:: in.a.mirror.dimly ::

Writer and soon to be book author Jeff Goins has not one but two E-books out right now about writing and publishing. Jeff’s blog and e-newsletter are among the best resources I know of for writers, so if you’re serious about writing, check out his new books and be sure to subscribe to everything he offers.

Since Jeff and I have both put out books on publishing and writing (A Path to Publishing is my introduction to nonfiction publishing), we exchanged some questions and answers for each other via e-mail. Here’s our running e-mail conversation about writing and publishing:

Ed’s Question

You often provide simple, straightforward ways to to get down to the business of writing on your blog, and I’m often impressed with the clarity and focus of your writing. How do you avoid distractions or the temptation to stall when you dig into a writing project?

Jeff’s Answer

Any image of productivity I project is an illusion. I am lazy, undisciplined, and unmotivated. I need to trick myself into doing the things that I must. Even with writing, I am this way.

How do I avoid distractions and the temptation to stall? Well, first of all, I stall every day. But I also realize that I am my own worst enemy. I am what is holding me back. In order to push through, I have to realize there is a cost to my not sharing my work — a pretty big one. The fear of not doing work that matters forces me to create, forces me to ship (even when I’m scared a project isn’t ready).

I take things in small steps, little by little. If I ever tackled a big project, understanding how large it was, I wouldn’t begin. Instead, I break it into small chunks and take it one step at a time. This is how you train for marathons, and this is how you write a book.

Jeff’s Question

Can you really live as a freelancer? How do you make a living from writing? What advice would you have for those starting out?

Ed’s Answer

With a few caveats and qualifiers, it is possible to make a respectable living as a freelance writer. It’s really tough to make a living as a full time book author or magazine writer, so I’ll just say that a sure-fire way to earn a living as a freelance writer is through business writing. Keeping things ridiculously brief, I’d suggest starting by creating excellent work that you can share as part of a portfolio on your website: articles, blog posts, e-books, etc. Then, and some may be shocked by this, advertise yourself in places like Craig’s List. I have an ad on ThumbTack.com which I can regularly re-post to Craig’s List. My approach is a bit like your publishing strategy: create something that is valuable and let others find you.

I’ve found work in a variety of ways, but by advertising myself, I’ve attracted the kinds of clients that I want to work for and who can pay my rates. I should add the caveat that I get medical benefits through my wife, and I would need double my current client load in order to fully support us financially by myself–something that I think I could do but don’t want to try since my plan is to keep writing as a stay at home dad. If you’re starting out, the most important conversations you need to have are with your spouse or roommates, as your income may fluctuate for a year or so while you get yourself established.

Ed’s Question

What investment, practice, or strategy has paid off beyond your expectations?

Jeff’s Answer

What has worked for me is actually writing. Getting up every day and writing (no matter what) for a year made me a better writer than occasionally writing for decades. I used to write when I felt inspired, and I would write a LOT. Now, I just write a little each day, and it has made me better than ever. That in addition to reading a lot has made me a better writer.

Jeff’s Question

Ed, for someone who is approaching their first book (I know you’ve written a few), what advice do you have for them? How do you start? How do you finish? How do you keep showing up after it gets hard?

Ed’s Answer

In order to start a nonfiction book (which is what I write), I’m a big believer in outlining but also trusting my instincts to write a section if I’m in a groove. I use sub-headings in my chapters, but now I also break things down into small bits: opening story, big idea, illustration, summary, transition to next point, and then another story. That may sound like there isn’t a whole lot of magic to that approach, but a nonfiction book needs to have a sound structure where each idea and story connects so that readers know why they need to keep reading. In my experience, good outlines make magic possible.

When writing gets hard, I change format. I make revisions on  printed pages. I restart problem chapters on a legal pad where the writing is low stakes. I begin each day with editing before the creative writing. Sometimes I just go to bed.

In order to finish, you need a deadline—something that’s essential if you’re self-publishing. I know I’ve done all that I can when I’m really sick of the book. Having just sent the first draft of my next book out, I’m really happy I won’t have to look at it for a while!

Ed’s Question

For those who have been blogging for a little while but don’t feel like they’re getting anywhere, what would you suggest they do?

Jeff’s Answer

Well, you have two options: Quit or keep going.

If you quit, you can start over or move on. It may be that blogging is not for you. Contrary to what some people think, I don’t believe everyone should have a blog. It’s a great way to express yourself, but if you’re not willing to do the work, why bother? You’re probably better suited to invest your time and talent elsewhere.

That said, if you decide to keep going — if you conclude that blogging actually is for you — then be honest: Are you really providing the best possible content you can? Or are you doing what I did for years, pushing out mediocre stuff and trying to pass it off as excellent? So many people online want an audience or more attention.

Our world is addicted to celebrity, and now with social media, we can all be “famous.” The challenge, though, is to be famous for the right reasons — not because your controversial or contentious, but because you actually have something meaningful to say.

It’s hard to give general advice, but if you’re like me, you may find that you weren’t completely respecting the craft of blogging. Maybe you saw other writers out there “making it” and thought you could do better. But when you started doing it every day, you realized how hard it actually was. I suggest humbling yourself and becoming a student. I am always learning what I don’t know — as it relates to writing, technology, and even human motivation.

For me, I needed to quit and start over. Doing this gave me a fresh start and enabled to say what I really wanted to say. I blogged for five years before I had any kind of audience. If you aspire to reach people, be prepared to practice and do the work. It may happen more quickly than you thought, or it may take time. But if you do the work, you’ll reap the rewards.

Jeff’s Question

What’s the secret to getting published? We’ve all heard the pat answers, but what’s been your experience? Is there something that doesn’t get talked about – something important?

Ed’s Answer

There are so many different ways people can get published, but I do have one tip and one secret. The tip is this: go to conferences and get to know the editors. Ask them what they’re excited about and ask yourself, “Can I work with this person?” and “Will this person invest in me and my ideas?” Coffeehouse Theology happened in part because I clicked with the acquisition editor.

My secret, which may not be much of a secret to some people, is that your experiences will define what you write and editors will notice when you have a story to tell. So either dig into your past and find your story or go out to serve other people and live a story that you can tell or that helps you write with greater insight. One of the first editors who saw the early, early draft of what became Coffeehouse Theology asked what kinds of experiences I had in ministry and with theology. I didn’t have enough, and I had to do more than research and study. I had to get out and minister. The less I live my days obsessed with myself, the easier it is to write my stories when I’m alone. The more I push myself beyond my boundaries, the better my writing.

I can’t thank Jeff enough for the time he took to answer my questions. All the best on your upcoming book Jeff!

About Jeff Goins

From Jeff’s About page: “I live with my wife Ashley and our dog Lyric and have been working from home for a nonprofit called Adventures in Missions since 2006.

I’ve written and guest-blogged for a number of publications and blogs. For more about my work, see my writing portfolio.

I also help organizations with their marketing, communications, and creativity. If you want to work with me or have me come speak to your team, give me a shout.”

When I began giving my latest E-book away, I had to ask an important question: Why am I writing this book?

Giving up on any hope of making a profit had a way of sharpening my focus, training my heart to think beyond bank accounts, page views, and marketing platforms (though I will see a few benefits along these lines in the long run). Giving a book away is all about a passion for an idea, believing in my message to the point that I’m willing to share it as widely as possible at any cost.

I didn’t hold back with my latest E-book project. I created something that has value. Even a free book shouldn’t be a waste of someone’s time. I offered readers a chance to buy it for $.99 because I wanted to both provide a simple download option and a chance for them to support my work. However, the free download links on my site provided the same ideas and the same format.

Part of my motivation for this latest adventure in publishing had to do with helping to clean up a really big mess—a mess that I’ve contributed to over the years—divisions among Christians.

As I’ve shared my thoughts on unity and processed how we can make things better on this blog, a central idea emerged. It was not only worthy of an E-book, it was important enough to give it away.

I don’t plan on giving all of my books away this widely, but I know that I’ll do it again. It has been a refreshing reminder that storing up treasure in heaven and blessing others can sometimes fall aside, neglected while I try to build up financial security. Sometimes we have callings to fulfill and wrongs to set right.

Sometimes I need to try something new—something that doesn’t quite make sense but feels just so right that I can’t resist the call of adventure.

This post is part of Bonnie Gray’s Thursday Faith Jam. Visit Faith Barista today to read more stories about adventure.

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, but you haven’t picked up my book Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life, I think I know what your problem is. You’ve probably gone to Amazon and noticed that the best possible deal is a $2 – $3 used copy that probably has all of the awesome passages underlined.

SPOILER ALERTS!!!

Who wants to read a book with all of the underlining, stars, and exclamation points already inserted? And then you need to pay an extra $3 or $4 for lousy media mail shipping which ensures you’ll probably get the book sometime in 2013. If there’s still a scrap of the cover left on it, you’ll be lucky.

Sighing, you realize that it won’t be much cheaper to pick up the E-book version of Coffeehouse Theology for $7.99, and then you’ll be robbed of seeing the beautiful cover art. This is worse than a Catch 22. It’s like a Catch 44—twice as bad.

My Insanely Awesome January E-book Offer

But wait, there is hope. What if I told you that you could download every major book I’ve written for between $3.99 and $4.99??? Would you question my ability to do basic math? Though I wouldn’t doubt that, I’ve worked on these numbers for days now, and I keep coming up with $3.99 or $4.99.

The trick is that this super-awesome, mathematically impossible feat of book discounting is only good for the month of January. Here are the links you need to pick up all three of my books:

• Coffeehouse Theology is $2.99 at NavPress
• Divided We Unite: Practical Christian Unity is a free download (optional $.99)
• A Path to Publishing is $.99

Thanks for checking out my work. And believe me, this is a fun way to get my writing in front of lots of people, so please do share these offers with your friends who are curious about how theology works, wrestle with Christian unity, or dream about publishing a nonfiction book. You’re not robbing me by passing this offer along to as many people as possible.

And speaking frankly, even if you did rob me, I’m so bad at math I wouldn’t notice.

When we kick off the Women in Ministry Series this Friday, I’m going to take the opportunity to release my latest E-book. It’s titled Divided We Unite: Practical Christian Unity, and I think it’s an appropriate book while we’re discussing a topic like women in ministry since it has been so divisive in the church. In this book I’ll aim to answer the question: How can Christians remain united if we’re already so divided?

The E-book will be a free download for my readers, though I’ll also include an option if you want to pay $.99 for it and support my writing a little—or at least buy me 1/3 a cup of coffee. Stay tuned for a fantastic day on Friday with a great story and a free E-book!

Want to get a sneak peek? You can read the first half of my book here.

About Divided We Unite…

When Jesus prayed that his followers would be one, he wasn’t setting up his future disciples for failure. In fact, the prayer of Jesus may be closer to fulfillment than many Christians in thousands of denominations suspect.

Christian unity isn’t created by signing off on a list of bullet point beliefs. The Holy Spirit unites disciples of Jesus together with bonds that are stronger than any divisions. Though Christians are divided into different denominations, it is possible to practice charitable Christian unity in the midst of very real divisions. Christians are divided, but through God’s Spirit, they can remain united.

Practical Christian unity is the art of living in the unity of the Spirit without letting divisions cut Christians off from one another. Practical, everyday unity is tough and costly, but Divided We Unite shows a way forward that rests fully in the power of God without neglecting the role of each Christian.

When I think about writer Shawn Smucker, I think of jam. When not making jams and jellies, Shawn writes books and blog posts. His blog is very good, with a tasteful color scheme and cheerful fonts. After carefully reviewing the cover of his latest book, My Amish Roots, I sent Shawn some questions to answer. Here are his replies:

You have a tree on the cover. That’s fascinating. I mean, why not a bush, shrub, or house plant? What is the significance of this so-called tree?

I love the metaphor of the tree when it comes to family history, and when I saw this painting by a good friend of mine, Freiman Stoltzfus, I knew I wanted it to be the cover. It’s a tree in which all four seasons are present, and the roots are growing down into Lancaster City. This issue of seasons also created an ongoing theme throughout the book.

I presume you wrote this book from the perspective of someone who is part of a family—with the roots possibly representing your “family.” While we wouldn’t say that you “dug up” your roots, as that would imply destroying them, what did your “perusal” of your roots teach you about your family? Did this project change you?

I lived among the rolling hills of Lancaster County from as early as I could remember until I went to college, only to return after 15 years of living elsewhere. Something I unearthed while writing the book was how much my home town meant to me, and how much I’ve always wanted my kids to experience that same feeling of belonging and support.

How do you see this book cornering the growing Amish book market?

This question made me smile. I certainly don’t have any corner on the Amish market. I see this book as primarily a reflection on life and death, the heritage we receive and pass on, and what it means to accept the family that brought you into existence. The Amish nature of the book is secondary. Or maybe even lower on the list than that.

How do you see this book competing against the popular vampire books? And did you know there is an Amish vampire book on the market?

I haven’t read any of the popular vampire books (yet), but I would imagine the pace is quick. My book is a very quiet book, hopefully not in a boring way, but in a way that will deliver a reflective experience for the reader. Besides, most of the Amish have garlic in their gardens. They don’t really have a vampire problem in Lancaster.

We all know the Amish are the people on our oatmeal containers, but what else will readers learn about the Amish if they read your book?

Sorry, the oatmeal guy is a Quaker! No beard. But I do get a little bit into the traditions of my Amish ancestors – their marriage and burial traditions. The way they approach death and support their older community. I grew up here and have Amish relatives, but I was still rather fascinated by the things I learned about Amish customs.

For those who want to “peruse” their family roots, what words of advice do you have?

Start now! Every year that passes represents stories forgotten or lost. If I would have done this ten years ago, I could have interviewed a great-uncle of mine who lived to be 101. 101! He was alive in the 1800s! Don’t wait to start collecting your family stories.

Where can readers find your book?

Thanks, Ed. You can order My Amish Roots at my website (http://shawnsmucker.com/store) or on Amazon (http://amzn.to/uuckly)

Thanks Shawn for putting up with my foolishness and silly questions. If you want to read interviews that actually involve real questions, check out these fine folks:

• Jennifer Luitweiler
• The Daily Retort
• Andrea Cumbo
• Alise…Write!

Today’s guest post is by Jen Luitweiler. I’m always happy to collaborate with anyone who has a long, complicated last name like my own, but that’s not the main reason why I invited Jen to guest post today. Jen is a fantastically creative person. You’ll have to read her blog to learn more about all of that. But Jen has also written a book: Run with Me: An Accidental Runner and the Power of Poo.

It’s not enough to say that this is a funny book. Nor is it adequate to say it’s an insightful book. You’re just scratching the surface if you if you say it will encourage you to live better. Jen’s book does all of these things. Can you imagine someone making a book about running, dog training, and spiritual development fun reading? Jen’s book is one of a kind, and without further ado, here’s Jen’s post:

Ed recently published a post in which he claimed that revival is not a snap-your-fingers and be- changed-forever-and-permanently-all-for-the glory-of God kind of deal. He made the case that coming to terms with our junk is a step toward stewarding the hearts God gave us. As much as I love to be contrary—just ask my dad—I can’t argue with Ed. After all, it took me a year of running to figure out I was no longer running to train The Dog. Rather, and unbeknownst to me, I was tracing the slow and circuitous route of my own revival.

Instead of encouraging The Dog’s business to take place outside, I was dropping junk left and right. As I took breath after breath, step after step, all alone on the trail, I forgot about The Dog. A vast landscape of time stretched out before me as I pounded along.

I grew up in the church, the daughter of a pastor in a small suburban town. My memories of these years danced before me as I ran, taunting me with their unchanging nature, sometimes coaxing a smile from my lips as I struggled to breathe. But more often, they brought the clenching tightness of hurt.

I ran with an eye toward the past. I ran, remembering the ways the church had hurt me. I thought of the ways I had cherished that hurt as a token of how tainted the church can be, clinging to this worn evidence when moving into new faith groups, ready to throw my data in their faces the minute things went south. And they would go south. That’s what relationships in the church do.

But running changes a person, physically and intellectually and sometimes emotionally. My body could run farther than I had ever dreamed. I ran and ran and ran, increasing my miles. The more time I had to be on the trail, the more time I had to polish these memories to a glinting shiv.

Because I could run farther and faster, the better I felt. A fog of depression had cleared—a story for another day—revealing an ache of sadness I had tried to ignore. I had clung far too long my anger at the church. I was mad. Mad at the church because as a child, in this particular church, I felt the cold eye of judgment and rarely the warm grasp of grace.

Running gave me the physical and emotional strength to notice that what lurked beneath all that anger was the raw pain of a child without the words to express her intense sureness of her own inadequacy. I could have continued to push the hurt behind the anger, like a shadow. But, like I said, running changed me. Instead of clutching the anger, I allowed my mind linger on an idea: worth, I had learned, is borne of performance, discipline and fitting in.

My dirty little secret, the junk I needed to untangle from about my clumsy feet, was the conviction that I would never, ever be exactly what God needed or intended when He built me.

There is a revival when long-held standards are turned on their ear by extravagants grace. One could think here of Paul, whose life shifted course on the road to Damascus. When the veil of misunderstanding was yanked aside, and studied from the distance of time, intellect and health, jumping to the wrong conclusion about my worth seemed ludicrous. I know that my worth does not come from being appropriate, or tidy, or cognizant of Bible verses or having an opinion on which translation is best. My value does not come from how fast or far I can run, or how well I perform any given task. My worth comes from being a daughter of a risen King. That is no small thing.

When I let go of the anger long enough to look at it, I realized, too that it wasn’t The Church, that had wronged me so grievously. It was some people in a church. Recognizing all of these ideas as junk allowed me also to see that those very people, for all they said and did to me, belonged also to a God of love.

Sometimes we wallow. We want to be angry. We want to stomp our feet and pout and pore over the details so that we can feel justified. The longer we wallow, the easier it is to forget what we’re mad about. As part of my renewal, I needed to drop the anger, the hurt and the lie I had swallowed. It was not easy. It did not feel good. But what I gave up is worth far less than what I gained.

Thanks Jen! Don’t forget to visit her blog and check out her book here!

My wife and her family completely blew my mind for my birthday. They bought me the new e-ink Nook.

I know, crazy, right?

The only downside was that I had to let it charge for 3 hours before I could read anything on it.

This morning I woke up and it felt a bit like Christmas. I registered it before I poured myself coffee, which should tell you where the Nook ranked in my priorities. Before I poured my second cup, I had downloaded the New Living Translation Bible, my favorite Bible for general reading and devotions.

I’ve been reading through Matthew, but I was still figuring out the page-turning buttons—as in, I just sort of tapped at the screen until something happened—so I just read something after I tired of experimenting. Who reads instructions anyway?

The passage I landed on was the one with Jesus and rich young man who was told to sell everything he has, give it to the poor, and then follow Jesus. I thought that was a pretty ironic passage to read on my brand spanking new E-book reader.

God’s Call, Sacrifices, and “Possessions”

I’ve actually been thinking through that passage quite a bit over the past few weeks because I’ve been both a child of privilege thanks to my hard-working family and a relatively poor graduate student thanks to God’s calling in my life. 2010 was one of those years I’d rather forget, except that it was chock full of lessons and blessings that set the course I’m on today. In 2011 many things have started to come together as I pursue writing full time.

Oddly enough, I see my Nook as a small part of that path, God’s calling in my life.

My wife watched me research e-readers from the moment they hit the market because I wanted to understand their impact on the book industry. I needed to understand what it’s like to read on a book on one of those new fangled devices if my calling really is to be an author.

Embracing that calling has meant sacrifices in many areas. I think I can squeeze into the Kingdom with a Nook in my saddle bag. I mean, have you seen how thin that thing is?

But this all does bring up issues about money and possessions, and particularly how they tie into our callings. I don’t think Jesus demands that we all become dirt poor in order to follow him. You have to eat. You need shelter. I know missionaries who travel the world practically like vagabonds toting MacBook Pros that they regularly use to create all kinds of things for their ministry.

The Bible doesn’t intend to give us a precise blueprint for every aspect of our lives. I don’t see the story of the rich young man as a command to rid ourselves of everything, but rather as a dire warning about making sure our possessions don’t prevent us from following Jesus.

Have We Surrendered All Objects to Jesus?

As I clung to my Nook this morning and read the words of Jesus, I prayed a simple prayer of surrender. Even that silly little Nook is a tool that God can use. If we’re willing to open ourselves up to his Spirit’s probing, God can reveal the sin in our lives that keeps us from him and prevent us from clinging to our plans, desires, and even objects—be they digital or not.

I think the reason why I read that passage this morning was to remind me that possessions aren’t important. They’re really just things that bought with money. They’re not special or significant on their own. Even calling these objects “possessions” can be problematic.  However, when we are yielded to God’s plans for our lives, he can use these items for his purpose.

It’s my hope and prayer that everything I own becomes a tool in God’s plans for my life. I don’t want my possessions to become status symbols or idols that consume my time that should otherwise be spent pursuing God’s Kingdom.

Ironically, the minimalist reading experience of the Nook emphasizes the words on the page to the point that you forget you have an electronic device in front of you. There is spiritual wisdom in that design.

Prior to leaving for vacation, Thomas Nelson sent me a review copy of Ian Morgan Cron’s new book Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me. Cron is the author of the acclaimed book Chasing Francis, and has now shared a memoir of his childhood that walks us through his early years with an alcoholic father into his present day calling as an Episcopal priest.

I’ve read rave reviews of the book and could hardly put it down over the two days it took to read it beside a cool Adirondack lake, but some things didn’t work for me. Here’s my take:

The Good in Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me

Cron writes sparkling prose and succeeded in drawing me into his story so that I hardly put his book down. The mark of a good book in my estimation is its ability to keep me reading without thinking about “how” it’s written. Cron treats his readers to wonderful descriptions, solid dialogue, profound introspection, and poignant reflection.

While I can’t quite relate to the significance he places on communion, I felt that he made a strong case for the sanctity of the sacrament and how the ceremony connected him with God. I suspect that many of my fellow Protestants will appreciate his attempt to flesh out those experiences, even if we’ve never quite met God in the same way through a mass.

Perhaps one of the best reasons to read this book is to learn about how someone else has encountered God. Cron writes with disarming honesty and tells his story in such a way that readers can’t help but appreciate his perspective and wisdom after enduring a tumultuous childhood.

The Critique of Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me

For all of the good I could say about this book, I didn’t love it. This is a bit awkward for me since I write not only as a reader but as an author, and I really hate to publicly criticize anyone else’s book. However, I can’t publish the good without the bad in a credible review, so here we go…

Ever since reading Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes and Tis, I kind of feel like we have all we need in the “miserable childhood/alcoholic” department of books. There’s only so many times you can read a narrative about someone’s self destructive decisions before you start to feel like a prying voyeur taking advantage of someone else’s darkest moments for you own entertainment.

Sometimes the attempts to wring meaning out of various moments felt forced at best, though I know that I often do the same with my own writing.

Misery alone doesn’t cut it for memoir. Triumph is a foregone conclusion here. There needs to be something startling, ironic, or unique that happens in the midst of that terrible time in an author’s life. For example, food critic Ruth Reichel was raised by a manic depressive mother who was a horrible cook and who fed her company enough raw and rotten food that it’s a wonder she didn’t kill anyone. Reichel’s story in Tender at the Bone isn’t just about misery. It’s about discovering food, herself, and a whole new life in the midst of a mother that is clearly one of a kind.

This memoir misses whatever a memoir like Reichel’s brings to the table.

Cron serves up powerful moments, touching tributes to important people, and heartbreaking let downs. However, since we already know how the story ends, I found myself uninterested in the story of how the author got there, even if it makes for a very powerful and relevant testimony. The fact that Cron’s father was an alcoholic is certainly tragic to read, but I didn’t feel like there was anything new going on in this story beyond the fact that the protagonist was someone different from the various other characters I know personally or read about who have had rough childhoods.

Incredible testimony? Yes. Encouraging points? Absolutely. Have we heard ones like this before? Plenty of times.

That doesn’t rob the story of its power necessarily, but its familiarity to most evangelical readers makes for a ho-hum story arc that follows a well-worn path.

Perhaps my number one complaint about this book was the mention of the CIA in the title. Cron’s father was a member of the CIA and the hints at his father’s history sucked me in with their mystery. At the mid-point of the book, he mentions pictures of his father playing golf with president Ford. I longed to find out more about what his father was doing, what kind of man his father was away from home, and how Cron dealt with the tension of his father’s two lives.

The CIA disappears for the most part and we slip into the testimony part of the story. We read little else about the CIA beyond a few stories that hint at something bigger going on with his father. While I understand that the CIA is secretive and wouldn’t want to divulge much information to Cron about his father, I kept feeling like I’d been hit with a bait and switch. The CIA figured so minimally in the story, that it hardly merited a mention on the cover.

While this is Cron’s story to tell, I felt that he’d opened some fascinating lines of inquiry at his father’s funeral at the start of the book, especially with the CIA officers who tell him how important his father was to them, and then failed to follow through on them. Cron wondered if they were talking about the same man who hardly paid him any attention beyond yelling at him, but we read nothing more about that line of inquiry. As a reader, I felt let down that such a critical question was left unanswered. Cron could have at least written at length about why he didn’t try to answer it.

Should You Read This Book?

I read several reviews of this book that whole-heartedly endorsed it with nary a critique. The endorsements read like a who’s who in the Christian publishing pantheon. What do I know?

It’s hard to find a good memoir to read, and if you enjoy memoir, this is a good one. However, I don’t feel like I could recommend it without my caveats above. It’s a good book with excellent writing, writing that is perhaps better than anything I’ve read recently, but the story will smack many readers as quite familiar.

There are some powerful quotes and laugh out loud one-liners that certainly sped me along, but I just couldn’t overlook the book’s weak points. I have the sense that my friends who read a lot of memoirs and nonfiction Christian books will share my disappointments, even if they still share my overall positive impression of the book.

If you’re new to memoir or even the typical evangelical testimony, this is a good place to start. If you’re looking to read about the way someone else handled a rough childhood, Cron has some gems of wisdom. If you simply want to be encouraged, you won’t be let down.

Lastly, if you’re an aspiring writer hoping to improve your craft for writing nonfiction, buy this book and read it several times. Cron’s masterful prose will drive home just how difficult it is to write a crisp nonfiction work, especially memoir. Though the story struck me as flat at times, the writing consistently moved me along. That alone makes me look forward to his next book.

UPDATE (7/26/11): If you want a chance to win a copy of this book, leave a comment below. The drawing for a free book closes on Thursday at 12 pm EST. Share the title of your favorite memoir, discuss what you thought of this book (if you read it that is), and praise me for the “sparkling” prose in my review. Our rabbits may have a role in choosing the winner. I’ll e-mail the winner on Thursday.

A year or two ago, I found a post on one of Anne Jackson’s blogs about her addiction to pornography. It was the first time that I’d read about a woman with a porn addiction. It wasn’t that I didn’t think women could be addicted to porn. It was just completely off my radar.

There’s a reason for that. Well, at least two big ones.

First of all, we focus a lot of time on pornography as something that men struggle with. While men are in the majority with pornography viewing and addiction, the number of women struggling with pornography is still quite high.

Secondly, the church doesn’t usually present itself as a good place for women to discuss addictions to pornography and sex.

I suspect that our problems are rooted in part in an unnecessarily low view of women due to misinterpreting certain passages of the Bible concerning women, while ignoring those that uplift them. This creates an undercurrent of devaluing women that may leave them feeling like second class citizens, and therefore minimizes their problems in light of the “real” problems that men face. I don’t want to get lost on a rabbit trail on this point since I need to keep this post moving, but I’ll be happy to clarify this a bit in the comments.

Another reason why women aren’t dealing with their addictions to pornography and sex in the church is the crippling shame they bring. It’s tough for anyone to come clean about struggles with lust, pornography, or sex outside of marriage. There’s fear of being condemned, alienated, and cast out as hopeless.

Today I’ve asked author Crystal Renaud to drop by and talk about her new book Dirty Girls Come Clean in order to help spread awareness about the solutions available for women and because I want everyone who struggles with addiction, pornography or otherwise, to find freedom through God’s Spirit. Crystal is a former pornography addict who now runs Dirty Girls Ministry and offers women hope and a safe place to talk about their addictions.

Matthew Paul Turner asked me to host Crystal on my blog, and I’m glad he suggested it. My questions are in bold with Cystal’s answers below:

How big is this problem? What are some statistics of women who struggle with pornography addiction?

According to a recent survey, 17% of women struggle with an addiction to pornography, while 25% of Christian women also struggle with pornography. So depending on the demographic of women, it’s one in four women or one in six women. And as far as web traffic, one in three (40% of) visitors to adult websites are women.

[Crystal has provided the following links to the statistics she quotes: stats on internet pornography, internet pornography statistics, and updated pornography statistics.] 

Can you share a little bit of your struggle struggles with pornography and sexual addiction with us?

I first came into contact with pornography at the age of 10 when I found a pornographic magazine in my older brother’s bathroom. I had to decide in that moment whether I would turn away or look at the material. I chose the latter. What followed that fateful decision was an eight-year addiction to pornography and pornography related behavior. I didn’t come clean about my addiction until I was nearly 19 years old when a woman I trusted shared with me about her past struggles with pornography use. It was through her confession that I was able to confess my own struggles and finally surrender this addiction to Jesus Christ and to a relationship of accountability with that woman.

There are not many resources for women with pornography and sexual addiction, what led you to write Dirty Girls Come Clean?

When I first began ministering in the area of pornography and sexual addiction, I never imagined I would write a book on women’s pornography addiction. But as I led support groups, I could see the lack of resources available for this kind of support. So in February of 2008, I made the decision (with the nudge of the Holy Spirit) to begin writing.

Overcoming an addiction is certainly a process. What would you say to women who fall back into destructive habits and struggle with guilt?

I tell them that it wasn’t overnight that they became addicted, so it won’t be overnight that they find complete freedom. Recovery from any affliction is a process and we must continue to embrace the process, even if we slip back into it. Getting back up is the most important step we can take.

You also started a ministry in February of 2009 for women called Dirty Girls Ministries? What made you choose the name “Dirty Girls” to describe your ministry?

The name Dirty Girls isn’t about referring to women who are addicted to porn or who have been addicted to porn as dirty. One of the most common responses I hear from women in the throes of addiction is, “I feel do dirty.” Because of this, we are about taking on that stigma so many women are already feeling and providing them a safe place to come and find help and hope for recovery through Jesus Christ.

We understand that Dirty Girls is a strong name and may offend some. But we also see that it attracts an audience we might not otherwise reach—those directly searching for pornography. We often receive messages from women (and men) who were browsing the web for porn but found help instead.

What are some of the core struggles for women who are pornography and sexually addicted?

What’s important to know about pornography and sexual addiction, it’s almost never about sex. It’s a core intimacy disorder. We see women all the time addicted to pornography simply because they are using it as a way to cope with pain in their lives. Just like women who cut, or have an eating disorder, pornography functions in the same way in their lives.

Typically the core struggles are unhealed wounds from sexual abuse, absent parent(s), spiritual abuse (the failure of a spiritual leader in their lives) and others.

How are the sexual struggles of women similar to the sexual struggles of men? How are they different?

Men are typically classified as the “visually stimulated” of the human race. While this is true, women are also visually stimulated and are attracted to pornography in many of the same ways as men are. But what makes women and women’s use of pornography all the more destructive and potentially dangerous is our innate desire for emotional connection. 81% of women, who frequent pornographic websites, will eventually escalate their addiction to in-person encounters because of their desire to be close to someone.

Thanks Crystal for your ministry and this book!

In order to learn more about Dirty Girls Come Clean and Cystal’s acronym for recovery from addition: S.C.A.R.S. (S—Surrender; C—Confession; A—Accountability; R—Responsibility; S—Sharing ), visit Crystal’s web site or check out a sample online.

When I began to dig into the world of biblical studies at a Christian college, I began to read commentaries. Some focused on the literary forms and cultural settings of each book. Others dug into what the books of the Bible meant.

Both had value, but neither provided particularly interesting reading. Sometimes I felt like they focused on the pieces of scripture to the detriment of the whole. While there is a place for commentaries that dig into the language and historical setting of the Bible, I longed for something that would help me read scripture with fresh eyes and do a better job of connecting its implications to everyday life.

It was as if I understood Jesus alright in his setting and found the Bible fascinating, but I was still reading scripture in a rather detached manner.

The books that tried to fill this need didn’t quite work for me.

Perhaps the NIV Application Commentary tried the hardest to bridge this divide, but it was still tough to dig into. Today NT Wright has produced a wonderfully accessible commentary series “For Everyone” that makes good scholarship accessible, but I still hadn’t found a commentary focused specifically on connecting the narrative scope of each biblical book with today, that is, until I learned about the Resonate commentary series that is edited by Paul Louis Metzger and David Sanford.

I write about Resonate as an endorser with a free copy by my nightstand, but I honestly dislike reviewing books so much that I would only put myself through it for a book that I truly enjoy and value. Metzger is a theologian who has successfully managed to engage culture without becoming captive to it, and he has given us a readable series of essays on John that make for great reading.

I’m a big fan of Metzger’s book Consuming Jesus, and after reading this commentary of John, When Love Comes to Town, I’m impressed with his approach. He describes his angle in the following way:

“The aim of the Resonate series is to provide spiritual nourishment that is biblically and theologically orthodox and culturally significant. The form each volume in the series will take is that of an extended essay” (12).

Resonate offers a big picture view of the biblical text, digs into some of the key points (remember, the goal is spiritual nourishment, not comprehensive explanations), and works readers through a reflective essay that seamlessly integrates the message with application to today. It doesn’t feel contrived or clunky, which is nothing short of a miracle if you’re familiar with books that try to do this.

Perhaps my greatest pet-peeve is the “Kids today!” approach to some Christian writers take in opposition to culture—as if the writer needs to attack everything suspect in the culture today with “solid biblical truth.” Metzger gives priority to the Bible and its controlling narrative for creation, while studying and interpreting culture in order to apply the Bible to culture. His approach is more conversational and ultimately more constructive.

The Gospel of John commentary in the Resonate series is readable and presents a fresh reading of scripture that is far more readable than a commentary, but still quite substantive. You won’t find insight into the language and history of the Bible, but then again, you can find that elsewhere—Resonate does not aim to offer those things because we’re practically buried in commentaries and dictionaries.

I mean, have you seen one of those Christian book catalogues???

This is a book that pastors and students can dig into when their eyes are crossing after parsing Greek verbs and reading primary source material from ancient times.

This is a book for the church-goer who won’t pick up a thick commentary, but still craves a thorough explanation and application of John’s Gospel.

I’m currently reading NT Wright’s commentary John for Everyone in my small group, and I think Wright and Metzger provide an excellent one-two punch—Wright offering some accessible background material and details, with Metzger tapping into the big picture of the story and some critical application points for today.

Reader be warned, this is a thick book with lots of text on each page, but it is quite readable and engaging. The pages go by pretty fast, the insights are helpful, and Metzger writes with a personal engagement and honesty that is lacking in many books in the biblical studies category.

For more info, swing by the IVP Resonate page or read a sample chapter.

My thanks to Paul, David, and IVP for the review copy!