And, Action!

Joshua 5:13 through chapter six depicts the story of Jericho.
 

 

 

 Joshua was given specific instructions on how to bring the walls of the city down. Then he put the plan into action. The priests took up the Ark of the Covenant and followed seven priests blowing trumpets. The armed guard marched ahead of the trumpet-bearing priests while the rear guard followed the Ark. The people walked around the wall once and then returned to their camp. On the seventh day, they all circled the walls seven times. On the seventh time, the trumpets sounded and the people shouted. The walls collapsed, and they took the city.

 

What an action sequence!

 

Write a contemporary action sequence based on this one about Joshua and Jericho.

 
 
 

As writers we need to take action in our writing careers. Some of us need to start writing. Some need to revise and edit. Some need to send in a submission.

 

What actions do you need to take in your writing? Write it out as an action sequence that you will accomplish.

AN UNLIKELY HEROINE

Joshua 2 contains the story of Rahab the prostitute and the spies. A prostitute is an unlikely heroine used of God, but she could see that these spies were obviously led by a powerful God.

 

Choose a heroine from your work in progress or from a recent book you’ve read. Write a description of the heroine, including flaws as well as what makes the character a heroine.

Rahab is quite the heroine. She saved her family from annihilation. She’s mentioned in the first chapter of Matthew in the lineage of Jesus. This former prostitute learned of the one true God, believed in Him, and changed her life and future.

 

Often in Christian fiction writing, the hero or heroine experiences a similar transformation as Rahab.

Extended exercise: You are the hero or heroine of your life’s story. Write your character sketch, including your flaws and how you ended up as an heir through Christ.

CHANGE OF LOCATION

Joshua begins by showing the torch of leadership being passed from Moses to Joshua. After receiving a rousing support speech from the Lord, Joshua tells the people to get ready to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land.

Their location or setting was about to change. Think about the setting in your work in progress. Describe that setting in a paragraph.

Why did you choose that setting for the story? What would be different if your setting were completely opposite? Are there places in your story where the use of more setting elements could enhance?

Choose a scene that has very little setting elements. Rewrite the scene including more setting which might include anything from seasonal elements to special props to general surroundings.

Extended exercise: Study your writing setting or space. Are there things you could do to make it a better atmosphere for creating your writing pieces?

What If?

Deuteronomy is a type of recap of all the Israelites had experienced. It ends with the death of Moses and the people on the brink of entering the Promised Land after forty years of wandering in the desert.

Did Caleb and Joshua remember that moment forty years earlier when the people refused to listen to their plea to take the land?

What if the people had heeded Joshua and Caleb and trusted God forty years earlier?

Write about that “What if.” What if they had entered the Promised Land and not had to wander in the desert? What would it have been like? 

Unfortunately, the people didn’t heed Joshua and Caleb or trust God to do exactly what He had promised.

Compare this scenario with your writing career. Have you had moments when you have hesitated to trust your calling? More specifically, have you shrunk from submitting your work? Have you experienced a “wandering” in your writing?

Recommit to follow God’s call even if it’s scary. What if you accepted that God has a “promised land” just for you and your dreams? 

I DON'T DO NUMBERS!

Much of the book of Numbers lists the tribes and clans of the Israelite people. Another hard book of the Bible to read through.

Choose a number between one and ten.

Choose another number between fifty and one hundred.

How many people are in your immediate family?

Now, use all three of those numbers in a story that begins like this:

In my family tree . . .

The Israelites were identified by their tribe and clan. This information was important enough that God appointed it to be written down.

You are important in the family of God, and He has chosen you to be one of His scribes. Whatever He asks you to write, do it faithfully.

Extended exercise: The Bible encourages us to number our days. We want to make each day count for God. As a writer for God, what do you plan to do today to make it count for Him?

TEDIOUS INSTRUCTIONS

Leviticus – Specific Instructions

Leviticus is a book in the Bible that normally trips a person up if she is aspiring to read the Bible through. This book contains tedious rules, regulations, and the hows of following them. However, without these instructions, the Israelites would not have known how to offer the various required sacrifices. There were details about what foods were clean and unclean. Many of these instructions assured the people’s health as well as their standing with God.

To become the best writer you can be, you need instruction. What type of writing instruction have you had? Include courses, craft books, magazines, and blogs.

Create a diploma depicting your writing education thus far.

For example:

This certifies that Paula Mowery has received the status of published author through following the will and plan of God for her life and through a completion of daily writers’ blog reading, an assortment of writing craft books, and from courses and mentoring through ACFW.

There is always more to learn. Never stop pursuing your writing education.

Extended Exercise: Write your “graduation” speech to other aspiring writers, encouraging them by sharing some of your milestones and learning experiences as an author.

Creative Christian Writers' Blog Hop

Please take a moment to read My Writer's 10 Commandments. This was one of the exercises from this blog. To check out other writers' commandments or exercises, use the links provided below to hop around. And, if you haven't gotten in on the creative writing fun, subscribe through your email and get exercises and encouragement delivered to your inbox.

MY WRITER’S TEN COMMANDMENTS

Thou shalt make God first priority and cultivate the relationship with Him.

Thou shalt ask for His guidance in your writing.

Thou shalt vow to continue to learn and become better at writing.

Thou shalt not covet another author’s success.

Thou shalt write only what brings glory to God and not self.

Thou shalt be diligent and obedient with time.

Thou shalt take/make the opportunity to encourage other new writers, taking the responsibility to pay-it-forward.

Thou shalt not neglect the family God blessed you with, sacrificing them for your writing.

Thou shalt learn not to whine when rejections or failures come.

Thou shalt represent thyself in a godly manner whether speaking with a reader or an editor.

Check out Brooke's exercise here.

Delia Latham shares 10 here.

Clare Revell shares here.

Jayna Morrow shares here.

Check out Lilly Maytree's post here.

Linda Yezak will be posting tomorrow (Thursday)
Check out Linda's post here

Where Are You?

Okay, all you creative writers. I haven't heard from many of you about participating in the blog hop. All it involves is a comment that you will participate and posting one of your writing exercises on your own blog on this next Wednesday, Feb. 5th.

Come join the fun! You know you want to. And, who knows, you may gain a new blog follower just from this little hop.

I will be posting my Writer 10 Commandments on Wednesday.

Next Sunday, we will resume with our exercises and short encouragements.

Take this time to go back through your creative exercises and see if there are little sparks that you would like to follow up on. Did you get an idea for a story or an article? Did something motivate your writing ministry? Review and reflect.

Please don't hesitate to share thoughts here. A few have done that, and I'm so appreciative.