Writing Spiritual Books: A Bestselling Writer s Guide to Successful Publication

by Hal Zina Bennett

The burgeoning interest in writing and spiritual growth, spurred on by books such as Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way and Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones has helped to establish writing books as a mainstay in the book business. At the same time, spiritual and personal growth books grace bestseller lists across the nation. Perhaps not so surprisingly, there is a cross-fertilization between people who are interested in personal and spiritual growth and those who are interested in writing.

In Writing Spiritual Books, Hal Zina Bennett will take the writer by the hand: first, he will help illuminate and focus on the spiritual experience; then Bennett shares tips and secrets on the craft of writing, organization, and style of spiritual books; and finally, he will address the practical aspects of finding an agent and publisher, complete with a resource section.

Including both anecdotal and prescriptive material gleaned from the Hal Zina Bennett’s work on over 200 successful projects–-for both publishers and individual authors--their will be writing exercises, exploratory questions, and other practical guidance, Readers will be taken through the entire process of writing books for the spiritual and personal growth markets.

Genres: Writing, Spirituality

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2004

About the author

Born in Detroit, I lived in Birmingham, a suburb of Detroit, until the age of 12, when we moved north to a small village on Deer Lake. I became interested in writing during high school but didn't take it seriously until I was in my twenties when a publisher became interested in my writing on alternative education. My first book was published jointly by Random House and Bookworks, a small California publisher. Title: "No More Public School." It was moderately successful, giving parents throughout the U.S. tips on homeschooling or setting up small parent-co-op private schools. This lead to a series of collaborations with Mike Samuels, MD, on wellness and health, notably "The Well Body Book," which was an international bestseller. My own books have included books on personal and spiritual growth, such as "Follow Your Bliss," on right livelihood, "Spirit Animals and The Wheel of Life," "Zuni Fetishes," and a series of three books on creativity and writing, including the bestselling "Write From the Heart." Published fiction includes "Spirit Circle" and "Backland Graces: Four Novellas." I have ghost written or collaborated on at least a dozen other books, including "The Holotropic Mind," with Stan Grof, MD and "Change Your Questions, Change Your Life," for Marilee Adams, Ph.D. I continue to coach and teach other writers and consult on publishing choices.

Reviews

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few types of writing that are as personal as writing about one's beliefs or spiritual experiences. Unlike fiction where a writer can hide behind imagination and creativity or technical non-fiction where the author can remain emotionally unavailable, the author of spiritual material must share him or herself fully with their readers in order to give them insight into the literature or an understanding of how this material pertains their life.

Writing Spiritual Books emphasizes a strong author-reader connection. Such a bond is built through the writer being genuine, describing life events that are appropriate to the topic, and writing about what they really know and have experienced fro themselves. Beyond these important aspects, the author of spiritual works, like any other writer, must tailor his or her organized, well written text to suit his or her audience's needs, wants, and desires.

I found the information provided in this book to suit my needs and address my concerns while making me feel like I was having a good conversation with a beloved mentor and friend.

[Rivvy Neshama · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Writing Spiritual Books: A Bestselling Writer’s Guide to Successful Publication” by Hal Zina Bennett

When I found this book, I had just about finished writing my own spiritual book, so I was most interested in what the subtitle promised: “A Bestselling Writer’s Guide to Successful Publication.” And this book delivers on its promise, offering all the guidance and resources a “spiritual writer” needs to get one’s book out into the world, and all the support it needs once it’s there!

The author writes with grace, humor, and an engaging style, so it’s not surprising that he’s a bestselling author of more than 30 books! But most appealing of all is his honesty and humility as he explores “the responsibilities we take on as authors when we write about themes that reach deeply into our readers’ hearts and souls.” It is with great generosity and openness that he reveals the lessons he’s learned and passes them on to us.

Writing and publishing a spiritual book is different in many ways from writing other kinds of books. Bennett has a deep understanding of these differences and what that must mean, and he helps us understand them as well.

I was truly grateful to find this book. It ultimately led me to take advantage of the author’s coaching services. And that was a blessed gift too!

[Judy Croome · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came to “Writing Spiritual Books: A Bestselling Writer's Guide to Successful Publication” via another how-to book by Deborah Levine Herman and understand why Levine-Herman spoke so highly of both this book and its author, Hal Zina Bennett.

While this book is intensely geared for non-fiction spiritual writers, there is much to be gained for spiritual fiction writers too.

The practical guidance on how to approach writing a book is easy to read and digest, well set out and highly informative. Any writer, no matter what your genre or level of writing skills, will find something of practical use between these pages.

However, where Bennett comes into his own, is in the spiritual nuggets tucked away amongst the facts and figures of how to write spiritual fiction that editors will publish and readers will buy.

My personal favourite is his description of the act of writing as a spiritual experience: “Writing takes us deeper into ourselves, into a place that is beyond the demands and constraints of our egos. At its best, language can produce what the ancient Celts called “thin places,” that is, places or moments in life when the curtain between physical and spiritual worlds is swept aside, allowing us to peer out, past everyday reality, and catch a glimpse of the Divine. It’s here that we feel the full impact of our spiritual identity.”

This reminds me of the trance dances of the San shamans: writing can be a doorway to the other world beyond the real and it is there we will find our inner self.

With his unpretentious and friendly style, wide knowledge and his willingness to share what he knows with others, Hal Zina Bennett has created a book that should guide and sustain many an author on their personal incredible journey of writing.

[Catherine]

I've read this book several times now. Going back and scan reading it because my intuition says I need to learn something again from this book. Not sure what yet.

I decided to set this one back on the shelf for now.