4. Make sure your facts are correct. A factual error or inaccurate quote can cast doubt on everything you write.

Transcription

1 Relevant Writing: Connecting with your readers National Writers Conference 2013 Dorothy Post Post s Principles of Relevance 1. Look at life through your readers eyes. Their vantage point will probably not be the same as yours. Discover their interests and concerns and what they value as important. One of the best ways to understand others is to listen carefully, with respect. 2. Begin where people are, not where you want them to end up. Begin your writing with something that relates to the ordinary person s life, interests and understanding, something that is non-threatening. Follow that with an interesting transition paragraph that explains your purpose and moves the reader into the text. 3. Use lively, readable language. You can write simply and clearly without being confined to a meager vocabulary. Use vivid words, metaphors, similes and illustrations that paint a picture. 4. Make sure your facts are correct. A factual error or inaccurate quote can cast doubt on everything you write. 5. Focus on a few main truths about God. Concentrate on just one or two vital aspects of God in a single article. 6. Keep theological terms and spiritual jargon to a minimum. If you do need to introduce a theological term, describe it first with an illustration or comparison, then introduce the word. But do include one or two Scripture verses in every article for The word of God is full of living power (Hebrews 4:12, NLT). 7. Write what you know, believe and have experienced of God. To connect with other people, what you write about God should come from your mind, heart and soul, not other people s writings. Your honesty will resonate with readers. 8. Write a conclusion that gives a sense of completeness. A brief conclusion brings the reader back full circle to something that has been stated or foreshadowed earlier. 9. Edit and revise; revise and edit. Rewrite and improve. Anything for Jesus is not appropriate when communicating eternal truths. 10. Pray and believe that God, the Creator of the Universe, will guide you throughout the creative process to reach your readers with Good News.

2 Relevant Writing Post Page 2 Introductions Anecdotes: 1. A lovely stained glass window graces the sanctuary of a Plymouth, MA church. Unfortunately it is known less for its beauty than as a monument to human error. The three-paneled window was the gift of a successful Wall Street broker to the church of his youth--plymouth s Church of the Pilgrimage. For the project, he secured skilled artisans from Italy. He regularly supervised their work by telephone. When the window was completed, friends traveled with him from New York City to Plymouth to celebrate the occasion. At the church, the man recognized at once that the window was a magnificent work of art. Unfortunately, in that same instant he also realized it had been installed in the wrong church. It remains there, at the Unitarian Church next-door to the Church of the Pilgrimage, to this day. 2. Yogi Berra played in fourteen World Series during his career as a New York Yankee. For three years he was voted the American League s Most Valuable Player. He retired from baseball with more home runs to his credit than any other catcher in major league history. But impressive as these statistics are, they do not explain his continuing fame. That may have more to do with his winsome personality, infectious grin--and unique way of speaking. Some of his expressions, like, It ain t over til it s over or It s déjà vu all over again have become part of American vocabulary. In 1972, Yogi was admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. On the way to Cooperstown, NY with his family, he got lost. His wife complained that they would miss the ceremony. He responded with a vintage yogi-ism: Yes, we re lost--but we re making good time! 3. A sign at the side of a busy avenue caught my eye. There must have been another sign above it at one time, but now that sign is gone. The sign that remains announces simply, Ahead. What could it be, I wondered. I searched the next few blocks for an answer while countless possibilities danced through my mind. Construction? Detour? Free food? Dancing bears? Unfortunately for my curiosity, I m still wondering. Questions: 1. What has 148 arms and legs and bursts with enthusiasm every Tuesday and Wednesday evening? At the Salvation Army School for Officer Training, the answer is obvious. It s the Family Ministries Program! 2. Are you willing to watch a polar bear die of starvation? 3. Grandpa, our grandson Andy asked several years ago, is it really true that in the old days you had to get up to change the TV channel? For him at that time, life without a remote was as primitive as he could imagine!

3 Relevant Writing Post Page 3 Quotes: 1. I have a dream, declared Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963 to the vast crowd gathered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. But do the poor have a right to dream? 2. Everybody has a when, according to Wendy Himes. When you pass through the waters when you walk through the fire (Isaiah 43:2). The when for the Himes Family began in the winter of Statistics: Finding the right gifts for over six million people is a monumental task even for the most dedicated shopper. But it is an assignment The Salvation Army successfully completed last year when its Christmas list included 6,475,199 men, women and children throughout the United States! Contrasts: 1. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity " (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities) 2. She s Norwegian. He s Swedish. In some circles, that constitutes a mixed marriage! He s a realist. She s the eternal optimist, a dreamer. She wears her heart on her sleeve. For him, the prospect of revealing his inmost self has the appeal of a root canal.

4 Relevant Writing Post Page 4 Transitions A transition or theme paragraph contains or points to the reason for an article. It should come early in the text and should lead the reader into the body of the text. 1. Introduction: The Wall Street Journal reported on changes in bidding procedures at the Pentagon. The introduction focused on how money could be saved by changing bid requirements for Worcestershire sauce. Transition: The savings of less than four cents a bottle is pint-sized next to the $49 billion the Defense Department will spend this year to arm and supply the military. But Pentagon officials hope to realize more savings on vast numbers of other purchases by dropping specifications for thousands of products and purchasing commercial items instead. 2. Introduction: I was nine the first time I witnessed the power of prayer. Family friends spent several days with us that Christmas. Their son Fred, also nine, was delighted with his new sled. Just one thing spoiled his joy. There was no snow on the ground, and a sled without snow is not much fun. Before he went to bed that night, Fred added a heartfelt personal request to his usual list of people to be blessed. Please, God, let it snow. The next morning to my astonishment eight or nine inches of snow lay on the ground. It turned out to be a major blizzard that brought New York City to a standstill for days. Fred was beside himself with joy. It snowed! God answered my prayer! His less enthusiastic father responded, And you can tell Him to turn it off now, Freddy! Transition: To my nine-year-old eyes, the snow was no coincidence. It was a miracle. And God s answers to prayer continue to amaze me. 3. Introduction: My annual physical was routine in every aspect until the nurse measured me. Her casual, 5 feet, 1 and ¼ inches stunned me. I insisted she measure me again, but the results were the same. I had lost half an inch since the year before. Soon I would need a booster seat in restaurants! Transition: For the next few days, I fretted. Then Jesus words came to mind. Can any of you, however much he worries, make himself an inch taller? (Matthew 6:27, PH). No one. Certainly not me no matter how much calcium I add to my diet, longer I do stretches each morning or further I walk each day.

5 Relevant Writing Post Page 5 Conclusions A good conclusion brings the reader back full circle to something that has been stated or foreshadowed in the introduction. It should be brief not longer than 5% of the article should not belabor the point nor come across as preachy. 1. Introduction: The winter my younger son left for college, I found myself alone and out of sorts in a four-bedroom house. Now who would give me a thumbs-up for the dinners I cooked? Who would laugh or groan at my newest joke? And whom could I blame for newspapers scattered around the living room? I prayed then that God would open up ways for me to share my home with others. Late one night several months later, I scoured a lasagna pan after dinner with friends. As I scrubbed, I thought about that prayer and God s astonishing answer. Conclusion: So don t say I didn t warn you. Prayer is not for the faint of heart. It can be costly and demanding. But it s an adventure not to be missed. 2. Introduction: At her tallest, Marjorie Sipley stood less than five feet. But even from a wheelchair, she took charge of most situations. Conclusion: Heaven is richer now by one feisty and determined sergeant major! 3. Introduction: The summer after he finished third grade, my son discovered the Guinness Book of World Records. Fred loved reading the countless ways people earned a listing. Some performed amazing feats of strength, like Jubiel Wickheim, who won a record number of logrolling championships. Others were more offbeat, such as Francis A. Johnson, owner of the world s largest ball of string. Fred became consumed with the idea of seeing his own name in that book. But how? At nine, he could not hope to compete in javelin throwing, wrestling or the triathlon. He needed a field that did not require brute force. During vacation at our farm in Burkitville, ME, he spent a lot of time perched in one of our sugar maples. That was where he found his niche. He burst into our kitchen one morning and announced, I bet I could set a record for tree-sitting! Conclusion: Fame is fleeting, records eventually broken. But the impact of a life lived as God s child is forever. That is real immortality. And that is the kind of fame I want.

6 Relevant Writing Post Page 6