If you woke up today thinking, “Man, I wish a best-selling author would give me some book writing tips,” then today is your lucky day. Julie Cantrell, author of
Into the Free,
When Mountains Move,
The Feathered Bone,
Perennials, and more, has graced the
USA Today and
New York Times best-seller lists, She is a true delight. Self-identifying as a tall princess poppy, she is a nature, cooking, and reading enthusiast. Pro Tip: if you sign up for her
email list, she’ll send you a collection of her favorite family recipes. We told you she’s delightful.
Most folks don't know where to start when it comes to book
writing. Julie has been there, and now she's here to help you. Below, you'll find her best tips for writing a book. By the by, if you write a great book, you'll need a great
cover. The cover of her new book
Perennials is one of our favs. Now, we hope you enjoy, and happy writing!
- Chelsea
-
We were all given at least one creative gift to help us navigate our spiritual journey. Find yours.
- Give yourself to right to explore the creative arts. You have been given these talents for a reason. They can help us heal from trauma, process the world around us, view life through a lens of gratitude, see the beauty in all things, expand our sense of empathy, and deepen our relationship with God.
-
Write as if no one will ever see it. Freely give birth to the story coming through you, and know that will be your first draft.
- Explore TRUTH, even in fiction, even when the story has nothing to do with your personal experiences. Be authentic and unguarded, as if God is your only reader. If we believe he is the divine creator, then there is nothing about the human journey he doesn’t already understand. He’s giving us this tool to help US better understand it all.
-
Writing and editing are two sides to the same coin. Both have equal worth, and no story should reach shelves without a few solid rounds of edits.
- Your story will connect with readers in very different ways at any given moment in time. Have no fear.
-
Perfection is a myth. Do your best and accept that mistakes will be made. And that’s okay.
- Some people will love your work. Others will loathe it. Either response is a valid one and should not impact your ego either way. Your role is to create something new using your God-given talents and then to offer it to the world to let it impact other lives as God intends. Rest assured that your story will reach at least one person in the way God planned. Once you’ve done your part, move on and start creating something new.
-
Shine your light with hopes that others may then be able to see their own path to freedom and love.
- Write because you can’t not write. If that’s not true for you, try to find your passion—that one true thing that allows you to express your fullest self: dance, woodwork, pottery, needlework, painting, metalwork, gardening, music, etc.
Learn more about Julie’s journey to the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists by viewing her TEDx talk: Two Questions That Will Change Your Life
Visit www.juliecantrell.com or www.bluesparked.com to learn more about her work as an author and editor.
HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., operates Page Chaser, the publisher of Into the Free, When Mountains Move, The Feathered Bone,
and Perennials.
