How do Christian communicators keep healthy and life-giving in both thought and expression? How do they then reach readers and listeners with seeds that take root in hearts and minds today?
With gardening metaphors and narrative style, Catherine Lawton explores answers to these questions and more. The author herself is a seasoned writer and publisher—and avid gardener. This book offers both inspiration as well as concrete guidance to beginners and professional communicators alike. The chapters discuss aspects of "organic writing and pubishing":
- SOAK. Like garden soil a writer's output depends on what they are soaking in and soaking up with their time, attention, talents for under-the-surface viability.
- SPOKE. The Master Gardener has spoken life-giving words from the beginning and continues to speak hope to each generation in language they can hear. Do we?
- EVOKE. Learn from the past without clinging to it. Be willing to experiment. Listen and learn from the current postmodern context in order to communicate God's love to more readers.
- PROVOKE. Surprise and awaken readers. Be forward thinking, aware of trends and changes. Provoke for renewed engagement with hope, thought, and action.
- STOKE. How to stoke “fires” of awareness. Promote your message by taking your nourishing “produce” to market using tried-and-true as well as unconventional and cutting-edge methods.
The Appendices offer practical, useful tips for:
- Publishing Models
- The Publishing Process
- Marketing for Introverts
Readers of Write and Publish Organically will be inspired to plunge their creative hands into healthy, ever-renewing “soil” for a productive, fruitful life of writing and publishing. The author writes, "My vision of faith-based writing and publishing is like growing a garden that is not only productive but beautiful and good and true. It gets you in touch with 'what is really real.' It gives life to all touched by the garden: workers, pollinators, neighbors, and consumers of the garden produce. How does this fit within a postmodern, increasingly pluralistic and secular society, and a divided political landscape? In my book I consider how, why, and what to publish in a sustainable way that will last and continue to grow and have influence."
Catherine Lawton writes poetry, fiction, nonfiction and essays, many of which have been published in print periodicals, online journals, and books. In her writing she explores the adventure of relating to God, others, and nature. Her previous books include, Remembering Softly: A Life In Poems and Glimpsing Glory: Poems of Living & Dying, Praying & Playing, Belonging & Longing. She has a BA in English from Point Loma Nazarene University and an MSM in Faith-Based Publishing from Northwind Theological Seminary.
