Jerry Jenkins' Writing for the Soul

Jerry Jenkins is the guru of inspirational writing. Jenkins is best known as the co-author of the Left Behind series, but he's in fact written over 150 books. He's been on several bestseller lists - for significant periods of time. His articles have appeared in Time, Reader's Digest, and Parade along with dozens of other magazines. And, yes, he's made millions!

His latest book, Writing for the Soul, is part autobiography, part advice book. The book is structured with a balance of exposition, Q&A, and anecdotal asides - often from others. While it seems cobbled together and, at times, disjointed, it nevertheless does pack in some decent wisdom. Here is a sampling of that wisdom:

Write Your Passion

In the first chapter, Jenkins starts off with the advice known to most aspiring authors: Write what you know. "What's your passion? Your strength? What field do you really know? Write about it. Fashion a short story, write a poem, interview a leader in the field, or work on a novel. Put yourself and your interests into it." According to Jenkins, it's hard to write, but even harder to be recognized as a writer. If you aren't passionate about your writing, it will become "drudgery." Work with your passion. Not against it.

Maintain Your Priorities

Early on, Jenkins counsels aspiring writers to keep their priorities in order - especially their home life. He recounts how he set a schedule for his writing - one that respected his family. And he stuck to it. Self-discipline and time management were the keys to his success in balancing his work obligations, writing dreams, and his home life.

Know Why You Write

Before embarking on that quest for writing success, know why you're doing it. And then....do it! I found this chapter to be particularly significant. I often hem and haw about the obstacles and the inconveniences of the writing life. Jenkins says: "Get serious about your career by declaring yourself a writer. Do it now, and don't look back. If doing so makes you waver or doubt yourself, then maybe you're not cut out for writing." Ouch. But he's right. It's easy to ponder, equivocate, stall. God knows I've done all those things. A writer writes. So, know WHY you want to write - and then....write! And, as Jenkins says, "don't look back."

Start Small

Jenkins advises writers to start small and work their way up. "One of the most common mistakes new writers make is trying to start their career with a book," he writes. "That's like starting your education in graduate school. Start small. Write for the joy of it, to see your name in print, even if you're giving your work away or being paid in copies."

Jenkins says that practice and perserverence will "work countless cliches out of your system, tone writing muscles" and help you build confidence.

The book contains much more advice and wisdom. It's definitely worth the investment of time and money to pick up a copy - certainly for anyone aspiring to write for the religious market, and really for anyone at all who aspires to see their name in print.