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Three Quick Tips Becoming A Better Christian Writer

Twenty years ago as I worked on my MA in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) I was assigned as a TA to teach writing. Even though I had written what felt to me like a lot of essays and papers, there is nothing quite like teaching a subject to make one sit up and pay attention.

Language can be spectacularly beautiful and so tricky that sometimes the only response is to choose between laughing and crying. Teaching English to non-native speakers for over twenty years in the US and China has let me see English through non-native eyes and ears. Grading thousands of essays over the years has been one of the best ways to hammer home these three “simple,” but true, reminders.

1. Grammar — small things make a big difference and can be very distracting.

  • For non-native speakers it can be challenging to get a sense of when to use articles. I can’t tell you how many times I have marked out the God and added the to sentences like “I saw you on road to school.”
  •  Or the importance of a well placed preposition for a given situation. Are you hearing something for/at/on the first time?
  • The final tip involves verb tenses. It seems that time is more fluid in some languages, allowing the writer to flow in and out of past, present, and future tense without losing the reader. However, in English, we tend to be more linear and it’s important to choose a verb tense and stick with it.

2. Content — have something to say.

  • When you are learning a new language it can be very frustrating to try to communicate complex material with a limited vocabulary. That being said, it can be done! The key seems to be whether you have something to say or are just filling space. Readers are not stupid and can smell the difference a mile off.
  •  A second tip is that length is not the primary gauge of whether or not something is good. Some of my students needed to learn to add more to make a point worth reading while others benefited from knowing when to cut because they were off topic.

3. Word choice/voice — sound like yourself.

  • This one has been especially challenging for my students in China because of the cultural value of finding a master and then copying him or her. When it comes to writing, copying a master can lead to plagiarism by Western definitions. Students often marveled at my ability to know when they had plagiarized and wondered how I knew. It really was quite simple. First, I have them write often and become familiar with their voices, so when they turn in something different I just know. Second, google is my friend. I put in their writing and out pops someone else’s name. But in all honesty, googling was merely proof of what I already knew: there is something off in this writing.
  • The bottom line is to be yourself, even if it isn’t “perfect.”

Have something to say, say it clearly, and sound like you. If you’ve got these basics covered, your readers will be able to focus on the message and not the messenger.

QUESTION: What tips have you been given from someone who graded your work? What tips would you add for becoming a better Christian writer?         

* Image credit: Kelly Sims (Creative Commons)

Comments

  1. Bobbie Cole says

    I agree about teaching teaching the teacher. Since I’ve been teaching it’s really focused me on expressing what I know so that it is understandable. And I discover right off when I’m not doing that from their frowns.

  2. says

    It is interesting that social and cultural values would affect something like citing a source in your writing. Interesting!

    Having been to China twice now myself, it is fascinating to see the differences in what that culture believes (and practices) verses ours. 

    Regarding grammar, I can understand a misspelled word now and then, but nothing says “rookie” or “mediocre” like a manuscript (or blog post) riddled with spelling flaws.

    • says

      So true!  One of the things I’ve learned (slowly, slowly) is that the definition of an educated person is quite different culture by culture and the ways in which that plays out in our writing.

      And I agree on small errors. We’re all going to make them, it’s when someone comes on their third or fourth error that seems to be the tipping point.

  3. says

    I worked with African children for awhile and taught English to them. They were already pretty well spoken, but had a harder time with writing. I always loved seeing English through their eyes. One of my favorite lessons was when we talked about body parts and how to spell them. When I wrote “stomach” on the board, one of my kids said, “That is sto-mach!” (phonetically pronouncing the “ch.”) I think they were expecting stomack or something. 

    I agree that grammar is so important. I understand it won’t be perfect (that’s what editing’s for) but things just look sloppy if there are mistakes all throughout your work. 

    I had a couple shorter pieces of mine edited recently, and one of the common threads I saw throughout was “redundant.” I realized how often I used similar words in close proximity to each other. It really “spiced up” my work to change some phrasing around and not use the same words over and over. 

    • says

      Jamie, isn’t it a delightful privilege to hear and see English from the outside. 

      One of my pet phrases used to be “and so” — cutting that out has been hard, but good for my writing.

  4. Kristi says

    I also agree with “teaching teaching the teacher.”  Although I taught the same lessons over and over year after year, I always learned something new.   Sometimes it was about the subject other times it was about teaching.

    Your point about length not being the primary gauge for good writing also caught my attention.  There is definitely something to be said for being succinct.

    • says

      And it’s something I need to work on. I can get going 🙂 … when I got back and reread some things I’ve written, I realize, there’s more I can chop out than I thought!

  5. says

    One tip that really helped me was to reduce wordiness. I try to cut out as many extra words as possible and say what I need to say concisely. Also, to be organized. Having & using an outline is key. Being organized helps my thoughts come out more clearly, and it certainly helps others understand better what I write. 

    Tips for becoming a better Christian writer include spending LOTS of time in the Word. Know what God wants you to write and then write it. Don’t worry about what others think you should write of what others think of what you write. Just know God approves. He will not let your words come back void if they are grounded in His Word. Can never go wrong using lots of scripture.

  6. LeAnne Parham says

    I’m in the process of grading my classes’ listening journals and have never been so grateful to NOT teach writing! Fortunately, I am grading more along the lines of whether they completed the assignment correctly (did they actually listen to the required material, etc.) versus grammar. Because of that, I can sit back and enjoy the fun (and funny) things their minds come up with without having to grade them strictly. I leave that to their writing teacher – Maegan! 🙂

    • says

      Yes, there are some definite time investment (could be seen as a disadvantage :)) to grading writing! Thanks for popping in and commenting 🙂

  8. says

    Love the advice, “Be yourself, even if it isn’t ‘perfect.'”  So much of my own writing journey has been about finding my voice.  I glean enourmously from writers I admire, but I’m often tempted to move beyond gleaning to imitating them.  In my mind they are “perfect” and I want to be that.  But that kind of writing comes out flat and fake.  It’s my own voice that leads to writing that satisfies.  Thanks for sharing, Amy!