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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Uplifting read, no matter your conviction, October 27, 2006
This review is from: Writing for the Soul: Instruction and Advice from an Extraordinary Writing Life (Hardcover)
To be perfectly up front about where I'm coming from, I haven't read the "Left Behind" novels and I'm not religious, nor do I tend to read much in the way of inspirational writing. Perhaps this will make it clear that when I say "Writing for the Soul" is a lovely and enjoyable read that could teach any up-and-coming writer a thing or two, I'm not speaking as a fan or simply agreeing with Jenkins' religious ideals--I'm speaking as a reader and writer who has had the privilege to review dozens of books on writing.
Jenkins' religious convictions certainly permeate his manuscript; he is unashamed of his beliefs, and his desire to share them with others is the result of a moving personal journey that he also shares within these pages. However, Jenkins also possesses a wry, thoughtful tone and a realistic outlook on life that prevents this outreach from pushing or preaching. I never felt excluded in any way as a non-believer, nor did I feel that Jenkins' advice and words had no relevance to me and my experience.
"Writing for the Soul" is part memoir and part instruction to would-be writers. Much of the instruction is relevant to writers aiming for any market, while some pertains specifically to inspirational or religious writing. Jerry Jenkins has authored many books (fiction and non-), and has extensive experience as an editor and publisher. It is this latter experience that makes his advice particularly insightful and useful to would-be authors. He understands the common mistakes that would-be authors of inspirational material tend to make (such as being overtly preachy!) and offers pointed advice to help them avoid such pitfalls. As a non-religious reader I particularly found myself nodding at his advice; the kinds of things he advises against are exactly the sorts of writing that put me off when I read inspirational material. The fact that I found his book so enjoyable, and frankly uplifting, merely proves his point.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not What I Expected...., February 2, 2007
This review is from: Writing for the Soul: Instruction and Advice from an Extraordinary Writing Life (Hardcover)
In "Writing for the Soul" Jerry Jenkins gives writers instruction and advice about the craft. The book has a conversational tone, making you feel as though you're sitting right beside Jenkins in his cozy cabin in Colorado. Through a devotional, autobiographical style, Jenkins covers a number of writing issues, including:
* What to write about
* How to equip your writing space
* The importance of reading
* Research
* Pace, Conflict, and Plot
* Character development
* Publication issues
There's a lot to like here. I appreciate Jenkins' writings and consider him an excellent author. If you're looking for the story of how Jenkins found success as a writer, this is a good book for you. However, I think this book is mistitled. "Writing for the Soul" seems to indicate that the book addresses the issue of writing as a Christian calling, which is not the purpose of this book. If you are, like me, searching for a book that does address writing as a Christian calling, you might be more satisfied with the classic work, "An Introduction to Christian Writing" by Ethel Herr.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly good!, August 18, 2006
This review is from: Writing for the Soul: Instruction and Advice from an Extraordinary Writing Life (Hardcover)
I was not a "Left Behind" fan. I thought Jerry Jenkins a great storyteller, but not a great writer. And I never would have bought his new book on writing if an accomplished and well published author friend hadn't recommended it.
And now I'd like to recommend it to everyone here.
Whatever you think of the "Left Behind" series, Jenkins is a very successful author. (He'd published 150 books before he ever wrote Left Behind.) Too, "Writing for the Soul" is thoughtful and well written.
Jenkins discusses how he worked his way up from newspaper stringer to author, talks about priorities and the Christian writer, gives lots of tips on writing better, gives some pretty good insight into the business of writing, and offers some great stories about a few of the famous folks he's written about (from Billy Graham to Nolan Ryan).
The only thing I wish he'd discussed--but didn't--is how more and more publishers are seeking writers (especially those who write nonfiction) to have "platforms," or "ready made" readers.
Nonetheless, I think EVERY writer, whether novice and well published, Christian or atheist, can learn something from this book.
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