Late Night Inspiration from a Seasoned Writer

A couple of weekend ago I watched a late night interview on PBS. It was a talk show I seldom watch, but I was having problems sleeping.

The guest interviewed was David McCullough. He has been researching and writing historical books for forty years. David McCullough gets inside of the people and events he writes about. He takes time to search out not just how they affected history but how they were influenced by the people and events around them.

I was captivated by his enthusiasm for his subject mater as the host held up book after book and asked McCullough questions. McCullough’s devotion inspired me to be more patient with my own writing. He writes well become he waits to start writing until 50-60% of the research is finished. The shortest time he devoted to one of his numerous published works was three years, the longest ten.

As writers are we as dedicated? Are we willing to spend years researching our topic until we know it inside and out? Maybe we are not pleased with our work because we need to devote more time getting to know our subject mater. We need to take the time to check our facts.

I’m afraid there is a dangerous trend among inspirational writers, myself included. It is easier to define our faith with snappy phrases than it is to study the Bible for depth. Our inspirational writing should be saturated in the Word of God. It should call our readers back to the Scriptures instead of showcasing how clever we think we are as writers.

The next time we write an inspirational piece we need ask ourselves some important questions.

Have we done enough research?

Have we searched out what the Bible says about this topic or are we just shooting arrows at God’s Word to find “proof texts” that sound good?

Are we seeking to pen catchy phrases, or are we seeking to encourage our readers to study Scripture for themselves?