Author's Purpose

And whatever you do, do it heartily, 

as to the Lord and not to men,

knowing that from the Lord you will

 receive the reward of the inheritance...

Colossians 3:23-24

This week in my Writing class, I discussed what is meant by Author's Purpose in writing.

We read the short story, "Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin. But before we discussed Author's Purpose, I explained a little bit about the author...

Kate Chopin lived during a time in U.S. history where women did not have the right to vote, could not attend college, and could not divorce. Kate was one of the first American authors to write about women's true feelings and accurate depictions of women in her stories.

So, after reading her work, we discussed what her purpose was:

To entertain, but also to inform her readers about the women's movement in America. 

God's Purpose 

Of course, those of us who have studied the Bible know that God has a purpose for writing:

He wants readers to know His story of redemption.

For me, since I read so little fiction, if I notice a theme or message in the story I am reading, it makes me all that much more interested. Which leads me to...

My Purpose

What is my purpose?

When I began my Dragon Forest series, I had a purpose in mind...a couple of them, in fact.

I wanted to write a good story for boys. I wanted them to read about action and adventure, but also about defending a promise, and standing fast in the midst of troubles. I wanted them to take away the message of faithfulness after reading my book.

When I wrote the second book in the trilogy, I was influenced by the story of Joseph in Genesis. I knew my protagonist, Peter, would have to go through a trial of his own and come away from it changed, just like Joseph did.

I want my readers to take away a message of endurance and what it means to endure through a trial. I know Peter struggles with his destiny and wants to go his own way...as most adolescents do...but I also wanted him to face the consequences of his actions. 

So, now that we have discussed Author's Purpose in writing...what is the purpose of your writing?

Have you thought about it?

For me, I want my stories to please the Lord. I don't just want to please my readers...to entertain them is fine, but I also want to inform them about an important cause. 

To me, that's what writing is all about. 

What about you?

What about YOUR story?

Why do you write? Does your work have a message or theme to it that you want your readers to take away from your story?

A message of:

Hope
Love
Faith
Joy
Endurance
Redemption


Do you have an Author's Purpose in your writing? Why or why not?

Blessings,

Ruth