by Alaina E. White
So often, we hear that all it takes is a spark to set a forest ablaze. We're told to pick up our torches, to carry on for the next generation. We're told that our words have power. The question that we as writers often ask is either one of two things: how much power do my words have, or how do I use that power to influence others? I aim to answer both of those questions.
How Much Power Do My Words Have?
First off, how much power do our words have?
James 3:5-6 ESV: "So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell".
Proverbs 16:24: "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body".
Proverbs 12:18: "There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing".
Proverbs 10:20: "The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth".
The Bible has a lot to say about the tongue and the power it possesses, even going on to say later that we will be held accountable for every careless word we speak. Our words have the power to move readers up or to tear them down, and we will be held accountable for how we use them.
Knowing this, how can we use our words to build our readers up?
Influencing Our Readers
First off, we need to have a set goal in mind. A battle is never fought without some semblance of a plan, and writing is no exception. Planning will look different for various people, but the message is still the same. This is the sequence that I've learned over the years:
1. Write down all the topics you're passionate about. Don't exclude any of them!
2. Sort them in order of importance in your heart, and then add a possible age range for that particular need.
3. Find out which of those best fits the plot you have in your mind, or formulate a plot around that topic (i.e., I'm passionate about evangelism, so I'll write a book that either preaches the gospel or is about an evangelist).
4. Keep that topic in mind and write as if you're writing to a particular person, in a particular place and time. Your theme should be obvious in your writing, but not pushy.
Influencing our readers is challenging because there is a fine line between preachy/cheesy and truly inspiring. Oftentimes, we fall into the traps of cliches and preaching to the choir because we don't put in the time to truly write from our hearts. Writing from our own experiences and from a heart that truly cares about others is the most effective way to influence our readers.
To prevent this trap, I want you to run your scenes and manuscript by a skeptic to get their input. Tell them that you want to know if your scenes are well done, not if they agree with the message of the book. If they're okay with it or can't give you a reason why it's bad, you should be in the clear! The main point is to stay away from cliches and outright telling. Show, don't tell, as we will address in a later article.
Finally, you need to have the goal of allowing your readers to reach for that greatness themselves. You can't force them, but you should give them all the tools that they need for a true spark to be lit inside their hearts. Use the compelling power of the gospel to illuminate the path for them!
Conclusion
Now, I understand that this was relatively vague, and I'm sorry for that. Using a theme in a story is something that requires you to have a mentor or a partner of some kind in order to truly get it right, and also to have a skeptical audience to bounce ideas off of. Try your hardest to get plugged in to a community where you can find that!
Lastly, I want to call you up to greatness as well. I call you to go out and serve your readers, inspiring them to go out and live for the King of Kings.
"Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 5:16 ESV
~Alaina
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