We’re still building a heroine named Susie. We don’t know too much about her yet.[bctt tweet=”Creating a Great Romance Heroine: – here’s a good tip: use little flaws or imperfections to make your heroine someone your readers can identify with.” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”] #amwriting #writingromance101 #craftingtheheroine
My husband and I don’t live check-to-check, but we also don’t have lots of extra money. However, one thing I include in my annual budget is the Crimebake Mystery Writer’s Conference. Held in Boston on Veterans Day Weekend, it is two and a half days of education, exhortation, and encouragement.
And I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
This year I attended for the tenth time, and I learned just as much as I did during my first conference. How is that possible? It’s in no small part because of the planning put in by the Committee. Within days of the conference, a survey is sent to participants. Two weeks later another survey is sent, just in case participants ignored the first email. Tenacious about getting feedback, the committee uses survey results to create a conference targeted to the needs and wants of their audience. Brilliant!
So, what did I take away from this year’s Crimebake? The same things I do each year, just at a different level: craft, validation, connections, and inspiration. Let me explain:
Despite the fact that I was a freelancer for over ten years and I have seven books published, there are still concepts I can learn about the craft itself. During the first few conferences I attended, I picked up tips about story arc, character development, and hooks. This year, I learned about the nuances of creating suspense and techniques to prevent the “muddle in the middle” of my manuscript. In addition, workshops about publicity and marketing and a session about career strategies gave my business knowledge a boost.
Writing is a solitary pursuit. Every morning before I go to my day job, I hide out in my office to make up stories about imaginary friends. Banging away at the keyboard, I often second-guess my work. Are the characters believable? Are the situations realistic? Or is it all drivel, and I have no idea what I’m doing? The good news is that information I heard during conference sessions validated what I’m doing. I’m on the right track.
Unlike many writers who are introverts and tremble at the thought of attending a large-scale event, I’m an extrovert and love to meet people. I typically introduce myself to my tablemates and ask them to talk about their writing journey. One of my favorite experiences this year was the author breakfast on Sunday. I picked a random table, and it turned out that Paula Munier was our “celebrity.” With laughter and grace, she talked about what it was like to be an author having been a literary agent for nearly thirty years. Apparently the shoe was on the other foot, and her agent was telling her things she had told her clients. Paula encouraged and celebrated each one of us. Other ways I made connections was to volunteer to do behind-the-scenes tasks. I stuffed attendee bags, worked the registration table, and coordinated the game at the SinCNE chapter table. Serving on the SinCNE chapter board has also provided connections I wouldn’t otherwise have made such as meeting the SinC’s national president. Very exciting!
Perhaps best of all, the weekend gave me a full dose of inspiration. Sometimes juggling my writing with a full time job can be overwhelming. Sacrificing time with my husband or not pursuing my hobbies can be frustrating, and constantly thinking about some aspect of my author career can be tiring. But I love to write; it feeds my soul in a way nothing else does. Haround with published and not-yet-published authors was just what the doctor ordered. Sharing dreams, successes, and setbacks with others who understand and have walked my shoes reignited my passion. I came away from the conference ready to jump back into my manuscript.
There is no doubt in my mind that I’m an author of multiple books because of my diligence in attending Crimebake. Can you get published without attending a writing conference? Possibly. But will your writing career be as fulfilling? Probably not.
I urge you to find an affordable, professionally-run conference. Then mark your calendar and start putting aside money from each paycheck to make it happen. You’ll be glad you did.
Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, blogger, and history geek. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry, Linda has lived in historical places most of her life. She is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library. Active in her church Linda serves as treasurer, usher, and choir member. She is a member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC. The author of several romance novellas, her debut mystery novel, Under Fire, was released in July, 2017 by eLectio Publishing. Visit her at www.LindaShentonMatchett.com.
I’ve been baking for a couple of weeks now. The wonderful aromas of spices, sugar and chocolates fill my house. My kitchen is a big mess with flour & sugar everywhere. Chocolate chips & sprinkles decorate my countertop. My little freezer is bulging with the goodies I’m making to share with the people I love.
A character bio is a collection of information that delineates and describes a fictional character. It is a tool that helps a writer:
Like any writing tool, character bios should be approached properly in order to achieve best results.
[bctt tweet=”Spend your time concentrating on the right information, and you will be well on your way to crating vibrant, memorable characters. Happy writing. #writer #writetip” username=””]
Lisa E. Betz is a Bible study leader, drama director, and aspiring novelist. She lives with her husband and a neurotic cat in a scenic corner of Pennsylvania. When not teaching or sorting books at the library, Lisa blogs about intentional living at www.lisaebetz.com.
Connect with her:
Website: www.lisaebetz.com
Facebook: Lisa E Betz Writer
Twitter: @LisaEBetz
Today, people love to communicate with texts and private Facebook messages and emails and tweets, but around Christmas people still send real cards through the mail.
Unfortunately, people are still making mistakes when it comes to pluralizing proper names in the addresses.
Here are some simple rules to follow so that you can write names correctly and make sure your cards convey the happy messages you intend.
Langston = Langstons
Paterline = Paterlines
Haddock = Haddocks
Dougherty = Doughertys (not Dougherties)
Capps = Cappses ( I know it looks strange, but trust me.)
Wellons=Wellonses
Edwards = Edwardses
Crews = Crewses
Rakiewicz = Rakiewiczes
Notice that at no time have I used an apostrophe. I haven’t used one because I’m making the names plural, not possessive.
Three rules.
That’s all you need to write your Christmas cards correctly. If you can’t bring yourself to add the es to someone’s name or you can’t bring yourself to leave off the apostrophe, there’s always an easy fallback…Merry Christmas from The Dougherty Family.
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include two novels, Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons. Visit her at hopetolerdougherty.com.
You’ll enjoy our conversation discussing top gifts to give your writing friends as well as how we can use our gifts as writers to give to our loved ones!
Join us!
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. 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 a
fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.
Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining
Life brings each of us strange personal experiences. This spring I traveled to visit my mother in Kentucky. When I checked into the airport, my suitcase had four wheels. When it came out of the baggage claim, this same suitcase only had three wheels. In transit, the airline had broken my suitcase. During that trip I learned to immediately file a form with the airline and they repaired my suitcase. My personal experience has some lessons and insights for the reader and is ideal for a personal experience magazine article.
Let’s face it: There isn’t a guaranteed and instant pay off for the writer who works hard at finishing his/her book. Especially when this book isn’t under contract.
Perhaps you’ve invested hours into growing in your craft and writing your book—only to receive harsh critiques. Maybe you’ve been tempted to give up on this dream altogether and find a more profitable way to spend your time.
The ugly truth is, you’re not guaranteed success in this industry. You’re not guaranteed that this book will become a best seller, receive a literary award, or obtain shining literary reviews. So is the little income you might receive from this book worth the blood, sweat, and tears you’re pouring into this project?
I believe the answer to this question lies in your underlying motivation for writing your book.
If you only write in hopes to become a best seller, then no, you might not receive the pay-off you long for.
If you only write in hopes to make a full-time living as an author, then you might find yourself disappointed when your first paycheck arrives.
This is why I’ve made it my goal to view my writing as a ministry and not just as a career. Because when I view it through these lenses, then my perspective shifts. The fuel I have to keep pounding away at the keyboard no longer stems from imagining the award I might receive in some distant future.
It instead stems from obeying God’s call to use my gift for His glory. It stems from imagining the readers who might someday be touched by the words I write.
In other words: If God wants me to write, then He must have a plan for these words. They won’t be used in vain. No, I might not receive much of a profit from them—but my readers might.
So what can our readers gain by the books we write out of obedience?
Here are just a few…
Stories are priceless treasures. What books have you read that gave you a unique perspective or challenged you in some way? Have you experienced the escapism that comes from being swept into a fictive dream? Oftentimes, we relate certain books with specific seasons in our lives. (How many people have thanked J.K. Rowling for “making” their childhood?) When we create a story that becomes a treasure to our readers, we leave a legacy. Our words and characters will forever leave an imprint on their hearts. And when we receive a letter from readers who tell us how much our book meant to them, that’s when we know our work paid off.
This might vary based on the genre you write. For instance, do you write science fiction in hopes to entertain? Or do you write Christian fiction in hopes to inspire? You never know: The book you’re working on now could be the very story that motivates one of your readers to follow their dreams. Or put God at the center of their marriage. Or perhaps your book will simply entertain your readers and allow them to take a break from the demands of life and find enjoyment through escaping into another universe.
Be honest: Have you ever developed a friendship with a book character? Although readers understand that the characters in fiction stories don’t exist, there’s still a sense of reassurance that comes when we “meet” a character who resonates with us in some way. Ultimately, characters are the reason we’ll remember a story. Tweens and teens especially like to find a friendship in the characters they read about. (I felt this way when I read The Christy Miller Series by Robin Jones Gunn as teen.)
The next time you’re tempted to give up on your book, return to your underlying motivation for writing. Make a list of the gifts you hope to offer your future readers, and allow this to serve as fuel for your passion.
Because when our core motivation stems from the gifts we can offer our readers rather than the “success” we hope to attain, then we’ll likely become far more content with the outcome in the long run.
What other gifts can authors offer their readers? What gifts have you received from stories you’ve read? Leave your thoughts in the comments!
[bctt tweet=”3 Gifts Authors Offer Their Readers @TessaEmilyHall #writerslife #amwriting” username=””]
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: www.tessaemilyhall.com.
If you have not yet seen The Man Who Invented Christmas, what the Dickens are you waiting for??
I have never seen a film that captured the wonder, angst, and pure joy of writing a novel like this movie does. It helps that the setting in 19th century England is exquisite and the lead actors (Christopher Plummer as Scrooge and Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens)–as well as the supporting cast–play their roles to near perfection. But the treasure in this movie is the tale behind the tale of Dickens’ classic novel, A Christmas Carol. Some of the behind-the-scenes elements in Dickens life are factual. But like any good piece of fiction, there is creative license taken as well.
From a writer’s standpoint, this movie is a life lesson in crafting a story that will capture the hearts of its readers. But it’s not without the author bleeding some of his own pain into the workmanship. Dickens cannot come to a satisfying resolution to his story until he faces the personal nightmares of his own past.
I will not include any spoilers for those who have yet to see this production. But I can say that I could certainly relate to the character of Charles Dickens struggling with his characters who seem to have minds of their own. In one scene, Dickens gets in an argument with the character of Scrooge who is making suggestions about the book. In a stance of stubbornness, Dickens shouts at him, “I’m the author here!” Scrooge looks at him with a droll expression and answers, “Allegedly.”
Haven’t we who write fiction all experienced our characters heading off on their own plot-trails while we are left behind in their dust? I truly laughed at the allegation that we, the authors, are not always in charge.
As Christian writers, there is more than a grain of truth to that conclusion. Who is it who called us to write? Have we committed our stories, our writing journey, our very blood, sweat, and tears experienced at our keyboards to the One Who created our abilities? Have we asked God to guide our fingers on the laptop, or our pen on the paper, to bring Him glory with every stroke of the tools that craft words to spread His message?
When The Man Who Invented Christmas concluded, an epilogue appeared onscreen that said A Christmas Carol was released in bookstores on December 19, 1843. By Christmas Eve, every copy had been sold. Then it added that charitable giving increased dramatically in London that Christmas season.
Oh, that my stories would impact the hearts and lives of readers to prompt them to make positive life-changes such as that! Changes that bring honor and glory to Him.
Merry Christmas and God bless us, every one!
Elaine Marie Cooper is an award-winning author of historical fiction. Her latest release, Saratoga Letters, was finalist in historical romance at both the 2017 Selah Awards and the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. Her other novel titles include Fields of the Fatherless and the three-book Deer Run Saga. She has penned an award-winning memoir, Bethany’s Calendar, that chronicles the journey of her daughter who passed away from a brain tumor in 2003. Cooper has been a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines and her work has also appeared in anthologies. She admits to being a history geek. You can connect with her at www.facebook.com/ElaineMarieCooperAuthor, on twitter @elainemcooper, or her website/blog, www.elainemariecooper.com
The first page of your book determines whether the reader will continue reading or if they will move on to another book. Sometimes fantasy and science fiction writers forget how important this first glimpse into the story can be for a reader. Far too often I’ve critiqued a fantasy or sci-fi story only to find that the writer has chosen to rely on the book blurb to fill in major gaps within the story. This is a mistake if we want to keep that reader interested. As writers, it’s easy to get excited about the fantasy or sci-fi world we’ve created. We are all eager to get into the meat of the story, but do the reader a favor and pay close attention to that first page.
Enjoy this Writers Chat, when we share our favorite Christmas stories. You’ll learn behind the scenes info that will inspire and energize your writing!
We all have things that inspire us. Some may marvel at a glorious sunset; others may find inspiration in a painting or in (gulp) reading a good book.
Those things are fine, but one of the main things that inspires me is music. When I am down and feeling “blah,” many times I will find what I need in a song. I often have church in my car during a commute . . . I sometimes wonder what the people who pass me think . . . and writing ideas flow. I love to sing along in my vehicle, but I will refrain from doing that in public (unless you need me to clear a room).
I love Christmas music, though my flea-sized attention span is challenged when I hear artists singing the same songs with the same arrangements. Imagine my delight when I recently downloaded the new release Decade the Halls by Christian music group Tenth Avenue North. It is the most creative, off-the-wall, funny, clever Christmas album (or regular album) I have ever heard.
Yes, hyperbole is one of my spiritual gifts. But it really is THAT good.
The guys in the group took ten Christmas songs—mostly traditional with a few originals thrown in—and performed each one in the musical style of a different decade. Starting with 1920s-era Good King Wenceslas and running through a poppy 2010s version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, it is a delight, full of surprises and treats for your ears.
I laughed out loud several times on first listen and marveled at the creativity that brought this project to fruition. For me, favorites are an ‘80s-tinged rendition of Go Tell it on the Mountain, which sounds like a forgotten track from Huey Lewis and the News; The First Christmas, a ‘50s rockabilly throwdown with Zach Williams (of Chain Breaker fame); and Mistletoe (The Christmas Sweater Song), a hilarious riff on 2000s-era alt-rock.
I watched an interview with the lead singer Mike Donehey, who said the group wanted to create an experience that wouldn’t bore listeners. Boy, did they deliver. Do yourself a favor and pick it up now.
By now, you probably feel like you’re reading the music review section of CCM Magazine, but there is a point for writers. This album has inspired me in my creative work. If Tenth Avenue North can take the time to craft such a unique piece, I should be able to do the same. I am not going to produce anything musical anytime soon (you’re welcome), but I am going to work on my blog posts, devotions, and other projects with that same spirit of creativity.
Now, I am going to give Decade the Halls a spin for the 100th time (apologies to my family, who would probably like to listen to something else by now).
My arm felt like it was going to fall off.
I was in my forties at the time, and I was pitching batting practice to a bunch of high school baseball players. In batting practice, my usual goal was just to get the pitch over the plate—nothing fancy. But for some strange reason, on this day I decided to throw my first curveball since my high school days.
Bad choice.
When throwing a curve, you bring your arm down in a twisting motion that is not natural for a normal arm—especially a 40-year-old arm. My elbow ached for hours, and I have never thrown a curveball since.
So what in the world does this have to do with writing?
Writers are always searching for ways to throw a curveball to their readers—ways to give them an unexpected twist that catches them unaware. But, just like in baseball, if you don’t throw a curve at your readers in the correct way, your story will suffer as badly as my elbow did on that day when I pitched batting practice.
If we break down the mechanics of throwing a curveball in baseball, we can learn something about throwing a curve in writing.
Get a grip on your characters. When throwing a curve in baseball, it’s all about the grip. How you position your fingers helps to determine the rotation of the ball.
Similarly, in writing a story, it’s all about getting a good grip on your characters. When you understand your characters—their motivations, their desires, and their fears—you stand a better chance of figuring out a twist in their storyline. The twist will rise up naturally.
Set up your reader for an unexpected curve. A good pitcher mixes it up, so the batter doesn’t know what to expect. Will he be throwing a fastball, slider, curve, or what?
It’s the same with writing. Give your story the freedom to go off in multiple directions that even you do not anticipate. Don’t be locked into one set storyline.
As you think about the many paths that your character might follow, jot them all down. Then ask: Which paths are too obvious? Which path will propel the story in exciting and surprising ways? Which path will create the most tension and conflict?
Be natural. The ending to the classic baseball movie, The Natural, is quite predictable. But the movie does include a nice twist or two leading up to this dramatic (but inevitable) ending.
A good twist is surprising but doesn’t seem artificial or forced. To use the title of the movie, a good twist should feel natural. It should surprise the reader but also leave them thinking, “Oh yeah. I should’ve seen that coming.”
A good twist is logical and organic to the story, while an arbitrary, ineffective curve comes out of left field…or right field…or center field. So think it through. After all, you don’t have another writer warming up in the bullpen to bail you out. The ball is in your hands. So is your story’s plot.
* * *
5 for Writing
Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.
Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV
For I am not instructed in the vision to write as the learned write, and the words in the vision are not as words sounding from a human mouth, but as flashing flame and as a cloud moving in clear air.
Hildegard of Bingen
Letter to Guilbert Gembloux
Henry Osborne Taylor translation
Most writers can attest to some level of visionary experience in the crafting of a novel or the development of a writing project. It might be called inspiration. Modern women writers follow up their vision with the scholarship of research to the purpose, and Christian women dare not venture to put pen to paper apart from prayer.
But medieval women writers of devotional literature possessed precious little ability for scholarly research. They relied chiefly on prayer and a passionate love of God according to whatever religious teaching they had been allowed by the church. The writing lives of medieval women remained relegated to the noble-born classes and the convent, but their level of education was not level with the men of the time. Women submitted to the authority of men in every sphere of living. Though they felt the deficit, few chaffed at the misapplied subjugation of women as second-class citizens. The emancipation of women and balanced interpretation of biblical principles on the subject have come a long way in the last millennium. Even so, the controversial topic remans a hotly debated.
True in both contemporary and medieval times, writing and speaking from a place of authority is necessary. Latin, the language of the church and scholarship in the 12th century, was enjoyed by men as a complete education in literacy, be they noblemen or clergy. But, not so with women, who might understand Latin, but not be able to speak or write in it. Those who possessed even more limited literacy skills dictated their works to scribes. Women were acutely aware of their limitations in authority, but due to the rapt nature of their visions, meditations, and prayer life, they were compelled to write in the authority of the vision. They used whatever abilities they had to the fullest obeying their call to write His vision.
The ascetic women of the medieval age lived a monastic life, wholly devoted to God, in convents free of the cares of home and family. The intensity of their works became a force of change in their own soul and spirit, transforming them into selfless servants seeking the ways and means to help the afflicted in their communities. The ultimate purpose of the vision was to change their lives, so they might be agents of change in the lives of others.
The middle ages leave a plethora of devotional writings by Christian women, autobiographical in nature, that are memoirs of intense moments experienced in the secret place of prayer and meditation. These visionaries and mystics, though their words may give the biblically astute modern reader pause, must be judged by the era in which they lived and the language they were able to fully experience in a living relationship with God.
Visions and dialogue between God and man are regularly recorded in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. So, too, in the subsequent generations of Christian writers over the past 2000 years. This was the major element in the written works of medieval women:
The most obvious single narrative unit of [medieval] women’s writing is the retelling of a vision, and that vision has two mnemonic structural elements: visual iconography and dialogue. Visions are creative acts, and they seem to have been experienced by medieval women as direct seeing and hearing, not as reading. To have a vision was more like seeing a film than it was like writing or reading. Visions were images, texts, and glosses on a woman’s spiritual growth; there spiritual insights found visible form, which could be further explored and meditated on.
Elizabeth Alvilda Petroff
Medieval Women’s Visionary Literature
There is something striking in the words and life experiences left to us by visionary medieval women writers. Those—male or female—seeking greater vision as a 21st century writer might want to take note and be encouraged:
Journal Prompt: Are you a visionary writer? Compare the meanings of vision and inspiration—where do they come from? How do you experience the inspiration to write? Do you see pictures? Do you hear words or phrases? Is there a recurring imagery that draws you into meditation or the day-dream of story? How do you describe what you are thinking, sensing? What part does prayer have in the perfecting of the vision, the inspiration, and the call to write what you see and hear? Where does your confidence and authority come from to write your vision?
[bctt tweet=”How Hildegarde wrote from #vision “as flashing flame and as a cloud moving in clear air.” How does #vision inform your #writing? ” username=”@A3writers @misskathypwp”]
[bctt tweet=”#Women Writers in Life and Letters— #Medieval Women Ascetics: #Writing the #Vision ” username=”@A3writers @misskathypwp”]
Reference: Medieval Women’s Visionary Literature, by Elizabeth Alvilda Petroff, Copyright © 1986 by Oxford Univertiy Press, Inc.
Writer-speaker, Kathryn Ross, ignites a love of literature and learning through Pageant Wagon Productions and Publishing. She writes and publishes homeschool enrichment and Christian living books for home, church, and school. Her passion is to equip women and families in developing a Family Literacy Lifestyle, producing readers and thinkers who can engage the world from a biblical worldview. She blogs and podcasts at TheWritersReverie.com and PageantWagonPublishing.com. Connect with Miss Kathy on Facebook.
Welcome Michele, Can you share a little about your recent book –The Jealous Son is a contemporary suspense novel based on the story of Cain and Abel in the Bible’s Book of Genesis. Part drama, part murder mystery, it’s a story that begs the questions of how a broken family can possibly piece itself back together once tragedy strikes and all seems lost, how one can rise above grief and despair to find hope and forgiveness, and whether God is still in the midst despite it all.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books? I think I was born to write! I believe God called me to write modern-day novels based on Bible stories in the Old Testament to carry His messages to readers in today’s world. My books are all independent from one another since they are based on individual stories but each is an edgy, fast-paced, contemporary novel filled with intrigue, suspense, and a little romance so that they universally entertain and inspire today’s readers. My goal is to continue to fulfill this purpose and get my books into as many hands as possible, and hopefully, have them made into movies as well!
How long have you been writing? And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract?I dreamed of being a novelist when I was ten-years-old and wrote my first “book” in a spiral-bound notebook about a girl and her dog, but that dream was put on hold as life and its myriad responsibilities took hold, including careers as a news reporter, advertising agency owner and marketing director to help pay the bills; I self-published my first novel, The Faithful One, based on the Book of Job, in 2009, got a contract from a small Christian publisher for that book and my next one, The Peace Maker, based on the story of David and Abigail in the First Book of Samuel in 2012, and then got a contract with Morgan James Publishing for those two books and my next novel, The Runaway Prophet, based on the Book of Jonah, in 2016.
How long does it take you to write a book? I think that depends on a lot of factors including whether you have a day job, family responsibilities, etc.; I had both (my kids were young and I was running a full-time ad agency out of my home!) when I wrote my first novel, The Faithful One, so that one took about eight years (plus I was new to publishing and ended up self-published); my second, The Peace Maker, only took me two years since my three kids were teenagers, I was not employed and I had a publisher (with an editor); my third, The Runaway Prophet, took me four years because I was working full-time in the corporate world and I wanted to find a new publisher, which took some time; my fourth (and latest) novel The Jealous Son only took me a year to write and edit since I had quit my day job and my kids were all grown and my husband and I were empty-nesters!
What’s your writing work schedule like? I write best in the morning between the hours of 7 am and noon when my energy is at its peak (I’ve had my coffee!)…then it seems like my energy begins to wane a little, so I use the afternoon to answer emails, phone calls, work on copy projects or editing my students’ works, etc.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it? I always try to remember to pray before I sit down to write that the Holy Spirit guide me and my writing and begin with a prayer and/or a few moments of meditation and yoga stretching to get my blood (and thoughts) flowing.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career? Wow, there have been many…but I’ll just name a few: the first time I did a live author Q&A session with a ladies church book group which embraced me and my books and said they could really relate to me and stories; seeing my books re-published by my new publisher with covers that I absolutely loved; speaking at writers’ conferences and teaching my college writing students – each class full of eager writers is new, exciting and joyful!
What has been your darkest moment(s)? Writing, editing and publishing my first novel was the toughest part of my journey…I originally had written a book which won first prize at the Maryland Writers Association fiction contest but I lost the prize of literary agency representation because the agency was located in New York and “9-11” just happened (that book turned into a memoir that isn’t published yet); then I got the idea to write a modern day story based on the Book of Job (looking back I see God had a plan to heal me from the Job-like trials I was going through…losing my marriage, my business, it seemed like my kids who were teenagers and my health through the disease of alcoholism. Fortunately, I found redemption like Job and my character in The Faithful One through a new marriage, my new author career, great relationships with my kids (and grandkids) and recovery. But writing and publishing that first book (and getting lots of rejection letters from editors and agents) was tough.
Which of your books is your favorite? My latest – which is hopefully my best since I believe I continue to grow and progress as a writer with each book.
Who is your favorite author to read? I like Sandra Brown, John Grisham, Kristin Hannah, Khaled Hosseini
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened to? Don’t be impatient or in a hurry (my biggest vice, which has cost me time and money, especially when it comes to having to re-edit, or rushing into a publishing contract with the wrong publisher). Take your time, weigh all of the pros and cons, pray about each decision and then go for it! (and if you make mistakes, just learn from them).
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you? I received more than 100 rejection letters from literary agents and editors the first time I tried to get published; but the journey of writing, trying to get published, rejections, getting published, and challenges with my first publisher all made me persevere, become a better writer and a better person – and have helped me to help other writers become authors.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books? It’s a tossup between Chessa Richards (the Abigail character in The Peace Maker) and Eliza Trellis (the Eve character in The Jealous Son) – they are both very vulnerable but strong women who face some rough challenges and have to make very tough choices – but come out even stronger in the end.
Where do you get your ideas? I got the idea for The Faithful One from God (I was actually writing another novel at the time when I believe God tapped me on the shoulder to “write a modern-day novel based on the Book of Job” – which helped me through my Job-like trials I was going through; a friend suggested a write about Abigail which turned into The Peace Maker (he knew I was going through a rough divorce and facing challenges like my character); I decided to write The Runaway Prophet after studying the Book of Jonah in a Bible study; and the idea came to me to write The Jealous Son because I have two sons who have a sibling rivalry (as do my sister and I) and I have two friends who recently lost children. They say write what you know (or are interested in) so the ideas come to me for each new book based on my life experiences and/or those of others I know.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make? Telling not showing (a mistake I made in the early days, which thankfully editors helped me with along the way and I now teach my writing students).
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market? Attend writers’ conferences, meet and talk to your peers, take writing classes or attend workshops to improve your craft, constantly be willing to learn, and persevere! Also, you are your own best marketer and publicist but don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Michele-Chynoweth/e/B005NWR5UI
Michele Chynoweth is the award-winning author of Modern Day Bible Stories The Runaway Prophet, The Peace Maker and The Faithful One, contemporary, Bible-based novels full of suspense and romance. Prior to becoming a full-time author, speaker, and book coach, Michele worked in marketing, publicity, and journalism for 30 years. In addition to being an author, Michele is a college instructor teaching the courses “Writing Your First Book” and “Publishing and Marketing Your Book” through the Cecil College Continuing Education Program in Maryland. She is also an accomplished inspirational speaker and has presented many writing workshops at writers’ conferences across the U.S., and an experienced book coach who uses her many years of expertise in writing, editing, publishing, and marketing to help other writers become successful authors. To find out more visit her website: www.michelechynoweth.com
Email campaigns work wonders. It’s true that emerging college graduates consider email an outdated form of communication, but the rest of us still happily open and read the informative goodies stashed in our inboxes.
Companies, in particular, rely on email. It’s cheap and effective. So they send us information, articles, coupons, stories, and videos through email. Most marketers use a drip campaign, which is a series of automated emails created in advance, sent over time, and intended to accomplish a single goal.
The folks at Pinpointe Marketing tell us that drip campaigns get 80% higher open rates than single emails and generate 50% more sales ready leads. These leads make larger purchases more often than those who don’t experience the drip campaign.
What does all that mean for us writers? Drip campaigns make money for businesses and nonprofits. In turn, they fork out cash to savvy copywriters who create their email content.
How to write an email drip campaign:
Add value to your reader’s life.
Do you read every email you get from all the lists you signed up for? Of course not. No one does. You open the messages that appear to give you something valuable, such as a coupon, a free gift, helpful information, or valuable connections.
When you compose a marketing campaign, send something free with each email. It can be a link to a blog article or ebook, a short video clip, or a coupon. You don’t have to give 50% off every time, but you do need to make sure your recipients have a reason to click “open.”
Test everything.
Unless you’ve run tests, you don’t know what works for your readers. Choose different kinds of subject lines. Vary the length of your emails. Try image-heavy versus text-heavy content. Send the emails on different days of the week and under different signatures.
Too many writers decide that short form copy works or that images aren’t necessary without knowing for sure what engages their unique audience. If you have 5-10 emails in a campaign, you have a lot of opportunities to uncover the truth about what your readership will respond to.
Use a warm, friendly style.
Gone are the days when marketers could send out emails that sounded like corporate memos or old-timey letters. Today, few readers perceive a formal message as respectful. Instead, they think it’s cold or impersonal.
How can you sound friendly in online communication?
Remember the P.S.? It’s the best part of the whole email!
As a kid, I thought it was so cool that you could add something after the signature just by saying P.S. (I was easily enchanted.) But guess what? Everybody loves the P.S. When scanning a letter or email, your reader looks for their own name, the signature, the P.S., and the first line before deciding if they want to read it.
What do you include in a P.S.? Try to encapsulate your entire message into one or two sentences. If that’s not possible without Herculean effort, go for restating the call to action.
Send one last email.
After the campaign ends, write one last email to your readers. Thank those who responded. To those who didn’t respond, tell them they missed out and you’re a little annoyed. It hurts to send this email, but often that final (slightly huffy) message gets results from fence-sitters who don’t respond to charm. Send it when you have nothing to lose.
Email drip campaigns are one of content marketing’s most effective and cost-friendly strategies. Learn to write them well, and you’ll improve your value to your customers.
What’s in your inbox? Have you seen some great examples of valuable emails from companies or non-profits you support? Share them with us in the comments!
Holland Webb is a full-time freelance copywriter based in the lush upstate of South Carolina. His writing focuses on making technology accessible to non-techies and selling household goods to urban-dwelling Millennials. He can be found at www.hollandwebb.com.
Have a children’s book idea simmering? Jill Lord shares how you can transform those dreams into published picture books that will delight children and the parents who read to them…again…and again…
Join us!
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. 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 a
fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.
Additionally, you can grow your network and add to the conversation by joining our
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I quit writing about four times a year. Especially, when I look at the ages of my children, at the dust on our bookshelves, at the number of digits on our bank statement, and at my neighbors’ needs. It’s easy to think about how other people go hiking and watch TV shows. How they answer occupational questions easily. They enjoy regular paychecks. I wonder if I’ve confused enjoyment with calling, if fingers-tapping-keys is, for me, an avocation rather than an occupation.
It happened again yesterday. Funny, it doesn’t happen in the middle of hectic times. It happens when all is quiet. Quiet but desperate.
Desperate for…
Desperate for all sorts of things…except God.
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
-Psalm 63:1-2 NIV
One way or another, God highlights my derailed desperation in those times. Maybe it’s an encouraging comment on my blog, maybe it’s a pep-talk from my husband. Sometimes I read a verse like the one above. But often, it’s a scheduled writing time (that I don’t ignore).
Out of habit, obligation, pre-existing commitment…I don’t know why, but I sit down again. And here, in front of my computer, I meet God again.
I like a good praise chorus as much as anyone, but this—the fingers-tapping-keys—is where I worship most fully. With my Bible open on my left, I again read a section that’s been on my mind. I immerse myself in the Word then I put my words on the page in response; that’s worship.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. -Psalm 63:3
Maybe the writer’s version would say, “Because your love is better than life, my written words will glorify you.”
If you think you might quit tomorrow…first, know you’re not alone. Then, try these two things before you close that laptop for good.
Worship is your truest work, what you were created to do. Worship is no avocation. Worship is the ultimate vocation of every Christ-follower.
I hadn’t ridden a bicycle in fourteen years when our family decided to ride the Creeper Trail near Abington, Virginia. I felt awkward trying out bikes in the rental shop, but when we strapped on our helmets and mounted those bikes at the top of the mountain, all the experience of riding flooded back into my hands and feet as well as my mind. I made the eleven-mile descent without wrecking once.
So sit back down at your computer. Write what you love to write even though you have no place to publish it. Let the experience flood back into your extremities and feel the exhilaration of doing something you were made to do! (Not that I was made to mountain bike. My analogy doesn’t go that far.)
When you lean into your calling, you’re practicing another kind of worship.
In those times when I feel desperate, I realize I’ve drifted away from mindful worship in the everyday rhythms of life, and it affects my writing more than anything else. Before I can face that looming deadline, I must face my Savior in worship. Only then does the commitment to writing return, and I know I won’t quit.
At least not today.
Bio.
Carole Sparks doesn’t spend as much time writing (or worshipping) as she would like. There’s this thing called “the rest of life”…maybe you know what she means. Still, you can catch up with her most days on Twitter or her blog.
There is a unique magic to epiphany. That “A-HA!” moment when all of the elusives tumble into perfect place, and the picture is illuminated. We live for those moments of sudden, and often precipitate, clarity. Indeed, sometimes it feels as if the universe is fed up with our ignorance and, like a weary and sighing parent, holds out the “eureka!” to us in a neatly wrapped gift box of blood, sweat, tears. Yes, “eureka!” is good, necessary, and with consistent work, inevitable in any endeavor. Its children are confidence and momentum, two elements that must offer themselves up to any process if there is to be success (however you measure it).
I recently had an “eureka!” about the creative writing process, a process that has been a part of my routine for nearly two years now (since I began drafting my first novel in December of 2015). I’d been waiting for this one for quite some time when there it was, late to the party, wearing a tired expression of amusement. When I finally could grasp it in my hands, I understood something that both terrified and exhilarated me––when it comes to writing a narrative (or really, anything)––there is no “eureka!”
A well-written story has the following:
Each scene should be compelling in its own way, depicting detailed action either in a simple conversation between two human beings, or in an epic battle in a war to save the world (whichever is your cup of tea).
With all of these moving parts, I became overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff I had to keep track of while drafting my story.
Movement of characters, natural dialogue, plot holes, pacing. I knew the masters did it, the talented authors I’ve looked up to for years, the genius storytellers that inspire me to create as they do. They could keep track of it all.
Somewhere in their process, there was that “eureka!” moment when they could see how everything could be tracked and connected to weave a great tale. In short, I knew that at some point, things would finally be completely developed on the page, the story reaching its own kind of epiphany.
But that is not the way of… well, anything. There is never a moment of completeness in a story. No character is ever “finished” (even when he/she dies). Just as in life, development itself is perpetual, evolution an unstoppable force. If you do not change, you do not live.
Stories know this same truth. In terms of character, plot, pacing, stories are never truly finished and there is never a “eureka!” moment of completeness. You may finish a novel, pleased with the results and the hard work that infused the process of its creation, but no writer, artist, creator is ever completely satisfied with their work. We all know that our work is still developing, changing. This truth is the familiar ache in our bones. It sits in us through the duration of our grandest endeavors.
If the story does not change, it does not live. My “eureka!” was the realization that there would be no “eureka!”, the whole story would never come together completely. It will always be transitioning.
After my first “eureka!” moment, I had another, more subtle one, and it has been my battle cry every time I sit down to engage with the page: there is no “eureka!” moment, and that’s a good thing.
Yes, nothing would ever truly make full sense. There would be characters whose motivations still eluded me, pieces of the plot that seemed too contrived or shallow. Mysteries of the world would keep both my characters and myself up at night, pondering and postulating. And it was not just okay, but good.
Let the simple fact that you’ll never truly know what you’re doing (as odd as that sounds) make you more confident and free in your writing. It’s the only way to write any narrative. Once you accept that there is no “eureka!”–– you accept that there is no right process, no right set of rules for reaching fruition.
Accept this fact, and watch how free your writing becomes (and how sane you remain). Never think you know more about your characters than they do, and never believe your story will follow the set path you initially create for it. It will veer, float off to new places, breathing in new ideas like some beautiful, fascinating beast. Let it.
BIO:
Aidan Laliberte is a non-union actor and creative writer living in North Kingstown, RI. He began performing at eight years old when he was cast as Baby Wilbur in a local community theater production of Charlotte’s Web. After secondary school, Laliberte, originally intending to pursue a career in medicine, dropped out of college after one semester and began building a career in performance, more specifically, in film. Laliberte performed both lead and supporting roles in several short and feature-length films. He currently works as production coordinator on a YouTube variety series for one of the world’s largest brands. After years of journaling and dabbling casually in writing (he won several academic awards for his various short stories and essays throughout his schooling), the craft has became more than a frequent outlet, but a creative and career priority. In December 2015, he began drafting his first fiction novel and is expected to finish in the coming months. Apart from drafting his current novel, Laliberte continues to journal every day and write in a variety of formats, including scripts, short stories and essays. He has many projects in development.
Progress has stalled on our latest writing project. We avoid our desk, tamp down the guilt, and stay busy doing anything but writing. Another day slips by with few words on the page. What’s an anxious writer to do?
Try these 5 techniques to stay motivated and keep the words flowing:
Have realistic daily, weekly, and monthly goals marked on a calendar for quick reference. These can range from word counts to number of pages. There’s nothing like the adrenaline rush of meeting a goal. A disciplined writer is a happy, productive writer.
Oh, how we abhor procrastination guilt! But if goals are met—even small ones—rewards can be enjoyed guilt-free. Take a walk, enjoy a sweet treat, meet a friend for lunch—anything to give our muse a break so we can return rejuvenated.
This is my favorite motivation technique. Before I sit down to write, I have my morning coffee or tea, a light breakfast, devotion/quiet time, and then I dress for work (even though I’m working at home). Throughout my routine, I can feel the creative energy building. When I sit down at my computer, I’m ready to be productive (most of the time).
This journal or notebook needs to be a part of us, something that never leaves our side. Ideas will come at the most unusual times—while trying to fall asleep at night, in line at the grocery store, during the Sunday sermon, in traffic, watching a movie, etc. If we don’t write it down, it may be gone forever. When we’re short on ideas, our journal is a treasure trove of inspiration.
We must have accountability in our work. Writing is about community. We need someone to ask about our progress and to simply check in regularly. Another writer knows and understands the unique struggles we face and can help us through the dry times. Also, creative brainstorming with other writers can be pure joy, inspiring myriad projects, ideas, and story plots.
Are we ready?
Fire the laptop. Prime the pen.
Keep writing!
[bctt tweet=”5 techniques to stay motivated and keep the words flowing @A3Writers @LThomasWrites #writing #motivation” via=”no”]
[bctt tweet=”Establish pre-writing rituals and build creative anticipation @A3Writers @LThomasWrites #write #pubtip” via=”no”]
Leigh Ann Thomas is the author of three books, including Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace—Inspiration for the Mother of the Bride (SonRise Devotionals). A regular contributor to AlmostAnAuthor.com, Just18Summers.com, and InTheQuiver.com, she has also published with Southern Writers Suite T, The Write Conversation, and Power for Living. She is a contributing author in 10 books and her award-winning fiction is included in three editions of Southern Writers Magazine’s Best Short Stories. You can find Leigh Ann on her front porch daydreaming story plots, or blogging at LeighAThomas.com.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lthomaswrites
The heroine is the key to any romance. Yes, we women also want a great guy for her to end up with, and we’ll talk about crafting him, too, at a later date. [bctt tweet=”The romantic heroine is the reader’s alter ego. She controls everything the reader feels. #amwriting #writingromance101 #craftingtheheroine” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”] #amwriting #writingromance101 #craftingtheheroine
The great majority of readers of the romance genre are women. The reader identifies with the heroine, and in a sense, becomes the heroine. Readers cheer her on and rejoice in her victories, gets irritated when she gets angry, and we feel her frustration with herself or others when things go wrong. So, how do we craft a heroine your readers will love? Let’s craft a heroine named Susie.
It doesn’t mean she’ll be anyone that could be recognized. All it means is that there are reference points which the reader can slip into Susie’s role, and be able to essentially think like she thinks, and feel as she feels. She’s not perfect, she’ll have flaws, foibles, and insecurities, like we all do.
Susie is going to be dealing with things most women never will. She still has to be identifiable, and the readers must be able to identify with her. They won’t necessarily be able to say, “That happened to me.” But you need to get the reader to go along with you. The best way to do this is to have Susie respond the way the reader would. How would you respond to any given situation? That would give you a bit of a clue as to how Susie will?
All romance, up until almost the last page, is the sparks flying between the heroine and the man she ends up with. What emotional inner conflicts can you give your heroine that will create sparks with the hero? What fear does Susie have that could potentially keep her from ending up with her hero? Deciding that is a beginning. Let’s say Susie fears rejection, because several boys dumped her in high school for the head cheerleader. That’s kept her from entering the dating game, so she doesn’t have much experience in dating “etiquette.” What scenes could that bring to mind?
[bctt tweet=”Crafting a heroine is important to any romance. The heroine must be likeable, identifiable, yet human and engaging. #amwriting #writingromance101 #craftingtheheroine” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”] #amwriting #romancewriting101 #craftingtheheroine
How many romances have you read? Leave a comment and let me know.
A prairie girl from Kansas transplanted to Amish country, Pennsylvania, she’s married to a wonderful man since 1987. She’s a member of a great church, where she serves as a greeter and on ministry team. On Sunday afternoons, she stands a two-hour prayer watch at her local 24/7 House of Prayer. She also enjoys reading, occasionally reviewing books, and of course, writing. A graduate of Christian Writer’s Guild’s Craftsman program, she holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication. She is also a member of ACFW, RWA, and AWSA. Her debut novel, Meghan’s Choice will be released in late 2017.
My pastor and mentor, Larry, grimaced at me back in my early twenties. “Why do you like those scary movies and books? They’re disturbing, violent, and weird.”
I grinned at him. “Have you read the Bible?”
God got a hold of my life at the age of fourteen, and I dove in with everything I had, learning, growing. I couldn’t get enough.
I also loved speculative fiction. I read and watched horror, sci-fi, fantasy, superheroes, all of it. Novels, movies, stacks of comic books. I consumed it all.
Now, I love all kinds of stories, but I always felt drawn to the weird and dark ones. Today, as a pastor and author of epic and urban fantasy, I have studied writing, literature, and scripture, and I understand why.
The best of sci-fi and fantasy (even horror) does the same as all great literature – makes commentary on the human condition. Whether it was Verne with the Time Machine or Tolkien with the Lord of the Rings, these stories connect and endure because of universal questions of identity, humanity, or good and evil. Oh, there may be spaceships or dragons or serial killers, but at the heart, they tell us something about ourselves.
As I told my mentor, there are disturbing parts of the Bible that I didn’t learn about in Sunday School. Judah has sex with his daughter in law, who he thinks is a prostitute, and then she gets pregnant with a kid God used in Jesus’ lineage. And in Judges! We would love to forget the Levite who allows his concubine to get raped, and then when she dies, he cuts her into twelve pieces to motivate the other eleven tribes to go to war with the Tribe of Benjamin.
I could go on with stories from David or Lamentations and even the New Testament. They express an important truth. Life is sometimes tragic and violent and disturbing. Is God good in those moments? Can God redeem those stories and the people within them? He can and does. Christian literature, whatever the genre, should show the tragedy and the redemption.
C.S. Lewis said, “Since it is so likely that (children) will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise you are making their destiny not brighter but darker.”
Jesus spoke in parables, stories to teach a point. Often, however, those stories only confused people. His disciples begged him to stop speaking in parables and rejoiced when he spoke clearly (John 16:29). Jesus didn’t speak in parables to fully express the truth but to start a conversation, to hide the truth and see who would dig further than a story into the God telling the Story. (Matthew 13:10-17)
Not to mention, God is a creative God. His people should be the most creative. Speculative fiction gives us new worlds, future technology, and impossible creatures. Sounds like our Father.
And here is where writing speculative fiction, at its best, comes in. Yes, it can entertain, but it should use that wild imagination to begin spiritual conversations. Who better than pastors and Christians to be creative and tell the types of stories that engage the culture?
Tips for Christian authors as they write speculative fiction:
Peace.
MB Mooney has traveled and ministered all over the world. He writes fantasy and non-fiction, works for #CoffeeThatMatters, and pastors a church where he lives in Suwanee, GA with his amazing wife and three great kids.
Before our grandchildren came along always read the Christmas story in Luke 2 around the Christmas tree before opening our gifts.
After our children grew up, married and brought little ones into the world I realized they couldn’t sit through that reading. So, I started the tradition of reading a carefully selected picture book with them. Those times soon became my favorite memories of Christmases together.
So, I’d like to share with you some of those titles. You should be able to find them at your local Christian book/gift store, possibly Barnes & Noble or Books A Million. If not, try ChristianBook.com or Amazon.com.
I hope you and your little ones enjoying reading and talking about these as much as we did.
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Anger comes in many shades, from miffed to murderous. Each shade looks and feels different. When a person is miffed, he might roll his eyes or make a snarky comment. When a person is enraged to the point of being murderous, adrenaline is pumping through his body, making him tense, flushed, and ready to punch someone.
Anger expresses itself differently in different people. No two people respond to anger the same way. Some tend towards melodrama while others keep a tight rein on their emotions. For example: Some teachers constantly yell at their students in order control the classroom. Others rarely raise their voice. I remember being more terrified the one day my normally serene homeroom teacher raised his voice than I ever was at the threats of the constant shouters.
[bctt tweet=”With all this variability, writers must take care to describe anger in convincing and imaginative ways.” username=””]
Here are five questions to ask when a scene calls for anger.
Anger. It’s a powerful emotion. Use it wisely.
[bctt tweet=”What other emotions does anger hide in your characters? #writer #amwriting” username=””]