The other day I was driving and thinking. That can be a scary combination, but I allowed my mind to wander. I guess you could say I was wandering through Eastern Kentucky in my car while my mind wandered to different places in my imagination.
I pondered my writing career, such as it is these days, and tried to determine what I should be working on, what I should do next. I came up with a list of “10 Books I Should Be Writing.” Here they are, in no particular order:
Procrastination Made Simple . . . Tomorrow
How to Clean Your House While You Should Be Writing
A Never-Ending Story: Silently Correcting Grammar on Social Media
Pack on Pounds: How to Gain Weight in Your Fifties
How to Reorganize Your House While You Should be Writing
I Really Needed Those Brain Cells: Over 30 Years in Education
So Many Books, So Little Time: The Incredible Expanding To-Be-Read Pile
Point-of-View, Schmoint-of-View: Will I Ever Complete This Novel?
How to Alphabetize Your Spices While You Should Be Writing
Writing Deadlines and How to Stretch Them
I’m sure there are more I could be writing, but, hey, I’m only one guy. Maybe someday I’ll start working on these pieces, right after I rearrange my bookshelf (Wow, another idea . . .). For now, tell me: what books should YOU be writing?
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.
Over Valentine’s weekend, I decided to re-watch one of my all-time favorite movies. I decided to do a commentary video on the beautiful foreign movie, A Very Long Engagement.
Not only is the movie one of the most romantic and hopeful movies I’ve ever seen and have some of the most beautiful cinematography and subtext ever filmed. It has all the key elements of a great movie, just not typical screenwriting format.
Clear plot
Both internal and external conflict
A great inciting incident
The unique thing about this movie is it is a perfect example of nonlinear storytelling. These types of stories aren’t told in chronological order. This means the story can switch from different points of the characters’ lives, all the pieces of the story are there, just jumbled up in different order.
For instance, this movie begins with the inciting incident, but then halfway through the movie, we see the main character’s childhoods and how they met which goes back to the inciting incident at the beginning of the movie. In storytelling the inciting incident is where the conflict and story begin, it is where a movie begins.
Where It All Begins?
An inciting incident is an event that occurs and disrupts a protagonist’s life sending it out of control or in another direction. It puts the events of your story into motion.
“The stronger your inciting incident, the more dramatic, compelling, and engrossing your novel will be.”
Jerry B. Jenkins, author and writing coach
In a sense, the inciting incident creates the conflict of a narrative.
Five characteristics from The Write Practice, that qualify an event as an inciting incident.
Early: They occur early in the story, sometimes in the first scene, almost always within the first three to four scenes.
Interruption: They are an interruption in the main character’s normal life.
Out of the protagonist’s control: They are not caused by the character and are not a result of the character’s desires.
Life-changing: They must have higher-than-normal stakes and the potential to change the protagonist’s life.
Urgent: They necessitate an urgent response.
It is critical to a story’s success for the inciting incident to happen as soon as possible in your screenplay. It doesn’t have to be in chronological order as with A Very Long Engagement, however, the audience needs it to occur sooner rather than later in the story.
“The inciting incident is indispensable because the inciting incident is the hook.”
All stories follow a basic structure to some degree, they may not have the same events, but they follow a typical pattern. Think of it as a stream flowing from a lake, there can be multiple streams heading in the opposite direction of the lake, each one can follow their own paths.
But ultimately they are all flowing away from the lake towards a new destination. Using this analogy we can view the lake as the inciting incident if the lake boundary is breached. The CEO of Storybrand Donald Miller says, “The inciting incident is how you get (characters) to do something. It’s the doorway through which they can’t return, you know. The story takes care of the rest.”
The inciting incident is simply the starting point of any story, however, it complicates your story and sets the events in motion.
“The inciting incident is the primary cause that follows that puts in motion the other four elements.”
As you can see the inciting incident is a critical part of the plot of every story, regardless of what structure you use. Because the inciting incident is where it all begins!
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.
My grandfather walked away from the Lord. Once a pastor, Pappy left the ministry and held a few odd jobs thereafter. But something happened when the Asbury Revival of 1970 spread to South Meridian Church of God in Anderson, Indiana. Pappy knelt at the altar and rededicated his life to God.
My heart leaps at the news of revival happening again at Asbury and fanning out to other universities. People are bowing before the Lord in humble surrender and finding liberating forgiveness. What family story will it catapult into a new chapter? How will the generations to come be affected for good?
What does this have to do with writing? Writers can be an instrument for revival or for maligning others. We can exhort, entertain, explain, and educate. We compose, connect, and correspond. How will we communicate God’s gift of grace?
Exercise:
Revivals are known for repentance.
Consider your writing voice. What narrative do you use to lay out your thoughts? Is it preachy or condemning?
How can you seek God’s voice of love instead?
Write out a prayer based on Psalm 51.
Revivals are known for prayer.
Do you pray over the words you pen? Prayer can expand our comprehension and reveal the heart of God to our readers.
Write out a prayer based on 1 Kings 3:5-9.
Revivals are known for commitment.
How do you offer your prose to God? When we dedicate our words, they become God’s tools.
Write out a prayer based on Colossians 3:23-24.
Revivals are known for renewal.
A fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit refreshes all who sit in His presence. As we search out God’s direction for our own lives, it pours out into our writing lives. How can you wait on the Lord today?
Write out a prayer based on Psalm 139:14-18.
Revivals are known for love.
May love be a hallmark of our writings. May it slant and structure our thesis. And may it overflow and encircle others with a sense of God’s generous grace.
Write out a prayer based on Ephesians 4:11-16.
My grandfather’s act of humility that day at the altar still impacts me today. I may not know how my actions affect the next generation, but I can trust the One who does. He can use a keyboard, a pen, or even a post.
Lord, bring revival, and may it begin in me.
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.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, 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.”
Writing Through Tough Times with Tina Yeager
Tina joins us to talk about writing through and about the hard times. She discusses how we often compare ourselves to others but we should remember that we are God’s treasured possession. Tina offers tips on making the shift from therapeutic writing meant just for you and writing meant for a public audience, Tina also gives tips on managing our schedules and on maintaining our spiritual, emotional, and physical health, especially when we’re experiencing tough times.
Watch the February 14 Replay
Tina Yeager, award-winning author, speaker, life coach, host of the Flourish-Meant podcast and Flourish Today on Christian Mix 106, and publishes Inkspirations Online, a weekly writers’ devotional. She has been licensed as a counselor since 2005. Her book, Beautiful Warrior: Finding Victory Over the Lies Formed Against You, helps women fulfill their Christ-centered purpose. Check out her newest release, Upcycled: Crafted for a Purpose (Bold Vision Books). For life coaching tips or to book her as an event speaker, check out tinayeager.com.
SEO Basics for Web & Print Writers with Connor Salter
Connor, an accomplished writer and SEO editor, joins us today to share basic SEO (search engine optimization) tips for web and print writers. He gives a quick overview of SEO and then focuses on six important questions writers should ask to help them improve their use of keywords. SEO is important for search engine rankings and marketing. Check out this week’s replay for more information.
Watch the February 28th replay.
G. Connor Salter is an SEO Editor with Salem Web Network, as well as a writer with over 1,000 publications on his CV. His work has included book reviews, peer-reviewed academic essays, and award-winning journalism. His work has appeared in many publications, including An Unexpected Journal, Christianity.com, and Mythlore.
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
Slogging away for weeks, months, or years on a project can be discouraging. Writing requires self-discipline, but is that enough to power through? Maybe. But as with any long-term task, staying motivated is essential.
There are days when motivation remains elusive, no matter how much I try to buckle down.
I asked a few young adult authors what keeps them going when the task seems never ending.
What keeps me going is knowing that not all teen readers are interested in fantasy. Some are looking for other types of stories, like the historical novels I write. Readers should have options the way I did as a teen.
Stephanie Daniels ~ Historical Young Adult Author
Without a doubt the weekly meeting with my crit group helps keep me creatively energized. I know I need to sub something. Even when I don’t feel like writing, I’m the type of person that doesn’t want to let anybody down. I take that seriously and it keeps me—if not on track—at least moving forward.
Stephanie Daniels ~ Historical Young Adult Author
I can’t NOT write. It is has been a part of my creative makeup since I was a young teen. I would write stories even if there were no motivation for me to publish them. Of course I stumble into times of writers’ block or when life gets in the way. Discouragement, grief, stress… they’re all powerful anti-motivators to writing. Sometimes I must accept those challenges and give myself permission to take a break. When my mother was sick and subsequently passed, it was over a year before I could write again, and then I had to make a concerted effort to write… not wait for inspiration to strike.
Diana L. Sharples ~ Young Adult Contemporary Author
I’ve been writing for long enough that I know it’ll all come back when my head is in a better place. One trick I’ve found that usually works to get me past those bleak times is to remove myself from the environment causing the stress. A restaurant, coffee shop, library, or a picnic table in a park will usually help me to get back into my creative space.
Diana L. Sharples ~ Young Adult Contemporary Author
I’ve always wanted to be an author, so what motivates me to keep writing is knowing that I’m pursuing my dream and that I’m getting to do the thing that I love every day. I also think about how there are people out there that I can hopefully encourage and inspire with my stories. That motivates me to keep writing, knowing that readers will read my books and that those books will speak to them the same way that other books have spoken to me in the past.
Melody Personette ~ Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and Science Fiction
Outside stressors and internal doubts can be motivation zappers. Periodically, I have to remind myself of my original goal, why I’m writing and who I’m writing for. I want my words to comfort and help.
If my stories can do that for the people they were intended for, I’ve done my job and honored my calling.
Until I get my words in print, I’ll keep striving toward the goal with these things in mind.
Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.
We’re almost 3 months into the new year, and unfortunately, a lot of people have already given up on their goals for the year. How are you doing with the goals you set for yourself?
One study shows that 40% of Americans give up on their New Year’s resolutions. Doing anything new is hard for everyone. One of the reasons people give up, is they aren’t getting the results they want quickly enough. We cannot apply the “microwave” mentality to life.
While goal setting is beneficial, having an effective game plan is critical to achieving your goals. Regardless of what your goals are for this year, understand achieving them is a process and processes take time.
Below are a few of the top goals people have each year.
Getting in shape
Financial freedom
Relationship goals
Writers have their own specific goals for the year, I have a couple myself. Goals are great for pushing ourselves to make progress. After my accident, I learned the importance of setting daily, weekly and yearly goals.
“Maybe it won’t be famous. Maybe it won’t be a movie. But that’s not why I started it. And that’s not why I’ll finish.”
Ryan Reudel
As with everything else in life, recovery is a process, it’s best to learn how to take your time.
Take Your Time
I had to relearn everything in life, and how to do them despite my limitations. Disabled persons want to get back to their “old” lives as quickly as possible. However, for most of us, it means accepting the “new” normal.
Sometimes rushing a recovery can do more harm than good. If your body and brain aren’t ready, a disabled person can hurt themselves and will suffer a setback in the process.
As with anyone else disabled persons must deal with growing pains that come with their recovery. There are unnecessary consequences many have to learn the hard way. It took me falling off of the toilet in the hospital to realize just how bad off I was.
Setbacks can make you want something more or give up. Understanding trials are part of the recovery process can help us enjoy the process better. Injuries take time to heal and each patient must do their part if they want to get better.
Critical original entry stage –When your injury first takes place, your initial response can have a drastic impact on your overall recovery outlook. For any injury that does not require an instant visit to the emergency room, there will always be a period of time before you meet and strategize with a physical therapist or doctor.
Rest and ice- After assessing your injury, the very first step is to take it easy and rest the affected area for at least a few days. The resting stage can perfectly coincide with the period of time that you set up an appointment with a physical therapist.
Compression, elevation –The second half of the fail-safe RICE method involves compression and elevation. Like step number 2, you should compress and elevate the injury the same day it occurs, or immediately if possible.
Light activity/exercise –If you are still at the stage where you are attempting to self-diagnose the severity of your recent injury, this can be a great step to lightly test the affected area. Make sure to never try your regular workout regimen.
Every case is different –There are so many factors that vary with each person’s body that could affect injury recovery and progression. Every case is truly different. That’s why you need a physical therapist to help guide you.
Balance of injury versus exercise –This can be one of the trickiest steps to execute within the injury recovery process. It’s important to stay in shape, but not at the expense of your injury recovery. Once you have received a diagnosis from your physical therapist or doctor, you will need to strictly follow their guidance for day-to-day activity.
Be aware of setbacks –Recovering from an injury in many cases can be very difficult. There is potential for setbacks. It can be fairly easy to tweak an injury and worsen your condition. Even if it has begun to improve.
The recovery process is a marathon just like the path to publication. Writers must take their time to learn the craft, hone their skills, and polish their writing.
“Assuming you already have your manuscript completed, it can take a writer nine months to two years for their book to be published once a contract is signed.”
The writing process is long, but it gives us time to become better writers and to grow in the craft.
Grow As You Go
When we rush a process, we lose the time necessary to receive the best results. When we take our time we allow our muscles and skills to grow. Muscles grow and heal when our bodies are resting, not when we are working them.
After my accident I was in such a hurry to get out of the hospital, I didn’t realize the limitations of my eyesight. On one occasion I walked into a door frame while talking to my neuropsychologist.
The doctors decided to keep me in rehabilitation for a few weeks longer until I was better prepared. Novelist PD James observes, “Open your mind to new experiences, particularly to the study of other people. Nothing that happens to a writer- however happy, however tragic- is ever wasted.” The recovery process serves numerous purposes.
Allows the body to heal
Helps us understand our weaknesses
Helps us to grow stronger
Likewise, a writer’s journey takes time. As writers, we understand how important it is to grow our platforms and brands. Writers also must learn the craft, develop their voice and learn how to polish their writing; each of these is why we must take our time.
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.
So many personality types and traits and tools to figure them out.
The Enneagram
Myer Briggs
The OCEAN Model
The 4 Types
These are just a few of the various personality typing tools available to writers for crafting characters.
The Enneagram is currently popular but can be overwhelming with its nine personality types and the interconnecting relationships they form.
Myer Briggs starts with four models, but with all the possible combinations, it ends with sixteen personality types.
The OCEAN model measures five traits:
Open-mindedness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Nervous/High-strung
The 4 Types have had various iterations depending on who’s espousing them. I’ve heard them described as Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic, and Melancholic. Also Popular, Powerful, Peaceful, and Perfectionist. Or Tigger, Rabbit, Eeyore, and Pooh. Otter, Lion, Golden Retriever, Beaver.
What all this means is, as writers, we have a plethora of available personality traits to draw on for characters. The challenge is in making our characters seem like real people, not a list of characteristics chosen from a list.
The Hero:
Ruggedly handsome
Over six feet tall
Cowboy/Navy SEAL/Billionaire
Loves puppies and babies
The Heroine:
Beautiful without makeup
Quiet and studious
Too busy for love
Scheduled/organized or messy/forgetful
I got tired of reading about heroines who always had their hair up in a messy bun, so I gave my last protagonist a short, spiky pixie ‘do. Not exactly a character trait, but it was something different and it worked for her.
The best characters are complicated and full of contradictions. A cooking show host who can’t cook (Dining With Joy by Rachel Hauck). A high ropes course guide who’s afraid of heights (a story idea I’m playing with). A businesswoman who paints and creates (You’ll Be Mine by Rachel Hauck and Mandy Boerma). A 5’5” executive protection agent (The Bodyguard by Katherine Center). A doctor who faints when he sees blood (Doc Martin).
How do we “go deeper,” as my former writing mentor used to say, beyond hair and eye color, occupation and height?
Everyone has something from their childhood or adolescence that shaped them into who they are as an adult. Don’t be afraid to explore that incident or wound.
I know a writer who literally (yes, I’m using that correctly) fixes a cup of coffee for herself and her character, then sits down and asks the character all kinds of questions, starting with what kind of coffee drink do they like and why.
“Oh, you’re a tea drinker, not coffee. Why?”
“Yes, having hot coffee spilled and leaving a scar on your arm would be quite painful. Was it an accident?”
“Thrown at you? By whom? Your father? Who was he angry at? How old were you?”
And so on. She drills down until she gets at exactly what happened.
Sometimes, of course, a coffee preference has no hidden meaning. In that case, the questions start more broadly until something pings.
“Tell me about your family. What’s your birth order?”
“Youngest in a large family? Were you the spoiled baby or lost in the shuffle?” She’ll continue in this way until she learns the character was an over-achiever, always trying to get noticed, and this is why her protagonist must be the last one to leave the office every day. She’s overly conscientious and that can lead to compulsiveness and obsessiveness.
Questions are a powerful tool to help you find the personality traits that will move your character from a stock archetype contrived from an Enneagram assessment or Myer Briggs profile into a fully-fleshed out person who rises from the pages to live in the reader’s mind long after they close your book.
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.
Among writers in the publishing community, there is a false belief that my submission does not have to be perfect because the editor will fix any mistakes. After all, isn’t that what editors do?
While I’ve been an editor for decades, I’ve also been a writer. I believe it is important for writers to understand some of what editors’ face. A key responsibility for every editor is to produce the best possible magazine or book for their company. They want every publication to be as excellent as possible. In their search for content, they are looking for the best possible writing for their particular audience. To catch their attention, you want your submission to be a fit for what they need and as enticing as possible.
“You only get one chance to make a good first impression.”
An old yet true saying,
The first impression from your submission is a critical factor. As a writer, you do not want to be missing some crucial element for the editor. The hardest missing element to find with your submission is something that is not there.
Another important element for you to know about editors is many editors are not writers. Yes, they write emails or guidelines but they do not write for publication (magazine or books). Their expertise is in management of workflow and excellent editing skills. Also, a number of my editor colleagues do not teach workshops at writers’ conference. It is simply not in their skill set. These individuals can recognize excellent writing and can adjust your writing but not create it in the first place which is a different skill.
Recently I spoke with a bestselling author and asked about her forthcoming books. She admitted that she had no forthcoming books because she had not written a book proposal or made a pitch through a query letter. If you want to be published at a magazine or publisher, you have to learn how to craft an enticing book proposal or query letter then be pitching it consistently until you find an editor who is interested. Every magazine and publisher has expectations about what they need. They spell out these expectations in their guidelines which are often on their website. The simple steps are to study their guidelines and what they publish, and then send the editor what they need.
While writing is a creative endeavor, publishing is a business.
As you understand the business, marketing and selling aspects of publishing, this information will feed into your submission and you will become more of the type of writer that editors want to work with and publish.
I’ve been in some of the top literary agencies and publishers in the United States, the good news is every one of these professional colleagues are actively looking for quality writing—whether they send you a response or not. Each personal is actively reading their email and their physical mail looking for the right fit. If you write what they need, you could be the next person that they publish.
If you’re like me, you often feel overwhelmed by all the things an author should do to succeed. Social media, interviews, guest posts, newsletters, running ads, and on and on. How are we supposed to accomplish all this platform and promotion stuff and still have time to write?
And is it possible to do it without losing the joy of writing?
Yes.
But it takes a mindset shift. And Grace over Grind by Shae Bynes has helped me move from frantic, guilt-ridden striving to a more confident, calm, and steady writer’s life. Does that sound like something you’d like, too? Then read on.
These quotes summarize the focus of this book:
“You don’t have to strive endlessly to make things happen with the dream God placed in your heart for your business. You simply need God’s empowering presence, and everything else is going to flow from there. … [Grace] enables you to successfully do what God has called you to do, and to do what you could never do on your own.”
Shae Bynes
“If you grind long and hard enough, you will get results in your business. You can absolutely achieve business success by the world’s standards in your own strength, requiring exertion and excessive hard work. … Alternatively, you can embrace the invitation laid before you to embrace a new standard, one that seeks God’s best, testifies of His amazing grace, and ultimately has greater Kingdom impact.”
Shae Bynes
The trouble with working from a grind mentality
As the author points out, you can be successful through grinding and hard work. But I’ve heard several accounts lately of good Christian men and women that were caught in a grind mindset of overwork and overachievement—until something in their lives crashed. Their body gave out or some unforeseen trial arose that left them helpless. And in that place of helplessness, they realized they’d been working by grind instead of grace.
Once they shifted their mindset, the Lord led them to new ministries that impact the world more effectively while enabling them to live a more intentional, non-striving life.
You and I can make this mindset shift now, before we hit burnout!
Grace Over Grind lists several indications that you may be grinding instead of abiding in God’s all-sufficient grace and power.
Financial anxiety
Prayerlessness
Lack of sleep
Analysis paralysis
No boundaries
No joy or peace
If these sound familiar and you’re ready for a change, embrace the freedom of working in the unforced rhythms of grace instead of the relentless striving of the world’s grind mentality.
How to choose grace over grind
This slim volume will point you toward seeking God first and appointing him as your business partner. With biblical examples and real-life stories, it illustrates how to run a business through faith and god-honoring principles instead of doing it all in our own strength and scrabbling after opportunities and connections.
This is not a book of answers. It is a book of biblical principles with questions to help you ponder these truths and figure out how to apply them to your writing life. I urge you to take your time and work through all the questions as you read.
If you are willing to surrender every part of your dream, your business, and your life to God, this book will lead you to a lower-stress, more confident way of pursuing your writing dreams.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 MSG
Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and unconventional soul. 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 www.lisaebetz.com.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, 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.”
Ask an Agent Q&A with Bethany Jett
Literary agent Bethany Jett answers our questions about proposals, pitches, and the decision-making process. This behind-the-scenes peek into the submission process provides insight into how one agent evaluates proposals and makes decisions about representation.
Other aspects of the writing industry are also discussed such as writing under a pseudonym, marketing and platform, and proposing a series. Bethany also talks about Twitter Pitch Parties and Query Tracker/QueryManager.
Watch the January 31st 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.
Launch Party Lessons
In this episode of Writers Chat, author, M.N. Stroh, and the members of her launch party team: Brandy Brow, Josephine (Jo) Massaro, and Norma Poore, share their experiences planning and participating in the Tale of the Clans Launch Party. From the roles each played to the lessons learned, they offer practical takeaways and best practices for those planning their first book launch party.
Watch the February 7th replay.
The Heart of Writing with Larry J. Leech II
Instead of Samuel L. Jackson asking you “What’s in your wallet?”, what if he asked, “What’s in your heart?” What would you tell him? Your simple answer should explain why you write and why you write what you write. In this Valentine’s Day episode of Writers Chat, veteran editor and writing coach, Larry J. Leech II, plays cardiologist and discusses the importance of a regular heart checkup while on your writing journey.
Watch the February 14th replay.
Writing coach of award-winning authors, Larry J. Leech II has spent more than 40 years working with words. After a journalism career that included 2,300 published articles, Larry started freelance writing and editing in 2004. He has ghostwritten 30 books, edited over 400 manuscripts, and taught at numerous conferences nationwide.
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
What motivates the main character in your middle grade manuscript? If you struggle to pinpoint what drives them, you reader will too. I found this out the hard way. After sharing a chapter from my WIP, one critique partner asked, “Why do I care if your protagonist reaches her goal? And why is she so determined to win anyway? What’s her motivation?”
What indeed.A character’s motivation matters. It drives the plot, explains why a character behaves a certain way, and gives the reader a reason to root for a favorable resolution.
Without it, the story falls flat.
Lack of motivation is not an uncommon issue. Many writers plop a character into an adventure without considering why must their story be told by this person.
Take another look your work in progress. Starting with the first chapter, analyze your character—how she responds to her environment and other people. Can you identify what’s motivating her in one or two sentences?
If not, ask why questions to keep digging deeper. Do external forces (like survival or competition) or internal desires (like power or revenge) drive the character? What backstory might you need to develop in order to reveal and explain these actions and aspirations? As you hone in on what drives your character, put obstacles, challenges, and limitations in their path. Make her respond in a manner consistent with this motivation.
You can also practice identifying motivation by reading a few well-written middle grade novels. Identify words, phrases, and actions the author uses to communicate what’s driving the main character. You can even borrow the character (for practice purposes only, of course!) and put them into the first chapter of your book. How does a difference character change your story? Put your story into their story. What happens?
Returning to my experience, when I addressed the deep motivations of my main character in my book Inside the Ten-Foot Line, she came alive. She morphed into someone more likable, relatable, and compelling. Because of that, the story broadened in depth, complexity, and impact. And when she finally met her goal, the reader was left with a sense of satisfaction.
So, get motivated! Unlock your character’s full potential and reveal what drives them.
Copywriting has changed a lot in the past decade. Instead of writing for print media, most copywriters now work in digital marketing and are experts in SEO, keyword optimization, and social media.
Most copywriters have embraced the digital revolution and can find more work thanks to the explosion of blogs, websites, and social media platforms.
However, artificial intelligence is poised to shake up the copywriting world forever. Some fear that AI may even replace copywriters in the future, though the effectiveness of AI remains questionable. In reality, sophisticated AI can help copywriters mitigate mistakes and work more efficiently.
A.I. Copy
A.I.-generated copy is designed to produce quick results for folks who don’t have the budget to pay real writers. This means that most human writers aren’t afraid of AI, as algorithms can’t do the work required to research keywords, plan projects, and gather insights from industry experts.
A.I. is relatively easy to spot, too. As copywriter Giada Nizzoli explains, A.I. is only capable of producing “words written without a strategy.” This means that A.I.-generated content might be grammatically correct, but it seldom performs as well as human-generated content.
A.I. copy goes against Google’s guidelines, too. Major businesses cannot afford to fall foul of Webmaster guidance and will sidestep A.I. content. Those who do “employ” A.I. writers run the risk of being classified as “spam” and removed from Google listings.
Unfortunately, A.I. may take work away from the most at-risk writers. Writers who are growing their portfolio on sites like Fiverr or Upwork could face direct competition from bots, as A.I. is a cheaper, quicker alternative to freelancers. These writers will have their income slashed, as their price point will be driven downwards by A.I. that offers similar services at a fraction of the price.
That said, most writers quickly graduate from the pittance paid on freelancing sites. Writers who want to build a career in copywriting can generate their own portfolio using sample work and should try to work with agencies that are on the lookout for creative, motivated copywriters.
A.I. Assistance
Writing bots aren’t going to replace professional copywriters anytime soon. However, A.I. can be used as part of a professional writer’s toolkit.
Artificial intelligence helps researchers and writers by eliminating human error and improving pattern identification. Machine learning programs are capable of crawling the web in a fraction of a second, and can speed up data analysis. This means that A.I. can be used during keyword research and may help writers generate ideas for when they’re struggling with writer’s block.
A.I. can speed up the editing process, too. Programs like Grammarly and ProWritingAid use machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing to identify errors and make suggestions. This helps copywriters sidestep syntactical slip-ups and ensures that every sentence, paragraph, and page is grammatically correct.
A.I. for Business
Copywriting is about more than keyword research and wordsmithing. Any copywriter worth their salt is also a savvy business person and understands the importance of personal branding for their small business.
For new copywriters working on a limited budget, A.I. tools may be a cost-effective way to improve their offering and reach more clients.
A.I. can help small business owners generate sample logos and branded blog pages that resonate with prospective clients. A.I. can also complete competitor analysis to help copywriters set price points and target new customers.
It’s worth noting that business-related A.I. tools aren’t as effective as real-life humans. A real graphic designer will always produce better results than a bot. Likewise, human intervention is needed during competitor analysis as A.I. can be swayed by anomalous data points and complex consumer behavior.
Conclusion
The pessimistic amongst us believe that A.I. will take our jobs and deliver us all into a matrix-like future. However, steps are already being taken to ensure that A.I. doesn’t tread on the toes of real-life copywriters. Anti-bot apps like GPTZero are capable of identifying AI-generated content and Google’s Webmaster guidelines categorize AI-generated copy as spam.
That said, A.I. can be used as a tool to help copywriters. A.I. can eliminate errors and conduct competitor analysis. This gives copywriters a leg-up on the competition and ensures that clients get the high-quality content they need.
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.
That is my fear each time I search for comparative titles (comp titles) for a book proposal or query letter. Having written and rewritten and critiqued and labored over these precious words, someone out there has had the same idea and already published it!
Most of the time my fears are unfounded, but it is disheartening to hear an editor say, “Oh I love your story, but we just did a book on dressing dinosaurs last year!” At the very least I could have sent it to another publisher. It pays to look at comp titles!
The point of comp titles is to answer for yourself and the potential publisher: if my book sits next to this one on the bookstore shelf (or comes up in a similar online search), why would the potential buyer choose mine?
And even a teeny 181-word book needs comp titles!
Preparing the proposal for How to Dress a Dinosaur required 10 comp titles. A glance at Amazon told me nobody else had written a board book about dinosaurs getting dressed! So where do you get the comp title if you have such an original idea no one has written it before?
Search online
I did an Amazon search for “dinosaurs” and “board books” there are pages and pages of them! How do I know which are comp titles for How to Dress a Dinosaur?
Publication date
Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs by Byron Barton, 1994. Rejected: relevant titles must be published in the last five years, better the last two years, or forthcoming.
Triceratops (Hello Dinosaur) Board book – Campbell Books, 2023. Accepted: I did not recognize this publisher but found Campbell Books is a division of Pan Macmillan, the UK base of Macmillan.
Alternative subject: Getting dressed
Let’s Get Dressed. White Star Kids, 2022. Accepted: White Star is a new imprint of National Geographic.
Squirrel’s Sweater. Beaming Books, 2021. Accepted: noted this is hardback rather than a board book.
Alternative subject: Mother/child relationships
Elmo’s Mommy Day. Sesame Street Board Books, 2023. Rejected: books based on TV shows or cartoons draw their own audience and are not in competition.
God Sent You With Love: A Story of Unconditional Love. Cottage Door Press, 2022. Accepted: noted it was a quiet bedtime book
Final Comps
Once I had a list of books that may appear on the same shelf, I provide the editor with every reason to see how mine was unique. That means full details on the comp title and how my book is different.
Hello, Dino! Kevin’s Big Book of Dinosaurs by Liesbet Slegers.
Clavis Press, 2023. ISBN: 978-1605378350 Kevin loves dinosaurs. Today, he’s going to visit the dinosaur museum with Mommy and Daddy. Soon, Kevin is even dreaming about these creatures!
Similarities: Both are about toddlers fascinated with dinosaurs.
Differences: How to Dress a Dinosaur shows a mother taking advantage of this dino fascination to dress her child.
For a query letter, the three very best titles are enough and for a full proposal, eight to ten are needed. It is a lot of work, but in the end, you and the publisher will see how unique your book is!
Multi-award-winning author Robin Currie learned story sharing by sitting on the floor, during library story times. She has sold 1.7 M copies of her 40 storybooks and writes stories to read and read again! Robin is happy to note How to Dress a Dinosaur found its unique spot on the publisher’s list!
Does it make you have warm feelings? Or queasy, sickening feelings?
The other day, I saw a Valentine candy display. I think it was actually before Christmas, because retail stores now jump the gun on every holiday. I’m expecting Fourth of July merchandise to appear any day now.
I spied what used to be one of my favorite treats as a child: conversation hearts. You know, the little heart-shaped mounds of sugar with sweet sayings like “Luv U,” “Be Mine,” and, more recently, “Text Me.”
That got me thinking, which is a dangerous thing: what if we had conversation hearts specifically geared toward writers? Considering the rejections, long hours of toiling alone over pieces, and tortuous rounds of editing, we writers could use a little love. Sweet candy bites with sayings pertaining to our craft might be the encouragement we need to keep going.
I decided to take the idea and run with it and came up with some possible sayings for these Writerly Hearts (see if you can figure out the abbreviations):
UR A GOOD WRTR
LUV UR BK IDEA
U GET A CNTRCT
LUV MY ADVNCE
NO MOR EDITS
U SOLD A BK
CNTRCT W/O PRPSL
UR OUT OF SLSH PILE
MNUSCRPT ACCPTD
HAPPY 2000 WRD DAY
I think these would sell out at coffee houses and bookstores. Who’s ready to invest with me? In the meantime, encourage the writer in your life, even if it is U!
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.
By now most of you know I am a big Marvel junkie and escape into the marvel cinematic universe whenever I can. For the past six months, I’ve been binge-watching the Daredevil series on Disney plus.
It honestly has some of the best storytelling on the small screen I have ever seen and I’m not saying that just because I’m a big fan of comics, in college I had a collection of over 3000 comic books. Yes, I am an action and superhero junkie.
While, books and novels both contain conflict in their storytelling, writing for the big and small screens focus on different aspects of conflict.
External conflict
Visual storytelling
Layered subtext
WARNING: The movie clip in the following paragraph is from a fight scene and be considered graphic.
Sure movies and television shows have inner conflict but they express them more visually. The writers of Daredevil masterfully combine both inner and external conflict beautifully, sometimes in a not so family-friendly way. These writers understand the importance and need for conflict in storytelling!
Conflict
First, we must understand what conflict is. The dictionary defines conflict as, “A serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one.” By definition conflict is continuous, it isn’t some brief break in harmonious living.
As long as the conflict continues in our stories, they will have the necessary momentum to keep our narrative going and hopefully keep our audiences interested. Many writing coaches describe conflict as the fuel of storytelling.
“Conflict generates drama. Conflict is entertaining. But perhaps most important is this: Conflict concerns struggle.”
Below are six types of struggle found in storytelling according to Masterclass.
Character versus self: This is an internal conflict. Meaning that the opposition character faces is coming from within.
Character versus character: This is a common type of conflict in which one character’s needs or wants are at odds with another’s.
Character versus nature: In a nature conflict, a character is set in opposition to nature.
Character versus supernatural: Pitting characters against phenomena like ghosts, Gods, or monsters raises the stakes of the conflict by creating an equal playing field.
Character versus technology: In this case, is in conflict with some kind of technology.
Character versus society: A character versus society conflict is an external conflict that occurs in literature when the protagonist is placed in opposition to society, the government, or a cultural tradition or societal norm of some kind.
The age-old teaching of show versus tell is more pertinent to screenwriting because these stories are visual. We never want to bore the audience by telling when it is much easier to show regardless of its internal or external conflict.
The audience must see conflict either through action, acting or inaction. The audience needs to know what is at stake and how it affects the character or the world in which they live. There is a struggle somewhere in their life. Ultimately, the struggle will bring change to the character or their world.
Change
Conflict always brings a change in a story, whether internal or external.
“A film isn’t just moments of conflict or activity, personality or emotionality, witty talk or symbols. What the writer seeks are events, for an event contains all the above and more… ‘Event’ means change. A story event creates a meaningful change in the life situation of a character that is expressed as an experience in terms of value. To make change meaningful you must express it in the audience must react to it, in terms of a value values are the soul of storytelling.”
If conflict occurs, the events change things, McKee notes story values are the universal qualities of human experience that may shift from positive to negative, or negative to positive, from Beaumont to the next.”. Below are a few types of conflict change can bring.
Alive/dead
Love/hate
Freedom/Slavery
Truth/lie
Courage/cowardice
Loyalty/betrayal
Wisdom/stupidity
Strength/weakness
Excitement/boredom
This change will be obvious as your story and characters progress from the beginning to the end of a screenplay. Conflict can build scene by scene, story value to story value. Along the way, our characters and their worlds will be changed when they face conflict.
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.
Our evening was going smooth, or so I thought. My son and daughter-in-love were going out on a date, and I had the grands all to myself. After playing a game, supper was ready and then it was time to start the bedtime routine. Things began to unravel with brushing their teeth. What six-year-old doesn’t like to play in water? Faces washed, hands dried and pajamas donned, we settled in to read books. Seven-year-old Sophea began with a long story. Not to be outdone by his sister, six-year-old Graham wanted to sound out all of the words in his book, too. It just so happened to be about a little train that wasn’t sure it could get the train of toys across the mountain. We cheered each time he succeeded and found out he could!
After prayers and lights out, I sat in the stairway outside of their rooms to monitor little feet that couldn’t stay in bed. An hour later, the house was finally quiet, and I went down to clean up the kitchen. Guess who came down with his monkey? Yep, Graham said, “I’m scared.”
“Ok, I’ll finish wiping the table and will be up in five minutes.”
That was good enough for Graham and off he went to wait. Task accomplished, I went up to Graham’s room and found my grandson fast asleep in his bed. All he needed was a promise that I would be there.
Exercise:
What’s your bedtime/writing routine? Do you keep a record of submissions and a list of houses to query?
Who’s there for you? Who can you seek for assurance when you’re up against a deadline?
Anxiety dissipates when we know we’re not alone.
What will put your mind at ease? Are you patient or antsy while you wait for a response to your query?
What do you need to tackle even when you’re scared? Take a cue from six-year-oldGraham and rest easy.
After Moses died, his aide must have been worried about stepping up to lead. But God told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
Sure, rejection is painful, but we can wait confidently with a back up plan of next steps when we know we’re not alone in writing.
Who can you support so they can be confident they can, just like the little engine could?
Pull Quotes:
“The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, 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.”
Writer’s Journey with Sophia L. Henson
Sophia recently signed a contract with Enclave Publishing for her debut novel, shares her writing journey as a “series of encouragement” that began with a love of reading. She went from editing her mother’s autobiography when she was in high school to “editing for food” as a college student. After raising her children, Sophia heard about and participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and decided to “make space to write” at least once a year. You are sure to be encouraged by Sophia’s philosophy of writing and the lessons she shares about her own path to publication.
Watch the January 17th Replay
Sophia L Hansen is an author and editor with Havok Publishing and loves to write In Other Worlds. She’s lived on a tiny island in Alaska, the bustling cities of New York and Boston, raised kids in Tennessee and now resides just outside Birmingham, AL. After 30+ years of marriage, seven children, and numerous pets, Sophia still fits into her high school earrings. You can follow Sophia’s words and worlds at https://www.sophialhansen.com/, Facebook, and Instagram.
Book Chat: Word Painting
In this Writers Chat episode, the team gathers for another fantastic Book Chat, this time on Rebecca McClanahan’s Word Painting. We touched on highlights from this insightful work which breaks down the process of describing the setting, scene, characters, and so much more, into its many facets. Each lesson comes with practical exercises that we know will help fiction and nonfiction writers learn to write more descriptively.
Watch the January 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
With the arrival of each New Year, we all have an opportunity to experience, learn, and go on new ventures. While most of us groan at the thought of having to learn something new, it is even more difficult for persons with a disability.
After my accident, I had to take up new hobbies due to the limitations I had preventing me from enjoying my old hobbies (gaming, billiards, and playing guitar.) Instead of grieving my losses and focusing on my old life, I chose to learn new hobbies and activities that would benefit my physical health.
• Mountain biking/cycling
• Regular exercise routines
• Healthy lifestyle habits
Businessman Jack Welch once said, “Change before you have to.” Most writers like to write within certain niches and resist change. We like our comfort zones and we hate it when our creativity is hindered.
However, with the new year comes new opportunities for writers also. Winston Churchill once noted, “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” In life, we each need to learn how to embrace the new.
New
Let’s face it the pandemic forces us to accept “new normals” and a lot of us feel like a fish out of water in one aspect of life or another. Many of us still long for the old ways of life, the glory days of the writing community.
But, we can choose to live in the past or adapt and press on in our careers and lives. I wasted years trying to play the guitar again, grieving the loss of my gaming skills, and trying to force my left hand to type. When I finally let go of things, I was able to move on and make progress in other activities. Below are a few benefits for the mind and body, of learning new skills from Piedmont health.
It gives you motivation– A new hobby or skill can give you the motivation you need to get out of bed in the morning.
It helps beat boredom- Doing the same thing every day can get boring and sap your zest for life.
It boosts confidence- If you engage in a new skill, you’re going to thicken the brain’s prefrontal cortex,” says Buttimer. “As you develop a new skill, you’ll gain courage and confidence, which helps you override fear and anxiety. You’ll feel more empowered.”
It keeps you healthy– “Learning is great for your brain at every age,” he says. “As you take on a new skill, the mind begins to reshape itself because the physical brain is malleable.
It helps you be flexible- By consistently educating yourself and trying new things, you’ll learn you’re capable of change and growth, which keeps you open to new opportunities in life.
It can benefit others- Think about how your new hobby or skill can help others at work, at home, or in your community.
It can boost your happiness– “When you learn a new skill, you increase your level of happiness,” he says. “It was thought for a long time that a person’s baseline happiness couldn’t be lifted. [1]
While change may be difficult, it can be beneficial and good for writers. Learning and writing new things help writers grow and expand their skill sets.
“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”
John Rockefeller
Change doesn’t happen overnight and neither does greatness.
Growth Takes Time
The first time I got on a bicycle after my accident, I fell off of it after moving 2 feet forward. A month later I was biking 21 miles in 100-degree temperatures. Now 26 years later I am biking even further. What if I gave up and quit after falling off that first time?
Trust me I wanted to quit because I was embarrassed and discouraged. But I didn’t and over two decades later I am still reaping the benefits, while learning new things is difficult, challenges can either make or break us.
Learning prepares us for bigger and better things; it strengthens our mentality and physical bodies. Over the last two years, I have gotten into YouTubing and had to learn video and audio editing. Since I began focusing on my YouTube channel it has grown 400% and my creative tanks are overflowing with ideas.
Learning new things gives us new opportunities. Below are a few possible careers for writers to explore if they’re willing to explore new opportunities.
Technical writing
Editor
Magazine writer
News reporter
Social media manager
Blogging
Keep in mind, learning new things helps keep us inspired. Stephen King once said, “When you are consumed by thoughts write. When you are uninspired, read.” By reading we are learning new things and that gives us new opportunities!
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.
Beginning a new year tends to motivate people to get organized, start new projects, or finish ones they’ve ignored for far too long. It’s a great time to make plans. The trouble comes when it becomes clear that goals are harder to reach than expected.
If you find yourself so discouraged and you’re inches away from throwing in the towel, it might be time to consider a new perspective.
As writers, we tend to focus on the problems in our writing, which is a necessary thing, but what if we focused on the positive instead?
Constantly focusing on weaknesses and ignore abilities is a disservice to our readers and ourselves. Don’t neglect your strong points, the parts you do well.
Where Do You Excel?
Take an assessment.
What is it about your writing that shines?
Are you great at story concepts and plot?
Can you produce snappy dialogue?
Are you a lyrical writer?
Do you create characters that your critique partners and beta readers love? Perhaps you’re good at comedy or evoking an emotional connection with readers.
What are the elements of writing that you enjoy the most?
These are the things that make your voice unique, those natural talents, and it’s easier to improve in those areas than others and make your writing stand out. If you don’t know what your areas of excellence are, consider what your critique partners and beta readers consistently praise.
Instead of trying to be exceptional at all the different skills, aim for mastery of basic storytelling. Then work at continuing improvement in the areas you already love and are proficient in.
What About the Other Stuff?
Am I saying to ignore the weak spots in your writing? Not at all. But you can’t do everything. Bring the basic storytelling skills up to an acceptable level. Learn basic story structure, understand GMC, how to create interesting characters, and how to write dialogue that is clear, along with the other bare bones every story needs. Once an author has achieved a measure of competency in all the necessary areas, it’s fine to lean into strengths.
When You’re Stuck
Are you stuck at a certain aspect of your story? For whatever reason it’s worked before, but this time, the story or chapter refuses to come into focus. Instead of fixating on what’s wrong, look at what worked before. What made that piece of writing stand out?
Too much focus on the things we feel we are doing wrong gums up the works.
Lean Into Your Gift
Not everyone can write poetic descriptions. Comedy may never come easy to you. Not everyone will produce a high-octane tale. Some folks always end up with a quiet story, even after brainstorming ideas for weeks. Maybe those writers were never meant to write the stories that remain elusive no matter what they try. Maybe they were meant to show the world their own unique stories.
Focus on the positives and what you love about writing, the parts of the creative process that draw you. Instead of attempting to write like someone else just because they are popular or successful, let your voice onto the page. Continue to hone skills, improving the most real and beautiful parts of your gift, and see what happens.
Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.
Recently I met one of my long-term friends, a publisher of a well-known book company. Speaking about how I manage author expectations, I said, “I tell every author it is 80% up to them to sell the book.”
“That 80% is the same thing we tell authors, “He affirmed. Are you taking your responsibility for selling your own book? This attitude is critical in any proposal because it will shine through your words.
Editors and literary agents receive hundreds of submissions. You have seconds to catch their attention before they move to the next one. How can you distinguish your book proposal? Consider these seven keys:
stereotype metapher leadership or exclusion
Create an Unforgettable Title
For example, I recently received a proposal from a former nun who wrote a marriage book. The juxtaposition of “nun” with “marriage” caught my attention. While the publisher usually controls the title, I’ve found if you pitch an unforgettable title, it will stay throughout the process. You are the best person to create this title.
Begin With a Great Story
And continue with thoughtful well-organized content. You don’t just throw the words on the page to have this dynamic. Your writing and rewriting will capture attention. Your first sentence and first paragraph must draw the editor to read more. Otherwise, they will go on to the next submission.
Target a Specific Audience
A specific audience that you know and knows you. Books are not written for everybody but to a particular audience. Your proposal identifies this audience.
Write a detailed marketing plan to reach your audience
Practical author plans get attention from literary agents and editors. The operative word here is practical. Eliminate any exaggerated statements or hype because it is an instant turn off to publishing professionals. For example, I’ve seen proposals saying they will have endorsements from Chuck Swindoll and James Dobson when the author had zero connection to these bestselling authors and it was not going to happen.
Identify Five or Six Competitive Books in Your Proposal.
Every book competes and if you understand your competition, you will stand out.
Carefully Craft the First Few Chapters
Craft the first few chapters of your book and include these chapters with your proposal. The sample chapters showcase your writing to the literary agent or editor.
All writers suffer with creative blocks from time to time. You may not find yourself staring at a blank page for days on end, but you’ve probably found yourself procrastinating on a writing project or wrestling with specific scenes you can’t seem to write. When we face writer’s block, in small ways or large, we need help moving past it. There are tons of books and websites that promise a sure-fire cure, but they may not work for you.
Why?
Because not all blockages arise for the same reason. If a writer’s block solution doesn’t address the root problem you are struggling with, it won’t help you.
Writer’s block is REAL. It’s not just a wimpy excuse or your imagination.
It’s not permanent.
It is not a sign you’re a bad writer. All creatives struggle with it at times.
Finally, it’s not our enemy. Blockages are merely an indication that we have some inner issue we need to address, such as a fear, an unhelpful belief, or a bad habit.
With that as a foundation, the rest of this book explains how to identify the particular inner issues we’ve run up against, and then offers techniques to work through them and get back to writing with confidence.
The five common types of blockages
The book covers the five most common types of blockages writers struggle with:
Mental (beliefs and thoughts that sabotage or hinder us)
Emotional (fears, emotional responses and past trauma that hinder us)
Scarcity (feeling that we lack key resources we need to succeed)
Attentional (our focus is drawn away for one reason or another)
Procedural (unhelpful habits and workflow can hinder our progress)
For each of these types, the book lays out information so we can identify our problems and find practical ways to move past them.
Learn, Identify, and Take Action
Within the chapter on a particular type, the book includes the following subsections:
A basic explanation of the neurology at work with this type of issue. (The author does an excellent job of providing enough information to explain things without overwhelming us with too many details and unfamiliar terms.)
A list of physical, emotional, or behavioral signs that indicate we may be struggling with this issue. This was eye-opening! These signals are our subconscious trying to get out attention and deal with something important.
Descriptions of the typical kinds of unhelpful beliefs, fears, habits, etc. that we writers face when we’re stuck in this type of blockage, along with better truths to move past them.
Practical, doable techniques to help us overcome these specific issues.
I’m inspired. Are you?
I have been challenged and inspired by this book. In particular, her explanations of what is happening at the neurological level really helped me understand WHY the various techniques can help. I now have much more respect for some of the creative exercises I used to discount as a waste of time. I hope you are encouraged as well.
In closing, I leave you with a quote from the book that sums up why it’s worth the effort to move past writer’s blocks and continue to write. May it inspire you.
“Neurologically, your brain heals when you engage with, wrestle with, and share your story. If for no other reason than your own freedom and health, your story matters.”
Lisa E. Betz is an engineer-turned-mystery-writer, entertaining speaker, and unconventional soul. 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 www.lisaebetz.com.
In the early 1900s trolleys, otherwise known as “streetcars,” began popping up all over the United States. (For this article, I will use the words trolleys and streetcars interchangeably).
Omnibus
Omnibus, a horse-drawn wagon made to carry more than one family, were already in use and continued to be used during this time. However, omnibuses didn’t follow a track and the ride was often bumpy. Trolleys were larger than the omnibuses and had a more elaborate design, but still began with horses or mules pulling them. They didn’t look as much like wagons and they were designed to carry a fairly large number of people.
Horse drawn trolley
In the beginning, horses or mules pulled trolleys along tracks. Mules were preferred because they had more stamina than horses. These trolleys provided a smoother, faster ride than the omnibuses. Streetcars were used in towns and cities where there were a lot of people, so the streets had to be regularly cleaned of horse or mule manure. The streets in the towns and cities were grated, making it easier for trolleys to provide smoother, faster travel than walking, which had been the main way to get around in the city.
Companies were always looking to improve their trolleys to provide faster transportation and a smoother ride. So, in the late 19th century, operators began trying steam engines and electricity. Some of the first cities to use electric trolleys were: Scranton, Pennsylvania; Montgomery, Alabama; and Omaha, Nebraska.
Electric street car
Electric streetcars followed a track, but also required a cable attached to the roof that would then clip onto an electrical wire strung across tall wooden poles along the track routes to power the electric engine. These trolleys allowed people to live farther outside of towns and cities, and what were called “interurban” lines became popular. The interurban lines connected cities within a state, and even cities from state to state.
Sadly, as soon as the streetcars became popular, automobiles started appearing, and it didn’t take long for automobiles to replace the trolleys in most locations.
However, some places like my hometown of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, still have trolley cars that are now run with a motor and wheels, like a bus. Each Christmas, Ephrata offers a Jingle Bell Trolley Tour for people to ride the trolley around the town and view the Christmas decorations of Ephrata homes and businesses. They also offer a family night that begins with arts and crafts activities and a visit with Santa.
Modern Trolley
So, though the streetcars may not be desired as much as they were decades ago, some of them have been refurbished and changed to still offer a taste of the past to those who want to experience a historical ride.
Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I feel called, compelled, and born to write. I can’t not write. It helps me understand what I’m thinking, feeling, experiencing. Whether poems, essays, devotions, or nonfiction, I write with insights and messages to strengthen, encourage, and comfort.
I also write to influence readers to perceive God. To spark a thirst in others to seek God for the first or the umpteenth time. To encourage readers to catch God at work in ordinary life, in playful and revelatory ways.
A core message is to reveal God as he is, not as we imagine him to be. In two poetry chapbooks, I focused on home, family, and the father’s role in a child’s life. A third explored the dynamics of home, place, and transition. With my current book, Collision, my message is God still heals, but not always as we expect. In spotlighting Jehovah-Rapha, the God who heals, I encourage readers to consult the Great Physician as they work with the medical community. With his uncanny skill in diagnosing spiritual roots of affliction, I hope readers find healing.
How long have you been writing?
Since childhood, with a diary, school essays, and poems.
Tell us about one of your greatest joy(s) in your writing career.
The greatest joy(s) of receiving an acceptance letter from Finishing Line Press for my first poetry manuscript submission; receiving the first hard copy was a childhood dream fulfilled. The ongoing joy of writing and publishing is the power of discovering God and oneself in the process. Then releasing the writing—a vulnerable time—and watching readers, peers, publishers, and gatekeepers react.
Tell us about one of your darkest moment(s) in your writing career.
When I decided to publish a nonfiction narrative and discovered the implications—financial, time, platform, and the unlikely prospect of finding an agent at my age. I felt like all was lost—I’d arrived too late to the game. Because it was an important book to God, me, my audience, and my colleagues, I felt I’d failed.
Rejection is a common experience for writers. How do you overcome rejection? How has rejection shapedyou or your career?
I’ve always understood rejection as part of the landscape on the road to publishing. I viewed rejection as a good barometer of my writing, motivating me to improve. Some lessons learned:
Match submissions to a market’s needs. Be a sniper, searching for the right markets for your material before shooting off a submission.
There are many reasons for a rejection. Don’t take it personally.
Rejection can be God’s way of redirecting your path He has for you.
In what ways has God led you to mentor other writers? Were you surprised when a certain skill or connection led to mentoring opportunities?
The birthing of three new areas of ministry, in the context of missions, converged over the past 20+ years. The timeline:
In the late 90’s: in France, I felt God’s increasing pressure to write for publication. I started with the culture shock poems.
Simultaneously, I felt called by God to focus on reaching the artists in my city, including writers. I also began training in spiritual direction. I was as eager to create, write and hang with artists as to persuade Christian artists and writers to consecrate their gifts to God’s kingdom purposes.
2006: repatriated to the US and joined a writer’s group.
2008-14: when I began publishing my first poetry chapbooks, friends, strangers, and colleagues asked me for advice on writing. I enjoyed helping them take baby steps.
2006-2014: The mentoring role developed to the point of training creatives to minister overseas through their art; working with creatives in spiritual direction.
In 2015: I took a sabbatical with the goal of writing a nonfiction book. When I returned, I switched roles to “Artist at Large,” with the intention of revising and publishing the nonfiction manuscript. I also had a heavy mentoring role, having trained artists in spiritual direction, based on principles I was now writing about.
In 2019: completed a coach-mentoring course, receiving my certificate in 2020.
In 2020, with the pandemic, moved mentoring online. Also participated in emerging online writing conferences, where I found a publisher for my second manuscript.
June 2022: Collision, How I Found My Life by Accident, my first nonfiction book, released!
December 2022, I retired from missions to devote myself full-time to pursue next steps in my writing career.
January 2023: I “met” Norma Poore during the Cultivate Christian Creative Symposium, who invited me to interview for this post and here I am!
And all this surprised me and made perfect sense. I’ve observed at conferences and online how popular coach-mentoring was for writers and speakers and saw a potential lane open for me. God wastes nothing and calls us to consider others better than ourselves. One way I can implement that is to consider other writers’ projects and well-being more than my own through writing, mentoring, and spiritual direction.
Tell us about a facet of mentoring that particularly excites you.
When I see that light in the eyes of someone experiencing an insight or breakthrough. I sense God’s presence and witness transformation—pure gold to me. I’m motivated to listen well and ask the right questions to see the eyes light up with understanding!
What venues/methods have you found most effective for meeting and mentoring writers?
Meeting someone over a cup of coffee or tea in a quiet café that affords privacy. It’s neutral, hospitable, and lends itself to conversation, not a clinical encounter. Second best is over the kitchen table.
I usually come with prayer, prepared materials, and a set of questions, depending on whether it’s an intake interview or a follow up meeting.
Prepare spiritually by asking God to lead and release the spiritual gifts necessary for a breakthrough. To give me wisdom, discernment, and patience in listening and speaking.
I’ve worked out of a church office as well, which lends a seriousness and professionalism that helps in some situations.
Mentoring in action, especially for personalities that learn better by doing than talking. Especially in missions, a ride to the airport could be life changing.
Pray with someone so they can experience answers from the Spirit, not look to me as an “expert” or someone with whom they could form an unhealthy attachment.
Online. I converted 😊 I once thought it impossible to practice spiritual direction or mentoring online, until the pandemic forced the issue. I know its limits but it’s effective especially with mentoring on practical levels. Now I thank God for the technology that allows me to mentor artists all over the world, far more than I could do locally.
Using creative expression, which can so quickly unlock the inner movements of our souls. A form of art therapy.
Have you organized or led groups to support writers? (Retreats, ACFW chapters, etc.) How has that experience helped you to mentor writers?
Except for creating a writer’s group in France and occasionally filling in for the facilitator of my writer’s group, no. But for creatives in general, yes. Retreats, devotional times, trainings, workshops, prayer meetings, church meetings with staff and/or members, consulting work. The experiences increased my confidence, joy, and versatility in caring for and mentoring writers and artists.
Have you organized or directed a writers’ conference? Tell us about that experience, and/or share an anecdote that illustrates how you saw writers being mentored and encouraged through the event.
No, but I’ve attended so many, I saw this from the beginning: my first online writers’ conference with Redemption Press (She Writes for Him). I was quite surprised by the very ‘girlie’ approach, with lots of silliness that wasn’t exactly my style, but it was all very upbeat, positive, and encouraging. When the publisher shared her story deeply and vulnerably, I heard the holy “why” of her heart. I decided she was someone I could work with, who would understand my story, and called after the conference to discuss a manuscript. I ended up signing with Redemption Press for the publication of Collision.
If you speak at writers’ groups or conferences, what are some of your favorite topics to speak about?
Healing: The Three-Legged Stool
Called to Adventure: The Hero’s Journey with Christ
The Art of Forgiveness
Longing & Babette’s Feast
Lament: When your cape is at the cleaners; finding a cape for the chaos; the hot mess hero.
The Architecture of Faith: how we need structure to flourish. The Hero’s Journey and Rule of Life.
What advice do you have for writers as we interact with our peers? What can we do to be better supporters and mentors of our fellow writers?
Cultivate the relationships as well as your ideas.
Become better writers, in craft and professionalism.
Join a writer’s group and enter as a learner and a listener. Develop a thick skin.
Attend a writer’s conference or workshop to build relationships and learn.
“Let each consider others better than yourself.” Listening to others before speaking or promoting your projects.
Do you have a favorite resource or two that you recommend to beginning writers?
The Writer’s Journey, 2nd Ed., by Christopher Vogler
Write His Answer: A Bible for Christian Writers, Marlene Bagnull
Do you have a favorite resource or two that you recommend to writers who are struggling with discouragement?
When God Calls a Writer, by Deanne Welsh
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?
Focusing on themselves in their fears, anxieties, and comparisons.
Ignoring the industry or letting it intimidate them instead of letting God lead them.
Divorcing their writing from the larger writing community and industry, forgetting to see people, forgetting God in the process.
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
Invite God to be your writing partner, to reveal what project and goals to set, where to find the finances, and to enable your success as he defines it.
Set up a realistic writing practice and stick to it. Write, read, revise.
Learn the craft of writing by reading, studying other authors, attending/listening to author talks and podcasts, asking questions.
Join a writer’s group, learn the business of publishing as you learn the craft of writing.
Attend a writer’s conference as soon as you can.
Pat Butler, author, poet, and pioneer in missional arts, envisions a world in which every Christ follower finds and flourishes in the abundant life Jesus promised. Pat cultivates a global network of artists through writing, mentoring, and spiritual direction. She has traveled to twenty-five countries, lived in two, and holds dual citizenship. Currently residing in Florida, Pat walks with cranes, dodges hurricanes, and enjoys her own pillow. Follow Pat’s musings at www.mythicmonastery.org. Collision, How I Found My Life by Accident, is available at Redemption Press and Amazon.
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, 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.”
Featuring:
Resources and Tools for Writers
Jean Wise and Johnnie Alexander host our first episode of 2023. Johnnie confesses to her Luddite tendencies while Jean keeps us firmly planted in the 21st century by talking about AI possibilities. Johnnie opens up Evernote and an Excel worksheet to show how to keep track of a to-do list and other essentials of the writing business. Jeanie gives examples of AI generated answers to specific questions and shared how AI can spark story/article ideas, plots, characters, etc. Patricia Tiffany Morris gave a spontaneous demonstration of BoredHuman.com.
Watch the January 3rd Replay
Writers Chat Wish List for 2023
Our wish list contains 5Cs ~ Caring, Challenge, Community, Creativity, Curiosity. How can you, as a writer, be inspired to grow in these areas during the upcoming year? What practical steps can you take to care for yourself and others, engage in various challenges (such as writing a haiku a day), participate in community (and make new friends!), enhance your creativity, and follow your curiosity? The Writers Chat team shares ideas and resources that will enhance your writing journey. Start off the New Year with plans and goals for living a 5C lifestyle.
Watch the January 10th 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
Any gamers in the house? I’m a huge fan of games: the creativity, the challenges, and the competition, of course. I love testing my wits and resolve in unpredictable settings and it’s fun to surprise my kids when I play one of “their” games. I may be a grandma now, but “Grannies are pernownin noobs!”
I started playing Dwarf Fortress after my hubby had been talking it up forever. It’s been around for over twenty years, and was one of the major inspirations for Minecraft, but much more complicated. He watched YouTube tutorials and Twitch streams and conferred with our sons as they all anticipated an upgraded release on Steam. I couldn’t avoid learning about it and was, eventually, hooked.
But Dwarf Fortress is HARD. You are expected to lose your colony several times, regularly even, so much so that one of their mottos is “Losing is Fun.”
Hmph. I didn’t like the thought of that but tried anyway. And I lost. And tried again. And lost again. But with each new try, I started with more experience under my belt, and I developed my own motto: “If at first you don’t succeed, just look how much you learned.”
“I never once failed at making a light bulb. I just found out 99 ways not to make one.”
Thomas A. Edison
Growing as an author is like playing a new game. Unknown possibilities lie before you, but the path is untraveled. How and where do you start?
Choose Your Game
Do your tastes run more towards a first-person POV solo quest (like first-person shooter,) or an ensemble adventure (mmporp-massively multiplayer online role-playing game)? Are you a minecrafter (world builder,) puzzle solver (mystery,) or do you love Stardew Valley? (Sounds cozy to me.) Whatever you land on, make sure you love your story/world. You’re gonna spend a lot of time there.
Once you’ve chosen your adventure, you need to learn how your game works. Study the craft—query a friend who’s had some experience. Or search out tutorials. Don’t just visit the same old sources, but find out where the players are, whether Twitch, Substack, or Kindle Vella. Check out new sources for fresh takes on familiar obstacles.
When I play a new game, I want to know what the goal is and how do I reach it. In the writing game, this means I consider my goal–is this a first draft? Is it a brainstorm session or contest submission? Self-pub or a traditional publisher? Sometimes I’m competing with the game, and sometimes I’m just trying to improve my personal best.
I adapted some tips from this Wiki Walkthrough that should serve you in the writing game.
Stay calm—don’t panic. The challenge may seem overwhelming but if it were easy, you’d be bored already. Try something new, and don’t be discouraged if you falter. Starting over doesn’t set you back to square one. Each restart comes with new understanding and new skills.
Configure your controls the way you like them—your desk (standing or curled up on the sofa), keyboard (clicky?) or notebook with special pens. Then throw in some yummy snacks, good lighting, and a supportive chair. I like to have dark chocolate and mixed nuts in easy reach, as well as a supply of lens wipes. The key is, make your setting work for you.
Learn the environment—Where are attacks most likely to come from? Pay attention to the feedback that urges you forward or sets you back. What activities distract you, and which renew your resolve?
Communicate—Whether you’re playing solo or among strangers, you need a party. Not the balloons, cake, and disco ball kind, but that small contingent of trusted folks who are committed to watching your back and helping you stay on mission.
Practice—Gamers rehearse keyboard strokes to build muscle memory, striving to improve their APM (actions per minute.) Word sprints, writing prompts, and flash fiction are fun ways to strengthen your author game. Learn the rules for your genre; the conventions, expectations, and the tropes, so you can bend—and even break them when it serves the story. Havok Publishing is a great place to read and write flash fiction.
Develop your style—know your voice. Bob Hostetler’s writing wisdom, “God has given you a story that no one else can tell,” set me on this journey years ago.
Join a team—find your tribe. Don’t sequester yourself completely, even if you write in solitude. Find community that challenges and encourages you, the ones that inspire you to start, and start again. Groups like Writers Chat, Realm Makers, and the 540 Writers Community have been a huge encouragement for me.
Strike the earth. No matter how much you prepare, study, and research, you need to commit. To act. To enter the fray.
In Dwarf Fortress, you wield your pickax to break ground. Wield your words. Start your story. Write. This is the first win.
Sophia L Hansen is an author and editor with Havok Publishing and loves to write In Other Worlds. She’s lived on a tiny island in Alaska, the bustling cities of New York and Boston, raised kids in Tennessee, and now resides just outside Birmingham, AL. After 30+ years of marriage, seven children, and numerous pets, Sophia still fits into her high school earrings.
