Confession #1: I’m usually keeping two journals at once—but it should be three. (Never mind the notebooks and slips of paper and digital notes I take to record and organize my thoughts. Heaven help that lot!) The first journal is for life, and the second is a journal for spiritual life. The third one shouldContinueContinue reading “Why I Journal (And Why I Think Everyone Should Too)”
Tag Archives: writing
12 Inspiration Ideas for Christian Writers
We all need new sources of inspiration from time to time. When the well is dry and routine is just too…routine. Here are twelve ideas to help you trigger inspiration and more joy, whether for life or your writing project. 1. Flip your schedule. If you’ve been writing at night, start writing in the morning for a while. 2. Deactivate from social media temporarily. Embrace a little boredom andContinueContinue reading “12 Inspiration Ideas for Christian Writers”
Writer’s Block: 5 Things You Can Do When the Words Won’t Come
Anyone who has spent more than a happy afternoon putting words together knows that intent alone does not a story make. Sometimes there’s an impenetrable block that stops the flow of words. And I’m not talking about the writer’s block that looks like scratching one’s head halfway through a complicated scene. I mean the writer’sContinueContinue reading “Writer’s Block: 5 Things You Can Do When the Words Won’t Come”
The Jonah Within
There are few Bible personalities I really connect with. You know: Ruth was so good, and Esther was fearless and beautiful, and Mary was amazing. Paul is hard for me to get my head around, and the disciples, well, they were interesting and funny, but relatable? Well, maybe not so much. But start talking about Jonah, andContinueContinue reading “The Jonah Within”
Hard Decisions
Today, I declined an offer I’ve always dreamed of accepting. Two months ago, when I received the email with the writing-related offer, I was flattered and excited, but for various reasons, it was not possible for me to immediately accept. There was a difficult decision before me. It was as if I’d been walking along the writer’sContinueContinue reading “Hard Decisions”
When the Words Won’t Come
One of my favorite quotes from Einstein was the speech he gave at a college banquet: “I have nothing to say.” All too often, writers are expected to have much to communicate. To be able to churn out something epic on demand. But all too often, the words aren’t there, often when we need themContinueContinue reading “When the Words Won’t Come”
One Part Calling, Another Part Compulsion
Not long ago, someone asked why I chose to pursue writing. Responses for how, when, and where came to mind, but why was more elusive. After a moment’s consideration, the only way I could describe it was: “It was one part calling, another part compulsion.” Eric Liddell, portrayed in the film Chariots of Fire, said, “I believeContinueContinue reading “One Part Calling, Another Part Compulsion”
To Outline, Wing It, or Both?
It’s said there are two types of writers: those who work methodically off an outline and those who write by the seat of their pants, guiding their characters into the unknown with pen, paper, and intuition their only provisions. Another type that is commonly overlooked is the hybrid. In a world of logical classification, they areContinueContinue reading “To Outline, Wing It, or Both?”
The Color Red: the Brighter Side
When I counted every person who had critiqued the chapter I blogged about last week, I calculated twenty. Never before have I had that large of a critique group, and never before has my writing changed so drastically from start to finish. Over two months ago, before another pair of eyes had seen that chapter,ContinueContinue reading “The Color Red: the Brighter Side”
The Color Red
Recently, three authors whom I admire gave me a crash course in the color red. Two told me red symbolizes pain, anguish, and bloodshed. The other author showed me. He took a sample of my writing and projected it against a wall for the class and me to study. First came the untouched opening of a chapterContinueContinue reading “The Color Red”
Meagan Briggs 