"These are the books that are affecting my thinking and influencing
my life—and every one of them is a great read!"
—Jim Denney
Nonfiction: Books on Writing
Plot & Structure
Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot that Grips Readers
from Start to Finish
by James Scott Bell (234 pages; Writers Digest Books )
Available from your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com.
Who better to teach plot and structure in fiction than James Scott Bell? He's not only a best-selling, award-winning novelist and columnist for Writer's Digest, but he also has a background in writing for the stage and screen.
I was about two weeks into the task of plotting and structuring a very convoluted time-travel novel when I received my copy of Plot & Structure. I immediately delved into the book and gained valuable insights that enabled me to manage and harness the complexities of my story. And Bell doesn't merely instruct—he inspires. Let me show you what I mean. Near the end of the book, he writes:
"So what are you writing for? If it is only for money or fame, you'll miss the spark that makes both of those things possible. Go further. . . . Develop a vision for yourself as a writer. Make it something that excites you. Turn that into a mission statement—one paragraph that sums up your hopes and dreams as a writer. Read this regularly. Revise it from time to time to reflect your growth. . . . If you stay true to your own awe, your books cannot help being charged with meaning. That's not just a great way to write. It's a great way to live" [Page 204].
James Scott Bell has written a book you'll want to read straight through, then go back and refer to again and again. Powerful visual diagrams, practical exercises, techniques for brainstorming ideas, valuable tips and tools, and a checklist at the end makes this one of the most useful and user-friendly books on writing I've ever encountered. Whether you are an aspiring writer, just learning your trade, or an experienced pro, wanting to take your craft to the next level, I highly recommend Plot & Structure.
Walking on Water
Reflections on Faith and Art
by Madeleine L'Engle (198 pages; North Point Press)
Available from your local bookstore or online at Amazon.com.
There are about a half-dozen writers who had such an impact on me at an early age that I can truly say, These people are the reason I'm a writer today. Ray Bradbury is one such writer. Harlan Ellison is another. And Madeleine L'Engle is also near the top of that list. I first encountered Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time when I was nine years old, and its heady blend of fantasy, scientific paradox, and spiritual reality completely captured my imagination. So I was fascinated to read her "reflections on faith and art" in this profound book, Walking on Water. Here's a sample of the deep, rich insights you'll find on every page: "Artists have always been drawn to the wild, wide elements they cannot control or understand—the sea, mountains, fire. To be an artist means to approach the light, and that means to let go our control, to allow our whole selves to be placed with absolute faith in that which is greater than we are. The novel we sit down to write, and the one we end up writing may be very different, just as the Jesus we grasp and the Jesus who grasps us may also differ." If you want to be encouraged and inspired as you integrate your art with your faith, read Walking on Water.
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Randall Ingermanson's City of God series:
Transgression (not pictured), Premonition, and Retribution
Physicist/novelist Randy Ingermanson writes with the left brain of a
scientist and the right brain of a poet. His stories have scope and depth,
and his style is clear and polished, powerful and rhythmic. Ingermanson
creates characters who are real, three-dimensional people, and his plots
twist and turn right up to the final Big Surprise. Most important, he writes
about real issues that affect us all: human relationships, human meaning,
the reality of God, the immortality of the soul. Ingermanson's City of
God novels defy classification: Are they science fiction? Historical fiction?
Suspense fiction? Spiritual journey? All of the above? Forget categories
and genres. Just read and enjoy. Of course, the ideal way to experience
the City of God series is to read them in order. Yet each novel in the
series is remarkably self-contained and can easily be read without having
read the other two. If you've never read Randy Ingermanson before, you're
in for a treat.