Writer to Writer

by Bodie Thoene, Brock Thoene

The Whys and Hows of Writing from a Very Successful Writing Team! Bodie Thoene is a bestselling and award-winning author with years of writing experience in both the general and religious markets. With her husband Brock, this highly successful writing team here shares a wealth of practical knowledge on the whys and hows of writing. Beginning with motivation, personal cost and breadth of involvement, the authors develop these building blocks to a successful writing Getting started. Finding help to improve your writing. Developing the writer's tools. Understanding the basics of good writing. Building a resource file. Selecting a strong idea. Contacting an editor. Draft preparation, editing, and final draft. Packaging and protecting your material. Making the transition from periodical to book writing. Filled with personal anecdotes and humor, Writer to Writer can help a beginning writer as well as give valuable tips to a published author.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Christian, Education

174 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1990

About the author

BODIE AND BROCK THOENE (pronounced Tay-nee) have written over 45 works of historical fiction. These best sellers have sold more than 10 million copies and won eight ECPA Gold Medallion Awards.

Bodie began her writing career as a teen journalist for her local newspaper. Eventually her byline appeared in prestigious periodicals such as U.S. News and World Report, The American West, and The Saturday Evening Post. She also worked for John Wayne’s Batjac Productions (she’s best known as author of The Fall Guy) and ABC Circle Films as a writer and researcher. John Wayne described her as “a writer with talent that captures the people and the times!” She has degrees in journalism and communications.

Bodie and Brock have four grown children—Rachel, Jake Thoene, Luke Thoene, and Ellie—and five grandchildren. Their sons, Jake and Luke, are carrying on the Thoene family talent as the next generation of writers, and Luke produces the Thoene audiobooks.

Bodie and Brock divide their time between London and Nevada.

Reviews

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I'm always fascinated when famous authors discuss the craft of writing, it's disappointing how often their advice is geared to the total novice. Such is the case with WRITER TO WRITER, a book that offers useful, highly practical writing/publishing tips but is essentially a primer for people just beginning their professional journeys. And while I appreciate the authors' Christian perspective, their regular admonitions to pray and defer to God make the book seem even MORE simplistic, in that, for a Christian audience, such things should go without saying. But the book was released by a Christian publisher, so I understand the need to push that particular angle. I also applaud the authors for not ignoring the value of secular publications, and for criticizing those Christian writers who think a positive message makes up for lousy writing.
To me, the book is most useful when giving tips on submitting manuscripts and approaching an editor. Technology-wise, the approaches offered here are hopelessly out of date, but I believe the underlying principles remain the same. Unlike with most college classes, the focus here is on becoming a working man's writer rather than a literary superstar. The Thoenes explain how to write short magazine articles and newspaper submissions, not the Great American Novel. Their advice is all about starting small and working your way up. It's incredibly practical stuff, but not the least bit glamorous. The question is not what you want to write, but what you actually CAN write. And the goal is not self-expression so much as getting published and earning a paycheck. If that approach strikes you as a bit too earthy, then this book isn't for you.
I haven't read a Brock & Bodie Theone novel since my early teens, so I wasn't sure what I thought of them as writers anymore. WRITER TO WRITER reassured me that their success is warranted, though I wish they'd cut it out with all those exclamation marks. Their co-writing dynamic sounds very unusual, and I would have liked them to elaborate on it further. The book made me want to check out their fiction again, maybe revisit the SAGA OF THE SIERRAS I so enjoyed as a kid.

[sophia]

Good, practical book on writing from a Christian perspective. It's extremely outdated—it mainly focusses on print journalism that has vastly shifted since the time this was written. Although it's addressing "writers," there's very little in there about fiction. The authors had sweet examples at the beginning of each chapter and exercises at the end, which was useful, and I liked the quotes they included.

I won't give a rating...I feel like this would have been 4.5 stars or so in 1990. Nowadays, there are better resources out there that are up-to-date.

[Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good advice that's practical and biblically based--and written by Bodie Thoene, who's just great with words. But it wasn't particularly applicable to me, because I realize I'm not primarily a writer. I'm not taken with "being published," at least for now, and therefore I didn't decide to take her advice. However, for someone who "be a writer" as a career, this seems to be great, practical, and specific advice. I do wonder how outdated it is, though--it's possible that a lot of the things Bodie Thoene says to do is done over the internet nowadays.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hugely helpful to any would-be writers. Cover to cover is filled with hard facts, advice, and the funny side notes. My only concern about the information, hence the four stars, is that the information is now twenty-four years out of date, though the references to typewriters were somewhat amusing is this day and age. However, most of the information contained within is useful for the writing process and in general day-to-day life as well.

[Nicole Magolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writer to Writer is quite outdated in many areas, but much of the writing advice remains true. It is full of practical advice, along with fun stories that make for an easy read.

I've forgotten most of it now, but there are a few specific things that stuck with me. Because of that, I would say it's worth the read.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caused me to consider writing professionally. Quite a story which inspires.

[Retha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring read for all writers