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Brett Lott's Theology of Creating

Esteemed writer Brett Lott describes Flannery O’Connor as humble, and lifts her up as an example for Christian artists, I don’t know that I agree with his definition of humility. “Humble Flannery” lets her ideas speak for themselves, trying to separate her authorship from her stories. This might be considered humble. However, in her interactions with her fans, she is short and dismissive. It makes sense that Lott admires this, because he is the same way. In his anecdotes, particularly those about his students or mentees, he treats others (and writes about them) as if they are inferior to him. I find this frustrating. Although Lott is clearly experienced in his field, he need not treat others as if they are lesser. This is not a good example to other Christian authors. It is good to write humbly and not to cling to one’s ideas too tightly, but when one doesn’t act this way interpersonally, that work is undone. As much as I dislike Lott’s hypocritical essay on humility, I greatly appre...
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A Good Intro For Once

This isn't a traditional blog post. This is the introduction to a paper that I am writing for my Honors class. I'm choosing to share it here because I rarely write an introduction that I am proud of. Normally, I write my introductions at the end of the writing process, when I have finally figured out what I am trying to say. But this time, I was so excited to share my ideas that this intro just happened. I chose to write on Locke and Rousseau for this paper. I hope you enjoy this example of a paper introduction: The way we view the things around us - ours, his, mine, hers, their - drastically impacts the way we live our lives. In the cultural west, we tend to stay in our own little corners. If we need or want something, we have to take action to get it, or at least make a case for why we should have it. If we have something that we don’t want, we give it to someone who offers us the most in return rather than the one who needs it the most. If we can get more than we need, we ...
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The Future of Publishing

To say that the publishing world has changed would be an understatement. We are arguably reading more, but we aren't reading in the same way. Audiobooks are more popular now than ever, and many writers who would like to write for print publication settle for internet publication. For those who want to sell their own writing as a career, it is difficult to make a living. But for those who simply want the world to see their writing, things are easier. If you are willing and privileged enough to make little or nothing for your work, it is easy to spread it around online, reaching an audience much more quickly than pre-internet authors. Although I enjoy writing, I don't see publishing for income as a priority. If I do write things that I want others to see, I don't feel the need to publish it in the traditional sense. Regardless of this fact, I would much rather be an editor than a writer. Due to the decline in traditional publishing, independent publishing has increased drama...
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Moving

I have lived in many places during my 19 year existence. 1. A cottage in Aurora, OR (0-1). My parents lived here when I was born. 2. An apartment in Manila, Philippines (1-2). My parents were missionaries with an organization. 3. A house in Manila, Philippines (2-4). 4. An apartment in Wilsonville, OR (4-5). My parents decided that living and raising a child overseas was too stressful. 5. A house in Charlotte, NC (5-6). My dad worked at the mission base here. 6. Another house in Charlotte, NC (6-11). 7. A house in Wheaton, IL (11-13). My mom decided to get her PhD at Wheaton College. 8. A house in Oregon City, OR (13-16). My parents wanted to move back to where my dad grew up and where they met (this was the plan all along). 9. Another house in Oregon City, OR (16). My mom got a teaching job in Canada, so my family moved to Alberta. I stayed behind to finish my senior year. I moved in with friends. 10. Another house in Oregon City, OR (16-17). After living in my friend's...
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Peter Jackson or J.R.R. Tolkien?

Among avid readers, claiming that a film adaptation is better than an original book can put me on dangerous ground. After all, people fall in love with books, spending time with them in a way that many don't with movies. A book is often read a bit at a time and can last someone weeks, whereas a movie is done in less than two hours, so it makes sense that readers can get very emotionally attached to books. Although I agree that many books hold more value and express more nuance than their adapted film counterparts, there is one key series that I believe was improved by its film adaptation: Lord of the Rings. Although Tolkien clearly did a brilliant job with his trilogy, it is easier to keep track of the characters and the narrative in the films. Not only were the casting choices perfect - every single character is unique and interesting - but the plot flows well and holds my attention. The books can drag a bit with long descriptions that the movies capture more quickly with a gorg...
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Hobbes and Community

In his political treatise Leviathan , Thomas Hobbes makes arguments for the state of the world and humankind and for a way to make them better. He argues that in our natural state, we look out for our own interests. The world cannot sustain us each individually, so we are in a constant state of war/insecurity. However, when we form groups, those who could only survive alone can begin to thrive; working together feeds human development. To escape the state of nature, these groups agree to surrender their individual rights to a sovereign who protects them from other groups and from the world. When we must surrender all of our individual rights to gain physical protection, this presents problematic possibilities and risks. This is what we tend to talk about when we talk about Hobbes: what will go wrong when we lose our individuality. These conversations are relevant and important, and they present good reasons for why concentrated power in the hands of one person or a few people is not ...
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How to Grammar

What is a gerund? What is a participle? What is a prepositional phrase? If you're curious, I'm sorry to say you won't find the answers to these questions here. I don't really care for formal grammar instruction. Even if one learns all the vocabulary and rules for grammar perfectly, her writing may not improve. Reading, practice and intuition will help the writer connect with her reader in a meaningful way. Reading will help the writer learn how good sentences are supposed to sound. If the writer reads enough different styles for long periods of time, writing her own work will be as easy as practicing good mimicry. If one doesn't know how to mimic authors, she can still learn good writing habits through practice. Practice will help the writer recognize her own errors and learn to self-correct. If she writes enough and receives feedback, she will likely start to notice poor structural tendencies in her own work. She can compare this to the structural tenden...
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Speech Night

I am running for junior class rep! Here is the speech I gave on Wednesday: Hi friends! I’m Ana. You all have a lot of speeches to listen to tonight, so I am going to keep mine brief. That’s one of my goals for my time as junior class representative: to listen more and speak less. As you all know, George Fox University isn't just a school or workplace where students go during the day to return safely home at night. For many students, George Fox is home. When we, the students, don't feel safe in our own home, we can't thrive. Over the past year, I have spoken to students who don’t feel safe here. There are members of our community who don’t feel safe in class, walking across campus, or even in their own dorm rooms. The university has a responsibility to address these issues. Thankfully, the student body is here to hold the administration accountable. Over the past year, I have personally seen members of the safety subcommittee and the LGBTQ+ and Title IX subcommittees a...
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Woman Writer

I am a woman, and I am a writer, and those two parts of my identity are inseparable whether I like it or not. Thankfully, I do like it. Although I do not have direct evidence to back this up, I believe that women tend to be more aware of their surroundings than men. This may be because men are more likely to focus on individual goals rather than paying attention to the whole picture. Regardless of the reason, I am usually hyper-aware of my surroundings. This can be overwhelming at times if there is a lot of sensory information to process, but it also helps me write better. I notice details that men might not notice. This is valuable whether I am writing creative fiction or non-fiction. Either I can imagine a greater quantity of significant details when I am creating a moment, or I remember a greater quantity of significant details from moments in my own life. Another factor that may come from my femaleness is my high level of empathy. I find it easy to put myself in someone else...
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Caught

Here is the story as I understand it: Friend A has had a crush on Boy for a period of six months (give or take a few). Friend A has kept Friends B and C updated on her feelings during that time. Friend B begins to develop feelings for Boy. Friend B flirts with Boy. Friend B tells Friend A that she would like to date Boy. Friend A is blindsided and hurt, but she tells Friend B that it is okay to pursue a relationship with Boy. Friend B begins dating Boy within the week. Friend A still feels hurt and angry and talks with Friend C about what is going on. Friend B has fallen in love with Boy quickly and feels bitter about Friend A's response. Friend B expresses her frustration to Friend C. Many women have been in Friend C's position before. Now I am Friend C. Friends A and B are my closest friends. I am also a six on the enneagram. One characteristic of sixes is that loyalty and security are very important to them. I can be loyal to Friends A and B in this scenario, but I ca...
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