Writers write. That’s the bottom line.
Last week, I wrote the fewest days of any week so far in 2018. I just didn’t get to it last Sunday, and then this past weekend I was in a wedding (which was wonderful), and that demanded most of my time. Still, even with only four days of actual writing, they were pretty solid. I focused on my writing for Christianity Today last week, particularly related to two stories: one about Iranian refugees promised entrance into the US, but not denied it, and another about Jerusalem’s shocking, $186 million tax surprise for the city’s churches. Both of these are fascinating stories. The Jerusalem story actually resulted in the temporary closure of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the most famous sites in the Holy Land, which resulted in Jerusalem postponing and reconsidering its strategy. I also worked on some blog projects about Billy Graham, innate knowledge, and the gift of writing. Check out the new words and please share!
Words Per Day
Sunday, February 18: 0 words
Monday, February 19: 1,662 words (journalism)
Tuesday, February 20: 1,507 words (blog)
Wednesday, February 21: 2,126 words (blog and journalism)
Thursday, February 22: 1,444 words (blog and journalism)
Friday, February 23: 0 words
Saturday, February 24: 0 words
Week 8 (Feb. 18 – Feb. 24) Totals
Last week, I wrote 6,739 words and spent about 7 hours writing, averaging 998 words per hour.
2018 Totals
Since the beginning of 2018, I’ve written about 59,000 words and spent approximately 41 and a half hours writing.
Published Writing From Last Week
Neither Slave Nor Free, Legal Resident Nor Refugee – Here is a little exploration into what it means to be a sojourner or refugee in scripture. I also delve into the cultural and political distinctions we make between different kinds of strangers; some of them far more neutral than others. “Before we make any other separations, this is the vital starting point. In the family of Christians, there is neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free—we are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28). And in the broader family of humanity, there is neither insider nor outsider, neither legal resident nor refugee—we are all one in the image of God (Gen. 1:27).”
Billy Graham’s Regret – After Billy Graham’s death last Wednesday, there was so much information out there so quickly, it was hard to know where to look. Christianity Today, a publication that Graham actually founded, had perhaps the most comprehensive coverage. One of the stories I found most interesting was about what Graham said, in his own words, he would have done differently in his life and ministry. It’s intriguing to think about what such a man of profound cultural, political, and spiritual power says he would change.
US Puts Scores of Iranian Christians at Risk of Persecution – I wrote this for Christianity Today. It’s a humbling, troubling story about the US’s promise to welcome more than 100 Iranian refugees, and then the breaking of that promise. The Iranians have been in limbo in Austria–the layover point–for more than a year, waiting for the go-ahead of the final leg of their journey to family and greater freedom in the United States. That go-ahead was delayed and delayed and delayed, and was finally denied as the US said it will not take them anymore.
The Writer Is ________ – This is a simple little piece (maybe even a poem) about the grand freedom and power of writing.
Writing Tracker – Week 6 (Feb. 4 – Feb. 10) – Follow along as I track progress toward my writing goals. Here’s an update from the sixth week of the year.
Here’s What’s Coming Up
In the near future, I’m planning to write more in my series about the Kardashev Scale, which I’ve been steadily plugging away at, and how it might come into contact with the Kingdom of God. I’m also working on pieces about sharing one’s testimony (and how to do it with different audiences); what the gig economy might mean for Christians specifically; and I may return to my piece about a movie on Netflix I watched with my wife called “The Heart of Man.”
Why Sharing Your Goals Is Important
Accountability: Because my writing goals for 2018 are to 1) post at least twice per week on this blog and 2) publish a book online, I know that I need to hold myself accountable and be held accountable by others. Making my writing statistics is one way for me to do that. With my writing production out in the open, others can see if I’m keeping up. If I’m not, they can give me the necessary encouragement/kick. Posting my stats also keeps me personally motivated. I don’t want to be embarrassed by falling behind my goals in public!
Inspiration: Assuming I can maintain my writing production at a level I’m satisfied with, I hope it will be an inspiration to other writers. I work full-time and have a number of ongoing commitments, but because writing is important to me, I make the time. You can too. Even 15-minute writing sprints over the course of weeks and months really adds up.
Data Tracking: I love seeing trends in data almost as much as I love writing. Amateur data analysis is incredibly easy today, and I love to see my numbers crunched. It’s fun and fascinating, but it also helps me write. Tracking my writing means I know how much I can write per genre, per hours; I know my pace; I know how much time I’m actually dedicating to writing; and I can see how my writing accumulates and improves over time.
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