I get some of my best novel writing ideas while sitting in the pew at church.
Is this a Satanic effort to distract me from the teaching?
Or is my soul going into overload while worshiping and God feels free to speak to my mind with plot ideas?
A lot of times a great idea occurs while I’m singing–usually the praise songs, not the hymns.
(That may be the result of the theological content of hymns versus praise songs. You can argue that on your own).
All I know is, I make use of the convenient little pencils in the pew rack and scribble notes onto my bulletin almost every week.
The picture at the top is a good example of what my bulletin looks like by the time I get home from church every Sunday. (I could plead for my white space in the bulletin, but that feels like cheating).
This particular Sunday included plot points for my current novel, writing ideas for blog posts (five!), a reminder to contact a friend, and Google search information for a subject I’m covering in the story (that came from the sermon).
I scribble them down so I can remember them and continue to worship. One little note, and then I’m back in the service singing with the rest of the congregation. No one knows except the people sitting on either side of me and they’re usually too polite to ask.
Is it rude to scribble plot ideas during church?
Which would be better? A writer struggling to remember that brilliant writing idea and not paying attention, or a writer who scribbles a note, tucks it away, and returns to attention?
Some Sundays I only get a couple ideas.
Other Sundays, the bulletin is in and out of the pew rack so many times, my husband finally notices.
I transcribe when I get home, often expanding the idea and sometimes writing the whole chapter. It’s as if when I release my brain to pay attention to spiritual material, the boys in the basement go into overdrive to come up with writing ideas.
Even when I pray before the service that I would be focused on what God wants me to learn during that day’s service.
Draw your own conclusions.
Do the writing ideas only come when I’m working on spiritual-themed manuscripts?
My spiritual life informs all my writing, so I cannot say for sure. Many times the ideas that come have no connection that I can see with the service I’m attending.
That wasn’t necessarily true when I wrote my spiritual memoir Loving God Without a Label. In that instance, specific songs, seasons of the liturgical year and occasionally sermons, pricked memories from the past. I know where I was when I learned specific songs. Often, I could hear the specific song leader who first sang a praise song, when I replayed it in my mind. That would open my mind to memories of that specific church setting which brought up all sorts of things I might have forgotten otherwise.
Writing ideas as Satanic distractions?
At first I thought Satan might have been behind those distractions, but once I started writing them down –to get them out of my head–I came to see the plot points were more like the fruit of the spirit full of love, joy, peace, gentleness, faithfulness and power. They added to my story, or sent me on a positive rabbit trail to something else.
Since I so often pray that God will illuminate my heart and mind as I worship him, I’ve come to accept novel writing can really start in the church pew. Click to Tweet
Tweetables
Do church services inspire writing ideas? Click to Tweet
Where are you physically, when ideas tend to prick your mind? Click to Tweet
Bonus question: Do you get more writing ideas from praise music or hymns? 🙂 Click to Tweet
One of my siblings who aspired to be an author, used to carry a notebook and pen to church so she could jot down ideas. I get my best ideas at about 2:30 in the morning, when I’m trying to get back to sleep. As a result, most of them never get written down.
As for inspiration from worship music, it would depend on the song or hymn. There is an equal amount of poorly written poetry in either genre, which is never inspiring. Also, as a musician, the melody and harmony can make or break the effect of the words on me.
Better to get the idea on paper while it’s fresh rather than have it ruminating in the mind blocking what God might have for you in the sermon or other songs. As my dad used to say (I think he was quoting someone else): “The dullest pencil is better than the sharpest mind.” In other words, write it down as soon as it comes to you, rather than trying to remember it later.
I like that idea, Peter, especially as the mind gets duller and duller!