Categories
The Ministry of Writing

Sometimes the Water Stops

If you are ministering through your writing, then I am certain that at some point in your ministry God has guided you to a certain task. More than likely you are like me — you wrestled with if you were hearing Him correctly. Next, you probably battled feeling worthy for the mission. Then you saw the reality of the difficulty of the task, and were ready to quit. The mountain seemed insurmountable. There was no way you could do it.

But still the Spirit continued to whisper on.

Still you felt called — instructed to move forward.

You had no idea how it would work out.

If you have followed this pattern of thought or better said — patter of freaking out! Then you are in good company. The company that the Book of Hebrews calls a “great cloud of witnesses.” Every follower of Christ before you and every Old Testament Saint faced the same dilemma.

My favorite account of this is found in the opening of the Book of Joshua. The Israelites stand on the banks of the Jordan River. The Promised Land is in view, and they are told to go take what was promised. God gives them specific instructions. The priests are to led the march. While carrying the Ark of the Covenant, they are to step into the swollen flood stage Jordan River. When they do, the water would stopped flowing, and like when the Red Sea was parted all of Israel would then be able to cross on dry land.

A strange plan.

Why not just stop the water first? Why not show the clear path to victory? For that matter why have Israel fight city to city to take the land, when God could have figuratively “nuked” Canaan and just handed it to His people?

Why God?

Why have us wade into the water before it parts?

Why have us feel as if we might drown with the heavy burden you have placed on us?

Pre-parted rivers would make following the Lord so much easier, right? Yet, He calls us into the swift waters with no apparent path to accomplishment. I’m sure you have been there or maybe you are on the edge of that step. Israel wandered for 40 years on the wrong side of the Jordan due to their fear to take the step of obedience.

Five years ago, I finally stepped into the water.

For years, I felt called to write, but I choose to wander in the wilderness of being uncommitted. Finally, I took the step. I took a week vacation to write a book. I finished the week with a chapter and a half with the realization writing a book was ridiculously difficult.

So, I’d quit and then restart. Quit and restart. Start a new project, quit, and restart the original book. I so wanted the water to part. After surrounding myself with accountability, I trudged on. No dry land though. I finally got enough done on the book to send to agents and publishers, again no path to victory — only rejection letters and silence. Then I went to a writer’s conference, and did the book pitch speed dating. Again silence.

Finally, the wind began to blow a bit. The breeze seemed as if it might turn back the tide. I signed with an agent. Then more silence. An empty email inbox is a lonely place, probably much like the desert surrounding Sinai.

Then came the book contract. Miracles do happen. Then came more work than I ever thought imaginable. Still the water surrounded me. I had stepped into the Jordan like those priests, but the water had not stopped.

But on April 4, 2017 the water stops and dry land appears.

Over twenty years of knowing I was called, but not taking a step. Then over five years in the water writing and learning.

But on April 4, 2017 Spiritual Prepper releases nationally.

I’m not sure if the Promised Land is on the other side. Maybe at least a royalty check or two, and more than that I hope for a few changed lives.

But I know this and want to share with you — that water you are called to step in, the water that appears scary, the water that seems only to rise — will one day stop.

If God has called you then He will come through. And in the words of rock n’ roller Chris Daughtry, “Be careful what you wish for, ‘Cause you just might get it all.”

Categories
Guest post archive

The Writer’s Nemesis – Clichés-DiAnn Mills

 

Every writer craves accolades from her readers and the industry. She wants exemplary recognition about her plot, voice, genre, setting, dialogue, narrative, and characters. She treasures 5-star reviews and eager readers who can’t wait for her next book.

Unfortunately when a writer dips into tired clichés, credibility lands with a dull thud. The story lacks:

Originality.

Phrases clothed in character.

Unpredictability.

Excitement.

A cliché is a writer’s nemesis.

Writers, it’s time to become soldiers. Let’s shine our boots and clean our weapons. We must fight the urge to use familiar wording. Carry the banner of creating something fresh and alive.

Are you ready to wield the sword and destroy your nemesis? Here are five ways to ensure you’re the victor.

  1. Conduct a line-by-line edit. If a cliché threatens your position as a bestselling writer, delete it!
  2. Explore the scene in which the cliché Is it necessary? If so, how might your character form a phrase that accomplishes the same purpose? Every detail of characterization plays into a strategic plan to offer a unique way of saying something.
  3. Design three phrases of your own to replace every cliché.
  4. List your original clichés in a file. These can only be used by your character. Ever. An award-winning writer is proud to eliminate all traces of a previous character in a new book.
  5. Re-read your story again and admire your willingness to fight for your own literary voice.

Writers use words as their defense line, a means of reaching the goal of increased leadership.

Have you spent time creating your character clichés?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall. DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

Categories
LifeStyle Untold Stories

Getting Things Right

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”38″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][prkwp_spacer size=”12″][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/6″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.

Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment’s conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

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Categories
Bestsellers

Best Selling Author-CYNTHIA RUCHTI

We welcome Cynthia Ruchti as our Best Selling Author

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you share a little about your recent book –A Fragile Hope is a book that has been a long time coming. The idea for it simmered on a back burner for years, waiting for the right moment, the right method, the right approach to the point of view characters.

Josiah Chamberlain is well-known for his marriage and family enrichment seminars, counseling, and books. He’s especially known for his quick quips that seem to encapsulate his dynamic advice in a few pithy words. But all his words fail him on the night it appears his wife—Karin—has betrayed him, left him for another man. But no one can explain what happened. The man driving his wife’s car when it crashed is dead and she is locked in deep brain trauma. If he walks away from her side, his career is over. If he stays, his marriage may already be over. What does love do when it’s been betrayed? Or does he even know the true definition of love?  Did Karin? Will he ever find out?

It wouldn’t be so complicated if he could talk to her…and if it weren’t for the tiny heartbeat she carries.

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

An overarching theme that makes its way into all of my books is the idea of being hemmed in hope. “I can’t unravel. I’m hemmed in hope.” My characters don’t always feel that way at the beginning of the story. But they are all confronted with the possibility before the story’s end.

I write to tell stories hemmed in hope. But I also write because I believe that fiction is a powerful communicator. Many of us learn best through story. Story sticks with us. Story engages the emotions as well as the intellect. Story can express the inexpressible. Every culture since Adam and Eve has used storytelling to communicate deep truths. Not only is our culture no exception, but it’s perhaps more important than ever in an era when the art and dance of story are threatened by words like quick, easy, uncomplicated, and comfortable. Our character grows and expands as we walk the path fiction’s characters take.

How long have you been writing? And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract?

I wrote magazine articles, newspaper articles, and baby shower devotions as a sidelight to homemaking and even during the years when I worked in a chemistry lab. But then I was given the rare privilege of writing and producing a 15 minute scripted radio broadcast. That broadcast aired daily on 48 stations across the country at its peak. The program recently retired after 33 years on the air.

Even after all those words on paper, it still took concerted study to learn how to write a novel and a full-length nonfiction book. I took courses, joined an online group, signed on with a critique group, attended writers’ conferences, and soaked up all the education I could. From the time I first seriously considered writing a novel until my first novel was published was about ten years. Since that debut novel in 2010, I’ve been blessed to have written 21 other books or compilations, both fiction and nonfiction.

How long does it take you to write a book?

With a schedule like the above, it means I have to write at what might be considered break-neck speed. I have a day job, too—working for American Christian Fiction Writers as their professional relations liaison. I’m often musing on a book for months before I actually sit down to write, and then am tasked with writing lots of words in a short period of time. That’s not all bad, because it keeps me conscious that it is beyond me, that I can’t do this—nor should I try—without joining God in writing the story HE wants told. It’s a humbling process. But I’m thrilled with the discovery process—being surprised by the story as it unfolds.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

Others will have much wiser answers to this question. I’m working on a more ideal response, making some significant changes so that I can write when I’m most productive—which is normally between ten in the morning and five in the afternoon. I find that if I get the less-creative tasks done by ten, then I can focus better on what demands more creativity. It’s been working well for me to work intently for fifty minutes, then take a five- or ten-minute break, then immediately go back to writing, with the timer set for another fifty minutes. Others have their own variations of that process. We all need to get up and moving. A good story can keep us so engaged, enthralled that we forget to move, forget to eat, forget to…oh, say, dust and vacuum. The timer method helps me make progress on both my writing and breathing.

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

It’s just the way I’m wired. Because I have a strong editing side as well, I seldom write more than one draft. It’s happened. But usually, when I finish my first draft and go back over the work, the changes are fairly minor before I send it to the in-house or freelance editor. I don’t think that’s quirky, but I do realize it’s not normal. Maybe it’s from writing radio scripts all those years. Once I learned what my editing radio partner was likely to catch, I trained myself to avoid those issues before she could whip out her red pen. But that doesn’t prevent me from having to rewrite whole sections sometimes after I hear back from the professional editor.

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

Having a book recognized by an industry-respected award like the Carols or the Christy Award or ECPA Book of the Year or Christian Retailing’s BEST Awards and others is rewarding. But JOY comes from another source. It comes from watching a book resonate with a reader and help bring healing or resolution or restoration or understanding. Few things are more thrilling for this writer’s heart.

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

It’s been hard to watch several publishers make the decision to close their fiction departments. I’m not alone in having been affected by some of those changes. Hard as that has been to weather, they haven’t always been “dark” moments. Difficult, certainly. Sometimes even heartbreaking as we think about shrinking opportunities for authors yet increasing need for great books for readers.

Which of your books is your favorite?

If I’m doing my job well, it should be the one I last wrote. My hope would be that every book I write is better than the one before because of what I’ve learned about the craft, about myself, about my readers, about storytelling, and about the God who created story as a method of communication. So, I’d have to say my favorite so far would be the one releasing in April 2017—A Fragile Hope. It’s certainly an emotionally gripping story, yet laced with tenacious threads of hope.

Who is your favorite author to read?

I’m a big fan of Marilynne Robinson’s storytelling ability.

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

I wish I had established a more intentional record-keeping system earlier in the game. Who would know that down the road I’d accidentally use a character name or occupation I’d used eight years earlier? I’m making up for that neglect now, but it would have been easier if I’d started with a careful record-keeping habit.

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

I’ve lost count. Seriously. And it has nothing to do with less-than-perfect record-keeping.  Sometimes the rejection has been as simple as tossing and idea to an editor in casual conversation and having him or her discard it without a moment’s delay. Sometimes it’s been rejection of a proposal (or dozens of them). And sometimes the rejection is a bad review. I’ve come to realize that rejection is a natural part of the writing life, and that if I can’t live with that reality, I’d better find something else to do.

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

I have a favorite scene in A Fragile Hope, but I can’t tell you what it is without spoiling the plot! A favorite character in As Waters Gone By is Bougie Unfortunate. So many readers have commented on her unique version of grace. And a favorite scene in Song of Silence is the wedding chapel scene. It’s so tender, I can easily tear up just thinking about it.

Where do you get your ideas?

Ideas float past me like dandelion fluff. I keep my wool mittens poised to collect it. I listen deeply. And God has bequeathed me an extra measure of empathy, which is probably why I write women’s fiction.

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

Perhaps the most common mistake aspiring writers make is assuming their work is ready for prime time before it is. When new writers ask me what they need to know to write a novel, it’s tempting to respond, “Do you have twelve years?” Most of us assume that because we HAVE a story in mind, we already have everything we need to ready it for public consumption, to get it to bookshelves of a library or store. It really is a much more complicated, time-consuming, high-investment proposition. Not everyone is willing to pay the price.

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

I recommend new writers attend the best writing conference they can afford. Some are specifically fiction-oriented, like the ACFW conference. Others, like Mount Hermon, Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers’ Conference, and Write-to-Publish focus on both fiction and nonfiction. A good writers’ conference is always a worthwhile investment…for education, networking, opportunities, guidance, and fellowship.

 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2jx0Wv8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed in Hope through her novels and novellas, speaking for women’s events and retreats, writers’ events, nonfiction books, and devotionals, drawing from 33 years writing and producing an on-air radio broadcast. Her books have been recognized by RT Reviewers’ Choice, Selah Awards, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, CR’s BEST Awards, Carol Award honors, Family Fiction Readers’ Choice Award, ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year honors and others. She has a total of 18 books on the shelves, with more contracted. She and her plot-tweaking husband live in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five grandchildren.

www.cynthiaruchti.com

 

 

 

Categories
Guest post archive

The Value of Investing in Networking by Cindy Saab  

 

Networking; what comes to mind when you hear that word? Are you groaning? Are you having a flashback to that awkward moment when you entered a  room full of strangers? Were you expecting people to be your next best contact or your new best friend?  Were you successful in an engaging conversation that played out rhythmically like a game of ping pong?   Okay, so maybe it didn’t play out as well as you had planned.

In reality, you were standing there like a soldier petrified and paralyzed? When you scanned the arena, did you realize that everyone else seemed to be in the deep conversation?  The only conversation you were engaged in was the one playing out in your mind—the implementation of your exit plan.

Now imagine others are waiting in deep anticipation for the event to begin.  They consider this event a personal invitation to them, for them. The time has arrived.  You see someone coming, and as they enter the room, there is a shifting in the atmosphere. The lights seem more brilliant, music starts to play, conversations stop,  and as they enter they are giving the impression that they sing Ta-Da I am here, let the party begin. As she speaks, people are hanging on to her e v e r y syllable, every word. Everyone gravitates toward her. Every person wants to be her. They want to be her friend, and before the night is over, she has hundreds of new best friends.

But for most, networking is often more realistic in-between both extremes.   A place that is more functional and purposeful.

Networking is work.  Alan Collins reminds us that “Pulling a good network together takes effort, sincerity and time.”

For me, networking is all about connections.  Connections are all about relationships; relationships with yourself, others and God.

Torry Martin says it best, “networking is all about working together to build God’s Kingdom.

When done right networking is a powerful tool! It is not just meeting people and growing your contact databaseIt’s an investment with great returns.  When you invest your time in others with the right motives, you build relationships that last a lifetime.

The term networking means a variety of contrasting things. Perhaps you have heard, observed or experience some of the following terminology related to networking:

WIIFM                 [ what is in it for me].

Transaction           An exchange of services or interaction between people.

Reciprocate          Respond with an equal or alternate interchange.

Bartering              Exchange goods and or services.

Trade                    Business, barter, contract, dealings

Traffic                  Coming and going

Seasoned People   People more successful of you in the speaker/writing world.

Or even worse, another popular version of networking is to socialize for professional or personal gain;  encouraging you to circulate, hobnob, make contacts,  meet and greet, mingle, rub elbows and schmooze.

Some simply choose to limit the networking process to a two-handed exchange; a  handshake with your right hand and a  new shiny business card with your left hand.   While that may ring true as the initial contact, however, if that is all you have done, the only take away you’ll have will be a stack of business cards.  It is not just about meeting people and growing your contact database

For networking to be of value to you and others, you need to make an investment. Susan Rona tells you that “Networking is an enrichment program, not an entitlement program.”

Effective networking is an investment.  It is not about what you can receive.  It is about what can you give.  You invest your time in others. Your focus point is how can I  give? How can I serve? While serving others,  you build relationships, and if done right they will last a lifetime.

Some view networking more as a two-sided coin.  More of a give-and-take situation.  As stated by Bob Burg, “Networking is simply the cultivating of mutually beneficial, give and take, win-win relationships.  It works best, however, when emphasizing the “give” part.”

But in God’s economy, He instructs us to be a giver. When we give, God honors our obedience.  When we choose to be obedient to what God has called us to do and called us to be, the results are always blessings.  So often we experience overflowing joy during the transaction of giving to others.

Henry Drummond says, “The most obvious lesson in Christ’ teaching is that there is not happiness in having or getting anything, but only in giving.”

Here are some ways that we can give to others:

Recommendations: I know a person that would be perfect for …..

Referrals: Describe how another person  brought great value to you  [ accountant, copywriter, web designer, publisher, editor, agent, etc.]

Mentors:  Find a mentor to share their struggles, knowledge, and  accomplishments. Be a mentor to someone else and do the same.

Randy Alcorn has stated that “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.”

Writing/Speaking: Share writing and/or speaking opportunities. Pass on an assignment to another person who is better suited.

“Networking is not just connecting people.  It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities.” as shared by Michele Jenna

As we develop our networking skills, our net will grow.  The Lord will continue to give us many opportunities to cast our net to others:  to serve, to give, to encourage, to be a bridge from one person to another.

effort,

Zig Ziglar  says “You can have everything you want in life, if you just help enough other people get what they want.”

“When we keep the ‘others’ mentality we discover the true value of networking doesn’t come from how many people we can meet but rather how many people we can introduce to others”  – Simon Sink

Journal Entry & Prayer Assignments:  The Value of Investing in Networking

  1. REFLECTION PRAYER – Sit quietly before the Lord and let the Lord speak to you.  Listed below are some prayer starters:

Praise the Lord for your personal relationship with God himself.

Thank God for the people that he has brought into your life.

Thank God for the places he has brought you to.

Thank God for the many opportunities he has placed before you.

Confess and ask for forgiveness for times when you have been a taker only.

Ask Him what is your next step.

Ask Him to give to another person the encouragement they may need.

Ask Him to give to another guidance for their next step.

Ask Him to give you the opportunity to invest and bless others.

Ask Him to give you many opportunities to serve.

Ask God for wisdom to be a good steward of your time.

Ask God for wisdom to be a good steward of your talents.

Ask God to give you many opportunities to invest in others.

Ask God to give you opportunities to share what you have learned.

Pray for opportunities to share what God has most recently taught you.

Pray for opportunities to share a new method that has been helpful to you.

Praise God for the favor that He has shown you and blessed you with.

Always give all praise and glory to Him.

  1. Read  Acts 20:35 “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Write out your thoughts as to how this verse speaks to you today.

  1. Read scripture verse Matthew 6:19-21.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be      also.”

What do you currently value?

What do you consider treasure?

What does storing up Treasure in Heaven mean to you?

How are you investing in God’s Kingdom?

  1.  Albert Einstein says, “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to  become a man of value.”  What is the difference between a man of success and a man of value?
  1. Givers are blessed because  they:
  • Choose obedience over selfish gain
  • Are being conformed to the image of the Lord
  • Have established forever friends
  • Are people of faith
  • Exercise their trust muscle
  • Choose to give to others
  • Are growing in their relationship with the Lord
  • Are developing new friendships/relationships with others

Add other “Giver” statements.

Be generous in your giving. Keith Ferrazzi reminds us that “The currency of           real networking is not greed but generosity.”

COMMITMENT PRAYER

Write out a Commitment Prayer in Investing in Networking.

Sign and Date your Commitment Prayer.

Other Networking / Connection Resources:

Networking Workshops by Cindy Saab

Biblical Networking ~ Examples of effective networking relationships

Effective Networking ~ Before, During and After Conference Workshop

Cindy Saab       CindySpeaksWrites@gmail.com

 

 

Cindy Saab is a passionate communicator sharing Biblical truths as a speaker / teacher for over 25 years. Cindy is writing a Bible study “Journey By The Sea, Traveling through Unexpected Seasons. retreat series, and a Networking Conference Workshop. Cindy is a graduate of She Speaks and Speak Up Conference and a team member of reNEW and staff member of Asheville Christian Writer’s Conference. She is a Meet and Greet co-coordinator for NE Christian authors. A certified coach encouraging women to discover their next step. She was also the ministry coordinator for Christian Film Festivals of America, Inc. for 24 years. She resides in New Hampshire with her two adult children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CindySpeaksWrites@gmail.com

Categories
Guest post archive

HIT-AND-RUN: 5 WAYS TO CORRECT A COMMA SPLICE

Of the mechanical misdeeds common to writing, the comma splice may be the most insidious. This sneaky little fugitive hides out in the writing of students and professionals alike, smashing up sentences and taking liberties with punctuation.

The grammatical equivalent of a hit-and-run, this nefarious collision of clauses happens when one sentence crashes right into another one, leaves its mark (a comma) at the scene of the crime, and never once stops to properly address the damage.

And how exactly can writers salvage a sentence from such wreckage and bring this runaway to justice?

First, we must identify just what this mechanical miscreant looks like. Simply described, a comma splice is a kind of run-on sentence that uses a comma to try to separate two (or more) complete sentences.

A run-on sentence—that is, two or more independent clauses connected with no punctuation at all—is more easily identified by many writers. Take the following example of a run-on sentence:

  • Bob overslept Bob was late for work.

Here, the first independent clause (“Bob overslept”) runs right into the second independent clause (“Bob was late for work”) with no dividing punctuation whatsoever. Thus, a run-on sentence. Easy to spot, easy to fix.

Or is it?

Many times writers who spot a run-on sentence will attempt to correct the run-on sentence by just adding a comma, like so…

  • Bob overslept, Bob was late for work.

The problem is that a comma is not strong enough on its own to separate complete sentences.

In this way, by addressing one error (the run-on sentence), the hard-working writer has inadvertently created another (a comma splice)!

So what’s a writer to do?

Happily, a writer need not despair. The sentence can easily be rescued by employing one of the five corrective methods outlined below.

  1. Insert a period to separate 2 independent clauses.
  • Bob overslept. Bob was late for work.

The most simplistic way to correct for a run-on sentence, this method takes little time, little thought, and no restructuring of sentences or paragraphs.

  1. Insert a semi-colon to separate 2 independent clauses.
  • Bob overslept; Bob was late for work.

Much like the first method, this corrective measure simply adds one punctuation mark. However, using a semi-colon between two sentences typically suggests a strong relationship between the sentences, a distinction not necessarily present when just inserting a period.

  1. Insert a comma plus a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but, so, yet, for, nor).
  • Bob overslept, so he was late for work.

Beware: Inserting only a comma creates a comma splice (which is essentially a run-on sentence with extra baggage).

Unlike a period or semi-colon, a comma is not strong enough to separate two sentences on its own, but it can be used with a little help from its fanboys (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

Where the use of a semi-colon suggests a relationship between the two sentences being joined, a comma with a coordinating conjunction firmly establishes one.

For example, the use of so in the corrected example indicates a cause-and-effect relationship between the sentences—that is, from the way the sentences have been combined, it is clear that Bob’s oversleeping caused his tardiness.

Where applicable, using sentence construction to outline a clear relationship between sentences is a good idea. It enhances the clarity of the message and adds variety to the structure of the sentences within a paragraph, thereby increasing the readability of the writing as a whole.

  1. Insert a conjunctive adverb with a semi-colon (or period) before and a comma afterwards.
  • Bob overslept; therefore, he was late for work.
  • Bob overslept. Therefore, he was late for work.

While conjunctive adverbs may sound intimidating as a term, we actually use them all of the time, and the most familiar is probably the equivocalhowever.

Other conjunctive adverbs include therefore, thus, nevertheless, consequently, furthermore, meanwhile, likewise, namely, and the phrase on the other hand.

The words themselves may be familiar to us, but many times when we encounter conjunctive adverbs in our writing, we feel a little insecure about how exactly to punctuate them.

Luckily, the steps are quite simple and straightforward.

  1. Insert a period or semi-colon before the conjunctive adverb.
  2. Insert a comma after the conjunctive adverb.

The caveat with this method is to read the sentence carefully and punctuate accordingly: Some of the words that serve as conjunctive adverbs (like instead or while) can also pull down double duty as another part of speech (maybe as a plain old adverb or even a noun).

  1. Rewrite the sentence.
  • Because he overslept, Bob was late for work.
  • Because he overslept, Bob was late for work.

The failsafe method for combatting a comma splice, rewriting a sentence is sometimes the best way a writer can correct the sentence, clarify the meaning of the message, and get out of the mental rut often creating by focusing too much on one single aspect of a written piece.

It would be hard to cover all of the ways to rewrite a sentence to correct for a comma splice, but the two following methods are the most common:

  1. Change one of the independent clauses into a dependent clause to create a complex sentence.
  2. Create a simple sentence with a compound predicate.

Armed with these five strategies for combatting comma splices, a writer should feel confident about confronting this mechanical hit-and-run and bringing it swiftly to justice.

Hilary Brooke Hall lives with her family in North Carolina. Until the day she gets it all together, she is leaning on the Lord (and Dr. Pepper).

She has a B.A. in graphic design from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.A. in English/Creative Writing from North Carolina State University.

She does NOT profess to be a Bible scholar or an expert. In anything. At all.

Hilary Brooke Hall also authors rogueletterie.com, a blog that features original graphic design and writings about about the American South, music, and other sociocultural topics.


Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

John Elder Robison – Living and Writing with Asperger’s

Overcoming a disability concept with a man writing the word Disability on a virtual interface and then crossing through the - Dis - with a red marker pen as a motivational call to overcome adversity.

 

 

The ninth annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2017, and April is Autism Awareness Month with the colorful puzzle piece ribbon becoming more familiar as its icon. Each year, autism organizations around the world recognize this day with events to raise funds and increase awareness.

I am pleased that I could ask John Elders Robison writer of articles, short stories, books, and the author of “look me in the eye, my life with asperger’s, and Switched On, A Memoir of Brain Change and Emotional Awakening” to share information with us about Asperger’s, a form of Autism.

Mr. Robison did not know there was a name for his condition until he was an adult. John maneuvered life before the age of forty knowing he was different, but not knowing why.

In my interview with John this month, I show the realistic view of one person’s experience with Asperger’s, as you will see in my questions and his answers to them.  John speaks frankly, giving us a better understanding of how one Aspergian sees the world. John’s precise informational process gives us a glimpse into how he processes information in his answering the questions as I presented them to him.

John, what is Asperger’s?

Asperger’s is one of the conditions that make up the autism spectrum.  It’s therefore a form of autism.  People with Asperger’s tend to have clear logical speech but be somewhat oblivious to the non-verbal parts of communication – we may miss things like body language or subtle facial expressions.  In the rest of this Q&A I refer to “autistic people” as opposed to Asperger people or Asperger’s because Asperger’s is just one of several words for autism.  One person might be described as autistic, another as having autism, another PDD-NOS. They may all look and act the same and in that sense the different diagnostic labels are interchangeable.

Autism is characterized by language impairment or weak ability to read nonverbal cues or messages; restricted interests, obsessions, or unusual focus; or unusual patterns of speech or expression.  But remember – “unusual” is only in the mind of a non-autistic observer.  To us, we are normal and you typicals are the freaks.  Many autistic people have medical challenges like anxiety, depression, epilepsy, intestinal distress, or sleep troubles.

Autistic people fall at all points on the IQ spectrum.  The combination of autism and intellectual disability is particularly debilitating.

How is living with Asperger’s different than/from a person not living with Asperger’s?

A person not living with Asperger’s is, by definition, dead. That is what “not living” means, and it is a fundamentally different thing from living with Asperger’s.  To the best of my knowledge dead people are indifferent to diagnostic terms we living people think are important.

Do you think living with Asperger’s affects what a person can, or cannot do in life? Why, or why not?

Autism is one of many things that can shape us.  Autism certainly affects what we are good at or not good at, and so it may influence what we can or want to do.  That said, there is no single answer to the question of how an individual may be affected.

Autistic people do lots of things – work with animals, be engineers, work in theatre or the arts, or even teach.  That said, many of us are unemployed or underemployed thanks to disability.  At the same time, some autistic people are extraordinarily successful.

Some people see autism as primarily a disability.  Others (like me) see autism as a mix of disability and exceptionality.  While there are some things I’m not so good at (like reading facial expressions) there are other things I’m exceptionally good at (like photography or automotive engineering) and I attribute both to autism.

What motivates you write despite any emotional challenges you face? Did your emotional challenges become the reason you felt you had to write?

I write articles and stories about cars because that’s what we do for work here.  I tell stories about what we find and do and emotion hasn’t got much to do with it.

When I learned about autism in me, the knowledge was life-changing in a good way, and that inspired me to share my stories with other people, so in that sense I guess you could say the emotional challenges are a big reason why I write about autism and difference.

Can you tell us about your current writing project(s)?

I’ve just started to explore the question of whether some of the Polynesian navigators who helped colonize the Pacific islands over the past 3,000 years were autistic.

I’m also writing a story about the role of autistic people in the establishment of the Anglican church in colonial Virginia.

And our high school students are building a vintage Bentley Continental to race the Carrera Panamericana through Mexico, and I expect to be writing about that.

What’s your best advice for those who wish to write characters with Autism/Asperger’s in their books and stories?

If you are an autistic person yourself or have an autistic family member you should have some insight into the character.  Otherwise, before writing about autism, ask an actual autistic person.  There is a lot of misunderstand and wrong assumptions are the rule, not the exception.

And John’s writing life?

Mostly I write by typing on computer.  As a result, my handwriting has deteriorated.  To address that I bought a diary-type notebook and I’m writing in it often, by hand.  There is a slight improvement but correction of that deficiency may take years, and I will never have penmanship to the standard set by our literate ancestors.

I write books and long articles upstairs in my library at home, or on the computer with the big monitor at my work. I am fortunate to own my workplace so I am free to write on “company time.”

I don’t really have a schedule. Sometimes I don’t do anything for a month and then I might write 20,000 words over a long-concentrated weekend.

Over four books I have generally beat the deadlines set by the publisher and I’ve been faster with my end of the edits than them, and I take that as evidence that the schedule is good enough.

For the past ten years, most of my writing has been done on Mac computers.  I write short stories and such on a laptop but I prefer the big desktop monitor for editing and most other tasks because I can compare things side by side and it’s just bigger and clearer.

Whenever I have a new book released I get a new pen to sign copies for readers.  Doing that is sort of a superstition, like believing your dog might roll over and die if you don’t give his left ear a quick tug on the way out the door.  You can dismiss superstitions if you want, but after three or four dead dogs you start to question the wisdom of that thinking.

There are, of course, some people who don’t even have dogs and don’t care what pen they sign books with but I am not one of them.

For SWITCHED ON I am using an ST Dupont fountain pen, but as I said, the writing instrument changes with some frequency.  As for paper – when you sign books you really see a difference in the quality of papers used in hardcover and paperback books.  Buy hardcovers if you want your books to last!

As for dogs – we have two – an Imperial Chinese War Pug, and a Bull Dog.

What advice can you give to other writers who may have a disability, or a challenge who aren’t sure if they can share their stories, or write a book?

Millions of people have a desire to share their stories.  Very few of those stories end up published by major houses and of those even fewer are widely read.  But not every storyteller seeks a bestseller.  Some write stories for their families.  Some might write for a local autism support group.  Others dream of having their story self-published or printed by a small press.  Others write for their own therapy.

Think about what you want; what is the objective of your writing?  Ask yourself if the story is truly unique, and who would want to read it, and why.  Remember that the writing it what makes or breaks it; a good writer can make a seemingly ordinary story into a page turner.

You just never know what stories will be popular or well received, and which won’t.

My first editor – Rachel Klayman at Random House – once told me publishing is a world of broken dreams and I think that’s true.  Books never sell to publishers for as much as you hope. They don’t get bought by the public in the quantities you or the publisher hopes for.  And often the critics are harsh.  The rewards are few and the criticisms many.  But still people do it.

Writers always seem to want to know how other writer’s write, edit, and rewrite. What is your style of editing your work?

I usually write something, set it aside, and then go back to it and look at it from the remove of a bit of time.  Also, my wife reads what I write, and sometimes other people.  They comment and I make revisions.  My agent reads initial drafts before we turn them in, but once the edit process starts with the publisher it’s just me and them, back and forth through the various steps.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with readers at AlmostAnAuthor?

Establish yourself in some good and stable line of work that affords you time to write, while also providing a steady living. If you are lucky you will even be able to write about your work one day.

Kathryn M. B. Johnson

I write with, and for, multiple disabilities. I’m working on a novel, and love writing essays. I live amidst the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. I started making squiggles at age three on pieces of paper. I kept my “writing” in grandma’s black snap-top pocketbook. In second-grade, I wrote stories my teacher read at rest time. I’m endeared to No.2 pencils. You can connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, or my website at kathrynmbjohnson.com.

 

 

Categories
Copywrite/Advertising

I’m in This Thing for Converts

 

You’re a copywriter. Not a novelist (okay, maybe at night). Not a screenwriter. Not a poet. A copywriter.

What does that mean?

Unlike those other writers, you’re not seeking readers. Not really. At the root of things, you’re seeking buyers.

It’s sort of like a preacher on Sunday. (I’ve been a preacher so I can use this example with impunity.) What does the preacher look for when gazing out across the sanctuary? A bunch of rear ends warming seats? That’s just the start.

One enthusiastic minister blurted it out to me once. “I’m in this thing for converts!”

As a copywriter, so are you.

Our readers aren’t perusing our prose for chuckles and entertainment. They’re after information that will inspire them to buy the right product or give to the right charity. What you want is for your reader to take action.

Whether you are sitting at your keyboard crafting an email campaign for a Christian organization or climbing the town water tower with a can of spray paint and your ex-girlfriend’s number in your jacket pocket, you are writing for the same purpose–results.

Your prose is successful when your reader responds. Sign up for an email list. Follow the company on Twitter. Add a name to the petition. Ultimately, buy the product.

When a web visitor takes action on a site, that’s called conversion. And that’s what you want your prose to do—convert people. If you write for a Christian organization, conversions may be literal conversions. If you write for a company, maybe not.

How does writing for conversion differ from other kinds of writing? Here are three ways:

  1. Essay writers say, “Your writing needs an airtight argument with a beginning that includes a clear thesis sentence followed by three supporting statements and winding up with a defined conclusion that closes the argument’s circle.”

Ad copy editors say, “Your writing is part of a sprawling global conversation that has no beginning and no end. Don’t close the loop.”

If you close the loop, you give away the end of the story. What’s left for your reader to do?

Effective ad copy takes your reader right up to the crisis moment and stops. An irksome feeling that something remains unfinished nudges readers to become buyers. Resist the urge to conclude. Instead, let the reader finish the story by making a purchase or donation.

  1. Traditional writers say, “Good writing is grammatically correct, spell-checked, and proofread.”

Ad copy editors say, “Good writing is interesting.”

The need for written content to be interesting is almost universally acknowledged. But we don’t teach how to be interesting in print. We teach the rules of grammar.

Want evidence that the best writers don’t need to follow the rules? Look at some of today’s most effective advertising copywriters, the Chick-fil-a cows. Those guys are horrible spellers! But nobody cares that the cows can’t spell. They’re interesting. They’re funny. They keep you eating chicken.

Note that most ad copywriting also requires correct grammar and spelling. But those things alone aren’t going to get results.

  1. English teachers say, “I’m assigning you a paper that will be between seven and ten pages long.” And you write ten, even twelve, to prove that you are doing the most work possible.

Ad copy editors say, “Be brief.”

Brief writing is difficult to do, but brevity collects readers. Penelope Trunk says she takes 30 minutes to craft a single tweet. Mind you, a tweet is 140 characters or less. I could pound out 140 characters in no time flat. Perhaps that’s partly why Trunk has 134,000 Twitter followers, and I don’t. It’s hard to pack interesting, quality content into a tiny space, but it often works.

One caveat: there’s some evidence that long-form content gets readership and response better than short-form content does. Fundraising appeals, for instance, often generate more income when they are two or more pages long. The only way to know for sure is to test your readership.

Be brief doesn’t always mean be short. It just means stop talking once your piece concludes the first time.

For copywriters, conversion is key.  How do you convert your readers into buyers? Brief, interesting copy that leaves the reader with unfinished business on his hands is a great start. An inspiring call to action—in which you encourage the reader to convert with a direct statement—can transform some readers into buyers.

What are some things you’ve discovered about writing that converts? Do you have any war stories about web site content, email blasts or fundraising letters that finally pulled those readers off their pews and down front to join the congregation, either literally or metaphorically?

Did someone else’s brilliant copy snag you?

Tell me about it in the comments.

Holland Webb: I love telling the stories that people put down so they go take action. I’m an advertising copywriter by day, an aspiring novelist by night, a parent, a dog-lover, a prison volunteer and a follower of Jesus.

[1] Read more:http://www.touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=26-02-018-v#ixzz4WJX3Txy8

Categories
Write Justified

Beware These Confusables

 

Because spellcheck, wonderful as it may be, doesn’t catch words used improperly …

And because the English language has more than its fair share of homophones …

This month’s post alerts you to five sets of words that are prone to misuse.

Let’s start with a 3fer.

  • Imminent – eminent – immanent

The most common of the three is eminent, meaning “distinguished, of good repute.” It is commonly replaced with imminent, meaning “certain, very near.”

The arrival of the eminent professor is imminent.

Immanent is primarily a theological term. It means “inherent,” or “restricted to the mind.”

John Brown’s immanent belief in abolition motivated his attack on Harper’s Ferry.

  • Complacent – complaisant

These two adjectives with corresponding nouns (complacency, complaisance) share a Latin root, complacere, meaning to please or be pleasant. In English, however, they have morphed into different meanings. To be complacent is to be self-satisfied or so pleased with yourself that you’re smug, self-righteous, conceited.

Complaisant, on the other hand, refers to a desire to please to the extent one might be considered a pushover.

“I’m worried that Junior is too complacent about his grades and won’t be able to get into an Ivy League school,” Mrs. Jones complained.

 The widow’s complaisance made her an easy target for scammers.

  • Descent – decent  -dissent constitute another threesome that are sometimes confused.

Use the adjective decent to describe something wholesome, in good condition, appropriate, or modest.

The newlyweds’ apartment was in a decent part of town.

Descent is a noun that refers to a downward slope or in a downward direction as well as birth or lineage.

The descent may seem like the easiest part of a mountain hike, but experts say that’s when most falls occur.

In the ancient world, the line of descent was usually to the oldest son.

Decent and descent are not true homophones because they are not pronounced the same. Decent rhymes with recent, with the accent on the first syllable. Descent and its homophone dissent are pronounced with the accent on the second syllable: di SENT.

Dissent can be a verb, meaning to disagree, or a noun, meaning to have a different opinion.

The administration seemed unprepared for the level of dissent the executive order generated. Dissenting opinions were voiced throughout the country.

  • Altar – alter

Not only do these words have distinct meanings, they are different parts of speech.

Altar is always a noun—a place or structure on which sacrifices or incense are burned in worship. Alter is a verb, meaning to change or make different. Altar may also be used figuratively to describe something of great value or that is valued at the cost of something else.

Queen Elizabeth’s coronation took place at the altar in Westminster Abbey, forever altering the life of the young woman. Some suggest she sacrificed her own desires on the altar of the monarchy.

  • Rack-wrack

Finally, if you’ve ever racked your brain over the use of rack and wrack, well, you’re not alone. Even the experts concede this a confusing and complicated word pair.

The two words have different origins and meanings. The verb rack likely comes from the Dutch and means “to stretch,” while wrack comes from the Middle English for shipwreck. As a noun, rack has multiple meanings—a set of antlers, a frame for setting up pool balls, a horse’s gait, and the one applicable for this confusing twosome: a framework for stretching used as a medieval instrument of torture. And this is where we get the sense of suffering i.e. racking your brain, rack and ruin, though you’re just as likely to see wracking your brain and wrack and ruin.

What to do? It’s nerve-racking, for sure. Some advocate dropping the use of wrack. It’s an archaic term, they argue. Others, like Merriam-Webster, acknowledge wrack/rack as alternate spellings for the same word. Isn’t it nice to know that at least in this case, there’s more than one acceptable way to spell a word?

Categories
Write Justified

The Common Comma – Part 3

 

Bryan Garner, author of A Dictionary of Modern American Usage, and a raft of other books on English language usage and style, calls the comma the least emphatic punctuation mark of all. While it may not have the impact of a period or semi-colon, marks that call for a full stop or pause, the comma’s primary role is a separator. And when it comes to clarity, that’s an important role.

Garner identifies nine uses for a comma. We’ve covered

We’ll finish this series with Garner’s final five.

  • Qualifying adjectives

When more than one adjective is describing a noun, separate them with commas if both can be true of the noun.

John’s worn, red sweater won the award for the company’s annual Ugly Christmas Sweater contest.

Since John’s sweater is both worn and red, the qualifying adjectives are separated with a comma. Note the tip here. If the comma could be replaced with and, the comma is needed.

When the adjectives describe the noun in different ways, or one adjective describes the other no comma is needed.

Repainting the bright pink walls was the first item on the new homeowners to do list.

Bright modifies pink, not walls. No comma.

  • Direct vs. indirect speech

When writing dialogue, use a comma to separate direct speech from indirect speech.

“My goodness,” Marjorie exclaimed, “look how that child has grown.”

  • Participial phrase

Introductory participial phrases are set off with a comma.

Famished after their ten-mile hike, the scouts lined up early for dinner.

Waiting for the bank to open, Margaret caught up on Facebook.

No comma is needed if the sentence is inverted and the phrase immediately precedes the verb.

Facing down the monster was the prince himself.

  • Salutation

I know it’s becoming a lost art—letter writing—that is. But should you have occasion to write a note or informal letter, insert a comma after the salutation. Dear John, Dear Sally,

That’s not a bad practice to carry over into those emails you dash off, either.

  • Parts of an address

Separate the elements of an address, as well as dates, when they are run in the text.

The package was shipped to 758 Potter Street, Hamlin, Missouri, by mistake.

The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 3, 1776, not July 4.

Punctuation, like language itself, evolves over time. What was once a preference for more commas— “close” style, has given way to an “open” approach using fewer commas. Some have gone as far as saying, “When in doubt, leave it out.” Keep in mind that[bctt tweet=” the whole reason we use punctuation is to make our writing as clear as possible” username=””]. You’ll be on the right path if you adhere to Bryan’s nine uses.

 

Categories
Write Justified

Before You Hire an Editor

 

You’ve written your masterpiece. Or at least a short story, novel, or essay you believe worthy of publication. But is it? Other than your mother, who thinks everything you write is perfect, has anyone else laid eyes on your work? Is it really submission-ready?

Writers need editors. As a freelance editor, I hope that doesn’t conjure up an image of a stern-faced, red pen-wielding person whose only purpose in life is to make yours miserable. Far from it. Would you be surprised to learn that editors face each project with as much trepidation as you do when submitting a piece for their review? Though I can’t speak for others, I know that to be true for me. [bctt tweet=”My goal is to help you make your writing say exactly what you mean in as clear and understandable language as possible.” username=””] Peter Fallon describes the relationship between writer and editor as more of a duet than a duel. It ought to be a collaborative, not adversarial relationship, intended to make your writing sing.

Assuming I’ve convinced you that you need an editor, here are three things to do before passing your work off to a professional.

  1. Format:    Standard publishing format calls for one-inch margins, 12 point font, typically Times New Roman, double-spaced with one space between sentences. Yes, if you learned to type on a typewriter, you learned to put two spaces between sentences. And habits die hard. But in the computer age with proportional fonts, just hit that space bar once after a period or other end punctuation.
  2. Spell-check:    Do run spell-check, even though it won’t catch all the errors. Spell-check won’t find homophone errors or actual words used incorrectly. But it can eliminate extra spaces, double periods, and other kinds of errors that creep in when you’re in the zone and the fingers are moving faster than the brain.
  3. Critique:   One of the best things a writer can do is seek out other writers who will honestly critique her work. Whether you join a group such as Word Weavers or search out an accountability partner who can also offer meaningful feedback, you need someone to look at your work with unbiased eyes. As a reader would. A good critique will point out the positive and negative aspects of your writing and suggest ways to clarify the language or engage the reader more effectively.

Aside from the value of the honest feedback of a critique, the camaraderie of other writers is essential for the often-lonely exercise of writing. It may be just the motivation you need to keep putting pen to paper.

These simple steps will save your editor time and frustration, save you money, and ensure the writer-editor relationship gets off to a good start. It may just be the beginning of a life-long friendship.

Categories
Pleasant Rosebud - Romantic Suspense

COINCIDENCE – LILY 1

At the start of every century, young maidens, somewhere on this earth, experience magical events which change their whole lives. The stars would align in their favor to recreate ancient folklore in their lives.

For some, the story is finding out that you’re the fairest maiden in your kingdom, being hated by your stepmother, getting adopted by dwarves and marrying a prince. For others, it is being woken up, after sleeping for a hundred years, by a kiss from a charming prince. On rare occasions, some maidens find themselves locked up in isolated towers guarded by dragons or comforted by insanely long hair. Once in a while, fables are heard of maidens who live under the sea only to visit the surface and fall in love with human royalty.

There were many more stories such as these ones. Now, when these stories repeat themselves, they tend to sometimes have slight deviations. However, the usual end point is happily ever after with a handsome caring prince or prince-like man.

Some people in my time tend to ignore the truth in these stories. I, on the other hand, lived for these stories. This is because I couldn’t help but feel that I was one of the chosen few maidens in the whole world to encounter a magical happily ever after.

As a child, like most girls my age, I dreamt of becoming a princess. It was my life ambition. At the time, it had been wishful thinking and I never tried to delve into facts of my actual chances of becoming a real princess.

I was born into wealth but my father was not royalty. My father was an adventurer and merchant. He worked directly with kings from many kingdoms as a middleman. This brought a lot of wealth into our home. I lived like a princess, actually. I was an only child whom my parents adored. I received almost everything I asked for and lacked nothing. My parents were careful in raising me so I had manners. I grew up to be respectful and polite.

In my early preteen years, tragedy struck my home. My mother passed away from an unknown disease. She was a picture of perfect health. Her illness came as a shock. In those days, our doctors had not yet discovered my mother’s disease and thus, did not have a remedy for it. My father and I were crushed by her passing. My father became distant. He started travelling for longer periods of time without keeping in contact. I did my best to tackle depression from losing my mum, hurt from the distance my father created and maturity to maintain our family’s house.

Life became even worse after my father returned from his annual spring adventure. He had left home the spring of the previous year, the longest period of time he had ever been away. On his arrival, he looked more haggard than I had ever seen him. It broke my heart but it didn’t stop there. He had brought a woman with him. I was about 14 years old at the time, old enough to take care of myself and our home. This strange woman has two daughters and sometime, in the past year, she had gotten married to my father.

This new development hurt me so much, but I dedicated my energy to taking care of my father. No other person seemed to care about him. My stepmother, Lady Méchant, and her daughters, Anastasy and Brizel, were more focused on squandering my family’s remaining wealth. They maintained a high social status and threw magnificent parties. They busied themselves with being the local champions of my small village while I took care of my dying father. The doctors were also unable to detect my father’s illness. I knew he was going to leave me soon and I was dedicated to staying by his side to the very end.

My father passed after I turned 15. Lady Méchant and her daughters didn’t even pretend to be grieved. They took swift action to turn my life around. All the servants my family had were sent away and all their duties were placed on me. I became a slave in my own home. To comfort myself, I read the childhood stories my parents used to read me to sleep. This is where my theory began.

I began to notice a pattern in the stories from my childhood. During whatever free time I had, I began to gather facts from the works of other writers, philosophers, and professors. It was a slow procedure because I was mostly occupied with house work. I also began to study celestial cycles and their alignment with human destiny.

This brought hope to me, especially after my father’s death. Life seemed to be bleak but the folklores convinced me there was a magical future waiting for me. From my discoveries, I found out I was a reincarnate of a maiden called Cinderella. My life seemed to match all the stories I heard about her.

We had too much in common. Just like me, she lost both her parents at a young age and was left with an evil stepmother and stepsisters. My stepsisters’ names were even similar to that of Cinderella’s! She was a hardworking and lovely young lady and I believe I shared those traits with her. After all, I worked endlessly to take care of my family’s house and I did it without rebellion. In stories about her, she was assisted by a magical creature or close family friend to attend a ball where she met the Prince, fell in love, lost a shoe, and later got married to the prince.

Obviously, these events hadn’t occurred in my life yet. All I had to do was to be good and wait for a royal ball open to the public, to roll by my village. The only thing that seemed to be an obstacle in way of reaching ‘magical happily ever after’ was a prince. Of course I knew a prince had to be available for me but the royal family, which ruled over my village, was highly secretive.

An accident had apparently happened about a year before I was born and the royal family had closed off their gates to any visitors from my village and our kingdom as a whole. I knew the royal family had heirs to the throne but that was it. No one had any info on what happened before the gates were closed or within the royal castle. No one knew what the royal family looked like anymore. In fact, it was so extreme that anyone who worked in the castle building never left. They even had a graveyard within those walls!

I knew nothing about the prince so I decided to create an image of him based on the description of Cinderella’s Prince. I imagined he had chocolaty-brown hair with matching brown eyes, a strong jaw, chiseled cheekbones and sweet cherry lips. As a charming prince, he’d obviously have handsome (not bulky) muscles and a slight build. He’d also have to be taller than my 5’6 feet, with four inches or more, not too much taller though. I imagined him with a charming smile and sparkling white teeth. I wouldn’t mind if he was blond or had a different eye colour. Besides, I looked nothing like the three different Cinderellas I read about. My shoulder-length dark brown hair contrasted the blond, almost golden, hair they all had. I also had jade eyes unlike their electric blue eyes.

I wasn’t too worried about these minor details. I knew for sure that a handsome charming prince was waiting for me behind the castle’s gates.

My 18th birthday was uneventful. I hoped the ‘predestined’ ball would happen this year because 18 was a magical year for most girls in the fairy tales. I tried not to get too worried by the delay in my miracle and focused on ensuring my story stayed in line with Cinderella’s. I managed to convince my wicked stepmother and her daughters to call me, ‘Ella’ instead of my original name ‘Lily.’ I felt getting them to call me ‘Cinderella’ in full was a too desperate. Or it could jinx the whole situation.

Finally, in the August of my 19th year, my family received an open royal invitation. The letter stated that the royal family was finally opening its gates to kingdoms and villages far and near for a week-long ball. My hopes soared to cloud 9. I wasn’t a tad offended when Lady Méchant told me I was only allowed to attend if I scrubbed the whole house twice. In fact, I was grateful she commanded me to do it. The same kind of thing happened to the Cinderellas!

I had been planning this day for at least two and a half years! I was more than ready. I wasn’t sure if I had a fairy godparent or family friends who would help me escape and prepare for the ball, so I created ‘a plan B.’ Ever since I began to believe in my theory, I started to save up any money I could get. The money grew to a substantial amount.

A few months before my 18th, I secretly took most of the money to a tailor and had him restore my mother’s wedding dress to suit me and the current fashion trends. The tailor was kind enough to perform the job with my little money. I assured him I would pay the rest when I became queen. He thought I was mad but did the job nonetheless.  Luckily for me, my mother’s shoes fitted perfectly. They weren’t made of glass but they were silver in colour, which was close enough for me. I used my remaining money to hire a carriage.

And I was off to the ball.

My heart pounded with excitement. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening. I held back tears of joy so I wouldn’t ruin my make-up. My years of enslavement and wishful thinking were finally coming to an end. All my dreams were about to become reality. My life was about to change forever and I just couldn’t believe it.

Another Cinderella success!

The coachman dropped me off at the entrance of the castle and I proceeded to take the long walk up the stairs to the ballroom. I was fashionably late which was perfect. This meant I’d have a grand entrance where everyone would pause and gaze at me. I could already picture their stunned expressions and confusions to who the beautiful maiden (me) was. For sure I’d catch the prince’s attention and then we’d dance the night away and fall in love in the process. I couldn’t help but giggle at my thoughts.

I got to the top of the stairs and everything happened according to plan. The ballroom was designed almost exactly as I’d imagined it. The top of the stairs led to a round balcony which overlooked the dance floor beneath. The royal seating area directly faced the balcony. Everything was golden, red or violet. A large golden chandelier hung from the ceiling and made the ballroom shiny and alive.

As expected, the music stopped and everyone turned to gaze at me once I appeared at the balcony. It took everything in my power not to smirk at how well my theory was working. An usher came up to me and asked for my name and title. He was to introduce me to the curious audience.

“The enchanting Miss Lily!” he called out.

I blushed at his choice of words. The audience began to applaud as I made my way back down the stairs to the dance floor.

I walked straight toward the royal family’s area, to show my respect and snatch away the Prince. From the balcony, I didn’t have a clear view of anyone at all.

As I got closer though, a cold chill began to settle in my chest. My heart quivered as I got a closer look. This couldn’t be happening! The King and Queen looked comfortable on their throne. To their left, a young dainty-looking princess sat and smiled at me. On their right, sat an older princess, about my age.

Where was the prince?!

“The royal family. His Highness, King Arthur II, Queen Ella, Princess Isabel, and Princess Donna meet Miss Lily.” Another usher introduced.

I politely bowed and said, “What of the Prince?” The royal usher gasped and chuckled. The royal family also laughed. I was confused.

“There is no prince in this kingdom!” the usher said and guided me away from the royal family.

No prince. No prince? No prince! What does that even mean? Surely they must all be joking. There’s supposed to be a prince! Everything else is exactly as it should be. For crying out loud, there’s a full moon and my dress is blue! Just like in Cinderella!

Throughout the night I waved off the advances of other eligible men at the ball. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the absence of a prince! I tried to retrace my steps and see if I missed anything that could have sabotaged my chance of a fairy tale. I didn’t pay attention to the ball at all.

However, I got thrown out of my reverie. Apparently, the younger princess, Donna, had met a man at the ball, danced with him and fell in love. Pft. Lucky her. The royal family made a huge scene about disapproving the gentleman. The older princess, Isabel, got so worked up she started shooting ice from her hands.

Then it dawned on me. How could I be so stupid?!

I dedicated my life to a fairy tale that wasn’t in accordance to me. The whole orphaned stepmother/stepsister enslavement thing was only a coincidence. The signs were too obvious and I had chosen to ignore them. For one, I look nothing like a Cinderella. Also none of the Cinderallas I read about ever tracked their fairy tale or attempted to bend fate in their favor or were ever aware of their clichéd lives or were their own fairy godparent for Christ’s sake!

The royal castle was closed off! If anything, that was a huge indicator that I was living in the ‘Frozen’ fairytale!

“Well that was a terrible waste of my time.”

Ironically, at midnight, I had to rush back home. I noticed my stepmother and sisters leave the ball.

This definitely couldn’t have been my story. The stupid silver slippers didn’t even slip off while I ran toward my carriage.

 

 

 Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/en/woods-autumn-woman-girl-meeting-1524606/

COINCIDENCE is used by permission of the original author, Ifeoluwa Ogúnyinka

Author bio:

Sinmisola Ogúnyinka is a pastor’s wife, mother, writer and movie producer. She has a university degree in Economics, and is a Craftsman of Christian Writers’ Guild. She lives with her family in Pretoria, South Africa.

Blog: www.sinmisolao.wordpress.com

Twitter: @sinmisolaog

 

Categories
Guest post archive

Guest Post-Symptoms of a Hidden Writer by Chanda Griese

 

Are You Truly a Writer?
I’ve asked myself this question dozens of times. Not long ago, I came across this wonderful quote that both challenged me and set my heart at rest:

“Don’t be a writer if you can get out of it! It’s a solitary job… and it requires relentless self-discipline… But if, like the psalmist, you say, “My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned,” then perhaps you will have to write.” 

~Elisabeth Elliot
What can we learn from this wise and gifted woman of faith?
Being a writer requires times of solitude. Have you ever tried to write while someone is talking to you? I have. It doesn’t work. If you want to write something of quality, you have to be alone. With the phone turned off and unless music inspires you, try ditching the earphones, too. Social media outlets are a must for building platform, but many times they become mere entertainment, a distraction, and competition for precious writing time.
Without a consistent, weekly, and better yet, daily time to write, it’s not going to happen. There’s always something that will steal away our attention and our time.

[bctt tweet=”It takes self-discipline to say no, even to good things, and focus solely on writing. ” username=”@chgriese”]

It takes self-discipline to say no, even to good things, and focus solely on writing. Using rituals can help settle the mind for writing, like sharpening pencils, getting a cup of coffee, or spending time in prayer.
Marti Piper, a fellow writer whom I met through Word Weavers International, posted on her blog, to be a successful writer, you must have “rhino skin.” Some writers have to write over a dozen books with one rejection after another before being discovered. It takes tenacity to persevere. Some call it grit. Whatever you want to call it, if you want to be a writer, you cannot give up.

Think of The Turtle and the Rabbit from Aesop’s Fables. The point is not to publish fastest, but to publish no matter how long it takes and share our story with the world. Try posting a mantra above your writing space such as “I do not quit, I persevere!”
Then, you need ideas—something of substance to write. It’s amazing how a small apple seed of a concept can produce a whole bushel-full of spin-off themes. Jot them all down and try to find a way to organize them so that you can refer to them again. I keep a little notebook in my purse to add new ideas when inspiration hits. Others prefer note-taking apps on their phones. Whatever method you use, the point is to capture that brilliant idea to use at a later time.

Good writers are teachable. I once heard it said that mastering the craft takes at least five years and to publish takes even longer. This is where grit comes in. Shoot for the moon and keep on submitting. When our work is rejected, take it as another learning opportunity. Make appropriate changes and try again. Attend critique groups, writer’s workshops, and conferences. Writers must accept that we are life-long learners.
To be a writer, you must be relentlessness or possess a burning drive to write in a way that will impact a person’s view of life. Now that is the hallmark of a true writer. Your writing is an expression of who you are. And, you want to share your passions. You cannot help it.
I keep finding out myself, the more I write, the more I want to write. I don’t think I could ever tire of it.
How about you, are you a hidden writer? If so, how did you know and are you doing something about it?

Married to her high school sweetheart and homeschool mom of four feisty kiddos, this Florida girl has to switch gears daily from preschool to high school with housework in-between. So before anyone else wakes up, she writes. You can find Chanda at www.kidsbooks2grow.com or on Twitter:  @chgriese

 

Image in Public Domain courtesy of Wikipedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UnderwoodKeyboard.jpg)
Categories
Book Reviews

A3 Book Release-Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace-Leigh Ann Thomas

Open book.

Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace
Inspiration for the Mother of the Bride

Publisher: SonRise Devotionals, Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolina

(Excerpt)

Wedding Train of Thought

She’s getting married.

Oh my goodness, there’s going to be a wedding.

How do I even know where to start?

I’m going to have a son-in-law.

What do I do with a son-in-law?

What will I wear?

I need to lose some weight.

Should I change my hairstyle?

Will I be involved in the planning?

When will we meet his family?

Is my daughter ready to get married?

Have I prepared her for being a wife?

I hope I have time to lose weight.

My baby is getting married.

Lord, help!

The news is official. Face glowing, eyes shining with love, our daughter stands before Roy and me, her hand intertwined with her beloved. As far as the young couple is concerned, no one else exists. Their future is as bright as a Fourth-of-July sky; their dreams have boarded a rocket ship bound for the moon.

The room vibrates with squeals and laughter. Wow, a wedding! This is going to be fun.

Wow. A wedding.

As the sounds of celebration soar around us, a tiny bit of panic seeps in. Wait. Is this the same little girl who used to burst into the house to share after-school news? The same child who reached for us to bandage a hurting knee or a wounded heart? The same one who promised she would never leave us? That little girl?

We blink. Our daughter stands before us—not the adorable toddler, scrawny preteen, or teenager with braces and bruised knees, but a vibrant, beautiful woman.

From the back cover:

Take a major life transition, infuse it with every imaginable emotion, sprinkle
it with 1,001 must-be-made-now decisions, and what do you have?

A wedding.

You’re walking alongside your daughter as she dreams, plans, and organizes. You laugh and you cry. A lot. As you wade through the chaos, are you tempted to huddle in a corner with a box of chocolates?

This unique season doesn’t have to bring on food binges and panic attacks. With the Lord’s guidance, it can be an opportunity to walk with God in a fresh way.

Through Scripture, prayers, and the personal stories of women who’ve been there, Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace encourages and uplifts the mother of the bride.

With insight and humor, Thomas reveals how God’s peace and love can flow through you to your husband, your daughter, your future son-in-law, and others involved in this beautiful and sacred event.

Bio:

Leigh Ann Thomas is the author of three books, including Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace—Inspiration for the Mother of the Bride releasing March 25, 2017. A columnist for AlmostAnAuthor.com, she has also written for Just18Summers.com, ChristianDevotions.us, and Power for Living. She is a contributing author in ten books and her work is included in two editions of Southern Writers Best Short Stories. You can find Leigh Ann on her front porch daydreaming story plots, or blogging at LeighAThomas.com.

Endorsements:

…Perfect size morsels of goodness for the MOB to digest in an otherwise too-busy-to-eat season of her life. Simply wonderful!

Eva Marie Everson, author of Five Brides, Tyndale Publishers

…Filled with godly wisdom and heart-tugging stories, it’s a beautiful reflection of this special time between a mother and her daughter.

Michelle Cox, author of God Glimpses from the Jewelry Box and Just 18 Summers

…With both humor and sensitivity, author Leigh Ann Thomas walks mothers through the emotional journey of letting go with grace…

Elaine Marie Cooper, author of Saratoga Letters

…Leigh Ann’s writing is tender and encouraging. She lets you know that you’re not going on this journey alone…

Michelle Medlock Adams, Award-winning writer of over 70 books, including Love and Care for the One and Only You

…Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace is a wonderful example of how Leigh Ann can capture a passionate true-to-life story and run your laughter head-on into your tears…

Rev. James Ira Sutton, pastor, retired

Links:

Amazon http://a.co/hMkDY0n

https://leighathomas.com/mother-of-the-bride/

 

 

 

Categories
Craft The Writer's PenCase

Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part I

The Writer's PenCase

Why is it that some characters stick in our minds? What is it about them that causes us identify with them and admire them? I’ll be looking at these questions and others in this new series. [bctt tweet=”Some say it’s all about plot. Others say it’s about character.” username=”@a3forme @donnalhsmith”] #amwriting #characters

Continue reading “Creating Extraordinary Characters –– Part I”
Categories
History in the Making

Historical Writing Requires Attention to Details

By Sandra Merville Hart

When it comes to research, contemporary writers have it so easy, right? I am teasing, because these novelists definitely research their topics. However, it is true that everyday objects don’t have to be described in great detail in those genres.

For instance, when a character answers a phone in a contemporary novel, writers don’t have to mention that they hold the object to their ear to hear the conversation. The ringtone isn’t described unless it says something about the character’s personality or holds meaning in the story.

On the other hand, historical writers pay attention to those details as they paint a picture from days gone by. For example, novelists add descriptions of landaus, a four-wheeled carriage, for readers who want to see the vehicle in their imagination. These carriages contained two seats that faced each other to accommodate four adults comfortably. The driver sat on an elevated seat while guiding a team of four horses.

Landaus are no longer common so writers realize the need to describe these modes of transportation. Many objects fall into this category and enhance reader’s pleasure to learn a bit about the past.

However, there are other familiar objects that we, as writers, simply assume have been around for generations. I discovered this while writing a novel set in 1877.[bctt tweet=”Historical novelists can’t trust assumptions. Verify with research. #histfic #writer ” username=”@Sandra_M_Hart”]

My character sat on a front porch swing enjoying a conversation with her niece and new stepdaughter. The scene almost wrote itself. It didn’t occur to me until editing to wonder when porch swings came into use. I swung on them during childhood visits to older relatives’ homes, making me assume that they had been gracing front porches for years.

Assumptions have to be verified, requiring additional research.

In another novel, I wanted to show a character’s brothers playing tricks on her for April Fool’s Day. When did such shenanigans begin? Research showed this tradition began in 1700, making it safe to include in my 1904 novel.

How about the celebration of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day? These are relatively new holidays honoring parents.

I wanted to include a scene where fourteen-year-old twins (not yet called teenagers in 1877) decorated a Christmas tree at their boarding house with ribbons. They strung popcorn to arrange across the evergreen branches. Including these activities in my story required researching when Americans began to chop down evergreen trees to bring into their homes for Christmas. Did they decorate with ribbons, hang presents on the tree, pop corn for the occasion? These nostalgic details, once verified, bring richness to stories.

A wonderful aspect of research is that it often reveals traditions that are no longer followed. Including long-forgotten details deepens both your story and your reader’s delight.

We are often fairly certain of our facts, such as the date an event took place, but it’s always worth checking if there is any doubt. An abundance of Internet sites often makes this a quick process.

 

Sources

“April Fools Tradition Popularized,” History.com, 2017/02/24 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-fools-tradition-popularized.

“Landau,” Encyclopeadia Brittanica, Inc., 2017/02/24 https://www.britannica.com/technology/landau-carriage.

 

 

 

 

Categories
Child's Craft

Create like the Creator

As I was running trails with my dog one day, I was overcome with awe at the beauty, the intricacies, the details, and variety of all of God’s creations. What an incredible creator He is! And isn’t it amazing that since He made us in His image, He made us creators as well? Don’t you think He loves it when we create? When we use the talents He has given us to create something out of nothing?

Have you ever heard a song that completely touched your heart? That brought you to worship right where you were? Or how about a painting, a sculpture, a child’s finger painting, a brilliant innovative invention that revealed God’s hand at work?

I remember when I was in India, two of my team mates brought construction paper, stickers and gems for the children to create crowns. My team mates explained to the children that they were children of God, children of the King of Kings which made them princes and princesses. These crowns they created served to remind them of who they were in Christ. I loved watching these poorest of the poor Indian children create their beautiful sparkly crowns and wear them with pride.

As writers, we have this amazing privilege to create stories, images, blogs, articles, or whatever it is to highlight God’s majesty, showcase His love and illustrate His grace and mercy. What an honor that is. As children’s writers our books may be the ones that help form a child’s image of God and who He is. Our writing may help form their foundations of right and wrong, draw them to Jesus, possibly clarify Bible stories, demonstrate how to help others, how to tell the truth, to be kind to others, or whatever else God puts on your heart to write. These are the books and stories that children need today!

Don’t hold back my friends. Don’t resist writing your inspiration because it’s been done before, you think you won’t be able to write it as well as others, you feel like it will never be published. If God has placed something on your heart, then do your part and write it. Let God do with it what He will, but get it written.

And write it well. Get the idea on paper as it comes to you. But don’t submit the rough draft. We are to give our best to God, so make it beautiful! Make it strong! Make it touch the heart, move someone to tears, elicit a giggle. Make it flow, come full circle, teach without preaching, and make it enjoyable to read. Rewrite it then rewrite it again. Have it critiqued then rewrite from the critiques. Make it sing!

God gave us His best in all of His creations. Let’s give Him our best with the gifts and talents He has given to us.

Categories
Talking Character

What Does Your Protagonist Want? (And Why Can’t He Have It?)

A protagonist without a clear goal has nothing to figure out and nowhere to go. Lisa Cron in Wired for Story

All protagonists need a goal—some force that drives them onward no matter what obstacles the story throws at them. And that goal is driven by some deep inner need—the why that motivates all they do to achieve their goal.

Since stories are not about the plot, but about how the plot affects the characters, it is really the why behind the goal that keeps us reading.

If we don’t know what the protagonist’s goal is, or why it matters to him, we can’t anticipate how the plot events affect him, or what he might do about them. Which means we will quickly stop caring, toss that book aside, and watch silly cat videos instead.

Two kinds of goals

First of all, a protagonist needs an external goal—something she wants to achieve by the end of the book. She might want a promotion, she may hope to find the guy of her dreams, or she might be determined to solve the crime and nail the bad guy.

But the external goal isn’t enough to make a great story. Our protagonist needs an internal goal, too—some deep-seated need she believes will be satisfied if she achieves her external goal.  In other words, the inner goal is the why that motivates the external goal.

Two kinds of obstacles

What keeps your protagonist from her external goal? Typically, the kind of  plot-driven obstacles that writers love to make up: Rivals, misinformation, invading warlords, sudden storms, bad luck, traitors, or the kid next door. What keeps the protagonist from her internal goal? Her very own self. Some hang-up, fear, or stubbornly held belief that is part of who she is.

And this is one of the keys of a great story: In order to achieve her external story goal, the protagonist must be forced to come face-to-face with that deep inner issue she would much rather avoid.

The climax of the story hinges on her willingness to face her inner issue. Only then can she have the revelation that will enable her to achieve the goal that will bring her what she really wants (which may or may not be what she thought she wanted this whole time).

If you know what your character wants, why she wants it, and what inner issue might keep her from achieving it, you are on the way to a great story.

[bctt tweet=”Do you know what your protagonist really wants, and why she can’t have it? #amwriting” username=””]

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Let’s Talk About Verbs

Last time, I introduced the eight parts of speech. This time, we’ll focus on verbs.

I’m beginning with the verb because to be a complete sentence and not just a phrase or a fragment, a group of words has to have a verb. A verb is the action part of the sentence or the part that talks about being.

I am. That’s a sentence.

Steelers won. That’s a sentence, too. Of course, a better, more descriptive sentence might be something like—The fantastic Pittsburgh Steelers shut out the stinkin’ New England Patriots and won the Super Bowl.

To understand verbs, we must understand more than just the definition that a verb is a word that describes a state of action or being.

Agreement—A verb must agree with its subject. We’ll discuss this idea more in later posts once I introduce nouns.

Tenses—A verb tense tells the time of the action. To keep things simple, we’ll discuss past, present, and future tenses.

Present—I enjoy avocado on toast.

Past—I enjoyed avocado on toast yesterday.

Future—I will eat avocado on toast tomorrow.

Notice that the spelling of the verb changes for the past tense. Usually, adding the suffix -ed to a verb makes it past tense. For the future tense, I added a helping verb will.

Linking verbs—These verbs join a subject to its complement. Common linking verbs are be, am, is, are, was, were, been, being—forms of the verb to be. Verbs of the senses are also linking verbs—feel, smell, sound, look, seem, and taste.

Her voice sounded shrill. (Sounded links voice to shrill.)

She is the Olympic swimmer. (Is links she to swimmer.)

Helping verbs—These verbs are also called auxiliary verbs. They help form proper tenses. Common helping verses include the linking verbs as well as have, has, had, shall, will, may might, can, would, should, could, must, and ought.

Beth has invited several people to the Parade of Tables, but only two have accepted.

Irregular verbs—These verbs do not take an addition of the suffix -ed to form the simple past tense. Some irregular verbs include the following: eat/ate/eaten, see/saw/seen, come/came/come, drink/drank/drunk, drive/drove/driven.

This post is an attempt to remind readers about the function of verbs. Understanding the function will help make your writing clear, correct, and concise.

Do you have questions about verbs?

Happy writing!

Categories
Flash Fiction-Splickety

The One-Inch Theory

 

In her national bestseller, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, author Anne Lamott divulges the secret weapon that motivates her when she doesn’t know what to write.

A one-inch picture frame.

“It reminds me that all I have to do is write down as much as I can see through a one-inch picture frame. ”

As much detail as possible, as much thought as possible, but as short as possible. Lamott admits she tells herself “to figure out a one-inch piece of my story to tell, one small scene, one memory, one exchange.”

This gets her going, and judging on pure numbers of books published and sold, for Lamott, it works.

One small scene might work for you, too. Especially if what you’re trying to craft is a piece of flash fiction.

At less than a thousand words, flash might be the shortest form of fiction, but it shouldn’t be short on character, plot, and impact. Composing flash fiction is like using the flash on your camera—it’s meant to illuminate one moment in time. One moment that could (if needed) be put in a one-inch picture frame.

Perhaps that moment is…

… a kiss (first, last, or most meaningful)

… a realization that changed lives

… a look that seared your character’s soul

… a savoring of the mundane

… a breath in the chaos

… an instance in battle (not the battle, not the war)

… a gut-splitting laugh

No matter the moment you choose to capture, flash fiction is still story telling and your moment needs…

… strong characters (aim for two or three at the most)

… conflict at the heart of the story (i.e. if your characters are lost, show that, but don’t waste words with lengthy backstory for how they got into this predicament.)

… resolution that doesn’t have to cinch the story closed but does leave your reader satisfied (i.e. do your lost ones need water? Find it.)

 

Focus on the aspects of just that one moment. Show your reader…

… emotions for that scene, that moment

… sensory details for action and dialogue

…setting details that give a sense of place and time but don’t weigh the story down

 

As you write—and edit!—your story, frame it in your mind. Place it inside that one-inch picture frame and fill to capacity.

One small moment. One big impact.

AUTHOR BIO: Award-winning writer, Lindsey P. Brackett just writes life — blogs, columns, articles, and stories — in the midst of motherhood. She’s the Web Content Editor for Splickety Publishing Group and her debut novel will release in 2017. Connect with her at lindseypbrackett.com on Facebook or Twitter.

 

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Publishing Free Passes?

The publishing industry doesn’t give any free passes. Ever opportunity, conversation, meeting, email, and phone call has a price. Nothing is free for anyone.

What is the price? Time.

Time is the most valuable currency that a writer, publisher, editor, or agent has to give. Those emails, phone calls, etc. also have a finite price tag. Someone is on the clock somewhere, but those dollars are not as precious as time.

When a writer meets with an agent or editor at a conference, it takes time away from that persons other tasks, family life, and/or work schedule.

When an author pitches an agent, it takes time. Every moment that agent spends looking over your submission is a slice of time they cannot devote to another task or project.

Writers need to honor the value of other people’s time. Make it work for you and not against you. Don’t prod, prompt, or pester an editor or agent for more time. Be prepared to utilize every moment you have to connect. Treat time like a commodity.

One of the most frustrating things for an editor or agent is to spend time reviewing submissions that are unprepared, not suitable for the agency or publisher, or ill-crafted. They can’t get that time back and it will cause your name to have a negative association with those persons.

Instead, take time to ensure you submit only adequate work that is well suited for your potential agent or editor. Don’t waste their time.

Remember also how limited time is and refuse the yearning to email the agent or editor for a detailed response or critique. That is not the role of an agent or editor and your lack of knowledge could be considered disrespectful of their time. Make sure to thank the agent or editor for the time he or she committed to your project and share that you look forward to submitting more projects in the future, if and when you have a project appropriate for their agency or publishing house.

Every conversation, contact, or email leaves a mark. The mark you want to leave is one of a respectful writer who understands the industry and respects peoples valuable time.

Categories
Tour

Blog Tour-David Rawlings

Please tell us about your most Recent Book

As I’m pre-published, the book I’m currently shopping around is The god of reality TV. It was a finalist in the ACFW Genesis competition in 2016 and is currently under consideration by a publishing house.

The god of reality TV is a story where church meets reality TV. Two pastors take part in Pastor Swap, a new reality TV show for the Christian market. Brad Shepherd needs to save his dying church in a forgotten suburb of a large city and Jack Alexander wants to emerge from the shadow of his megachurch pastor father.

Swapping congregations, they take part in the show in order to achieve their own aims. Brad is trying to save his dying church, while Jack has been promised the chance to take over from his soon-to-retire father – a chance that doesn’t seem to be getting any closer. But Randy Stone, the show’s producer and reality TV guru, has plans for how he will portray church on TV, because there is no god bigger than him.

In terms of selling books, I wrote Swimming Upstream years back, which was written for couples having trouble conceiving. It talked about the everyday experience in real language with common sense advice from an IVF counselor and was one of the few books around – in fact, it still is – to provide input about the male perspective on having trouble having kids.

To buy: https://www.amazon.com/Swimming-Upstream-Struggle-David-Rawlings/dp/1921008253

Why do you write what you do?

I want to explore the world I live in from the perspective I’ve picked up over my life.  At their heart, my stories are about how people interact with their modern world, their faith and their God. It’s my calling – I believe I’m led to take my twenty-five years of writing experience and turn it into something that challenges people.

And I also want to write books that I’d want to read.  My stories are modern tales, with nary a cowboy or Amish love interest in sight. They explore work, church, advertising, the media, social media and life. Some authors want to present escapism on the page. I want to also provide a mirror in which the reader may see themselves and their world.

What are you currently working on?

My current WIP is a story also in a competition (so not too many details!).  It’s a book that talks about how some elements of society – particularly celebrity and science – view the concept of God. It’s a novel (my third), and it’s neither a book about apologetics nor is it my response to the Da Vinci Code. All I’ve done is take my experience of debating people about God and turned it into a story.

I’m at the edit stage and I’ve had great fun with it and enjoyed meeting a new set of characters.

How does your work differ from other work in its genre?

In terms of story, I guess I’m writing about modern-day topics that carry an underlying message.  They’re not preachy – far from it – so you won’t read a novel I’ve written and say ‘oh, this is the bit where he goes off on a pseudo-sermon’.  But my hope is you will say ‘that’s so like my workplace/friend/mother-in-law.’

In terms of style, I’m an Australian and our culture is soaked in irreverent humor.  That’s how I write; I can’t help but give convention a subtle prod. It’s not funny as such – humor is so subjective – and satire can be difficult for some cultures to understand, but I have found one of my strengths is to make a point which is cloaked in a tinge of irreverence. It can be a fine line, especially in an age of perpetual and imminent offence, but I enjoy the challenge of coming up with a way to make people think and chuckle at the same time.

How does your writing process work?

I’m a freelance copywriter, so I have a bit more flexibility in terms of writing. I have dedicated times in which I write, but I’ve also developed a number of writing hacks that help me wring the most out of my schedule.  I’ve blogged about a couple of them – writing on the train or using the dead time in traffic to help me keep churning things out.

In terms of story development, I’m a pantser trapped within the body of a plotter. I plot a novel so I can see where the characters are going and because the overall story is important to me. (I have twelve fully-plotted novels on the runway, ready to be fleshed out). I then let the pantser loose to fill in the colors within that framework.

I write on my trusty laptop, sheathed in its BookBook cover, which is my pride and joy. My other tools of the trade are my iPhone, into which I have now dictated parts of two-and-a-half manuscripts, and a team of readers who give me feedback that is both constructive and honest – especially honest.

 

Bio

 

Based in South Australia, David is a writer who reads everything within an arm’s reach.  He has made writing his career and paid the bills with words for twenty-five years – from journalism to corporate copywriting and advertising campaigns.

He has published in the non-fiction arena and is now focused on writing contemporary Christian stories that explore God, people, 21st century church and our modern society.  David is sports-mad (which is compulsory for Australians) and is married with three kids (which isn’t).

 

 

 

Categories
Storyworld

Anatomy of Grays: How they Think

Before Jim or Doctor Stein had time to think, the egg burst in Jim’s hand, sending shell fragments around the laboratory. When Jim opened his eyes, he saw a beady-eyed little alien sitting in the palm of his hand. The being seemed apprehensive, uncertain about its circumstances.

“What do you think he’s thinking, Doctor Stein?”

The creature locked its eyes on Jim. It bared its miniature teeth and hunched forward.

“I think,” Doctor Stein said as he slowly approached from behind, “he’s hungry.”

 

I said last month that we’d be talking about the Neuroendocrine system. I was half right. There’s a lot to cover, so I’ve broken it into two segments. This month we’ll cover the “neuro” part, specifically the neurological system of a creature. This is how a creature thinks. Next month we’ll discuss the endocrine system and how creatures feel.

Reflexes versus Thought

The brain is the nerve center for the human body, responsible for all the thinking and conscious actions you do. That doesn’t mean it acts alone in controlling your body’s functions though. Your muscular reflexes are actually governed by interneurons in your spinal cord. This basically means that if you touch something hot, your body will jerk your hand away before you think about it. Thus, reflexes like these aren’t conscious thoughts, they’re just natural reactions to stimuli that are designed to save us from injury.

The Thought Process

With that tidbit out of the way, let’s look at the way we think. Sensory inputs (sight, smell, touch, feel, and hearing) inform your characters of the things happening around them. Maybe the protagonist of your novel smells gunpowder or hears a scream. The character’s ability to observe the circumstances are based on his health, the distance from the event, etc. Next, he will evaluate what he is perceiving based on his own life history. Even unfamiliar stimuli will be mentally categorized as something similar. For example, if the character doesn’t know who is screaming, based on the tenor and pitch, he might determine it comes from an adult woman. Next is the decision point, and this process is also based on life events as well as his moral compass. Does he choose to rush to the rescue? Investigate out of curiosity? Hide? Whatever the character chooses to do (and not choosing to do anything is also a choice), he then executes it. After completing his plan of action, he then has a new set of circumstances to observe. Maybe he witnesses a murder or gets shot in the chest himself. Whatever the case, the point is that this is a repeated cycle of events, observations, evaluations, actions, and more events.

A Different Way to Think

So what happens when we play with this cycle? Tweak it a little bit? Everyone has seen The Matrix (and if you haven’t, you probably should stop reading this post and go and watch it – seriously, it’s only been out for like twenty years). In it, the hero learns that every circumstance he has witnessed in his life was a carefully constructed hoax designed to keep him as a sedated battery. While Neo thought he was observing, evaluating, and reacting to real events, none of it was real. The thought cycle shown above is still maintained, but the thinker is completely unaware of a disconnect in the cycle – namely in the observation block.

A different example would be in John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War series (of which I’ve just finished the first three books and they are amazing). What if the observation and evaluation step in the cycle could be augmented through computers and genetic manipulation? Soldiers in this futuristic reality all have little devices, humorously called BrainPals™ , hardwired into their brains that help them translate foreign languages, load information, or even wirelessly communicate with other soldiers with their thoughts alone. Additionally, the genetic modifications allow for low light vision and other sensory augmentations. The end result is a breed of soldiers far more competent and resilient in battle. And if it seems like overkill for an average soldier, you should see the out-of-this world aliens they have to fight.

That’s all this month. Drop me a line and let me know what you think about thinking. Next month we’ll get all touchy feely and talk about the Endocrine system – a fancy word for hormones.

 

Matrix image from:

http://webpages.charter.net/mark_turner/matrix/matrix.htm

Categories
Uncategorized

Two Good Choices to Write Your Magazine Idea

Many different magazine article ideas swirl around in your head. As I recently wrote, magazine ideas are everywhere. How do you select which one to write about?

First ask yourself, does the idea drive you wild? Does the idea motivate  you to begin researching or writing the article? The experience doesn’t always have to be so dramatic. Yet occasionally it is the case. You have to find a piece of paper or get to your computer and write this particular idea.  If you’ve not done much magazine writing (or even if you have done it), it’s perfectly OK to write the entire article—as long as you have several things in mind when you do it:

  • When you write, always keep the reader firmly in your mind. What will they take away from your article?
  • Who is the potential market for the article? Where will you try and get it published? Some publications read full manuscripts while others will only read query letters.
  • The most likely possibilities for magazines are ones that you often read and are intimately familiar with their contents and their readers (since you are one of these readers).
  • Keep in mind the standard length for these target publications. It will not help you to write 3,000 words if the longest article in the magazine is 1,000 words.  In general, magazines are using shorter articles.
  • In general, magazines are planning their content about four to six months ahead of their publication date. For example if you have a Valentine’s Day experience which you want to write, that’s OK. I’d encourage you to write it—but plan on it getting into print in some February 2018 publication.

There are several different basic types of magazine articles.  If you have decided to write the article, often one of the strongest types is the personal experience article. The story is written in first-person and you tell your personal experience—yet in a targeted way so you have a single key point or take-away from the reader.

Other types of magazine articles include service articles (to promote or tell about a new consumer product or service), how-to articles (how to do some activity), personality profile article (often focused on some well-known person or someone who has an interesting life or life experience), “as told to” article (where you write in the first person tense of another person and write their story) and the celebrity interview (often done on assignment).

And what are the two good choices that I started this article? The first choice is to write the full article. Let your enthusiasm for the topic carry you to move ahead and write your idea. You get the words out of your head and on the screen or paper. From my years in this business, writing the article is a good choice. The second good choice is to channel your enthusiasm about the idea into a one page letter called a query letter. I’m going to give the details of how to write a query letter in my next article in this series.

For now,  I would get your magazine ideas down on paper and written.

________________________________________

  1. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing, lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor, Whalin has written for more than 50 publications including Christianity Today and Writer’s Digest. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. His latest book is Billy Graham, A Biography of America’s Greatest Evangelist and the book website is at: http://BillyGrahamBio.com Watch the short book trailer for Billy Graham at: http://bit.ly/BillyGrahamBT His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Follow him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/terrywhalin

 

 

Categories
The Ministry of Writing

Correctly Know the Familiar — Seminary in 5: New Testament Survey

Save money. Learn theology. Become a better writer. Minister more effective. That’s my hope for you. In this second year of my column, The Ministry of Writing, I want to take you to seminary — writing seminary. If you have had the chance to go to seminary, then let this be a refresher. If you haven’t please soak up this tuition free theological education given each month in 5 points. God has called you to write. You want to glorify Him and reach the world, but the problem is that we can easily be false teachers and not know it. Therefore, growing and learning in biblical and theological knowledge is vital to your writing ministry.

In the previous Seminary in 5 post, I urged that as Christian writers we would not forget about the Old Testament. You can find that article here. Just as the Bible instructs pastors to preach the whole counsel of God, so should writers. I spend time each week with multiple pastors around the country. One of the issues I have begun to see consistently from pastors and especially members of their churches is that most contemporary Christian preaching focuses on the New Testament. On several occasions I have been told that Old Testament is obsolete all that matters now is the latest half of Scripture. This is far from the truth — unbiblical. We will deal with how the two parts of the Bible interact in the first point, but I believe my findings prove that the New Testament is familiar.

Familiarity often breeds misuse. We feel we have such a handle on interpreting familiar passages and aspects of Scripture that we often fail to adequately study them thoroughly. I realize due to being accustomed to later testament a basic survey is not necessary, so these five points on the New Testament are to point areas in which we can easily develop incorrect views. Please take a moment a consider these points and let them strengthen your writing ministry.

 

  1. The New Testament Did Not Replace the Old Testament.

One common assumption about the New Testament is that it replaced the Old Testament. This far, far from the truth. I could present lots of arguments to express how that is not the case, but I believe one is sufficient. Jesus said that He and His ministry was not a replacement, but a fulfillment of the Old Testament. Jesus’ words are recorded in Matthew 5:17-19, he said,

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:17–19 (NIV84)

“The Law” Jesus refers to is the Old Testament especially the first five books. He says what He was doing and going to do did not replace the first half of the Bible.

Not only did Jesus explicitly give us this insight, but the writers of the New Testament and those who first received those writings understood that the Old Testament under-girded everything in these newer passages. The New Testament is deeply saturated with allusions and direct quotes from the Old Testament. The Book of Revelation can not be understood without having a strong foundation from the major and minor prophets.

Understanding this point helps provide credibility to the Old Testament in present times, but more than that I hope it would provide a framework for interacting with both testaments.

 

  1. The New Testament Does Not Teach the Church Has Replaced Israel.

Following suit with the previous point is this idea that the Christian church in the New Testament has replaced Israel in the Old Testament. The implications to this theological miscue has a huge reach. By taking this view one completely throws away the promises God has given the nation of Israel. Yes, many things that happened with Israel can be applied to our personal walk with the Lord, but God is in no way done with the Jews. He will keep the unconditional covenants that He made with Abraham about the land, and with David about having a descendant on the throne. These will be realized in the coming Millennial Kingdom.

One of the factors that cause people to believe this is that Jesus states that He is making a New Covenant. He does, but this was not a surprise to anyone in His day. The Old Testament prophesized that God would make a New Covenant. This New Covenant would allow them to possess and enjoy the previously made Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants. This New Covenant also miraculously involves the Gentiles who had been outside looking in on the promises of God.

In Romans 11:25-27, the Apostle Paul explicitly explains the present relationship between Israel and the Gentiles. The church has not replaced Israel rather the gentiles within the church have been invited to participate in the promises still to be fulfilled to Israel. Here are Paul’s words,

 

I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” – Romans 11:25–27 (NIV84)

 

  1. The New Testament Was Canonized.

To fully appreciate the Bible we hold in our hands we must realize that the inspiration of the actual writing of the New Testament books are not the only level of inspiration of this latest testament. But the early church sought the Lord and followed a set of principles to select what writings actually were placed in the New Testament. This process was called canonization. We find even in the readings of the New Testament that there were other letters at that time. There are other works that have survived that time period. All though these other works exist we can confidentially trust that not only were the words guided by the Holy Spirit, but so was the composition of Scripture as a whole.

 

  1. The New Testament Has at Least 4 Divisions.

In the five points from Old Testament Survey, I stressed the importance of recognizing the different genres in that first half of the Bible. Recognizing the style of writing is vital to its interpretation. The New Testament also contains different genres, although these books may share a closer resemblance in style than those in the Old Testament. Many would list more divisions in the New Testament, but I believe there are four to view as essential.

The first four books are called Gospels. They are accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus. I will say more about their connection to one another in the final point, but these should be recognized as histories or eye-witness accounts of Jesus’ time on earth. The book of Acts is the history division of the New Testament. It follows from where the Gospels end until the end of Paul’s ministry. The rest of the books are considered epistles and most of them were penned by the Apostle Paul. An epistle was a letter that was circulated throughout multiple churches or multiple home churches. These would have been brought to the church by messenger and then read in its entirety before the body.

I am nearly alone among Bible teachers to include Revelation in the epistles. Most classify the final book as an Apocalyptic book. In that time period there was a “genre” of apocalyptic books. There were certain characteristics that described that type of writings. Revelation definitely fits, but it was circulated as a letter at least to seven particular churches. I find it helpful to approach Revelation as an epistle that way one is encouraged to interpret it more straightforwardly.

 

  1. The Gospels in the New Testament Do Not Contradict Each Other.

There are four books that tell about Jesus’ time on earth — Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John. They are the Gospels. Matthew, Mark, & Luke are very similar and are referred to as the synoptic Gospels. John provides a stark difference. Because each Gospel covers the same time period, but do so differently many have felt they are contradictory. This is far from the case. One of the most helpful tools a student of the Gospels can have is a Harmony of the Gospels. I prefer the classic written by A.T. Roberson. A harmony seeks to show how the events in each Gospel fit with one another.

Although the subject is the same in all four books, they are told from four different eye witnesses. So there are variations, but no contradiction. Also each writer has a different purpose. Matthew writes to prove Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. So he involves a lot of the Old Testament prophecies. Mark seems to stick with just the facts and events. He provides the most action packed Gospel. Luke is focused on sharing with Gentiles Jesus’ humanity. John writes to prove that Jesus is the Son of God. With such different purposes, one can easily see how they would be different.

Conclusion

The Bible has two testaments, but it is one book. It is awe striking how that across so many centuries the Holy Spirit could move human writers to write these works that vitally connect. I can not stress enough how amazing God’s Word is for us. We have in print the reality of this world from its Maker. We need to know it, and then teach it correctly.