The Love of Creating

"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them..."

Genesis 1:27

Because we were created in the image of God, we share His attributes but on a finite (imperfect) level. He created...so we desire to create as well. 

So, why did God create?  To be known. 

Why, then, do we desire to create?   ....Exactly.

The Love of Creating

As an artist, I am new to this business of writing. But the more I write, the more I see some similarities in the creation process. 

First, with painting, you should start with some rough sketches. You should have a general idea of what it is you want to paint before you ever touch the canvas with brush and paint. 

With writing, it is the same: you should have some sort of structure (outline) that explains exactly what it is you plan on writing. As with painting, the final product may have changed during the process, but that structure helps the writer stay on track.

Revising

Sometimes an artist can spend too much time on a painting or drawing without "stepping back" and looking at the piece from a different perspective. 

In writing, this is called revising. It helps to step away from the work even if for a few hours. When you come back to it, you will read your work with fresh eyes...or a different perspective.

A critique from an editor or writing group can also help in this revising process. I know with me, I have had to rework endings, add more details to chapters, and more all because of a new perspective. 

In painting, sometimes you need to turn the work upside down in order to see mistakes in composition or in details. The same goes for writing!

A good quality editor may come in and completely turn your work upside down! Yet this may be the only way for you to see that the structure, the composition, of your work is lacking and needs to be rewritten.

The Critique

Rewritten??!! Yes, rewritten.  

It may sound harsh, but a good quality critique can save your work. Critiques may be tough to endure...I have had my artwork taken apart by the very best...but it is worth it in the end. As long as the criticism is constructive, the critique is most valuable. 

Remember, it isn't personal. Your work is not YOU. Never let it be. You have to be willing to part with it. I have worked many days on a painting or drawing for a client only to never see it again. I have a photograph, but that's it.  Watching a piece of work depart is very hard on the creator. We have that attribute of God, that desire to create, so we tend to connect to our work. But I never lost a part of me when I sold a painting. I am still intact!

Your writing isn't YOU. You have to be willing to let go...and give it to the Lord. You have to be willing to make changes and even, sometimes, move on to something else. 

In His Image

Yes, we are created in the image of God. He is a God of remembrance. He commanded His people to erect memorials in His name, to write things down in a book of remembrance, to set aside days to remember. 

We long to do the same. We create in order to be known. We long for our work to endure. And it will matter in the eternal....as long as we give it to the Lord in the here and now. 

So, go on creating!  Just make sure what you create brings God glory. And then He will bless it. Not as the world blesses (which is flawed and temporary and lacks fulfillment...) but with spiritual blessings. 

But most importantly....just write!

Blessings,

Ruth

Your turn:  How difficult is the critique for you? Has an editor, teacher, or critique group told you to rewrite part of your work?