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What I Thought About "Light for the Writer's Soul"?
I got this book as a gift from Yunita Phillips who lives in Ohio. She is one of eighty contributing writers of this book. She is one of the authors who I know well continuously supports me in several ways to keep me motivated in writing. She also used to send me books that can enrich me as an author/a writer through widely information, knowledge, other authors' experiences. I appreciate her efforts, support, and strong friendship built among us. That shows us how the authors should be to support each other.
This afternoon I have finished reading this book. I have found some of their messages inspired, encouraged and gave me strength as a Christian writer to harness my gift and keep writing for His Glory. These are some examples I would like to share with you:
1. You may not know another Christian writer personally who is facing the opposition, discouragement or temptations with which you're grappling. But within these devotions, you'll find shared experiences, encouragement to keep going and words that point you to the Word, the One who has called you to serve. (Marion Stroud, Foreword)
Counting me to this point, I'm one of this writer's category: facing temptations that I was not able to run away from it but had to face it, and of course, it would influence me in my writing process. I felt bad every time knowing my readers could not wait to read my second book of Enthusiasm Saga. Yes, I delayed in several years due of life circumstances I could not avoid. But the good things, through this process, He had sharpened my writing skills in some ways and gave the opportunities to enrich the ideas I would bring to complete that book to satisfy the readers' minds.
2. As our friend and former MAI Board member Julie Ackerman Link reminded us, anyone can put words on a page. Only God can breathe life into them. (John Maust, Introduction)
That's true. I myself have experienced it. My book, Enthusiasm/Antusiasme (in Indonesian version) have become blessing to many readers. I even never thought about it. I just followed my heart to keep writing that book until finished and ready to be published. The rest of it, I saw how God worked beautifully so Enthusiasm arrived in the right hand of one of Indonesian Christian Publishers. Amazingly, it reached the readers with variety of religions. How could that happen? The answer is: Nothing impossible in God's hand.
3. Lord, help me to develop my main characters well. They have important roles in my writing to bring God News into the world. (Yunita Phillips; My Main Character, My Friend)
As I'm a main character in my book, Enthusiasm, He had developed me through His knitting. How I could bring God News if I never experienced it before? Through the pause period, He had worked to develop the main character--me. As my readers can't wait to read my second book of Enthusiasm Saga, I'm as its author, can't wait either to finish writing this book.
4. As an author, I need to finalize my novel one day and send it for printing. From that moment on, my authority over my protagonists is over. It's the audience's turn and I'll have to answer to their questions. One day it'll be all over. I'll finish the book of my life. What will it be? Will my Heavenly Editor like it? He will, because we've written together. (Daniel Nalbantski, Heavenly Editor)
This touched my heart: Will my Heavenly Editor like it? He will, because we've written together. I ever shared to Yunita about how I was in the processing of writing Enthusiasm. My confession to her: It was like something whip my back every time I put off writing. I even didn't know where the energy came from till I finished that novel for eight months. In two weeks I didn't touch my laptop at all. I was busy again after the copyeditor sent it back to me for review. Three times reading the whole manuscripts with over 250 pages, exhausted my brain, my energy, my eyes, and even I could not compromise again with my butt. But one thing I knew, I loved my copyeditor's review and I knew she liked the story as she could expressed it on the back cover of the book. Yes, I could do it because I had written it with Him. (by Fida Abbott)
About Light for the Writer's Soul
Christian writers from around the globe have contributed to this exciting journal. Containing 100 devotional articles by 80 contributing writers from 27 countries, this book aims to inspire and encourage Christian writers to harness their gifts and keep writing for God. MAI hopes their words will make a difference in the hearts and minds of their readers.
Print Length: 219 pages
Publisher: Media Associates International (February 15, 2016)
Publication Date: February 15, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
About Media Associates International (MAI)
MAI equips and nurtures talented men and women with a passion for producing Christian literature for their own people. Since its founding in 1985, MAI has equipped local Christians in 79 countries on five continents, with 7,905 people trained. As a result, they have seen budding writers developed, publishing houses grown, periodicals begun and books and magazine produced that speak to the hearts of readers in their own languages.
MAI advances the Gospel by training Christians to produce literature that nurtures the church and attracts readers to Christ. They believe God uses the written word to transform lives.
This afternoon I have finished reading this book. I have found some of their messages inspired, encouraged and gave me strength as a Christian writer to harness my gift and keep writing for His Glory. These are some examples I would like to share with you:
1. You may not know another Christian writer personally who is facing the opposition, discouragement or temptations with which you're grappling. But within these devotions, you'll find shared experiences, encouragement to keep going and words that point you to the Word, the One who has called you to serve. (Marion Stroud, Foreword)
Counting me to this point, I'm one of this writer's category: facing temptations that I was not able to run away from it but had to face it, and of course, it would influence me in my writing process. I felt bad every time knowing my readers could not wait to read my second book of Enthusiasm Saga. Yes, I delayed in several years due of life circumstances I could not avoid. But the good things, through this process, He had sharpened my writing skills in some ways and gave the opportunities to enrich the ideas I would bring to complete that book to satisfy the readers' minds.
2. As our friend and former MAI Board member Julie Ackerman Link reminded us, anyone can put words on a page. Only God can breathe life into them. (John Maust, Introduction)
That's true. I myself have experienced it. My book, Enthusiasm/Antusiasme (in Indonesian version) have become blessing to many readers. I even never thought about it. I just followed my heart to keep writing that book until finished and ready to be published. The rest of it, I saw how God worked beautifully so Enthusiasm arrived in the right hand of one of Indonesian Christian Publishers. Amazingly, it reached the readers with variety of religions. How could that happen? The answer is: Nothing impossible in God's hand.
3. Lord, help me to develop my main characters well. They have important roles in my writing to bring God News into the world. (Yunita Phillips; My Main Character, My Friend)
As I'm a main character in my book, Enthusiasm, He had developed me through His knitting. How I could bring God News if I never experienced it before? Through the pause period, He had worked to develop the main character--me. As my readers can't wait to read my second book of Enthusiasm Saga, I'm as its author, can't wait either to finish writing this book.
4. As an author, I need to finalize my novel one day and send it for printing. From that moment on, my authority over my protagonists is over. It's the audience's turn and I'll have to answer to their questions. One day it'll be all over. I'll finish the book of my life. What will it be? Will my Heavenly Editor like it? He will, because we've written together. (Daniel Nalbantski, Heavenly Editor)
This touched my heart: Will my Heavenly Editor like it? He will, because we've written together. I ever shared to Yunita about how I was in the processing of writing Enthusiasm. My confession to her: It was like something whip my back every time I put off writing. I even didn't know where the energy came from till I finished that novel for eight months. In two weeks I didn't touch my laptop at all. I was busy again after the copyeditor sent it back to me for review. Three times reading the whole manuscripts with over 250 pages, exhausted my brain, my energy, my eyes, and even I could not compromise again with my butt. But one thing I knew, I loved my copyeditor's review and I knew she liked the story as she could expressed it on the back cover of the book. Yes, I could do it because I had written it with Him. (by Fida Abbott)
About Light for the Writer's Soul
Christian writers from around the globe have contributed to this exciting journal. Containing 100 devotional articles by 80 contributing writers from 27 countries, this book aims to inspire and encourage Christian writers to harness their gifts and keep writing for God. MAI hopes their words will make a difference in the hearts and minds of their readers.
About Media Associates International (MAI)
MAI equips and nurtures talented men and women with a passion for producing Christian literature for their own people. Since its founding in 1985, MAI has equipped local Christians in 79 countries on five continents, with 7,905 people trained. As a result, they have seen budding writers developed, publishing houses grown, periodicals begun and books and magazine produced that speak to the hearts of readers in their own languages.
MAI advances the Gospel by training Christians to produce literature that nurtures the church and attracts readers to Christ. They believe God uses the written word to transform lives.
~~~@~~~
Fida R. Abbott was born and raised in Indonesia, married to an American, and lives in Pennsylvania. She is a Director of the Online Writing Course (PMOH), www.pelatihanmenulis.com, as well as at KabarIndonesia, an online Indonesian news, based on the citizen reporter.
(Published on Thursday, March 10, 2016)
2 comments:
Mbak Fida, thank you for sharing your thoughts on the book "Light for the Writers' Soul". I am glad that you got encouragements from the devotionals on that book. It is true that as writers we need to encourage to one another so that we all together will keep writing the Good News as God has called us to that and He equip us.
I can say that you are a very creative writer because you composed this writing posting from a different angle. It's truly a fresh reading. I pray that you can continue working on your second novel and will finish it right in His perfect time. Thank you :-)
You're welcome Mbak Yunita. So glad I have finished reading this book and wrote what I thought. Thank you for the present.
Have a nice spring.
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