How to Write Your Own Story, Part 4 of 5

May 19, 2017

How are you doing, my writing friend? Have you been able to make some headway on your own story this week?

We're 4 points into a 5-point series, and I'm hoping it's been just enough fuel to get your fire burning. I can't wait to hear about what you are writing!

4.

Write down everything you remember.

Use whatever platform suits you best: Evernote, a bullet journal, recording things you recall into your phone, 3x5 cards, etc.

Write down or record all facts, details, place names, medical information, and people's names. Memories are fuzzy, and you may recall something at the most inopportune moment. We actually have a waterproof writing pad and pencil in our shower! No kidding.

Just a gentle caution: Be careful about whose story you’re telling. When our stories involve our kids or other family members, tread lightly. There comes a point at which teenagers' stories become their own, and it's wise to ask them how they feel about what you're writing. Maybe it's too soon. Tell your story and let the rest be told by the person whose story it is.

As I was writing Lost & Found: Losing Religion, Finding Grace, I had no desire to throw anyone under the bus, and my goal was to be gracious toward those involved in our story. I wrote about specific situations in general terms, changing descriptions of people and places so that no one else could decipher who exactly I was talking about. Grace, lots of grace poured out over that because grace wins hearts and mends relationships. Over all, this goes back to my passion mentioned in part two: seeing fellow believers find freedom in Jesus!

How to Write Your Own Story, Part 3 of 5

May 8, 2017

Welcome back!

In part one of How to Write Your Own Story, we talked about who our audience is. In part two, we discussed passion. Now on to part three!

3.

Grab every moment you can.

You are an author. Do you believe it? Until you consider yourself a professional — whether or not you make money doing this job — you won't carve out the time to write what you know needs to be written.

It was difficult for me to call myself an author, even after a decade of blogging that brought me some side income. I wasn't writing for money and always had ministry as the goal, and somehow in my mind, that limited the legitimacy of what I was doing. Once I started to call myself an author, I could give myself permission to work on the projects I had bobbing around in my head,

So what will you require, author? A quiet house? A retreat? A half hour while waiting for your kids in their piano lessons, a coffee shop with earbuds in? What about a laptop? A stash of favorite pens? Graph paper?

Whenever you can and whatever you need, grab it. You are a legitimate author with a story to tell, an audience of the highest importance, and a passion to put it on paper!

How to Write Your Own Story, Part 2 of 5

May 5, 2017

Hi again, writing friend. You have a story to tell, and that story is important. Remember that.

In part one of this series, I wrote about the fact that when we are given a story, we are then tasked to write for an audience of One. The One. If we think about that One audience as we sit down to type out the words, we can focus on what really matters.

2.

What God is laying on your heart is the most important thing to write.

What’s the ministry you have?

For me, the burning passion is to see other believers free from the bondage of religious behavior and hope shifting. It doesn't just permeate the narrow community in which we dwelled throughout the time period covered in Lost & Found; it's insidious, and exactly what the enemy likes to see us wrap ourselves all up in. Idolatry = bondage, and Jesus + nothing = freedom. See? I'm passionately mentioning my passion in a post about your passion!

I can talk about my passion anywhere. Is your passionate topic like that for you, too? If so, you've got to get that down on paper or onto your computer! The combination of God letting you know that He has something for you to write and the passion you have for that topic is an unbeatable brew of God's goodness.

4.

Write down everything you remember.

Other Posts in This Series:

3.

Grab every moment you can.

Other Posts in This Series:

2.

What God is laying on your heart is the most important thing to write.

Other Posts in This Series:

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