Writing to Encourage

Barbara Baranowski
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If you like to encourage others, then writing and marketing devotionals might be something for you to consider. Devotionals touch lives with a message that encourage each reader to draw closer to God.  As short, vivid articles that focus on a specific topic, they offer help and hope, as the reader connects to God in short, spiritual lessons.  They are not fiction, but provide real life application.
Tips for Writing Devotionals:

1.  Pray and listen for God’s direction.
2.  Remember that devotionals are not sermons or lectures.  They are meant to inspire without being preachy.  The writer stays away from such words as “should” or “must.”
3. They are topics in which the reader can identify, are often taken from personal experience, and should point the reader to God and relationship to Jesus through that experience/thought.  Avoid using the words “you” or “they,” rather choose to write in first person, using “I” or “me.”
4. Devotionals show how God acts in common situations.
5. They don’t have to give answers, except from Scripture.
6. They are meant to feed the spiritual life of the individual.
7. “Show, don’t tell” the anecdote (short story) by using sensory images.
8. Develop only one idea per devotional.
9. Avoid controversial subjects.
10.  Know the guidelines of the devotional publication to which you are planning to submit your devotional(s).
11. Make your devotional memorable—one idea that will stick in the reader’s mind.
12.   Leave the writer encouraged.   Write to touch the heart.
13.  Write with focus on a reader’s spiritual needs, not on yours.
14.  Write with a personal take-away for the reader. When you share what the Lord has done through your story, it will be a fresh insight from your perspective.
15.  Write in the format that the publisher wants.
16.   Keep the devotional length within the publisher’s guidelines.
17.   Be accurate in quotes and Scripture.  Double check the Scripture reference and state the Bible version using the version the publisher requests.  Make sure the verse matches the devotional theme.  Use shorter passages, rather than large chunks.
18.   Write a satisfying conclusion that leaves the reader encouraged or with a truth to ponder. The ending should bring the reader back to the beginning (like two pieces of bread starts and end the “meat” of a sandwich).
19.  Close with a prayer, if the publisher requires one.  The prayer should stick to the theme.
20.   Re-read to see if every word contributes to the theme while staying within the word count.
21.   Study devotional books and magazines, and practice writing your own.

Typical Devotional Format:
The typical format for a devotional is: title, Scripture, anecdote or reflection, conclusion, prayer or thought for the day (depending on the publication).  The count is generally 200-800 words (check publication).  However, the devotional format can vary according to its specific matter/use.
 
Finding Publications for Devotionals
The best place to find publications that take devotionals is in the Christian Writers Market Guide. Some publications that take freelance devotionals include: The Secret Place—100 percent freelance, The Upper Room, and Open Windows. There are also on-line devotional magazines.  Sometimes your own church may have a publication for which they would like devotionals.
Writing devotionals is a wonderful way to be of spiritual help to others and spread God’s Word.  But to do that they have to be submitted.  Why not try writing one yourself?