Hi friends,
Happy Wednesday! I’m super excited to have Debb Hackett guest blogging for me today. Debb’s one of my mentees and friends, and I’ve loved watching her grow as a writer. Today she’s sharing about the power of words. Enjoy!
When I think back, most of my life has been inspired by words. As a child and teenager, I pored over books, using them to visit far-off or nonexistent places and have breathtaking adventures. In college I studied Philosophy and learned some big words, uttered by amazing thinkers, and my minor in communications taught me how to use words effectively. My career has been in radio news, where every word counts and repeating one in the same story, is frowned upon.
From teenage years onward and still inspiring me today, is the word of God. I’m so inspired by scripture that I even started a blog with some other writers where we pull just one word from the Bible and then explore the power and message held in that word.
Now, as I work as hard as I can to become a published author, words have taken on fresh importance. When you’re writing for radio, you learn about theater of the mind. You’re painting an image using words and sounds. In print, you don’t have the sounds and I’m not writing children’s books so no pictures to help either. Words must communicate smells and sounds, tastes, and textures. They’re called on to describe emotions and sights, or paint images of people and situations in readers’ minds. As a writer, I need to use words to fill your heart with joy or your eyes with tears, to make you laugh or sigh, as you sit and ponder what you’ve read.
As part of this endeavor, I attend classes about using words, taught by those far better at this craft than me. Dani Pettrey (my first ever writing buddy), Deb Raney, Karen Witemeyer and Tamara Alexander are all brilliant teachers. I’m sure Jody Hedlund and Becky Wade are too, I just haven’t had the fun of sitting in one of their classes. But I have read their books and they’re among my favorites.
That brings me to another favorite wordy duty. I need to find the words written by others and devour them. Reading is a vital privilege. Learning how other writers use words to get their message across helps us newbies grow. That makes it my job to read what the regular ladies from this blog are writing. So being here today with them, is a “pinch me” moment, thank you all.
Writer, broadcaster and speaker Debb Hackett has been a radio journalist for more than twenty years. Married to a test pilot, Debb lives just outside London, England, with her husband and their two daughters. Her first work of fiction won the Foundation Award at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference and was an ACFW Genesis Award finalist. When she’s not writing, Debb can be found leading worship, cheering for Green Bay or skiing. If you can swing by her house while she’s making scones, that would be a win. She blogs at: https://debbhackett.com
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Welcome to Inspired by Life and Fiction, Debb. Glad you could guest post.
Thank you. And thanks for inspiring me with your work ethic and wonderful stories.
Thanks for joining us here today, Debb!!
Completely my joy.
Debb, so fun to see you here on Inspired by Life…and Fiction. And thank you so much for the sweet mention! Hope we cross paths in person at a writers conference somewhere soon!