Clearer Writing: Dare to be Blue

Any idiot can write, and many do. The Internet is a literary soapbox open 24/7, after all and admission is free. (With all those words floating around in cyberspace, finding a good blog or an audience of non-Kool Aid drinkers can be tricky. ) Good writers are never satisfied with status quo; they push the envelope and their skills everyday.

How can this be better?  How can I draw the reader in? What can I cut? Is my writing clear enough, catchy enough, good enough?

Weeks ago I started a series on the 9 Steps to Clearer Writing, and got sidetracked. I pulled this stub of a post out last Friday and breathed a little life into it for today’s schedule. This is step 5 in the clear writing process.

Dare to be Blue

One of the saddest things in life is watching a person flounder in their own lack of self confidence. For one reason or another, they believe they are insignificant, unloved, unworthy. For many, the solution is to adapt the behaviors of another- one he or she views as having it all. In essence, they trade the unique body, mind, and spirit God created, for the shiny bauble dangling from another’s hand.

Some find the truth later on. Sadly, many never realize the smoke and mirrors of image are only illusions of happiness and success for the majority. We were not created to be cookie-cutter pictures of perfection.

“If you want your writing to be crystal clear, you need to shine like the Son.”

God equipped each of us with unique talents, quirks, and flaws; each one adding beauty to the whole. You will only find success once you embrace your uniqueness.

Dare to be blue when everyone else is yellow. The paint will always chip off and show your true color underneath when you try to imitate others.

Finding Your Voice

We all have people who influence us greatly. It’s human nature. We assimilate the behaviors of others into our own lives and grow from those experiences. (Even that abrasive guy at the desk next to you can serve as sandpaper to smooth out a few rough spots in your personality.) Being influenced by others is a good thing, as long as you find your own voice in the cacophony.

Marching to the beat of your own drummer creates a good rhythm for the song you were meant to sing. The greatest achievers in history were avant-garde by society’s standards.  Jesus was considered a rabble-rouser and unconventional to the extreme.

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”~ Romans 12:2

You matter.
You are loved just the way you are.
You are worthy of all the great things life has to offer.

Stop hiding behind the masks of others and let your strengths and flaws shine through in your writing. Imitating someone else’s style only muddles your own voice.