My New Favorite Writing Book: Delve, Pivot, Propel by Steven James

by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

Delve, Pivot, Propel by Steven James is now in my Top 5 craft books that I recommend to writers. 

Fun fact: Story Trumps Structure by Steven James is my #1. So, clearly, I’m a fan of Steven James’s storytelling approach. 

I could probably begin and end this post by saying, “Buy it, read it, mark it up, highlight it, put sticky tabs on the things you most resonate with, refer back often.” And, this would be the shortest post in The Write Conversation history! 

But I’ll give you more to go on than that! 

If the following are true of you, you should definitely check out Delve, Pivot, Propel:

1. You’re an organic writer. 

Some call this writing by the seat of your pants, pantsing, or discovery writing. I call this “Outlining spells the death of my story, and I can’t write any other way.” Dramatic? Maybe. Accurate? 100%. This is not a criticism of my outlining friends. But here’s the thing: There are tons of craft books out there that teach how to write by an outline. There are precious few that present craft advice from an organic lens. Delve, Pivot, Propel does. 

2. You’re a new writer.

If you’re drowning in writing advice but know enough to know that you don’t know enough (say that 5x fast), the structure of Delve, Pivot, Propel will be a lovely relief. The tagline is 350 Writing Secrets to Elevate Your Storytelling and Transform Your Novel. 350! That’s a LOT of writing wisdom presented bite-sized. Read one a day, take your time, absorb, ponder, and let the knowledge soak in.

3. You’re an experienced writer.

Let’s say you’ve written quite a few books, read every book on craft you can find, and don’t know if there’s anything more you can cram into your brain. But you also long for each book you write to be better than the last. The 350 secrets in this book are broken into ten sections covering everything from characterization to how to cut a scene you love. 

4. You’re in the middle of writing a book.

The middle. Ugh. The point where many of us struggle with existential dread about our life choices and wonder how, how, how we will create a story that anyone would want to read? It’s time to check out the sections on Status, Tension, and Believability, and Scenes and Struggles. Or maybe you need Story Progression and Characterization to help you see why the story is lagging? 

5. You’re getting ready to write a new book. 

This is where I land. Not only am I about to begin a new book, but I’m also starting a new series. As an organic writer, I have very little information about where these stories will end up. I have some key components set because, wild as this is, my publisher doesn’t just hand me money and a contract and say, “We’ll be happy with anything.” I had to give them something! This will be my 4th series. I want it to be better than the three that preceded it. I want to stretch my muscles and create characters and stories that stick with my readers. What better time than now to spend time stretching my craft muscles? 

Please note that numbers two through five on this list don’t care if you’re an outliner or an organic writer! You can use the wisdom in this book to craft a stronger, more compelling story. 

I highly recommend it! 

Grace and peace,

Lynn

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My New Favorite Writing Book: Delve, Pivot, Propel by Steven James, a review from @LynnHBlackburn on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Lynn H. Blackburn is the award-winning author of Unknown Threat, Malicious Intent, and Under Fire, as well as the Dive Team Investigations series. She loves writing swoon-worthy southern suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters by putting them into terrifying situations while she's sitting at home in her pajamas! She lives in Simpsonville, South Carolina, with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Learn more at www.lynnhblackburn.com.