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Why I Haven’t Blogged…….and Why I’m Starting To

June 17, 2010 in Misc, Writing with 2 Comments

Brian recently wrote about why he is a consistent and good blogger.  I, on the other hand, had never written a blog till about two months ago.  Working for Marc has forced me into this entire new realm of words and thoughts.  To be honest, I’m not comfortable here and am still learning the ropes, trying to find my way around.  After reading Brian’s post, I was reassured that some of the things I have been thinking were not unique to myself and wanted to write a post for those of you who may want to blog, but feel hesitant.  The difficulty for me is three fold:

  1. Feeling like I don’t have anything to say.  As I began to read different posts (and there is not shortage of people writing) I felt like everything I wanted to write about was already being said, and was being said better than I could put it myself.  You can find a blog for pretty much anything you want.  I wasn’t sure that I had anything to contribute to the literally millions of conversations going on.
  2. Fear that what I type would be shredded/ridiculed by those able to write/argue more readily than myself.  Welcome to the world of Academic Theologizing.  You needed to be able to articulate what you think, and then be just as able to back it up.  I thought that when I blogged I was stepping into the boxing ring with thousands of other fighters who were more learned and experienced than I was and would quickly tear down any arguments or views I would take.  I didn’t want to be treated like Arius!
  3. Time!  I honestly thought, “Who has time for this stuff?”  I am not a fast writer.  It takes me hours to get my thoughts out sometimes.  I saw no way that I could engage meaningfully or consistently in this community.

However, what I’ve learned is also three fold:

  1. I don’t know if I have anything worthwhile to say until I say it sometimes.  I know Proverbs says that it’s better to have others consider you a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt, but I need to get things out.  I’ve found that blogging is helping me to process my thoughts just like Brian said in his previous post.  In this sense, blogging is starting to become more about what it helps me to process through, than how it contributes to others.
  2. If I am shredded by someone who argues better than me, it doesn’t mean that they have a better argument, it may mean that I just need to man UP, think more critically about my response, and take another shot.  If I can’t defend coherently what I’m saying, I don’t need to be saying it.  (Read this quote by Austin Farrer)  I’ve also found that when I blog, I don’t always agree with what I write.  Listening to myself through the avenue of writing, and listening to what others have to say when they push back, has been invaluable.  The trick here is being humble enough to accept criticism when you’re wrong and bold enough to assert truth when you’re right.
  3. I have to make time!  This is where Brian hit the nail on the head.  Writing my thoughts out helps me process them and is making me a better writer.  Writing has never been my strong point and the ironic thing about writing, is that the only way to get better at it is simply to do it.  So, I’m slowly becoming better at writing (and if you’ve found grammar errors in this blog you know how slow it is) and I’m also writing faster.

If I think of other things that might help timid bloggers like myself, I’ll post them as they come up.

Why I Blog: Write It Down

June 15, 2010 in Misc, Writing with 2 Comments

Marc Cortez asked if I wouldn’t mind posting more material on this blog than usual for the week since he is traveling. There is a subject that I am addressing on my own blog that I thought I would repost here for my fellow ThM classmates. I want to blog about blogging.
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About a week ago someone asked me why I blog. I have intended on writing on this subject since last December when I considered the possibility of quitting altogether. As you can tell by this very post I decided to keep going. Blogging has become an important part of the way that I process things. One could even call it a discipline.

I began blogging toward the end of 2004. I briefly quit only to resume in May of 2005. The archives of my blog go that far back. Now that I have been doing this for a half decade I can understand its value. Over the next several days I will explain what I mean.

The foremost reason that I blog is simple. It is good to write things down. Some do this by way of journaling. Every time I have tried to journal I get a couple pages into it before quitting. For whatever reason blogging is a more convenient method.

In Thinking on Paper authors V.A. Howard and J.H. Barton argue that one of the best ways to assist the mind in processing thoughts is to put whatever you are thinking about into writing. The process of writing makes you think deeply about your own thoughts. It is like backing up the data of your mind in case you forget it later. Writing is an act in preserving transitory thoughts.

 A lot of bloggers quit because they think a blog post needs to be polished like a term paper. This is not so. In fact, Howard and Barton argue that when writing a paper (or a blog post I will add) it is better to write a disorganized rough draft than it is to try to present a perfect product. Those who try to create a presentable paper on the first attempt are often those who struggle with so-called “writer’s block”. They sit there thinking too much about how to write something rather than actually writing. The goal is to write and edit later.

Blogging can function as a rough draft for hundreds and hundreds of thoughts. The aformentioned authors suggest writing for yourself before you write for the public. Blogs blur this line a bit since what you write for yourself is automatically made public but there is still a principle to be maintained. Blog for yourself first. Blog as a means of taking notes, processing thoughts, and saving new ideas before you forget them.

Blogging does not need to be stylish. In fact, blogging doesn’t even need to be for the sake of being read by others. If this happens, great. If not, so what? If people comment on your blog post giving you feedback this is wondeful because it provides a sort of learning community (a topic which I will soon address) but if you never find this community you cannot go wrong putting your thoughts into written (i.e. typed) words.

So this is the first reason that I blog. I blog because I like to write. I write because I like to process my thoughts on “paper” which is a good way to find out what is being stored in your mind to which you might not otherwise have access. I want to uncover this thought-material in order to see if anything substantial comes from it. If not, at least it wasn’t lost before it could be examined!

Reposted from here.

Help, I need a title

June 9, 2010 in Writing with 0 Comments

I need a title. I’m working on putting together a formal proposal for the book, but I don’t have a title yet. And, to be honest, I hate coming up with titles. So, I’m asking for suggestions.

By now, you’re probably aware that the idea behind the book is to provide a fresh re-telling of the Gospel, emphasizing the biblical narrative within which the Gospel makes sense (and only then) and using a number of different literary devices and analogies to unpack the story further. If you haven’t been around, I’ve posted a few excerpts on the blog here, here, and earlier today here. Hopefully that’s enough to give you a feel for the book.

I’ve toyed with the idea of using something like “Oh Please, Not the Gospel Again!” I could intro the book by talking about the way we often respond when we hear that the pastor is going to preach on the Gospel that day. That would set up a discussion of why we often find the Gospel boring and what we can do about it. I want to be careful that I’m not implying that I’m going to make the Gospel interesting through my nifty stories (the Gospel is “interesting” all by itself). But, I do want to lead into the idea that we need fresh re-tellings of the Gospel so that we catch it in new lights.

But, that’s just an idea, and I’m looking for more. I also considered “Sydzilla vs. Mole Rat: A Gospel Smack Down,” but I discarded that. (Maybe I’ll post the Sydzilla bit next so you can have some idea of what I’m talking about.) Any other suggestions?

Tips for the ThM – Part 14 (good quotes)

June 3, 2010 in Th.M. Program, Writing with 3 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve written on Tips for the ThM (you can see a roundup of the first 11 here). Today I’d like to comment on something that most students do frequently and, on occasion, badly – quoting.

Here’s a principle that you should always keep in mind when quoting: the quote should have a clear purpose. Your reader should not be left with the impression that you used a quote simply because you had an interesting quote and you needed something to do with it.

So, what are some of the purposes that a quote can serve?

  1. You want to demonstrate that your arguments/ideas have support in the academic community. There are times, particularly when you are offering a new, unusual, or unfamiliar argument, when you will want to establish that you are not completely on your own. So,  you’ll appeal to another authority to prove that you have support. Quotations like this do not advance your argument in any way (more on this in a moment), but they can provide some needed credibility to keep your reader on board with what you’re doing.
  2. You need to establish an idea that you want to use in your argument, but one that you will not be establishing yourself. For example, suppose that I’m writing a paper on Augustine’s epistemology and I believe it to be reasonably well established that his epistemology is essentially neoplatonic. Since I think this is well established, I don’t want to waste my time arguing for it. Instead, I’ll quote a recognized authority to establish that this is the case, and then move on to what my argument is about. Of course, in doing so I set myself up to the possibility that someone will disagree on whether this is actually a well-established point, but such is life.
  3. You are providing material for critique. If you are going to go into an extended discussion of why someone is wrong, you will usually want to offer enough of a quote to establish that he or she actually holds the position that you are critiquing.
  4. Similarly, you need to establish that a person actually did say what you claim. If I’m going to claim that Calvin taught an unlimited atonement, I had better be able to demonstrate some ground for that claim. Having said that, though, you need to be careful with this one. Students often overuse quotes in this category, particularly in historical papers. A summary of a person’s ideas and/or a simple reference will usually suffice. Typically, you only need to offer more if your claim is surprising and more than a simple reference seems warranted. Otherwise, unless you have some other purpose for the quote, leave it out.
  5. You found someone saying exactly what you want to say, but they said it much better than you can. Use this one very sparingly. Don’t use quotes as a way of letting someone else do your work for you. You’re the author and you need to make the argument in your own voice or the argument will not be compelling to your reader. Granted, you will occasionally find that truly outstanding quote that provides just the right rhetorical flourish for what you want to accomplish. Fine. Use it. Just don’t do it very often.

With those purposes in mind, here are some of the mistakes that I often run into:

  1. Quotes that have no clear purpose. Again, know what you’re doing with your quote and how it advances/supports your argument. And, I’d put in this same category quotes that are really unnecessary because a simple reference would have sufficed.
  2. Quotes that are too long. There are times when an exceptionally long quote is necessary (e.g. you are going to interact with the whole quote in an extended critique). But I find that it is usually more effective to provide a good summary that bog the reader down with an extended quote. So, before you use a long quote, make sure that the entire quote has a good purpose to serve.
  3. Quotes that serve to shortcut good argumentation. This is among the more common and frustrating problems (in all kinds of writing). Quotation is not a replacement for argumentation. As I mentioned above, you can use a quote to demonstrate that you have supporters, and a good quote can establish and idea that you’ll use in your argument, but a quote cannot prove that you are right. You have to establish that through the course of your argument.
  4. And, finally, quotes that seem to be there just for the sake of quoting. I think we do this for three reasons. First, we’ve done a lot of research and we hate to see it go to waste. So, we’re going to find a place to stick all those quotes if it kills us. Second, we think we need a lot of quotes to prove that we’ve done our research. Third, we quote to show off (i.e. see how much I’ve read). And, none of them are necessary. In academic writing, you do need to establish that you’ve done adequate research, but that’s why God made footnotes. And, you don’t need to stick every last bit of research into your paper. Do enough to show that you’ve done your homework, and trust that the quality of your research will come across in the quality of your argument. And we all need to stop showing off. We should just recognize that we have not now nor will we ever have read as much as we think we should or as much as we think other people have.

How to be a better writer

June 2, 2010 in Writing with 0 Comments

“Read until your brain creaks.” At least, that’s the advice that Douglas Wilson offers those wanting to be better writers (HT Justin Taylor). Unpacking this a little, he says:

Read. Read constantly. Read the kind of stuff you wish you could write. Read until your brain creaks. Tolkien said that his ideas sprang up from the leaf mold of his mind. These are the trees where the leaves come from.

He then goes on to offer the following seven points.

  1. The first thing is that writers should in fact be voracious readers.
  2. Read widely. Reading shapes your voice, and if you want a wide, experienced voice, you have to get out more.
  3. Read like a reader, and not like someone cramming for a test.
  4. Read like a lover of books, and not like someone who wants to be seen as knowledgable, or well-read, or scholarly.
  5. Pace yourself in your reading. A little bit every day really adds up.
  6. As a general pattern, read quality, and go slumming occasionally to remind yourself why quality matters, and what quality is.
  7. Read boring books on writing mechanics.

First, amen.

Second, a big amen to #2. I realize that this is difficult if you’re in school, or if you have a family, or a job, or a life of any kind. But try to do it anyway. (Note to those of you who are students – there won’t be more time later; there never is.)

Third, I’d add one more. Find someone who writes the way you want to and start reading everything they’ve written. Unless it’s Augustine. That would take too long.

Fourth, without question, #4 is the one that I have the hardest time with. Part of it is, of course, theological pride. But, there’s more to it than that. For some reason, I can sit back and relish a book written by Marilynne Robinson, but many theology books I’ll just skim for things that look important. (Granted, this may be because of how theology books are often written.) Nonetheless, I have a hard time giving myself permission just to enjoy a good theology book. The “tyranny of the urgent” and all that. Tomorrow morning I’m going to grab a well-written theology book and just soak in it for a while.

Writing tips

May 15, 2010 in Writing with 0 Comments

Jesus Creed posted a short list of writing tips from George Orwell that I thought you might find helpful. They’re pretty standard tips, but it’s always worth a quick reminder.

  • Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
  • Never use a long word where a short one will do.
  • If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
  • Never use the passive where you can use the active.
  • Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
  • Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

Myths about writing

May 12, 2010 in Writing with 3 Comments

I mentioned a while back that I was thinking about a series of posts on writing. But, why bother if someone else will do the job for you – and do it quite well. Peg Boyle Single has written the first two parts of a four-part series on writing. Here are the highlights so far.

In part 1 she debunks two prominent myths about writing:

  • Myth 1: Writing can only occur in large blocks of time. The truth – you need to write small chunks regularly. Develop a writing schedule.
  • Myth 2: Writing can wait until motivation washes over you. The truth – good writing requires discipline more than inspiration. (If you want to read more on this point, Stephen King’s On Writing is an excellent resource.)

Part 2 focuses on making two points:

  • Anyone who wants to be really good at something has to engage in “deliberative practice” – i.e. doing something every day for extended periods of time. She connects this to writing by arguing (again) for the importance of a regular writing routine. And, she cites some research suggesting that such deliberative practice actually has measurable cognitive benefits.
  • Good writers focus on global ideas rather than particular details. She argues (King is good on this point as well), that a good writer pays more attention to the overall shape of an argument and the ideas being expressed than on the particular words and sentences used to communicate those ideas. She suggests that this can be a good solution for all that latent perfectionism that drives us to spend way too much time trying to craft the perfect sentence.

I’ll pass along the next two once she’s written them.

What exactly is an acquisitions editor and who would want to know?

May 5, 2010 in Uncategorized, Writing with 0 Comments

I’ve been toying with the idea of posting some comments on writing, and I may still do that. But, there’s another side to the writing process that some of you may find interesting – actually publishing a book. And, Matt Mikalatos has posted a helpful interview with the book acquisitions editor he worked with on his book, Imaginary Jesus. So, if you’d like to peek behind the curtain into the world of publishing, check it out.

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