Here we are on the 11th stop on Author Marilynn Dawson's virtual book tour for her soon-to-be-released book, “A Year in Prayer With Jesus” and we have some questions for Marilynn about her thoughts on writing as a Christian author.
Is it easier to write about what you know to be true or to live it? I find it easier to write from a position of experience rather than simply from a position of knowledge. Knowledge that is not applied is empty, as King Solomon found out. Knowledge should lead to wisdom, and wisdom is not attained outside of putting that knowledge into practice.
Do you think a Christian writer should use the language and life of the world in order to get a point across? This question seems to separate the liberal Christian from the conservative Christian. I would land squarely in the conservative camp, because while Scripture does give examples of what the world did and the results of those actions, Scripture did so without using the terms of the day. It would seem, from the author circles I am moving in these days, that Christians are using the idea of terms and worldly life situations as covers to write what they want without feeling convicted over it. In fact, some do seem to write from a position of being pricked when this topic gets heated. The idea of getting a point across seems to be a thinly veiled excuse to write things like steamy romance or rough gang life.
I look at "Run, Baby Run" and "The Cross and the Switchblade" as examples where the writers did use worldly life events, but they were not covers for self-indulgence in the subject matter. Real consequences followed by real change was written about in these books, and the language was kept clean in the process. There was no need to get vulgar or gory about the incidents described in these books. The point was made about lifestyles being lived, consequences were shown, and the way out was clearly stated. I'm not sure this is happening among newer Christian writers looking to break into the current market.
As Christians, we need to get the point across without compromise.
To some degree an author’s writings are his/her legacy. Are you comfortable with being remembered in future generations for what you have written? Yes. As comfortable as I'll ever be. I have regrets, but I've learned lessons from them that I share in my writings. This requires being vulnerable and not everyone looks on that vulnerability favourably. Some will judge me for what I've been through. Some will applaud me for being so transparent and sharing my journey. My life is what it is now, and who knows what God has in store for me in the future. I will be remembered how people choose to remember me, and I'm okay with that.
The amount of books that have, and are being, written is staggering and overwhelming. Why do you think your writings deserve to be recognized amongst them? I ask myself this question every now and then. What is the point of writing another book? How is my story any different from everyone else's out there? But then I remember that each one of us is unique. Each one of us has a story to tell. Each one of us on this journey of faith has learned something someone else can also learn from. This keeps me going. There is a Christian song that says, "You've got something to say, just say it!"
Do you pray for the success of your writings? Why or why not? I pray that God will lead me to the places where people who need my books will find them. I pray that God will get my books into the hands of those who will benefit most from them. I'm not sure I've found those locations yet, but I am pleased that 5 high school graduates will be getting my book, "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate" as their graduation gift this year. That's five lives I've been allowed to speak into and who knows where God will take them.
Is it easier to write about what you know to be true or to live it? I find it easier to write from a position of experience rather than simply from a position of knowledge. Knowledge that is not applied is empty, as King Solomon found out. Knowledge should lead to wisdom, and wisdom is not attained outside of putting that knowledge into practice.
Do you think a Christian writer should use the language and life of the world in order to get a point across? This question seems to separate the liberal Christian from the conservative Christian. I would land squarely in the conservative camp, because while Scripture does give examples of what the world did and the results of those actions, Scripture did so without using the terms of the day. It would seem, from the author circles I am moving in these days, that Christians are using the idea of terms and worldly life situations as covers to write what they want without feeling convicted over it. In fact, some do seem to write from a position of being pricked when this topic gets heated. The idea of getting a point across seems to be a thinly veiled excuse to write things like steamy romance or rough gang life.
I look at "Run, Baby Run" and "The Cross and the Switchblade" as examples where the writers did use worldly life events, but they were not covers for self-indulgence in the subject matter. Real consequences followed by real change was written about in these books, and the language was kept clean in the process. There was no need to get vulgar or gory about the incidents described in these books. The point was made about lifestyles being lived, consequences were shown, and the way out was clearly stated. I'm not sure this is happening among newer Christian writers looking to break into the current market.
As Christians, we need to get the point across without compromise.
To some degree an author’s writings are his/her legacy. Are you comfortable with being remembered in future generations for what you have written? Yes. As comfortable as I'll ever be. I have regrets, but I've learned lessons from them that I share in my writings. This requires being vulnerable and not everyone looks on that vulnerability favourably. Some will judge me for what I've been through. Some will applaud me for being so transparent and sharing my journey. My life is what it is now, and who knows what God has in store for me in the future. I will be remembered how people choose to remember me, and I'm okay with that.
The amount of books that have, and are being, written is staggering and overwhelming. Why do you think your writings deserve to be recognized amongst them? I ask myself this question every now and then. What is the point of writing another book? How is my story any different from everyone else's out there? But then I remember that each one of us is unique. Each one of us has a story to tell. Each one of us on this journey of faith has learned something someone else can also learn from. This keeps me going. There is a Christian song that says, "You've got something to say, just say it!"
Do you pray for the success of your writings? Why or why not? I pray that God will lead me to the places where people who need my books will find them. I pray that God will get my books into the hands of those who will benefit most from them. I'm not sure I've found those locations yet, but I am pleased that 5 high school graduates will be getting my book, "Mom's Little Black Book: Godly Advice for the High School Graduate" as their graduation gift this year. That's five lives I've been allowed to speak into and who knows where God will take them.
Click this link here to get your twentysecond single day prayer guide outline.
http://songdove.fa-ct.com/stuff/YPWJ/YPWJ-day317.pdf
Be sure to stop by Marilynn's blog (http://songdove.fa-ct.com/wordpress-mu/songdovemusing) on August 5h for your next single day prayer guide free download. Be sure to sign up for her monthly newsletter for yet another free gift! Don't you just love FREE?
In addition to these free downloads, Marilynn is giving away a complete one-month sample of her next book via the rafflecopter app below.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/13062c25/
widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"
Be sure to stop by Marilynn's blog (http://songdove.fa-ct.com/wordpress-mu/songdovemusing) on August 5h for your next single day prayer guide free download. Be sure to sign up for her monthly newsletter for yet another free gift! Don't you just love FREE?
In addition to these free downloads, Marilynn is giving away a complete one-month sample of her next book via the rafflecopter app below.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/13062c25/
widget.rafflecopter.com/load.js"
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