Categories
Building Your Creative Space

Creating a Productive Writing Environment: Tips for Setting Up a Distraction-Free Zome

Building your creative space

Keeping some measure of focus is so important as a writer that you should even try to avoid distractions during your breaks. If you have an issue with distractions in your writing space, this guide will provide tips and tricks for creating the perfect sanctuary.

The Importance Of A Distraction-Free Zone

Whether you’re writing full-time or you’re just getting started, you’ll find that creating your own special writing space has many benefits.

One of them is the ability to avoid distractions. When you carve out your own space, you have more control over what’s around you and can give your work your full attention. Also, when you walk into your own writing sanctuary, you go in there knowing that it’s a place to work. Whether it’s a spare bedroom or a separate personal writing studio, getting into that working mindset could be what you need for success.

Little Things Can Be Distracting

One thing to remember about creating a distraction-free zone is that it isn’t just the TV or your smartphone that can cause an issue. Simple things like lighting and your desk setup can cause problems.

Poor Lighting

You may not realize it, but poor illumination can affect workplace productivity. Working in a room with few windows and without natural light can make it hard to see what you’re doing. Plus, natural sunlight helps to regulate your mood so you’re more alert and focused.

Working in a room with windows also means you don’t need to turn on artificial lights. If you must purchase light fixtures, try LED lights, which are more efficient and last longer. Try to find a bulb with a color temperature closer to 1000k because it’s a warmer light that can put you in a better mood. Color temperatures of 5000k and above produce a bright white light that mimics more of a clinical atmosphere and can be less conducive to creativity.

Poor Seating

How you sit can also be distracting. If you’re constantly in pain or stretching to reach the keyboard, you’ll likely need to stop writing more often than you’d like.

To protect your back, find a chair that lets you sit at a 90-degree angle so you’re not stretching uncomfortably. You also want to create a setup that allows your computer monitor or laptop screen to be level with your eyes so you’re not always looking up or down and straining your neck. Another option is a standing desk, which can help you to be more alert throughout the day.

Eliminate Unnecessary Sounds

There’s a reason why many people turn down the radio in their cars when looking for a street address, and it’s because noise can be distracting. When it comes to your writing and work productivity, noise can pose many issues, including causing stress that can hamper your creativity. Noise can also make it difficult to focus, especially when you’re reading and researching. You may find yourself reading the same sentence repeatedly.

Pick a writing sanctuary far enough from the living room so you don’t hear background noise. If you like to listen to music while writing, consider classical music that will provide inspiration and not have lyrics that can distract your thinking.

If you can’t find a traditional space to make into an office, try converting a place like the garage. Clear out the clutter, find a space near an electrical outlet to plug in your computer, and ensure the garage is insulated so you don’t get too hot or cold during the changing seasons.

The next step would be to soundproof the garage. Find suitable soundproofing material, which may include spray foam or acoustic panels. Start soundproofing the spaces around the main garage and smaller entrance doors. If the garage doesn’t have drywall, stick acoustic foam between the panels on the wall. Finally, consider soundproofing the floor because it can reflect sound waves. A thick and durable carpet will do the trick.

Tools That Can Enhance Your Focus

There are many tools and gadgets that you can use to stay focused and efficient while writing. Look online for a timer that you can sit on your desk. Set a time duration and dedicate that time to avoiding distractions as you write down as many ideas as possible. Another great gadget is a high-quality set of noise-canceling headphones. Use them to play classical music or block out the background noise from other parts of the house.

You can also find various forms of software that help you be more efficient with your writing and editing. One of them is Grammarly. Use it to review your work after it’s written or write it directly into the software, and it will fix grammatical errors as you go. Another tool is FocusWriter, which uses a hide-away interface that keeps distractions on your computer at bay. The tool also provides daily statistics and updates on your writing goals.

Conclusion

Distractions can wreak havoc on your creativity and make it impossible to concentrate long enough to write a quality sentence. Only by creating a personal writing space can you let your imagination run free. Follow the tips and tools discussed here, and your productivity may skyrocket!

Categories
Marketing Sense

Sell a Paid Program Using a Free 21-Day Challenge

Marketing sense

Serving Your Audience for Free Always Opens the Door to Opportunity

You’ve created a paid program. “Now all you need to do is send an email to your list with a link to your sales page, sit back, and watch the money roll in!” Or so some experts say.

Have you noticed that those same “experts” only serve people who already have an established tribe? Their training doesn’t help people who are working to build their following.

A 21-Day Challenge is the perfect way to attract your ideal target market by serving them live, using Facebook Live. While you share great content for free, the Holy Spirit will draw those in your audience—many who don’t know you today—to your message. And thus, your platform will grow.

Let’s Break the Process Down

A 21-Day Challenge lasts longer than 21 days for you. Surprise! Those 3 weeks are only the free training portion. During those live sessions, you’ll deliver nuggets from your best content—for free—using Facebook Live.

Here’s a sample schedule (change the numbers shown below to suit your needs):

  • 21 days of free, valuable content,
  • 5-7 days when your sales cart is “open,” (when your paid program can be purchased) and,
  • 21 days to deliver your paid training.

There are 3 additional, behind-the-scenes tasks.

Before your challenge goes “live,” you’ll want to determine what content you’ll offer for each day of both your free training and your paid program.

You’ll also want to create eye-catching promotional graphics to share on your various social media accounts before and during your challenge. Those promotions will intrigue potential audience members, drawing them to your Facebook page so you can help them reach their goals, escape their pain, build a better mousetrap…whatever results your message offers.

Let’s say those 3 items take 2 weeks total.

That’s 9 weeks—on the high side—to create a life-changing challenge that, once everything’s in place, you can offer for sale again and again, ideally making money each time you offer it. Sweet!

You’ll also have more readers on your email list—people who want your message—and in the long run, those results may be more beneficial than your first sales.

What If You’re Not Ready to Sell Anything Yet?

You can still benefit from a 21-Day Challenge, because serving your audience is always a wise choice. And since they’ll be able to ask follow-up questions and share comments while you’re “live,” you can help them solve their problem that very day! Of course, they’ll want more from you after that!

Each day, invite them to join your email list, so you can continue serving them with even more great content long after the challenge is over. This further strengthens your relationship with them.

Then when you do have a paid product, they’ll be the first to be interested in it. And since their name will already be on your email list—because you’ve been serving them via email since your challenge—you can contact them directly to promote your product.

Facebook Live is the tool that can make this happen, and make it happen faster.

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

Our Most Important Sentence

Kids Lit

Once the dream book is finally contracted, the most important writing starts. Essentially what we write in preparation for the book to sell many, many copies. The HOOK!

Bob Hostetler in his article Hooks and Gimmicks quotes Tamela Hancock Murray:

“A hook is a line that makes the reader say, ‘I’ve GOT to read this NOW!’ A gimmick is when the reader says, ‘Not ANOTHER one of these! I’m soooo tired of this same old same old.’

“Amazon completely dominates the bookselling landscape, controlling over 80% of ebook sales, 65% of online print book sales, and 83% of the U.S. e-reader market.”

The hook is the first sentence of the write up, often in bold face type. Your book’s hook should say: “I’ve GOT to read this NOW!”

I have a picture book coming in 2026 about trees. Every four months or so I check Amazon to see how tree books are being described.

Hook 1: drop a famous name or familiar title

Listening to Trees: George Nakashima, Woodworker by Holly Thompson. Neal Porter/Holiday House

A poetic and moving picture book biography celebrating the life and work of the visionary Japanese American woodworker George Nakashima.

Ecologist Suzanne Simard photographed in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. Two decades ago, while researching her doctoral thesis, Simard discovered that trees communicate to each other.

Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate and Communicate by Annette LeBox. Groundwood Books

A lyrical story of an aspen grove through the seasons, inspired by the ground-breaking work of Dr. Suzanne Simard on how trees and fungi talk to each other.

Hook 2: mention a familiar theme

My Olive Tree by Hazar Elbayya. Anne Schwartz Books/Random House

In this simple, touching picture book about the healing power of a loving community, a girl’s grandpa and her neighbors help her grow an olive tree in a war-torn land.

I am Tree Rex! by Mo Davey. Berbay (Australia)

A character-driven dinosaur story about protecting the environment, one tree at a time. 

Hook 3: tell us about the characters

Wonder of the Woods by Bonnie Kelso. Little Press

A young girl explores the wooded area near her home and encounters a variety of animals that are curious about their new visitor. 

Together, a Forest: Drawing Connections Between Nature’s Diversity and Our Own by Roz MacLean. Henry Holt

Explore a forest with a curious classroom in this breathtaking new picture book by the author of the beloved More Than Words and experience the essential beauty of diversity in humanity and nature.

 Hook 4: Crack out the buzz words

Our Tree by Jessica Meserve. Tiger tales

For readers ages 3-7, this is a stunningly illustrated celebration of tolerance, togetherness, and the power of community.

A Forest Song by Kirsten Hall. Random house

Beautifully illustrated by an award-winning artist, this cento poem about experiencing a forest with all of your senses will make the perfect read-aloud for nature lovers and curious explorers of all ages.

Manuscript sold and contract signed. Begin now to write the Most Important Sentence: the HOOK!

Multi award winning author Robin Currie learned story sharing sitting on the floor during more than 1000 story times. She sold 1.7 M copies of her 40 storybooks and writes stories to read and read again. Watch for her tree book HOOK in 2026!

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

An Expiration Date . . . For Writing?

lighter look at a writer's life

Do you pay attention to expiration dates? They seem to be on everything these days, from perishable foods to soft drinks to hygiene products.

A few days ago, my wife stopped by my office with a small bag of peanuts she had just purchased at the grocery store. She knows how much I love them, so I opened the pacakage immediately and started munching. I soon noticed the flavor was a bit “off.” I looked at the packaging, and the expiration date had passed several months before.

Well, great! I was so looking forward to devouring all of those crunchy goodies, in between sips of my Dr. Pepper, but that dream ended with that pesky month/day/year listing.

I have been thinking: does our writing have an expiration date?

I am in one of those periods where I am in-between projects. I have several proposals out there but no “bites” yet. I recently celebrated a BIG birthday, so I’ve been quite reflective lately.

Are there STILL other projects for me? Will another contract EVER come my way? Will I be able to RETIRE with the next advance? (Considering my last “advance” arrived TWO YEARS AFTER the book was published, I’m not holding my breath on that last one.)

If you’re a worrier like I can be at times, you worry whether that last project was REALLY the last project. Do I have anything else to say? If I do, will anyone want to read it?

Once I finished my little pity party, I realized I don’t have control over such things—God does. If He has called me to write, He will see it through and guide me to the next open door.

Even with that assurance, God can still alter your direction if He chooses to do so. Over the last several months, God has been leading me into more speaking, opening doors in that area I never thought would open, even if I tried prying them a smidge or knocking them down. Writing and speaking often go together, so have Your way, Lord.

If you are down today because the contracts aren’t overflowing your inbox, take heart. Our timing is not God’s timing, and He holds the key to those doors and will open them in the right time.

In the meantime, keep writing, be encouraged, and check those expiration dates before you start munching down.

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

Dishes and Despair

devotions

Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

1 Corthians 10:31 (NIV)

What do dishes and despair have in common? For author and speaker, Patsy Clairmont, doing the dishes became the first step out of depression. She recalls the time the Lord nudged her to tackle that one thing when everything looked overwhelming. And as the suds washed over each plate, Patsy felt the burden lift and the courage descend to tackle the next project.

I can relate to Patsy’s despair as I have struggled with depression for most of my adult life. It is hard to do anything when all is in overwhelm. So, I often tell myself to just do the next thing. When my To Do List says it will never be done, I remember Patsy and her sink full of dishes. If it helped Patsy to take the next step, then surely it can help me.

Exercise:

Does overwhelm attack your writing life? Experts tell us a myriad of things to add to our list to grow our online presence. Things like lead magnets to grow an email list. An email list to grow our customer base. A customer base to develop through online courses. Online courses to expand our reach. Whoa. Did the cart get ahead of the horse? What happened to the call to write and spread the message?

Look up the following verses and respond.

  • 2 Peter 3:14. What are we to do?
  • 2 Peter 1:5-8. What qualities will help us be effective and productive?
  • John 15:4-5. What happens when we stay connected to Jesus?
  • Titus 3:14. What must we learn, and why?
  • Ephesians 2:10. What’s on God’s To Do List for you?

How can you create a plan that will enable you to see the smaller, more doable step?

  • Break down the action needed to reach your desired goal.
  • Brainstorm scenarios to accomplish your objective.
  • Be proactive to celebrate the wins.

“Instead of pursuing every new opportunity, focus on what God has already given you. Take good care of it, and He will grow it.”

Coach Kristin Dronchi

Remember the call God laid on your writing and submit it back to Him for safe keeping. He will not abandon the work He began in you.

 He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (NIV)

What’s your next step?

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for August 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.”

How Bookstagram Helps Authors with Jill Lancour

Because writers and readers share a collaborative relationship, Bookstagrammer Jillian Lancour shares tips on how Christian writers can build an Instagram community.

Watch the August 20th replay

Jillian Lancour is an avid reader of inspirational historical fiction, a homeschool mom, and a fan of all things vintage. Check out her Instagram account at She Reads Christian Fiction.

Leveraging Manuscript Wish Lists for Queries and Publishing Trends with Bethany Jett

Literary agent and marketing strategist Bethany Jett shares tips on how to strategically use literary agents’ manuscript wish lists (#MSWL) to tailor our queries and maximize our chances of success. This workshop guides writers in interpreting what agents are looking for, aligning their manuscripts with current demands, and spotting key trends in the publishing industry. For the second half of the episode, we had an open forum where our community members asked Bethany questions about writing, platform, and specific genre expectations.

Watch the July 27th 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.

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)

Healthy Habits For Writers and the Disabled

Recently I talked with an acquaintance who has an epileptic family member. Lately,  their family member suffered from intense seizures and my friend was curious about how I manage my seizures.

Although I’m not epileptic, my brain injury puts me at high risk for seizures and strokes. If I have a seizure, it’s a grand mal seizure, which are the worst you can have. And it usually takes a few days for me to recover from 100%.

I am glad it’s been over a decade since my last seizure. My friend asked how I stayed seizure-free for so long, especially without taking any anti-seizure medications. I explained to her the lifestyle changes I made in order to improve my health and reduce my risk of seizures naturally.

  • Get more sleep
  • Stay active
  • Stay well hydrated
  • Exercising my brain and body

Growing up I remember the health campaign, “Your mind is a terrible thing to waste.” However, I was ignorant and foolish and never took my health seriously. Like most people, I lived for the moment and was more concerned with being happy, than being healthy.

If we take our bodies and brains for granted, they will fail us sooner, rather than later. I have already explained how important it is for disabled persons to stay active to help keep the muscles from atrophying, and I’m not talking about stretching them either.

Stretching is a healthy habit, but when done wrong it is extremely bad for us. We all need to learn better health habits.

Healthy Habits

One of the surest signs someone does not know what they’re doing when it comes to exercise is stretching before they exercise. Most people confuse stretching for warming up, but warming up is meant to keep us from overstretching cold muscles and damaging them.

Whereas when the muscle is properly stretched, it releases lactic acid and reduces soreness and pain after exercise, these are basic health habits for staying strong and healthy.

It is important to remember that being healthy encompasses a lot more than just our bodies. Healthy bodies are only one piece of the puzzle to being healthy. Our brains and our nervous system are what control our bodies, we must not neglect our brains, that is why I limit caffeine intake, I don’t want to damage my nervous system any more than it already is from my TBI.

Mental health, emotional and spiritual well-being all impact our overall health. We can’t focus on our physical bodies without exercising and taking care of our mental health and that means eliminating the bad influences that distract or hinder us. This is especially important for writers.

Writers Health

A writer’s mental health and well-being are critical to our craft. Our brains are the most important tool in our toolboxes. Computers, pens, pencils, and editing apps are useless without a healthy and focused mind.

Overall health begins with the brain. If we want to be productive and healthy, we need to learn some basic health habits for maximizing our brain health.

  1. Quit smoking
  2. Stay physically active
  3. Manage a healthy blood pressure
  4. Maintain a healthy weight
  5. Eat healthy
  6. Manage blood sugar levels
  7. Stay engaged
  8. Get enough sleep

I cannot over-emphasize the need for sleep. Many people view being sleepy as a feeling of simply being tired, but this could mean you’re not getting enough sleep which is a vital function in life. Sleep plays such an important role in maintaining our bodies and our brains. It detoxes the brain, repairs damaged cells, regulates blood sugars and hormones; it takes more than just a few hours of sleep to get it all done.

Sleep is when writers often dream up new ideas or work out issues in what they’re writing about. It’s true we can’t control what we dream about, but, we do need to protect our sleeping hours and bedrooms from being misused. I have learned to stop practicing bad bedroom habits.

Watching TV, reading, writing, or playing on our phones in bed, reprograms our brains not to rest and sleep when we go to bed at night. I turn my phone off before I go to bed and put it on a charging stand. I don’t want my brain or body to think my bed is my workspace.

Work It out

One of the hardest lessons for many writers to learn is our bodies were never meant to be sedative. We are designed and enabled to move regularly. And movement is an important way for us to improve our health.

Our bodies are amazing instruments of movement. I took that for granted before my accident and losing the ability to walk and feed myself. Recently I shared with some other friends in the gym, I am paranoid about being sedentary and unable to move freely.

If God has given you the ability to move in any way, please don’t abuse it or take it for granted.You never know when you might lose those abilities. Unfortunately, 98% of the writer’s life is spent sitting down.

  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Editing
  • Proofreading

As I write this, I am taking another rest week from the gym. But, I am not being lazy, just changing my activities up and focusing more on biking. Biking helps me sleep even better at night because I have worked my heart more.

Our fitness goal should always be to meet our target heart rate because that increases blood flow to the brain and the rest of our body. Maintaining a strong heart is the best way to improve our overall health.

Writer friend, do you have any healthy habit tips to share?

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

Avoiding Burnout: Interview with YA Author Gillian Bronte Adams

Burnout. It’s a consequence of producing books that authors don’t always consider. Today’s authors must juggle multiple roles, and often, multiple projects. What’s the best way to approach long-range planning to avoid becoming a casualty of burnout? Today I’m talking with YA author Gillian Bronte Adams.

DJS: You have several books out. What are your best tips for new (and experienced) authors about long-range planning?

GBA: Learn your writing habits and creative style. Are you driven by deadlines or does the pressure  drain you and leave you struggling to write? How good are you at multi-tasking—juggling drafting, marketing, edits, etc.? Which parts of the writing process excite and energize you and which feel like pulling teeth? Do you consistently overwrite or underwrite your first drafts? Would you consider yourself a fast or slow writer?

The more you learn about your personal writing habits and can identify your strengths, weaknesses, and creative personality, the better equipped you’ll be to evaluate each opportunity that comes your way, whether it’s a book contract, deadline, speaking engagement, or event. Trying to take on everything all at once or making decisions based on what others authors are doing (without taking your personal creative process into account) is one of the fastest paths I know to burning out.


DJS: How can writers avoid burnout?

GBA: I struggled with severe burnout while writing the second book in my current series. It was so disorienting to me, because it was a part of a series I’d been dreaming about writing for years and desperately loved, so I know the pain of burning out and the struggle of wondering if your creativity will ever come back. I think it’s vitally important to build rest times into your writing schedule. Writing is a marathon not a sprint. It requires serious discipline, but it’s also fueled by space to think and gain inspiration.

“Writing is a marathon not a sprint.”

If you wait until you’re continually running on empty, you’ll often need significantly longer to refuel than if you intentionally pause to fill up along the way. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is take a break.

One of the hardest things I’m still learning to evaluate is when my struggle with writing is just because writing is hard and I’m discouraged but can keep going—or when there’s something more severe (like burnout) setting in. That’s where learning to identify your personal writing habits and style helps so much, because you can get a feel for what’s a normal part of your process and what’s not and may be able to catch your own early warning signs of burnout.

I think it’s also important to be aware that burnout can be caused or exacerbated by elements in your life outside of writing. When that’s the case, simply stepping away from writing for a few days might not be enough. Being able to show yourself grace in that situation and, whenever possible, give space for your creativity to recover has to become a priority.

DJS: What are some of the challenges you faced as a multi-published author?

GBA: One of the biggest challenges I was unprepared for after signing my first series contract was how much multi-tasking would be required to draft the next book while editing the first book and promoting my debut launch. It was a crash course in learning to write and create on a deadline while shifting priorities as necessary, and I learned several lessons the hard way.

DJS: When writing gets hard, what do you do to encourage yourself or to recapture your enjoyment of writing?

GBA: Sometimes, I’ll read back over a favorite passage from a previous work, one that captures the heart of the project and helps me remember that we can get there eventually, even if it’s hard. I’ve also started making a list when I begin a new project with all of the things that excite me about the idea—specific scenes, moments between characters, elements of the world that ignite my imagination, etc. Reviewing that list when I’m discouraged reminds why I fell in love with the idea and can help me refocus on what’s really important.


DJS: If you could go back in time to the moment before you had your first book published, what advice would you give yourself?

GBA: Writing, marketing, and publishing require non-stop decision making. It can feel like each decision is the most important one, especially when you’re about to launch your debut. The decision fatigue can feel paralyzing and hinder you from making even simple choices. So learning to identify which decisions truly are important and deserve significant deliberation and which decisions are not going to be career altering and can be made “for now” is really helpful. I wish I’d known to approach it more like starting off on a journey as an author, as opposed to viewing becoming an author with that first book as my destination.

DJS: What great advice! Thank you for sharing your experiences and the wisdom you’ve gleaned along the way.

Do you have any upcoming projects you want to tell us about?

GBA: I am currently writing the final book in my YA epic fantasy series, The Fireborn Epic. It’s my ode to my favorite thick tomes like The Lord of the Rings and The Stormlight  Archive along with the many years I spent running the horsemanship program at a summer camp, so it has warriors who bond with magical warhorses, cinematic action sequences, and soul striking character arcs. The first two books are out now. I’ve been blown away by the love for this series and can’t wait for readers to be able to dive into the epic conclusion. 

Seas boil and jungles burn in Of Sea and Smoke, the tempestuous sequel to the award-winning Of Fire and Ash, where an outcast queen, royal rebel, captive priest, and their desperate band of warriors bonded with magical steeds battle a conquest-hungry empire and power-mad assassin. Six years ago, the wrong brother survived, and nothing will ever convince Rafi Tetrani otherwise, but he is done running from his past. Confronted with the evils of the emperor’s rule, he vows to fight, and the stolen shipload of magical warhorses offers just the edge he needs. But those steeds have been demanded in ransom by the emperor’s ruthless assassin, and if Rafi hopes to raise a band of riders, he must first outwit his brother’s murderer.

Gillian Bronte Adams writes epic fantasy novels, including the award-winning Of Fire and Ash and The Songkeeper Chronicles. She loves strong coffee, desert hikes, trying out new soup recipes on crisp fall nights, and searching for books that make her heart ache and soar in turn. When she’s not creating vibrant new worlds or dreaming up stories that ring with the echoes of eternity, she can be found off chasing sunsets with her horse, or her dog Took.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning multi-genre author. She writes contemporary young adult, historical fiction, and southern fiction. Many of her novels are about tough issues, but she always ends her stories on a note of hope. Finding the faith to carry on through hard battles in a common theme in Donna Jo’s books.

The first novel in Donna Jo’s young adult series, Promise Me Tomorrow, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Her short romance, A Wedding to Remember, released Feb 1st, her adult 1960s inspy romance, JOANN: Apron Strings Books 5, released May 15th, and her Small Town Christian Domestic Suspense with Romance, The Key Collector’s Promise, releases September 6th . Stay in touch and receive the latest news by signing up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

Categories
Book Proposals

A Practical Example at Getting Endorsements

Last month I told you about how you can gather high profile endorsements for your book proposal. Check this link if you haven’t read it. In this article I want to give you a detailed example of how to get a high-profile endorsement.  

A while ago, I was honored to work as the writer with Vonetta Flowers on her first-person story, Running on Ice. Vonetta was the first African American to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics (2002 women’s bobsled). In an interview with her coach, he gave me a terrific quotation from Bob Costas at NBC Sports in his wrap-up of the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake. I wondered if I could get a printed endorsement from Costas. From experience, I knew how to give this endorsement its best possible chance.

To my surprise, a few hours later I received a brief email from the manager saying, “Terry Whalin, I know that name. We’ll get back to you.” I thought, Know my name. Who knows my name? Within the next day, the manager fulfilled her promise and came back with the revised wording on the endorsement, plus permission to use it. My publisher was thrilled to have such an endorsement to use in the publicity for Running on Ice. Here’s the endorsement from Bob Costas at NBC Sports:

First, I drafted a possible quote or endorsement and made it tied in a general way to my book manuscript. My real challenge was to reach Bob Costas. I searched the Internet, but my search was futile. Then I called the newsroom of NBC in New York City and explained my request and my credentials (I touted my journalism credentials). Whoever answered the phone gave me the email address for Costas’ manager. I drafted an email of introduction explaining my request for an endorsement—including the possible wording, hit send and waited.

“One of the best stories of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake came in women’s bobsled. Vonetta Flowers and her partner, Jill Bakken, won the Gold Medal. Vonetta thus became the first African American to win a Gold Medal in the Winter Games. In Running on Ice, Vonetta tells the story behind her achievement. To finish first and be the first, that’s Vonetta’s singular distinction.”

Everyone has to determine at what point to put their energy into endorsements.

It might be at the end of the project right before publication—or before you even get a contract.

Why? One reason is the sheer work involved in gathering them. Few people want to expend this sort of effort for their books, wondering if the effort is worth it. I’ve been publishing long enough to know that some books sell better with endorsements. Book buyers will look at a book in a bookstore or on a conference table and make an instant buying decision. Sometimes they purchase the book because of the endorsement. The endorsements or foreword for the book can also influence the store buyers (the people who make decisions whether to carry your title in their stores or chain of stores).

A longer endorsement is called a foreword. Note the spelling of foreword, which is one of the most misspelled words in publishing—not forward. In general, a foreword is like a short magazine article or about 1,000 to 1,500 words. I’ve drafted forewords for a number of well-known people. Why? Because it is easier for the personality to adjust or edit what you have written than to create it themselves. If you put in the work to send a “draft” foreword and it sounds like the person, then you are more likely to get a “yes” or acceptance from this person.

Consider the audience who will influence the purchase of this book—which names saying positive things about the book will draw the reader to your book. I understand why some authors don’t bother with endorsements—because they do take more work and effort. I know from working in the publishing business, however, that endorsements can make the difference as to whether a publisher takes your nonfiction or fiction book proposal and offers you a book contract. I recommend that you consider how you can get endorsements for your proposal.

I encourage you to put the effort into gathering endorsements.

The first step is to create a list of potential endorsers. As you write this list, dream big and list celebrities, bestselling authors, sports figures, businesspeople and pop culture. Select people who will be connected to the topic or subject of your book. Then begin your research process to pitch them. Create a short paragraph pitch and offer or even include a draft endorsement. Finally, be persistent in taking action and working on these endorsements.

Every day books are sold and purchased because of an endorsement on the cover or back cover of a book. As an author who takes action, you can get these endorsements for your book. It will take a measure of persistence to get them, but they will help you in many different ways.

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://dl.bookfunnel.com/aq5j0acu9o
Categories
Award-Winning Author Uncategorized

Award-Winning Author Interview with Maureen Miller

award-winning author

Can you share a little about your recent book?

Renewed Christmas Blessings, Compiled by Michele Rayburn. In this collaborative book, I have a short story, “Cradle Song,” which won a Selah award.

I finished my first novel, Gideon’s Book, and getting ready for a second round of edits. This story is about a man named Gideon, but it’s also symbolic of Gideon from the Bible, and to honor Gideons International.

Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?

God uses our past to mold our future. I’m a firm believer that God can take any situation—good, bad, or ugly—and use it for our good. I use memories and stories from my past or my family’s by weaving them into a story of truth that will help others and be used for God’s glory.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve loved writing since I was a little girl, but writing professionally for almost two decades.

And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?

The idea for Gideon’s Book came to me in 2007. At a writing conference, that same year, a publisher was interested in my story but, unfortunately, life got in the way and I was unable to finish my novel. But, I continued to trust God’s timing. Then, in 2019, I went to the Write to Publish conference. I pitched this book and got a contract there.

Which of your books is your favorite?

I’m an introvert who loves people, which fits perfectly with collaborative writing. I love the collaborative work I’ve been a part of, but Gideon’s Book is special to me. I’m an introvert who loves people, which fits perfectly with collaborative writing.

Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?

Yes. In Gideon’s Book, I love the character Jonah Forney. He’s the father of three children and husband to a woman named Georgia. This book is set in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 1969. I love writing the detail for his home. The kitchen and garage are my favorite places in their home. I think about a cast iron skillet on the stove frying fish, and the garage where they hung the fishing gear.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Writing Gideon’s Book took five years. As often happens, the finished, contracted project is quite different from my original idea back 2007.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

With one high school age child still at home, I mostly write during the school year. Each morning after dropping my daughter off at school, I have a quiet time with God, then settle in to write around 10:00 a.m. If there aren’t any demands on my afternoon, I’ll write for five or six hours.

Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?

I keep a lot of books spread around me, hoping to gain knowledge by osmosis from them, whether I’ve read them or not. Having books around me by other wonderful, gifted authors makes me feel happy and inspired.

I also like to have things in my space that remind me to persevere. A sign in my office, from the movie “Finding Nemo,” reminds me to, “Just keep swimming.” When I look up from my computer, I see that quote and it reminds me to keep going. I love it.

Another quirky thing is kind of a staged area in my office that has symbolic things, like a purple button and seashells, which are also symbolic in Gideon’s Book. This is a visual for me, like story boards are for other people.

What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?

 It’s a great joy for me to write. I believe sitting down to write is worship, because it’s God who gives me story ideas. Along with that is the relationships and friendships I’ve made along the way in this writing life. I feel so blessed.

Could you tell us about a dark moment in your writing career?

When I hit send in 2020 on the book I worked so hard on and then didn’t hear from the publisher in a timely manner. Then learned about changes in the publishing company I was with, including my content editor leaving. I had to look for a new editor. There were times I was very sad and sometimes defeated about all this.

One of the times I was discouraged about not hearing from the editor in so long. I remembered Cec Murphy’s words, “Hone your craft.”

Honing my craft at that time meant throwing myself into collaborative work. This worked for a while, until I got discouraged again, because I realized—after honing my craft—my hundred thousand plus word manuscript was poorly written. Discouragement and maybe even a bit of depression set in.

The task of completely rewriting this book was daunting and I didn’t even know where to begin. Thoughts of “you’re not good enough—you won’t ever finish,” fueled my discouragement. But during this time, God drew me closer to Himself. He used collaborative writing and the relationships gained there, to strengthen my writing and give me ideas on how to rewrite the book..

Who is your favorite author to read?

Nonfiction favorites from years gone by and currently are Elizabeth Elliot and Lori Roeleveld.

Fiction favorites from years gone by and currently are Lynn Austin, Cindy Sproles, and Liz Tolsma.

What advice can you give aspiring authors that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?

You have to be prepared for the rejections. Often, we think our words are precious, much like the ring in the movie “Lord of the Rings.” We want to hold tightly to our story, no matter the cost. If we hold on to our words and aren’t willing to submit to the guidelines given, we’re setting ourselves up for rejection.

We also need to understand that even in the rejections, God can still speak to us and birth something new when we get alone with Him. So, be prepared for rejections, but keep persevering.

What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?

1-Giving up because of discouragement.

2-Being discouraged because of rejection, including those where submission guidelines weren’t followed.

Maureen Miller is an award-winning author featured in more than twenty collaboratives. She writes for her local newspaper, is a contributing writer for Guideposts, and a featured blogger for several online devotional websites. She loves life in all its forms and enjoys it with her husband and their three children and grandchildren on Selah Farm in western North Carolina. She blogs at www.penningpansies.com, sharing God’s extraordinary character in the ordinary, and she’s finishing her first novel, Gideon’s Book.

Categories
Romancing Your Story

A Trope with a Twist

Readers, particularly romance readers, love stories that feel familiar—shorthand for they use tropes—but also seem new and bring a surprise. As writers, how do we craft novels that deliver on all counts?

There are several strategies to writing fresh stories that still feel as comfortable as a warm sweater on a cold day. Let’s look at just a few:

Twist a Common Trope

Enemies to Lovers is a popular trope that can have several variations. The hero and heroine can dislike each other for their personal points of view, such as in Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy have different worldviews and values which lead them to disagree about virtually everything. Or the protagonists can actually be friendly personally, but enemies professionally, such as in Mr. and Mrs. Smith who are in “love” but also rival assassins. Or in Two Weeks Notice, Sandra Bullock’s and Hugh Grant’s characters were different both personally and professionally but finally realized their differences attracted them to each other and made them compatible.

Combine Tropes

Another Sandra Bullock movie, The Proposal, combined Enemies to Lovers and Fake Relationship, with a dash of Forced Proximity. Ryan Reynolds (along with all of Bullock’s other employees) hated her because she was rigid, mean, and cold. She needed a fiancé to avoid deportation. He agreed to her proposal to pretend to be in a relationship because of what she could do for him professionally. One element of that movie I appreciated was the change in Bullock’s appearance. As she grew to care for Reynolds and his family, she softened. She let her hair down (literally), and she dressed more casually.

Another great combination, Forbidden Love (Romeo and Juliet) plus Forced Proximity (Green Card) guarantees sparks on the page.

Unfamiliar Settings

Sticking with Sandra Bullock (and why not?), let’s talk about The Lost City. Set on a tropical island, both Bullock’s and Channing Tatum’s characters are out of their elements and forced to work together to escape the crazed billionaire who’s kidnapped Bullock’s romance novelist character. There’s also a Forced Proximity combination with Loretta (Bullock) and Alan (Tatum) on the run together.

No matter the tropes you choose to combine, there are some things to keep in mind:

  • Characters. They should always have great backstories and motivations that work with the trope. For a Second Chance story, both protagonists will have shared memories with emotional layers. Use those emotions to help your reader connect with the characters.
  • Conflict and Resolution. The conflict should be genuine, not something that could be resolved with a discussion. It needs to stem from who the characters are and what they believe. The resolution should be a result of growth and lessons learned.

With the many, many romance tropes available to writers, the combinations for something new and fun yet familiar are nearly endless. To paraphrase a current credit card commercial, “What’s in your Trope Wallet?”

Pull it out and put it to work.

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
The Picky Pen

Use of Transition Words or Phrases

Do all of your sentences sound similar, or are you having difficulty transitioning from one scene to the next? A reader needs to be able to easily follow along and will quickly lose interest if this does not happen. Editing can be frustrating, but it is crucial to your success as an author, so after you get your thoughts down on paper (or digitally, nowadays) you need to go back to be sure that there is a good flow to your thoughts. Transition words are an easy way to add variety to your sentences and at the same time make your story sound more interesting. There are three main ways to use transition words, which I will illustrate below.

Ways to Use Transition Words or Phrases:

1.  At the beginning of a sentence

Many times, transition words or phrases are used at the beginning of a sentence and are followed by a comma. This informs the reader of what they should do with the upcoming information, such as signaling a change in topic or that an example will follow.

Below is an example of a paragraph that does not use transition words. Note that it sounds choppy, and the relationship of the information is not very clear.

He made it back home with dinner. He and his wife shared a quick but lovely dinner, as his wife always seemed to be famished since discovering she was eating for two. They sat out on the patio and leaned back in their chaise lounges. They gazed up at the full moon and chatted until they were both sufficiently tired enough to go to bed.

If we add some transition words, the paragraph reads more smoothly and the relationship of the information becomes clearer.

Finally, he made it back with dinner. Next, he and his wife shared a quick but lovely dinner, as his wife always seemed to be famished since discovering she was eating for two. Afterward, they sat out on the patio and leaned back in their chaise lounges. Then, they gazed up at the full moon and chatted until they were both sufficiently tired enough to go to bed.

2.  At the beginning of a clause

Transition words do not always have to be at the beginning of a sentence. Sometimes, they can be better used in the middle of a sentence when joining two clauses. The transition word could be at the beginning of dependent or independent clauses. Again, this also adds a little bit more variety to your writing.

Here are a couple of examples of independent clauses that seem very short and uninteresting.

The two teenagers wanted to go to the fair. Neither one of them had a car.

This could be dangerous territory. Businesses should err on the side of caution.

When the sentences are joined with transition words, they become much more interesting to read.

The two teenagers wanted to go to the fair, although neither one of them had a car.

This could be dangerous territory; therefore, businesses should err on the side of caution.

Now, here is an example of an independent clause joined to a dependent clause by a transition word acting as a subordinating conjunction.

We are required to wear black or blue pants since we are employed there.

3.    At the beginning of a paragraph

One of the best uses of transition words is to insert them at the beginning of a paragraph. Try reading the following two paragraphs. You may observe that there seems to be an abrupt switch to a contrasting opinion in the second paragraph.

The use of social media for recruitment of new teachers provides many advantages for school districts. Open positions can be posted on various platforms of social media. Many districts have formed local consortiums where they can post open positions and a candidate can submit an application to be kept on file for use in any position posted on the site. Districts also have the option of posting available positions on the district Facebook page or the district website.

There are also drawbacks to using social media for recruiting. Not everyone uses social media; therefore, older candidates or those with low socioeconomic status might not be aware of the posting even though they may be a perfect fit for the job. People from other areas of the country may not know which sites to access, as well.

In order to better connect your ideas, try adding transition words or phrases at the beginning of some of your paragraphs. Read the same paragraphs below and pay attention to the differences. With the transition word used in the second paragraph, there is a much better flow to the passage. Notice also that transition words can have different purposes, such as referencing or to contradict.

In regard to the use of social media for recruitment of new teachers, it provides many advantages for school districts. Open positions can be posted on various platforms of social media. Many districts have formed local consortiums where they can post open positions and a candidate can submit an application to be kept on file for use in any position posted on the site. Districts also have the option of posting available positions on the district Facebook page or the district website.

In contrast, there are also drawbacks to using social media for recruiting. Not everyone uses social media; therefore, older candidates or those with low socioeconomic status might not be aware of the posting even though they may be a perfect fit for the job. People from other areas of the country may not know which sites to access, as well.

There are so many transition words and phrases to choose from! This is one of the aspects that makes writing so fun. You can experiment with various options and see which one speaks to you more. While the use of transition words and phrases makes your writing clearer and more cohesive, be sure not to overuse them. Too many can make a story sound repetitive and wordy. Additionally, it may be distracting to the reader so much so that your passage becomes difficult to read or understand.

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to transition words and phrases.

Happy writing!

Heather Malone writes children’s books that focus mainly on Montessori education, special education, and nonfiction. She also dabbles in fiction. Her nonfiction book, Montessori from A to Z, was published in 2023, and her blog on homeschooling students with disabilities using the Montessori method can be viewed at spedmontessorisolutions.com. Her passion is education, which is evidenced by spending over twenty-five years in the field before leaving the classroom to now provide technical assistance to school districts. She lives with her husband and son in Ohio and enjoys traveling to new places in her free time.

Categories
History in the Making

Behind the Doors of the Grocery Store: The Early American Era

History in the making

For writers, opportunities wait behind the doors of the grocery store!

A plethora of plots. Character reveals. Centuries of setting choices.

Plots or sub-plots—romance, thievery, espionage, even murder—hope to be chosen for a writer’s next work. Love blooms on Aisle 4.  A desperate mother shoplifts. Dollar bills go missing from the money box. Who poisoned the produce?

Character reveals or characters revealed? There’s a place for both in the grocery store. The helpful or bitter proprietor. The responsible cashier. The jerk of a clerk. Or the unexpected, welcome or dreaded, encounter at the meat counter.  

Along with plots and characters, a variety of grocery store settings are available for the picking. From as far back as the infant years of the United States, shops afforded goods to consumers: Trading Posts. General Stores. Mom-and-Pop shops. Full-service grocery stores.

Spanning four centuries, 17th through the early 20th, customers could make purchases at the TRADING POST, GENERAL STORE or a MOM-AND-POP shop. Demographics, architecture and technology might change, but the overall model of these establishments remained during this era.

TRADING POSTS arose and scattered across the United States as adventurous folks moved westward to explore the land. Initially, the trappers who operated the posts traded guns, ammunition, cloth and trims, and cookware to the local Indian tribes in exchange for furs and food. Bartering was common as opposed to a fixed-price system. Extending credit was common, luring customers to return.

Over the decades the face of the Trading Post morphed according to the increase in population and the changing landscape as more people moved west to settle in communities. Farmers, ranchers, travelers by stagecoach or rail, Pony Express riders, along with the Indian tribes might do business at the Trading Post. The proprietor would keep busy stocking shelves, bartering and selling, and cultivating working relationships and friendships with customers.

GENERAL STORES

The locale of the store would determine much of the product offered to the customer. For example, if the General Store is the only shop in a tiny town, though they provide mostly dry goods, at times they might have eggs, fresh fruit or vegetables brought in by a local farmer in exchange for credit or product. They may also stock items that are unique to the needs of those area residents. Specialty items were likely ordered and took a long time to receive. The post office might deliver mail to their facility and the customer would pick it up when they came by.

If the General Store is located in a large town or city where numerous specialty businesses operate, dry goods would be their main stock,  

 A day in the life of the proprietor might include unloading a shipment of goods or stocking shelves. Customers, both men and women, would hand him a list, or simply tell him what they needed. The requested items would be placed on the counter. After calculating the cost, the owner would load them in the customer’s sack or wagon to take home.

By 1883, proprietors might have set aside their pencil and paper and used a cash register which was invented by James and John Ritter circa 1878.

MOM AND POP shops are distinguished from General Stores in that they are usually family-owned and often a specialty store such as butchers, bakers, pharmacists, or shoemakers, etc.  

Mom and Pop stores were likely flanked on either side by other stores in a string of buildings on the main street of town. Owners often lived on the second floor.

Progressing into the 20TH CENTURY

In 1916, Piggly Wiggly opened the first self-service establishment. Customers could walk along the aisles and pick out what they wanted to purchase, then take them to check-out for tabulation and bagging. Regional chain stores, as late as the 1920s, continued counter-service for procurement of dry goods.

Shoppers still needed to visit the specialty shops for meat and produce.

Circa 1937, King Kullen opened the first grocery store featuring an onsite baker, butcher and a large produce department.

Shortly after King Kullen’s opening, the shopping cart was introduced. This made shopping easier for the customers, but also, the sale of more merchandise increased profits for the owner.

These early 20th century advancements in grocery services paved the way for the shopping experiences enjoyed by 20th and 21st century consumers. But that’s a story for another day.

As for creative writers, fodder for meaningful and exciting stories waits behind the doors of any Trading Post, General Store, Mom and Pop shop, or Full-service Grocery Store.

One just needs to look to find them.

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
Building Your Creative Space

Comfort and Creativity: Making Your Writing Space Work for You

Building your creative space

When you finally get time to write, you want to work in a space that is conducive to clear thinking and creativity. Few things are as frustrating as trying to produce poetry or prose while sitting in an uncomfortable chair or working in a distracting, noisy space.

However, the exact nature of your writing space is entirely up to you. Screenwriting Dalton Trumbo wrote much of his best work in the bathtub, while non-fiction author Michael Pollan built a bespoke writing hut in his Vermont garden.

Regardless of where you decide to write, you will need to ensure that you are comfortable and properly supported. As an author, you’ll likely spend thousands of hours at your desk every year while crafting your next novel or exploring compelling ideas in your upcoming memoir. That means you should at least invest in a writing setup that supports your health and well-being.

Ancillary Spaces

Many modern writers choose to create an ancillary space separate from their home life to write in. Icons like Virginia Woolf produced some of their best work when they were given access to a room of their own to write in. Woolf likely wrote literary classics like Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse while working in her writing lodge at Monk’s House, East Sussex, while authors like Maya Angelou favored a blank hotel room when composing volumes like And Still I Rise.

If the idea of an ancillary space is appealing to you, consider converting existing structures — like garages or sheds — into writing rooms. This will help you stay on budget and will give you a space independent from the rest of your home to write in. Being able to “leave” the house can help you form a stronger writing habit, too, as you’ll start to associate your shed or cabin with writing.

Before you commit to writing in an ancillary space like a garage, you’ll want to make some modifications. Start by installing a mini-split system to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Mini-splits are more economical, too, meaning you won’t feel bad about switching on the heating on a cool spring morning when you want to write. This is key, as you want to work in a space that has minimal distractions when you’re trying to work.

Clutter-less Writing Rooms

Every writer is different. Mark Twain produced his best work while hidden between stacks of papers, while Jack Kerouac wrote On the Road on a giant 120-foot-long scroll. However, if you’re struggling to maintain your productivity and clarity of thought when you sit down to work, you may want to declutter your writing space. Get the ball rolling by decluttering:

  • Your Workspace: There’s nothing wrong with leaving out yesterday’s draft, but you probably don’t need to keep half a dozen unused highlighters on your desk 24/7.
  • Virtual Storage: If you write on a PC, clean up your documents to ensure you can easily find old drafts and research quickly when you log on.
  • Unfinished Projects: Keeping old drafts at hand can give you a jolt of inspiration when your creative well is running low, but that 3-month-old scrap of paper with a few lines of prose can likely be filed away.
  • Books: Having a few of your favorite books to hand can be helpful if you like to read while you write. However, you should at least keep these shelved to ensure you are fully focused on your own work when writing.

Decluttering isn’t just good for your productivity — it keeps your space clean. This is crucial if you work in a writing shed, where pests can easily find their way in. Nothing will put you off writing like an ant infestation or a few mosquito bites.

You can keep your space clean and pest-free year-round by sealing off entry points, removing old cups of water, and regularly cleaning down your workstation. Screen your windows in warmer months and use a few natural repellents if you discover the signs of larger pests like mice.

Conclusion

Writing in a space that is conducive to creativity can be transformative if you struggle to get into the flow when working. Simple changes, like creating a more ergonomic setup and decluttering your desk, can spark a period of sustained creative production and may help you achieve your writerly goals sooner. Just be sure to keep your writing room clean to ensure that your writing isn’t interrupted by pests or poor air quality.

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
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for August 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.”

Disclaimer: The opinions and viewpoints presented by the co-hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and viewpoints of Writers Chat or Serious Writer, Inc..

AI: What’s the Use? With Brandy Brow

AI. The word elicits strong reactions. Visions of ChatGPT, Midjourney or DALL-E, evoke fears of abuse with creative works used to feed their machines. In this episode of Writers Chat, co-host Brandy Brow will lead a healthy discussion about generative and corrective AI, what they do and what possibilities they pose for the future.

Watch the July 30th replay.

Brandy Brow, Writers Chat co-host who freelance edits and writes flash fiction and short stories for the general market, plus articles and devotions. Her fiction explores the highs and lows of human nature and ranges from normal to strange. She loves to help writers improve their craft.

The Strategic Author

Jonathan Shuerger, CEO of The Strategic Author, indie author, and a Marine veteran, knows that most writers love to write and hate to market. As he says, writers want to “write words, not keywords.” In this episode, Jonathan talks about how his experience with NSA targeting and analysis in the Marine Corps against ISIS targets informs his marketing strategies and how his approach benefits authors struggling to be seen in a saturated digital market.

Watch the August 6th replay.

https://youtu.be/qg-xZwSPqak?si=3eppgeiEOG7Ywt9x

Jonathan Shuerger is the author of the Shades of Black series, The Exorcism of Frosty the Snowman, and the upcoming MilSF novel Semper Die. He is the CEO of The Strategic Author, a service that conducts strategic level analysis that helps authors succeed in their business. He also runs a podcast of stories for his kids, Stories With A Marine Corps Dad, and a podcast for book marketers called The Strategic Author. He is a United States Marine Corps veteran, 3rd-degree black sash in Temple Chinese Boxing, dad of (currently) 4 little girls, and husband to a very loving, very patient wife.

Is Podcasting God’s Next Best Step for You? with Linda Goldfarb

Audio is the future of every writer, and knowing our options clarifies our next step. Yet, not every opportunity to share our gifts and talents is God’s open door. In this episode of Writers Chat, international speaker, award-winning author, and podcaster, Linda Goldfarb, shares insight into the world of podcasting to help you discern what element of podcasting is God’s next best step for you. It’s all about God’s will, God’s way, and God’s timing.

Watch the August 13th replay.

Linda Goldfarb is an international speaker, award-winning author, and podcaster. As a board-certified Christian life coach, Linda helps women move from being stuck or splattered to discovering God’s next best step in their personal and professional lives. Linda is recognized for having a voice that makes you feel welcome, safe, and seen. When she shares her energy, experiences, and expertise during interviews and from the stage, screen, or in her writing, you lean in—not wanting to miss a single word. Linda says, “My life is far from perfect, and that’s where Yeshua met me, loved me, and saved me. For Him, I’m eternally grateful.”

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
Kids Lit

Is That True??!!

Kids Lit

I heard comments/complaints in a writer’s group recently that “it is impossible to get your book into the library” and they “throw your book out after 5 years.”

Is that true?

Yes, probably. Library books come and go. As a professional public librarian for years (OK – decades!), I want to clarify that process.

INCOMING

1- Public librarians are supported by a governing body – city, county, or district. The librarians need to know for each book they purchase: “Is this book worth buying for this community at this particular time?”

For example, my local community has a very active stamp-collecting club in town, so our library carries way more books on stamp collecting than the average library. If the high school sponsors a parent program with an “expert,” the library will purchase or borrow multiple copies of that author’s works anticipating interest.

2- Because they cannot read every book they buy, librarians must rely on dependable reviews and predictions of the next bestsellers. Librarians read the reviews in Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and School Library Journal about 6 months ahead of the book’s publication. Many of those reviewing sources do have pages for self-published and paid reviews.

3- Then libraries contract with one distributor (Ingram or Baker and Taylor) and purchase all the books from that source – so arranging to print or be listed in those catalogs is an advantage.

For each book bought, the librarians must consider those factors. Even if you are a regular patron. Even if you want to donate your book, it will be evaluated before adding to the collection. 

OUTGOING

At the other end of life on the shelf, books that are out of date factually or whose author is no longer popular are removed. A well-organized library will evaluate books after 5 years, check the information to see if it is still valid and useful, see how many times it has been checked out, and if later books fill the subject matter need better. If they have purchased multiple copies of an award winner or popular author, they will keep one or two.

Books are not put in the dumpster! They are usually removed from the collection and given to the library book sale where they may be purchased by teachers for classroom use or individuals to have at home. Leftover books from the sale are donated to shelters.

WHY?

Librarians feel confident doing this because they are part of larger library systems at the state and national levels. That means if they have removed a copy of a particular book, the title or information is in storage and can be requested by interlibrary loan.

The Library of Congress may not have a copy of every book published in the United States, but it does hold a collection of more than 25.49 million cataloged books in the Library of Congress classification system in 3 massive buildings and 1 high-density storage unit, all of which are accessible upon request.

Let me just add the librarians would love to buy every single book! Plus, we are very fun people.

Multi award winning author Robin Currie led children’s departments of Midwestern public libraries before being called to ordained ministry. She has a special love for children’s literacy and storytelling. She serves in Chicago area parishes and volunteers teaching English in developing countries while writing stories to read and read again.

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Happy Days Are Here Again

lighter look at a writer's life

A few years ago, I got to the point where I could not watch the evening news. It was just TOO MUCH, causing me to be depressed. One evening, around news time, I surfed the channels and found an oasis—one of the oldies channels showing an hour of Happy Days during my normal news time. Finally, a solution to the doom and gloom!

If you’ve been under a rock for half a century or are too young to remember, Happy Days follows the exploits of Richie Cunningham (played by Ron Howard, Opie grown up a bit) and Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler) and the rest of their gang, navigating life in the late ‘50s/early ‘60s. The show debuted in 1974 during a wave of ‘50s nostalgia and lasted until 1984—my formative years.

One night during my “anti-news Happy Days mini-marathon,” I witnessed a big juxtaposition I had forgotten. The first episode of the evening was the second season finale, focusing on Richie and his pals Potsie and Ralph Malph on an overnight school field trip to Chicago. Typical of the first two seasons, the episode was on film, enhanced with a laugh track, and played out like a mini-movie.

The next episode that night was the season three premiere, and the changes were startling. Facing sagging ratings, the producers revamped the series that season, shooting on videotape in front of a live audience and placing the Fonz, previously a minor character, at the center of the action, with more broad comedy and catchphrases like “Sit on it!” The changes worked ratings-wise, as Happy Days soon became the number-one show on television and remained near the top for several seasons, even after Ron Howard left to become a famous film director.

I was in middle school when this change to “Fonzie and More Fonzie” took place. He was the coolest character on the planet, and my classmates and I wanted to be like him. I even had a “I’m with the Fonz” t-shirt with a depiction of his “thumbs-up” pose.

Seeing the stark differences in tone from one episode to the next made me think of such changes in writing direction. When I began writing and pursuing publication, I was firmly in the fiction camp, planning to be the next Great American Novelist. I attended writers conferences and studied dialogue, POV, and all things fiction.

Just as Richie and Fonz and crew changed tone, God changed my direction a few years into my journey, guiding me toward writing devotions and other inspirational essays. Back in the day, I remember the new Happy Days took some getting used to, and my new “Carlton devotions” felt the same. I did learn that some of the things I studied in fiction writing—the aforementioned dialogue and POV, among other techniques—have made me a better writer of inspirational essays. Setting a scene for your readers is just as important in nonfiction as it is in fiction.

What to do if God changes your writing direction? Be like the Fonz: give a thumbs up and say “AAAAYYYYY!!!!” Then Sit on It and start 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.

Categories
Devotions for Writers

The Parable

devotions

A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.

Luke 8:5-8 (NIV)

People were coming in droves to hear Jesus preach. Some stories were puzzling, like this one. The disciples quizzed their Master and Luke 8:11-15 says the seed represented how the word of God is received in our hearts. Will we be unhearing, unrooted, immature, or quit?

Exercise:

A writer went out to sow his words. As he was submitting his work, some got lost in email; they were irretrievably lost in the world wide web. Some fell on the slush pile, and when it came up, the stories withered because they had no hook. Other WIPs fell among hard times when pub houses closed and took down unsuspecting authors. Still other articles fell to editors. They came to be published, shared, and reached a wide audience.

How will an author get noticed when so much can affect our work? C. Hope Clark says the secret is to “keep 13 in play.” When you keep thirteen submissions out at any time, you will be more prolific in producing and publishing your words.

Thirteen? Where will I come up with that many ideas? Have you bought a Market Guide yet, or asked your reference librarian to help you find one? Writer’s Digest produces an annual Writer’s Market. Steve Laube has The Christian Writers’ Market Guide. There’s soil for fiction, non-fiction, children, and every imaginable genre. Use it to spark ideas and pursue new venues.

How to sow the seed:

  • Compilations. A call out for submissions will alert you to themed books. This genre will get your name in print and give you discounts on copies to sell to your friends.
  • Online opportunities. Most are not paid but provide writing credits for your resume.
  • Blogging. Exchange blog posts with another and expand the audience reach for both.
  • Paid gigs. Search the Market Guide for publications that pay for your words.
  • Books. Do you have a passion for a subject? Maybe it’s time to prime it!

Where will you sow your words?

Sally Ferguson

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 July 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.”

How to be a Writer Editors, Agents, and Publishers Love with Literary Agent Chip McGregor

We want editors, agents, and publishers to love our writing. So we submit our “book from God” to everyone. We polish our manuscripts and practice our pitch for that important face-to-face meeting. Some of us have navigated the submission maze and found our publishing home. Yay! What could go wrong? Plenty if you forget to consider your conduct. Literary agent Chip MacGregor draws on his decades of experience in the publishing industry to share his insights on how to be (and not be) the kind of writer editors, agents, and publishers love.

Watch the July 16th replay

Chip MacGregor is the president of MacGregor and Luedeke (LEE-duh-key) and former publisher with the Time-Warner Book Group and Hachette. He’s handled more than a thousand book contracts and represented titles on nearly every bestseller list, hitting #1 with the New York Times and USA Today. When he was in first grade, he hurried home one day and told his Scottish immigrant mother, “When I grow up, I’m going to be a book guy!” After four decades in the business, he has managed to do exactly that

MidYear Look-Back: A Roundtable Discussion with Writers Chat Community

In this open mic episode, the Writers Chat community engages in a round table discussion reviewing episodes from the first half of 2024. This discussion included some fan favorites via categories like fiction, nonfiction, and marketing, just to name a few. We hope you enjoy and are encouraged by the episodes that encouraged us.

Watch the July 23rd 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 Disciplined

After I hit my head earlier this year, it took me a few days to get back to my normal routines. Having stitches on my face threw me off mentally and physically. I couldn’t focus and my creative juices didn’t flow.

Living with a disability means you are better off sticking to your routines if you want to be more productive. Persons with brain injuries really need to understand the benefits of daily routines. Benefits like . . .

  • Easier to focus
  • Motor memory kicks in
  • Less stressful

Most of us as children, hated the daily chores our parents gave us when we were little. We didn’t understand what disciplines they were trying to instill in us. After my accident, I learned the importance of staying disciplined daily.

Because of my TBI, I pay closer attention to my surroundings and try to use all of my senses to compensate for my lack of feeling and limited eyesight.

I also learned to pay closer attention to my body and feelings, to be aware of any potentially negative changes that may cause further harm to myself. Persons with brain injuries are commonly hypersensitive for the rest of their lives.

Over the years I have learned other disciplines that help me feel and function much better. For instance, limiting my caffeine, getting at least eight hours of sleep each night, and staying hydrated are daily disciplines I practice.

Discipline

Growing up we didn’t like the rules or the discipline our parents gave us, but as adults, we better understand how both discipline and rules help us mature. Discipline is defined as, “Training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental facilities or moral character; instruction.”

Discipline isn’t just a consequence for bad behavior; it is also for encouraging better habits. Healthy disciplines are the practices we employ to be productive, safe, and have a strong body. Sometimes these practices may be routine or boring. However strong disciplines increase focus and productivity. These are especially beneficial for writers.

Writing Disciplines

Every writer knows writing isn’t as easy as simply sitting down at a computer and magically creating wonderful prose with little effort. It may take hours, days, or weeks to breathe life into our writing and get it where we want it to be.

We understand writing is a process that requires specific skillsets and disciplines to make our words shine, which take time to develop. We also must protect and respect the disciplines of the writing life.  Below are some disciplines from successful writers on how to stay healthy and productive.

  1. Maintain a dedicated workspace and routine.
  2. Writing is a business, not a hobby.
  3. Stay connected with other writers and editors.

Since every writer is different, we may need different disciplines or habits to produce our best work. The point is to find what works best for you.

Some people like writing late at night, but I prefer to sleep at night for at least eight hours. Some people like listening to music while they write, I prefer peace and quiet to help me focus. Some people eat while they write, I prefer to enjoy my food and words separately and view eating at my computer as a bad habit.

Habits

Habits can be hard to break, but bad habits can break us. This may surprise you if you have followed my column for a while, but before my accident, I wasn’t a health fanatic and I didn’t take care of myself. I had a lot of bad habits from childhood and some I picked up in college. I drank soft drinks and alcohol and never drank water. I ate more junk food than nutritious food. At most, I would get only four hours of sleep each night.

I read more comic books than I did actual books. I rarely exercised, except hanging out at the gym with my friends. And the biggest shocker is, I hadn’t ridden a bicycle in over a decade before my accident. After my accident, I realized I needed to grow up and be more health conscious. I stopped smoking and drinking alcohol. Ironically, now my normal adult bedtime is the time my parents taught me to go to bed when I was a kid, 9 PM.

Living with a brain injury has forced me to develop healthier lifestyle disciplines over the last 27 years, including . . .

  • Limit caffeine
  • Drink a gallon of water per day
  • Eat healthier
  • Get more sleep and rest
  • Exercise daily

I have learned “adulting” means developing better health habits and taking care of myself physically and mentally. As we age, most of us learn to make lifestyle changes to live healthier lives. Our fitness goals become survival goals. Most of us look back and wish we made better choices in life when we were younger.

What are some habits you can learn as a writer to be more disciplined?

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
Uncategorized Writing for YA

Setting the Stage for Historical YA

It can be tricky to grab a reader and plunge them into a different world, and even more so for historical, since it’s necessary to weave in facts. There are so many things to consider! How do you get the setting just right without overwhelming the reader with too many details? How to you make it feel realistic?

Major on the Majors First

Providing intricate details of the year, the culture, the current fads of your time but neglecting to mention that it is fall or summer until six pages in will disorient the reader.

The Filter You Give the Reader

Everything in opening chapters establishes reader expectations. Everything on the page affects how your reader filters the rest of the book. If there are repeated mentions of music, readers will expect the character to be interested in music. If there are repeated mentions of literature, then literature. If there’s a mishmash of details, then a reader won’t know what to think about this character and may give up before reaching the end of chapter one.

Over Setting the Stage

I’ve read books and noted ten unique historical markers in less than four pages, things in addition to the usual description. Once established in a time period, I’m there. The next descriptions should add something to the story and help move it forward.

Interesting Factoids

Don’t use every nugget of research that you have. While details can be fascinating, they can also be overwhelming, do the opposite of the author’s intention of immersing the reader. Worse, it can make a reader feel that you have insulted their intelligence. At the very least, excessive dropping of historical details can bog down a story. If the information isn’t vital for the current story, leave it out so it doesn’t crowd out what you’re trying to convey.

Under Researching

While it’s easy to want to use all the historical details when we don’t need them in our story, a lack of research can also be problematic. Readers want an immersive experience, to stay engaged in the character’s plight. Historical errors yank them out of a story. Authors would be wise to do enough research to provide an authentic backdrop for their story.

Clever or Trendy

The current trend of dropping in literary references to classic books can work, but if excessive could backfire. As with all description, the author should ask themselves: Why is this here and how does it fit into the overall story? Is this description for description sake? Is it repetitive, redundant, or unneeded?

Tone

After you’ve set the stage it’s time to add a bit of shading to add authenticity. Research the vocabulary and speech patterns of your story’s era by reading novels, stories, and even looking up vocabulary tools from the time period. Although some language may need to be modernized for today’s readers, they won’t want a girl from the 1800s to sound too modern. At the same time, if writing historical for teens, it needs to have a young adult vibe as well. (Easier said than done!)

Start with these tips, and you will have a good start in setting up your historical fiction.

What do you think? Do you have any tips to add for setting the stage for historical fiction? Leave a comment!

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning multi-genre author. She writes contemporary young adult, historical fiction, and southern fiction. Many of her novels are about tough issues, but she always ends her stories on a note of hope. Finding the faith to carry on through hard battles in a common theme in Donna Jo’s books.

The first novel in Donna Jo’s young adult series, Promise Me Tomorrow, is scheduled for publication in 2025.

Her short romance, A Wedding to Remember, released Feb 1st, her adult 1960s inspy romance, JOANN: Apron Strings Books 5, released May 15th, and her Small Town Christian Domestic Suspense with Romance, The Key Collector’s Promise, releases September 6th .

Stephanie Daniels writes Christian historical fiction for young adults and the young at heart. Her debut novel, The Uncertainty of Fire, first appeared on Amazon’s Kindle Vella platform where it spent a number of months as one of the 250 top favorite stories and as the top story under the Christian tag.

Follow Stephanie on Amazon and stay tuned for the continuation of a new story in The Uncertain Riches series on Vella, and for future stand-alone young adult historical fiction books in her series. https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0B73RD41H

Though she currently lives in Southwest Missouri, she spent most of her youth moving every few years. She feels privileged to have seen some of the world and believes it probably encouraged her lively imagination. When not writing, she is studying God’s Word, spending time with her very supportive husband, homeschooling her three boys, and watching clean period dramas. And reading. Lots and lots of reading.

Categories
Book Proposals

How to Get High Profile Endorsements

Do you know a well-known person who will agree to write an endorsement or foreword for your book? Resist saying that you will seek endorsements from Beth Moore, Max Lucado or former President George Bush—unless, of course, you have personal access to these people. Well-known public figures are besieged for endorsements and forewords. Several of my best-selling author friends receive requests such as these each week from publishers and their author friends. If they receive these requests, you can imagine how difficult it would be for an unknown person to receive an endorsement.

Many of these people will want to read the entire book manuscript before associating their name with it because of poor experiences in the past. Others will just reject you up front and still others are prohibited from endorsing or writing forewords for books by their nonprofit boards.

As an editor, I’m almost cynically amused when I receive a proposal from an author who suggests endorsements from Dr. James Dobson at Family Talk, Rick Warren and other well-known figures with whom they have no relationship or means to get such an endorsement. Yet in some cases with a completely unknown author, I’ve seen publishing executives vote to publish a book because the proposal included a foreword from a well-known Bible college professor or someone else with instant recognition. If you can collect such a foreword, include this information in your proposal. Make sure this person is well-known in the broadest possible circles of influence. Some beginning authors include endorsements from their local pastor who is virtually unknown. It’s better to omit these types of endorsements from unknown people as it brands you as an amateur.

One of the best articles I recommend to writers in this area is an article titled, The Elder Rage Success Sage written by Jacqueline Marcell. An unpublished author, Marcell collected 57 rejections with her book manuscript. She decided the only way publishers would seriously consider her topic was to gather numerous celebrity endorsements before the manuscript was contracted. After nine months of work, she had impressive quotes from celebrities such as Leeza Gibbons, Dr. John Gray, Mark Victor Hansen and many others. As she writes in this article, “Polite persistence turned out to be the key.”

Think about the potential reader for your book. What person’s endorsement would influence that reader to purchase the book? With this list in hand, can you possibly reach this person and get an endorsement?

This article shows the power of persistence. Sometimes you will not receive an endorsement simply because you didn’t ask. Make sure you allow several months for the person to meet your request. If you expect the endorsement or foreword to be completed in a few days, you are bound to get the easiest response and the one you don’t want to hear—no. Instead, I recommend you follow the persistent pattern of Jacqueline Marcel and make your proposal standout from everyone else.

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
Building Your Creative Space

Boosting Creativity: How Clean, fresh Air Can enhance Your Writing Space

Building your creative space

Staying creative is essential for life as a writer. Even for those who consider themselves endlessly creative, there can still be occasional challenges. Indeed, sustaining creativity throughout the course of writing a book is difficult in itself. One of the steps you can take to keep creative is improving your access to clean and fresh air.

In our current environment, being able to breathe clean air isn’t necessarily guaranteed or easy. Nevertheless, having an understanding of the value of fresh air and how you can enhance it in your writing space and routine can be positive.

How Clean, Fresh Air Helps

On the most basic level, breathing poor quality air may have a detrimental effect on your well-being. In the short term, it’s not unusual for pollution to cause throat and eye irritation. On a longer time scale, though, exposure to pollution can lead to issues such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), among other serious illnesses. As a result, you may find you have less energy, get unwell more often, and that these symptoms disrupt your writing sessions.

Additionally, one recent study has shown that poor access to quality air may specifically impact creative performance. In particular, higher levels of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in the air were associated with the originality, quality, and fluency of participants’ creative activities. As a result, it’s in the best interest of your health and your creative functioning to prioritize clean and fresh air into your working space.

Taking Practical Steps

Getting access to clean and fresh air in your writing area is a primary area of focus. After all, this is likely to be where you spend the most time working. It can be challenging, particularly if you live in a city that’s subject to a lot of pollution. The key is to take some regular practical steps to mitigate the impact of the outside contaminants.

Some ways to improve your indoor air quality include:

  • Investing in air filters: High-quality air filters can capture particulate matter in the air. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters are particularly effective, as they remove some of the smallest particles — including mites and allergens — that could cause problems. You can use these for both stand-alone filtration units and those connected to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
  • Minimizing sources inside your home: Filters can remove polluted air that enters your writing space from outside. But it’s also important to reduce the sources of poor air quality from within your home. This might include tobacco smoke, which can be a source of benzene. When decorating your writing space, you should also use low-VOC paint. Using a dehumidifier can also be key to mitigating mold and dust mites during humid times of year.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that some of the steps you’ll need to take will be specific to your location. For instance, if there are fluctuations in air quality due to wildfires or allergens, investing in a smart air quality monitor may be useful for making informed adjustments as circumstances change.

Incorporating Nature

Making the most of clean and fresh air doesn’t have to be reliant on filtration methods alone. The natural world can be a great source of both healthy air space and inspiration as a writer. Finding ways to incorporate nature into your writing routine can be an advantage to your well-being and creativity.

One way to do this is to occasionally take the time to write in natural areas. You could go to a nearby hiking trail, National Park, or urban forest area. Finding spaces to visit where you’ll be surrounded by a lot of trees is particularly beneficial. This is because trees are carbon stores, which means they capture certain toxins, giving you access to cleaner air. Therefore, taking your notebook to write in the great outdoors can be beneficial.

At home, consider bringing a little of nature into your writing space. While it would take a lot of plants to completely purify the air in your space, having different types of vegetation can still improve quality. Not to mention that the presence of nature can lift your mood, impacting your creative productivity. Items such as peace lilies, chinese evergreen, and spider plants are among the plants recognized to be good for air quality.

Conclusion

Maintaining clean, fresh air in your writing space can have a great impact on your creativity. It is vital to minimize pollutants in your home as well as find ways to embrace nature. Remember, though, that this is just one step toward a healthier and more productive writing lifestyle. It’s equally important to look at other areas in your life and routine that can be more conducive to a healthy and creative experience.

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
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap FOr July 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.”

Prepping for a Kickstarter

Award-winning YA author CJ Milacci, who is currently launching her third Kickstarter campaign, joins us to share her expertise on preparing for a successful experience. CJ discusses what Kickstarter is, how it works, the pros and cons, and how she personally used the platform to pre-launch her books. She also shares her dashboard to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look into her newest campaign.

Watch the July 2nd replay.

CJ Milacci, award-winning author, writes stories for teens and young adults with heart-pounding action and hope. As the podcast host for Read Clean YA with CJ, she loves talking about books and the deeper themes woven into the pages of each novel. She’s passionate about crafting stories of good overcoming evil, finding hope in the midst of seemingly hopeless circumstances, and true acceptance.

Writers Journey: Abundandtly More

Award-Winning Author Tessa Afshar shares four keys to writing an impactful Bible study in this Writers Chat episode that’s filled with biblical wisdom and encouragement.

Watch the July 9th replay

Tessa Afshar’s best-selling books have been translated into 12 languages. Her Bible study, The Way Home, received The ECPA Christian Book Award. Tessa holds a Master of Divinity from Yale where she served as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship for one year. Born in the Middle East to a nominally Muslim family, Tessa converted to Christianity in her twenties. She is also winner of the Christy Award for her biblical fiction. Learn more about Tessa’s books at https://tessaafshar.com.

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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
Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting

The Power of Networking: Building Meaningful Connections in the Writing Community

Writing can feel like a solitary career at times. After all, it’s just you, the keyboard, and your ideas for most of the workday. Writing alone is typically the best way to get the bulk of your work done, too, as you don’t want to be surrounded by distractions when you should be writing.

In reality, however, writing is a community-oriented pursuit. Even relatively solitary authors, like Jack Kerouac and Ernest Hemingway, had The Beats (Ginsberg, Burrows, Kaufman) and the Lost Generation (Stein, Fitzgerald, Eliot) for company.

As a writer, you can follow in the footsteps of these literary giants by creating a writing community of your own. Even simple community-building exercises, like joining local book clubs and writing groups, can significantly improve the quality of your prose and the power of your poetry.

Networking and Your Career

Finding a supportive group of writerly friends is a great way to expand your network and find new opportunities. Building a network shows clients and employers that you’re serious about entering the writing industry and that you have what it takes to produce perfect prose and stylistically satisfying sentences.

Building a network should be a core element of creating a career plan, too. Networking allows you to create useful dialogues with colleagues and peers that will serve you well in years to come. This can be invaluable during the job search and application phase, as folks who know you will be able to vouch for your skills and support your long-term vision.

Finding a Mentor

If you want to speed up your career progression, you should consider finding a trusted mentor in your niche. A good mentor can help you spot upcoming opportunities and may play a crucial role in helping you land new clients.

As a creative, asking for help can be powerful, too. When you ask a more experienced peer for help, you show that you’re in need of aid and are willing to work hard in order to overcome barriers. This will build stronger connections with your peers and enhance your emotional well-being (as it always feels good to have a trusted mentor in your corner!). If you’re considering approaching a prospective mentor, get the ball rolling by:

  • Being specific about the areas of aid you need
  • Offer plenty of gratitude for any help you receive
  • Be open to feedback and be willing to explore shortcomings you didn’t know you had
  • Stay in touch with trusted mentors, as they’ll be invaluable when you have a tricky decision to make

Finding a good mentor can make a world of difference to your writing efforts. Just be sure to offer plenty of gratitude, too, as most mentors will work with you for little-to-no pay if you’re respectful of their time.

How to Offer Feedback

At some point, you and your newfound writerly friends are going to swap manuscripts or exchange drafts. This is a sign of trust from your peers, as they are willing to show you a part of their work that is raw and unfinished.

Should you be fortunate enough to be trusted with a first draft, resist the urge to be overly brutal in your feedback, as this is a major misstep that many young writers make. For reasons that are unclear, many novice writers mistake blunt honesty for valuable feedback. Being overly critical of your feedback takes the wind out of your writing friend’s sails and is almost certain to detract from their passion for writing. Instead, try to:

  • Be overwhelmingly positive and point out what is working well. Many writers don’t know what they’re doing well and rely on readers to show them what’s working.
  • Be clear when making critiques but use polite, kind language to overcome the emotional attachment that writers have to their first drafts.
  • Offer resources to your writing friends if you spot a recurring mistake. For example, if you notice that your friend uses comma splices when writing, you should consider typing up something like “I noticed a few comma splices throughout this piece. It may be that it’s just a first draft and that you’ll fix the errors later, but here’s a handy resource you can use to learn more about comma splices and how to fix them.”

Utilizing these tips helps you make friends in the local writing scene, too. Folks are unlikely to promote your work if you’re unnecessarily mean—even if you have perfect prose. Instead, invest in your network by providing feedback that is timely, kind, and authentically useful.

Conclusion

Building meaningful connections in the writing community can be a real boon if you’re new to the industry. Get started by showing up to book clubs and writing groups, as you’re sure to start making connections and community-oriented events. Once you’ve started to build relationships, offer feedback that is overwhelmingly positive and authentically useful to your peers.

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.