Welcome, Jerry. We are honored to have you partner with us. Can you share a little about your recent book?
The Valley of the Dry Bones (Worthy Publishing)
A 17-year drought, earthquakes, and wildfires leave California uninhabitable and irreparable, forcing its citizens to relocate. Fewer than 1% of its population remain—by choice or necessity. But a contingency of 16 feels called of God to stay at their own risk to minister to the stragglers. Calling themselves The Holdouts, they must live underground, finding water and food where they can, and producing their own fuel and other necessities. They face a clash of cultures, ethnicities, religions, and politics that pits friend against friend, with the future of the country at stake.
In the midst of the chaos, while facing their most menacing opponent, the unlikely but heroic leader of The Holdouts becomes convinced he’s heard directly from God Himself. The result is a finish you’ll never forget.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I was already a sportswriter when, as a teenager, I felt a call to full-time Christian service. I initially thought that signaled the end of my writing career, but a wise mentor told me that often God equips a person before He calls him. He told me to consider my writing as a vehicle to answer that call. Thus, to me, success has nothing to do with typical publishing earmarks like awards, bestseller lists, or royalty checks.
Regardless what happens with my books, I succeed every day merely by obeying the call.
My theme, message, or goal for any writing project is to share my faith and point readers to Christ. Due to my worldview, not every book ends with everything tied in a neat bow, but they do all carry themes of repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and hope.
How long have you been writing?
I began writing for pay as a 14-year-old sportswriter for a local newspaper.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract?
My first book was published in 1974, accepted by the second publisher to which I submitted it.
My first New York Times bestseller was my 75th book.
My first multimillion-copy bestseller was my 125th.
The Valley of the Dry Bones was my 189th.
I consider myself mono-gifted. I don’t sing or dance or preach; writing (and teaching writing at JerryJenkins.com) is all I do.
How long does it take you to write a book?
A lifetime, Seriously, it varies with length and genre. At my peak of productivity, I was publishing several books per year, though some of those were shorter works for younger readers. I now average around two books every three years. Actually, I recently published a guide for how I write books, which you can find here.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
I write only on deadline, and then I keep a fairly rigid regimen: I’m at the keyboard shortly after breakfast, and the work I do before noon will be the best I do all day. I begin with a heavy edit and rewrite of the pages I wrote the day before. Then I turn off my internal editor and write my pages for the present day.
I consider that draft just a hunk of meat to be carved the next day.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
Though it may not seem so from the volume of my production, I am a procrastinator. Before starting any book, I become a neatnik and must have everything else done, including sharpening more than a dozen pencils—despite that I haven’t written with a pencil since sixth grade.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
The highlight of my career was assisting Billy Graham with his memoir, Just As I Am.
It has also been an unspeakable joy to hear personally from thousands of people who tell me they came to faith as a result of reading the Left Behind Series®.
What has been your darkest moment(s)?
Fortunately, my darkest moments have not been career-related.
Which of your books is your favorite?
Riven (Tyndale House), a novel. I had the idea and the characters in mind for nearly 2 decades before I wrote it all in one long rush. It’s also my longest book, so readers who don’t like it can use it as a doorstop.
Who is your favorite author to read?
I believe our greatest living American writer is Rick Bragg. His memoir, All Over but the Shoutin’, is a poetic masterpiece I read at least once a year. Some writers make you want to emulate them; Bragg makes me want to simply surrender to his superiority and enjoy the read.
What advice can you give aspiring writers?
Writers are readers; good writers are good readers; great writers are great readers.
What encouragement would you give an aspiring writer?
- Don’t start your writing career with a book. That would be like starting your educational career in grad school instead of kindergarten. Get a quarter million clichés out of your system, polish your prose, hone your skills. Be edited. A book is not where you start; it’s where you arrive.
- Allow yourself to be bad before you expect to be good. Babies don’t walk from birth. First, they roll over. Then they crawl. Then their first steps are halting, and they usually wind up on their rear ends.
- The same is true with reading, riding a bicycle, dancing, public speaking, or becoming proficient at any skill. Cut yourself some slack and give yourself time to learn.
- Develop a thick skin.
- Learn to take criticism.
- Join a critique group.
- Engage a mentor.
- Read everything there is to read, especially in your genre.
- Carve out the time to write; you won’t find it in your schedule—you have to create it.
- Read The Elements of Style
- Take your writing career seriously and insist that others do as well. Before you become a professional, you need to act like one—investing in the right tools of the trade and creating as ideal workspace as possible.
- Do not sacrifice your family on the altar of your writing career. Maintain your priorities so that when you do sit down to write, you’ll work without guilt and find yourself more productive than ever.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
My favorite villain was Nicolae Carpathia, the antichrist in the Left Behind Series®.
My favorite scene is from Nicolae, when Chaim Rosensweig is discovered by a man he assumes is a guard assigned to kill him, and it turns out the man is an angel assigned to protect him.
Where do you get your ideas?
I make them up. Usually, they are a combination of seemingly disparate impressions that rattle around in my brain until a story begins to take shape. If it sticks with me and won’t leave me alone and I keep embellishing it, I assume it will have legs and readers will stay interested. If I lose enthusiasm for it, I let it die before I start writing.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?
The Five Most Common Mistakes I See in Beginners’ Manuscripts http://bit.ly/29saRw7
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
- Local paper
- Blog
- Guest blog
- Local and regional market magazines
- E-zines
- On the Inspirational side, Sunday School Papers
Jerry B. Jenkins is a novelist and biographer with 21 New York Times bestsellers, 7 of which debuted at No. 1. His books have sold more than 70 million copies worldwide. He is the former Vice President for Publishing at the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago and now serves on Moody’s board of trustees.
He is the writer of the Left Behind Series® and has written biographies of such luminaries as Hank Aaron, Walter Payton, Orel Hershiser, Meadowlark Lemon, Nolan Ryan, and many others. He assisted Bill Graham with his memoir, Just As I Am.
Jerry owns the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, a subscription site for budding writers.
He has been married to Dianna since 1971, and they have three grown sons and eight grandchildren. Jerry lives in Colorado. www.JerryJenkins.com
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