“Motherhood has rumbled over us like a freight train, rendering us in some moments out of control and humbled, positions we’re not accustomed to.”
-Shauna Niequist in Bittersweet

It’s hard not to love a book with a decadent piece of chocolate on the cover. But there’s more to Shauna Niequist’s books than beautiful hardback covers that appear completely edible. Shauna’s books are filled with stories. They are made up of chapter after chapter about this day and that, this meal with this family and that trip with that friend. And between the lines you read the story of a pilgrim’s journey. Tidbits of friendly advice are mixed in with plenty of laughter and tears and humble admissions about what she doesn’t know.

Shauna’s books have restored my faith in stories. Reading Bittersweet has put me back in the mood for the good old storytelling version of blogging. Not 5 tips for this or what I think about that, but the stories of days and of people.

Maybe the stories don’t always have much of a point to them. But they can bring a smile on a dark day or let you know that someone else has shared those very same tears. Shauna’s books show that you don’t have to have all the answers in order to write a book. But her stories beautifully display a common thread that is the most important part of stories: the thread that points to Jesus.

“We slip into believing that it’s better to strive for perfection than to accept and offer one another grace.”
-Shauna Niequist in Bittersweet

English teacher and blogger Denise J. Hughes has written the eBook that every blogger and author needs to read. On Becoming a Writer tells bloggers the importance of becoming good writers, and shows authors the difference between blogging and writing for publication.

Denise knows the craft and loves the art. She believes in the creative process but values the editorial process. And her writing displays the intentionality and organization she encourages.

She starts by identifying with her fellow writers, recognizing the very necessity that stringing words together is to each of us. Then Denise delves into the discipline of the craft and the organization of the art.

“Life isn’t a support-system for art. It’s the other way around.”

A brief dip into the mechanics of writing reminds us that good writing does not just happen by osmosis. And the ladder on the cover? It has nothing to do with climbing the ladder of success and everything to do with concrete and abstract writing.

“The ingenuity of an idea is moot unless we communicate with clarity.”

Thanks to On Becoming a Writer, I now have an English teacher’s permission to use a sentence fragment every once in a while. As long as I know why I’m using it. And of course, as a Twitter user, I loved that Denise recognizes the value of Twitter in becoming a better writer:

“If we can summarize our article in 140 characters, then we know the article has a focus.”

Denise brings together the worlds of blogging and writing, showing bloggers when we can break the rules and when we can’t. And for the author delving into blogging, Denise explains its more casual medium. Then there’s the question that hit me right between the eyes: am I spending more time on my blog design than on my sentence and paragraph design?

On Becoming a Writer: What Every Blogger Needs to Know ends with some short but powerful chapters about letting our stories simmer, the way we wield our pen, and how our stories will affect our audience and those in them.

“As a writer, I have a responsibility to wield my pen with truth and grace.”

It’s the latest on the short list I tell every blogger they have to read. And the best part is that Denise is giving On Becoming a Writer away free today and tomorrow, March 25-26. Get your copy from Amazon today! (You don’t need a Kindle — there’s free software that lets you read Kindle books right on your computer.)

Be sure to visit Denise’s website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter for more great tips on writing. (I know I’m going to be adding some new titles to my PaperbackSwap wish list after looking at her resources page!)