Writing tips from the shortest
verse in the Bible.

"Jesus wept." (John 11:35)

1. Put Jesus first.
2. Omit needless words.
3. Use simple, direct language.
4. Use definite, specific, concrete words.

5. Sentences containing mostly single-syllable words are OK.
6. Don't tell -- show.
7. Write in the active voice.
8. Write with nouns and verbs.

9. Make your characters human.
10. Make your characters memorable.
11. Even a two-word sentence can last 2,000 years.

Writing tips from John the Baptist.

Matthew Chapter 3

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his
meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them,
O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that
God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth
good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I,
whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the
garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all
righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

His preaching was simple.

1. He spoke with words of mostly one syllable (Matthew 3:7 and following)
2. He spoke with few words
3. He began his sentences with strong verbs:

repent (2)

prepare (3)

make (3)

bring forth (8), and

behold (from John's gospel).

LESSON
John the Baptist began his sentences with verbs because he was a walking, talking verb himself.

His preaching was memorable.

1. He used repetition.

Repentance (v2, 8,11)

Running metaphor of useful crops (fruit, trees, wheat)

Coming judgment (wrath to come, unquenchable fire)

2. He said the same thing in different ways.

John knew that not everyone understands everything you say in just the way you say it, but they eventually understand you if you say the same thing in different ways. Example: He referred to God's coming judgment in three ways:

The wrath to come

Unfruitful trees being cut down and cast into the fire

Wheat and chaff being separated, and the chaff being burnt

3. He used figures of speech.

Biblical figures of speech ("Kingdom of heaven")

Common figures of speech ("At hand")

Rural figures of speech ("fruits meet for repentance"; "axe is laid unto the root of the trees";
"unfruitful trees cast into the fire"; "extended metaphor about sifting wheat")

Social figures of speech ("Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear")

Extemporaneous figures of speech (He used these in the desert: "Generation of vipers"; "God is able of these stones")

LESSON
Figures of speech stick in our minds. The more novel and fresh they are, the better.

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