An Invitation to Share and Blog Hop

Hey all you Creative Christian Writers!

How have you done on your creative exercises? Have you had a good time and cranked up your creativity?

My good friend and fellow author, Delia Latham, suggested sharing our Writer 10 Commandments. I believe I'll take it a step further.

I am extending an invitation to all you Christian Creatives to choose one of your creative exercises and post it on your own blog. Then, please send me your blog address. I will create a link list which I will post at the bottom of my creative exercise. We can all give a shout out on our various social media outlets.

Let's plan on posting our creative exercise on our blogs on February 5th - next Wednesday.

If you would like for me to post your blog link for the Creative Blog Hop, please leave a comment here as well as your blog address by Tuesday, Feb. 4th. Or, if you have my email or FB contact info, you can send it that way.

Let's crank up the creative fun!

Join the Creative Blog Hop!

I can't wait to read some of your writing creations!
 

RULES TO LIVE BY

RULES TO LIVE BY

Exodus 20 – The Ten Commandments

God gave Moses those stone tablets with the guidelines printed on them to assist His people in how to live and conduct themselves. The commandments dealt with their relationship to God and to others.

Have you considered the guidelines that should direct your writing? Create a list of commandments to guide your writing ministry.

As Christian writers, we should be motivated by a different force than secular writers. Our driving passion should be to bring glory to God. Unfortunately, we are so like the Israelites. We allow rejections or a bad review to deter us from our calling. God has your “promised land” planned. Don’t get off track because it’s hard or the obstacles seem insurmountable. Make sure that your primary commandment is: God is always first.

If you need a constant reminder or encouragement to stay the course in your writing, print out your commandments and post them near your writing space. 

Here’s another suggestion for partnering with God – a writing contract.

I,_____________, recognize God as the senior partner in the writings of _________________. This includes all stories, novels, letters, poems, plays, and articles. The senior partner shall direct the works to be produced. In addition all problems, worries and fears shall be referred to the senior partner for solution. The junior partner relinquishes control and rests under the mighty hand of God. The senior partner shall be duly praised.
Signature_____________________ Date____________________________

PLAGUED

PLAGUED

Exodus 6-12 shows the plagues sent by God upon Egypt.

Can you imagine locust or frogs everywhere? How completely annoying and distracting it must have been!

There are times our writing must be persuasive. What better opportunity to be convincing could there be than thriving during a plague? For this writing exercise persuade me to stay in your frog-infested hotel.

What plagues your writing? What annoyances or distractions keep you from your writing? Make a list.

Ask God to help you with these plagues. When ideas and strategies arise for dealing with the things on your list, return and make note. 

GET ATTENTION

Get Attention

Exodus 3:2-3 “There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.’”

Copy the first sentence from three books from your bookshelf (preferably from books you haven’t read yet).

1.

2.

3.

Reread each sentence. Does it grab your attention? Does it make you want to keep reading?

The burning bush got Moses’ attention and lured him in for the rest of the message.

Now copy the first sentence from one of your works in progress.

Does it grab your reader’s attention and lure her in so she’ll stay for the rest of the story? If not, rewrite until it gets attention.

Keep the Dream

Keep the Dream

Genesis 39:2a “The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, …”

They say that everyone dreams at night while sleeping. Write out a dream you’ve had. If you don’t remember a dream, make one up.

Joseph’s dream was a foreshadowing of what would happen in the future. However, Joseph experienced many ups and downs before realizing his dream.

The same is true of the person God has called to write. You will have to go through ups and downs, but God will be with you to see you through.

Extended exercise: Write a dream illustrating the end you feel God has promised you in your writing.

JUST DO IT!

Just Do It

Genesis 12:1 “The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.’”

Write for at least 5 minutes without stopping. Start like this:

The letter I left said, “Going away.” I hefted my luggage, locked the door behind me, and headed …

When God told Abram to leave for an unknown destination, he left without grilling God for the details. There are times as a writer that you have to just get to writing even if you don’t know exactly where you’re going. The same concept may ring true for your whole writing ministry. God could plainly call you to write, but your job is to be obedient and leave the end to Him.

Extended exercise: Write a short prayer relinquishing the need to know the end and renewing your trust of the God who holds the future.

Scrap It!

Scrap It

Genesis 6:7 “So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe out mankind, whom I created, from the face of the earth – men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air – for I am grieved that I have made them.’”

Your grandfather has a special story related to a rainbow he wants you to write down for him. Share his story here.

Now, mark a large X over what you just wrote. Could you tell the story better?

Just as God destroyed creation and started again, sometimes starting over is better than trying to keep that first draft. As writers, we might have trouble letting go of what we have written even if the act of starting over will make for a better story or scene.

Extended exercise: Write out your grandfather’s story again without referring to your first attempt. Compare the two. Was your second attempt better?

Creative God

Genesis 1:1-2 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Circle one word in each group of words.

Dawn               Mountains        Sun

Dusk                Prairie              Moon

Night                Ocean              Stars

Now describe the scene that your three words create. Only one catch – you can’t use the words you circled in your description. Show the scene. Concentrate more on showing than naming.

God created out of nothing. Writers are charged to do the same with the blank page. God is creative, and you were made in His image. Writers are gifted to create a picture with words.

Extended exercise: Choose an animal. Describe it to someone who has never seen it.