Writing Machine

If you’ve been with me the past two days, you’ll notice that, once again, I am stepping up my blog production game for the month of November. I did this last November (30 blog posts in 30 days) and had a blast. It was not all deathless prose, for sure, but I was pretty proud of the posts as a whole, and proud that I actually completed a significant writing challenge (something I do not always do).

I did hesitate to throw my pen in the ring (or wherever) this year, because I am in the middle of a Big Writing Project that is also due pretty soon. And this one pays!! Plus it is a busy time at church as we move toward Advent and Christmas. But I figured: I do love writing, so the work itself is no hardship for me—even if the pace is quite accelerated. Also, once I have informed my family of my goal, they will likely tiptoe around me as I type away, quietly cleaning the house, doing laundry, even cooking dinners. Now mind you, they do all this regularly anyway, but this time I can let them do my housekeeping with zero guilt! I’m involved with a Very Important Thing, after all!

My Psalm Series for Arches N Bells

And what is my BWP (Big Writing Project)? Well, for the past several years I have been writing plays, skits and other creative expressions for two companies in Minnesota, Clergy Stuff and Arches ‘N Bells. They provide worship materials for progressive churches. I am completely delighted to have connected with them, and Dan Maurer, their owner, because I have seen what passes for good church drama, and it ain’t pretty. I get catalogues all the time at work from much more fundamentalist firms; in fact, they’ve been cornering the market for quite awhile, with their flat, humorless skits and their questionable theology. It’s high time the world hears from an organization offering funny, grace filled materials (even a little irreverent and snarky, at least my stuff is) as an alternative. So…

Recent skits of mine have included: The Call of Samuel (Sam and his wife are watching TV when the Lord appears behind Sam’s easy chair and tries to get his attention), Ruth and Naomi (Naomi and her other grandma friends are exchanging pictures and bragging about their little darlings), Doubting Thomas (who misses Jesus’ appearance because he was making a grocery run for his roommates), and the story of Holy Week as told by the reporters from the show “Good Morning, Jerusalem!” As hard as a lot of writing is for me (novels!), I find these almost write themselves—I read the Scripture passage, and the characters and dialogue just flow.

I have dozens and dozens of these puppies to write by December 31^st, and I’m enjoying every minute. I truly feel the same way about blogging. So don’t cry for me, Faithful Readers! I may not sleep much this month, but no matter! Sleep is HIGHLY overrated!! Onward!!!

The Happy Writer!