What Every Writer Could Learn from the Bible

This article is not meant to cause an uproar of any religious sort. In my personal opinion, the Bible is the greatest piece of literature every written. Even if you do not believe what it says is true (which I do), you still have to admit that it is one of the greatest writings of all time. It lasted centuries and it the most sold book. So, what can an aspiring writer learn from the great writings of the Bible?

Even Your Hero Should Have A Flaw: Every hero in the Bible has a flaw. King David defeated a giant named Goliath, yet he could not stay out of bed with Bathsheba. Moses was given the opportunity to lead the Israelites into the promise land and many other great things. However, he was afraid at first, so he had to share his job with his brother, Aaron. Secondly, he had a bit of a tude problem and never even got to see the promise land he had been waiting to see for decades. Giving your characters a flaw will make them appear more human like. Your readers are more likely to identify with someone imperfect because that is how they are. The flaw does not have to be major. Just something that will hinder them from their goal so that they will have to find another way of reaching the goal. This makes the story more interesting in the long run. This has been a success in many classic stories today, from Shakespeare to Spider Man. However, try not to make the whole "hero with a flaw to overcome" too cliché in your story. It may be overplayed, but if done in the right way, no one will notice.

Speak With Authority: Another thing the Bible is famous for is speaking with authority. It makes some pretty bold statements all throughout the book. (Again, not looking for a religious uproar.) As a writer, people will not take you seriously if you write like this, "The best way to earn money through blogging, I think is probably to build up a reader base, that is if you want, I am sure there are other ways." You need to write like you snap your fingers. Quick and to the point. Do not doubt your writing. If you doubt your writing, then why should others even read it!? If you know a subject well, then let your readers know it. If you do not know a subject so well, research it and quote someone a little smarter than you.

Show Yourself In Every Word: These are my beliefs. I believe that God inspired every Word of the Bible and that if anyone reads the Bible, they will be able to see a part of God's personality. You do not have to believe it, but it is a good writing lesson. Even in the book of Esther, God is not mentioned once. However, if you read Esther in accordance to the rest of the Bible, you will see that it all pertains to Him. So the point is to keep every writing true to yourself. Allow your personality to be shown in everything you write, whether it is a sports article or mystery novel. The most passionate writers metaphorically write with their own blood. Do not let the fear of rejection or criticism keep you from pouring yourself out onto paper or keyboard.