Writing Tips for Your On Call in Culture Blog Entry
Religion & Liberty Online

Writing Tips for Your On Call in Culture Blog Entry

“Think, Think, Think” –Pooh

It’s always hard to sit down and write. There are a million distractions that tempt us away from the keyboard or notepad and entangle us in the details of life. Not that these details are bad. In fact, as a community focused on being On Call in Culture, many of those details are the whole purpose.

But before you get out there and answer the calling that God has put on your life as a dentist, professor, lawyer, scientist, graphic designer or student, you have to know your plan . . . and plans take thinking and processing. That’s where writing can be a helpful exercise. As you write, you can begin to take the ideas you are gleaning from Abraham Kuyper and others who talk about engaging culture through work and get some direction and focus for a much deeper and more meaningful plan that will help you live On Call in Culture.

That is the purpose of our On Call in Culture Blog Contest. By engaging with one of Kuyper’s core ideas, we are hoping that you will be able to process it from where you stand and make some very personal applications to your life and work. It is only as we own these ideas that God can use them to impact our perspective of the Kingdom!

Here are some very practical tips for writing your blog entry. They may seem elementary, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need to get up and go.

  1. Think. Close your eyes and ask, “Where will I write my blog entry?” Pick a place, and think of it as your “thoughtful spot.”
  2. Think. Ask yourself, “What tool(s) will I use to write my entry?” Computer? Pen and paper? Voice recorder? Choose one or more.
  3. Think. Make an appointment. Answer the question, “When will I go to my thoughtful spot and write?”
  4. Think. Do I understand the focus of the entry? Do I have a launching pad idea I can run with? Open a document and write it down. This way, you won’t have a blank sheet of paper to work with when you go to your writing appointment. If you need more information about the focus, visit the contest rules page.
  5. Go! Grab your tool and your idea and go to your thoughtful spot. Take a deep breath and begin to write. 500 words, that’s it! Now send it to [email protected].

We appreciate your time and thoughts and look forward to reading your entry!

Mindy Hirst

Mindy Hirst is co-founder of Generous Mind, a think tank devoted to helping people be generous with their ideas. She is also a founder of the On Call In Culture community.