Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir [Paperback]

Elizabeth J Andrew (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2005

Writing the Sacred Journey shows readers how to write about spirituality and the interior life with heart and flair. It helps readers get motivated, generate materials, move swiftly through drafts, and gain confidence and ease in their writing. Writing the Sacred Journey helps readers to uncover and honor the sacred within their own life stories. Elizabeth Andrew, an experienced writing instructor and spiritual director, gently guides readers through the spiritual writing process from concept to finished manuscript. She identifies some of the initial hurdles writers face in describing the interior, spiritual life and offers practical tips about how to overcome them. Writing the Sacred Journey also explores themes that commonly appear in spiritual memoir, as well as the all-important issue of writing as craft. Readers will learn new and practical skills for every stage of the writing process. Sprinkled throughout the book, these thoughtful activities teach readers new writing techniques and avenues into the creative process.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Elizabeth Andrew is a writing instructor and spiritual director. She teaches memoir, essay, and journal writing at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. Andrew is also author of Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Spiritual Memoir and has published short memoirs and essays in religious and literary journals. She lives in Minnesota.

Product Details

• Paperback: 244 pages
• Publisher: Skinner House Books (January 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558964703
• ISBN-13: 978-1558964709
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #288,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #16 in Books > Self-Help > Journal Writing

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super helpful and thought-provoking, August 1, 2005

By 

carolyn7000 (Minneapolis, MN, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir (Paperback)

I found this book to be surprisingly engrossing and thought-provoking. As a writing book it felt like a best friend there to guide me and give generous advice: how to start, how to deal with resistance, and how to pick and choose from a lifetime of material. It's very accessible for beginners, but it also explores what great memoirists have done and really gets you under the hood, something a lot of the most advanced writing books don't seem able to do.

While it is a gem for the memoirist, I also feel like it's a great tool for reflection on life in general. In fact, I'm planning on giving a few copies of this book for Christmas to people who won't necessarily write a memoir; I just know they'll get a lot out of this book anyway, because of the way it stimulates a reader to explore and treasure the fullenss of their life's journey.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Robin's review, October 4, 2007

By 

Robin Lane - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir (Paperback)

This book was excellent! The author beautifully shows you how to get your ideas, memories, and its structure on paper. She has a great amount of insight that helps you search your past and bring it forward with new perspective. This author shows you how to write your memoir from the deepest places of your soul. She instructs your writing from the heart and helps you capture moments of insight that you can weave into your writing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to write a memoir. Very insightful, very helpful. Finally,a book that truly gets your pen to the paper and keeps it there!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Power of Story, April 12, 2009

By 

C. J. Pettigrew (Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir (Paperback)

This book is a serious in-depth look at issues that arise when a writer sits down to write about his/her spiritual journey. Ms. Andrew takes the reader far beyond any casual considerations into the shadow and light, the pain and pleasure, the cost and reward of writing at the heart of what matters. Highly recommended for the those who understand the sacred nature of all experience. . .