Tag: advice for writers

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Blogging Basics

A First Time Blogger’s Journey To Success

Evelyn Mann has been blogging for eight years, with over 1 million hits sharing her experience as a special needs mom of a miracle boy who was born with a rare form of dwarfism.

I started blogging after going to a writer’s conference. Encouraged by the feedback, I set out to follow the offered advice. Before searching out a web designer, I had to determine what I wanted to write. What was my passion? What would readers want to read and enjoy?

Your Blogging Topic

What is your passion? For me, it’s writing. Since I could remember, I wrote in a journal. I joined my high school newspaper and published three travel articles in the local newspaper. Now, fast forward several decades, my love for writing had turned into a first draft sharing the story of my son’s miraculous survival from a rare form of dwarfism.

After coming home from my second writer’s conference, I decided to create a blog about raising a miracle. Next step, find a web designer to take the technical work out of creating a home for my blog. After many suggestions and searching, I found a young and upcoming website designer who would hold my hand throughout the process.

Web Designer

We met on a sunny Florida day in my home office. With a pad of paper in his hand, Pavel asked me questions about my book, what I wanted to achieve and then turned to discussions of color and layout. With those questions answered, we talked about pricing and shook hands. That was the start of a beautiful business relationship, one that has served me well over the years.

In today’s tech-savvy world, you could design your website using Wix or a similar site, but choosing to DIY or delegate this rather daunting task, I leave the design (and the work) to the experts.

Do It Yourself

Check out this link for a list of Website Builders for 2020:

For website builders in your area, search Google for website designers in your area. Another resource is an app called Fiverr. This app pairs customers with sellers who work from all over the world. When selecting a seller, note the customer reviews, the location of the seller, seller level, and response time.

As of this writing, Fiverr’s suggested a Seller who is top-rated, six years’ experience, a fifteen day turnaround, has over 500 reviews at 4.9 out of 5, located in Pakistan. With prices ranging from $100 to under $400, you would receive a three to ten-page website depending on the package selected.

Pavel is also available to craft and create a tailor-made website. Click here: 

My First Blog

After my website went live, it was time to post my first blog; an introductory blog to share the reason for my passion. On May 23, 2012, I posted a blog titled Samuel’s Diagnosis. Being new to crafting words in blog form, I made many newbie mistakes.

  1. No pictures
  2. No Headings
  3. No Outbound/Inbound links
  4. No Call To Action
  5. My Category showed as Uncategorized

I did not know what I didn’t know. But, I accomplished the goal of getting my blog started. If you’re in the same spot right now, pat yourself on the back. You can always update an old blog to add the style points I missed above.

For more tips on updating an old blogs.

In my second blog, I added an outbound link. Success. But I still didn’t know that doing this would help with my Search Engine Optimization. Now that I’ve been blogging for several years, I look for a natural opportunity to add an outbound link which fits in with my topic.

Surprise, Your Photo’s Are Gone!

I added a plug-in which placed a watermark on all the photos of my blog. Since I share precious pictures of my son, Samuel, I thought this to be a great addition. That is until I woke up the morning before being interviewed on live television only to find all my blog pictures gone! In a panic, I called Pavel, and he pulled me out of the proverbial frying pan and fixed everything. Lesson learned.

Find tips about popular plugin’s and how to choose them here.

Another Blogging Hurdle

What else could go wrong? Some of my photos were posting sideways.

Has this happened to you?

Frustrated, I scoured the internet to find an answer to this hair pulling problem. I discovered if I uploaded the picture and edited it ever so slightly, and then re-submitted in WordPress, wah-la, all fixed.

The free resource I use to re-size my photo’s is: picresize.com/

If you’d like an easier solution, you can add a plugin called Fix Image Rotation in WordPress.org. This app fixes the mis-orientation images taken using mobile phones which is most of my images.

Marketing Tip

Once my blogs posted, I found a technique to share my heart felt, sweat of my brow words and passion. Posting on social media helped to spread the word and engage new readers. Want to learn how? Read about my secret sauce here.

Over the years I learned through trial and error. And I still have more to learn as the technical landscape continues to change. My blogging journey far from over as I continue to share my passion with others. How about you? Where are you on this journey? Share your thoughts below. I read each one.

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

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Embrace the Wait

Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing Tip #11 – Make a Fresh Start and Renewed Commitment to Writing

One of my favorite quotes from a fictional character is Anne Shirley’s profound declaration that, “Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it.” That’s how I feel about a new year too. The more years that fly by the more I’m reminded that time is precious and not to be wasted on loitering in the past. With each new year comes God’s reminder to, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”

When you’ve been writing for a while with little to no traction in the publishing world, it can be difficult to perceive that your writing has any purpose. But take heart. As Christian writers we know that our purpose is to write for Him. If we are doing that faithfully, then we can be assured that He is the one taking care of the details and timing of publication.

The start of a new year is a perfect time to take stock, realign ourselves with our calling, and press on with a renewed commitment to writing. And it just so happens that the start of a new year provides plenty of built in opportunities to motivate a renewal. Here are a few:

  1. Take full advantage of writer’s conference season. Whether it be a local conference or one in another state, it is well worth the time and investment to attend. Writer’s conferences not only help you gain important connections with agents and editors, they also provide training to improve your craft and connect you with other writers who are on the same tedious journey. I’ve never attended a conference that didn’t result in my returning home with new passion, writing vigor, and drive. Map out a plan to attend one now, the anticipation will help motivate too. Here’s a great resource to find a conference that is the right fit for you:
  2. Join a critique group if you are not already involved in one. It’s amazing how inspiring it can be to hear feedback about your writing—the good and the bad. There are plenty of great groups out there for the finding, but Word Weaver’s Intl. has been my go-to group for years. I look forward to the first Thursday of each month, and it serves as a deadline to submit something fresh or freshly improved. I also love the structure of the meetings and the friendships I’ve made through them.
  3. Create monthly writing goals for yourself and share the plan with someone who can ask you about it each month. Challenge yourself to stretch your norms or simply to remain consistent. It’s a fact that people who have accountability partners are more likely to stay motivated to succeed. Here’s a great article about how to set achievable writing goals.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Isaiah 43:19, Philippians 3:12

Fun Fact: I read this quote from Hope Bolinger when she posted it for Serious Writers Club on Facebook. It inspired me. I hope it will do the same for you.

“It takes years to find an agent. And when the agent picks you up, years to find a publisher. And when the publisher picks you up, years to get the book published. And when the book gets published, years to start making money from royalties. And when that book sells, years to get the next one sold. It’s all a process. Don’t worry if it’s taking you a while to get your book with an agent or book sold. It’s just a slow industry. You’re not behind. You’re right on time.”

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

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Bestsellers

Interview with Best-selling Author Sarah Sundin

Can you share a little about your recent book?

Burdened by his past, fighter pilot Lt. Adler Paxton battles the Luftwaffe over Nazi-occupied Europe as the Allies struggle for control of the air before D-day. Violet Lindstrom wants to be a missionary, but for now she serves in the American Red Cross, where she arranges activities at Adler’s air base in England. Drawn to the mysterious Adler, she enlists his help with her programs for local children. Adler finds his defenses crumbling. But D-day draws near. And secrets can’t stay buried forever.

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

I write because I can’t stop. The stories won’t leave me alone. I never start a novel with a theme in mind, but the theme develops from the characters and what they’re learning.

In the Sunrise at Normandy series, the heroes are three brothers who are estranged from each other. Forgiveness is the overarching theme of the series, and each novel in the series explores forgiveness from a different angle.

How long have you been writing?

Almost twenty years now.

And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?

It took several years before I was ready to submit, and then I had five years of rejection letters before receiving my first contract. My first contract resulted from a submission to an editor at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, and my first novel, A Distant Melody, was published ten years after I first started writing.

Which of your books is your favorite?

I have three adult children. I have no favorites. Same with my books.

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

In The Sky Above Us, there are some heart-wrenching scenes—I take perverse pleasure writing those. There are some action scenes—the hero is a fighter pilot on D-day—and those scenes were great fun to write. But the scenes I loved writing most were when Adler and Violet were together and bantering.

How long does it take you to write a book?

I write one book a year—that involves research, outlining, the rough draft, editing, and promotion.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

It’s definitely a full-time job! Since I’m not a morning person, I spend my mornings on emails, social media, and business aspects of writing. Over lunch, I read research books. In the afternoons, my brain kicks in and I focus on the actual writing.

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

I don’t think so. I don’t need special candles or snacks or music. When I started writing, my kids were little, so I learned to write anytime and anywhere. Even though I have a quiet empty nest and my own office now, those habits have continued.

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

While contracts and awards are wonderful, my absolute favorite moments are when I receive a message from a reader that one of my books touched them deeply. When I hear that a story helped a reader through a difficult time, or that a character’s journey gave the reader a personal insight, or that God used a story to teach courage or forgiveness or humility—well, those fill me with incredible joy.

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

Probably a bad contest score at the end of my rejection-letter years. I felt very confident about my entry and was convinced it was my year. It wasn’t. What hurt more than the score—which was pretty brutal—was that I’d already submitted the same entry to editors at Mount Hermon. For a few days I was convinced I’d wasted years of my life in a futile attempt to get published. But family and friends and the Lord bolstered me. And that submission at Mount Hermon was the one that led to my first contract.

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

I lost count. For five years, my first novel was rejected by just about every editor and agent in the business. But I wouldn’t trade those years for anything. Not only did I improve in my writing and in my knowledge of the publishing industry, but the Lord used it to teach me about humility and His sovereignty and His perfect timing.

Where do you get your ideas?

All sorts of places—historical events, news articles, what-if questions, songs, even from a dream.

Who is your favorite author to read?

Too many to name!! I hate to list any because I might accidentally omit writers I love.

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

Patience, patience, patience. I received this advice over and over but resisted it. Over time I’ve learned to trust in God’s perfect timing.

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

Rushing to publish. The advent of self-publishing has been a wonderful gift, but many promising writers now publish after—or before—the first rejection. It takes time to learn the craft of writing, and those rejections and contest losses teach you vital lessons.

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

Writing conferences. I can’t recommend conferences highly enough. You learn about the craft and the industry. You meet publishing professionals and get to know them as human beings. You receive professional feedback and often have the opportunity to pitch or submit. And you meet other writers on the journey and forge lasting friendships.

Sarah Sundin

Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of historical novels, including The Sea Before Us, The Sky Above Us, and The Land Beneath Us (coming February 2020) Her novel The Sea Before Us received the 2019 Reader’s Choice Award from Faith, Hope, and Love, When Tides Turn and Through Waters Deep were named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years,” and Through Waters Deep was a finalist for the 2016 Carol Award and won the INSPY Award. A mother of three, Sarah lives in California. Please visit her at www.sarahsundin.com

Facebook: SarahSundinAuthor

Twitter: sarahsundin

Pinterest: sarahsundin

Find her books at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

ChristianBook.com

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Writers Chat

Writers chat Recap for October, PArt 1

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Marketing Strategy Sessions Part 2 with Bethany Jett and Michelle Medlock Adams

These PlatLit partners were to partner up again to give us another round of mini strategy sessions. Life happens and schedules have last minute changes, as was the case here. Our dynamic duo was cut down to a dynamic uno. Do not be discouraged, Bethany brought her A game (as she always does). She brought power packed ideas for proposal or ideas of three guests—Annette Whipple with her children’s nonfiction work, Marlene Houk with her woman’s Bible study, and Stephanie L. Robertson with her dystopian YA fiction. If you need marketing ideas, come watch Part 2 of Marketing Strategy Sessions and get your creative marketing juices going.

Watch the October 1st replay.

For resources and more information check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

NaNoWriMo Preptober with Johnnie Alexander

“What in the heck is NaNowhatever you call it,” you may be asking. Well, the full name is Nation Novel Writing Month (often shortened to NaNo) and the goal is to write 50k unedited words in the month of November. (Rebels who write nonfiction can join in the fun and frenzy as well.) This is a tall order; not for the faint at heart. However, there are ways to make the process easier with preparation…the reason October is called, “preptober” by NaNo enthusiasts. In this episode, Johnnie Alexander will share tips and strategies on preparing to write a novel in one month. She is no stranger to NaNo, Johnnie has participated a few times before and two of her stories birthed in NaNo went on to be traditionally published. Come check out the episode with a strange name. Who knows maybe your next (or first) published book is waiting to be birthed in Nation Novel Writing Month!

Watch the October 8th replay.

For tips and resources on NaNoWriMo, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

JOIN US!

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

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

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

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Guest Posts

How to Use Music as a Writing Inspiration

As a writer, one thing that almost everyone will agree and accept is the fact that without inspiration, it is very difficult to go ahead with your work. You need to have a push and shove, especially when you feel your artistic part of the mind has abandoned you. Many people look for inspiration through different avenues. Some people take time off from writing and engage in other hobbies. Some go for a trip while some simply read other books.

Another potent method many writers engage in to find inspiration in writing is music. Music is the elixir of life for many. It can provide the necessary jog down the memory lane and get you on the right gear soon. If you are stuck in a rut as a writer and are looking at music for help to get out of it, this article might do the job for you.

What can music do for your writing?

There are different types of music which are extremely soothing to the mind. They can light up the creative hemisphere of the brain, which is incidentally also the hemisphere responsible for writing ability. Thus, there is a sort of synergistic connection between both. It also releases the feel-good hormone, serotonin, which can spark your writing skills again.

Music is also associated with certain moments and memories and can act as a recollection aid which will provide you the spark required. Last but not least, there is a certain groove or beat associated with different types of music which is also beneficial for inspiring you to write better. You can also take music lessons from an expert to create your music and make the creative experience more enriching.

Music helps you reach your writing goals

When you are starting or stuck in between, making a plan to move forward and setting writing goals becomes very important. These goals are mainly time-centric, and music can act as a good yardstick to measure time. For example, you can tell yourself that you will finish a certain portion until a playlist finishes, and then go about your writing accordingly.

Strategies for choosing your music

Music that relates to what you are writing

It is always better to choose music which is relatable to your writing for best results. If you are writing about love, grief, any emotion under the sun, corresponding music with the same emotion can do wonders.

Songs you can sing along

Some songs get stuck to your head, and the lyrics come out from your subconscious. These types of music—where you can sing along without much effort—can also be helpful.

Songs that remind you of a special day or someone

If you are looking for inspiration from a day or a person, the best way to remind yourself of them is to play the music that connects and associates with them. It will take you to a trip down memory lane and might be enough to give you the much-needed inspiration.

Music that gives you peace of mind

If your mind is disturbed, it will hamper your writing skills automatically. Therefore, always choose music that can provide you with the necessary peace of mind.

Inspirational tunes

Everyone has certain tunes that inspire them. Look for yours and utilize them to your advantage.

Types of music will help you focus while you write

Soundtrack for your novel

When you are writing a novel, certain soundtracks that go with the writing can help your writing.

Instrumentals like jazz or classical

This is for the people who are a purist in their writing. Their music choice also portrays that, and it is mainly in the form of classical music and jazz.

Electronic music

This is one of the best forms of music to get into the groove as advocated by many writers. It provides the necessary impetus.

Ambient noise

Putting on your noise-cancelling headphones and playing white and gray noise which are ambient can also work wonders as far as writing is concerned.

It must be clear by now that music is useful for getting the required inspiration while writing. Tap into your genre of preference and find the inspiration to start writing again.

Curtis Dean writes on behalf of Sage Music School where they base lessons on the science and research of the psychology of learning. Their effective teaching methods create confident and capable students who enjoy the happiness of making music.

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for September Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

The Art of Listening For Writers with Cherrilynn Bisbano

We all know what it is like to talk to someone and based on their body language we know they aren’t listening at all. In this week’s episode Cherrilynn shares with how we can improve our skills as reflective listeners. She discusses what our eye contact, micro expressions, and body language says to the person speaking. 

Watch the September 10th replay

For more tips and resources, see this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

Bio

Cherrilynn Bisbano is the owner of The Write Proposal, the managing editor for Almost an Author, and is an experienced speaker and teacher. She has written articles for several magazines and was a contributor to many books like Chicken Soup for the Soul. She loves Christ, chocolate, and cats.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Updates with Tracy Crump

Tracy has contributed 22 stories and is a voice of experience when it comes to writing for Chicken Soup for the Soul. If you have ever thought of submitting a story to them, this is the episode for you. Tracy shares her Top Five Tips for entering a story to this popular publication, for example, you need a powerful conclusion with a lesson learned, a positive change, or a payoff. Maybe Chicken Soup for the Soul is the right place for your stories.        

Watch the September 17th replay.   

For more information and Tracy’s Top 5 Tips, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

Bio

Tracy Crump has written 22 stories for Chicken Soup for the Soul, and articles and devotions for a few other magazines like Focus on the Family, ParentLife, and Mature Living. Her course in Serious Writer Academy on writing for Chicken Soup is quite popular. Her most important job is being Grandma to the world’s most adorable grandchildren. You can contact Tracy at www.TracyCrump.com or www.WriteLifeWorkshops.com

Marketing Strategies with Bethany Jett

Does marketing trip you up? In this episode, Bethany is joined by surprise co-host Michelle Medlock Adams to lay out smooth ideas for marketing. They give tailored advice to Dory Oda, Josephine Massaro, and Amanda Ellis Flinn in this jam packed strategy session. Even though this strategy session was geared to these three women, there are numerous takeaways that are sure to get your marketing juices flowing.

Watch the September 24th replay

For more tips and resources, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

JOIN US!

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

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

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

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Bestsellers

Award Winning Author Interview with Karen Whiting

award-winning author

Can you share a little about your recent book?

52 Weekly Devotions for Families Called to Serve provides easy to do faith connections as a family. Parents can choose what fits each week between the hands-on activities, chat prompts, contemporary story, and Bible passages. This is easier for busy families.

It also focuses on stories with children in families who served or helped by someone who serves. Such stories encourage a child to develop a servant heart and helps kids understand the lifestyle of people called to put the needs of others first.

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

I never wanted to write but God called me, gave me a vision, and I received a painting of the vision hours later. So, I committed to write until God tells me to stop. He also opened many doors and sent people my way to train me. He is still sending people to train me. Writing and marketing is a constant learning curve.

How long have you been writing?

25 years

And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?

I received articles contracts 3 months after I started writing and sold something every month for 100 months in a row (stopped counting then plus I was doing columns by then).

My first book proposal contract came 3 years after I started writing. I received contracts for my first books in one week (my birthday week).

Which of your books is your favorite?

My newest is always among my favorites. I also treasure my book The Gift of Bread because I grew up in the restaurant business and cooked with so many people in my family. I also treasure my nonfiction historic book that shares true stories of what happened on the home front during American war times. As a military wife and mom, I believe the stories needed to be told.

Tell us about an award you won that was particularly meaningful.

The Christian Retailing NF children’s book of the year. At that time a small group of judges chose the finalists and then retailers voted. I was up against major children’s authors (the top ones) so I was thrilled to be a finalist. I was super surprised when they called my book title as the winner. That’s The One Year My Princess Devotions. I designed the book to share how young girls could be a real princess of action of God’s kingdom. There’s a princess in action activity every day to follow Jesus and apply God’s word at their level.

How long does it take you to write a book?

I can take as long as the contract gives me. I have written 365 devotionals in four months.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

I get up when I wake up and write all day unless I am traveling. I do use some of the time for marketing. I almost never work on a Sunday.

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

I never could use an outline or write one. I am a mathematician. I use spread sheets to lay out my books and it works super well.

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

The people I have met and trips I’ve taken (speaking in China answered my lifelong dream to visit that country, so all expenses paid and really interacting with people there gave me great joy).

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

It’s always sad when a book does not sell well (and that is a relative term). It was hard writing a book as my husband died. The galleys arrived the day he started hospice care and they were the worst I ever received. A few months later the editor finally looked at the galleys, scrapped them, and hired a new freelance editor. That saved the book.

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

I never counted (love never counts wrongs), so I have no clue. It took 11 years to get one book accepted and 22 for another.

Where do you get your ideas?

They just pop up or I get them in talking to an editor and hearing what they need. My mind is like a popcorn popper, so ideas are never a problem. I always trust God to give them to me.

Who is your favorite author to read?

I have a few I like: Jane Austin, Max Lucado, Carol Mayhill.

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

Learn to market. I was told to edit a lot and followed that advise. It helped. I read the market guide every day for the first year and learned to follow the guidelines because an editor said to do that. A fabulous piece of advice!

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

They think what they write is pure gold when it needs a lot of refining and sifting out. Many writers write to satisfy themselves and forget it’s all about the gift you create for the reader.

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

  1. Watch for changes in magazines and send in the new needs.
  2. Network and learn what is needed and where.
  3. Spend more time on the proposal to showcase the audience and the marketing ideas.
  4. Start small and local and move outward.

Karen Whiting has a heart to grow tomorrow’s wholesome families today. She lets creativity flow into her writing to encourage women, families, and children.  She’s a Writing and Marketing Coach (www.karenwhiting.com), international speaker, former television host, and award-winning author of twenty-six books for women, children, military, and families. She’s also a mom of five (including two rocket scientists) and a grandmother. She writes to help families thrive. She has written more than seven hundred articles for more than sixty publications. Her awards include the Christian Retailing 2014 Best Award, children’s nonfiction (The One Year My Princess Devotions) and the Military Writer’s Society of America Gold Medal (Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front).

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for September, Part 1

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Writing Contests with Victoria Duerstock

As the contest coordinator for Serious Writers, Inc., Victoria shares with us insights and a few insider tips on entering writing contests. She explains the benefits of entering contests, submission dos and don’ts and so much more. If you have thought about entering contests, but not sure if they are right for you, check out this week’s episode.

Watch the August 27th replay.

For resources and more information check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

Pick the Brains of Authors

In this open mic episode, we gave the Writers Chat community an opportunity to ask our authors questions. Some of the questions asked were:

                 *What are your goals for your drafts?

                 *When looking for an agent what should you put in your proposal?

                 *Should I self-publish or traditional publish?

                 *How do I approach potential influencers?

If these are questions you’ve had rolling around in your head, click the link below to find informative and encouraging answers.

Watch the September 3rd replay.

For more information check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Discussion.

JOIN US!

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

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

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

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Becoming an Author

5 Ways to Practice Good Virtual Etiquette for Authors

As an aspiring author, you might be aware of how to professionally submit to an agent or editor. But did you know these agents and editors aren’t likely to evaluate your level of professionalism by your email presentation alone?

Agents/editors search for writers online. Not just to evaluate your platform and brand, but also to see how you portray yourself virtually. We want to discover if you are the kind of writer of which we would like to develop a professional relationship.  

So if you hope to remain professional and keep a clean online reputation, here are 5 admirable practices you may want to develop:

1. Refrain from over-sharing.

Sure, you may be tempted to vent about how your day was ruined because of a careless driver. But do you really want your emotions to be broadcasted on social media for the world to see? We don’t always think straight when we’re angry. Later, you may come back to that post and regret the words you used.

2. Be careful about how you handle the naysayers. 

In this virtual world, we can’t exactly escape the bullies, nor can we please everyone who views our posts. When someone pushes your buttons, choose your response carefully. Model Jesus by the way you are “slow to speak and slow to anger” (see James 1:19). The way you respond to these rude comments will say a lot about your character.

3. Avoid being a naysayer yourself!

There are some people who write posts for the sole purpose of striking virtual arguments with others. I’d hope you aren’t a naysayer yourself, because this would definitely serve as a red flag for agents and editors.

4. Don’t bash another book—especially if it’s the genre you write.

There’s a difference between politely sharing your opinion about a particular book and ranting about how that book should’ve never been published. Doing this will not exactly give you a reputation as one who respects authors and the book industry.

Besides, once you’re published, what if you want to seek an endorsement from that author? And you never know—you could end up having your own book evaluated by that author’s agent or editor. Wouldn’t it be terrible if they discovered this harsh post you wrote about their client’s project?

5. Support other authors.

Agents and editors love to see writers who are active in the online book and writing community. These are the writers who are not too prideful to brag about the genius work of another writer. When you give to the community in some way, you are planting seeds of generosity. That old saying is true … “What comes around goes around.” Don’t be surprised if these authors take note of your generosity and return the favor.

The bottom line is this: Think twice before hitting “post.” The words or photos you drop into cyberspace could possibly remain there forever, whether you like it or not.

So after you write each post, read over it and ask yourself, “Would I be ashamed for an agent or editor to see this? Would it taint my author reputation or brand in any way?” Use your manners in social media just like you would in a job interview.

And if you don’t want your reputation attached to a post, then, well—don’t post it in the first place.

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

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Doing the Next Right Thing

Once upon a time, during what feels like another lifetime ago, I took my masters’ of science in documentary filmmaking and turned it into a marketing communications job. As part of that job, the entire marketing communications team took a project management certification training course. (Side note – this course was not nearly as fun as the Serious Writer courses, which you should try if you haven’t.)

The goal of the project management course was to teach our marcomm team useful strategies and techniques for managing complicated communications projects.

Ten years later, I no longer have a team of people around me but I still have multiple moving parts and pieces to manage and deadlines to meet in my writing life.

Writing middle grade is very similar to writing for other audiences in that you must write well. Writing middle grade is different than writing for other audiences because the voice must be authentic and relatable for a reader who is in a constant state of flux. It is harder to draw on life experiences while you’re writing for this reader, so you must research. To do research you must plan.

If you are like me, the process of planning is not a straight line from point a to point b. It can get, well, twisty. I research, I have ideas, I add those ideas to a to-do list and then I write and research some more.

I find myself thinking about that old project management class when I’m planning and writing and feel overwhelmed by all the to-do’s on my list. My lists can grow exponentially each day, especially when I’m trying to research one project while writing another.

Rework this chapter. Finish that blog. Read these books. Query your manuscripts. Plan your social media posts. Oh yeah, and build your website and tweet the tweets.

Whenever there are multiple things, and all of them are important, how do we do them all? 

Project management classes are fantastic and worth taking. But I need to tell you that the tool I use most isn’t one that I learned in class. It’s what I learned to do when I ran into opposition, or felt overwhelmed, or it was Tuesday.

Whenever there are multiple things, pick the next right thing, then do that one.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Then pick the next next right thing and do it.

Repeat.

If you’re not sure what the next right thing is, reach out to your writer community and ask.

If you do not have a writer community, start now. The Almost an Author tribe is warm and friendly and has a number of resources for people like you and me.

My next right thing is to finish the last three chapters of my current WIP. What’s yours? How do you juggle multiple priorities? Tell us in the comments below.

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

Categories
Becoming an Author

10 Writing-Related Books Every Aspiring Novelist Needs

When I was a teen, I loved to read. I loved to write. And I loved to read about writing. I was just as thrilled to receive a copy of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers as I was The Hunger Games. These books—the ones that taught about how to write and edit compelling fiction—stirred my passion. It was thrilling to witness how the reading experience of my stories improved, too, when these tips were applied!

Now, when I mentor aspiring authors or meet them at conferences, I try to recommend at least one book. I know they’re invested in their careers. They don’t allow pride to hold them back from becoming even better writers. It’s this dedication that may someday result in publication. And the result of these studies will be evident in their manuscripts. It will be worth it when an agent shows appreciation for their lack of “telling,” or when an editor can save some of his/her red ink because of the lack of exclamation marks.

So, are you ready to become an educated writer, too, and build your library of writing resources?

Below are the top 5 books that have most benefited my writing.

I am a huge advocate for any craft book written by Susan May Warren. She has helped this character-driven novelist understand how to create an organic plot that stems from the character journey. I can’t recommend her teachings through My Book Therapy highly enough! (No, this isn’t sponsored.) 😉

This was the first writing craft book I bought as a teen. I devoured it. What I found to be most beneficial was how it covered various aspects of the craft and career—from plotting and building characters, to blogging and book signings. Although some of the content may be outdated, Christian novelists can still treasure some of the timeless advice found here. 

After I wrote what would become my debut novel, I was clueless about fiction “writing rules” and expectations. Reading this book helped me to clean that messy draft and transform the manuscript into one that I wasn’t embarrassed to submit.

Similar to the previous book, this one helped me prepare my manuscript for submission. The writers of this book—publishing professionals—address the most popular mistakes newbie writers make and expound on how to improve.

When I needed a quick pick-me-up for my writing journey, I’d turn to this book. This compilation includes advice for novelists by top CBA professionals. Each tidbit of advice was easy to digest and served as just the fuel I needed to keep moving forward.  

Below are 5 additional writing-related books that aspiring novelists can find useful: 

I would love to know about your favorite books for novelists! Leave them in the comments below.

Have you read any of these? If so, let me know what you thought!

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

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

How Dark Is Your World?

mystery suspense thriller

Most Mystery/Suspense/Thriller stories are set in the real world, but the realities of that world cover a wide spectrum from light, cozy and optimistic to dark, gritty and despairing. On the light end of the spectrum are cozy mysteries, where crime is an unexpected event that mars an otherwise pleasant world. On the other extreme are hard-boiled detective stories, where crime is rampant and the tough, cynical P. I. or cop sees the world as a harsh place.

Is your story world closer to the light or to the dark side?

The dark side is characterized by:

  • A story world that is a broken place with little hope for improvement, where crime and violence are a normal part of life. This is a tough world that requires tough characters.
  • An underlying assumption that society is basically flawed and there isn’t much hope things will get better.
  • An atmosphere that is dark, gritty, edgy, pessimistic, bleak, or cynical.
  • A flawed main character who fights a losing battle against crime but keeps striving to stave off total darkness.
  • Violence, harsh language, and gritty realism
  •  Murders and victims described in brutal detail rather than being glossed over

In contrast, the light side is characterized by:

  • A story world filled with compassion, forgiveness and hope, where crime and violence are the exception rather than the rule.
  • An underlying assumption that there is hope for redemption in every person
  • An atmosphere that is cozy, soft, gentle, humorous, or optimistic
  • A main character who hopes to solve the crime and restore order to her world. She believes order can and should be restored.
  • Little or no violence
  • Little or no swearing
  • A murder that often happens off the page
  • Limited details regarding the brutal realities of the murder

Obviously, most stories fall somewhere between these two extremes.

Where does your world fit into the spectrum? Do you know why you chose your setting worldview? Is it simply a reflection of your own worldview or did you intentionally choose it to fit your story?

Some considerations when choosing how dark to make your story world:

  • Does it fit the subgenre? Readers who prefer cozies don’t want gritty realism and readers of noir don’t want sugar-coated optimism. Know the norms of your subgenre before defining your world.
  • Does it appeal to your target audience?
  • What are the underlying assumptions of the characters regarding the world you have defined for them? What do they take for granted and how does that affect their choices and attitudes?
  • How does your world augment or conflict with the worldview of your main characters?
  • How easy will it be to show redemption at work?

Choosing the right degree of darkness will enhance your story and attract the right readers, so consider your choice carefully.  

Happy world-crafting.

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

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Staying the Course – Interview with Author KA Cummins

As an occasional reader of speculative fiction, I had seen the name KA Cummins in Havok Magazine. She is the author of a number of clean fantasy/spec fic short stories for teens. This year, however, her debut middle grade science fiction, The Snow Globe Travelers: Samuel’s Legacy, has already received a Readers’ Favorite Five-Star Review.

I am thrilled to have had the chance to interview KA about her experience and share it with you.

K. A. Cummins is a math lover, techie, consumer of mass amounts of information, art enthusiast, a homeschooler, and an indie author. She also enjoys seizing opportunities for adventure, when they arise. Her work has appeared in Havok Magazine and she regularly contributes to Lands Uncharted. She was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Writers of the Future contest for the 3rd Quarter of 2016 and was runner-up in the Realm Makers Scholarship Contest hosted by Endless Press in January of 2018.  

KM: As an author who writes for MG, YA and adult, I’d love to hear your perspective on what makes writing for MG readers unique. Do you approach the MG work differently? If you do (or don’t), can you elaborate about why? Was there anything specific that drew you toward writing for this audience?

KAC: Our youngest son was a big part of why I initially gravitated towards writing middle grade. We struggled to find books that challenged his mind without challenging his morals or introducing him to concepts too early. I’ve since fallen in love with middle-grade stories.

Overall, middle-grade stories aren’t very different from teen and adult stories, and the approach to writing them is the same. Tone, content restrictions, and the intensity of emotional plot points separate them from teen and adult more than anything else. A middle-grade story needs to have fun exaggerations and comic relief to break up the more serious elements that drive the plot. Consideration should also be given to the appropriateness of content.

KM: When marketing to middle grade, many people consider not only the readers, but the gatekeepers (librarians, parents/grandparents, teachers). What have you learned as you’ve prepared to launch your debut MG?

KAC: Marketing has been a challenge for me. I think I’ve tried pretty much all of the advice I’ve encountered. My only suggestion would be to focus on how the book adds value to the lives of children and to look for avenues to cultivate relationships that align with who you are and the path on which God has you.

KM: What advice, suggestions, or encouragement would you offer a new MG writer?

KAC: Let God guide you, even if it goes against conventional wisdom. He knows you better than you know yourself and He has a plan for you. Be mindful and intentional in all of your choices (this can be a tough one, it has tripped me up before), and stay focused on God and His Word so you know when you’re drifting from the path.

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

Categories
The Intentional Writer

How to Help Your Creativity Thrive

The intentional writer

Creativity doesn’t just happen. It’s not some inherent talent that some are blessed with and others are not. Creativity can be developed. It can also be neglected, or hindered by bad habits.

We writers need to take good care of our creative abilities. If we neglect the care and feeding of our creative selves we will never reach our creative potential.

What can we do to help creativity thrive?

Creativity thrives when we:

  • Give ourselves the freedom to make mistakes. Mistakes are part of learning and growing. Writers who are afraid to make mistakes will limit themselves to what they are already good instead of experimenting with new things that might lead to failure (but also might lead to breakthroughs).
  • Take creative risks. Muscles don’t strengthen unless we challenge them. In the same way, our creative muscles need to be challenged in order to grow. We don’t know what we are capable of unless we try.
  • Make lots of art. Studies show that artists who produce lots of works are also the ones who produce the best, most creative works. In the process they also produce many mediocre works, but that is OK. Without all the not-so-great art to experiment with, they would never have developed the truly brilliant ones.  
  • Seek wide and varied inputs from all areas of life. This includes exposure to excellent art in a wide variety of forms as well as an attitude of life-long learning in other areas. The more good material our brain has to play with, the better.  
  • Embrace challenges and discomfort, because we know they will force us to grow and adapt. Bad stuff happens in life. We can use those things as an excuse to quit or we can work despite the challenges. The most creative ideas tend to come out of the most severe constraints.
  • Welcome a little bit of mess. It turns out a little chaos is good for the creative process. Don’t stress over the mess so long as you can still find what you need. Additionally, get your hands dirty now and then doing something creative. Creativity is enhanced when we interact with our messy world.
  • Have the courage to dig deep into our souls and explore dark and uncomfortable places. Staying on the surface feels safer, but it won’t lead us to our most inspired work.
  • Find encouragement and feedback from writers and non-writers. Creative work is not easy. We all need support along the way. We also need honest, useful feedback to help us improve. How intentional are you about developing your creative support network? About encouraging your fellow creatives?

11 ideas to encourage and stretch your creative thinking

  1. Go to an art exhibit. Pay attention to the moods and thoughts the art evokes. Can you figure out why?
  2. Read a highly rated book in a genre you don’t normally read. Pay attention to how the author uses his craft.
  3. Learn something new. Take a cooking class, sign up for dancing lessons, study a new language. Anything that engages the brain in a new way is good for overall creative function.
  4. Get together with a non-writer and discuss a subject that interests you or a topic tangentially related to your story. (Philosophy, medical breakthroughs, ancient history, psychology, a hobby…)
  5. Watch the director’s commentary on a movie you’ve seen before and appreciate all the kinds of art that happen behind the scenes. What do you learn about good storytelling?
  6. Make something with your hands. A picture, a birdhouse, a fancy cake. Creating stuff is good for the soul. It also builds new neural pathways while giving the language processing areas time to relax.  
  7. Write something in a different genre. A poem. A few scenes of a fantasy. A radio drama. It doesn’t matter how good it is, what matters is that you climbed outside your box.
  8. Experiment with different kinds of background music while you write. Notice how different types of music affect your mood and your writing.
  9. Attend an event your main character would enjoy, such as a wine tasting, a car show, or a political rally. The more it takes you outside your box, the better.
  10. Make up distinct voices for your primary characters and read scenes aloud. Better yet, hold verbal conversations with your characters (but maybe not in public).
  11. Take a virtual shopping trip. Pretend you are one of your characters and shop for things that character would buy that you wouldn’t. For best results, don’t just browse the internet but actually go to a store and handle the objects.

I hope these ideas inspire you to new levels of creativity.

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

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Able-ities

My first days in a rehabilitation hospital after my accident were some of the most difficult days of my life, but they were also full of crucial lessons to learn. Being young and full of life, I thought I knew it all—furthermore, I thought I could do it all.

No one could tell me anything and nothing could stop me well…except for myself. When I got to breakfast and saw all the other patients were senior citizens or severely disabled, some of which had food falling out of their mouths as they ate, I told myself I was better off than them and wanted to go back to my room. Then, while I ate, I noticed there was food on my pants. The food was falling out of my mouth as well, I was humbled.

As I struggled to push away from the table, a nurse returned to help me. She smiled and told me she was there for me. That was when I realized how my life had changed.

Later I had trouble relearning how to tie my shoes. The physical therapist told me it would be a lot easier if I would listen to her and let her help. I remembered when I was little and all the times my father tried to teach me something new.

He was a sergeant in the Army, yet gently encouraged me, “I want to help you do this, but you are going to have to listen to me and do as I say.” He taught me to do so much in three simple steps.

  • Focus
  • Listen
  • Learn

Little did I know that my father’s wise instruction would guide me in life even if I didn’t have the ability anymore.

Ability?

The dictionary defines ability as, “Possession of the means or skill to do something; a talent or proficiency in a particular area.” In writing, as in life, we don’t all have the same abilities. But we all have certain abilities that make us who we are.

And if we follow my father’s sage advice, we can learn from each other and gain new abilities. After my accident, I was unable to return to college to finish pursuing my degree in English.

I gave up on writing because technically I could no longer physically write. Then about nine years ago I received a packet in the mail about a professional writing program for Christians.

The state I live in gave grants for persons with brain injuries like myself and I applied for the funds for the courses and writing software that would allow me to write with speech.

I applied and was accepted into the Christian Writers Guild writing program where I was mentored by some of the best writers and editors in the business. Their knowledge and abilities would foster the abilities and stories I have.

During the course, I read what the owner of the school looked for in aspiring writers. Jerry B. Jenkins notes, “In any writer, I look for the –‘ilities’:

  1. Humility
  2. Teachability
  3. Coachability
  4. Availability
  5. Flexibility”[i]

In our writing careers, as in life, we must apply each of these “ilities” if we want to learn or gain new abilities. The best writers are always learning. They know it’s okay to ask for help and are willing to accept a helping hand.

Help?

Not long after I began taking writing classes again, a friend from church approached me about getting her books published. She told me she already knew how to write and didn’t need to learn how to share her stories.

Despite having no training as a writer and only having experience in the Army’s medical field, she was confident she had what it took to make it as a writer. Although I was still learning myself, I wanted to help my sister in the faith.

Her biggest problem was, she didn’t want my help to become a writer; she wanted a shortcut to being published. Every time she saw me, she asked if I would give her emails of the editors and writers I was learning from.

Again, I cannot express how difficult and time-consuming it is to break into the writing business. There are no shortcuts to publication, albeit self-publishing is a quicker path, it isn’t a guarantee for traditional publication.

Fear not, the writing community is more than willing to help out aspiring writers. Perhaps not the way most would-be authors desire, but the community gives nonetheless. As my first writing mentor, Roger Palms wisely shared, “Successful writers let their writing speak for itself—learn the craft.”

In writing, it takes time to:

  • Edit your work.
  • Develop your voice.
  • Know your message.

Furthermore, as I’ve learned from being disabled, possessing the right “ilities” makes it easier to learn new abilities.

[i] Jenkins, J. B. (2006) Writing For The Soul. Cincinnati, Ohio: Writer’s Digest Books. Pg 105.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Becoming an Author

Should Aspiring Authors Learn the Craft of Writing? – Part 1

I was in third grade when I first fell in love with the craft of writing.

Notice that I said the craft of writing, not the act of writing itself. See, I had already started writing/dictating stories at the age of three—but it wasn’t until my third grade year that I learned more about the storytelling process in school.

This was probably my favorite grade in school simply for this reason alone. My teacher taught our class how to brainstorm, outline, write a rough draft, revise, and write a final draft. We learned the basics of how to write essays and construct stories. Although I was already a “writer,” my writing became more developed as I continued to learn. 

Fast-forward several years. In high school, I decided to take my writing seriously. I built my overall education of the craft by taking courses, reading books and blogs, and attending conferences/workshops.

I fell in love with the process of learning.

It was enthralling to watch my dialogue push the story further and become punchier as I learned how to spot the excess clutter. Sure, I already knew the basics of creative writing—and as an avid reader, I could spot the difference between good and bad storytelling. But it wasn’t until I became a student of a craft that my fiction took on a new level.

I now had the tools I needed to transform a surface-level scene into one that went deeper into the heart and mind of my POV character. The descriptions were given new depth as I applied techniques that “showed,” allowing readers to feel the warmth of the sun on their skin rather than simply being told about how it was a “hot and sunny day.”

Sure, I could’ve written stories without this education—but why would I have wanted to risk that? By becoming a student of the craft, I was learning how to write a story of publishable quality. One that could provide a richer reading experience. One that would have higher chances of landing a publishing contract in today’s age.

Not only that, but being a student of the craft is exciting! Why wouldn’t I want to immerse myself in learning from professionals about this passion of mine? Especially since I wanted to be the best writer possible, delivering stories of top-notch quality rather than simply mediocre stories.

Now, as a literary agent and YA acquisitions editor, I can always tell when a writer has done his/her homework in learning the craft. When I find a writer who is also a student of the craft, this is another way that they achieve the “it factor” in my mind.

But if studying the craft is this important, then why are so many aspiring authors reluctant to put in the effort?

In the next post, I will share five of the most common reasons why writers often neglect to build their writing education.

In the meantime, share your thoughts in the comments! I’d love to hear if you, too, are a student of the craft—or if you’re the kind of writer who would rather write intuitively without the distraction of “rules” hindering creativity.

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

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Do You Know the WHY Behind Your Writing?

The intentional writer

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

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

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

These WHYs are still true today.

Do you know the WHY behind your writing?

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

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

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

Why is it so important to know your WHY?

Knowing your WHY helps you:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Apart or A Part. Which One?

Do you stay up at night wondering which one to choose–apart or a part? I don’t either, but when you’re editing your work, you need to know the difference. These words sound the same, but they have different jobs in a sentence.

Apart is an adverb that shows how two things are separate or in pieces, part of a larger thing.

Example: Apart from the sappy ending, the movie was mostly good.

It can also be used as an adjective to show that something is isolated from something else.

Example: An athlete apart, Michael Phelps has made history with his Olympic performances.

Apart can also be used as a preposition to mean with the exception of or besides and is usually used with from.

Example: We made a side trip apart from the rest of the touring group.

A part is comprised of an article and a noun.

Example: When Anna scored the goal, she felt a part of the team.

Apart is about being separate. A part is about being one piece of a bigger puzzle.

Happy writing!

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons. Author of Rescued Hearts ,  Irish Encounter,  Mars…With Venus Rising.Visit Hope at www.hopetolerdougherty.com

Categories
Romancing Your Story

A Romance by Any Other Name

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other word would smell as sweet …

Or, to paraphrase William Shakespeare, a romance by any other name would read as sweet. Or would it?

Not only is the romance genre full of sub-genres (romantic suspense, spicy, historical, contemporary, Inspirational, paranormal, erotic, fantasy, time travel, Gothic, Regency, LGBTQ, romantic comedy, and so on), but we also have the tropes, defined as commonly used (some would argue over-used) themes.

Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. One-night stand to true love. Secret babies. Soul mates. Second chance loves. Reunited lovers. Love triangles.

Tropes are used because they’ve proven their worth. They’re popular and they work.

Some classic friends to lovers stories would include Emma by Jane Austen and the movie When Harry Met Sally. Enemies to lovers’ stories are The Taming of the Shrew by our Mr. Shakespeare and Pride and Prejudice by Miss Austen, and I’d include the Katherine Heigl movie 27 Dresses.

The best second chance at love book I’ve read is The Five Stages of Falling in Love by Rachel Higginson. It’s the story of a young widow and mother of three finding love again and is framed by the five stages of grief. Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis (the title is a pretty good clue to its trope), is another good second chance book.

Secret romance and fake romance are tried and true tropes in Hollywood. The Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds movie The Proposal is an excellent example of the fake romance, with a nod to enemies to lovers.

But why do genre, sub-genre, and trope matter?

  • They help you stay focused on the story you started out telling
  • They help you formulate your pitch and query
  • They help your editor/agent/reader know what to expect when they read your work

I’m sure I’m not the only reader who picked up a book based on the back-cover blurb expecting one kind of story then discovering that what was between the covers was an entirely different kind of story. Or started a book that promised to be a feel-good, funny romp that took a dramatic and unexpected dark turn.

Did the author lose their way? Did they not know the story they were telling? I’m not sure. But having a firm grasp of their genre and trope may have prevented the bait and switch.

My Work in Progress (WIP) has a secret baby trope. I know some readers hate and refuse to read secret baby stories. They think the woman has no excuse for not telling the man he’s going to be a father. Ignoring the fact that we’re talking about fiction, not real life, I spent a lot of time thinking and brainstorming about how to answer that objection.

It finally came to me, as all my most brilliant ideas do, while out walking. My protagonist, Frankie, was born to an unwed mother who constantly told Frankie she’d ruined her mother’s life by being conceived. When Frankie got pregnant, she refused to ruin her boyfriend’s life with an unplanned pregnancy and sent him off to college without her, had the baby, and gave her up for adoption. My story begins twenty years later when the daughter’s adoptive parents have died, Frankie has given her a job to keep a roof over her head, and no one knows their biological relationship. Then the father comes back to town.

Genre: Contemporary

Trope: Secret baby

Take a minute to think about your WIP. Assuming you have your genre dialed in, what trope does your manuscript fit most closely? I’m not saying you need to change anything in your story, just that knowing your trope may be helpful as you craft your story, your pitch, your synopsis, and your query.

Because your story, that beautiful rose, deserves a description that raises it above the wildflowers.

Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever after. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. Carrie and her Stud Muffin live in Central California with their cat and dog and within driving distance of their six grandchildren.

You can find her online at:

Twitter: CarriePadgett
Instagram: carpadwriter
Facebook: WriterCarriePadgett
Amazon Author Page: Carrie Padgett

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for February, Part 1

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it!”

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers, and for writers!

Featuring…

The Writer’s Office: Ideas & Organization by Jean Wise

In this episode, Jean Wise leads us on a picture adventure. We get a glimpse of writers, from days gone by to the present, at their desks. Some had larges desks, while others sat at a small table. One gentleman used the tailgate of his station wagon as a desk. Many were dressed for business while a few were not. We also had an open mic time so attendees could share what their office was like, window vs no window, one screen vs multiple screens. What’s your opinion, do think writers need an office?

Watch the January 29th replay

For a look at this picture adventure and other ideas on office space, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Talking Comedy (While Pretending to Talk Romance)

This episode had a very special, reclusive writer, Hairlene. She poked fun at romance and was silly until her cousin, Rhonda Dragomir, who’s a writer, too, steps in to share with us the Threes of Writing Effective Comedy.

Watch the February 5th replay

For more information on the hootenanny of time had this episode, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

Conferences We Love

Are you considering attending a writer’s conference for the first time? Perhaps you’ve been to a conference or two and are considering a change. Well, either way, this episode is for you. Our panel of six writers share their favorite conferences and give pertinent information about each. Come have look and see which conference intrigues you the most.

Watch the February 12th replay

For more specifics on the eight plus conferences discussed today, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

JOIN US!

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

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

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

Categories
The Intentional Writer

The Benefits of a Writing Ritual

The intentional writer

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

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

What is a motivation ritual?

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

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

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

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

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

How to design a writing ritual

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

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

Ready to give a writing ritual a try?

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

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

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for January, Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

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

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

Watch the January 15th replay

 

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

Bios:

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

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

How to Make Money as a Freelancer with Michelle Medlock Adams

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

Watch the January 22nd replay

 

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

Bio:

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

 JOIN US!

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

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

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

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

The Right Stuff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Tools?

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

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

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

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

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

Support?

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

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

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

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

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

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for January, Part One

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers, and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it!”

Featuring… Goals for 2019

In this open mic episode, writers discuss their goals for 2019 and some interesting resources they use to achieve their goals.

Watch the January 8th replay

 

If you want resources on goal setting for 2019, check out this week’s Show Notes and Live Chat Discussions.

JOIN US!

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

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

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

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Boost Productivity by Taking Effective Breaks

The intentional writer

What? How can I be more productive if I work less?

It may not make sense, but it’s true. Studies show that taking intentional breaks will make you more productive and will lead to better overall success than pushing through the doldrums. For example: Studies have shown that those who take a lunch break and fully disconnect with their work are more productive afterward than those who don’t.

Why? Because those who power through, hour after hour, thinking they are operating just fine are actually working in a state of mental exhaustion. Without breaks they become prone to an increase in bad judgment and a decrease in creativity and quality of work.

Taking effective breaks is one of the best methods to give your brain a rest so it can function at optimum form.

However, not all breaks are equal.

Effective breaks are intentional. You should be in control of when and how you take them.

They are not random “Squirrel!” moments where you lose focus due to distractions. They are not excuses to check social media or to eat that donut you ignored earlier. Effective breaks are designed to give your weary brain a rest, but not to sidetrack you into starting a whole new priject.

How to take effective short breaks

  • Aim for breaks of fifteen minutes or less.
  • Get away from the desk or work space.
  • Allow your brain to think about something other than work. Resist the temptation to problem-solve that scene during break time. The goal is to fully disconnect with work and give you brain a chance to relax and regroup.
  • Stand up and move. Get the blood flowing and stretch out those places where you store tension.
  • If you can go outside, great. If not, seek out a window with a view or even a shelf of plants.
  • When possible, connect with fellow humans and talk about something other than work.
  • Go tech-free. Checking email, social media, or other tech distractions will not provide the best break for your brain.
  • You may need to set a timer so you don’t dally too long before getting back to work.

In addition, be aware of your daily slump time.

All humans experience a midday slump in energy and alertness. This is true across ages and cultures, from publishing executives to would-be writers.

My slump usually hits midafternoon. During my slump my brain feels sluggish and I have less energy, less motivation, and less self-control. Slogging on without taking a break results in little worthwhile output. I have come to terms with my slump time and have adjusted my expectations and schedule to accommodate it.

For me, short breaks are even more vital during midafternoon. Instead of beating myself up over my sluggishness I listen to my body and take frequent short breaks.

In addition, I suggest scheduling appointments and important decisions in the morning when you and others typically function at their best. Reserve midday for more mundane tasks that don’t require high-level thinking.

Have you discovered the power of short breaks? What strategies help you make the most of your breaks?

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