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.
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?
The Fifth Commandment – Honor Your Parents
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
Exodus 20:12, NIV
Paul reminds us that this commandment is the first one with a promise. It means that God takes this command seriously. He gave parents an important job to do and He expects children to give them the honor they deserve.
Writing for Children and Teens
This is the perfect place to start when you write on this commandment. You can write fiction and nonfiction on the importance of obeying parents. Show them how obeying helps them and disobeying can hurt them. Use your own childhood and experiences with your children as the inspiration.
You also can address issues of abuse. Of course, you can’t get explicit in writing for children. You can be a little more direct in writing for teens. Use your writing to get help for their friend or for themselves. Help them understand that they’re more of friend if they get help for their friend than if they keep it a secret.
Writing for Adults
How has your relationship with your parents changed, now that you’re an adult? How have you learned to relate to your parents as an adult? What have you learned from your parents about marriage? About parenting? How did you work out your relationship with your parents if they’re no longer here? What helped you get through the grief of losing them?
Some adults harbor hurts from the past? What can you write to help them? How can you help them heal their relationship with their parents? How can you help them know when to several all ties, if that’s what’s needed?
Aging Parents
Now more than ever, people need help with aging parents. How do they recognize the signs of diseases like Alzheimer’s? How do they decide on long-term care for their parents? How do they choose a care facility? What do they need to know when choosing medical devices such as wheelchairs and walkers?
How can people take care of their parents in an honoring way without getting burned out themselves? What do they need to do to live successfully in the sandwich years?
It’s a new arena for many people and they need to know how to navigate it.
On An Emotional and Spiritual Level
Share your story in a personal experience piece. Write out your emotions in a poem. Offer encouragement in a devotion. Use your own experiences to add color to your fiction as your characters work out their relationship with their parents.
Our relationship with our parents can be complicated. But, God still calls us to honor them. You can help your readers do that with your writing.
© Deborah Christensen
Friday Fun Facts – Lord Byron’s Swim
On this day in 1810, Lord Byron swam across a strait in Turkey. The distance was four miles. He completed the swim, despite the fact that he had a club foot. Nine years later, he referred to the swim in his satiric poem Don Juan.
This is a great post on inspiration for a story.
An Inside Look at Some Novel Inspiration | Jocelyn Green.
The Widow of Gettysburg is available on Amazon for Kindle. Click here.
