Jaimie Engle - Writing Your Novel: Using The Bible As Your Guide

The works of fiction and non-fiction mentioned in this book are for reference only. The author does not affiliate with or promote any titles. All Scriptures referenced are from the King James Version

Text copyright 2016 Jaimie Engle

Cover design 2016 Jaimie Engle

Edited by A Writer For Life

The text for this book is set in Fairfield

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction

in whole or in part in any form.

Published in the United States by JME Books,

a division of A Writer For Life, LLC,

Melbourne, FL 32935.

Visit us on the Web: thewriteengle.com

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Summary: A unique approach to writing your novel using the Bible.

ISBN-10: 0-9971709-6-4

ISBN-13: 978-0-9971709-6-2

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2

Cutting-Edge Storytelling with a Supernatural Slant

JME Books

I dedicate this book to students.

May it provide a new way to study the Bible and new technique for writers to emulate.

Introduction

God knows how to write. His associations include the Author of Creation and the Beginning and the End. He wrote the Book of Life and the Bible, notably a worldwide best-seller translated into over 500 languages ( www.wycliffe.net ). Just to compare, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling has been translated into seventy languages. ( www.harrypotter.wikia.com ) There was the time God wrote on the wall at a wedding (Daniel 5). And the time Jesus wrote in the sand and saved an adulteress (John 8). He wrote the Law on tablets for Mosestwo drafts because Moses broke the first editionand Hes written His words on our hearts. God is the master author. So why wouldnt we want to study under Him?

This guide will breakdown Bible stories into their key story elements. It will show basic writing techniques such as character, plot, foreshadow, symbolism, metaphor & simile, setting, theme, and over arcing story line between the chapters. It will also serve as a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, Bible study. As an author who loves God and the Bible, this book states my own observations and connections in an effort to grow in Gods word while growing as a writer.

Chapter One:

In the Beginning

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth.

Talk about great first lines! From page one we jump right into the Creation story. Why? Because our planet, our universe, is the setting for every page of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation; the story of a God who created the perfect place and populated it with amazing creatures and two main characters, a world where they could build a relationship with their Father. But the children misbehaved when an antagonist brought conflict into the story world, and God was forced to banish his beloved before they ate fruit of the tree that would cause Evil to gain control of the realm forever.

Man, I just thought of dozens of storylines that fit that mold. Pinocchio . Legend . Lord of the Rings . Percy Jackson . This is a great plot line to work with, and it really is the string that connects the Bible into a single book. Gods people are constantly misbehaving and following Evil things leading them away from God. Until a hero rises from the dust to face an impending army of darkness, rescue the beloved, and save the day. Ultimately, this hero is seen in Christ on the cross, and thats where the story shifts.

The New Testament stories are not the same as the Old Testament ones. No longer do we see the conflicted people sin and repent; sin and repent. Now, the story focuses on the group whose mission is to spread Gods Word at all costs; do the right thing even unto death. Robin Hood. The Matrix. X-Men . Sure, bad things are still happening in the world, but the heros plight has changed.

The ultimate end is the Return of the Messiah and the defeat of darkness in Revelation. But like any good book, thats not the real ending. After 1,000 years, the Darkness will again be released for a time until Satan and his horde are cast into the Lake of Fire. The End.

The Bible on a whole has a clear beginning, middle, and end. CreationSalvationRebirth. The theme throughout is the Redemption story; the sacrifice and saving of the undeserving us. Its a beautiful illustration that tugs on our heartstrings and moves us emotionally when we see the concept in literature and movies. Why? Because its built into us to need a savior; to know we are helpless and powerless.

Great, timeless stories weave this powerful human truth throughout their plots. Superman. Its A Wonderful Life. Hunger Games . The power of redemption is a wonderful theme to start with when deciding what to write about. My novel Dreadlands incorporates the theme of redemption, even so much as to focus on the shedding of innocent blood in order for life to continue; for survival. My basic story is the Biblical redemption story. But the plot is about a boy who leads his sister across a Norse realm to the city by the sea before shifting wolves leave the Dreadlands on the next full moon. Yup, Viking and werewolves overlaying the skeleton of redemption. This story comes to life in its own world.

In the Beginning focuses a lot on world building. The first thing God does is create a clear time and place for our story to take place in. The story world rules are established. The order of life is stated. And the characters arent introduced until the world is complete.

As a writer, it is crucial that your reader quickly understand the story world. When and where does the story take place? If its speculative fiction, what are the rules or lure of this world? If its historical, what changes alter or prohibit the characters from making the same choices you would make? Many authors begin with dialogue or story problem too quickly, and the reader gets lost, not having been grounded in the story world first. Check out the first paragraph of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins from Scholastic Books. What does the beginning tell us?