A Teachable Spirit

I was nervous when I submitted my first story to an editor to be published in an anthology because I didn’t know if I was a good writer and because anything new is usually exciting and scary at the same time. Not only did I have no idea what to expect but, as any writer understands, I was super sensitive about this baby I had birthed, these words on a page.

Below is a condensed version of the story for learning purposes.

The story involved a six hour road trip my son and I took to Valdosta, Georgia, to visit an uncle who was undergoing a life threatening surgery the next day. My brother, who lives near me, was going as well but had left hours earlier and told me via phone he was taking Hwy 121 through the middle of the state which was the normal route we usually took when visiting family.

For some reason my son and I decided to take a different route and turned toward Atlanta on Interstate 20 then caught Interstate 75 toward Macon. When we reached Tifton around 8:00 or 9:00 that night, I was craving some coffee, real coffee.

After consulting the GPS to find a Starbucks we ended up in a seedy side of town in front of a worn down store that may or may not have sold coffee.  Both of us, uncomfortable to even get out of the car, decided to forego the coffee and head on to Valdosta.

I turned the car around and drove back the way we had come. As we approached the road that led back to the interstate, we spotted the sought after Starbucks tucked away in a corner to the left of the intersection. The GPS had originally sent us to the right at the intersection rather than to the left.

I drove into the parking lot and we walked inside to order the coffee. The wait was not short, so I debated whether or not to stay for the coffee or get back on the road because my parents, who generally went to bed early, were waiting for us in Valdosta and the coffee detour had already cost us several minutes. The coffee craving was strong, so I decided to wait it out.

Just as we were re-entering the interstate, my brother called to ask our location. Thinking he was already in Valdosta, I told him the exit number we were just leaving in Tifton.

He said, “Please turn around. I’m stranded on the same exit with a broken-down vehicle.”

He should have been hours ahead of us, but he had changed course at some point during the day, decided to drive toward the interstate, then encountered vehicle problems.

We turned around, assisted him, then resumed our drive toward Valdosta. Later that evening, my son commented at the divine providence of us being at the same exit as my stranded brother at the moment he called. If we had not been led astray by the confused GPS and a long coffee wait, we would have been much further down the road.

As the writer, I saw my son’s revelation as the ta-da moment of the story.

But, after reading it, the editor replied:

Hi Fran,

Thanks for sending the story. It makes a good point that would fit well in this book. It does need some editing. All the routes, roads, cities, etc. get in the way of the real story. (The first draft was wrought with extraneous details.)

I thanked her for the guidance, made some changes, and resent it. Her next response was to question, “What’s the rest of the story?”

I was stumped. What did she mean by the rest of the story? The story was the story.

I asked one of my friends to read it to help figure out what this editor was seeking. This being my first attempt and submission, I didn’t want to pound the editor with too many questions and seem too amateurish or dense.

My friend read the story and promptly asked, “What happened to your uncle?”

Dumbfounded, I stared at her. “What do you mean what happened to him? That’s not what the story is about.”

She said, “Then why did you bring him up to begin with? I want to know if he is doing okay after his surgery.”

Hmmm, well, seems I had set up a situation without resolving it. As the writer I was so focused on the crux of the story, I forgot to tie up loose ends the reader would deem significant. (Please don't think me a bad niece. My uncle is very significant to me and I love him, but I was not telling the story about him, so it did not occur to me that my readers would be so concerned about his well-being. That concern speaks well of the human race, don’t you think?)

After adding a resolution sentence about the surgery, I resent the story to the editor. She seemed pleased with the revision and commented that I exhibited a willingness to learn.

Writer, if you are new to the editing or critiquing process, cultivate a teachable spirit and consider Proverbs 16:20 which says, “Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers…,” and Proverbs 1:5, “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning…”

These actions advised in Proverbs are so important to success regardless of the endeavor.

• Cultivate a teachable spirit
• Listen

Two of the hardest things to do because we want to do things our way or we are certain we already know it all. At one point I was certain I was going to set the world on fire with my ability to arrange words on paper, but I soon learned that nothing could be further from the truth without a lot of hard work and a lot of learning on my part.

Once you make up your mind to learn, then you must develop your listening ability. Listening is a form of submission, a deference, if you will, to another person's wisdom or experience. Sometimes, it is impossible to move forward without the benefit of another's help.

Is there something you want to accomplish in life? If so, do you seek out people who are knowledgeable in that area and "listen to and heed their instruction?"

And, in case you were wondering, my uncle travelled to South Carolina recently to visit and is still doing quite well.

My story can be read among 49 other stories in the anthology, Divine Moments, published by Grace Publishing.