Reading non-fiction and needing time to write

What's your calling? What's your passion? A friend loaned me her copy of "It's your call," while an e-friend offered to organize my mind, another promising to make me an influential author. Perhaps I should "start writing [my] book today" but I'm busy with book reviews. Or I'll go back to the non-fiction book that has occupied many happy hours over the last months with truly excellent essays, fascinating insights, curious facts, and lots of food for thought.

That last one is called Secular Jewish Culture by Yakov Malkin; it's a huge book, filled with endlessly fascinating, absorbing, informative, thought-provoking essays, and I love it. Enjoy this intense read with some intense five-star coffee.

Perhaps if my mind were more organized I would have read these books faster. Anyway, the next one is Memory 21 an organized mind: 21 days to revitalizing your memory and your life by Alex Brighton. It reads a bit like a cross between self-help and extended college essay - lots to read, but more as a dip-into than a 21-day method perhaps. Enjoy with some mild, crisp one-star coffee.

But perhaps if I were more confident in my calling I'd be spending the time writing books instead of reviews. Next is Start Writing Your Book Today by Morgan Gist MacDonald. It's aimed at writing non-fiction (and my non-fiction book is languishing) and it's a clear step-by-step guide, including plenty of wise advice. Enjoy its well-informed chapters with some well-balanced three-star coffee.

I'd love to finish that non-fiction book, but I suspect my calling may be more toward fiction. It’s Your Call by Gary Barkalow is a Christian guide to following your call, rather than just doing your job, and it's an easy read with short simple chapters and lots of memorable phrases. Reading it's rather like listening in on a series of lecture. Enjoy its lively, conversational style with some lively, easy-drinking two-star coffee.

Finally (for today) there's The Influential Author by Gregory Diehl. He's aiming at non-fiction too. Is the world trying to tell me something? This one's a long (thick) volume collecting together lots and lots of facts, delving into philosophy, describing the process, adding title and cover advice... and even how to do audio-books! Lots to read and a great resource with good chapter-end summaries, though I didn't enjoy the personal anecdotes so much. Enjoy this intense ride through the world of publishing with some intense five-star coffee.

So... what's your calling? Are you going to write a (non-fiction) book now?

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