Living Revision By Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew

Revision as a Spiritual Discipline

I have always believed that writing was a spiritual discipline. This book Living Revision, confirms my belief. Andrew has written a book that shows how writing can be a spiritual discipline. Andrew uses the language of faith to help writers.

The writer doesn’t make the story. The story makes the writer. Therefore, the writer is a disciple of the story. The writer-disciple is encouraged to write as if it were a lifestyle or faith. Writing becomes not just a craft, but a faith-craft.

Writing Toolboxes

Andrew gives various tips along the way about writing. Some of these tips she writes in what she calls a set of toolboxes. These toolboxes are in-depth explanations about the steps of writing and revision. They include the following toolboxes:

How to Write a Successful Rough Draft

The Project Journal

Questions

Generating in Revision

Listening to the Details

Looking for Clues

Creating a Revision Guide and Style Sheet

Writing While Overwhelmed

Chronology

Playing with Structure

When to Stop Revising

These toolboxes are used to make revisions in what a person writes, to make the story better. These toolboxes help make writing a joy. Andrew claims that writing can be a joy because revision is a form of love. Editing is about correcting punctuation and typos. Revision is about the content – the story.

Writing as a spiritual practice

Andrew makes writing a form of religious experience and a spiritual practice. This book is essentially a Writer’s Bible. Andrew is like the prophet who helps the writer-disciple follow the story and make it the best it can be. The book challenges the writer-disciple with “spiritual” exercises that can make the writer-disciple better in their craft.

Drawing on various examples of different writers and their work, Andrew helps the writer-disciple develop their faith-craft. She uses various lists, illustrations, and exercises to guide the writer-disciple. The book is comprehensive. It can really help a writer-disciple grow in their faith-craft.

As a pastor who writes sermons and other articles, the concept of revision is a useful tool. This book gives various tips to help make the revision process helpful to anyone who writes. Most of the book is geared toward writers who will publish books. Yet, pastors can learn from this book. I believe that the tips she gives can be useful in the writing process for sermon preparation.

Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew has a website and can be found on Facebook, and Twitter.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author and/or publisher through the Speakeasy blogging book review network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,Part 255.