B.J. Hoff starts the season with a wonderful idea:

“In keeping with the idea of giving gifts, though, I’ve been thinking about what a writer—in particular a Christian writer—might consider as practical gifts for readers, not only during the Christmas season but year-round. Unable to resist playing with the idea, I took each letter of “Christmas” to find appropriate “gifts” a writer’s work might bring to his/her readers. Because there are certain elements a reader might expect to find when reading the efforts of a writer who also claims to be Christian, don’t you think?”

To follow the rest of B.J’s “gifts,” visit
B.J. Hoff’s Grace Notes: For Writers & Readers.

In the book, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing, Gary Provost tells us how to write with style and power. Below are twelve ways he says will avoid making your reader hate you:

1. Avoid jargon.
2. Avoid cliches.
3. Avoid parenthesis.
4. Avoid footnotes.
5. Don’t use transitions to conceal information.
6. Don’t acknowledge when you should explain.
7. Don’t hide behind your words.
8. Don’t intrude.
9. Don’t play word games.
10. Don’t play the Tom Wolfe game.
11. Don’t play the mystery game.
12. Don’t cheat.

Okay, most of this is self-explanatory, but what is the Tom Wolfe game? Seems he loved the use of gimmicky wordplay, like writing ZOWeee!!!!… or all caps, and other annoying visuals. Guess he could get away with that. You and I can’t.

“Evangelicals have not tried to capture the intellectual initiative as much as we should. We haven’t challenged and developed the minds of our generation. Though there are many exceptions, generally we evangelicals have failed to present to the world great thinkers, theologians, artists, scientists, and so forth.” ~ Billy Graham, in an interview with Christianity Today

This quote disturbs me. My question is, have we so surrendered to God and let His Word seal our hearts, that when we write, His Spirit infuses our craft? We each have a contribution to make. If we abide in Him, the fruit will grow. That’s all I know.

“Take your mind out and dance on it. It’s getting all caked up.” Mark Twain

Concerning religious writing, Sherwood E. Wirt, offers several resolutions for the would-be writer which seem applicable to any writer:

1. I will not write corn—banal, sentimental, obvious stuffy tripe.
2. I will either seek to write imaginatively, or I will not write.
3. I will not waste my time on insignificant materlal.
4. I will write to change lives, if I can.
5. I will politely ignore those who would flatter me.
6. I will write in quantity but strive for quality.
7. I will thankfully give whatever glory comes to God, who alone imparts all gifts, including this gift.

(taken from The Christian Writer’s Book by Don M. Aycock and Leonard G. Goss)

Many of us like to have written, but some actually enjoy the writing process. One such person was Elton Trueblood.

“I should like to convey to my readers something of the joy of writing which I regularly experience. The very act of writing can be remarkably creative. When I sit down with paper in front of me, I know in general what I want to say, but I seldom know the details. As the ideas are expressed in written form, however, they begin to grow and to develop by their own inherent logic. Always I am a bit surprised by what has been written, for I have become in some sense an instrument.”

“Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Hmm…and whether you write or read, or whatever you blog, do all to the glory of God.

Hello folks. Mulling over inspiring thoughts from Oswald Chambers today:

“Beware of allowing yourself to think that the shallow aspects of life are not ordained by God; they are ordained by Him equally as much as the profound. We sometimes refuse to be shallow, not out of our deep devotion to God but because we wish to impress other people with the fact that we are not shallow. This is a sure sign of spiritual pride. We must be careful, for this is how contempt for others is produced in our lives.”