The eighth in a series on restoring the drama to the study of the Word of God.If a course on storytelling could help our teaching; then a course on story writing could help our storytelling. I don’t mean writing something to publish, unless you want to. I mean thinking on paper how to describe an event. This can sharpen your awareness of what biblical scenes could have looked like.
I
have on my desk a list of “Writing Tips,” and a “Word Usage Chart.” Rules and
ideas I have accumulated and arranged for my benefit. Here are four “Word Usage”
recommendations.
Use clear,
simple words.
This
does not mean you never use a “big” word. It does mean you can say: “His
breathing became rapid and shallow. He
wobbled back and forth, took one step, and sunk to the floor.” Reserve
hyperventilated” for more professional contexts.
Use show and
tell words.
“He
passed out,” also would have worked; but active words help the listener draw his own
conclusion. As the song from My Fair Lady
says, “Don’t tell me. Show me.”
Use
original words and phrases; and use strong, active, direct words
One
of the most difficult and rewarding aspects of putting a thought into a story
is the discipline of “avoiding clichés like the plague.” This is especially
true in relating biblical concepts. For example: “Erford was a godly man,” is
not as meaningful to people as we wish. Consider this as one facet of godliness:
“You talked with Erford only a few minutes before you felt his awe for God and his
love for God’s people.” Or, “There was no doubt. Erford’s passion for God meant
he could be trusted. He would not lead you down a wrong path.”
You
must respect words enough to ferret out more than sterile dictionary definitions. After all, God chose "Word" as a name for his Son. Explore what they look like in action. Jesus summarized the job description of a storyteller in his first invitation: "Come and see."
For those who are subscribed to receive
these devotionals by e-mail, I will send a copy of my “Word Usage Chart” and “List of
Writing Tips.” If you are not subscribed, I invite you to join the list. There is a place at the top of this page. New
subscribers between now and the end of June will receive a copy of the Chart and the Tips as my way of
saying,“Thank You.”
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