Between the Lines

Ever since I took my first journalism class in high school I’ve heard the age-old debate on how to write, to use an outline or to just free-form (discovery writing.) Some creatives feel outlining takes the life out of writing.

They like having the freedom to just let their ideas flow. Whereas most intellectuals believe structure is the best way to shape ideas and convey a thought. I believe they both serve a purpose.

1. Outlining – Focus, flow, Balance, and definitiveness.
2. Free-form – Spontaneity, more creativity and of course freedom.

After years of writing, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m one of the moderates who go either way, depending on the type of writing I’m doing. When I write nonfiction and want to prove a point or explain it, I’m a legalistic outliner. Plus, writing with a brain injury makes it hard enough to focus itself.

When I write screenplays I tend to let the characters tell their own stories. It doesn’t take long before they invite me in on their joinery. Of course, there are times when I have to step in and help keep the characters in line.

Lines?

In regards to art, a line is a basic element. Geometrically, a line connects two points. It is a path traced by a moving point. A line is vital to any artwork.

Writing is a form of artwork that takes an audience on a journey from point A to B; the journey can be in the form of a fictional story or nonfictional prose. Either way, the audiences’ attention is going somewhere.

I’ve used screenwriting as a protagonist’s adventure of growing in life: they will make mistakes, get hurt and hopefully learn from it all. If I do my job well as a storyteller my audience will want to follow my character’s journey and hopefully learn a few things as well.

Nonfiction writing has a line of thought as well: it may be political, enlightenment, entertainment or a sales pitch, etc.

After all, what’s the point of writing if it doesn’t take us from point A to B? As Christian author DiAnn Mills’ theme states, “Expect an adventure!” All writing has a theme or purpose.

Takeaway!

One of my bigger struggles as a disabled writer is I tend to write for myself. Sometimes I write what I want to hear and sometimes I write for what I need. But, that doesn’t make me a good writer.

Every writer knows the selling point of any prose is the take away value. What will my reader, my audience, or my peers gain by going on the adventure with me from point A to point B?

Sometimes is obvious from the get-go, other times it comes from the journey or it is found at the conclusion of it. But by the time we get to point B, my theme should be obvious.

When I first started blogging, my posts were the length of a college thesis, and I thought this was the best way to cover all my bases from beginning to end. The problem was, I often lost focus and veered off on multiple tangents.

I was like an adolescent with ADHD who ran out of Ritalin. Without an outline, sometimes I can be all over the place and can’t keep it between the lines.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.