5 Key Connections to Make When Writing Devotionals
Connections. That’s the key. If you want to write bestselling devotionals that touch readers’ lives, remember to include these 5 key connections:
connection with your audience,connection with your own experiences,connection with life’s realities,connection through conversation,and, most importantly, connection with God.
Before we dive into those connections, let’s first do a bit of clarification on the terms devotional and devotion.
A devotional is a collection of short, faith-based essays that center around a particular theme, such as exploring the wonders of God’s creation, surviving the craziness that can be Christmas, or seeking out God’s presence in the everyday moments of life. Each individual devotion within the devotional should tie back to that theme.
Now, let’s talk about those connections.
Connection With Your Audience
I like to begin my devotions with a “hook” that snags the reader’s attention. It might be a question, like “Have you ever wondered … ?” Or it could a common feeling or problem, something we all share, such as “I must confess that sometimes I feel served out …” Or, especially with kids, I might begin with an interesting fact that makes them want to read more. Something like, “People said it couldn’t be done. But astronomers have done it. They’ve photographed a black hole!” Whether it’s through curiosity or a shared experience, this hook should serve as a connection between your topic and your target audience.
Of course, before you can connect with your target audience, you need to know who they are. What are their interests, their needs, their worries and fears? That means spending time with them—whether they’re parents, young adults, older believers, or kids.
So, go where they go. Listen and observe. Pay attention to the way they talk, the words they use, and the topics that regularly pop up in their conversations. Read what they read. Watch what they watch. Check out the music and podcasts they enjoy.
Use these observations to shape the overall theme of your devotional and to drive topics of the devotions within it.
Connection With Your Own Experiences
After the initial “hook,” it’s time to share more. Depending on the type of devotion you’re writing, that may mean more facts, more information, or more of your own story.
It’s that last one—sharing more of your own story—that I’ve found to be particularly effective in establishing a connection with readers. Not only does it create an instant and empathetic connection, but it also helps readers trust you and your conclusions.
This is the time to be vulnerable. Be honest about your struggles, mess-ups, and mistakes. Connect them to a story or passage from the Bible. Use a little humor, if it’s appropriate. Above all, don’t pretend to be perfect. None of us have it all figured out, and there are few things more annoying than someone who pretends they do. Keep an honest, open, we’re-all-in-this-together attitude, and your writing will resonate with readers.
Check out Tama Fortner’s Everyday Joys Devotional here:
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Connection With Life’s Realities
Throughout your devotion, remember that faith doesn’t exist in a vacuum and your writing shouldn’t pretend that it does. Real faith is lived out in real lives that are filled with challenges, setbacks, and pitfalls. So, how does what you’re writing apply to the reader’s life? What is the takeaway? What is the one thing your reader can do today that will make a difference—big or small—in their life and in their faith?
Don’t be afraid to admit that living a life of faith doesn’t come with any guarantees of a trouble-free life. But lead your readers to the hope and promises of the God who is always with them through it all.
Connection Through Conversation
The way you share your message is just as important as the message you share.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t really like being told what to do. My stubborn streak tends to tug me in the opposite direction, and I suspect that’s a far more common reaction than we might like to admit.
What does that have to do with devotion writing? Don’t preach. A devotion isn’t an academic piece to prove your point. It isn’t a lesson on how to be spiritually or morally superior. And this isn’t the time for fancy words or high-brow language. Instead, shape your writing to be like a conversation between friends. Come alongside your reader and explore the topic together.
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Connection With God
Though this is the last of the connections listed here, the connection with God and His Word should be first and last and all throughout our devotional writings. It should be the foundation upon which everything else is written. Include a key verse and offer a prayer at the end. For bonus points, include questions that encourage your readers to dig a little deeper.
A few last thoughts:
The brevity of a devotion demands your best writing. You have only a few words—often only 250 to 800—to make all these connections. I recommend pouring all your thoughts out onto the page and praying over them. Then edit, edit, edit. Ruthlessly.Be wary of “church speak.” Terms and phrases such as “repent,” “shine your light,” and “walk with Jesus” can easily creep into your writing. Remember that not everyone is going to understand these terms, especially children and newer believers. If you do use a little church speak, be sure to explain it with context or examples.If you’re writing for children, do a little digging into what they’re able to understand at the different cognitive and age levels. Chances are, your writing is going to need to be much more concrete than you think.
While our words should never be a replacement for God’s Word, we can use our devotionals to encourage readers to turn to His Word. This is both a wonderful privilege and a huge responsibility. So, do your research. Make sure you’re accurately reflecting God’s Word, character, and message in your writing. Pray over your work, beginning to end. And be sure to check those connections.