One of the things I like about poetry is the ability to spin around a single focus-point. Writing hymns can be even more satisfying as we can integrate biblical imagery and integrate texts! I lost my notes for it, but one idea I had for the Reformation hymn contest was to write about Christ, our Rock, and I am sharing the idea, fleshed out a little, with you! Continue reading
Category Archives: Hymns
I would love to see . . .
I’m sharing an idea: a Reformation hymn about the mind of Christ. Ok, I’d settle on a Bible study, devotional book, or lay-friendly educational book. Alright, sermons are welcome, too. 😉 Continue reading
Filed under Hymns, Shared Writing Ideas
Rhymes Old-School and New
I started to write when I was young. I’d write poetry when I should have been listening to math lessons or I’d scribble away in the last few minutes of class.
When I got a little older, I’d write the alphabet vertically down the far right side of my wide-lined paper and I would inwardly curse because I’d skip the first few lines at the top for some random aesthetic appeal and I’d have to write XYZ on the same line. Every time. Because: teenager.
But I liked the pattern of starting to write. Centering the page, writing the alphabet, and starting from a place of confidence: “I know my letters. I know my words. Let’s put something together!” Continue reading
Filed under Hymns, Poetry, Wordplay, Writing Tools
Uninspired Poetry
Inspiration is something I hope to write about here every now and again. It seems to me that people who believe in the inspiration of Scripture can explore the lesser inspiration toward writing and the arts in a wide variety of ways. I mean, when God Himself can inspire, in addition to His creation, inspiration can become an incredibly intricate, multi-tiered concept!
Having said that, I’ve been writing lately much more from habit than from any sort of inner passion. Continue reading
Filed under Hymns, Poetry, Writing Exercises, Writing Tips
Poetry Exercises
Poetry is more than a form. It is a tool. Are you bored? Try some rhymes. Are you stuck? Feel the rhythm of a single expression; move it a little faster until you can gain a little momentum for yourself with it.
As an exercise, you can brainstorm off a single word or thought. You can work on your pacing by taking one scene and writing a single couplet, a stanza, a half-page, etc. You can step out of any problematic piece you may be working on to work on dialogue, intensity, or asides. Continue reading
Filed under Hymns, Poetry, Writing Exercises
Scraps of Poetry
A piece of paper can be a beautiful thing. A little scribbling later, and you never want to throw it away. Whether they are your own words or someone else, those smudges and bleeds have tapped into something. Continue reading
Filed under As Theological Writers, Contests, Hymns, Poetry, Uncategorized