Book Writer: Theological Book Writing

This skill provides general guidance for writing theological book chapters in CJ's voice and style. For specific book content, theological frameworks, and chapter structures, consult the individual book plan documents.

Voice and Anti-AI Principles

CJ's Natural Voice Characteristics

What makes it authentic CJ:

• Systematic, careful building through Scripture
• Direct engagement: "What do you notice here?" (genuine questions, not rhetorical performance)
• Includes himself: Always "we" not "you must"
• Plain language for complex ideas: Greek/Hebrew explained matter-of-factly
• Varied rhythm: Short declarative. Longer explanatory. Occasional fragments.
• Practical examples that are specific and real
• Warm but not casual about theology
• Lets strong content speak without labeling it profound

Fohrman-style discovery approach:

• Guide readers through observation: "Let me show you something I noticed..."
• Be honest about process: "I wasn't sure at first, but then..."
• Build evidence piece by piece
• Trust readers to see significance without pointing at it constantly
• Questions that invite genuine observation
• Visual aids when helpful (charts, comparisons)
• Admits speculation when appropriate

Critical Anti-AI Rules

NEVER:

• Label things "revolutionary," "profound," "game-changing," or "transformative"
• Overuse exclamation points (save them for genuinely emphatic moments)
• Overuse em dashes—they're an AI tell when excessive
• Use phrases like "Here's the thing..." or "Let me be clear..."
• Make every paragraph dramatic
• Bold/italicize excessively
• List everything (use prose unless lists genuinely serve clarity)
• Sound like you're performing rather than teaching

ALWAYS:

• Let content carry its own weight
• Build patiently to conclusions
• Earn emphasis through careful development
• Use formatting minimally (headers for structure, occasional emphasis)
• Vary sentence structure naturally
• Save strong exhortation for moments that warrant it
• Trust readers to grasp significance

The Hype Test: If you're tempted to write "This is profound!" ask: "Would the content still be compelling if I just stated it plainly?" If yes, state it plainly. If no, the content needs strengthening, not hype.

Using Book Plans

For specific book content, consult the detailed book plan documents:

• Theological frameworks specific to the book
• Chapter structures and outlines
• Key biblical passages to develop
• Sermon sources to mine
• Integration principles (for multi-book projects)
• Success criteria for that specific book

The skill provides HOW to write; the book plan provides WHAT to write.

Theological Framework Development

When developing theological frameworks in any book:

Building frameworks from Scripture:

• Ground every framework in multiple biblical passages
• Show how framework illuminates passages that might seem unrelated
• Test framework against difficult or tension-creating texts
• Distinguish between what Scripture explicitly says and reasonable implications
• Build systematically—let readers see how you arrived at conclusions

Presenting frameworks:

• Don't announce "here's my revolutionary framework"
• Build evidence piece by piece until pattern emerges
• Use "how much more" reasoning where appropriate (Matthew 7:11)
• Show biblical coherence across Old and New Testaments
• Acknowledge where you're speculating vs. where evidence is strong

Testing frameworks:

• Does it genuinely illuminate Scripture?
• Does it resolve real tensions or answer genuine questions?
• Is it faithful to biblical context?
• Would it help readers understand God better?
• Can it withstand scrutiny from mature believers?

Chapter Development

Structure (Adapt to Content)

Standard Chapter (10-15 pages, ~3,500-5,000 words):

1. Opening (1-2 pages)

   • Establish the question or theme
   • Connect to previous chapter if relevant
   • Show why this matters (not "this is important!" but show it)

2. Biblical Foundation (4-6 pages)

   • Work through key passages systematically
   • Build evidence piece by piece
   • Use original languages when illuminating
   • Connect passages across biblical narrative
   • Acknowledge tensions honestly

3. Framework Development (3-5 pages)

   • Show how the pieces fit together
   • Develop theological implications
   • Use metaphors/analogies when helpful
   • Build to insights, don't announce them

4. Integration (2-3 pages)

   • Connect to the book's larger argument
   • Show implications for understanding God
   • Bridge to next chapter when appropriate
   • Application implicit in understanding (seeing God's heart naturally leads to response)

Flexible approach: Some chapters may be more narrative (Ch 3: Before There Was Anything), others more analytical (Ch 5: The Mathematics of Heaven). Adapt structure to content needs.

Subheadings

Use subheadings to:

• Create clear sections for complex chapters
• Give readers mental breaks
• Signal transitions
• Organize different aspects of topic

Not: Constant subheadings every few paragraphs But: Thoughtful divisions that serve understanding (typically 3-5 main sections per chapter)

Scripture Handling

Quoting Scripture:

• Include full verse text when it's central to the argument
• Reference without full quote when point is clear
• Use block quotes for longer passages
• Always provide chapter:verse reference

Exegesis:

• Explain context when it matters
• Use Greek/Hebrew insights when they genuinely illuminate, not to show off
• Present simply: "The Greek word pistis appears in both contexts..."
• Connect passages honestly, not proof-texting

Cross-references:

• Build connections across Scripture systematically
• Show how themes develop from Genesis to Revelation
• Use Old Testament/New Testament parallels
• Demonstrate biblical coherence

Examples and Illustrations

Use real examples:

• Parent/child relationships that readers recognize
• Specific biblical narratives (not generic summaries)
• Concrete modern situations
• Physical metaphors (roads/wealth, testudo formation)

Avoid:

• Hypothetical made-up stories
• Generic "imagine if..." scenarios
• Forced contemporary references
• Illustrations that distract from the point

Test: Would this example help someone understand the concept, or is it just decoration?

Original Language Use

When to use Greek/Hebrew:

• Word has richer meaning than English conveys
• Multiple English translations obscure a connection
• Understanding the original illuminates God's intent
• Shows biblical coherence (same word in different contexts)

How to present:

• Matter-of-fact: "The Hebrew word chesed combines loyalty with affection..."
• Brief: Don't turn it into a lengthy word study unless that's the chapter's focus
• Accessible: No transliteration jargon
• Purposeful: Every language reference must serve the argument

When NOT to use:

• To sound scholarly
• When English translation is perfectly adequate
• As decoration
• To prove you know the languages

Writing Process

Before Writing a Chapter

1. Review chapter outline from the detailed book plans
2. Identify sermon sources to mine for content
3. Determine main framework(s) this chapter develops
4. Map biblical passages that support the framework
5. Consider chapter's role in the book's progression

While Writing

1. Write in your natural voice (see Voice section)
2. Build systematically - let insights emerge from evidence
3. Trust the content - don't label or hype
4. Vary rhythm - mix sentence lengths and structures
5. Use prose default - only create lists when genuinely clearer
6. Check yourself - if it sounds like AI or performance, rewrite

After Writing

1. Read aloud - does it sound like CJ?
2. Check for hype - remove "revolutionary," excessive emphasis
3. Verify Scripture - all references accurate and in context
4. Test frameworks - do they genuinely illuminate Scripture?
5. Consider reader - would this help someone understand God better?
6. Check integration - does it serve the book's larger argument?

Quality Benchmarks

1. Biblical Faithfulness

• Does it interpret Scripture in context?
• Are connections between passages legitimate?
• Is it honest about difficult texts?
• Does it maintain theological integrity?

2. Framework Clarity

• Do the theological frameworks actually help understanding?
• Are they built systematically from Scripture?
• Do they resolve genuine tensions or questions?
• Would readers find them useful?

3. Voice Authenticity

• Does it sound like CJ wrote it?
• Is it free from AI-isms and hype?
• Does it build patiently and trust the reader?
• Is emphasis earned, not manufactured?

4. Integration

• Does it serve the book's larger argument?
• Does it connect properly with other chapters?
• If part of multi-book project: Does it relate appropriately to companion volumes?
• Does it contribute something distinct?

Multi-Book Projects

If writing multiple related books:

Cross-referencing:

• Can reference companion volumes when relevant
• Make each book standalone while showing connections
• Avoid contradictions between books
• Ensure complementary insights that build on each other

Thematic coordination:

• Identify themes addressed in multiple books
• Ensure consistent treatment with different emphases
• Make clear why topic appears in each book
• Show how different perspectives integrate

Reader experience:

• Books should be readable in any order
• Don't require reading companion volume first
• Provide brief context when referencing other books
• Each book delivers complete value independently

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Theological:

• Overstating certainty on speculative points
• Proof-texting rather than exegeting
• Forcing frameworks onto Scripture
• Ignoring passages that create tension

Stylistic:

• Sounding like AI (hype, performance, lists everywhere)
• Over-explaining or under-explaining
• Rushing to application
• Making everything dramatic

Structural:

• Losing thread of the book's argument
• Repetition across chapters (unless intentional reinforcement)
• Chapters that don't integrate with the whole
• Unclear transitions

Target Audience

Primary readers:

• Lay Christians wanting deeper understanding
• Small group leaders seeking fresh material
• Pastors looking for theological frameworks
• Mature believers wrestling with God's purposes

Not writing for:

• Academic theologians (though they should respect it)
• Brand new believers (assumes biblical literacy)
• Those wanting simple answers to complex questions

Tone calibration:

• Accessible but not simplistic
• Rigorous but not academic
• Warm but not casual
• Challenging but not condemning

Success Metrics

A theological book succeeds when readers:

• Gain deeper understanding of God and His plan
• See Scripture with fresh insight
• Find frameworks that genuinely illuminate biblical truth
• Apply insights to their spiritual lives naturally
• Recommend the book because content helped them
• Feel compelled by the intrinsic strength of the ideas

Quality indicators:

• Content is biblically faithful
• Frameworks illuminate rather than obscure
• Voice is authentic and trust-building
• Application emerges from understanding
• Complexity is handled honestly
• Readers want to discuss ideas with others

The fundamental test: Would someone recommend this book because it genuinely helped them understand God better, or because they felt obligated to support it? Only the former indicates success.

Consulting Book Plans

Before writing any chapter, consult the detailed book plan document which should include:

• Overall book structure and argument
• Chapter-by-chapter outlines
• Key theological frameworks to develop
• Primary biblical passages
• Source material to reference (sermons, previous writing, etc.)
• Success criteria for each chapter
• Recommended writing sequence (if applicable)

The book plan tells you WHAT to write; this skill tells you HOW to write it.

If writing sequence is provided:

• Core chapters first (establish foundational frameworks)
• Building chapters second (develop and expand)
• Connecting chapters third (integrate and apply)
• Framing chapters last (introduction, conclusion, transitions)

If no sequence provided:

• Start with chapters you're most confident about
• Build foundational concepts before dependent ones
• Write introduction and conclusion after body chapters
• Allow flexibility to reorder as understanding develops

Final Notes

This is theology, not marketing: The goal is biblical truth that genuinely helps people understand God better. If content is strong, it will compel. If it's not, no amount of hype will fix it.

Trust the process: Build carefully. Let insights emerge. Trust readers to see significance. Your voice + solid content + patient development = books worth publishing.

Remember the standard: "I would only release a book where the content is strong and compels people through its simple but profound truth. Not where I overhype something that is not genuinely powerful." - CJ

Let the content do its work.