We’re nearing the end of our journey, but we don’t want to forget one last room in our house: the bathroom. Years ago, bathrooms weren’t considered important enough to “dress up” but today’s modern homes come equipped with lovely, spacious bathrooms. Ours is no different.
Picture a garden tub, (Jacuzzi, of course) with a beautiful picture window (with frosted glass, naturally). Now imagine a huge shower, so big you could dance around inside it, if you chose to do so. The whole place makes you feel clean. Invigorated. Energized. Ready to face the day.
Now let’s enter the “bathroom” phase of our writing… Is your writing clean – free from any grammatical errors? Spelling errors? Punctuation errors? A good editor will toss your writing into the slush pile if it’s not. Have someone you trust proofread your work before turning it in. Write and re-write. Edit and edit again. Make sure it’s the absolute best it can be.
Things to Consider:
Cleanliness really is next to godliness for the writer. Editing is critical. But don’t just check for grammatical and spelling errors. Look for POV problems, strong verb choices, too many prepositional phrases and adverbs, etc.
THE OUTSIDE WORLD: CATCHING A GLIMPSE OF YOUR PURPOSE
As you head back outside this amazing home, take a moment to think about one additional thing—the outside world. Has your WIP touched on a universal theme? Will it resonate with readers of various faiths, beliefs, etc.?
Things to Consider:
A well-written story will resonate with a broad spectrum of readers, regardless of their individual beliefs. For example, “All Quiet on the Western Front” – the story of a young German soldier during WWI—really touched my heart. The hero wasn’t on “my side” but I felt his pain and grew to love him. He represented every young man who ever found himself facing death for his country and his cause. These are called “universal” themes and they really work. They tap into the human spirit and cause people to ask eternal questions.
FINAL QUESTION: Is your writing house built on sand or stone?
