Tag: creativity

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A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

What’s YOUR Story?

lighter look at a writer's life

A couple of months ago, I attended a storytelling festival in my old college town, and it was an engaging, creatively invigorating experience. Usually, this festival is held under a big tent on the shores of a picturesque lake, but remnants of a strong weather system cancelled those plans. Instead, the event was moved to an inside venue, but the power of storytelling was still on display.

A series of talented storytellers told every type of story imaginable. Some stories were funny, while others were serious. Some tellers waxed poetic about events from their past, and others entertained with fairytales and folklore. A couple of the performers combined music with stories.

It was truly a smorgasbord of creativity, and I was fascinated by the talent on display. Beyond that, I was inspired to work on my own stories, both written and oral. I even participated in the “open mic” portion and shared one of my pieces.

Good storytelling is universal and covers both areas. Writers are storytellers, whether they produce fiction or nonfiction. Engaging stories capture our imagination and keep us listening or reading.

I am a writer, but I have done my share of storytelling performances as well. Before my most recent performance, I prayed my audience would be entertained AND inspired. That may seem a strange thing to pray, but isn’t that our goal?

If you are a Christian/inspirational writer, you have a message to get across, but I think it helps if that message is entertaining. Many of the stories I heard at the festival were highly entertaining but had a strong message behind the smiles and laughs. That’s what I want in my stories, whether I’m telling them to a live audience or committing them to paper (or a computer screen) and then releasing them to unknown readers.

What’s your story? Whatever it is—tell it! Your audience is waiting.

Carlton Hughes, represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary, wears many hats. By day, he is a professor of communication. On Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings, he serves as a children’s pastor. In his “spare time,” he is a freelance writer. Carlton is an empty-nesting dad and devoted husband who likes long walks on the beach, old sitcoms, and chocolate—all the chocolate. His work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Dating Game, The Wonders of Nature, Let the Earth Rejoice, Just Breathe, So God Made a Dog, and Everyday Grace for Men. His latest book is Adventures in Fatherhood, co-authored with Holland Webb

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Building Your Creative Space

Finding Inspiration in New Horizons: Moving to Create Your Ideal Writer Space

Building your creative space

It’s possible to write anywhere. Famous written works were written in a range of locations — from New York taverns to French prisons. However, some environments are undoubtedly more conducive to creativity. Your characteristics and preferences can also make one place better than the other when you want to feel focused or inspired. You may crave the solitude of rural life or the hustle and bustle of the city. You could desire a cozy nook, a mobile van with access to nature, or a quirky loft space. Whether you want to go out for an afternoon to write, travel for weeks at a time, or even make a permanent move, you can create your ideal writer space by going somewhere that jives with your personality, taste, and goals.

How Changing Your Environment Fuels Creativity

Switching things up can train your brain to think differently. This is important when you’re either writing from a differing perspective or if you want to see a topic from a different point of view. You could even gain all new ideas from changing your scenery. In general, changing your environment can enhance your writing by giving you:

  • A feeling of freedom;
  • An avenue to break free from writer’s block;
  • Distractions that demand creative problem-solving;
  • An elevated, or just affected, mood;
  • Exposure to varying cultures;
  • Novel surroundings that lead to unique ideas.

All that to say, unconventional workspaces don’t automatically equal enhanced creativity. Rather than just looking for something new and different, you should strive to find an environment best suited to your specific needs and work style. You can travel somewhere to find inspiration, but you may not be able to work if it’s crowded and you find it difficult to write unless you have peace. You can certainly go to these exciting places, but be realistic about your schedule and where you plan to do the bulk of your writing.

Considerations for Moving as a Writer

If you find yourself constantly searching for inspiration in spaces instead of your own home, you can always move your home base. This may involve moving somewhere in the mountains where it may be more secluded or perhaps a city that has a lot of museums you can peruse when you’re not writing. If you choose to relocate and move somewhere new, make sure you’re prepared. Otherwise, you may be too distracted and stressed about the move, itself, to be inspired to write. When thinking of moving to create your ideal writer space, consider:

  • Budget;
  • Climate;
  • Local amenities and attractions;
  • Travel and accommodations;
  • Timeline.

If you find a place you desire to move to and it is within your budget, you can start planning your move. Just remember to pin down exactly why you’re making this change for your writing career. If you’re moving to get a fresh perspective, for example, moving a long distance for a short period could work for you. On the other hand, you may feel more comfortable in a different city and want to make a permanent move. If that’s the case, be sure to visit your new location before making the big move to see if it feels right. Another option is to travel frequently and work on the road.

Choosing a Nomadic Lifestyle

Seeking new horizons can mean desiring to travel around to more than just one place. If that’s the case for you, you might want to consider a brief or extended stint living in an RV. This can give you the option of switching your location whenever you please, especially if one isn’t conducive to creativity for you anymore. Living as a digital nomad can offer you:

  • Flexibility;
  • Cost savings;
  • A minimalist lifestyle;
  • Closeness to nature;
  • A sense of community.

You can connect with other nomad writers online or at RV camps to share your journey and bond over trials and successes. Just remember that you will be working with limited space and will need to equip your van or RV with a source of reliable internet if you have to submit any of your work on the road. If you want to write without internet access, this can give you a great opportunity to unplug.

Making Any Space Conducive to Productive Writing

Whether you choose to buy a home, rent an apartment, or travel around in an RV, you can design your very own writing sanctuary within those walls. Before making a big decision like moving, it’s helpful to visualize what you want your daily life to look like in that new space. Think about what you need to do your best work. Some examples of space considerations include:

  • Quiet, soundproof space;
  • Bustling background noise;
  • Seasonal changes, like calming rain or sunny days for walks;
  • Natural lighting;
  • Enough room for your preferred desk;
  • Comfortable seating.

Whatever your style, you can find decor to fill up your new space with inspiring pieces. If you find you still need a change-up in your new writing space, you can always pop over to a new-to-you coffee shop or library for a change of pace. Just remember that you are in control of your surroundings, and you can find the right environment to put magic onto the page.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Guest Posts

Unconscious Creativity: How I Wrote a Novel in Five Weeks

Guest posts

In 2001, I signed a contract to write four children’s science-fantasy adventure books with an impossible deadline. The contract required me to write about 200,000 words in six months—and I had never been that productive before. I wasn’t sure I could do it.

While writing, I abandoned plot outlines in favor of plunging in, imagining scenes, and piling up mountains of words. Along the way, the characters repeatedly surprised me. I wrote faster and more freely than ever before. I’m proud of the quality of those books (each is rated 4.6 stars on Amazon).

That experience launched me on an exploration of the creative process. I studied the insights of Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, John Steinbeck, and Madeleine L’Engle. They all attributed their uninhibited creativity to the power of the unconscious mind—our dimly understood storehouse of memories, fears, desires, and dreams.

Fast forward to early 2023. I was pondering a science fiction thriller about the extinction threat from super-smart artificial intelligence. Finally, on February 19, 2023, I awoke before dawn and wrote in my journal, “This book won’t let me sleep!” And I began writing Chapter 1.

I completed the first draft of the 50,000-word novel exactly five weeks later, on March 25. The novel, Its Name Is Legion: A Human Novel about Artificial Intelligence, was published in June 2023.

I wrote without an outline, heeding the advice of Ray Bradbury:

“Jump off a cliff and build your wings on the way down.”

Every day, I was “writing in overdrive”—writing “in flow.” Here’s the creative process I followed during those five weeks:

Step 1: Trust Your Unconscious

Imagination and inspiration flow from the unconscious mind.

“[I] allow my unconscious mind to control the course of the story.”

Ursula K. Le Guin

And Ray Bradbury kept a sign by his typewriter that read, “Don’t Think!” He told an interviewer, “I never plan ahead. Everything is always spontaneous and passionate.” Bradbury learned the unconscious approach to writing at age eighteen when he read Dorothea Brande’s Becoming a Writer. Brande wrote, “The unconscious must be trusted to bring you aid from a higher level than that on which you ordinarily function.”

I have learned to trust my unconscious imagination. That’s why I was never blocked, never at a loss for words, during those five weeks.

Step 2: Set Ambitious Goals

The unconscious mind craves a challenge, so aim high. Set goals that require you to be more creative and productive than you’ve ever been before. Your goals should objectively measure your progress—a specific daily word quota, page count, or the completion of a chapter or story. Productivity quotas force us to persevere and produce.

No one enters the overdrive zone while doing something easy. Only when we accept a bold challenge can we experience the creative thrill of writing in overdrive.

Step 3: Give Yourself Permission to Write Badly

It’s okay to write badly at times. That’s what first drafts are all about. To write brilliantly, give yourself permission to write badly.

“You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”

Jodi Picoult

Silence your inner critic. Stop striving for first-draft perfection. Shed your inhibitions and write quickly, with childlike abandon.

I call first-drafting “finger-painting with words.” When children fingerpaint, they’re creative and spontaneous. When you write in first draft, make a glorious mess.

Step 4: Write with Emotional Intensity

To enter the overdrive zone, you must be emotionally involved in your work. Haunted by the horrors of Nazi death camps, Elie Wiesel wrote Night. Enraged by social injustice, John Steinbeck pounded out The Grapes of Wrath.

I felt emotionally driven to write Its Name Is Legion. I poured everything I had into that novel, including my fears about the threat of super-smart AI. My emotional involvement drove me to write with speed and boundless inspiration.

What do you love? What do you fear? List your passions, then transmute them into compelling fiction.

Step 5: Relax

Ray Bradbury urged writers to adopt a mindset of “dynamic relaxation,” a state of being emotionally engaged yet so relaxed that we become one with the act of creation. “Relax and stop thinking,” he said. “True creation occurs then and only then.”

“Many things—such as loving, going to sleep, or behaving unaffectedly—are done worst when we try hardest to do them.” Lewis relaxed by walking in the woods. He told a friend, “My imagination only works when I am exercising.”

C. S. Lewis

Stuck for ideas? Take a nap, take a walk, listen to music. Relax—then write brilliantly.

Step 6: Start Strong and Push to Completion

As you write, you’ll have doubts. You’ll question your talent, your plot, and your characters. Every writer has doubts. Successful writers ignore them.

I experienced doubts while writing Its Name Is Legion, but I refused to give them space in my head. I went to work—and I always found a way into the story. I willed myself to finish.

Your goal is not perfection but production. Write quickly, never analyzing, but simply jotting down the scenes in your imagination. Do this every day and you’ll soon have a reward for your persistence—

A novel that will astonish the world.

Jim Denney’s books Walt’s Disneyland: It’s Still There If You Know Where to Look, Your Writing Mentor C. S. Lewis, and his children’s fantasy novel Battle Before Time are all rated 4.6 stars or higher on Amazon. He is a member of SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America). Find him at WritingInOverdrive.com.

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Magazine, Freelance, and Copywriting Uncategorized

Combating Writer’s Block By Inspiring Creativity

If you’re feeling uninspired and like nothing you write seems good anymore, you likely got a case of writer’s fatigue. Everyone gets tired and feels a lack of inspiration now and then, but those who specifically pursue creative pursuits, like writing, can struggle with this even more.

Luckily, if you’ve got writer’s fatigue or writer’s block, it’s not permanent, and you are not alone. Every single day there are writers like yourself battling with blocks that interrupt their work, and every day writers overcome these blocks thanks to a little help and guidance.

Writer’s block might not feel the same for everyone, however, and its treatment may vary from person to person. But often, it’s simply a matter of taking a step back and finding ways to inspire your creativity again.

The Dreaded Writer’s Block: What is it? And Why Does it Happen?

Writer’s block is usually something that stems from some creative burnout or just burnout in general. You can’t easily ignore it. If anything, pay attention to it. It’s usually an indication that you are pushing yourself too hard or there is some other issue going on that needs to be addressed.

In most cases, there are five types of blockages or issues — one or more of which could be contributing to your burnout or writer’s fatigue. These include:

  1. Mental blocks associated with thoughts or beliefs that are hindering you.
  2. Scarcity blocks, which stem from having a lack of resources needed to succeed.
  3. Emotional blocks, which develop in response to fears, emotional responses, or past trauma.
  4. Procedural blocks that come from unhelpful habits and poor workflow.
  5. Attentional blocks, which are the result of things in your life that are distracting you and pulling your focus.

Once you can identify what blocks or issues are contributing to your burnout or writer’s block, then you can take the steps necessary to fix those issues.

Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block By Tapping Into Your Creativity

While there are a variety of methods to treat burnout, all of them typically center around recharging your creativity or finding new inspiration.

Below are some tips for overcoming your blocks by helping you unlock your potential and inspire creativity.

1. Find A Creative Outlet Outside of Writing

If you are throwing all of your creative juices into your writing only, you will most likely feel blocked. You probably spend too much time writing and not enough time on “brain breaks.” Not all of your time should be spent staring at a screen, typing.

So, picking up another creative hobby can help you find ways to enjoy being creative again, and over time, you might find yourself feeling more inspired to write again. You could pick up painting, for example, or photography. Maybe try your hand at playing an instrument or throw yourself into learning to bake. Whatever it is, just make sure it doesn’t involve sitting in front of your computer.

2. Try Journaling

Picking up a journal and taking note of the things around you and in your life that you find inspiring can help you overcome your blocks.

For example, you can sit outside and make a note of the beauty of nature or do some people-watching and jot down the things about humans or humanity that you find inspiring. You can also turn your journal into more of a scrapbook of things that inspire you.

Your journal also doesn’t haven’t to be conventional. It doesn’t even have to feature writing if you don’t want it. You can use it as a scrapbook and feature photographs or objects that inspire you — like a piece of nature or a place that makes you happy.

3. Do Some Brainstorming Activities

Brainstorming is an excellent way to jumpstart creativity so you can find your way back to your writing again. Many companies use brainstorming sessions to help their employees get their creative juices flowing. Just because you potentially work from home as a writer doesn’t mean you can’t have your own brainstorming sessions with yourself.

You can start by simply thinking of a topic and coming up with questions or ideas you have about it on a piece of paper. There are also numerous online tools you can use for digital brainstorming and creating mind maps.

The ideas you are brainstorming don’t necessarily have to be about the things you are writing about. You can brainstorm about anything, even silly topics. The idea is to simply exercise your brain in a new way that can help you feel inspired again.

4. Build Your Creative Network

Sometimes the issue of writer’s block stems from isolation. Writers who work from home or spend a significant time on their own may be especially familiar with this concept. It can be incredibly helpful to get out and network with other creatives like yourself to help you feel the drive to write again and get past your blocks.

You can simply go out and socialize more, or you can seek out specific groups and meetups geared towards creatives, like meetups for writers, painting groups, or even a book club. It ultimately doesn’t matter what kind of socializing you are doing; it’s just about getting out and having that human connection with others to avoid the isolation that could be contributing to your writer’s block.

Final Thoughts

Writer’s block can sometimes feel like an impossible feat to overcome. But experiencing one doesn’t make you any less of a writer. There are so many others who have felt the same way and still eventually overcame their blocks. Sometimes you just need to step away from your writing and find other things and activities you enjoy to help you find inspiration again.

Amanda Winstead is a writer from the Portland area with a background in communications and a passion for telling stories. Along with writing she enjoys traveling, reading, working out, and going to concerts. If you want to follow her writing journey, or even just say hi you can find her on Twitter.

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for October, Part 2

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, 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.“

Come Write With Us: The Practice of Creativity

Writers Chat co-host Brandy Brow explained to us how to tap into our creativity using “steps to creativity” listed by James Scott Bell in his book, The Mental Game of Writing (p.35). We worked on two creative drawing exercises. Later we shared the ideas sparked by our drawings for articles, blog posts, poems, and stories. We invite you to grab a blank sheet of paper, a pencil, and a few crayons or markers, then hit play and enjoy a different kind of creativity than writing.

Watch the October 19th replay.

Organizing the Writer

In this episode co-hosts, Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh, share their favorite organizing tools as well as helpful resources to help keep track of all aspects of your writing life. With the new year looming in the not too distant future, now is the time to try different organizational systems and see which one fits your needs best. Be sure to check out this week’s replay for more detailed information and resources.

Watch the October 26th replay.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for June Part 2

Writers Chat Recap

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Brandy Brow, 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.”

Critiquing Our Work

On June 8, 2021 Eva Marie Everson joined us to share about Word Weavers International and the critique method they use. This is a follow up to that episode. Five brave souls submitted one page to be critiqued by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, Jann Martin, Norma Poore, and Melissa Stroh. The insights gained from these critiques may prove to be valuable to you. Check out this week’s replay and see how to critique another person’s writing.

Watch the June 15th replay.

Open Mic Book Discussion: Unleash the Writer Within by Cecil Murphy

In this episode, we share insights from several chapters in the great book. Really a must have for writers. One point he repeatedly makes is to be transparent in your writing. We also discuss voice, waiting for inspiration, and being true to yourself, just to name a few topics from his book. We ended with the question Cecil poses in the opening of his book, “Why do you write?” Check out this week’s replay to learn more.

Watch the June 22nd replay.

Join Us

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

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Embrace the Wait

Find Your Fellow Tesserae and Stick Together (Part 3): Don’t allow setbacks to keep you from chasing your writing dreams.

In this series of posts I’m interviewing writers who God has placed in my life to complete His divine mosaic. Each piece of a mosaic is called a tesserae. I’d like to introduce another tesserae in my mosaic—Patricia Tiffany Morris. I first met Patricia through an online critique group. The combination of her technical expertise and artistic talent blew me away, but it was Patricia’s willingness to take the time, apart from our regular meetings, to lovingly share her knowledge that caused me to consider her a dear friend.

Patricia had a huge publishing dream. She worked hard and invested time and money to plan for that dream. Finally, the time to realize that dream came and … a series of major technical setbacks threatened to steal the joy of seeing her dream come to fruition.

But God…

1) Briefly explain the original dream/plan for your journals

After my husband retired, and the empty nest stage of life arrived, we had little capital, but enormous dreams.

We brainstormed ideas to create a residual income for ourselves and our children after our death. Leaving a legacy, using my skills in creative writing and art, sparked my imagination. With my architectural and design background, I sketched plans and details of a perfect tiny house nestled in the mountains of North Carolina. I designed a home in college in the style of Sarah Suzanka’s Not So Big House, and continue to write and draw, filling stacks of notebooks and journals.

Two years ago, I pulled out a planner concept I’d developed over the past 20 years, still in a folder with no concrete plans.

A fresh idea germinated. One that planted itself between my desire to write and create art, and my need for organization. If wanted specific identification of my journals’ contents, I reasoned that others also did. You see, whenever I wanted to locate an entry, I would pull the assortment of journals out of two overflowing 18-gallon Rubbermaid containers.

If I wanted to find a book title, why couldn’t I design a journal with the words on the spine or color-code the cover so writing journals were one color, and creativity or spiritual journals were their distinct colors? I color-coded our family cups and towels. Why couldn’t I categorize journals the same way?

I immersed myself in this project. I could spend my entire life developing this planner or complete a portion of the project right now. For however long God plans for me on earth, I hope to share inspirational writing prompts, organizational ideas, and create places to brainstorm, sketch and create. And dream.

2. Can you tell me more about the journal series?

The series of journals separated by various category topics or by content, could help other creatives manage their creativity and planning needs and provide that financial legacy for my children.

I cracked open my new bullet journal and prayed. One idea after another poured onto the pages. Categories took shape. Digital art programs aided the workflow and Journaling Scribbles came to life.

The idea of a series of color-coded journals, organized by categories labeled with a colored band, found momentum with a small group of friends who encouraged me. Some joined my launch team and propelled me toward the goal of self-publishing.

I’m not sure I would have had strength through the many setbacks without my empathetic and courageous launch team.

3. What sorts of twists and turns did you encounter while trying to publish?

A more precise question might be, “What sort of trials didn’t I encounter?”

We don’t know how much we don’t know, unless we experiment and learn from our mistakes.

I believe that technology became my biggest enemy. Also, my lofty expectations that I would be published before Christmas in 2020. Ironically, I’m writing a fiction series called the Virtual Strangers Series. Technology is the ultimate antagonist to my heroine and her family. It also becomes the helper to solve the mystery. Fiction imitates life.

I experienced many crashes, lost files, and consumed hours and days of extra work. The temptation to give up and the waves of depression that I might never publish, brought me to my knees more often because of my need and a realization that I wasn’t in control.

The digital learning curve throws me daily, but I’m thankful for geeky solutions and platforms that help meet my long-term goals for the Journaling Scribbles™ series of journals.

4. How did you handle the discouragement?

In addition to having a wonderfully supportive husband who prays for me and with me, I found courage to ask for help and prayer. As setbacks delayed my timeline and as each twist developed, like any true plot-twist in a novel, I could either give in, press forward, or wait.

Option 3-Wait. I reset the iPad, worked on what I could. I dove into yet another unfamiliar app, but at least I inched forward in the waiting.

I put some steps on hold and grappled with the reality that my timeline was not in God’s. I struggled with the KDP proof-copy and pulled the books from Amazon’s distribution in November 2020. The proofs were sub-standard, see-through paper, and not at all suited for journaling.

I asked for prayer and announced the delay while researching options. Integrating my artwork into the software asset library proved almost therapeutic. I also brainstormed ideas with my husband again and continued to create journal themes to keep the dream alive.

My team was immensely supportive and patient with schedule changes. I found renewed hope. Even during this set-back, I could search for solutions and make progress toward the dream of self-publishing and creating a legacy for my family.

5. What practical lessons have you learned through your set-back that might help another author, who is just starting out?

I think I may have appeared foolish to many people, but that doesn’t usually stop me. When the Lord continues to shine through the pages of the Bible and keeps me in His presence despite the trials of this life, I’m confident I can’t fall without Him catching me. Ideas may fail, but He reminds me I’m not a failure.

I also developed a practice of taking notes during worship and lettered His words while watching the sermon. Illustrations came to life through videotaping the coloring process. Sundays kept me grounded in the Word and exercised my creativity. These times swept away discouragement and allowed me to dive into the writing and publishing flow on Mondays.

6. What God lessons have you learned that you might not otherwise have gleaned on a smoother publishing journey?

Remember I mentioned “my timeline”? That was my biggest lesson. I am much afflicted by pride. And I need God’s timeline. His plans might ask me to wait, but I can keep learning. The waiting time is so important.

As authors, writers, and artists, we create and design. We make plans and press ahead sometimes without waiting for the Lord’s direction. How precious and glorious when I rest in the flow of His purpose. Like riding on a calm lake, floating sometimes propels me off course or causes the craft to drift to the shoreline or get caught in the weeds. Sometimes stepping into the boat at the top of a hill and careening through a waterfall upside-down until I emerge in yet another stream toward the goal.

I think there’s always another stream to navigate. Don’t you? Another trial. Another goal. Success resides in the journey, the process, and how we view ourselves as we travel. We can either walk on our own merits, or with God’s direction and a bit of community cheerleading to remind each one of us that we need one another to succeed in this world.

7) If you had it all to do over again, would you take a different path?

This question tumbles through my mind quite often. My dream would still be present. Or another dream stacked waiting for my time. The imagination pulses continually. That’s who I am. My creativity and inspiration to create, flow from my allegiance to Christ. But the path along each tributary is fluid. I see many tributaries in this journey. I might have taken the path of Ingram publishing instead of KDP. I may have hired a marketing director instead of the FB team. Or I might have bought into the Adobe Design software instead the Affinity products.

But the dream still keeps me awake at night.

If not this dream, another equally complex and time consuming one would surface, because the goal to create a product that meets other believer’s needs for reflection and planning and creativity would still be there, wrestling for an answer to the problems of our identity in Christ. And souls like me, who find peace and joy in processing our thoughts, words, and ideas, might still be waiting for us.

While the exact path might be different, the end goal or product faces me and reminds me to keep pressing forward.

If you are a writer. If you are a creative artistic person who wakes up to a dream, keep pressing forward. If you need to hop out of the figurative boat to reassess the current, do it. If the dream calls to you, and God doesn’t say no, or stop, keep praying. Keep researching and reevaluating your path. And brainstorm, collaborate, and network until God redirects your path.

I’ll pray for you as you write, create, and inspire others to do the same.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:26, Hebrews 10:24, 1 Peter 3:8

Fun Fact or Helpful Resource:
Artist, writer, and Christian creative, Patricia Tiffany Morris, weaves original hand-drawn artwork, digital illustrations, and traditional planning elements throughout the pages of the journals. For more info check out Patricia’s website: https://www.patriciatiffanymorris.com/

Annette Marie Griffin is an award-winning author who has managed and directed programs for children and youth for more than twenty years. She has written curriculum for character growth and development of elementary-age children, developed parent training seminars to benefit the community, and counseled at-risk youth. Her first children’s book What Is A Family? released in 2020. She and her husband have five children—three who have already flown the coop and two adopted teens still roosting at home—plus two adorable grands who add immeasurable joy and laughter to the whole flock. 

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Magazine and Freelance

The Value of a “Write Away”

I have a good friend who often says, “I’m going to be gone this week to a “write away.”

What you may ask is a “write away?” Simply put it is a time set aside where you go somewhere and write away (in more ways than one)! During these time of staying at home and social distancing, most of us need a write away more than ever.

When you are in a writing slump and can’t seem to get the words flowing, maybe you need a change of scenery and routine. For these times, that may mean changing your writing space in your home so you have a view out of a different window as you write, parking the car by a lake and spending a few hours writing, or finding a quiet outside location near your home to write. Look for an uncrowded park that is open and “camp out” there.

You may be thinking to yourself—That’s fine for you but I don’t have a lot of places to go nearby. The good news is you don’t have to. Here are a few other suggestions.

A friend of mine lives on a lake just a short drive from my house. She has a beautiful home with an entire glass wall in her living room. The view is calming, relaxing, and extremely conducive to creativity. This sweet friend has given me an open invitation to come to her house and write any time I need to have a write away. During this time of staying away from others, I can ask my friend if I can go sit on her dock and write all afternoon. I am not around people but my creativity has a chance to flow as it comes. Do you have a friend whose yard or dock you could visit for a write away?

Look for a friend who lives in the country and take a chair and small desk to sit and admire the countryside as you write. Most people won’t mind your coming and just hanging out in their yards.

If your library or church is open, you may be able to find an indoor spot to enjoy new surroundings and increased creativity

No matter what method you choose, the benefits of taking a break from your normal routine are great. Does your creativity need a jumpstart? Plan a “write away” today.

Linda Gilden is a wife, mother, and grandmother. Linda finds great joy (and lots of writing material) in time spent with her family and enjoys every opportunity for a short “write away.” Her favorite activity is floating in a pool with a good book surrounded by splashing children!

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Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

The Burnout

Last month I was ready to go on a road trip, shut down my devices, and just vegetate for a few days. I was drained and my creative tanks were empty. The writing life was the farthest thing from my mind and my usual writing responsibilities only frustrated me more.

  • Social media.
  • Writer promotion.
  • Blogging.
  • Screenwriting.
  • Content preparation.

The writing grind had gotten to me and due to the Covid-19 outbreak, a getaway was questionable. Typically this time I escape to the North Georgia Mountains to visit friends or to just be alone in nature. That is how I get my creative tanks refreshed.

Another drawback of the pandemic and remote work is always being at home, because in reality, we are always at work, too. I started working at home as a freelance remote writer a couple of years ago; it has been less stressful on me physically in regards to my disability.

However, since the world has gone on lockdown as a precaution against the virus, remote work has become more popular and the field is flooded with would-be writers all fighting for the same contracts.

This has increased the stress load for those of us already in a tough market that has been severely impacted by the pandemic. The double-edged sword means we have to adjust our pricing to be competitive and seek more work to survive. It’s no wonder many writers are struggling with writing burnout.

Burnout!

Burnout can happen to anyone, regardless of job or health and it is a serious condition. “Burnout is not simply a result of working long hours or juggling too many tasks, though those both play a role. The cynicism, depression, and lethargy that are characteristic of burnout most often occur when a person is not in control of how a job is carried out, at work, or home, or is asked to complete tasks that conflict with their sense of self.”1

Burnout can be disabling in itself. If I am tired, too hungry, dehydrated or stressed out it affects me physically: my speech is slurred, I drag my left leg and at times drool from the left side of my mouth.

These are only a few symptoms and side effects of stress on my brain injuries. Even a healthy person can suffer from the side effects of job burnout:

  1. Have you become cynical or critical at work?
  2. Do you drag yourself to work and have trouble getting started?
  3. Have you become irritable or impatient with co-workers, customers or clients?
  4. Are you troubled by unexplained headaches, stomach or bowel problems, or other physical complaints?
  5. Do you lack the energy to be consistently productive?
  6. Do you find it hard to concentrate?
  7. Do you lack satisfaction from your achievements?
  8. Do you feel disillusioned about your job?
  9. Are you using food, drugs or alcohol to feel better or to simply not feel?
  10. Have your sleep habits changed?
  11. Do you find it hard to concentrate?2

As you can see burnout is both a physical and mental problem that can affect our writing goals. As creatives, we’d like to think we have freedom with our art, but activities like building a platform can be more strenuous than building physical muscles since our success is out of our control.

The American dream and the art of building a platform can push us to the brink of a nervous breakdown. This can impair our creative output. And when our creativity stops flowing, so does our writing. Yet, to be successful we must keep going.

Keep Going!

If you’ve been writing for any amount of time, you understand how difficult it is to keep writing once your creative flow has stopped. This is why we must refresh and recharge our bodies and minds to keep being productive.

Whatever refreshes you or sparks your creativity, do it! Do what you need to do to keep going in your writing career. Below are a few suggestions that might help you to recharge and refocus in your writing:

  • Nurturing your relationships and focusing on hobbies outside of work can help restore your sense of self and mitigate stress.
  • Scheduling regular breaks, starting and stopping at set times, and minimizing multi-tasking can all help maintain boundaries and reduce feelings of burnout.
  • Adjusting your work hours or location (perhaps by telecommuting) can help significantly, as an outsourcing or sharing responsibilities when possible. Setting clear boundaries between “work” and “life”—by not checking email during off-hours, for instance—and allowing for adequate downtime are also useful strategies.
  • Self-care is an effective weapon in the fight against burnout, research shows. Though self-care looks different for everyone, common strategies include yoga, mindfulness meditation, massage, exercise, dietary changes, and practicing self-compassion.3 

As summer comes to an end along with the endless travel, take time to clear your head, rest, and get ready for the upcoming holiday burnout!

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.

  • 1  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout
  • 2  https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/burnout/art-20046642
  • 3  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout

Categories
The Intentional Writer

Boost Creativity by Increasing Diversity

The intentional writer

Do you want to take your creativity and problem-solving abilities to a new level? Diversify your inputs. Increasing the diversity of the groups you interact with and the sources of your creative inspiration will lead to:

  • Greater creativity
  • More innovative ideas
  • Improved problem-solving
  • Better decisions

All of which lead to greater success and greater job satisfaction.

It makes sense when you think about it. The more alike your friends and writing associates are, the more likely they will think along the same lines and come up with similar answers to problems. On the other hand, a more diverse group of people will have a broader outlook, more varied ideas, and more novel approaches to solving problems.

If you want to tap into the power of diversity, consider where you can add more diverse inputs in your writing life. Here are some suggestions.

Critique partners

Do your critique partners all write in the same genre? Do they all prefer to read the same sorts of books? While a critique from someone who hates your genre is usually not helpful, it’s wise to find critique partners who aren’t all writing the same kind of story.

My main critique partners write in completely different genres. This has served us well. In addition, I have joined forces with a fellow mystery writer (through the Sisters in Crime organization). When we were first brought together we weren’t sure it would work because our styles and worldviews appeared to be very different, but it turns out those differences have helped us identify blind spots, faulty assumptions, and plot holes. (Not to mention an occasional discussion on midwest vs. northeast idioms and brand familiarity.)

If you are looking for ways to diversify your critique input, here is a sample of the factors to consider:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Cultural background
  • Income level
  • Education level
  • Occupation(s)
  • Work experience
  • Religious beliefs
  • Where they’ve lived
  • Where they’ve traveled
  • Family background
  • Personality / temperament
  • Taste in books
  • Taste in music, and/or other arts
  • Main interests and hobbies
  • Favorite leisure activities
  • Writing experience level
  • Genres they write
  • Pantser or plotter?
  • Writing style and voice

Beta readers

The same goes for beta readers. Your readers will (hopefully) come from all walks of life, so finding a diverse group of beta readers will help ensure your story makes sense and appeals to different audience segments who might benefit from your book.

Brainstorming

Who do you bounce ideas off of? Do you count on your spouse and your critique partners to solve all your writing problems, or do you solicit ideas from a larger group of people? You might benefit from finding a handful of people with diverse backgrounds who are willing to gather now and then to brainstorm plot problems, plot ideas, marketing strategies, or anything else that could spark new life into your writing career. When choosing brainstorming partners, remember to choose a mixed group, and don’t limit yourself to writers.

Social contacts

How diverse are the backgrounds and life experiences of the people you interact with on a regular basis? Could you benefit from spending more time with people outside your usual group? I realize it’s difficult to socialize in a post-Covid world, but social media and internet forums provide an opportunity to interact with diverse viewpoints.

Book and media consumption

Just as with nutrition, the more varied our diet, the healthier we’ll be. If you find yourself reading book after book in the same tried-and-true genre, it may be time to branch out. Pick up a few books in genres you don’t normally read. If you really hate them, you don’t have to finish them, but don’t dismiss an entire genre just because you disliked one or two books. Ditto for movies, music, and other creative inputs.

Years ago I stated a book club with the primary purpose of forcing myself to read books I wouldn’t normally read. Because it’s an organized thing, it makes me remain intentional about choosing a variety of book genres, topics, and styles. Do you have a book club that pushes you out of your reading comfort zone? If not, perhaps its time to join one or start your own.

 I hope these ideas help you widen your creative horizons and find new inspiration.

Award-winning writer Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a unique story to tell the world. She loves inspiring fellow writers to be more intentional about developing their craft and courageous in sharing their words. Lisa shares her words through speaking, leading Bible studies, writing historical mysteries, and blogging about living intentionally.

You can find her on Facebook LisaEBetzWriter Twitter @LisaEBetz and Pinterest Lisa E Betz Intentional Living.

Categories
Book Proposals

We’re All Struggling

We’re all struggling in this craziness, but one thing is sure, we are writers! We push on and don’t allow circumstances to prevent our stories coming to life.

Each day the news is different, and depending on who we listen to, either good or bad. Print sales are up, print sales are down. Ebooks are soaring, Ebooks have tanked. Self-publishing is the only way to go in this climate. Self-publishing will only drain you financially and emotionally. And it’s all Corona’s fault.

It only takes two minutes to open social media or a literary report to give us goosebumps from head to toe. And … cause us to question our chosen vocation. It’s tough to work on a project for a year or more, only to learn at the end of it that we might not be able to sell it.

This latest setback, the novel virus—we all know that has nothing to do with our kind of novel, has contributed to some interesting fluctuations in the market. So much so, that the very weak of heart have given up. But let me explain something. Those who aren’t in this crazy writers’ life for the long haul will use any excuse to give up. ANY excuse. Did you hear that?

They don’t like my work. I got three rejections in one day! I have to make a living (yes, a very valid reason, but if you can squeeze in just twenty minutes a day to write while keeping your day job…). It’s a LOT harder than I thought it would be.

If this crazy lock down did one thing, it’s this: it actually gave a lot of folks more time to write instead of less. And if not, then you’re no worse off than you were before. But write you must! Yes, there I said it. IF you are truly a writer, you have to write as surely as you have to breathe, and nothing … did you read that … nothing will stop you.

Artsy vocations aren’t like going to the bank from nine to five and pulling in a steady paycheck. Artsy vocations: theatre, sculpting, writing, painting, photography, etc., are not five days a week careers. They are 24/7/365 vocations that come from the heart. While you can learn to do all of these things, for true diehards, there is an uncontrollable itch inside that births the desire to create.

Few people wake up one day as a child and just know they must grow up to be a banker. But many children feel that tug to act, paint, or write. They set up stages in the family garage and act out Grease over and over until they are prolific with the songs and dialogue for each and every character. Others start writing stories as soon as they can string words together. And still others might paint/draw incredible concepts early on. This, my friends, comes from the heart. Not from classes, not from books, but from the heart. And THOSE individuals must pursue their art form, as I said, as surely as taking one breath after another.

Okay, nice philosophy, but do I really believe that? Should you really believe that?

Absolutely! If I quit writing altogether, a part of me would shrink (just like muscle atrophy when we stop moving), and I’d wither like a flower on a vine. I need—you need to be creative. We were made that way. As writers, we can’t look around us without seeing stories unfolding. We can’t sit at a keyboard and play games when there are voices in our heads begging to be released so they can tell their stories.

Do NOT allow these crazy, troubling times to become an excuse to sit back and give up. Only you can successfully tell the story or bring to life the information that has been woven into your heart. Don’t give up. Your story or article or memoir might be the very thing that helps another life grow into what he or she is meant to be. You never know who your writing will touch or why. In this lifetime, all you can do is write and assume you are helping to make a difference.

Press on and create. Let nothing … nothing … stop you.

Linda S. Glaz is an agent with Hartline Literary Agency, and also the author of eight novels and two novellas, so she “gets” writers. She represents authors in both the Christian and secular communities. She speaks at numerous conferences and workshops around the country each year. Married with three grown children and four grands, she lives in a small town where everyone is family.

Categories
Courting the Muse

Why Advice Columns Might Just Give You Your Next Story Idea

These days, anyone who wants to write short stories of an unconventional bent has their pick of quirky venues to showcase their work.

By way of example, just look at Taco Bell Quarterly, a self-professed rival of the storied Paris Review. One of the hottest literary magazines to emerge in the past year, it only accepts work related to America’s favorite fast-food purveyor of Crunchwrap Supremes. Microverses, an even newer journal of speculative flash fiction, limits itself to “tweet-length work” — minute narratives of no more than 280 characters.

Then there’s r/relationships, a wildly popular advice forum on the social media giant Reddit. Frequented by some 3 million visitors worldwide, it’s come under fire recently for being filled with lies. As it turns out, many of those posting on the forum aren’t actually lovelorn sufferers in genuine need of advice — they’re fiction writers, flexing their skills in an unusual form.

That brings me to my favorite source of narratively rich and formally intriguing short fiction: the old-fashioned advice column. That’s not to say that everyone corresponding with the likes of Dear Prudence and Ask Polly is a fabulist, honing their craft in the inbox of an agony aunt (though readers have made a sport out of spotting the fake letters for years). Even if most letter-writers are seeking advice in earnest, this oddball genre remains fertile ground for literary inspiration.

Directly adapting a letter into a story might raise some eyebrows — especially if you assume the mind behind it belongs to a genuine advice-seeker, not a fellow fiction writer. But even if turning a stranger’s vulnerability into a literary project, detail for detail, doesn’t strike you as the right move, advice columns can still inspire good writing.

Glance at any given advice column, and you’ll find a treasure trove of emotionally resonant stories, from the heartrending to the absurd. For me, these accounts aren’t just intriguing because of their wealth of hyper-specific detail: the exact infractions committed by an overzealous homeowner’s association, the strange scent clinging to an adulterous spouse’s clothes. The little narratives they encapsulate are valuable to writers primarily because of their nuanced — even outright messy — depictions of human feeling.

Advice columnists, and the people who write to them, acknowledge that we don’t always react to emotional stimuli in ways that make sense. Betrayal can evoke relief as well as heartbreak, and the most passionate love can be complicated by mutual resentment.

When it comes to crafting complicated, true-to-life emotional arcs for your stories, there’s almost no better source of inspiration than the advice letter. If you find one that touches a nerve, consider exploring its palette of emotions through an analogous — but distinct — scenario of your own invention. All you need to do is meld the letter-writer’s narrative with your own experience, adding dash of imagination and empathy for good measure. You just might find yourself looking at your next short story.

When you try to turn that initial spark into a well-executed work, you might try seeking inspiration from the advice column in terms of form as well as content. While we don’t typically think of advice letters as high art, they have a lot to teach short story writers about style and presentation.

Advice column letters are perfectly crafted for communication, clueing readers in on the emotional stakes of a situation with maximal efficiency. As such, they deploy unpretentious language and tight plotting to get readers invested in the most bizarre scenarios. Next time you write a story, try channeling their economy of expression for a narrative that packs a punch.

Lucia Tang is a writer for Reedsy, a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the book industry’s best editors, designers, and marketers. To work on the site’s free historical character name generators, she draws on her knowledge of Chinese, Latin, and Old Irish —  learned as a PhD candidate in history at UC Berkeley. You can read more of her work on the Reedsy Discovery blog, or follow her on Twitter at @lqtang.

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for May, 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.”

You, the Protagonist, Developing Your Brand with Caroline George

In this episode we are joined by Caroline, a literary agent, conference speaker and award-winning author. She shares tips on how writers can develop their author brands. Caroline’s work experience includes BookGrabbr, HarperCollins Publishing, Hillsong Sydney, Mainstreet Productions and Cyle Young Literary Elite. She shares her expertise in an upbeat and energetic style as we discuss the basics of brand-building and go deeper into finding voice, sharing personality, and celebrating story.

Watch the May 19th replay

Caroline George, a literary agent at C.Y.L.E., commits her time and energy to telling stories in their many forms. As a 2017 Belmont University graduate with a double-major in publishing and public relations, Caroline aims to pursue a career committed to helping authors, publishers and organizations project their stories to their publics. She spends her time blogging, writing for various magazines and authoring young adult fiction books (her current publications include “The Prime Way Trilogy” and “The Vestige”). She considers herself a not-so-southern Georgia peach, coffee-junkie, bona fide goofball and delights in being best known for writing the phrase, “Coffee first. Save the world later.” You can find her on social media or contact her at www.authorcarolinegeorge.com

Creative Outlets for Writers with Cody Morehead

Cody Morehead, Creative Director for Serious Writer, Inc., joins us today to talk about branding, creating social media images, and tips for graphic design. He also shares the importance of engaging in other creative outlets and hobbies beyond writing. We often have an “illusion of busy-ness,” but is that a badge of honor or a badge of brokenness? Cody encourages us to “try and fail” and to make time in our weekly schedule for a hobby. Other creative pursuits–even something as simple as a daily walk–feed our souls and nourish our writing.

Watch the May 26th replay.

Cody Morehead, owner of PubZoo Creative, a public speaker, pastor, and known for monkeying around, Cody is known for creating our awesome graphics and videos at Serious Writer. A branding and graphics expert, Cody regularly gives talks on developing author brand, helping authors to develop a clean, clear look for their websites, social media, and more. You can find Cody on social media or you can find him at www.seriouswriter.com/cody-morehead

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
Kids Lit

Which Hat Shall I Wear Today?

Kids Lit

  In January, I had the privilege of speaking about being a writer at a large private school near Chicago. But before my talk, as an added bonus, I had lunch with a group of award-winning student authors ranging in age from 5 to 13. (These students had been chosen to represent their individual classroom as “the best of the best” and read their work in front of the entire school.) So, while I chatted with these gifted wordsmiths in between bites of cheese pizza, I asked them: “Which was harder for you—writing or editing your story?” As I expected, all but one said the editing process had been way harder. Then, the one who didn’t jump on the editing bandwagon said something I’ll never forget.

 She very honestly admitted, “I had trouble with the writing process because I kept editing myself…”

That comment sparked a very interesting conversation about hats and one of my favorite books about writing, Dancing on the Head of a Pen: The Practice of a Writing Life by Robert Benson. In case you haven’t read it, Benson shares about the different hats he wears when crafting his amazing books. He sports a stylish beret when creating story. As he writes his “sloppy copy,” beret man is the guy in the chair. But once this first draft is safely recorded, he switches to his well-loved Yankees cap which he has lovingly named “Gamer”. He wears “Gamer” when editing. But Benson explains that bringing out “Gamer” too soon in the process can totally halt the creativity of “Beret man”—the artist.

 That’s what had happened to the student who confessed she’d really struggled with the writing process.

 “You switched hats too soon,” I told her, explaining Benson’s theory.

 What about you? Are you self-editing (and sometimes self-loathing) as you write and create children’s stories? Are you constantly fixing grammar and spelling or rewriting sentences three and four times before continuing on? If so, I feel your pain. I occasionally stifle my own creativity because I can’t get my baseball “Gamer” cap off my head. It just won’t budge! And, no matter how hard I try, I can’t create with “Gamer” calling the shots!

If you struggle with this premature switching of hats, here are three strategies you can implement to keep your beret safely in place as you create.

  • Write fast, really fast. Don’t give yourself the chance to edit. Just get that story down on paper or in that computer, whatever your process.
  •  Switch gears, not hats. The moment you feel yourself slipping into the editing mode, switch gears completely. For example, if you’re writing a picture book in narrative and you start to slip into editor mode, stop writing narrative and try writing your picture book in rhyme. That will get your creative juices flowing again and put your editor’s cap back on the hat rack.
  • Set the Mood with Music. This works well for me. If I’m creating, I have on “mood music” that awakens the creative part of me. So, when I was writing my book, “Get Your Spirit On! Devotions for Cheerleaders” I listened to all of the cheer music compilations that my daughters competed to when they cheered. That music was motivating and put me in the right mindset to write about “all things cheerleading.” But, when I am editing, I almost always listen to instrumental music. When the instrumental melodies fill my writing room, it instantly becomes my editing room. Maybe this tactic will work for you, too!

If you’re like the little girl who struggled with knowing which hat to wear—the beret or the Gamer—I hope you’ll try these three strategies. And, I recommend you purchase your own copy of Dancing on the Head of a Pen and glean from Benson’s genius. 

Michelle Medlock Adams is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of over 90 books with close to 4 million sold. Her many journalism and book awards include top honors from the Associated Press, AWSA’s Golden Scroll for Best Children’s Book, and the Selah Award for Best Children’s Book. Michelle currently serves as President of Platinum Literary Services, a premier full-service literary firm; Chairman of the Board of Advisors for Serious Writer, Inc.; and a much sought-after speaker at writers conferences and women’s retreats all over the United States.  

When not writing or teaching writing, Michelle enjoys bass fishing and cheering on the Indiana University Basketball team, the Chicago Cubbies, and the LA Kings.

 Michelle is celebrating the recent release of her books, Get Your Spirit On!, Fabulous & Focused, Dinosaur Devotions, and C Is for Christmas, and she’s anticipating the upcoming release of What Is America? (Worthy Kids) and They Call Me Mom (Kregel), a devotional book she co-authored with Bethany Jett.

Categories
Becoming an Author

5 Creative Writing Prompts for the Quarantined Writer

If you, like the rest of the world, have been stuck inside of your home because of the Coronavirus, why not use this as a time to increase your writing productivity? After all, we’re not the only writers who have been forced to self-isolate; it has been said that Shakespeare produced his play, King Lear, while facing the plague as well. 

However, I don’t know about you, but my creativity often becomes stifled when I’m locked indoors for too long. Sometimes all I need is a walk in the neighborhood (or the treadmill), a writing prompt—and, of course, dark chocolate—to get those creative juices flowing again.

If you’re in need of fresh inspiration, I challenge you to put down the TV remote. Make good use of this time by allowing your imagination to run wild with one, or all, of the writing prompts listed below. 

Feel free to share your responses to these prompts in the comments!

  1. Choose one country, or city, you have always had an itch to visit, and pretend as though you are vacationing to this place and have decided to keep a travel journal. (This should take place after the virus clears, of course!) Write the first entry of your travel journal. What did you do on your first day of vacation? Did you meet anyone significant? Did you go sightseeing? What kind of food did you eat?
  2.  Write about the best dream adventure you have ever experienced. Why did you enjoy this dream, and what happened during it? Explain the dream, and then pretend as if you have returned to that dream world. How does it continue to unfold in your imagination?
  3. You wake up and mysteriously find yourself in the castle pictured at this link. What happens next?
  4. Find three objects that are within reach. Now, pretend as though these are the three objects you have chosen to bring with you to a deserted island, and write a story that involves you surviving on this island with these three objects.
  5. Put your music on shuffle. Then, write a scene or story idea that combines the first song that plays and the first image to appear on this randomize list of photographs. Keep going—pairing the second song with the second photograph, etc.—until you have written five scenes and/or story ideas.

Tessa Emily Hall is an award-winning author who writes inspirational yet authentic books for teens to remind them they’re not alone. She writes both fiction and devotionals for teens, including her upcoming release, LOVE YOUR SELFIE (October 2020, Ellie Claire). Her latest devotional, COFFEE SHOP DEVOS, encourages teens to pursue a personal relationship with Christ. Tessa’s passion for shedding light on clean entertainment and media for teens led her to a career as a Literary Agent at Cyle Young Literary Elite, YA Acquisitions Editor for Illuminate YA (LPC Imprint), and Founder/Editor of PursueMagazine.net. She’s guilty of making way too many lattes and never finishing her to-read list. When her fingers aren’t flying 128 WPM across the keyboard, she can be found speaking to teens, decorating art journals, and acting in Christian films. Her favorite way to procrastinate is through connecting with readers on her blog, mailing list, social media (@tessaemilyhall), and website: tessaemilyhall.com.

Categories
Embrace the Wait

Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing Tip #10 – Keep your creative juices flowing

During this busy season it can be difficult to find time for creativity. The left side of our brains are on overdrive—making lists and checking them twice, decking the halls, roasting chestnuts, and ensuring a holly jolly Christmas for every boy and girl, way into the silent night. Here are some fun ideas to keep the right side of your brain jingling all the way, during the most wonderful time of the year.

  1. If you’re scheduled to attend a particularly boring or stressful holiday event, party, or gathering (come on, admit it, no one is immune) spice up the drudgery by mentally hijacking the event and making it your own creative playground. Designate yourself the secret narrator of the meeting. First, choose a genre. If you want to really exercise your storytelling muscles, choose one that is outside your comfort zone. Then, from the time you enter the venue, mentally compose a literary masterpiece based on your observations. (Note: don’t verbally act as narrator. People will think you’re nuts!) As you meet new people, plot them into your story. As narrator you have the power to transform the mundane into mystery, chaos into comedic, and an obligatory gathering into an opportunity for creative genius.
  2. This is the season of giving, so we might as well give creatively. Some of the best gifts I’ve ever received are ones that didn’t cost much monetarily but were worth their weight in gold when measured in thoughtfulness. For those most important people in your life, why not give them the best of your God given talents. Use your way with words to create a personalized scavenger hunt with clever clues that lead to a gift. Write a poem and use a program like Canva to set it attractively, then frame the treasured keepsake for your loved-one to enjoy. Compose a song, hire someone to set it to music, and record it for family or friends. The gifts that are cherished the most are ones that are given from the deepest part of us.
  3. Use your literary skills to spin a yarn about the origin of an obscure holiday tradition. My first writing award was presented to me in the seventh grade. The challenge was to write a creative story, 500 words or less, that explained how zebras got their stripes. A zany tale that featured the Keebler Elves won me second place, and I’ve been hooked on writing ever since. This is a great time to prepare publishable pieces for next Christmas, so don’t hold back. Let your creative juices flow.
  4. I’ve saved the best for last. During this holiday season press in to the One who gave you your creative gifts. From a very young age I’ve felt the gentle and gracious pull of the Father calling me to worship. I was eight years old, sitting on the shag carpet in front of our console television watching a Christmas special. A carol I’d heard many times before came to life for me during that program. As the choir sang, “O Come All Ye Faithful,” I dropped my face to the floor and began to weep. My mother was alarmed and tried to comfort me. But I had no words to explain to her what was happening. God was drawing me to Him—to adore him. And I had to. He deserved my adoration, my worship, my whole heart. When I consider how often I’ve failed Him and others since that sacred moment, and that He, already knowing every future fault, still called me to that privilege and honor of His presence, I’m humbled and long for the heart of that eight-year-old worshiper again. When we abide in Him and He in us—there’s no stopping Him from creating in and through us the fruit that will last.  

Scripture: John 15:4

Fun Fact: One of the easiest ways to get back into the creative flow is by using writing prompts. According to Writer’s Digest writing prompts, “force us to take a premise and find creative avenues to turn it into a story. They allow you to break out of funk you’ve been trapped in and enter an entirely different arena—likely one that you hadn’t considered before.” I’ve used them before, and it works! Here’s a link to some that might help:

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

Categories
Embrace the Wait

Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing Tip #7 – Find a Dedicated Space to Write

My husband spoke to me tenderly—our gaze connected over the twinkling candlelight. In the background, the muffled hum of conversation mingled with a soothing melody played by the cellist. The aroma of fresh baked bread and perfectly grilled steak wafted through the air, tempting and taunting our appetites. The waiter, a tall fellow with overflowing charisma and ambition that far exceeded his status, kept our drinks filled and our interest piqued with his animated description of the chef’s seasonal menu. My husband spoke again. His smile formed perfectly around the words and shone in his eyes. Those baby blues crinkled at the corners now. But they still held the spark and wonder that had made me blush in our youth. “Hello—earth to Annette? Did you hear me?” The edge in my husband’s tone lured me back to reality. “Seriously, Babe? Our first date-night in weeks and you’re a million miles away. You were crafting your novel again, weren’t you?”

I had to admit it was true.

Most fiction writers experience a constant mental flow of creative narrative. While we work, shop, exercise, care for the family, and complete various tasks we are also busy nurturing our book-babies to life. In the background of our everyday thoughts our characters’ personalities sprout. Their unique features are formed. Backstories take shape and evolve into plot, setting, and theme. Those tiny musings usually play nice and are content to take backstage to our practical life dealings. But there comes a time when our imaginations can no longer contain the scope of the story. The words must be born into print. And that’s when multitasking becomes impossible.

As with any pregnancy, there’s labor involved in bringing a story into the world. As a former doula, or birth-coach, I can attest to the fact that the best location to deliver any human baby is the place the mom feels most at ease. That place may vary from mom to mom, but the elements are always the same. Whether at home, in a hospital, or a birthing center the most important thing is that the venue is a safe, secluded space that is well stocked with essential items that will aid in the delivery and care of the newborn. I have found the same to be true with birthing book-babies. The laboring process progresses much more smoothly in a dedicated space.

Finding your perfect writing nook might involve some experimentation. You’ll want to find a spot that will allow your creative juices to flow, unhindered by the roadblocks of normal life. This will look different for every writer. But the overall goal should be to create a distraction free zone. Your area should be an escape—a place to temporarily forsake every other responsibility for the sake of writing. Once there, surround yourself with items that inspire creativity and equip yourself with the best writing resources available. Be sure to guard against timewasters like social media trolling and aimless internet browsing. Also, set clear boundaries with family and friends to keep them from well-meaning invasions. The process may require some time and effort in the beginning, but the end result will be a lasting haven to birth many book-babies to come.

Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1, Ecclesiastes 9:10

Fun Fact: Roald Dahl, the author of the award-winning books Matilda and BFG, made his dedicated space for writing out of an old shed overlooking his garden. He called it his writing hut, and it was off limits to everyone else. Dahl explained his strict no admittance policy by saying,  

“When I am up here I see only the paper I am writing on, and my mind is far away with Willy Wonka or James or Mr Fox or Danny or whatever else I am trying to cook up. The room itself is of no consequence. It is out of focus, a place for dreaming and floating and whistling in the wind, as soft and silent and murky as a womb…”

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

Categories
Guest Posts

How Writing 3 Pages a Day Can Change Your Productivity

My story of a productivity struggle began when I started as a blog writer several years ago. At that time I had an immense motivation to become a better content writer, but the more I worked on perfecting my skill, the more I felt a kind of a psychological obstacle that didn’t allow me to focus and remain productive for longer periods of time.

At one point I understood that every idea that comes to my head doesn’t inspire me to continue working, I felt trapped. I realized that I needed to keep writing to maintain my skill level, but I felt unproductive, and, as the result, no ideas came to my head.

During that period of time, I already started working as a blog writer and I was afraid that my lack of productivity would start affecting the quality of my work. But instead of seeking help on the never-ending pages of the Internet, I decided to ask for help from people who were in this profession for a long time.

Now, here’s the most interesting part: I thought that I was experiencing a professional burnout and, consequently, all I needed to do is have some rest. But my good friend Dina Indelicato, a blog writer at PickWriters, told me: “Only practicing writing can get you out of this situation”.

It turned out that when she started her career as a writer, she experienced the same thing. The way that got her through this productivity drought was writing 3 pages every morning. Simple as that. It didn’t have to be work-related tasks, just creative writing or journaling.

Why 3 pages, you may ask? Why not one or whatever the amount you like?

  • If you keep writing 3 pages every day, it will allow you to maintain your writing skill within the same level. Normally, writers have to create 3 and more pages a day. To achieve productivity, 3 pages a day is a perfect amount to train your writing skill.
  • It’s a perfect amount of pages to let all your thoughts and ideas out. Besides, when you start writing, you may even notice that 3 pages are not enough.

This simple strategy is an easy productivity booster.

Here are 3 main rules to follow:

1) Don’t plan what you’re going to write. Just let the ideas, thoughts, and emotions flow.

2) There’s no structure. This method is aimed at generating ideas and increasing creativity.

3) This method is aimed at on-the-spot writing. Simply start writing to launch the creative process.

To be honest, right after I started practicing this method, I realized that it requires a great deal of discipline, which I didn’t have due to the lack of productivity. For the first couple of weeks, I had to force myself to open my laptop and start writing. However, soon I started noticing that it became a new habit of mine, and I couldn’t continue my day without writing these 3 pages. There were some other great changes in productivity, which I observed, like:

  • I had a clearer mind, and, as a result, I became more focused.
  • My working process became more consistent. Despite the fact that writing 3 pages a day doesn’t require a structure, my writing for work became more organized.
  • I became an idea generator. This method became a creative outlet for me, letting me take a look at the ideas I had in my head but never got a chance to voice them.

I keep following this method ’til today. Thanks to doing these 3 pages every day, I became a better, more organized writer. I feel that this method fuels my productivity every day, allowing me to accomplish all my task for the day and not feel mentally and physically exhausted.

Kristin Savage nourishes, sparks and empowers using the magic of a word. She is practicing regularly while reviewing new translation services at Pick Writers and constantly contributing to other educational platforms. Along with pursuing her degree in Creative Writing, Kristin has gained experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in marketing strategy for publishers and authors. You can find her on Facebook.

Categories
Bestsellers

BEST-SELLING AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Allen Arnold

Can you share a little about your recent book?

The Story of With is a roadmap for dreaming with God. It’s been called a “beautiful, revelatory parable, filled with wonder, mystery, and adventure.” I wrote it as an allegory because we don’t need more principles or theories about creativity. We need our hearts awakened. And nothing reaches the heart faster than story.

The protagonist of the allegory is Mia, an up and coming chef who hungers for more in her life and her dreams. Yet she feels like it’s all up to her to make things happen. Through a series of events, she finds herself ushered into a fantastical place where the only way home is through filling four mysterious vials. It’s ultimately a journey from the Orphan Realm to the Freedom Realm.

At the close of each chapter, I briefly explore the themes or ideas from that section in “The Shift to With.”

I hope the unique fusion of the mythic and practical will invite readers to pursue their heart—and their art—with God.

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

My passion is to help awaken the hearts of creatives, drawing them into deeper intimacy, identity, and imagination with God by knowing Him more fully as both Creator and Father.

I believe nothing is more important than knowing God intimately—and a key way we are invited to do that is through our gifting. It sounds almost too good to be true, but we weren’t primarily created to simply do things for God. We were created to pursue life with God. Story lets me explore that concept in a million different ways!

How long have you been writing?

I’ve always been drawn to story. In fact, God primarily used story to shape my Story. As a boy, it was through the heroics of comic books. Then novels and movies. Later, as founding Fiction publisher at one the world’s largest Christian publishing houses, I had the honor of overseeing the development of more than five hundred novels from authors such as Ted Dekker and Stephen Lawhead. So while The Story of With is my first book, I’ve lived in the world of story my entire life.

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 chose to self-publish The Story of With…and am so glad I did. I spent twenty years in the traditional publishing industry. I still have many talented friends who work in that world…but am disheartened by some of the ways the industry is changing.

More than ever, it seems the focus is primarily on established authors or celebrities with large social media followings. The new voices that publishers used to find and invest in now receive little focus or promotional dollars. And in most cases, first-time authors have a very limited window for their book to succeed before the publishing team moves on to the next project.

From the start, I knew The Story of With wouldn’t fit easily within the normal publishing model. It isn’t a straightforward fiction or non-fiction title. It’s an allegory with some teaching. And rather than publish it as inexpensively as possible, I wanted to pay special attention to details that would cost more—but matter to the reader. It was important to me to use high quality paper with larger type and more white space than most book pages include. I wanted readers to experience a sense of spaciousness as they entered into this story of freedom and hope. I also desired to create an audio version of the book with some of the industry’s top voice talents—an expensive proposition that I felt that would be less likely to happen for a first time author at a traditional publishing house.

Mainly, I sensed this message would be an evergreen title that grew slowly yet steadily over time. Given that, it just made sense that the best person to steward this process would be me rather than a publishing team tasked with juggling numerous titles simultaneously.

It’s been a good journey. I’ve realized my dreams for the book. And yes, there’s even an audio book available featuring two of the top voice talents around.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Great question. The short answer is “as long as God wants.” I used to believe there was a formula. Now I understand that writing is a journey I take with God…and I don’t know how long the trip will be until He says we’ve arrived.

The best journey we can invite readers into is the one we’re currently on. That means as writers we must be living more than we are writing. Because we can’t write a better story than we’re living.

The process of co-creating with God resembles the rhythm of a dance more than the efficiency of an assembly line. It requires the artist to set aside the illusion of control and go at the Father’s pace.

I often find I can’t write more until I’ve lived more. That journey can take days or months. It’s easy to grow impatient along the way. Then God reminds me that the goal isn’t to simply finish a project because of deadline but to bring it fully to life in God’s time.

What’s your writing work schedule like?

Each morning, I wake up and expectantly and ask God what He has planned for the day. Sometimes He invites me to start writing immediately. Other times, He lets me know it isn’t a day for writing but to simply spend time with Him. I love story…but I crave God more than writing so I give Him full control of my schedule and creativity.

It can often feel like there isn’t enough time to write. But do we really think the Creator of time won’t give us enough time for what He’s stirred us to create?

What I’m inviting others into is the wild, unpredictable mystery of creating with God. It certainly isn’t as neat as a daily word count. But sense when does the number of words written reflect the eternal value of what was written? Perhaps we should count less and create more.

What has been your darkest moment(s)?

Early in my career, I was an extremely driven man. During my twenties and thirties, I felt I could open any door through sheer force of will. What seemed extreme to others was energizing to me. And the problem was, it was working.

But from a soul perspective, I was in a free fall. I thought the way to be more was to do more. And so I kept doing more until my heart went numb. I felt deep shame at who I had become…but also a glimmer of hope in who I could become. I believed God could make all things new…I just never realized it was me who needed to be made new.

I share a bit of that story in the first few pages of The Story of With.  It was the start of my journey from being a self-made man to becoming a son of God who longed to do every part of life with my Father.

Who is your favorite author to read?

My favorite novelist is Stephen Lawhead. And my favorite series from him is the Song of Albion trilogy. That series came more than decades ago and changed the way I saw life, God, and myself. It actually fueled my desire to become a Fiction publisher. Then, more than a decade later, God opened the door for me to be Stephen Lawhead’s publisher.

The Song of Albion trilogy is general market fiction written from a Christian worldview (a fantastical Celtic tale mixed with modern day characters). If you’re curious, the first book is The Paradise War.

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

The life you have with God while creating determines the life your art will have. As your life grows closer to God through shared adventures, first you are refined. Your talents and gifting then follow.

In that way, our creativity reveals more about us than we think. What we give birth to – from ideas to stories to songs – possesses both the strengths and the blind spots of the creator. You simply can’t create art more powerful than your own life. Where you are faking it, your art will be less true. Where you haven’t gone, your creations can’t go.

What we create alone from our own strength can’t surpass our weaknesses. Yet what we create with the Creator can’t help but transcend us.

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

Many times. But I’ve learned that rejection simply means others don’t get it or perhaps that my vision needs refining. That’s especially true when one is creating something new rather than recycling a concept that’s been done countless times before.

We tend to base our art’s worth on the reactions or reviews of others. We need to aim higher. Ask God to reveal the true value of your art. He is, after all, the One who gave you your talent. The impossible becomes possible as you invite the Creator into every aspect of your creativity.

The life we have with God will determine the life our art ultimately has. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

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

I’m a big fan of Ryder in The Story of With. He’s a complex character…and he ushers Mia (and readers) into the scars of our stories. The quicksand scene with Ryder (Chapter 10) is my favorite scene of my book. To say more would be to say too much until readers experience the story.

Where do you get your ideas?

I get my ideas from spending time on the playground of creativity with God. There’s nothing better. He is the most gifted storyteller. The best Father. The Creator of oceans and sunsets and stallions. When I spend time with Him, I’m always in awe of what we come up with together.

At a recent writer’s conference, my friend Ted Dekker gave the audience this transformative challenge: Don’t write to teach. Write to discover.

If I want to take readers somewhere new, I have to go there first. It’s the same for you. Your readers don’t want you to be comfortable in the creative process. Stop trying to master the process and start exploring. Forget the cozy chair and seek disruption. Readers want to be invited somewhere new by storytellers going new places. They prefer trailblazers to teachers. Stretch yourself. Then stretch your readers.

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

The biggest mistake I find authors make (whether new or proven) is chasing success rather than pursuing God in their creativity.

That leads to striving and to formula.

With so many creative people working in the world of story, how did we become so comfortable with the familiar; so dependent on formula? When something works, businesses tend to want more of that something. There’s the pressure to repeat and systemize success, driven by a false belief that the next breakthrough will come by recapturing that same lightning in a slightly different-colored bottle. Yet that never works. What propelled the first book was its originality…not a repeat of what had already been done.

That’s the problem with formula. The pull to the proven and predictable doesn’t lead to what’s fresh or what’s next. It leads to more of the same.

But the answer isn’t striving. As I say in my book The Story of With: “God doesn’t need your help as much as he wants your heart. Whenever you start to focus more on your talents and gifts than on him, you miss the main invitation. Which is to pursue them together. With him.”

That is what true success looks like…and the way to infuse your art with an eternal spark.

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

First, do the hard work of discovering your unique voice and style. Among other things, you must continue seeing and experiencing new things. When authors let their own lives become too predictable, the stories will follow. A problem of formulaic stories may point to a life lacking spontaneity. If your days are a bit too similar, find ways to eradicate formula from your life first.

Then—and this is key—you must stay on the journey of discovery rather than growing comfortable, setting camp, and settling into the same. As your life grows, your voice will grow. As you scale new heights, you’ll face more obstacles and more breakthroughs. Let your stories do the same. Surprise us with what’s now awakening your heart rather than give us another serving of what once did. Show us the view from the new peak you just climbed rather than write from the old one that is safe.

As you create, the goal is never to be the “next” ___________ (fill in the blank with a bestselling author).

It’s to be the “first” you.

We were never meant to pursue our art alone. I hope you’ll join me in this journey of greater creativity, bigger dreams, and truer success. You can find The Story of With on Amazon and Audible – and follow my insights on creativity via Twitter @thestoryofwith.

BIO

Allen Arnold is the author of The Story of With, a book that reveals how stepping into our identity, imagination, and intimacy with God can forever transform our talents, dreams, and creativity. A highly sought-after speaker, Allen has shared this transformative message at hundreds of gatherings, including Dave Ramsey’s creative team, numerous writing and worship conferences, the Association of Christian Schools International, and Grace and Lace, a fast-growth apparel company featured on Shark Tank. As founding Fiction Publisher for Thomas Nelson, Allen oversaw the development of more than five hundred novels spanning every genre. He now directs the content at Ransomed Heart, a ministry in the mountains of Colorado founded by John Eldredge (the New York Times Best-selling author of Wild at Heart). His favorite way to spend the day is with his family – in whatever that day’s adventure may hold. He loves blue oceans, black coffee, hot salsa, and big ideas.

Categories
Writing with a Disability (Different Ability)

Between the Lines

Ever since I took my first journalism class in high school I’ve heard the age-old debate on how to write, to use an outline or to just free-form (discovery writing.) Some creatives feel outlining takes the life out of writing.

They like having the freedom to just let their ideas flow. Whereas most intellectuals believe structure is the best way to shape ideas and convey a thought. I believe they both serve a purpose.

  1. Outlining – Focus, flow, Balance, and definitiveness.
  2. Free-form – Spontaneity, more creativity and of course freedom.

After years of writing, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m one of the moderates who go either way, depending on the type of writing I’m doing. When I write nonfiction and want to prove a point or explain it, I’m a legalistic outliner. Plus, writing with a brain injury makes it hard enough to focus itself.

When I write screenplays I tend to let the characters tell their own stories. It doesn’t take long before they invite me in on their joinery. Of course, there are times when I have to step in and help keep the characters in line.

Lines?

In regards to art, a line is a basic element. Geometrically, a line connects two points. It is a path traced by a moving point. A line is vital to any artwork.

Writing is a form of artwork that takes an audience on a journey from point A to B; the journey can be in the form of a fictional story or nonfictional prose. Either way, the audiences’ attention is going somewhere.

I’ve used screenwriting as a protagonist’s adventure of growing in life: they will make mistakes, get hurt and hopefully learn from it all. If I do my job well as a storyteller my audience will want to follow my character’s journey and hopefully learn a few things as well.

Nonfiction writing has a line of thought as well: it may be political, enlightenment, entertainment or a sales pitch, etc.

After all, what’s the point of writing if it doesn’t take us from point A to B? As Christian author DiAnn Mills’ theme states, “Expect an adventure!” All writing has a theme or purpose.

Takeaway!

One of my bigger struggles as a disabled writer is I tend to write for myself. Sometimes I write what I want to hear and sometimes I write for what I need. But, that doesn’t make me a good writer.

Every writer knows the selling point of any prose is the take away value. What will my reader, my audience, or my peers gain by going on the adventure with me from point A to point B?

Sometimes is obvious from the get-go, other times it comes from the journey or it is found at the conclusion of it. But by the time we get to point B, my theme should be obvious.

When I first started blogging, my posts were the length of a college thesis, and I thought this was the best way to cover all my bases from beginning to end. The problem was, I often lost focus and veered off on multiple tangents.

I was like an adolescent with ADHD who ran out of Ritalin. Without an outline, sometimes I can be all over the place and can’t keep it between the lines.

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
Fantasy-Sci-Fi Storyworld

Entertainment in your Storyworld

Entertainment

We’ve spoken before about how little details can help color your storyworld. Societal habits, mating customs, dinner choices, and environmental aspects are all key to fleshing out a believable living space. Another aspect to consider is the way in which your characters entertain themselves.

Sometimes entertainment plays a central role in a book. The entire concept in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games is a deathsport reality show, partly to show the Capitol’s control over the Districts, but also partly to entertain the masses. Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One shows a world in which reality is miserable and everyone escapes into a massively multiplayer online game. This “game” supports commerce, education, and other activities, but entertainment is a major aspect, especially considering the bleak reality outside of the virtual reality “OASIS.” And Aaron Gansky’s Hand of Adonai series presents a World of Warcraft type game in which the protagonists get trapped, Tron-style, and must figure out how to escape.

Hand of Adonai

In those three examples, the entertainment medium is actually the centerpiece of the novel, but it’s also the major point of tension. Specifically, each of the forms of entertainment is broken or twisted in some way, and the characters must overcome the challenges that arise.

Should entertainment play a major role in any other type of novel though? What if you have a story in the Wild West? Or a post-apocalyptic survivalist tale? A Space opera? I would argue that entertainment should be valued by your characters if you want them to feel like real people. That’s because all humans desire to have comfort and enjoyment at least part of the time (hopefully their lives aren’t always threatened by events like the ones in your novel!).

For example, John Scalzi’s The Ghost Brigades is a book about super soldiers defending humanity from a ghastly assortment of different alien species. And yet, Scalzi helps to make the storyworld feel alive with little windows of enjoyment. In one scene, a pilot is playing poker with some friends, in another, a father pirates a broadcast signal so his daughter can watch TV, and most importantly, an alien race is revealed to have no need for arts and entertainment. And this alien race realizes its lack of culture and strives to create it.

Or take Little House in the Big Woods. The novel chronicles the survival of a young girl and her family in the wilderness. Despite the struggles, there are times where she and her sister enjoy the musical talents of their father, or the two inflate and seal a pig bladder and kick it around like a ball. Personally that’s disgusting to me, but it really does help me picture the world in which little Laura Ingalls lived.


If your story is a non-stop adventure, you might feel like you don’t have time or space in your book to show scenes of enjoyment. That may be true. While not a book, the first season of the TV show 24 really pushed its story along with scant little room to explore its characters’ hobbies. Nevertheless, the first scene with the protagonist shows Jack, his wife, and his daughter finishing a late-night game. This one scene helps establish Jack’s normal life before the world started falling apart. It thus gives us an idea of what he’s fighting to get back through the whole first season.

Even if your story is very dark and the adventure extremely perilous, I would really encourage you to figure out some hobby or interest your character has to make him more personable. This is especially true if the world is very different from our own, because the character’s chosen entertainment could be used to show how foreign or similar that world is to ours. For example, a sorcerer in a fantasy adventure might enjoy magical sculpting – which might be a sort of enchanted pottery making. Or maybe he enjoys reading books of far-off adventure. In the first case, the hero has a hobby similar to one found in our world, but he clearly lives in a different reality. In the latter scenario, the sorcerer has an interest akin to that of your readers, making him relatable despite his extraordinary talents. Both are useful, depending on what you’re trying to accomplish.

That’s all for now, and possibly for a while. My wife and I are expecting our fourth child in a few weeks. Being a stay-at-home dad with four children ages 6 and under (and homeschooling the oldest two) will mean I won’t have much time to make regular updates at A3. So after two years of storyworld contributions, I’ll be taking a sabbatical for a little while. In the meantime, if there are any particular topics you’d like to see covered in the future, please leave a comment below and I can cover that subject when I return! Thanks guya and gals!

 

Ghost Brigades Image from: http://www.alisoneldred.com/imageJohnHarris-Illustration-2-58.html

Pig Bladder Kicking Picture from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/270638258827560791/

24 Family Picture from: http://www.buddytv.com/articles/24/hottest-tv-dads-jack-bauer-24-17503.aspx

 

Categories
The Writer's PenCase

What Fuels Your Ideas?

early editionWhere do you get your inspiration? For me, it can something as simple as a “what if” question to change a story that’s already been written. OR, my mind thinks about an update.

As a mental exercise, I’ve done two updates. I’ve not written these down, but who knows if I’ll ever do them or not?

I’ve often wondered what the modern version of 1990s TV’s “Early Edition” would be like today? That show ran from 1996-2000. The premise: divorced stock broker Gary Hobson gets tomorrow’s newspaper, in this case, The Chicago Sun Times, today. I loved that show, and often wondered how technology would change it. The last episode showed how Gary was chosen to receive the newspaper, and how he chose who would get the newspaper next.

Continue reading “What Fuels Your Ideas?”
Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Jobs in your “Inbox” and more

Magazine writing jobs sent straight to your inbox? Yes, it is true. I get them every morning. So how can you get them?

We know that surfing the internet can wipe us out.   With millions of articles, and people contributing to this sea of information, how do we fish out what we need?  As I began my search, I was overwhelmed by all the sites on freelance writing; I felt like I was drowning. I made the pond smaller by narrowing my search to, “list of freelance writing jobs.” To save you time, I hooked a few valuable sites, along with other resources, that could land you writing jobs.

Websites

There are many websites that you can subscribe to that will send writing opportunities directly to your email. Some sites charge a small fee to apply for the job or use the site. Most are free. Here is a very short list to get you started.

Freelancewriting.com–   I subscribe to their Morning Coffee enewsletter. It is a great resource for writing jobs. Brian Scott has done all the work for us. His morning newsletter has sections for contests, writing gigs, and a Call for Submission section.   From time to time he sends out an email with time- sensitive requests. He lists magazines needing a last- minute article. This e mail comes to you every morning.

Freelancewritinggigs.com– A great place to find writing jobs. Check out the “Resources for Writers” tab while you are there.

Outsoure.com- This website allows you to bid on freelance jobs. The variety of jobs is amazing. Everything from blogs, magazine articles and medical magazines.

Freelancer.com- This is a free monthly trial website. Ultimately you will pay to submit for jobs.

Remember, this is a very short list. For more information you can brave the waters and do your own internet search for writing jobs. Don’t forget to subscribe to each sites job list. Writing jobs can also be found in your local newspaper, online Job sites (i.e. Indeed, Monster, etc.) and also craigslist will post freelancing jobs.

Books-    Although these books do not send information directly to your inbox, you can find a list of magazines along with the submission requirements.

2015 Writer’s Market: The Most Trusted Guide to Getting Published- This book is a wealth of information for every writer. There is a section just for magazines.

The Christian Writers Market Guide– Similar to the Writers Market Guide, this book is specific for the Christian writing community.   You can only order on line at www.jerryjenkins.com/guide

YOU

Let others know that you write. You are your best resource. You have an intimate knowledge of the subject. I attended a local social media class, stated I was a writer and was approached by two people to write for their publication.

No matter where you are in your writing career there will always be more to learn. The number of websites and people looking for writers like you increases daily.   Keep learning and growing.   Please share your successes and bumps in the road.   We are all here to learn from each other.

My next article will describe the Query letter and its importance. Your Query letter sells you and your article idea.   Please pass the word to your friends. A3 is the place to be.

Categories
Child's Craft

Get in Here!

My husband and I recently spent a few days in Napa Valley. We stayed in a quaint Bed and Breakfast on the edge of downtown Napa. I was excited to don my running attire and explore the town that morning and what a beautiful town it was!

The town was built along the river, so naturally restaurants, Inns and condos lined the River Brick walk. I loved the unique restaurants and shops beckoning one to enter. I loved the signs and the dance lessons on the sidewalk. That’s right. A permanent etching in stone demonstrated how to do the Cha-Cha. Loved that. It kind of made me want to do the Cha- Cha.

As I kept running, I noticed a sign pointing into an establishment that read, “Get in Here!” with an arrow pointing the way. By golly, I felt like I needed to get in there.  I believe it was a coffee shop. What was it about those words that summoned me in over all the other inviting signs and establishments? After all, those are the words that an angry parent uses to a child that has done something wrong. That instance may evoke terror. I didn’t feel that at all.

Those words seemed to signify more that something exciting was happening inside that I wouldn’t want to miss. That there was an occasion, an event and I had received an invitation. It seemed to demonstrate that my presence was requested. Whatever I was looking for could be found inside.

Do your books do that? If you write for children, is there something about your book that beckons a child to enter or beckons a parent to want their child to enter into the world your book creates? Is there anything about your book that would cause it to be picked up over another one? If a parent is browsing a book store, would your book stand out to them?

What about your proposals? Is there anything within your proposal that would jump out at an editor or editorial board? They look at gazillions of proposals. What is it about yours that says, “Get in here! You don’t want to miss this!”

Beyond your hook, the ‘specifics’ section of your proposal is where you mention this. Point out what makes your book different. Is there a character that children may relate to? Is there rhyme that catches a child’s ear? A pull-out that children may post on their walls? A lesson hidden within the text that parents may love? Does it evoke an emotion? Cause children to think of others in new lights? Does it highlight a holiday in a new way? Spark an interest in scripture? Does it conjure up parent and child interactions? Perhaps it may cause children to ask more questions?

If you don’t have a hook to draw people in, work on it a little bit more. Look through books that lure you in. What made you pick certain books for your children? What books do they already enjoy and why do you think that is so?

Once your proposal has piqued an editor’s interest, will the story hold her attention? Is your story written well? And by well, I mean perfectly. Editors don’t have time for multiple fixes and rewrites. Send them the already fixed and rewritten manuscript.

Does this manuscript elicit emotions, laughter, spark pleasant memories? Is it creative? Different from other stories out there? How so? This goes in the ‘comparison’ section of your proposal. Note what is already published and why yours still needs to be out there. Do your homework and discover what is already published similar to yours. What does yours offer that the others don’t?

Your proposal and manuscript should both work together to appeal to first the editors and publishing houses and then to the buyers and readers. Both should be written as if to say, “Get in here! You don’t want to miss this!”

Categories
Storyworld

Anatomy of Grays: Sex

AnatomyGraysSex

Jim held a gray spheroid up to the light. “So Doc, you’re saying the sex of this alien was actually female?”

“That is perhaps an overstatement. This is clearly an egg we retrieved from the deceased Sharalla pilot. While this may indicate a female of the species, their biology is unlike anything we’ve encountered. For all we know, the males carry the fertilized eggs, as in some of Earth’s aquatic wildlife.”

Jim lowered the egg, which had the size, heft, and texture of a softball. “You’re not saying this thing is fertilized are you?”

The doctor shook his head. “Our scientific team has concluded it most certainly is not. We wouldn’t let you handle it otherwise.”

The little rock wiggled itself in Jim’s hand, producing a breathless stare from Doctor Stein.

“Ahh,” Jim sighed in mock contentment, “ the certainty of science.”

 

What better way to spend the day before Valentine’s than talking about alien sex and reproduction? Seriously though, the method of reproduction in an alien species dictates much of its culture, so it bears at least some consideration in your storyworld.

Assuming your creatures have some form of sex to reproduce (and don’t just materialize or breed asexually), you’ll need to figure out how they do it. Generally, it will involve some form of fertilization, the method in which sex cells, containing half the genetic composition of each parent, unite to form a new, unique member of the species. This is broadly separated into two categories: external fertilization and internal fertilization.

External Fertilization

External fertilization is a form of sex that is mostly reserved to earth’s fish. While from our view, this seems impersonal, it doesn’t have to be. Granted, there doesn’t seem to be much intimacy between two fish, but there is sometimes a loyalty to the young. The male Siamese Fighting Fish will tirelessly guard over its eggs, ensuring they remain in a nest of bubbles until they hatch. Male seahorses will care for their fertilized eggs in a special pouch. Cichlids are fish that keep their eggs in their mouths, and continued to do so until they’ve not only hatched, but are old enough to fend for themselves.

If you introduce a sentient (and somewhat relatable) alien species with external fertilization, it would probably be best to model it after one of these more maternal or paternal species on earth. That is, unless you’re trying to create a heartless society of extraterrestrials. In that case, spawning massive numbers of progeny at random might fit better.

Internal Fertilization

This is the section that might get me fired from my position at A3. I’m kidding, I’m kidding – you can’t fire someone who works for free … I think. Anyway, internal fertilization is when male sex cells enter the female’s body and find the female sex cell(s). They combine and form a new life, starting as a zygote and eventually either hatching into the world, or emerging via the birth canal.

Which brings up the next distinction, whether or not the animal lays an egg or cares for the embryo in an internal placenta. Some examples of egg-laying creatures on earth are reptiles and birds. If your alien species lays an egg, you’ll have to decide the level of involvement you want the parents to have in guarding that egg. Some birds like the hornbill are very protective of their eggs. So much so that the female blocks herself off in a tree hole and entirely depends on her mate to bring her food. Others, like sea turtles, bury their eggs in the sand and then leave, hoping for the best (there may be a reason they’re so endangered). Rattlesnakes are odd egg layers though, since they don’t really lay eggs, but keep the eggs internally until they hatch. While that may sound like a live birth, the eggs are still self-sustaining, meaning no nutrients pass from mother to child.

And that’s actually one of the distinguishing features of sex and reproduction in a mammal – the placenta. When a mammal baby develops in the womb, it receives nutrients from its mother until ready for birth. Even then, female mammals provide milk for their young with their mammary glands (breasts in humans, udders in cows and pigs, etc.).

Sex Between Species

While forbidden in Leviticus 19, sex between two different species occasionally produces a hybrid creature. Probably most well known is the mule, a cross between a donkey and a horse. Additionally, ligers are crosses between tigers and lions, and according to liger scholar and artist Napoleon Dynamite, they’re bred for their skills in magic. There are a lot of different hybrids out there, including zonkeys , dzos, and other strange creatures. Usually the two parents need a similar number of chromosomes, and even then the result is typically a sterile creature. Sometimes though, intentionally breeding two species results in a very, very bad hybrid, such as the killer bee. Yes, thank science for producing a species of insect capable of killing thousands of humans and livestock … and then accidentally releasing them from quarantine -whoops.

Sometimes in sci-fi and fantasy literature you’ll see a hybrid race. The most obvious that comes to my mind is the Half-Elf. Born of human and elven parentage, these half-races display characteristics of each. But in a sci-fi or fantasy world, you can’t assume that every alien species can intermingle with every other. In Michael A. Stackpole’s X-Wing series, one of his protagonists humorously recounts a bad memory of having sex with an alien. The two hadn’t considered the delicate pH balance in that… region. And as a result, both partners developed severe rashes and some other, ahem, unpleasant side effects.

Sex and Culture

As I said in my intro, sex (and marriage) is a huge factor that dictates how a culture operates. How do two individuals in a species find a mate? How do they produce offspring? How do they care for their offspring? Is there sexual deviancy and abuse? While these are all major questions that deserve an entire column this column has mostly addressed biology. Fear not though, I will address them in the future. So if this article interests you, be on the watch for my sex and worldbuilding article in the next few months.

There, I made it through an entire column dedicated to sex without once mentioning the words vagina or penis. Oh! Darn. Well, almost.

Next month we’ll continue our anatomy series and tackle the neuroendocrine system! Yeah, that’s basically just a fancy word for evaluating how an alien thinks and feels.

 

Photo Credits:

Birds and Bees Photo: http://www.evilenglish.net/the-birds-and-the-bees/

 

Siamese Fighting Fish Photo (Also great resource regarding these cool fish): http://dkphoto.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Siamese-Fighting-Fish-Life-Cycle/G0000_kRdp2qXrtk/I0000qlzVaRnV4Qw/C0000NHUtq8T1jVw

 

Napoleon Dynamite Inspired Liger Drawing: https://www.flickr.com/photos/51035597721@N01/5266903