The Takeaway: Get Practical

Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content and has gained 600K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.

A devotional for writers

A Word From The Word

Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands. (Ecclesiastes 12:13, NLT) 

A Word For Writers

A takeaway is the key point you want readers to remember from your article, book, blog post, or devotional. Another word for a takeaway is “application” or main lesson. It’s what readers “take away” with them once they’ve finished reading your content. What will they do now as a result of reading your content?

A takeaway can be … 

• A simple action step
• A fresh outlook on an old problem
• A surprising truth that changes things
• A summary of information to use going forward
• A life lesson to apply

You can see how a takeaway nudges or even prods the reader to use your content’s information. A takeaway is practical. It can apply to any reader.

For instance, one takeaway from F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby? Reserve judgement. People are not always what they seem to be. It's a life lesson that any reader can apply.

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon vents his frustration with the world’s pain and instability. He grieves about ambition. But after twelve chapters of agonizing, The Preacher offers hope. 

God, he writes, gives us joy in our work and our circumstances – especially when we live his way. At the very end of the final chapter, Solomon offers this takeaway: fear God and obey his commands. 

Solomon’s takeaway was simple and practical. Follow his model.

A Wise Word

Give readers a simple, practical takeaway.

A Word To Pray

Gracious Father,

Your Word offers practical action steps I can take to follow you. Let my content be useful for readers. Show me how to write simple takeaways readers can put into practice right away.

In Jesus’s name, Amen.

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