Also by this author: Gospel-Driven Ministry: An Introduction to the Calling and Work of a Pastor, Love Me Anyway: How God's Perfect Love Fills Our Deepest Longing, Gifts of Grace: 25 Advent Devotions
Published by Zondervan on May 7, 2024
Genres: Non-Fiction, Christian Life, Writing
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When writers write, they are getting in touch with the image of God in them. This is true in some way of all artistry, but writers especially create worlds, characters, histories, and transformation--all ex nihilo ("out of nothing").
In The Storied Life, veteran author Jared C. Wilson explores the ins and outs of writers and writing, exploring the myriad ways the craft is more about transformation than simply communication. From decades of experience and with his signature wit, Wilson brings well-earned insight, autobiographical reflections, and meaningful meditations to the topic of writing as a way of life and as a way of worship, showing how the concept of Story--our personal stories and God's grand story of redemption--shapes fiction and non-fiction writers alike.
Chapters focus on topics like:
The liturgy of story.
Writing as a spiritual act.
Perseverance and endurance.
Writing as a calling.
Promotion, publishing, and platform.Whether you're a long-time writer or a beginning author, a daily journaler or an occasional dabbler, The Storied Life will help you improve your craft. It will lead you to think more deeply about the disciplines and dispositions needed to write for transformation.
I have read more books about writing than I care to admit, and this is one of the best ones. It is specifically for a Christian audience, so it is more niche than most, but that makes it especially helpful for the intended audience. Throughout this book, Jared C. Wilson shares general wisdom about writing, offers advice on technique, and explores why the written word, stories, and the act of writing are so meaningful within a Christian worldview. He validates the calling that Christian writers have to write in a way that glorifies God, regardless whether the content of their writing is explicitly spiritual, and he explores how the process of writing can help us to grow spiritually. In all of this, he doesn’t idealize writers, but he explores this specific calling in an encouraging, thought-provoking, and surprisingly humorous way. I laughed out loud multiple times.
In the first section of the book, Wilson focuses on the big picture of writing as an act of worship. These chapters focus on big ideas and abstract concepts, while also including concrete advice and application ideas. Wilson also shares personal stories throughout the book, illustrating different concepts based on his own experiences. The second part of the book focuses more on practical concerns, such as developing your voice as a writer, dealing with obstacles like writer’s block, and improving your technique. This section also includes information and advice about paths to publication, and Wilson explores themes related to the potential blessings and dangers of having a public platform. He also encourages writers who don’t want to publish, assuring them that their work is valid and meaningful even if they and God are the only ones who experience it.
The Storied Life: Christian Writing as Art and Worship is an excellent book for Christian writers, regardless where they are in their journeys. Wilson offers insights and applications for both seasoned and beginning writers, and because of his broad experience, he includes advice for people who are writing novels, nonfiction books, blog posts, short articles, and sermons. He describes how nonfiction writing also conveys a story arc, and he shows how sermons both flow from and present the story of the gospel. Because Wilson explores so many different types of writing, this book is relevant to a broad audience, and it can deepen readers’ appreciation of writing as a whole, instead of just speaking to their specialization. This book is unique, thorough, and very insightful, and I highly recommend it to Christian writers.
