Recently, Tauranga Writers members were asked as an exercise in writing to describe an incident that became a useful lesson on their respective journeys towards writing.

This week's Write Space by Jackie Martin.

It took a fair bit of reflection on my part, but then something came to mind; the memory of which warms the cockles of my heart when I think about it, even now.

It was November 1998. Back then I worked at a retirement home and hospital in Auckland, and during a morning tea break, the staff on my shift sat outside in the spring sunshine with our coffees. One of my colleagues was looking through a portfolio of artwork that her son David had put together. I asked to have a look at it, and she agreed. At the time, David made wooden wall plaques on which he printed pieces of prose or poetry in calligraphy, and then beautifully decorated them. I was entranced by the portfolio. On the spur of the moment I asked my colleague, 'If I were to write a Christmas poem, do you think David would make a plaque with it?” She replied, 'I don't see why not!”

In eager anticipation, I finished my morning's work and then went for my lunch break; pen and paper in hand. Half an hour later I had written a six-verse poem. It wasn't as though I was used to writing poems – novels and short stories have always been my genre. But this poem flowed from me as naturally as anything I have written before. I swear to this day it was not I who wrote the poem, but something higher than me; for the first two lines, which came to me spontaneously, are: ‘Why do we call it Christmas? Do you really know?'

To my amazement, the poem was indeed made into a plaque.
This kind of writing, whatever its genre, is known as ‘inspirational writing'. It flows from the spirit rather than the intellect. And it demonstrates that anybody who is touched by the spirit can write something beautiful, even if they have never considered themselves to be a writer or are too timid to give it a try. So I would say, if the spirit moves you, just get out pen and paper – or a laptop – and write that first line. You may be surprised by what will follow.