I'm a prairie girl from Kansas transplanted to Amish country, Pennsylvania. I'm married to a wonderful man since 1987, a member of a great church, where I serve as a greeter and on ministry team. On Sunday afternoons, I stand a two-hour prayer watch at our local 24/7 House of Prayer. I also enjoy reading, occasionally reviewing books, and of course, writing. A graduate of Christian Writer's Guild's Craftsman program, and holds both bachelor's and master's degrees in communication. I seek to encourage beginning writers in learning the craft. I am currently the Mid-Atlantic Zone Director of American Christian Fiction Writers and serve as Managing Editor for A3. My debut novel, Meghan's Choice, published in late 2017. Her second novel is in the editing process. She also teaches workshops on writing and inspirational.
Recently, I was teaching “The World of Writing for Children” at a Christian writers conference, and during the first session, a lovely woman in the front row asked, “I’ve heard that the children’s picture book market is the most difficult to break into…are there any tricks to getting your manuscript into the hands of editors?”
It was a valid question.
Every story needs a villain. Without one, your hero would have no reason to grow or change. But what makes a good villain? It’s all about the backstory.
(Editor’s Note: Sue Potts is our guest columnist this month, specially asked by Carlton Hughes.)
While on vacation in the Smoky Mountains, when my daughter was young, we stopped at a gem mine. We bought our bag of dirt and took it and a sifting screen to the trough of water. The dirt washed away from the sifter, leaving behind gems and small colored stones. My little girl was delighted with each sparkle in her sifter. We collected out gems wiped them off and put them in a pouch to carry them home. We didn’t find anything valuable, but it was a fun experience.
I believe life…or rather, living the life you really want to live…is all about finding a good balance. It’s about finding time for exercise, eating right, getting enough sleep, working enough to feel fulfilled, helping others…finding the perfect blend of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual energies to feel healthy and whole.
But often it’s really tough when there are only 24 hours in a day (and at least seven for me have to be spent sleeping for me to function!) When you’re juggling a full-time job AND your career as an author AND your personal life as a wife, mother, grandmother, etc. —well, life can feel unbalanced sometimes. When we need to do keep up with marketing our books on top of it all, how are we possibly supposed to find time to WRITE, must less to be reasonably happy?
One of the most overlooked components of a story, especially in screenwriting, is the story’s setting. Perhaps, it’s because some writers find the concept confusing and don’t know what to do with it.
Unfortunately, many aspiring writers mishandle an important aspect of the story. Setting is much more than simply what is happening in the background of the characters’ lives, in most cases it is key to shaping their lives.
This is the tale of a tail—a tail that belonged to a little red squirrel, and his name was Nutkin.
Beatrix Potter, 1903
The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin
There’s something cleansing about the opening line of a Beatrix Potter storybook. I can almost hear her reading it in a sing-song voice, with just a touch of playfulness and sufficient drama to embolden the cautionary lesson at the climax of each tale. The solid, moral footing of her stories drawn from her keen, life-long observation of the flora and fauna in the Lake District of England, grounds whimsy in a swath of reality. I recommend hoarding a nest full of her nutritious tales for children of all ages, living in any era, as part of a Family Literary Lifestyle.
Miss Potter’s legacy of little animals going about the daily chores of farm and village life, wearing clothing and sipping tea in blissful existence next to humans, developed from the seed of her childhood. Growing up in a well-to-do home in London, her Victorian parents, as was the fashion of the day, had little interaction with Beatrix and her brother, Bertram, in their early years. On occasion, Beatrix’s father, connected with some of the trendy artists of the late 1800s, took her with him to art galleries and museums, feeding her desire to develop her own artistic skills.
Sketches from her childhood journals reveal a natural talent, blossoming with many hours of solitude in her third-floor nursery to perfect precise lines and watercolor techniques. When living in London, Beatrix completed her academic assignments under the tutelage of a nurse, and then governess. They, along with the servants in the house—cook and butler—encouraged her fascination with life in the garden. Though Beatrix might be tasked with finishing a still life drawing for a lesson, her favorite art subjects scampered, scurried, and skittered about on four legs between bushes, along fences, and up tree trunks out of doors.
In the late spring each year, the family moved to a fine summer home in the Lake District area until early fall when they returned for “the season” to London. In the glories of the English countryside, Beatrix roamed meadows and woodlands searching out all manner of plants and creatures in their burrows. She kept a journal of their habits and personality sketches, as well as detailed drawings of them in varied poses and settings. Then, of course, she’d name them. And some she’d adopt, making for quite a menagerie of cages and wicker boxes in her rooms.
Her furry roommates became famous as lead characters in her stories including Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Hunca Munca mouse, and more—like Squirrel Nutkin.
I usually like to bring out all my Beatrix Potter collection of books and figurines for springtime décor. But in the fall, I always display The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin, one of my favorites. I love the Autumn shades of reds, golds, and browns in the art, and how delightfully she captures the seasonal escapades of squirrels, gathering nuts and hoarding them to feed off of through the winter under the lordly gaze of Old Brown, the owl.
My front and back gardens are full of squirrels at present, continuing in the ritual, unmoved by world changes over the last 100 years. The constancy of their lifestyle acts as a compass for me, grounding me in how I see life and cherish what matters. Their quirk-some personalities delight as much as they chide my heart, as I see myself in some of their habits. Beatrix might have mused in the same way, studying her squirrel friends. She used her observations to great success in speaking bold commentary on the human heart through country landscapes and the antics of the creatures who live there.
One of the things that I believe fed her tales and ability to pepper her character sketches with engaging detail, was the fact that she surrounded her world—be it her room, gardens, or hours in a meadow—with tangible inspiration. She lived among physical displays of the subjects in her art and writing. Squirrels and owls—she knew them intimately because she had them close at hand, living as pets in her room, to observe and manifest in The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin.
I regularly make use of this writing technique—though not in the collecting of small animals from the wild. I’m a visual learner and creator. I can’t write in a sparsely appointed room because I’m constantly distracted by bare walls, thinking what I might want to put there to fill the space. This translates to my writing life in the habit of surrounding myself with physical objects to inspire whatever it is I’m writing about.
For instance, some years ago I ran a theatrical group and regularly wrote and produced plays for performance. I’d spend a year collecting props and costumes, slowly positioning them in my living room. Displayed for me in daily view, I meditated on the story they might help me tell, and how I might use them in the script. Keeping objects visually before me fed inspiration within and allowed my brain to drift to the land of “What If,” allowing imagination full sway, until words bubbled forth.
As both illustrator and writer, Beatrix Potter’s work testifies to this visual learning style technique, further inspiring me as a writer and storyteller. In fact, when I speak, I rarely do so behind a simple podium. There must be a stage and setting. Props and tangible visuals. I rely more on these items surrounding me on a platform than I do on written notes. And I, like Beatrix, prove that a picture—tangible inspiration—is worth a thousand words. The writer just needs to mine those words. Then click publish.
Journal Prompt: How do you surround yourself with inspiration to write? Think about a time when a physical object or tangible inspiration was the seedbed and soil to your written work.
Bonus Writing Exercise: Choose a smattering of objects unrelated to each other and arrange them in a display. Study them and begin to cast them as characters, setting, and conflict in a short story of your own. How does writing with physical objects as your inspiration make a difference to how your story unfolds?
[bctt tweet=”TWEET: #BeatrixPotter and a Gathering of Nuts—filling your writing nest with inspiration to feed upon; Women Writers in Life and Letters Series ” username=”@A3writers @misskathypwp”]
[bctt tweet=”TWEET: #Women Writers in Life and Letters—Beatrix Potter: Filling the Writer’s Nest with Tangible Inspiration ” username=”@A3writers @misskathypwp”]
BIO
Writer-speaker, Kathryn Ross, ignites a love of literature and learning through Pageant Wagon Publishing. She writes and publishes homeschool enrichment and Christian living books for home, church, and school. In addition, she shepherds writers through the steps book development and production. Her passion to equip women and families in developing a Family Literacy Lifestyle, produces readers and thinkers who can engage the world from a biblical worldview. She blogs and podcasts at TheWritersReverie.com and PageantWagonPublishing.com. Connect with Miss Kathy on Facebook.
Can you share a little about your recent book?
The Story of With is a roadmap for dreaming with God. It’s been called a “beautiful, revelatory parable, filled with wonder, mystery, and adventure.” I wrote it as an allegory because we don’t need more principles or theories about creativity. We need our hearts awakened. And nothing reaches the heart faster than story.
The protagonist of the allegory is Mia, an up and coming chef who hungers for more in her life and her dreams. Yet she feels like it’s all up to her to make things happen. Through a series of events, she finds herself ushered into a fantastical place where the only way home is through filling four mysterious vials. It’s ultimately a journey from the Orphan Realm to the Freedom Realm.
At the close of each chapter, I briefly explore the themes or ideas from that section in “The Shift to With.”
I hope the unique fusion of the mythic and practical will invite readers to pursue their heart—and their art—with God.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
My passion is to help awaken the hearts of creatives, drawing them into deeper intimacy, identity, and imagination with God by knowing Him more fully as both Creator and Father.
I believe nothing is more important than knowing God intimately—and a key way we are invited to do that is through our gifting. It sounds almost too good to be true, but we weren’t primarily created to simply do things for God. We were created to pursue life with God. Story lets me explore that concept in a million different ways!
How long have you been writing?
I’ve always been drawn to story. In fact, God primarily used story to shape my Story. As a boy, it was through the heroics of comic books. Then novels and movies. Later, as founding Fiction publisher at one the world’s largest Christian publishing houses, I had the honor of overseeing the development of more than five hundred novels from authors such as Ted Dekker and Stephen Lawhead. So while The Story of With is my first book, I’ve lived in the world of story my entire life.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
I chose to self-publish The Story of With…and am so glad I did. I spent twenty years in the traditional publishing industry. I still have many talented friends who work in that world…but am disheartened by some of the ways the industry is changing.
More than ever, it seems the focus is primarily on established authors or celebrities with large social media followings. The new voices that publishers used to find and invest in now receive little focus or promotional dollars. And in most cases, first-time authors have a very limited window for their book to succeed before the publishing team moves on to the next project.
From the start, I knew The Story of With wouldn’t fit easily within the normal publishing model. It isn’t a straightforward fiction or non-fiction title. It’s an allegory with some teaching. And rather than publish it as inexpensively as possible, I wanted to pay special attention to details that would cost more—but matter to the reader. It was important to me to use high quality paper with larger type and more white space than most book pages include. I wanted readers to experience a sense of spaciousness as they entered into this story of freedom and hope. I also desired to create an audio version of the book with some of the industry’s top voice talents—an expensive proposition that I felt that would be less likely to happen for a first time author at a traditional publishing house.
Mainly, I sensed this message would be an evergreen title that grew slowly yet steadily over time. Given that, it just made sense that the best person to steward this process would be me rather than a publishing team tasked with juggling numerous titles simultaneously.
It’s been a good journey. I’ve realized my dreams for the book. And yes, there’s even an audio book available featuring two of the top voice talents around.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Great question. The short answer is “as long as God wants.” I used to believe there was a formula. Now I understand that writing is a journey I take with God…and I don’t know how long the trip will be until He says we’ve arrived.
The best journey we can invite readers into is the one we’re currently on. That means as writers we must be living more than we are writing. Because we can’t write a better story than we’re living.
The process of co-creating with God resembles the rhythm of a dance more than the efficiency of an assembly line. It requires the artist to set aside the illusion of control and go at the Father’s pace.
I often find I can’t write more until I’ve lived more. That journey can take days or months. It’s easy to grow impatient along the way. Then God reminds me that the goal isn’t to simply finish a project because of deadline but to bring it fully to life in God’s time.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
Each morning, I wake up and expectantly and ask God what He has planned for the day. Sometimes He invites me to start writing immediately. Other times, He lets me know it isn’t a day for writing but to simply spend time with Him. I love story…but I crave God more than writing so I give Him full control of my schedule and creativity.
It can often feel like there isn’t enough time to write. But do we really think the Creator of time won’t give us enough time for what He’s stirred us to create?
What I’m inviting others into is the wild, unpredictable mystery of creating with God. It certainly isn’t as neat as a daily word count. But sense when does the number of words written reflect the eternal value of what was written? Perhaps we should count less and create more.
What has been your darkest moment(s)?
Early in my career, I was an extremely driven man. During my twenties and thirties, I felt I could open any door through sheer force of will. What seemed extreme to others was energizing to me. And the problem was, it was working.
But from a soul perspective, I was in a free fall. I thought the way to be more was to do more. And so I kept doing more until my heart went numb. I felt deep shame at who I had become…but also a glimmer of hope in who I could become. I believed God could make all things new…I just never realized it was me who needed to be made new.
I share a bit of that story in the first few pages of The Story of With. It was the start of my journey from being a self-made man to becoming a son of God who longed to do every part of life with my Father.
Who is your favorite author to read?
My favorite novelist is Stephen Lawhead. And my favorite series from him is the Song of Albion trilogy. That series came more than decades ago and changed the way I saw life, God, and myself. It actually fueled my desire to become a Fiction publisher. Then, more than a decade later, God opened the door for me to be Stephen Lawhead’s publisher.
The Song of Albion trilogy is general market fiction written from a Christian worldview (a fantastical Celtic tale mixed with modern day characters). If you’re curious, the first book is The Paradise War.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened too?
The life you have with God while creating determines the life your art will have. As your life grows closer to God through shared adventures, first you are refined. Your talents and gifting then follow.
In that way, our creativity reveals more about us than we think. What we give birth to – from ideas to stories to songs – possesses both the strengths and the blind spots of the creator. You simply can’t create art more powerful than your own life. Where you are faking it, your art will be less true. Where you haven’t gone, your creations can’t go.
What we create alone from our own strength can’t surpass our weaknesses. Yet what we create with the Creator can’t help but transcend us.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
Many times. But I’ve learned that rejection simply means others don’t get it or perhaps that my vision needs refining. That’s especially true when one is creating something new rather than recycling a concept that’s been done countless times before.
We tend to base our art’s worth on the reactions or reviews of others. We need to aim higher. Ask God to reveal the true value of your art. He is, after all, the One who gave you your talent. The impossible becomes possible as you invite the Creator into every aspect of your creativity.
The life we have with God will determine the life our art ultimately has. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
I’m a big fan of Ryder in The Story of With. He’s a complex character…and he ushers Mia (and readers) into the scars of our stories. The quicksand scene with Ryder (Chapter 10) is my favorite scene of my book. To say more would be to say too much until readers experience the story.
Where do you get your ideas?
I get my ideas from spending time on the playground of creativity with God. There’s nothing better. He is the most gifted storyteller. The best Father. The Creator of oceans and sunsets and stallions. When I spend time with Him, I’m always in awe of what we come up with together.
At a recent writer’s conference, my friend Ted Dekker gave the audience this transformative challenge: Don’t write to teach. Write to discover.
If I want to take readers somewhere new, I have to go there first. It’s the same for you. Your readers don’t want you to be comfortable in the creative process. Stop trying to master the process and start exploring. Forget the cozy chair and seek disruption. Readers want to be invited somewhere new by storytellers going new places. They prefer trailblazers to teachers. Stretch yourself. Then stretch your readers.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?
The biggest mistake I find authors make (whether new or proven) is chasing success rather than pursuing God in their creativity.
That leads to striving and to formula.
With so many creative people working in the world of story, how did we become so comfortable with the familiar; so dependent on formula? When something works, businesses tend to want more of that something. There’s the pressure to repeat and systemize success, driven by a false belief that the next breakthrough will come by recapturing that same lightning in a slightly different-colored bottle. Yet that never works. What propelled the first book was its originality…not a repeat of what had already been done.
That’s the problem with formula. The pull to the proven and predictable doesn’t lead to what’s fresh or what’s next. It leads to more of the same.
But the answer isn’t striving. As I say in my book The Story of With: “God doesn’t need your help as much as he wants your heart. Whenever you start to focus more on your talents and gifts than on him, you miss the main invitation. Which is to pursue them together. With him.”
That is what true success looks like…and the way to infuse your art with an eternal spark.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
First, do the hard work of discovering your unique voice and style. Among other things, you must continue seeing and experiencing new things. When authors let their own lives become too predictable, the stories will follow. A problem of formulaic stories may point to a life lacking spontaneity. If your days are a bit too similar, find ways to eradicate formula from your life first.
Then—and this is key—you must stay on the journey of discovery rather than growing comfortable, setting camp, and settling into the same. As your life grows, your voice will grow. As you scale new heights, you’ll face more obstacles and more breakthroughs. Let your stories do the same. Surprise us with what’s now awakening your heart rather than give us another serving of what once did. Show us the view from the new peak you just climbed rather than write from the old one that is safe.
As you create, the goal is never to be the “next” ___________ (fill in the blank with a bestselling author).
It’s to be the “first” you.
We were never meant to pursue our art alone. I hope you’ll join me in this journey of greater creativity, bigger dreams, and truer success. You can find The Story of With on Amazon and Audible – and follow my insights on creativity via Twitter @thestoryofwith.
BIO
Allen Arnold is the author of The Story of With, a book that reveals how stepping into our identity, imagination, and intimacy with God can forever transform our talents, dreams, and creativity. A highly sought-after speaker, Allen has shared this transformative message at hundreds of gatherings, including Dave Ramsey’s creative team, numerous writing and worship conferences, the Association of Christian Schools International, and Grace and Lace, a fast-growth apparel company featured on Shark Tank. As founding Fiction Publisher for Thomas Nelson, Allen oversaw the development of more than five hundred novels spanning every genre. He now directs the content at Ransomed Heart, a ministry in the mountains of Colorado founded by John Eldredge (the New York Times Best-selling author of Wild at Heart). His favorite way to spend the day is with his family – in whatever that day’s adventure may hold. He loves blue oceans, black coffee, hot salsa, and big ideas.
Often, what we intend to say never comes through in what we write. Sometimes our enthusiasm inhibits the thoughts we are trying to communicate. Unless you’re one of the writing savants who never makes a mistake, you will have to revise your writing—you will have numerous drafts.
Multiple drafts ensure that your takeaway is clearly communicated. Revisions require rereading our writing.
[bctt tweet=”Have you ever wondered what the opposite sex is thinking while you’re thinking? Men, as a rule, think in fewer words, phrases, emotions, than women generally do. The key to dialogue in romance writing is to keep it natural and consistent. #InsideHerosHead #writingromance101 #romancingyourstory #almostanauthor” username=”@donnalhsmith @a3writers”]
In last month’s post, I shared about the disturbing trend of imposing modern standards to classic works of literature and the arts, with the recent stripping of Laura Ingalls Wilder from the literary award named for her in the 1950s by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). She’s been accused of racism for scant references in her books to minorities as understood by her as a child. Read more details on this here.
Laura Ingalls Wilder, beloved author of the Little House on the Prairie books, lived through great change in America. In fact, she experienced first-hand the seismic shifts in the nation caused by the Civil War, the end of slavery, the Industrial Revolution, Westward Expansion, the automobile, the airplane, World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and even Elvis Presley. When she passed in 1957, just four days after her 90th birthday, her humble roots and written accounts of childhood and coming of age during the settling of the West, had catapulted her to world-wide fame as an icon of traditional American values and imagery.
But through the misguided, officious, agenda-driven move of the ALSC, the accuracy of Mrs. Wilder and her character has been called into question. This does not bode well for all writers of the past—their written accounts of life, living, and worldview in historical narratives drawn from the experience of their time. The threat that such may be divested of their veracity and precision as historical narratives to placate contemporary political correctness is abominable. This extends to modern authors of historical fiction, too, who may feel they are forced to present an historical time period and the worldviews of historical characters through a manipulated 21st century PC lens.
Authors and artists must be judged by their whole body of work. It is a shame the ALSC, who should know better, did not afford Mrs. Wilder that courtesy. As Christian writers today, we have stories to tell and a message to convey that may not be popular in a worldly sense. We may find ourselves judged harshly for simply telling the truth.
How would you respond if such a thing happened to you?
In wondering how Laura Ingalls Wilder might respond were she here to defend herself and her writing, she might take her own advice from this gem of a quote:
The real things haven’t changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures; and have courage when things go wrong.
Be honest and truthful—Write accurate details when sharing your own story, no matter how messy or unpopular. Historical fiction must ring true to the time and setting, too. Don’t put words, actions, or perspectives within your characters that may be fashionable today but wouldn’t be accurate in the era within which you’re writing.
Make the most of what you have—Mrs. Wilder never envisioned herself as a great writer. She was a farmer’s wife and grew into writing poetry and on farm topics as a hobby for a local periodical. The Little House books started as a memoir she wrote in her 60s in longhand on lined paper. Her daughter Rose, a gifted author and journalist, acted as a gatekeeper into the publishing world and collaborator on the books typing them up and helping in the editing process. Laura made the most of her life’s story, bringing historical recall of details from a time long past to the table, and capitalized on filling a need for entertaining and educational reading material for children in the turbulent days of the mid-20th century.
Be happy with simple pleasures—Living and working through the day to day chores on her beloved farm with her husband, Almanzo, enjoying friends and family, and supporting the Methodist church life where she worshipped made up the lion share of Mrs. Wilder’s life until she began writing the books. Even then, there was always time to take in the beauties of Creation and maintain the simple life and seasonal routines of a farmer’s wife. Simple pleasures are a tonic to worldly cares.
Have courage when things go wrong—In addition to the high times of joyful living, Laura’s books give detailed accounts of perilous days when food was scarce, travel arduous, work hard to find, loved ones lost, great danger, and perceived injustices. Even so, the character of the American pioneer instilled itself deep within her makeup from childhood. Resilience, courage, and perseverance led the way. When Laura’s first book, Little House in the Big Woods, was published in 1932 during the Depression, it encouraged Americans through a season of hardship and sacrifice. So, too, as she continued to write her story through the World War II years in the 1940s, her books reminded America of their liberties and pride in their country and a history worthy to defend and protect in dangerous times.
Journal Prompt: Are you bold enough to write from a foundation of accurate truth in its historical setting even though it may be perceived as unacceptable for one reason or another in the current time? How can you steel yourself to be a bold, fearless writer of truth, making the most of what you have with a happy heart undergirded with courage?
TWEET: [bctt tweet=”#Laura Ingalls Wilder: Wisdom for Today—fearlessly writing truth with wisdom to defend it; Women Writers in Life and Letters Series ” username=”@A3writers @misskathypwp”]
TWEET: [bctt tweet=”#Women Writers in Life and Letters—Laura Ingalls Wilder: Wisdom for Today ” username=”@A3writers @misskathypwp”]
Writer-speaker, Kathryn Ross, ignites a love of literature and learning through Pageant Wagon Publishing. She writes and publishes homeschool enrichment and Christian living books for home, church, and school. In addition, she shepherds writers through the steps book development and production. Her passion to equip women and families in developing a Family Literacy Lifestyle, produces readers and thinkers who can engage the world from a biblical worldview. She blogs and podcasts at TheWritersReverie.com and PageantWagonPublishing.com. Connect with Miss Kathy on Facebook.
The one I’m working on right now is called Flotsam and Jetsam. It’s Book 24 for the Mysteries of Martha’s Vineyard series for Guideposts. Here’s the blurb:
While preparing for her upcoming marriage to Gerald O’Bannon, Priscilla Grant has a lot to keep her busy. It isn’t easy to blend two established households into one, especially when the one is a tiny seaside cottage on Martha’s Vineyard. But all of her carefully laid plans are interrupted when Gerald’s prized family heirloom, a valuable eighteenth-century ship’s figurehead, is stolen from the East Shore Historical Museum before it can be moved to its permanent home in Priscilla’s lighthouse. While the police try to figure out who could have taken the figurehead and how, elderly Alzheimer’s patient Tom Campbell claims he knows how it was done. He doesn’t remember who did it or when, but he’s seen this before, and he’s sure that if he thinks about it hard enough, the details will come to him. Soon Priscilla begins to wonder if the thief would rather get rid of the old man than have him remember too much. Can she find the figurehead and the thief before Tom is silenced forever?
I write because I am unable to not write. It’s just how I’m wired. But now that my boss of 21 years has decided to retire, I write because I have to earn a living, too. However, one of the main reasons I want to keep writing is to keep presenting a Christian worldview to the world. Secular writers seem to be pushing the envelope more and more, changing society for the worse in many ways, calling wrong right and right wrong. I want to do my part to keep presenting characters who live Christian lives with no apology and yet face the same struggles as everyone else.
I started writing in my teens. I used to write episodes of my favorite TV shows and things like that. Then I started writing medieval scenes just to amuse myself when I was bored in my college classes. Those scenes eventually became my first book, In Honor Bound, but that wasn’t published until about fifteen years later. I guess I’ve been a serious writer for about 25 years.
It was a complete miracle, but my first book was accepted by the third publisher I queried, Crossway Books. I never expected to be published at all, so their offer was a total surprise. All of my books are with traditional publishers, but I might try out some independent projects too someday. If I ever get caught up.
It depends on what kind of book it is and what else is going on in my life. My first book took me about eleven years. Now I can write a book in about two months, as long as I’ve done my preparation ahead of time and have a solid synopsis already worked out. My Drew Farthering Mysteries take me about five months.
It’s gotten a little crazy lately, because one of my publishers changed their minds about what they wanted after I had written about half of the book, so I pretty much had to start over on that one. I had to double my daily quota to get caught up again. I try to write only Monday through Friday, but I often use Saturdays as a catchup day. I don’t write on Sundays. I feel like I’m more productive if I have at least one day off a week. I have a printout with my word count for each day on it divided into one-hundred-word increments. I figure anybody can write a hundred words, right? So I just keep ticking off 100s until I’m done for the day. Easier said than done.
I don’t know how interesting it is, but I can’t listen to music when I write. Actually, I can listen to music, but not to singing or music I know the words to. If I hear words from a song, I can’t hear the words in my head.
I really enjoy it when readers connect with the characters, when they worry about them and get mad at them and want to know what they’ll do next. If a character seems real to a reader, I’ve done my job. I also love it when readers take something my characters have learned from what they are going through and apply it to their own lives.
I think the worst was that, after my first three books, my publisher decided they didn’t want more from me. Very foolishly, I let that keep me from dusting myself off and trying again for about ten years.
Oh, man, that’s a hard question, but I think it’s probably Murder on the Moor. I had a ton of fun with that one. Here’s a quick summary:
Drew Farthering comes to Bloodworth Park Lodge on the mysterious Yorkshire moors to investigate incidents of mischief making, poaching, longstanding grudges, and even the murder of the local vicar. Do the affections of the lady of the Lodge lie with her husband or with his fiery Welsh gamekeeper? And what’s behind rumors of the spectral black hound that haunts the moor? Drew must separate fact from fiction and find the killer before it’s too late.
I have so many, it’s hard to say. For mystery, it’s probably Margery Allingham or Agatha Christie. For romance, I have to go to Georgette Heyer. She knows the Regency period so well and she has a wicked sense of humor. I love C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. I could go on for pages. My favorite depends on my mood.
Expect rejection, but don’t let it keep you from doing what you want to do. And don’t expect to make a lot of money in the business. Yes, some people do very well, but I compare it to acting. A lot of aspiring actors are working hard at their day jobs trying to make ends meet until that big break comes. Some make it big. Most don’t. After 21 years being published and having my nineteenth book just come out, I am only now trying to live off my writing income. That wouldn’t be possible if I hadn’t squirrelled away most of my earlier writing income in case of emergency. Will I be able to make it without a day job? Ask me in a year.
I think I’ve been singularly blessed, because I haven’t had a huge amount of rejection up till now. Yes, I’ve had it. Certainly. And, yes, it’s hurt. A lot. But I’ve also had a lot of acceptance. Without that, I don’t know if I could have handled the rejection and kept on trying. I might have decided I wasn’t meant to be a writer and tried something else. But I think God has called me to this business, for His own reasons, so I do my best to write my books in a way that pleases Him until He shows me He wants me to do something else. But anyone who wants to be published is going to have rejection. It’s what you do after that rejection that makes the difference between failure and success.
I like all my heroes the best, but maybe Tom Chastelayne from my very first trilogy is my favorite. Drew Farthering is a very close second.
I depends. Usually I’ll read something or see it in a movie or on television and it makes me think “What if?” I think most often I see something that has been done a hundred times before and wonder how I can turn that on its head in a way that will surprise people.
I think the worst one is rushing to publish something that’s not ready to be published. I’ve heard that to become an expert at anything, one has to spend 10,000 hours learning to do it. That’s a lot of time to spend without getting anything in return, even just the joy of seeing your name on a book cover. But, really, serious writers spend that kind of time. Even the most gifted need to study the craft so the presentation of their wonderful ideas will be appreciated instead of being dismissed because of spelling, grammar and punctuation problems. On the internet, you can’t hide five hundred of your early vanity-published books in your basement. Once it’s on Amazon, that cringeworthy first attempt will never go away. And often readers who read a first attempt are forever soured on that author, no matter how fabulous he may become in time. Take the time to learn the craft. You’ll never regret it.
That really depends on the writer. Self-publishing has pretty much shed its “vanity press” image. Excellent writers are self-publishing and doing very well with it. It all depends on what kind of work the writer wants to do. Does he want to concentrate on writing and let someone else take care of marketing and distribution and book design and all those other things that go into publishing a book? Then traditional is the way to go. If he wants to be in control of every aspect of the book, including the responsibility of getting it distributed nation- and worldwide, then indie is probably the way to go. Anyone can self-publish. Smart indie authors take the time and trouble to do it as professionally as possible.
Bio:
JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuted from Bethany House with Rules of Murder (2013) and is followed by Death by the Book and Murder at the Mikado (2014), Dressed for Death (2016), Murder on the Moor and Death at Thorburn Hall (2017). Also, as DeAnna Julie Dodson, she has written a trilogy of medieval romances (In Honor Bound, By Love Redeemed and To Grace Surrendered) and several contemporary mysteries for Annie’s Fiction and Guideposts. She is represented by Wendy Lawton of the Books & Such Literary Agency (www.booksandsuch.biz).
My books can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christian Book Distributors as well as directly from the publishers.
Publishers:
Bethany House/Baker Books http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse
Guideposts https://www.shopguideposts.org/
Annie’s Fiction https://www.anniesfiction.com
On the web:
On Facebook:
https://business.facebook.com/AuthorJuliannaDeering/
https://www.facebook.com/julie.dodson.9659
On Twitter:
@DeAnnaJulDodson
On Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6565151.Julianna_Deering
Contrary to popular belief, the male is the key to any romance. The female is usually the “lead” character. The male, (alpha or beta) is the key to the romance. We’re not writing same-sex romantic fiction, here. If that’s your goal, you won’t get much out of this. [bctt tweet=”Most readers of romance are women. Women identify with the heroine of the story. A woman who just wants to be loved like the hero loves the heroine. #InsideHerosHead #donnalhsmith #almostanauthor #writingromance101″ username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”]
In January, I released a book titled Jade’s Match, about a summer Rio Olympian and a winter PeyongChang Olympian coming together in a fake media romance in a marketing campaign for a cell phone company that turns into a real-life romance. I loved writing this book, because I love the Olympics. Interacting with the publicist for the USA men’s hockey team was a joy, and as the time came close to publish it, my husband and I decided becoming Olympic sponsors was the right thing to do.
My mission statement in writing is always to prayerfully crafts stories as modern day parables to uplift fellow believers and minister to seekers in our fallen world.
I wrote my first book in 1999. I published my first book in 2012. Since then, I’ve published 25 books.
I am self published and actually opened a small press as a result of my publishing experience.
In 2011, I submitted the first book in my Jewel Series, Sapphire Ice, to a major publisher. They requested the full manuscript and I sent it off. At the time, it was a secular romance filled with all the motivating factors that fill secular romances – greed, revenge, lust. Once it was out of my hands, I felt an overwhelming conviction that if I could not proudly proclaim what I had written from the pulpit of my church, I had no business writing it.
I rewrote the book and made it a Christian romance. However, I’d never read a Christian romance and the book itself was still very edgy, kind of dark, and my characters very real. Not your typical inspirational. When I got the letter offering to buy the original book, I sent the new copy in and requested that they forward it to their inspirational line.
A few weeks later, I got a hand-written card in the mail from an editor who said she loved my book and knew she would see it on the shelves one day, but it couldn’t have her publisher imprint on it. The book was simply too “risqué” for her readers with some elements that wouldn’t fit well within the restrictions for their line.
My husband and I prayed about it and determined that with the way that I write and the major publisher market at the time, I would likely not get a publishing contract without compromising some part of my story. So, we opened our press, Olivia Kimbrell Press, Inc., and I started self publishing.
I write really fast. I can finish a novella in about two weeks, and a full-length novel in 6-8 weeks – faster if I’m pushing against a deadline.
I write when my kids are at school. Basically, I write Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm.
I tend to go inside my head when I write, so that I can taste, smell, see, hear, what my characters are experiencing. Any kind of noise at all will pull me out of that and keep me from being able to go back. So, I write with earbuds in and classical symphonic orchestra playing to drown out the noise of anything at all going on around me.
I also have to have an alarm set if I want to make it to the schools in time to pick my kids up.
I am thrilled that God has given me a very defined and clear gift. I know what I am doing is for His glory, and being given stories to tell as modern day parables is very humbling.
My darkest moments have come in the form of self-doubt. When I forget God has equipped me, I begin to doubt my human abilities to continue to write stories that will uplift or inspire.
I think my favorite is An Aria for Nick. When I originally wrote it about 20 years ago, my father, an army Airborne Ranger, helped me with the characterization and military duties of Nick, the main character. 15-years-later, as I pulled it out and modernized it, my husband, an army Special Forces soldier, contributed more to his character. So, he’s a compilation of my two favorite men.
I love to read mysteries, and always go back to Agatha Christie. Analyzing her dialogue fascinates me.
There is so much to say about advice for authors. Everyone will reply with “write”, I’ll add “write every day, even when you don’t feel like it.” I’ll also say, because I was about a year late getting this started, have a newsletter. That’s worth repeating. Have a newsletter. The algorithms of social media are going to come, go, and flux. Newsletter subscribers want to know what you are saying – they signed up to hear from you. Use that.
I submitted books to major publishers twice. Once, about 20 years ago, the reply was, “We want this book. Change this aspect of your main character.” I chose not to. The next time is part of my writing testimony in the question above.
I think one thing that had me writing for years without submitting to publishers is because I didn’t want to face rejection. I’m afraid that with my personality, I would have quit with too much rejection.
Every time I release a book, it becomes my new favorite. I hope it’s always that way. I really love the character Davis Elliott in Jade’s Match.
For a favorite scene, one of my favorites is the opening scene of Courting Calla. Calla is driving her old beat-up car and it breaks down in the entrance to the parking garage. Right behind her is Ian Jones, the engineer she’s had a crush on since her first week at her job. She is so embarrassed and flustered and he has absolutely no idea who she is.
Early one morning, I woke up from a dream and had to start writing it. Six weeks later, I finished my first book, A Melody for James. I thought, “Wow. That was a fluke. I bet that never happens again.”
Almost immediately, I was overwhelmed with ideas. It’s like a floodgate was lifted in my mind. I could barely function for weeks because my mind was so preoccupied with book and plot ideas. Characters were everywhere I saw people, I had ideas.
The ideas still come the same way, but I have learned to filter them, and the noise doesn’t distract me like it used to. At least, most of the time.
For self-published authors, there is a lack of professional editing on a major scale. Agents and editors say that out of all of the queries and submissions they receive, only 10-20% of them are even editable. That means, they aren’t written well enough to even get edited for publication.
No matter how good the first try is, it’s not good enough. Authors need to intentionally and purposefully strive to be in that 10%, whether self-publishing or traditional publishing.
In today’s market, the bigger houses are hard to get into. They have less lines, less books published every year, and have felt the crunch of the indie publishing movement. I would definitely recommend getting an agent who is willing to work with you and help you hone your craft and skill to successfully become a 10% author.
If you’re wanting to break into the indie market, then be willing to spend the money for professional editing and make sure that book would also be counted within the 10% if you had submitted it traditionally.
Publisher: Olivia Kimbrell Press, Inc.
Website: http://www.halleebridgeman.com
Social Media:
https://www.instagram.com/halleebridgeman/
https://www.facebook.com/authorhalleebridgeman/
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/hallee-bridgeman
Bio:
With more than half a million book sales, Hallee Bridgeman is a best-selling Christian author who writes action-packed romantic suspense focusing on realistic characters who face real world problems. Her work has been described as everything from refreshing to heart-stopping exciting and edgy. An Army brat turned Floridian, Hallee finally settled in central Kentucky with her family so that she could enjoy the beautiful changing of the seasons.
Hallee is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and the American Christian Writers (ACW) as well as being a member of Novelists, Inc. (NINC). An accomplished speaker, Hallee has taught and inspired writers around the globe, from Sydney, Australia, to Dallas, Texas, to Portland, Oregon, to Washington, D.C., and all places in between. You can reach Hallee at hallee@halleebridgeman.com
Over the last three years, Almost an Author has had hundreds of comments on different posts. Certain posts generate more comments than others.
We thought it would be interesting to share a few comments we’ve received, both in the beginning, and more recently.
Great post! I’m definitely a dabbler at this point in my life. I write stories for my own personal enjoyment. I’d like to become more committed and see my writing as more than a hobby one day, but it’s just hard right now because I’m so busy with college and life. I guess I just feel like the important thing for me right now is to make sure I keep writing, even if it’s just for me. After all, writing is never done in vain. What doesn’t get published is still great practice. 🙂
Ashley commented on “Committed Writer or Dabbler.”
Souls Perish from Procrastination in Writing, by Jake McCandless. Published on August 7, 2015. There were 17, yes seventeen comments on it. The only other post that had more was about our first Blue Seal Contests. That had 21.
Here’s a sampling of those 17 comments:
Leigh Ann Thomas: Wow, thanks Jake! Now THAT’S motivation!
Cherrilynn Bisbano: Jake, this is an amazing article. My blog post this week is about procrastination. God must be telling His children to stop dragging their feet. I would love you to read it and let me know what you think. http://pelicanpromise.blogspot.com.
John Christopher: Jake, that was really good stuff. You wrote it well in a small amount of space, and that is hard to do. And it also convicted me. I have felt that same calling, and I put it off all the time. A few articles were published a few years ago, but then got derailed. I know I need to get back into it. So, I appreciate the encouragement and pointed exhortation to do what I know I should. Keep up the good work.
Marva Atterbury: Thank you so much for that word. I believe that God allowed me to see this website. Every time I try to write I freeze up. After reading this I know that I have to write and believe God that it will bless others. God bless you for your obedience in encouraging others to do the same.
Tessa Emily Hall: This was so good! I think many Christian writers view their craft as a hobby–something they try to squeeze in when they can–rather than a priority, or a ministry. But the enemy will do everything he can to prevent us from putting words to paper and continue furthering our career as a writer. Thank you for this reminder! Tessa Emily Hall www.christiswrite.blogspot.com
Link to post: http://www.almostanauthor.com/focus-on-one-thing-at-a-time/
Elaine Cooper’s post, “Focus on One Thing at a Time,” garnered the most of the most recent comments.
Janet Grunst: Excellent advise, Elaine.
Elaine Cooper – Writer Encouragement: Thanks, Janet. I still have to remind myself, almost daily!
Leslie DeVooght: So needed to hear this today. Thanks
Elaine Cooper – Writer Encouragement: Thanks for the feedback, Leslie. So glad it was helpful. I still need to remind myself most days! May the Lord bless your writing!
Diana Derringer: Wise words, Elaine. Thank you.
Elaine Cooper – Writer Encouragement: You are more than welcome, Diana! Thanks for reading and leaving a comment! 🙂
David F: Now that you explain it that way, it makes so much sense. Looking back, I’ve definitely gotten bogged down due to lack of focus. Sometimes it takes days to start focusing, but that’s a lot of wasted time. All because I didn’t realize focusing was the solution. Thanks!
Elaine Cooper: You’re very welcome, David. I’ve swirled around in the waters of confusion so many times, I have to remind myself to focus on that one important thing: The lifesaver!! Hope this blog helps you.
You never know what will spark a comment on a post. Most posts don’t receive any comments at all. Many of us comment on each other’s posts. That’s always fun. My encouragement: enter into the discussion and We Love Your Comments!
Nobody’s perfect, right? True. Neither can your romantic hero – or your heroine, for that matter – be perfect. [bctt tweet=”When crafting the hero, choose a character flaw to craft that will irritate your heroine to the point where in order to love him, she’ll have to overlook it. #amwriting #almostanauthor #donnalhsmith #CraftingTheRomanticHero” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”]
We’d love to hear your writing journey. Whether you’re at the beginning, in the middle of it, or a seasoned, multi-published author, we’d love to hear your story. Because we’re writers, we’ll identify with it.
Look under submission guidelines and tell us your story.
Thank you for your interest in submitting a guest post to Almost an Author. We are always looking for fresh new writing voices.
We were created to help writers: 1) learn craft, 2) launch career, and 3) build platform.
We accept guest posts on a wide variety of writing topics. Please review our site and our submission guidelines before sending your proposed article.
We are interested in original, unpublished articles.
We will consider guest post queries based on how well it fits our mission and on our current editorial needs.
If we think your idea is what we need, we will ask you to send the article. Please follow these guidelines for your submission.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1lf9cubHAk&feature=youtu.be
Click on the link to see Cyle Young’s Almost an Author Happy 3rd Birthday video!
Called To Protect is the second book in the Blue Justice Series.
Here’s the back cover copy:
For the past year, Chloe St. John has been working as a K-9 cop with her German shepherd partner, Hank. After being dumped by her fiancé for another woman, Chloe has decided that Hank is just about the only male she likes. She’s over the whole romance thing and focuses her attention on doing her job. Because a serious case of human trafficking with connections to her missing cousin just landed in her lap.
When US Marshall Blake MacCallum’s daughter goes missing, he’s ordered to kill the judge he’s protecting and tell no one about his daughter’s disappearance or she will die. Blake races against the clock to rescue his daughter while Chloe and Hank are asked to be a part of the task force assembled to bring down the traffickers. Chloe finds herself attracted to the silent, suffering man, but thanks to her previous bad judgment, she wonders if she can trust him. And can Blake trust himself around this firecracker of a woman?
I started writing out of loneliness, but fortunately, it morphed into a full-time job. There are different themes/messages throughout the books. Mainly, I write to entertain—and to minister. If God chooses to use the words to touch someone’s life then I praise Him for that.
Since 1999.
8 years
I submitted to Harlequin’s Inspirational trade size line not realizing they were closing it. I got an editorial letter asking me to cut 30,000 words from the 90,000-word manuscript and resubmit. I did it and they bought the manuscript for the Love Inspired Suspense line.
That varies. It depends on the length of the book and what’s going on in my life at the time. LOL. But usually, a Revell book takes me about 4 months to write and a Love Inspired takes about 6-8 weeks. I have written a Love Inspired book in three weeks before, but that was awful and I don’t recommend it. LOL. And I hope to never do it again.
On a normal day, I write 8-10 hours a day with breaks and errands worked in there throughout the day. When I’m pushing deadlines, I can write up to 16 hours a day taking breaks, of course.
I don’t think so. I love to write in my car simply because there aren’t many distractions and it’s comfortable. Is that a quirk?
Whenever someone emails me to tell me that a book touched their life in some special way. And, I have to say, when one of my mentees has gotten a book contract. That’s a really cool feeling.
In writing? Probably when life got really hard for about a year with various family issues/crises and I had to write and meet deadlines even when my creative meter—and energy level—was on empty.
Code of Valor. It’s the one right after Called To Protect. I simply love how my heroine turned out.
I have to pick just one??? That’s impossible. LOL.
In the CBA: Dee Henderson’s earlier works, Terri Blackstock, Carrie Stuart Parks, Colleen Coble, Ronie Kendig, Lynn Blackburn, DiAnn Mills. And Edie Melson got me hooked on her Steampunk series with her Maiden of Iron book.
In the ABA: Lee Child, James Patterson’s Michael Bennett series, and I love Meg Gardiner’s Unsub series. Sorry, I told you I couldn’t pick just one!
If a published writer gave me advice, I generally listened to it. I would say, don’t worry about getting it right the first time. Get the story on the pages and then go back and fix it. If you stress about making it perfect, you won’t get it written.
I was rejected three times before I got the call from Love Inspired Suspense. I submitted four times total. LOL. The rejection wasn’t fun, but it challenged me and made me determined to figure this whole writing thing out.
One of my favorite scenes was also one of the hardest ones I’ve ever written. The heroine just discovered her best friend was murdered and she was ugly crying all over the hero while sitting on the bathroom floor. It was very intense for me to write.
Everywhere because everything—and I do mean everything—has the potential to be a story.
Not doing their homework and learning the craft. Thinking they’ve attended one writing class or one conference and now they’re ready to be published.
That’s a tough one. I would say making sure your platform is spot on and then telling a story an editor can’t put down will get you in the door. I got in via Love Inspired, but that’s a very specific audience and is also pretty hard to break in to. I think writer just needs to understand that it’s a very demanding/picky/subjective profession even for those who’ve studied and learned and done all the right things when it comes to this journey to traditional publication.
BIO
Lynette Eason is the best-selling, award winning author of almost fifty books.
She writes for Revell and for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Her books have appeared on the CBA, ECPA, and Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists. She has won several awards including the Carol Award, the IRCC award, the Selah, and the Christian Retailing’s Best 2017 Award.
She placed in the top ten in the James Patterson 2016 co-writer contest. The movie, Her Stolen Past, based on Lynette’s novel, aired February 2, 2018 on the Lifetime Movie Network. Lynette is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Romance Writers of America (RWA), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), International Thriller Writers (ITW), and Faith, Hope, and Love (FHL) chapter of RWA as well as the Kiss of Death (KOD) chapter.
Social media links:
Twitter: @lynetteeason
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lynette.eason
Website: www.lynetteeason.com
Books can be purchased via any online outlet or at their favorite Christian bookstore.
Judah is the man for Tovah. To review: Tovah is a rabbi with rejection issues. Judah is an IDF veteran businessman. He’ll give her confidence in her calling as a rabbi. She’ll give him renewed faith in himself. [bctt tweet=”Throwing obstacles in the way of romance is what compels the reader to turn the page. #amwriting #CraftingTheRomanticHero #almostanauthor #donnalhsmith” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”]
It’s The Accidental Guardian, and is available.
When Trace Riley finds the smoldering ruins of a small wagon train, he recognizes the hand behind the attack as the same group who left him as sole survivor years ago. Living off the wilderness since then, he’d finally carved out a home and started a herd—while serving as a self-appointed guardian of the trail, driving off dangerous men. He’d hoped those days were over, but the latest attack shows he was wrong.
Deborah Harkness saved her younger sister and two toddlers during the attack, and now finds herself at the mercy of her rescuer. Trace offers the only shelter for miles around, and agrees to take them in until she can safely continue. His simple bachelor existence never anticipated kids and women in the picture and their arrival is unsettling–yet enticing.
Working to survive the winter and finally bring justice to the trail, Trace and Deborah find themselves drawn together–yet every day approaches the moment she’ll leave forever.
These are two really different questions. Why do I write? Oh, I just started at the urging of a friend and now I can’t quit. It’s really as simple as that. I love it. I doubt I could quit if I wanted to. Which I don’t.
I really just set out to tell an action-packed, romantic, funny book and if there’s a theme or message in that, it probably snuck in there by accident.
I wrote for ten years before I got my first contract and that was in 2005. So wow, twenty-three years? If I was a mailman I could retire now with a nice pension.
I answered the ‘how long’ question above, but a nice sidelight to those ten years was, at the end of that ten years, I had twenty finished books on my computer. I’ve now published about fifteen of them. I am traditionally published. I’ve done just a little indie work, enough to be really intrigued by it, especially when it comes to those five books still on my computer.
I write 1000 words a day, seven days a week. I write a book in about three months. It’s not finished but it’s not a first draft either. I spend time revising it and usually have it ready to send into my publisher ahead of time.
I tend toward nighttime writing because I’m a raving insomniac. I’m writing the answers to this interview at 10:30 at night. But I’m pretty flexible and can write any time of the day.
Well, being a writer is really quirky to begin with. Adding more quirks is just overload. Let’s go with NO (and we won’t ask my husband if he knows of any)
Oh, that’s easy (although there have been many) My first sale. I earned my first contract from Barbour Publishing at the American Christian Fiction conference. They used to give out a contract every year and I knew I was a contender, they had a book of mine and had asked for revisions. At an evening dinner, in front of about 350 authors, they called my name and I went up front to thunderous applause and got a slip of paper saying they wanted to buy my book. I still get chills just typing this. It was a sweet, beautiful, thrilling moment.
You mean in writing? I honestly love writing. And I tried for so long. There was little to no such thing as indie pubbed back then so the only way was through a traditional publisher. I’ve sure had some huge disappointments during those ten years of struggle to get published. But I’m not counting any of it as dark. I’m so amazed that I have a career as a writer. I refuse to let myself be upset by much.
Now this question here is just pure MEAN! I love all my books. Because an author tends to get deeply involved with her characters, the real answer is THE ONE I’M WRITING NOW! But that’s boring.
Hmmmm….funniest scene…the wedding scene in Now and Forever, book #2 of the Wild at Heart series. A close second, the wedding scene in Calico Canyon.
Most touching scene, possibly favorite. When Mandy McClellen finds Belle Tanner by a campfire, at a moment Mandy really needs help. Anyone who knows Belle Tanner from my book The Husband Tree, knows Mandy, who is in a tough spot, is going to be okay.
Runner up, Most Touching, Ruthy Stone declaring she is not going to be left behind when the big strong men say they are going to save an abused woman. (from Swept Away, Trouble in Texas #1). When she calls her husband a liar to his face if he won’t admit she’s a better shot than him, a better tracker than him and as able to help as any man.
Best Action Scene…the opening of Over the Edge…stagecoach holdup.
Biggest Tear Jerker Scene…Bailey Wilde being stranded in her barn, in a blizzard on Christmas Eve and realizing how alone she is in the world. And Bailey who is the toughest woman alive, breaks down and cries. From Fire and Ice, book #3 of the Wild at Heart Series.
Biggest Surprise Cameo…Seth Kincaid showing up at the end of Too Far Down, book #3 of the Cimarron Legacy Series.
Do you remember when I said the former question was mean? Well, this is even worse. I have so many authors I read. I really am voracious. And I love books. I am a big fan of Ruth Logan Herne, Tina Radcliffe, Myra Johnson, Julie Lessman, Debby Giusti, Erica Vetsch…now see, this is just ridiculous. Because I’ve gotten more. No, fifteen more.
Well, I did everything the hard way. So maybe it’s best not to listen to me. But…I consider five C’s when I think of how I got published. Contests, Conferences, Connections I made at those conferences, Critique groups, and Classes…mainly online and at conferences.
All of that is learning. All of that is a search for the skills you need to obtain in the craft of writing. Pour tons of energy into learning and then apply it. It’s all wasted if you don’t write. Write and keep writing. Use everything you learn. Finish the book. Start a new one. Write and keep writing.
OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!! You could wallpaper a room. I counted one YEAR and had about forty. And I wrote for ten years before I got published so do the math!!! They did shape me a lot. I learned to take criticism. I grew a tough hide. Those one-star reviews on Amazon, HAH! I can take them with a smile. I’ll add here that at one point I had four teenage daughters at the same time who all considered me a HUGE embarrassment. So, I had a rhino hide from them. Not much upsets me overly.
Stop that! I have two dozen favorite characters!
I get a lot of my ideas for the next book from researching the current book. History is full of amazing, fascinating things. And when I’m reading along and find something that gives me chills, I pay attention and consider how to develop that further.
Too much backstory up front. This is a huge one. To start a book with the heroine driving a car and daydreaming as she thinks about her life and what brings her to this important moment. Don’t do that. Just start with the important moment and weave the backstory in.
In this day of Indie pubbed I just don’t know. No one is ever going to wait ten years to get a book published like I did. And that’s probably good because I think I was ready for a few years before I sold. In fact, a book I’d had finished for five years was my second sale.
I think a lot of authors publish their books before they’re ready. But then a lot of rules are being broken and who made these stupid rules anyway? So, do whatever feels right to you.
BIO
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. The Accidental Guardian is her fifty-fifth book. She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraska and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.
http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com
http://petticoatsandpistols.com
http://www.maryconnealy.com/newsletter.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryconnealy
Twitter: http://twitter.com/maryconnealy
Buy link for The Accidental Guardian published by Bethany House Publishing, book #1 in the High Sierra Sweethearts Series: https://www.amazon.com/Accidental-Guardian-High-Sierra-Sweethearts-ebook/dp/B07879BFB2/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Buy link for Cowboys of Summer indie pubbed romance novella collection: https://www.amazon.com/Cowboys-Summer-Mary-Connealy-ebook/dp/B07BML7ZNG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1526702298&sr=1-1&keywords=cowboys+of+summer+mary+connealy
We’re crafting both our romantic heroine and our hero. Our heroine is Tovah, a Jewish rabbi who fears rejection because of being dumped by a boy while she was in high school. Judah is going to be the man for Tovah. [bctt tweet=”Adding complementary, yet opposite characteristics to your romantic lead characters will either bring them together or split them apart. #amwriting #RomancingYourStory #AlmostAnAuthor #CraftingTheRomanticHero” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”]
Alpha: The alpha male is all masculine. As soon as he enters a room, he takes charge. To many people, he might seem rigid and dictatorial. Why would our heroine love this kind of man? He’d have to have a tender side, that only she sees, because she’s the one that brings it out in him. More of a loner type, the heroine will get to him in a way that only she could.
Beta: The beta male will interact more with the heroine, rather than barking out orders. He’s no pushover, though. He could be of any profession, come from a large family or other type of support system. Where the alpha male may hide his issues, the beta male is more likely to share his issue, bit-by-bit throughout the story.
Judah’s Backstory:
Let’s discover a bit about Judah. Since Tovah’s a rabbi, let’s make Judah a businessman. Maybe he owns a corporation that just established its U.S. headquarters. I see Judah as a beta male, though in America, he’s pretty much by himself. His family still lives in Israel.
He’s gregarious, with good humor. A great leader with a calm and pleasing personality.
Maybe he’s moved to the United States from Israel, now that his military service in IDF is completed. His father could be the CEO of the Israeli corporation and has sent Judah to launch a U.S. branch. We can determine what kind of business later, but I’m leaning toward a medical research firm…because I know that Israel is on the leading edge in medical research.
What if he thinks he’s a hothead? He tries to keep his temper under control, but after being forced to kill in the IDF, he’s afraid of killing again, even though he’s out of the service. He could also suffer from PTSD.
But he loves God and knows the Torah. He’s devout, yet he has trouble understanding his inward self. He never thought he could kill, even when faced with death. We’ll continue to build our hero next time.
[bctt tweet=”Two types of males make up a romantic hero. Will the hero of your story be an alpha or a beta male? A bull in a china shop or an artsy sensitive guy? #amwriting #RomancingYourStory #AlmostAnAuthor #CraftingTheRomanticHero” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”]
BIO
Donna L.H. Smith is a Kansas prairie girl transplanted to Lancaster County, PA. She is a graduate of Christian Writer’s Guild Craftsman program and holds a B.S. and M.A. degrees in mass communications.
She’s been a freelance journalist, marketer, public relations, and a radio reporter. Now, she blogs, speaks at workshops and retreats and although she is at an age where many begin slowing down, she wouldn’t think of it. She serves as Managing Editor for Almost an Author and is Mid-Atlantic Zone Director of American Christian Fiction Writers. You can find her at her website, www.donnalhsmith.com, Facebook, and on Twitter as @donnalhsmith.
Nobody’s perfect, right? True. Neither can your romantic hero be perfect. Choose a character flaw that will irritate your heroine to the point where in order to love him, she’ll have to overlook it. Click to Tweet #amwriting #RomancingYourStory #AlmostAnAuthor #CraftingTheHeroine
So you’ve published a book. You just launched it or you’re about to do so. What’s next? How do you get it in front of people?
It all comes down to the search engine.
If you aren’t familiar with the term SEO (it’s something drilled into your head in business school), it stands for Search Engine Optimization. To say that in English, it’s the process of understanding how to utilize search engines (Google or otherwise), so that your book comes up relatively high in the results. For example: I write historical fiction set in Ancient Rome. SEO is understanding the tools I can use to get my book to come up at the very top of a search for “book about Ancient Rome” or “Ancient Rome novel”.
Every search on every search engine results in primary results. These are the ones that show up at the very top, and are otherwise set apart from the rankings below them. All of this is ranked by what the search engine deems as the most relevant.
If all of this business talk confuses you, don’t worry. Just remember that every search engine ranks the results of a search by relevance. The most relevant to the search, the higher it will appear. And we all want our books to show up at the top, right? SEO is how we train the search engine to put our book first!
While it’s important to understand the fundamentals of SEO for any sales (including books), it doesn’t really matter on book selling platforms like Amazon. Or does it?
This is where many authors make a mistake. They misunderstand what Amazon is at its foundation. It is a search engine. Just like Google, Bing, or Yahoo, Amazon is a search engine. It ranks results based on relevance and which book (based on trends and insane amounts of data collection) Amazon believes the reader is most likely to purchase. Amazon is a search engine where viewers are shopping instead of scrolling. That alone should place it at the center of your marketing efforts. Your conversion of views-to-sales will be much higher than on any other search engine platform.
And Amazon is a cold and impartial judge of their results. They don’t care if your book is published by Harper Collins or by your mom and pop. It doesn’t consider whether the price of your book is .99c or $99. It will prioritize the books that readers are most likely to purchase.
SEO is how we get our book at the top. It is how we get our book in front of new readers. SEO on Amazon is the new and improved version of a front display at a bookstore- because it’s a bookstore for the readers who want your book and are most likely to buy it.
SEO plays a role in every marketing aspect of the author’s career. The marketing author must consider it in book descriptions, the 5-7 keywords you can select, in your pay-per-click campaigns (ppc), and even recently inside your book. But don’t worry about that. One step at a time.
Next month we’ll jump right in with book descriptions, and keep moving from there.
BIO
Vincent B. Davis II is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, and soldier. His first novel The Man with Two Names was published in July 2017 and has since become an Amazon International Best Seller. He is passionate about helping authors improve their brand and platform. He works with publishing companies and individual clients to help them sell more books in the modern publishing environment. Vincent is also the Senior Editor for blueridgeconference.com. If you are interested in contributing a blog for the site, or have any other queries, you can reach him at Vincent@thirteenthpress.com
I heard a recent statistic. It takes three to eight years to publish a book. For a writer, especially a newbie, that statement can be a deflating. The wait can be challenging, but in the world of building platform, the wait is worth it. There is vital work to be done while waiting to be published.
Gone are the days when we wrote a book and sat back as the “professionals” took over our sales and marketing. Today, publishers require us to work as hard as they do in promoting and selling our book. This can be a daunting task, and if you self-publish, the job becomes even more paramount. So where and when does one begin? It may be helpful to start thinking of yourself and your book in marketing terms-Product, Price, Promotion, and Place and take steps now towards the work of marketing and promotion before you have a book to offer.
Your brand is you not your latest project. Your book may be fabulous, but your branding image is attached to it. Consider this your Product. Fine tune your brand by asking yourself – What is my passion? Does it show? Then, create a brand statement to use in your bio and all your promotional work.
Your brand statement should include:
For example, my passions are digging deep into Bible study, the Hebrew language and culture and teaching what I learn to others. So, my brand statement is – Introducing Christians to their Hebrew roots.
Stay true to your brand in your blog writing, your online presence, and promotional material. This includes a consistent headshot, use of colors and if possible profile names. Take time developing how you want to be received by the market because their perception moves with you into your next project. Until your book hits the market and becomes a bestseller, you are the visual and the voice of your brand.
I’m sure you’ve heard the adage, “You have to spend money to make money” this applies to marketing your brand. These are items you may want to spend money on to begin promoting your brand now.
Before being published, be sure the focus of these items is your brand, not the book. This is because the title of your book will likely change – several times. You will want a base of products to use book before during and after the book is out. After you are published, you can always reorder book specific items. Be sure to include your website, a headshot, brand statement and contact information.
The goal in marketing your brand is to establish yourself as an authority. You want people talking about you in a good way. This is Promotion. Some aspects of networking you can do now are:
I’m in year three of the publishing journey, but it has been worth the wait. I started as an unknown in the Christian writing world with a private Facebook page. Networking has been my most significant area of growth. Last year I began applying these strategies to my brand, and in one year my social media following grew by 2,000% (really!). I have a solid foundation of subscribers on my blog, and I’ve guest blogged for others which has put me in front of more than 2,300 additional blog subscribers. My platform would not be considered record-breaking, but I’ve come a long way, and I’m delighted with the growth. You will be pleased when you see tangible results as you update your book proposal.
Where can you find your target market? Publishers will work to get you in stores, but where else can you focus on sales? This is the Place you will target to find customers. If you’re trying to reach women, they are often involved in home-based businesses like Pampered Chef, Mary Kay or LuLaRoe. These groups often meet in public places for monthly business meetings. Find a sales consultant, find out where they meet and ask if you can speak with them. Offer a copy of your book as a drawing prize through which you have collected their contact info. (Hey, they do it to us at those home gatherings!) Then follow up. Sometimes they will share additional contacts or networks. Other locations you might find your target market are:
Once you’ve identified where to find your market, mingle with them. Set up an informational table, leave promotional material, read for them or write for a website that reaches them. Do whatever you can to get your information in front your market.
Marketing starts well before your book is published. I was asked by a publisher at a writing conference, “what do you want in a publisher?” My answer, “I want a publisher who will work as hard as I do and let me show you what I’ve already done.” If you begin to refine these skills early, you will become an asset to your future publisher-one harder to resist.
BIO
As a Bible teacher and speaker, Lauren encourages Christians to explore and understand the Jewish roots of their faith. She lives in north-east Florida with her husband and two chocolate labs. She is mom of three fantastic young adults and recently welcomed a daughter-in-love to the Crews crew. She is represented by Credo Communications and working toward the publication of her books Rethinking the Proverbs 31 Woman: Breaking the Myth and Revealing her Legacy and Jesus: The Alef and the Tav. You can connect with Lauren on the web at www.laurencrews.com.