Archives For writer’s life

I speak to a lot of people who write, who want to write or who like the idea of writing. What I’ve found is that people need both good writing tools and the inspiration to get writing. (I know I do!) The top two questions I’m always asked about writing are: 1) What do I need to submit a book proposal to a publisher? 2) What books will help me become a better writer?Wordle words1 300x199 Top 10 Writing Tools & Inspiration

In mentoring young or new writers, one of the reasons I started this blog was to put all of my ideas, favorite tools and resources in one place. What has emerged over the past year are a number of posts that offer the practical tools and resources I use.

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Swimming in Grace

May 3, 2011 — 5 Comments

swimmer 200x300 Swimming in GraceIn his book Practice Resurrection, Eugene Peterson talks about grace and the art of writing. As he read poet William Stafford‘s book on creative writing, Stafford’s analogy of swimming reminded Peterson of God’s grace. This is a beautiful passage for anyone seeking to follow Christ and live a creative life in Him.

…any reasonable person who looks at water [grace], and passes a hand through it, can see that it would not hold a person up…But swimmers [followers of Jesus] know that if they relax on the water [grace] it will prove to be miraculously buoyant; Continue Reading…

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If you love to write and you’re looking for specific ways to improve your writing, I have five simple ways to help you become a better writer today. I just returned from a week’s vacation on the Big Island, where I managed to sneak in a complete read of my favorite book on writing, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. My wife knows me all too well, yet despite her her objections…

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I’m frequently asked, “What are the best books on writing?” Whether you want to write children’s books, comic books, novels, essays, mysteries, cook books, inspirational Christian books, self-help books, fiction or non-fiction, it is well worth your time and energy to invest fifty or so bucks for the best writing books. There are many wonderful choices, but reading too many writing books can distract you from the writing life! Good writers read a lot and creative writers are always seeking new ways to improve their writing.

So, if I was stuck on a deserted island and I could only bring five books on writing, here are my top 5 choices that have challenged and helped me in the craft of writing. Filled with practical ideas and laced with interesting stories, these books will inspire you to improve your craft today. These top five best books on writing are in order of preference and the sheer pleasure of reading.

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