Reading Is My Super Power

If This Is Thursday...Pass the Salt!


On Thursdays I try to season you all with my blogging neighbors, and my goodness, they have become LEGION. Ok, I look in on a few because I'm a friend and I want to catch up with someone (if you can't see your friend, you check her blog.) I admit I just have too many people I like. So, I realized I am going to have to categorize these things because there are so many good ones.

So, today, I want to mention blogs I read for professional development--writing. If you are interested in writing at all, this will give you insight into the complicated and maze-ridden world of publishing. I have been blessed in that I've connected with some of the best people on earth in Christian publishing. These people know PUBLISHING /WRITING /CRAFT, not just Christian publishing.



First of all, Terry Whalin may know everything there is to know about writing/publishing. From articles (he's an ASJA board member) to nonfiction, to co-authoring, to children's books, to book packaging to fiction (he's a fiction acquisitions editor for Howard Publishing)--if he doesn't know it,heard about it, then he will soon. He's a "rainmaker" in publishing, and knows virtually everyone. He is a teacher, too. He always tries to help people and is never stingy with advice.

From his own bio it reads: Terry has written more than 60 nonfiction books plus published in more than 50 magazines. He is the fiction acquisitions editor at Howard Books (an imprint of Simon and Schuster )and Terry encourages writers (beginners to pros)at Book Proposals That $ell,
21 Secrets to Speed Your Success. His Book Proposals That $ell is an essential tool to any writer to succeed in selling a book.

I may be a little prejudiced about Terry Whalin because he is a former Hoosier, even graduating from Indiana University at Bloomington (but don't hold that against him if you're an Ohio State or Purdue grad.)


Then, there is Robin Lee Hatcher. From Robin's bio: "I'm a woman whose life is full of wonderful relationships. I'm an author, now working on my 51st novel. I'm a follower of Jesus, doing my best to walk according to His will and not my own."



I met Robin at my first ACFW conference in Houston. (Which is a great Christian fiction writers organization I belong to and Robin does, too.) She is warm and giving of her knowledge of fiction writing and life. To read Robin's novels is to see real people. And on her blog she gives us an insight into the process, the thoughts she has. You can see why she has such depth in her stories. I pick up tidbits of how to balance writing and life from her blog. And she has a lot of interesting things to share with us.

Finally, just because I could go on forever, I'm ending this blog with my friend Jim Watkins--"Threat to Society." From Jim's bio:
"Jim has worked as an actor, author, college professor at Taylor University Fort Wayne, construction worker, door-to-door salesman, dorm dad at Indiana Wesleyan University, editor/editorial director at Wesley Press, factory worker (put raisins in Kellogg's Raisin Bran), graphic designer, hairstylist, magician, minister, online editor for ForMinisty.com, puppeteer, singer/songwriter, speaker, truck driver,
unicycle dare devil, and Webmaster. In other words, Jim can't keep a job!"

Jim is just being himself when he writes. He writes "insightful and inciteful" articles and books. I read him for a dose of reality and normalcy--and a laugh. But he also teaches on writing and runs the Sandy Cove Christian Writers Conference coming up--soon! At Sandy Cove you can take your writing to the next level.
Sandy Cove Christian Writers' Conference October 1-4, 2006

• Refine your writing and speaking skills
• Be mentored by editors and professional writers
• Network with editors and professional writers
• Expand your vision of how God can use you
• Enjoy His presence on the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay in Northeast, Maryland.




Anyway, Jim has written over 1,500 articles, is an editorial advisor, teaches writing and humor writing, belongs to the Christian Humor Writers and has written quite a few books, including being editor to his latest book on writing, Writers On Writing

His book Writing to Change Lives: Biblical and Psychological Principles for Persuasive Communication was formerly The Persuasive Person and is now completely revised, updated and expanded version of the old one.

As Jim says about it: "Yikes, it was written before the Internet was invented by Al Gore!"

Since it won't be out until early 2007 here is sneak preview of Chapter 7: Using Psychological Appeals.

That should be enough writing homework until next week when I send you to more of my blogging neighbors! Until then...READ!