I am either a boring, generic Christian or a Jehovah’s witness, depending on how we feel about me being a naturally annoying person.
Don’t remember where I initially found this, but I saw it while going through my folders today.
Also, I am at Starbucks in Downtown Covina enjoying free refills on iced coffee (I’ve had 3 already, although I did only get a tall because it’s cheaper) and listening to Kari Jobe and trying to write the book I am always trying to write. How do you even start writing a book? At the beginning? Because I tried that.
I feel like a mom who is pregnant, not that I’d really know, but with this life inside of you that you absolutely have to get out or it will become very bad for your health. Get out of me, book baby!!!!!!!
Writing the book you’re always trying to write. That’s me to a T! Although, I think my current attempt will actually take the form of a book in the end. I haven’t touched it in a few months. I submitted my first chapter to a Christian writing contest but it turns out they want really formulaic work. I was a little bummed by the critiques at first but now I say, Screw them! I know I have it in me. Now I need to get back to it.
As far as where to start…start wherever you feel like it! If the scenes come to you and they’re out of order, you can always reorder them. The important thing is just to write!
My favorite one is “Are you rich and insane?” haha As for writing a book… I had a research paper published and that feeling you have is so horrible! I think we started with the boring stuff – how the research began. And then the rest we wrote in random chunks. I don’t know HOW people could ever write whole books in order! Good luck!
When I give a talk for my middle-schooler kids, I have a template that goes like this(with an included example):
Purpose Statement: Watches are essential.
Conclusion: Everyone needs a watch.
Concluding Question: Why don’t you have a watch?
Scripture: Colossians 1:16
Key Points
-Jesus didn’t need a watch.
-Jesus had infinite knowledge.
-Jesus tells us to be like him.
-We need watches
Illustration: A mom eats squash 24/7. A kid has always wanted to be exactly like mom. When kid gets money, he eats squash too. In the same way, if we want to be like Jesus, we need to get watches.
Transition: Just as the BMXers turned themselves in, we should obey and Jesus.
Introduction:
A crowd of BMX biker kids hides behind the garbage can. Sirens are screaming and Lights flashing. Every kid is sweating. We shouldn’t have broken those windows. We shouldn’t be hiding. What do we do. Suddlenly, a spot light shines on the cans and without a second to lose the bikers run as fast as they can with the helicopter over head. The further they run they get tired and think “is this worth the running? We should just turn ourselves in so we don’t have to deal with more consequences.” The boys ran because they knew the truth and were hiding. Turning themselves in was the best thing for them to do.
The point here is to start at the end and work toward the beginning. Chances are you are writing a book because you know what you want the book to say. Start with that and work around it. =)
This is hysterical!! I love it! Thank you!!
Uh. I think I’m supposed to be Jewish. And I like all the rules of being Jewish. But I’m not a Jew. And I don’t think I can just swap parents to make that happen…