It has been said that words are one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind. In that they allow us to scratch the surface of an idea and to share that experience with a limited group of others… yes, words are invaluable. But without the incarnation of idea, words are hardly more than mathematical symbols. They are, in fact, rather blunt instruments that often get in the way of true magic. This basic linguistic understanding greatly informs my own storytelling.
IMO too many writers are confused about this fact, and they become slaves to the romantic notion that words have some innate power that supersedes ideas which can, like a crutch, weaken their own ideas and certainly their ability to share those ideas with a large audience, assuming that interests them.
Language. Growing up as a missionary kid on an island that had over 700 distinct languages and nearly as many linguists who’d committed their lives to understanding those languages and translating the Bible into them, I was introduced to the world of language and words very young.
There are roughly 6,000 spoken languages in the world today. Of those, roughly 28% have fewer than 1,000 speakers. Not taking into consideration duplication or dialects, let’s then say that there are roughly 6,000 words for what we call a “Pig” in the world today. Three of these are, Pig (English,) Wam (Dani,) and Babi (Indonesian.) The word Wam, which means pig to only a few thousand people in the world, is nothing but nonsense to the rest of the world. Garbage. Only when both the speaker and the hearer connect to that word an idea (in this case a four-legged creature with a specific set of defining characteristics) does the word have any great value.
Words are of little value unless they effectively synthesize an idea. Now, the idea of a pig, this wonderful four-legged beast treasured in the east and slaughtered in the west, is universally magical. But the word itself, Wam or Babi or Pig, is only magical in that it, like a tag or a number, identifies the idea behind that word.
As storytellers, we must be slaves to bringing ideas and story to life in the imagination of others. Words can be either magnificent tools in helping us achieve this end, or blunt obstacles to that same end. Either way, we must remember that they are only that. Conduits for the exchange of ideas. The wiring that allows for transference, like in a computer processor, hence the comparison of language and mathematics.
Naturally it’s tough to separate words from the ideas they represent in any given language, so yes, you could make the argument that words are as magical as the idea’s they represent, but only if they work as advertised which has as much to do with the reader as with the writer because the words by themselves are weak, dormant, useless. Certainly not magical.
So what does this mean to us as writers? If your stories are awakening magic in the hearts and minds of many that speak your language, your words are probably not getting in the way of that magical story. You’re hitting enough right switches and sending enough right signals to ignite within others the idea that has been awakened in your own mind. The light has gone on in the reader’s mind and they are thrilled by the magic. The “wiring” in your novel—no matter how crude or twisted or odd or interesting other writers might think of it—has illuminated many lights, perhaps many more than their own fine wiring. Bravo.
If, however, your stories are awakening magic in the hearts and minds of only a few in same said language, your words might very well be getting in the way for most. Not necessarily a bad thing, by the way, but not effective if one of your hopes is to share said story with many as opposed to the few who get your fine wiring.
The geeks care about the innards of that iMac, but most only care about what’s on the screen. The idea. A good writer is one who can take those rather blunt instruments called words and string them together in a way that turns lights on.
So, is Stephanie Meyer a good writer? Clearly her words aren’t getting in the way of her ideas. She’s ignited them in the imaginations of many quite effectively. Regardless of how you might judge those ideas, the transference of them through this medium called words is clearly good. From a linguist’s perspective, you would be hard pressed not to call that an excellent use of words. The wiring works well. Her use of writing is good. Even excellent.
Another case and point: Which is the better metaphorical use of words to describe Jesus in John 1:29, Lamb of God or Piglet of Allah? Both are metaphors, both are fiction, both are true, neither was written or spoken by John himself (he didn’t speak English or Dani.)
The linguists where I grew up used the latter metaphor because these words best translated the verse’s true meaning among a group that had never seen a lamb. Instead they carried around their treasured piglets as a shepherd might carry around a lamb.
When transference of a story is the writer’s objective, the best writing is that which best illuminates the magic of that story in the reader’s mind.
Go find a magical idea. Use words to pass it on to others. This is a beautiful thing.
Are you writer? Agree or disagree, comment below. Be heard.
You know, what’s funny about this … all I can think of is that inside joke between myself and my mom, dad, little bro.
growing up, Friday night we’d order a pizza and rent 1 movie. (We only had 1 tv and 1 vcr back then ;P)
Usually, mom would only get one chick-flick every two months or so, which meant we got comedies, action movies, or cartoons seven out of eight fridays. But when mom got her movie, it’d usually be a Jane Asutin flick, and I would mock it, using my best olde-english lady accent “Words are delicious.” and babble in that same tone of voice for a while.
Mom would hush me, but laugh about it after her movie was done.
Yeah, I do believe there’s an innate power behind words, no matter what the language. (Every language was created by God anyway at the Babel tower incident). But I mean, if God can speak all of existence into being with His spoken word, I’d assume He’d have imfused some power in words.
I cannot remember the scripture’s address, but I remember a passage saying that man has tamed every beast on land, sea, and air, but cannot tame the tongue. So … although it can be creative or destructive, praise or curse, I believe words have a real power.
Words truly are the vehicles that we are confined to that bring the worlds inside of us to the world we live in. It is like the plant system that runs with the electricity to every utility pole that brings the internet, phone, and faxing capabilities to our homes. Like different languages, different places have better capabilities for the transfer of ideas between one person and another. It is one of the tools that God gives us to bring Heaven to earth.
I love the sound of words. They can make you cringe or tingle or cry. But I have often said, in step with this wonderful blog post, as a writer it is first and foremost about the story you tell more than about the art of your words and syntax. How many times have you picked up a book that a professor or “intellectual” has told you is a classic and been bored out of your mind. Yes beautiful language and sometimes story but often there is no story to capture you. But pick up a Koontz or Meyers novel and you will drool with how fast you are sucked into the world that they have created in their stories. Any way that is my thoughts. If you are a writer then write as a storyteller that will capture the imagination of your readers.
I agree SOMEWHAT with what you say Ted. I just dont think that “words” are the biggest and best way and only way of storytelling, communicating, etc…or is it on of Gods “greatest gifts” Communicating and language are. As a visual artist I use symbols and pictures which are not better but just as good. BUT..I can draw a pig in a country where I dont know the language and so I would draw the pig using other visual symbols to communicate. COMMUNICATING your feelings and ideas and stories successfully is the most important part whether it be by words, pictorials, or ways not thought of yet. People in ancient times used pictorials in caves or tombs. We dont know their “language” or tongue but can pretty much figure out and even feel the idea of what they were saying.
Being able to communicate your ideas, feelings, stories, etc…succefully is the “magic”. And as you say, “not the words themselves”
I am a striving auther of poetry, and after reading this blog, I think these “Words” that i wrote in January, may be appropriate to this conversation, but first, I start with the writen Word:^)
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Midnight Words
Watered down, so aggressively noted; No meaning behind the sentences posted.
Behind the lines, in every word;
Fiction is formatted, but nothing is heard.
No plot to question, or tease the mind,
No action, romance, so easily defined;
Just words!
But what are words, unless they have meaning?
They cannot be written, without the writer first dreaming!
They needn’t please the reader, whether there be many, or few;
At times these words are for the writer, a sketch of future things to do.
Sometimes these words touch many hearts,
And at times they make a mess.
Only the writer may know the difference;
The mystery to the words that they address.
Words can bring people together, or raise many to flight.
They can describe Sadness, regret, and disdain,
Words have been written of hatred, anger and pain.
They express love for people special; or feelings inexpressible.
The mystery of words;
How can we articulate without them?
They have expressed the beauty of art on canvas, and have interpreted universal signs that everyone uses.
No madder what Kingdom you serve,
whether it be of Heaven, or of Hell,
There is power in Words! I pray you use them well!
it seems to me that some of you who are so disappointed by ted’s newest book are elevating ted to a place where he shouldn’t be, and probably isn’t comfortable being. it’s a story, nothing more.
i was referring to negative posts re: boneman’s daughter. sorry for any confusion.
Mr. Dekker most of what you say i agreed with one hundred percent, Words are one of Gods greatest gifts to us, the bible says so, but we shouldnt forget or leave out that words are often times weapons that have more power than any other weapon man kind has raised, it was after all Hitlers words that moved the Germany at first. but also sometimes the words themselves can be understand when no connection is made, because God will often move through our words and that leaves no room for missinterpretation. but for the everything else i read i do truly agree with you. Words are a gift, and should not be used lightly
I absolutely love ur books. I’m new to them and am alredy asking for my third or furth book of yours. I especiallly love Blessed Child. It was touching and really moved me. Please could you tell me th whole plot behind the story because am only 12 and i focused on the story so much, i didnt catch the plot. I’m working on a new story myself- Diamond. It’s about a girl whois exposed to some chemical radiation along with another boy. She has some powers and she thinks she’s a monster but with some help and God’s mercy, she helps to stop the a general. He wants to start a new military regime and he i being controlled by Satan but he doesn’t succeed. I’m stil working on the kinks. E-mail me please if u think the plot is good or not.
Thank you Sir.
I do not really understand your words as i am not a very good writer. So i wont bother u 2 much.
Wow, this is awesome, and I agree with you a hundred percent.
i agree with you through this 100% and i just got finished reading a book by you called SAINT omg it is truly amazing what god can put into your mind isnt it and oh my jesus that book was absulutly addicting i am going to continue to read all of your books. And I cant wait to get my hands on the book KISS written by you and some lady cant remember her name but that but sounds amazingly mysterious and empowering! give the glory to god for all he has done to you and he surely wont forget thanks so so much i will pray for great miracles to happen in your future
love,
rebekahscrzyforujezus
Totally agree with Rebeka. Saint rocked my reading life. The detail about the sniping…WOW. Love it.
I totally agree! i love writing and reading. i especially love your action stories that also draw me closer to God. just recently i finished reading “elyon” i almost cried at the end when marak was baptised and he dove into the water with darsal, johnis and silvie. the way you describe baptism means so much to me. now every time i go swimming or something with my friends it feels like i’m getting baptized all over again!
This has echoed the same words I have been echoing to fellow writers for years. As I novelist, there are times were I literally spend days searching for the right word, not for the sound it has, but for the idea it conveys in my mind, as well as the mind of the reader.
I’m not want to copy ideas, but I feel the need to blog about this as well.
I believe ted was speaking in context of WRITING for an AUDIENCE. Sometimes that audience might be the author, and in those situations, the author is the only one who needs to connect with the idea. And, agree with devin that words are powerful, but only if the audience understands them. If i walked up to a person who spoke and understood only greek and called him stupid, it would mean nothing to him because he doesn’t connect with the idea behind the word. Now if i called my friend sandi stupid, the word would have power because she has the concept of the word already, and i think that is what ted was saying.
Why does Sept. 1 seem like a year away?
That makes sense. I can’t say that I quite have the ability as a writer to put my thoughts on paper (or the screen, as the case may be), but it’s something I hope to grow into. Wish me luck!
No doubt about it Ted, you truly are a wordsmith. The words you use make your stories come alive in a way few writers have been able to attain.I hope to be able to create magic out of the words that I write as well as you do.
I agree. I’m a writer in progress, so I’m not that great, but working on it. Words to me, mean something but are also hard to understand. Reading this showed some light on what i need to do to get to wear I am going.
Thank you. Love your books too.
Hmm.
Well, I certainly understand the need to keep your “wiring” from filtering out people who could possibly connect with your story.
As a poet, though, I have to say I’m kind of offended. Are we only talking about written words here, or are we talking about S O U N D S?
Have you ever listened to music in which the singer spoke a language that you didn’t understand? Were you able to appreciate it, even though you didn’t really know the meanings of all the words?
Have you ever listened to speach that’s foreign to you and thought, “What a beautiful language”? I know I have. Especially when I was friends with a house-full of Brazilian college students, working at a ski resort with me in an exchange program. It thrilled me just to hear them speak - I was always fascinated. In the dark and confused, but still fascinated.
That’s magic to me.
Thank you, Ted. You always make me think about things in a new way. This was helpful!
I like writing, but I really only like writing when I feel inspiration. Otherwise, it’s really hard to write. But I’m glad that you never run out of ideas, but that in fact you always have plenty of ideas going through your mind!!!
First of all I want to say that you are the most amazing author I have ever read books by. I go to church, but most of it was horribly confusing. The only thing I paid attention to was the love the Lord demonstrated to us throughout the stories I heard in the Bible. But the funny thing was that no one ever talked about that love. Sure they talked about the lessons taught, but never directly said anything about how great His love for us was and is. I made that connection a year or so ago. I then came across Chosen and picked it up in the bookstore. I read the back and knew it was something I would really like so I took it home and began reading it. Fastforward five hours and I was sad it was over. A few weeks later (after I had saved up enough money) I made my parents drive me to the bookstore so I could get the rest of the series and I loved them all. Your use of language and imagery to illustrate how true the love of God is was astounding and I was able to find that personal connection between myself and the Father I love above.
On to the word topic: I agree with you that words are one of God’s greatest gifts to mankind. They convey sadness, happiness, and many other things. As a writer, I love the feeling when I know the perfect word or phrase came out of my pen. There’s a sense of completion that comes to me and that’s when I feel my best. Words are the light and darkness of the world today; they can bring great happiness and great destruction. It’s the way they are used that determines what will happen.
I am a writer.
Or at least I think I am.
So far, being unpublished with only 2 books done, my span of readers is limited indeed–but the lights are on there.
Are they the only lights to be lit? Isn’t that what is being said…sometimes a writing only lights for a few…but I want mine to light for many.
So I should say I have the heart of a writer, but whether or not I am one is yet to be proven.
Completely agree with you, except one thing I suppose: I believe that words do have power, when praising, praying, or even cursing, we use words, and it’s not always based on how well we craft them together. Also think: God created the heavens and the Earth with words….
and then
Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.