The Write Conversation: Encourage and Impact Your Readers When You Write Devotions Using These Tips

by Crystal Bowman

Opportunities for writing devotions are plentiful in the Christian market. Whether you’re writing an online devotion, contributing to a compilation devotional book, or writing an entire book of devotions, here are some basic things to keep in mind.

8 Things to Remember When Writing Devotions

1. Know your target audience. This is true for all writing, but especially for writing devotions. Is your audience made up of young moms, women of all ages, both men and women, just men, teenagers, or kids? Some devotionals have a broader audience, whereas some have a narrower audience like devotions for teachers, dads, grandparents, and even golfers. The list is endless! And besides knowing your audience you need to be equipped to write for that audience. Since I do not play golf, that would not be a topic I would tackle!

2. Begin with something that will make the reader keep reading. A short personal or interesting story will set the stage for the message you want to convey. Stories are what we remember most—and Jesus often used stories in His teaching. This is your opportunity to grab the attention of your readers, so start strong.

3. Carefully weave in a verse or an excerpt from the Bible that ties in with your story. Be sure to understand the context of the scripture so it supports your message and doesn’t feel forced. For example, Luke 11:9 (NIV) Jesus says, “So I say to you: ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

4. If you keep reading, in verse 13 Jesus says, “. . . how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” This passage is talking about asking for the Holy Spirit, not a beach house in Malibu.

5. Stick to one main topic. Devotions need to be focused on one main message for your readers. If you’re talking about God’s grace, then keep it about grace. If you’re writing about how God reveals Himself in creation, stay on that train of thought. Trying to pack too much into one devotion leaves the reader confused and waters down your message.

6. Avoid being preachy. I’ve had several people tell me I should have been a preacher and those comments were usually not meant to be a compliment! I have strong convictions and tend to voice my opinion freely. In the devotions we write, we don’t want to come across as preachy or judgmental. A tip that has helped me is to use the pronoun we rather than you when I want to encourage spiritual growth or conviction in my readers. For example, rather than saying: “When you worry too much, it can steal your joy,” say: “When we worry too much, it can steal our joy.” That minor change makes a big difference because you are including yourself in your message rather than directing it only toward the reader.

7. Conclude with hope and avoid making promises. Wrapping up your devotion takes some skill. Just like you want a strong beginning, you also want to end strong. The conclusion should only be a sentence or two, but it needs to drive the point of your message and leave the reader with a solid takeaway. Offer something that will give hope and encouragement to your readers, but don’t make empty promises. For example, rather than: “When you give your worries to God you will have a great day,” you could say: “Give your worries to God, and ask Him to give you peace and strength to get through this day.”

8. Remember to cite Bible versions as you write. When you use a Bible verse or passage from Scripture, be sure to include the abbreviations for the version you are using so you don’t have to go back and look it up. Your editor will thank you

Learning how to write a good devotion takes practice—just like any other writing we do. If you find opportunities to write devotions, it can be a steppingstone in your writing journey. More importantly, it’s an opportunity to help others grow in their faith and to know God more. And that’s a good reason to keep writing!

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Encourage and Impact Your Readers When You Write Devotions Using These Tips from Crystal Bowman on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Crystal Bowman is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 100 books for children and four nonfiction books for women. She also writes lyrics for children’s piano music and is a monthly contributor to Clubhouse Jr. Magazine. She loves going to schools to teach kids about poetry. She also speaks at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) groups and teaches workshops at writers’ conferences. When she is not writing or speaking, she enjoys going for walks, working out at the gym, and eating ice cream. She and her husband live in Michigan and have seven huggable grandkids.