Devotional Writing - Janice Thompson, Author

Every word written is a victory against death.
Michel Butor

Hello from Janice Thompson, freelance writer and speaker. I’m happy to bring you this course on devotional writing. If you have any questions about this (or any other) lesson, please feel free to leave a comment.

Now, on to the lesson at hand…

If you’re passionate about writing in your journal, then perhaps devotional writing is for you. Daily devotions have become very popular, and with good reason. They convey to the reader, in just a few brief words, a “thought for the day” or a clear take-away they can use to get them through the day.

If you’re interested in writing for this market, you’ll need to do some careful study. Devotion formats vary from house to house.

According to online article, “Help, I Want to be a Christian Devotion Writer” -

“Through thoughtful and well-written devotionals you, the writer, have the ability to touch the hearts of your readers while offering hope and encouragement. But how do you write a devotional? What steps should you take to write an effective devotional?

Write As A Ministry.

“Before you write a single word, pray. Ask God what He would have you write. Ask God to reveal Biblical principles to share with your readers. Commit your writing to the Holy Spirit. Through intensive prayer and study allow the Holy Spirit to guide you as you write because it is an awesome responsibility to write something used for ministry.

Write To Individuals.

“Devotionals should be written with a specific audience in mind. Are you targeting women, men, or teens? Or do you have a more specific audience in mind, such as teachers, mothers, or graduates?

Write With A Purpose.

“Many people read devotionals for encouragement, to learn Biblical principles, and to find discipline. Others read devotionals for guidance or comfort. And still others depend on devotionals to point them towards spiritual matters, and to God Himself.” http://www.thedabblingmum.com/writing/writerniche/devotions.htm

Are you ready to give it a try?

All prayed up?

Feeling inspired?

Have an audience in mind?

Then let’s get started!

Different publishing houses have different guidelines, but one thing all devotions have in common is their brevity. Say it clearly. Say it tight. Say it in as few words as possible.

Why? Folks on the run don’t have time to read an in-depth piece, nor are they likely to, even when time presents itself. That’s why it’s important to grab your reader’s attention right off the bat. Your hook should “grab them” right away. As with magazine article writing, a good hook might include a quote, an anecdote or even dialogue.

Think of some personal experiences you could incorporate into devotional format

Choose one

Naturally, devotions always incorporate scripture. Be sure you use the version the publishing house you’re targeting will approve of. (In order to determine this, refer to Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers Market Guide OR search online for devotion publishers. You will find a few listed at the end of the lesson.)

What publishing house are you targeting?

What are their length guidelines?

What version of scripture do they prefer?

Find a scripture to go with the personal experience story you’ve selected.

Don’t overload your piece with scripture and be more careful than ever not to use a verse out of context. This will never be more important (writing-wise) than with devotions. Usually one or two verses are sufficient. And remember, if it’s a verse that speaks to you, fits the context of your story, and has significant take-away, it will probably minister to your reader.

Though you’re writing “tight” you must still give your reader a beginning, middle and end. Start with a hook, transition to an interesting middle and wrap up with a clear, concise take-away.

You’ve already chosen your story and scripture. Now tie it all together. Write your devotion, using the word count in the publisher’s guidelines.

Not every house will ask you to do this, but it doesn’t hurt to add a prayer at the end of your piece.

End in prayer.

Congratulations on your devotion. Go over it carefully to make sure of the following:

Strong title/hook
Scriptures used appropriately
Beginning, middle and end
Clear take-away
Tug on the heart
Uplifts and encourages

HOW AND WHERE TO SELL YOUR DEVOTIONS:

I always suggest that writers purchase a copy of Sally Stuart’s “Christian Writers Market Guide.” It’s a valuable tool in the hands of the freelancers. Inside her book you will find houses looking for individual devotions. However, the trend these days is to compile devotions into books, so you might check out book publishers who accept these sorts of submissions. I’ve contributed to a few devotional projects (and when I say “contributed” to, I mean that I wrote a handful of devotions—usually 25 to 75—which were added to the overall project). These were “write-to-hire” projects, and many publishing houses offer them. You just have to approach non-fiction editors to ask if they’re offering any write-for-hire devotional work.

Here are some of the projects I’ve contributed to:

365 Daily Devotions for Caregivers
Whispers of Wisdom for Girls
Daily Spiritual Refreshment for Women (This was part of a larger Bible project)
Book Lovers Devotions
Dog Lovers Devotions

Occasionally, a writer will get to do a whole book of devotions himself/herself (even as a write-for-hire project). Here are some devotional books I’ve written by myself (or co-authored with my daughter):