Blogger: Michelle Ule
Location: Books & Such Main Office, Santa Rosa, Calif.
It used to be that, for first-time writers, the best way to break into the publishing world was through writing nonfiction. Yet without a platform, today it’s difficult for writers to find traction in the market, and without a recognizable name, their personal stories, even if wonderful, are less likely to be purchased.
Let’s do an informal survey on nonfiction books.
- What are you interested in reading in the nonfiction realm?
- What have you liked in the past and why?
- What would you like to see published?
- What holes are out there, and what types of writers should fill them?
- How helpful has nonfiction been to your personal life?
Teri Dawn Smith
Right now I’m loving anything Mark Batterson writes. If he comes out with another book, I’ll buy it! His book, Primal, was awesome!
Timothy Klingerman
Michelle, Lately I have been reading about the missional/incarntaional movement in the Church. Book’s like The Shaping of Things To Come by Frost & Hirsch and The Tangible Kingdom by Halter and Smay. Reading about the efforts of others to minister to our modern world in new and effective ways can be extremely helpful.
I certainly value the Bible and the Holy Spirit for the central role they play in theology, but I cannot agree with those who eschew Christian nonficition because it is written by men. Very many passages in my Bible are branded with the face of a dear friend in the faith who first opened my heart to the truth it contained. Sometimes it is the face of a family member, classmate, co-worker, or minister. Many other passages have come alive through the help of an author, who, though I don’t know as well or at all, was willing to share that truth with me through his or her writing.
Surely, the Bible contains enough “one another” passages to demonstrate that it is OK to accept the gift of encouragement form a neighbor in the form of a book. Unfortunately, we still seem to be hiding behind the age old question posed to Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” We ignore the voices of fellow sojourners just because they are not “right” when compared to our understanding of God’s standard. However, I have found that a book written by someone very different from myself is often the one that challenges me to grow the most, even if I do not agree with it.
Someone this week mentioned that hatred is a poor motivation for living. That is true. Another one is fear. Sometimes it is scary outside the shell, but we can’t keep our heads tucked inside and ignore everyone and everything else around us. I don’t think the Holy Spirit would be pleased if we did.
Diane
Over the years, the nonfiction I’ve enjoyed has been directed mostly toward relationships–parenting, marriage, friendship–personal growth, and other needs. If I’d kept them all, my bookshelves would pretty much chart my life.
A few authors who stand out from the last decade or so–Cloud & Townsend, John & Stacy Eldredge, Andrew Weil (Healthy Aging), Miriam Nelson (Strong Women Stay Young), Mary Pipher (Another Country), Mary Hunt.
A good nonfiction book for me is like a wise, supportive friend with something worthwhile to speak into my life.
Diane Stortz
Crystal Laine Miller
The nonfiction I’m reading for my own pleasure is most likely published in the general market, not Christian, though, of course, I do read Christian nonfiction, but that is most likely to be sent to me.
I have Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath on my desk right now, but I also bought recently Sarah Palin’s book, Laura Bush’s book, and Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I love books like Tom Rath’s because I like the “tests” included to discover your best production levels. I think it appeals to my teacher-side.
I, as a rule, buy writing books and steadily read those (A Novel Idea was most recent, I think.)
I just bought Women of the Bible: Eve to Priscilla by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda (A devotional study for women)
I really like the nonfiction coming out of AMG Publishers. I have all the Battlefields & Blessings, but there are so many titles there which intrigue me.
I have a huge weakness for cookbooks. Pioneer Woman is my favorite right now. I love that book. I’ve given it as gifts several times now.
Michelle Ule
Thanks for all your sharing and the titles of books to read!
Timothy, you’ve made some great points for the importance of considering the non-fiction other Bible-based believers produce. I had not looked at it that way before and I appreciate your insight.
Because I’ve attended church in 10 different denominations (military lifestyle), I’m far more ecumenical than many and have found “friends” ranging from Thomas Merton to Chuck Swindoll. I believe if you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, He can take you to places and writers who speak to truths you may not even realize you need.
Always acting like a Berean, of course. 🙂
I read a lot more non-fiction–across the canon–than fiction. I’m currently reading a Rick Steves’ book for my trip to Scotland; How We Love by Milan and Kay Yerkovich for my marriage; a history of oboes as research for my novel; a memoir about growing up in Romania under Ceacescu (however you spell that, the despot doesn’t deserve any honor) for the same trip; and a Bible study guide on the life of David for a class I’ll be teaching in the fall.
On the fiction side, I’m reading a manuscript by Latayne Scott full of exquisite writing, and The Fence My Father Built on my Kindle I-touch ap that I got for free. I read on my I-touch while standing in lines or waiting. Very convenient.
In terms of Christian non-fiction I’d like to see– and I should note we have a couple writers working on these types of projects:
*How a mature Christian woman continues to keep the spark of intimacy with God going after many, many years of walking with Him.
*Dealing with non-believing relatives and aging parents. (The theme of my novel).
* Social justice and a healthy walk with Jesus.
*Living a life of spiritual abundance in a decadent society.
*And any clever memoir which encourages me–I’ve had enough of alcoholic, abusing, cruel parents. I don’t want read about that subject any more.
Thanks for sharing this week!
Lenore Buth
I appreciate your emphasis this past week on nonfiction, Michelle. You made so many good points.
Here’s how nonfiction books influenced my life. As young mother of four lively girls I felt buried in motherhood. Both my mom and my mother-in-law died in the early years of our marriage, so I felt very alone. My husband was great, but he scrambled to operate our business. We both had Christian parents, but wanted to be different from them in the way we parented.
At the time there wasn’t a lot to choose from in Christian parenting books, at least, none I could relate to. It seemed they focused on ideal mothers with compliant children. Reading them reminded me of all the ways I continually missed meeting the mark and thereby failed.
So I gave up and turned to secular books. Every week our brood left the public library, each of us carrying our own pile of books. I combed the shelves that featured books on understanding human nature, how to rear balanced children, changing my attitude, etc. Since we knew the Bible and faithfully attended our chuch and Sunday School, I knew how to filter what didn’t jibe with Christianity. I kept a spiral-bound notebook and copied down the portions that spoke to me. Now and then I go back and read it over.
Those books changed how I looked at life and the way I understood myself, my husband and how to rear balanced children. I took what was useful and in harmony with Christ’s teaching, then let the rest go.
Eventually I tried my hand at writing and so far that means writing nonfiction. I still see the young mom I was, the impatient, overloaded searcher. She has no time to waste and wants something solid when she snatches a few minutes to read. This creature perches somewhere on my bookshelf and nags at me not to waste words.
As I seek to frame practical wisdom for living and mothering within the context of faith in Jesus I want to pass on the gift I found years ago as I devoured those nonfiction books. I think few of them were Christian, but their words blessed my heart.
Michelle Ule
You’ve made some excellent points as well, Lenore.
I, too, scoured the library trying to figure out parenting. Because I spent a lot of time single parenting when my husband was out to sea, I read a lot of non-fiction books on how to raise boys without a dad. I became convicted one day, however, when I remembered my boys did have a father, he just wasn’t around a lot.
It sounds like you found a good way to balance the “good advice” of the world with the truths of Scripture and that’s the best way to go. And certainly, we understand here that when a person is searching for a non-fiction book to solve a problem, they want the answer clean, clear and up front. We see a lot of great ideas that don’t engage as quickly as they need to in order to assistant folks with a felt need.
Thanks for all the sharing!