Complicating Success

by Allen Arnold, @TheStoryofWith

How do you define success as an author?

Perhaps you base it on whether you regularly hit your daily word count. Or maybe success is when the publisher you’ve longed to partner with finally signs your new series. If you’re already published, then success might be hitting a bestseller list or exponentially growing your readership.

All of the above seem like logical ways to measure success. They offer tangible metrics by which we can count progress, compare results, and control our calling.

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Kintsugi Creativity

by Allen Arnold, @TheStoryofWith

We all have scars. Most are unseen. But visible or not, every scar cuts deep. Betrayal from those we trusted. Silence when we needed support. Conditional love based on our performance. It’s amazing how many ways a heart can be shattered.

And for the most part, these wounds weren’t accidental. We have an enemy whose aim is to steal, kill, and destroy - both the Story you're living and the ones you're writing. And his strikes are strategic, attacking you at your points of purpose. Which is why the areas of your life that have been the most opposed often hold clues to your unique calling.

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Your Protag’s Biggest Problem

by Allen Arnold, @TheStoryofWith

Your protagonist’s biggest problem isn’t the antagonist. It’s you.

As we breathe life into worlds and characters, they can’t help but possess our DNA. It’s unavoidable. What’s created in our own strength will include our weaknesses.

In a mythic sense, where we haven’t gone, our creations will stumble. Your protagonist’s vision will be clouded by your blind spots. If you strive for external validation, so will they. Their faith can’t transcend your experiences with God. Their courage will be diluted by your fears. And that tendency to be easily overwhelmed or controlling? Yep, your protagonist inherited that from you as well.

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Doing Less & Becoming More

by Allen Arnold, @TheStoryofWith
The more you do, the more successful you’ll be.

That maxim seems true, but it’s actually a lie that erodes our identity and creativity.

This isn’t a post about being unproductive. I’m all for getting things done. It’s the motive of striving and constantly doing more that I want to discuss.

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A Story’s Sacred Circle

by Allen Arnold

We all long for our stories to make an eternal impact. Yet so few books seem to shine for more than a moment.

I believe what’s missing is an eternal spark. And that only comes from the glow of those writers who have spent time with the Creator. Only what is co-created with God has that brilliance.

I call that process entering into a Story’s Sacred Circle. Let me explain. Picture a bulls-eye with concentric color rings that grow outward from the center. It’s the kind you’ve thrown darts at as a kid or maybe shot arrows at when you were older. Everyone aims for the small red circle in the middle. Sure, it’s easier to hit the wider circles. But you don’t get many points when you’re far from the center.

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Write to Discover

by Allen Arnold

Does your writing reflect a journey of discovery?

Before you can take readers to new places, you must first travel roads you’ve never been on. Doing so will force you out of your comfort zone to wrestle with the unknown, face your fears, and discover God in fresh ways. You become the traveler rather than the master guide. The process is risky and messy, but it’s the only way to see, hear, and experience the new.

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First Feedback

by Allen Arnold

As writers, we receive no shortage of feedback. Editorial critiques. On-line reviews. Compliments from mom. And a grab bag of reader comments–
many helpful, a few bizarre, and one that couldn’t get past your grammar glitch on page 74.

We tend to base our art's worth on the reaction or reviews of others. But do you regularly ask God what he thinks of your writing?

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It’s Not Up to You

by Allen Arnold @TheStoryofWith

But it can sure feel like it is. Master enough techniques, write enough words, and expand your social media platform enough and you can make it happen.

In other word, we write and live as if it is all up to us. But imagine what it might look like to step into your creativity with a power that isn’t limited to your solutions, strength, or striving.

God created you for union with him. Not one part of your life – including your calling as a writer – is dependent on you making it happen apart from him.

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The House You Choose

by Allen Arnold

Where do you reside as a writer?

I’m not asking about the publishing house you write for or the coffee house you write at.

I’m talking about the place you write from.

The place you call home serves to either awaken or numb your heart, your identity, and your creativity. Storyteller simply can’t tell stories bigger than the realm they live within.

And there are only two options. Both are filled with extremely creative people yet they couldn’t be more different. Let’s start by looking at the residents within each.

The first place is bustling with activity. Heads are down – lost in laptops and phones. It feels like time is short. And everything is comparable and measurable– from daily word count and manuscript deadlines to social media growth. Those who fall behind are told to try harder and do more. Except it’s never enough. Though everyone here strives for success –it never seems to fully arrive. And what was once exhilarating is now exhausting.

If you doubt this, just look into their eyes. People here are overwhelmed, disheartened, and isolated. They long to create things for God and to write stories about God. But they have forgotten how to pursue their creativity with him.

I call this the Orphan Realm – a place of fierce independence where residents largely pursue their writing alone. They have forgotten – or perhaps never discovered – how to create with God as his Sons and Daughters. It’s near impossible to write stories that awaken hearts and offer hope when the storytellers themselves have lost heart and hope.

And then there’s the second realm. The atmosphere is filled with wonder and abundance. The focus here isn’t on doing more but rather being more. Residents don’t strive for validation. They know that doesn’t come from what they do but who they are. Instead, they see their creativity as an active, intimate dance with God. Writing is pointless without him. They seek his presence over their own productivity or daily word count. The external gives way to the eternal…and stories that could never be born in isolation or through formula come to life through Creative Fellowship with God.

This is the Freedom Realm. A place of fierce dependence where Sons and Daughters have no interest in creating from their own strength. What worked last book has little bearing on what God is inviting them into the next time. And as they discover their truer identity and how to create with the Creator, their imagination is fueled exponentially.

Now think of the writers you know. Which of these two places do they tend to live? Getting more personal, which sounds most like home to you – the Orphan or the Freedom Realm?

The good news is you get to choose your home. And that decision can change everything.

Throughout 2017, my monthly posts have one goal. To help you transform the stories you’re writing by transforming the Story you are living.

Are you in? It all starts with the house you choose.

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Allen Arnold is the author of The Story of With, an allegory that reveals a better way to live and create through the doorway of identity, imagination, and intimacy. His mission is to help people actively pursue and transform their talent by discovering how to pursue it with God. As the founding Fiction Publisher for one of the world's largest Christian publishing houses, Allen oversaw the development of more than five hundred novels. He knows first-hand how common it is for creators to become disheartened, overwhelmed or burnt-out–as well as what it takes to help the dreams of writers become reality. In his current role at Ransomed Heart, he oversees content from the mountains of Colorado for the ministry. Before becoming a Board Member for ACFW, he was awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 for his substantial contributions to the world of Christian Fiction. 

The Story of With: A Better Way to Live, Love, & Create by Allen Arnold

"Unique and powerful, The Story of With will take readers deep into the discovery of their own identity. "Bravo! This fascinating blend of storytelling and teaching will shift the thinking of all who take this journey." New York Times Bestselling Author, TED DEKKER

"Through allegory and invitation, Allen Arnold ushers us into a journey of imagination, insight, wonder, and wisdom...Read The Story of With!" New York Times Bestselling Co-Author of Captivating, STASI ELDREDGE

"This is your invitation into deeper identity, intimacy, and imagination with God. Like finding the place you've always longed to be. The moment you finish this book, you'll race to grab one for a friend. Highest Recommendation!" Bestselling Author of The Long Journey to Jake Palmer, JAMES L. RUBART

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The Big Idea of Your Novel

by Allen Arnold 

 

There’s a classic story, probably mostly true, of how a monster movie screenplay was pitched to Hollywood studios.

In 1975, Jaws had become one of the first true pop-culture summer blockbusters movies. Imagine shortly after that you are trying to get the green light for your screenplay about a monster in space. No one in Hollywood is exactly standing in line for this story. It’s up to you to create interest in it. But you know you’ll only have a few minutes at most with the major studio heads. What can you possibly say that will cause them to pay attention?

The folks tasked with this came up with a brilliant pitch for the screenplay.

They positioned it as “Jaws in Space”.

That’s it. Three words.

And that’s all it took to hook a powerful studio. The line was so catchy and yet so simple. And the rest is history.

Alien became not just a blockbuster movie but a decades-spanning franchise. It even has an equally powerful positioning line for the movie poster: “In space, no one can hear you scream”.  

Both lines – one for internal Hollywood decision makers and one for the people buying movie tickets – are visceral and unforgettable. They draw you in. Leave you wanting more.

Can you describe your novel in a few powerful words? Not a few paragraphs –a few words. A sentence at most. You need to because that’s the attention span of most people. Anything beyond that and most people won’t remember. They have too many other things competing for space in their brain – including what they are going to eat for dinner, when to pick up the kids and whether they have clean clothes to wear tomorrow.

You need a phrase that causes your target audience to smile, gasp or lean in closer. The goal isn’t to tell them your whole story. It is to cause them to want more so they will buy and read your story. That’s it. Accomplish that and you are on the way to growing your tribe of readers.

When done right, the catch phrase or positioning line captures the concentrated power of the primary concept that makes your story unique. It is what will draw both agent and publisher to your proposal. It is what will turn the potential reader’s head and then keep the pages turning. It is what will fuel buzz in the marketplace.

To be sure, there’s an art to crafting the right succinct phrase. Some credit Blaise Pascal for saying, "I'm sorry I wrote you such a long letter; I didn't have time to write a short one." It’s true, saying more with fewer words is hard work. That’s okay. Do the hard work.

Start with the central premise that makes your story unique. If you find yourself hitting a brick wall when trying to come up with this positioning line, the problem may lie within the story itself. Perhaps the story doesn’t yet have a truly unique premise or twist. If that’s the case, spend more time on story development and then craft the positioning line.

The goal of a great line is to leave people wanting more. It must be intriguing, unexpected, compelling, playful, or disruptive.

The more generic the line is, the more forgettable it will be.

The more detailed and wordy, the more folks will glaze over. That’s why great positioning lines rarely include character names – because names aren’t the big idea or original concept.

The more obvious a line is – the less compelling. A great line for a romance novel is never “Will she find true love?” Because, um, the answer is apparent. Asking a self-answering question as the tagline only highlights how predictable the story is.

Now it’s your turn. What is the hook for your current book?

Allen Arnold loves the epic adventure God has set before him. From the mountains of Colorado, he leads Content & Resources for Ransomed Heart Ministries (led by John Eldredge). Before that, he spent 20 years in Christian Publishing - overseeing  the development of more than 500 novels as founder and Publisher of Thomas Nelson Fiction. He was awarded the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. But that doesn't really describe the man. Allen savors time with his family, craves the beach, drinks salsa by the glass, is hooked on the TV series "Once Upon a Time" and is passionate about helping storytellers tell better stories from an awakened heart. 

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Who is Your Obi-Wan Kenobi?

Who is Your Obi-Wan Kenobi?

Without him, Luke Skywalker wouldn’t be Luke Skywalker. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s presence awakened him to a larger story, taught him the ways of a Jedi, and steered him to his truer destiny.

Every hero’s journey–including yours–begins with a call out of the ordinary and into adventure. But as we take that step, we soon realize how alone we feel and how impossible the task appears. This is the moment in every great novel and movie where the seasoned sage appears to propel the hero forward. 

So who is the sage in your writing journey?

Yes, first and foremost we have God.

But God also provides human guidance. For writers, these are the sages strong enough to handle our hang-ups and meltdowns, brave enough to speak the hard realities others avoid, and loyal enough to read every draft of our work. They can think like your most passionate fan without being in awe of your gifts (which rules out your spouse and your mom). And they consistently offer ideas that lift your story to the next level by making your story sound even more like you. Though they can be your editor or agent, they often are ones not financially tied to the success of your book.

So who is your Obi-Wan Kenobi?

If you don’t have one yet, don’t despair. Perhaps you haven’t been ready until now. There’s an ancient saying: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Sometimes it’s hard for best-selling, proven authors to still see themselves as students. Yet no matter how accomplished we are, there’s always someone further down the road than us.

If you’re ready to be the student, ask God to bring a sage into your life and remain expectant. He will.

Equally important, there are people around you that desperately need wisdom. You may feel you have little to offer. Even so, be their sage. Not as a work-for-hire project or quid pro quo – but simply because at this moment you have eyes to see their story more clearly than they do.

The biggest trap is for writers to believe they are alone in this journey.

Do whatever it takes to find your Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Just don’t forget to be one too.

Allen Arnold loves the epic adventure God has set before him. From the mountains of Colorado, he leads Content & Resources for Ransomed Heart Ministries (led by John Eldredge). Before that, he spent 20 years in Christian Publishing - overseeing  the development of more than 500 novels as founder and Publisher of Thomas Nelson Fiction. He was awarded the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. But that doesn't really describe the man. Allen savors time with his family, craves the beach, drinks salsa by the glass, is hooked on the TV series "Once Upon a Time" and is passionate about helping storytellers tell better stories from an awakened heart. 

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When Formula Sneaks In

by Allen Arnold

One of the most deadly assaults on your creativity comes in the form of formula.

We desire success for our stories. And formulas seem to offer us that promise. All we need to do is master the ten steps or four laws or read the new book. Or follow the blueprint that worked for that other successful author. Surely it would work for us as well.

Except it won’t.

Because no one in publishing has the formula.

If they did, we’d know it by now. Every publisher and industry expert would regularly predict next year’s big books and breakout authors.

Except they don’t.

But the pull is magnetic. Some formulas make us feel productive or in control–like relentlessly hitting our daily word count no matter what. Other formulas feel impossible to ignore–like the constraints of a genre or the man-made rules of an industry.

They can also be subtle. Formulas attach themselves to our gifting while whispering in our ears that any hope of success is dependent on them.

And here’s where it gets confusing. Some formulas do work–at least outwardly and at least for a time. Once a writer has a bestseller, the pressure is immense to figure out how to make lightning strike again. So the author and publishing team attempt to retrace the path that led to the initial fame. And though the first breakout was almost always based on a fresh new concept involving some level of risk, somehow the thinking goes that future success can be bottled or repeated. What was fresh becomes stale.

God doesn’t appear to be a fan of formulas. In Old Testament battles, he constantly revealed disruptive new ways for his followers to achieve victory. The same with Jesus. He rarely approached healings the same way. And during the Israelites 40-year desert tour, they learned the hard way not to depend on yesterday’s manna.

Rather than give us a formula that works, God instead gives us himself.  He is far less interested in our success (or repeated success) than in our intimacy with him. Yet when we place our faith, hope and trust in formulas to achieve the dreams God has placed in our hearts, we lose what matters most. The reason why is simple.  Formulas don’t require God’s presence. Worse, they offer the illusion of control in place of intimacy and dependence on a wild, unpredictable, playful, non-formulaic Creator.

So while discipline, productivity, and hard work are helpful tools for any serious writer, they are far too dull to carve a path to true creative intimacy with the Father. The tools aren’t bad. They’re just woefully inadequate for the higher journey we are invited on.

Imagine what’s possible as you–and your stories–break free from formulas. The process requires a daily dependence on God, trusting him to provide all that’s needed each day. Which, as it turns out, is not only the best way to eat manna but also the best way to write stories.

Allen Arnold loves the epic adventure God has set before him. From the mountains of Colorado, he leads Content & Resources for Ransomed Heart Ministries (led by John Eldredge). Before that, he spent 20 years in Christian Publishing - overseeing  the development of more than 500 novels as founder and Publisher of Thomas Nelson Fiction. He was awarded the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. But that doesn't really describe the man. Allen savors time with his family, craves the beach, drinks salsa by the glass, is hooked on the TV series "Once Upon a Time" and is passionate about helping storytellers tell better stories from an awakened heart.

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Run To the Unknown

Run to the Unknown

by Allen Arnold 

We gravitate to the known. Familiarity feels good whether it’s our favorite pair of jeans, the movie that never grows old or the annual vacation getaway.

Doing what we’ve done before can be stabilizing and comforting – but it rarely stretches us.

The same applies to your life as a writer. Mastering a skill is never the finish line for an artist but simply an invitation towards the next starting block. It is your chance to breathe something into existence the world has yet to imagine. A story that you didn’t believe you could write a year ago but now see the way.

This month, I step into a new first.

I will attend my first writer’s conference as a student.

Yes, I’ve been to dozens of writer’s conferences during more than twenty years in the publishing industry. But each time, I was on assignment – either to represent the Christian Fiction division I served as Publisher or, more recently, to offer a keynote message, teach a class or serve on the board of the conference. All good things...but not the same.

This week I get to be the student. No one expects me to share any wisdom or make things go right. I have total freedom to simply sit at the feet of others and savor what is being offered. It is both exciting and wildly disruptive to a guy who lived too much of life trying to earn his place at the table.

You may be in the opposite situation. If you’ve been the student at several conferences – perhaps it’s time for you to offer to lead a session. Or if you attend the same gathering every year with the same people, why not fly across the country by yourself to an event where no one knows your name?

Years ago, I heard the concept of a Learning Bandwidth that made a huge impact on my life. It’s based on the ratio of how much we speak versus how much we listen. From there, it calculates our capacity – or bandwidth – for learning. The premise is we only learn when we hear new ideas and information – and we only do that by listening to others. When we dominate a conversation – we say what we already know (or think we know). In the next 24 hours, notice your ratio of talking versus asking questions and active listening.

I encourage you to run into the unknown this summer. Rather than remain in the place where you have all the answers, enter into a hobby or a vacation or class where you are the student. Skip your favorite lunch hangout for the place you haven’t eaten at before. Visit the church on the other end of town. Pick up an instrument you’ve never played. All of these will stimulate your senses in a new way.

When it comes to story, discover the art of writing with God rather than writing for or about him. If you’d like to learn more about that, I share thoughts on how to experience creative intimacy with God in a blog post titled The Deeper Magic of Writing.

God is constantly inviting us into new frontiers where we can’t rely on our own strength or past experience to get us through. In these journeys, he offers no upfront map. The only way to navigate the terrain is with him or the people he provides along the way.

Here’s the reason why. Once you’ve mastered something, it’s too easy to rely on yourself. God constantly is wooing us to pursue our gifting with him.

Sometimes we don’t expose ourselves to the new because deep down we feel inadequate. We know we need help but are unsure whom to ask. But as Anthony Hopkins said in The Mask of Zorro, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

Are you ready?

This is your invitation to enter new frontiers that force you to be a beginner again. The goal isn’t simply to conquer whatever is new...another notch on your belt of accomplishments. The goal is to listen more. Discover more. Stretch more. If you go all out, you will come to know God in new ways that only present themselves when you reach the end of yourself.

Watch the effect it has on you. As my friend John Eldredge recently said, “What good is a new frontier if you get into it and emerge out of it exactly the same person?”

Exactly.

Become a student again. Learn from other people. Learn from God. In the process, you will become a new creation. And that, in turn, will transform the way you create.

Allen Arnold loves the epic adventure God has set before him. From the mountains of Colorado, he leads Content & Resources for Ransomed Heart Ministries (led by John Eldredge). Before that, he spent 20 years in Christian Publishing - overseeing  the development of more than 500 novels as founder and Publisher of Thomas Nelson Fiction. He was awarded the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. But that doesn't really describe the man. Allen savors time with his family, craves the beach, drinks salsa by the glass, is hooked on the TV series "Once Upon a Time" and is passionate about helping storytellers tell better stories from an awakened heart.  

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