The Word for Writers

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I wonder how great a writer Anne Frank, the German-Jewish diarist, would have being if she had not died at the age of fifteen. She died of typhus at a concentration camp during the World War II (1939-1945).
In June 1942, Anne received a diary for her 13th birthday. Every day, she wrote down her thoughts and experiences in the form of letters to an imaginary friend. One month later, she and her family went into hiding from anti-Jewish persecution. In a confined place and in great fear, they lived together with four other Jewish families, for the next two years. All through this difficult time, her hopes of becoming a professional writer did not dwindle. Anne continued to write down her experiences in her diary along with various short stories.
The Gestapo later discovered and sent them to concentration camps where she died. Her father, the only one who survived, compiled an account of the hiding period from Anne’s two incomplete diary drafts. Later, the diary was published in Dutch in 1947, followed by the German and French translations in 1950. An English translation, Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, appeared in 1952. It was made into a Pulitzer Prize winning play in 1956 and then into a motion picture in 1959.
A dead 15-year-old girl’s diary! Amazing!
Reading it, I wonder at her deep insight, wit, wisdom and clarity of expression. Quite admirable for a girl that young; but then, she had a dream to be a writer and she wrote every day. You don’t have a choice but to do well what you do every day.
Anne frank wrote in her diary: “All Great Achievements Require Time.” How true!
If we must be successful writers, daily writing is important. It requires time, commitment and discipline.
Have you written anything today?
This is the question I intend to ask myself every day of this year. I have also engaged my husband to ask me this one question, daily.
It gives me a sense of duty and I have tried to, as much as I can, write, no matter how little. Like Anne frank, I carry a diary with me; even if it is to ramble, I write in it every day. I don’t know how long this will last, but I don’t want to worry about that. I take each day at a time and do the best I can.
The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-29 should encourage us to maximize our writing abilities. God gave us this grace to serve Him. He expects us to improve on it.
The third servant was condemned for his slothfulness. He carefully hid his talent. One would have thought the master would spare him for not wasting or abusing it. This shows that the slothful servant shall no more escape punishment than the wasteful servant.
This got my attention, especially when his talent was taken away from him. If I commit time to maximize my writing talent, I will be rewarded. If not, I may lose it.
Albert Barnes said, “Perhaps, …those most highly endowed are the farthest from properly improving their talents.”
To whom much is given, much is expected, hence my commitment to write more diligently.
Another goal I have this year is to be more active in the Faith Writers Community. It is a Christian family I find inspiring, enriching and rewarding. I intend to participate in as many contests as I can, not necessarily to win, but to hone my writing. Most importantly, it gives me a sure platform to serve the Lord.
What writing goals have you made for 2013?

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