The Writer’s Process by Anne Janzer
When I started writing devotions, I knew I was out of my comfort zone. When I started, I was blessed to have Joan Mahaffey on staff, who had previously worked in editing. I struggled with grammar growing up and felt insecure. As a result, I shied away from writing. Joan was gentle with me and corrected my devotions before I downloaded and sent them to my readership. Serendipitously, when Joan retired, I found Grammarly. Grammarly is an AI app that corrects grammar and spelling. It even harps on my habit of writing too much in the passive tense. I’m surprised my computer hasn’t melted because Grammarly gets so angry over my misuse of commas. Yet, I quickly learned that good writing is more than offering adequate grammar.
I started reading books and articles on writing, and it helped my writing and preaching. The authors guided my organizational process, tightening my thinking and helping me use words and phrases to paint a picture that conveys thoughts and feelings. One particularly meaningful work was The Writer’s Process, by Anne Janzer. Janzer’s subtitle for the book is “Getting your brain in gear,” and she did as promised. The Writer’s Process is a short book of only 182 pages, making it a quick read, but one that will keep you thinking long after you finish.
I loved Janzer’s illustrations. For example, she uses a book titled Inner Skiing by W. Timothy Gallwey and Robert Kriegel. She weaves their discussion of the categories “the logical, rational mind” and “physical intelligence” into a process for addressing the challenges of writing. I appreciated the way she offered guidance on bringing creativity to writing, including non-fiction writing, like my devotions. She is honest and supportive in addressing “Self-Discipline and Procrastination.” She even spends time helping the reader organize their drafts and develop a process for revising their work.
Before you say, “this book isn’t for me. I’m not a writer.” Neither am I. I simply write down my thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in the hope that others might benefit from my struggles and ideas. I believe most of us should develop the writer’s discipline. Each of us has a story to tell. Even if the only one who reads it is you, writing helps organize and reinforce our thoughts. Writing also forces us to distance ourselves from our beliefs, challenging us to defend and affirm our thoughts and ideas.
Since we all have a story, I believe it is important to share it. For Christmas a couple of years ago, my daughter gave me a present, mainly for her. The present was a series of questions I had to answer in detail and through stories. When I completed the questions, my stories were bound into a small book. Her gift reminded me that our families want to hear our stories. When I start telling my stories verbally, I often get an eye roll. Yet, when I write the same stories down, and she can read them in her own time, they become meaningful and cherished. Become a writer of your own story. Offer it to your family. They may roll their eyes now, but in time, even generations of time, your family, well into the future, will cherish and learn from you. The Writer’s Process will help you take the next step in your writing process.