Writers’ Coaching Corner (March 2024): Anticipate Questions

Writers’ Coaching Corner
Written By Benjamin Vrbicek
“Good writing anticipates questions. ”

This month is the next installment in the third season of the Writers’ Coaching Corner (S3:E3). Each month I take one paragraph from a GCD article to highlight some aspect of what makes for good writing. I’ll point out what made the writing work so well and how we can incorporate more of that writerly goodness into our craft.

This month I use an article by GCD staff writer Tim Shorey called “Christian Displays of Affection” to talk about the principle that good writing anticipates questions.

In the video I play a section of an episode of the Home Row podcast where J.A. Medders interviews Justin Taylor (here). The interview is about a list Taylor compiled of fifteen pieces of writing advice from C.S. Lewis (here). I highlight a recent essay by Jen Pollock Michel called “Why ‘Lone’ Artists Need the Church” where she helpfully anticipates questions. I also mention the book The Christian Writer’s Manual of Style.

You can watch all the Writers’ Coaching Corner videos here.

Benjamin Vrbicek

Benjamin Vrbicek is the lead pastor at Community Evangelical Free Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and the managing editor for Gospel-Centered Discipleship. He and his wife, Brooke, have six children. He earned an M.Div. from Covenant Theological Seminary. Benjamin is the author of Don’t Just Send a Resume and Struggle Against Porn, and coauthor of Blogging for God’s Glory in a Clickbait World. He blogs regularly at Fan and Flame, and you can follow him on Twitter.

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