Modeling
There are times when we know where we want to go, but we just do not know what it takes to get there. Warren Lewis had been writing all of his life, but he did not publish anything until he started spending time with the Inklings. Breakthrough may come for us when we spend time with others who are already skilled at the thing we want to do – whether it is revitalizing our prayer life, mastering a new fingering pattern on the guitar, learning to craft an annual report, or responding sensitively to others in times of grief and loss. A single example often teaches us far more than a thousand words of instruction.
Correction
When the Inklings got together, “praise for good work was unstinted” and “censure for bad work was brutally frank.” In their small group, criticism helped to hone writing skills, polish rough ideas, and refine critical thinking. In our small groups, any number of wrongs can be righted and weak places made strong if our compassion is deep enough to include loving confrontation.
Practical Help
Acts of kindness can make all the difference. When Charles Williams first moved to Oxford and did not have any office space, C.S. Lewis opened his office so that Williams would have a quiet place to read, write, and reflect. When Lewis had trouble finding a publisher for his first novel, Tolkien wrote to his own publisher on Lewis’ behalf to help him make the sale. When Tolkien was struggling to keep track of the geography of Middle-earth, his son Christopher, who was also a member of the Inklings, drew the detailed maps that helped him stay the course.
Sometimes we need hope, sometimes we need accountability, sometimes we need a living example, sometimes we need a nudge forward, and sometimes we just need a little help – simple, concrete, practical help – from our friends. C.S. Lewis found these things in the context of his small group. Tolkien did, too. And faithful interaction in that small group helped each one of them to accomplish the “big things” that God was calling them to do.
Diana Glyer, Ph.D., professor of English, explores small-group dynamics, transformation, creativity, and more in her recent book The Company They Keep: C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien as Writers in Community. Her book received a coveted Hugo Award nomination. Husband Mike Glyer, editor of fanzine File770, joins her as a fellow honoree. They exemplify Glyer’s premise about writers in community. Winners will be announced at the 66th World Science Fiction Conference in August; Visit Glyer’s website at www.placeofthelion.com for additional resources. dglyer@apu.edu
