Nonfiction Review: Dancing on the Head of a Pen

I've never read Robert Benson's work before, and judging by the few "spiritual" things he says in his new book "Dancing on the Head of a Pen," I would likely disagree with much of his faith-inspired writings. But his denomination or faith has little bearing on whether or not "Dancing on the Head of a Pen" is worth a read, and judging by the title alone, it's clear Benson is a creative writer.

Benson's book on writing lays out some general writing tips that most writers will already know but find inspiring nonetheless. Reading about writing makes me want to write, but unfortunately I never have anything to write, at least not anything that could make a book. So, I don't feel considerably helped along by Benson, but I enjoyed his book, at any rate. He includes stories from his life and writes with charm. He tends to break his stories up into short bits, which did bother me somewhat (when I felt the story was interrupted), but made the book a quick and easy read (in just two evening sittings). Benson also includes several quotes from more famous authors.

Tips include: Write every day (at least 600 words), choose a small jury of people as your audience, don't speed, recognize the steps of writing and editing, read a lot, stay in the habit, take a step outside every once in a while, and be careful who you share your work with.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review.