Friday Fun Facts – Best-Selling Novel of All Time and Best-Selling Book of All Time

Don Quixote is the best-selling novel of all time. Over 500 million copies of the novel have been sold.

The best-selling book of all time is the Bible.

From an Idea Harvester – Anais Nin

My ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living.

Seeds of Truth – Psalm 119:34

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Psalm 119:34, NIV

How does God help you understand His commands? What commands are easy for you to follow? What commands do you struggle with? Why? How do you develop a heart that longs to follow God’s commands?

How can you use your experiences and insights in a personal experience piece? In a how-to article? How can you use this verse in fiction? In poetry? In a devotion? How can you teach it to children through your writing?

From the Idea Garden – The Storms of Oklahoma

How can you use your gift as a writer to encourage and support the people of Oklahoma?

  • Can you do a profile of the Salvation Army’s efforts in the area? What about the Red Cross?
  • What can you share about God’s care in the midst of devastation?
  • What can you write about facing loss and grief?
  • What can you write about serving each other and encouraging one another?
  • What can you write about preparing for storms and surviving storms that may help people the next time a storm hits?

A Garden of Writing Ideas

yellow irisFor many of us, spring is finally here. As we venture out of our houses, one of the first places we go is to our garden. What was dead brown earth a few weeks ago is now overrun with dandelions. How did that happen?

What matters most is what we do next. Pull the weeds. Buy new flowers. Get our garden in shape.

Have you ever thought about writing about your garden?

The Spiritual Side of the Garden

Gardening can give you uninterrupted time with God. Your garden can become a holy place. What has God taught you as you garden? How did He speak to you? What issues did He help you work through?

What lessons did you learn about God as you watched your flowers bloom? What did you learn about God’s care?

The Practical Side of Gardening

Whether you’re a new or a seasoned gardener, you’re always learning something about plants, sunlight, soil, plant food, garden design, and what works and what doesn’t. Have you ever considered writing about it? Gardening articles appear in more than just gardening publications.

What do new gardeners need to know before they begin? What does a gardener need to do if they decide to change the design on their garden? What do gardeners need to do during a drought? During times of excessive rain? How does weather affect the garden? What plants work best where?

Think of all the things you know about gardening. Someone else needs to know them, too. And, you can help by writing about it.

Take a walk around your garden. Pick a few ideas and begin writing today.

© Deborah Christensen

Friday Fun Facts – Words Invented by Shakespeare

Shakespeare invented two familiar words: assassination and bump.

Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, this will inspire you. Any writer can ask “What if…?”

What If? A Method for Developing Ideas | Mystery Writing is Murder.

Seeds of Truth – Psalm 32:8

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you.

Psalm 32:8, NIV

How has God instructed you? How did He teach you in the way you should go? How has He counseled you? How has He watched over you? How has He used other people to do these things? What have you learned? How did it change you?

How can you use your story/insights in a personal experience piece? In a how-to article? How can you use this verse in fiction? In poetry? In a devotion? How can you use it in writing for children?

Friday Fun Facts: Mark Twain and the Typewriter

It is believed that Mark Twain was the first writer to submit a typewritten manuscript for publication. However, there is debate on which manuscript it was. Twain, himself, said that it was “Tom Sawyer.” Others say it was probably “Life on the Mississippi.”

He bought his first typewriter in 1874. He paid $125 for it. “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” was published in 1876 and “Life on the Mississippi” was published in 1883.

From the Idea Garden – Reading the Psalms

If you’re looking for writing inspiration, read the Psalms. They can touch you in a unique way because the writers of the Psalms honestly share from the heart. Their words connect to our experience.

How do the Psalms comfort you? How do they inspire you to praise God? How do they pull you closer to God? How can you use these insights in your writing?

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