I love writing and love reading books about it. I particularly love books that address writing from a Christian perspective. And my latest find is Writing for Life & Ministry: A Practical Guide to the Writing Process for Teachers & Preachers by Brandon J. O’Brien.
O’Brien is a bestselling author and veteran coach who has been writing professionally for over a decade. In Writing for Life & Ministry, O’Brien pulls from his experience to provide tips that will help new and seasoned writers become better writers.
The premise of this book is that writing is a craft. And as with any craft, writers must work to improve their skills. Precious few people are born great at something; the vast majority learn an art and develop it. O’Brien’s goal with this book is to provide us with the necessary tools, processes, and practices required to improve.
He says, “In any craft — take woodworking, for example, there are tools, processes, and best practices that can turn a brand-new beginner into a competent craftsman. Over time, as a craftsman becomes more comfortable with the tools and processes, he becomes a master craftsman. In the same way, there are tools, processes, and best practices for writing that can help you grow from wherever you are now as a writer to be both more confident and competent in your work.”
The book is divided into two main parts. In the first section, O’Brien explores the relationship between the writer and the reader and provides tips on finding a writer’s audience, message, and reason for writing. And the second section covers the three primary stages of the writing process: planning, drafting, and revising.
Writing for Life & Ministry is short but very useful. I particularly enjoyed the first section of the book. I never took the time to identify my audience, message, and reason for this blog. And the information in this section helped me with that as O’Brien also provides excellent pieces of advice and insights. For instance, how he defined the relationship between the reader and the writer and how writing is a conversation.
The second part of the book is also useful and provides a lot of valuable writing tips. But they are very similar to other writing books like On Writing Well.
This book’s most notable strength (and my favorite aspect) is the practical examples at the end of each chapter. I loved doing the exercises and thinking through what I hope to accomplish through this writing ministry.
The only drawback with this book is that though it targets Christian, it’s overall generic. There isn’t much that distinguishes for a Christian audience, or that will benefit Christians in particular.
Besides that, Writing for Life and Ministry is a great little book. It’s short, concise, packed with practical pieces of advice. If you are a new or aspiring writer, this book will guide you well through the process, from staring at a blank page to hitting publish. And if you are a seasoned writer, this book can guide you through a new writing project.
*Moody Publishers graciously gave me a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. *
