Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Stronger Together

As I write, the holiday season has begun and most people are spending time with friends and family. The holidays are about a lot more than just having fun together. There are reasons we like getting together with other people.

  • Encouragement
  • Resting
  • Helping others
  • Sharing

However, the holidays aren’t pleasant for everyone. Recently the mother of my best friend from college passed away unexpectedly. I decided to reach out and encourage him.

I can still remember her coming to see me in the hospital after my accident. She assured me there was a reason I didn’t die and she would pray for me to get better.

Over two decades later, I can still remember how much better I felt after her brief visit with me in the hospital. I can still remember her smile the first time I entered her home after I finished my rehabilitation.

It was extremely important for me to get all of the support and encouragement I could in those early days after my accident, especially once I finally was able to think clearly. It was their support that helped me to get stronger.

Stronger

I cannot express enough how important it is for us to grow in life and for healthy brains to grow neurologically. That is why I continue to work out and focus on my health.

There are numerous benefits of staying physically active for our brains. I benefit by lowering my stroke threshold. Recent studies have shown that physical activity helps reduce the risk of dementia.

The older I get the more thankful I am for my health, especially considering my brain injury. But, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for getting help and advice from other health-conscious people.

The gym is more than just a place to exercise, it is a place to build relationships and community. Often, it is in the gym where I learn about other things going on in the community I live in.

Recently I shared with a brother from church a new back exercise I learned and he told me today that he, too, really likes the exercise. It’s not always about showing off or who looks the best in the fitness community, in the gym I have accountability and encouragement; gym rats know we are stronger together.

Together

Being together doesn’t always mean being in the same place. My best friend from college lives in Texas now and we still support each other from afar. I have learned new exercises from friends across the country and on YouTube.

There is a psychological bond that connects us with other people with similar interests and goals. We’ve experienced what others have experienced and we strive for similar goals.

Recently, I received another rejection email from a literary agent and of course, I was pretty depressed. However, thanks to my writing friends across the country whom I keep in touch with, I received the encouragement and advice I needed to continue in my writing journey.

Most of us have experienced how lonely and disappointing the writing life can be at times, we’ve all faced rejection at some point; even best-selling authors have experienced rejection and discouragement in their writing journeys.

We are a weird sort of community because we know we’ll face painful moments. Just like with the fitness community, we need the support and guidance of others to help us get stronger and to motivate us not to give up.

Friendships and community are important, regardless of their nature. Below are some benefits of building stronger friendships from betterhealth.com.

  1. Lower rates of anxiety
  2. Lower rates of depression
  3. Higher self-esteem
  4. Greater empathy
  5. Stronger immune system

As writers, we understand the demands and the pitfalls of the writing life. We can help encourage other writers who are struggling. We can also receive encouragement from others within the community.

Encouragement

Recently, I reconnected with another disabled person in my community. I had actually met him at the local gym about a decade ago. He is a brain cancer survivor who is wheelchair-bound.

I had the chance to share with him about my experiences after my accident. All of these years later we’re both feeling depressed and forgotten.

I offered to help him with his problem, just knowing I could help someone else made me feel better. Community has its advantages.

  1. Encouragement
  2. Opportunity
  3. Sense of belonging

Having a place to fit in is rewarding in itself. It isn’t about getting paid. A stronger community benefits us all. Ask Matthew Whitaker, a blind musician who returned to the school that taught him music to give back. That is how we become stronger together!

Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJohnson.com  and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Writing for YA

How to Avoid Writing a Contrived Plot

I’ve been working on a story, and was a bit concerned my ending felt contrived. In my critique group, we discussed it a little, but I couldn’t come to a clear conclusion. I decided to study the topic and attempt to untangle this particular knot. I thought I’d share the list I came up with on how to identify a contrived plot or scene.

Out of the Blue Behavior

The protagonist (or antagonist) suddenly does something out of character with no explanation. He or she acts in a way that doesn’t line up with what readers know about the character, or they change core beliefs for no discernible reason, or do other odd things for no other reason than to provide a solution to a story problem.

Who’s Driving This Thing?

The story is propelled by circumstantial events happening to the protagonist rather than the protagonist being the catalyst. When I first started writing, I tended to throw obstacles into my story from outside the character, visiting terrible tragedy on them. I was blessed to have a mentor who helped me understand that the protagonist didn’t just need troubles, they must have a goal.

Check to make sure the main character is the captain of his or her own ship. They should try to procure what they want or need to solve their problem. As the story progresses, the protagonist faces obstacles, some of which are overcome, some of which are not.

I Need a Hero

At the eleventh hour, an unlikely hero comes galloping up on a white horse. He wasn’t in the story before, or perhaps only showed up in chapter three for two minutes. If he takes on such a vital role at the conclusion, it might be a good idea to dig into the manuscript in order to develop that character and his storyline. Then, hopefully, the resolution will unfold naturally in a realistic or logical way. This was the fix my current story required. I added interactions with the character, enhanced the setup, and viola!

Too Many Hidden Details

Sometimes it may feel like the plot is contrived because there’s not enough information given up front. If a character appears to make choices simply to get the author out of a plot pickle, a bit of backstory could shed light on the character’s behavior.

Here’s an example. Mrs. Susie Sunshine is the kindest soul you’ll ever meet, but treats her elderly mother with a lack of respect bordering on contempt. The reader is going to want to know why.

If Susie has a deep dark secret in her past that explains her actions, suddenly the story makes sense, and becomes more interesting to boot. Dropping hints about the main character’s backstory at key moments and providing an eventual airing of the issue will make for a satisfying resolution.

Sometimes an undeveloped character leads to a contrived plot. Developing a character may happen before a writer drafts, along the way, in the editing stage, or a combination of all three. It all depends on the author’s process.

The Charmed Life

A character has a charmed life, strolls through the story, never having to work for success. Solutions fall into his lap. He meanders along his way, riding the wave of good luck all the way to his happy ending. The problem here is no conflict, and possibly no goal or stakes.

Convenient Coincidences

There are too many coincidences, where the character gets necessary information by “just happening” to overhear conversations, randomly bumps into the person with the perfect solution or advice, becomes lost only to miraculously end up exactly where they need to be, and so on.

To check for these, I ask myself what would happen in the narrative if there were no coincidences? Is there a way to move the story forward without using the coincidences? Can the characters be given histories to explain these things? 

In Defense of Side Trips

Suppose you’re writing a discovery type draft and toss in a random coincidence to bring the story back into line for your vision. Is that a bad thing? Not always. It could be an opportunity to add layers or interest, or to explore an entirely new direction. As long as there’s enough set up and the unfolding events conclude with logic, it might shake out. In this type of writing situation, I might consider dropping in backstory and see how the story develops, then decide if it works.

The Coincidental Ending

Some genres lend themselves to coincidental endings, and some don’t. Check your genre. Even in inspirational fiction, leaning too heavily on divine intervention may fall flat. Readers want a character they can root for, characters who make choices, and then eventually find their way to a solution.

Years ago, I read a novel by a popular author and the concluding chapters suddenly took a weird sci-fi detour to explain the story. The event tying all the threads together felt out of the blue and of another genre. These contortions were necessary for the story to make any kind of sense. But I didn’t buy it. I was not happy, to say the least. I never read another book by this author.

That’s not the reaction I want from my readers. Do you have anything to add to this list about uncovering a contrived plot?

Leave a comment!

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

Categories
Book Proposals

Understand and Know Your Competition

After reviewing countless book proposals, you would be shocked at the large number of authors who include a competition section that begins, “This idea has no competition because it is unique and has never been done before.” Or they say, “There is nothing like this in the marketplace. No competition.” Wrong. If you have this type of language in your proposal, remove it. The acquisitions editor or literary agent will know that you are an amateur who has no real sense about the realities of the book publishing marketplace.

While your material is unique and will fill an exclusive unique place in the market, every new book will compete with other books. King Solomon had it right when he wrote, “there’s no end to the publishing of books” (Ecclesiastes 12:12 The Message).

You are the expert on your particular topic, so it’s important that you include which books will compete with your product. I often tell writers to imagine their book in the bookstore. Which section of the bookstore will contain your book? Now think about the books that will be next to your book. Who are these authors and what will make a customer select your book instead of a competitor’s?

In this section, you need to list half a dozen books that will be direct competition to your proposed book. In particular, make sure you examine the bestselling books in your specific category such as self-help or religion. You need to do more than simply list the titles. Now, here’s the key: Explain how your book is different and distinct from these books. Give a one or two sentence summary of the contents of the competing book, then a couple of sentences about how your book is different.

Many writers are surprised to learn that researching the competition is the responsibility of the author, not the publisher. No editor can be an expert in every aspect of the book market. You are the author who is asking the publisher to invest in your proposal—so you have the obligation to locate your competition, understand the content of the competition, then distinguish those books from the new product you propose.

When you list the competition, make sure you list the title of the competing book, the author, the publisher and the publication year. Many authors neglect at least one of these aspects in their competition section of the book proposal. As an editor, I would have to ask them to revise their proposal and include it. To make this request, I had to locate a phone number or email address for the author (your proposal should include both elements), ask for the additional information and give them a deadline. To make these types of requests require the editor’s time which is in short supply. This lack also gives your proposal another reason for that dreaded form rejection letter.

As the writer, you may never know the true reason your proposal was rejected; thus, your objective should be to “rejection proof” your book proposal and eliminate this type of simple omission.

If a particular competing product has been on the bestseller list or has sold many copies and you have this information, then include it in this section about the competition. Such information will affirm your expertise in the topic for the editor (or agent). Your book proposal is your business plan and the competition section is an important part of your research.

Terry Whalin

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Get a free copy of his proposal book (follow the link). Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook, his blog and LinkedIn.

Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success
Categories
The Intentional Writer

Do you need a book proposal “cheat sheet”?

The Intentional Writer column

If you hope to pitch a book to a publisher, especially a non-fiction book, you will need to write a book proposal. A book proposal contains all the key information an acquisitions editor needs to determine if your book might be worth publishing. It’s sort of like a query letter on steroids. And if you hope to snag the interest of an editor (or an agent), you will need a professionally crafted book proposal.

Writers generally use a query letter to pitch an article. But a book is longer and more comprehensive than an article, thus authors need a full-blown book proposal to pitch a complete book. Book Proposals That Sell by W. Terry Whalin is a one-stop resource for creating a quality proposal. Whalin has decades of experience in the Christian publishing world, including serving as an acquisitions editor. He has shared his advice in many writing venues, including Almost an Author. Find his book proposal posts here.

The book guides you through the process of creating a book proposal that has all the elements an acquisitions editor is looking for without the mistakes that flag you as an amateur. This book is aimed specifically at nonfiction books. While some of the advice pertains to fiction book proposals, it’s better to heed the author’s advice and find a fiction proposal to model rather than using the nonfiction proposal examples included in the appendices.

What’s in the book?

The book begins with an explanation of why publishers want book proposals rather than full manuscripts for nonfiction books. However, the key value comes in the 21 secrets he shares about crafting a book proposal that will sell your book concept to an editor. Here’s a sampling of the advice this book offers:

  • Be able to share the topic of your book in a few words or sentences.
  • Understand some specifics about who will read your book—your target audience.
  • Explain your credentials for writing this book. Why are you the right person to write this particular book?
  • Prove to the publisher that you are willing to be involved in the marketing process and understand something of that process.
  • Don’t promise hype you can’t deliver.

In addition to practical explanation of the various sections a proposal needs, Whalin also offers some advice on strategy, including the importance of building good relationships with editors and how to use your book proposal to snag an agent.

And the appendices are full of even more helpful information, including additional resources and two sample proposals for you to use as models.

If you’ve spent many hours of time and effort crafting a great nonfiction book, give it an equally well-crafted proposal to show potential editors that you are a professional who has what it takes to be successful. That’s your best shot for winning that coveted publishing contract.  

Book Proposal Resources

Click this link for an offer to get a free eBook version of Book Proposals That Sell.

Here are two additional resources on writing book proposals:

Write the Perfect Book Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why, 3rd edition

How to Write a Book Proposal: The Insider’s Step-by-Step Guide to Proposals that Get You Published, 5th edition.

Lisa E Betz

 Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and speechwriting coach. She inspires others to become their best selves, living with authenticity, and purpose, and she infuses her novels with unconventional characters who thrive on solving tricky problems. Her Livia Aemilia Mysteries, set in first-century Rome, have won several awards, including the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year (2021).

She and her husband reside outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Scallywag, their rambunctious cat—the inspiration for Nemesis, resident mischief maker in her novels. Lisa directs church dramas, hikes the beautiful Pennsylvania woods, eats too much chocolate, and experiments with ancient Roman recipes. Visit lisaebetz.com.

Categories
Writing Romance

REALISTICALLY RELATABLE

Making your hero and heroine relatable is key to creating characters your readers will care about, will laugh with, and will cry over. Your protagonists must also care about each other. They must have enough in common so that their attraction makes sense, but they also must have enough differences to create conflict.

How do we create characters who leap off the page and into our readers’ hearts?

Characters need to have:

  • Relatability. Make them human, not perfect. Give them flaws, real character flaws, not just physical imperfections. I once edited a book by a man whose heroine was perfect. I told him she needed to have a flaw. “She does,” he assured me. “She has a limp.” A limp is not a flaw, it’s an imperfection. Being quick to judge is a flaw. Lying about inconsequential matters is a flaw. An inability to apologize is a flaw.
  • Strong personalities. I’m a fairly passive introvert and my first drafts heroines are very much like me. In other words: boring. It’s in the rewrite that I figure out their personality and give them some sass and spunk. I’m in the process of doing that with my work-in-progress’s heroine. She’s still way too passive, but she’s getting there. I’ll often think of something outrageous that I would never do and force my heroine to do that. I’ve had characters go bungee jumping, sing karaoke, and appear on a reality television show.  
  • Conflict. Both within themselves and with each other. In my work-in-progress I’m pairing a hero with a strong sense of justice and honesty with a heroine who is intent on helping someone, but it means not telling the full truth. Instant conflict!
  • Attraction. They need to have chemistry, which is easy to see, but hard to write and describe. I guess I’m a prude, because physical attraction is the hardest thing for me to write. Kissing scenes about kill me. I’m beyond grateful I don’t write sex scenes. But showing physical attraction between your protagonists is crucial to getting your readers to cheer them on to their happily ever after.
  • Obstacles. Kind of like Conflict, but bigger, harder, more intense. Always be thinking, What can happen to keep this character from reaching his/her goal? What can I throw at them or put in their way? It can be anything from weather to mechanical to physical/geographical distance to family or work responsibilities to employer policies to those pesky personality differences.
  • Authenticity. Nothing makes a reader lose interest in a book quicker than a character who does something unrealistic. I once read a “romance” where the hero gave the heroine not one clue that he was interested in a relationship. I was convinced that at the end, he’d give her an incredulous look and say, “Where did you get the idea I liked you, much less that we were dating?” and she would realize she’d made up the whole relationship in her head. Alas, he apologized for all the ways he’d failed her and promised to be a better boyfriend in the future. I instantly apologized to my heart for making it pump all the hours I’d wasted reading a book with zero plausibility.

Writing realistic and relatable characters is a skill worth learning. It’s the secret sauce that will turn your stories from good to can’t-put-down-able.

Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever afters. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. She recently signed a contract with Sunrise Publishing to co-write a romance novel with New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck that will be published in 2022. Carrie and her husband live in the country with their high-maintenance cat and laid-back dog, within driving distance of their six grandchildren.

You can find her online at:

Categories
History in the Making

Nancy Drew: Girl Detective

History in the making

Searching for some fun details or a bit of drama to slip into your next fictional piece? Well, pull out the spy glass and consider…

Nancy Drew—Girl Detective.

Nancy debuted on the pages of The Secret of the Old Clock in 1930. Prone to stumbling upon suspicious happenings and endowed with a knack for unraveling the mysteries surrounding them.

Nancy leaped into the hearts and dreams of many young girls. Bess and George, Nancy’s best female friends, tagged along, often to keep their friend out of trouble. The trios’ boyfriends, Ned, Dave and Bert, embraced their supporting roles of protectors, but only as needed. Because, of course, Nancy was the bold and courageous leader of this clean-cut band of teens.

What a popular character!

And that’s what she was. A character…in a book. Not a real person, though Carolyn Keene does a wonderful job crafting Nancy’s personality so that she becomes very real to readers.

Nancy also radiates her own aura of mystery.

  • Nancy’s creator, Edward Stratemeyer, is not the author of the plethora of books which titles begin: The Case of ________.
  • The ascribed author of these books, Carolyn Keene, is no more real than Nancy Drew. The name is a pseudonym appearing on the front cover no matter who might be the ghostwriter.

The ghostwriters received ideas and followed outlines from Mr. Stratemeyer, editors, publishers or whoever held rights to Nancy Drew at the time, and then anonymously penned the girl detective’s adventures. In Nancy’s case, the ghostwriters’ imaginations influenced many of the controversial character updates that occurred over her lifetime. Yet, despite their contributions, ghostwriters fell prey to common industry contracts that included maintaining anonymity and surrendering rights to their work product.

  • Nancy keeps fans guessing. Over the decades, her persona, appearance, and habits underwent alterations to better reflect the era in which each book, film or TV drama was written.

Early Nancy Drew (1930 to late 1950) was likened to a super-hero:

Independent, confident, talented, innovative, and fearless, yet sparkling with kindness as she seeks to help people in trouble.

In the year 1959 Nancy became more gentle, less tomboyish and exhibited greater respect of the men around her.

By 1985, Nancy graduated from solving petty offenses and elementary intrigue and tackled more serious crimes such as espionage and murder…and sought more romance in her life.

Thereafter, Nancy’s passions seemed more important than the mystery, which helped build the bridge to the year 2005 when the first graphic novel, The Demon of River Heights (2005/2014) arrived on the scene.

Nancy’s metamorphoses, no matter when introduced, extracted differing opinions by authors, editors, and readers.

  • Which Nancy Drew will show up in the book, film, comics, or video game at hand?

Will one find sweet, wholesome Nancy, sleuth at work? Or will one discover the new Nancy, promiscuous and focused more on romance than mystery? Will she be 16 or 18? Driving a roadster, a convertible or hybrid? (All blue, of course.) Using a cell phone? The girl-next-door wardrobe or something more seductive? What shade of blonde or red hair? Will Bess and George still be her chums? What role will Ned have?  

Notwithstanding the drama stalking Nancy Drew, enthusiasts don’t really care who gave her life or who wrote her adventures or what color her hair is today—it only matters that Nancy’s star shines at the end.

Writers of historical or contemporary fiction might find a place for Nancy Drew in their own works:

  • A minimal approach might scatter mentions of Nancy’s books throughout the pages:

The Case of the Twin Teddy Bears (1993) lands under the Christmas tree, an antsy child waits for the newest release to arrive at the store, or searches shelves (stores or home) for an unread book.

An adult character confesses Nancy Drew influenced their decision to enter law enforcement.

  • Tension-riddled issues surrounding Nancy could include: the child whose birthday wish is to meet Carolyn Keene; mother and daughter watching a provocative film/television production; the dismay of a parent who discovers the portrayal of Nancy in the book just purchased for her child isn’t the same as the girl detective she grew up with.

There she is! Nancy Drew—Girl Detective

An icon wrapped in mystery, waiting to leap onto the pages of a writer’s next venture. Don’t miss out! The opportunities are as many as there are books entitled The Case of ________.

Jeannine

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry. 

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for November Part 1

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

The Third Path with Eva Marie Everson

In this episode, Eva Marie shares her love for prayer labyrinths and a journey to better understanding of this ancient practice. Research and journaling ultimately led her to write The Third Path: Finding Intimacy with God on the Path of Questioning. Then Eva Marie leads us in an exercise to answer Jesus’ questions, “What do you want?” and “What do you want Me to do for you?” If you desire a way of knowing God and ourselves at a deeper level, be sure to catch this week’s replay.

Watch the October 31st Replay.

Eva Marie Everson is the CEO of Word Weavers International. She is a bestselling, multiple award-winning writer of both fiction and nonfiction. In 2022, she was awarded the Yvonne Lehman Legacy Award and the AWSA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2023, her work Our God is Bigger Than That won the ECPA Gold Medallion (children’s) and her work The Third Path won the AWSA Book of the Year. She and her husband live in Central Florida. They are parents and grandparents . . . and they are owned by a cat named Vanessa.

Whydunit: The 4 Motives to Mysteries with Jane Kalmes

Jane, a mystery author and “Fiction Technician” joins us to talk about the four primal motives behind cozy mysteries. She also walks us through three easy steps to quickly plot a mystery. Then shares a terrific definition for “plot twist,” and discusses other hallmarks of a cozy mystery, including guidelines for developing a series’ sleuth. This episode is for any writer intrigued by the mystery genre.

Watch the November 7th replay.

Jane Kalmes is the author of the Kitty Callahan Mysteries, set in Jazz Age Chicago. She’s also the voice behind YouTube’s largest repository of mystery writing know-how. On her eponymous channel, she breaks down plot twists, motives, mystery structure, and more.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
Is It Too Late?

Finish Strong

 As we near the end of the year, my thoughts turn to finishing the year strong. Where can I still push forward? What can I do during the holidays to promote or grow my social media? It’s a busy time with family and friends, yet we can still advance our goals. This year isn’t complete yet.

If you haven’t set goals for your author journey, now is a great time to get some going.

If you don’t set writing goals, it will be hard to know when you reach a milestone. You can’t wake up one morning with a finished manuscript. It begins with small steps that lead to more steps that continue until you have a rough draft that might look like a story.

Success as an author is one step after another that never really stops!

God leads you to more when you’ve accomplished the small steps in front of you.

Pray for God to show you what you can do and how to get there. It takes faith and perseverance. You can do it!

One of my goals for the rest of this year is doubling down on my social media posts. Another goal on every notepad, digital reminder, and planner remains to write daily on my work in progress. It’s been in a rough draft for over two years. It’s a mess, but it won’t be by January.

Guess what I’ll be doing in January?

Creating a goal sheet. I think you get the idea. Set some goals. You’ll be happy to have them. You can start strong and finish strong!

Jill Chapman resides in Southern Indiana with her husband of forty-four years. They enjoy their country lifestyle and visiting with their children and grandchildren. Her life centers around her family and her yellow lab, Indy. She is an avid movie watcher, loves Mexican food, and enjoys watercolor painting. Jill says her life is like a good plate of nachos, a tiny kick of spice, and a whole lotta cheese.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Beating Writer’s Block

It’s happened to all of us. The dreaded b l o c k.

It’s the intersection of panic and dread, with a little bit of ack thrown in for good measure. You’ve tried every writing prompt in your Prompt A Day calendar, texted each of your writer buddies for exercises, and Googled multiple variations on “what to write when you’re out of words.”

And nothing helps.

Never fear. We’ve compiled a few tried and true, last-ditch efforts to help you thwart Block Brain.

Change your physical location

Sometimes, for your brain to bust out of its rut, you have to take it on a little field trip. You can do this by going for a walk – which is scientifically proven to help creativity, by the way. Or by taking a shower, which relaxes the body, distracts the brain, and releases dopamine all at once. It’s the trifecta of creativity. Trying something brand new, whether that’s going to a coffee shop you’ve never been or taking a staycation in a hotel you’ve never stayed, or going for a short drive down a road you’ve never traveled. Giving your brain a brand new experience to process can spur new ideas.

Unplug

Yes, you heard me correctly. Disconnect from the internet, the phone, the tv, the video games, all the things. Reduce the noise for an hour, or a day, or a week if you can. Multitasking is a creativity killer, so eliminate the temptation to respond to every notification and scroll every feed for as long as you can.

Fold your laundry (or wash dishes, or mow the yard)

Performing a repetitive task puts your body on autopilot and sets your brain free to roam. And a roaming brain is a creative brain. So fold those socks, knit one and purl two, or polish the silver and see what breakthroughs unfurl.

Get sketchy

Take a pad and pencil to your favorite park, art museum, or even your own backyard, and spend an afternoon sketching. Another idea is to snap photos of random things in your world – pigeons on the sidewalk, cats napping in a sunbeam, or grasshoppers in the flowerbed, then sketch your photos. Observing, thinking, and drawing can spur a new set of thoughts and reflections that can re-inspire your writing.

Do you have any go-to methods for breaking through writer’s block? Have you tried any of the exercises mentioned here? What did you think? Let us know in the comments.

As always, happy writing!

When Kelli McKinney and her family aren’t exploring national parks, she can be found sipping cinnamon tea, struggling to keep houseplants alive, or chucking a toy across the backyard for her English Mastiff. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and her graduate degree in radio/tv/film from the University of North Texas. She enjoyed an eclectic-yet-fulfilling career in corporate marketing before wandering off to be a writer. Now, she is a part-time copywriter and blogger, a full-time mom, and a children’s author. JEFF PENNANT’S FIELD GUIDE TO RAISING HAPPY PARENTS is her debut novel. She can be reached through her website for events, visits, and questions at www.kellimckinney.com. 

Categories
Marketing Sense

Welcome Email Series Example: Part 1

Marketing sense

When a new subscriber signs up for a Lead Magnet (those 3–10-page free resources we offer in exchange for a subscriber’s first name and email address), we’re wise to send them a Welcome email series.

Why?

To connect with them person-to-person instead of digitally “tossing” them the promised resource and then returning to whatever we were doing.

Below you’ll see the first of the four actual emails I sent when delivering–in this case–a free resource titled Titles That Fit. It coordinates with a workshop I delivered by that same name at a  conference.

Watch for the remaining three Welcome emails over the next three months.

(Notice the red asterisks and their coordinating, strategic comments after the email content.)

***

Email #1 Title: Do You Write Titles or Craft Them?

Content: Hi, [first name]! Good to (digitally) meet you at (insert conference title here ’23)!

I enjoyed serving you via my workshop, Titles That Fit.

Thanks very much for requesting my workshop’s Slide Deck. It will arrive *tomorrow. I pray you find it a valuable reference.

** For now, let’s chat about you, shall we? 🙂

What’s the difference between writing a title and crafting one?

The first seems simple. We begin our project with a working title then invest hours, months, or years writing our content. We know it well. Tweaking our title’s final version should be a cinch, yes?

Strangely, that familiarity can keep us from writing our best title. Why?

Because when we’re so close to our content, we often come up with a title that’s generic without realizing it. Trying to capture the overall concept, we may go too broad.

Imagine attending a party when a new acquaintance asks why you do / did love your spouse. How can you choose The Perfect Answer in only 30 seconds?

In such situations, we go wide instead of deep, weakening our answer at the very moment we want to be precise.

It’s like that with our titles sometimes.

On the other hand, great titles are crafted. Let’s talk about that next time.

Watch for my email ***tomorrow (unless today’s Sunday–then it will be sent out Monday).

It will include the link to my Slide Deck for Titles That Fit.

Till next time,

Patricia

**** P.S. I usually attend (insert name of conference here) but could not this year, so be sure to give me a hug at next year’s conference. Deal? 🙂

————————————–

Strategies for Email #1

In the Strategy List below, you’ll find a duplicate of every sentence above shown with an asterisk, then my strategy, so you don’t have to scroll up and down the page constantly. You’re welcome. 🙂

#1: It will arrive in your Inbox *tomorrow.

(Why not just send the Lead Magnet’s link with this first email or attach it to the email? Because I want a valid reason to connect with them again very soon after my initial contact.)

#2: **For now, let’s chat about you, shall we? 🙂

(The first three sentences in this paragraph contain our “business.”

In this fourth sentence in my first Welcome email, I turn the conversation fully upon the reader by sharing an awkward story describing a situation we’ve all suffered through. Writing in a conversational manner, I hope my choice of words creates a sense of “you and I are in this together” mindset for my reader.

If they’ve been in an awkward situation–even if it’s not the one I shared–we have an additional point of connection. That’s a good thing. 🙂

#3: Watch for my email ***tomorrow (unless today’s Sunday–then it will be sent out Monday).

(This is a casual, non-aggressive reminder that I fully intend to deliver the promised free resource, but not today. It’s bolded so it will draw their eye–they’re more likely to read it. And it’s above my signature instead of randomly placed in a paragraph “somewhere” on the page.

The italicized text lets my reader know I don’t send emails on Sundays.

This is a personal choice and not a typical one, so it needs to be mentioned. No need to explain how or why I made that decision; that’s not the point.

The point is if they subscribe on a Sunday, they can expect the promised information on Monday.

#4: **** P.S. I usually attend (insert name of conference here) but could not this year, so be sure to give me a hug at next year’s conference. Deal? 🙂

(This is a subtle way to let my subscriber know I’m familiar with the conference mentioned. I’m a member of the same group, so I’m part of their world, not just “the world at large.”

I’m inviting them to connect with me in person without using those words.

See how it can work? 🙂

Patricia Durgin is an Online Marketing Coach and Facebook Live Expert. She trains Christian writers and speakers exclusively, helping them develop their messaging, marketing funnels, conversational emails, and Facebook Live programs. Patricia hosted 505 (60-minute) Facebook Live programs from 2018-2020. That program is on indefinite hiatus. She’s also a regular faculty member at Christian writers and speakers conferences around the country.

Website: marketersonamission.com
Facebook: MarketersOnAMission

Categories
Kids Lit

Help Me with My Book!

Kids Lit

As more books are published in a variety of ways (traditional, self-pub, hybrid, assisted), a whole crop of people with expertise (real or claimed!) have popped up ready to help the harried author by doing all the big and little tasks associated with preparing a book for submission. Here a just a few of the current players.

Ghostwriters

You have a great idea but no idea where to start, and not a lot of interest or talent in writing. A ghostwriter will shape your notes into the book you envision – and put your name on the front cover!

Writing Coach

You have an idea and sort of like to write but don’t know where to start or if your story is sellable. A writing coach will take you step by step through the nuts and bolts, teaching and supporting your writing.

Copy Editor

You have an idea and like to write but that whole grammar and punctuation thing is a mystery. A developmental editor will go through line by line and rearrange and correct sentences to today’s standards. They will not be looking at the overall ideas but sentence structure and correct usage.

Professional Critiques

You finished a story but don’t know if it is good or how to make it better. The professional critique will look at arc, structure, and character development and perhaps suggest other titles on the same subject or type of book to study as you work to improve.

Sensitivity Readers

You finished the manuscript but are not sure how certain topics, references, and language will be perceived by others. Sensitivity readers are experts in language and attitudes and are a guarantee to the publisher that this book will not create any issues.

Website design

You can negotiate the web but how do you set up a link or make separate pages on a website? A web page designer will develop a page with as many bells and whistles as you like to show prospective agents you are professional.

Virtual assistant

You like Facebook but IG reels, TikTok, and things “formerly known as something else” are baffling! A virtual assistant will help you select your target population, and establish, and update your social and promotional activities across media.

Endorsers and Influencers

Your manuscript is great, but no one knows who you are. You can find picture book influencers with several thousand followers. A mention or review on that post or blog gets wide attention, whatever the fame of the influencer.

Hey, this book-writing stuff could be easy!

Freelance editors, graphic designers, readers, and virtual assistants are available all over the internet. (Caveat: find someone who has personally used the service and check it out thoroughly.)

The catch: every person listed above will cost money! From $75 minimum for a sensitivity reader to $500-$750 for a ghost-written picture book. The virtual assistant works for $15-20/hour spent on your platform. Setting up a webpage initially is around $1500, and maintaining is extra.

Ask Some Questions

Do you need some help, or is the entire job done for you?

Do you just need instructions on how to do it?

Is your time for writing worth more than you will pay for the service?

Will you need this same kind of help for the next book?

Best wishes!

With over 1.7 M books sold, multi award winning author Robin Currie led children’s departments of Midwestern public libraries, but still needs help from spell check. She has over 40 published picture books and writes stories to read and read again!

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Of Miners and Light

lighter look at a writer's life

Several years ago, I portrayed a coal miner in a community play, and it opened my eyes to some things. I live in the coalfields of Eastern Kentucky and have known many coal miners throughout my life, but I gained a new appreciation for their work, as well as some new insights about my role as a writer, through this production.

On a basic level, the equipment coal miners wear was a real eye-opener. A buddy of mine loaned me his uniform, and the mining boots were so heavy I ditched them after one painful dress rehearsal. The producers had procured mining helmets, complete with lights on the front. I got tangled in the cord leading from the battery pack to the helmet numerous times before I finally adjusted.

Our play included a re-creation of a mining disaster, giving me a new perspective of the dangers lurking in this profession. I developed even more respect for the brave men and women who go underground every day to provide for their families.

Another epiphany came as we performed a key scene. Some other “miners” and I made an entrance with our “head-lights” providing the only illumination in the darkened theater. It was a neat effect, and it made me think about my purpose as a Christian and as a writer.

Jesus has called me (and you) to shine His light in this world.

Just like that miner’s light illuminated the way in the theater, my writing (and yours) can shine God’s light in the dark places, helping others navigate the hard circumstances in this life. My name may never appear on a bestseller list, but, with God’s light, my work can penetrate cold, lonely hearts in need of encouragement.

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb.

Categories
Devotions for Writers

One

devotions

He chose our inheritance for us.                         

Psalm 47:4 NIV

Abraham was a seeker of God. His heart knew the truth of the one God and he sought to know that one God diligently.

Psalm 47 paints a picture of the results of one man’s faith – a whole nation reaped the benefits of God’s blessing. Psalm 46:4 calls it a delightful inheritance. 1 Peter 1:4 says that inheritance will never perish, spoil, or fade. The generations following were benefactors of Abraham’s relationship with God. They did not receive God’s favor because of their own merit, no, they were recipients of God’s grace and mercy because they were related to Abraham.

How are we kin to Abraham? Galatians 3:26-29 says we’re heirs to the promises he received, because of faith. Romans 11:17-24 uses the imagery of a branch grafted into a tree that receives nourishment from the roots. We are grafted into the family of God.

You, too, impact a whole generation who benefit from your relationship with God. When you are a faithful servant and steadfast in following the Lord, it encourages the faith of others. When you model, mentor, and mold a life of dedication to the Father, your legacy continues.

Will you be the one?

Exercise:

Read Psalm 47 and the following verses:

Model

Why don’t you have to be perfect in your own power? 1 Peter 5:10; Psalm 18:32

What is one purpose for persevering through difficulty? 2 Timothy 2:10

Who benefits from our trials? 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Mentor

Who do we teach? Why? Deuteronomy 4:9-10

What do we teach? Titus 2

How are we to teach? Titus 3:2

Mold

How do “we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience?” 2 Corinthians 4:2 NIV

What causes thanksgiving to overflow? 2 Corinthians 4:15

How do you mold a life? 1 Thessalonians 5:11

What will your life model? Who will you mentor? How will you mold another’s faith and the pursuit of grace?

Writers have the unique opportunity to visit the living rooms of countless readers while they peruse a magazine or ingest the words of a book.

We share a message of hope with a dying world, hungry for truth and justice. Whether we use fiction or nonfiction is not the issue. The importance is in the message and the clarity of presentation. Will you be the one to share the news of our glorious inheritance in Christ?

How will your writing model, mentor, and mold?

Sally Ferguson

Sally Ferguson Bio

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at sallyferguson.net

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for October Part 2

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Come Write with Us: Music Session

Back by popular demand, here’s our second Come Write with Us: Music Session. In this show, Brandy Brow sets up several timed creative writing sessions set to themed instrumental music. Put on your creative writing hat, grab a notepad or your favorite writing device, and prepare for the inspiration to let your imagination soar! All music contained in this writing session is used with permission from https://www.FesliyanStudios.com Background Music

Watch the October 24th Replay.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Be Flexible

Recently, I discussed with a fellow health nut at the gym that I was wanting to try something new in my fitness cycle. My goal is to maximize the benefits of the time I spend in the gym.

During my time in rehabilitation after my accident, I learned the importance of being flexible. I’m not talking about lots of stretching of the body, but not being so set in my ways or movements. Being flexible in life has lots of benefits.

  • Opportunities to learn new things
  • Decreases stress
  • Keeps the mind active

Of course, we understand the need to stay physically active for overall health. However, over time our exercise habits can become routine, boring, and less effective.

The age-old adage is true.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

The more we perform activities and movements, the more our bodies become used to them, and that decreases the benefits.

I have already shared how I only do a particular exercise routine for eight weeks at a time before changing my routines to different exercises. A brain that isn’t stimulated ceases to grow. According to VeryWellMind, we need to practice psychological flexibility to help our brains adapt and stay healthy and creative.

Flexibility

To be flexible means, “Able to be easily modified to respond to altered circumstances or conditions.” Flexibility can be applied to every area of our lives, from relationships to finances and healthy lifestyles. Flexibility is a key trait to being a successful writer.

Writer’s Life

Writers need to be flexible with both their skills and time. I have been writing for almost 20 years. I have learned that writing is easier at certain times than at others, unfortunately, it isn’t always the most opportune time for me.

I have also experienced what I set out to write isn’t what I end up with in the final draft. The writing process can change the focus of our prose. Unfortunately, we don’t always have the privilege of writing what we want.

Writers are at the mercy of publishers, editors and what is in demand at the time. The writing community is continually evolving; whether it’s traditional, self-publishing, or hybrid, a writer needs to be able to adapt to trends and genre expectations.

Writers must learn to be flexible if they want to be successful. Every writing journey will be different and a writer can’t expect to follow the same path as other writers.

Niches are comfortable and help us get experience, however, expanding our writing repertoire gives us more opportunities to grow our skills and connect with different audiences. Flexibility is one of the five F’s writers need to become better writers from Writer Unboxed.

  1. Forgiveness
  2. Flexibility
  3. Food
  4. Fun
  5. Friends

Being more flexible in our writing can also help keep the creative juices flowing. It helps overcome writer’s block. It gives us more opportunities to work as writers. It can open new doors for relationships in the writing community. And it will help our writing become stronger overall.

Stronger

The goal of good writers is to be strong writers. I do not mean being strongly opinionated. Certainly don’t be rude. And for heaven’s sake, please don’t get too wordy.

Get to the point and get out of the readers’ way. Below are a few more tips for strong writing from Writer’s Digest.

  • Never let the truth get in the way of your story.
  • Never use two words when one will do.
  • Use the active voice
  • Use parallel construction.

One of the biggest mistakes people make in exercising is over training. They think if they do more weight, more reps, or spend more time in the gym that is how they will get stronger. However, it is best to pick one or the other and learn to be flexible.

Martin Johnson

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at MartinThomasJohnson.com  and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Guest Posts

What is Sustainable Publishing?

Guest posts

Sustainability is a hot topic in every industry. 69% of consumers say they’ve made changes to their shopping habits to become more sustainable and 50% say they intentionally reuse more products to minimize waste. In fact, increased interest in sustainability has bolstered the second-hand book market in recent years. The compound annual growth rate (CARG) of the used book market is currently 6.6% as readers show a preference for low-waste reading options.

As an author, you can minimize your carbon footprint and increase demand by pursuing sustainable publishing options. Going carbon-neutral can help you stand out in a crowded market and may gain you a loyal following of carbon-conscious readers.

Carbon Neutral

Going carbon-neutral can be a boon for your brand as an author and could help bolster your book sales. However, you may find that actually achieving a net-zero publication is harder than it seems. Start by taking simple steps to achieve carbon neutrality like:

  • Measure: Ask your publisher to track emissions during every stage of the publishing life-cycle. This includes everything from ink usage to shipping and sales.
  • Reduce: As an author, you can reduce your carbon usage by opting for low-energy computers and energy-efficient suppliers. This will make achieving net-zero carbon use that much easier.
  • Offset: Carbon offsets aren’t a perfect science, but they do play an important role in combating climate change. Before launch, fund some projects that align with your book and appeal to your audience.
  • Communicate: Eliminating carbon emissions entirely may be impossible for you at this time. Be open and honest about your current operations and share yield analysis findings with your readers.

Going carbon neutral is a noble goal. However, you’ll need to account for every step of the writing, publishing, and distribution process if you want to truly claim to be net zero. Avoid the temptation to trump up sustainability claims, as greenwashing can undermine your brand image as an author.

Finding a Publisher

As an author, the publishing process is largely out of your control. You don’t get to decide what paper the book is printed on and may not even choose the cover of your upcoming title. That means you need to find a publisher that you trust to deliver on sustainability promises.

Even major publishers, like HarperCollins, are starting to switch to a net-zero business model. The publishing giant (which owns Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster) has already reduced emissions by 30% over the past five years and aims to achieve a 60% reduction by 2030.

If you’re still building your brand as an author, you may want to consider a smaller publisher instead. Small-scale publishers offer higher royalties and may give you greater control over the way your book is turned from an MS manuscript to a printed book.

Before signing with a new publisher, do your research and ask them key questions like:

  • Do you disclose your carbon emissions?
  • How do you source paper for your printed materials?
  • What is your Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policy?
  • What steps do you take to reduce waste and how do you measure progress?

These questions ensure that you only work with publishers who take climate change seriously. They’ll help you uncover any evidence of greenwashing, too.

Low-Waste Supply

In the U.S. alone, the publishing industry fells 32 million trees every year to produce books. This makes publishing the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses related to paper and pulp. Fortunately, many publishers now work with sustainable suppliers who are committed to reducing waste and recycling old books.

As an author, you can take the reins by getting involved in the process. Learn how paper recycling works and push your publisher to turn discarded paper and pulp into bags, kitty litter, insulation, or packaging. This keeps your unsold books and off-cuts out of the landfill and can significantly reduce your carbon footprint.

If you’re a new author, you may be able to pursue print-on-demand publishing. This means that your publisher will only print a single copy of your book every time an order is placed. While this isn’t an appropriate business model for bestsellers, it can be a great way to reduce costs and minimize waste if you’re selling to a niche audience in low volumes.

Conclusion

The book industry produces massive amounts of pulp and paper waste every year. As an author, you can do your part to reduce waste by opting for sustainable publishing. Sustainable publishing minimizes your carbon footprint and can mitigate most of the by-products associated with printing. Just be sure to avoid greenwashing, as this will derail your book launch and undermine your brand image as an author.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Writing for YA

Interview with Christy Finalist Sarah Watterson

Sara Watterson’s young adult novel, The Dreamer, was recently named as a Christy Award finalist for 2023. I thought I’d ask her a little about her books, her process, and her reaction to finding novel was in the running!

DJS: What did you find the most challenging about writing and publishing This Dreamer? 

SW: Time! There were many challenges, but finding the time to focus was number one. I spent a long and slow six years planning, writing, and editing This Dreamer. Back then, my three kids kept me busy, and they still do. They’re in middle and high school now, and they love being involved in just about everything, which means I’m involved in just about everything. In some ways, life is easier now that they’re teens and tweens, but in other ways, it’s harder. Time (and adolescent emotions) are still a struggle. 

DJS: I can certainly relate to that. It seems time management is one of the big issues for authors in every season of life.

Novel writing takes a huge amount of commitment.

Encouragement and inspiration can help an author along the way. Where did you find the encouragement and inspiration required to undertake novel writing?


SW: I fell in love with fantasy books in college, and I’ve known since then that if I ever wrote one, it would be a fantasy novel. When I finally set out to do it, it was through prayer, my husband, and my writing partner that I found the much-needed motivation to keep going and finish that first draft!

DJS : Having your novel, The Dreamer,  selected as a Christy Award Finalist must have been exciting! What was your initial reaction when you heard the news?


SW: I was shocked! I still am! It’s surreal to see my book cover displayed alongside those of more established authors on the Christy Award website. The organization emailed me to let me know while my family and I were out of town. I had determined to unplug for the weekend, so I didn’t discover the news until Sunday when others congratulated me. I was so confused and thought they must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m truly honored to be a finalist!

DJS: That must’ve been something! What a wonderful surprise! I’m so excited for you.

This Dreamer is the first in a planned series. Can you tell us how many books there will be by the series end?


SW: The Chronicles of the Marked is set to be a duology, so there will be one more book. But I have notes for a possible prequel and a few companion pieces. We’ll see! 

DJS: Making finalist is a great accomplishment. It might be a sign to keep the series going! Congratulations, Sara. Thanks so much for taking time to talk with us about writing.

Sara Watterson is a fiction writer, author of uplifting and clean young adult science fiction and fantasy. She also teaches digital art to high school students while managing her growing website, bookseriesrecaps.com. When not writing, teaching, or enjoying her kids’ many activities, Sara likes reading on the back porch, drinking coffee, and hanging out with her super-cute hubby. Sara lives in central Oklahoma with her husband and three children.

About Sara’s novel, The Dreamer

Evie grows restless observing mortals from afar. When a friend offers to smuggle her by portal into the human world, she jumps at the opportunity. Secretly, though, she also hopes to observe Adan, the human Dreamer. But trouble awaits after her captivating adventure and delayed return. Not only did she take an unsanctioned trip to the ground, but now the boy, the Dreamer, is missing, and her director believes she is to blame.

Donning a human body, Evie must return to the human world and find Adan before her way home is sealed. All while wrestling unfamiliar human emotions and a growing suspicion she’s caught in a larger plan already at play.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Book Proposals

Why Are You The Author?

As an acquisitions editor and a former literary agent, I’ve reviewed thousands of book proposals.  For any writer who wants to catch the attention of an editor or agent, one of the basics is to understand a critical aspect for them to include in their proposal. One of those critical elements is your proof about why you are the best person to write the book that you are pitching. In the proposal, this section often has a simple title: “About the Author.” In this article, I’ll detail some questions that you must answer in an engaging fashion to gain the attention of the editor or agent.

As you write this section, don’t be shy.

It’s the time to roll out your authority and credibility. Publishers give increasing importance to the author and their connections in their particular area of expertise. Six key areas should be included in this biographical sketch:

  • What are your credentials in this particular subject area?
  • What are your career credentials to write about this topic? Begin with your most professional credentials related to the topic, and then list other careers in descending order of importance.
  • What is your educational background to write on this topic? In general, a Master’s degree and higher carries weight independent of the subject area, although some agents and editors avoid academicians and their writing. Academic writing is completely different than the popular type of writing which is most broadly published. Often someone steeped in academia has learned to write in convoluted sentences and difficult syntax. If you have a higher degree in a particular area related to your topic, it can help you if your writing does not sound like a textbook. Be aware that touting a higher degree can send a message that the editor or agent should be cautious.
  • What credits, awards, publications and memberships can you highlight that relate to your topic? If you have published in magazines, then list some of them, particularly if the titles are familiar to the editor or agent. Leave out anything that would diminish your proposed work or you as the author.
  • What promotional skills have you shown through your past books or publications? Not everyone has something to put in this area so don’t panic if nothing comes to mind here. If you have had success promoting other products, be sure to include them in this section.
  • What personal data can you include? Some authors choose to leave off this final section, but it’s the one paragraph or opportunity for the author to show that they are an interesting human being—someone that the editor (or agent) would like to meet. This personal information will separate you from a mass of qualifications and credentials the editor sorts through as he or she makes a decision about an author.

Editors and agents will appreciate the energy and effort that you pour into this section of your proposal.

Terry Whalin

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in California. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. Get a free copy of his proposal book (follow the link). Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook, his blog and LinkedIn.

https://bit.ly/bpts-free
Categories
A3 Contributor Book Release

October Releases

Almost an Author is pleased to announce book releases this month by two regular columnists, Lori Z. Scott (Mastering Middle Grade) and Norma Poore (Writers Chat Recap).

Offsides by Lori Z. Scott

From the publisher:

Danielle Stephens expected her senior year to be challenging, with her final season of soccer, a strained friendship, and a new crush. But she didn’t expect to uncover a human trafficking ring in her town. When an older man seems to be grooming her young neighbor, Dani is determined to keep the girl safe. Except if Dani doesn’t watch her own back, she may be the next victim.

With a mixture of humor, poignant honesty, and human trafficking awareness, award-winning author Lori Z. Scott fields a tough topic in an age-appropriate way. Offsides kicks off its debut with a big score, boasting three #1 new release banners on Amazon, including the Teens & YA Christian Relationships category.

Besides her bestselling Meghan Rose series, Lori has published over 200 articles, short stories, devotions, and poems for magazines like Brio and Focus on the Family. She has also contributed to 15 books, including Writing and Selling Children’s Books in the Christian Market. In 2022, Lori introduced a new YA series. The first book, Inside the Ten-Foot Line, is a Carol Award YA semi-finalist, Golden Scroll Youth Book of the Year winner and Illumination Book Award medalist. The second book, Offsides, promises even more action and humor.

You can purchase Offsides on Amazon, Christianbooks.com, End Game Press, and other book outlets.

Lori Z. Scott

Elementary school teacher Lori Z. Scott usually writes fiction. Her down time is filled with two quirky habits: chronic doodling and inventing lame jokes. Neither one impresses her principal (or friends/parents/dogs/casual strangers), but they do help inspire her writing. Somehow, her odd musings led her to accidentally write a ten-title bestselling chapter book series and on purpose write over 175 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions. Lori enjoys speaking, leading workshops, and visiting local elementary schools to share her writing journey. Follow her on Instagram @Stories.by.Lori .

Abba’s Lessons Compiled by Dee Dee Lake

From the publisher:

Thirty stories…thirty unique lessons to bring you hope, comfort, and learning.

Jesus used fishermen, prostitutes, the rich and the poor, the sick, the young and old to teach the principles of the kingdom of God. Today, Abba Father is no different. He uses real people with real issues to bring you healing, instruction, and understanding.

In Abba’s Lessons, you’ll find thirty stories of people from all walks of life—an adoption attorney, a wedding planner, Bible leaders and pastors, military wives, and more. Each story brings a special lesson we can apply to our own lives. Lessons of surrender, forgiveness, humility, pride, judgement, praise, trust, letting go, God’s will, anxiety, and so many more.

Sit for a minute. Read these stories and experience learning from Abba the way He did it in the Bible and come away changed.

One of the contributors in this devotional anthology is our A3 Managing Editor, Norma Poore. You can order your copy at Cross River Media.

Norma Poore

Norma Poore has lived through difficult circumstances, and allows her journey to fuel encouragement for the hurting. Her inspirational nonfiction is penned with honest transparency and hope from God’s Word. As a respected member of the publishing community she’s an award-winning author. Married 40 years, has six children, and eleven grandchildren. Connect with her at NormaPoore.com.

Categories
Guest Posts

The Absent Author

Guest posts

“You’ve drawn back,” that familiar voice whispered to my heart. I tried to shrug off the nudge. I knew I needed to be transparent with my readers, but it made me uncomfortable, as if naked in a crowd.

One night at writers group, I showed up with several miscellaneous pieces to share. An unfinished article lay at the bottom of the pile. I felt unqualified to write it because I still wrestled with the subject—forgiveness. I certainly didn’t want to read it to my writers group. It scared me to share any of my writing, let alone something that made me vulnerable. So, I read the pieces that cost little and allowed me to keep a safe emotional distance.

I always positioned myself at the table so I could see our leader.

While we shared our work, I watched the nuances of his expressions to get a real feel for his responses. I noted how he measured his words when he commented. As everyone stated what they liked about what I’d read, Jack leaned back, silent, in his chair.

“Jack, you’re awfully quiet.”

“I want to hear Rachael. I want to see Rachael on the page. I want to hear your voice.”

“They’re all me,” I said. But Jack stared stone-faced. “You just want to see me bleed, don’t you?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I do.”

So much for being incognito. All eyes fixed on us. I sighed and pulled the unfinished piece from beneath the pile of papers and read what would become my article entitled Forgive to my writers group.

“There you are,” Jack said. “There’s Rachael.”

A hush fell on the room. Though this took place at a public library, it felt like church.

I finished my article on forgiveness and posted it on my blog. A few days later, I received a message from a young man I’d never met who was attending a Bible conference put on by one of our churches across the country.

“Thanks for this post,” he said. “It’s exactly what I needed to hear. A huge weight lifted off me tonight. I was struggling all week to hear from God concerning a troublesome situation. There have been powerful sermons all week that were very applicable to my life, but I needed clear direction from God. Your blog post on forgiveness cut to the heart of the matter. I haven’t been able to leave any of the services with peace, but now I can. Thanks.”

Sometimes I fall short of the tall order of vulnerability in my writing, but I’m no longer resistant. My new writing mentor, Cec Murphey, appears determined to draw me into the startling light, and that’s a good thing. “Where’s Rachael in this piece?” he says. Yes, a bared soul can touch hearts in ways polished prose and hard facts alone cannot.

Oh, how rich the reward when we truly give of ourselves to serve others.

Rachael M. Colby has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect cultures’ questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate.

Rachael’s work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, online publications, compilation books, and the Oak Ridger newspaper.

This Jamaican-born multi-genre award-winning writer, wife, and mom resides in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on chocolate and a lotta “Help me, Jesus.”

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap For October Part 1

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Writers Chat Recap for October Part 1

From Author to Agent: The Inside Scoop on the Publishing Industry

Bethany Jett shares her journey from reluctant writers conference attendee to literary agent. She gives advice on querying, marketing, and other aspects of the publishing industry plus insightful nuggets of wisdom.

Watch the October 3rd Replay.

Bethany Jett is an associate literary agent with the C.Y.L.E. agency, as well as a multi-award-winning author, and a marketing strategist who earned top honors in her master’s program, where she earned her MFA in Communications focusing on Marketing and PR. Her motto is “Teach as you go,” which she lives out as the co-owner of Serious Writer, a company that teaches and empowers writers and authors. Bethany is married to her college sweetheart, and together they’re raising 3 teen/tween sons and their Pomeranian Sadie

Crafting Thrillers and the Magic of Mentorship

Author Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes presents a two-in-one program on writing thrillers and the the value of mentorship. She shares effective ways to craft a thriller story that has a fast pace and a plot that keeps readers guessing. Katherine also explains the benefits of mentorship. For more on this jam-packed episode be sure to catch this week’s replay.

Watch the October 10th replay.

Dr. Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes is an editor, author, speaker, and educational consultant. Katherine hosts the podcast Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality. She’s authored a Christian Bible study and is working on the sequel to her first general market thriller, A Fifth of the Story, debuting on 2/27/2024.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Pitch Perfect

You’ve worked hard to write your middle grade novel, and now you’re ready to sell it to a publisher. Except you’ve been told you must describe your entire 50,000 book in 30 to 150 words.

Welcome to what the writing community calls “the pitch.”

A pitch is a short description of your book that highlights what makes your story unique.

I’ve taken online classes, read articles, and listened to conference talks about how to write a pitch. When it comes to elements every pitch should contain, most presentations boil down to this: The pitch needs to identify the main character in a manner that shows their goal, the obstacles that stand in their way, and what might happen if they don’t succeed.

Let’s use the technique (protagonist, goal, obstacles, fallout) with a well-known story: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Start with the Protagonist. Bilbo is a hobbit, a race of short people living in middle earth, a land with magical creatures.

What is his goal? He will aid the dwarf king, his faithful subjects, and a wizard on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ ancestorial home.

What are the obstacles? The company runs into trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and wood elves. Aided by Bilbo’s magic ring and a river town, the heroes kill the dragon who took over the kingdom. However, a battle between five armies breaks out over the treasure the dragon guarded.

What might happen (fallout)? If Bilbo cannot negotiate peace between the various factions, his whole company might die.

Now put the ideas together.

Bilbo is a hobbit, a race of short people living in middle earth, a land with magical creatures. He will aid the dwarf king, his faithful subjects, and a wizard on a quest to reclaim the dwarves’ ancestorial home. The company runs into trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and wood elves. Aided by Bilbo’s magic ring and a river town, the heroes kill the dragon who took over the kingdom. However, a battle between five armies breaks out over the treasure the dragon guarded. If Bilbo cannot negotiate peace between the warring factions, his whole company might die.

This pitch rings in at 97 words, which will work for most conference pitches. However, if your selected entity wants it even shorter, watch me trim the idea to 41 words and still keep the heart of the story.

Aided by Bilbo, thirteen dwarves go on a quest to reclaim their ancestral kingdom, which is guarded by a dragon. When the beast is killed, five armies converge to claim the treasure left behind. Bilbo must negotiate peace or die trying.

Sure, you say. Simple to do with a well-established story. But will it work for me? Let’s see. Using my method, here’s a 52-word pitch for my newest release, Offsides.

Danielle expected a challenging senior year with her final season of soccer, a strained friendship, and a new crush. What she didn’t expect was to uncover a human trafficking ring in her town. When an older man starts grooming her neighbor, Dani intervenes. But her actions may make her the next target.

Intrigued? That’s the power of a pitch. Good luck crafting your own. (And please, make my day and check out Offsides.)

Lori Z. Scott is known for her bestselling Meghan Rose series. Besides these humorous children’s chapter books, Lori has published over 200 articles, short stories, devotions, and poems for magazines like Brio and Focus on the Family. She has also contributed to 15 books, including Writing and Selling Children’s Books in the Christian Market. In 2022, Lori introduced a new YA series. The first book, Inside the Ten-Foot Line, is a Carol Award semi-finalist, the Golden Scroll Youth Book of the Year winner, and an Illumination Book Award medalist. The second book, Offsides, promises even more action and humor. You can connect with Lori on Instagram @Stories.by.Lori 

Categories
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

Embracing Tech Advancements: Powering Freelancer Success in the Modern Landscape

Freelancing as a writer can be deeply rewarding. You’re getting paid to show off your wordsmithing skills and can make a great living while building your brand as a writer. 

However, if you want to stay relevant as a writer, you’ll need to embrace emergent tech advancements that define the digital landscape. Today, that means you should take full advantage of automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences.

Tech and Writing

The recent rise of artificial intelligence has left some writers fearing for their jobs. This is understandable, as programs like ChatGPT can produce pages of prose in the blink of an eye.

In reality, AI programs are designed to help writers — not replace them. You can use recently released programs like Google Bard to conduct pre-writing research and improve the efficiency of your revision process. You can also use programs like Grammarly to edit as you work and improve your understanding of syntax and grammar.

Rather than fearing new innovations, you should see emergent tech as a chance to “level up” your writing process. For example, if you routinely run into writer’s block, you can use a program like ContentAI or Ryter to start brainstorming ideas. This is particularly helpful if you are working with an unfamiliar genre and need to understand the requirements before you can start writing.

You can, of course, choose to eschew all modern tech from your writing process. There’s nothing wrong with a ballpoint pen and a pad of paper — and the tactile feel may help you write a more captivating opening scene. However, automation tech can still help you find freelancing success off the page. 

Automation

Automating the writing process with generative AI may land you in hot water with publishers and clients. After all, they’re paying for your skills, insights, and experiences. Fortunately, you can still use the latest AI tech to increase your profits and decrease your risks.

You can start using automation to increase profitability by augmenting some of the customer relationship management tasks you have to do. This is particularly useful if your brand is growing quicker than you expected. Automation can help you reach out to highly qualified leads or send emails to folks who are in your “follow-up” folder.

AI can streamline the document-management process, too. This is helpful if you’re responsible for creating multiple articles a day and are at risk of losing track of important files. AI-driven document automation can help with storage, classification, and invoicing. This reduces the risk of error and ensures that you actually get paid for your hard work.

The Future of Work

Despite popular belief, the writing process is constantly changing. A hundred years ago, writers like Hemingway and Woolf may have spent their mornings sitting at their typewriter. Today, anything other than electronic writing is all but unthinkable for modern freelancers.

Start embracing the future of work and writing by leveraging AR and virtual environments. For example, if you regularly liaise with global clients, consider investing in a virtual office space where folks can “meet” with you while wearing VR goggles. This may be something of a gimmick for now but could become the norm for contractors and freelancers in years to come.

The metaverse will need writers, too. This means that staying up to date with the latest trends in virtual worlds may be a savvy move if you want to break into game development and virtual entertainment. Just be sure to secure your income with reliable streams, too, as daily activity on sites like Decentraland can vary wildly.

Increase your chances of finding freelancer success by advertising your services on social sites like TikTok and Instagram. Your social presence can serve as a portfolio for your work and may help you connect with clients from around the globe. A well-established social page can even help you diversify your income, as you may be able to land brand sponsorship and ad revenue when posting online.

Conclusion

The future of freelance writing looks bright. Fears of AI replacing writers have largely been assuaged, as folks see that real writers provide more value than AI bots. However, that doesn’t mean you can rest on your laurels.

Instead, embrace the future of work by using the latest innovations to your advantage. Tech advancements like generative AI, automation, and real-time editing can significantly improve your process and help you achieve higher levels of efficiency. You can even use emergent tech like VR goggles to differentiate your brand identity and connect with clients in new and exciting ways.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

Categories
Marketing Sense

Will Your Book Be the Best Kept Secret Online?

Marketing sense

Nondescript, the small store named *Joe’s Mattress! lay nestled in between two, more active businesses. Its blandness caught my eye, inspiring me to study it while waiting for its next-door neighbor, a popular restaurant, to open.

A tasteful Labor Day Sale notice written in the same white text as the store’s name was unviewable because of the Handicapped Parking sign. Nothing about the sign attracted attention, a guarantee that few noticed it. Their “marketing” is making them our area’s best kept secret.

Back in the Dark Ages when I was a child, my parents purchased new mattresses from the leading hometown department store. Yours probably did, too.

Then 20 or so years ago, direct from the factory mattress stores popped up across the country.

Local “Mom and Pop” retailers are tired but still in there pitching. Factory-direct stores have an advantage over local locations with regional or national marketing. Deeper pockets offer opportunities unavailable to the “wing and a prayer” marketing approach. But often, locals prefer to do business with home-town folks.

Do you have deep pockets to fund your book’s marketing efforts?

How far is your “wing and a prayer” approach taking you?

Which low-cost marketing efforts are you utilizing?

Do you present short “live” trainings on social media to attract new audience members?

Do you promote your book on a regular basis via email without wearying your subscribers?

Do you belong to one or more online groups where up-and-comers and professionals join together to create an event that can, collectively, promote each member’s book more than if each were to go it alone?

Do you request a guest spot on podcasts that fit both your audience’s needs and your message?

The beauty of online marketing is that most of it is free, or nearly so.

Social media videos are short and can gain a lot of traction–and an audience–quickly.

Ignore the myths suggesting you must have years of video hosting experience…your target market wants to see the real you, not the “perfect” you.

Goofs, slip-ups, and hitting the wrong button when closing out your video help your audience get to know the real you. Ask me how I know. 🙂

You can become a pro on video without paying a professional video company.

Do you vomit at the thought of being on camera? Ask Christ to give you opportunities so you can become comfortable. Video communication is here to stay. Don’t get left behind.

If you need to, ease into video. Open a free Zoom account. Want to be benefit from video but not ready to be interviewed yet? Interview others instead! Practice with friends using a free Zoom account. Share those videos or don’t, as you wish. The first goal is to become comfortable on camera and with the software.

Host a webinar or other live event offering content to benefit your audience. It can be a public event or in a private Facebook group…yours or someone else’s. Either way, promote it!

This has a double benefit. As you help others become comfortable sharing their message, other interviewers are more likely to invite you to be their guests. Now you’re talkin’ baby!

What are you doing to help your audience find you in the crowded marketplace?

Or will your book be the best kept secret online?

*(Names were changed to protect the innocent.) 🙂

Patricia Durgin is an Online Marketing Coach and Facebook Live Expert. She trains Christian writers and speakers exclusively, helping them develop their messaging, marketing funnels, conversational emails, and Facebook Live programs. Patricia hosted 505 (60-minute) Facebook Live programs from 2018-2020. That program is on indefinite hiatus. She’s also a regular faculty member at Christian writers and speakers conferences around the country.

Website: marketersonamission.com
Facebook: MarketersOnAMission

Categories
Kids Lit

In 25 Words or Less…

Kids Lit

“I was born as a small child…and did stuff.” My bio in nine words, but who’s counting?

One piece of information that authors sometimes falter on is the dreaded bio. We have the book synopsis and elevator pitch and one-liner, but at some point, the editor/agent/publicist/person running the panel will say, “Now tell me about yourself!”

What is too long? Too short? Too braggy? Too personal?

So we blurt out something, and, as soon as the microphone moves on, we remember the one thing we meant to say! This month we prepare for publishing and public speaking by thinking in advance about those moments before someone says, “Will you go first?”

First, consider…who wants to know? 

My answer to a group of librarians: “I have an MLS from the University of Iowa and worked in public library children’s departments for three decades. I have co-authored seven resource books for library programs and developed programs for ages 0-3 years at Glen Ellyn Public Library.”

But to other children’s authors: “I have traditionally published over 40 picture and board books in both religious and general markets. I have a monthly column on writing for children for Almost an Author. I have an agent and belong to SCBWI, several critique and writing support groups.”

And if it is preschool kids: “Head, shoulders, knees and toes!” Because they don’t care who I am as long as I brought the dinosaur book.

So when self-introducing to the group, select the parts of life that are most relevant to the listeners. 

It’s easier in print.

I don’t mind saying “Muti award-winning author” on the bio at the end of an article or on a one-sheet. It is easier in the third person, too. 

Who’s it for? 

If I am pitching to an editor in the Christian market: With more than 1.7 M copies of her books sold, multi-award-winning author Rev. Dr. Robin Currie was a public librarian before answering the call to ordained ministry. She has traditionally published more than 40 picture books, including the Baby Bible Storybook. 

But for a general market editor: With more than 1.7 M copies of her books sold, multi-award-winning author Robin Currie led Chicago area public library children’s departments, developing literacy skills for preschoolers. Robin’s most recent book, How to Dress a Dinosaur, received a Kirkus review and has won eight awards in board book categories.

How long will they read?

50-word bio

Multi-award-winning author Robin Currie led children’s departments of Midwestern public libraries. She now volunteers to teach English in developing countries. Robin has published seven resource collections of creative ideas for library story times, and more than 40 picture books.

100-word bio

Multi-award-winning author Robin Currie led children’s departments of public libraries and now volunteers to teach English in developing countries. Robin has published seven resource collections of creative ideas for library story times, and more than 40 picture books. She writes stories to read and read again!

Helpful tip:

Develop four different bios on yourself. Regrettably, unless the facts are critical to the book or speech, most people do not want to hear about the grandchildren or summer vacation.

1. 30-50 words long for print

2. 75-100 words long for print

3. list of 5 items considered primary accomplishments 

4. 3 sentences about a personal incident relevant to the group

Keep all four in your computer under BIOS so they can be whipped out as needed in print. Also, print them out and tuck them in your wallet for the next time you are called on to “Introduction yourself to the group.”

BIO: See above! Or see picture below!