Writing with Flare

Writing with pin-point accuracy while incorporating colorful language, this is the challenge. A unique blend of creative and technical writing, which enhances the presentation as a whole, maintains focus while adding depth. A paradoxical statement to some, this kind of writing penetrates the mainstream standard. We owe it to academia; we are called to go beyond, we are called to push past. To do things like they have always been done and to expect different results, is insanity. To uphold the status quo, is to remain at mediocrity. The bar can always raise, those willing to set it higher are those who will see it done. Our writing should reflect our schooling, clear and concise should not be license to create dreary and drab. Let us ‘wow’ our audience! We are positioned to be a beacon of light; dry words only parch our readers.

“In writing, you have to gain an audience’s trust ...

. . . They must believe you.” James Mangold, Walk the Line director and screenwriter

In leading worship, we would rehearse for an hour before the services started. We talked a lot about worshiping for the audience of One – that this wasn’t “practice” time alone – it was an opportunity to worship God before His people came in for worship. So we rehearsed with exuberance, lifting our hands or clapping, inviting the presence of God. When the church came in, our countenances and postures reflected excitement and adoration for the Lord. Had we run through the music half-heartedly, focusing solely on hitting the right notes and blending, there would be staleness to the worship.

Writing is similar. If we don’t believe in what we are writing, neither will the reader. If we put a paper together without a clear intent to communicate a message, the lack of “integrity” of our work will be quickly recognized. Let’s strive to put our heart in our work, regardless of the content we are writing about!

To Express Oneself Honestly

Writing is a release... It is an expression of heart, there is liberty and freedom within each stroke. It can be a form of casting cares and transferring burdens. It can literally open the floodgates of heaven. Instead of bottling up one's emotions and feelings, one can convey them without necessarily conveying them. When there's no one to tell, tell the journal. Put thoughts on paper, allow them to flow. Don't hinder, don't forget, don't neglect the inner stirring. There is much profit to be had, there is much deliverance to be initiated. Write a covenant; etching it forth into the sands of time, sands that remain preserved throughout history. Create the living legacy, leave the message that transcends...

A Spiritual Endeavor

In order to inspire, we must be inspired. We must be drawing from a deeper well, beyond the shallows of mere worldly wisdom. One can be filled with a plethora of intellectual knowledge, which simply fails to reach the heart. Life-giving words emanate from living water that flows from the very depths of our souls. A Spirit driven person, moved by the heart of God Himself, enters the realm of discovery. There are no limits, impossibility is a fragment of imagination that falls short regarding the things of God. We enter a new arena, a place where the right words written at the right time, can impact generation upon generation. The writer has passed, though through their words, they transcend their lifetime. Allow for the creativity of God; be a willing vessel, a conduit by which God touches the heart hardened by empty verbiage. Truth applied, transforms lives... Let us correspond accordingly, as truth channels, depositing words containing both power and life.

“Good writing is clear thinking.” – Max Lucado

Once upon a time there was a student who needed help writing a paper. Although typically a very nice student, on this particular day the very nice student was very frustrated. By the end of the session, the reason became clear. The very nice, yet very frustrated student was attempting to write a paper without reading any of the source materials, and without attending class.

It seems preposterous, but how many of us attempt to write a paper before researching and outlining ahead of time? No stone throwing here – guilty as charged. I have re-read my own work, paused, and thought, what in the world am I talking about? But the paper gets turned in anyway, hoping to dazzle the professor with big words and long sentences, believing he or she will realize how brilliant I am and be able to figure out what I really meant. This is the case of muddled thinking.

Many times, the “arch enemy” is time. Or should I say, the lack of time management. Have you tried to meet last-minute deadlines by staying up all night on a caffeine buzz? Most of us experience this wretched night at least once while pursuing higher education. But if we will begin to train ourselves to work on projects ahead of time, it will give us the opportunity to process the material. This will generate clear thinking and result in good writing.