As Christian writers, our primary audience is obviously Christian. But what about when writing something that will be read by a non-Christian audience? Maybe you were asked to write an article about fashion for a friend's magazine that reaches all their non-believing friends. But as a Christian, your thoughts on fashion are changed by your faith. So no matter what topic you're writing about, how do you write to a non-Christian audience without being "offensive"? Well, here are my thoughts: First of all, it is not your obligation to keep from offending them. People get offended all the time in the world we live in. Someone could breathe the wrong way, and chances are it would offend someone somewhere. Your responsibility as a Christian writer is not to shy away from your faith to keep from offending someone. If you're sharing your faith and it offends someone, that is not your problem. We are to be unashamed of Jesus Christ and speak His Name, even when the world stands against us. Second, love your audience. Treat your non-believing audience with just as much love as your Christian audience. Welcome them, respect them, engage with them. Chances are, if you share your faith boldly but respectfully (for example: don't argue with them or talk down to them), they're going to either listen or just ignore you. But either way you've won cause you've planted seeds. So love the people God sends into your life as readers. Show them His love firsthand--don't just talk about it. Third, be real. Boldly, declare your faith. But be real about it. Don't be fake, don't be judgmental, and don't live a double life. Let me be clear here: we're all human and we all make mistakes. None of us are perfect and none of us ever will be. But if you continually write about and preach one thing and then purposefully live another way, you're living a double life. Always believe that there is room to grow. Be authentic. Be real. Be bold. Fourth, remember that it is your responsibility to share Christ. As a Christian, you are an ambassador for Christ. It is your privilege and responsibility to share Him with the world. You are not obligated to anyone else, but Christ. Write what He calls you to write, share what He calls you to share. Love Him and love His people. That will be your greatest testimony. Sometimes, creating a thrilling plot can take a lot of work. It can be difficult to capture your readers and give them a story that makes them come back for more. Although I don't typically write fiction much anymore, I grew up formulating plots and crafting novels. I've definitely done my share of plot and character development. So here are just three things I learned that will help make your plot capture your reader and make the story come alive: 1. Don't go with the predictable ending. A lot of times a novel can feel boring because you have a pretty good idea of where the plot is going. Take movies for example. Have you ever watched the same movie on TV over and over, just with different titles? Of course, the actors/actresses and the names aren't the same, but the general plot is all the same. When this happens in writing, the reader gets bored and may not even finish the book. Or if they're like me, they'll skip to the end and discover--just as they thought--that the plot ends how they imagined it would. Play around with the sad ending. When a book ends with "happily ever after" and all the character's dreams come true, it feels just a little unrealistic to me. Because life isn't always like that. Make the story feel real, even if your character doesn't get what she/he wants in the end. Throw in a plot twist no one was expecting. Maybe it's the villain who comes out of nowhere or the accident that shocked the reader. Throw your reader off. Surprise them. 2. Create believable characters. I will get bored with a book so much faster if I cannot relate to the character or imagine this character as a real person. There are some books where the characters just feel distant or unrealistic (too perfect, no flaws, gets everything they want, says stuff a real human wouldn't say, etc.), and this bores me. I will be so much more into the book if that character feels like a long lost friend I'm just re-discovering. Throw in some character flaws. Maybe your writer is too opinionated or gets irritated easily or gets angry when people don't close their bedroom door. Everyone has their own quirks and flaws. Make sure your character has them too. 3. Don't drag it out. A reader can sense when you are throwing in bunny trails or throwing in extra action scenes or dialogue just to make the story last longer. You're going to keep your reader's attention best when you stick to the story, you tell the story, and then you finish the story. You're telling one story in this book, not three or four. The best movies or books are the ones where you know that every little detail has a purpose. They aren't just telling you about the pink hat your character used to love because they thought it would be interesting. They're telling you about that pink hat because it's going to mean something to that character further on in the story. This is a good use of foreshadowing, which is key to a great story. Use every detail to your advantage and focus on the one plot that you are telling. Happy writing! Sometimes if we admit it to ourselves, writing can feel a whole lot more like work instead of feeling like a whole lot of fun. It's true. Writing does take a lot of hard work. But it shouldn't all be working. You should be writing because you enjoy it, because you love it. To develop consistency it does require you to write even when you don't feel like it, but even then it should develop a deeper love for writing in your heart. So what do you do when you forget how it feels to love writing? What do you do when writing feels more like work than anything else? 1) Take a break. Sometimes in order to refocus, you really do need to just step away and take a break. Get your mind on something else and then come back to your writing with a renewed attitude. 2) Spend some time in God's Word evaluating your heart. Really ask yourself why you're writing what you're writing and why it has felt so hard lately. Have you been writing only to gain more readers or to grow your platform? Have you been writing only to get attention? Sometimes writing feels like a weight on our shoulders because we're doing it for the wrong reasons. Write because you love writing and you want to glorify God with your writing. Keep your focus where it should be. 3) Tell someone your love story with writing. I was eight years old when I fell in love with writing. I was twelve when I finished my first real book and felt the excitement pounding in my chest. I was eighteen when my first book was published and I had never been more in love with writing. We all have a moment or time when we fell in love with the craft of writing. Tell someone your story today. 4) Pray. Ask God for wisdom on how you should proceed. Should you take a prolonged break from writing? Should you just push through and keep going? Ask Him for wisdom. You can do this. Keep writing. *drum roll please* After hosting my first writing contest on the blog last year, many of you have asked if I will be doing another one. So I'm pleased to announce the... 2nd annual Worth it All Blog Story Contest!! Last year's story contest, Once Upon a Time, was so much fun. And I'm so excited for my 2018 story contest, Beauty for Ashes. Ready for some details? Beauty for Ashes story prompt: There comes a time in all of our lives where we feel a little bit broken. Because the truth is that we live in a broken world. Disappointment shakes us, heartbreak crushes us, loss devastates us. We have all lost someone or something that we love. Where is the hope in a broken world? How can we hope for beauty from the ashes of disappointment or hurt or loss? "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) We are given the promise that while things may not turn out our way, they'll always turn out for our good and His glory. He really does give beauty for all of our ashes. (Isaiah 61:3) ~Details~ Contest Begins: February 2, 2018 Deadline for entries: March 2, 2018 Winner announced: March 9, 2018 Rules: ~Maximum of 2,000 words. Fiction story can be anywhere between that word count, but cannot exceed that amount. ~Type your story in a Microsoft Word document in Times New Roman font and font size, 12. ~Only include story title and story content in your first document. ~In a separate document include story title, your first and last name, and your age. You may also include, if you so desire, a short bio and picture for the blog to be used if you are chosen as a winner. ~Our judge will not know the authors of the stories when she is judging, which is why we need two separate documents. Do not include your name in the document with your story, but do not forget to include the story title! ~The above story prompt must be used in some way in your story. Use this to launch your story ideas and plot. Use your imagination to make your story unique and your characters come to life. ~Please submit all entries to: [email protected]. ~If you have any questions or concerns, contact me using my email address or the contact form here on my blog! Prizes: Grand prize: Winner's choice of 1 PDF digital copy of any of my five published books. Winner's story will also be featured right here on my blog and shared on my social media accounts. Runner up: The runner up will have their story featured on my blog and also shared on my social media accounts. Announcing Our Special Guest Judge for the Contest! Our guest judge who will be judging the stories for the Beauty for Ashes Story Contest will be...MacKenzie Morganthal! I'm so grateful Kenzie agreed to judge for this contest! Kenzie has been a writer for over ten years and has authored two novels in the Mission for Freedom series, Not Abandoned and Out of the Dark. She has lots of wisdom to share regarding writing and I know she will do a great job as a judge for this contest! Thank you, Kenzie! Ready to get writing? Comment and let me know if you plan to participate! On your mark...get set...go! |
About this page:
This page of my blog is dedicated specifically to writers. I've been writing for over half of my life. I live and breathe writing. Because of that, I'm passionate about helping other writers grow, develop, and succeed. This section of my blog will include blog posts dedicated to writing, encouragement, and resources. Feel free to read through some posts and my contact form is always open if you ever have any questions or need encouragement! ♥ Archives
April 2018
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