The Power of Point of View

Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve… I Peter 5:2

You can always tell where I’ve been by the trail of books strewn about my apartment. I’m someone who will read three novels at a given time, plus a book on writing, and whatever manuscript I’m editing. I’m not sure how I manage it, but somehow I’m able to keep all the storylines straight. This morning as I hurried out the door to meet my brother for our morning run I noticed a book on my couch-side table: The Power of Point of View by Alicia Rasley.

One of the first things driven into our heads as new writers is Point of View. Whose eyes are we seeing the story through? How do a character’s perceptions and motives color the events unfolding? Is he a trustworthy narrator? Do past hurts prevent her from building strong relationships with others? I would argue that point of view is one the most important aspects of a story, next to the story itself. It determines how I as a reader will respond to the world unfolding before me.

For some reason the book on the table brought to mind a passage I’d opened my Bible to last night before turning out the light. In it Peter was addressing the elders of the church about how they should lead, and as I read through the chapter I found myself inspecting my own ministries, both inside and outside the church. I realized that Peter was encouraging his fellow elders to check their personal point of view and it forced me to ask myself, “What is my point of view when it comes to writing? What are my motives?”

I view my writing as a ministry, and words as an incredibly powerful tool. Through my writing I can encourage others, but I can also tear them down. I can inspire others towards greatness, but I can also lead them to anger and bitterness — recent news stories and the comments posted afterwards are a perfect example of that. In many cases, I write because I love to write. It’s something I am passionate about. But there are days when it becomes an obligation, and like any ministry, once that happens I lose my effectiveness. I might as well be tossing random letters into the void for all the good its doing me and my readers.

Starting today I’ve decided to ask myself “Why am I writing today?” when I sit down at my keyboard. If it’s for recognition or a paycheck, I’ll close my laptop and find something more productive to do with my time. However, if I can honestly look at my reflection in the monitor and say, “I’m writing because I’ve been called to write and it’s something I want to do regardless of whether I receive credit for it or not,” then I believe I’ll receive a double blessing: Not only will I be doing something out of love, but I won’t have to worry about the outcome because my ego will have been taken completely out of the equation. 

Early spring reflections

There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven… Ecclesiastes 3:1

Today was one of those days where I couldn’t wait to get home and pick up my “magic” pen. Unfortunately, being my longest day of the week, that didn’t happen until late in the evening. So I scribbled myself a note and let the ideas stew in the back of my mind while going about my various tasks.

There’s just something that has always amazed me about how ink flows from the tip of the pen and, with the steady movement of the wrist, forms intricate loops and whorls which in turn paint an image in the mind’s eye. I admit that I’ll write nonsense simply to watch the letters form, but sometimes the unexpected happens when I move my hand aimlessly across the page…a story is born.  It may be a short story that never sees the light of day, but it’s a form of creation just the same, and with that creation comes a feeling I can rarely recreate on a keyboard.

So what brought on this reflection of the pen you may wonder — in a word: sunlight.

After what promised to be another gray day, the sun battled his way through the rain, and everything seems to have woken from its winter hibernation all at once. Pink and purple buds appeared on the trees lining my street, and my mother’s almond trees are currently adorned in white blossoms. Even the normally drab field grass would make an emerald green with envy.

Now, I love the fog and the rain. Watching clouds creep across the mountains surrounding the Rogue Valley gives me a chill of delight. However, it is the change of the seasons that inspires me most.

Each of the four seasons brings its own unique beauty and wonder. As a visual person it is these changes that bring me fresh ideas, new scenes, and help me explore various moods in my writing. The waxing and waning of each season also serves as a reminder that without change there can only be stagnation.

Sometimes as writers we become so entrenched in our particular style of writing that we miss out on seeing something vibrant and new. Worse, we don’t even realize we’re stuck. All we know — all I know — is that I find myself struggling with questions of relevancy and skill, and I desperately wonder what happened to the passion that used to burn so deeply that my arms literally ached if I wasn’t filling a notebook with the help of my magic pen.

“So what do I do?” you ask.

Set your manuscript aside for a moment, along with whatever mantle of pressure you’ve placed on your shoulders. Go for a walk. Let your surroundings speak to you. Close your eyes and listen. What do you hear? Breathe deeply. What do you smell? And touch everything. (Well, maybe not everything.) Then come back to your desk, pick up your own magic pen, and write something completely new.

Your Work In Progress (and your family) will thank you for it!

—Jen