by Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed.D. @khutch0767

During this season of uncertainty where AI seems to be taking over, have you ever considered the significance of writing? This guide will elucidate how being an author can enhance our mental well-being, career opportunities, relationship with God, and ability to share the Gospel.

 For those of us who are authors, everything interpreted through our spoken and written words is essential. Most of us live as if our words matter. Because they do, however, with the influx of computers able to generate stories, letters, and texts, some of us may wonder if our craft will soon be a lost art.

But there’s hope! Here are three powerful reasons to keep the faith and know that our skills will always be in high demand, good for us, and vital for our relationship with God.

Writing helps clear our minds and brings clarity to our thoughts.

 Many of us feel stressed and overwhelmed when faced with the busyness of life. It’s common to struggle with managing multiple tasks, which can make them seem even more prominent than they are. However, writing things down can help us organize our thoughts and tackle each problem individually. This can make planning solutions easier and often shows that the issues are not as severe as they initially seemed. To practice this, we can write a to-do list every morning after waking up. This will help us plan our day and get into the habit of putting our thoughts on paper. As Christian authors, an essential part of our day should be reading the Bible. Part of our study can be reflecting on scripture, journaling, or using a Bible study to develop our understanding. When we allow God to guide us through writing, we can often pour out the things that stress us and weigh us down. Doing this will bring clarity and peace, setting the stage for our day.

Writing effectively plays a crucial role in effective communication.

Writing is a powerful tool for communicating. It allows us to carefully consider our words, craft impactful messages, and persuade others to follow our lead. As Christians, using our words to influence others positively is paramount. We can practice this by writing for lots of different audiences. Writing letters to supervisors, subordinates, or friends requires different communication styles.

In the same way, we can read and write outside our preferred genre to stretch ourselves. Doing this often helps us recognize the skill of others. For instance, I’m not a speculative fiction writer. But my willingness to read and write in this genre enabled me to appreciate the talent of authors who have mastered speculative fiction. This also helped me to better communicate with authors outside my genre. In the same way, expanding our toolbox of genres helps us to be more effective communicators and people who are also effective at sharing the Gospel.

Improving our writing skills makes us marketable.

 Every business in the world requires writers, without exception. Therefore, as authors, we’re already a step ahead. Companies constantly search for individuals with excellent writing abilities if they have day jobs outside of writing. Whether to finalize contracts with business partners or create compelling new slogans, we can work in other industries and still get plenty of practice in writing. Numerous professions rely on our ability to string words together effectively, including blogger, copywriter, content writer, journalist, and editor. In short, strong writing skills are crucial no matter what profession we are in outside of being a full-time author.

Ultimately, communicating through writing is frequently the most efficient way to deepen our relationship with God and reach others. Writing is the most accessible and adaptable form of communication because it requires our minds, unique backgrounds, training, and skills. Writing is crucial as it efficiently conveys information in a manner no AI program could ever comprehend. No matter the job or profession, our words and writing will always be integral to knowing God for ourselves and sharing the Gospel with a world that desperately needs it.

Author, speaker, educational consultant, and editor–Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Ed. D. has had her hand in leadership for many years. She loves speaking to groups and delivering messages with a quick wit and real-life stories. Katherine is a freelance writer/content editor, a content editor/writing coach for Iron Stream Media, and a sensitivity reader for Sensitivity Between the Lines. She is a review board member and contributor to Inkspirations (an online magazine for Christian writers), and her writing has been published in Guideposts. Her work in art/writing is distinguished by awards, including the New York Mayor’s Contribution to the Arts, Outstanding Resident Artist of Arizona, and the Foundations Awards at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference (2016, 2019, 2021, 2022). She was a finalist in the Genesis Contest ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers/Romantic Suspense 2022). She is a finalist for the Claymore Award 2022 (Thriller Division) for the best-unpublished manuscript. She is a member of Word Weavers International and serves as an online chapter president and mentor. She belongs to FWA (Florida Writers Association), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), CWoC (Crime Writers of Color), AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association), and AASA (American Association of School Administrators). She serves on the board of the nonprofit organization Submersion 14 and is an art instructor and virtual exhibition specialist for the nonprofit organization Light for the Future. Katherine is the host of the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. She has authored a Christian Bible study for women and is currently working on the sequel and prequel to her first general market thriller novel, “A Fifth of the Story.”