Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Justin Taylor, Collin Hansen, Kevin DeYoung, and I recently discussed the importance and practice of writing well. Why should Christians write well? What does good writing look like? How do you improve, and how do you find the time? Why does Calvin’s writing endure, and how does it compare to Edwards? (Here’s a hint: A great thinker and dense writer, Edwards used imagery in a way that stands out among Christian authors.)
The discussion referenced several authors, magazines, and books as examples worth emulating. Other books offer tips on the writing craft. Here is a list of resources mentioned:
Authors
C. S. Lewis
G. K. Chesterton
John Calvin
P. G. Wodehouse
Jonathan Edwards
Books
Clark, Roy Peter. Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2006.
Strunk, William, and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1999.
Williams, Joseph. Style: Toward Clarity and Grace. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1995.
Zinsser, William K. On Writing Well: the Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.
The Teaching Company: Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer’s Craft (DVD)
Magazines
[...] enjoyed this conversation with friends Kevin DeYoung, Collin Hansen, and John Starke to talk about the importance of writing [...]
[...] Taylor, Collin Hansen, Kevin DeYoung, and I recently discussed the importance and practice of writing well. Why should Christians write well? What does good writing look like? How do you improve, and how do [...]
[...] interviewed Justin Taylor, Collin Hansen, and me about writing. You can listen to the conversation here. You’ll also find several book recommendations at the [...]
[...] Over at TGC Reviews site there is a great interview with Justin Taylor, Collin Hansen, Kevin DeYoung, and John Starke on Clarity Seeking God’s Glory: A Discussion on Writing Well. [...]
Great info and tips, thank you! I really liked the suggestion to write with a word limit- a good point that no one ever says “This is too short and concise”.
great job! enjoyed listening–thanks!
great wisdom in not sending your writing off the same day you wrote it!–Madeleine L’Engel said she left her poems in the top drawer to “cool off”…
also the importance of economy and lean writing: made me think of Pascal’s famous apology at the end of a letter: “I made this letter so long only because I didn’t have the time to make it shorter.”
A great topic. I agree with all of the reading suggestions, but I just can’t get through the Williams book–it’s so much dryer and more technical than the others.
[...] http://tgcreviews.com/interviews/clarity-seeking-gods-glory-a-discussion-on-writing-well/ [...]
When I write about negative Christian stereotypes, I work very hard to keep things short and too the point. I use simple words that people can easily connect to. I avoid BIG words that only cause confusion. I appreciate the advice in this interview. Thanks!
btw the download feature only allowed me to dl a file 11 seconds long =0(
Recently read the posting. Good thread! Antennadeals.com reviews!