Lots of people aspire to be writers. Not so many do the work to become one. The fact that you are visiting a writing website means you are serious enough to do something about your writing dream.
Good for you! Keep it up.
Writing, like any creative endeavor, can be a lonely, frustrating struggle. To move from daydreaming about being a writer to actually becoming one, you and I need to be intentional about what we do and why we do it.
Intentional: done with intention or on purpose; intended; deliberate
An intentional writer approaches writing with purpose
- They know who they are in Christ.
- They know writing is part of their calling .
- They understand that they have a unique message and a unique voice—no matter how mundane the content or unglamorous the genre.
- They ponder why they write and who they write for.
- They choose to be courageous about putting their experiences and life-passions into words and then sharing those words with others.
- They are wise stewards of their writing abilities, always learning, improving, and seeking new ways to share their words.
An intentional writer makes deliberate choices about things like:
- Attitudes
- Habits
- Writing goals
- How to spend their writing time
- How they talk about themselves and their work
- Every element of their craft, from overall theme to individual word choice.
- When to follow the rules and when to break them
- Pursuing critique partners who give helpful (and sometimes painful) feedback
An intentional writer knows success is not measured in dollars, fame, or total pages published.
- They understand the ultimate goal of writing to honor God, whether that means writing an entertaining romance or a thought-provoking theology book.
- They trust God to use their efforts to challenge, encourage, or otherwise touch people, wherever, whenever, and however he chooses.
- They are generous with their writing and their knowledge, eager to encourage fellow writers.
Please don’t think this intentional stuff is way too serious for you.
Every aspiring writer can become an intentional writer. All it takes is a decision to be intentional about the how, why and what of your writing.
What one small step can you take to be more intentional about your writing today?
Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about intentional living. You can find her on Facebook LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz
We love helping your growing in your writing career.
4 Comments
A needed and well written message for me this morning. For me, it is also relevant to address the marketing/platform demands made on authors these days. Sometimes I find–as the old saying goes–that the tail is wagging the dog. I work all day only to realize at the end, no writing actually happened!
I have those days too. I find it helpful to expand my definition of “writing” to include all the thinking and creativity that goes into the profession of being an author. Even when it doesn’t affect the word count of our work-in-progress.
Terrific article, Lisa! I not only intend to evaluate what you shared regarding my own writing life but plan to share this wisdom with my writers group. Thank you so much for this valuable food for thought.
I’m always glad to encourage fellow writers with my own ponderings. I know how tough writing can be. We don’t reach success without a hefty dose of intention.