Mary Harwell Sayler’s “Christian Writer’s Guide”

A great multitude of writer’s guides can be found for sale – guides for writing, guides for publishing, guides for writing fiction and non-fiction, guides for the memoir, guides for writing poetry, guides for writing novels in specific genres, and more. What I like about Mary Harwell Sayler’s Christian Writer’s Guide is its simplicity, its comprehensiveness, and its conciseness.

And while it is aimed specifically at Christian writers, the author’s experience with and knowledge of the writing business can be applied by any writer.

Mary Harwell Sayler

The topics covered include finding the genre you’re best suited for; listening for your voice; doing research; editing and revision; preparing to be published; the freelance business; query letters; preparing manuscripts; how to propose a book; keeping track of your submissions; establishing an internet presence; and even how to formulate your writer’s bio. She also includes a raft of helpful writing terms to help navigate the writing and publishing business.

This is a guide written by an experienced professional. It’s straightforward and to the point; Sayler doesn’t waste words.

She’s the author of several books, including Living in the Nature Poem and Outside Eden: Poems; Christian Poet’s Guide to Writing Poetry; First Days of Parenting; First Days of Retirement; among several others. She blogs at In a Christian Writer’s Life and Poetry Editor and Poetry. And she does something that very few writers do: she gives back encouragement and help to other writers.

Christian Writer’s Guide is a compact collection of what a writer needs to know and do in pursuing a successful career.

Related: My review of Living in the Nature Poem

Top photograph: The cellarium of Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire by George Hodan via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.