adaptability – Almost An Author

We put on a Show And Saved the Day!

I remember watching a Carol Burnett Show sketch that spoofed the old Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland musicals. You know the ones.

Hey, let’s put on a show!

The routine: a bunch of kids decide to do a show in an abandoned barn, and, miraculously, elaborate costumes and props appear. The show is a success, the day is saved, happily ever after for everyone.

I am a member of the planning committee for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, and, like most conferences, we found ourselves at a loss as to how to hold our event this year in the midst of a pandemic. In April, members came to a unanimous decision.

Hey, let’s put on an online conference!

Now, I’m not Mickey Rooney, and Judy Garland was nowhere to be found. However, a group of determined writer servants set their minds to making such an event work.

Our coordinator Hallee Bridgeman and her tech-expert husband Gregg arranged the video conferencing details, and the rest of the committee followed. Much time and energy were devoted to scheduling, promotion, faculty confirmations, and more.

Everything fell into place, but, as the event neared, I got nervous, which is unlike me. I have attended numerous writers conferences and have taught at KCWC for years, but I had never done anything like this online.

I was scheduled to teach three classes (one a repeat), and, the night before, I was a wreck. What if my style wouldn’t translate to online teaching? What if my highly-interactive new attendee class went over like a lead balloon? What if my home internet went out?

It turns out, I had nothing to worry about. The classes went off with very few glitches. The technology, for the most part, worked. As for interaction? God did a supernatural thing, y’all.

Through the “chat” feature and other means, 400 attendees from nearly 40 states and 6 countries (France! Australia!) connected, networked, and generally enjoyed each other’s company. Though different, my classes were fun and interactive; getting out of my comfortable zone was a good thing. I was also able to attend some great classes myself and to listen to inspiring keynote addresses without having to jump up and run somewhere to take care of conference details. I even baked a batch of brownies while attending a class!

An overwhelming majority of the attendees have raved about the setup of the conference and the encouraging instruction, as well as celebrated the fact that they had some human interaction after months in isolation.

And guess what? MY HOME INTERNET DID GO OUT! With less than a minute left in one of my classes, I was answering a question when my service “hiccupped.” Only me, right? I did what any tech person would do: I unplugged the “internet thingie” and then plugged it back in. Voila! It came back!

So we put on a “show,” and, by all indications, it was a success. God knew what we needed when we needed it and showed up in a big way.

Let’s put on another show! Who’s with me?

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate–all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.

You-nique

The last five years I’ve used songs in my blog to help illustrate the theme of my posts; it has become part of my brand and helps to make my post unique. My passion for music goes way back to high school and continued into college, where I used it as an escape from reality like most people do.

But recently the website I’ve used to create my audio files shut down and I found myself scrambling to find another website to fill this need. After the first few days of frivolously searching, I hit a brick wall and I threw myself a big pity party—because writing it isn’t exactly easy.

If you’ve been pursuing a writing career for any amount of time, I’m sure you’ve hit a few brick walls, or at least a few potholes, along the way. Obstacles you didn’t anticipate, such as not knowing what to write or how to say in the best way.

The act of getting ideas is the easy part, but the process of building a platform, acquiring representation and getting our stories and messages out is the gut-wrenching, throw-your-hands-up-and-walk-away devil.

It’s like running the hurdles in the Olympics, you build momentum, but you have to learn the perfect time to jump again and again. Personally, I think it would be easier to run the hurdles than to write for a living.

However, twenty-two years ago I learned a valuable lesson when I stayed in a T.L.C (transitional living center) after my accident. These are places where persons with disabilities can stay while they remember or relearn the daily tasks of life (i.e. cooking, cleaning, and personal care.)

The residents have different disabilities, but similar limitations and each one has to learn how to make do with what they have in their own way. Over the years I’ve learned to be more adaptive because of my disability. I’ve accepted that my limitations make me who I am and my journey is unique to me.

You-nique!

Webster’s defines unique as, “Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.” As a community of writers, we have similar goals, but unique stories, skills, and paths that make each of us who we are.

Albeit if you’ve ever attended a writer’s conference you know some are little more unique than others (haha!) Fortunately, the writing tribe is more accepting than most. We are each creative and express ourselves differently.

There’s a saying amongst the brain injury community that I keep going back to in life. “We all have brain injuries, but every brain injury is different.” My brain injury affects me differently than another person’s injury and I must live with a different set of facts of life.

How I cope and deal with my disability are part of my story and who I am.
My limitations caused me to adapt to life in a way that works for me.
My disability is not yours or anyone else’s.
My physical scars are part of what makes me Martin.
My road to recovery in life and my path are different from other’s recovery and paths.

These aspects of being disabled easily apply to the life of a writer. Each of our journeys to writing success looks different. Our lives are different, but our goals are the same. However:

We don’t all have the same level of education or training.
Writing isn’t as natural for some as it is others.
Not everyone has the resources or time needed to attend conferences.
Not everyone has the resources needed to get the tools of the trade (i.e. writing programs, quality computers or even an office space.)
Not everyone is good at networking or using different means of communications (i.e. social media, newsletters, website, speaking engagements).

To be honest, not everyone has the patience or thick skull to be a writer. For many, the process is too time-consuming, and discouraging, so they decided to take a different path altogether and give up on their publishing dreams

Different?

But for those who choose to continue on the journey, they learn that all writers really are different, their career goals look different, and their definitions of success are different.

If there’s anything I’ve learned in life by being disabled, it is that it is okay to be different. It’s okay to not:

Look like others.
Believe like everyone else.
Enjoy what others enjoy.
Take the same path as others.
Talk like others.

Because we each have our own voices and messages to share—messages only we can tell. We each must learn to use whatever we have and do whatever it takes to tell the stories that make us unique.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.