Categories
The Poet's Pen

Poetry, Poetry Everywhere – Poetry Topics

Sometimes poets are asked, “Where do you find things to write about?” Everything is a possible subject, although there are some topics you might want to refrain from tackling. Below is a list that offers some ideas for your next poem.

Possible poetry topics

  1. Describe something. Paint a picture with words – mountains, a stream, a new vehicle, etc.
  2. A response to something – a rebuttal about something directed at you or a cause you support.
  3. The scent of something – baking cookies, cinnamon, roses, hay, etc. It could also be a bad scent such as decay or death, the smell of medicine or a hospital. Along with scent don’t forget the other senses of touch and taste. Think of the creamery coldness of ice cream or the feel of silk.
  4. A special occasion such as Christmas, a birthday, an anniversary.
  5. An emotion – love. hate, fear, excitement, joy, etc. 6
  6. Someone you love. Children make good subjects.
  7. A pet or other animal. Describe its fur, eyes, teeth, or intelligence.
  8. A color, its scent, how it makes you feel. What would the color look like if it were a person?
  9. Religion or a lack of.
  10. Personify a disease. For example, describe arthritis as an old man.
  11. Ravages of time, an age. This could be a place or a person reflecting on his life.
  12. Write about your first something – kiss, job, child, pet, etc.
  13. Look to history – select a time or historical subject to write about.
  14. Books can offer inspiration. For example, the Bible is full of great ideas.

Have fun. Use the above suggestions to spark your own poem.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

Categories
Becoming an Author

Achieving the “It Factor” in Publishing

            You may have heard the term “it factor” used to describe people in industries such as sports or entertainment. On reality singing competition shows, such as The Voice, judges will occasionally comment about a certain contestant having this “it factor.” In this case, the judge may describe the singer as having a certain stamina and charisma—as well as a standout voice—that is admired in the music industry. The singer may also have a good feel for who he/she is as an artist, as well as a natural stage presence.

            All of these components play into the term “it factor” in the music industry. I would assume this helps industry professionals weed out the highly competitive market and only sign with those who have it. 

            In the publishing industry, however, authors don’t exactly need charisma or a stage presence in order to stand out amongst their competition. (Or a singing voice—thank God!) However, there are still other components that separate the “pros” from the amateurs.

            You might be thinking,“But in order to be an author, I only need to write a good book. Right?”

            Maybe in the past. But if you haven’t noticed, the publishing industry has shifted significantly over the past couple of decades. The marketplace is swarmed with writers who are vying for attention from agents, or authors who are vying for attention from readers. Because of this, a writer’s craft is not the only factor taken into consideration when an agent/editor reviews a proposal. There are simply too many high-quality books out there, and unfortunately agents/editors can’t sign them all.  There are a plethora of factors that can play into whether an agent/editor accepts or rejects your proposal.

So how is an aspiring author supposed to stand out in the midst of the crowd?

Having the “it factor” helps. Here’s how I’d describe it:   

            Aspiring authors have the “it factor” when they work hard at honing their writing skills. They also keep up with the state of the industry, read widely, and understand where their book fits into the marketplace. They’re willing to keep up with the changes of the industry.

            These aspiring authors also know who their audience is and how they can reach them (through social media and/or speaking). They are familiar with how to market a book and will work hard to ensure it reaches the hands of the right readers.

            These writers can easily brand who they are as a writer as well. Even if they’re unpublished, these aspiring authors understand that branding helps them to come across as remember-able. They understand that branding is directly connected with the reputation they have on social media and within writing/book communities.

            The writers who have the “it factor” can also take constructive criticism on their work and apply it to their writing, and they don’t allow rejections to keep them from moving forward. Their perseverance, grit, tough backbone, and passion are what keeps them moving forward.  

            If you don’t believe you’ve attained the it factor yet—based on this definition—please don’t be discouraged! Simply take it one step at a time.

            (For instance, if you’re unfamiliar with how to market a book, then you might want to consider signing up for an online course on the topic.)

            Fortunately, the it factor in publishing is not something you’re born with. It takes time, effort, dedication, and a willingness to learn and grow for an aspiring author to reach this point. But once it’s achieved, trust me when I say that it will make a difference with how you’re perceived within the industry—and it will help you stand out amongst other writers as well.

            In this new column, I want to help you achieve that it factor. I’ll share posts that will help you sharpen your craft, understand the industry, build your brand, craft a marketing plan, and more. Plus, I’ll offer encouragement that will inspire you to keep going when discouragement settles in. 

            How would you define the it factor in publishing? Let me know what you think 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
Writer Encouragement

Increasing Your Vocabulary

Increasing your vocabulary may sound like a “roll your eyes” suggestion. After all, you’ve been reading and writing English (or whatever your native language) for many years. By the time most of us reach the point where we feel called to write, we usually feel fairly comfortable in our knowledge of numerous words and their meanings.

But let’s be honest. There are many terms that still escape our grasp and understanding.

Years ago, my husband and I used to play the dictionary game with friends. It was an early (and less expensive) version of a Parker Brothers game where each person is given a word and they must write down what they believe to be the definition. Undoubtedly, it would not be a commonplace expression.

The various explanations of the words’ meanings as written by the game’s participants would send our group into uproarious laughter. The creativity was endless and quite funny.

Most of our friends were fairly well-read individuals. No one had flunked out of school. All were quite successful in their professions. Yet time after time, we all became stymied by the actual definitions of words in the English language—our language since birth.

If you still have an old hardback dictionary on your book shelf—you may need to blow the dust off the binding—glance at the thousands of words in that weighty volume. It is truly astonishing. This alone should be a gentle tap on the shoulder that we all could use a bit of vocabulary brushing up.

Nearly a year ago, I saw a prompt on the Merriam-Webster website to sign up for “Word of the Day.” Intrigued, I decided to join. It has been an adventure, learning new expressions that I am challenged to discover and perhaps use in my writing. I always feel a sense of joy when I find it’s a word with which I’m already familiar. But frankly, those I already know are fewer than the ones I’m either learning for the first time or for which I’m getting a much-needed refresher.

Let’s face it—none of us will know everything about our language. It can only help our writing to expand our knowledge.

I’d encourage you to sign up for the Word of the Day online. Or play the dictionary game with friends. Or get the Balderdash game of words.

Reading numerous works of fiction and non-fiction can be a great vocabulary builder. But going one step further with such tools as these can multiply your knowledge, and help your writing along the way.

Carry on.

 

Vocabulary image courtesy of Stuart Miles, from freedigitalphotos.net

 

Elaine Marie Cooper has two new E-Books that just released: War’s Respite (Prequel novella) and Love’s Kindling. Love’s Kindling will soon release in 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
Platform and Branding

Amazon Advertisements: Essential

We all know how important Amazon when it comes to selling our books. Perhaps we don’t know just how important it is though.

This graph is from authorearnings.com, and is a bit outdated. Even a few years ago Amazon maintained roughly ¾ of US eBook sales, and its done nothing but grow since.

Kobo is still around. Apple is pushing to get back in the eBook market after their massive lawsuit for price-fixing a few years back. Nook is on its last leg, but might have a few tricks left up its sleeve.

All that said, Amazon is a behemoth. Books are sold on Amazon. And if we aren’t utilizing every resource at our disposal, our book sales will pay for it.

So how do we make our books succeed on Amazon then? Most authors measure the success or failure of their books by their Amazon sales, but yet we utilize ulterior sources for gaining sales. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google… the list goes on. But Amazon has tools too. And they can’t be ignored any longer. And I’m about to make the case for why.

The Competitors

Google has been alone at the top of the advertising world since they beat out Yahoo a lifetime ago. Facebook was a fast riser and has stayed at the top for awhile now. Twitter is a newer player in the industry, but things can go viral on there. And fast. They say that video is the most powerful and relevant form of internet marketing, and many authors have employed YouTube to that end.

But there is a difference between using these otherwise effective marketing platforms than marketing on Amazon. Why? People on Twitter and Facebook are scrolling, not shopping. People on Youtube are consuming content, not making a purchase. Those on Google are looking for information, a website or an article. Their wallets might not be nearby.

On Amazon though, every person is shopping. They don’t have to be redirected from laughing at cat videos and catching up with their high-school friend Jim. They’re already hunting for the next great novel or the how-to book that will change their life. Amazon is a search engine just like Google or Bing, but users aren’t scrolling, they’re shopping. They don’t have to be interrupted. They want what you have, they just have to find it.

While all of these various platforms are excellent platform builders and need to be part of every author’s marketing portfolio, Amazon is where books are actually sold. And therefore advertising on there will produce the greatest return on investment nearly every time (if your goal is to sell books rather the gain fans).

Amazon’s Mission

Recent history tells us a little bit about Amazon’s mission. They started out as a bookseller, and now they’ve branched out into just about every major industry you can imagine. Clothes, groceries, online video… you name it. Amazon likes being the best at everything they do. And for a very long time, they’ve lagged behind Facebook and Google.

For that reason it should be no surprise that in the summer of 2018 Amazon announced that they would be revamping their advertising structure so that it would become a major part of what they do. What was once known as “Amazon Marketing Services” is now “Amazon Advertisements” and even over the last several months we’ve seen update after update that reveals Amazon is making big changes. What was once a great tool for selling books on Amazon has now become a complete necessity. And here’s why:

Also Bought’s

Most published authors are familiar with the “customers who bought this item also bought:” section on their Amazon book page. Here’s an example:

This is a major discovery tool for us. Once we achieve some sales, our book will start appearing on other book pages in this “also bought” section.

So what does this have to do with Amazon Advertisements? Because Amazon has played around with removing them altogether. What would they put in their place? More advertisements (you can already see the “sponsored products related to this item” below, but Amazon might just include two rows of these ads).

Just because Amazon has tested removing the also-boughts section on certain servers doesn’t mean they actually will. They’ve also tested moving the also-boughts to the bottom of the book page, just above the reviews (where there is currently another row of ads). That might not happen either. To be honest, we don’t really know what Amazon will do as they roll out more updates in 2019. What we can infer from these tests is that Amazon is determined to push their ads until their advertising platform is competing directly with Google and Facebook. And since Amazon is where books are sold, that is something to take note of.

I hope I’ve thoroughly convinced you of the importance of Amazon Advertisements. They’ve been a major part of what allowed me to go from first-time author with no platform and a small marketing budget to an International Best Seller. And Amazon doesn’t play favorites. That can happen for you too.

If you’re interest in my online course on Amazon ads, follow the link here. Be sure to use the code A3AMS for 50% off!

Be sure to come back next month, when we’re going to jump right in to the different types of ads, where they’ll appear, and which ones are right for you.

Vincent B. Davis II is an author, entrepreneur, speaker, and soldier. His first novel “The Man with Two Names” was published in July 2017, and has since become an Amazon International Best Seller. He is passionate about helping authors improve their brand and platform. He works with publishing companies and individual clients to help them sell more books in the modern publishing environment. Vincent created Warrior Book Marketing Group in 2018 and he and his team would love to help improve your digital sales. Email him at vincent@warriorbookmarketing.com with any questions.

Categories
The Intentional Writer

The Benefits of a Writing Ritual

The intentional writer

Writing rituals are something I come across whenever I look into advice for how to be a productive and consistent writer. I never paid them much mind. The basic concept made sense, but they didn’t seem like something I wanted to bother with. Routines and rituals are not what make me tick.

Then I began reading the book Atomic Habits by James Clear. The book explained the why behind rituals (specifically what he calls motivation rituals) and I realized they were more powerful than I had thought.

What is a motivation ritual?

Forming and keeping good habits can be hard. Motivation by itself is not enough to overcome our brain’s natural resistance to creating new habits. People who study habits have come up with various tricks to make it easier for us to succeed. When it comes to motivation rituals, the main concept at work is this:

You can make difficult habits more attractive by training your brain to associate them with a positive experience. A motivation ritual is a way to associate the habit you want to grow (such as clearing your brain to focus on writing) with something you enjoy (a cup of coffee in your special writer’s mug, perhaps). Over time, the ritual becomes your brain’s cue that will help you begin the habit.

In the book, the author describes how during his years as a baseball player, he developed a pregame stretching and warm-up ritual. He intentionally went through the sequence the same way every time. It prepared him physically, but at the same time it prepared him mentally. He goes on to say:

I began to associate my pregame ritual with feeling competitive and focused. Even if I wasn’t motivated beforehand, by the time I was done with my ritual, I was in “game mode.” James Clear in Atomic Habits

Aha! So that’s what a writing ritual is all about. When done correctly, it can help us clear our heads and get into “writer mode.”

How to design a writing ritual

I am not suggesting that you can invent a ritual and it will magically boost your writing focus. I am suggesting a well-designed ritual can help you form and keep a good writing habit. Here are some key points to keep in mind if you want to create a helpful writing ritual.

  • The ritual must associate something you enjoy (like a creative writing prompt) or a series of easy steps (like the baseball warm-up) with the habit of focused writing.
  • The ritual is not likely to work if that action is already associated in your brain with bad habits. (i.e. creative writing prompts = daydream for the next hour)
  • If your current writing space is full of cues that distract you, you may need to change up your environment in order to create a new ritual that will point you to new habits. This could mean choosing a new place in your home or office to do focused writing. Or it could mean creating a ritual where you put certain distracting items away to clear your physical and mental space for focused writing. (Sort of like Mr. Rogers changing his shoes.)
  • The ritual needs to be repeated consistently, and the specific cues in the ritual should be only for that particular habit. The idea is to train your brain to think something like: “when I put on those brown headphones, it’s time to concentrate.” Or “When I put on my favorite writing sweatshirt and sit in my desk chair, I am Lisa-the-writer, not Lisa-the housekeeper or Lisa-the-cat’s-servant or anything else.”
  • Try to adopt a attitude-based mindset instead of a goal-based mindset. The ritual is not about meeting your daily word count. The ritual is about becoming the sort of person who can sit down and focus on writing on both the good days and the bad days.

Ready to give a writing ritual a try?

I am continuing to ponder how I can tap into the power of a writing ritual. How about you? Do you have a writing ritual that helps you get in the zone?

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

Why Your Villain Demands Empathy

Hitler didn’t wake up one day and decide to become one of the most infamous murderers in history. He didn’t get dressed deciding to slaughter Jews. He didn’t eat breakfast one day as a soldier without education or career prospects and the next day become a dictator.

Like any historical enemy, Adolf Hitler experienced a journey in becoming the Hitler history remembers.

Recently a friend and I went to the theater. At the beginning of the movie I was subconsciously rooting for the hero. He’d been presented as the hero after all. We learned his backstory. We empathized.

But then the villain came onscreen. For two hours we watched a grown man devote his entire career to earning his mother’s love. Character-building, engaging stories of the hero interspersed these scenes and drove the plot.

By the time the hero and villain met at the climax my friend and I didn’t know who to root for. Both had strong, heart-wrenching backstories. Both were fighting for their families.

When We Write an Empathetic Villain, We Understand the Hero

Heroes are the crux of a story. They hold the plot together and tie the beginning to the end. The better the hero is written the more engaged the reader will be. As writers, it’s our goal to keep the reader turning pages. The better they understand the villain the hero is fighting, the better they will understand the hero and root for him.

If we want readers to engage at a heart level, we must write villains with hearts the reader can at least understand. With understanding comes further curiosity, and when readers are curious, they turn pages.

Empathetic Villains Put A Spotlight on The Hero

We’ve probably all heard of round versus flat characters. Round characters have a history. A future. A present we care about. When our hero is round, but our villain is flat it makes our hero look weak.

No one cares about a hero who’s fighting a shadow of a person. Readers want a hero who must use every fiber in them to come out victorious. Empathetic villains demand we write heroes worth the title.

Empathetic Villains Help Us Remember the Hero’s Sacrifice

The heroes I remember most are the ones who sacrificed most. The ones who risked everything because of the slim hope they could defeat their villain. When we understand the villain, we understand the cost it took for the hero to defeat him.

That’s a hero worth remembering. That’s a book worth reading again.

I walked away from the theater realizing that for a villain to lead the tension in a story he demands empathy on multiple levels. If readers are to truly engage with the hero, they must empathize with the villain he fights.

As a writer it’s my job to create lasting heroes.

If we can write empathetic villains, we can write truly heroic heroes.

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
Embrace the Wait

Learning to Embrace the Wait

You wrote your heart out.

Wait. No. Not poignant enough. Let’s try this: from the depths of your soul, words—like drops of blood, trickled onto a thousand hungry pages. Eh … that’s cheesy, wordy, and a little weird—not what I’m going for. Better stick with the original.

You wrote your heart out. You spent hundreds of hours polishing, correcting, improving, and editting. Wait. Editting? That doesn’t look right. Duh, there’s only one t in editing. Why in the world would I type it that way? Oh yeah, because the original rule maker of English grammar adored rule exceptions and undoubtedly harbored a secret disdain for teachers and writers.

You wrote your heart out. You spent hundreds of hours editing your work. You then crafted a separate saga, called a proposal, and cradled your baby inside. Why is there a need to wrap a novel inside a novel? Simple. The document is a weed-out device. In case you somehow survive the all-consuming process of birthing a literary masterpiece from the loins of your gut, the proposal is intended to finish you off with one swift kick to your fortitude. But you’re a fighter. So, you rise from the ashes of platform fluff, shake off the lunacy of comparison titles, and plaster your best pageant smile across your pale, screen-bathed, face.

As you take your final lap around the ring and parade-wave to the crowd of agents and editors who are shocked at your survival, your confident stature assures them that you haven’t been knocked loopy by the ninety-thousand-word manuscript you just crammed into a two-paragraph synopsis. Then, with one click you hurl the fruit of your labor into a virtual abyss of hope and shed a tear for the memory of its tender upbringing.

Now, good and faithful writer, after months—perhaps years of toil and type you may finally enter into a rest-filled season of bliss and enjoy the reward of your hard work. Yeah, right.

In a fantasy land there would be no pause between the click of a proposal submission and the dings of your inbox flooding with offers. But this is reality. Not only is there no guarantee any agent, editor or publisher will find interest in your work, there’s no assurance you’ll ever receive a response to indicate they’ve considered it. Nope. You’re now stuck in the scary limbo that separates two parts of the traditional publishing process. And you dangle there like a comma between two independent clauses—confused and unsure of your relevance.

That comma may seem a harsh divider of time, but what if there is more to it than meets the eye? What if we could slice open the jot and use a microscope to examine its insides? And what if we could find an entire chapter of revelation hidden within the confines of that drippy period? I believe we can … well, as far as the comma relates to the wait period between writing and traditional publishing is concerned.

Throughout scripture we see examples of God’s children experiencing ups and downs and the pauses in between. Some of the most powerful lessons Christians can learn are hidden within those waits. Imagine if there had been no pause between Joseph’s adolescent dreams and the fulfillment of the promises? What if Jonah hadn’t experienced his hiatus in the belly of the fish? What if Moses and the Israelites had been teleported to the Promised Land? What if the Messiah had appeared on the scene before Adam and Eve could stitch their fig leaves together? The implications of such omissions are so far and reaching there’s no way to fully fathom the impact. But at the very least, it would have reduced our magnificent, living text into a very dull read.

The waits we experience in life carry the same significance as those we see in scripture. God is at work in us molding us into the image of His son. And, as all writers know, it takes time, patience, and many strategic pauses to create a work of art.

Still, the balance between waiting on the Lord and running our race can be tricky, especially when we’re tempted to check email a hundred times a day for a response to a submission, or we’re bombarded with other writers’ success stories on social media, or rejection letters seem more plentiful than spam mail. During those times it helps to have some practical tips to redirect our steps and keep our focus steady. That’s what I hope to accomplish in this blog series. I can’t wait to share with you what God has been teaching me and hope you’ll share with me some things you’re learning along the way too. Together, we will embrace the wait … with grace and excellence—for His glory.

 

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

What Matters Most

If you’ve been reading my column for any amount of time, you know it’s no secret that I am a hopeless romantic and enjoy reading and writing romantic plots. This genre of writing (romance), whether in books or films, can be rather difficult for writers.

Because everyone has a different definition of romance, this makes it particularly difficult for me as a guy. Whilst most guys view themselves as romantic, we can often reveal our selfish shallow desires.

I share this because I often hear my guy friends talking about their dreams of love—I mean lust—at first sight. For the women reading this, it’s true most men view love and romance from a physical viewpoint. I certainly did while in college. However, in my 20s I read a book that broadened my view and understanding of love. Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages helped me to see other ways love is expressed:

  1. Words of affirmation
  2. Acts of service
  3. Quality time
  4. Gifts
  5. Physical touch

When I was younger, I only understood the expression of physical touch as love. Back then my favorite genre for a movie was action/adventure. But, as I grew up and started dating, I became more of a hopeless romantic.  Who can’t relate to wanting unconditional love and acceptance?

Perhaps that’s why a good romance movie connects with us deeply and longer than the quick fix thrill of an action movie. If a writer can pluck the emotional strings of the audiences’ heart, they can fulfill an essential need for life—love.

ROMANCE?

Webster’s defines romance as “a love story especially in the form of a novel, or a class of such literature.” Personally, I take the subject of love seriously. I don’t find it as something to make fun of or take lightly.

I’m not trying to romanticize the idea of being loved or giving love, I just believe that many of us overuse the term, applying it to movies that are not truly romances. In Story, Robert McKee shares, “By cleverly delaying the lovers’ meeting to climax, these films avoid the prickly issues of modern love by replacing the difficulty of love with the difficulty of meeting. These aren’t love stories but stories of longing, as talk about and desire for love fills the scenes, leaving genuine acts of love and their often troubling consequences to happen in an off-screen future.”

Again, we all have different beliefs about love; my faith shapes most of my thoughts on the subject. It also influences the type of movies I spend my money to view. Some of my favorite romances are below.

With all the junk Hollywood puts out about love, I believe these four movies actually hold a lot of truth. They each show that love may not be easy, but it’s always worth fighting for.

Fight for it!

Last year during the process of rewriting a screenplay, I wrote a scene where my protagonist asks for relationship advice from his mentor. His answer even made my heart skip a beat. “Sometimes you have to fight for love and sometimes love is a fight. Either way, it’s worth it.”

If it’s true that life imitates art, there is always a moment when you know you’re in love—the same thought applies to romantic movies, they have a moment when we see the love between two characters and our hearts melt.

As you write out your romantic stories, keep in mind how you define love and work that concept into the structure of your story. It can manifest in many different ways:

  1. Tender words.
  2. The ultimate sacrifice.
  3. A long pursuit or service.
  4. A well-chosen gift
  5. An intimate touch.

Think of your favorite movies and how they express romance or love. I believe the best romances are more than just funny friend hook up stories, no, they embody a noble cause—love—because that is what matters most.

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
My Writing Journey

God Said, “Write”

It is so very clever how God moves in us to get our attention to do something He wants us to do—or encourages us to take a step.

Several years ago I read a book that talked about honoring God by using the gifts He gave us—not to take our talents and dreams to our graves—that if we have a desire to write a book, pen a song, act, preach, teach, whatever, we should pursue it.

God grabbed my attention when I was talking about community activities with the owner of a newspaper.  Towards the end of our conversation our discussion moved to various columns in her newspaper.  I almost missed my (God-provided) clue or opportunity.  Pursing a column was not on my mind.  But God kept nudging me and I finally asked the owner if she would consider me submitting Christian based columns for the paper’s religion page.  She agreed and I wrote several years for her newspaper and another community newspaper.

God continued to confirm that not only was He reminding me that I can write, but writing is one thing He wants me to do.

When I questioned my right to write, I heard God through one of Rev. Charles Stanley’s In Touch Ministries radio programs.  That day Stanley preached that any Christian has the right, indeed the responsibility to talk about our relationship with Christ. No excuses, I concluded.  Yes, it’s important that I write to honor a talent God gave me and to spread His good Word.

Then God in his kindness used an amazing experience to further encourage me to write:  I was driving home from work and God placed in my mind the likeness of a black and white speckled composition notebook, which I had previously used for my writing for many years.

The confirmation came when I arrived home and on a pile of some papers and books, was one of those composition books.  I hadn’t seen this type notebook in my home in quite a while.  To see one laying there after God had placed the image in my mind only a few minutes earlier was amazing. My husband told me later he had unpacked some items and found the unused notebook.  Little did he know that placing that notebook in plain view was God-directed.

God still encourages me to write.  The opportunity to submit this article is one example.  I continue to write and to publish.  More on publishing next time.

Deborah Tompkins Johnson is the author of How Did They Do That? – Career Highlights, Triumphs, and Challenges.  She also penned and markets the poem, Don’t Forget Your Umbrella, which espouses a God-given message encouraging us to hear and listen to the Holy Spirit.  For six years Deborah wrote columns for two community newspapers in the suburbs of Washington, D. C.  Those columns were titled Listening to God and In Search of Good Books.

Visit her at shepherdsvoiceministries.org

Categories
Kids Lit

Write Like a Dinosaur to Succeed in Children’s Publishing

Kids Lit

Write Like a Dinosaur

While doing research for my latest children’s devotional book, “Dinosaur Devotions: 75 Dino Discoveries, Bible Truths, Fun Facts, and More!” (Tommy Nelson), I realized that children’s writers can learn a lot from our dinosaur friends, so here are a few of my “Dino Do’s” for my fellow children’s writers.

Do be like a Compsognathus (comp-sog-NAYTH-us)—This little dinosaur, about the size of a chicken, didn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Though he chased after and munched on small prey, he sometimes watched and waited and let the more powerful predators kill unsuspecting dinos, and then the Compsognathus would sneak in and snack on the dead animals. It’s not that this dino was lazy; it was just smart.

What does this mean to you?

  • Find a mentor text. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Learn from those who have already written an amazing book on the topic (in the genre) that you are desiring to write.
  • Be inspired by those who’ve gone before you. Don’t copy but imitate greatness.

Do be like a Corythosaurus (ko-RITH-o-SORE-us)—The Corythosaurus had exceptional eyesight and hearing.

And you’ll have to as well if you’re going to keep children entertained, engaged, and reading.

  • Listen to how children talk.
  • Watch how they move and interact with the world around them.
  • Make sure you use all of your senses when sharing your stories.

Do be an Amargasaurus (ah-MARG-uh-SORE-us)—The Amargasaurs lived in a dry, hot environment, and scientists believe it might have used its sails to cool off when it became overheated.

When you see books in the marketplace that don’t reflect your values and that makes you angry, cool off like the Amargasaurus and…write something just as cute that showcases your beliefs.

Do be like a Edmontonia (ED-mon-TONE-ee-ah)—This dinosaur was a bulky, armored, tank-like dinosaur. It was covered in bony plates, and along its sides were large spikes. You might say he was heavily armored and protected.

The Edmontonia had very thick skin. You’ll have to guard your heart and feelings if you are in this publishing world very long.

  • Rejection letters pave the road to publication.
  • Remember why you’re writing. Remember that if God called you, He will equip you. And, remember that a bad review isn’t always a bad thing. In fact, controversy often brings publicity which almost always increases sales.

 

Do be like a Utahraptor (Yoo-tah-RAP-tor)—Not much was known about the Utahraptor because so few bones of the large raptor had ever been found. But, that all changed in 2014 when the bones of six Utahraptors were found together on a mountain in the State of Utah. Finding so many Utahraptor skeletons together made experts believe these dinosaurs stayed together and probably hunted in packs.

Like the Utahraptors needed each other to survive and thrive, so do we.

  • Join a critique group—but not just any critique group. If you mostly write picture books, then join a critique group with other picture book writers because someone who specializes in YA probably won’t provide as much helpful feedback.
  • Network with anyone and everyone you encounter because you never know who might be a source for your next story or a future publishing contact.
  • Connect with other children’s writers on social media and exchange ideas. Share each other’s blogs. Promote each other’s work. Celebrate each other’s awards. Engage with your online communities and grow that platform together.

Do be like a Shantungosaurus (shan-TUNG-oh-SORE-us)—While it seemed physically impossible due to this dino’s size, the Shantungosaurus was able to stand on its back legs and actually run.

How does this apply to you? You’ll have to do what might seem like “the impossible” to get published in the children’s market, but you can do it!

  • Just don’t give up.
  • Create habits that breed success.
  • Hang out with people who are better than you.
  • Attend writers conferences.
  • Take online classes and keep learning the craft.

​So, be like a dinosaur and grow your writing career as big as a Patagotitan.

 

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
Bestsellers

BESTSELLING AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Jim Stovall

Can you share a little about your recent book? 

I have written over 40 books.  Eight of them have been turned into films.  At this stage, I bounce back and forth between fiction and nonfiction.  I have a new title just releasing which is the latest in my “Art of” series.  This one is entitled The Art of Influence.  It deals with the things that influence us and how we can influence the world.  It is the sixth book in the series.  Additionally, I have just finished a novel entitled Will to Win.  It is my third title in my Homecoming Historical Series.  Each novel/movie takes place in a modern-day high school, but the namesake of the school is involved in the story.  The first book One Season of Hope dealt with Harry Truman; the second featured Napoleon Hill; and the new story—Will to Win—is set in a modern-day Will Rogers High School and Will, himself, gets involved in the story.  It has already been optioned for a movie, so we are working on script elements at the same time we are finalizing the novel.

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

I write because I am in the message business.  Along with my speeches, my national radio show, my syndicated column, and the movies, books are my way of communicating with my readers around the world.

How long have you been writing?

As a blind person myself, I’m embarrassed to admit that when I could read with my eyes as most people do, I don’t know that I ever read a whole book cover to cover.  After losing my sight, I discovered high-speed digital audio books which allow me to read an entire book each day.  Becoming a reader 30 years ago prompted me to become a writer about 20 years ago.

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?

Thanks to two of my speaking colleagues with whom I was sharing the stage at a number of events—Dr. Robert Schuller and Dr. Denis Waitley—I was able to get a book contract before I even began writing my first title.  This has been the case with all my books since.

How long does it take you to write a book?

The fastest I ever wrote a book was my first novel, The Ultimate Gift.  I dictated the book in five days, and there were virtually no edits or rewrites.  Some of my financial or historical titles take considerable research and can involve working six months to a year.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

As a blind person, I dictate everything to my valued colleague Dorothy Thompson here in our office.  I write between my phone calls and meetings at my company.  Once I have finished a book, I may not write again for a number of months, so there’s not really a regular schedule involved.

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

As a person who writes books he can’t read that are often turned into movies he can’t see, the whole process is rather unique and quirkie.  I have been privileged to work with one of the most talented editors and grammarians in the field for over two decades.  While I am thinking, she edits and makes corrections.  When we get to the end of a chapter, she reads it back to me once, and generally speaking, we are done with it.  It’s not a process I would recommend to anyone else, but it works for me.

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

Among my greatest joys are hearing from many thousands of people around the world who have read my books or watched the movies based on them.  A book is an inert object until it goes out into the world where it can educate, entertain, and transform.

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

There are times when I write about very personal and traumatic things in my life.  This can cause me to have to re-live things I would rather forget.

Which of your books is your favorite?

All my books and movies are like my children in that it’s hard to pick a favorite.  The Ultimate Gift novel/movie certainly opened the door around the world for me to find a bigger audience and a greater message.

Who is your favorite author to read?

As I read an entire book each day, picking one favorite author is like picking my favorite food or song.  I go through phases in which I will read everything by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Louis L’Amour, or Ernest Hemingway, then shift to nonfiction and read Wayne Dyer, Napoleon Hill, or Denis Waitley.

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

Read more.  Learn more.  Write more.  And enjoy the experience every day.  At best, you will only spend a few moments on the mountaintop, and you will spend many years climbing.

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

I don’t know that I’ve really experienced rejection in the way many writers experience it.  There have been times in negotiating with publishers or movie studios that it wasn’t a good fit, but I only view this as if we were dating and were both looking for the right connection before making a commitment.

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

Red Stevens, the billionaire in The Ultimate Gift books, is one of my favorite characters.  The scene in the book and movie in which he tells his grandson goodbye is among my favorites.  It was brought to life on the big screen by James Garner who gave a powerful and enduring performance.

Where do you get your ideas?

Life brings me more ideas than I will ever be able to capture in a book.  I have files of concepts, character names, and scenarios that I would love to write about, but the file is growing bigger and not smaller, so some of them will never see the light of day.

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

Many aspiring writers make the mistake of comparing their first draft to other people’s published work.  In a recent edition of Hemingway’s Moveable Feast, the publisher did a huge favor to future generations of writers by printing some of Hemingway’s first drafts of that title.  Coming to understand that the greatest writers who have ever lived struggled like the rest of us do is a valuable lesson.

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

Writers must remember that it’s a numbers game.  As a blind person myself, and a huge baseball fan, I’m convinced I could get a hit off of the best pitcher in the Major Leagues if you will let me alter only one rule of baseball.  If I can have as many strikes as I want, I will inevitably get a hit.  Agents, publishers, and the entire literary industry are based upon finding and presenting great written work to the marketplace.  They are looking for writers as much as writers are looking for them.  Just keep swinging, and you will eventually hit a homerun.

                              

Bio

Jim Stovall has been a national champion Olympic weightlifter, the President of the Emmy Award-winning Narrative Television Network, and a highly sought after author and platform speaker. He is the author of the best selling book, The Ultimate Gift, which is now a major motion picture starring James Garner and Abigail Breslin. For his work in making television accessible to our nation’s 13 million blind and visually impaired people, The President’s Committee on Equal Opportunity selected Jim Stovall as the Entrepreneur of the Year.  He was also chosen as the International Humanitarian of the Year, joining Jimmy Carter, Nancy Reagan, and Mother Teresa as recipients of this honor.

Website: www.jimstovall.com

His books are available wherever books are sold.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I discovered that Jim Stovall and I are both graduates of Oral Roberts University. He graduated in ’81, I in ’76.

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for January, 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.”

Author Community: Real Stuff Manuscript Bundle with Tom Blubaugh, Gina Burgess, and Jann Martin

In this episode, Author Community partners, Tom, Gina, and Jan share how their community of writers encourage one another in the journey of writing, building platform, and more. They share their marketing and publishing expertise, as well as discuss the Real Stuff Manuscript Bundle.

Watch the January 15th replay

 

If you want more tips and resources from Author Community and their manuscript bundle, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Bios:

Tom Blubaugh has been writing since the age of fourteen. Most of his writing has been nonfiction as well as denominational and business articles. In 2011 Tom’s first novel, Night of the Cossack, was published. Tom has been a public speaker for over forty years and is currently a Literary Strategist working one-on-one with authors and writers in all aspects of the publishing arena, social media, brand building, and book marketing.

Gina Burgess is a freelance editor in the Christian market. Her extensive experience in editing newspapers, blog posts, fiction, and short stories has given her the expertise needed to help writers, as a coach and an editor, to accomplish their goals. She was the Lifestyles Editor at her hometown newspaper, as well as editor for several other publications. Gina is the author of several books, hundreds of articles, and writes a weekly column for LiveAsIf.org (since 2006).
Jann W. Martin is an author, proofreader, teacher, speaker and blogger. Her dream is to captivate the hearts of children, by writing stories that teach them the Bible through the eyes of a child. The first book Jann published was, This Babe So Small, a nativity story that has sold over 2,000 copies. Her next publication was, Bible Characters Through the Ages, a five book series;  Book One: Adam in the Garden, Book Tow: Meeting Eve, Book Three: Watching David and Goliath, Book Four: The Amazing Esther, Book Five: Isaac and His Family, and Book Six: Jacob’s Journey.

How to Make Money as a Freelancer with Michelle Medlock Adams

This episode is jam packed with tips and how-to’s on freelance writing. Michelle not only brings energy to this episode, but also wonderful ideas for making money while learning and building credibility. She calls it “earn while you learn”.

Watch the January 22nd replay

 

If you want more tips and resources on Freelance Writing, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Bio:

Michelle Medlock Adams is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, earning top honors from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Hoosier State Press Association. Author of over 80 books with close to 4 million books sold, her works have received the AWSA’s Golden Scroll for Best Children’s Book and four Selah Awards.

 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
A3 Contributor Book Release

War’s Respite and Love’s Kindling by Elaine Cooper

New from A3 Columnist Elaine Cooper. It’s exciting to have one book release, but Elaine has two! War’s Respite and Love’s Kindling.  Both books recently released from Amazon in Kindle format. Elaine writes Writer Encouragement, a popular engaging column to give readers who are writers a pick-me-up.

War’s Respite Back Cover Blurb

In 1763, the war with the French came to a close. While most Connecticut colonists breathed in relief, others are faced with unexpected conflicts as battles of a different nature ensue at home.

Veteran Abijah Whitney regrets leaving his pregnant wife behind when he was called away to war. The news of her death during childbirth as well as the ugly brutalities of war have left their mark. His only comfort is the knowledge that his daughter survived. But his plans for her upon his return will cause an uproar in many lives, including the aunt who raised her.

Primrose Allan’s sole consolation after the death of her sister in childbirth is the baby girl who lived. The aunt raises the girl as her own, fearing that one day the girl’s father might return for her. But Primrose never imagined the nightmare that would ensue.

Dr. Isaac Northrup is a friend caught in the middle of the turmoil. Always desiring to bring healing, he feels helpless in the events that cause pain and heartache to others, as well as himself.

Jonas Wooding, the town’s blacksmith, is caught in the strife, made all the worse by a serious epidemic. Bound by constrictions of local law and forced to face his own grief, Jonas’s trust in God is stretched beyond endurance.

When all seems lost, will faith endure?

 

Bio

Elaine Marie Cooper has two upcoming releases on January 18, 2019: War’s Respite (Prequel novella) and Love’s Kindling. 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
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

The Right Stuff

Recently, I went to my local gym for a run. After I finished, a friend and another member approached me and shared how they couldn’t use the treadmill beside me. They said they were afraid I would fall because I was running too fast.

I replied that I use the treadmills to do cardio and not to walk, talk and watch TV. Shocked, my friend explained she wanted to do cardio too. The problem is she didn’t want to use the equipment the right way to do the job.

We see this everywhere in society these days. People want results, but they want to do it the easy way. Or they just don’t know how to use the right tool or know the correct equipment for the job.

Before pursuing a writing career, I worked in the manufacturing and production industries, being disabled I tend to pay more attention to safety. One of the first things I learned when I started in these fields, is to always use the right tool for the job.

The manufacturing and textile industries have been around for decades and most jobs utilize specific tools made for specific functions. These tools ensure safe work with maximum results. This train of thought has become a way of life for me. You never get maximum results by giving minimum effort.

Once you know your goal, get the right tools for the job and give it your best shot. The difference between a professional writer and novice is the professional carves out the time to write and knows how to use the right tools for the job. According to PC Magazine*, the best laptops for college students are below.

  1. Dell XPS13
  2. Asus VivoBook S15
  3. HP Chromebook x2
  4. Lenovo Legion Y530
  5. Lenovo Yoga 730
  6. Apple MacBook Air (2018)

The Tools?

Fortunately for those of us who are still trying to achieve a full-time professor writing career, we live in an age where we have countless resources, devices, and conferences to help us with our writing journeys.

While working on this post I decided to take another path for my writing career. After spending two years seeking Christian representation for my screenwriting, I realized that if my target audience is outside the church, I need to work with someone who can help me make the right connections on the path I believe I need to be on. Regardless of the path I take, there are resources to help me find the appropriate agent for the market I’m writing for.  The two staples in market guides are listed below.

Over the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to work with other writers and editors who have shared with me some of the writing software they use. Here are some of the best for 2019.

If you’ve ever tried to write anything before, you’re aware of just how stressful it can be. You don’t have to be disabled like me to understand the bad side effects of stress on the body: headaches, chest pain, fatigue, upset stomachs, and insomnia are just a few.

For me, you can add an increased risk of seizures, aneurysms or strokes; which is why it’s great to live in the 21st century with increased communication and advanced technology. All of which support writers in getting the job done right.

Support?

The idea of being a nomad writer is a myth. All writers need connections and networks. This is one of the most important tools for a successful writer is attending writing conferences.

It is that there where we can get up-to-date and hands-on training from professionals who know what it takes to get the job done right. Also, it’s a great way to get advanced training in writing programs, and most importantly networking with key connections in the industry. The general rule I’ve heard is to attend at least one conference per year. There are two that I am interested in attending this year.

  1. Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference (May 19-23 2019)
  2. Writers’ Digest Annual Conference (August 23-25 2019)

I once heard someone say, “The only difference between an athlete and a spectator is that the athlete decided to stop watching and get into the game.” Attending writer’ conferences is the best way to get into the game with the right stuff.

*Brant, T. &  Burek, J. ( 2018, December 7) the Best Laptops for College Students in 2019, P.C. magazine 

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic 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
Songwriting

The Business Side of Songwriting: Protecting Your Work

From prosody to melodic prose, I have shared a lot about the craft of songwriting over the year. Today I will be discussing the business side of it. Songs and song ideas get stolen all the time. This was especially true before the digital age. Today’s technology allows writers to protect themselves a little better. However, every artist still needs to take every precaution and protect their work. There are two ways to do this, but only one is mandatory if you don’t think your song will receive airplay.

Your first step is to finalize your song arrangements—this includes the lyrics and music, and recording it in some fashion, preferably digitally, using recording software (we will talk more on this next month.) Then, you want to copyright your song to protect it. Copyrighting is simple, but it can be costly if you don’t do it wisely. It can also be time consuming. If you plan on creating an album of music, it is best if you record all of your material first, then apply for copyright with just one fee to copyright the entire album. Otherwise, you will be paying a fee to copyright each individual song. Even if your material is a “work for hire,” you need to copyright it.

Life is a little different than it used to be, musically speaking. The standard was to put out a demo (3 to 5 songs) or an E.P. (extended play, 5 to 7 songs), or a full-length album (10 to 14 songs). Digital technology has drastically changed the rules in the last decade, where albums are rarely sold in comparison to individual songs. Formats like iTunes and Amazon have made it possible to buy single songs versus entire albums. And artists are releasing albums with a variety of song numbers, with famous artists such as David Crowder and Taylor Swift dropping standard albums just shy of 20 songs each. This would be considered a double album back-in-the-day and would cost consumers twice as much. But the over-abundance of music available on the internet has devalued albums and art, making costs much more affordable with less financial benefit to the artist. However, the payoff is more exposure for smaller artists. Because of this, many artists have given their music away in hopes to sell more concert tickets and reach a bigger fan base.

Once you have your album ready (it doesn’t have to be in its final mastering glory), you can apply for the copyright at www.copyright.gov. The site can be a bit overwhelming. Don’t let it overwhelm you. For audio songs, simply go to the tab for Law and Guidance, scroll down and select Forms. Under Basic Forms, you will select Form SR, for Sound Recording. For detailed information on how to fill out the form, you can get guidance from the site or search various Youtube videos. If you only want to copyright the lyrics before adding music, you can use Form TX. However, this may cause you a headache when re-copyrighting with the musicians or song owners. You will have to work out copyright percentages, etc. as well.

Once you have quality recordings of your songs and you have applied for the copyright, your next step is to apply for a performing rights organization membership, if you think it will receive any type of airplay. There are two main organizations: BMI and ASCAP. Before the days of internet radio and humongous loopholes in the law, radio stations, television, film, restaurants, and any other public venue had to pay rights to a performance rights organization to play music in the background or receive heavy fines. These performance rights organizations collected data on songs being played and paid their artists based on song plays. Then, they would mail out quarterly checks from those royalties. Today, internet radio stations began mimicking that concept, without the use of the P.R.O., but paying artists way less. A thousand plays on stations like Spotify and Pandora can leave an artist with just a few dollars. But those stations give great exposure to new artists which can lead to individual or album song sales. I am a registered BMI artist, but only a tiny percentage of my songs are registered with BMI. Again, it’s a waste of time if your song isn’t getting viable airplay. The songs I registered are those that received attention on radio or are played in television shows or movies.

If your songs are quality recorded and you have them copyrighted and you have registered them with a P.R.O., your next step is distribution, which I will talk about in my next article. Got a question about songwriting? Please write me at matthewhawkeldridge@yahoo.com.

Matthew Hawk Eldridge is a sleepless, coffee addicted, Renaissance man currently working in the film industry while attending grad school for creative writing. His latest novel, The Pan: Experiencing Neverland, can be found on Amazon. His album, Overcome, releases June 1st.

Categories
Copywrite/Advertising

The End

The end — the two magical words every struggling reader wants to find and every author wants to write. Knowing when to type those words and nothing else is critical to authorial success.

It’s just as true for copywriters as for fantasy novelists. In fact, an article on Re:Worded says,

“Half of copywriting is knowing when to stop writing.”

So when – and how – do you stop writing?

  • Before you think you’re done. Have you ever started a new TV show or series of novels, got wrapped up in the plot and characters, and then watched in disappointment as quality fell off? In TV, it’s called “jumping the shark” — that point at which the show turns to gimmicks instead of a story to keep you intrigued. The creators of the hit series Breaking Bad avoided this problem by setting an end date for the story at the beginning of their work. When writing advertising or marketing copy, you could try writing your ending first, too.
  • When you hit your word count. Long-form articles rank better on Google than short-form articles do. Google loves an article that hits 1,000 words because the bots get more clues for what the article is about. Write longer articles, and your clients should love seeing their SEO rank rise, which is good for you. The downside? Long articles easily confuse or bore the reader. Make sure your content is valuable and easy to scan.
  • After asking a powerful question. Most people don’t want to read your opinion or listen to your knowledge, anyway. They just want to share their own. So end your blog post, article, or social media piece with a powerful question. Readers can voice their thoughts in the comments, doing some of your work for you!
  • Upon introducing a new topic. If you are pumping out content once or twice a week for a company, you could easily create 100 articles a year and soon run out of topics. When you realize you’re introducing a concept that could be its own piece, make a note of it for a future article and stick to your original subject. You’ll wish you had. Trust me.

Talking about quitting is counterintuitive, isn’t it? We live in a culture that bombards us with the message: “Never quit. Never give up. Never abandon the ship.” But quitting isn’t always a bad idea. If you smoke, quit. If you’re doing something you deplore for no reason, quit. When you’re done with a project, quit.

“One of the mistakes writers make,” says world-renowned journalist Malcolm Gladwell, “is that they spend a lot of time thinking about how to start the story and not a lot of time thinking about how to end it.”

Gladwell’s insight applies to more than journalistic pieces. It’s true for copywriting. It’s true, perhaps, for life.

The part of my story that involves writing a regular column for Almost An Author ends with this article. For the past two years, I’ve written on humor, drip campaigns, storytelling, laryngitis, copywriting history, and the freelance life. You’ve laughed at my jealousy-induced rant about Carlton Hughes and my story about my grandfather riding a horse down the theater aisle during a movie.

You were also gracious enough to congratulate me when I wrote about getting fired as an agency copywriter and launching my own business. In fact, your encouragement is part of why I have found success as a full-time freelance writer and editor.

Thank you.

For me, the fun has been in watching this site grow, change, and mature and in getting to play a part in its development. Winning that designation as a Top 101 Writing Site from Writers Digest was the cherry on top.

So before my column jumps the shark, I’ll leave this space for someone else to help A3 keep getting better. In the meantime, I’m launching a podcast in the spring, juggling several new clients, and tackling an intriguing project that I landed (where else?) through a fellow A3 columnist.

I’ll definitely keep an eye on the amazing articles over here, and I’ll put them on Twitter when I can. You can connect with me on LinkedIn if you want to talk about writing, reading, or weird ideas. Now get off A3 and go write.

THE END

PS: When and how do you plan to end your story? What’s the best ending you’ve ever read?

Holland Webb is a full-time freelance copywriter and digital marketing strategist living near Greenville, SC. His clients are leaders in the online retail, higher education, and faith-based sectors. Holland has written for brands such as U.S. News & World Report, iLendX, Radisson, Country Inn & Suites, MediaFusion, Modkat, Great Bay Home, IMPACT Water, and BioNetwork. He is a featured writer on Compose.ly, and his monthly copywriting column appears on Almost An Author. You can reach him at www.hollandwebb.com or at hollandlylewebb@gmail.com.

Categories
Novelists Unwind

Novelists Unwind Interviews Mary Connealy and Lisa Harris

Novelists Unwind Guests

Mary Connealy wrote twenty books in ten years–before a single one was published. But her tenacity paid off! The award-winning author now has almost sixty books for her many fans to get lost in. Mary is a Carol Award Winner, and a Rita, Christy, and IRCC Award Finalist. The first book in her High Sierra Sweethearts Series, The Accidental Guardian, is a Romantic Times Top Pick.

Lisa Harris has lived throughout the United States, but her home for the past thirteen years has been in South Africa. For the past nine years, she and her family have lived in Mozambique where they are involved in church planting and humanitarian efforts. In our interview, Lisa shares how the “perfect baby” led to her writing career and what it’s like to research U.S. settings while living on the other side of the world.

The next Novelists Unwind Giveaway will be announced on Saturday, February 2, 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
Uncategorized

If You Give a Writer a Deadline

If you give a writer a deadline, he is going to open a document to start typing.

Once he opens the document, he will remember he needs to check social media to make sure he hasn’t missed something important.

While on social media, the writer will find a British comedy clip. He will watch the video, laugh, and then wonder who that actor was in the background. He will do a search and go through several websites to find out the actor starred in a movie the writer had seen as a teenager.

Thinking about his teen years, he will wonder about one of his former classmates. The writer will go back to social media to look up his old friend.

The writer will see an ad for food and realize he is hungry. He will leave the keyboard to go to the kitchen for a snack. While preparing his snack, he will see his lunch bag and remember he needs to pack his lunch for his day job the next day. He will look around the kitchen for something to include.

While he is looking for something for lunch, the writer will notice he is running out of different foods. He will grab paper and pen and make a store list. He will forget about packing lunch and grab his snack.

Since he doesn’t want to get food on his keyboard, the writer will turn on the television to watch a quick episode of a classic sitcom. When the show goes off, the writer will wonder how many years the show lasted and will get on the internet. While typing in the search engine, he will remember his deadline.

The writer will go back to his document and begin typing again. He will write a few paragraphs and decide he hates what he has written. He will wonder what the weather is going to be like the next day, so he will check his weather app and then plan his clothes for the next day.

Back at the keyboard, the writer will open another document and start over after saving the horrible piece, because he never knows when he will want to go back to it to improve it.

He will get inspired with the new document and write words, words, and more words. He will take a break to check his email. He will open an email from his editor, reminding him of his deadline. The writer will go back to his document and write more words, words, and words.

If you give a writer a deadline, he will finish. Eventually.

Carlton Hughes wears many hats. By day, he’s a professor of communication at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he does object lessons and songs with motions as Children’s Pastor of Lynch Church of God. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including Chicken Soup for the Soul and several devotional books from Worthy Publishing—Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. Carlton and his wife Kathy have two college-age sons, Noah and Ethan, whom he loved reading to when they were younger. He is on the planning committee for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference and is a year-round volunteer for Operation Christmas child. Carlton is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency.

Categories
Book Proposals

Book Proposals for Different Genres

“What’s the difference between a fiction book proposal and non-fiction?”

“Do I need the illustrations when I submit my children’s book proposal?”

Join Cherrilynn Bisbano and Caleb Walton for an informative chat. As they answer these and other proposal questions.

 

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 hosts Genre Chat where she’s privileged to interview expert writers like Jerry B. Jenkins, Cecil Murphy, Michelle Adams and Steven James.

She earned her associate’s degree in communications and continues to study business management.

She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. She’s published in many online magazines and blogs. Cherrilynn contributed to Chicken Soup for the Soul- Miracles, Breaking the Chains, and Heart Reno books.

Cherrilynn proudly served in the military for twenty years, earning the John Levitow Military leadership award.

HOLLAND WEBB

Holland Webb is a full-time freelance copywriter and digital marketing strategist living near Greenville, SC.

His clients are leaders in the online retail, higher education, and faith-based sectors. Holland has written for brands such as U.S. News & World Report, iLendX, Radisson, Country Inn & Suites, MediaFusion, Modkat, Great Bay Home, IMPACT Water, and BioNetwork.

He is a featured writer on Compose.ly, and his copywriting column appears on Almost An Author.

You can reach him at www.hollandwebb.com

CRISTEL PHELPS

Cristel is “Saving the world from bad writing, one project at a time, all while drinking copious amounts of coffee.”

Cristel is part of the Serious Writer team, lending her editing expertise to writers at conferences and online. Mentoring and coaching authors through the editing and proposal process is what makes her shine. She is also a member of The Christian Pen and owner of The Editing House, where she edits manuscripts and other projects for the Christian industry.

Managing editor for Decapolis Publishing in Lansing, Michigan for 7 years.

Editing reviewer for CBA for 5 years.

Editing for Elk Lake Publishing for 4 years.

Deep POV edit is her specialty.

 

 

Categories
Blogging Basics

How To Polish Your Blog With A Little Help

When meeting first time bloggers, I am often asked about hosting, web pages, and behind the scenes technical issues. Focusing on the technical side of blogging often overwhelms first time bloggers stifling creativity where it is needed most; in writing the blog itself. To conquer this problem, I suggest a homework assignment. Write three to six blogs in Word.

Two reasons I suggest this assignment. One, it helps with concept and organization. If I write six blogs, what will I write? What concepts do I want to share? Do I have enough content to maintain a weekly or a monthly blog? Two, having six created blogs ready to go, helps you then focus on the technical and marketing side of blogging when you are ready to go live. I offer to read their first two blogs checking for content, flow, and overall readability.

Last year I discovered an amazing resource to help with the heart of your blog: the actual writing and editing of blogging. I edited my second book using ProWritingAid. The following are my favorite features of this writing software program.

The Summary Report

My blog writing process starts with free writing. Without self-editing, I let my words flow on the page, mistakes and all. Without words on the page, you have nothing to edit. Then I self-edit without opening an editing software program. Once I am satisfied with flow and content, then I open ProWritingAid in Word.

Without words on the page, you have nothing to edit.

My Blog Writing Process

  1. Free Write
  2. Self-Edit
  3. Edit Using ProWritingAid

The Summary Report

This report offers an overall score for grammar, spelling, and style. I open this report first to get a sense of how much I need to edit the document. The goal is to have each category report a 100% score. If any score is lower than 100%, I select the individual report for review.

Grammar

Grammar suggestions appear in the right-hand column of your Word Document. Select the down arrow to read offered suggestions.

Examples:

  1. Sentence: A score of 100 for overall score. The report suggests: A score of 100 for an overall score. Action: Add an to the sentence.
  2. Sentence: An illness or disease like cancer. The report notes: Possible missing determiner. Change to: An illness or a disease like cancer. Action: Add a to the sentence.
  3. En-dashes: _ to –  . The report advises: En-dashes should never have a space on either side. Action: By selecting the suggested change, it automatically makes the update in Word.

Example #1:

Note: I also use Grammarly to check grammar as it also offers suggestions.  See free version at the end of the blog.

Spelling

The spelling check is found in the Grammar report and is straight forward. In this blog, I used the words Free Write. The spelling feature of ProWritingAid suggested I change my words to Fred Waite instead. In this case, I would select the green eye icon to override and hide this suggestion.

Style

This report checks for use of passive and hidden verbs. The report highlights areas for review and correction. Here is an example of a passive verb and a hidden verb discovered in the initial writing of this blog.

Passive Verb Example: Many people are overwhelmed

The report suggests: it overwhelms many people.

My corrected sentence: The technical side of blogging often overwhelms first time bloggers.

Hidden Verb Example: in the writing of the blog

The report suggests: No suggestions

My corrected sentence: in writing the blog itself.

Repeated Sentence Starts:

Another great feature of the style report is catching repeated sentence starts.

Example: I jumped in the pool. I shivered because the water chilled me to the core. I had to get out fast.

Change to: After diving into the pool, I shivered as the water chilled me to the core. In less than a minute, I swam to the side and leaped out.

Note: You can still obtain a 100% score by keeping two of your personal style preferences in the document. In editing my devotional, the program made a recommendation to correct a bible verse. I left the bible quotation “as is” leaving the integrity of the words in place and still received a score of 100 in the Style Report.

Readability

The readability report uses the Flesch Reading Ease, The Coleman -Liau Formula and The Automated Readability Index to return an overall score for this report. If your document is easy to read this report congratulates you. Otherwise, it highlights sentences you may want to re-write for easy reading for your audience.

In my initial writing of this blog, I wrote these two sentences:

Sample Sentences: This report offers a unique feature giving Estimated Reading Time. Great resource to offer your readers with limited time to read your blog.

But, the report flagged these sentences for readability by highlighting them in yellow as seen above. To change the sentence for a wider audience of readers, I made this adjustment:

Corrected Sentences: The readability report has a feature called, Estimated Reading Time. Using this resource will let your readers know how long it will take to read your blog.

Sticky

Another report to check for wordiness is the Sticky Report. The software checks your document for “Glue Words.” ProWritingAid shares “Glue words are the empty space that readers need to get through before they can get to your ideas. Generally, your sentences should contain less than 45% glue words. If they contain more, they should probably be re-written to increase clarity.”

They offer the following example:

  • ORIGINAL: Dave walked over into the back yard of the school in order to see if there was a new bicycle that he could use in his class. Glue index: 60.7% – Sentence length 27 words
  • REDRAFT: Dave checked the school’s back yard for a new bicycle to use in Glue index: 42.8% – Sentence length 14 words

Examples of Glue Words include in, on, the, was, for, that, will, and just.

All Repeats

This is my all-time favorite report of ProWritingAid. I attend a local critique group once a month where fellow writers read up to 1500 words of a work in progress. This group has helped me to grow as a writer over the years. They have helped me to avoid glue words and to catch duplicate words in my writing among other things. I recommend joining Word Weavers, not only for the critiques offered but the comradery.

Word Weavers Link: https://word-weavers.com

I use ProWritingAid to catch duplicate words before presenting my work to the critique group. This helps polish my document so my fellow writers can focus on the content presented.

This rainbow-colored report takes some getting used to at first, but it helps to identify changes to make your work shine. The following paragraph is from my October 2018 blog:

I remember the first time I saw a little person. I was about 8 years old. My mom brought me to the grocery store, and as we were leaving, I saw an adult dwarf. He had the short stature of child, but the facial features clearly showed he was an adult. Little did I know then, I would one day become the mother of a little person.

Each color highlights repeat words to review. Notice “an adult” is shown in orange because it appears twice in this paragraph. See the suggested change below.

The report suggests “a man” as an alternative. I could change the third sentence to read “a male dwarf” or “a middle-aged man who had dwarfism.”

You can also check for synonyms in the Thesaurus also included in the software.

In my opinion, this report alone is well worth the cost of ProWritingAid. If you feel this software would benefit your writing, see below.

Writing Software Costs:

In this blog, I’ve suggested ProWritingAid as a writing software option. Below are a few other programs for comparison.

Grammarly

Free Program: Critical grammar and spelling checks.

Premium: $139.95 a year, $59.95 quarterly or $29.95 a month. (Includes checks for punctuation, grammar, context, and sentence structure, and more.)

Purchase here:

Hemingway Editor

Addresses lengthy/structurally complex sentences, meandering sentences, hard to read sentences, weak sentences, and passive voice.

Online version: Free

Hemingway Editor 3 – One-time payment: $19.99. (Publish directly to WordPress or Medium with one-click.)

Purchase here:

ProWritingAid

Offers a free trial.

Cost: 1 year for $60, 2 years $90, 3 years $120 and Lifetime $210.

Purchase here:(This is an affiliate link: As a ProWritingAid affiliate, at no additional cost to you, I earn compensation if you click through and make a purchase using this link.)

What editing software program do you use? Comment below and share your favorite feature.

Evelyn Mann is a mother of a miracle and her story has been featured on WFLA Channel 8, Fox35 Orlando, Inspirational Radio and the Catholic News Agency. A special interview with her son on the Facebook Page, Special Books by Special Kids, has received 1.4M views. Along with giving Samuel lots of hugs and kisses, Evelyn enjoys hot tea, sushi and writing. Visit her at miraclemann.com.

Categories
Romancing Your Story

Conflict in Romance

Someone told me once there wasn’t conflict in romance novels. Boy meets girl. Boy gets girl. End of story.

I don’t think they had read a romance since conflict is a primary element in all fiction.

It is what keeps readers turning the pages and can sometimes be confused with plot.

Leslie J. Wainger says In Writing A Romance Novel for Dummies, “A strong romance plot put the hero and heroine together early on and, no matter how much difficulty they may be having connecting emotionally, the plot physically separates them as infrequently as possible. Close proximity allows the character an opportunity to externalize their internal, emotional conflicts.” She goes on to say, “Just as your plot offers the context for the romance to play out, the romance and the conflict that complicates it should drive the plot forward, creating an inseparable whole.”

Both external and internal conflicts are important in romances. External happens in the world around your character. Internal happens within the character’s thoughts and emotions. Romance novels, by their nature, are emotional stories and rely heavier on internal conflicts than other types of fiction.  However romantic suspense may rely heavier on external conflict than a sweet romance.

William Noble says in his book Conflict, Action & Suspense “Conflict means drama.” He goes on the say “There are different types of conflict…it can be subtle as well as overt, or threatening as well as comedic.  For a good story to emerge, we must know who or what is pitted against whom or what, and we must understand the consequences.”

What makes a good conflict? Unfortunately, there isn’t one answer. Everything depends on the type of story you are writing and the emotional makeup of your characters.

One piece of advice I’ve heard many times is if your conflict can be resolved by a conversation, you don’t have a strong enough conflict to build a story around. I think that statement is true to      a point. Your characters may have deep internal conflicts that prevent them from engaging in that conversation. On the flip side, if you throw every possible complication and conflict you can think of into your story, you risk losing or confusing your reader.

A writer must master the elements of conflict to write a compelling story. It is important to be intentional in defining both the internal and external conflicts.

There are a number of books written about conflict and crafting novels besides the ones I have referenced above.

Here are a few titles from my writing resource shelf:

Goal, Motivation & Conflict by Debra Dixon
Elements of Fiction Writing – Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell
The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass

What are your favorite writing resources?

Award winning writer, M. Rose Gardner has written for many years. Her journey toward publication has come in two phases. Her first phase was focused on long contemporary category romance. During the early years, she was a finalist in thirteen contests and won her category in seven, was a 2007 RWA Golden Heart finalist in the Long Contemporary Category, and 2nd runner up in the 2008 Harlequin Super Romance Conflict of Interest Contest. She took a break from writing to become a grandma to beautiful granddaughters and say good-bye to her son, who lost his twenty-year battle with cancer, and her husband after a long battle with dementia. After a period of healing, she returned to writing with a renewed focus on clean, contemporary heartwarming stories about love, hope, healing and the power of forgiveness. She is extremely proud to have won 1st place in the Blue Seal Award for General/ Contemporary/ Romance Novels at OHCWC 2017; 3rd place in the Blue Seal Award for Romance Novels at OHCWC 2018 and became a finalist in the 2018 ACFW VA Crown Award.
Find out more about her at www.mrosegardner.com
Facebook at https://facebook.com/MRoseGardner/
Twitter https://twitter.com/MaryGardner6
Instagram https://instagram.com/mrosegardner/
LinedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/m-rose-gardner-600b1740/

Categories
The Picky Pen

Punctuation Series: Four Ways to Edit Commas

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 a times. As a writer and an editor, I completely understand your frustration with grammar altogether. You’d rather write, right? Right! So for 2019, I’d like to 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.

Four Ways to Edit Commas

 1.  Commas used with adjectives.

If you can place the word “and” between two adjectives before a noun without changing the meaning, then you need a comma separating the adjectives.

Here is an example:

His narrow chiseled jaw showed off his handsome physique.

His narrow [and] chiseled jaw showed off his handsome physique.

His narrow, chiseled jaw showed off his handsome physique.

The two adjectives here act as separate modifiers for the noun “jaw,” and that’s why there is a comma between them.

However, if two adjectives before the noun are considered a unit, then do not use a comma.

Here is an example.

The author had written many famous award-winning articles.

Famous describes award-winning, and award-winning describes articles. Therefore, no comma is needed because the words work together and make sense.

2.  Commas with adverbs.

Generally, adverbs like however, therefore, and indeed are set off by commas.

Examples:

She wanted to join the group, however, she had to work instead.

He asked his boss if he could take the week off, therefore, he was able to finish writing.

But if the adverb is important to the meaning of the clause, or if no pause is needed in the reading, then no comma is needed.

Examples:

The cattle indeed ran through the pasture as a group.

I’ll wait for you however long it takes for you to make a decision.

Even if you’ve written a letter, you are therefore a writer.

3.  Commas with cities and states.

This is an often-confusing issue. When do you use commas and when don’t you?

Always use a comma between the city and state, even if the state is spelled out or used as abbreviation.

Examples:

Grand Rapids, Michigan, is one of several Christian publishing hubs.

Will you visit any museums in New Orleans, L.A., this year?

If the state precedes a zip code, do not use a comma.

Example:

Send your book proposal to Your Agent, 123 Proposal Rd., Manuscript, TN 12345.

4.  Commas with compound predicates, dependent clauses, and independent clauses.

Compound Predicates. Do not use commas when you have two verbs that belong to the same subject.

For example,

The writers drove to the writer’s conference and attended every session.

Dependent Clauses. A dependent clause that is considered restrictive cannot be left out of the sentence without changing the meaning of the sentence, therefore, use a comma when the dependent clause comes before the main clause.

For example,

When you send the manuscript to the publisher, tell them we can edit if necessary.

A dependent clause that is considered nonrestrictive, and which provides information that supplements the sentence not necessary to the entire sentence does need a comma.

For example,

I’d like to spend the afternoon in the bookstore, if you don’t mind.

Essentially, if you can leave out the dependent clause (“if you don’t mind”), and the rest of the sentence makes sense, then you need the comma.

Independent Clauses. An independent clause is part of a sentence that can stand on its own. If there are two of them together, joined by a conjunction (and, but, or), then a comma comes before the conjunction.

For example,

The instructors prepared for their sessions six months in advance, and they taught several classes at the annual writer’s conference.

The only exception: Short clauses don’t need a comma.

For example,

Sarah ran the signup table and Bill greeted the guests.

Using commas correctly is important because it makes a world of difference in the meaning of a sentence. One wrong comma could mean someone’s life! (Let’s eat Grandma… or Let’s eat, Grandma.)

Next month, we’ll look at some more ways to edit the punctuation in your manuscript, but for now. . .

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

What do you struggle with when using commas?  

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
Child's Craft

Your Fifteen Minutes

Whether you write for children or adults, or both, meeting with industry professionals at writers’ conferences is essential.

But what do you do with that fifteen-minutes slot?

I asked several editors that question a few months ago. Here are some of their suggestions. But don’t try to do ALL of these in one session. Focus on those that apply to you and your writing.

  • Most editors do not bite.
  • Come prepared with a few questions to ask the editor.
  • Familiarize yourself with that publisher or agency BEFORE the conference. Study their website.
  • Be truthful. If you don’t have a book published say so.
  • Be prepared to talk about yourself and your writing. Your passion should shine through.
  • Feel free to ask for general help in plotting your writing course.
  • Leave contact info with them such as a professional business card or a one-sheet.
  • Decide in advance on your reason for the appointment. Do you have a book idea to sell? Do you need advice? Do you want the editor/agent to glance at a proposal and give you tips on how to improve it? Do you want to brainstorm a story idea? Would you like recommendations for other publishers to submit to?
  • Pitch only one project unless the editor/agent asks for another one.
  • Ask him/her what they are looking for, or what literature they love and hate.
  • Pitch your story in less than five minutes Then stop talking and listen.
  • Know your genre, theme and target audience.
  • Watch the time—be courteous and don’t make others wait.
  • Ask, “If I incorporate your suggestions would you be willing to review my proposal/manuscript?”
  • Be grateful and gracious.
  • Be flexible. Sometimes things happen!
  • Follow up with a SHORT email thanking them for their time.
  • Anticipate some questions such as: How does your story end? What published author’s style would you compare yours to? Who are your favorite authors in your genre? Is this part of a series? What are the subsequent books about? Do you participate in a critique group? Have you pitched this to others? What response did you get?
  • Be yourself—your best self. Be open, humble and genuine.
  • If the editor/agent is reading your material be silent and let them read.
  • Answer their questions the best you can without defending your work.
  • Trust the Lord to open the right doors and forge the right relationships for you.

Jean Hall lives in Louisville, Kentucky. She is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary. Her premier picture book series Four Seasons was recently signed by Little Lamb Books. Jean is a member of the SCBWI, Word Weavers International, and the Kentucky Christian Writers. Visit Jean at www.jeanmatthewhall.com, on Facebook at Jean Matthew Hall, and on Twitter as @Jean_Hall.

Categories
History in the Making

Three Surprises I’ve Discovered in Researching My Historical Novels

History in the making

My fifth historical romance releases next summer. I’ve written nine others that are “pre-published,” most requiring months of research. All that digging into history to add authenticity to my novels brought three surprises.

The first surprise is that events probably didn’t really happen just the way history teachers taught them.

This isn’t necessarily because grade school teachers don’t want us to know the truth. They taught from textbooks that only hit the highlights. Teachers have a certain number of hours to prepare students for a test—they simply cannot cover everything.

This means that important details explaining why folks in history made choices that today seems incomprehensible aren’t included in the curriculum. Including those reasons does not condone behavior. Rather it sheds light on that period in history.

Textbook writers or teachers may also choose to omit facts that may upset children.

Whatever the reason, historical events probably didn’t happen exactly the way we learned them as a child. Begin researching for that next novel with this in mind. Try not to have preconceived notions about the time period. Study the information as if reading it for the first time. A fresh outlook also keeps an author from judging people who lived during that time period.

The second surprise I learned is to expect the unexpected when exploring history.

When researching for a novel, I try to discover history’s answers before I know how the entire story will go. I begin with a kernel of an idea but if actual events contradict that idea, I start over. For me, history dictates the story. I research to discover events, prevailing attitudes, and reactions of folks who lived through it. My story builds in me as I research.

There are always little-known facts associated with an event or historical period—what a joy to discover them. You may have to read books written during your novel’s era to find these obscure wonders.

For instance, I’ve written several Civil War romances. To understand the differing reactions and attitudes, I’ve read books by Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, officers in both armies, nurses, Southern women, slaves who escaped, folks who had never been slaves, Southern wives left to run the farm, Northern women who raised money to support their soldiers, and more. These books, written during or shortly after the Civil War, were packed with unexpected treasures. Some of them fit into my story in a natural way. Others I put aside for a future novel or article.

The third thing I learned—this one from readers—is that adding surprises from history enrich the story.

For instance, there may have been holiday traditions lost in time. Including these in our novels enhance readers’ enjoyment. It brings a sense of nostalgia.

Did you find a period map of your setting? What a treasure! Add locations and descriptions—if you find them—of train depots, post offices, farmers’ markets, stores, schools, and street names. Such details add depth for readers, evoking emotional responses … especially if they have a family connection to the book’s setting.

People are still people in all walks of life, in every time period. Their reactions to circumstances vary with their personality, not history.

Understanding that events may not have occurred as we remember learning it in school, expecting the unexpected as we research, and including historical surprises in our novels will take readers on a journey.

And don’t we all love an adventure from the comfort of our home?

Award-winning and Amazon bestselling author Sandra Merville Hart loves to uncover little-known yet fascinating facts about our American history to include in her stories. Her debut Civil War Romance, A Stranger On My Land, was IRCA Finalist 2015. A Rebel in My House, set during the historic Battle of Gettysburg, won the 2018 Silver Illumination Award and was the 2018 Faith Hope and Love Reader’s Choice Award second place finalist. A Musket in My Hands, where two sisters join the Confederate army with the men they love, releases November of 2018. Watch for her novellas, Surprised by Love in “From the Lake to the River” releasing in September of 2018, and Trail’s End, in “Smitten Novella Collection: The Cowboys” releasing in August of 2019.

Find her on her blog, sandramervillehart.wordpress.com.

Categories
Guest post archive

Editing Tip: Have Your Computer Read Your Work Aloud

Published authors are often asked what their number one piece of writing advice is. Well, I’m not published yet, but I’m already beginning to form my answer to the question.

My top piece of writing advice is:

Have your computer read your manuscript aloud. This is an option offered in both Pages and Word.

Though I can’t remember where I first heard the advice to read my work aloud, it’s one of the most valuable tips I know. I tend to feel self-conscious when I read my stories aloud to myself, so I made the switch to having my computer perform the task. While the robot-like voice may grate on my nerves at times, having my computer read to me is a great way to catch typos and awkward wording.

This is also a nice way to smooth out dialogue. Sometimes I’ll be listening to my manuscript and a few lines of dialogue will appear. While I listen, I’ll find it’s hard to keep track of who said what. I then add or adjust my dialogue tags to add clarity.

Sometimes I find descriptions that sound great in my head but just stand out strangely when read aloud. Therefore, I switch out some words for less strange ones or rewrite/cut the description all together.

Another thing I do is read along with my computer. Sometimes there will be words that sound similar , but have different meanings. For example, my computer read the word “decent” allowed when I had meant “descent”. I almost missed the difference, but scrolled back to double check and found the typo.

What about you? What’s your top piece of writing or editing advice? Or, what is one piece of editing or writing advice you want to try?

Ashlee Schaller enjoys reading about reckless, headstrong heroes, prefers tea over coffee, and loves dollhouse miniatures. When not writing, she can often be found curled up with a book.

You can find out more about Ashley and what she writers here:

https://ashleyschaller.wordpress.com