Best Writerly Advice by Sandi Somers

I thought long and hard about the question of receiving advice for my writing. I knew there wasn’t one piece that stood out and transformed my thinking. Instead, there have been a number along the way. Here is a selection.


Long before I devoted significant time to writing and publishing, I journaled my experiences in Colombia. Then later when beginning to teach ESL, one teacher recommended I journal; it was the best advice I received at that time. These two cross-cultural experiences were some of the most fulfilling of my life. I have kept my journal from Colombia and have referenced it in writing articles. With my ESL journal, I now have binders full of ideas, experiences, and relationships with my students. Such writing gave me practice in fluency and in capturing many significant details which complement my current memories—or have forgotten.

In 2011, I joined InScribe. One article in the FellowScript magazine, “Running on Empty”, by Loreen Guenther, brought to my attention that our mental, physical, and emotional energies can become depleted as we write. Restoring our creativity can be as simple as going for a walk or doing the laundry. I’ve found that once my mind relaxes, ideas often spring to mind. Also, leaving a work for days, weeks, even months or longer, (when possible), gives me a fresh perspective when I return to the work, viewing it with new eyes. (Thank you, Laureen!)

In one particular writers’ workshop, the speaker recommended planning in 12-week segments. While yearly planning helps with longer range goals, so many things can come in to interrupt the process, for example illness, family emergencies, or an unexpected trip. With a shorter timeline, I notice I focus more on what I can reasonably accomplish. I can more easily plan my work and then work my plan.

Valuable advice came from Grace Fox in an InScribe Fall Conference one year. These days, a lot of emphasis is on marketing, more so as we write for independent publishers. Yet the Lord reminded her—and us—that our writing responsibility is to “Feed my sheep”, as Jesus told Peter to do. I learned that as I concentrate on writing messages the Lord gives me, He will direct me to marketing strategies as my writing expands.

In regards to praying for our writing and our readers, I’m often drawn to what Janette Oke said, that she saturates her writing with prayer. She challenged me to pray for the overall purposes of my works-in-progress, and for my daily needs, such as solving a particular issue in what I’m working on. And to pray for my readers. Just yesterday the Lord asked me to envision and pray for as-yet-unknown readers to respond to specific articles.

This brings me to the best advisor of all: The Lord Himself. He gives me specific ideas, ways to develop my writing, time to write, and even nudges when I’m procrastinating. Then there are Scriptures, such as His advice to me to “Launch out into the deep,” which is my verse for the year. He's encouraging me to be bold and expand my horizons in new ways.

Listening and following advice from significant others and the Lord will guide me in fulfilling His purposes for my life and writing. This is my best advice to you, too. Make it yours.

Sandi Somers’ writing passion is to help readers grow their faith in Jesus, including their vision of what God wants them to be and do. She writes in several genres—devotionals, personal essays, and Biblical fiction. Sandi lives in Calgary, Alberta, the delightful city between the Rocky Mountains and the Prairies.

(My apologies for no photos--after my computer returned from being off-line, many of my other features were scrambled or not available. I've been travelling and so haven't been to Best Buy to get things sorted out.)