Elements of Style: Strunk & White

This little book has been recommended to me by numerous writers and editors since I began writing for publication in 1999. Since it has been around for a long time, there are several editions, my copy being the Third Edition. The 50th anniversary edition was published in 2008 and is available at retailers.

In the beginning, the book was developed by William Strunk, Jr., as a teaching aid in college classes at Cornell University. E. B. White was a student of Strunk, and, in 1957, he was asked to revise the book for publication after Strunk’s death.

Strunk’s motto was, “Omit needless words.” A timeless truth. Why muddy the waters with words you don’t need? Express your thoughts as succinctly as possible to keep your reader’s attention.

Elementary rules of usage are covered in Part I, followed by Elementary Principles of Composition (Part II). Matters of form, commonly misused words, and a section entitled “An Approach to Style” complete the book.

As mentioned earlier, this book has been recommended in numerous writers’ workshops I have attended. However, I’ve discovered that Elements of Style does not enjoy universal endorsement. See a collection of articles criticizing this venerable reference on the New York Times site. Don’t stop there, though. Read the comments on that article. I think, to say the least, the value of  Strunk & White for writers is up for debate.

I suggest that you buy or borrow a copy and read it for yourself. To have lasted to long and to be recommended by so many people, there must be something of value between the covers! See 50th anniversary edition on Amazon.com.

Writing with Banana Peels by Jim Watkins

Odd title, you say? Well, the book is about writing humor, and it’s by one of the funniest guys I know, James N. (Jim) Watkins, author, conference speaker, editor, humorist, and threat to society (by his own admission). If you have attended a Christian writers’ conference in recent memory, you may have encountered Jim as a faculty member. Just in case you’ve never heard of him, check out his Web site at www.jameswatkins.com.

The subtitle tells you what the book is about: Principles, Practices, and Pratfalls of Writing Humor. It’s a humor course in one volume. Each chapter contains instruction and examples of Jim’s humor to get your funny bone in shape for writing your own humor.

Get the book for your writer’s how-to library. I promise you will be educated as well as amused. Banana is available on Jim’s Web site at http://www.jameswatkins.com/bananas.htm.

Read Romans 7:14-25

Key Verse: What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary. Romans 7: 15-16 (The Message).

Our town recently installed traffic cameras at certain intersections to catch people running the red lights. At first glance, one might think that we have lazy policemen or town coffers that need additional revenue. When I read the newspaper article about it, I found that accident statistics showed a high incidence of crashes at these locations. And, the mishaps were usually caused by people running the red light. We know the traffic laws, but we break them all the time.

We know God’s laws, too. We have the Ten Commandments on which our American legal system is based. And, Jesus taught the Greatest Commandment, loving God and loving our neighbor. But, we ignore or intentionally break those laws regularly. Imagine what our world would be like without God’s laws, though. Total chaos. Every man for himself. We need guidelines for living because we just can’t seem to do the right thing on our own.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving us your law as a guide for living. Forgive us when we fail to follow, and help us to do better in the future. Amen.

Guest Review: Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers’ Market Guide

This review is by Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress, freelance writer and speaker. See her Web site www.writingforhim.com.

It may not be riveting and it may not be fun reading, but not owning it is not an option.  “It’s the closest thing to the Bible for an inspirational writer.”  That’s what I tell my “Beginners Basics” students about Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers Market Guide.  If they can only afford one resource, it must be this one.  And the updated version should be purchased every year.

The Christian Writers Market Guide is an invaluable, time-saving tool for an inspirational writer committed to mastering the marketing process.  This book identifies potential publishing markets, gives information on obtaining guidelines and samples, offers pointers from editors, sites the percentage of freelance used by each publication, indicates the procedure for submission, and tells pay range.  It also lists  websites and e-mail addresses for on-line contact. For beginning writers, there is a “How To Use This Book” section.

The 2005 copy of Christian Writers Market Guide was her 20th anniversary edition.  Sally Stuart states in that book’s introduction “it has dominated my time for almost a third of my life”.  Because of her time investment, many writers have been able to multiply their publishing markets.  I’ve also been able to equip my students with the resources to persevere.  As the 2010 issue approaches, we will be wishing Sally a “Happy Anniversary”!

Buy the guide at www.stuartmarket.com or from online booksellers.

Thanks, Lettie, for this great review.

Writing for the Soul

Probably the most recognized name in Christian publishing is that of Jerry B. Jenkins, author of the Left Behind series and owner of Christian Writers Guild. Although Writing for the Soul was published in 2006, its popularity has not waned. It’s still recommended for beginning writers and published writers alike. Writer’s Digest offers an online course using Writing for the Soul as the textbook. Check it out here.

Because the book has been so popular, reviews are all over the Internet, with twenty on Amazon.com alone. I only add my humble opinion because I think this book is destined to become a classic and because Jenkins has used his fame to become a source of encouragement to other writers.

Jenkins shares his personal writing journey along with plenty of practical, how-to information. He includes anecdotes of his experiences working with famous people like Rev. Billy Graham and several Q & A sections using questions asked of him by others.

Jenkins wants all writers to know that writing is not easy, but it’s worth the effort. Success doesn’t happen overnight, but he encourages you to persist. And, perhaps the most important advice: “Big doors turn on small hinges.” Some of his greatest “breaks” came from small opportunities that came his way. He encourages you to be ready for such happenings in your writing journey.

Writers on Writing

Full title – Writers on Writing: Top Christian Authors Share Their Secrets for Getting Published. Editor, James N. (Jim) Watkins.

If you total up the number of years’ experience represented by the list of contributors to this book, how many do you think it would be? I’m just guessing that, between Dennis Hensley, Cecil Murphey, Sally Stuart, Jerry Jenkins, and editor Jim Watkins, you’d have at least a couple hundred years. It says a lot for these successful writers that they would take time to contribute to a book specifically aimed at helping beginning writers. For me, the preface by Watkins is worth the price of the book.

The book covers every aspect of writing from inspiration to working with an agent and developing a platform. It’s organized in three parts: The Writer, The Craft, and The Business. If you’re a writer who has had no luck getting published, this book is for you. You’ll find plenty of ideas, and you’ll want to read it again periodically as you grow in your craft.

The book is available from Wesleyan Publishing House. Click here.

Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams by Terry Whalin

When you want to learn how to do something, you want to learn from someone with experience and expertise in the field, right? Well, if you want to know how to get your writing published, I can think of no one more knowledgeable and experienced than Terry Whalin, author of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams: Insider Secrets to SKYROCKET Your Success.

Terry is a professional writer/journalist who has also been an acquisitions editor and a literary agent. He has written over 60 books, and his articles have appeared in more than 50 magazines. He has recently joined Intermedia Publishing as Vice President and Publisher.

Jumpstart is a writers’ conference in one volume. Whalin provides a complete overview of how the publishing industry works these days. Because so many beginning writers don’t understand the business from the publisher’s point of view, he gives details on book sales to help writers understand why publishers are hesitant to take a chance on a “newbie.”

New writers, if you want a shortcut to getting your work published, you need to read this book carefully and understand that this man knows what he’s talking about.

Published writers, things have changed in the publishing industry in recent years. Maybe it’s time to take a fresh look at how your work fits into today’s publishing scene. Terry’s book can help you do that.

It will be the best money you’ve spent lately. Get more details and/or buy the book here.

Communicate to Change Lives by James Watkins

At Kentucky Christian Writers Conference 2007, I purchased Communicate to Change Lives in Person and in Print by James N. (Jim Watkins). It’s a great resource for speakers and for writers who want to publish their work in the Christian market. It’s also an excellent read for published writers who just need to recharge their creative batteries.

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 at http://www.parable.com/wph/item_9780898273588.htm.

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.

The Time of Your Life by Mark Porter

Subtitle: How to Accomplish All that God Wants You to Do.

Because this book was published in 1988, many people would pass it by. But, don’t do that! You’ll miss a wonderful study of time management from the Christian perspective

Also, if you can to this blog because you are a writer looking for resources to advance your career, you might be wondering why this book is featured here. It’s because I found it very helpful to me in managing my time as as a freelance Christian writer.

A chemical engineer and teaching elder in his church, Porter was  a busy man. He was caught up in what he called the “scurry syndrome,” running from one thing to another without thinking about which activities were important and which were merely urgent. This doesn’t sound new to us today, because others have picked up on it. Many things that are urgent are not necessarily important.

Porter takes the reader through a study of how to turn mere activity into accomplishment. In fact, the book is designed to be used in a 13-week study. There’s mention of a study guide, but I have not found it anywhere.

Porter covers goals, priorities, spiritual gifts, analysis of current time usage, identifying time wasters, and planning. All is presented from a sound Biblical basis, making this book a valuable resource for the Christian writer.

This book is available for sale at ECS Ministries. I’ve searched Half.com with no luck, but I did find it on www.abebooks.com.

On Writing Well by William Zinser

Subtitle: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction.

Zinser’s book is a classic. In fact, it is recommended almost as much as Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, and that’s a high compliment. Mine is the 1996 edition, but the thirtieth anniversary edition, published in 2006, is on Google Books, where you can sample portions of the book. Click here.

Zinser advocates simplicity, avoiding clutter, which boils down to this. “Never use more words than you need, and use language that is easily understood by your target readers.” Don’t dress your writing up with jargon or flowery language that does nothing to clarify your point. Zinser goes into detail on specific types of writing, like travel writing, interviews, memoir, scientific writing, and more.

This is a book that you will take out and read at least annually as a refresher course in good writing. The new edition seems to contain much of what’s in the older edition, so if you’re pinching pennies, you might find a used copy on Amazon or Half.com.

How to Keep a Spiritual Journal by Ron Klug

Subtitle is A Guide to Journal Keeping for Inner Growth and Personal Discovery. This is my favorite book on journaling, because it takes the spiritual factor into account.

Besides the content you’d expect on journaling how-to and why-to, there’s a guide for using the book in small group study and a reading list for additional study. In my journaling group, I loaned this book, among others, to participants. It was by far the favorite how-to book of any of the others we found.

The table of contents and a portion of the book are available on Google books. Check it out here.