SO, I wanted to write something

[RickardoHolmes]

Greetings

I posted over in the Introductions forum about writing a testimony, and it was more a question of style rather than content. I was redirected by one member here and thankfully so

So rather than repost the same thing, please allow me a moment to clarify my questions

First, I am an aestheticist. I want to make my writings better than they have been so far. More eloquent, more stimulating and of course more entertaining. My favorite book ever is Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. I know that many of the critics state that Ulysses was the greatest book ever written, but Portrait remains my favorite, if not just for content, to which I can relate, but also due to the stream of consciousnesses style of writing.

I had considered adopting that to some stories I wish to tell.

But the other aspect is length. How does one tell and ongoing story? and How does one write in a style that will maintain the reader's interest, while serving not just as a vehicle for communication but as art?

This more than the content is what has halted my endeavors so far.

SO anything that anyone suggests which will make me a better writer will be appreciated.
Thank You

 

[rickyknight1]

In the words of Stephen king himself, "just be yourself when you write and screw anyone that don't like it" lol

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[com7fy8]

I'm not saying you are doing this, but I consider that very artistic and creative style and wording can bring attention to the words themselves. And you might want people to be thinking of realities which the words are talking about.

So, if you want to share you testimony, I think your wording needs to be set up to bring the reader's attention to your experience and how you desire to glorify God and benefit the reader.

Otherwise, you could be getting people to only experience words and how they respond to them.

 

[rickyknight1]

I know what you mean and I understand what you are trying to do, believe me - I want the thing. But honestly even Jesus couldn't save everyone.

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[afishamongmany]

Hello Ricardo H, welcome to CF,

The first thing I would say is, How long is a piece of string? and Horses for courses. Many books have been written (and no doubt are being written right now) on how to write well and successfully (which are not always the same thing). Think of C. S. Lewis's Nania Chronicles (fantasy fiction), Mere Christianity (christian apologetics) and Surprised by Joy (his testimony of how he became a Christian). All well written but all written differently. As I said, horses for courses. He also wrote some great poems which, again, requires different skill-sets, different mind-sets.

To communicate to others something of our knowledge of and relationship with The Living God is a wonderful privilege and a serious responsibility.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” Revelation chpt12

I would say for a testimony think less about literature and art and more about being clear, truthful and relevant. A very good exercise is to write out your testimony in less than a screenfull of text. Something that you can read out at normal talking speed in under 3 minutes. This forces us to decide and pick out the essential points, from these flows the narrative. When you read it try to listen to it as some one who is not you. Yea not easy but we can sort of do it and man it sure helps. If then you want to want to go for something like a mini autobiography well I would say put it out in chapters of not more than two to three screenfulls, single spacing but paragraphs spaced and not too long.

One last thought, to be effective our testimonies should be in accord with God's word and be empowered by The Spirit of God (that is prayed out).

All the best
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[afishamongmany]

P.S.
Have remembered this -
http://www.christianforums.com/threads/i-had-a-dream.7928649/#post-69149304
post #5, of course every testimony is unique but all by the One Spirit.
Go well
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