Lately, I’ve been thinking about whether I have enough writing to compile into a book or two. It would be nice to have a bit of income, and I had a lot of fun doing the first book in 2000. And in checking through all my miscellaneous writing, I realized I’ve written quite a bit! Even this blog which I started in 2006 has over 200 entries. I’ve been writing for the Tapestry for over two years now and I could compile those articles into a book – not sure if I will or not. Thanks D for sending me the email requesting Tapestry writers!
The bulk of my writing has been lessons to teach teen Bible classes. That’s going to be a BIG job pulling all that together into some order. I have more than enough material for a 4-year curriculum – 160 lessons total! In looking at some of the lessons again, I thought, “wow, these are going to need work!” At the time, I thought they were pretty well written, but, no. That’s a good thing. The purpose of this blog was to hone my writing skills and just keep up the practice. It seems the skills are better, even if I don’t post here as much as I intended. So, not only will I have to compile the lessons, but read each of them thoroughly to see what should change.
I also intended with that series to write a “parent’s lesson” to go with each student lesson. That way, the parents could learn right along with their teen, and it would foster discussion at home. In my teaching experience, I discovered most kids leave somewhere around 16 years of age because what they’re hearing in the classroom doesn’t match what they’re hearing at home. And, teachers, never think you have more influence in their lives than their parents, even if they seem at odds with them at this point in their lives. An additional factor is the parents’ Bible knowledge often remains at confirmation level, so their children surpass their knowledge by about age 16. If we can keep the parents learning too, the discussions at home will continue to grow the faith of both teen and parent. So, in putting out this series, there will be the student guide, the parent guide, and the leader guide. That’s going to take some time to accomplish. I think I’ll start with smaller projects first.
Since I had my own publishing company, and also acted as an editor for several different projects, I have the unique ability to see writing from a different perspective. Writing is often very personal. It often reflects what we think and how we feel, even if we don’t really intend it to do so. This means sometimes we get a little too attached to our writing, especially if it was hard-fought to get it onto paper. Editors have to be tough and tender at the same time. Writers can be a very delicate breed, as with all artists. There are times when the writing needs major rewriting for various reasons. Sometimes, the grammar is terrible. Sometimes, the point just cannot be found. Writers sometimes have bad habits and use words repeatedly in an inappropriate context. It is better for the writer if these habits are broken, but if the editor is too harsh in making the point, the writer will feel attacked. Editors are a writer’s best friend. Between the two of them, they are making the writing better. In the case of commercial works, this means increased sales for the writer. And especially with Christian writing, those who do doctrinal reviews are very valuable. Maybe it’s because I’ve taught teens all these years “with fear and trepidation,” the last thing I want to do is lead one of these lambs astray. Doctrinal review helps keep us on the right track, and our writing free from those thoughts that stray from Scriptural truth.
OK, this blog didn’t turn out the way I thought it would. However, maybe it gives you a glimpse into the craft of writing and some of the processes. Hope you’re not bored!
Until next time, love one another…
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