Everyone has something to say and share

One of my fondest memories is of the first day I received word that a manuscript submitted to The Christian Science Publishing Society had been accepted for publication. I could hardly believe it! A close friend felt the same way. She volunteered that it proved at least one thing: "If you could do it, anyone could!"

Through the years I've often wondered why many experienced students of Christian Science have never written for the periodicals. But then, recalling my own early concersn about even attempting to submit a testimonial, let alone write an article, it's not so surprising.

With this in mind, here are four basic considerations that continue to be helpful to me whenever I attempt to write. Perhaps some of you will also find them beneficial.

1. What should be the basic motive for writing a religious article?

2. What talents or educational advantages (if any) are needed in order to be published?

3. What is one primary requirement, or ingredient, for a successful manuscript?

4. What is one of the most common mistakes to be alert to?

I'll just touch briefly on each one.

The motive in writing:

A pure motive for writing stems from an unselfish desire and willingness to share one's inner thoughts, convictions, and inspiration regarding a particular subject with others. Interestingly, doing this demands, among other things, honesty and humility. (In my own case, I had much to learn about purifying my motives.)

Talent/education:

A lack of either or both of these might be used as a justification for never making the effort to write. If this sounds like you, then you will be greatly relieved to learn that such justification has no validity! We have Moses' lesson regarding eloquence to prove it! (See Ex. 4:10-12.) So while formal education and obvious talents may prove helpful, they are by no means imperative to success. A sentence from Mrs. Eddy's book The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, substantiates this point: "To do good to all because we love all, and to use in God's service the one talent that we all have, is our only means of adding to that talent and the best way to silence a deep discontent with our shortcomings."

It should become clear that while few may make an actual career of writing, we each have something very special and important to say and to share.

Primary ingredient:

Genuine freshness and originality place high on my list of requirements for every article. I personally have found it important to convey every thought or idea simply and clearly, forgoing the temptation to embellish these spiritual insights beyond recognition. As we stick to these prayer-inspired convictions, what we write has a freshness and newness.

Most common mistake:

In my own case (and I like to think it might not just be me!) a common error is trying to cover too much ground in a single article. Also, there is a great temptation frequently to slide into complicated reasoning, in an effort to explain or substantiate a particular point.

One secret to interesting writing is successfully converting clear and concise thinking to the printed word without getting too "wordy." This demands discipline and considerable editing! (This last point could prove a bit difficult, if you, like me, have a tendency toward "creative conceit." But please don't dismay; a little humility does wonders!

We can be assured that when our motives are pure and we have the courage to share our thoughts honestly and simply, and without concern of being judged naive or simplistic in our writing attempts, we will most certainly be rewarded for having made such unselfish efforts. Happy writing!

—Jack H. Thornton