Getting Started as a Christian Writer
Do you have a passion for writing but don't know where to begin? Try starting with your church. Talk to your pastor, ask if you could write a synopsis of his weekly sermon and put it in the bulletin for the following week. Most people today attend about 3 services a month, which means people occasionally miss a service. Actually more often than your pastor desires. A weekly review of the previous week's message is a great writing opportunity and a terrific service to pastors. This is how I rediscovered my passion for writing a few years ago. If your pastor agrees then go for it! It's a great way to start.
Writing tips
· Be there. This may seem obvious but attend service and take lots of notes. Listen for the main points and build your writing around them.
· Be accurate. Basically, you're writing a news report. It's not a creative writing exercise so use the speaker's words and expressions, not your own. This is a mistake I made and it created temporary tension between my writing and the speaker. I learned to write what was said and not what I got from the message.
· Be clear, simple and brief. Bulletin space is limited so keep your article short and sweet. An article less than one hundred words is ideal. It's a challenge but you can do it! Hint: most sermons are built around three major points.
· Be early. Quickly submit your article to the person in charge of the bulletin. Church bulletin space fills up rapidly after Tuesday. With most bulletins it's first come, first served.
What's in it for you?
Oh, I know, as a Christian you aren't supposed to ask that kind of question. Just in case you're wondering though, here a few benefits you receive from writing for a church bulletin.
· You will have money, fame and prestige. Not! Sorry, but you probably won't receive pay, by-lines, or recognition. The important thing is you are writing and gaining valuable experience. This is priceless.
· Your writing passion is visible. You become known as someone with a passion for writing. This opens doors of opportunity for you that you never thought were possible.
· You discover deep fulfillment. When you use your writing gift to serve others you will feel fulfilled. This is the best part and what keeps you writing.
Please feel free to print this article and give it to your pastor as part of your proposal to write his weekly sermons.
Copyright 2001 Glenn White
Secrets of the Vine
Bruce Wilkinson's, best-selling author of The Prayer of Jabez, has written another great book, Secrets of the Vine. From John 15 he writes about fruitfulness in the Christian life using three words; Discipline, prune and abide. These same three words are useful also to you as a writer.
Discipline:
Write everyday and try writing at the same time and the same place. Set a goal for each session. If it's only one word, one sentence, one paragraph, or one page then write to hit your goal everyday with a weekly Sabbath rest. Your writing bears fruit when you have a writing discipline. Set a small goal then increase it over time and you will see your writing become more fruitful than ever. This daily discipline will produce the short stories, poems, articles, and books you've always wanted to write.
Writing exercise: Write down the first word that pops into your head. Now write as much as you can about your one word.
· Prune
After you write your article, story, or book then it's time to prune. Bruce Wilkinson says that the secret to fruitfulness is not growth but pruning. Writers call the pruning process rewriting, revising and editing. Your original writing is what is called a first draft. After you write your first draft then it's time to prune. Don't worry; most every writer's first draft is full of dry twigs and dead wood. Pruning is where you'll find fruitfulness. Prune your first draft awhile, set it aside a couple of days, and then prune some more. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the fruit your writing will yield when you cut out the dead wood.
Writing exercise: Reread your first exercise and cut out all adverbs (-ly words) adjectives, that, passive verbs, and anything you think will improve your writing.
· Abide
The secret to fruitful Christian writing is abiding in the presence of God. Yes, you can abide in God's presence at a computer keyboard. This doesn't mean you'll write “God”, “Lord”, or “Jesus” with every other word. This only means you're aware God is near no matter when, where, or what you write. You have a message and a gift. How that message and gift manifests is really between you and God. You may write travel articles, sports columns, or cookbooks but your writing will bear fruit when you abide in God's presence.
Writing exercise: Talk to God for a minute and become aware of His presence. Then read your one word article and ask Him how it could bear more fruit.
Discipline, prune, abide and you'll discover more fruitfulness. As a bonus, you will also find personal growth as Christian and a writer.
Copyright 2001 Glenn White
Writing Tips in the Bible?/ Heavenly Writing
Yes, there are writing tips in the Bible! The biggest challenge for any writer is not putting words in an article, story, or poem but taking them out. The most beautiful phrase in the world of literature does not mean anything unless it means something. The problem with every writer is sometimes they want to add a beautiful phrase where it doesn't belong. I do, did, and done this.
When I write that special, exquisite, and glorious passage I am transported into a euphoric state where I imagine myself as one of the world's great literary geniuses. I arrive in literary heaven where it seems even God reads and takes notes from what I've written.
Falling from heaven:
My heavenly experience comes crashing down the next week when I re-read my wondrous lines. Yikes! I realize I've put a string of nice but inappropriate images in a story where they don't belong. Not only that, the story is more bloated than I am after a potluck. What's the solution? I cut out, trim down, and re-write the passage until it is lean and clean. I put my words on a diet! Just like I do with my swollen belly after a potluck.
Resources:
There are a few books on the market that show you how to write tight. One of them is titled amazingly, “Write Tight,” by William Brohough and is one of my favorites. By the way, writing tight is a perfect style when you write for the web. A word of caution; please don't use this article as a flawless model of tight writing. I'm still working on that one.
“Okay,” you say, “you've made your point, but I thought this article had a tip from the Bible?” You're right! Here is the writing tip from Bible.
More can mean less
“The more the words, the less the meaning; how does that profit anyone?” Ecclesiastes 6:11 (NIV)
You can take this to extremes, but this is a verse I burned in my heart and my head as a writer. After all, this is advice from the wisest man in the history of world, King Solomon. Not a bad source to quote from when you think about it. Write tight and I think when you do then you will write to inspire.
Copyright 2001 Glenn White
Write What and Who You Know
Okay, let's say you're a Christian writer or at least starting to feel like a Christian writer. The problem is that you don't know what to write about. When you first start writing there is this nagging fear that you may not have anything to write about. There is advice to writers that says, “Write what you know.” This is good advice so this is where you can start.
· Write about your daily family life. You may be thinking, “Write what I know? I really don't have a terrific education, after high school I had kids, got a job, and haven't had time to think much about anything.” Well, you can start there. Start writing what's it like to be a working mom or dad and your daily experiences. Get a notebook and write the funny things your kids or other family members do and say.
For example, my daughter was nine-years-old and talking with her friend at dinner. Their conversation drifted to their goals and dreams. “What are you gonna be when you grow up?” her friend asked.
My daughter replied, “I'm gonna be a veternarian.”
With an astonished look her friend asked, “You mean you're never gonna eat meat?”
You see what I mean? That's the kind of stuff you, and only you, can write about. Write what you know.
· Write about your daily work life. If you work forty hours a week you spend over 40% of your time every week on your job. That doesn't count your commute time. This is a rich resource of material for writing. What do you do in your vocation? Write about what you do and you'll discover stories, articles, devotional ideas, and even some humor.
Years ago I worked in a camera store that sold photography equipment and supplies. One day a nervous teenage boy came in and told me his mother sent him to buy a specific type of film.
I said, “Okay, what kind of film does your mother need?”
My tense young customer said, “Black and white.”
Reaching behind me to the film shelf I said, “No problem. Here you go,” and handed him one roll of black and white film.
He looked at the film box and said, “That's not what my mother wants. She said to get black and white film. I need one roll of black film and one roll of white film.”
Only stories like that can come from your daily work life. Like the kids game it is a good writing habit to…Stop, look and listen. There are stories in your workplace and just waiting for you to write them. This is another way you can write what you know.
· Write about your daily spiritual life. This should be the foundation for every Christian writer. Please allow me to emphasize that the best place to start is by doing a daily Bible reading. Then write your interaction with God and your reading in a journal.
During a time in my life when I was experiencing depression, which was unfamiliar to me, I read a verse of scripture in my daily Bible reading that took on new meaning for me.
“Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud' …” Kings 8:12.
This verse gave me the confidence that God was with me even when the dark cloud of depression settled on my soul. I wrote in my journal a few lines how God is with me during those moments of depression and all I needed to do was look for him. I wrote what I knew.
If you're like me, however, God seems to pop up in my daily life outside of my devotional times. Sometimes he shows up in quite unusual times and places in my day. You can also write about those times. Whatever you do, write what you know. Better yet, write about your relationship with God and write who you know.
Copyright 2001 Glenn White
Write To Inspire: An Interview with Glenn White
This weeks interview for inspirational writers is with Glenn White from Write To Inspire @ http://www.WriteToInspire.com
Inspirational Guru: Hi Glenn! Welcome to Inspiration-Tips. As a writer I found your site both inspiring and interesting. What prompted you to create this website?
Glenn White: I was prompted to create this site because I saw a need for a place where inspirational and Christian writers could safely access resources and tips.
InspirationGuru: Can you tell us what you feel is unique about the site?
Glenn White: This site is exclusively designed to provide resources and tips for Christian writers and how to write for the churched and unchurched in print and on the web.
InspirationGuru: Do you have any future plans or updates you will be adding to the site?
Glenn White: As a new site we are always adding new articles, new tips, new resource recommendations, and new books. We are adding new stuff daily. One feature that we add to almost daily is "News to Use". This section is where we post news articles about writing especially articles that pertain to writing for the web. I believe that Christian web writers are on the cutting edge in communicating the good news of Jesus Christ in culturally relevant stories.
InspirationGuru: Is there anything else you´d like to add?
Glenn White: I would like to encourage every Christian writer to pursue their passion for writing. The wave of the internet is here and Christian writers are needed more than ever. The contemporary Christian writer has an unprecedented, wonderful opportunity to share the stories God places in his or her heart to the whole world.
InspirationGuru: As a struggling inspirational writer myself, your encouragement is much appreciated. Can you offer a few departing words of INSPIRATION?
Glenn White: The word King James version of the Bible uses the word "inspiration" when referring to scripture in 2 Timothy 3:16. The word means "God-breathed". A writer can access inspiration from the most inspired book in the world! It may not be a story idea or a plot outline the writer will receive from reading the Bible. But any writer who maintains a daily devotional life in scripture can expect inspiration from the only book ever written with the breath of God in it. Inspired writers need to read inspired books and what better book than the Bible? Try implementing a daily Bible reading in your life and I guarantee you and your writing will be inspired more than ever before.
InspirationGuru: Well said. Thanks again Glenn and God be with you in your ministry.
You can visit Write To Inspire @ http://www.WriteToInspire.com for multiple tips and resources for the inspirational writer!
Stained Glass Words/ Christian Vocabulary
A friend of mine refers to the Christian vocabulary as “stained glass words.” Others call it “Christianese.” These are the words you pick up when you're in church for a while. Sanctification, eschatology, soteriology, hermeneutics and homiletics are a few of the lighter ones from seminary-trained people. Then there are more common Christian vocabulary words like holiness, righteousness, salvation, glorification and exaltation. I don't know about you but my brain goes into a rolling blackout when I hear them. Can you tell I'm writing this in California?
Righteous?
There is nothing wrong with these words until you write for the unchurched. For example, as a teenager if someone said “righteous” then the next word I thought of was “brothers” as in Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield, “The Righteous Brothers.” Okay, I've dated myself a little, maybe a lot, but I hope you understand my point.
Vampires?
Avoid using stained glass words when you're writing to connect with unchurched people because these words can mean something entirely different to your readers. You see, if you write, “You can be covered by the blood,” then unchurched people may misunderstand and think you're talking about being attacked by a vampire or something weirder yet. I know this may seem extreme or humorous but it's awfully close to the truth in our unchurched culture.
Build your own thesaurus
A good writing practice is to take stained glass words and put them in every day words so everyone understands. Build your own thesaurus of stained glass words; then use your words when you write. You'll find your writing is more effective than ever. I know I did.
Write to the heart
God still speaks and He speaks to people's hearts. Yes, you can write stories that echo His voice and you can write to the heart without using stained glass words.
May God inspire your heart as you write. I believe God will as you write to inspire.
Copyright 2001 Glenn White
ChristPages.NET Search Engine
Christpages has been linking the Christian Web since 1997. This search engine is a great way to promote your Inspirational website containing your online articles.
Submit your URL @http://www.christpages.net
Writing World
Writing World is a great resource for a variety of writing tips covering many topics.
The Editor, Moira Anderson Allen (moira@writing-world.com) has been writing professionally for more than 20 years. A former magazine editor (and the former managing editor of Inkspot and Inklings), she has contributed to such publications as Writer´s Digest, The Writer, Byline, British Heritage, Cats, Entrepreneur, Romantic Homes, Dogs Today, and many others. She is the author of Writing.Com: Creative Internet Strategies to Advance Your Writing Career; her new book, The Writer´s Guide to Queries, Pitches and Proposals, will be available this summer from Allworth Press. Allen is also a columnist for The Writer.
Visit this site to explore its many resources and links at http://www.writing-world.com/
BEGINNINGS
BEGINNINGS is the perfect name for this magazine. It truly is a venue searching for and supportive of the beginning writer. It doesn´t stop there. Many newcomers have used Beginnings as a springboard to being published in other venues. Dozens of authors, highly skilled and already published, frequent here to enjoy the fresh new voices and offer sage advice.
Submissions are read by three editors: Jenine Boisits, Freada Dillon, and Jenine Graschuk. There are no form letters here and work is often kindly critiqued.
Hundreds of non-published authors have seen their work in print for the first time in Beginnings. The Message Board is always hopping with activity by members encouraging one another. This is a safe haven for the new and sensitive writer as well as for the comfortable old shoe who has ventured out into the competitive world of publishing.
So, if you are brand new, moderately successful, or already famous, come home again for the first time to Beginnings. http://www.scbeginnings.com/index.htm
Writer´s Dreamkit 4.0
If you´re looking for a writing package that provides guidance but isn´t overbearing, the Writer´s DreamKit package from Dramatica is a great solution. This package is targeted at beginning to intermediate writers, and attempts to get you involved in working out the mechanics of your story before you even begin writing it.You´ll get started with the StoryGuide: the central location for establishing your "storyform" and structure. You can work with the StoryGuide either directly or by creating scenes, but either way, the creative work done in this portion will be tracked and available in all other parts of the application. For the fastest route, you can start with one of three structure templates: novel, screenplay, or short story. In these templates, the essential characters are already created. Using these in conjunction with the StoryGuide gives a writer both efficiency and flexibility.
One of the strongest features of the StoryGuide, however, is the Dramatica Query System. This system offers a question and answer approach to storyforming, and allows you to focus on one element, relationship, or idea at a time. In the DQS, the questions may be very straightforward or somewhat indirect; regardless, newer writers will appreciate the help buttons that
appear for each question, offering an explanation, the theory behind the question, usage, illustrations, definitions, context, and story examples.
If a question and answer bombardment or too much structure is not your thing, you can find relief in the Story Engine, which offers a more holistic and freeform approach to identifying your storyform. The Story Engine does lack help, which makes it more suitable for experienced users, and also looks somewhat daunting on the first few uses. However, it also is the quickest way to get to your underlying structure.
While the Writer´s DreamKit is somewhat linear in progression, there are many opportunities to diverge from the standard path. You can create characters, one of the most enjoyable parts of the creative process, at any time. You´ll do more than just assign a name and a few stock attributes: you´ll build your people from scratch (or from a template) and instill in them the complex characteristics that will guide them through your story.
If you´ve never taken a creative writing class or are looking to refresh your skills, the Writer´s DreamKit definitely offers a great foundation for structuring your story. However, it´s still up to you to write your great American novel or the next box office hit. --Emilie Dirks
Free Guestbooks!
If you have an Inspirational web site you can spruce it up and give readers the opportunity to leave you comments by adding a guestbook.
It´s easy to do and their are many resources offering free guestbooks.
If you can use a guestbook for your site, then take a look at Christian Unite.
http://guestbooks.christiansunite.com/
They offer FREE Christian Guestbooks at the link above!
