Be Teachable by Donna Mumma

Be Teachable

by Donna Mumma

“Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid”

(Proverbs 12:1, NKJV).

As a conference attendee, I paid for a critique from a well-respected industry professional. I had no idea what I had signed up for.

From the moment I sat down, criticism filled the entire thirty-minute appointment. I scribbled their comments in my notebook and worked hard to hide my disappointment. The non-stop barrage contained no positive comments about my writing. The expert’s parting comment recommended that I shelve my book and move onto doing something else.

I thanked them for their time and feedback, then hurried back to my room. On this second day of the conference, all I wanted to do was go home. I convinced myself to quit and turned my back on writing.

Over the coming weeks, a persistent message played through my thoughts.

Learn the craft.

I read over those painful notes. Acknowledging my need for help, I reached out to experienced writer-friends for suggestions to strengthen my skills. I paid closer attention to comments from my critique group.

For an entire year, I absorbed everything I could find about writing. When conference time rolled around again, I made an appointment with the same industry professional to pitch my book. Their skeptical expression indicated that they recognized me. I explained that I took their critique to heart, spent the year applying the suggestions to my book, and wanted another chance to present my story.

I’d like to say this ended with a contract. It didn’t.

But that rejection led to something far more valuable than a contract. This person offered constructive criticism on how to make things better and encouraged me to keep going because I had made great improvements.

No one wants to earn the scriptural classification as a “stupid” person. If we look beyond that single word, the full meaning of this verse offers hope. As writers and Christians, we can never learn all there is to know. There will always be new aspects of craft and our faith to learn. To fully live up to the call he’s placed on our lives, we must always be teachable, ready to soak in new information about our craft. There will always be someone who knows something we don’t, and our writing is best served when we embrace those “teachable moments,” no matter how difficult they may be.

Lord, help us to love the instruction you send our way, and embrace this never-ending process of learning. Amen.

Donna Mumma writes award-winning fiction and non-fiction seasoned with a sense of adventure and suspense. An avid believer in education, she holds a M.Ed. in Elementary Education. She serves as a chapter mentor for Word Weavers International. A native Floridian, Donna lives in St. Petersburg, Florida with her husband. She is the mom of two college boys and an energetic collie named Duke. Connect with her at www.donnamumma.me, Instagram @mumma704, Twitter@DonnaMumma1 and Facebook.