Always and Never

Always and Never—The words are dramatic, often added to emphasis a point, or express the fervency of an emotion. An effective tool when used in dialogue, or showing a character’s internal thoughts, mood, or actions. 
For example: 

     "You never listen." She flung her hand out in frustration.

     His gaze wandered past her shoulder to latch on the television screen once more. “What?” 

     Barely able to keep from rolling her eyes, she snatched the waded socks from the floor and stomped away. “Nevermind. I always have to do everything."

It's a clicheˊ scene of a couple fighting over household chores, but you get the picture of those words—how they can amplify the message. And though effective, they are likely and exaggeration of facts.

When I was in college, most of my writing was in the form of college papers; informative, research, and the persuasive approach. Persuasive papers were the most challenging. The goal of a persuasive paper is to present facts of a subject, then lay the groundwork that can and will sway the audience’s mind by means of suggestion, and implication. In other words, you have to present a viable argument then tap into a reader’s emotion, thereby persuading them to agree.

The challenge was you could not use adverbs with absolute meanings, unless they were empirically true. Meaning, words like always and never were generally out. If you wanted to emphasis a point, you had to stick with words less dramatic. Words like often, or usually, even sometimes. Unfortunately, those words substantially dilutes the punch of emotion, and writers understand the importance of choosing a word that will deliver that punch when we need it.

Unlike college papers or fiction, the writers inspired to pen the Bible didn’t hesitate when it came to expressing events that took place. Why? Because they were empirically true, and they were witnessed by the people affected by them. So we can have confidence in those assertions.

Acts 5: 42.
…and they were all healed. ALL—every single person—no one excluded. No one. 

I love that.

I'm grateful for the certainty of God’s word. And though I accept each account as truth on faith, there are empirical records for the skeptics. Numerous records exist, preserved for thousands of years. No small miracle. 

Prudence may temper our use of absolute declarations in writing, but may it never temper our faith to believe in the absolute promises of God at work in ALL our lives as His hand directs our individual journeys as writers!

Penelope grew up in Tennessee, but has lived in various states and a few countries outside the United States. She holds a BS in Business/Political Science and a MS in Multinational Commerce from Boston University. 

After working in the field of banking and finance, she left to invest her time with her children at home, and occasionally worked as a substitute teacher. Today, she resides in Indiana with her family where she serves in her church, and occasionally teaches a Bible study or Precepts.

An avid reader of fiction and perpetual student of Biblical truth, she is pursing the life of a writer. She believes her roots, faith, and her experience with other places and cultures, all meld into the voice that splashes onto the pages of her novels. 

A Powerful Voice and A Furrow So Deep are Christian Romances published through Anaiah Press, LLC. And her Christmas novella, My Christmas Hope, will be released November 16, 2018.