To write or not to write a book

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Blain

Blain

The Word Weaver
#1
Aug 28, 2012
19,213
2,549
113
#1
Hey guys I am kind of needing some help here, see I have been thinking of writing a book for some time now but never really tried it as I have never written a book before and I am very nervous and very worried that it won't be a good book. I know I will have grammar mistakes in it but that can be fixed but I was hoping that maybe some here could tell me what they think of it so far, I don't have a title yet because I simply write what is on my heart and then title it based on the fruits that come forth which is often times how my poetry works I only wrote the first two chapters so please let know if you think it will be a good book if i continue on or if not then I appreciate the input


Chapter one: The Christian.
It's a very common question asked by people all around the world and by people of all tongues and religions and the question at hand is what is a Christian? The main description of a Christian that is given by most people is a person who follows and believes in God and in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a blunt description of what a Christian but let's go a little more in depth shall we?

A typical Christian practices reading the scriptures and praying to God, They go to church and praise and worship and they listen to sermon. The average Christian pays tithes and teaches the gospel and how we should repent and live obedient holy lives.
However have you ever felt as if something was missing? Have you ever wondered why even though you see all of this and maybe even practice all this yourself there seems to be a lacking inside you?

If you know what I speak of there is a reason you feel like this. You see what most people call Christianity is religion however Christianity is not about religion at all. Religion is about a set of doctrines, traditions and rules to follow to be obedient and to live as you are taught. This is the basis of most religions however how many of them have an actual relationship with the God they serve and revere? That is the difference between Christianity and other religions, our being Christian is all about the bond and the relationship between God and us. The average Christian can do all these things they can pray and worship they can teach and preach the gospel they can even know the bible like the back of their hands however that does not make them a Christian.

The first and most important thing for any believer is to make an actual relationship with God. Every Christian desires to know God more correct? How do you get to know someone? Think of it as your friends or your family you spend time with them you talk with them a lot you go through experiences together, The same is with God if you want to build a relationship with him spend time with him talk to him get to know him. Ask him about himself as him about you pour your worries and sorrows onto him express your joy and your thoughts to him. Think of him as your own personal diary that is always so excited to hear from you even if it's just to ask him for his help.

Spending time with God and talking with him is vital in building a relationship with him and at first it may not be easy but as you continue doing this you will begin to feel a connection like your no longer talking to a stranger but a close friend. Yes God admires the obedient and the ones who walk the walk but he wants more than someone who is playing church he wants an actual relationship with his children he wants them to feel close to him he wants them to run into his arms in times of sorrow and suffering so he can embrace them and encourage them to be strong he wants a child that adores him and falls head over heels for him no longer following him for salvation or to be obedient but rather because they simply adore him and chase after him seeking a deeper love with him.

You may ask but what if I can never find that relationship with him? I advise you to put that thought out of your head for the scriptures say this Mathew 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
If you desire to have an actual bond and relationship with him you only need to ask and to seek it out and once you have found it build on that relationship by continuing to seek him out, continue to get to know him spend as much time with him as you can everyday and eventually you and him will have formed a deep love together and will have created a connection and a bond that will only deepen and grow as time goes on.


Chapter 2: Christian by title or by heart?
Now something I have learned in my time of being a Christian is that there two kinds of Christians- Christians by title and Christians by heart. Sadly there are many who claim the title Christian who boast of their holiness and their knowledge of scriptures who look down upon others and raise themselves up they speak and teach of God yet know nothing of him they are quick to judge others and instead of helping the hurting and the lost they beat them down and ignore their needs they are blind to the inner wounds and scars that people bear. Does that remind you of a certain group Jesus tangled with? The Pharisee's were exactly like this in fact it's very scary how many Christians by title represent the Pharisee's so much.

Then there are Christians by heart, those who have the love of God in them. Now when I speak of the love of God let me explain that this love is not the kind of love the human heart knows of it is alien to us it is strange to us because we have never known such a love as this. The kind of love that comes from his heart alone cannot be fully described because there are no words for it the human tongue cannot describe it. This love changes people it changes how we think and how we act it changes how we speak and it changes how we see.When his love enters your heart you begin to see through his eyes and begin to slowly yet surely take on his heart and his very spirit and divine nature, it begins as a seed in you but as you continue to grow in love the seed becomes a plant and that plant grows into a tree.

The advice I always give people is to seek love above all other things and then everything else will be given to you, this was actually the advice God gave me when I was first saved as I had no one to teach me how to be a Christian and so I asked him Lord what does it mean to be a Christian and how can I become strong in you? these words were then placed on my heart and I have followed them ever since. You see a Christian by heart is most known by one thing and that is love, his love is not simply an emotion or a feeling it's a supernatural steroid to the believers faith and growth in him it's a way of being and a way of seeing.

The more of his love a believer has the more they begin to see through his eyes, when you start to see through his eyes the bible itself opens up in a way you never knew it could and you start seeing people as he does he opens your eyes to see things in an entirely new perspective and as you grow in his eyes you also see into his heart and learn things about him you never knew before. This is because only love can truly see and know God because he is love, if a Christian does all the right things yet the love of God is not in their hearts then they are only playing church and are Christian by title only as 1 Corinthians13:2 says If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing.

So The Christian must firstly form a relationship with God and building upon that foundation seek his love to enrich their hearts, simply by doing this everything else you might seek such as wisdom holiness great faith maturity in Christ ect. will all follow because all the things that a believer seeks in Christ are direct results of love
 
tourist

tourist

Senior Member
#2
Mar 13, 2014
41,313
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Tennessee
#2
I do believe that you have a writer's heart and you have a reasonable chance at writing a book that people will actually read and enjoy and maybe learn something, perhaps something about themselves.

In my younger days I used to write short stories but, alas, the writing was poor and, of course, all it resulted in was a bunch of rejection slips. Your book you are contemplating writing seems to be based on 'What is a Christian?'. This is a fascinating premise. I believe that you have some basic writing ability on which to work with and improve upon.

With a few tweaks and a few more drafts on these opening chapters your book project may indeed be viable. I wish you well in this major endeavor you are contemplating.
 
Blain

Blain

The Word Weaver
#3
Aug 28, 2012
19,213
2,549
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#3
tourist said:
I do believe that you have a writer's heart and you have a reasonable chance at writing a book that people will actually read and enjoy and maybe learn something, perhaps something about themselves.

In my younger days I used to write short stories but, alas, the writing was poor and, of course, all it resulted in was a bunch of rejection slips. Your book you are contemplating writing seems to be based on 'What is a Christian?'. This is a fascinating premise. I believe that you have some basic writing ability on which to work with and improve upon.

With a few tweaks and a few more drafts on these opening chapters your book project may indeed be viable. I wish you well in this major endeavor you are contemplating.
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Ty Jerry:) The main function of the book is for god to impact peoples hearts after all that is what I have always wished to do and I wanted one chapters subject to sort of flow into another I am not good at proper grammar or proper paragraphs so i will likely have to have help with all that if i finish it.

I do have a writers heart however I was never really taught how to write in this kind form I am pretty much self taught, I know the basics of writing and some if comes from instinct but I was worried since i was never properly taught in school and the fact I was horrible in english class that my book would not be that good. When stephanie told me it was really I had hope but I also wanted confirmation from other people which was hard for me to do because i fear criticism in this particular thing which is strange because normally i gladly receive correction but i suppose since it's my first time trying to write a book I'm just super timid lol. But i knew that i had to face that fear and receive any criticism that may come constructive criticism hurts sometimes but it's worth more than silver
 
Huglife

Huglife

Senior Member
#4
Aug 15, 2016
2,543
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#4
there is this site called Wattpad you might want to check out. I personaly am a fantasy writer. You might like Wattpad. I do. I recomend it :)

although since this is a christian book, I do not know. It sounds good though. :)
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#5
#5
Blain said:
Ty Jerry:) The main function of the book is for god to impact peoples hearts after all that is what I have always wished to do and I wanted one chapters subject to sort of flow into another I am not good at proper grammar or proper paragraphs so i will likely have to have help with all that if i finish it.

I do have a writers heart however I was never really taught how to write in this kind form I am pretty much self taught, I know the basics of writing and some if comes from instinct but I was worried since i was never properly taught in school and the fact I was horrible in english class that my book would not be that good. When stephanie told me it was really I had hope but I also wanted confirmation from other people which was hard for me to do because i fear criticism in this particular thing which is strange because normally i gladly receive correction but i suppose since it's my first time trying to write a book I'm just super timid lol. But i knew that i had to face that fear and receive any criticism that may come constructive criticism hurts sometimes but it's worth more than silver
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I do have the writing background. I did get a communications degree from college. And then decades later, I decided to write a book. And then a decade after that, I started writing The Book. And then I realized something -- NO ONE teaches how to write a book when we're in school. You can get a PhD in Creative Writing and still not be taught how to write a book.

So, obvious question: How do you write a book?

Step One: Research how to write a book. Not just any book, the book you have the heart to write.

Step Two: Implement what you learn in Step One, and keep implementing, because here's something else I didn't realize...

Writing a book is like trying to learn how to juggle by picking up 30 different things of different shapes, sizes, and volume and thinking you're going to pull it off because you learned how to do it in theory. Doesn't work that way. They all really do have to stay in the air at once in an orderly manner, but until you learn how to juggle all the parts, it's not going to look like you're juggling. It's going to be a mess.

On the positive side, writing has something in life that few other pursuits hold -- the do-over. Pete Rose was great at hitting the baseball and getting on base. What no one watched was the thousands and thousands of times he practiced that, and screwed up, before he got that good. We remember Pete for what he could do, not for all the do-overs he had to do to get there.

I wanted to write a book at 20. At 50, I got serious and started, (and then learned I don't know how to write a book. lol) At 59, I finally got a manuscript worth trying to get published.

It did start with showing my first chapter to people. I look back at that with some embarrassment now. (Embarrassed because it wasn't half as good as I thought it was at the time. It was good for me, but then I had to learn how to write a book.) I look back at that with fondness too. (People were kind enough to tell me what I did right and what I did wrong.) AND, I look back at that moment with great pride, because I learned the most important part about writing a book then -- I didn't know how to write a book -- but then I was willing to hear and to learn.

Funny thing happens along the way. That first book I started to write was one that will never see the light of day. I wrote it because I had heard, "the first book you write will never get published." I gave up on that book, because that wasn't the important story I have to tell. (My book is fiction, so it is a story.) Then I went for the story I have to tell. Why not? After all, it's the one I have to do, so why not work on it until it's good enough to be published?

A mere six years of my life learning to do something new and something I've always wanted to do. Assume you will have to work on your book for thousands and thousands of hours. Are you willing to do that? If so, then why ask? If not, then why write it? It's going to be a royal mess the first time you try, but if you don't try the first time, there is no book, and there are plenty of do-overs to make it better.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#6
Feb 7, 2015
22,418
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#6
Remember.............. Not everyone will recognize what may be a diamond in their hands. Wm. Paul Young, the author of The Shack, was refused by numerous publishers. He finally Self-Published. His reception soared, and the sales of that book are now way up in the millions. They even made a movie of it.

Go for it!
 
mochi

mochi

Senior Member
#7
May 26, 2015
923
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#7
Huglife said:
there is this site called Wattpad you might want to check out. I personaly am a fantasy writer. You might like Wattpad. I do. I recomend it :)

although since this is a christian book, I do not know. It sounds good though. :)
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i agree :)
try writting on wattpad.. i know someone from here as well, she love writing and she use wattpad :) she wrote everything from romance to Christianity.. so i think its worth it to try ;)
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#8
#8
Actually, I disagree with "write it on wattpad." Wattpad is for young folks to admire each other. It's like playing ping pong only with people at your skill level. You can't get better that way, and the other players aren't interested in improving.

If you're serious about writing, learn how, practice until you can't do it any better, then find a website of writers who want to be published only after the book is good. They won't waste your time admiring it. They'll tell you what you did right and what you did wrong. The good ones tell you why, and that why is geared to your particular writing, not the writerly cliches.
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#9
#9
I like the style, Blain. Like you said there might be some minor grammar mistakes, but those are fixable. My advice is: Write! You might not get it published (the publishing world is a big and scary place) but you WON'T get it published if you DO NOT write it! So write and trust God with the rest. Take it one step at a time and don't be nervous about publishing at this point :). Gob bless your work!
 
Gc_2011

Gc_2011

Senior Member
#10
May 12, 2011
186
3
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#10
Go for it. I would pray about it to see if it is what He wants. I also will tell who you trust. I got burned couple time by publishing companies. I have been looking for a new publisher for my Christian poetry book. So just be careful.
 
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Depleted

Guest
#11
#11
Tinuviel said:
I like the style, Blain. Like you said there might be some minor grammar mistakes, but those are fixable. My advice is: Write! You might not get it published (the publishing world is a big and scary place) but you WON'T get it published if you DO NOT write it! So write and trust God with the rest. Take it one step at a time and don't be nervous about publishing at this point :). Gob bless your work!
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The publishing world is a scary place. BUT, once the book is good enough to publish, and then if they won't publish it because it doesn't fit them, then there is "self-published."

My favorite writer was self-published -- Beatrix Potter. Only after publishers figured out people wanted to read a storybook about Peter Rabbit did publishers then want to represent her.

So, scary place, but not that scary.
 
D

Depleted

Guest
#12
#12
Gc_2011 said:
Go for it. I would pray about it to see if it is what He wants. I also will tell who you trust. I got burned couple time by publishing companies. I have been looking for a new publisher for my Christian poetry book. So just be careful.
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That's the problem. Poetry books don't sell, so no traditional publisher takes them as if they will. Self-publishing companies publish it, if you pay for it. It's not getting burned. It's saying you take on the role of marketing it. All they're doing is publishing it.

One of the things we have to learn is the different ways to be published, and which works best.
 
T

Tinuviel

Guest
#13
#13
Depleted said:
The publishing world is a scary place. BUT, once the book is good enough to publish, and then if they won't publish it because it doesn't fit them, then there is "self-published."

My favorite writer was self-published -- Beatrix Potter. Only after publishers figured out people wanted to read a storybook about Peter Rabbit did publishers then want to represent her.

So, scary place, but not that scary.
Click to expand...
Awww. I love Beatrix Potter! I didn't know she was self-published :)
 
O

oldethennew

Banned
#14
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
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#14
a real 'writer' will write the message, note, prophecy, etc. - that Jesus puts upon their hearts...'
and yes, He will teach us how to love discreetly in order not to offend...

but, as all writers for Christ will learn, we are NOT 'responsible' for others choices,
and many will always be offended...
 
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Reborn

Reborn

Senior Member
#15
Nov 16, 2014
4,087
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#15
Just do it, Blain.
Write it for yourself and if anyone ends up liking it...that's a bonus.


Life is short.
You'll always run across haters...cause haters are gonna hate, ... it's their favorite way to pass time.
 
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#16
#16
Do write it.
Nothing to stop you from that.

Remember one thing though: There are a LOT of authors out there, and even more books (duh),
so mke sure you do it for the sake of writing the book, not for a dream of being a best- seller :)
and make sure you enjoy doing it!
 
Reborn

Reborn

Senior Member
#17
Nov 16, 2014
4,087
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#17
One more thing, Blain

How does one define success?
My definition of success is if you set out to do something and accomplish that goal.
Whether or not someone likes or will buy it is the world's definition of success. (It also helps to, you know, pay the bills.)



I also make up my own definitions...cause l can do that.


Side note:
I'm trying to get seoulsearch to write a book on how to write a book.
 
Blain

Blain

The Word Weaver
#18
Aug 28, 2012
19,213
2,549
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#18
Ty everyone for the support and counsel:) You know since I have always been able to put my deepest thoughts and feelings and who i am in written form i have considered maybe that is why I am to be on cc so much. I was told by a friend that she thinks that my ministry is an online one and in my time of being on cc I have to admit I have been amazed at how God has used me to weave words and writings to impact the hearts and souls of people and I have learned the power words have simply from speaking my heart on here.

The key thing I have noticed when God is speaking through me is that the words simply flow through me I can even fell a kind of flow happening inside me like rushing water or something just seems to feel natural. The thing is even though I began to write the book something felt a bit off the words came but there wasn't that flow it didn't seem natural to me it was almost like writing it felt more like a chore than anything.

But when I made that thread of writing poems based off of a random scripture verse it was entirely different the words flowed so easily and it felt so natural I had joy in writing them. I think the reason for the difference in the book and the poems is the motive in my heart. When writing the poems I did so for fun and to speak what I truly felt for him I poured my entire heart and being in those two poems. but with the book even though yes i had hoped that the words in it would reach people I also wanted to make money from it and I needed approval from publishers but with the poems I needed no approval and I didn't care about money.

As one who searches his heart everyday I have come to the decision to put the book on hold until my hearts motive and reason for writing it is fixed otherwise it feels forced and stale and I cannot expect God's words to be able to flow into the pages as they do when I am speaking from deep within as I do on here. I would rather write a book for the right reasons and with the right heart and have it be rejected by publishers over and over and over than to write a book that sells but his love and his heart is not fully in it
 
Laish

Laish

Senior Member
#19
Jul 31, 2016
1,666
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#19
Hello Blain
Its cool that you want to write a book . My thinking is do it . Not to sound too corny .Life is filled with too many would've could've should'ves not to . You have nothing to lose in doing so. You can look back success or failure and say I did it . Not doing anything only guarantees some amount of regret. Life is too precious to fill it with one more what if .
I hope to some day see a book written buy that Blain guy from CC .
Blessings
Your brother in Christ
Bill
 
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