Saturday, December 25, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 18) – The Story of Christmas


Christmas celebration started as far back as 9th century in Rome around 336.

In Ancient Rome, there was a feast called Saturnalia – the celebration of god of Saturn which happens during the winter Solstice of the year.

Saturnalia was a major celebration by the non-Jewish people (pagans or gentiles), and it is associated with giving sacrifice to the god of Saturn and merrymaking. Gifts were also shared among worshippers and different events.

When Christianity became a dominant religion in Roman Empire, Emperor Domitian (AD 51-96) agreed with Christians to have celebration of Christ birth during the Saturnalia, and December 25th was fixed – since Saturnalia was already a popular festival in the city of Rome. There were other theories that proposed different dates and events.

Since then, Christmas (Christ mass) has become a major celebration and festive period for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus and share gifts, light candles, sing carols songs, decorate the house and share lovely memories among families and friends.

Though, there were controversies about when Jesus was born and the validity of celebrating the Christmas, many Christians believe that the primary purpose of celebrating Christmas is to believe that God came into this world in the form of man (Jesus) to atone for the sins of the world, so that man can be saved and receive eternal life.

People all over the world now celebrate Christmas, including Christians and non-Christians, and it is usually announced as public holidays in most countries.

Church attendance generally increases during Christmas season and people generally become more humane and generous towards one another during this season.

The traditional colors of Christmas decorations are red, green, and gold. Red symbolizes the blood of Jesus. Green symbolizes eternal life. And gold symbolizes royalty.

The Christmas tree is a significant part of Christmas celebration and it was first used by German Lutherans in the 16th century. He later spread it around the world. Christmas lights, banners, cards, bells, candles, songs and of course foods are all part of the traditional elements of celebrating Christmas.

Charles Dickens, a great novelist during Victorian era, was the man credited for making Christmas special as we know it today. He published a book in 1843, titled – A Christmas Carol, which instantly became a best-seller. The book changed people’s view about Christmas and made them express more love and kindness to one another and also see it as a good time to celebrate with families and friends.


The book story was chronicled in the 2017 movie The man who invented Christmas.

Do have A Merry Christmas and A Wonderful Weekend!

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Sunday, December 19, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 17) – How A Boy Changed the World By Building A Water Well


Here is a boy who has a big heart for people. Ryan Hreljac was a young Canadian boy who decided to change the story of nations by his simple deed. He was in class one day, and his teacher was teaching about the importance of water and how many people in underdeveloped nations are suffering from lack of clean water.

Ryan was stunned to hear that, knowing fully well that clean water was never a problem for them where they live. But he didn’t stop there. The story touched him and he began to think about what he could do. He started saving little money from his pocket money that his parents gave him. And he was also doing extra work to earn more money.

Then, he found out how much it could cost to build a well in a village in Uganda. He was told seventy dollars. But later found out it would be two thousand dollars. He was shocked, but never discouraged. He turned to his families and neighbors for support, and they helped him raised enough money to build the well. 

Not long after, the well was built and the people in the village started drinking good water. Little or nothing did Ryan know that his simple deed had already sensitized the public. Many people were asking who did this project and how could they support. Before he knew it, this simple act has become a charity organization and started receiving donations and supports from individuals and businesses. Government of Canada soon later got to know about it and contributed their own quota.




Many children and adults also got challenged and started thinking of how they could also help with solving the world’s water problem, especially in developing countries.

With more donations and commitments, more wells were built in Uganda and the news about Ryan circulated the entire country. Not long enough, this spread to other African countries, and by the time the project was eleven years, it has already built over 800 wells and 1100 latrines in sixteen African countries, and it has benefited over 750,000 people.

The charity has now become an international organization that sees to making provision for good water supply in developing nations and advocating for sanitized environment.

Ryan, the visioneer of this great project, has received several awards, honors, medals, and have met with great world leaders and celebrities, and has had his transformational message featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Ryan was a humble, yet brilliant guy who could commit himself to sacrificing for other people while changing the narrative of many African nations. He was six years old when he built his first well with two thousand dollars and now he's thirty years old, and has grossed over six million dollars. When he was asked about his accomplishments, he said – “I’m just your regular, average kid.” Showing his humility and simplicity.

And here are some of his words- "I know that I am lucky because I was born in a country that has lots of clean water. This world belongs to all of us. I pray for clean water for not just my family, but for every single family on earth." Such an inspiring word from a young boy!

Ryan has continued to inspire more people to act and solve problems in their local and immediate environments, and has made his vision and projects increased globally by leaps and bounds.

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Saturday, December 11, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 16) — The Woman Who Changed the Story of Women


Ellen Johnson Sirleaf —Maybe you’ve heard her name before. Maybe her songs have been sung in your ears sometimes ago. But this woman is a force to reckon with, an epitome of fairness and prudence. She was the first female President Africa would ever produce, and to attain that position wasn’t easy. She struggled her way through, with all the negative opposition forces trying to pull her back.

You know the challenges we have in Africa about women and leadership, this woman stood tall and changed the narrative about women in leadership. She brought unity, education, reforms, and transformation in Liberia.

You would think she started off life as a politically-inclined career woman, but no, she did not. She married at the age of seventeen and had four sons. She had to continue her education, even as a married woman. She juggled going to school with taking care of her children. When she finished her education, she entered into politics.

It’s not hard to know women who are agents of change— they are not satisfied with the status quo and don’t mind changing it. They can go as far as taking the helm of leadership and unseat injustice and inequality.

Her fairness to justice was revealed when she refused to take the legislative position they claimed she won from an unfair election. She called for the election rerun but the authority refused. So she decided not to take that position. She kept pushing and vying for opportunity to serve her country. 


Meanwhile, she had a big goal in mind, she wanted to become the number one citizen in the country. She has been unsatisfied with the way government is being run and so many things that needed to be fixed especially the issue of disunity and breakdown during and after the civil wars. She was also discontented with the issue of discrimination against women. She set up different organizations and institutions that cater for women care and empowerment, and justice for women and gender equality.

After losing couple of times, in 2005, she was elected as the first female president of Liberia and in the entire Africa. She brought reforms in both government and the lives of people. She settled most of the nation’s debts, gave free education, and increased foreign relations. She enacted freedom of speech act and fundamental human rights. She was awarded a Nobel peace price in 2011. And few days after the award, she was re-elected as the President for the 2nd term in office.

In June 2016, during her 2nd term in office, she was elected as the Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), making her the first woman to hold that position since it was created in May, 1975.

She has been named as one of the most powerful women in the world, and also one of the best leaders in the world.

In 2018, she founded the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development. An organization targeted at developing and empowering women in Africa for global impact.

She has received several awards and honors and her impact will continue to be felt all across Africa and indeed, the world.

She wrote a book titled — This Child Will Be Great: Memoir of A Remarkable Life By Africa’s First Woman President (Published 2010).

Reference: Online Resources 

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Saturday, December 4, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 15) –The Story of An Exceptional Woman


Despite being born into poverty and things were difficult for her family, Wangari Maathai, was the first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize. She was known for the Green Belt Movement; a movement that is focused on reforestation and environmental protection. Wangari faced many challenges in her bid to make this vision true.

The government, organizations, and individuals opposed her. They said her idea was too primitive and not what the country needs. But it eventually worked. Her work became recognized internationally, and made her to receive several awards.

Her goal was not only on environmental protection, but also on political freedom, women rights and nation building. She fought against tyranny in government and was arrested many times by the government and was accused of treason and inciting the public.


Despite the fact that she was divorced by her husband and was being defamed, she didn’t let that stop her. She moved on to fighting for all that she believed. She spearheaded many organizations and parties for coalition against the ruling party of the government of Kenya. In her bid to change the narrative of the country, she ran for the seat of the parliament and lost many times before she eventually won.

She became the first woman in Kenya to achieve that feat. Not only that, she was also the first woman in East Africa to earn a PhD and hold many public and political positions in the country.

Her resilience and focus-mindedness had nothing to be compared with. She left a good legacy of national reformation and environmental protection. The latter has been practiced and institutionalized in many nations around the world. She received several awards and honors before and after her death, and her name has become immortalized. 

She wrote several books including 1. The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach and the Experience, 2. Unbowed: A Memoir, 3. Reclaiming rights and resources women, poverty and environment, 4. The Challenge for Africa, 5. Replenishing the Earth, and so on. She died in the year 2011 at the age of 71.

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Saturday, November 27, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 14) —Stories of Perseverance


Let’s share couple of stories about perseverance. Perhaps, we can start from your story. Maybe one time in your life you’ve persevere through hard moments, you’ve endured difficult times. And now you are a stronger person. Challenges come and go, but they don’t stop coming. That’s why it’s important to build resilience. It is necessary to learn how to persevere and endure hard situations. 

It’s not every time things will go the way we want. Sometimes, the inevitable and unexpected happens. And in such situation, we hardly prepare for them, and we are left with shock and worries. But when we learn perseverance, we would build courage. We would not give up. We would always move forward and upward.

In many of the successful stories that we know today, hardly is anyone of them that does not demonstrate perseverance. The people have had their own fair share of life challenges and have built their inner strength and capacity. Let’s share some of their stories.

Can you imagine somebody failing at something for over 10,000 times and still keep doing it? Maybe you can wrap your head around it. To fail at something for 10 times maybe hard for many of us, let alone 100 or 1000 times. Then till you now get to 10,000 times. That's insane! And you know when that person was asked about this what he said? He said – “I have not failed. I have only found 10,000 ways in which something would not work.” 

Imagine that kind of mindset. No wonder he did what others could not do. He invented an incandescent light bulb. An important electrical appliance that we use up to today. The name of that person was Thomas Edison. He was such a genius at making the impossible possible. He had a persevering spirit that was difficult to comprehend by most people. And that made him to be extraordinary and the one people celebrate from generation to generation.

If you love to eat KFC, know that someone has persevered for the business to thrive. After being denied for over 1,009 times, he still went ahead to give his recipe for the chicken that he so much believed in. Eventually, it has now become a franchise business that is spreading fast all around the world. The same thing we see in many successful businesses that we have in our world today. Tesla, Apple, Samsung, Sony, Mercedes, Zara, Google, Amazon, name it!, they've all had their own share of persevering moments before they succeeded in their businesses.

If you know about the richest author in the world, J.K Rowling, I would tell you something about her. Her book that became a bestseller in the world, Harry Potter, was rejected twelve times by traditional publishers. She was told that her book was substandard and nobody would read it. She persevered and later found one small publisher that would give her a try. She ended up becoming the richest author through that book.

Maybe we should share another story.

You know the story of Nelson Mandela? A man whose life was a demonstration of perseverance. He wrote a book long walk to freedom, which became an international bestseller. Nelson started the fight for freedom since he was in his twenties. He wanted to liberate his people from oppression by the apartheid government. He was put in the prison for 27 years. He was asked several times if he has changed his mind before his release, he said he would rather die fighting for freedom than to be alive seeing his people suffering discrimination and oppression. 

After several uproar, and ascension to power by President De Klerk, Mandela was released in 1991. In 1993, he received a Nobel Peace Prize award and in 1994, he became the first democratically elected President in South Africa.

You see all these stories of perseverance? What situation are you going through right now that you are about to give up, I encourage you not to. Persevere more, and your story would turn out well. If successful people have once had difficulties and tough experiences and they overcame, you will overcome.

Remember “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” Robert H. Schuller

Share your story!

If you have any questions, write to bookminds247@gmail.com or Instagram @ so_piens.



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Sunday, November 21, 2021

100 Nuggets on "Be An Author Challenge"

Download the PDF of 100 Nuggets on "How to Be An Author Challenge" via the link below for free 

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Saturday, November 20, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 13) – The Essence of Sharing A Story


Let’s go back to the basis. What is the essence of sharing a story? Obviously, it would be for people to learn from it. But, there could be other reasons. Studies have shown that people who share stories bond more with other people. Oprah, the popular TV host, said she started connecting more with people after sharing her story. This means story-telling allows us to bond with other people. When we share story, we release oxytocin, a hormone that bonds us with other people. Be that as it may, that’s just the physiological aspect of it. But there is also psychological aspect of it. We’ll come back to that later. Let’s look again at the essence of sharing a story. If we share a story, we want people to hear us out and learn from whatever we are sharing with them.

Sharing a story can range from sharing something personal to us to something general. It could be about our life, experience, situations, profession, ideas, lifestyle, family, work, projects and so on. When we share story, we feel the emotions and energy that come from it. We feel the moment and memories. And everything comes back to life as though it happened few hours ago.

We also feel relieved and at ease, and we love to hear what people would have to say about our story. We love the feeling and satisfaction that comes from people responding to our story and learning from it. And we also love to hear other people’s stories too, especially when they’re related to ours.

We humans are basically the same when it comes to this instinct— ability to tell and share stories. We always love to share our stories, especially with our loved ones. Even for those who are shy among us, they still feel comfortable sharing their stories with their loved ones, the people they are most comfortable with.

For over 100,000 years we’ve been sharing stories. And there’s no sight of stopping yet. We’ll continue to do it till eternity. Stories have been one of the ways we’ve been able to communicate and share our values, thoughts, ideas, cultures, traditions and so on to our children and children’s children.

Stories have made spreading ideas easy. They have made connections, bonding and communications among us possible and the ability to agree on one course and follow it to the end. As humans, we’ve been able to set big goals, launch great ideas, do mighty things, and conquer the earth, thanks to stories. We have also built societies, strong institutions and organizations because of our ability to share and believe stories. Religion, economy, governments, politics, empires, businesses, and so on have also risen because of this singular phenomenon.

But why does story have this much grip on us humans? Why are we humans so addictive or obsessive with stories? If I may ask you now to tell me your greatest belief, it would be hinged on a particular story. There is no belief without a story. Every belief stems from a story. And so to break any belief, you must tell another story — that is rather stronger and better than the previous.

The power of story on us humans is unimaginable and hardly quantifiable. The acts are so subtle, but the effects are so enormous. It’s pretty much like pressing a small button on an airplane that could create an effect that a thousand people cannot perform.

Perhaps some of the things that we go through right now and the experiences that we have could be because of some stories that we’ve sometimes heard and have subconsciously believed.

When we share our story, we feel more connected with people and become more humane. We feel more empathy and sympathy. And depending on the story, it could really allow us to be more loving, supportive, sympathetic, amiable and so on for other humans.

On the other hand, there are some stories that we are not comfortable to share. Maybe because of how sensitive, personal or generally unacceptable they are. But not telling them could be eating us up. We may be feeling regrets and unease inside. But you know what, go ahead and tell that story! Find someone you trust and let out the story. I know initially it might be so terrifying, but if you can summon courage to just say it, you will be free. 

Oprah was not afraid to tell her story. Joyce Meyer, Lady Gaga and many more who were victims of sexual assaults and other circumstances were not afraid to share their stories. Though they struggled for many years, but the moment they let it out, they were free. And many people appreciated them for this. 

So go ahead and share your story. The story you share is the one that benefits people. The one you don’t share remains unappreciated and sometimes could be a burden in your heart. Share your story today and you will be happy you did. I see you making impact in your world because of your story. Cheers!

If you have any questions, write to bookminds247@gmail.com or Instagram @ so_piens.



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Saturday, November 13, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 12) —The Story of Succeeded Failure


In 1883, a creative engineer by the name John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However, bridge building experts throughout the world thought that this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea. It just could not be done. It was not practical. It had never been done before. Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. He just had to share the dream with someone else. 

After much discussion and persuasion, he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built. Working together for the first time, the father and son developed concepts of how it could be accomplished and how the obstacles could be overcome. With great excitement and inspiration, and the headiness of a wild challenge before them, they hired their crew and began to build their dream bridge. 

The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway, a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was also injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to talk or walk. “We told them so.”“Crazy men and their crazy dream.” “It’s foolish to chase wild visions.” Everyone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap, Washington was never discouraged and still had a burning desire to complete the bridge and his mind was still as sharp as ever. He tried to inspire and pass on his enthusiasm to some of his friends, but they were too daunted by the task. 


As he lay on his bed in his hospital room, with the sunlight streaming through the windows, a gentle breeze blew the flimsy white curtains apart and he was able to see the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment. It seemed that there was a message for him not to give up. Suddenly an idea hit him. All he could do was move one finger and he decided to make the best use of it. By moving this, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife. He touched his wife’s arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. 

Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again. For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife’s arm, until the bridge was finally completed. Today the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its glory as a tribute to the triumph of one man’s indomitable spirit and his determination not to be defeated by circumstances. 

It is also a tribute to the engineers and their team work, and to their faith in a man who was considered mad by half of the world. It stands too as a tangible monument to the love and devotion of his wife who for 13 long years patiently decoded the messages of her husband and told the engineers what to do. Perhaps this is one of the best examples of a never-say-die attitude that overcomes a terrible physical handicap and achieves an impossible goal. The story of failure that became success. 

Often when we face obstacles in our day-to-day life, our hurdles seem very small in comparison to what many others have to face. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence, no matter what the odds are. I enhearten you to step out and get that seemingly-difficult job done. I say you can do it. Yes, you can!

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Saturday, November 6, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 11) – What Reading Does To Your Mind

I'd already prepared the article I wanted to post for this weekend until a thought bumped into my mind. It was about reading. I began to think about the power of reading and how crucial it is for everyone of us to be doing it. I know this is not a new subject. Neither is it what many of us are not familiar with. But how often do we read? I know we can have one thousand and one reasons for not being able to read. But I want to let you know that you will do yourself more havoc by not reading than by losing a million dollars. This may sound outlandish but it's not.

When you know what reading does to your brain, you’ll know this is not an exaggeration. When you read, your mind is open. You begin to visualize and conceptualize ideas. Your problem-solving skills will also improve dramatically. And to be an author, you've got to be a reader. Reading is the only method of learning that allows your brain to process what it's receiving all by itself. You begin to imagine and picture the words, and as you do that, it sparks some reactions in your brain that increase your mental capacity. It is more or less like you are making your brain to go through a mental exercise. And for real, you are! 

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only once." - George R.R. Martin

When you read, the results are mind-blowing. I have read sometimes and I would think of some things that are not directly connected to what I’m reading. Great ideas and mind-blowing solutions have come from this. I have got better understanding into things that were initially unclear because I was reading. All these could make us understand that reading charges up our brain, and hence our mind.

What reading does to your brain is far more important than what you do with the reading.

Apart from the fact that we gain knowledge and ideas from what we read, what we read has direct influence on our minds. When you see some people who are so vast and intelligent, and you wonder if it is their talent or brains that have fetched them those qualities, it is because they've committed themselves to long hours of reading and learning. Ralph Waldo Emerson said - "If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads." And research has shown that practically everyone of us is genius in our own way. But that ingenuity is only expressed mostly by hardwork and less talent. 

Talent will not do the reading for you. No matter how talented you are, you still have to do the reading by yourself. And when you do it, that’s when talent will work. That’s it! Reading helps us to discover ourselves, utilize our gifts, and unleash our potentials. Many people will not know what to do until they pick a book and read. There have been many accounts of how some people have solved their problems, did great things, and changed other people’s lives because they read books. 

Reading (in form of learning), is by far, the most life-transforming activity that you must always commit yourself to do. I know many of us still think - "If I'm not in school or preparing for exams, why should I read?" This is because we've been taught wrong about reading. We've been thought reading is just to give us information to get grades and acquire certificates. 

But, it's far more than that! 

For those that will have excuse not to read, if you have time to eat, sleep or use the rest room, you have time to read. Let me mention here that reading could be hard to do when you are just starting out. But the moment you are used to it, you will not want to stop doing it. 

So, here is the deal - start with reading little things. Read what you are interested in, and commit to doing it everyday. It could be as short as 5 mins, or as long as an hour or few hours. There’s no limitation to what you can read or feed your mind with. Knowledge has no limitation. And every knowledge has its own usefulness. Don’t limit yourself to where you are now. Learn more. Read more. And you will do more. I see you making big impact in your world.

If you want to start reading good books and expand your mind and imagination, I invite you to join our team of great readers. Write to bookminds247@gmail.com. If you also want to write and publish a book, you can write to us as well.  

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Saturday, October 30, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 10) –How to Change Your Story

 


Is there any situation you are going through right now that you would like to change? Is there any story or event that has been playing in your head and you’ve been thinking of how to delete, change or remove? For practically everyone of us, there’s always something we want to change, or maybe get better or improve on. From changing our life, to our work, to our habits, to our actions, to our finances, family, attitudes, thoughts, feelings, standard of living, daily activities and so on – there are numerous things we would like to change. And any of these things could be the story we want to change in our lives.

However, the change is not always easy to make, or rather it doesn’t come the way we expect it. And sometimes the demand of change is scary or heavier than we can handle and we may sometimes want to give up. But is that the solution? Not really! Barbara Kingsolver said - "The change we dread most may contain our salvation." So, while you are afraid of the change, there is something you can do. And that’s what we want to look into.

First things first, believe you can change your story!

There’s no point wasting time on what you know or believe that it’s not going to change. "All things are possible to him that believes." The corollary is also true. “Nothing is possible to him that does not believe.” This means that even the most easiest thing would not be possible for him that does not believe. While the most difficult thing would be possible for him that believes.

That’s the power of belief.

You must believe that your story can change no matter how intractable it is and you have the power to change it. Then, the next thing is to take responsibility. Yes! Go ahead and take action. Don’t just believe, follow your belief with action. One of the greatest habits of highly successful people is taking action. They don’t shift blame on anyone. They take responsibility for whatever happens in their lives.

They don’t waste their time waiting or hating on people. They just do what they have to do. And that’s the point! You too must do what you have to do. You must take charge of your life if you want to change your story.

Enough of all the blame game. Focus on your life and take action. Remember that faith without work is dead.

The next step is finding out what you want or where you want to be. There is a place where you are now. And there is a place where you want to be. Find out, so that you can start working on it.

To change your story, you must know exactly what you want to change. If your old story is about your bad habit or lifestyle, what is your new habit or lifestyle? If your old story is about your job, finances or something you are going through, what is your dream job or something you would like to have.

It is not enough to want to change your story, you must know what you want to change it with.

Next is to take the steps bits by bits. One step at a time gets the job done. Have a plan and put it into chunks that you can follow through daily or regularly till you achieve your goal. Don’t sit back and wait till everything will fall in place. Make them fall in place by your actions. Take a step forward. And keep moving.

In as much as you are moving in the right direction, you will get to your destination.

The change you desire will come and you will eventually achieve your goals. I see you making change in your life and turning your situation around.

I wish you all the best!

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Saturday, October 23, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 9) –The Power of Written Words


Can you count how many words you’ve spoken ever since you’ve been born? Or maybe you can count how many words you’ve written? Maybe not. But why is that important? It is important because spoken and written words are the two major forms of words that have shaped our lives hitherto. They are the two forms of words we’ve received knowledge and understood many things that we’re now aware of. We’ve learned practically everything through these forms of words. But let’s discuss the power of written words today, and we’ll discuss about spoken words sometimes later.

Why do you think we have to write some things down rather than just saying them? Or why do we have written documents instead of just focusing on spoken words? It's because of the value that written words provides.

You cannot go to school without having to write something down. If you are a student, you’ll surely have something to write down. Likewise if you are a business person, civil servant, politician or any worker. Writing is absolutely necessary! 

Before we go to the power of written words, let’s look at why we write in the first place. Humans only started writing about 10,000 years ago. They made marks on the sand, then on the rocks and surfaces, then on tablets and then on papers. When paper and pen were invented, humans found it more comfortable to write down their thoughts. Then as technology progresses, humans now write on computers, phones and electronic tablets. Writing has now being made super easy, thanks to technology and advancement of humankind.

The primary reason that drove humans to start writing was the fact that they wanted to find ways to communicate, especially those who were not able to speak and those who were living at far distance. Writing words down makes it convenient for the sender to put down his thoughts one time without having to repeat himself again. And this is one of the most important reasons why we write. To make sure our thoughts and words are documented once and they can be read over and over again over thousands and millions of years. 

Written words are by far long lasting than spoken words. Yes, with the help of technology today, we can keep our spoken words for a long time. But there are obvious limitations to it - if there's no device for recording or if there is no electricity to run the device where the spoken words are kept. Any spoken words that is stored would only be stored in electronic form. Whereas, a written word can be stored in both electronic and hard copy forms. Most written words that have been written for thousands of years that we have in our world today are printed words. They are in form of books, journals, newspapers, different publications and so on. Kingman Brewster, Jr. said - "While the spoken word can travel faster, you can't take it home in your hand. Only the written word can be absorbed wholly at the convenience of the reader." Exactly the point!

Written words are so powerful that they bring freshness to our memories. We can understand the mindsets, philosophies, ideologies, and opinions of great men and women in the past, thanks to their written words. Though these people are not physically with us, their words are still with us. And because words are spirits. They are with us. No wonder we can feel them as though they are still with us. When we read their words in books, we are challenged, inspired, motivated, and encouraged. We understood the world they lived in and how they coped with life.

We know the journey to greatness is not always straightforward. There would be some hurdles and obstacles on the way. But when we learn from those who have gone ahead of us through their books and different publications, we are encouraged to move forward and go get our own dreams. We feel at ease knowing fully well that someone has gone through what we are going through and so we can sojourn easily and come to a place of rest and have peace of mind.

I love what someone said- "The reason is that till date, in spite of advances in information technology and strategies of information, the written word in the form of books still remains one of humanity's most enduring legacies." That's right! Written words have added so much value to us. They’ve changed our mindsets and ideologies. They’ve motivated us, inspired us, challenged us and encouraged us into doing great things and making our lives better. 
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Saturday, October 16, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 8) –What Story Do You Want to Believe?


I ask you today, what story do you want to believe? The story of hopelessness, or the story of a bright future? The story of failure, or the story of success? The story of sickness or the story of health? The story of fear or the story of courage? The story of poverty or the story of abundance? I ask you what story do you want to believe? 

You can always decide the story you want to believe. You have the choice! I know there are so many things around us that speak negative. There are many possibilities of believing negative things than positive things. But you know what, you have a choice. And you have power over your mind. You can choose what you want, and decide on what you want to focus on. Marcus Aurelius once said - "You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength."

When you hear people talk about poverty around you, do you believe them? When you hear them tell you the story of lack and scarcity, and all the economic crisis and breakdowns, and all the poor people in the society, and how there’s so much hunger and poverty in the land, do you choose to dwell on those stories or you will decide to focus on another story – the story of abundance. The story of how there’s so much abundance in our world that we cannot exhaust it. The story of how there’s more than enough to go around.

Let me ask you again, what story do you want to believe? The story of hopelessness or the story of a bright future? 

When everything looks gloomy and doomy around you. When there seems no way out of the difficult situation you are going through. When there’s nobody around to help or support you. When all hope is gone and no one faith is left. When the whole hell is breaking loose and you’re almost thinking of giving up on life or committing suicide. Would you believe that story? Or you will believe another story – the story of a bright future. The story of how your life is being planned and organized from the beginning even before you were born. The story of how the challenges and difficulties that you go through now will become your stepping stones to greatness. The story of how blessed and great you are.

Which story do you want to believe? Ruminate on it! 

Again, do you want to believe the story of health or the story of sickness? The story that your entire body is working for your health and nothing will go wrong in your body. The story of how well, and pleased, and comfortable your body cells and tissues are. The story of peace of mind and joy in your soul. Would you believe those stories? Or you will follow the crowd and believe another story – the story of diseases and infections. 

The story that you will always fall sick no matter what you do or don’t do. The story that sickness is already in your genes and you cannot escape it. It’s already in your family lineage and it’s generational, you cannot avoid it. Would you believe that story? 

Would you believe the story that the politicians have embezzled all the money in your country? They’ve looted all the public funds and available resources, and there's nothing left for the masses, including you. Would you believe that story? 

Would you believe the story that you cannot make it in your country until the government do the right thing? Or you would believe the story that it is you that determines how great you will be and not any government or politicians. Would you believe the story that you can always change your location and create any kind of environment that you want for yourself and your loved ones (sooner or later)? You decide on what you want to believe. 

Again, you have the choice. You are not limited by one story. And you can always choose the story that you want. Remember that whichever story you believe, that’s going to be your reality.

When Leon Brown said it all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to, will eventually have power over you, I understood what he was talking about. All of those stories that you believe all began in your mind. Any one that you give power to (by believing) will eventually have power over you (by becoming your reality). You must pay attention to the story that you believe in your mind, if you want to change your present story. I see you making difference in your life. 

Best regards


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Saturday, October 9, 2021

Be An Author Challenge (Part 7) –The Non-Conventional Way of Writing A Great Story

 


How do you tell your friend a story? Or how do you gist with your partner? Naturally, yeah? And sometimes unprepared or impromptu. No faking it or pretense, Yeah? That’s the point. With all the excitements and fun. And you will agree with me that that’s the kind of story you enjoy. It’s the kind of story you easily relate with and understand. No formality or rules. It just flows. That’s the way it is. That’s the way we are. And that’s how we are designed. Our system doesn’t always operate by rules and regulations, but by the nature of who we are.

I don’t like going by conventional rules or follow the crowd. Because I know it’s already common. Everybody is doing it. And it doesn’t allow me to do my own thing. I want to bring my own uniqueness to everything I do. And actually I don’t mean I break every law or become weird because I want to standout. But just to put something different to what I do. To bring out my own style and concept. Maybe you feel like that too. 

Now, when it comes to writing a story, I’ve found a trick - Just write the way you’ll tell your friend, Period! Have you ever read some interesting stories before? What did you notice about those stories? They are super relatable. You can feel the emotions and the words come alive. The writing is so captivating that you hardly believe you are reading. It’s like someone is seated before you talking to you. You catch all the fun and excitements. That’s because the writer also had you in mind while he/she was writing. He/she was also writing as though you were seated before him/her. That’s why you could feel the energy and enthusiasm.

Writing a story shouldn’t be as difficult as many of us have thought. It should be natural and flow. I know at first, it may be hard. But the secret of writing a good story is to write. If you are not sure of how to start, think of how you will tell your friend a story. Do you rack your head on where you’re going to start? Or you wait for 10 minutes before you start? You know the story just jump into your mouth as soon as you want to tell your friend. You don’t need to spend minutes or hours organizing the story in your head, but you just start anyhow. That’s the point. That's the same way you want to do with writing. Because as a matter of fact, writing is not different from speaking and shouldn’t be (in terms of content). People will only enjoy your writing if it sounds like you are speaking. Nobody wants a boring moment. And trust me, nobody wants to read a boring or too formal story. There should be some element of fun and emotional captivation to it.

Now, in this, you know what I’m saying. I’m not saying you shouldn’t make sense with your story or organize it. Just as the way your story will make sense anyway to your friend when you are saying it, that’s the way you should write it. That’s the secret of the best story telling that I mentioned in the previous article that – show, don’t tell. (Read it up here : https://sopiensofgod.blogspot.com/2021/10/be-author-challenge-part-6-how-to-write.html). When you show, you let your readers imagine what you write and absorb the emotions associated with it. 

For instance, if you want to describe that someone is afraid, show it and don’t tell. Showing it would mean that you describe everything associated with fear without mentioning it, so that anybody will understand what you’re talking about. This is just an example. It may not be about fear. It could be anything. And it’s actually not every time you’ll be describing every emotion. But the rule of thumb is – any emotion or expression that is key to what you are discussing should be shown and not told.

Therefore, it’s important and interesting to make writing your story as natural as possible, without too much formality or strict following of rules. People who follow the rules best are those who know how to break it. This makes them to establish new rules and upgrade the old ones. Nothing should make you afraid about writing your story. With the picture of your friend seated before you in mind, start writing your story as though you are telling him/her. 

Also, you can go by audio recording if you are not so good with writing. You can tell the story, record it, and later transcribe it. Anyway is good. The most important thing is that you are able to write and share your story. And if you want you can later publish it or turn it into a book. I see you becoming the great author that you had always wanted to be.

If you'll need help with writing a book, write to us at bookminds247@gmail.com. We’ll be glad to help you.

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