Tag: critique group

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Devotions for Writers

Creating Community

devotions

A visit with college buddies reminded me of the bonds we create over shared experiences. The photo album teased of younger days and adventurous ways. We laughed at hair styles and commiserated over the drama of life. What kept hearts united after thirty years of separation?

It’s that thing called community—the place where we invest in each other’s dreams and aspirations, celebrate successes and mourn losses.

When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:12 NLT

Exercise:

1. Writers at all levels need a support system. Be a writer who champions other writers. (Almost an Author) Be their cheerleader. See how it returns to encourage you as well.

Encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

2. Are you a part of a writers’ group? If yes, how do you speak life into the others? If no, why not start a group? Choose a location, time, and advertise. Have a dessert, a short lesson, a fifteen-minute writing exercise, and prayer. The effort of showing up results in a forged bond of friendship that celebrates words.

Let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on. Hebrews 10:22-25 MSG

3. Pray for other writers. Ask God to inspire their words, provide creative outlets, and multiply their influence. Prayer banishes jealousy and pushes out competition. It affirms there is room at the table for all. Let prayer build your esteem for yourself and others. Let it embolden you to be God’s ambassador with your words

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly. Ephesians 6:18-20 NIV

Your words matter. May they be used to build relationships, kinship, and prayer.

How will you create community for other writers?

Sally Ferguson

Over 140 of Sally Ferguson’s devotionals have been published in Pathways to God (Warner Press). She’s also written for Light From The Word, Chautauqua Mirror, Just Between Us, Adult Span Curriculum, Thriving Family, Upgrade with Dawn and ezinearticles.com. Prose Contest Winner at 2017 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference.

Sally loves organizing retreats and seeing relationships blossom in time away from the daily routine. Her ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat is available on Amazon.

Sally Ferguson lives in the beautiful countryside of Jamestown, NY with her husband and her dad.

Visit Sally’s blog at sallyferguson.net

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Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for June, Part 1

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.”

7 Ways to Destroy Your Speaking Career with Lucinda Secrest McDowell

It’s often been said that some speakers are writer, but all writers must speak. Whether you dream of speaking before large audiences one day or know that you have to speak as part of promoting your book, this episode is one you’ll want to watch. Lucinda shares seven tips on what NOT to do as well as seven positive things you should do to have event planners asking for you. Be sure to check out the replay and get tips on how to become a good speaker.

Watch the June 1st replay.

Lucinda Secrest McDowell is a storyteller and seasoned mentor who engages both heart and mind while “Helping You Choose a Life of Serenity & Strength.” She is an award-winning author which includes the Mt. Hermon “Writer of the Year” award. Whether coaching writers and speakers, pouring into young mamas, or leading a restorative day of prayer, Lucinda is energized by investing in people of all ages. As a communications teacher, she has served on the faculty of many writing and speaking conferences. You can connect with Lucinda on social media or at lucindasecrestmcdowell.com.

Word Weavers International: Why Critique is Vital to the Growing Writer

With Eva Maria Everson

Are you part of a critique group? Or are you like so many who shy away because they feel like they don’t know how to critique someone else’s writing? In this episode Eva Marie shares with us about the three pillars of Word Weavers International, community, critique, and conferences. In a critique group you are in a community that understands you and will encourage you. Critiquing the “cold sandwich” way helps and encourages writers to put their best foot forward at conferences. Whether you’re a fellow Word Weaver or in not, this episode is packed full of great advice and you will want to catch the replay for sure.

Watch the June 8th replay.

Bio

Eva Marie Everson is the multiple award-winning, bestselling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She is the president of Word Weavers International, the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference, the managing editor of Firefly Southern Fiction, and the contest director for Blue Ridge Mountains CWC (the Selah Awards/The Foundations). Eva Marie and her husband make their home in Central Florida where they enjoy their children and grandchildren. They are owned by one sassy cat. You can connect with Eva Marie on social media or at evamarieeversonauthor.com.

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

Categories
Writer Encouragement

No Turning Back

After conquering the first challenging rock face, I paused to look down at the path we had just climbed. Quitting was not an option. Going backwards at this point felt like a death wish. Edging down the cliff on slick sandstone outcroppings with my bum knee that could go out any moment? No way. What choice did I have but to go forward? My son assured me we were nearly past the difficult part and beyond the next rise we would start the journey downward by a much easier route.

I wasn’t sure I could make the journey ahead of me, but I had gone too far to turn back now. I forged ahead and with much help from my family, I finished the hike, exhausted but happy.

As serious writers, we can set up circumstances in our lives that will, in effect, place us in a position of no turning back from our writing journey. Most of us feel pressure to meet certain expectations—either our own expectations or those placed upon us by others. Commitments, deadlines, and goal setting can provide accountability and lead us forward. We may have to stretch ourselves and ask for help from family and friends, but if we press on, a tipping point will come. It will become easier to keep writing than to quit.

Reverse Engineer Expectations

Someone discovers your talent for cooking or sewing or anything slightly unique, and from then on, they expect you to complete a certain task, whether you want to or not. Ever happen to you?

A trivial example from my life is baking pecan pie—well, okay, pecan pie is not trivial. Apparently, I make the best pecan pie of anyone on both sides of my extended family, so for years and to this day, it’s my job to bake the pecan pies for our family holidays. No one cares whether I might like to try chocolate pie or blueberry pie or any other dessert. I’m great at pecan pie and that’s what they expect from me, so I do it because— “Tradition!” (You should be hearing the theme from Fiddler on the Roof.)

The point is, for the most part, we do what is expected of us, and we can turn this to our advantage. What do we want people to expect from us? I desire to write regularly and to share with an audience to bless, encourage, and/or inform them in some way. How can I find a group or a person who will require my writing? Of course, we’d all love to have a publisher pay us, but until we get there, I have a few suggestions that will put good pressure on us to write regularly.

Join a Critique Group

Joining a critique group has many advantages over Lone Ranger writing. We may be introverts, but until we reach Stephen King status, most of us need the help of others to keep growing and stay energized.

Critique groups, like authors, come in many different shapes and colors. Search the web for local writers’ critique groups or ask around in your online writers’ groups until you find one that fits your personality. I was happy to find a group requiring a certain level of commitment. As a kid in school, I always did my homework, so if a group is requiring a submission from me each month, I will complete the assignment. This is one way to reverse engineer the kind of pressure you want for the sake of motivation.

Find a Deadline, Submit, and Start Small

Once you have a critique group, you can get help with submissions to publishers. Using the Writer’s Market Guide or online research, find deadlines listed by publishers for submissions. Some accept freelance submissions year-round, others have submission periods certain times of the year, and contests have definite deadlines. Allow plenty of lead time before any publisher or contest deadlines and ask your critique group to give you feedback on your future submissions.

If you’re an unpublished beginner, start with short submissions for devotions or magazine articles and volunteer to write for church or non-profit publications. It’s wonderful to receive pay, but in the early stages of your career, being published is valuable in itself.

Set Goals

In addition to the requirements of a critique group or publishers, we need to create our own goals and expectations. It’s easier to fulfill the expectations of others, but I am praying for the self-discipline to achieve my personal goals. List your goals and keep track of them; for example, I plan to have at least twelve submissions out at all times. As soon as I receive a rejection, I send out another submission.

If twelve sounds daunting, set a lower number. Plan your days and set word count goals, submissions goals, or simply commit to spending a certain number of hours per day writing. Ultimately, while God is in charge of our destiny, we are in charge of our daily decision-making. Like my rock-climbing experience, once you make it to a certain level in your writing journey, it becomes easier to keep moving forward than to turn back.

What helps you stay motivated to write? Do you tend to meet the expectations of others more than your own? I’d love to hear your comments.

In 1996, Susan E. Brooks moved to Mozambique, Africa, with her family where she taught art and English at an international high school and started journaling about her adventures. Her stories of struggles and victories in Mozambique are now published on her blog in a series entitled “Mozambican Odyssey.” She has since lived in Portugal, Ghana, and Cyprus, as well as in her home state of Kentucky, USA.

Meanwhile, nine grandchildren have come along, and she is inspired to write and illustrate a children’s book for each of them. Susan has self-published four children’s books so far.

In recent years, her stories have been published by Peace Catalyst International and in an anthology entitled Prayer Warrior Confessions. Follow Susan’s adventures and her art on her websiteL susanebrooks.com, Facebook susanbrooksart, and on Instagram @sebrooks81.

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
Embrace the Wait

Survival Tips for the Waiting Part of Writing Tip #14 – Stay on Mission

I’m writing this post at a time when our world is in shut-down mode. Stores are closing their doors, travel has been restricted, and the term self-quarantine has suddenly risen from the shadows of the past and roosted in our everyday vernacular. Life right now seems like a sci-fi WIP—being written by a pantser. And yet again there’s the … waiting. Waiting for answers, waiting for a cure, waiting for some assurance that this virus won’t be the tiny straw that breaks the world’s hope.

Ah, but we know the true author of the story, and we know that He is where our hope lies. None of this has taken God by surprise. He’s still on His throne and still in control. So, what do we do during our time of waiting?

Here are a few tips to help us stay on mission.

  1. – Social distancing does not have to keep us apart. Can you imagine how much more difficult the separation would be if we did not have the benefit of technology? I shudder at the thought. Now is the time to take full advantage of every online networking opportunity available. Our connections with each other are vital to God’s plan. He created each of us to fit together like puzzle pieces for His purposes. Wouldn’t it be just like the enemy, that schemer, to use this time to divide and conquer us? We can’t let him. We must choose to band together in every safe and possible way. I’ve added some links below to help with this.
  2. It has been said that the instruction to fear not occurs exactly 365 times in the Bible. I’ve not counted these occurrences for myself, but I believe it. It’s as if God doesn’t want us to live one single day in fear, so he gives us a verse for each day.  One important thing I’m learning about fear is that it has zero power in my life when it is brought into the presence of God’s perfect love. His perfect love casts out all fear. But wrangling that fear from the confines of my worry and anxiety and casting it into the truth of God’s love—requires trust. In this time of uncertainty, when it’s hard to discern truth from fiction, one thing is sure. We have a God who can be trusted. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. May we all move into that trust and away from fear.
  3. Many of us have extra time on our hands now that the demands of our overly-busy lives have been temporarily suspended. With fear out of the way, let’s use the spare time to move forward into our callings. Let’s draw near to God, deepen the relationships we have with our families, write something every day. Remember, this period of waiting is not a bump in the road—It’s a springboard. As C.S. Lewis once said, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”

Scripture: 1 John 4:18, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Fun Fact or Helpful Resource:

Here are some great ways to connect with others online:

  1. Join a critique group where you can share your work with other writers and receive valuable feedback. There are many out there. But Word Weavers Intl. is my fave.
  2. There are private writers’ groups and clubs you can join online. Serious Writer has a club that I love. They not only provide networking opportunities, they offer training and other amazing perks.

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
Mastering Middle Grade

My Fifth Anniversary

As an adult, writing has been a mainstay of my professional career. I majored in journalism, interned at newspapers, worked at magazines and television stations, then migrated to marketing and freelance copywriting. For twenty-plus years, I’ve used words to persuade someone to do or buy something.

I enjoyed writing, I felt competent, but something was missing. If it weren’t for the occasional journal entry or poem I drafted here and there, my relationship with writing was transaction-based. I wrote. I revised. I collected a paycheck.

Even though I was always happy and thankful about my ability to write as part of my day job, something was missing. I felt restless and frustrated. I had ideas and characters in my head who wanted to play, but there was no room in my day job for them.

I kept on writing website copy, marketing presentations, or ghostwriting blog posts. One night, after everybody was tucked in and asleep, I started writing a story. Nobody was paying me to write it. There was no deadline attached to it. It was a creation of my own with no other purpose but to enjoy the discipline and freedom of writing.

Now it’s March 2020. Although I haven’t yet sold that first manuscript, I’ve finished a couple of others since then. I know I still have much to learn, but here are a few things I wish I’d known five years ago.

1) Critique groups are crucial. 

In my corporate and freelance world, I “routed” copy to other team members to make sure it was factually accurate and error-free. Even though it was time consuming and occasionally painful, receiving feedback made my writing stronger. For the life of me I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to do that with my first manuscript.

I entered my first writing competition in March 2015 with a rough draft. My first manuscript didn’t get seen by another living soul until I met my first critique group at the SCBWI conference later that year. Until that conference, I’d never heard of critique groups. Now I can’t live without them. Like the “routing” teams in my past 9-5 life, critique groups exist to make the work better. They bring fresh eyes and perspective and catch things I would have otherwise missed.

2) Critique groups are not interested in stealing your work.

Tell a non-writer about your critique group and they’ll probably ask you if you’re afraid someone will steal your idea. Take comfort in this knowledge: Writers in a critique group understand what being a writer is about. They know how hard it is to write. They want to see you succeed – not plagiarize from you.

3) Comparing yourself to other writers is a waste of time and energy.

Over the past five years, I’ve met all kinds of writers. They each have a different story to tell about their path to publication. Some publication stories are dreamy, some are fraught with obstacle after obstacle. Other stories are relatively short and sweet. Nobody else’s publication story will be exactly like yours. Mine is a work in progress, and not only am I okay with that, I’m excited about it. My journey is as unique as I am. Yours will be as unique as you are. There’s room for all of us. Embrace that and don’t worry about what other writers are doing.

What I love most about this writing life is the opportunity to learn from and connect with other writers. I’d love to learn from you too! Introduce yourself in the comments below or on Instagram at @klmckinneywrites.

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

Categories
The Intentional Writer

How to be a Helpful Critique Partner

The intentional writer

Last month I talked about how useful critiques are for writers, because they provide important feedback that helps us improve our craft and clarify our message.

Writers must learn how to accept critiques. We must also learn how to critique the work of others in a way that is loving and helpful. These principles can help you become a better critique partner.

Principles to help you give helpful critiques

  • Be encouraging. The ancient oath for physicians included the promise, “First, do no harm.” It is a useful reminder for critiquing the precious work of a fellow angst-filled writer. Always find something positive to say! It’s easy to focus on what is wrong, or what needs to be improved. Make the effort to note what is working, what you like, what made you laugh, and the insights that touched you.
  • Ask what kind of feedback the writer is looking for. This will vary depending on where the piece is in the process. In a first draft the writer may be testing out a character or plot idea. In a later draft she may be more concerned with getting a description just right. It’s easier to give useful feedback when you know what to look for, so ask.
  • Be fair and reasonable. Don’t compare the work being critiqued with your favorite author. Teachers don’t expect a third-grader to write a story as well as a tenth-grader. In the same vein, you should try to give feedback in keeping with the level of the writer, not expect them to attain standards that are beyond their current skill. Consider what criticism will help them take the next small step toward better writer. Look for a key area where they might grow and suggest how they could improve in that area.  
  • Don’t focus solely on the obvious. Typos, grammar, and incorrect facts are easy to catch. Try to look beyond them to what else is there, such as structure, characterization, motives, world-building, theme, etc.
  • Notice what isn’t clear or what doesn’t make sense. A piece of writing is only effective it if communicates what it’s meant to communicate. All writers need feedback to ensure they are getting their message across.
  • Notice what is missing. We all have some aspects of writing we tend to skip. For example, my critique partner is always asking me, “How does he feel when that happened?” She helps me remember to include the emotions I would otherwise ignore.
  • Notice what doesn’t feel right. Is the heroine acting out of character in this scene? Does the action seem unbelievable? Does the voice not come through like it did in the last scene?
  • Notice how the writing makes you feel. What emotions does the piece evoke? Do you like the characters or not? Are you intrigued or tempted to skim over stuff? Do you sense something ominous? This may be helpful feedback, so pay attention as you read.
  • Whenever possible, read through the piece more than once. That gives you a chance to focus on different facets of the writing with each pass.
  • Finally, remember your ultimate goal is to inspire, encourage, and enable growth. Be kind. Be encouraging. But also provide honest and constructive input that can help the writer take their piece to the next level.

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
Embrace the Wait

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories
A Pinch of Poetry

10 Tips for Beginning (and Expert) Poets

Are you interested in trying to write poetry for the first time? Or maybe you’ve been writing poetry but haven’t totally committed yourself to it.

To help you sharpen your poetic skills, I’ve compiled a list of 10 tips (including links to helpful resources) that every beginning and expert poet needs to consider. Because writing is a continuous learning process, you can always build on your skill level whatever it may be.

  1. Read poetry. A golden rule of any kind of writing is that you should become an avid reader, especially of the genre that you write. You will learn more about conventions, style and structure simply by reading the published works of others.
  2. Learn techniques. Poetry is a unique genre that utilizes special techniques. If you pay attention to my blog, I occasionally do mini-lessons on poetic techniques and devices. You also can find a plethora of information on the web.
  3. Practice poetry. You’ll never learn to write poetry (or any art) if you don’t practice. Don’t let fear hold you back from releasing your creativity.
  4. Connect with other poets. Surrounding yourself with people who enjoy poetry, and particularly those who write it, will encourage you. You’ll learn things about the craft simply from mingling with them. Even in the writing community, a poet can feel isolated at times because poetry is that exceptional. Just like artists and musicians, poets need to connect with other poets.

[bctt tweet=”Just like any artists, poets need to connect with other poets. #poetry #poets”]

  1. Get feedback. As scary as it can be, feedback is the foundation of a growing writer. Don’t be afraid to share your poetry with others. Join a critique group. Then buckle up and ask for honest feedback. You’ll find that every bit of advice will help strengthen your skill.
  2. Take a class. Check with the local library for poetry events and classes. Most of these are free for members. Also, writing conferences and workshops happen throughout the year, and some offer sessions on poetry. Occasionally you can find free online classes for creative writing as well.
  3. Attend a poetry event. Poetry readings happen in various places locally: schools, libraries, coffee shops, churches and more. Be on the lookout for these types of happenings. Again, immersing yourself in a community of poets will stimulate creativity and inspire you.
  4. Use a model. Poetry takes on many forms, such as haiku and sonnet. Find a form you feel comfortable trying and do a little search to find examples or steps to follow. Free verse is the most flexible, but trying a new form will broaden your expertise.
  5. Listen to music. Song lyrics are poetry in musical form. By studying some of your favorite songs, you will learn more about poetic techniques.
  6. Read poetry. No it’s not a typo. In order to be a poet, you have to read poetry. You’ll learn a lot just by reading others’ works. The nice thing about poetry is that it’s readable over a lunch break or during extended waits at the doctor’s office.

[bctt tweet=”If you want to write poetry, you have to read it! #poets #poetry”]

Regrettably, I can only offer a limited lifetime guarantee on my tips. Simply know that each of these things has made a difference in my own poetic journey. My hope is that they will help you on yours too.

If you have any additional tips, I’d love to hear them! Please share them in the comment section below.

Categories
Platform and Branding

3 Can’t-Miss Tips For Steady Platform Growth

Smart writers invest in workshops, courses, and conferences. Smart and savvy writers will also invest time in building their platforms. These three steps repeated weekly, monthly or quarterly will ensure your platform grows at a steady rate.

Review Your Strategies

Look back over your blog and social media analytics. What content performed best for you? What networks gave your best results? Build on those strengths while taking a critical look at what didn’t perform as well. Should you make tweaks and try to improve, or abandon a failing strategy?

Numbers don’t lie, especially analytics, and so you’ll discover which social media networks fit best in your platform. Where are your readers? Where and how are you getting the best engagement? If a network isn’t getting the engagement you expected, what tweaks do you need to make?

Set SMART goals

Peter Drucker’s SMART management tool works well when setting platform goals:

  • Specific – Determine how much and what you will write, how you will network, what skills you need to learn, etc.
  • Measurable – Set goals for word count, number of articles to submit, posts to publish, manuscript progress, etc.
  • Attainable – Decide what works for you and your schedule, being careful to strike a balance that’s ambitious but also realistic.
  • Relevant – Goals must be timely and meaningful, moving you toward an identified objective.
  • Time-bound – Give yourself deadlines: daily (if appropriate), weekly, monthly, quarterly.

Don’t Neglect Relationships

Writing requires a good bit of solitary confinement, and it can be easy to retreat into your writing shell and neglect relationships. I need a good balance of non-writing friends who I can relax with, but I also deliberately cultivate friendships with other writers who understand the struggles and challenges of writing.

Consider joining a writing group or getting a critique partner. Find writer friends who will understand your goals and hold you accountable. Connect regularly to check progress and encourage each other.

 

Steady platform growth

Building your platform requires an investment of time and energy, along with regular evaluations. Set goals, connect with others, and know where you want to go with your writing. If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.

Shareables:

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[bctt tweet=”SMART #platform goals for every #writer, via@3forme and @susanrstilwell ” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”3 Tips for steady #platform growth for #writers, via @3forme @susanrstilwell ” via=”no”]

Categories
Write Justified

Look Back to Move Ahead

A few days before the deadline for this blog I had some time to begin thinking about the next year and the goals I would set for myself as a writer in 2016. Naturally, I looked at the goals I’d set for 2015 as a starting point. True confessions, here. I didn’t do great at achieving the goals I’d set for myself last year.

Oh, I can rationalize that personally last year held more drama and transition than I could have foreseen. Job loss and a major move count for something, don’t they? Who wouldn’t have abandoned some goals in the face of that kind of upheaval.

Yet, honesty compels me to acknowledge that one of the primary reasons I didn’t meet more of my goals is fear. I know I’m not alone as a writer in struggling with fear. I’ve read enough other writers’ blogs and published authors to know that all of us who aspire to put ourselves out there in print for the world to see cringe at the prospect of being misunderstood, ridiculed, or both. It’s much easier for me to wield an editor’s pen than to submit my own prose to others probing, critical eyes.

I could continue to berate myself for not blogging regularly, not attempting to submit more articles for publication, or not joining the professional editor’s group I’ve considered joining for three years, but still haven’t invested the funds. It may be more helpful, however, to recall the small steps I’ve taken in the last year:

  • I took the Goodreads Book Challenge and set a modest goal of reading 15 books in 2015. By early summer I had reached that number. By year’s end I’d read more than 30.
  • Included in those 30 reads of 2015 are a few that took me outside my usual nonfiction genre of history, biography-memoir, spirituality. I dipped a toe into horror with Stephen King’s The Shining and magic realism with Eowyn Ivey’s The Snow Child. Though reading outside my usual interests wasn’t a goal I’d specifically set for myself, I claim it as a small step of progress in expanding my awareness of what constitutes good writing—an essential element in being a good writer.
  • Connecting with other writers was at the top of my list when making the adjustment to our new home. I’m grateful to have found A3 this year, as well as a local chapter of Word Weavers, a Christian critique group.  The friendship and sounding board these writers provide are a sweet blessing on my journey.
  • I submitted two pieces for publication in 2015; one was accepted. That’s an acceptance rate I can live with. The challenge in the year ahead is to be a bit more productive than that.

[bctt tweet=”Setting goals is essential to realizing our hopes and aspirations.”] Michael Hyatt says they are a prerequisite to happiness and offers five principles for goal setting. To these I would add, [bctt tweet=”…celebrate small accomplishments. For small successes are a great antidote to fear.”]