In the first issue of the Wanderings of a Wayfaring Wordsmith, we discussed the two major stumbling blocks most writers face. The first of these questions was, “What do I want to write?”
Even for most non-writers, the answer to this question would seem rather self-explanatory. For the writer though, this question beckons nearly every time we sit down to practice our craft. For the most part, the reason the question is asked is because most writers have so many topics on their minds that it is difficult to choose just one. Believe it or not, this is actually a great place to be found.
The worst place for a writer to be is in that deep, dark hole where there is simply no information flowing at all. For all writers in this situation, my suggestion is to get a pad of paper or a new computer file ready to take down some notes. Begin writing all of the topics coming to your mind and perhaps a sentence or two overview to help jog your memory in the future. The next step for the Christian writer is to pray over that list! Ask God to show you which topic He wants you to write about right now. Once you have written it, cross it off your ideas list.
Of course format comes into play at this point too. Are you wanting to write a screenplay, a novel, an essay, a children’s story or perhaps even to publish your own ebook. Those are all creatures unto themselves and must be discussed separately. We will do so in coming issues of the Wanderings of a Wayfaring Wordsmith.
Now to the question of, “Why do I want to write.” The simple answer could be simply that you feel led to write. I know that for myself, there are many times when a story pops into my mind and I simply cannot rest until I can at least jot down a few sentences or paragraphs. Motivation should always play a key role in answering this question. There are those professional writers who MUST write in order to provide for themselves and/or their family. For others, writing is little more than a creative outlet. It is at this level that words of caution signal alarms in my own ears. I love to write and wish I could do it much more often. However, there are other times when greed reaers its ugly head and attempts to convince me that I could or should get rich at doing this. I believe most other authors who adamantly express the fact that an extremely rare few writers experience this level of complete success in writing.
It is my utmost desire to stress to any writer, specifically Christian writers, to develop one single motivation; the desire to bring glory to God; nothing more, nothing less. I believe that once any writer grabs onto that mantra, there is little that they cannot do.
It simply does not matter how well your writing appears on the page. We are all our worst editors and all of us need improvement. This is what we will cover in the next installment of “Wanderings of a Wayfaring Wordsmith.”
