If a great composer took your writing and set it to music, what would its melody be? Our writing emits a song of its own. It could be the thunderous, foreboding tones of a warning; the quick tempo of a call to action; or the soothing notes of a comforting message. What song do you want your writing to sing?
Crafting the right “song” depends on your message and your audience. Whether you’re writing a devotion for a blog or a book, always remember who you are writing to and why. Do you want to comfort? Instruct? Warn? Encourage? Select the right “lyrics”—the right wording—and pair them with the right “notes”—style or voice. As a writer, you are composing not only a message, but its presentation. So compose wisely.
Consider this “composition.” Do you hear the music in this sentence?
- God is bigger than the spiritual enemies we face.
But suppose you want to emphasize specific spiritual enemies.
- “No matter how fierce the enemy seems—when fear cripples us, anger enrages us, or selfishness possesses us; when adversity crushes us, opposition hounds us, or temptation plagues us—God is greater.” – 2 Timothy: Winning the Victory
That second sentence took a lot of thought for my first Bible study. I wanted to identify specific spiritual enemies that we all deal with and present them in a way that showed their true nature. Fear cripples, selfishness possesses, and adversity crushes. When you look for the right wording, or lyrics, for your devotion, use descriptive verbs that need no adverbs, and always keep a thesaurus nearby. I don’t know how many times I used the dictionary and thesaurus on my computer as I hunted for just the right words to put in my book.
Also consider the tempo of that line from 2 Timothy: Winning the Victory. The phrases in between the em dashes have the same beat—subject-verb-object. They end with a crescendo—God is greater. As you write, remember that your sentences have a cadence, a beat that reverberates in the reader’s mind. Use that to your advantage to leave a lasting impression of the message you are declaring and the truth you are trumpeting.
When I first started writing, my work sounded like some of the books I read in college—dry and academic. My writing needed to be infused with vibrancy, lyricism, and musicality. Although I could tell which sentences were flat and which were vibrant, it took time to develop the skill to craft a musical sentence. Just as musicians constantly grow in the arts, we grow as writers in our craft. So practice. Write down some sentences on a particular topic, and work with their lyricism and rhythm. Don’t stop tweaking them until you hear the beautiful music that will touch the reader’s soul and stir their will to action. You’re a composer. Don’t forget it.
Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies. Her first compilation, Breaking the Chains, won a 2018 Selah finalist award. Her second compilation, Heart Renovation: A Construction Guide to Godly Character, uses the metaphor of house renovation to show how God renovates our hearts. Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.com, thoughts-about-god.com, PursueMagazine.net, two blogs on writing, in online magazines, and on devotional blogs. She loves spending time with family and friends, making jewelry, and hunting for the best coffee. Connect with her at her blogand on Facebookand Twitter.
The Conversation
Katy, thank you for sharing. I’m writing a devotional that applies prophecy to everyday life. It’s difficult to make facts sing. Your post helped me. I hope to see you at Blue Ridge.
Hello, Cherrilynn! It seems like it would be hard to “sing” in that devotional if you’re talking about the tribulation or other hard things. But I’m glad the post helped. Sometimes the music serves as a warning, but I know that the end times motivate us to serve the Lord now. So perhaps that’s where the “inspiring” music comes in. I look forward to seeing you in May if you’re going to be there!