Going in reverse

'No church, no believers, no written language.'

That's how my piece on the Fini* people begins. An article that I've wrestled and struggled with since June 2019.

'You'll feel like it's getting worse but sometimes that has to happen before it gets better. Believe it or not, you are making progress.'

That was the sage advice given to me by my line manager a few weeks ago as I struggled with another rewrite.

It began with a meeting with a fellow ACW member, who coached me and gave some valuable advice on the right questions to ask when I interviewed the couple who the piece is based on.

I tried to put it together, highlight the major points, and I thought I had but it turns out I hadn't. It was there but it wasn't there. My time with my writing mentor finished.

Then Beverley, my writing coach appeared on the scene. She helped me to see that it needed a thread, I had to choose whose voice the piece was in, and how they would overcome their obstacles.

I then did another rewrite. It was there but it wasn't there. I had the formula right but I'd lost some of the flavour and I was losing hope.

But Beverley and I met and we talked about it, where I was struggling and she patiently guided me though, and with the wonder of cut and paste and ideas flying between us it was finished! I was finally able to send it to my contacts for their comments and corrections and I was delighted to get this feedback.

Martin, Wow! this Steve and Nikki seem like some pretty impressive people. I wish I knew them (ha, ha.)
Joking aside I like the way you have pulled the different threads together.

I've learnt a lot, and for my next piece, an interview with a Slovak/English couple about their lives and ministry in Tanzania, I'm going to give the transcript to my coach from the start and begin with the skeleton first before I start adding on the flesh.

Interestingly not having a thread effects a lot of my writing. Maybe if I crack then my writing could go to a whole new level.

*Name changed for security reasons

Martin is a writer, baker, photographer and storyteller. He's been published in the ACW Christmas anthology and Lent devotional. He's currently honing his craft at flash fiction and you can find him on Twitter here.