The Word for Writers

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I was a writer and reporter for 14 years. Most of my stories were dictated by events or by editors' requests. The few times I was given time to develop my own story ideas, I was often plagued by writer's block.

No idea seemed "good enough" and, even when I stumbled upon a "worthy" idea, I found no lead sentence was good enough, no quote good enough, no concluding sentence good enough.

Since I've been writing for God, this never seems to happen. But I go about the writing process in a completely different way.

Usually, God places an issue in my heart that burns to be examined. I find myself turning it over and over in my head long before I even consider it might lead to a written work.

I find whatever scripture I am reading begins to inform this slowly forming theme. Inexorably, I start to type up notes on this idea or theme or article -- sometimes still not having any idea what will come.

Finally, when this has percolated long enough, it is as if God unleashes the thoughts into an article or some poetry or maybe just a letter to a friend.

I find myself sometimes "working" on writing as well, fumbling over ideas, doing searches on the internet. But God always brings me back to His priorities.

I urge any of you who are experiencing writer's block to begin with prayer that God will help you discern the theme He wants you to elaborate on. Then study the Bible daily, starting wherever the Spirit leads, and see whether some thoughts don't coalesce into the beginnings of a story.

Finally, put the various thoughts, scripture passages and events of your life into notes and watch as God's story reveals itself like charcoal rubbings on parchment over an old headstone.

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