Mishael Witty

Joel 2:12–13 (NIV) is a call to repentance that pulses with urgency and tenderness: “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart and not your garments.

There has never been a more complicated, noisy, opportunity-filled time to be a Christian writer. We live in an age of endless content, instant publishing, algorithm-driven visibility, and a constant pressure to produce. And yet, for Christians who feel called to write — whether fiction, nonfiction, poetry, devotionals, essays, or anything in between — the calling remains ancient, steady, and deeply spiritual.

Every so often, I stumble across a question online about Christian writing that’s interesting but imprecise — the kind that begs for a deeper, more thoughtful answer. Recently, I saw someone ask: “Should a Christian use an outline when writing or be guided by the Holy Spirit?” It’s a sincere question. But it’s also fuzzy in all the ways that matter. What kind of writing are we talking about? Fiction? Nonfiction? A sermon? A devotional? A research paper? And what kind of writer? A plotter? A pantser?