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The Intentional Writer

Do You Understand Copyrights?

The intentional writer

As writers, we are concerned about protecting our work from theft or misuse. That is why we should have a general understanding of copyright laws.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer. This post is intended as a guide to understanding the basics of this topic. If you have actual copyright questions, please contact an expert.

What is a copyright?

According to the Wikipedia entry for Copyright:

Copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to make copies of a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form.

(Although lengthy, this article provides a good foundation for understanding what the concept of copyright is all about. I recommend you take a look.)

Do I need to apply for a copyright to protect my work?

No. Under current law, as soon as a creative work is “fixed”, or recorded in some tangible way, then copyright protection is automatically in force. Therefore as soon as you write your ideas down or type them on your computer, they are theoretically protected. Authors do not need to apply for a copyright or include a copyright notation on their work. (An older version of the law did require authors to include a copyright notation.)

However, an author’s protection is enhanced when the work is officially registered with the Copyright Office. This can be done online at copyright.gov, but it requires a fee.

Note: A registered copyright only protects the copy you registered. Therefore it makes no sense to apply for copyrights for unfinished works.

What constitutes copyright infringement?

This is where many of us may run into problems. We know better than to plagiarize another author’s writing, but what about grabbing a photo off the web to use in our blog, or borrowing a song to use in a video?

Like writing, other forms of intellectual property are protected by copyright laws. Artwork, photos, music, videos, and performances are considered copyrighted. Which means we don’t have permission to use them unless that permission has been granted by the owner.

How can I use copyrighted material?

  • You can contact the owner and ask for permission.
  • You can purchase the rights, such as buying a stock photo.
  • The law makes an exception for fair use. (See below.)
  • Also, some material has been assigned a Creative Commons license. This is a standardized way for copyright owners to grant permission for others to use their work. (See below.)

What is fair use?

The Copyright Act of 1976 allows for limited copying and distribution of copyrighted material under what is termed “fair use.” However, it can be tricky to determine what does or does not qualify as fair use. Factors to consider include the purpose for which the copies are being used, the proportion of the work that is being used, and how the use might affect the market value of the work.

What are Creative Commons licenses about?

There are six different types of Creative Commons licenses, each of which have different stipulations about what uses are allowed and how the owner of the work should be attributed. These are clearly explained on the Creative Commons website.

Reputable sources of photos, music, or other creative works will indicate which license applies to each item. You should assume that anything on the web not labeled public domain or marked with a CC license is not available for use.

Like most of the information on Wikipedia, the copyright definition I copied in this post falls under a Creative Commons license. Specifically CC 3.0 (CC BY-SA) which states that credit must be given to the author, as I have done by including a hyperlink to the original article.

What is a derivative work?

Some CC licenses do not allow derivative works. A derivative work is something that has been derived from the original. In other words, a work that adapts the original work in some way. For example, taking a photo and adding text to it, as is demonstrated by the featured image on this post.

Some CC licenses specify non-commercial use only. What does that mean?

Non-commercial uses refers to using the material for personal or educational purposes only, without the end product being sold or used for the marketing of a salable product.

Commercial use includes the obvious: the material is being used on or in a product. It also includes any instance where the creative property is being used for any purpose that enables you to make money.

For example, a book trailer is commercial use because it is advertising a product. A blog that makes you money, such as one with affiliate links, is also considered commercial use.

If you are working on a website or anything that may be connected with selling your work, now or in the future, it’s a good idea to stay on the safe side and limit yourself to works that allow commercial use.

I hope this helps you understand the world of copyrights, so that you can honor the intellectual property of others as ethically as you wish your rights to be honored.

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.

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The Intentional Writer

Lead Magnets 101:A Useful Tool for Growing Your Audience

The intentional writer

What is a lead magnet?

A lead magnet is a marketing term for a free item or service that is given away to potential customers for the purpose of gathering contact details, such as their email address. Examples of lead magnets include free ebooks, webinars, and printable checklists.

How do lead magnets help you?

The purpose of lead magnets is to attract potential customers, who hopefully will become actual customers after interacting with your lead magnet. Even those of us who don’t yet have a book to sell benefit from lead magnets, because lead magnets build your email list, which enlarges your platform.

Here are some ways they can attract customers.

  1. People like free stuff. Marketers have been exploiting this fact for years.
  2. If your freebie is on-brand, it will attract the kind of readers who are most likely to be interested in your writing, and thus and purchase your products in the future.
  3. They give potential customers something helpful, which A) builds trust in your brand and B) makes them more likely to return and purchase something from you.
  4. They help you acquire potential customers for future sales by growing your email list, which is still the most effective way to convert book sales.

Before you create a lead magnet, you must consider three parts of the definition:

  • the What (the free item or service)
  • the Who (potential customers)
  • the Why (your purpose for gathering contact details)

Don’t put the cart before the horse

To create the best possible lead magnet, you need to consider the Why and Who before worrying about the What.

1. The Why: Consider your specific purpose

What do you want the lead magnet to accomplish? What is your end goal? Possibilities include:

  • Gain author newsletter subscribers
  • Gain blog followers
  • Get people to try your product/service in the hopes they’ll want more
  • Get people to read your free ebook, so they’ll want to read more of your books

2. The Who: Define your target audience (and their felt needs)

The more specifically you can define your target audience, the easier it will be to create a valuable lead magnet that meets one of their felt needs.

  • What are the target audience(s) of your author brand?
  • What subset of that target audience you are targeting with your lead magnet? You will need different lead magnets for different goals and audience subsets.
  • What are their felt needs or pain points? The more specific you are at identifying these pain points, the better your chance of creating a lead magnet they will love.
  • What social media platforms do they spend time on? Optimize your lead magnet for that kind of media.

3. The What: Create a freebie your target audience will love

The ideal lead magnet will:

  1. Meet a felt need or pain point the user has
  2. Be something the user can use immediately and easily
  3. Be something the user can use repeatedly
  4. Make the user feel like they’re “stealing” from you—i.e. getting a lot of value for free
  5. Reinforce your brand.
  6. Deliver what is promised. Don’t disappoint the user with content that doesn’t live up to the hype.

With those goals in mind, begin to brainstorm:

  •  What helpful service or information can you offer that meets a felt need of your target audience? .
  • How might you package that information into a downloadable form? (Printable pdf, How-To video, ebook, free link to a training webinar, etc.)
  • Which kinds of media and content do you feel most comfortable creating? A quality lead magnet combines a useful idea with good design. If you’ve never created a video before, it’s probably not the best format for your lead magnet.

There are tons of websites that offer lists of ideas. Here are three to try:

Three fiction lead magnet ideas

Lead magnet examples from successful authors.

A comprehensive list of 101 ideas with a handy table of contents.

Finally, don’t stress out! (And stop trying to create the perfect lead magnet.)

There’s no such thing as the perfect lead magnet, so stop stressing over whether your idea is “right”. Your goal is not to spend the next six months analyzing your target audience, coming up with eight dozen possible lead magnets ideas and then rejecting all of them.

Your goal is to make your best effort, put it out there, and see what happens. So have fun.

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.

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The Intentional Writer

The Importance of Taking Breaks

The intentional writer

Writing is hard work. It may not look like writers expend much energy, but we are. Writing saps our mental, emotional, and spiritual energy reserves. If you’ve ever felt drained after a writing session you know what I mean.

In order to be effective in our writing career, we need to intentional about taking breaks to restore our creative energy. We need time to rest, refuel, and find new inspiration. Here are some ideas:

Five types of breaks to boost writing success

Give your project a rest

Sometimes the best thing we can do with a writing project is set it aside for a time. When we get deep into a story we lose the ability to look at it objectively, plus we tend to get stuck on certain details, scenes, or sentences. When we set the project aside and work on a different piece of writing for a time, we allow our brains to do a reset.

Taking a break between one draft and the next enables our conscious and unconscious brains to return to the project with clearer thinking. We can more easily spot problems and think up more creative solutions for solving them. If you feel stuck with a piece of writing, try locking it in a drawer (real or virtual) for at least a week, or perhaps a few months.

Take short breaks to enhance efficiency

When we’re in the middle of a busy day, taking a break may feel highly unproductive, but productivity experts have shown that taking short breaks actually enhances our ability to think and perform. They suggest stopping every two hours or so to take a short break.

All breaks are not created equally, however. To make the most of short breaks, walk away from your desk, turn your brain to a completely unrelated subject, and connect with either nature or other humans. Limit the break to about fifteen minutes. Above all, resist the temptation to check social media or email! Those activities are not restorative.

Refill your empty tank

When we push ourselves to keep going after our inner energy tank is on empty, our creativity suffers. If we want to do our best work, we must be intentional about taking refueling breaks. What refreshes and restores your heart and soul? Taking a walk along the seashore? Paining a picture? Gardening? Reading? Talking with a friend over coffee? Do yourself and your future readers a favor by making a point to refuel yourself regularly by spending time in activities that restore your body and psyche.

Seek out inspiration

Along with refueling our inner energy tank, we occasionally need to resupply our stock of inspiration. Now and then we need to take a break from writing to seek other kinds of experiences that will fill our store of ideas and spark creativity. The more varied the activities, the better. Vacations, nature walks, art classes, dancing lessons, or a visit to an art museum are all great ways to refill our cache of inspiration. So is reading a book outside our preferred genres or watching a TED talk on something we know nothing about. It may feel like wasted time, but all positive input is fodder for out subconscious. What new things can you learn or experience this week?

Meditate and pray

Our words reflect the state of our spirit. If we hope to communicate truth and hope to our readers we need to remain connected to our Lord. He is the one who gifted us with imagination and called us to write. He is the one who can inspire, guide, and clarify our thoughts. He is the one who enables us to write with efficiency and purpose. Taking spiritual breaks to pray and meditate will help us stay true to our calling and enable us to communicate the truths in our hearts.

I hope these tips help you avoid burnout and enhance your creative output.

Happy writing!

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.

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The Intentional Writer

Declutter Your Writing Life

The intentional writer

In my blog about living intentionally I often talk about decluttering—not just in our homes but in all areas of life. My definition of clutter is as follows:

Clutter: any thing, activity, expectation, or task that is non-essential and gets in the way of doing what matters most. Clutter is everything that is not meaningful, useful, or beautiful. 

So then, decluttering is the removal of all that is non-essential so that we can focus on what matters most—in our case, writing and promoting our books and our message.   


Areas where you might need to remove some clutter

  1. Your workspace. Does your workspace encourage productive work or does it contain objects that distract you? Are the tools and information you need readily available, or is your workspace filled with other stuff that doesn’t help your writing but happens to “live” in that space? Can those non-essentials be moved elsewhere?
  2.  Virtual clutter. When you sit down to write, are there virtual things that distract you? Perhaps you need to turn off social media notifications, close internet tabs, or even disconnect with the internet altogether while you write. Perhaps you need to leave your phone in another room. Or perhaps the weight of unprocessed emails has gotten so heavy it hinders your focus. Would an hour spent sorting your inbox and dealing with simple tasks declutter part of your brain and give you more bandwidth to create well?
  3. Unfinished projects. Do you have unfinished writing projects lurking in the back corners of your mind that make you feel guilty? Perhaps you need to declutter them from your to-do list. Life happens and your priorities change. It’s OK to change your mind about a project and decide something else is a better use of your time, but when you do, put the old projects completely away—physically and mentally. They do not need to be fed or watered. You can ignore them completely, and they will still be there if you ever want to revisit them.
  4. Too many spinning plates. Are you trying to keep up with all the big social media platforms, blog weekly, promote your new book while working on two others, and fill up every weekend with speaking engagements? Perhaps you need to declutter your schedule. Return to your Why and your career goals for this season. Identify which writing activities are essential and which are not-so-essential. Thinning out your schedule will help you become more productive and do your best work on what is left.
  5. Other people’s methods. No two writers are the same. Therefore, no two writers follow the same writing process or find the same promotion techniques helpful. I know many writers who have tried Mr. Expert’s method for writing only to give themselves a major angst-filled case of writer’s block. By all means, try any method that sounds like it might work, but also know when to discard that expert advice and do what works best for your unique brain. If your process is working, declutter any guilt you might feel for not following the experts. If your process is not working, perhaps you need to jettison a method that doesn’t suit your creative style.
  6.  Expectations. This is a huge area for all of us (and not just in regard to writing). Unhelpful (or unsolicited) expectations can sabotage our self-confidence, creativity, and willingness to share our words with others. What expectations do you need to declutter from your writing life? Comparing your writing to a best-selling author? Listening to friends who think you should have several books published by now? Beating yourself up for once again failing to hit your five-thousand-words-per-day goal? Your success is based on who you are as God’s child, not on what you write, how much you write, or how well it sells.
  7. False Aspirations. Every now and then I go through my bookshelves (both the real ones and the virtual ones) looking for titles of books I aspire-to-have-read but I don’t particularly want to actually read. Sometimes we face a similar issue in our writing. We may aspire to write literary fiction (because it proves how masterful and intellectual our writing is) or crime thrillers (because they sell well) while what our heart and God are actually calling us to is a different genre. Perhaps you need to declutter some unhelpful aspirations and come to terms with what you are best suited to write (in this season of your life, anyway), even if it’s not as glamorous, as spiritual, or as saleable as you think writing ought to be.

I hope these decluttering suggestions will help you write with better focus, more contentment, and greater creativity.

What other kind of writing clutter have you discovered in your life? Let me know in the comments.

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.

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The Intentional Writer

Be a Generous Writer

The intentional writer

The law of prosperity is generosity. If you want more, give more.”

Bob Proctor

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

2 Corinthians 9:6

One of the best ways writers can grow their platform and their influence it to be consistently and intentionally generous. Generosity is strategic: it fosters cooperation, strengthens connection, and develops trust. Generosity is also good for us, because helping others boosts our happiness and enables us to make a difference. Here are some ways you can be generous in your writing life.

Be generous with your content

  • Offer free materials on your website.
  • Include some freebies that come with no strings attached.
  • Give away free copies of your books whenever it makes sense
  • Share blog content on social media. Don’t just advertise your blog posts, but share a point of two of your content with each pin, tweet, or post.

Be generous with your time and expertise

  • Give free advice to those who ask. Even if you sometimes are paid to teach or edit, be willing to answer short questions or follow up questions without charge.
  • Volunteer to be a judge for a writing contest. You don’t need to be an expert to help with some contests. Large organizations like ACFW are always looking for judges to read manuscripts in the First Impressions, and Genesis contests. They also need readers to rate published books in the Carol Awards
  • Volunteer to give a talk at a local group, book club, or library that doesn’t have the funds to pay for it.
  • Offer a free webinar or ebook about the craft or business of writing.

Be generous in supporting other artists

  • Leave positive reviews
  • Purchase their products
  • Share their work within your network
  • Recommend other artists on your social media and pass on their special offers
  • Attend the venues where artists share their work: conferences, workshops, concerts, art shows.

Be generous with encouragement

  • To those who are learning: This is your chance to pay it forward by passing on the nurture and encouragement other writers have poured into you.
  • To your peers: Think of them as teammates not competitors. We’re all more likely to succeed if we work together.
  • To your mentors and role models: Even those who seem to have succeeded need encouragement.
  • To your audience: What message do you give your readers? Are your words filled with hope, even if your topic is heavy?

Be generous with those outside the writing world

  • Give your time and resources to organizations that matter to you.
  • Use your writing talents to benefit groups and individuals.
  • Don’t resent the time you devote to the important people God brings into your life. Who knows when an experience will inspire a fantastic story idea or lead you to the the answer you need to get out of the corner you wrote yourself into.

Final thoughts

  • Make sure what you give is appropriate and useful to the recipients.
  • Make sure what you give fits with your brand and values.
  • Accept thanks with humble grace.

How can you be intentionally generous this week?

What is one act of generosity that significantly impacted your life?

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.

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The Intentional Writer

Staying Relevant

The intentional writer

As writers, our success is based on creating something others find useful or enjoyable. Which implies our success is based on staying relevant.

Is your writing as relevant as it could be?

Back in February, I was quite pleased with myself for having two months of blog posts written and scheduled. Then the pandemic hit and suddenly my insightful blog post topics didn’t seem so relevant.

I could have ignored current affairs and let my posts go out as scheduled, but would that have been the best value I could deliver to my readers? I don’t think so.

Such a drastic change in everyone’s lives demanded some changes on my part. So I wrote a few blogs that addressed the new issues my readers were suddenly facing, and tweaked my previously written posts to acknowledge the new reality.

Because I chose to adapt to the new situation I received some heartfelt thanks from readers. In other words, it pays to be relevant.

How can you stay relevant in your writing?

Traps to avoid

Ignoring what is going on in the world. Our message shouldn’t change with every headline, but we do need to be sensitive to the major events and social trends happening around us. Imagine a post on celebrating Mother’s Day that’s all about gathering the extended family at a favorite restaurant for brunch. It may be a beautiful piece of writing. It may be excellent advice. But right now that post is going to fall flat because it doesn’t apply to our quarantined reality.

Not listening to feedback. (Or not getting any in the first place.) We can’t predict how others will receive our words, but we can solicit feedback to see how effective our words are at communicating our message. What we think we are saying and what others are hearing may be very different, so don’t forget to check.

An inconsistent brand message. Readers become loyal to an author or blogger who consistently writes on topics that interest them or in a style they enjoy. However, if a writer’s message is inconsistent readers will lose trust and may abandon that writer altogether. Our writing will not appeal to everyone. The wise writer knows her niche and is consistent in delivering it.

Remaining stuck in the past. We all have certain topics and causes we particularly like to talk about. However, the big causes of yesteryear may no longer be relevant. In a similar vein, that blog topic that people raved about a year or two ago might no longer get the same traction, because A) too many others are writing about it now, B) it was timely back then but life has moved on, or C) the fates are fickle and Fortuna isn’t blessing that topic anymore.

Not keeping up with technology. Even if your message is relevant, you may not be delivering it in the most effective manner. Imagine how foolish it would be to only offer your podcasts on cassette tapes. Ditto if your only social media account is Myspace. The wise writer adapts his techniques to effectively reach his audience.

Tips for staying relevant.

Spend time with your target audience. In person. In Facebook or Goodreads groups. In internet forums. Wherever you can find them. Yes, it takes time to find these groups. Yes, it takes time to hang out there and listen to the conversations. Yes, we would rather spend that time working on a writing project. But in the long run hanging out with potential readers is a wise investment that can net future followers. Check out this blog post for a story of why it’s worth the effort.

Ask questions. Of your readers. Of fellow writers. Of mentors. The best way to know what topics are relevant to your readers is to ask them. Take polls and surveys. Ask questions in your CTA, in your emails, and on social media. We writers improve our work by getting feedback. This is true of our craft, but it’s also true of our subject matter. So ask away.

Research. Discovering what is relevant is easier than ever. Just google a topic and see what related terms auto-fill in the search bar. Or check what is trending on Twitter. Or read the latest Facebook post from that one friend who’s always up on the most current news. You get the idea. You may be like me, preferring to remain snugly in your writer’s cave, safe, solitary, and oblivious, but do yourself and your readers a favor by venturing out into the world now and then to see what’s happening.

Be flexible. Relevant writers know how to adapt to ever-changing circumstances. As Gabriela Pereira at DIY MFA says,

“Iterate, iterate, iterate.”

By which she means: Try something. Assess and adapt. Try again. History is littered with companies that died because they didn’t adapt with the times. Don’t go the way of Blockbuster and Toys R Us. Stay flexible.

Know when to quit. We need to discern when a topic, story project, or marketing tactic isn’t working and have the courage to set it aside and try something else. That doesn’t mean you must abandon it forever. It may be a perfectly good idea, but now isn’t the right time for it. Trust that when you let go of not-so-relevant ideas God will open doors for fresh inspiration.

You and I have an important and unique message to tell the world. If we want our words to make a difference and spread to those who need to hear them, we need to stay relevant.

What are your best tips for staying relevant?

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.

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The Intentional Writer

The Power of Our Words

The intentional writer

We writers understand the power of words. Words can wound or heal. Educate or mislead. Give hope or cause despair.

How are you using your words?

Everyone is stressed right now. People are frightened, lonely, and going stir crazy. Our world needs all the encouragement and hope we can give them.

Are you ready to use your words to combat fear, encourage kindness, and inspire hope?

Three ways we can use our words for good.

1 Excel at your craft.

It does not matter what genre you write, there are readers who need to read your stories and articles. The more you hone your writing skills, the more people will enjoy and respect your words, leading to more people listening to your message. Whether overtly or not, your faith and your worldview shine through your words and are lived out through your characters. Even if you write science articles or ad copy, you can still promote whatever is good, true, admirable, or praiseworthy.

2 Watch what you say.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

What message are you sending into the world? Be aware of every message you post, pin, or retweet. Are you spreading hope and encouragement or something else? Do your words build others up? Do your words benefit others in some way?

Ask yourself, “How will this benefit others?” every time you consider sharing social media content, blog posts, or comments to your friends. Be the positive change by wielding your words wisely.

3 Look for listening ears

If our focus is solely on our books, articles, and blogs we are missing out on other opportunities to serve our world through our words. Don’t neglect to use your gift of words and your heart to serve through engaging with those around you. Every text, phone call, note, or kind comment makes a difference to somebody.

Who needs a gift of life-giving words from you today?

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.

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The Intentional Writer

25 Quotes to Inspire Writers

The intentional writer

Writing is difficult.

Some days we face disappointment, rejection, criticism, frustration, nasty reviews, or writer’s block. On the tough days, we need encouragement to keep going.

Here are 25 quotes on writing, creativity, and calling that can inspire you to keep going, even on the tough days.

Words: So innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.

Nathaniel Hawthorne

We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.

Ernest Hemingway

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

Maya Angelou

The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.

Neil Gaiman

Each of us has a unique part to play in the healing of the world.  

Marianne Williamson

Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can’t remember who we are or why we’re here.

Sue Monk Kidd

I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it until it begins to shine.

Emily Dickinson

We live in a world where bad stories are told, stories that teach us life doesn’t mean anything and that humanity has no great purpose. It’s a good calling, then, to speak a better story. How brightly a better story shines. How easily the world looks to it in wonder. How grateful we are to hear these stories, and how happy it makes us to repeat them.  

Donald Miller

Behind every specific call, whether it is to teach or preach or write or encourage or comfort, there is a deeper call that gives shape to the first: the call to give ourselves away — the call to die.

Michael Card

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

William Wordsworth

You see, in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.

Junot Diaz

Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make. Good. Art.

Neil Gaiman

Stories create community, enable us to see through the eyes of other people, and open us to the claims of others.

Peter Forbes

Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It’s a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.

Steven Pressfield

Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

Scott Adams

There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic.

Diane Setterfield

The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.

Ben Okri

I think… the most brilliant thing about being a writer is that if you don’t like the way the world is, you can create your own.

Maegan Cook

The whole culture is telling you to hurry, while the art tells you to take your time. Always listen to the art.

Junot Diaz 

If you wait for inspiration to write, you’re not a writer, you’re a waiter.

Dan Poynter

Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.

Annie Dillard

I write to give myself strength. I write to be the characters that I am not. I write to explore all the things I’m afraid of.

Joss Whedon

Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players. … I have 10 or so, and that’s a lot. As you get older, you become more skillful at casting them.

Gore Vidal

One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I’m going to do my five or 10 pages no matter what, and that I can always tear them up the following morning if I want. I’ll have lost nothing—writing and tearing up five pages would leave me no further behind than if I took the day off.

Lawrence Block

The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them — words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they’re brought out. But it’s more than that, isn’t it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you’ve said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it.  That’s the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear.

Stephen King

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 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.

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The Intentional Writer

Boost Productivity by Taking Effective Breaks

The intentional writer

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

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

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

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

However, not all breaks are equal.

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

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

How to take effective short breaks

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

In addition, be aware of your daily slump time.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Intentional Writer

Are You Taking Productive Breaks?

The intentional writer

It may seem counterintuitive, but we can actually improve our productivity by taking breaks. God invented the concept of rest right back in Genesis chapter one, and we haven’t outgrown our need for it. We do not operate at peak efficiency hour after hour. We do better when we take periodic breaks.

All breaks are not created equal, however.

Some breaks restore our energy and boost creativity. Others simply waste time.

To make your breaks worthwhile, start with the right mindset

Don’t give in to guilt. Ignore those voices that whisper you are lazy or weak if you stop before the job is finished. When you take breaks with intention and intelligence, you are being smart and efficient. Remind yourself of that as often as you need to.

Be honest with yourself and your limitations. You might not be able to sit and concentrate as long as other writers. That’s OK. Find a balance between work and rest that makes sense for you.

Here are some tips for taking productive breaks.

  • Be in control of when you take them. Don’t let distractions like a Facebook notification drag you away from your work at less-than-ideal moments. Find a logical stopping place. Even if you set a timer, finish the sentence or the thought before you quit.
  • Take them regularly. Many of us are in the habit of sitting at the computer for hours at a time, hunched over our keyboards, wrestling with uncooperative prose. Studies say sitting for long periods isn’t good for us. Neither is forgetting to drink enough water. Develop a habit of taking a short break every two hours or so.
  • Be intentional about unplugging. Writers know the benefits of setting a piece of writing aside for a few days, because it allows us to look at it with new eyes. A similar truth applies to breaks. Resist the temptation to keep working in your head while you stretch or refill your water bottle. Give your brain a break too. For best results, get away from your desk completely.
  • Know what restores. The best breaks restore you mentally, emotionally, and physically.
    • Get your body moving. (Do office yoga, take a ten-minute walk…)
    • If possible, go outside. Nature has very effective restorative powers.
    • Connect with other humans. (But not someone who will suck you into a half-hour chat.)
    • Find solitude. If you work in a busy environment or interact with people all day, the best antidote may be a few minutes of solitude and silence.
  • Avoid the gripe zone. Griping about work might vent a little steam but it isn’t going to boost your motivation or enhance productivity. Avoid people or situations that tempt you to waste your break time complaining.
  • Avoid mindless screen time. Surfing social media will not restore your energy as effectively as moving your body and focusing your brain on something else.
  • Keep them short. Aim for ten to fifteen minutes and then get right back to work. No dilly dallying.

And, finally…

  • Stay focused between breaks. Modern society has become addicted to distractions. Learn to resist the siren call of email notifications or incoming text messages. Be in control of when you check devices rather than letting the devices control you.

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

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The Intentional Writer

Promotion is Coming

The intentional writer

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life it’s this—promotion always takes preparation.

That truth was never more evident in my life than when I took a magazine feature writing position at a worldwide ministry, only to be informed I’d actually be doing something entirely different…and I wasn’t thrilled about it.

My editor explained that they had a greater need for another ghostwriter, so I would be fulfilling that role. During my years at Indiana University Journalism School, I’d been told to “find my voice.” So, I’d been working hard every day since college graduation to do just that. Now, my new boss was telling me: “Lose your voice, and find somebody else’s.”

That just didn’t make sense to me.

“Let me get this straight,” I answered. “I’m going to be taking somebody else’s thoughts and words from a sermon or a presentation, and then I’m going to write an article weaving all of those thoughts together in that person’s voice? With no byline?”

“Exactly,” my Editor answered. “That’s why it’s called ‘ghostwriting.’ You are invisible.”

Little did I know, not only was God working out some of that stubborn pride from my heart, but also He was preparing me for a role that would be a great blessing in my life—spiritually, professionally and financially. I was able to learn to ghostwrite while getting paid to do so—all the while being mentored by one of the best ghostwriters in the business who happened to work two offices over from me. It wasn’t an especially easy season in my life, but it was a season of preparation, though I didn’t know it then.

A few years later, I was offered the assignment of a lifetime, ghostwriting a book for a celebrity I greatly respected. That book ended up being a New York Times Bestseller, which opened up numerous ghostwriting doors for me. Over the years, I’ve been able to ghostwrite for many wonderful people, and it’s been a privilege to help them tell their stories.

But I wouldn’t have had those awesome opportunities without that season of preparation at the worldwide ministry.

You know, there are examples of preparation proceeding promotion throughout God’s Word. Take Esther, for example. She was just living her life as a lovely young Jewish girl in Persia when she ran smack dab into her destiny—becoming the Queen and ultimately saving the Jews from annihilation. However, in order for her to step into that destiny, she had to go through a year’s worth of beauty treatments. (Esther chapter 2) During that season, God was preparing her both spiritually and physically for what was to come. Had she not gone through those 12 months of preparation, she wouldn’t have been in position for that promotion.

So, let me ask you, are you experiencing a season of preparation? If so, don’t be discouraged or grow weary in the waiting. Just know that you are being prepared for promotion, and rejoice in it!

Michelle Medlock Adams is an inspirational speaker, award-winning journalist and best-selling author of more than 80 books, earning top honors from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Hoosier State Press Association. Since graduating with a journalism degree from Indiana University, Michelle has written more than 1,500 articles for newspapers, magazines and websites; acted as a stringer for the Associated Press; written for a worldwide ministry; helped pen a New York Times Bestseller; served as a TV host for TBN’s “Joy in Our Town” show; and blogged for Guideposts. Today, she is President of Platinum Literary Services—a premier full-service literary firm—and she serves as chairman of the board for Serious Writer Inc., and teaches courses for Serious Writer Academy.   Michelle is married to her high school sweetheart, Jeff, and they have two grown daughters, Abby and Allyson, two son-in-laws, and one grandson, as well as a miniature dachshund, a rescue Shepherd/Collie mix, and two cats. When not writing or teaching, Michelle enjoys bass fishing and cheering on the Indiana University Basketball team and the Chicago Cubbies .

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The Intentional Writer

Are You a Intentional Writer?

The intentional writer

Lots of people aspire to be writers. Not so many do the work to become one. The fact that you are visiting a writing website means you are serious enough to do something about your writing dream.

Good for you! Keep it up.

Writing, like any creative endeavor, can be a lonely, frustrating struggle. To move from daydreaming about being a writer to actually becoming one, you and I need to be intentional about what we do and why we do it.

Intentional: done with intention or on purpose; intended; deliberate

An intentional writer approaches writing with purpose

  • They know who they are in Christ.
  • They know writing is part of their calling .
  • They understand that they have a unique message and a unique voice—no matter how mundane the content or unglamorous the genre.
  • They ponder why they write and who they write for.
  • They choose to be courageous about putting their experiences and life-passions into words and then sharing those words with others.
  • They are wise stewards of their writing abilities, always learning, improving, and seeking new ways to share their words.

An intentional writer makes deliberate choices about things like:

  • Attitudes
  • Habits
  • Writing goals
  • How to spend their writing time
  • How they talk about themselves and their work
  • Every element of their craft, from overall theme to individual word choice.
  • When to follow the rules and when to break them
  • Pursuing critique partners who give helpful (and sometimes painful) feedback

An intentional writer knows success is not measured in dollars, fame, or total pages published.

  • They understand the ultimate goal of writing to honor God, whether that means writing an entertaining romance or a thought-provoking theology book.
  • They trust God to use their efforts to challenge, encourage, or otherwise touch people, wherever, whenever, and however he chooses.
  • They are generous with their writing and their knowledge, eager to encourage fellow writers.

Please don’t think this intentional stuff is way too serious for you.

Every aspiring writer can become an intentional writer. All it takes is a decision to be intentional about the how, why and what of your writing.

What one small step can you take to be more intentional about your writing today?

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