At my writing seminars I’ve often said, “Some of you haven’t suffered enough to be a really good writer.” Ouch! I know that’s not what they, or you, want to hear, but I also know that it’s out of the crucible of suffering that our writing impacts our readers in ways that writing out of head knowledge, but not heart (and hard) experiences, is unable to do.
I’ve been writing since 1972. (Yikes that’s almost 40 years!) Most all of my 1,000 plus sales to Christian periodicals and eight books have been based on personal experience. As my mentor, Anne Sirna, used to tell me, I’ve got great grist for my writing mill because of all the problems I’ve faced. I’d sigh and tell her I didn’t need more problems to write about – that I hadn’t yet written about the last set of problems. (Problems are groupies – yes? It seems we never are confronted with just one problem at a time.)
Romans 5:3-4 (TLB) says, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials for we know that they are good for us – they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady.”
I don’t welcome problems, and I don’t pray for patience knowing it will be tested! But I am grateful for all the ways God has proved He is faithful and for the opportunities He has given me to write out of heartaches to encourage others. It is a joy and a privilege to “pass on to [others] this same help and comfort God has given [me]” (2 Cor. 1:4 TLB).
Recently, I taught a workshop on “Going & Growing, Writing & Speaking through the Hurts.” It is part Bible study, part testimony, and part how-to. The handout can be downloaded free of charge at http://writehisanswer.com/CDs_&_Tapes.htm. The workshop is available on CD for $6 plus $3 shipping. You can order securely online at https://writehisanswer.com/order_form.htm.
There are many ways we can weave our life experiences into our writing, but I believe one of the most powerful ways is through personal experience stories. Last month I taught my “Writing the Personal Experience Story” workshop for the Vine and Vessels Christian Writers Conference in Delaware. Click here for an outline of the workshop that lists the seven essentials and seven pitfalls of good PE story writing. This workshop is also available on CD for $6 plus $3 shipping and comes with a helpful writer’s check-off list. Save on shipping by ordering CDs for $15, or add to your order with one or more books at the following links:
Fiction Writing
Grammar, Punctuation & Style
Independent & Self-Publishing
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Marketing, Publishing, and Promotion
Nonfiction Writing
Teen Writers
Writers’ Life
Writing for Children & Young Adults
There is no charge for shipping for orders over $35, and through December 10 you can take an additional 10% off the already discounted prices.
Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for calling us to write out of our hurts to point others to You. And Father, please encourage
those who are presently facing difficult circumstances with the assurance that You are with them and will help them to go and grow through their hurts.
Write His Answer 
