I love legalized lying. You may know it by a different name; fiction writing.
I didn’t even use to like to write, but caught the bug when I was a pastor and needed a public presentation (sermon, talk) every week. I had fun trying to figure out how connect ancient biblical teaching to modern everyday living.
Then out of a desperation to understand a huge transitional period in my life, I began blogging. I kept writing and ideas kept accumulating, until I felt there I had a book within me, then another. One is published and the other will be very soon.
Finally, I thought it might be fun to write a novel. In fact, it was a blast, though it went in an entirely different direction than I originally planned. The novel is now completed, but I am going to let it simmer awhile so it can become better.
It is the idea of a creative challenge and the hope that my written thoughts will encourage or entertain someone else that motivates me. Yet, I think the most motivating thing is that I simply love writing, and writing fiction is the most fun of all.
So, here I am with ten years of writing (not counting my pastor years,) hundreds of blog posts, a few columns, and two books completed, with two more books nearly ready. It is certainly a surprising turn of events in my life.
Fiction is so much fun because I can meld together experiences, research, and pure fantasy to try to capture the heart of a reader. In other words, I get to lie and then sell it.
I think fiction is a conduit for honesty. You can be deadly honest about feelings, relationships, the setting, and even subject matter. There are no bounds about how completely descriptive you can be. The best teaching is in the context of experiences and a story.
Yes, it’s work and yes, it involves lots and lots of edits. Yes, managing the entire project that includes editing, cover art, interior design, and marketing is a lot of work. It is tedious, and expensive, and not necessary my cup of tea. Even writing is hard work and takes an undistracted mind and a butt the chair until the day’s work is done. It is just like going to work, because that is indeed what it is. Seldom does a chapter or even a sentence come out right the first time.
Yet, creating is such a joy. It holds depression, boredom, and less healthy addictions at bay and replaces them with something that is both creative and addictive in a joyful sense.
I love it.
I hope you have something you love.
Image credit: http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/list/tag/truth+and+lies
