Where Do You Want Your Words to Go?

 
“Ouchy! Ouchy, I stubbed my toe!” Hopefully, such words do not need an audience. Even if we’re in a room with a compassionate person, who says, “Oh, Poor Baby!” we really don’t need to commemorate those words in writing.

Unfortunately, many writers, including Christians, crave attention for every woe and complaint, often going on and on as though no one will understand without lengthy explanations. That sounds like a harsh assessment! But it’s true, and I pray it gives us all cause to pause and question our purpose in writing.

If we say, “God called me to write!” Excellent reason! That happened to me, too, so our job then is to follow up by writing FOR him and letting HIM write through us. (Oh, I pray He does so now!)

Decades ago, I sensed Christ Jesus showing me His nail-pierced palms and saying, “Heal My hands.” Since I think of churches around the world as being the Lord’s hands, I took that encounter to mean He wanted me to do what I could to help bring the church Body of Christ back together, holding hands, working together, and making a unified difference in the world. At the moment, we seem more polarized than ever! But I keep praying and writing whatever God puts on my mind.

But, back to the topic of considering where or to whom our words go. When my children were growing up, I wrote Sunday School take-home papers for young readers – both Bible stories and little contemporary stories children could relate to as “take-aways” for their lives. This meant using short sentences – the younger the reader, the shorter the words and paragraphs too.

Later, writing for teens required another vocabulary and more grown-up tone, even if the overall message remained the same. For example, children of all ages need to know that God WILL work things out for good for all who love Him (Romans 8:28.) And, yes, for all who are called according to His purpose, which most likely includes children who do even know yet what that means. Regardless, how you approach that or any topic must consider the most relevant level – beginner to advanced. 

So consider using a favorite scripture as a theme, then deciding where you want your words to go. To whom will you speak? Then, as you think about your choice of readers, ask yourself:

What do we most likely have in common – love of God, problems with relationships, enjoyment of a hobby or activity, the same denominational preference?

What type of tone might be most effective – playful, serious, conversational?

Do I want to inspire readers by offering daily devotionals, uplifting poems, encouraging articles, stories illustrating problems overcome by faith in God?

Do I enjoy research? If so, what topics would I like to investigate – scriptural takes on worship, medical issues, artistic endeavors, technical concerns, mental health, insomnia?

Do I want to educate or inform?  For instance, when a “military neck” became a pain in the neck and an aching back affected mobility, I wanted to find out various causes and treatments, so I started researching medical journals (found online via state libraries) and trustworthy websites such as NIH (National Institutes of Health.) Each entry required at least six reputable resources, but eventually, the research lead to two life-health encyclopedias written for Facts on File with a medical professional in the field to proof the entries.

The above examples offer only a few to consider before writing. Then, let each theme, purpose, and genre draw readers with whom you can connect, speaking in an appropriate voice. Of course, if you want to write about the strong reactions caused by most toe-stubs, go for it, but don’t tip-toe around. Investigate. Research. And, always, always be the very readership God had in mind for His written word.

Thank you for commenting below, asking questions, suggesting topics for future posts, and subscribing to this blog. May blessings abound in your writing life in Christ.

Mary Harwell Sayler

 

 

 

Where old hotlinks go to die or worse!

If you’ve been fortunate enough to get a .com, .net, or other dot domain in your own name, do not (I repeat, do not) let it go! Ditto on other domain names that define your work. 

Unfortunately, I speak from experience! Earlier this year, I decided not to renew my domain names and keep only my blogs or other free sites. Bad idea! Within a short time, I discovered that anyone looking for my writing, poetry tips, or Bible-based websites would be led to psychic readings or, worse, a page of nudes! This was not why I spent a decade building followers! 

I suppose such shocks are to be expected: i.e. people opposed to Christianity will be ready to take advantage of the opportunities that, sadly, I created. The only way I know how to enter this battle without coming to blows is to go through my blogs and change old hotlinks to current ones. 

Last week, I spent 3.5 days turning posts into drafts, locating the worrisome links, and inserting active ones I actually want people to find. Sounds easy enough, but tedious as I had well over 1,300 posts! 

 I’m still less than half-way through this tiring task, but, Lord willing, I hope to update the remaining links this week. Nevertheless, I’m very, very grateful the Lord made me aware of this problem before I had a lot more posts to tend. 

Praise God! 

©2021, Mary Sayler 

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If only I had known

Long before text messaging reduced words to their first letters, writers and editors referred to a commonly over-used plot as IOIHK – “If only I had known.”

Books, movies, stories, areas of miscommunication, and misspent lives have infamously fallen into the IOIHK category. But in this time of rampant misunderstanding between various peoples and traditions of faith, we poets, writers, pastors, teachers, parents, politicians, caregivers, and other leaders can be mindful of cultures, levels of maturity, and opinions unlike our own. 

Remember:

If Only I had Known often means we didn’t bother to find out!

The remedy, of course, is to check our emotions and check the facts.

• Ask questions to clarify.
• Listen – truly and intently.     
• Aim to hear another perspective.
• Research.
• Investigate both sides.
• Look for workable solutions.
• Show respect.
• Build bridges.
• Embrace the blessing of diversity!
  
  

Can we do this on our own? Probably not! But we can agree to pray for God to help us to be open to other perspectives and peaceful possibilities for healing.

©2021, Mary Harwell Sayler, poet-writer

P.S. If you're writing a book or script, please be sure IOIHK is not the story plot!

 

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What light do we shine?

As children of God, we’re to be light-bearers to the world – not unlike a lighthouse guiding people out of dangerous waters and into safety on shore. But what if our light flickers unreliably? What if it dims or has no more shine than a nightlight on a vast sea?

Isaiah 49:6 says, “I will make you a light to the nations, extending My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

A Light that reaches to the ends of the earth.... That’s one powerful light! And that’s what our writings need. But how do we get solidly connected to its energy, range, and luminosity?

By praying for the Light of Christ and constantly reading God’s Word….

A discerning Christian friend reminded me of a group I’d felt uneasy about and meant to check out but hadn’t until she expressed similar concerns. A quick Google search uncovered their claims that Christ had returned. If I weren’t familiar with the Bible, I might have been drawn in or fooled by their use of “Christian” catch-phrases. 

As Christian poets and writers, we cannot afford to be led away from God’s Word – not only for ourselves but for the countless people whom our writings influence.

Those childhood recollections we have from Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, or religious classes in parochial schools gave us wonderful flashlights to illuminate our own Christian walk. But we need stronger light, greater power, and more and more of God’s Word if we’re to spread the Light of Christ with beauty, accuracy, and far-reaching effects throughout the whole world.

Mary Harwell Sayler, ©2017, poet-writer and Bible reviewer

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10 Ways a Writer’s Work Has Changed

Back in the different old days (neither good nor bad) a writer’s life didn’t focus on marketing or building a platform or connecting with other writers.

1. We had no Internet to build a platform. We did no marketing. We “got known” if we wrote well, consistently placed manuscripts with publishers of books and periodicals, then waited for word to get around – mouth-to-mouth or through ads, book-signings, or other events our publishers planned and paid for. For example, one publisher flew me to company headquarters to talk about writing with school children who approximated the ages of my readers. On another occasion, the publisher of my 7-book devotional series sent a make-up artist and photographer to my modest home for a photo shoot! The picture chosen became a huge poster placed beside my books in bookshops and now in my basement.

2. No Internet also meant no social sites, so those of us who lived in small towns or rural areas almost never had contact with other poets and writers except through writing conferences or by reading publications for poets and writers. Basically, we lived in a vacuum, worked in isolation, and, in solitude, prayed a lot.

3. To find potential publishers, we went to libraries, bookstores, or newsstands to see who was publishing what – a task I highly recommend poets and writers continue to do today by visiting Internet bookshops. This still goes on the “different” list, however, because, once we had found potential publishers, we had to write letters via snails (known then as “first class mail”) to ask for writers’ guidelines. If we ever wanted to hear from them, we included an SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) to ensure a reply.

4. Few of us could afford to buy each magazine that interested us or every new book a book company published, so we had to request sample copies of periodicals and current catalogs of book titles – again enclosing an SASE with every request. We would then study, study, study each publication to see where we might fill a gap in their line yet stay in line with that particular company’s needs and requirements – a practice I still recommend for anyone who wants to be published by an established publisher, but now, by studying the samples and information on their websites.

5. In the days when libraries had only books, we would read, read, read everything we could find in our favorite genre. If our writing required research, that, too, meant hanging out in a public library, checking the card catalog index to see if the book or journal needed was on file and, if so, where it was located. Since we weren’t always allowed to check out reference materials to take home, we had to ask the librarian to find the publication for us and let us see it long enough to take copious notes and document the name, title, and page number(s) of each source. Another option was to pick up the phone to call on the expertise of an expert, who inevitably lived in another town. Often, this resulted in a horrendous long-distance charge on our next telephone bill, whether the book or article sold or not.

6. Our biggest expenses, though, were office equipment and supplies: a desk, an electric typewriter, well-inked ribbons, reams of 20 lb. paper, carbon paper, and postage.

7. Working on an electric typewriter meant using white-out to correct a mistake then trying (and never succeeding) to erase the same mistake on the carbon copy. If we had too many typing errors on a page, we had to retype. Worse was revision! If we added a full paragraph or scratched through lines, not only did we have to retype that page but those following as the pagination changed.

8. Since most editors wanted an approximate word count, we had to count words – now done by clicking “Review” and “Word Count” in Word software. Then, it meant the ole one, two, three, four, which got tedious if a contract required 100,000 or more words! (Usually, I shortened the process by counting the number of lines and average words per line then multiplying the two.)

9. Writing assignments came with very specific instructions on how many characters were allowed per line. When writing church school curriculum, for example, I had to count – not just the words for the whole manuscript – but the number of letters on each line.

10. Writing freelance also involved querying the editor of the first publishing company on the list, and if s/he wrote back with interest, mailing the article or book manuscript – with SASE – first class. If the editor approved the work, a contract followed – also by mail. If the manuscript was rejected, it came back dog-eared and smudged, which, yeah, meant retyping the whole thing. That alone was an incentive to do the best we could do the first time out. Praise God, I managed to place several books and a few hundred poems and articles that way until my computer and the Internet made my work much, much easier. But working in cyberspace altered everything forever – at least until the next big round of changes.

Mary Harwell Sayler, poet-writer, © 2016

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Writers to Read: Nine Names That Belong on Your Bookshelf

As Christian poets and writers, most of us have literary favorites who influenced our view of Christianity, the church, the world, and writing. Professor-pastor-writer Douglas Wilson discusses his favorites in his new book Writers to Read: Nine Names That Belong on Your Bookshelf, published by Crossway, who kindly sent me a copy to review.

In the Introduction, Wilson says, “A writer needs friends who simply benefit from knowing him, which is another way of saying that good writers need good readers.” Those of us who have been published know just how much we need good readers, but I’m especially taken with the idea that people I don’t know might benefit from having read my works! That thought might take us away from fretting about sales and reviews to a closer look at what we hope to accomplish in our Christian writing lives.

One of the things G.K. Chesterton accomplished was a prolific career that's already spanned generations of readers. However, Wilson began the first chapter with him because, chronologically, he comes first among these nine writers: G.K. Chesterton, H.L. Mencken, P.G. Wodehouse, T.S. Eliot, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Robert Capon, Marilyn Robinson, and Nathan Wilson.

In the opening chapter, the author quotes Chesterton, who wisely wrote: “There must always be a rich moral soil for any great aesthetic growth. The principle of art for art’s sake is a very good principle if it means that there is a vital distinction between the earth and the tree that has its roots in the earth, but it is a very bad principle if it means that the tree could grow just as well with its roots in the air.”

Having edited or critiqued many poems and manuscripts by other poets and writers, I see Chesterton’s statement as key to being authentic, down-to-earth, and well-grounded in reality rather than uprooted in a topsy-turvy effort to be heavenly.

The next chapter introduces us to H.L. Mencken, who “writes in such a way as to make anything an object of fascination. Whether it is soles of shoes that are like slabs of oak, or his own matronly figure, or hired girls built like airplane carriers…, Mencken is consistently, thoroughly interesting. Many Christians, under the influence of pietism, have come to believe that love, action, and gratitude must always be expressed in such smarmy ways as to ensure its thundering dullness. But in the hands of a gifted writer, the most astonishing connections can be made between this and that.”

As Wilson goes on to say:

“Christians can learn from Mencken in two ways. The first is by watching what he writes on any subject and imitating it. Those who want to be creative originals from scratch seldom are, and those who slavishly follow the recipe have a different problem, just as debilitating. Those who look carefully at the masters to learn and imitate soon find their own distinctive voice with their own contributions.

“The second way to learn is by reading and applying his observations about writers, writing, words, and so on.”

The third author under discussion is known for his Jeeves books – P.G. Wodehouse, whom Wilson describes as “a black-belt metaphor ninja” and one “whose comic metaphors can still teach us how all metaphors work, how the thing is done.” As Wilson puts it, “We need Wodehouse for a number of reasons, but one stands out. The besetting sin of many cranky, conservative Christian types is their inability to make any good point whatever without sounding shrill.”

Humor certainly smooths those sharp edges, enabling us to say what we want to say without sounding overly pious or judgmental. But, whether we’re apt to be humorous, metaphoric, or what, Wilson offers this sound advice: “If our words are weapons – and they are – then we need to train ourselves in the use of them.” Amen!

Since Wilson sensibly decided to discuss each of nine writers in their order of birth, T.S. Eliot – one of my first loves in poetry – comes fourth. If you’ve read his works too, you know the truth of Wilson’s assessment, “His poems are allusion-soaked, so much so that it is very hard to follow unless you are as well educated as he was…,” which I wasn’t! Since I often miss his connections, I’m relieved to hear that even a literary guru such as Wilson has similar issues. And that reminds me to reassure you that, if you didn’t have a clue about Prufrock in high school, try it again, and you’ll probably love it as I now do.

I was also interested to hear more about T.S. Eliot’s religious background, which began as a Unitarian in the U.S. However, when he later became an Englishman, Eliot was drawn to the Church of England. As Wilson says:

“Doctrinal differences aside, Eliot shares something in common with all Christian poets who deal with the permanent things, with the great issues. To be a Christian poet is to be shaped by the central Christian story, which is a story of death and resurrection.” And so, “Before his conversion, in The Wasteland and The Hollow Men Eliot did not see much hope, which is all to the good because without Christ, there is no hope. It is Christ or nothing.”

In the next highly interesting discussion, Wilson talks about the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, pointing out, “…if you put a work of fiction into the wrong category, a lot of confusion can result and, in this case, has” as the ever-popular “Lord of the Rings is not allegory.” In fact, Tolkien himself said:

“I dislike Allegory – the conscious and intentional allegory – yet any attempt to explain the purport of the myth or fairy tale must use allegorical language.”

What Wilson realized is that “questions about art and technology are…closely related to the issue of magic. Some Christians have been troubled by the wizardry, but the whole point of magic is the manipulation of matter in order to acquire power, which is what an ordinary magician does…. But the world of The Lord of the Rings is the very reverse of this – the good guys there represent a photo negative of magic. The ring of power is the ultimate symbol of magic in the traditional sense, and the whole point of the book is to destroy it, resisting all temptations to use it.” Those of us who haven’t read the book or seen the movie will be glad to know that.

In the Narnia tales, C.S. Lewis takes a different tact as he seeks something Wilson called “numinous” before quoting Lewis in this passage from In The Weight of Glory:

“We want something else which can hardly be put into words – to be united with the beauty we see to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it…. We cannot mingle with the splendors we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumour that it will not always be so. Some day, God willing, we shall get in.”

Yes! Until then, writing poetry gives a glimpse of this, especially when a line or musical phrase comes as a gift, like grace or God’s forgiveness. Similarly, reading the Bible and reading the inspired works of authors such as those Wilson chose for this book, not only inform our faith, but also our writing lives in Christ.


©2015, Mary Sayler, poet-author  

Writers to Read: Nine Names That Belong on Your Bookshelf, paperback



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Poetic Power of Dyslexia

Most poets and writers draw on experience, personality, or the power of observation to find something fresh to say in their fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. If you do that in your writing too, great! Keep up the good work. However, the traits you think of as a disadvantage or even a handicap might be the ones that help you to develop your own voice or distinctive style. Take, for instance, dyslexia.

Like many poets and career freelance writers, I began writing as a young child but, in my case, backwards. One way or the other did not matter to me, but this stressed out my teacher so much, she made me stay after class on my very first day of school. For years I thought Mrs. Smith called Mother to come in, too, to see how sloppily I wrote as my left hand smudged the soft pencil across the lined paper in my notebook, but no. I had perfectly copied everything the teacher wrote on the blackboard (which actually was black then), and I had formed each letter of the alphabet correctly. I had just written everything on the blackboard backwards.

For fun, I still like to spell ippississiM in my head, and I must warn you not to even try to beat me at word games like Boggle or Wheel Of Fortune unless, of course, you’re also a bit dyslexic. Most of the time, though, inverting letters and scrambling words or thoughts has gotten me into trouble, especially when I’m tired. If someone happens to spew double-negatives then, I can almost guarantee my brain will not follow.

In writing poetry and poetic manuscripts, however, dyslexia can come in handy. Word scrambles often lead to word play, and scrambled thinking can connect this to that in a previously untried but true way. Such “mistakes” might add a note of humor to fiction or nonfiction too and, in some cases, bring about a fresh idea, insight, or observation.

For example, as a Christian writer I often write nonfiction articles and devotionals. In one short article I wrote for other Christian poets and writers, I talked about the importance of double-checking facts and speaking with a loving voice whenever we write in the name of Jesus. Since Christians pray in Jesus’ name, my point was to encourage that thought also as we write. However, instead of typing “in the name of Jesus,” I wrote, “in the amen of Jesus.” Same letters, you notice, just scrambled. When I finally noticed this myself, I thought, wow! That better said what I wanted to say anyway. i.e., Anything we write (or pray) in Jesus’ name needs Jesus’ amen or affirmation.

I certainly do not pray for my dyslexia to increase or for you to catch it! But I do pray that you use your talents and “flaws” well. I pray you begin to see your “mistakes” or “handicaps” or “shortcomings” or “disadvantages” as a means of making your writing distinctive, inimitable, and one of a kind. Do I hear an name?


©2010, ©2015, Mary Harwell Sayler 


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How to deal with writer’s block

If you’re staring at your keyboard and would rather wipe it than type on it, this could be a sign of writer’s block. Will it last forever? No. Is there anything you can do about it? Sure.

It’s like being boxed between cars in a parallel parking space. Tight, but you have choices: You can wait until the owner of the other car comes along to free you. Or you can inch your vehicle by increments until you wiggle out.

Trying to think of something new to do might sound like an experiment in frustration when your thoughts already seem blah or singularly uninspired, but don't fret. Remember: Wiggle.

Do something different. If you can’t go anywhere, stand on a chair or stretch out on the floor, but get a fresh perspective. Look up and notice the texture of the ceiling. Look down. Describe your feet. Look around and notice the sound, smell, sight, taste, or feel of objects surrounding you every day. Munch your salad slowly and identify the flavors and textures. Compare. Listen to the hum of a washing machine, a fan, a furnace, an air conditioner, then fill in words that fit the beat.

Take a mini-vacation. Getting away from normal surroundings can help you to chip big chunks from a writer’s block even if just for an afternoon of vacating your premises. (Pun intended.) Use your writer’s block as the impetus for touring that museum in town you keep meaning to visit. Or go to a movie with sub-titles. Check out a library book of poems totally unlike anything you usually read or write. Pick up a travel magazine, and look at photographs of enticing places. Search for a video of a country you hope to visit or, better yet, one you would never dare to set a sandal inside.

Consider your interests and available options. Writer’s block is like a box every poet or writer steps into occasionally, but you don’t have to stay there. Even if you’re really boxed in, you have choices. Jump out. Find a different perspective on whatever is familiar, safe, or boring!

Mingle! Get around people. Go to a mall. Help out at a Christian service center. Attend a Bible study. Worship with a church you have never visited.

Take care of yourself. If none of the above appeals to you, lounge on the deck. Rock out on the porch. Pray for the Lord to speak to you even as you sleep. Take a nap.


[The original version of this article appeared here on March 5, 2010, entitled “Writer’s Block In A Box.”]

©2015, Mary Harwell Sayler, poet-author, is on a mission to help other Christian Poets & Writers through blogs, writing resources, and e-books such as the Christian Writer’s Guide and Christian Poet's Guide to Writing Poetry.

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Step into the New Year: writing, revising, and marketing

Preliminary Steps:

Study classical and popular works in your favorite writing genre.

Consider what draws readers to a particular poem, story, article, or book.

Study magazines and other publications you like to read.

Get familiar with the book catalogues of publishers whose work you like.

Consider potential gaps that your story, poem, article, or book might fill.


Writing Plan:

Plan your fiction or nonfiction manuscript before you begin.

Decide on a theme, purpose, and reading audience.

Thoroughly research your topic or story setting.

Outline each article or nonfiction book.

Write a synopsis of your novel in present tense.

Both the synopsis and the outline should be from 1 to 5 pages.


Writing, Revising, and Marketing:

Let your writing flow without criticizing yourself, then let your work rest.

Later read those pages as if someone else had written them.

Read your work aloud and notice if anything seems “off.”

Pinpoint a problem, and you will usually find a solution.

Revise to make the manuscript your best before you send it to a publisher.

Find and follow writers’ guidelines located on the company's website.

Query several editors at once about an idea or book proposal, but when you submit your actual manuscript, send it to only one editor at a time.

When mailing your manuscript by postal service, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) to cover its potential return.

Keep track of where, when, and to whom you mailed each manuscript.

If you don’t hear back in 3 months, follow up with a brief, polite email.

While you wait to hear from one editor, query another editor about your next idea.

Repeat the above steps.


©2015, Mary Harwell Sayler 

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Literary Forms in the Bible

When we think of the Bible as the written word inspired by God, the laws (teachings) and history will most likely come to mind. However, poetry covers about one-third of the Bible, which also contains almost all of the other literary forms. Hopefully, this will interest Christian readers in general, but as poets and writers, we do well to study these forms and their usages to expand our literary options in what we write.

We can do this by ourselves, of course, but if you’ve ever read one of the many books by writer, editor, and university professor Leland Ryken, you’ll want to see what he has to say on this subject. I certainly did! So I warmly welcomed the review copy I received of A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible, recently published by Crossway.

In the Introduction, Dr. Ryken defines literary forms as “anything pertaining to how a passage expresses its content.” So the focus is not on the content or the what of the text but on these categories as listed by the author with my notes added in parentheses:

1. Literary terms (discussed in this alphabetized handbook)
2. Genres (fiction, nonfiction, poetry)
3. Literary techniques (for example, theme and variation)
4. Motifs (pattern or theme)
5. Archetypes and type scenes (recurrent patterns or symbols)
6. Figures of speech (metaphor, simile, hyperbole, paradox)
7. Rhetorical devices (for example, an envelope structure or inclusio, which “consists of bracketing a passage with the same statement”)
8. Stylistic traits (features of style from high to conversational)
9. Formulas (such as a number formula “for three transgressions and for four” or a “woe formula)

You might feel like saying “Woe is me!” if those terms are new for you, but take heart! The A to Z (make that "W") format of the book enables you to look up the entry you want on your own need-to-know terms.

Since I wanted to give the book a thorough reading, though, I began with “Abundance, Story of” and kept going, soon coming to the conclusion that, when I catch up on my stack of review copies, I’d like to read this again and give myself a writing exercise for each entry to which I'm drawn.

For instance, I’ve enjoyed writing acrostics, which, in Bible literature, means, “An Old Testament poem in which the successive units begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in consecutive order.” Mine were written using the English alphabet, but the Hebrew Bible includes acrostics in several Psalms where “The most elaborate acrostic poem in the Bible is Psalm 119. The poem is comprised of twenty-two eight-verse units. The units unfold according to the Hebrew alphabet, but in addition, all eight verses within each unit begin with the letter that the unit as a cluster highlights.” To make Psalm 119 even more difficult to write, the poet consistently included words referring to the “law of the LORD” such as “precepts, “statutes,” “commandments,” thereby adding to the impression that the Bible consists primarily of rules.

Dr. Ryken, however, reminds us of so much more in the “Adventure Story,” “Allegory, “Apocalyptic Writing,” “Beatitude,” “Benediction,” “Christ Hymn,” and even the “Comedy,” which he describes as “A kind of plot structure, with accompanying traits, that forms a U-shaped story in which events first descend into potential tragedy and then rise to a happy ending.”

Who would expect that, from a literary perspective, “comedy rather than tragedy is the dominant narrative form of the Bible and the Christian gospel.” For example, the Bible “story begins with the creation of a perfect world. It descends into the tragedy of fallen human history. It ends with a new world of total happiness and victory over evil” – which is surely more than enough to make us smile!

Other examples of the literary form include the stories of Joseph, Ruth, Esther, and Job – none of whom endured the laughing matters we expect to see in a TV sit-com or humor story. Nevertheless, each lived through a U-shaped story where events went from bad to good, shaping their faith and also the lives of readers who welcome the relief of a happy ending based on biblical truths.

Continuing through the alphabetized entries, we find “Drama” and “Dramatic Irony,” such as “Pharaoh’s daughter unknowingly paying the mother of Moses to take care of her own son.” And, in “Epic,” we see that “The biblical story that most obviously fits the description of an epic is the story of the exodus.”

When I came to the entry for “Epistle,” I thought of the form many Christian writers use in their blogs! As a fixed form in the New Testament, the epistle has five main parts, which, according to Dr. Ryken, consist of the following (parentheses his, this time):

• opening or salutation (sender, address, greeting)
• thanksgiving (including such features as prayer for spiritual welfare, remembrance of the recipients, and eschatological climax)
• body of the letter (beginning with introductory formulas and concluding with eschatological and travel material)
• paraenesis (moral exhortations)
• closing (final greetings and benediction)

Instead of focusing on parables, paradox, penitential Psalms, and other forms you’re most likely familiar with, I’ll turn to the entry for “Paraenesis,” which frankly I’d never heard of before, perhaps because, as Dr. Ryken notes, “No English word has gained currency as a designation for this fixed ingredient in the Epistles.” As he explains, however, paraenesis is “A section in the New Testament Epistles that lists moral virtues and vices, or a collection of commands to practice specific virtues and avoid specific vices.”

Hmm. Interesting. Even without know what paraenesis means, I’ve been seeing a lot of it in blogs by Christian writers when I’d much prefer to see the use of literary forms such as the “Penitential Psalm,” “Praise Psalm,” “Quest Story/Motif,” “Witness Story,” or “Worship Psalm,” each of which has specific characteristics and/or patterns (forms!) you might want to study, practice, and enjoy in your Christian writing life.


©2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, is the poet-author of 27 traditionally published books in all genres, many of which can be found on her Amazon Author Page.


Literary Forms in the Bible, paperback



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Dancing on the Head of a Pen: book review

The enticing title, Dancing on the Head of a Pen: The Practice of a Writing Life by Robert Benson, drew me to request a review copy from Blogging for Books – a site that provides review copies of a variety of books in exchange for an honest assessment. Fortunately, that's what I aim to provide, whether I'm discussing a new edition of the Bible or reviewing a traditionally published poetry book or a book about the writing life in general, as happens here.

Published by Waterbrook Press, this particular book also appealed to me because the author knows how to write! That might seem to be an obvious prerequisite, but I’ve discovered a new world of newbie writers who blog about writing and sometimes pass along assumptions, rather than reliable information. Conversely, Robert Benson has written many books and knows the in’s and out’s of writing and publishing. So, believe him when he says: “Most of the time, writing a book more closely resembles digging a ditch than participating in some transcendent creative experience.”

How we go about “digging” depends on what we dig. As Benson says, “Any of us – writer, designer, potter, painter, sculptor, architect, and on and on – wisely studies the habits practiced by the artists who inspire us in the first place. Those habits can guide us as we try to learn to do the work ourselves.”

For each of us, the work and surrounding habits will differ, not only from one another but also our own earlier selves as we experiment, pick up ideas, and find workable ways to write and continually improve our work. Most of us, though, will do well to heed Benson’s call to be quiet.

As he explains, “Solitude is likely necessary to be in touch with the things deep inside you. Silence may be required for you to hear what those things are saying to you. Do not be afraid to be quiet. Never be afraid to be alone./ Wandering around in wide-open spaces, especially spaces offered by a blank page, may be the key to making some art of those things found in the silence and the solitude.”

By now, you may be wondering if this book provides a devotional guide or tips on writing or suggestions for establishing your own routine or more than the sum of those parts, and to all, the answer is: Yes!

Once we’ve heard ourselves think enough to know what we’re to write next, we have to decide what type of writer we want to be. Like Benson, “I want to write. I may even need to write. But I want to be read as well.”

Knowing this about ourselves helps us to know whether we want to write for publication. If so, we need to have some type of reader in mind and some idea of whether anyone else might be interested in our chosen topic.

The author says, “When I begin to write a book, I ask myself some questions. Who do I think might read the writing I am about to do? Who do I expect to be interested in the stories I am trying to tell? Who do I hope will discover and enjoy and be moved by them?” And always, “Write for those you love.”

As Benson also says, “A writer has three jobs. Write the work. Make the work as good as possible. Find the work a home and a crowd of folks to love it.”

More than this, however, Robert Benson tells us, “I spend most of my time, metaphorically speaking, as a kind of explorer, out wandering around in the philosophical dark, lost in the spiritual words, searching for a deep something I often cannot even name, following trails leading to dead ends and darkness as often as not.” But then, “The spiritual life is not so much about answers as it is about better questions. Writing can be the same.”


©2014, Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer, authored 26 books in all genres, primarily for Christian and educational markets, before writing the Christian Writer’s Guide e-book on Kindle.


Dancing on the Head of a Pen, hardcover



…

Christian Writer’s Guide to writing options

After starting the Christian Poets & Writers group on Facebook, I realized that most of our members self-publish because that’s what they know. Since my 30+ years of experience have mainly been with traditional publishers of books and manuscripts for Christian and educational markets, I wrote the Christian Writer’s Guide e-book to provide the info you need to have more options as a freelance or assignment writer in almost any genre.

Hopefully, the table of contents will give you a good idea of what to expect:

Table of Contents

Dedication
Pray!
Let God and the Bible Guide
Welcome Your Gift or Calling
Find Your Favorite Genre
Listen for The Voice in Your Voice
Write, Write, Write
Search and Research
Record Information Accurately
Edit or Revise
Prepare to be Published
Write Freelance or on Assignment
Inquire with a Query Letter
Cover Highlights in a Cover Letter
Prepare Your Manuscript
Propose a Book in a Book Proposal
Track What Went Where and When
Develop Your Bio
Establish a Presence on the Internet
Learn Writing Terms: A to Z
About the Author


© 2014, Mary Harwell Sayler is the poet-author of 26 books in all genres and approximately 1500 poems and short manuscripts, ranging from church curriculum to children’s “take home” papers to nonfiction articles on subjects as varied as the Bible, poetry, writing, family life, and natural health.


Christian Writer's Guide e-book on Kindle



...

Read Like A Writer

Writing well often depends on reading well, which means studying poems or other writings to see what works and why. To analyze what you read, ask questions of the text. For example, ask:

Why did the poet or writer use that particular form, structure, setting, viewpoint, character, or ____ (fill in the blank)?

What effect did that decision have on the poem or manuscript?

Is the style formal or chatty, and does that enhance the story or topic?

Does the poem or manuscript have a rhythmic flow when read aloud?

What words jump out? Do they add emphasis or reinforce a sound effect or encourage readers to think more about the topic?

Also, notice sensory details. Then analyze whether the poet or writer relied more heavily on the sense of sound, sight, smell, taste, touch, or feeling. A well-written poem or manuscript might tap into all of the senses.

Notice the viewpoint or perspective too. What would happen if a first person poem or story (I, me, mine, we) were written in second person (you) or third person (he, she, his, hers, them, they)?

Asking questions of a poem or manuscript may seem awkward at first, but your interrogation skills will improve with practice. To ease the task, start with a book, story, article, or poem you think is poorly written, and focus on the flaws. Identify each as clearly as you can, then consider how this might have been handled differently. If you suspect your writing has a similar flaw, ask questions of it too! See what’s not working and why. Then correct those mistakes as you revise.

© 2014 - 2010 Mary Harwell Sayler, reviewer and poet-author of Living in the Nature Poem, the Bible-based poetry book Outside Eden, and other traditionally published books


Christian Poet’s Guide to Writing Poetry, e-book



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Does one blog fit all?

This morning another writer announced that her blog just took an unexpected turn, and I thought, “Thank you for saying so!” Although blogs and websites have been around for a while, we’re still the First Generation of Bloggers or poets and writers who actively post on the Internet. Therefore, many of us might feel like we’re re-inventing the wheel, maybe because we are!

Some of us have so many ideas to discuss we don’t know where to begin. Or we start off with a blog we cannot possibly confine to one category.

So what do we do?

For me, trial-and-error has been full of trials and errors!

I keep hoping to have as few blogs as possible just to keep up, but my topics do not seem to be cooperating. For example, I’m highly interested in helping other writers, discussing poetry, and making the Bible come alive to show how relevant and timeless God’s Word is, but poets want to talk about poetry. Writers want to talk about writing. And people who want to pray Bible prayers might have no interest in poems or the concerns we have as poets and writers!

Having more than one blog takes more time but has some advantages:

A blog for each major topic gives you space to separate and organize your thoughts instead of trying to cram too much into each posting.

A blog for each topic gives you a wider reader base since your readers can hone in on what interests them. If they consistently find what they want, they’ll be apt to tell their friends.

A blog for each topic gives you a separate URL for each blog, allowing crosslinks or hotlinks from one blog to another. Reportedly, Search Engines take note of such activities, which can give each of your blogs a push toward higher visibility.

I do not know how or if I’ll be able to keep up with the blogs I feel led to write, but I thank you all for giving me a chance to try.

Lord willing, I also hope to post:

Prayer-a-phrased prayers from the Daily Bible Readings on the Bible Prayers blog

Poetry tips and info on the Poetry Editor and Poetry blog

Reviews of English translations, children's Bibles, and new study editions on the Bible Reviewer blog

Quick notes and hotlinks here on my personal blog to keep you updated on the above and also my news as a Christian poet and writer, who’s sometimes stressed but surely blessed by the work God has given me to do.

God bless you,

Mary Harwell Sayler

~~

Writing in the New Year

On this New Year’s Eve, morning fog covered our pond, whiting-out the water and making us aware of what we can see close-up. Not much! But that can be a good thing, or, for me anyway, a way of sensing the Lord’s leading in my work as a Christian writer.

For a while now, I’ve been praying for God to show me the projects I'm to take on and the work I am to do, but to do the work at hand, I need to see my hand.

The morning fog let me do just that but not much more! Yet that can be a good thing too.

Seeing what’s at hand may be a way of seeing God’s hand as we find what is right there within our reach.

As this year comes to a close, fog still hides the future but begins to drift over the past, helping us to see the writing we have been given to do, at least for the present.

Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s books, devotional articles, Bible studies, blog posts…? The genre doesn’t matter except to be the one at hand – the one in your hands as you read the type of book or article or story you most prefer.

If this blog can help you with that, let me know. Since I've written in almost every genre for Christian and educational markets for many years, I am happy to look ahead with you and discuss aspects of writing and the writing life you want to know more about, so post a writing question or suggest topics for future blog posts in the Comments section on this page. Let me know, too, what you think of the new page design for In a Christian Writer’s Life . Thanks. And may God bless you and your writing throughout the New Year.

~~

© 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved.

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Did Jesus read poems, quote poetry, and pray printed prayers?

Jesus prayed spontaneously as shown in the Lord’s Prayer or Our Father and in the High Priestly Prayer in Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John. However, as a regular worshipper in the synagogue and one who often stood up to read aloud “as was His custom” (Luke 4:16), Jesus undoubtedly read the printed prayers and poems scrolled into the book of Psalms.

Then and now, Jesus and other Jewish people drew from Psalms for many reasons. Then and now, Christians rely on Psalms, too, as shown in Acts 1:20, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16 and many other Bible verses. Why? Christians and Jews love the book of Psalms as:

Written prayers

Songbook

Anthology of poetry

Source of godly wisdom

Examples of heartfelt prayer

Outlet for genuine emotion

Devotion and meditation

Inspired writings

Prophetic word

Apparently Jesus also memorized at least some of the psalms because, from the cross, He quoted Psalm 22 not only to express the agony He felt but to encourage His followers who knew, as Jesus did, how the psalm ends. In addition, this fulfilled the word of prophecy recorded in that poem and printed prayer.

What does this have to do with us today as Christian writers, editors, and poets? Hopefully, a lot! For example:

Written prayers are preserved prayers, private prayers, public prayers, proven prayers, and prayers that immediately connect us with one another and with God. Whenever and wherever you pray a psalm or other Bible prayer, countless prayer partners stand with you in all times and places.

Psalms provide long-loved examples of beautifully written songs, poems, instructional teachings, and wisdom writings. Studying and reading aloud each psalm can help us to attune our ear and improve the poetic quality of our writing in all genres.

Psalms give us insight into the spiritual life and also the life of faith realistically lived and written in all genres.

Psalms draw us closer to God, not only with praise and thanksgiving but, more often, with laments! Thankfully, those laments typically end on an encouraging word of faith, helping us to cry out with true feelings and draw on faith that has been tested as we, too, write prayers, poems, and writings in all genres.

Psalms remind us of the ongoing timeliness of the Bible and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of God’s Word, written into our lives as Christian poets, editors, and writers in all genres, all places, and all times.

~~
If you would like to discover prayers in the Bible that enliven your faith and guide your prayers and writings today, follow the Bible Prayers blog. May blessings abound on all who enter that space.

~~
© 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved.
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Blogs need focus, focus

With new blogs appearing daily on the Internet, your blog can stand out and draw readers if you focus on a specific topic and a specific readership.

For instance, you probably noticed that this blog addresses steps traditionally involved in researching, writing, revising, and marketing manuscripts primarily written for a Christian audience and/ or from a Christian perspective. Therefore, the specific readers to whom I speak are Christian writers, Christian poets, and Christian editors.

For Christian readers in general, the Bible Prayers blog focuses on almost all of the prayers in Holy Scripture, while The Poetry Editor blog hopefully speaks to poets, poetry editors, poetry students, and poetry lovers who want to discuss the poetic techniques, forms, and characteristics of well-written free verse and traditional poetry too.

Before deciding on those particular topics, however, I asked myself some questions that might also help you to fine-tune your focus:

What topics have interested me most of my life and continue to interest me enough to want to keep spending time with them and investigating them, perhaps for a long time?

Which topics have I studied or researched reasonably well?

Which of these topics might readers also want to think about, learn about, or discuss?

Do I have relevant experiences that could benefit potential readers?

Am I willing to double-check the facts and information I relay, even though I think I know?

Realistically, how often can I research, write, and post new articles? Once a day? Once a week? Twice a week? Twice a month?

Do I treat blog readers the way I want to be treated?

Am I willing to focus on their needs even when I promote my blog(s) through the major social networks, so the very people I hope to draw will not feel spammed, disrespected, or overwhelmed?

Will my readers be so glad they discovered my blog that they will just naturally pass on the good news?

~~

© 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved.

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Interview with Dana Cassell, the founder of Writers-Editors Network

Dana Cassell, the founder of Writers-Editors Network, has been a full-time freelancer for 35 years. In addition to writing and editing manuscripts for numerous business clients, she has traditionally published more than 2,000 articles and ghosted or authored nearly a dozen books for educational publishers and other secular markets.

Dana, what do you most want to say to writers in all genres who plan to make writing a career?

Recognize that it is a business, and treat it as such. Magazine editors need articles that will keep their readers renewing or buying newsstand issues, so the publisher can sell ads that keep the magazines in business. This means researching magazines' targeted audiences and coming up with ideas the editors need to reach those audiences.

It also means seeking out editorial calendars to see what topics they repeat every year and will be covering during the upcoming year. Said another way, writing (and suggesting) what the readers and editors want, not what the writer wants to write. (When the writer has a favorite topic and can find a paying magazine receptive to that topic and the writer's slant on it, that's a bonus. It happens once in a while but is usually not enough to build a career.)

This is ditto for websites that will pay for articles. Instead of subscriptions, they may be looking at visitors and "hits," but the premise is about the same. Also, the successful writer will learn how to reuse their research in multiple articles, books, and columns to make that research investment pay off.

Writers who want to write for the corporate market on a freelance basis would do well to become adept at and known for some editorial service that can directly affect a client's bottom line -- such as ad copy, direct mail packages, white papers, marketing e-letters.

Recognizing that writing is a business means regularly scheduling time for marketing, admin tasks, and study along with time for production.

What are some of the biggest changes you have seen in publishing over the last few years?

The obvious would be the Internet, which has changed the way writers can research and also adds the electronic publishing element. Magazines have always stopped publishing because of over-saturated markets or poor management, but now publishers have to figure out whether to be print or electronic or both -- and how to make that work, so the publishing business is even riskier. People are still trying to figure it all out. For writers, there are tons more potential places to get published, and they are easier to research because of Web information, but drilling down to those that pay a decent rate is more of a challenge.

Novels have changed because of the shorter attention span of readers who have grown up watching TV and reading Internet screens. Compare a novel published today with one a generation ago -- paragraphs are shorter; chapters are shorter. And that's what mainstream editors/publishers want -- because that's what sells.

In what ways can conferences and workshops help writers?

They mainly help through inspiration and motivation. Being around and talking to other poets and writers can help us realize that what we're up against (finding the time, dealing with writer's block, getting published, finding better paying markets) is not our challenge alone. Everyone faces the same problems at one time or another. It can help us to keep rowing when we know others are in the same boat with us. And talking to other attendees who do not appear to be any smarter or more creative than we are, but who are more successful, can send us home thinking, "I can do that, too!"

The information we absorb from the speakers can certainly be helpful, but we can get that from the hundreds of books and articles on writing for publication. I think that touching elbows with other writers and with the speakers has a more motivational aspect.

Thanks, Dana, for giving Christian writers a clearer picture of writing for markets in general. Thank you, too, for the level of professionalism you encourage and show as you address the needs of writers and editors on Writers-Editors.com.

~~

(c) 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler

Turning stones into building blocks and bread into bread

A Bible reading for this first week of Lent takes us into the wilderness where Jesus had to decide whether to turn stones into bread. He certainly had the power to do so and would have settled an empty stomach right away, but the temptation for the immediate and expedient had no long-term appeal. Why? Jesus knew where He came from and knew where He was going, so hunger pangs, though uncomfortable, did not throw Him off course or trip Him up.

If we trip over stones, maybe we can write about overcoming obstacles.

If we trip over stones, maybe we can write about making a barbecue pit.

If we even see a stone (in Florida they’re rare!), maybe we can find the kind of flat, round, pita-bread-shaped stones that our readers can use to skip-toss across a pond.

Stones of all shapes and sizes can be great tools. Many have a hefty purpose, but if people need bread, they need stones mainly to grind the corn or wheat.

Jesus knew that stones can be a solid foundation for building, but not for making meals. He fed hundreds of hungry people, for example, by turning fish and bread into more fish, more bread.

If you fish around your Idea File or main areas of interest, what fish do you have to share with other people?

If you have even a little bit of anointing oil or oil used for healing or oil of gladness or oil to stop a squeaking door, might it be enough to lubricate a thought, a worry, a spiritually dry spot your readers have?

What grains of truth can you write about to feed someone who's hungry?

What natural God-given ingredients do you have to make hearty loaves of bread or books or poems or stories?

Thank God, Lent gives us time to give who we are and what we have and where we’re going some time and thought and prayer. No hurry, but just so you’ll know: Our readers may be famished for something wholesome, something nourishing, something they can really sink their teeth into, preferably without breaking their incisors on a stone.



(c) 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved.

Protect your writings, photographs, and valuables before disaster strikes

As disasters fill the news today, prayers undoubtedly fill the air. The first concern, of course, is protecting yourself and your loved ones. If you’re in no immediate danger, though, please take time now to protect the records and valuables in your most valuable life:

Email your poems, writings, and/or works in progress to yourself, so you can retrieve them directly from the website of your Internet service provider.

Scan beloved family photographs and important documents. Save to a DVD and mail to siblings, children, or other family members, including at least one person who lives in another region of the U.S. or in another country.

Upload your prized photographs to a photo website such as Flickr or Picasa, making sure the security settings show as private rather than public.

Investigate free services on such websites as Google Docs and GMX.com that let you privately store your word files with easy retrieval from any computer, assuming you recall the user name and password.

Print out and/or backup copies of your poems and writings on a CD or DVD, and seal in waterproof Ziploc bags.

Seal other valuables too, including important papers, address book, and email contacts in watertight containers. Place them in a large purse, briefcase, or waterproof bag that you keep on your person or close enough to grab.

Although every contingency cannot be covered, consider as soon as you can the type of disaster most likely to occur in your area. In Florida, for example, we often prepare for water-related events, but for some time now, we have experienced drought conditions, so fire poses a threat too, making nonflammable containers a wise choice for storing valuables. If there’s a potential for evacuation, we also try to keep the car gassed up and stocked with water, appropriate clothing, flashlights, and snacks.

At other times, tornadoes and lightning storms have zipped overhead, causing us to stay put with our Ziploc bags, water jug, flashlights, and ourselves in the little basement room beneath our house.

I cannot even imagine what a tsunami must be like, but I have felt the impact of thunderstorms, snowstorms, and a 7.3 earthquake. I’ve seen tornadoes zig-zag overhead and ashes float into my living room from fires thirty miles away, and I’ve been in Hurricane Camille. Thanks be to God, my family and I survived with valuables intact, and, right now, I pray you do too.



(c) 2011, Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved.