Welcome to L. J.'s Corner (or, Why I’m Doing This)
Stories are worth making time for. But for years I didn’t make time.
I believed there were more important things to do than write stories others may never read. Instead of reading stories, I thought I should probably do something serious and responsible like wash the dishes or fold the laundry.
The problem isn’t that, in some seasons, we have less time for creative pursuits. That’s reality. The problem is thinking creative pursuits are not important. Not “real” work. To borrow a term from the Covid pandemic, non-essential.
Despite being born a natural lover of stories (writing them, reading them, obsessing over them), I bought into this wrong thinking for a long time. The truth of the issue has dawned on me slowly, gently, overtime, like a very gradual sunrise. (No apologies for the somewhat saccharine simile—nor the alliteration. This is my creative corner, ok?)
Why I Write Creatively (In This Season)
Back in January of 2020, I had been pouring my heart out to God (for me, that means writing in a prayer journal) about all the things I wanted to do with my life. Among other things, I knew I wanted to grow creatively…somehow. Did that mean writing books? Getting a master’s degree? Studying to become a professional editor? After pouring all that out, I wrote this:
Here’s what’s coming to mind:
Regardless of what I have to show for it, I was born to write. It will always been part of who I am and what I do.
I love stories. Telling them. Reading them. Helping others tell their stories.
I need to finish my book.
There is literally nothing to lose.
If I’m meant to be an author, I’ll never know it if I don’t finish.
If I’m meant to be an editor, I’ll need the experience.
If I’m meant to get a master’s in creative writing or something, I’ll need it for my portfolio.
Keep in mind this was written over four years before I would actually finish drafting the book in question, or take seriously the pursuit of writing fiction—so like I said, g r a d u a l sunrise.
This year, 2024, I’ve begun earnestly prioritizing my love of writing stories. I still don’t know where, exactly, it will lead. But when I doubt or start to knock that creative time off my priority list for the day, I remember what I believe God impressed on my heart four years ago. And I would encourage you to remember it too.
If you feel you were born to do it, then do it. You may not know where God is leading you right now. You may not understand “why.” But do what you were made to do, and trust him with the outcome.
Why I Read (And Make My Kids Read)
I grew up a voracious reader because I enjoyed it (and as a kid, time was easy to come by). But the real importance of not just reading, but reading good literature intentionally and well, has also dawned on me gradually over time.
My views on the why were especially sharpened during the last couple of years, while I had the privilege to teach literature part-time. That opportunity (among many other wonderful things)…
Gave me an excuse (and a duty!) to read several amazing classics (some repeats for me, some I’d never actually read before, or not in a very long time, and not thoroughly).
Reminded me how much stories have been a part of the human experience since the beginning of time—both reflecting and shaping our worldviews, and empowering us to connect with generations both past and future.
Forced me to articulate to students why reading (and writing) good and true stories matters.
Allowed me to witness in real-time how minds are molded, challenged, and sharpened by great stories.
There’s nothing like talking to kids about something to force you to really refine and articulate what you believe about it!
That experience helped solidify that I wanted to keep exploring great literature for myself; there is so much I have to learn! And it made me all the more certain that I want to raise my own children to be people who love to read and know how to read stories well.
L. J.’s Corner
This new corner of my website is part of me making time for stories—writing them, reading them, thinking about them. I hope you will interact, if you want, with your own thoughts, ideas, and questions. Because perhaps the only thing better than enjoying a good story is getting to enjoy it with someone else.
Why L. J.’s Corner? “L. J.” because it’s a childhood nickname of mine and the name on my “writergram” account (I’d love if you joined me there). “Corner” because you can typically find me reading while curled up in a cozy corner of our couch. Alliterations, am I right? Just so fun.
