Christian Authors are not the only ones who can benefit from the Bible.

Often times we do not want to read the Bible because it can be hard to digest. Preferring to spend time with the latest Jennifer Estep release, we run from the easier versions such as the amplified or the Joyce Meyer’s The Everyday Life Bible.

Though the Bible can go on forever, I recommend it as a creative writing tool. Why?

The Bible holds so many stories that cannot only be retold, but can inspire modern twists.

Although I understand peoples’ need to remind everyone Jesus died on the cross for mankind and Moses parted The Red Sea, the Bible possesses so much more.

Let us not forget how much endless wisdom can be found in its pages. Much of the same can be said for most religious texts.  Thanks to my love of diversity and a crush I developed in college, I have the Qur’an sitting on my shelf as well.

So you are not religious and you shudder at the idea of reading the Bible or any religious text.

Just think of The Lord of The Rings.

“Tolkien was devoutly Christian, and wrestled a bit with figuring out how to talk about The Christian Bible. He observed that the New Testament in particular is structured just like a myth, and wanted to be able to explore that without giving anyone the impression that he was belittling what he saw as a genuine divine revelation. Finally he decided that the Bible is a true myth, and stories like The Lord of the Rings are “sub-creations.” (Starwars Origins)

Even Shakespeare had a little love affair with the Bible.

“Thomas Carter in Shakespeare and Holy Scripture argues that “no writer has assimilated the thoughts and reproduced the words of Holy Scripture more copiously than Shakespeare.” According to another critic, Shakespeare “is saturated with the Bible story” (3).” (Notes on Shakespeare and The Bible)

Do you really need to be an all-pronounced lover and believer of God to write like Shakespeare and Tolkien? I’ll pray about it. Although a few creative writing classes and a degree in literature will take you a long way.

I find myself laughing with a Highlighter in hand as I go through the many stories of the Bible. Now keep in mind I do have a very dark sense of humor. Anyone who’s read Superheroes Wear Faded Denim will know this. So you may not be laughing away like I am when you read, but I do find if you really look at the text as a whole you find it to be a useful remedy to writer’s block.

Just ask yourself, if Shakespeare and Tolkien can use the Bible to create stories that withstand time, why not you?