Dr. Robert Chapman took a few moments to skim over the papers brought to his desk one at a time as the students had finished the in-class assignment. The prompt was a series of bullet items defining a hypothetical conference; the task was to write a promotional appeal for folks to register for the conference, including all of the essential information (what, where, etc.).
Selecting one paper from those turned in, the professor began reading aloud: “Register now for…”
Pretty quickly I recognized that it was my work being read, being shared with the class as an example of a job well done.
I wish I knew today whether kindly, white-haired Dr. Chapman [view his image here] was watching for my reaction from the outset. I do know he smiled at me once as he read, no doubt seeing in my face how gratified I felt to have my paper selected.
At the time, the incident was for me simply another instance of rising to or near the top of my class academically, a pattern established early in grade school and something I had grown to depend heavily upon for affirmation, generally, because I lacked social and personal confidence.
Looking back now, I recognize that vividly memorable moment as a foreshadowing of the kind of writing I would do many years later, over a 15-year period, as a church administration employee creating posters, emails, and newsletter articles – the kind of writing I continue to do on social media as an author with books in print.
As a senior at Mars Hill College, enrolled in Business Correspondence that fall semester in 1981, I instinctively began my promotional blurb with a call to action, what now would be associated with a link, placed front and center, on a webpage or in an email appeal, taking interested persons directly to the registration form.
I suspect that most of the papers Dr. Chapman bypassed in order to read mine began with statements that were straightforward and factual: “The such-and-such group will hold a conference called XYZ on whatever date in some city. The cost is $…”
Please realize that in telling this story my purpose is not to brag about having produced better work than the prof thought my classmates had produced. This memory, and today’s account of it, are about seeing, long after the fact, evidence of God’s leading and of His preparation. And not just seeing it, but testifying to it. This is the way of a loving, good Father who is providing in ways we seldom realize until a time of later reflection.
Along came my first paid writing assignment!
The path of my interest in words has been a long and winding one. Last month at Opelika Public Library I set up a three-table display of items connected to my newest book or depicting my general writing background. One of those items is dated 1983, on the heels of my college graduation. It’s the first thing I was ever invited to write for pay (a momentous event most writers probably remember). The assignment was to provide the content of that year’s devotional guide for children used at Camp Mundo Vista near Asheboro, North Carolina.
To the left of that blue and purple booklet on the display table lay some magazines representing a long stretch of word puzzle submissions published by Dell and Penny Press. Namely, two original formats they titled What’s the Difference? and Phone Words, plus standard logic problems.
At last: an actual book
A little later on, my first book was published: a 365-day devotional resource for women – and I managed to incorporate, thematically, some half a dozen works of poetry, the form of literature I had been longing to get in print at the time.
Not until 2010 would I endeavor to create a lengthy work of fiction, and that type of irresistible inspiration would surface again a year later when the basis for A Stranger’s Promise came from something I saw on television while staying in a Gatlinburg hotel room that was rather dated but had a picturesque location on the river. That inspiration was a captivating documentary about Appalachia titled Southern Highlanders.
It took me eight years to complete that first novel, but the upside is that a sequel came from it. No Doubt It’s Love was released simultaneously. Therefore, I guess you could divide it out and say four years per book. Somehow, that sounds more steady or planned or professional.
For the love of words
I still write – and love doing so – word puzzles, Bible-prompted meditations, anecdotes, letters, journal entries, knitting patterns, and material for speaking. That’s not even counting the novels! And I have an entire Instagram account devoted to Scrabble. I love it all. And I am very thankful for all of it, for every word of it.
Aren’t synonyms simply fascinating?
A case in point: While reviewing and editing daily “Bible journal” entries begun in 2020, which is my current daily study and meditation project, I sat mulling over the difference between the verbs declared and proclaimed at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 3. This was the same day I posted the following photo on Facebook with the caption, “May your day begin with the best coffee you have ever tasted – while reading the best words ever written.” I invite you to take a moment to ponder the difference between declaring something and proclaiming it. (“There has to be a difference, however subtle, else both words would not exist.” That’s my firm opinion about synonyms, and identifying those subtle differences brings me word enjoyment and stimulating thinking on a recurring basis.)
All trails are paths, but not all paths are trails.
Another case: learning the difference in definition/usage for trail versus path, and for if versus whether. Both of these educational opportunities came my way as I was writing Love Ever Green, and the first of the two was employed right here in this article where I changed trail to path, intending to convey the sense of a wake created behind a boat or the places my footsteps had landed, i.e., “the course one took to get somewhere.” Here is an article that explains, among other concepts, that “all trails are paths, but not all paths are trails.”
I wish you joy today – and a great-tasting cup of coffee – as you bask in your love of words, whether it be as a writer, a reader, a solver of crossword puzzles, a devotee of Wordle, or a finder of typos on billboards. :0-)
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