by Delores Topliff, @DeloresTopliff
French Impressionist artist, Claude Monet said, “I would like to paint the way a bird sings.” As writers, we long to effortlessly paint with words that way.
There are as many writing styles as personalities, each unique to the way God fills and inspires individuals.
Christmas celebrates God reaching inside Himself to birth the essence of His being into a walking, talking Savior who lived among us to redeem us.
Some authors claim that their writing is entirely their own coming from somewhere within. As Christian writers, we know our words are not ours alone. Scripture was written as God breathed into “men [and women] of old.” Yet their styles are unique: David the Psalmist; Ezra, the skilled scribe; Amos, a simple herdsman and gatherer of fruits who recorded profound messages; Peter, the bold but teachable fisherman; John, imprisoned on Patmos yet free to see and share timeless revelations from God’s mouth.
He still inspires and partners with us the same way. Here are tips for writing His words.
- Pray, wait, and listen.
- Let Him help you discover your writing style and voice.
- Rough draft, network, and critique with praying writer friends.
- Pray, write, and listen again.
- Polish a final re-write to maximize His inspiration and seal of approval.
- Thank Him for His fellowship in producing each finished project, knowing that writing is a divine partnership and the credit is His.
- Rest, rejoice, and repeat the process with great thanks.
May 2021 be a kinder year than 2020, filled with fresh ways of knowing Him, so that our words bless readers and give Him glory. Next year and beyond, may our words flow as easily as a bird sings.
“She never imagined that bringing books to Columbia River residents in wartime would make her a spy for her country.”
When twenty-one-year-old Dust-bowl survivor Anne Mettles moves to the Pacific Northwest, she creates a library to improve people’s lives as hers was through learning. Except her library, Books Afloat, is a floating houseboat traveling the Columbia River from Vancouver, Washington to the Pacific Ocean bringing residents more than books. She also conducts surveillance monitoring enemy activity for undercover volunteers. When a Japanese submarine enters the river, Anne and two brave teammates risk everything to save their nation.
Delores Topliff is from Washington State near the Columbia River where she wanted to operate a houseboat library for residents without books. That and the entry of a Japanese submarine into the Columbia during WWII inspired her debut novel, Books Afloat. She married a Canadian so enjoys U.S. and Canadian citizenships. She teaches online for the University of Northwestern-St. Paul, Minnesota near her two doctor sons and families. She brags on five amazing grandchildren and is something she didn’t think she’d be—a snowbird dividing her year between Minnesota and Northeastern Mississippi, staying busy both places writing, speaking, and teaching. She loves her grandchildren and travel. Find blogs, books, and more at delorestopliff.com and on Facebook at Delores Topliff Books.