The Dead Don't Always Die

I wrote the following when I first started this blog. Totally forgot about it too, but since I'm feeling exhausted and my brain is on post-freeze, I thought I'd repost it. Wish I had the link because it was really an amazing story.

Yesterday I logged onto Yahoo and got the shock of a lifetime. Okay, not really, but it was a surprise. A man who'd been pronounced brain dead by doctors suddenly, on the day of the plug-pulling, moved. Yes, he moved, then woke up, and forty-eight hours later went home. How incredible is that? How awesome! So I was in a really good mood and decided that maybe I don't want Dear Hubby to pull the plug on me if I'm ever brain dead. 'Cause obviously the doctors were wrong.
And then my mind started thinking about books, which is a common ailment of mine. The thinking about books thingy, that is.
There was a time historicals were considered dead. And now everyone's saying, NO More Chick-Lit! And guess what? Historicals are back in a big way.
The experts said they were dead. The experts were wrong.
My purpose in this is to encourage writers to never give up what they love to write, even if the market doesn't seem to be swinging that way. The market is always changing and nothing is ever really dead. It only morphs into something new.
Isn't that some kind of scientific law? Probably could be said for spiritual things as well.
Back to the point of this: Write what God has placed on your heart to write.

What do you write? Is it popular? Have you heard any cool stories like this?

Comments

Angie Ledbetter said…
Glad you reposted this one because if I was blogging when it first appeared, I missed it. And, yeah, I've heard a few of these stories. Fascinating.

After a co-authored inspirational book, I'm revising a women's fiction ms now. Don't care if it's popular or not. Gotta do it! :D
Jessica Nelson said…
Good for you Angie! The story was fascinating. Amazing. Is your co-authored inspy the Christmas stories book?
Why is it so hard for me not to compare myself to other writers? To think I'm not good enough to write? (I'm finding a common writers' ailment!).

At times I feel driven to write a novel because everyone else is doing it and I want to be with the "in crowd". But my joy of writing is short stories and I'm not making any excuses that I'm not a writer because I'm not writing a novel.

By the way, I'm in awe of those who make that incredible commitment to write novels and rejoice with them on their success of publication.

Write on!
Faith said…
Unfortunately, I write chick lit... which is definitely not popular... but I figure I'll sit on those manuscripts until things turn around :) In the meantime, I have other things to work on. I've written a middle grade fantasy (which I guess you could say is popular) and am working on a YA paranormal, which is definitely in the popular vein these days... didn't do it on purpose, though. My muse had been kicking around this idea for awhile, and it seemed like the right time for it. So, I guess you could say I swing both ways (er, in the writing genres, I mean!). Lol.

That story about the brain dead man is amazing though!
Angela Ackerman said…
I think everything runs in cycles. Fashion, books, movies, priorities, everything.
Jessica Nelson said…
Donna, I think it's awesome that you write short stories. They're much more challenging, I think, because you have to tell an engrossing story in few words. Everything has to be so much stronger. Go you for going with what you love! :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Faith, it's smart to work on something you like that's more saleable. I think chick-lit will come back, but maybe in a different form.

I agree, Angela. :-)
Cindy R. Wilson said…
Yay, good post! That's great advice. Write what you love. Nothing shows our passion for writing better than writing something that comes from our hearts. Have a great weekend!
Nancy said…
Such a cool story. I heard of a bamboo shoot that seemed dead for quite a few years and then it shot up several feet all at once. Yep, I love all those dormant/dead, alive stories. They keep us and our dreams going.
Deb Shucka said…
You've got a theme going here. I so agree with your last statement - if we try to write what hasn't been given to us, it's never completely alive.

I'm writing memoir now, which is either dead or alive, depending which article you read on which day.
Amazing story! And I appreciate your encouragement behind the post. I need to hear stuff like this.
Hi Jess -

Bravo! Like clothing styles, literary tastes seem to run in cycles. If you look at pictures from the 1940's, the big padded shoulders were popular. Then they came back in the 1990's.

Never say "die" when it comes to your writing style. It will experience a resurgence. Of course, you may have to wait 30 or 40 years. :)

Blessings,
Susan
kah said…
I write magical love stories. I like the unknown, and impossiible, etc. which is probably why I think it's awesome that guy woke up. :)
Kaylee said…
That is such an amazing story! I love it! I don't know if you remember me or not, because you met so many people at the ACFW Conference, but I was the one who sat by you in the first time attendees intro groups. Just stopped by to read your blog, and I love it!
Jessie Oliveros said…
I've never read this one. I liked it. I know God has placed in my heart to write clean, wholesome literature for teenagers. And nothing is ever dead. I wonder, though, vampires are almost done. How long will it be before they come back?
Nancy J. Parra said…
Jessica, this is a fabulous metaphor! I've been around long enough to know that whatever you write will come back. It never fails. Cheers!
Jessica Nelson said…
Thanks Cindy! You too. :-)

Nancy, a bamboo shoot? That's so interesting!

Deb, great way to put it. I don't think I saw that in my own post. LOL But it's such a true thing. I'm hoping my stuff is alive. :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
I do too Janna. Even though my stuff is fairly commercial, I still need the encouragement because different plot lines ebb and flow in popularity.

LOL Susan! I've seen that, esp. with the pants styles.

The unknown is fun to explore Karen! I'll bet your books are wonderful. :-)
Jessica Nelson said…
Hi Kaylee,
Yes, I do remember you! Thank you so much for finding my blog! :-)

Hi Jessie,
Hmmm, I don't know. Do you think they'll come back? I think they might, but don't know when.

Cheers back at you, Nancy! Have a great weekend.
I wrote a medieval, which I enjoy reading. (though nice ones are hard to find!) I knew there wasn't any out there in CBA, but I wrote it anyway, because that is what I wanted to do. I don't know if I will write another one, but it sure felt GREAT!
I think like that too - hey, what if they pull the plug and I was just abou to wake up *laugh*...ah well...

I write general fiction or southern fiction - I love family sagas! Stories of family, home, belonging, and place - that's what I like to write in my novels. my short stories are darker usually.
Stephanie Faris said…
I remember in the 90s wanting to write books about Hollywood...over and over again I'd get rejections: "Books set in the arts don't sell." So I finally gave up...people don't read about dancers, actors, singers, etc...they want to read about pregnant women falling in love with cowboys. But that's not where my heart is. Of course, it's not really with writing about Hollywood anymore, either.
anita said…
Great post Jessie! Very timely for me, considering I write cross genres and am having trouble breaking out because of it. Even my agent is trying to mould my books to something I'm not sure they should be.

As for pulling the plug, I guess you eventually come to the place where you decide if what you're writing from the heart needs honing to give it new life or if those changes would be the equivelent of killing your voice: the element that makes your writing unique to begin with.

That's where I'm at right now...staring at the plug in my agent's hand and debating whether or not to yank it away and cut her out of my literary living will. Eeps! Big decision.
Diane said…
Great story! Do what you love and others will find it and love it too. Awesome to follow what you believe and enjoy. :O)
Victoria Dixon said…
I write "historical fantasy" or "magical realism," as some folks call it. Right now, my heart's in China, 220 A.D. I might someday travel the Silk Road into the Middle East, but the story will still be a fantasy of a place that never exited, but perhaps should have. ;D Thanks for the blog topic!
What a miracle. I somehow missed this one last week, Jessica. Too much head cold going on in here I guess.

Genre craze is definitely cyclical, you're right, never give up on your favorite genre, it will come around again!!!
Hey, have I been really sick lately, or did you just change your blog background. It looks great, but when did this happen, and where's that fish?

Sorry my crit is taking so long, I got slowed by the cold, but am back into it while juggling family and my own writing. Will get it back to you within the next couple weeks, promise!
Angie Muresan said…
I always write what I love. I have an amazing day job, spent with people that mean so much to me, and that enrich my existence as it is. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be published someday, but it'll be a novel that comes from my heart.
Terri Tiffany said…
Good post. I am certainly trying to write what I love and feel God has put in my heart. Maybe it won't get published for eons but maybe it will some day and it is down:) How have you been! I've missed being around!
Karen Hossink said…
Mmmm, I'm thinking Lazarus. As in, Mary and Martha's brother. That dead man didn't die, either!
And yesterday I read - in 2 Kings or 1 Chronicles, don't remember - about a dead man who came back to life after his body touched Elisha's bones. There was one verse which mentioned that little fact and then nothing more was said about it. I'm thinking, WHAT? Where's the rest of the story???

Hmmm, "Write what God has placed on your heart to write." Good words, Jessica!
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL Karen. True, you have to wonder what happened to that guy!

Thanks everyone for your comments. I love reading them but have just been real busy so I couldn't comment back. :-)

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