Record Keeping

Read Revelations 19-22

Revelation 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."

Writing is creative, so not all writers are good at record keeping, but it is a skill we need to develop. When we are first beginning to write, there isn’t much to keep track of and it doesn’t even seem worthwhile to keep track.

But the more we write, the more crucial record keeping becomes. We want to keep track of which queries we’ve sent out, to whom, when, and whether or not we have a response.

Once payment enters the mix, we can’t afford to lose track of who has paid, who hasn’t paid, and when we can expect payment. Even writers who only write blogs for their own enjoyment will want to keep track of which subjects we have covered and when.

Clarity

Read Revelations 16-18

Revelation 17:8 "The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."

Even if we are not writing directions we will want to make sure our writing has clarity. Anyone who reads what we have written should be able to understand what we are trying to say.

We will want to make sure our subject and verb agree and to keep our sentences straightforward. Any modifiers should be closest to what they are modifying to prevent unintended humor.

Our fiction especially needs to be written clearly. Confused readers will not only not finish our stories, they will not purchase anything else from us and recommend their friends do the same.

Research

Read Revelations 13-15

Revelation 15:3 "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."

The most efficient way to research is to write the piece and highlight where we need more information and what questions we still need answered. That way we can narrow our search to what we need and save time.

But research is a pleasurable pastime. We can look up something we are interested in and enjoy the journey if we have time.

Research is also a way to generate ideas. As we are looking for specific information, looking for more information, or browsing the Internet or library, we may be surprised at how the facts we come across spark ideas for more articles, stories, or plot points.

Symbolism

Read Revelations 10-12

Revelation 10:4 "And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not."

Symbolism is most effective when it unfolds naturally in our stories. We may notice a theme showing up in physical ways—that’s when we see the symbolism — for instance we may notice circles everywhere when our theme involves closure.

We can add depth to our characters when they become aware of their own symbolism during the plot. A character might need to open a savings account as a symbol of independence, for instance.

We may be surprised at the symbolism readers pick up on in our work. Since they are coming new to our stories, they may notice things we didn’t realize were there—possibly even unintentional.

Science Fiction

Read Revelations 7-9

Revelation 9:7 "And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men."

Science fiction stories usually take place in the future. They rely more on technology in the settings, pushing what we know of science to what might still be ahead and how that will affect us.

Characters may be from other planets and only look vaguely like something we would recognize, perhaps different parts of familiar animals put together in unfamiliar ways. That means the plots affect not only earth, but involve other planets, maybe stars, or could involve a different ocean world than what we are used to.

Settings tend to be stark at times, often taking place on inhospitable planets or entirely on a space ship. But as long as the science is something possible, most anything goes.

Melodrama

Read Revelations 4-6

Revelation 5:4 "And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon."

Melodrama happens when emotion is overwrought in a writing piece. The emotion displayed is excessive to the event.

It happens in real life, especially with children and teenagers, but can happen to normally rational adults who let things build until they explode. So melodrama doesn’t necessarily have to be a negative thing or something to be avoided.

When we write melodrama, we can give it context to explain characters’ reactions. We might also use melodrama for humor.

Marketing

Read Revelations 1-3

Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Marketing means sales. Writers who are good at selling things will find there are many venues looking for their work.

There are companies who hire writers to write sales letters, direct marketing material, brochures, and other sales-related materials. There are magazines looking for how-to articles for their business readers.

Readers also are looking for how-to books to improve their business revenues. Then there is the writer’s marketing of her own work, using query letters, book proposals, and whatever other means she can find to encourage editors, publishers, and readers to give her work a try.