Monday, June 4, 2012

What Do You Write About?


If you wrote a book, what would it be about? This week on Kingdom Bloggers, we’re answering this question. I won’t even be surprised if one or more of us have already written a book. Join us this week, and share your thoughts in the comments.

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It’s probably a fairly accurate assumption to think most bloggers want their end goal to be a written book. Blogging is an excellent way to practice, getting feedback before it goes to a publisher and gaining a readership. And to be honest, it is exactly why I started blogging. I have something to say but blogging 500 words in a post a few days a week is an easier chunk to chew than anticipating having the discipline to sit down and write a book.

I have a desire for writing a book but so far the dream is a long way off and it’s becoming more remote as time goes on. First and foremost, I have no idea what I’d write about. I know what I wouldn’t write about...I love reading a good fiction novel but have no desire (nor skill) to write fiction. I love biographies and autobiographies but I don’t feel my experiences are very interesting to the public at large. (Don’t get me wrong, I love my life. It’s exciting and amazing and an awesome testimony to God’s goodness but your story is just as lovely and interesting as mine so I wouldn’t bother promoting my testimony into a book form.)

In many ways, I feel anointed as Bezalel or Oholiab (Exodus 31:1-6), able to do any kind of craftsmanship. There was a time when I thought perhaps a book would come out of my design ideas, presented in a way to teach others to create as I do. I haven’t ruled it out but as time moves on, the passion for it wanes.

I thought when I began blogging a year ago, I would eventually write a book a theology book. I have an interest in it and I obviously think God has given me special insight and revelation (I named my own blog, Write Down the Revelation, for goodness sake) but in the last year, I’ve become woefully aware how inadequate I am in that arena. There are many, many better suited writers for such a task. It’s not completely off the radar because I am aware God can use the foolish things (me) to confound the wise (everybody else).

Now, I come to the end of my post without an answer. I love sharing what God is teaching me with others and I live by the motto, “What is good for me is good for others.” If my thoughts becomes a book, that’s great but a book is no longer the end goal – it’s the life lived in the middle before becoming a book where I want to be active and present in. I’m confident I will know God’s season and timing for if and when a book is written but right now I’m faithful to the appointment to blog and not worry about writing a book.

2 comments:

Linda Maynard said...

Andrea...
As I read your post, my heart leapt when you mentioned writing a book about Craftsmanship.
Hey you could even use the pen names Bealel or Oholiab! ( Just kidding)
Lately I have been doing a lot of drawing and collage and as an artist, I am always looking for books for inspiration and not only those specified areas.
For instance, I look at quilting, ceramic and textile art books for ideas and color combinations etc.
Sooo...I think your idea is good and I know you are excellent at what you do and you would put out a quality product.
Also, when I think of it, I don't believe that there are many Craft/Art Books written by Christians and we certainly are in a period where the Lord is restoring the arts to the church. So your book would stand out in having a Spiritual Component in it, as an added bonus.
Linda
PS I enjoy reading your blog Write Down the Revelation and especially like the book reviews that you do. NOTE...if anybody reading this has not read Andrea's blog, I would recommend it.

Andrea York said...

Thanks for the affirmation; I agree there are far too few Holy Spirit inspired creative books.

And thanks for the plug for my blog - you are so encouraging.