God has placed a call on our lives. Some are called to be apostles, pastors, prophets, and teachers. And some are destined to write. That someone could be you! Don't let fear and doubt hold you back from fulfilling your purpose. We are given spiritual gifts and talents to bless others, so we shouldn't ignore or hoard them. Matthew 25:13-30 (the parable of the talents).

We are blessed to be a blessing, but we're also blessed because God is good and loves us. However, we can lose sight of this if we're not careful. For example, suppose a publishing contract, abundant royalties, a faithful readership, and divine opportunities come along with our literary calling can cause us to become prideful. We must remain humble and grateful, remembering that He is the one who gives us the power to produce wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18).

We should always keep our motives pure, writing for the right reasons and not for selfish gain.

It doesn't matter what writing level you're at--seasoned, debut, or aspiring--you must continue to sharpen your writing skills. Here are some tips that can help nourish the gift you've been given.

Making the Time to Write

We all have different lifestyles and schedules. If you work or attend school during the day, you may have to wait until the stars come out to write. Or, if you work at night, you can squeeze in a few sentences or paragraphs after waking up from your daily slumber. But what if it's impossible to write during the week? Then you'll have to modify your plans for the weekend, making the time to write.

Either way, write as often as you can. If you repeat something over and over, it'll turn into a habit. Not all habits are bad, and writing is a habit you won't want to break. Your vocabulary will expand, your voice will get stronger, your storytelling will become more compelling, your characters will be more relatable (and believable), your created worlds will become more fantastical, and your creativity will continue to blossom.

Write What You Know/Write What You Love

When you write something you know about, you can share your personal experiences and expertise with others. The same is true when you write about what you love. Whether it's a how-to book, short story, or a novel, you're taking what's inside your mind and expressing them through words.

If you're passionate about the words inside of you, they will shine brightly on every page you write. Your readers will appreciate it, too.

To Outline or Not to Outline

Outlines are very helpful, keeping the writer on point as to what they're writing and when they should insert certain elements: back story, foreshadowing, the climax of the story, revealing secrets, and the resolution.

Your outline can be as long and detailed as you want. However, a bullet list can be a good substitute if you prefer something less complex. The bullet list can contain each chapter's theme, specific scenes, location (s), time frame, weather, the characters you want to showcase, etc.

Still, there are other ways to blueprint your story. Index cards and storyboards are good options as well. But what if you don't like following the rules? What if you're someone who enjoys the unknown, enjoying the thrills and surprises of life? Then you may be a Pantser!

If you need to figure out which method will work best, then give them all a go. What do you have to lose? Well, you may fall off your seat if you choose to write Pantser style. The choice is yours!

Research

It's essential to entertain your readers, but so is educating/informing them. This applies to fiction as well to make your story believable. However, high fantasy may be the exception since all of it is made up. Or is it?

Editing

Editing is crucial. There are so many levels of editing, and spell-check is the least of them. Below is a quick overview of the different types of editing.

Copy editing corrects grammatical and punctuation errors.

Line editing corrects awkward sentencing, spotting redundancies, and picking up the pace to make the words flow better. It also switches out certain words for more suitable ones.

Content/developmental editing focuses on the main parts of a story: character/plot arcs, plot holes, world-building, contradictions, and more.

Many experts in the world of literature have cautioned writers to refrain from editing while writing their first draft. One reason is that it can interfere with the writer's creative flow, keeping them from fleshing out their story. Another reason is that it can be a time-stealer, which is not good if a person barely has enough time to write in the first place. The biggest reason it's important not to edit your first draft is that it will go through multiple rewrites and rounds of edits by you or an editor (whether you self-publish or go through a publishing house).

Read, Read, Read

The most effective way to become a better writer is to read often. Reading books about writing and editing can be helpful. But you can learn a lot by reading what interests you as well. If you like fiction, pay attention to how the plot progresses with the turn of every page and how it weaves the subplot and foreshadowing along the way. Pay attention to the pacing, the dialogue, and the tone/voice of the POV. Is everything consistent? Believable? Does it flow well?

If you just started your writing journey or will soon, remember that your first draft comes to life after every rewrite and multiple rounds of editing. The time and transformation will be worth it!

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

If Jannette had wings, she'd sprinkle lovingkindness over everyone she encounters. Since that's not the case, she uses her words to reach others through blogging and creating fictional narratives, hoping to uplift those in need. She also edits manuscripts for fellow authors.