When tragedy strikes, when others suffer the unimaginable, when images of those who suffer flash on our screens, with headlines blaring moment-by-moment updates, how do we keep the distraction from upending our writing schedules? How do we focus on our word counts? How do we shut out the noise? Perhaps we don’t.

 

As writers who are also Christians, I propose we choose to . . .

 

Pause.

 

Pray.

 

And love.

 

We choose to set aside what seemed so important before the tragedy struck. We choose to shuffle priorities and set our focus on those who suffer. We choose to enter into the pain of our neighbors, wherever they reside in the world. We choose to walk alongside our brothers and sisters, offering them our presence through prayer. We choose to give whatever we can, both tangible and intangible, to those who suffer.

 

We make hard choices.

 

I confess that when tragedy strikes, when earthquakes rock nations half a world away, I want to turn away. I want to turn off my screens. I want to keep my head down and my mind focused on my tasks.

 

I want to harden my heart to the unfathomable, unimaginable, impossible pain.

 

But I am both a writer and a Christian. My call to follow Christ outweighs all other calls on my life. As a follower of Christ, I am called to love.

 

We are called to love.

 

As I felt myself turning away from the unfathomable tragedy in Turkey and Syria, turning away from unimaginable pain, from suffering I couldn’t possibly soothe, the gentle but firm voice of the Spirit within whispered, Remember.

 

In 2003, after years of honing my writing skills and seeking guidance from God about what to write, I sold my written work. Discipleship Journal Magazine purchased and published my 2,000-word article titled “Choosing Heartbreak.”

 

I was thrilled to have made my first sale, to hold my first published piece in my hand. I believed and still believe that the article offered an important plea to Christians to keep our eyes and hearts open to those who suffer.

 

Twenty years later, the message of that first published piece remains with me, especially at times when I find myself choosing anything but standing with those who suffer, times when I want nothing more than to protect my own heart. My own desires. My own plans.

 

Instead of protecting myself, I will choose heartbreak.

 

As one who writes for writers who are also Christians, I ask you, I plead with you, to choose heartbreak. Choose to pause for a moment, a month, or however long the Spirit leads you to pause, as you open your eyes and your heart to those who have lost so much, those who have lost everything. Pause. Pray. Love.

 

Some of you will love through your written words.

 

Some of you will love in other ways.

 

Let’s pause. Pray. And love.

 

Together.

 

Always.

Yesterday, I spent a rare day with my brilliant younger brother. Although the circumstances weren’t ideal—we’d come together to support our 80-year-old mother, who underwent major surgery—the conversation was rich.

 

Over the nearly 15 hours we spent together, our conversation spanned a wide range of topics, including books we’ve read, movies and television series we’ve seen, and our mutual love of dogs, although we were raised in a dogless home.

 

When the discussion of dogs piggybacked the discussion of books and movies, my brother asked, “Do you check Does the Dog Die before you watch or read something?”

 

“Huh?”

 

He explained that doesthedogdie.com is a crowdsourced website alerting readers and movie and television viewers to projects that include cruelty to or the death of an animal. It seems my stoic brother refuses to read or watch anything without first checking the site to ensure he isn’t disturbed by or supportive of a project that depicts harm to an animal.

 

If you’re an animal lover, doesthedogdie.com may be a tool you’ll want to check out.

 

If you’re a writer who includes the death of an animal in your story, be forewarned: no matter how tender the scene, your work may be flagged on doesthedogdie.com.

 

In addition to flagging projects that depict harm to animals, the site includes 110+ categories of emotional story trauma. It’s a site worth exploring.

Everywhere I’ve turned over the last few months, it seems someone has written about or is talking about ChatGPT, a tool created by a company invested in the creation and use of artificial intelligence, also known as AI. The tool, accessed through the ChatGPT website, allows users to type prompts and receive feedback from an AI bot.

 

The bot can perform a number of functions, including creating content on given topics, which writers may find useful or disturbing. Will AI eventually render writers irrelevant?

 

The development of AI offers plenty of concerning possibilities which are debated well in online forums.

 

Because of the buzz surrounding the topic of ChatGPT, especially in the writing world, I decided to test the bot’s capability for content creation and offer you brief samples of its work.

 

Because I create content for writers, I asked the bot to write a post on ways to attract fiction readers to an email list. Here is the result:

There are several ways to attract fiction readers to your email list:

 

Offer a free incentive: Offer something of value, such as a free short story, ebook, or a discount on your next book, in exchange for signing up to your email list.

 

Promote your list on your website and social media: Make sure to prominently display your email sign-up form on your website and promote it on your social media channels.

 

Engage with your audience: Respond to comments and messages, and actively participate in online communities related to your book's genre. This will help build a relationship with your readers and encourage them to sign up for your email list.

 

Provide exclusive content: Offer your email subscribers exclusive content, such as sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes information, or early access to new releases.

 

Collaborate with other authors: Partner with other authors in your genre to cross-promote each other's email lists.

 

Host giveaways and contests: Host giveaways and contests for your email subscribers, such as signed books, merchandise, or even a character named after them in your next book.

 

Segment your list: Segment your email list based on interests, reading habits, and purchasing history, so you can tailor your email campaigns to each group and provide more targeted and relevant content.

Next, I asked the bot to write a devotional on John 3:16.

John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible and holds a message of hope and love for all people. The verse says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

 

As believers in Christ, we are called to reflect on the immense love that God has for us, as demonstrated by sending his Son to die for our sins. This act of love and sacrifice shows us the depth of God's commitment to us and his desire for us to have eternal life with him.

 

When we think about the significance of John 3:16, it can be helpful to reflect on the following questions:

 

 

As we take time to reflect on the love of God expressed in John 3:16, we can be encouraged to live our lives with a sense of purpose, knowing that we are loved and valued by a God who desires the best for us. And as we continue to grow in our faith, we can be bold in sharing the message of hope and love found in this verse with those around us.

 

Let us be grateful for the love of God expressed in John 3:16 and may it inspire us to live our lives in a way that reflects his love to those around us.

In both instances, the bot provided the information requested. What’s missing, I think, is the human connection. An author’s unique voice and experiences help readers connect with a written piece. The author’s voice, made more credible by the author’s experiences, may instill a sense of trust.