Ask the Author: C.J. Penn
Answered Questions (3)
C.J. Penn
For me, the best thing about being a writer is ... well, there's really not just one thing. It's more like a basket full of things, such as:
- Opening the stopper on bottled up creativity and just letting the creative ideas flow. Though I only tried this a couple of times, there is a method attributed to Hemingway (yet likely not from him), where he supposedly advised to write drunk and edit sober. I'm not advocating drunk writing, but if a little beer or wine helps the creativity flow, maybe it's not a bad thing.
- I also love editing. It feels like taking a crude clay sculpture, removing the ugly parts, adding some improved parts, and ending up with something a whole lot better than what you started with. And for some reason, I really enjoy deleting "junk." There's some advice from the Bible that goes something like this: "The more the words, the less the meaning. And how does that profit anyone." I tend to try to write that way.
- My time is my own, at least while I'm writing.
- It gives me the opportunity to share ideas with other people, through blog posts or books I write. And my writing, always with a strong Christian theme (though maybe not a traditional theme to some), fills me with a passion to share.
- Speaking of passion, I really enjoy the passion that goes along with writing.
- And I'll stop with the last thing that popped into my head: the experience of creating new worlds and new people. And then, once the characters are created, getting to know them and then looking to them to guide me in how to write their story.
- Opening the stopper on bottled up creativity and just letting the creative ideas flow. Though I only tried this a couple of times, there is a method attributed to Hemingway (yet likely not from him), where he supposedly advised to write drunk and edit sober. I'm not advocating drunk writing, but if a little beer or wine helps the creativity flow, maybe it's not a bad thing.
- I also love editing. It feels like taking a crude clay sculpture, removing the ugly parts, adding some improved parts, and ending up with something a whole lot better than what you started with. And for some reason, I really enjoy deleting "junk." There's some advice from the Bible that goes something like this: "The more the words, the less the meaning. And how does that profit anyone." I tend to try to write that way.
- My time is my own, at least while I'm writing.
- It gives me the opportunity to share ideas with other people, through blog posts or books I write. And my writing, always with a strong Christian theme (though maybe not a traditional theme to some), fills me with a passion to share.
- Speaking of passion, I really enjoy the passion that goes along with writing.
- And I'll stop with the last thing that popped into my head: the experience of creating new worlds and new people. And then, once the characters are created, getting to know them and then looking to them to guide me in how to write their story.
C.J. Penn
I discovered I was curious about what it must have been like to be one of those people whom Jesus healed while he traveled the roads of ancient Israel. Or, how would it feel to have him show you unbelievable compassion, especially if you were a wretched type person, like a prostitute, or leper? So, I decided to make up such characters, using actual stories about Jesus from the Bible, and ask those characters how it felt. And that's where "We Called Him Yeshua" came from.
C.J. Penn
Don't hesitate. Never for a moment think you can't do it ... because you CAN. Just get started.
If you don't know what you want to write about, maybe start by journaling whatever comes into your mind. And then, if after several days or weeks, if still don't know what to write about, go back and read through what you've written in your journal. The answer you're looking for might be right in the midst of those pages.
Also ... READ. Read what you like, lots of it. And read about the type of book you want to write. If you want to write fiction, read books about how to write fiction, lots of those too.
And somewhere along the line, you may just fall in love with writing. I hope you have a blast.
If you don't know what you want to write about, maybe start by journaling whatever comes into your mind. And then, if after several days or weeks, if still don't know what to write about, go back and read through what you've written in your journal. The answer you're looking for might be right in the midst of those pages.
Also ... READ. Read what you like, lots of it. And read about the type of book you want to write. If you want to write fiction, read books about how to write fiction, lots of those too.
And somewhere along the line, you may just fall in love with writing. I hope you have a blast.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more