“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you …’” (Jeremiah 30:2, NIV) Are answering the call to write? Confused about writing in Christian/Inspirational vs. Secular? Quick rule of thumb: If Christ’s presence in someone’s life isn’t readily apparent in a work, it’s generally secular. This doesn’t mean it’s anti-Christian. Many Christians excel in the general market. Check out the tips and techniques to get you started.

1. Answering the Call to
a Writing Ministrya Writing Ministry
St. Davids Christian Writers’
Conference June 20, 2012
Melanie Rigney

2. The CallThe Call
• Discussion questions:Discussion questions:
– When did you know you were called as a writer?
– What do you believe you were called to write? y y
– Who is God calling you to evangelize through your
writing?
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all
the words I have spoken to you The days are coming ’ declaresthe words I have spoken to you. The days are coming, declares
the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back
from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their
ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 30:2, NIV)p , y ( , )
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3. Types of WritingTypes of Writing
• Christian/InspirationalChristian/Inspirational
• Secular
Quick rule of thumb: If Christ’s presence in
someone’s life isn’t readily apparent in a work,
it’s generally secular. This doesn’t mean it’s
anti‐Christian. Many Christians excel in the
general market.
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4. Non‐FictionNon Fiction
• Non‐fiction writing uses your own experienceNon fiction writing uses your own experience
or research
– How‐to
– Informative/educational
– Personal experience/memoir
– Persuasive/apologetics
– Blog entries
– Devotionals
– Newspaper and magazine articles
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5. FictionFiction
• Fiction allows you to use your imaginationFiction allows you to use your imagination
– Short stories/flash fiction
Novellas– Novellas
– Novels (mainstream, science fiction, romance,
action adventure mystery horror etc )action adventure, mystery, horror, etc.)
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6. Other Types of WritingOther Types of Writing
• Children’s (can be divided into fictionChildren s (can be divided into fiction,
nonfiction)
• Screenwriting• Screenwriting
• Poetry (form and free verse)
• Humor (fiction or nonfiction)
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7. The Critical Elements of StorytellingThe Critical Elements of Storytelling
• All writing aimed at an external audience—of one g
or many‐‐tells a story
• All writing aimed at an external audience seeks to
entertain educate or inspire Good writingentertain, educate, or inspire. Good writing
almost always has at least two of those elements;
great writing may have all three
• All writing aimed at an external audience has a
beginning, middle, and end… and a takeaway, a
lesson or purposelesson or purpose
• Four most important words in storytelling:
Something happens, somebody changesg pp , y g
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8. What Makes Up a Story?What Makes Up a Story?
• A protagonist, someone with a problem or flaw we are
interested enough to keep reading about (often, someone weinterested enough to keep reading about (often, someone we
like)
• A plot, a series of conflicts the hero or heroine encounters as he
h tt t t t thi t ibl i t ibl th t hor she attempts to get something, tangible or intangible, that he
or she wants but doesn’t have
• An antagonist, a person or internal or external element that is
keeping the hero or heroine from getting what he or she wants
• A theme, a one‐sentence description of what we’re supposed to
take awaytake away
• A setting, internal or external
• A logical, satisfying ending (often driven by the genre; doesn’t
always have to be happy)
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9. How to Get StartedHow to Get Started
• Set a routine that’s going to work for you (oneSet a routine that s going to work for you (one
hour a day, two devotions a week, a novel in a
month))
• Read in your genre—in addition to the classics,
works published in the past three years fromworks published in the past three years from
authors like you
• Find a critique group, real‐world or virtualFind a critique group, real world or virtual
• Do something every day—read an article, write,
do research revise—that is writing relateddo research, revise that is writing related
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10. ResourcesResources
• The Writer magazine (www.writermag.com)g ( g )
• Writer’s Digest magazine
(www.writersdigest.com)
(• American Christian Writers (including Christian
Communicator and Advanced Christian Writer
magazines)magazines)
• Poets and Writers magazine (www.pw.org)
• St. Davids Christian Writers Association
(www.stdavidswriters.com, Facebook, and
Twitter)
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