Report of 2006 Montrose, PA Christian Writers Conference: Hosted by Freelance Writer Kathy Ide

The written word is perhaps one of the most powerful elements in all of society. When words are put onto paper with pen, (or-in today's society-laptop and inkjet printer), it lasts much longer than speech and can transform society, perpetuate ideas, and touch people's lives long after they have been ushered into being by their authors. While movies and television shows are bound by budgets and time constraints, graphic artists limited by computer capability and hardware restrictions, writers are limited only by the breadth of their imaginations and how long they can stave off "writer's cramp" in their hands.

Thus, because of writing's profound effect on the world around us, an examination of why we write in the first place was an excellent opening topic for the Montrose Bible's 2006 Summer Writer's Conference, held in Montrose, Pennsylvania. Given by Kathy Ide, freelance editor, published author and founder of The Christian Pen: Proofreaders and Editors Network, Monday's Conference began with a focus on the four potential motivations for writing: fame, fortune, Glory, and Grace (yes - the last words are capitalized purposely!).

Ide began her presentation by contrasting the phenomenal success of Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy with the recent sensation caused by Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code (which I am currently reading and will soon be reviewing from the Christian perspective).

She highlighted how the wide-spread popularity, notoriety and controversy generated by The DaVinci Code is inherently different than the love readers have for Tolkien's tales because of the intent behind them. Brown weaves an interesting tale with highly volatile themes based on research that has largely come under fire - in essence he's zeroed in on what he recognized as a "hot topic", and has attempted to pass what Ide called "fiction as if it were truth".

In her words, Brown has certainly written to achieve both fame and fortune. His work has produced enormous profits as well as spawned a slew of spin-offs likely to make George Lucas green with envy - everything from DaVinci Code the game AND diet, a Ron Howard movie starring Tom Hanks, to a Leonardo DaVinci action figure (secret cryptex decoder sold separately).

Tolkien, on the other hand, wrote The Hobbit as a way of materializing fairy tales that he told his children. On a note of personal interest-it was quite different than Dan Brown's path to success, as one day while grading the papers of his Oxford University students, Tolkien got bored and on a flight of fancy wrote in the margins of one paper, "In Hobbiton, there once was a Hobbit who lived in a hole in the ground. It was a tidy, comfortable little hole…." And of course, we all know how that story ended.

In anybody's definitions, Tolkien's works far outdistanced the success of The DaVinci Code, with over fifty re-printings, audio books, an animated Hobbit movie, Peter Jackson's recent film trilogy, and yes, once again - action figures (don't tell anyone about my Aragorn collection!). Ide's point, however, was that rather than becoming successful through identifying a controversial subject and poking it, Tolkien used "fiction to tell truths"; truths that are common to all of us as humans. His works touched the hearts of many, and while Brown may possess the fame and fortune for now, Tolkien will forever be remembered because he wrote for Glory and Grace.

Idea used this contrast to springboard into a discussion why Christians should be motivated to write. She asked attendees to think about their favorite inspirational book or devotional-one that really touched them- and then ponder what went into the creation of those works in the first place. She then challenged listeners to apply those thoughts to themselves, asking the questions: "What do you feel God is calling you to write? How do you feel your work will serve God?" She assured the audience that because they had made whatever sacrifices they'd needed to attend this conference, then God surely had plan for their writing, whatever it may be. If they were faithful to follow through and explore God's will for their writing, they would find their way to publication-though of course through God's timing, not necessarily ours.

For the first time writer, Ide presented several helpful pieces of advice for a novice writer's journey. She cautioned that more than likely, that first manuscript may not ever be published, but instead be more of a practice 'run through'. However, she urged writers not to give up, that writing is something that can be learned and taught. Ide encouraged those pursuing a career in the writing field to exhaust every avenue possible for the improvement of their craft: writer's conferences, online courses or courses at a local college. She advocated reading within and outside of a preferred genre to sharpen the eye and keep abreast of market demands, and recommend several periodicals and writing books on the craft of writing.

There was also plenty of good, common sense advice presented that wouldn't cost a writer a thing. Finding a support group of common-minded writers was recommended, in order to share and critique each other's work honestly. She encouraged writers to become familiar with a dictionary, never hesitating to look up words they were unsure of, and to continue to develop their grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.

Eventually contracting a professional editor to look over a finished manuscript was recommended as a 'must do' along the path to publication. When working with an editor, Ide recommended the following: 1. be objective concerning editor's comments, 2. vent frustrations only to those who understand, and realize that an editor is simply doing their job, 3. an editor's job is to help prepare a manuscript for publication.

Ide ended her presentation with the following thought: "Writers don't fail, they simply stop trying", and that there is difference between someone who "wants" to be a writer and someone who "will" be a writer, because the latter is someone who: 1. continually revises their work rather than getting discouraged about mistakes, and is willing to learn 2. continues to submit their work, no matter how many times they are rejected, 3.does not stop until they are published or have a contract.

Tomorrow's topic: Grace and Glory in the Publishing World, presented by Bill Peterson, Senior Acquisitions Editor for Baker Book House and Flemming H. Revell.

Kathy Ide is a freelance editor for authors and book publishers, as well as a published author of books, articles, play/movie scripts, short stories, devotionals, and curriculum. She is the Founder/Coordinator of The Christian Pen.