FREE TO WRITE

Editors Dinkins and Washington present a collection of essays for Christian writers of color that will help aspiring authors of all backgrounds.

The editors gather insights from a well-rounded group of industry professionals in this volume. Writers and writing teachers offer articles on craftsmanship; one of Washington’s own contributions is an essay on “sensory details and figurative language.” Others give tips on editing and revision, as in editor and author Lisa A. Crayton’s presentation of “five key revision strategies.” But the most useful aspects of this book are the perspectives it provides from editors, agents, and publishers. Bruce R. Barbour, the founder of the Literary Management Group and a former Random House executive, includes a template for book proposals, explains when a writer needs a literary agent, and lists the differences between traditional publishers and other options. Agustin Agency founder Lluvia Agustin covers legal issues and identifies questions to consider before signing contracts. Despite these broadly useful tips, Dinkins and Washington don’t forget their primary audience; they also provide articles with specific professional insights for Christian writers from diverse backgrounds. Journalist and devotional writer Nancy Gavilanes, for example, explains “3 Keys to Writing Devotional Articles,” and Xochitl Dixon, a disabled Mexican contributor to the Christian publication Our Daily Bread, considers “The Ministry of Magazine Writing.” Other contributors speak explicitly to concerns that writers of color share, such as Christy Award Winner Patricia Raybon, a Black mystery fiction writer and teacher who explains how she cultivates writers’ voices in the classroom, and Terry M. Wildman, a pastor and lead translator/project manager for the First Nations Version of the Bible, who describes the importance of including familiar cultural references in Bible translations.

A comprehensive guide that will assist many writers in navigating the publishing landscape.