Categories
Free Your Mind LifeStyle

Weekend In Barcelona

[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][bquote type=”tagline” prk_in=”I have given no small attention to that not unvexed subject, the skin of the whale. I have had controversies about it with experienced whalemen afloat, and learned naturalists ashore. My original opinion remains unchanged.”][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
The Creative Tool Kit

5 Habits To Spark Your Creativity in 2017

The creative tool kit

Spark Your Creativity

“Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is the result of good work habits.” Twyla Tharp

Every break of daylight offers new and fresh opportunities to start again, to improve, to overcome. Celebrating the start of a new year is the proverbial cherry on top.

Because practicing good habits is a springboard to increasing our creativity, what better way to start the new year than to review our current habits and priorities in order to make our 2017 the most creative ever?

In today’s post, let’s look at five specific habits that are sure to spark creative energy into your daily endeavors.
  1. Join Instagram. Give your followers an idea of what goes on behind the scene of your creative work. Where does your creative energy take flight? Snap and share! Spiff up your camera skills and share your work (and others, as well.) Follow people or businesses that you might not normally follow to gain a deeper perspective of the world around you.
  2. Learn to Maximize your Minutes. E.B. White, author of Charlotte’s Web gets right to the heart in his popular quote: “A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.” Ouch. There’s plenty of detailed information on the Web as to how you can make this happen. The point is, it needs to happen.
  3. Define Your Peak Time and Stick to It. Most creative types are early risers. This fact has been documented numerous times but there are others, like Carl Sandburg, who worked late into the evening after everyone had gone to bed, writing till early morning. If you’re not sure when your energy level is at its peak, jot down how you’re feeling throughout the day – and do this for a week. By the end of the week, you should be able to tell where your peaks and plummets of energy occur most days. Define it, then do your best to do your most creative work during those hours if possible. If you hold a day job during that time, see #2 above. Arrange your break around that time. Get creative!
  4. Slow Down. Henry James nailed it with his quote, “A writer is someone on whom nothing is lost.” Our pace may be frantic for a season but even in the busiest of times we can shift our sensory panel into low gear by choosing to breath deeper, stare longer, listen more carefully. Take notes…a lot of them. No detail is too minute.
  5. Exercise. A little goes a long way in helping our bodies to stay fit as well as our minds.

 

Which of the above habits do you plan to begin in 2017? If you have a different one, please share!

Categories
Platform and Branding

5 Questions Writers Should Ask Before Joining a New Social Media Network

by Susan Stilwell @susanrstilwell

Social media is a part of life and savvy writers stay on top of the latest trends. Each year new social networks emerge, each promising to be the most engaging. Busy writers want to maintain a relevant and growing social media presence, and asking these five questions can help decide if a new network is worth pursuing.

social media icons

1. What do I have to offer there?

Do you have photography skills? An image-driven network like Instagram can give you an outlet for your hobby and also let your followers see some of the things that inspire you.

Do you enjoy creating or curating professional information? LinkedIn might be a good fit.

Are you an engaging public speaker? Live video will enhance your presence by letting your community see you in action. Video is one of the most engaging mediums and many networks are incorporating it in their platforms. The personal touch video provides can benefit any writer.

2. Is my audience engaged there?

All social media networks have a mobile app available, and many of them can access your personal contacts. Allow the app to access your address book and see who’s there. Check out a few profiles of your friends and influencers and take note of their followers, content, and strategies.

3. What is the learning curve? 

This can be difficult to gauge but notice what others are doing and see how your skills compare. Instagram followers appreciate artsy photographs or interesting graphics, so you’ll want to brush up on those skills. If you’re interested in live video streaming, then you’ll want to invest in a “selfie stick” or a portable tripod and practice delivering succinct messages. To create good instructional videos for YouTube or Vimeo you’ll need some basic video editing skills as well as an understanding of how to share or embed your content.

4. How will this grow my platform?

Social media can be used for a host of reasons:

  • building relationships,
  • driving traffic to your website,
  • growing your number of followers,
  • launching books,
  • increasing engagement,
  • sharing your message,
  • learning new skills,
  • introducing you to a new audience, etc.

Decide on your goal, do a little research and then develop a plan. Periodically evaluate your progress and make the necessary adjustments, including leaving the network if it’s not working for you.

5. How will one more network affect my life?

Joining a new network can be fun and exciting, but it can also become cumbersome if you don’t have the time and energy for it. Will another network add to your stress level, or will it energize and inspire you?

 

Social media is an important part of a writer’s platform, one that can also enrich your personal life. Answering these five questions will help clarify your goals and determine if joining a new network is right for you.

Shareables:

[bctt tweet=”How can a busy #writer maintain a relevant #socialmedia presence and stay focused? via @a3forme @susanrstilwell” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”Joining a new #socialmedia network can benefit a #writer but can also add stress. via @a3forme @susanrstilwell” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”As a #writer, what are your #socialmedia goals? What questions clarify your needs? via @a3forme @susanrstilwell” via=”no”]

Additional resources:

Hubspot – Visual Marketing Content Strategy

Lifewire – Joining A Social Network

Categories
Bestsellers

Best Selling Author-Ronie Kendig

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Can you share a little about your recent book – Conspiracy of Silence is the first book in my brand-new series, The Tox Files. It features a former Special Forces team, an archaeological artifact, and a centuries-old plague. I’m especially excited about this series because I’ve been able to explore several points of history and span the globe with adventure and excitement.

Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books? I write because I have a passion for stories and people. The theme throughout all of my novels is one of hope, along with Rapid-Fire Fiction action and adventure.

How long have you been writing? And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? While I might have only been writing since my early twenties, I’ve been telling stories since I was a little girl—with my Barbie dolls. LOL From the moment I decided to seek publication until my first contract was about 6.5 years.

How long does it take you to write a book? On average, I write my novels in about 4-6 months, depending on the novel

What’s your writing work schedule like? For the most part, I write in the evening after homeschooling, dinner, and tae kwon do. I usually stay up until midnight or 2am, writing.

What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career? My greatest joy is simply getting to tell stories for the Kingdom, much like Jesus did.

What has been your darkest moment(s)? Stepping out on faith with a particular series and watching it not do well. That’s fun in reverse.

Which of your books is your favorite? Ack! I can’t admit to that publicly or my characters would never speak to me again. However, I can say that each series brought a different joy to the writing process. Right now, I’m having a blast writing The Tox Files and plot book #3.

Who is your favorite author to read? Right now, my favorite author is David Baldacci, who somehow manages to grip me by the throat in the first few pages. And he keeps the stories clean, so that makes it easier for me to trust him and enjoy the read.

What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened to? Know the rules, master the rules, but don’t get suffocated with the rules. The rules are meant to help hone your craft, so it’s vital to know them backwards and forward, but it’s equally important to understand your writing and be confident in that.

How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you? Rejections happen every day, in small ways. Sometimes, it feels like being in a pool of piranhas, but it’s taught me to write for the joy. To write because I get to. Not to write toward a goal. I mean, sure—we want our books to do well and succeed, but what is “well.” What is “success”? Isn’t that simply doing what we were supposed to do—write the book?\

What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make? The most common mistake is spending so much time on the technical aspects of writing that the heart of the story is lost or muddled. Again, this goes back to the mastery of rules but not getting suffocated by them.

Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market? At writer’s conferences—yes, they cost and can be expensive, but it’s the best way to develop relationships. It’s an investment in your future.

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Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author of a dozen novels. She grew up an Army brat. Now, she and her husband, an Army veteran, have an adventurous life in Northern Virginia with their children and a retired military working dog, VVolt N629. Ronie’s degree in Psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.

Categories
Book Reviews

Conspiracy of Silence-Ronie Kendig

 

In Conspiracy of Silence (The Tox Files #1), Ronie Kendig crafts a suspenseful, fast-paced tale that combines archeology, the military, medieval history, politics, Biblical history, bioterrorism, and a dash of romance.

Conspiracy of Silence continues the story of Cole “Tox” Russell, which began in the prequel/novella The Warrior’s Seal. While readers do not need to read The Warrior’s Seal first, they may well be drawn to do so after reading Conspiracy of Silence.

Exiled and disgraced, Russell is called upon by the President of the United States, Russell’s own brother, to eliminate an assassin. Russell reassembles his old black ops team and immediately finds himself pressured into adding Kasey Cortes to the unit. Cortes, the younger sister of one of Russell’s former girlfriends, has harbored a crush on Russell since she was twelve; she is now an expert in deception detection who has been working tirelessly to clear Russell’s name. The squad, now including Cortes, quickly gets to work and travels across the globe in an effort to stop a terrorist from releasing a deadly toxin that originated in Biblical times.

Kendig’s characters are well-drawn, complex, and realistic. Russell is a hero who selflessly and courageously strives to protect his country even after it has turned its back on him; at the same time, he is a complicated, dangerous man. His team members are an interesting mix of characters as well. Each one makes great sacrifices for their country; each one deals with their own very real and realistic flaws. The author also avoids the common trap of creating stereotypical, cardboard-character villains. Just as the characters are realistic, the dialogue is authentic and “natural”.

 

In Conspiracy of Silence, Kendig constructs an amazingly fast-paced plot captures the reader’s attention from the very beginning to the closing page. The author smoothly weaves multiple subplots and numerous characters, and she moves the reader smoothly and believably from Jordan to India to England and on, integrating historical elements into the present-day tale of bioterrorism.

Published in December 2016 by Bethany House Publishers, Conspiracy of Silence, deftly explores issues of good and evil, redemption, the cost of heroism, and our society’s struggle to combat terrorism. Readers will, no doubt, find themselves up far past their bedtime, unwilling to put down this newest offering from best-selling, award-winning author Ronie Kendig.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Silence-Files-Ronie-Kendig/dp/0764217658

 

Book Review by Patti Miinch: Patti Miinch, a widow and mother of two adult children, lives in Southeast Missouri. Her lifelong passion — as both a writer and a reader

— for the written word led her to pursue a career as an English professor. Her hobbies include watching college and professional sports, spending time with her family, knitting, spending time outdoors, and traveling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Writing with Disabilities-Kathryn M. B. Johnson

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.

 

I have a disability. In fact, I have several. My body dictates everything for me: when I write, how I write, and where I can write. What it doesn’t dictate is what I write, and it certainly can’t tell me I am unable to find a way to write.

Above all, having a disability doesn’t diminish my desire to write.

I’m sure most people are familiar with the story of Helen Keller but did you know that Agatha Christie, the best-selling novelist in history –  aside from the Bible and Shakespeare had a learning disorder? Or that Albert Einstein probably had autism, and his students had to lead him to his appointments?

[bctt tweet=”Many famous people, including writers, accomplish what they love despite a disability” username=””]

You need only Google famous people with disabilities to see how many have overcome challenges to make their dreams come true.

When you have a disability, the activities in your life are different from the norm. The similarities to living life to its fullest potential remain the same for anyone. Like the famous people I’ve mentioned, to write with disabilities means you create the strategies for when, where, and how you work based on what is best for you. I’ve had to make many changes to adapt to my personal challenges.

When I Write

I write when my body allows me to write. It’s this simple. If my body doesn’t allow it, I listen to my body and adjust my schedule accordingly.

How I Write

I use a computer, wire bound composition books, a tape recorder, and Dragon Naturally Speaking software. Most new computers, tablets, and phones have some sort of speak-technology available today. I keep all my tools for the task within reach.

Where I Write

I have an office space in my home. I write at an old desk, and I use a good fitting chair. If sitting at the desk becomes too painful I might write on the living room sofa, in a recliner, at the dining table, or in bed. I’ve also written in the car, in the doctor or dentist office waiting room. If I have pen, pencil, and paper, or my tape recorder I can write, or dictate into my tape recorder.

More Strategies for Writing

Depending on your specific set of challenges the following items are important to me as a writer, and you may find them helpful as well.

Desire

 A person who wants to write knows they want to write. Without the desire, the prospect of doing it cannot be accomplished.

Health

Disabilities and challenges come with health issues. Taking care of yourself is vital. Your special needs, and your doctor’s orders will dictate your course of action. Follow the cues of your body. If you need a break, don’t hesitate. Exercise and a good diet are important for your body, mind, and spirit. Drink plenty of water to give your body the ability to function as it was meant to function flushing out toxins, and keeping the brain and our mental acuity strong. Always remember to respect your body.

Spiritual

I strengthen my spiritual connection. I give thanks for each new day, and my God-granted abilities. Having a spiritual connection for your soul is calming. Your spiritual connection will give you a sense of purpose. Faith supplies meaning in a person’s life that drives us to do what we need, or want to do.

Knowledge

To write well, you must read, or listen to, and study the craft of writing. Include books, magazines, and online resources on topics you want to write about. Read outside your normal genre. Be surprised and inspired by a subject you may have never encountered before. If you can’t physically read, have someone read to you.

Social Contact

Find like-minded individuals to support you, and support them as well. Writing is a solitary and lonely endeavor. When you have a disability, this can feel even lonelier. Take online classes and workshops and engage in the forums. Find a writer’s group or book club you can join. If you can’t go out, bring them to you. Start your own! Facebook and Twitter are good choices, but be careful not to let any social atmosphere eat up precious writing time.

Resources

Here is are a few of my favorite resources I’ve found helpful in my writing life.

https://www.sba.gov/starting-business/how-start-business/business-types/people-disabilities

  • An inspiring disability website with tons of information:

https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/publications/

Remember

Remove the D, I, S, what’s left is Ability. Always believe in yourself.

 

Kathryn M. B. Johnson writes about life and hope— essays, blogs, and articles. About adversity in life, and on disabilities. She lives and writes from Staunton, VA, and is compiling a book of essays about her time as a Life Skills Instructor for persons with challenges, and a memoir on the topic of learning through adversity. Connect with her at kathrynmbjohnson.com on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

Informational Photo Credits:
By Sign Video (Significan’t Sign Video)
  • Note: Download image file: Download Full Resolution – (cropped by Kathryn M. B. Johnson to meet size requirements for almostanauthor.com 12/15/16).
Categories
5 For Writing

Procrastination and the Pen

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By Doug Peterson

I stepped slowly out onto the board of a high dive at our local swimming pool, and I was terrified.

I was in elementary school at the time, but I still remember it vividly. I leaned out over the edge of the board and stared down in horror. From above, the drop looked a million times higher than from below. The diving board seemed so high that I thought I should be wearing a parachute, and if I could have retreated back down the ladder without losing face, I would have. I eventually jumped that day, but I didn’t do it again for years.

But what in the world do diving boards have to do with writing?

For some of us, taking the plunge and starting to write in the morning can be as painful and as intimidating as jumping off a high dive. As a result, we procrastinate. We stare out the window. We check our Facebook page. We wander downstairs for a cup of coffee. We do anything except put our fingers on the keyboard and start writing.

In my “5 for Writing” rules, which you can find at the end of this blog, my first rule is: “Get writing. Find the time to write. Then do it.” It sounds simple and straightforward. But for many writers, taking that first step—taking the plunge—is the most difficult part of the job. This is especially true if you’re a procrastinator by nature.

I should say up front that procrastination is not a problem that I face. But I have talked to many writers who struggle with the issue, and my wife is a therapist who has counseled people on procrastination. She explains that there are two primary forces driving procrastination—fear and comfort.

Fear. Some writers have a hard time sitting down to write because they are afraid that the ideas won’t flow, or that people who read their material will scoff (or, even worse, fall asleep). To make matters worse, they may have just read what they wrote the day before, and they’re disappointed. It sounded so much better yesterday! What happened overnight?

In my metaphor of the swimming pool, this writer’s fear is the equivalent of being afraid of jumping off the high dive. But my swimming pool metaphor doesn’t end there. The other reason that my wife says people procrastinate is…

Comfort. Writing is hard, especially when you’re trying to squeeze out those first few lines, so I compare this form of hesitation to walking SLOWLY into a cold pool. I swim twice a week, and there’s nothing more excruciating than cold water. Okay, a root canal is more painful…I’ll give you that. But for writers, those first few paragraphs can be as painful as walking slowly into a pool of ice-cold water.

In a cold pool, it’s actually less painful to jump right in than it is to wade into the water, because if you do it slowly the water will creep its way up your exposed skin, torturing you inch by inch. But this torture still doesn’t stop us from putting off that inevitable plunge into the frigid water. The same is true with writing. We try to put off the pain of actually starting, and we increase our suffering in the long run.

So just jump! Dive right in.

Keep in mind that “jumping in” doesn’t mean that you don’t plan out or ponder what you’re going to write before you begin. I do a minimal amount of outlining—just enough to know what I’m going to write that morning. But beyond that, I dive in.

Even with all of the good intentions in the world, there are always those pesky distractions and temptations, luring you to do something other than write. It’s the same at the pool. You know you need to be getting exercise, but the deck chair and snack bar are oh so tempting. Why get all wet and out-of-breath swimming laps when you can soak up the sun and drink lemonade by the pool?

Similarly, when you face your blank computer screen, you can think of so many other things you can be doing. The problem is that procrastination creates guilt. Even if you try to delay the work by doing something that you think will be more enjoyable, a sense of dread may eventually develop—especially if you have a deadline hanging over your head.

The bottom line: Procrastination might give you short-term pleasure, but it gives you long-term problems. So start writing, even if your initial work ends up in the trashcan. We all belly-flop sometimes.

So, bring to your writing the discipline of a swimmer. And before you come up with a dozen or more reasons why you shouldn’t be writing, sit down and start typing. If you’re really inspired, feel free to yell, “Cannonball!”

* * *

 5 for Writing

  1. Get writing. Find the time to write. Then do it.
  2. Learn by listening—and doing. Solicit feedback, discern what helps you.
  3. Finish your story. Edit and rewrite, but don’t tinker forever. Reach the finish line.
  4. Thrive on rejection. Get your story out there. Be fearless. Accept rejection.
  5. Become a juggler. After one story is finished, be ready to start another. Consider writing two at once.

 

Categories
Write Justified

The Common Comma

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Plenty of ink has been spilled and battles fought over the necessity and superiority of the Oxford or serial comma. After the period, the comma is the most used and misused punctuation mark. No doubt, we’ve all heard and seen that commas can kill.

A comma’s uses are myriad, and there are many rules about its usage. Whereas a period is an end punctuation mark, a comma indicates a pause or small break. We’ll start with one of the more common uses: joining clauses.

Independent clauses: Complete thoughts that stand on their own can be joined with a conjunction (and, but, or, so, yet, etc.)  and a comma.

EX: The game went fifteen innings, but the Cubs lost on a fluke error.

EX: Mary couldn’t walk out of a fabric shop without at least purchasing a fat quarter, and Anne was only too happy to introduce her to every shop on the East Coast.

However, when verbs share a subject (compound predicate) they are not separated with a comma.

EX: Mary returned to the store for thread and hurried home to begin another project.

EX: The third baseman caught the fly ball and threw it to second for a double play.

A rare exception to this rule would permit a comma between the verbs if there was a possibility of misunderstanding as in the following example:

EX: Mary recognized the woman who took her parking space and giggled.

Without a comma, it’s not clear who giggled—Mary or the other woman. For clarity, insert a comma:

Mary recognized the woman who took her parking space, and giggled.

Independent clauses may also be joined with a conjunction and an adverb. In those cases, both a semi-colon and comma are used—the semi-colon before the conjunction, the comma following.

EX: The new shop carried Mary’s favorite line of fabric; however, it cost more than her meager budget allowed.

Follow the same punctuation pattern when using a transitional expression between two independent clauses, such as for example, in addition, namely.

EX: The Cubs earned a trip to the World Series for the first time since 1945; in addition, the young team has the potential for winning seasons for the next few years.

Commas are often used to set off introductory phrases. It’s not grammatically necessary to set off short introductory phrases of two or three words, but neither is it incorrect. Be aware of the publishers preferences and note these guidelines:

An introductory phrase that functions as an adverb indicating time, manner, place or degree, does not need a comma, unless the reader could be confused.

  • At noon the whistle blows.
  • On her desk are pictures of her grandchildren.
  • At his leisure Bill read the morning paper.
  • Too often the best answer is the common sense one.

Longer adverbial and other introductory phrases, however, are set off with commas.

Adverbial phrase:

EX: On the last Saturday of every month, the quilt guild holds a sewing day.

Adjective phrase modifies the subject of the independent clause:

EX: Of all the quilts at the show, Mary’s won the most ribbons.

Phrase contains a present or past participle:

EX: Coming off injured reserve, Schwarber hit a grand slam to put the Cubs ahead.

However, when a sentence begins with a gerund, a present participle that functions as a noun, it is the subject and is not separated from the verb with a comma.

EX: Designing one’s own quilt using computer software is becoming more common, even among novice quilters.

Next month we’ll look at more common uses of commas.

Categories
The Efficiency Addict

Writing Research: Enhance Your Fiction with Facts

How to enhance your fiction with facts found through writing research.

Welcome to The Efficiency Addict column, helping writers work more effectively every day. This month I’m pleased to welcome back Kathleen Neely to share what she’s learned about writing research and how this new knowledge is enhancing her stories.

Happy Writing! ~ Cynthia Owens, The Efficiency Addict

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When I read a novel, I want to escape to unknown places, adventurous experiences, and pursuits that my real life isn’t brave enough to follow. The old adage, write what you know, sets extreme limits. The need for research isn’t limited to historic fiction. Your reader will appreciate time spent developing occupations, settings, and hobbies. Legal and medical scenes can hold great intrigue. Give your readers something they don’t know.

Writing Research–Ideas for Each Writing Stage

Research can be accomplished during prewriting. Identify the central theme of your story, then research the topic so you can gently weave authenticity into every chapter.

Research occurs during the process of writing. While it isn’t ideal to stop the flow, sometimes inspiration strikes that wasn’t part of the original plan. I have a protagonist that plays the violin, an afterthought as her character developed. Never having picked up a violin, I went to the most immediate source, the Internet.

Research continues post-writing. After gathering legal information for a novel involving a law suit, upon its completion, I sent scenes to a friend who is a lawyer. He clarified a few facts and provided better legal language. I’ll be doing the same with the violin scenes. Upon completion of my current work-in-progress, I’ll send them to an acquaintance who plays that instrument.

Sources for Your Writing Research

We have many sources of research available to us. Let me tell you a few, and then I’ll tell you my favorite.

The hands-down best source is primary experiences. If you can visit the city of your setting, ride along with a paramedic, live among the homeless, or whatever your novel includes, there is no better research than experiential learning.

The most readily available is clearly the Internet. Today’s writers have the advantage of unlimited resources through videos, articles, and newspapers at the touch of their fingers. One of my novels includes information about a drum circle. I had never experienced one, and didn’t have the time to travel. The YouTube video provided a great secondary experience that allowed me to capture the essence of an evening of free-style rhythm.

Personal interviews tap into primary sources. We know people in many different fields of life—lawyers, doctors, accountants, teachers, builders, mechanics. I could go on and on. They are great, reliable sources of information, and generally love to talk about their specific field, especially when their feedback leads to an acknowledgment in your book.

Regardless of your timing or method of research, make sure you have a good cataloging system. Today’s world of literature includes many sequels and series. You never know when you’ll need that same information.

There are many apps available to catalog research such as Zotero. Additionally, there are many Social Bookmarking sites like Delicious. They allow you to search, organize, edit, and store helpful links found on the Internet.

And my favorite? Personal interviews. I always prefer talking to people. I choose a grocery store clerk over a self-scan. I’d rather make a phone call than use the ‘help’ icon on my computer. I have used the various sources available, but I love to phone a friend.

Research for novelists is an in-depth subject, and I’ve only touched the surface. I’d love to hear your tips.

Shareables–Because sharing is fun!

[bctt tweet=”Writing what you know is limiting. How to write beyond your experience. @NeelyKneely3628 #WritingTips #Fiction” username=””]

[bctt tweet=”Enhance your writing with facts. Tips for #Writing research. @NeelyKneely3628 #AmWriting” username=”@EfficiencyADict”]

Author Kathleen NeelyBio: Kathleen Neely is an award winning author, receiving first place for her debut novel, The Least of These, in the Fresh Voices Contest through www.AlmostAnAuthor. She won second place in a short story contest through ACFW-VA. You can read two of her short stories in A Bit of Christmas – 6 Christian Short Stories Celebrating the Season, available on Amazon. Along with numerous guest blog appearances, Kathleen is a regular contributor to www.christiandevotions.us. She lives in Greenville, SC with her husband, Vaughn, and enjoys time with family, reading, and traveling.

You can contact Kathleen through:
KathleenNeelyAuthor.com
@NeelyKNeely3628

Categories
Guest post archive

Platform Building-Is It Really Necessary?

“Your platform isn’t large enough.” The pretty blonde editor closed my proposal and handed it back.

I attempted a smile, thanked her for her time, stood up, held back the tears, and walked out of the room as gracefully as possible—holding my breath. When I reached the fresh air outside, I wanted to scream.

Ugh! I despised that word, platform—the elusive golden ticket. I refuted this modern publishing precept for big platform with the thoughts . . . but what if a book is amazing? What if an author is really talented? God is a big God! He can do anything.

But now that I’m on the other side of publication with two books recently released, I’ve learned a few things, and I have a better understanding of the importance of platform.

Talent and a unique idea can land you a contract with a small publisher. Many of us don’t care the size of the publisher; we just want to see our baby in print. (Am I right?) There are small to medium size publishers who will take a chance on a new writer with a small platform. And we are thankful for them. I’ve been blessed with such publishers.

But after the release of two new books in less than two months, I can tell you that I’m thankful for the platform, though not large, that I began to grow with the launch of my blog seven years ago.

Day in and day out I’ve consistently written for my followers.

I’m so glad I stayed the course and kept on writing even on days when the views were low and no comments or shares surfaced. Honestly, I’ve felt compelled to blog, and I know that God alone has been behind that grace to do so. In the consistency, perhaps the monotony, I’ve gained loyal followers. I have my tribe—a small tribe, but they are mine.

I am proof that everything the industry professionals tell you is true. Platform, a place to get the word out about your book, is paramount.

[bctt tweet=”Blogging, speaking, and social media are three venues to build your platform” username=””]

Social media is a gift. We must embrace it as authors in the twenty-first century. But I do give this rule:

  • Use it socially, not just as a tool to promote your book and blog.
  • We must share others’ joys and concerns, cheer people on, allow people into our lives, and share our books and articles for the edification of others.
  • Share other author’s books and blogs too—more than your own.

I’ve been amazed by how fast a post about your book’s release can spread through social media simply because your friends and followers love you.

But they don’t just love me; they’ve become familiar with my writing. They know what to expect. I am so thankful I started working on platform years ago. It takes time. If an author doesn’t start blogging or social media(ing) until after her book comes out, it’s too late. There’s not been enough time to grow it.

You’ve got to start NOW. Start building your platform before the contract, not just because the publishers demand it, but because you will greatly depend on that platform when the time comes for your book to release.

I do offer this warning. At one point early on in my career, I “wore” this pressure to grow my platform “on my sleeve.” In other words, I came across as desperate for people to subscribe to my blog. I was begging. I’m all about authenticity, so my publishing journey, rejections, and disappointments often became the topic for my blog posts. One day a close friend called me and told me that my dream to have my book published was idolatrous.

She didn’t understand. She had no idea how many hours I had spent with the Lord checking my heart about this. Nor did she know my agent was telling me she would not pitch my book to publishers until I grew my platform. Our friends who are not involved in this industry don’t know what’s needed in the market today, nor do they understand the ache—the calling inside of us to see our books in print. So, be wise in your words. Not everything we learn from God needs to be shared at that moment to that audience.

My friend’s judgment/warning did cause me to check my heart again—for the hundredth time and to sit back for a little bit afraid she was correct. But God made it clear to me that He alone could tell me to stop writing. My writing and platform building comes out of obedience to Him.

 I do what I can, and the rest if up to God. But I will do my part. I’ll blog, share on social media, speak, and teach, join writing groups and attend conferences. I’ll make my business/author cards and attend networking events in my community, and I’ll be open to whatever the Lord would have me do that day.

I am free to do this because I’m not selling me. I’m sharing the story God gave me to share. It’s my ministry. He’s given us wonderful tools in this modern era to generously love others across the country and the world with our words. He has called us to employ the written word to bring life to a dying, hurting world.

Build your platform, if not for the industry, for God.

andylee

 

 

Andy Lee is an award-winning writer, blogger, Bible teacher, and author of two books, A Mary Like Me: Flawed Yet Called (Leafwood 2016), and The Book of Ruth Key Word Bible Study: A 31-Day Journey to Hope and Promise (AMG 2015). She encourages digging deep to live fully at www.wordsbyandylee.com.

Categories
Writer Encouragement

Humility Without The Humbug

Elaine Marie Cooper

As I dropped off several of my novels at the bookstore before Christmas, I noticed a man that I assumed was a customer speaking with a young man at the desk. I waited my turn until the employee looked at me as though he was ready to help me.

Maybe he’s his friend and just stopped in to visit.

I proceeded to explain that I was dropping off books to sell on consignment when the “friend” said to me. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” I was confused by his question.

“Get your books in print.”

That was a loaded question that I didn’t have a lot of time to answer but I explained briefly that I’d attended writer’s conferences and connected with editors and publishers there.

He glanced at a woman sitting behind the desk and said, “Where can I find out about writers conferences?”

I saw the woman’s face and it was clear she didn’t want to have a discussion with the man. The situation became even clearer when he told the store employees that he had a great idea for a book and needed to find a publisher. “The book is called, ‘Tinkerbelle Joins the Army.’” He was obviously feeling inspired and excited by the prospect of seeing his story in print.

Fighting back laughter at the title, I said, “You can do a Google Search for writers conferences. They are held all over the country.”

“Oh, I need to find one in Des Moines. I don’t drive.”

I felt sorry for the man who obviously had some serious limitations in his life. But I was even sorrier that I had almost laughed at his book title.

th-1

Who was I to look down my nose at someone who I assumed would never make it in the publishing world? Who was I to laugh at a title that I thought was ridiculous? Who was I to snicker behind the man’s back, the way I’d seen others in the industry make fun of those who seemed unworthy?

 

I felt a definite check in my spirit that I was not to demean another with my judgment—or in my actions. When the man saw my name on my books, he held out his hand to me and said, “Can I shake your hand, Elaine Cooper?” I forced myself to smile and extended my hand to respond to his shake. “Nice to meet you,” I answered.

And it truly was nice to meet him. Because he reminded me that dismissing this simple man’s dreams was akin to dismissing the importance of the “surplus population” that Ebenezer Scrooge hated in Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” My initial lack of humility in looking down at this customer that everyone tried to ignore was akin to saying “Bah, humbug.” Instead I should have treated him with the warmth that Jesus would extend. I should have said in my heart and in my words, “God bless us everyone.”

And if you ever see a book entitled “Tinkerbelle Joins the Army,” know that I had the privilege of meeting the author and shaking his hand.

Merry Christmas!

Categories
Create. Motivate. Inspire.

A Note by Any Other Name

Three days before Christmas, a delivery man turned in our driveway, honked the horn, and requested my signature. Then he presented me with a certified letter, calling out “Merry Christmas” as he drove away.

A certified letter? This wasn’t something I received every day. Or ever.

The return address was stamped with the name of a publishing house where I had submitted a work of fiction. My knees wobbled and for a moment I forgot I was standing outside in 30-degree weather without a coat or shoes. My heart beating double-time, I flew into the house and stood staring at the envelope.

Could it be? After all this time? This was shaping up to be the best Christmas ever!

Heart still skipping, palms slightly moist, I began to read:

“Thank you for your submission. Our staff has looked over your manuscript, but we have decided not to pursue publication at this time.”

Wait, what?

Confused, I studied the envelope. But it came by certified mail.

Certified. Mail.

Some writers call them no-thank-you notes. But let’s call them what they are—rejection letters. Whatever we have attempted to submit for publication has been returned with the carefully pre-penned words: Thank you for your submission, but…

It’s the “but” that gets me every time.

The words following that but tend to blur into garbled script—it doesn’t meet our needs at this time…we have decided not to pursue publication…it doesn’t fit our editorial calendar…

I thought about finding a job writing the infamous rejection letters. Let’s see…I so appreciate your courage and hard work…and believe me, this is not personal…and, um, I don’t want you to give up your dreams of publication…but…

Oh well. I guess straight-and-to-the-point is best.

My certified rejection was unique, but there have been other no-thank-you notes containing glimpses of hope, and if I hadn’t been blinded by my poor attitude, I might have recognized what they offered.

Flipping through my rejection file, I paused to read a note from several years ago. It began typically enough…Thank you for your recent submission. Unfortunately…

And several years ago, that’s where I stopped reading.

But now, I continued: Unfortunately, it is too long for our children’s book format. If you would like to rework it and resubmit we would be happy to review it again.

Wait, what? Rework it and resubmit…?

Shame washed over me as I realized what my attitude may have cost me. This publisher had given me a touch of direction, an offer to review it again.

And I had thrown away the opportunity.

I am so thankful we serve a God who redeems our mess-ups and uses them for His glory. Romans 8:28 is a verse I tend to shy away from, but its power is unmistakable. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Some of the good from my mistakes and no-thank-you notes center on the Holy Spirit’s work in my heart. Through my faltering steps, God has worked to refine me and call me into a place of deeper trust and reliance on Him. Keeping my hand in His gives me the courage to keep those submissions out there, trusting the results to His purposes.

A writer’s life is a jumble of joy and despair, elation and misery. But everything in the life of a Christian writer can be used for the glory of God.

Even a certified no-thank-you.

 

What is the most unique no-thank-you you have received and how can you use it to encourage other writers?

[bctt tweet=”Thankful we serve a God who redeems our mess-ups and uses them for His glory. @lthomaswrites #amwriting” username=”@A3forMe”]

[bctt tweet=”What can we learn from rejection? @lthomaswrites #amwriting” username=”@A3forMe”]

Categories
The Writer's PenCase

Seamless Self-Editing––Part VI

Writer's PenCase-2We all want our manuscripts to be the best they can be. In the past, we’ve relied on unskilled critique partners, groups, and professional editors to do our work for us. But, [bctt tweet=”Prospective authors must learn how to edit their own work to the point where a publisher will consider it as it.” username=”@a3forme @donnalhsmith”] #amwriting #publishready

Continue reading “Seamless Self-Editing––Part VI”
Categories
History in the Making

Create Timeline of Novel’s Events

By Sandra Merville Hart

 

Somewhere in the midst of writing my second novel my story started to get away from me. I couldn’t remember what day or week something happened in my plot, requiring me to reread earlier passages. This prompted me to create a timeline of my novel’s events.

Creating a Word document containing the timeline for our stories maintains accuracy, keeps us organized, and shows where the plot requires additional action.

I read a novel where two chapters spanned the summer only to find that the following chapter stated all those events happened in only two weeks. The author’s mistake on time jolted me out of the story. The things that happened early in the novel in a specific timeframe were incorrect. I continued reading though I had lost trust in the author. This discrepancy could have been easily fixed and monitored by maintaining a timeline.

Tracking this detail also keeps authors organized. My timeline is arranged in chapter paragraphs and contains the chapter’s major scenes. It begins with the character whose perspective the scene is written along with a brief description of the action and the date. The day of the week is also important because this detail grounds us. For instance, church is part of normal Sunday activities for Christians and in many historical novels whereas Monday begins the work week.

The time of day matters a great deal in suspense and mystery genres so tracking this detail saves the author constant rereading of prior scenes.

Timelines note every change of character perspective or date.

Historical novelists writing about particular events such as a Revolutionary War battle, the assassination of President Lincoln, or the San Francisco earthquake pay close attention to details. Tracking dates and historic occurrences within the novel keeps us focused and organized.

Another advantage of maintaining a novel’s timeline in the midst of writing is that it shows where the plot needs strengthening. Authors will see where the story’s action slows and picks up again.[bctt tweet=”Creating a novel timeline helps #writers track story details in each chapter. #writing #history” username=”Sandra_M_Hart”]

Tracking which scenes are in a particular character’s perspective helps to evaluate who gets the most “air time.” This can be important for specific genres like romance.

Authors may refer to timelines when writing novel proposals as a springboard for writing summaries, synopsis, or back cover copy.

I generally update my timeline upon completion of chapters. It you possess a forgetful nature like me, consider adding this organizational tool to your writing routine. It has saved my sanity countless times.

 

 

Categories
Child's Craft

May the Embarrassing Moments Arise!

We were just about to head down the aisle before my daughter’s wedding, when I reached into my bag and blindly applied some last-minute lip gloss. My daughter, the bride, looked at me in shock and said, “Mom! What happened to your lips?” I quickly found a mirror and to my horror, realized I had applied zit concealer to my lips instead of lip gloss. (In my defense, the two tubes look remarkably alike.) Laughing in embarrassment, I wiped the concealer off, applied the lip gloss and headed down the aisle, glad that my lips were no longer concealed.

Oh, and last week, my husband left the front door open for the cable guy to come in. I walked into the foyer to find a wild bird flapping around in my house. I screamed as if I’d come face to face with a lion. I called for my husband and ran to grab some brooms, as the cable guy hesitantly entered the house. My husband tried to shoo the bird out the front door. Every time the bird moved, I instinctively screamed like a little girl and hid behind my broom. This wasn’t a falcon-sized bird, not a snake, huge hairy spider, nor even a creepy looking lizard, or mouse. It was a tiny helpless bird. But I was completely useless in this situation and couldn’t help but scream and hide with every movement of that feathered creature. The cable guy was laughing. Hysterically. My hero of a husband who intelligently opened windows, successfully directed the bird to the great outdoors.

I hesitate to even mention the time I went on a first date with a guy back in my earlier years. I dressed my best to make a good first impression and wore my new sandals that I loved because I could slide across the carpet as if on ice skates. Loved them! As we entered the movie theater to pick our seats, my date moved ahead of me down the aisle and chose a row. This aisle appeared to be a slate floor and it slanted downhill towards the screen. I took one step on it and was on ice. I slid down that aisle, waved to my date as I flew on past. Horrified, I reached for a seat to slow me down. Whew. Now all I had to do was maneuver uphill a couple rows to my date. On ice. My feet were moving but I remained in place. I seriously could not ascend that slippery slope. My date joined me in that row laughing, but had to physically carry me out afterwards. Great first impression.

I can’t be the only one with embarrassing situations. Come on. Share with me. What memories come to mind that make you laugh? These are the events you need to document. This is fodder for your children’s stories, for your blogs, articles, books! These are moments that stories are built on, that add to your character’s woes, that pepper your plot with humor, that catch your reader off guard. Spend time creating a file with blips from your past. Feel free to expand upon them and exaggerate if necessary, because it’s your story. I would hesitate to use funny stories that happened to other people, even changing the names, unless you modify it enough so as not to incriminate anyone. Certainly you have enough embarrassing or funny stories from your own life.

It’s time for those embarrassing moments that you hoped would never resurface to resurface! Bring them up! You’ll be glad you did, when you need to add a little spice to your project. If nothing else, you may rekindle some lessons learned, like keeping your concealer separate from your lip gloss and only buying shoes with tread on them.

Categories
Talking Character

How Selfish Is Your Protagonist?

We writers love our protagonists. We give them a few flaws and quirks, but we know that underneath their mistakes and faulty thinking beats a heart that is kind and good. The kind of heart that will ultimately lead them to Do The Right Thing.

We want our hero to show his noble heart by getting involved with the local homeless shelter and our heroine to display her fine character by fundraising to provide wells to villagers who need fresh water. Those are excellent goals, so long as you show the reader why your character cares.

Authors must not only figure out what goals our character strives for, but also why those goals matter to that particular character. And the reasons must be specific and selfish.

Yes, selfish. As in, what’s in it for him?

Because your hero does not volunteer at the shelter once a week just because it’s a nice thing to do. He does it because:

  • He can no longer ignore God’s urging to serve in this area (despite the fact he hates talking to strangers.)
  • The cute girl from World History class works there those same days.
  • He thinks it will atone for the hit and run accident he caused.
  • He discovered one of guys he plays pick-up basketball games with spent most of last year living in a shelter.

Each one of these options will lead to a very different story, won’t it?

The specific and selfish reasons you give your character must also serve to deepen his character arc and illustrate the underlying theme of your story. If the story is about stepping out in faith despite our fears then option one or four might make sense, while option three would suit a theme like understanding God’s mercy or learning to own up to our mistakes. And that cute girl from history class? She has all kinds of thematic options, depending on her motivations for working at the shelter.

Because every character needs specific and selfish reasons for their actions. Even cute girls.

So…

If your answer to the question, “Why does your protagonist care about his story goal?” isn’t specific, personal, and driven by some need or desire the character has, maybe it’s time to dig deeper.

You readers will be glad you did.

Categories
Storyworld

Anatomy of Grays: How They Move

Jim always thought first contact with an alien race would involve ceremony and formality. But standing over the bullet-riddled corpse of one of the gray-skinned creatures, he was just glad thing couldn’t move anymore. He put those romantic ideas out of his head as he holstered his pistol and bent down to examine the invader. Ugly critter. Its colorless skin was covered in scales and three pale struts were melded around each of its limbs. No wait … Jim prodded an exit wound. Those weren’t reinforced supports. Those were the creature’s bones. Exoskeletal bones. Weird.

This month I kick off my series about alien anatomy. We’ll cover some fantastic ways your creatures can move, gain and use energy, reproduce, think and feel, and keep themselves safe from diseases and injury.

Endoskeletons

First we’ll look at the way we move. Humans can manipulate objects, traverse distances, and even make subtle gestures using our musculoskeletal system. Essentially, we have a bone structure under our skin that provides support and a muscle system attached to it that enables articulation. Since this is the structure we personally possess, I won’t spend much time on it. Suffice to say that reptiles, birds, fish, mammals, and more all fit into this category.

Exoskeletons

But that’s not the only way to make things move. Arthropods have an exoskeleton, meaning the bones form a sort of armor on the outside of the insect and the muscles are connected internally. This may sound really cool, but there are some drawbacks. Armor is relatively heavy and thus exoskeleton-bearing creatures on our planet tend not to grow larger than a couple of feet, unless they live underwater. Movement is also restricted in a fashion similar to medieval plate mail. For example, the grasshopper only has seven joints on each of its legs. Yes, these allow it to make long jumps and simple walking motions, but that is essentially all the grasshopper can do with them.

Exoskeletons also need to be replaced periodically as the organism outgrows its armor. A young and quickly growing creature will “molt” its exoskeleton every few weeks until it reaches an adult size. Even then, molting is done at least annually.

A fantastic creature with an exoskeleton could get around the weight restriction by either living on a low-gravity planet, or using armor segments that are unusually light relative to earth-based arthropods. And while earth-based arthropods may have severe mobility restrictions, an alien creature may have a more sophisticated joint structure. Be creative, and I’m sure you can come up with a way to plague your storyworld inhabitants with zerg clones or similar alien threats.

Hydrostatic Skeletons

Jellyfish may seem like boring critters in the aquarium, but their physiology is fascinating. Gelatinous mass fills a cavity between two layers of single-cell tissue, and this jelly gives the creature its shape and support. This is why they are said to have “hydrostatic” skeletons, because they have a “water support” skeleton structure.

Jellyfish mostly just float around, but when they need to move, they contract a ring of muscles around the edge of its bottom. This expulses water from the mouth region and pushes the jellyfish along.

https://www.pinterest.com/julvalhe/starcraft/But can you use something weird like this in your storyworld? I can think of a few examples of similar creatures used in sci-fi settings. While the “Overlords” of Starcraft operate similar to jellyfish, they use air instead of water for their support. You might call them creatures with pneumostatic skeletons. I imagine they use a lighter-than-air gas (helium, hydrogen, etc.) to float around, but the game world never says. Similarly, the Hanar from Mass Effect are actually hydrostatic creatures that use anti-gravity fields to float around in the air. Jelly-type creatures are also a fairly common fantasy trope, but gelatinous cubes and such of D&D tend to operate more by magic than by any discernable physiology.

Non-skeletal creatures

Some creatures, such as worms, slugs, and octopuses, don’t have skeletons. While each of these animals moves in a slightly different way, they all rely on strong muscles to push against something and slide its body in that direction.

The iconic sandworm of Dune is one such example of a non-skeletal creature used in a storyworld for effect. A similar space-dwelling annelid is also seen in Empire Strikes Back. While there probably are intelligent annelids gastropods, and mollusks used in some books and movies, I’m not aware of any. These creatures tend to be the big scary monsters. Mindless, but terrifyingly so.

Parting thoughts

These are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing, but as an author you can create things not yet imagined. Perhaps an alien race of yours is bipedal but lacks any true bones the way we’d think of them. Or perhaps a creature is sustained and moves by some sort of force (evil or otherwise), like undead creatures in fantasy and horror novels. The important thing is to consider how a creature’s physiology adds or detracts from its functionality in your story. And then to exploit these benefits or penalties to the your story’s advantage.

Next month we’ll look at energy generation and use. Until then, let me know if you have any thoughts on alien or fantastic anatomy.

For much of the info in this topic, I am indebted to Life Science for Christian Schools, second edition, published in 1998 by Bob Jones University Press. And of course my lovely and talented wife, a medical doctor who thankfully paid more attention in high school biology class than I ever did.

 

Overlord Cartoon from: https://www.pinterest.com/julvalhe/starcraft/

 

Categories
Flash Fiction-Splickety

Blogging Fiction by Lindsey P. Brackett

A few years ago when I was knee-deep in preschoolers and a newborn, I started a blog.

I meant that corner of blogsphere to be a simple way my extended and scattered family could keep up with all our adventures. I figured along the way I’d muse a little about this, that, and the other.

So I did. For over three years I wrote nothing but blog posts. Eventually, the local paper added me as a community columnist, and I realized real live people were reading my words.

That little blog had rekindled my heart for storytelling. Gradually, I started chipping away at bits and pieces of a novel I was sure would never see the light of day. Much to my surprise, I had found my fiction voice in the snippets I wrote about the mundane of motherhood and the glory of grace.

I attended my first writers conference in 2014 and realized how much I still needed to learn. I needed to hone my active voice and test out action tags for dialogue. Since blogging had prepared me to write concisely and visually with a small word count, flash fiction seemed a natural avenue to pursue. When the first flash fiction piece I ever wrote won a contest, I knew that win was a testament to what we writers can learn from bloggers.

Immediate Engagement:

In order to succeed in catching a reader’s eye, blogs, like flash fiction, have to engage immediately. Strong openings are necessary to keep any reader on your page, and whether writing flash fiction or a recount of your day at the lake, no one has time for every minute detail leading up to the interesting parts of the story. Start with what’s captivating and proceed from there.

Minimal Word Count:

The average blog is between 400-700 words. Flash fiction is told in 1000 words or less. No one opens a blog post with the intention of reading a novel, and the same applies to flash fiction. Our readers want a complete story in a short amount of time. Blogging has made me aware of extraneous details that lose my reader. Those are the posts with no comments or shares. Those are the posts when I didn’t assume my reader was smart enough to figure it out. Which leads me to…

Reader Assumptions:

There’s no time in a blog post or a flash fiction piece to give all the backstory. Assume your reader knows/doesn’t care/will figure it out. With blogging, links can always be added to point the reader to more details if needed, but with flash fiction, the story must be set up in such a way that either it’s not necessary to know that Aunt Mildred and Uncle Kenny are divorced, or it’s so blatantly implied, the reader can’t miss it. Don’t lose the point of your post—or your story—with history that doesn’t move it forward to the rapidly approaching conclusion.

Leave Them Wanting More:

When the story is done, it should feel complete, but it also should leave your reader thinking they’d like to stop back by tomorrow and see what else you’ve got. That’s what builds a following, and that’s what sells more stories. Readers return because they got what they wanted, so now, of course, they want more.

 

Once your reader has gotten what he wanted, what about you–the writer?

The beauty of blogs and flash fiction is immediate gratification. You can publish immediately, get real-time feedback, and gain confidence every time that post is shared or receives a comment. As we interact with our audience, we are able to ascertain what it is they really want to read or learn. Then we are able to give it to them, whether it’s in a blog post pondering motherhood or a flash fiction piece imagining the impossible.

 

To hone your flash fiction skills and decimate your word count, join Splickety’s Lightning Blog every Friday for #BoltFlashFic. On Fridays, a picture is only worth 100 words…and possible publication.

brackettlweb

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
Guest post archive

Blog Tour-Ron Estrada

ron-estrada-400x400

Please tell us about your most Recent Book
I recently completed my Cherry Hill Series, a Young Adult urban fantasy series. It didn’t start out that way. Book one, Now I Knew You, was supposed to be a stand-alone novel about a teen boy who has a near-death experience and talks to his aborted daughter (unknown to him) in heaven. I enjoyed the fictional town of Cherry Hill and my characters so much that I decided to continue on with additional books. Book 2, Angel ‘n Me, is by far my favorite. My readers seem to agree. Books 3 and 4 wrap up the series. Cassandra’s Crossing and Lydia’s Way take a bigger step into the paranormal, with some time travel and shape-shifting tossed into the mix. I even spun off a character into a serial novel called Cat’s Out. That, I suppose, would be my most recent, the latest installment of Cat’s Out, where the shape-shifting continues with Darla Velasquez, a 15-year-old girl battling demonic forces in Detroit. Darla has an attitude (what else would you expect from a cat?) and my readers, both on Wattpad and Amazon, love the character. At least one boy has expressed a crush, despite Darla’s always present baseball bat and ability to grow claws (I am fighting hard to restrain my sexist comments here).

Why do you write what you do?
I’ve tried many a genre, as most writers do. But I was drawn to Young Adult and then Middle Grade because of the freedom it gives me. A young protagonist can say and do anything and still be believable. Really, they say and do the things we’d really like to say and do as adults, but society frowns on a 50-year-old man starting food fights in the cafeteria or calling his co-worker a cotton-headed ninnymuggins (okay, I have). I also want to connect with the kids who are like most of us. We all felt like outcasts at some point in our childhood. We believed there was something wrong with us, that no one could possibly be like us. But, of course, all kids go through these times of doubt, feeling very much alone. I want to show them that they aren’t alone, but that they are also unique, and they should embrace that which makes them different. They are God’s design, and He never makes mistakes.

What are you currently working on?
I am in the process of the final edit of Scorpion Summer, my first middle-grade historical. It is set in 1968 Norfolk, Virginia. My protagonist is an eleven-year-old navy brat who loses his father aboard the USS Scorpion, the last Navy sub lost at sea. Scorpion Summer is the first of my Navy Brat series. I’ve also begun the second book, Pearl Mornings, set in 1972 Pearl City, Hawaii. I’ll continue moving through the 70s and 80s, from port to port, basically revisiting all the places I lived as a navy brat.

How does your work differ from other work in its genre?
There’s no hovercraft or amazing archery skills. Okay, seriously, I like to tackle issues like teenage pregnancy and abortion (Now I Knew You) without preaching. By the time my reader gets through the book, she’ll see that her choices have consequences and her actions affect many more people than she realizes. I never come out and say what is right and wrong, and never invoke my Christian faith, but my readers will know that the simple answers the world provides are never quite that simple. For my middle-grade historicals, I’m one of the few who visit places like Hawaii without it being a paradise. Military kids see a duty station as just another duty station, whether it has palm trees or two feet of snow. I like to pull up little-known facts in history, like the loss of the Scorpion, to educate my reader as well as provide an intriguing story about a kid who overcomes the obstacles thrown into his previously worry-free existence.
How does your writing process work?
It’s evolving. I was once a panster. Then I became a plotter. Now I’m joining a larger crowd that’s somewhere in the middle. I like to start with my protagonist and build her backstory, as well as her parent’s (a middle-grade character’s background is heavily influenced by her parent’s background). I’ll write several scenes that will never make it into the novel. All backstory, but necessary to understand my character. Most importantly is the “dark moment,” where my character’s beliefs changed and altered her course forever. After that, give me an interesting incident and place, and my character can run with it. That’s not entirely true (I have my doubts about characters who just walk into a scene and take over), I do have a good idea where the story is going and still write down my major plot points and beats, including the ending. Things may change along the way, but I believe in having at least a general road map. Naturally, with historicals, research is important. I’ll research what is necessary to move the story forward, then check the details after the first draft. My wife just told me that normal folk weren’t using Pampers disposable diapers in 1968, so I may have to change that detail in Scorpion Summer, but things like that don’t change the overall story. You gotta check ‘em, though. The armchair historians will crush you on Amazon.

catsout

Ron Estrada writes Young Adult and Middle-Grade fiction. He is a regular contributor to Novel Rocket and My Book Therapy, as well as Women2Women Michigan, a local print magazine, where he writes a regular humor column. He lives in Oxford, Michigan, with his beautiful wife, Kelly. His two children are in college and (mostly) out of the house. You can find out what he’s up to by visiting RonEstradaBooks.com.

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Five Ways to Boost Your Holiday Magazine Writing

a3holiday-magazine

Much of the publishing world becomes silent throughout late November until the New Year—including the magazine world. The holiday magazines were finalized months ago. As a magazine editor, I recall pulling out my Christmas music in July to begin planning the December magazine. It’s typical in the magazine world to be working three to six months ahead to assign articles and plan the publications.

When the editors aren’t responding and are taking a break, how can you boost your magazine writing? Yes many of us are focused on time with family and activities outside the writing world. I want to give you five ways to increase your writing during the holidays.

  1. Keep pitching and writing query letters. When activities slow down in the editorial offices, it gives some editors a chance to dig into their unsolicited manuscripts and ideas. If you pitch ideas for articles which will be published in the spring or summer of 2017, then your material will be read and considered. Write the query letters or articles and email or mail to editors on a consistent basis.
  2. Look for new magazines. What magazines do you read on a regular basis? Do they take freelance writing? Could you write articles for that magazine? Look online for the publication guidelines then follow the tips. Or use a Market Guide to learn more details about the magazine and their percentage of freelance writing. This time of year is a perfect time to be expanding your writing possibilities.
  3. Write queries and articles for magazine theme lists. Many publications create editorial plans with themes. These lists show you what the editor wants to publish. Tailor your pitches to what the editor needs. Yes it can be this simple.
  4. Write personal experience articles. Almost every publication takes personal experience articles and publishes articles tied to the holidays. Take advantage of your own experiences and right after the experience, write it down. Capture the sights, sounds and dialogue while it is fresh. Make sure your article has a single focus or takeaway. Then write queries or send it out later in the year to publications for 2017 issues.
  5. Plan to attend a writers’ conference in 2017. Editors assign and buy articles and ideas from writers they know, like and trust. In this holiday season make plans to attend a writers’ conference in the New Year.  Look for one that fits your travel budget and schedule but also study who is speaking and if they are publications where you want to write articles.

Every writer whether you are much published or never published can take advantage of the quiet time of the holidays. As you take action, you will propel your magazine work to a new level.

terry-whalin-headshot-9-2016

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
Guest post archive

Sports Writing

 

a3delmohammad
Fundraiser-Huntington West Virginia -early 90s

Being a sports writer has always been the most rewarding job I ever had. Often, I think back and wish I could have stayed in that career path. But working for a small-town newspaper was not financially rewarding enough to raise a family.

But I have some wonderful memories.

I started out by being a stringer reporter for my local daily newspaper’s sports section. Back then, that was a big deal. EVERYONE read about their favorite high school teams, and our editor was dedicated to local sports. At that time, it was the bread and butter of our small-town daily paper. Having a strong local school presence can make a local paper very important.

So, one night, one of the full-time sportswriters was ill, and my editor threw me into the fire. He had me cover a local game and write it up. After a few corrections and suggestions, it went to print. I was so excited and proud. After all, I was about 20 years old at the time. I even had a byline – that was bigtime to me.

Soon I was given a full-time position. It was a blast. I was actually getting paid to go to ballgames and write about them. It was a dream come true at the time, and I felt like a local celebrity. As time went on, I found out that I could get media passes and cover some professional and college games for free as well. I wasted no time signing up.

I quickly sent off to get passes to cover the Cincinnati Bengals and the Reds and any nearby NBA team hosting the Boston Celtics. Back then, I loved the NBA. I was an avid Larry Bird fan and was able to interview him a couple times. In fact, one column that I wrote about an interview with Bird won an Associated Press Sports Writers Award in Ohio. I was so happy about that. Not only did I get to go watch the Celtics play Cleveland, I got to interview Bird and was honored by the AP. Wow! I had it made.

One funny memory I have happened when I took my dad to a Bengals game.  We had gone down to stand on the sidelines to watch the fourth quarter when Gary Reasons, a linebacker for the New York Giants, made a tackle and wiped out several of us who were on the side watching. We were fine, but a little sore.

Within a year, I won another AP award and also won an award from the Ohio Prep Sports Writer’s Association for a series of columns I wrote on whether or not a shot clock would serve in the best interest of high school basketball.  I got opinions from coaches, players, parents, fans and officials and spread the series out over a few weeks.

So as time went on, I was able to interview some of my other sports heroes like Orel Herschiser of the Los Angeles Dodgers, PGA great Greg Norman, and former Dallas Cowboys Coach Tom Landry as well as Pete Rose and Muhammed Ali. Rose liked my interview with him so much he called me a few weeks later to thank me. I had previously written a column on Pete after he was banned from having any association with the MLB for betting on the game. I had pointed out that many who were already enshrined in the MLB Hall of Fame had done things in their personal lives that were far worse, in my opinion, than what Rose had done. He liked what I wrote and he let me know.

One night after a Reds game, I was interviewing Herschiser in the locker room, and again my dad tagged along. After a while, it was just the three of us talking when the Dodgers’ trainer yelled for Herschiser to get on the bus. We were having such a good time that he didn’t want to leave.

I loved covering high school sports, especially football and volleyball. In volleyball, there are so many exciting adjectives to use like: spike, kill, jam, slam, pound, volley, smack, etc. It was a sports writer’s field day.

But mostly I loved writing columns and telling my opinion to everyone. You see, I just assumed everyone agreed with me, or after reading my column, they would come around to my way of thinking. Wrong. I heard from people when they disagreed, but that was okay. It was part of the fun. It made for good discussion when people would see me out at a restaurant or at the grocery store.

My favorite column I ever wrote dealt with game-winning moments in high school. That particular week of high school basketball featured three buzzer-beater shots. So, I called each player who made each shot, as well as their coaches, to get their reactions.  I started out the article with my personal memories of my two sons who also experienced such moments in time that will last forever.  I loved capturing memories for athletes and their parents. When I played ball in high school, I always anticipated getting the paper after I had a good game and reading what was said about me.  So, when I wrote about high school games, I wrote every story as if my own child was playing in that game and how I as a parent would want to see my kid’s name in the paper. I never lost sight of that.

Then some doors opened up for me to do some freelance writing for Sports Spectrum Magazine. I was given some assignments which were really fun. I went to Tampa, Florida and interviewed Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees during spring training, and later I spent some time with Bengals signal caller Andy Dalton.  I also interviewed former MLB great Al Oliver, who happens to live in my hometown.

Getting to interview well-known athletes is a perk – sometimes. There were times when people I admired turned out to be jerks in real life. I learned quickly to put things into perspective. You see, a professional is earning a living for a family.  Just like any job, there are good days and bad ones.

But high school athletes, and most college ones, play for the love of the game. And that’s what a good sports writer does – he or she covers that sport for the same reason – because it’s fun and he loves writing about sports. There is no agenda but to promote high school athletes.

That’s what sports writing should be about.

a3del

Del Duduit is a freelance writer, and some of his work has been published in Sports Spectrum Magazine and Portsmouth Metro Magazine. When he was a sports writer-reporter, he won two Associated Press writing awards as well as one Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association award. He has several years of experience as a general assignment reporter and broadcast news reporter.
He lives in Ohio with his wife Angie, and they have two adult sons.

www.delduduit.com

Facebook.com/delduduit

 

Categories
The Ministry of Writing

You are a Bible Interpreter — Seminary in 5: Interpretation of the Bible

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.

I skipped a month of posting in “The Ministry of Writing” (I hope you noticed and missed it!) because I struggled how to share this subject. I struggled writing on this subject because I believe the most important skill all Christians and especially Christian writers need to develop is interpreting the Bible. I am so thankful that my college and seminary schedules were often out of my control because in my first semester things out of my control forced me to take a class called “Hermeneutics” which was on interpreting the Bible. I like so many though the idea of such a course was ridiculous. After all we just needed to just simply read and obey Scripture. Making that task so complicated just causes problems, right? Wrong, it’s just the opposite. As the first point of this post states, every reader of the Bible is an interpreter, and since we are thousands of years removed from the original writing of this special Book it takes a skill to interpret it correctly and well.

The Apostle Paul expressed this being a skill in 2 Timothy 2:15 where Timothy is instructed to “rightly divide” the Word. Rightly dividing just does not happen by chance, but is a skill developed and mastered. In Dr. Robert McQuilkin’s textbook, he asks a question: “Do a good attitude and a commitment to hard work alone enable a person to build a beautiful piece of furniture? No, for there is a right way and a wrong way to build. Furthermore, certain skill must be developed before a person, though using the right method, can build properly. So, it is with understanding the Bible.”

There is a right way, a right method, and a skill. This is not out of the reach of any Christian, but does call for intentionality rather than a haphazard approach to the text.

 

  1. Every Reader is an Interpreter.

I realize that the idea that one needs to approach the Bible through rules and methods causes infuriation or at least disagreement, but every time you read something you interpret those words. And though not consciously you decipher meaning based on a certain approach. My wife and I passed a beautiful landscape painting the other day. Immediately, it took me back to my fourth-grade teacher reading Bridge to Terabithia. My wife had also read the book, both as a student and then as a teacher. We began to talk about it and realized we understood the book quite differently. We had interpreted the book quite differently. This was over a contemporary book, and with us possessing similar experiences and values. I’m sure our “interpretations” would differ with others. So, every reader interprets. Therefore, every reader interprets the Bible. If this can happen with contemporary books how much more differently would we interpret an ancient text like Scripture.

So, for anyone who feels the subject of hermeneutics is not necessary they must wrestle with the face that we interpret the Bible every time we pick it up. Beyond that our translations are actual interpretations. We further promote our interpretations then to our writings. Therefore, as a writer it is dangerous for us to have a wrong interpretation. Different interpretations are much of the cause of the different denominations and traditions within Christianity today.

 

  1. Every Interpreter has a Presupposition.

Along with realizing we are interpreters whether we want to be or not, we also bring a presupposition into that interpretation whether we want to do so or not. Everyone comes to the Bible with a presupposition which is a belief or view that one holds before approaching something. This includes our past experiences, values, worldview, personal theology, etc. It is impossible for one not to have a presupposition, but it is important that we identify what we bring to our reading.

Certain presuppositions are important in reading the Holy text. It is important that we understand it is God’s Word. That it is authoritative, etc.

It is important to realize this filer in which we study the Bible because our presupposition greatly impacts our interpretation.

 

  1. Bible Interpreters Must Study the “Then and There”

As was covered in the previous post that you can read here, the Bible has a dual nature. It is a combination of divine nature being the Word of God, and human authorship. In a masterpiece on the subject, Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, write that the dual nature in terms of hermeneutics as “the Word of God given in human words in history.” They go on to state that this concept expresses a tension between “eternal relevance and its historical particularity.”

Since the Bible is God’s special revelation of Himself and His Will to mankind the meaning of the text applies to the ancient world, the first century, the middle ages, today, and the future; but, each part of the Bible was written in a particular-historical setting. It is in this original setting where the original meaning was given to the original audience.

The first task of the interpreter is to identify this original intent. This work is called exegesis — which is the careful, systematic study of the Scripture to discover the original intended meaning. Bible interpreters are not to go straight from the words of the sacred Scriptures to a contemporary meaning, but first they need to do exegetical work. This work requires looking at historical context of that time and culture of the authors and readers. In doing so it requires knowing the geographical, topographical, political, and cultural aspects of that original writing. This also calls for considering the occasion and purpose for the biblical book, the specific genre, and the passage.

The literary context must also be examined which goes back to the original language and syntax in which the Autographa copies were written in. This is a timely task often, but it is not out of our reach. It requires going to experts in the field of history and language. There are great resources available, but one must be careful to find the best sources and experts.

 

  1. Bible Interpreters Must Follow Rules for Specific Genres

I had a very hard time limiting this post to five points, but I must stay true to my parameters. The reason is that I want to make clear the principles and rules of biblical interpretation. There are general rules such as was mentioned under the third point, but there are specific rules with each different genre.

Since the Bible was written by human hands and for human understanding — all forms of written communication were used. There is prose, poetry, prophetic oracles, letters, sermons, parables, proverbs, and others. Each of these literary forms call for specific principles of interpretation. As you know you don’t work through poetry the same you do a list of rules. It is vital to grasp the genre you are reading to begin to accurately interpret the text.

 

  1. Bible Interpreters Must Use the Original Meaning for the Contemporary Meaning.

The goal of biblical interpretation is to find what this divine work speaks to us today. As a writer, we are writing to transform lives in this present world. So, interpretation is not completed by simply coming to terms with the original intent of the human author.

The exegetical work of recreating the historical setting and the literary context is the first step, but the results from that then serves as the launching pad to bridge to today’s world. Fee and Douglas write, “the reason we must not begin with the here and now is that the only proper control for [contemporary relevance] is to be found in the original intent of the biblical text.” They go on to write, “a text cannot mean what it never meant.” Going further they write, “the true meaning of the biblical text for us is what God originally intended it to mean when it was first spoken.”

Our exegesis of the historical purpose of a passage creates the guardrails in which guide us in teaching those Bible verses in our writings. If this work was taken in all times of biblical interpretation there would not be the disunity in modern Christianity.

 

Conclusion

Five points on interpretation of the Bible just scratches the surface of this subject. I hope your heart was prodded to study this deeper, and then apply it to your own Bible study. For we need to “rightly divide” the Bible as Paul instructed Timothy. I encourage you to first check out, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart. Next I recommend, Grasping God’s Word by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays. There are many other great resources out there as well.

Categories
Dear Young Scribes

Is the Writing Journey Worth It?

When I was a fifteen-year-old aspiring author, I emailed a bestselling author asking for writing advice. What she told me was not what I had expected to hear.

 

First, she told me to analyze my true intentions behind writing. If my pursuit for publication wasn’t fueled by a burning passion to write, or if I was interested in a field other than writing, then she advised that I re-think my dream of becoming an author. It’s not as glamorous as it looks, I remember her telling me via email.

 

Now that I’m seven years into my writing journey, I’ve experienced firsthand this “non-glamorous” writing life. Rejections. Isolation. Hours of hard work with sometimes little to show for it. I’ve often found myself rethinking the “warning” that bestselling author gave me and wondering if this is the best route to take.

 

As you begin to venture into the new year, you, too, might be re-evaluating your writing dreams and progress thus far. You might be asking yourself the same question … Is this writing journey really worth it?

 

I think, just like that best-selling author had told me, it comes down to your true intentions behind the pursuit for publication. Are you writing because you hope to become a rich? Or famous? Do you write so that your pride can be fed when you some day see your name on the cover of your book? If any of these are the reasons why you write – then I hate to break it to you, but no, the writing journey probably won’t be worth it for you. Because you’ll be faced with disappointments. Lots of it. And you’ll soon realize that being an author is nothing like what you had imagined.

 

But what if your true intention behind pursuing publication is because you can’t not write? Because the dream of being an author is one that you simply can’t ignore?

 

If that’s the case, then yes, the writing journey is worth it. It’s worth the hard work. Rejections. Isolation. The perks of being an author far outweigh the downsides, in my opinion.

 

What is it that makes the writing journey worth it for me?

 

The pure joy that comes from writing stories and hearing from readers. Networking with other writers through social media, conferences, groups, etc. The open doors. Contributing to the writing community through blogging and mentoring teen writers. Witnessing this dream coming to pass – even if it might not be exactly how it was initially envisioned.

 

If you’re an aspiring author, I want to leave you with the same warning that the bestselling author gave me when I was fifteen: The writing life isn’t as glamorous as it may look. And no, it’s not going to be worth it if your expectations are unrealistic and your motivation isn’t rooted in a passion for the written word.

 

Because, yes, the writing life is unpredictable. There are high points and low points, just as there is with any profession. Sacrifices will be made. Dreams will be shattered. There will come times when you, again, will return to these questions: Why am I doing this? Is it even worth my time?

 

Yet I’ve discovered that this will be the case in any profession that I choose. Personally, if I’m going to be working hard and pouring my energy into a certain field, I’d much prefer to choose a career that I’m actually interested in. That alone will be the pay off for me. Life is too short to neglect this burning passion I have to convert words into stories that come to life in the imagination of others.

 

That in itself – spending my short time on earth pursuing this passion – will make my writing journey worthwhile.

 

 

[bctt tweet=”Is the Writing Journey Worth It? #writerslife #amwriting @TessaEmilyHall” username=””]

Categories
Truth Be Told

Impossible?

cinderella

One of my favorite musicals is Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. I know it by heart–have since I was a little girl. In High School I sang In My Own Little Corner when I auditioned for Miss Teenage Columbus. And it got me in.

One of the other songs is between Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother. Fairy Godmother is preparing Cinderella for the ball, but Cinderella declares that it’s impossible! Fairy Godmother’s response, “Impossible things are happening every day. It’s possible.”

That song and the promise from Luke 1:37 that nothing is impossible for God have shaped my faith.

Truth be told: I sing the song from Cinderella as often as I sing, Trust and Obey.

Are there things in your life you have either felt were impossible, or maybe others have told you would be impossible for you to accomplish? I understand how that feels.

But I’ve also seen God accomplish things way beyond what I could ask or imagine.  That’s another one of his promises. It came from the pen of the Apostle Paul and is recorded in his letter to the Ephesians:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…(Ephesians 3:20, NIV).

Luke’s promise of nothing being impossible for God is tucked into the story of Mary being told she would conceive and give birth to the Savior of the world. Her response? “May it be to me as you have said.”

What impossible thing do you sense God wanting to do in you and through you?

What will your response be?

dream-big

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Character of an Inanimate Object

 

Multiple points-of-view.

This topic can spark quite a discussion among authors. Some prefer showing their story through the eyes of more than one character, while others wish to stick with just one point-of-view (POV).

The multiple POV preference has become more common in recent years. Some novels boast three or four POV’s that tell the fictional tale. I recently conversed with an author who stated she was having a hard time keeping it under five POVs. Either way, multiple POVs can be especially effective in making sure the characters within the story learn their information organically. It can also allow the reader to know things the characters might not know yet.

But what about those authors who choose to use only one POV or have already reached their limit on the number of POV’s they wish to have in a particular work? How can a writer effectively give the reader information the characters don’t have, or have that character obtain information they shouldn’t know?

There are a number of devices that can be used, but one in particular is the use of an inanimate object that inhabits human qualities. This is especially useful for the Fantasy and Sci-Fi realms, since the bigger the imagination, the better! The possibilities can be endless!

A good example of this is ‘Ella Enchanted’ by Gail Carson Levine, a middle grade twist on the classic Cinderella tale. In this story, Ella is given a magical gift (or curse, as she sees it) of obedience. At various points in the story she is literally stuck at home, unable to leave or to even send a message abroad. But obtaining certain information is important for the story to move forward. The solution to this problem is her magical diary. Whenever she wants to learn about another person, she simply picks up the diary and says their name. Instantly she can see letters they’ve written and can learn all sorts of plot details she otherwise would not have known.

This was a simple way to fix a large problem. Ella needed to know details about her father and Prince Char as they traveled to far off countries, but there was no way she could achieve that while stuck under the thumb of her evil step-mother. The information she was able to glean also helped her learn the truth about the magic that held her in bondage and how to break free from it, in the end.

In the Author’s Note of the book, Ms. Levine explains that she used this device because Ella would not have come to know this information in any other believable way. Using a diary would be natural for a pre-teen girl, and since this is a world of magic, the fact that it possesses unusual abilities fit right in with the story. The use of this inanimate object as a character was the perfect solution for the author, since she didn’t wish to add an additional POV.

Have you chosen to use an object as a character in one of your stories? Or is there another way you moved your storyline forward without adding another POV that you can suggest? Feel free to leave any thoughts or comments below!

Laura L Zimmerman

Bio: Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mom to three daughters, and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter and at her website, www.lauralzimmerman.com

 

Featured image by Upslash/NASA