Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

You-nique

The last five years I’ve used songs in my blog to help illustrate the theme of my posts; it has become part of my brand and helps to make my post unique. My passion for music goes way back to high school and continued into college, where I used it as an escape from reality like most people do.

But recently the website I’ve used to create my audio files shut down and I found myself scrambling to find another website to fill this need. After the first few days of frivolously searching, I hit a brick wall and I threw myself a big pity party—because writing it isn’t exactly easy.

If you’ve been pursuing a writing career for any amount of time, I’m sure you’ve hit a few brick walls, or at least a few potholes, along the way. Obstacles you didn’t anticipate, such as not knowing what to write or how to say in the best way.

The act of getting ideas is the easy part, but the process of building a platform, acquiring representation and getting our stories and messages out is the gut-wrenching, throw-your-hands-up-and-walk-away devil.

It’s like running the hurdles in the Olympics, you build momentum, but you have to learn the perfect time to jump again and again. Personally, I think it would be easier to run the hurdles than to write for a living.

However, twenty-two years ago I learned a valuable lesson when I stayed in a T.L.C (transitional living center) after my accident. These are places where persons with disabilities can stay while they remember or relearn the daily tasks of life (i.e. cooking, cleaning, and personal care.)

The residents have different disabilities, but similar limitations and each one has to learn how to make do with what they have in their own way. Over the years I’ve learned to be more adaptive because of my disability. I’ve accepted that my limitations make me who I am and my journey is unique to me.

You-nique!

Webster’s defines unique as, “Being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else.” As a community of writers, we have similar goals, but unique stories, skills, and paths that make each of us who we are.

Albeit if you’ve ever attended a writer’s conference you know some are little more unique than others (haha!) Fortunately, the writing tribe is more accepting than most. We are each creative and express ourselves differently.

Photo by Martin Johnson

There’s a saying amongst the brain injury community that I keep going back to in life. “We all have brain injuries, but every brain injury is different.” My brain injury affects me differently than another person’s injury and I must live with a different set of facts of life.

  1. How I cope and deal with my disability are part of my story and who I am.
  2. My limitations caused me to adapt to life in a way that works for me.
  3. My disability is not yours or anyone else’s.
  4. My physical scars are part of what makes me Martin.
  5. My road to recovery in life and my path are different from other’s recovery and paths. 

These aspects of being disabled easily apply to the life of a writer. Each of our journeys to writing success looks different. Our lives are different, but our goals are the same. However:

  • We don’t all have the same level of education or training.
  • Writing isn’t as natural for some as it is others.
  • Not everyone has the resources or time needed to attend conferences.
  • Not everyone has the resources needed to get the tools of the trade (i.e. writing programs, quality computers or even an office space.)
  • Not everyone is good at networking or using different means of communications (i.e. social media, newsletters, website, speaking engagements).

To be honest, not everyone has the patience or thick skull to be a writer. For many, the process is too time-consuming, and discouraging, so they decided to take a different path altogether and give up on their publishing dreams

Different?

But for those who choose to continue on the journey, they learn that all writers really are different, their career goals look different, and their definitions of success are different.

If there’s anything I’ve learned in life by being disabled, it is that it is okay to be different. It’s okay to not:

  1. Look like others.
  2. Believe like everyone else.
  3. Enjoy what others enjoy.
  4. Take the same path as others.
  5. Talk like others.

Because we each have our own voices and messages to share—messages only we can tell. We each must learn to use whatever we have and do whatever it takes to tell the stories that make us unique.

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 Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Valerie Fraser Luesse and Laura Frantz

Valerie Fraser Luesse, the senior travel editor for Southern Living magazine, writes complex historicals deeply rooted in her own southern heritage of family story-telling. Valerie’s latest novel, Almost Home, is set during World War II and was inspired by a relative’s boarding house, a dear friend’s sense of humor, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” (a Grimm’s fairy tale), and a river pirate. Besides talking about her writing journey, Valerie gives us a tour in her Story Shack.

Laura Frantz, known for her attention to historical detail and impeccable research, is a direct descendant of George Hume, a Scotsman exiled to the colonies because of his involvement in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion. In our interview, Laura talks about her George’s connection to another famous George, and how she found a “new” distant relative from a commenter on the Novelists Unwind post!

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at http://www.novelistsunwind.com. Be sure to enter for your chance to win a print edition of an amazing inspirational novel.

Meet Johnnie Johnnie Alexander creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget. Her award-winning debut novel, Where Treasure Hides, made the CBA bestseller list. She writes contemporaries, historicals, and cozy mysteries, serves on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, co-hosts an online show called Writers Chat, and interviews inspirational authors for Novelists Unwind. She also teaches at writers conferences and for Serious Writer Academy. Connect with her at www.johnnie-alexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

Categories
Book Proposals Uncategorized

Book Proposals for Different Genres?

Cherrilynn Bisbano is an award-winning writer. She founded The Write Proposal after reading hundreds of book proposals with avoidable errors. These errors cost the author a contract or representation. As a submission reader and junior literary agent, Cherrilynn wants you to succeed. Her desire is to help you present a professional and memorable proposal. She has written proposals for Paws for Effect, a Hollywood movie company, and helped edit many proposals. As the managing editor of Almost an Author, she helped the website earn the #6 spot on the Top 100 best writing websites for 2018 by The Write Life and Top 101 Websites for writers with Writers Digest.

Cherrilynn can be reached at editor@thewriteproposal.com
For more information about the Write Proposal visit www.thewriteproposal.com

Categories
Romancing Your Story

The Romance Recipe

Ideas for my stories come from a variety of places. Sometimes I need to think about an idea for a while before I can begin to write. Let it percolate, so to speak. Other times the story comes to me fully formed. It’s as though the story has found me, and only I can tell it. I call these stories “gifts.” They don’t happen often, but when they do, my fingers fly across the keyboard to get the story down.

No matter how the idea comes, there are certain things I need to know before I start to write. First, what type of story will I be writing.  Once I’ve decided it will be a romance, I still need to know if it will be sweet, spicy, suspenseful, contemporary, paranormal or historical. I even need to set it’s length.  The decisions I make will impact how many ingredients I need to add. It’s kind of like baking without the calories.  I wouldn’t use the same ingredients for a pie that I’d use for cookies. The same is true for the author before they write their story.   

Romances, by their nature, are relationship driven. There are certain ingredients you must include to have a compelling story that keeps the reader turning the page.

Every writer, no matter where they are at in their writing journey starts every story at the same place; the blank screen or blank sheet of paper.

As the author, only you can decide how much of each of the following ingredients you need to add.

Ingredients of a romance

Every romance starts with a heaping helping of Boy Meets Girl – An event, goal, or circumstance occurs to bring our hero and heroine together.

Add a big scoop of Interest/Need — Something about their individual situations makes their hearts vulnerable to romance.

Add a cup of Why – The core reasons why they belong together.

Add two cups of Why Not – External and Internal Obstacles between the hero and heroine conspire to separate them.

Stir in a dose of Wooing – Events or situations that allow the hero and heroine to fall in love.

Add between a cup and a gallon of Sizzle – Dialogue that creates romantic tension.

Add an appropriate helping of Kiss – The romantic tension leads to the physical connection

Throw in a fist-full of Breakup – The biggest Why Not (Obstacle) rises to push them apart and scrape open their wounds.

Add a generous dose of Make Up – The wound is healing and the Big Why (the core reason they belong together) saves the day.

That recipe sounds easy enough doesn’t it? However, if you have not premeasured each ingredient before you begin to write you may find yourself with a story that doesn’t work.

Stir until you reach the Big Gesture/Sacrifice/HEA (happy ever after) – The Hero or Heroine are able to prove their love through big gestures/sacrifices in order to stay together and find the love they’ve always long for.

I can’t claim this ingredient list is mine. I came across it in How to Write a Brilliant Romance by Susan May Warren. If you want more details about using each ingredient, If you want to write romance, I recommend her book, The 10 Ingredients of a Romance. You won’t be disappointed. I also want to thank Susan for permitting me to use some of those ingredients for this article.  You can also find out more about her at  http://www.susanmaywarren.com

Rose Gardner’s writing journey has come in two phases. The first was focused on contemporary category romance. After a break, she returned to writing contemporary heartwarming stories about love, hope, healing and the power of forgiveness. During the first phase of her writing she was a finalist in thirteen contests and won her category in seven including a 2007 RWA Golden Heart finalist in the Long Contemporary Category, and 2nd runner up in the Harlequin Super Romance Conflict of Interest Contest in 2008. More recently she won 1st place in the Blue Seal Award for General/ Contemporary/ Romance Novels at OHCWC 2017.

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: How to Edit Punctuation Marks

Presentation is everything, especially when it comes to the publishing world. And your presentation of punctuation is crucial to your book’s success. But punctuation can be tricky, boring, and downright distressing at times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar altogether. You’d rather write, right? Right! So let’s continue our 2019 focus on a simple, easy-to-understand punctuation series that I hope will be a help and encouragement to you, allowing you more time to write well.

If you feel like you’re back in grammar school, please take heart—and know that this isn’t going to be a boring, stuffy ‘nother grammar lesson. When writing, it’s super important to make sure our punctuation marks are in the right spots, as it’s like a golden ticket to success.

Where Are Poorly-placed Punctuation Marks Located?

  • Surrounding dialogue
  • In the middle of two conjoined sentences
  • At the end of sentences
  • And anywhere your fingers accidentally touch a key

Let’s Dive In!

Commas (Chicago Manual of Style 6.16 and following)

  1. Wrong: “I don’t think we’d better go there”, Robert said.
    (commas always go inside the closing quote mark with dialogue, especially with a dialogue tag.)
    Right: “I don’t think we’d better go there,” Robert said.
  2. Wrong: Julie left came back and left again.
    (this is treated like a series of items, and each one needs a comma in between.)
    Right: Julie left, came back, and left again.
  3. Wrong: After removing her shoes she hopped onto the couch.
    (commas are used with adverbial introductory phrases)
    Right: After removing her shoes, she hopped onto the couch.

Semicolons (Chicago Manual of Style 6.56 and following)

  1. Wrong: She spent much of her free time at the bookstore no flimsy bookbag would do.
    (a semicolon is needed because two subjects within the same idea is present.)
    Right: She spent much of her time at the bookstore; no flimsy bookbag would do.
  2. Wrong: The writer had a blister on his finger therefore, he put a Band-Aid on his finger and kept typing.
    (a semicolon is needed before the word therefore because it acts as an adverbial conjunction that joins two sentences of the same idea.)
    Right: The writer had a blister on his finger; therefore, he put a Band-Aid on his finger and kept typing.
  3. Wrong: Joe, Jamie, and Juanita, research editors Carlos, production editor and Larry, managing editor, offered support for the local magazine.
    (a semicolon is needed in several places to pare off the different categories.)
    Right: Joe, Jamie, and Juanita, research editors; Carlos, production editor; and Larry, managing editor, offered support for the local magazine.

Periods (Chicago Manual of Style 6.12 and following)

  1. Wrong: She set the groceries on the counter and put the milk in the fridge,
    (a period is needed at the end of the sentence, of course. Many times, we get in a hurry and our fingers fly wherever…)
    Right: She set the groceries on the counter and put the milk in the fridge.
  2. Wrong: We wanted to see Mount Ranier while one vacation. (We were told it was gorgeous).
    (periods go inside the sentence if enclosed in parenthesis as a complete thought.)
    Right: We wanted to see Mount Ranier while one vacation. (We were told it was gorgeous.)
  3. Wrong: The Bible says, “He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:3.)
    (periods go outside of the sentence if the parenthesis is attached to the sentence as a complete thought.)
    Right: The Bible says, “He must increase but I must decrease” (John 3:3).

Using well-placed punctuation marks is important because your overall presentation makes a world of difference to your editor, agent, publisher, and readers. That may seem counterintuitive because the writing is equally important, but it’s the presentation that tends to enhance your credibility as a writer. (Especially if you self-publish and are doing your own first-draft editing.)

Next month, we’ll look at some more ways to edit the punctuation in your manuscript, but for now. . . remember, please don’t call the semicolon a “semi comma” as an insurance agent I used to transcribe for called it. Every time he wanted to insert a semicolon, he’d say, “semi comm,” and it just cracked me up!

Please take a minute and join in the discussion! I’d love to hear from you!

Which of these punctuation marks do you contend with or love?

Tisha Martin writes historical fiction and nonfiction but also edits and proofreads for beginning and best-selling writers, professional editing agencies, and publishing houses. She has a BA in Professional Writing, an MS in English Education, and an editing certificate from the PEN Institute, affordable continuing education for editors. Active in American Christian Fiction Writers and The PEN, she appreciates the writing and editing communities. As Assistant Director of PENCON, a conference for editors, she enjoys travel marketing and updating PENCON’s Facebook Page. Connect with Tisha on her website www.tishamartin.com and engage in the conversation.

Categories
Kids Lit

Query with Confidence!

Kids Lit

A query letter is your chance to make a great first impression at a publishing house or a magazine, which is why your letter had better be amazing. After writing hundreds of successful query letters over the course of my journalistic career, I’ve come up with the following “quick query tips” to help you become the king or queen of queries.

  • Be professional: Use Times New Roman, 12-point type and keep your text flush left. Just because you’re querying a children’s magazine or a children’s book editor, don’t get all goofy. For example, don’t use glitter paper or baby farm animal stickers to jazz up your query.
  • Always address your query letter to a specific person: You’ll find that information in the various Writer’s Market Guides, on publisher websites, and from faculty listings of various conferences. As a last resort, call the publisher or publication to find out an editor’s name spelling and title just to be sure.
  • Indicate you’ve studied their publishing house or magazine: You might mention a book they’ve published or an article they have published or a section of their magazine that relates to your suggested text.
  • Show how your proposed book/story fits with their publishing program.
  • Go the extra mile: Always offer a little extra something in your query letter such as photographs to accompany your text or a parenting moment or “Fun Factoids” on the last page of your manuscript or a fun sidebar to accompany your main magazine article. The editors may not want all of those elements, but they will be impressed that you offered them.
  • Make sure the publisher/magazine you’re querying is currently accepting submissions: Some only accept queries from unagented writers during certain months of the year. Also, some magazines work from theme lists so check to see if the magazine you’re querying is working with such a list. If so, mention which month/theme your proposed story idea fits.
  • Keep it concise: Try to keep your query to one page.
  • Always include your credentials in your third paragraph: Even if you don’t yet have any publishing credits, and even if you haven’t yet won any writing awards, you still have something you can write in that third paragraph. Share why you’re the perfect person to write that particular article or book. For example, if you’re pitching an article about skin cancer, and you’re a melanoma survivor, you can include that in your letter. Or, if you have a really great source that you plan to quote in your article, mention that source.
  • Make your last two lines work for you: The close to your query letter is just as important as your opening paragraph. Thank the editor for reading your query letter, and then offer to take on story ideas that their staff may not have time to generate. Tell the editor you are open to “Work for Hire” projects and that you’d like to be included in their “freelance pool of writers.”
These tips help you write an awesome query letter

Once you’ve crafted an amazing query letter, make sure you keep good records, including the publication’s name, the editor’s name, the date you sent it, and when you expect to hear back from that publication.

If the magazine/publisher accepts simultaneous submissions, pinpoint five or so publications that would be a good fit for your story idea/book and  prepare letters for each one. I call this the “nail it and mail it” step. Just double check that you’ve changed the editor’s name and publication’s address for each letter. And, be sure you’re sending that query the way the publication’s guidelines instruct—via email or snail mail.

Lastly, try to keep ten things circulating all the time. I call this the “ten in rule,” meaning I always have ten submissions out. Now, I may only have two different story ideas that I’m pitching, but I will pitch each one to five different magazines or publishing houses. Make sense?

Ok, now go forth and query with confidence! 

Michelle Medlock Adams is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of over 90 books with close to 4 million sold. Her many journalism and book awards include top honors from the Associated Press, AWSA’s Golden Scroll for Best Children’s Book, and the Selah Award for Best Children’s Book. Michelle currently serves as President of Platinum Literary Services, a premier full-service literary firm; Chairman of the Board of Advisors for Serious Writer, Inc.; and a much sought-after speaker at writers conferences and women’s retreats all over the United States.  

When not writing or teaching writing, Michelle enjoys bass fishing and cheering on the Indiana University Basketball team, the Chicago Cubbies, and the LA Kings.

 Michelle is celebrating the recent release of her books, Get Your Spirit On!, Fabulous & Focused, Dinosaur Devotions, and C Is for Christmas, and she’s anticipating the upcoming release of What Is America? (Worthy Kids) and They Call Me Mom (Kregel), a devotional book she co-authored with Bethany Jett.

Categories
History in the Making

Have You Considered These Historical Resources?

History in the making

When writing historical fiction it is important to be sure your historical facts are accurate, not only so that your writing is credible, but also because there will be readers out there who will know if they aren’t. Therefore, it is important to do some research for your historical fiction novel.

Of course, the internet is a source for researching history. However, you have to be careful to be sure the website you choose to use is trustworthy and is providing accurate historical information. I know many people use Wikipedia, including me. However, use Wikipedia with caution because Wikipedia allows anyone to edit and change information on their site. Don’t use Wikipedia exclusively.

As I was researching history for my current WIP, I found a valuable website—the website for the state where my story takes place. That website had a wealth of historical information about the state and the specific town my main characters were to live in.

The most valuable research resource I found was a museum. I googled “things to do in St. Joseph, Missouri”, the town where my story is set, and I found a museum that was dedicated to the work my male protagonist would be doing. I contacted the museum and explained that I was writing a novel. I told the person on the other end of the phone what I was writing about and asked if they had any information they could send to me.

The woman on the phone responded very positively and sent me a brochure, information sheets, and even some copies of photos. They didn’t even charge a fee for the information or ask that I reimburse them for postage. I can’t guarantee that all museums would be so generous, but I can tell you that the information I received from that museum is where most of my historical information came from.

One other resource you may not have considered are old newspapers. You can usually google “newspapers from” and add the year and place of your story, and you can find some old newspapers that can offer information you might not find anywhere else.

I’m sure you’re also well aware that books are another great resource, but I have to tell you that some friends and I visited a large bookstore that sold a lot of used books. I found a book that was all about my male protagonist’s job. The book was in excellent condition, I was thrilled to get a great deal on it, and it is now part of my library.

I also suggest that, when you publish your book, you list or give credit to your historical resources somewhere in your book in order to show your credibility and your appreciation for those resources.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Website: https://kellyfbarr.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kellyb_26

Facebook: Kelly F. Barr, Writer

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

Build Your Writer’s Platform and Get Publishing Credits: 7 Ways to Break into the Devotional Market

If you have an idea for a Christian Living or devotional book, but need to build a platform and get publishing credits, there are plenty of opportunities to see your name in print.

Check out these seven devotional publications with open submissions—no previous writing experience necessary!

1. The Secret Place is a quarterly devotional magazine with a worldwide readership of more than 250,000 and editions in regular print, large print and Braille. The Secret Place is published by Judson Press, American Baptist Home Mission Societies, but you do not need to Baptist to submit a devotional. Find the writer’s guidelines here. Here is Judson Press’ website with samples. If your devotional is selected, you will be paid $20. 

2. The Upper Room is a popular daily devotional published by the United Methodist church, but you do not need to be Methodist to submit a devotional. The writer’s guidelines are here and the online submission form is here. Notice that there are general themes they are looking for each month of the year. Payment is $30 on publication. Upper Room Publications also includes DevoZine for teens and Pockets for Kids.

3. Christian Devotions is a devotional website that does not pay, but has a large online reach. Michelle Medlock Adams, award winning devotional writer and co-author of the upcoming devotional book They Call Me Mom: 52 Encouraging Devotions for Every Moment, recommends submitting to Christian Devotions because it is very welcoming to new writers. You can find the submission guidelines here.

4. CBN.com, home of the 700 Club, has an online devotional. Michelle Medlock Adams also mentioned that Beth Patch, acquisions editor for the online devotional section, is open to new writers as well. Devotionals must be story-oriented, include two Scriptures references, and be between 450-600 words. Submissions should be sent to beth.patch@cbn.org. Subscribe to and study the devotions from CBN.com first so you can match you devotional writing in style and tone.

5. Refresh Bible Study Magazine is an online publication from Lighthouse Bible Studies. Katy Kauffman, co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies and editor of Refresh, is especially looking for Bible study articles, but she also said, “If we receive enough devotions this year, we will make a special edition.” Check out the online samples here and the submissions guidelines here.

6. Devotableapp is another suggestion for submitting devotions. The devotions are shared through email, social media, and through the Devotable mobile app. Katy Kauffman recommends this as a place that is accepting new writers. You can find the contributors guidelines here. Although their readership reach is small, there is an added bonus. On every devotion that is published, backlinks to your website, blog, or social media will be published which helps grow your platform numbers!

7. Thoughts-about-God.com is another online devotional site with a large reach—450,000 readers each month. They also accept short Christian Living articles and poetry. Thoughts-about-God gives you space for a bio with backlinks. You can find their submissions guidelines here.

8. Keys for Kids Ministries publishes a daily devotional for kids. Keys for Kids has both an online and print edition. Read the writer’s guidelines here. Payment is $30 per devotional published.

9. In(courage).me is an online devotional ministry for women from DaySpring. This site does not offer payment, but has a large reach. Guest post submissions are only open certain times during the year, so bookmark the submissions guidelines and have your post ready when the time window is open.

Do you know of any other places a new writer can submit devotionals? If so, let us know in the comments below! 

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Suspenseful Scenes

mystery suspense thriller

Suspense is what keeps readers turning the page but writing a story without it can leave them feeling jilted. Your plot must be realistic and gripping and your characters well developed and relatable.

When writing a suspenseful scene, the description of your setting should add to the intensity and danger of the action taking place. Develop scenes in a way that your readers get a feel for the character’s fears and anxieties.

Choose your words wisely. It’s not the length of your descriptive words that make a scene suspenseful. It’s in the power of the words used. Here are some examples of different scenarios and questions readers might ask:

  1. Light from a single lamppost was absorbed by the thick haze hovering over the park, causing inky darkness along the path. An eerie silence sucked the breath from her lungs. Hair prickled and her palms grew sweaty. Terror twisted knots in the pit of her stomach.
    • Why was she in the park after dark? Was she being followed? Had she escaped an attacker and didn’t know which way to go? Did the anonymous call give orders to come alone or her child would die?
  2. Angry voices echoed from the depths of the abandoned corridor. A door slammed. Someone screamed, metal clanged, and a distant thud brought an abrupt silence — heavy footsteps, then the jarring sound of a chainsaw. 
    • Who was arguing? Who was hiding in the shadows listening? How many people were behind that closed door? What caused the thud? Had a body dropped to the floor? A chainsaw inside the building? Why?
  3. The crumpled note drifted to the floor like a feather, but its message stood out like neon lights. You’re Next.
    • What happened and why had she received a threatening note? Was someone watching her? Would she call the police? Was there anyone she could trust?

I’m sure you can imagine other scenes, and you have already written them into your manuscript. Which word choices did the best job of creating the scene and presenting the tension needed?

In the above scenarios, most readers would have an idea of what’s going on, but it’s hard to avoid the questions that pop into their minds while the action’s taking place. At the same time, you’re allowing readers to experience the building tension as they grow concerned for the safety of the characters they’ve connected with and care about.

Suspense can be built slowly by allowing it to offer a sense of foreboding or the author can jump right into action like the scenes above. Regardless of the pace, your story will grow more intense as imminent danger approaches, and you’ll deliver a quality suspense scene your readers can devour.

Loretta Eidson writes romantic suspense. She has won and been a finalist in several writing contests, including first place in romantic suspense in the Foundations Awards at the 2018 Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, a finalist in ACFW’s 2018 Genesis, was a finalist in the 2018 Fabulous Five, and a double finalist in the 2017 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence.

Loretta lives in North Mississippi with her husband Kenneth, a retired Memphis Police Captain. She loves salted caramel lava cake, dark chocolate, and caramel Frappuccinos.

Visit her:

Website: lorettaeidson.com

Facebok: loretta.eidson.7 

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

An Interview with Martyn McGrath

This month we continue our series of author interviews with Martyn McGrath, creator of the Trials of the Hopebreather series.

KM: Can you tell us a little about why you write for a middle grade audience?

MM: I write middle grade because I remember that time of life fondly – particularly the magic of reading – and I want to engage that audience with my writing. I keenly remember searching and searching for new authors whom I could trust, especially fantasy authors. They always seemed to be so rare, so when I found one that I liked, it was as if I’d discovered the secret room and picked the lock on the time-worn chest, only to find that the treasure within was even more valuable than I’d dared imagine. The middle grades are vividly experienced years; I was greatly impacted by what I read, and knowing that, I cherish the opportunity to have an impact on young, vivacious minds. 

KM: As a person of faith, I’m particularly interested in how/if faith plays a part in other writers’ experiences. How does your faith inform what you write and/or how you approach writing?

MM: As a reader, I believe there are stories that matter and stories that don’t. The stories that reveal something amazing about my God – whether they do so implicitly or explicitly – those are the stories that matter to me. Those are the stories with real power because they are directed to the highest purpose of language: the glory of God. So, when I write by faith, it means that I do so approving of what God approves, disapproving of that which is sin, and striving to engage my readers in thinking about heavenly things. As Job notes, God sometimes sets darkness in our paths, so writing by faith is not always light and joyous. But to write about a way of darkness is not to take gratuitous pleasure in it, which is a key distinction between what is good and what is evil. 

KM: Would you mind sharing with us a little about your writing journey?

MM: My love for writing began at a young age. But pursuing writing seriously, and put together a plan of what I hope to accomplish with my writing? That came much later. I’m still in the early stages of my writing endeavors, so by no means have I hit all those goals. But sooner or later, I had to stop practicing and hesitating, and just go for it. I decided to go indie so that I could take things at my own pace and experiment with how and what I wanted to write. Proverbs 29:25 says that the fear of man is a snare, and I had to face that truth, because when I started, I was almost paralyzed by a fear of what others would say about me and my work. I still struggle with that from time to time, as I’m sure many authors do, but every time I do, it’s a reminder to be sure of my motivations before God. Being right with him enables me to go forward boldly, trying to do the best I can. 

KM: What advice, encouragement, or suggestions do you have for aspiring writers?

MM: There is no one path for writers. For a long time, I thought there was, as if there were secrets known only to a special and enlightened few. But you are unique; don’t try to force yourself into a mold or solve problems the way that everyone else does. Be patient with yourself and your work, and understand that a master writer is decades in the making – savor the journey, be ready to learn, and you’ll find it to be a deep and rich pursuit!

Martyn McGrath’s debut novel Door to Altharia is the first book of Trials of the Hopebreather series. He is a graduate of the University of Alberta and currently resides in Ontario with his wife and two daughters.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for April, Part 1

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, 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 God Led Us into Writing

Do you feel like throwing in the towel as a writer? Are you questioning God calling you to write? If you answered yes to either of these questions, this open mic episode is for you. Norma Poore interviews four of the Writers Chat crew on how God called them to write. This episode encouraged writers and glorified God. There is no way to describe this episode other than to say, it is a must see.

Watch the April 2nd replay.

For more stories from How God Les Us to Writer, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

Whats New In Blogging

In this episode, we are joined by Rachael M. Colby, Tattoo It on Your Heart, and Rachel Schmoyer, Read the Hard Parts of Scripture. These two ladies share with us the latest blogging trends for 2019 and offer insightful advise for new bloggers, those who have neglected blogging, and those who blog regularly.

Watch the April 9th replay.

For more information and resources head over to this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Rachael M. Colby, born and raised in Jamaica, now resides in Massachusetts. Wife, mom, bona fide beach bum, avid Tweeter, and creator of tattooitonyourheart.com. Rachael address culturally relevant questions connecting everyday life with Christianity’s answers through devotional and motivational articles, interviews, poetry, and children’s picture books.

Rachel Schmoyer, is pastor’s wife, mom, and lives in Pennsylvania. She blogs at readthehardparts.com where Christians can be encouraged and equipped to read the hard parts of Scripture. Rachel’s devotionals have been published in several devotional magazines. She is working on a book to help women find the simple truth in the complex book of Revelation.

JOIN US!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. Here’s the permanent Zoom room link. 

Participants mute their audio and video during the filming then we open up the room for anyone who wishes to participate with our guests. The “After Party” is fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.

Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our Writers Chat Facebook Group.

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Slant – A Writers Secret Weapon for Multiple Articles

“Slant” is a commonly used, every day word. You can slant things to the left or the right or walk up a steep slant in the terrain.

In the writing world, slant means you write your article or book to a specific audience. Being aware of those audiences provides keys to multiple markets for your work. You have done your homework by reading the guidelines and several issues of the magazine or several books by the same publishing house. You have an understanding of what they are looking for, what their worldview is, whether or not the perspective is more conservative or liberal. Determining your slant also involves understanding the readers of the particular publication or publishing house.

For example, if you wanted to write an article on some aspect of parenting you might start out with a serious slant such as “The ABC’s of Parenting.”

A different slant might be “Parenting Teens – Life’s Biggest Challenge.”

You could use a variation on that slant such as “Create Boundaries to Keep Your Teens Safe.”

A humorous slant might be “When People Think Your Daughter is Your Little Sister.”

“Daddy Daughter Relationships” could be a good slant for men.

A women’s slant could be instructions on “How to Get Along with Your Mini-Me.”

You might consider a children’s slant like “Parenting the Early Years Well” or Six Fun Games for Painless Toddler Learning.”

Each of these slants could be targeted to a different magazine, giving you multiple opportunities for publication.

The same process can apply to books. In fact, for books, this is a good way to brainstorm your subject and find the focus that works best for you. You might find that as you list possible slants, you may be creating an outline for your book.

Another word you might hear used interchangeably with slant is the word “angle.” The slant, or angle, of your article or book could affect your chances of having your article or book accepted. Knowing the way information is presented to an editor’s specific audience is sure to catch his or her eye.

Why not give it a try? Pick a subject and see how many slants you can come up with. You may find you have lots of articles to write from one subject you are familiar with. Or perhaps thoughts of book slants will yield chapter focus and clarity.

Linda Gilden is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She loves to take one subject and create multiple articles from her research. Linda finds great joy (and lots of writing material) in time spent with her family. www.lindagilden.com

A similar article first appeared on thewriteconversation.com in June, 2016.

Categories
Guest Posts

How to Build Blog Traffic the Smart Way – Part 2

In the beginning of your blogging journey, you most likely won’t have anyone but your mom reading your posts and commenting on them. That is, if she’s Internet and tech-savvy. Otherwise, a blog can be a lonely place. Unless you know how to let people know about your posts and how to find other bloggers.

Here are three techniques you can try to make your blog less lonely and to increase blog traffic.

4. Get Linky with It!

Add your blog’s URL everywhere you have a social media presence and in all of your profiles:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Goodreads
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Amazon Author Profile
  • Email Signature
  • Add your blog’s URL among your links with your bio when you do a book blog tour or guest post on another bloggers site.
  • Add your blog’s feed to your Goodreads and Amazon author profiles so your newest posts will be visible in those places as well.

5. Share Away

The most important thing to do after writing a blog post worth publishing is to share it. That’s the easiest way to reach people. So, share your blog post to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. When you do this, include a hook or the first paragraph of your post to entice people to click.

You can also create an image quote featuring the title or a short, catchy quote from the post. These images can be used on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

On Instagram, when you share those images, you can insert the direct link to the post in your Instagram profile with a tip in the image’s caption for viewers to find the link there.

Don’t forget to use relevant hashtags whenever you share a post to social media, especially on Twitter and Instagram. The most used hashtags come up when you insert # and start typing immediately after it, without inputting a space.

On Facebook, search for and join groups where your target audience can be found. If they allow promo—check their rules first—share your post.

6. Join Up

In the blogosphere there are several monthly blog hops that you can join that’ll guarantee increased blog traffic. The key is to not only sign up for a hop and post on the designated day, but to participate. Visit 10-20 other bloggers and comment on their posts. And if someone visits you and leaves a comment, return a visit and give their post a thoughtful reply back. This is how you can develop friendships in the blogosphere and get actual followers. Trust me, this is the best, assured way to get traffic.

Check out these recurring blog hops:

  • Insecure Writer’s Support Group Blog Hop takes place every first Wednesday. Over 200 writers share their insecurities and talk about writing writing/publishing. They also offer an optional question that changes each month, in case you struggle with what to post.
  • #AuthorToolBoxBlogHop occurs on the third Monday of every month and is for authors to share their expertise on anything they want to share with other authors.
  • Celebrate the Small Things is a weekly blog hop that happens every Friday and is a way for you to get to know other bloggers in your community by sharing what brought you happiness throughout the week, anything big or small.
  • Write…Edit..Publish posts the third Wednesday of every other month, participants share short stories/poems (up to 1,000 words) on an assigned theme.

There are also occasional blog hops that bloggers put on randomly. I’ve done fun hops related to my books. Keep an eye out for these hops by visiting and following many blogs.

What makes any of this matter is, of course, having a blog to begin with (check out my post Blogging 101) and…well…doing these things. You can’t just wait for traffic to come to your blog. This isn’t a “if you build it, they will come” scenario. You have to be proactive. Take your time, challenge yourself, and think outside the box.

The blogosphere is waiting for you. Welcome!

Chrys Fey is the author of Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication. Fey is an editor for Dancing Lemur Press and runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group’s Goodreads book club. She is also the author of the Disaster Crimes series. Visit her blog, www.WritewithFey.com, for more tips.

Categories
Writer Encouragement

Take Time To Help

We’ve all been there—overwhelmed by our own lives and then someone asks us to take the time to help them. What do you do?

There is no one correct answer. But I’d encourage you to pray and seek the right answer before saying “yes” or “no” to this friend or acquaintance.

Recently, a writer friend who is not as well-known as some (but I know she is a very good word-crafter), asked me if I’d consider reading and possibly endorsing her upcoming release.

My own life is beyond stressful at the moment with multiple family health needs and more work responsibilities added to the mix of what I call, “Cooper Crazy.” In the midst of my craziness, something nudged me in my heart to say “yes.”

She was thrilled and sent me her Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) which I promptly asked Kindle to send to my device. {If you’ve never done that, send the word doc or PDF to your kindle address and in the subject line write, “Please Convert.”}

Her book revealed itself as an engaging and well written historical that kept me up late at night. I couldn’t wait to finish it to find out what happened. I was more than thrilled to endorse it for her.

I sent off the endorsement and in a couple of emails back and forth, I soon discovered what a needed blessing it was for her. She was truly doubting herself as an author and questioning whether or not her book was any good at all. I knew immediately the evil one had been toying with her mind and I assured her the enemy of our souls was lying to her. I could practically feel her tears of relief through her words. My endorsement had validated the many hours of work she’d invested her time and heart into developing this novel.  

Her response touched me deeply. What had seemingly been a split-second decision that made me wonder if I was out of my mind for taking on one more task turned into such a blessing for both myself and my friend. I received the joy of reading her book and she received the encouragement she needed.

Is it always right to say “yes?” I think that would not be wise. We cannot help everyone. But when you feel that tug in your spirit to respond in the affirmative, God will make a way for you to fit in one more task. That “task” may be a delightful surprise for you, and a gift for a writer who needs your reassurance.

Carry on.

Elaine Marie Cooper has two historical fiction books that recently released: War’s Respite (Prequel novella) and Love’s Kindling. Love’s Kindling is available in both e-book and paperback. They are the first two books in the Dawn of America Series set in Revolutionary War Connecticut. Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her 2016 release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. You can visit her website/ blog at www.elainemariecooper.com

Categories
The Afterword

From STEM to Story

A discussion of the future of words

How can students and other readers learn about the cutting-edge of popular science through the art of stories?

To talk about that, we invited Jenny Dehlinger and Thomas Locke (Davis Bunn) to join the podcast. Jenny serves as an instructional coach at one of the largest elementary schools in upstate South Carolina. She’s a former science teacher who graduated from Mississippi State University.

Thomas is an award-winning novelist with total worldwide sales of seven million copies. He serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, the University of Oxford. During the podcast, he discusses his novel Enclave, a young adult science fiction work exploring questions of science and technology in a dystopian future.

Listen to Episode 4, Part 1 here.

Listen to Episode 4, Part 2 here

Meet the hosts

Holland Webb is a full-time freelance writer and editor. He spends his days writing about higher education, B2B technology, and nonprofit organizations. His clients have let him write for U.S. News & World Report, The Learning House, The Red Lantern, and Sweet Fish Media. Holland’s favorite writers are Malcolm Gladwell, Olive Ann Burns, and Flannery O’Connor. In his spare time … are you kidding, what spare time? You can reach him through www.theafterwordpodcast.com or on Twitter at @WebbHollandLyle.

Amy Bowlin is a veteran teacher. She works with 6-year-olds in literacy intervention and shares with college seniors the art of teaching literacy. Balancing both worlds involves commuting which allows her to listen to her favorite podcasts, “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me,” “This American Life” and “Revisionist History.” When she is not traveling to Greece to work with refugees, she likes to write, hike, kayak and spend time with family and friends. You can reach her through www.theafterwordpodcast.com or on Twitter at @albowlin1.

Categories
Becoming an Author

Achieving the “It Factor” in Publishing – Part 2

I understand the struggle that aspiring authors often face on their attempt toward publication. Honestly, this is one of the reasons why I’ve chosen to work in the publishing field—not just because I love books, but because I want to help other writers’ dreams come true.

However, as the publishing industry becomes more and more saturated, aspiring authors are finding it harder to receive recognition. The recent changes in the industry have caused editors to become more selective in their acquisition decisions. Us literary agents, as a result, are dealt with the same dilemma. We only get paid when a sell is made; because of that, we have no choice but to sign with clients whose book(s) we think could sell. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, possessing an “it factor” can help aspiring authors to increase their chances of landing a traditional publishing deal in today’s age. And it all begins with the submissions to literary agents (or publishing houses).

First, in order to understand how you can catch an agent/editor’s eye, you must know what it is that we’re looking for from an author. 

Below is a list of questions that I personally ask myself when reviewing a proposal…

1.     Does this project fit my criteria of what I’m looking for?

2.     Is the hook of this book strong enough for me to pitch to editors?

3.     If the book is non-fiction, how does it fit into the current marketplace in a way that brings a fresh perspective? If the book is fiction, does the story tap into trends in a way that refrains from coming across as cliché or overdone?

4.     Does the author understand who the target audience is of the book?

5.     Does the author have potential to reach his/her target audience through platform?

6.     Does the marketing plan prove that the author understands marketing and will partake in publicity efforts?

7.     If the book is non-fiction, is this author the right person to write this book (based on his/her credentials)?

8.     Does the author have connections in the industry with people who can act as an influencer or give a possible endorsement of the book?

9.     Has the author been published in the past? If so, what are his/her sales history?

10.  Last—but certainly not least—is the writing strong enough to carry this project?

As you can see, there is a plethora of factors that can play into whether an agent/editor accepts or rejects your proposal. It is not solely based on writing potential. 

Why is this?

When an editor is interested in a submission at a publishing house, he/she will then meet with the rest of their team to discuss the project. Several departments will review the proposal from various angles. Believe me when I say that the answers to some—if not all—of the above questions will be considered at this meeting!

Fortunately, since you are an author who takes your writing seriously, you won’t see this challenge as a threat to your publication dreams; instead, you can use this as an opportunity to craft a stronger submission. A proposal that will allow you to stand out in the slush pile.

And achieve the “it factor” in the process.

What are other questions ways you attempt to stand out from the crowd in your submissions? How do you strive to achieve the publishing it factor in publishing? Let me know in the comments!

Tessa Emily Hall writes inspirational yet authentic YA fiction to show teens they’re not alone. Her passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as an Associate Agent at Hartline Literary Agency, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. Tessa’s first teen devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, will release with Bethany House in 2018. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 116 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating her insulin pump, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is by connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Do You Know the WHY Behind Your Writing?

The intentional writer

This is a month of transition at Almost an Author. Donna is stepping down as Managing Editor and I am taking her place. The change of editor should not make a difference to A3 or its quality content.  Even so, at times of transition, it’s a good idea to pause and revisit our WHY.

Almost an Author was started back in 2015 with three main purposes:

  • To help aspiring writers learn craft
  • To help aspiring writers launch their careers
  • To create a marketable platform for columnists that would open doors and help them find outlets for their work.

These WHYs are still true today.

Do you know the WHY behind your writing?

Companies spend big bucks crafting corporate vision statements because they know that their business will be more effective if every employee understands their corporate WHY. A good vision statement can guide employee decisions from top to bottom, keeping the whole company on track.

You and I don’t have paid consultants and multi-departmental committees to help us create a personal vision statement, but we can write a sentence or two that captures our WHY for writing (or any other area of our lives).

Can you explain the WHY that guides and motivates your writing efforts in a few succinct sentences?  If not, you might want to spend some time pondering your reasons.

Why is it so important to know your WHY?

Knowing your WHY helps you:

  • Navigate change
  • Face disappointments
  • Remain patient in the waiting times
  • Keep motivated when things get hard, frustrating, or confusing
  • Find the courage to face your fears
  • Counteract the negative voices in your head
  • Remember where your strength and inspiration comes from
  • Judge when to take an opportunity and when to opt out
  • Prioritize which tasks are important
  • Choose topics or themes for your next piece.

Here are some questions that will help you define or refine your WHY. 

  1. Why do you write?
    1. Why did you start writing in the first place?
    1. Why have you decided to continue writing?
    1. Why is writing important to your soul?
  2. How are you honoring God with your writing?
  3. Why have you chosen to spend time on a particular work-in-progress?
  4. What do you hope your WIP will accomplish:
    1. For you?
    1. For your readers?
  5. Do you have a WHY for every facet of your writing, including: your blog, platform, social media, marketing, speaking, the genres you work in, etc.
  6. Are you intentional about filling your mind and soul with messages that reinforce your WHY?

The more you clarify your WHYs, the easier it becomes to discern which activities fit your personal writing calling and which do not.

Where do you find knowing your WHY is most helpful to your writing journey?

Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about intentional living. You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

Fantasy Heroes? This Is How You Make Them Relatable.

One of my friends recently gifted me a book. She’d loved it so much she literally went out and bought a second copy for me to read.

It’s a fantasy, and some of the characters are so heroic they seem fantastic, at least as far as Google defines fantastic: “imaginative or fanciful; remote from reality.”

It’s hard to connect to someone who’s so removed from my own abilities they seem distant. I’d like to believe I’m capable of the things this hero in this book is, but I’m not. The theme of the book is great, just like my friend said, but so far it’s been hard to truly relate to at a personal level.

How can we steer clear of this issue and write fantasy heroes who are very human, physical, and flawed, yet still capable of greatness?

Write Human Characteristics

If you’re writing a fantasy there’s no question you have some very inhuman, creative characteristics in your characters. Maybe some of your supporting characters are not even human at all. Maybe your main character (MC) isn’t! Regardless, in order to be relatable to your human readers, your MC needs to have human characteristics.

Maybe they’re very uncomfortable around a specific supporting character and this shows through their body language. Maybe their natural response to fear is to fight (ever heard of fight or flight, the very human response to negative feedback in the environment?).

Whatever it is for your MC, make it human.

Remember The Physical

Just because they may not be human, your MC is still physical. He/she can still feel the full range of emotion, and demonstrate this emotion through their body.

We all have certain physical limitations. For instance, I dislike running but I run anyway in order to stay healthy. On the other hand, I love getting with friends and experiencing the outdoors with them.

Maybe your main character loves running but experienced an injury that keeps him from running at the time your story takes place. This physical detriment makes him uncomfortable around others. He unconsciously portrays himself through the emotion of insecurity via low power poses.

We all have physical insecurities. Give your MC one too, and he’ll be far more relatable to the average reader!

We’re All Flawed

Whether we admit it or not, we all have flaws in our personal characters. Maybe our reasons for doing something good are skewed, or we see the world through a false lens.

Readers relate to flaws, and flaws enable a full character-arc for your MC.

Wherever your MC starts in the story, make sure he overcomes a personal flaw by the last page. If you can write a fictional character who overcomes, you’ll inspire your readers to overcome.

This won’t only build trust with your readership, but keep them wanting more. Your influence will expand, your writing will grow, and you will experience the pleasure of using your gifts for others.

Happy writing!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Be a Neighbor

lighter look at a writer's life

“Love is at the root of everything . . . love or the lack of it.”

This quote is one of my favorites from Mister Rogers (Yes, I know his name is Fred, but I have to call him Mister) from the acclaimed documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor, which I just watched for, I think, the fifth time. It’s so good and I have seen it so many times, I have lost track. The film “hits me in the feels” every time.

I am like Lisa Loopner, Gilda Radner’s nerdy character from the classic heyday of Saturday Night Live. She described her favorite movie, The Way We Were, and said she had seen it five times but cried six times, because she the knew the story so well that she cried on the way to the movie one of the last times. I tear up just thinking about Won’t You Be My Neighbor.

Mister Rogers was my friend who “visited” my house every afternoon as I was growing up. He always had a smile, a kind word, and a make-believe adventure for me. I was an only child and, for a brief time, a latchkey kid. It was also the time of riding in a car without seat belts, cruising without a helmet on a bicycle, and talking on a phone that was attached to the wall, but I digress . . .

Mister Rogers was a great babysitter/companion.

During my last viewing of the film, I was struck by Mister Rogers’ passion for his mission in life. He was ordained for the purpose of ministering through the media. He never once preached a televised sermon, his puppets never told the story of the five loaves and two fishes, and he never sang Amazing Grace on camera. Yet he ministered through his gentle spirit, his kindness, and, yes, his occasional goofiness. You could feel the love through the camera.

THESE THINGS are what I want to accomplish with my writing. I want to be kind and gentle and goofy in a world of chaos. When I think of throwing in the towel—or throwing my laptop across the room when I can’t get a sentence to come out right—I think of this mission. Mister Rogers was called to be a bright light in a dark world, to love unconditionally, and so are we as writers.

When I sit at my keyboard, I want to be as whimsical as King Friday, as mischievous as Lady Elaine, and as sensitive as Daniel Tiger. Is that hard to do in today’s world? Yes. Is that type of thing needed in today’s world? Absolutely. Will people feel the love through the things I write? I hope so.

In the words of Henrietta Pussycat, “Meow meow, go write something kind, meow.”

Carlton Hughes wears many hats—some serious, some goofy.

During weekdays, he sounds like Charlie Brown’s teacher (wah-wah wah-wah-wah) as a community college professor of communication and journalism. On Sundays and Wednesdays, you’ll find him playing games and performing songs with motions in his role as a children’s pastor.

In his “spare” time, Carlton attempts to type kind words as a freelance writer and has been published in numerous books, including several releases from Worthy Publishing: The Wonders of Nature, So God Made a Dog, Just Breathe, Let the Earth Rejoice, and Everyday Grace for Men. He has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul and other publications and is represented by Cyle Young of the Hartline Agency. He specializes in humorous observations of everyday life, connecting those experiences with spiritual application.

Carlton loves watching classic sitcoms like I Love Lucy, eating way too much chocolate, and rooting for his favorite college and high school basketball teams. He is on the planning committee for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference and a year-round volunteer for Operation Christmas Child. He and his wife have two college-age sons.

Categories
Embrace the Wait

Embrace the Wait Tip #2: Let It Go

I’m in a weird stage of life. I like to call it my empty-ish nest season. My husband and I married young and began having kids right away. So by the time we hit our late 30s we already had three teens in the house. Great ones. My hubby and I relished the fact that we were still young and vibrant, still full of ambition and youthful drive, and well on our way to that point all parents simultaneously long for and dread—the moment we would launch our fledglings into the great big world. You can imagine our surprise when, at that precise moment in time, God threw us a curve ball and blessed us with two adopted babies to raise.

What an adventure it has been to launch one set of kiddos while starting over with the other set. You might think that the little ones would have provided a buffer for the agony of releasing the older ones into adulthood. Nope. And perhaps you imagine that the experience we gained through rearing the older kids would have prepared us for the challenges of raising the younger. Double nope. But one thing I have learned through the whole process is the value and importance of letting go.

I tend to hold on too tightly to things I love. I think that trait must be hard-wired into my protective nature because it bleeds into every aspect of life. My first novel took six years to write. Two more to rewrite. Then another three years passed before I allowed God to pry my eldest word-child out of my tightly clenched fist and release it into the realm of the public eye.

How I ached over the possibility that someone in editor-agent-reader land would find my manuscript lacking, find it absurd, or even worse … irrelevant. So much of myself went into the pages of that book that many times I wondered if the characters were truly born from my imagination or if they were a manifestation of a split personality disorder. But in the gentlest of ways, God reminded me that the manuscript was never mine to possess—it belonged to Him. He had provided the ability. He had provided the inspiration. He had provided the means. And He had provided the words. My job as steward of those words would now change to executor of them. The hardest part? To surrender my hopes and dreams for my writing to His perfect plan.

Oh yes—I have continued to promote the manuscript, continued to help it be the very best it can be, and I’ve pitched it harder than a firecracker salesman on the fifth of July. But in the end, there’s great comfort and freedom in knowing that He will see to completion the good work He began. For His glory.

Scripture: Matthew 25:14-30, 1 Peter 4:10-11, Colossians 3:23-24, Psalm 138:8, Philippians 4:6

Fun Fact: After Christian author, Lynn Austin, received back her first manuscript submission in a garbage bag, she held on to it for over a year, quit writing, and pursued a different career. But God continued to prompt Lynn to submit the story again. When she finally took the leap of faith to release the manuscript —God used that book, Gods and Kings, to help launch her writing career. Lynn Austin now holds the record for the most Christy Awards ever won! And she happens to be my favorite Christian author.

Annette Marie Griffin is a award-winning writer who speaks at local women’s group meetings and women’s retreats on the topic of biblical womanhood and finding our identity in Christ. She is the Operations and Events Coordinator at a private school for special needs students and is the editor of their quarterly newsletter. She has written custom curriculum for women’s retreats and children’s church curriculum for Gateway Church in San Antonio, Texas where she served as Children’s Ministry Director and Family Program Director for over twenty years. She and her husband John have five amazing children and two adorable grands. She’s a member of Word Weavers International, ACFW, SCBWI, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Creative Writing Institute.

Categories
Screenwriting

Die Laughing

As I am writing this month’s post, five of the top 20 movies are comedies or animated. It’s no surprise; it is also the first official weekend of spring. After a long hard winter, most of us are ready for a change of pace, we’re ready to have fun, be entertained, be foolish and just laugh. Robert McKee explains, “Simply put, a comedy is a funny story, an elaborate rolling joke.”[i]

Comedies usually rank in the middle of popular films and they tend to release in the spring or summer unless it’s a romantic comedy. Currently, A Madea Funeral is the top comedy in theaters, raking in a total of $65,881,232 in four weeks. There are plenty of other movies and genres to choose from this time of year.

  • Adventure
  • Action
  • Drama
  • Comedy
  • Thrillers/Suspense
  • Horror
  • Romantic Comedies
  • Musicals
  • Documentary
  • Black Comedy

Hollywood knows they can’t put all of their apples in one basket or genre. Everybody is different and has different tastes in entertainment; movie execs have been around long enough to know when to release what type of movie.

As the weather warms up, families and friends are more likely to head out to the theater instead of sitting home watching movies on TV. They know everyone likes to laugh and what better time to release comedies than in the spring?

Comedies?

Comedies have been around since the early days of film, in fact, slapstick comedy helped fuel audiences’ desire for movies. Back then comedies were rooted in slapstick humor.

Because at first there was no sound in film and the story was told through physical and visual actions. Slapstick was defined by exaggerated physical activity which overdramatized the visuals of typical physical comedy. You may recognize a few of the early comedians.

  1. Charlie Chaplin
  2. The Marx Brothers
  3. Buster Keaton

When sound was finally added to film comedies grew in popularity as many popular comedians joined in this new movement of entertainment. Below are a couple of my favorites which I watched as a child growing up.

  1. The Three Stooges
  2. Laurel and Hardy

I actually live about 20 minutes away from the Laurel and Hardy Museum and Harlem, Georgia, where Oliver Hardy was born. He is a local hero and the town has a festival and parade every fall.

With the addition of sound to film, comedies into many sub-genres: satire, romantic comedies, war, and political comedies and later science fiction comedies.

Thus, many comedies have defined eras in history; whether it was slapstick in the heydays of film, the golden age of comedies on TV, the political comedies like M*A*S*H, or the coming-of-age comedies of the 80s and 90s.

Robert McKee notes, “When society repeatedly experiences glossy, hollowed-out, pseudo-stories, it degenerates. We need both satires and tragedies, and comedies that shine a clean light into the dingy corners of the human psyche and society.”[ii]

As I began working on this post, Keanu Reeves and Alex Winters announced the production of the much anticipated third installment of “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.”

When I heard the news, I was innocently taken back to my high school and college years when the original movie came out with other silly modern comedies like the Dumb and Dumber and the Wayne’s World franchises began. Interestingly enough, most modern comedic movies had their roots in television first. Many of the Saturday Night Live cast go on to have major film careers.

Comedic stories are interchangeable between the big screen and little screen. Many TV shows and even cartoons have gone on to be major box office successes. The Looney Tunes and Scooby-Doo franchises are the two main slapstick comedies that have had major success on the big screen.

The main problem I personally have with comedies is that everyone’s sense of humor is different and it changes as we grow up. Then we pursue other adventures and entertainment.

MY ADVENTURES!

In my late teens, as I became more interested in the opposite sex, romance movies became my favorite. Again, we are all different and have varying tastes in movies; because we all have different reasons for going to the movies.

Currently, I’m looking forward to going to see the latest Marvel release, Captain Marvel with my best friend. For the last year, it has become our tradition to go see superhero movies for our guy’s night out.

 Captain Marvel trailer

  • We do this for a couple of reasons, he lives in another town now and we don’t see each other often. Action/superhero movies aren’t good date movies but are great opportunities for guys get-togethers. Nothing bad, just enjoy the violence and action scenes. Because deep inside, most guys dream of being the superhero.
  • I also like seeing the comic book stories I read when I was younger come to life on the big screen thanks to modern special-effects and more talented screenwriters of today.
  • While there are some guys who enjoy silly mindless comedies, I don’t want to die laughing.

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 Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

[i] McKee R. (1997).  Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 361.

[ii] McKee R. (1997).  Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 13.

Categories
My Writing Journey

Sometimes You Need a Story

My life is divided into before and after. I’m in the after now.

Eight years ago, this coming April, my world turned upside down. Eight years ago, this coming April, I began the slow journey back. I hadn’t written a book then. Since that time, I have finished penning three.

When I got sick, my daughter became frightened. Who wouldn’t be? It was the summer before her freshman year of high school, and she spent her vacation taking care of her mother who needed assistance walking and bathing. It didn’t matter what I told her, or how many reassurances were held out, she was terrified. All the soft gentle words and reassurances never made it past her fear wrapped worry.

Sometimes you need a story.

I wrote her a book about a girl who was afraid her mother would die and leave her alone. In the book, the mother does die. The girl is not left alone, however. She has family and unlikely heroes to depend on. I wrote my daughter a book to make her laugh and cry, but most of all to help her see she was not alone and it wasn’t up to her to save the world. I think maybe it was both comforting and uncomfortable for her to discover how much I understood her.

She’s not a character in a book, and she is not this character. But young girls everywhere get angry with their mothers, at times think they’ve been abandoned, and generally feel treated unfairly by life. They’re often surprised when they discover their mothers were once girls and understand all of these deeply held, secret feelings.

Among the pages of this made up place filled with pretend people my daughter finally understood what I was trying to tell her. She wasn’t alone.

Sometimes you need a story.

A funny thing happened. Out of the story, two more grew. Each of these novels stand alone, and while they don’t lean on each other, they do rub shoulders, exploring the lives of the various characters in the same fictional small Texas town.

It’s quite a surprise to find at the end of these eight years I have three complete novels. I’d freelanced in my former writing life, and even written a novella, which resides in the dark recesses of my computer files, but I’d never attempted a novel length work.

As my health improved and my responsibilities shifted, I had more time to write books. With each novel, I learned better and went back, refining and polishing. I hunted down critique partners and entered contests. I was quite pleased with the feedback I got. Now I’m ready to start querying agents.

I’m telling you this tale because, as with all of my stories, I want to encourage and bring hope to the reader. Because sometimes you need a story.

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Bestsellers

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Sandra Byrd

Can you share a little about your recent book?

Sure!! Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.

The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.

Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her, and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.

With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured.

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

My faith is central to my worldview and interests, so it informs the subjects I pursue in my books. Honestly, I felt it would be anachronistic to write about 19th Century England and not have any mention of or interaction with faith; it was completely integrated into daily and weekly life. I don’t seek to write inspirational fiction so much as it interests me how a strong Christian woman approaches a situation in her era and setting. I don’t set out, in fiction, to teach a specific message, only to show and reveal and understand through the heroine’s eyes. So hopefully that makes a good story whether the reader is a Christian or not.

Themes, I’ve found, reveal themselves as I write. I then only need to go back and fortify them!

How long have you been writing?

Like most authors – forever!!  I knew I wanted to be an author at the age of six and wrote my first fiction at age fourteen. I didn’t become a Christian until I was nineteen, so I was a writer before I even knew God.

I wrote the first set of novels that were published (Secret Sisters Series) when my daughter, who is climbing toward twenty-five years old, was an infant.

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?

Oh, I was rejected plenty. One publisher rejected me twice on the same series. I got a rejection letter, and then another letter came a few weeks later. I thought, “They’ve come to their senses and want to publish me!” Nope! It was a second rejection. They had either lost track or wanted to make sure I really, really knew they didn’t want it.

Ultimately, WaterBrook picked up the whole series, and I published seventeen books with them over some very happy years. Author Lisa Bergren was my first editor. So thankful!

How long does it take you to write a book?

It all depends! My current books are very research-heavy, so the whole process, from plotting to editing, is a year or a little more.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

Most writing days, I do “busy work” to get my brain warmed up, and then I find my most productive work hours are from about 10 am to 2 pm, so I make sure I’m always writing within those hours.

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

I like to crunch on things when I’m nervous, writing. Lemonheads. Bell pepper strips. Ice. My dentist is not so keen on this habit!

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

The satisfaction of finishing a book, reaching into the hears and minds of my readers and bringing the pleasure.

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

Self-doubt. It never goes away, entirely! The moment it does, I suspect the author’s blade is dull!

Which of your books is your favorite?

Always the one I am currently working on; it’s my most vulnerable child.

Who is your favorite author to read?

Oh, I have no absolute favorite. When I need comfort reads, I go back to the books I read as a child, when I need to be challenged, I read someone from the best seller list. Anyone whose book I endorse, I believe in, as a writer.

What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened too?

Press on. Art is hard. This is your calling, and the world will be a poorer place if your books aren’t available due to fear or discouragement!

How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?

Oh, too many to count. Rejection is truly redirection; I believe that 100%, but it’s hard to feel that in the immediate moment.  Sometimes the project needs work, it really does, and it’s a kindness for someone to let you know that before you put it into the digital universe forever. Sometimes, lots of times, it’s just a market issue. The publisher already has books like yours or doesn’t feel it can sell them well, and needs to be a good steward of the funds. The beautiful thing now, is authors have many means by which to get their books into the hands of readers. If you work hard, there will be a place for your book. That makes those long hours and tough edits so much more worthwhile.

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

A truth teased out in a scene from Lady of a Thousand Treasures:

She spoke of the twisted cornucopias, purest glass with threads of gold woven throughout, as intricate as any embroidery I’d seen and then the blown glass water jug that looked too delicate to drink from. When she held up the yellow perfume bottle, swirled like sunrise gauze, my heart felt no pain. Mama, I wish you well. But we are well and truly parted, now. I had learned that every circumstance in life doesn’t have to end happily for the Lord to provide a happy ending.

Where do you get your ideas?

Mostly I have an idea of the character, or the era (Victorian England!) or a few plot points. The rest grows naturally from research and plotting.

What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make?

Not plotting. Sensing a theme?  😉 I know there are pantsers, too, and I respect them, but I think they plot, too, to some extent, with plot structure imprinted on their hearts and minds from reading. I always say you can prewrite a lot or rewrite a lot. Pick your poison!

Many new writers feel that plotting – to some extent, not hundred level outlines – will take the fun from the discovery. But you are writing that plot, too. You are discovering. It’s a creative exercise, and it makes the reader’s enjoyment so much stronger.

Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?

Well, as I have been a book coach, an author encourager, a manuscript midwife (like that one?) for so many years, I always suggest they start with editorial assistance. Get that book strong and unputdownable from the start. Learn skills you can use in book after book.  Here’s my coaching website. I’d love to offer your readers 20% off their first package with me! www.sandrabyrdbookcoach.com

BIO

Bestselling author Sandra Byrd continues to earn both industry acclaim and high praise from readers everywhere. The author of more than fifty books, her work has received many awards, nominations, and accolades including the Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choice award, two Christy Award nominations, Library Journal Best Book selections, and inclusion on Booklist’s Top Ten Inspirational Books of the Year list. As an editor and an in-demand writing coach, Sandra is passionate about helping writers develop their talents and has mentored hundreds of writers at all stages of their writing careers. She lives in Seattle with her husband and with her grown children nearby.

www.sandrabyrd.com will link you to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, an Pinterest.

www.sandrabyrdbookcoach.com will lead you to my author coaching site.

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for March, Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, 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.”

Working with Editors with Karin Beery

Have you ever wondered how to pick the right editor for your book? If  you have, this jam packed episode is for you you. Karin shares her expertise on finding the right editor for your manuscript, plus she shares tips on common mistakes seen in manuscripts today.

Watch the March 19th replay.

For more resources and information on what type of editor is right for you, and services Karin offers, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Bio

Karin Beery is the owner of Write Now Editing, is an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Editor Network. She teaches classes on editing at the Pen Institute. Karin is the Managing Editor of Guiding Light Women’s Fiction, part of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Her debut novel, Summer Plans and Other Disasters, released in 2018. For more information, visit https://karinbeery.com.

Travel Writing and More, with Valerie Fraser Luesse

As Southern Living Magazine’s award-winning senior travel editor, Valerie shares with us tips on submissions, queries, photos, and other essentials a writer might need to publish in magazines. She also tells us about helpful dos and don’ts of magazine submissions.

Watch the March 26th replay.

Enjoy fun tips and ideas shared in this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Bio

Valerie Fraser Luesse is the Senior Editor for Southern Living Magazine. She has written feature stories and articles, focusing on unique pockets of Southern culture and nuances. In 2009, Karin won Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. Her latest novel, Almost Home, was recently released. For more information, visit https://valeriefraserluesse.com .

Join Us!

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. Clicke here for our permanent Zoom room link.

Participants mute their audio and video during the filming, then we open
the room for anyone who wishes to participate with our guests. The “After Party” is fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.

Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our Writers Chat Facebook Group.

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Laugh It Off!

After my accident, I learned one of the hardest lessons of my life. It wasn’t a new lesson, just one I failed to remember from my childhood. But this time, God had my full attention.

One morning I woke up and needed to use the bathroom, my friends told me to use the bedpan, but I was determined to be a man and use the restroom in my hospital room. They called the nurse in and I lied about my ability to walk.

After helping me put my slippers on, she carefully guided me to the bathroom door. That alone was an accomplishment for someone who had been confined to a bed for almost a month. Everything was fine until I leaned forward to reach the toilet paper.

I lost my balance and did a bellyflop onto the floor. Moments later the nurse came to check on me. She couldn’t help me up and called for help after tripping over my feet. When the male nurse finally got me back into my bed, I could hear my friends and the young woman I had been dating outside in the hall laughing.

They didn’t realize I was so embarrassed that I wanted to kill myself. It was one of the most depressing times of my life; my dreams of being a writer were crushed. How could I write missing 30% of my brain?

If I couldn’t perform normal functions, my life was over.  But then I remembered something my father told me when I was learning how to ride a bike. “Everyone falls at first. If you laugh, you’ll feel better.”

And that’s what I did, I thought about how funny it must have looked for me to be lying face down on the floor with my hospital gown around my legs and an elderly nurse lying on top of me. During those days when I was confined to my bed, I realized a lot.

  • Nobody’s perfect.
  • We all fall down in life.
  • We all make mistakes.
  • We all need help at some point.
  • Learn to accept the truth.
  • And most importantly, learn to laugh at yourself.

Laugh it off!

When I was learning how to roller skate with my older sister, I kept falling down and scraping my knees. I would just laugh hysterically.

Soon laughing became my answer for everything: falling out of a tree—I just laughed, accidentally setting firecrackers off in my hand—ha-ha.

We’ve all heard the old saying that laughter is the best medicine, there is more truth to that many of us may realize.

  1. In the brain, laughter can regulate dopamine levels and this hormone regulates a lot: mood, motivation, attention, and learning.[i]
  2. Laughter stimulates your organs by increasing intake of oxygen-rich air which stimulates our hearts, lungs, and muscles. As well as increasing endorphins released by our brains.[ii]
  3. Laughter activates and relieves stress response.[iii]
  4. Soothes tension.[iv]
  5. Improves your immune system.[v]

Keep these in mind as you write. We’ve all worked hard on writing the perfect prose for our readers, only to find errors when proofreading.

Even the latest writing programs don’t catch all errors. I can’t tell you how many times in writing my columns for this website that I proofread and run my articles through my writing software, only to find more mistakes after submitting them. And yes, there have been times I’ve seen my articles posted and still found errors.

I guess editors are human also. Earlier this year I was reading the latest book from one of my favorite authors and I began to find errors and typos in a book that had been published for almost a half year.

Even as I write this article, I chuckle to myself, because you don’t have to be legally blind or disabled like myself to make the silliest errors.

The more I spend time pursuing a writing career, the more I find myself laughing at myself on the journey. Thankfully, I’ve also learned to show myself grace.

But I’m more thankful for the grace given to me by the writers I work with; to the managing editor of Almost an Author, thank you for the grace and kindness you’ve shown me. I speak for all of us when I say; I hate to see you go.

Let It Go?

Another lesson I’ve learned over the last two decades living with a disability is learning to let go of my mistakes and shortcomings. I can stress myself out to the point of having a seizure if I worry about every mistake.

The best way for me to do this is to be humble. I’m not saying belittle ourselves, but to not think more about ourselves then we ought to. We’re still human and humans make mistakes. Humility is not fun or funny, it helps us in many ways.

  • To focus
  • Be grounded
  • Understand what we have and how to use it.
  • Know things will get better.

All those years ago I wanted to die when I was lying on the bathroom floor. But now all these years later I can look back and just laugh it off!

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 Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

[i]  Healthfully: https://healthfully.com/170399-effects-of-laughter-on-the-human-brain.html

[ii] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456

[iii] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456

[iv] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456

[v] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456