Edit Your Writing to S-P-A-R-K-L-E
By Katy Kauffman
My comfort in the middle of a snowless winter is the sparkle.
I find it in the decorations that brighten my house. I see it in the joy that a
dear friend takes in winter’s arrival. I find it on the Hallmark channel when an
unpredictable line or scene tugs at my heart.
We need sparkle to manage a difficult season, and we need it in
our writing. When we infuse sparkle into our books, articles, and blog posts,
we will keep our readers engaged and turning the page. Or scrolling to the end
of a post. Sparkle brings stories to life, delivers insights about Scripture
with charm, inspires with memorable takeaway, and leaves a glint of light
behind in the reader. A glint that can ignite a fire of inspiration, purpose,
and action.
So how we can edit our nonfiction writing to sparkle? Follow
these seven steps to edit your writing so it has all the light, beauty, and
charm it possibly can.
S – Search for sentences in your stories that tell
and don’t show.
Replace any telling with showing, and you’ll let
the sparkle shine. As authors, we act as narrators, but when we allow readers
to live a story and not just watch it happen, we help them to
have a vested interest in the outcome. So even for real-life stories, show
where a story takes place. Set up the conflict. Share the characters’ emotions through
their actions and reactions. Let the reader feel the struggle and long for
victory. The stories will shine more brightly and have more of an impact on the
reader.
P – Place quotable lines throughout your writing.
Think “Twitter worthy.” You know those memes that you find on
Twitter, Facebook, and other places? Picture your words on them. Would you
share that meme if you didn’t know who had written it? As you edit your
writing, make sure you have quotable sentences throughout your chapter,
article, or blog post. Mark these on your books’ manuscripts, and suggest them
for pull quote boxes for your future editor. These lines add sparkle to your
writing.
A – Adjust any paragraphs to fully support your
main idea.
It’s not just about getting words on page but crafting
sentences that amplify your main idea. Sparkle forms when we explain our point
with meaningful insights, touching stories, and intriguing illustrations. As
you edit, see if just the right explanations and stories have been included,
and be willing to adjust as needed.
R – Rid your paragraphs and pages of any clutter.
I often feel dread when I consider cutting my words. But unnecessary
words and sentences hinder the sparkle. Free your writing to dazzle by
eliminating what can hinder the message. Take out words and lines that don’t
directly support what you want to say.
K – Know who your audience is, and tailor your
takeaway for them.
What application of Scripture does your particular audience
need? What life situations are they going through, and have you adequately
encouraged them to persevere or trust God? Do your paragraphs inspire them to
take the action you’re suggesting? When we remember our audience in every line
and paragraph of our writing, the sparkle will appeal to them.
L – Love your reader.
As you edit, notice your “voice.” Do you steer away from a
negative voice and instead use the voice of a friend to encourage, inspire, or
instruct? Show your readers that you’ve been in the same boat they are likely
in, and share how God helped you row through a difficult time to the other side
of peace and relief.
E – Exit a chapter or article at just the right
place.
End your piece of writing with a stunning takeaway. It can be
in the form of a quotable line or someone else’s quote. It can be a
thought-provoking question or driving home the slant of the piece. Knowing when
to finish is just as important as knowing what to say. Not too late and not too
soon. Leave the reader with inspiration they’ll remember and act on.
Which of these sparkle steps are you already
practicing? Which might you need to work on more? Tell us in the comments which
of the steps appeals to you the most, and never leave out the sparkle.
(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)
TWEETABLE
Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a
co-founder of Lighthouse Bible
Studies. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in
compilations, such as Heart Renovation: A
Construction Guide to Godly Character, which was a 2019 Selah Awards
finalist and Director’s Choice finalist. Katy’s Scripture-based writing can be
found at CBN.com, thoughts-about-God.com, the Arise Daily blog, and in online magazines. She shares monthly tips
on writing at The Write Conversation and the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian
Writers Conference blog.
Katy loves spending time with family and friends, making
jewelry, and hunting for the best donuts. Connect with her at her blog, The Scrapbooked Bible Study, and on Facebook and Twitter.
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