by Jason Joyner | Mar 13, 2007 | Blog, fiction, writing craft
There are many places where lists of books on writing can be found. However, it is nice to have books recommended by people, even apart from Amazon reviews. I’ve benefited from different perspectives, and I’ve read books that didn’t really help me in growth as a writer.
I know I’m really new at this game, but I think a little dialogue on good writing books never hurts.
—
The most recent book I’ve read on the subject of writing is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. This book had been mentioned a lot as far as “must-read” books on the subject. I think seeing it featured at the site Where the Map Ends by editor Jeff Gerke sealed it for me as far as buying it.
It was a very good purchase. The book focuses on 12 different aspects of fiction, from the perennial writing advise to “show, not tell” to POV, dialogue, and voice. It came across as easily understood, yet I found myself reading a chapter and waiting a day or two to read more, so I could digest what was shared.
After reading several books on a subject, you start to glean less and less as material is repeated (unless repeated in a good way). Self-Editing does bring out aspects of these topics that are fresh or a good reminder of how to do things right. There were also concepts I hadn’t come across before. For example, with POV I understood first person, third person close, and third person omniscient. However, they describe a technique of starting omniscient at the beginning of a scene but moving into a close perspective at the end. It sounds like a powerful tool that could be used to bring a scene more life – I’m just not sure if I’m ready to pull it off well yet!
There are exercises that one can take advantage of (reading on a bus doesn’t always lend itself to using them). Overall, this is a very helpful book that I think helped a lot with understanding the whole process of editing a work myself, sharpening it as best I can. It definitely is for someone who understands the basics of characterization, plot, etc.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 13, 2007 | Blog, fiction, writing craft
There are many places where lists of books on writing can be found. However, it is nice to have books recommended by people, even apart from Amazon reviews. I’ve benefited from different perspectives, and I’ve read books that didn’t really help me in growth as a writer.
I know I’m really new at this game, but I think a little dialogue on good writing books never hurts.
—
The most recent book I’ve read on the subject of writing is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. This book had been mentioned a lot as far as “must-read” books on the subject. I think seeing it featured at the site Where the Map Ends by editor Jeff Gerke sealed it for me as far as buying it.
It was a very good purchase. The book focuses on 12 different aspects of fiction, from the perennial writing advise to “show, not tell” to POV, dialogue, and voice. It came across as easily understood, yet I found myself reading a chapter and waiting a day or two to read more, so I could digest what was shared.
After reading several books on a subject, you start to glean less and less as material is repeated (unless repeated in a good way). Self-Editing does bring out aspects of these topics that are fresh or a good reminder of how to do things right. There were also concepts I hadn’t come across before. For example, with POV I understood first person, third person close, and third person omniscient. However, they describe a technique of starting omniscient at the beginning of a scene but moving into a close perspective at the end. It sounds like a powerful tool that could be used to bring a scene more life – I’m just not sure if I’m ready to pull it off well yet!
There are exercises that one can take advantage of (reading on a bus doesn’t always lend itself to using them). Overall, this is a very helpful book that I think helped a lot with understanding the whole process of editing a work myself, sharpening it as best I can. It definitely is for someone who understands the basics of characterization, plot, etc.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 12, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, movies, social justice
This weekend I saw the movie Amazing Grace, dealing with the story of William Wilberforce and his fight to end the slave trade in the British Parliment. Because England was the world power, especially on the seas, it could single-handedly end the slave trade from Africa by virtue of its naval might.
It was not a popular cause, because of the economic impact it would have on the country (sugar prices would go up – how would they enjoy tea!). Wilberforce was called a firebrand and even had it insinuated that he was a trator to the throne, due to the political turbulence of the American and French revolutions that affected England’s affairs at the time. His health was not good, and he battled his body as well as powerful lords in Parliment.
The story of William Wilberforce is underappreciated in our modern world. Here was a man who lived to the highest Christian standards as well as fighting against the greatest human injustice of his day. His life truly deserves to be told to be an example for us today.
Thankfully, the movie is a highly entertaining vehicle for this! It starts out a little discombobulated, as we catch Wilberforce mid-life, fighting sickness and despair for not prevailing in the battle already. Soon the flashback/modern settings are clear, and it is exciting to see the development of events that lead to the ultimate victory.
Ioan Gruffudd (Horatio Hornblower, Reed Richards in Fantastic Four) does a masterful job both in Wilberforce’s youthful exuberance and his measured responses as he matures and wises to the nature of the battle he is in. He brings a strength to the character, and he is a very admirable hero. Albert Finney gives an emotional performance as John Newton, the former slave ship captain who turned away from that evil and penned the immortal hymn, Amazing Grace (hence the title). I was near tears at one point when Newton and Wilberforce interact.
So? GO and see the movie! It won’t be at theatres long, so catch it while you can. I had to wait a few weeks before it even came to my area. Then, check out
The Amazing Change site. This is a great movie that is worth seeing on its cinematic value alone. However, the people behind it have a greater goal: to inspire people to take action themselves. The Amazing Change is one opportunity to follow through in Wilberforce’s legacy.
Enjoy the show. Impact the world.
—
(Those leaving a comment through Friday are eligible to win a copy of the book The Watchers!)
by Jason Joyner | Mar 12, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, movies, social justice
This weekend I saw the movie Amazing Grace, dealing with the story of William Wilberforce and his fight to end the slave trade in the British Parliment. Because England was the world power, especially on the seas, it could single-handedly end the slave trade from Africa by virtue of its naval might.
It was not a popular cause, because of the economic impact it would have on the country (sugar prices would go up – how would they enjoy tea!). Wilberforce was called a firebrand and even had it insinuated that he was a trator to the throne, due to the political turbulence of the American and French revolutions that affected England’s affairs at the time. His health was not good, and he battled his body as well as powerful lords in Parliment.
The story of William Wilberforce is underappreciated in our modern world. Here was a man who lived to the highest Christian standards as well as fighting against the greatest human injustice of his day. His life truly deserves to be told to be an example for us today.
Thankfully, the movie is a highly entertaining vehicle for this! It starts out a little discombobulated, as we catch Wilberforce mid-life, fighting sickness and despair for not prevailing in the battle already. Soon the flashback/modern settings are clear, and it is exciting to see the development of events that lead to the ultimate victory.
Ioan Gruffudd (Horatio Hornblower, Reed Richards in Fantastic Four) does a masterful job both in Wilberforce’s youthful exuberance and his measured responses as he matures and wises to the nature of the battle he is in. He brings a strength to the character, and he is a very admirable hero. Albert Finney gives an emotional performance as John Newton, the former slave ship captain who turned away from that evil and penned the immortal hymn, Amazing Grace (hence the title). I was near tears at one point when Newton and Wilberforce interact.
So? GO and see the movie! It won’t be at theatres long, so catch it while you can. I had to wait a few weeks before it even came to my area. Then, check out
The Amazing Change site. This is a great movie that is worth seeing on its cinematic value alone. However, the people behind it have a greater goal: to inspire people to take action themselves. The Amazing Change is one opportunity to follow through in Wilberforce’s legacy.
Enjoy the show. Impact the world.
—
(Those leaving a comment through Friday are eligible to win a copy of the book The Watchers!)
by Jason Joyner | Mar 9, 2007 | Blog, CFBA
This week’s blog tour focus is The Watchers, by Mark Andrew Olsen. I have a copy of this book that I would like to give away as a contest! Just leave a comment sometime between now and 3/16/07, and I will randomly draw a name for someone to win this book.
From the CFBA:
MARK ANDREW OLSEN whose novel The Assignment was a Christy Award finalist, also collaborated on bestsellers Hadassah (now the major motion picture: One Night With the King), The Hadassah Covenant, and Rescued. The son of missionaries to France, Mark is a graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Connie, live in Colorado Springs with their three children.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Just below the surface among the family of God lives another family tree–one traced in spirit, invisible and ageless, known as the Watchers. For two thousand years they’ve seen beyond the veil separating this world from the next, passing on their gift through a lineage mostly overlooked. Throughout history they’ve scouted the borders of the supernatural frontier, but now their survival hangs by a thread. And their fate lies in the hands of a young woman, her would-be killer, and a mystery they must solve….
“Congratulations. You just reached my own little corner of cyberspace.
Who am I?
Abby Sherman, that’s who.
Who are you? And why are you checking me out?
Drop me a few pixels, and let’s find out!”
With that innocent invitation, Abby Sherman unwittingly steps in the crosshairs of history, and thus begins her harrowing tale–taking her from ocean-front Malibu to the streets of London, the jungles in West Africa, the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, and to the very gates of heaven itself!
A sneak preview of eternity becomes her one-way ticket to danger–and discovery….
Two lives collide in a globe-circling adventure involving both peril and discovery: Abby, a young woman whose visions of heaven turn her into a Web-celebrity; and Dylan, a troubled young man sent by an ancient foe to silence her. From California beachfronts to Nigerian rain forests to Jerusalem and back again, THE WATCHERS is high-octane blends of action, mystery, and spiritual battle spanning centuries.
A woman’s awe-inspiring vision launches her on a quest through distant lands and ancient history, face-to-face with eternity and into the arms of a family line on the brink of annihilation…A man who is hired to exterminate her discovers the folly of blind loyalty, then learns how to wage war in a realm he never believed had existed…An extraordinary saga of the unseen war against evil, the reality of the supernatural, and the transforming power of forgiveness.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 9, 2007 | Blog, CFBA
This week’s blog tour focus is The Watchers, by Mark Andrew Olsen. I have a copy of this book that I would like to give away as a contest! Just leave a comment sometime between now and 3/16/07, and I will randomly draw a name for someone to win this book.
From the CFBA:
MARK ANDREW OLSEN whose novel The Assignment was a Christy Award finalist, also collaborated on bestsellers Hadassah (now the major motion picture: One Night With the King), The Hadassah Covenant, and Rescued. The son of missionaries to France, Mark is a graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Connie, live in Colorado Springs with their three children.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Just below the surface among the family of God lives another family tree–one traced in spirit, invisible and ageless, known as the Watchers. For two thousand years they’ve seen beyond the veil separating this world from the next, passing on their gift through a lineage mostly overlooked. Throughout history they’ve scouted the borders of the supernatural frontier, but now their survival hangs by a thread. And their fate lies in the hands of a young woman, her would-be killer, and a mystery they must solve….
“Congratulations. You just reached my own little corner of cyberspace.
Who am I?
Abby Sherman, that’s who.
Who are you? And why are you checking me out?
Drop me a few pixels, and let’s find out!”
With that innocent invitation, Abby Sherman unwittingly steps in the crosshairs of history, and thus begins her harrowing tale–taking her from ocean-front Malibu to the streets of London, the jungles in West Africa, the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, and to the very gates of heaven itself!
A sneak preview of eternity becomes her one-way ticket to danger–and discovery….
Two lives collide in a globe-circling adventure involving both peril and discovery: Abby, a young woman whose visions of heaven turn her into a Web-celebrity; and Dylan, a troubled young man sent by an ancient foe to silence her. From California beachfronts to Nigerian rain forests to Jerusalem and back again, THE WATCHERS is high-octane blends of action, mystery, and spiritual battle spanning centuries.
A woman’s awe-inspiring vision launches her on a quest through distant lands and ancient history, face-to-face with eternity and into the arms of a family line on the brink of annihilation…A man who is hired to exterminate her discovers the folly of blind loyalty, then learns how to wage war in a realm he never believed had existed…An extraordinary saga of the unseen war against evil, the reality of the supernatural, and the transforming power of forgiveness.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 7, 2007 | Blog, miscellaneous, theology
I need discipline in my life. It is one of my biggest downfalls – sticking to something. I’ve battled doing exercise, having regular quiet times and Bible study, and now writing regularly. It’s not easy, and I’d appreciate your prayers for this area.
That’s not what this post is about.
I’m talking about discipline, as in I was out of line. As in, I needed a spanking. I got one from the Lord today.
Suffice it to say that I was getting a little high and mighty, puffed up over a situation. Someone today that had no idea brought me down to earth real fast.
Ouch.
I realized it right away. “Duly noted, Lord. I’m sorry!”
Hopefully the attitude of running right to the Father for forgiveness was the appropriate response – of course I’d rather that I didn’t need a 2×4 to the back of the head in the first place. The passage from Hebrews comes to mind: “the Lord disciplines those He loves” (see 12:5-11 for the context).
Maybe my experience today can be an encouragement to somebody. Walk in righteousness, but if you need the discipline, embrace it. He loves us, and it shows He is working on us.
—–
I’m reading the book Self-Editing for Fiction Writers right now. I think I’ll talk about it and some other fiction writing books I’ve read once I’m done with the current reading. Keep an eye out.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 7, 2007 | Blog, miscellaneous, theology
I need discipline in my life. It is one of my biggest downfalls – sticking to something. I’ve battled doing exercise, having regular quiet times and Bible study, and now writing regularly. It’s not easy, and I’d appreciate your prayers for this area.
That’s not what this post is about.
I’m talking about discipline, as in I was out of line. As in, I needed a spanking. I got one from the Lord today.
Suffice it to say that I was getting a little high and mighty, puffed up over a situation. Someone today that had no idea brought me down to earth real fast.
Ouch.
I realized it right away. “Duly noted, Lord. I’m sorry!”
Hopefully the attitude of running right to the Father for forgiveness was the appropriate response – of course I’d rather that I didn’t need a 2×4 to the back of the head in the first place. The passage from Hebrews comes to mind: “the Lord disciplines those He loves” (see 12:5-11 for the context).
Maybe my experience today can be an encouragement to somebody. Walk in righteousness, but if you need the discipline, embrace it. He loves us, and it shows He is working on us.
—–
I’m reading the book Self-Editing for Fiction Writers right now. I think I’ll talk about it and some other fiction writing books I’ve read once I’m done with the current reading. Keep an eye out.
by Jason Joyner | Mar 5, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, missions, social justice
I had the privilege to attend a lecture last week from Laura Lederer, the Senior Advisor on Human Trafficking for the U.S. State Department. She spoke on the problem of human trafficking in regards to the forum’s theme of Women and Children: Second-Class Citizens of the World.
In one sense it was a discouraging subject, as some of the statistics and stories told were horrendous. It is estimated that 800,000 – 1,200,000 people are trafficked each year, and 80% of these are women and children. She told personal stories of women who were tricked into coming to the U.S. and treated horribly as sexual slaves. Children are preferred for industries like brick factories, cocoa plantations, and rug weaving, as their small bodies are better able to perform the required duties.
As Ms. Lederer discussed factors related to this terror, aspects like globalism opening borders and new technologies allowing cartels to organize were noted. However, one of the most interesting causes was the idea of materialism. Human beings are seen as mere commodities to be bought and sold.
People don’t like this idea, but it does become the logical end of the philosophy of naturalism, that all we are is a mix of proteins that radomly became more complex over lots of time. If all we are consists of only material, then what makes humans any more special to be utilized over a rock or domestic animals?
The good news from this talk is that the United States has seen the horrors going on around the whole world (not one country or area is to blame or immune) and has committed to be a leader in this field. The government is working on passing laws here, using diplomacy to work with other countries worldwide, and giving money to support efforts to help with prevention, prosecution, and protection.
It is not only the government that works on behalf of these powerless victims. There are numerous groups that work in this field. One such group is International Justice Mission. They are one of the most comprehensive groups in this arena. They identify cases of abuse and slavery in different areas, they investigate, and they bring the information to the local authorities and remind them of what local law says regarding such activity. They have programs to help victims cope after such trauma, as well as working toward prevention of the abuse to begin with. This page shows quotes from such varied people as Rick Warren, Chuck Colson, and Senator Hillary Clinton. You can read the truth of such atrocities in the book Terrify No More, by the founder of IJM.
Finally, I encourage any reading this to consider giving to such groups as IJM, World Vision, or other organizations known to be helping victims of trafficking. You can give to IJM by going here.
I mentioned human trafficking being the natural outworking of a naturalistic philosophy. I don’t mean that all who hold to this idea support human trafficking – it is just a logical conclusion from such a worldview. Conversely, it is people from a Biblical worldview, who value life because of the Creator and Giver of life, who are in the forefront of the new abolitionist movement to defeat this evil and bring justice and peace to the most vunerable.
Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” I invite those who love Jesus to follow through with His heart of mercy in reaching the least of these!
by Jason Joyner | Mar 5, 2007 | Biblical worldview, Blog, missions, social justice
I had the privilege to attend a lecture last week from Laura Lederer, the Senior Advisor on Human Trafficking for the U.S. State Department. She spoke on the problem of human trafficking in regards to the forum’s theme of Women and Children: Second-Class Citizens of the World.
In one sense it was a discouraging subject, as some of the statistics and stories told were horrendous. It is estimated that 800,000 – 1,200,000 people are trafficked each year, and 80% of these are women and children. She told personal stories of women who were tricked into coming to the U.S. and treated horribly as sexual slaves. Children are preferred for industries like brick factories, cocoa plantations, and rug weaving, as their small bodies are better able to perform the required duties.
As Ms. Lederer discussed factors related to this terror, aspects like globalism opening borders and new technologies allowing cartels to organize were noted. However, one of the most interesting causes was the idea of materialism. Human beings are seen as mere commodities to be bought and sold.
People don’t like this idea, but it does become the logical end of the philosophy of naturalism, that all we are is a mix of proteins that radomly became more complex over lots of time. If all we are consists of only material, then what makes humans any more special to be utilized over a rock or domestic animals?
The good news from this talk is that the United States has seen the horrors going on around the whole world (not one country or area is to blame or immune) and has committed to be a leader in this field. The government is working on passing laws here, using diplomacy to work with other countries worldwide, and giving money to support efforts to help with prevention, prosecution, and protection.
It is not only the government that works on behalf of these powerless victims. There are numerous groups that work in this field. One such group is International Justice Mission. They are one of the most comprehensive groups in this arena. They identify cases of abuse and slavery in different areas, they investigate, and they bring the information to the local authorities and remind them of what local law says regarding such activity. They have programs to help victims cope after such trauma, as well as working toward prevention of the abuse to begin with. This page shows quotes from such varied people as Rick Warren, Chuck Colson, and Senator Hillary Clinton. You can read the truth of such atrocities in the book Terrify No More, by the founder of IJM.
Finally, I encourage any reading this to consider giving to such groups as IJM, World Vision, or other organizations known to be helping victims of trafficking. You can give to IJM by going here.
I mentioned human trafficking being the natural outworking of a naturalistic philosophy. I don’t mean that all who hold to this idea support human trafficking – it is just a logical conclusion from such a worldview. Conversely, it is people from a Biblical worldview, who value life because of the Creator and Giver of life, who are in the forefront of the new abolitionist movement to defeat this evil and bring justice and peace to the most vunerable.
Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” I invite those who love Jesus to follow through with His heart of mercy in reaching the least of these!
