Who Reads the Ending First?

11:47 AM - Jun. 8, 2006 - Add to the Wildness

Well, actually, the writer does. It works best if it’s before the rest of the book is written. I found the ending for my first book in a midnight prayer. I was thinking back to someone I’d known in university, someone who had a terrible, shameful secret. And it wasn’t his fault at all. I pray for him whenever he comes to mind, wherever he is. He was a good friend in a bad time.

I had one off-the-wall character and a small group of Christian homeschool graduates in a fictional prairie Bible-belt town. So I decided to give the terrible secret to my off-the-wall tough guy. The result has been a story about what happens when we in the sheltered religious world collide accidentally with reality. Are we afraid of what’s out there? Even if we were saved from it and know what it’s all about? I know I am sometimes. Are we willing to tackle it, with no clue how to start? Maybe it’s easiest to close our eyes. Or can we find the ways and means through trusting what God gives us to work with in the Bible?

I took a slightly naive young lady named Amy and gave her the task of finding out. I’m now moving into the third draft, working yet more on restructuring the drive of the manuscript toward the key ending scene, where Amy has to decide whether to step up to the plate, and if so, how. The most painful part for her is that by this time, she’s married to Mr. Off-the-Wall, Marcus. The stakes of sticking with it are huge. So is leaving.

At this point, it’s appropriate to thank some of you young whippersnappers who have unknowingly given me the confidence to work more on the youth elements of the story. A major part of it revolves around an imploding church and the consequences to its youth group, but I frankly have lacked the courage to feel I can relate well to the teen demographic. I never did as a teenager, and that was the last time I tried. When you voice enjoyment of what I write, it means the world to me!

For the summer, I hope to focus in on my writing process. I will write about it, which should hopefully also enhance my writing process. What I’ve found in reading about others’ writing methods is that there are always a few things useful and a few things not. Hopefully you fellow writers find a few things useful to you in the mix. Mostly, though, the point is to think out loud about what I’m doing and get myself a little deeper into this beautiful discipline.

You are a brave woman!

[A major part of it revolves around an imploding church and the consequences to its youth group.] I have used my blog to discuss many, many controversial things, but I have yet to touch on the sacred cow of today's Youth groups.

"The best youth group is the family and the best youth ministers are parents!" By Steve Balvanz

Edited by AcceptanceWithJoy on Jun. 9, 2006 at 7:39 AM

- 9:06 AM - Jun. 9, 2006

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