by Steve Laube
My hope is that this headline is true. While the writing profession (or obsession as some describe it) is a solitary one, it is in giving to others where its impact can be felt.
Time
The gift of time is precious as we are given a finite amount in this life. To mentor another writer. To blog freely. To teach at a conference or school setting. All are example of a beautiful way to both give and receive.
Talent
To use your talent to its fullest is a gift to others. To hone that talent so that it crescendos into the heart of a reader should be the goal of every writer. This talent must be shared. To hoard it for oneself would be a travesty and tantamount to the deadly sin of greed.
Treasure
I am talking about the things you treasure, like your money. One of my favorite epigrams is from Ellie Kay who wrote “The sweetest dollar you ever make is the one you give away.” That is so true! In a December article Cynthia Ruchti wrote about a number of novelists who have tied the revenue of their work to various charities. One example from the article is novelist Loree Lough who consistently donates a portion of her proceeds to causes like autism research, the Wolf Sanctuary of Pennsylvania, Special Olympics, and breast cancer research. There are dozens of writers who do the same or tie content in their books to specific charities or causes. And I suspect that many others do similar work but have not made that knowledge public. The point is to consider making your work have monetary benefit to others other than yourself.
How have you benefitted from the gift of another writer?
How do you plan to give back to others?
Steve, the first of your questions contains a broad application, and I’ll address part of it. How have I benefitted from other writers’ gift? It’s impossible for me to imagine who or where I would be if I hadn’t grown up reading. Books, short stories, articles, devotionals… All of these have played immeasurable formative roles in my life. I know of some people who basically never read, but I would never trade places with such a person.
As far as giving back to others, I’ve been privileged to use some of the proceeds of my writing to buy musical instruments for churches in Russia and Ukraine. (I travel there every year.) However, even in blessing them I, in turn, am warmed and receive a blessing from participating in their ministries. (I’m going again in January. Anyone want to send over a used musical instrument?
Rick, what a great “instrument” for giving! This is dear to my heart because my dad was a junior high band teacher. If he were still alive, he would jump on the opportunity to participate. Each year, our family gives a contribution in his name to one of a number of charities. I have a new idea to share with them this year!
Cynthia, I’m especially looking for a good used clarinet for a church in Vyatskie Polyany, Russia. (But nothing huge, like tubas, please! Lol.) Oh, and our ministry can provide tax-deductible statements for anyone who wants one.
I think Seth Godin is a wonderful example of a giving writer. Several of his books have been available as free ebooks and he’s not afraid to blog his “material.”
Right before I started writing my book I had lunch with a very successful writer. He showed me exactly how he planned his books, step by step, opened his wallet and said, “Go buy everything you need today!”
I see him on a weekly basis and he still holds me accountable.
His gift of time to me has been priceless.
Steve, thanks for the mention about the article regarding authors who make a beyond-the-pages impact through their books. The research for that article was stirring. And space constraints meant room for only a few of the many novelists who write with a heart to bless others not only with their stories but with their compassion, too.
“To whom much is given, much is required.” I totally agree that writers should be givers. At the very least, they should be tithing on what they make, but it struck me as odd that a literary agent would be writing about this. Sure, writers should give, but so should literary agents, so should publishers, so should we all.
But it occurs to me that even if we leave out the stuff about charity, writers are givers. That is the nature of what we do. Though people give us money in return, we give them something much more valuable. We give them our heart, printed out on paper for all the world to see. Even if we gave every cent we made to charity, it would not compare to what we give them through the words we write.
Timothy, if you think it odd that I write about this topic as if I’m scolding people, you miss the point. Tune in next week (Monday) to see the conclusion to this series of posts.
Great post! It is good to stop and think about how to give back.
I recently attended the ACFW Writer’s Conference where Gail Gaymer Martin spoke to us about writing. Her tips have greatly assisted me in writing my next book. Had she not decided to share her time and talents with us, I never would have succeeded in completing my second book in one month!
Because I also feel it is important to share…I have decided to give away the first $1,000 earned from the sales of my first book, “The Dragon Forest” to the Delhi Bible Institute in India where young men are trained to become pastors and spread the Gospel message to their countrymen and women are taught how to sew in order to provide for their families.
I hope one day to be able to go to Delhi and see the Institute and the sewing centers.
Thanks again for a great post!
Blessings,
Ruth
Right now there is a wonderful opportunity to give. Sandi Rog is a Christian writer who has stage four lymphoma. Several friends have set up a website to collect money for her treatment. Each $2 donation enters the giver into a raffle for some pretty great prizes, among them a Nook and a Kindle Fire, and even a ticket to ACFW 2012. for more information go to
fundraiserforsandirog.blogspot.com
Steve, I really laud this post. Writing is a very high calling that was, biblically speaking, entrusted to the most significant souls of history – like Moses, David, Paul, Daniel, Isaiah, Peter, The Disciples, etc. They were stewards of the mysteries of God, who served their cultures by inspiring, challenging, rebuking, warning, provoking and comforting others, through their writings. Whatever else defines our differences, our shared cause brings us to a common foxhole, where we fight for the truth of the ages. Some have their own views on what is the oldest of all professions – to me it is writing, the most faithful and persistent instrument of posterity.
I also have come to view marketing as one of life’s most dubious pursuits. Whenever a new channel opens up, it quickly gets bogged down by over-enthusiasts and spammers. The only truly sustainable marketing is reciprocation. It is about reinvesting the benefits gained from customers and other stakeholders, through reinvestment in their markets. In terms of raw return on investment it is by far the most efficient marketing approach. It also adds the personal glue that makes such a difference in an impersonal world, so the payoff is exponential. I daily see marketers wasting scarce resources with traditional above-the-line efforts, on a world that is predisposed to saying “No”. Yet when I see a firm using its marketing budget as an incentive to customers or dealers, they always reap direct loyalty and market share benefits.
One of the most giving group of writers I’ve encountered is the group that writes for Novel Matters. These ladies have gone through all the tides of writing and they share freely. They offer advice, friendship, mentorship. They have been invaluable in my journey as a writer.
http://www.novelmatters.com
You won’t find a better writing family!