Posts tagged Writing Craft
Robert’s Rules of Writing by Robert Masello
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Are you ready to work on your writing techniques? This book will help you do it in easy-to-swallow doses. Robert’s Rules of Writing is subtitled: “101 Unconventional Lessons Every Writer Needs to Know. On the back cover, there is a second subtitle: “But No One Has Ever Told You.”
Masello is a prolific professional writer, and he makes no bones about the fact that writing is work. Each rule is about two pages long, great for those of us with short attention spans. The first rule shocked me out of my socks: “Burn your journal.” After I recovered, I read on. “If you’re serious about writing—burn your journal and get to work.” His point is that journaling has its place, but, if you want to turn out publishable material, you have to plan, research, and organize as you write. Journaling might give you ideas, but it will not get your work published.
Every rule is useful, although some may go against what you have been taught. There is no “filler.” I read about half the book in one sitting. Then, I decided to read one every day to keep Masello’s “get real” advice uppermost in my mind. At first, I thought it was just for laughs, but he is serious about sharing with other writers the techniques and attitudes that have worked for him.
The book is not for beginners. In the introduction, Masello states that he assumes that you “know the basic principles already and that you don’t need a lecture on how to feel good about yourself.”
Check it out on Amazon. Sample the book using the “Look Inside” feature. Complete table of contents is shown, plus sample chapters.
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Book Review: Creativity and Divine Surprise
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Subtitle: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection. Author: Karla M. Kincannon. Published by Upper Room Books, 2005.
Author Kincannon makes the most of her roles as artist and United Methodist minister in this wonderful “tour” of the creative process. Written for artists, the principles apply equally to writers. The chapters are organized to take you from the beginning of the creative process all the way to the end, giving instruction and encouragement all along the way.
Because the Amazon listing does not have the “look inside” feature, I’ll share the table of contents with you. Chapters are: Invitation, Encounter, Preparation, Frustration, Incubation, Illumination, and Elaboration. Organized as a study book, each chapter begins with an inspirational quote and ends with an exercise. If you are a writer instead of an artist, you can do the exercises with a journal, pen, colored markers, and some type of art paper. I confess that I read the book, but I have yet to do the exercises.
At times I felt that Kincannon was talking directly to me. She identified all the things that keep me from being creative. She addresses the feelings of inadequacy and even incompetence that all artists feel now and then. Her discussion of perfectionism hit home for me. She pointed out that perfectionists “need a reaction from others to form their identity.” She said each new inspiration we receive is a gift from God, an invitation to a “new life of creativity in partnership with God.” The creative process is a reflection of life itself—birth, struggle, death, rebirth.
Being an artist/writer is not easy—but you knew that. Get this book and study through it, letting the lessons help you organize your thoughts. Soak up the encouragement that each pages offers. It’s well worth the time and effort.
Check it out on Amazon: Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection
Post script: Check out my Store page where you’ll find my work for sale as well as Donna Goodrich’s A Step in the Write Direction for sale.
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Communicate to Change Lives by James Watkins
0Full title is Communicate to Change Lives in Person and in Print by James N. (Jim Watkins). I recommend this book to Christian writers, beginners and published writers alike. It’s like a writer’s workshop and a motivational speech in one volume. Watkins covers all the basics of good communication whether written or spoken. He educates, but he also entertains with his own special brand of humor. I highly recommend it to all who would communicate more effectively. In fact, if you are a Christian writer and if you only buy one book this year, buy this one.
The book is available through Wesleyan Publishing House.
Watkins is a popular speaker at writers conferences. He’s also an editor, a writer, and an ordained minister in the Wesleyan Church. Oh, I forgot he’s also a threat to society, according to his Web site.
Just Write! by Susan Titus Osborn
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Full title is Just Write! An Essential Guide for Launching Your Writing Career. Susan Titus Osborn has provided an invaluable tool for beginning writers in this book. Because it was published in 2000, you might be tempted to pass it by. Big mistake! It’s just chock-full of valuable information especially for beginning writers.
Osborn covers everything from getting your creative juices flowing to finding markets for you work once it’s done. It’s amazing how much ground she covers in this one book. Learn how to organize you work, find time to write, improve your craft, keep records, avoid copyright problems, and much more. Especially valuable to me are the chapters on article writing. I review them once in a while to keep from getting sloppy in my own article-writing.
A few portions of the book are dated, like the portion giving instructions on how to submit by mail. Many publishers today require that you submit work electronically. However, there are still some who take initial queries and proposals by mail. All in all, it’s worth the cover price.
Osborn, a writer and teacher, offers a manuscript critique service through The Christian Communicator. See her Web site: www.christiancommunicator.com. She and her staff of editors have helped many beginning writers kick off their careers.
