Would-Be Writers

Several months ago Scot McKnight, author of The Jesus Creed, dedicated a lengthy blog to writing. He is a prolific writer having written a number of books, he is a professor at North Park University, and writes a daily blog that covers a lot of material. To the question that someone asked him, "How do you do it?" he wrote the blog on writing.

I am one of those people who wants to write well, and would at some point like to have some things published: poetry and a book especially. But as busy pastor, I have difficulty finding the time to write. I do know it is possible for a pastor to write, because there are very active pastors who do indeed write.

What the people with whom I have talked or read seem to agree on is that you can't write "on the side." About a year ago I called one of my favorite Christian authors, Eugene Peterson, and asked him how he was able to write. He was a Presbyterian pastor for approximately 30 years at a church in Maryland, and was able to write many books. He told me that he believed he had a calling to both write and pastor, and arranged his schedule to accomplish both. Mary Oliver and Jane Yolen both talk about the commitment to writing and writing daily. McKnight writes in his blog,

...writing can't be done on the side...

In other words, writing is a lifestyle, a way of life, a way of being, a modus operandi, a way of breathing and eating and drinking. Better yet, writing is a way of learning, a way of coming to know what someone wants to know, a way of discovering.

Writing is not something to do when everything else is cleared off the desk; no, it is something that makes order of the desk. I don't get up wondering what I will write about, but I write about what I'm wondering...In other words, as Augustine spoke of "faith seeking understanding," so writing is a pen seeking understanding...

In other words, writing isn't done on the side. It's in the soul, it's a way of being, and it's not for everyone. It's a scribbler's itch to get it down.

I wonder how you would-be writers out there feel about what McKnight has written. Does anyone have any secrets they would like to share with the rest of us would-be writers?