Madeleine L'Engle Herself, Reflections on a Writing Life by L'Engle, Madeleine -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Foreword by Sarah Arthur Introduction Section I: Serving the Gift: Artists and Their Art

Giving Birth An Incarnational Event True Art Art Names Us Art Reflects Eternity Artists Must Abandon Control The Danger of Artists The Arts Endure No Work Is Too Small Prepare for Sacrifice Again and Again Art Is a Gift of the Spirit The Gift of Wholeness Struggling Toward Meaning We Are Required to Serve the Gift Get Out of the Way The Healing Power of Suffering Wholeness Through Wounds Free to Fail Mary’s “Yes!” Our Choices Help to Shape Our Stories The Danger of Comparison The Vulnerability of the Artist Face the Direction of the Great Ones Fascinating Questions Being a Writer Means Writing Artists Must Live by Trust Great Literature Believing with Childlike Wonder Vocation Misunderstood A Work of Art Is Work Writing Is Collaborative

Section II: Co-Creators with God: Inspiration and the Creative Process

Creation Is God’s Province God’s Artistry God’s Time Two Aspects of Power The Creative Impulse A Fruitful Vacation “What If?” My Books Know More Than I Do Gifts from the Imagination Death and Rebirth The Act of Creating Creativity Sets Us Free Understanding as a Child The Union of Mind and Heart The Requirement of Faith The Pearl of Great Price From Chaos to Pattern Walking in the Light “Divine Madness” Creativity Is Discovery Take Breaks The Art of Listening Explanations Tangle Us

Section III: My Books Wrote Me: Elements of a Writer's Life

Solitude Births a Storyteller Bad Teachers Childhood Journaling Writing as Calling Moving Outside of Ourselves Typewriters Searching for Answers A Story Is Born A Shaky Start God’s Timing for a Wrinkle in Time Science Fantasy Detachment and Involvement Considering Immortality The Limits of Experience Write It Down Two Vocations Women Writers Face Special Demands Writers Must Eat, Too Juggling Time On Setting Goals Honest Journals Story Fodder Put the Subconscious Mind to Work Our Stories Change with Us The Writer’s Life Who We Are Writing Stories Takes Courage A Writer’s Responsibility Tribute from an Astronaut Justifying the Writing Life Concentration and Burned Vegetables Discouraging Moments Writers Want to Be Published Keeping Perspective The Pain of Rejection The Discovery of Vocation Pain Fosters Stories Private Journals Writer’s Block and Bach Criticism Stings The Paradox of Success A Wider Definition of Creativity Answering Letters Writing as Social Commentary Publishing Homes A Writer’s Vacation Labels Limit Making the Censors’ List The Responsibility of the Gift

Section IV: Faith Foundations: Writing from Truth

All of Life Is Story To Be Creative Is to Die to Self The Art of Prayer The Independence of the Gift-Giver Good Art Cosmos in Chaos Contemplative Prayer Let Go and Listen The Power of Story Nothing but the Whole Bible Read the Bible as Story Statement of Faith The Great Myths Last Biblical Truth Bible Stories Inform Our Stories Freedom to Grow Finding Answers God’s Guidance Complete Dependence The Artist’s Vocation Story Is Revelatory We Write Out of Our Faith Circle of Blessing My Books Write Me Sources of Theological Insight Chosen Theologians The Power of God in Weakness Theology in the Fantasies The Theological Under Level of Story Flickering Lights Reflecting the Light The Foundation of Our Stories

Section V: An Accepted Wonder: The Wisdom of Children

Children Love Story Concentration A Rich Vocabulary The Capacities of Children Creativity in Children Children Are Better Believers The Wonder of a Child’s Imagination Honor the Intuition of Children The Child Within Recognizes Truth Nurture Vision and Imagination Preparation for the Real World Buried Treasure The Unique Perspective of Our Child Selves Human Characters The Openness of Children No Theory Is Too Hard for a Child The Techniques of Fiction Special Assignment Writers Write for Themselves No Subject in Itself Is Taboo Be Honest with Children Censorship Children Deserve a Writer’s Best

Section VI: Finger Exercises: A Writer's Technique and Style

Prepare for Inspiration Eyes to See Time to Write Three Recommendations Use It or Lose It Write from Experience Detachment Objectivity Is Impossible Don’t Think. Write. Change Genres Birthing a Title Protecting Privacy Writing Practices Writing Is Writing Dante’s Four Levels of Understanding Three Narrator Roles The First Sentence Whispers of the Resolution Keep the Story Moving Experiment in Point of View A Sentence from the Psalms Telling Mythic Stories Writing Fantasy Believable Stories The Risk of Life Questions with Answers Structure Provides Freedom Experimenting with Form The Seductions of This World Stories Reveal Their Creators Let the Story Lead Listen to the Book Our Stories Reflect Our World Unlearning Listen to Your Written Words Setting Time Limits Release, Release, Release The Importance of Editors and Editing Goals and Limits The House of Fiction The Best Teachers Skills of the Trade The Inspiration of Great Works Books Worth Reading

Section VII: The Empty Page: Getting Started

Cooking Up Stories Begin with Awe A Writer’s Ideas Planet Making Serendipities Approaches to the Writing Task The Importance of Discipline Write Every Day The Rhythm of Writing Where the Story Begins Those First Few Sentences The Right Start Inspiration Comes as We Write Plots Change Risking Failure Don’t Waste Paper Book Research Finding Satisfaction

Section VIII: A Life of Their Own: Creating Characters

Responsibility for Characters We All Need Heroes The Willful Character Getting Attached Independent Characters Manipulating Characters Protagonists Are Choice Makers Protagonists Are Icons Human Complexity Dis-Covering Characters Characters Are Based in Reality Our Characters Are Woven from Ourselves Keeping Track of Characters Mysterious Origins Mysterious Departures Finely Tuned Receivers Our Characters Create Us

Section IX: Paints of the Writer’s Palette: Words and Symbols

Words and Silence A Love Affair with Words Ousia, Ananda, and Namasté The Value of Words Finding the Real Meaning Words Can Hurt or Bless Language Defines Us We Think Because We Have Words Dangerous Losses Avoid Limiting Vocabulary Word Meanings Then and Now True Virtue The Misuse of Words Using Language Carefully Translate with Care The Destruction of Language Writers Are Dangerous Word Play Language and Theology Change Transforming Language Avoid Making Idols of Words Defining Icons An Icon’s Symbolism The Language of Poets Windows to God Icons Bear Reality The Wonder of Stars

Section X: This I Know: Telling Our Story

The Perfect Vehicle of Truth Inspiration from a True Story Mirrors to God’s Image Good Storytellers Stories Reveal Humanity Good Art Heals Finding Reality Story Gives Us Courage Stories Bring Meaning Striving Toward Truth Definitions of Myth Myths Speak to the Universal Human Spirit The God of Story We Must Know Our Craft Interdependence Art Is a Participatory Event Readers Co-Create with Artists The Reader’s Essential Role An Important Collaboration Co-Creators with God Stories Must Be Believable Impossible Possibilities Storytellers Search for Truth Fiction in Search of the Truth The Truth of Art Truth and Fact Writers Reveal Truth The Truth of Fiction Fairy-Tale Writers Reveal a Reality Beyond Children Need the Truth of Myths Underwater Worlds Myths Help Us Find Our Way Home Recapturing Wonder Why We Tell Stories The Glory of Writing

Appendix I: Sources for This Book Appendix II: Index of Selections and Sources Appendix III: A Chronology of Madeleine L’Engle’s Life and Books Appendix IV: Books by Madeleine L’Engle About the Compiler Reader's Guide by Lindsay Lackey