I really was apart of this group of
people.<br />
<br />
I got a lot of advice about my writing that year. Mary DeMuth
mentored me and helped me weed out my excessive "was's" and "had's" and
"ly adverbs." I also did a TON of "head-hopping." She fixed that right
away. My writing took a giant leap. I will never forget that year.<br />
<br />
After such a great year... of course I had to go back my Senior year
of high school. By then, I had almost finished working on a new
manuscript with all of the previous year's advise worked in. I mailed it
in ahead of time to be critiqued. I was totally 17 and nervous about
what the critic would think, but then she approached me and wanted to
meet with me in the ice cream parlor. Believe me when I say I was
elated. But I'd jsut hit midconference crash and decided to skip my last
seminar and go for a walk. I forgot what time it was. I missed my
meeting.<br />
<br />
This is my story though... that was my "black moment." I felt crushed
inside for missing my appointment. But my dad showed up (he'd been
staying with my great-grandma rather than attending the conference with
me again) and we ate dinner together before the awards ceremony the
night before the end of the conference. That made me feel better... at
least a little. He sat with me as they began announcing the different
awards. Mt. Hermon has an amazing awards ceremony for the different
published authors and the writers who submit manuscripts for critique.
My friend Esther and I were most anxious about the "Most promising teen
writer" award. I don't think I really expected anything. Sure I think I
hoped for it, but I don't think I expected anything. But that's what
makes me smile as I think back. When they did call my name, I finally
understood why my dad came early. I was rather overwhelmed.<br />
<br />
They handed me the framed certificate and my hand was shaken several
times. They read out some information about me... which colleges had
accepted me, where I was from and how long I'd been writing. But when I
sat down with me, my dad shared something with me that I'd never forget.
It was Lauraine Snelling who critiqued my manuscript. And according to a
relative who happens to be an agent and on the board choosing the
recipients for the awards, Lauraine Snelling didn't know I was a teen
author when she read my manuscript. Hearing that changed writing for me.
It gave me the strength I needed to feel confident about pushing
forward to getting that story published. I suddenly wanted that more
than anything.<br />
<br />
So... that's my story... and I don't want you to walk away thinking,
"she must be a really good writer" because I'm obviously only 18. I
still have a lot of work to do. I want you to walk away and start
pressing forward... doing what you need to do to get the resources you
need to someday realize your dreams.<br />
<br />
God has given you a talent and when he gives you a talent he wants
you to use it. "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that
they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matt.
5:16) This isn't about pride here or humility. This is about giving
glory to God. When we do things, we do things for God's glory so that
others can see and believe. So don't let your God given talents slip
aside. Use them for this glory.<br />
<br />
Mt. Hermon Writers' Conference is coming up again this spring. I'm
planning on being there again. Even if you don't live in California... I
HIGHLY recommend you find a similar conference in your area. Something
about conferences... they're the chance of a lifetime to kick-start your
journey into doing something about your God-given talent.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmounthermon.org%2Fevent%2F122&h=mAQGZ6kE0&s=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://mounthermon.org/event/122</a>Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-27098330908388121412013-03-17T17:34:00.000-07:002013-03-20T12:51:42.747-07:00END in the beginning<div class="mbl notesBlogText clearfix">
<br />
<div>
Every good story
should have the end in the beginning.... I'm sure you have no idea what
I'm talking about, and if you think you do, you probably don't, so keep
reading.<br />
<br />
This doesn't mean that you need to tell what happens in the end and
then flashback to how the character got there. NO. Don't do that for
goodness sake. Well, you can, but that's not what I'm trying to say
here. Don't get ahead of me. What I AM trying to say, is that In order
to write a good opening to a story, you need to introduce a problem that
needs to be resolved.<br />
<br />
think about it... when you read the first few chapters of a book, a
problem is introduced. You meet a character who is struggling with
something that needs to be resolved somehow by the end of the story.
Cinderella is an amazing example of this. <i>Cinderella is poor and
abused by her stepmother. We would assume that by the end of the story,
Cinderella is no longer poor and no longer under the control of her
stepmother. </i>Are you starting to get it now????<br />
<br />
It's a simple enough and it ALWAYS helps with plot. One of the
biggest problems with writing is sometimes we have NO idea where we are
going with a story, we're just writing. Creating an END in the Beginning
can help your story to have direction. This does not CONFINE you. I
promise. But when you write an introduction, set up a problem. That's
all you have to do. Keep in mind as you write the story that the problem
you introduced needs to be resolved. The entire story SHOULD be about
HOW this problem gets resolved. Or HOW the character learned the trait
they lacked and are in desperate need of.<br />
<br />
Just for a little positive note to end on, I'll leave you with one last example.<br />
<br />
<i>In the movie "Brave," Merida and her mother have two opposing
viewpoints. As the audience, we assume that by the end of the movie,
Merida and her mother with get along and have a better understanding and
appreciation for one another. </i><br />
<br />
Okay... that's all from me for now =)<br />
<br />
Happy writing</div>
</div>
Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-64864973840091960912013-03-17T17:33:00.001-07:002016-04-05T18:13:55.483-07:00Real Men - Ladies Only<br />
For some reason, men don't struggle with this as much a women
do, but this is important. WE CAN'T MESS THIS UP ANYMORE LADIES! We
can't create girly men! Men are very different from women and if we
write stories about men who act like women we'll get some very nasty
accusations from our Christian audience. Ah well. I suppose I need to
tell you what - exactly - you, my lady friends, are doing wrong.<br />
<br />
Men...<br />
<ul>
<li>can separate feelings from what they need to do</li>
<li>tend
to notice action rather than color (meaning they probably don't care
about how the frilly dress your heroine is wearing flatters her
eyes)</li>
<li>tend to dislike dependency. (money, skills)</li>
<li>tend to be blunt</li>
</ul>
Women...<br />
<ul>
<li>have feelings about everything they endeavor</li>
<li>notice color over action</li>
<li>have a tendency not to have qualms about dependency </li>
<li>will disguise their true feelings</li>
</ul>
This
is not true for EVERY man. But most men are... well, masculine. They
don't act like girls. So when you write about guys, it's important not
to impose feelings on a male character that they really never would
have. A guy won't put a half hour's thought into what he's wear so that a
girl will notice. He won't be able to simply get together just to "get
together" - he'll probably need a purpose. Guys are intentional. Crying
isn't something they do, except on very, very significant occasions.<br />
<br />
ANYWAYS. Girls, we need to start telling our stories straight. We need to write about real men.Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3384727146147735475.post-47085272491503509782013-03-17T17:32:00.000-07:002013-03-20T12:52:37.565-07:00Contest - Count Your Many Blessings<br />
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<h4>
Kelly Webber, New Jersey</h4>
“This is so unfair,” Aileen cried in refusal.<br />
“Aileen,” her father warned in a stern, yet slightly calm, tone. “Your
mother and I do not have a choice about this. We are moving to the
United States, and that is final.”<br />
“London is my home! London is <i>our </i>home! Our family is here. All my friends are here.”<br />
Her mother leaned over and embraced her with a tight squeeze. “We know.
I’m not going to lie; leaving will be difficult for all of us. Trust
me. This will be so much easier if we can just look at the positives.”<br />
Positives? Aileen’s ears perked with keen interest at this promising
word. “Hollywood. Please tell me it’s Hollywood. Please, please,
please.” As an aspiring guitarist and vocal singer, Aileen took every
opportunity possible to get involved in the music business. Hollywood
might just be her coveted ticket to fame. “Or at least somewhere in
California. I need to find a music producer.” Aileen drifted off into a
deep reverie and imagined herself in a recording studio or starring in
her debut movie, on the cover of every teen magazine available. She
might as well start practicing her autograph.<br />
Her father grinned, pleased with her newfound euphoria. “Better. We’re moving to Naperville, Illinois.”<br />
Aileen blinked with confusion at the name of the unfamiliar location. “Isn’t Illinois in the middle of nowhere?”<br />
“We won’t be too far from Chicago,” her mother added, somewhat
helpfully. “We can drive up there on weekends and look around in the
city.”<br />
Aileen considered this. She could cooperate or not. She opted not. Enraged, she stormed up to her room.<br />
<br />
<i>I do not belong here</i>,
Aileen thought to herself while preparing to board the plane. Her best
friend, Heather Morris, and their youth group leader, Amber Baldry,
tagged along with her to the airport. Much to Aileen’s chagrin, they
insisted on a few final farewells. Aileen refused to say goodbye. Saying
goodbye made moving so much more real. She preferred to hide in her
bedroom and pretend that her life was not her reality; it was just a
ghastly nightmare from which she would soon wake.<br />
“We’re going to miss you so much,” whispered Heather, eyes shining with tears.<br />
“Write to us every chance you get,” Amber instructed. “Everyone will want to hear about America.”<br />
“I don’t see why.” Aileen gave her duffel bag a weak kick, hoping her misery would show.<br />
Amber hugged her. “Come on, Aileen. This is a great opportunity. Besides, it’s almost America’s Independence Day.”<br />
Heather nodded. “Take pictures. None of us ever got to celebrate the Fourth of July.”<br />
Aileen agreed. “E-mail me about it as soon as you can.”<br />
After a few final farewells, Aileen and her parents boarded the plane.<br />
A
single, lonely tear strayed down Aileen’s cheek. She wiped it off, and
snuggled into the airplane seat. A window seat, she noted miserably.
About ten years ago, she would move to Antarctica if it meant she could
have the window seat. That was ages ago, and Aileen suddenly longed for
the simplicity of being six.<br />
Why did God make this happen to her?
Why did her life have to be so horrific? The whole plane ride to the
location her parents called ‘home,’ Aileen prayed that nothing would
change. Not her friendship with Heather or Amber, not her life, nothing.<br />
The
uneventful take-off commenced. Aileen sighed and opened her book.
Reading always made time pass. A crumpled sheet of loose-leaf paper
stuck out of a page, in place of her bookmark. It said, in Amber’s neat
print, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans
to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.’” Jeremiah 29:11.<br />
<br />
Grace Church was
located only a few blocks from their new home in Naperville. Since Youth
Group was held on Wednesday afternoons at three, Aileen opted to check
it out. Her mother suggested a few hours of sleep, but Aileen was far
too desolate to notice her jet lag. She strolled down the picturesque
suburban sidewalk. She noticed the truly stunning summer foliage: tall
trees with leaves green as emeralds. She tilted her head upward, stunned
by the cloudless azure sky, accentuated with the scorching rays of July
sun.<br />
At first glance, Grace Church looked small and
somewhat abandoned. It was unpretentious at the best. The building was
no larger than Aileen’s new house, and without a doubt much older.
Daisies and daffodils bloomed with elegance surrounding the narrow
pathway, which led to a crooked entrance. Aileen paced toward the front
door with caution. She reminded herself that the façade had nothing to
do with the church itself; what truly mattered was their devotion to
Jesus.<br />
Sure enough, the first thing Aileen noticed was
a stack of brand new Bibles. They were the New International Version,
with shiny never-been-opened covers. They looked out of place in the
antiquated church. Behind Aileen, a swarm of teenagers flooded in
through the wooden doorway. They were all different ages ranging from
about twelve to no younger than seventeen. They filed into the pews,
chattering and laughing. Aileen followed their lead, hoping she would
not seem like too much of an outcast.<br />
A soft, yet
somehow loud voice greeted them from in front of the closed door.
“Welcome, everyone! I see a lot of familiar faces, and a few new ones.
Have a seat and I’ll explain our agenda for this summer.”<br />
Aileen found a seat in between a lanky fifteen year old guy, and a girl
about the same age. They both wore casual attire: jeans and t-shirts.
Aileen glanced down at her knee-length floral skirt in regret. At her
old church, mass and youth group were always occasions which called for
formal attire.<br />
“That’s Emily Hughes,” one of her
neighbors, the boy, informed her, beckoning toward the tall brunette who
just addressed the group. “She’s our youth leader.”<br />
He obviously noticed her naiveté, she realized.<br />
“Welcome to Grace Church youth group,” Emily announced. “We’re going to
shake things up a bit this summer. First order of business: Bibles.
Sage, could you pass them out to everyone?”<br />
A short
girl with spunky ebony hair obediently handed a Bible to each teen.
Emily nodded encouragingly, and moved on.<br />
“Secondly, I
have a new idea for this summer. We are the only youth group in
Naperville with both middle and high school students. Why not take
advantage of that? I’m going to pair each one of you middle school
students with an older buddy.”<br />
A few groans arose from both age groups.<br />
“Come on, guys,” Emily’s enthusiasm seemed to never wear off. “You can
hang out together, pray together, text, or just talk. I think this is a
unique opportunity for you to grow as people and Christians.” A few were
still obviously defiant, but Aileen admired Emily’s bubbly personality.
“Everyone get up. I made a list of who I think will work best
together.”<br />
Worry unexpectedly crept into Aileen’s heart. Her visit to Grace Church youth group had been impromptu.<br />
“Emily?”<br />
“Yes, darling? Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”<br />
“My name is Aileen Hutchins. I just moved here from London.”<br />
“Welcome to Grace Church. Believe me, this summer is going to be the best experience of your life.”<br />
Aileen wasn’t sure about that, but Emily’s charisma instantly seeped
into her. “You probably didn’t think to pair me with one of the middle
school-”<br />
Emily cut her off, “Not to worry! I have the perfect match for you. Joy!”<br />
One of the youngest girls jogged toward them. Aileen assumed she could
be no older than eleven. She was short and rather skinny for her age,
with chocolate eyes and luscious blonde hair.<br />
“Aileen, this is Joy Becker,” Emily introduced the girl. “She’s twelve years old and going into seventh grade.”<br />
“Hello, Joy. I’m Aileen Hutchins. It’s nice to meet you.”<br />
Emily added, “Aileen just moved here all the way from London.”<br />
Aileen would not have imagined it was possible for Joy’s gargantuan
eyes to grow any larger, but they widened with astonishment as she heard
this. “H-hi. I’m Joy.”<br />
“Let’s exchange e-mails,” Aileen suggested. “We should get to know each other.”<br />
“Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll g-give you my cell phone number t-too.”<br />
They just finished exchanging contacts and Joy’s phone beeped. “My mom
is here,” she muttered after reading the text.<br />
“Have a nice day, Joy. I’ll text you later.” Aileen promised.<br />
Joy waved. “Okay, see you around.”<br />
It was when she waved that Aileen noticed the slits scarring her wrists.<br />
<br />
“I’m sure by now you’ve picked up on Joy’s depression,” Emily acknowledged before sipping her mocha.<br />
Aileen sunk deeper into her seat. Maybe meeting Emily for coffee was a
mistake. She pondered on the irony of what her youth leader had just
said: Joy’s depression. What on earth could be more ironic than a girl
named Joy with depression? She glared at the coffee drink sitting before
her, whipped cream oozing out the top of her portable mug. At this
point, Aileen ceased to remember what she ordered. Everything suddenly
seemed completely insignificant whenever she reminisced on Joy’s wrists,
scarred with countless slits.<br />
“She’s had a rough
couple of years. Her parents were divorced in September, and her dad has
apparently made no effort to contact her. She feels abandoned, you
know?”<br />
Aileen nodded and uttered something incoherent.<br />
“Her school situation definitely hasn’t help, of course. She’s usually
scraped by with C’s and D’s, but she failed Algebra this year. She never
had many friends in the first place, and it looks like things are only
getting worse for her.”<br />
“Is she being bullied?”<br />
“As far as I know, people are never outright mean to her. She’s avoided for few reasons. Her stutter, her...wrists.”<br />
“That can’t be easy for her. You know, going through all of that, all alone.”<br />
“That’s why you’re here, darling.”<br />
“Do you think I can help her?”<br />
Emily paused and sipped her coffee. “I think you need to consider why
God sent you Naperville to begin with. Figure that out, and you might
find yourself closer to your answer.”<br />
<i> </i>Guilt
flooded Aileen’s heart. For the past week, she allowed anger to consume
her. God did not send her to Naperville because He enjoyed her pain. He
had something much, much bigger in mind. Aileen, apparently, was
incapable of seeing His big picture. <i>God, why do you let terrible
things happen? Why do I have so many blessings in my life and Joy is
lonely? Why did this happen to someone so gentle and innocent? </i>Aileen wondered silently.<br />
“Aileen? Do you want to talk about it?”<br />
“No,” she replied, forlorn. She gathered her things and rushed out of the coffee shop.<br />
She left her coffee on the table, untouched.<br />
<br />
1:15 a.m. 1:16 a.m. Aileen watched in frustration as her clock ticked
and tocked into the starless night. A blank sheet of paper sat in front
of her, as it had for over nearly two hours. No, it was not totally
blank. It was covered in eraser marks and scratched out lyrics.<br />
Aileen attempted to write a song for Joy. She wrote countless songs
back in London, but she never showed anyone. Writing somehow seemed
different when the writer knew that anyone, even if just one person,
would read what they wrote. Aileen suddenly felt self-conscious about
songwriting.<br />
In effort to take her mind off her
failure of a song, Aileen opened her Bible and began reading. While
flipping through the pages, she came across “So rejoice in the Lord and
glad, all you who obey Him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are
pure!” Psalm 32:11.<br />
Without another thought, she wrote the perfect song. She titled it “Count Your Many Blessings”.<br />
<br />
“Joy,” Aileen summoned her friend after mass. “I have something to show you.”<br />
“What?” she responded, not bothering to hide her lack of fervor.<br />
Aileen’s lips curved into a small smile. She reached into her case and
grasped her secret weapon: an outdated, yet perfectly tuned, guitar.<br />
“I don’t know how to play,” Joy declared with only a single glance at the instrument.<br />
“That’s okay,” Aileen responded. “I wrote a song for you.”<br />
“For me?” she asked, her face overcome with bewilderment.<br />
“Sit down and listen,” she ordered, beckoning toward a bright crimson
bean bag in the corner. She stroked the guitars antique strings, and
began to sing.<br />
“Through much pain I must overcome<br />
I am engulfed by my own sin<br />
Life will never be perfect<br />
But I guess that’s not the point<br />
For I found a beloved Savior<br />
Who gave is life for mine<br />
All my agony is eclipsed by his overwhelming mercy<br />
So I count my many blessings and thank the Lord for my joy<br />
So I count my many blessings<br />
And thank the Lord for my Joy”<br />
Aileen glimpsed at Joy, her heart pounding.<i> Did Joy like the song?</i><br />
Joy raised her right hand and reached into the pocket of her ripped
faded blue jeans. She took out her phone and clicked a few buttons.
Aileen watched, goose bumps emerging all over her arms. Joy set her
phone on the floor and commanded, “Sing.”<br />
“Excuse me?” Aileen asked in confusion. What was going on?<br />
“Sing your song again.”<br />
Aileen obeyed, this time repeating the verse twice. She wasn’t nervous
at all. In fact, it felt as if Jesus had suddenly let His light shine
upon her, and nothing could stop her from playing this song with her
whole heart. She remembered Matthew 5:16. “Let your light shine before
others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in
Heaven.”<br />
After the final note, Joy retrieved her phone
and ginned as if. “I’m going to listen to this every single day. You’re
my best friend.” Joy uttered, wrapping her into an infinite hug.<br />
Aileen had no idea what it felt like to get a recording label, but she
could not imagine it could possibly feel anywhere near as rewarding as
this.<br />
<br />
Only a few days after singing her song
to Joy, Aileen realized the past week caused her too much stress. She
walked over to Andersen Book Shop and spent some time alone. <i>This is nice, </i>she thought to herself. <i>Peace and quiet. Finally!</i><br />
She browsed the neatly ordered bookshelves, admiring the tidiness. She
felt grateful to escape from the slew of moving boxes covering the floor
of her room. Though the book selection was relatively broad for such a
small store, Aileen made her decision almost instantly. Her favorite
Christian fiction author just released a new addition to her series, and
Aileen could not wait to read it.<br />
“Aileen!” a voice
called from a few feet away. Aileen turned in anticipation. She did not
make any plans to meet a friend.<br />
“Emily?”<br />
“Some of the middle school girls got their friends to join youth group,
so I came here to pick up a few Bibles for them,” her youth group
leader responded, carrying a bag with at least five or six Bibles.<br />
“That’s awfully kind of you, Emily. You must have bought at least thirty for the whole group by now.”<br />
Her hazel eyes smiled. “Twenty-five to be exact, including these.”<br />
Aileen giggled with affection for her astounding leader. “Either way, you’re very compassionate.”<br />
“Thanks. That means a lot. Hey, you’re actually just the girl I was hoping to bump into.”<br />
“Why is that?”<br />
“My sister Faith is a very talented musician, and we planned on her to
be the entertainment at our Fourth of July party.”<br />
“That’s great! I can’t wait to meet her.”<br />
“Well, that’s where you come in. As it turns out, she can’t make it to
Naperville on time. She lives in Massachusetts, and something just came
up.”<br />
“That’s too bad,” Aileen cooed, filled with sympathy. “But how do I come in?”<br />
“I overheard you singing to Joy in the church a few days ago. I didn’t
mean to eavesdrop, but you were very talented.”<br />
“Are you serious? Thank you so much! That means a lot to me.”<br />
“Aileen, would you like to fill in for Faith at the Fourth of July celebration?”<br />
“Nothing could possibly make me happier.”<br />
<br />
“Showtime!” Emily announced.<br />
“W-what if I get nervous?” Joy stuttered. Aileen added her to the performance last-minute.<br />
Aileen giggled. “Nobody will be able to tell. Just smile. Besides, it’s a duet. I’ll be singing with you.”<br />
They stood in the center of the stage, all eyes on them. The entire
congregation watched them. Aileen heard her heart pounding.<br />
They sang Star Spangled Banner, two of Faith’s original songs and then a
few of their favorite songs from youth group. They even sang the song
Aileen wrote for Joy. As it turned out, God blessed Joy with a beautiful
singing voice. She discovered a newfound confidence on the stage, and
she sang with her whole heart. Aileen, overcome with pride, just played
the guitar for the second verse and ceased to sing. That moment was
Joy’s time to shine.<br />
After a stellar performance, Joy and Aileen
collapsed on the lawn, exhausted. Fireworks crackled in the sky,
lighting up the universe with explosive eruptions of red, white and
blue. Joy rested her head against Aileen’s left shoulder. Aileen stroked
her soft blonde locks, praying that this would be only the beginning of
their blossoming friendship, not to mention Joy’s journey with Christ.<br />
Aileen reflected on the past few weeks. Before she moved, her life had
been so routine and repetitive. She had been fairly satisfied, but her
heart was not full. She feared change. She was terrified of God’s plan
for her because she did not know how to carry out His will on her own.<br />
Moving to Naperville uncovered a layer of truth. When God brought her
to America, He did not bring her to pain and misery. On the contrary, He
brought her to Joy. That in itself was a true blessing.Emily Bergstromhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10532340738128664999noreply@blogger.com0