Writers Chat, hosted by Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”
The Third Path with Eva Marie Everson
In this episode, Eva Marie shares her love for prayer labyrinths and a journey to better understanding of this ancient practice. Research and journaling ultimately led her to write The Third Path: Finding Intimacy with God on the Path of Questioning. Then Eva Marie leads us in an exercise to answer Jesus’ questions, “What do you want?” and “What do you want Me to do for you?” If you desire a way of knowing God and ourselves at a deeper level, be sure to catch this week’s replay.
Watch the October 31st Replay.
Eva Marie Everson is the CEO of Word Weavers International. She is a bestselling, multiple award-winning writer of both fiction and nonfiction. In 2022, she was awarded the Yvonne Lehman Legacy Award and the AWSA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2023, her work Our God is Bigger Than That won the ECPA Gold Medallion (children’s) and her work The Third Path won the AWSA Book of the Year. She and her husband live in Central Florida. They are parents and grandparents . . . and they are owned by a cat named Vanessa.
Whydunit: The 4 Motives to Mysteries with Jane Kalmes
Jane, a mystery author and “Fiction Technician” joins us to talk about the four primal motives behind cozy mysteries. She also walks us through three easy steps to quickly plot a mystery. Then shares a terrific definition for “plot twist,” and discusses other hallmarks of a cozy mystery, including guidelines for developing a series’ sleuth. This episode is for any writer intrigued by the mystery genre.
Watch the November 7th replay.
Jane Kalmes is the author of the Kitty Callahan Mysteries, set in Jazz Age Chicago. She’s also the voice behind YouTube’s largest repository of mystery writing know-how. On her eponymous channel, she breaks down plot twists, motives, mystery structure, and more.
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133
“Who has the capability to interpret an unknown language?”
King Belshazzar
The nobles couldn’t.
His family couldn’t.
The wisest men in the kingdom couldn’t.
But the queen said, “I know a guy.”
Daniel’s reputation got his foot in the door. From there, Daniel used wisdom and tact to stay in the room. (2:14)
What are the ingredients of a good reputation and how does one seek to build it?
Exercise:
Daniel 5:11-12 tells us about his qualities. Use your dictionary to see what each one entails.
Filled (with the Spirit)
Insight
Intelligence
Wisdom
Keen (mind)
Knowledge
Understanding
Ability (to interpret dreams)
Explain (riddles)
Solve (difficult problems)
Daniel gave credit to God for his abilities (2:27-30)
There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. Daniel 2:28 NIV
How about you? Do you need the Lord to help you interpret the writing on the wall? Maybe yours is a blackboard or a whiteboard or a bulletin board. Maybe it’s a computer screen or an x-ray machine. There are times when we are stumped by life and need insight.
What does James 1:5 say we can do?
What was God’s response when Solomon asked for discernment? 1 Kings 3:9-10
What is the bonus God gives when we ask for insight and understanding? Proverbs 2:3-22
Do you think this is connected to Daniel’s reputation? Why or why not?
In one of Daniel’s visions, the angel said he came in response to Daniel’s prayers. What other ingredients were a part of his petitions? Daniel 10:12
What does God call Daniel? Ezekiel 14:20
How does God feel about Daniel? Daniel 9:23, 10:11,19.
Why would your reputation as a writer matter to an editor?
Look back at Daniel’s qualities and interpret them in light of your writing. How would insight give depth to an article? How could you write smarter with the material you’ve produced and recycle it into more submissions? How accountable are you when it comes to deadlines?
Daniel and his companions were forced to move away from their homes and settle in a hostile land. (1:1-8) God repeatedly honored Daniel, His servant, in spite of opposition. (6:4)
What was Daniel’s habit? 6:10-11
How do you think that habit reinforced Daniel’s character?
How do you think it could assist your writing?
What would you ask God for today?
God reveals deep and hidden things.
Daniel 2:22
What part does prayer play in your writing life?
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.
Our evening was going smooth, or so I thought. My son and daughter-in-love were going out on a date, and I had the grands all to myself. After playing a game, supper was ready and then it was time to start the bedtime routine. Things began to unravel with brushing their teeth. What six-year-old doesn’t like to play in water? Faces washed, hands dried and pajamas donned, we settled in to read books. Seven-year-old Sophea began with a long story. Not to be outdone by his sister, six-year-old Graham wanted to sound out all of the words in his book, too. It just so happened to be about a little train that wasn’t sure it could get the train of toys across the mountain. We cheered each time he succeeded and found out he could!
After prayers and lights out, I sat in the stairway outside of their rooms to monitor little feet that couldn’t stay in bed. An hour later, the house was finally quiet, and I went down to clean up the kitchen. Guess who came down with his monkey? Yep, Graham said, “I’m scared.”
“Ok, I’ll finish wiping the table and will be up in five minutes.”
That was good enough for Graham and off he went to wait. Task accomplished, I went up to Graham’s room and found my grandson fast asleep in his bed. All he needed was a promise that I would be there.
Exercise:
What’s your bedtime/writing routine? Do you keep a record of submissions and a list of houses to query?
Who’s there for you? Who can you seek for assurance when you’re up against a deadline?
Anxiety dissipates when we know we’re not alone.
What will put your mind at ease? Are you patient or antsy while you wait for a response to your query?
What do you need to tackle even when you’re scared? Take a cue from six-year-oldGraham and rest easy.
After Moses died, his aide must have been worried about stepping up to lead. But God told Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
Sure, rejection is painful, but we can wait confidently with a back up plan of next steps when we know we’re not alone in writing.
Who can you support so they can be confident they can, just like the little engine could?
Pull Quotes:
“The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
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?
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.
A man from the crowd answered, “Master, I brought my son to you because he has a dumb spirit. Wherever he is, it gets hold of him, throws him down on the ground and there he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth. It’s simply wearing him out. I did speak to your disciples to get them to drive it out, but they hadn’t the power to do it.”
Mark 9:17-18 (PHILLIPS)
In desperation, a man brought his convulsing son to the disciples for healing. The boy suffered from seizures and was unable to speak. But, the disciples were unable to heal him. Mark chapter 9 tells us Peter, James and John were with Jesus at the time, and had just witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountaintop. When they arrived on the scene, the teachers of the law were arguing with the disciples.
Have you ever had a mountaintop experience (maybe a writers conference or an article accepted), and then hit the valley of disbelief? Have you desperately scrambled to finish an assignment, while your brain argued about your ability to do so?
The boy’s father pleaded with Jesus to do what the disciples couldn’t. Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” (1)
The boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (2)
Have you moaned in frustration at the blank page in front of you, saying, “I am a writer, Lord, help me believe!”?
Later, when the disciples asked Jesus why they couldn’t heal the boy, He said, “Prayer is the path to power.” (3)
I’ve heard many Christian writers affirm that statement. They credited their prayer path with ideas for works in progress and new projects launched. I admit, at times I’ve felt my words were too trivial to bother God. But, I’ve learned the hard way to stop being self-sufficient in my writing and instead ask the Lord for help.
How has prayer powered your writing life?
Exercise:
Make a list of your idea bank.
Make a deposit into that bank by praying over each idea.
Jot down notes while you’re praying.
Does one gain your “interest?”
Look in The Christian Writer’s Market Guide for a potential investor.
Make a withdrawal by shaping it into an article and sending it to that editor.
But if any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous to everyone and will give you wisdom without criticizing you.
James 1:5 (NCV)
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.
My book 50 Life Lessons for Grads: Surprising Advice for Recent Graduates (Worthy/Hachette) was a Christian bookstore bestseller. It shares what recent college graduates learned through real struggles, opportunities, and the fears they faced.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I write to teach others how to have a rich, purposeful life through the study of God’s Word and prayer.
How long have you been writing?
God called me to write for him in 1986. I began writing articles for Christian magazines, then started writing books a few years later. I wrote while also working full-time as a high school English teacher and raising four kids.
And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
I wrote 13 children’s books for David C. Cook, then got my first major book contract in 2000 for PrayerWalk, which became a bestseller. My agent challenged me to “write about that prayerwalking thing you’re doing.” My first response was, “I don’t think that’s a book. It’s five words: ‘You walk and you pray.’” Clearly, since it’s been in print for 20 years (WaterBrook/RandomHouse), it was indeed a good book idea.
Which of your books is your favorite?
My favorite is The Complete Guide to the Prayers of Jesus: What Jesus Prayed and How It Will Change Your Life Today (Bethany House). When I started prayerwalking in 1998, I went on a journey to read everything I could about prayer, including reading the Bible all the way through each year to note textual references to prayer—centering on what Jesus taught about prayer, his prayer practices, and his actual prayers. I wanted people to have a resource that had everything in one volume about his prayer life.
How long does it take you to write a book?
I’ve written a complete book in as short as three weeks.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
I work on marketing and social media tasks in the morning (including my daily blog), then shift to writing.
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it?
I’ve learned that when I’m a bit blocked, that mowing the lawn or doing the laundry or going for a prayerwalk will help my left and right brains make friends again, so the words can find themselves dropping onto the page. Also, popcorn and Coke Zero can help.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
(1) Meeting a reader I had not known who tells me my book changed her life (typically the book PrayerWalk).
(2) A few awards: Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference Writer of the Year (1993), 2020 Jennifer Kennedy Dean Award (AWSA), and AWSA Member of the Year (2004)
What has been your darkest moment(s)?
My darkest moment was the day my husband Craig was falsely convicted of six felony animal abuse charges related to the deaths of six young calves in a two-day snowstorm; we took on the appeal ourselves, and the case was overturned in the California Court of Appeals two years later in 2007. We had 5-1/2 years of struggle related to that criminal case that should never have gone to trial. I am planning on writing a memoir related to that unjust experience. I didn’t have a published book from the 2006 to 2015; the experience really was tough, and it still hurts.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you?
Good grief, I have no idea. Hundreds, probably—compared to the 24 books I wrote under contract with traditional publishers.
Where do you get your ideas?
Titles just come to me. I wrote headlines for a daily newspaper for years. A whole book concept will come to me as a title first.
Who is your favorite author to read?
Fiction: Cynthia Ruchti and Jan Karon Nonfiction: the late Jennifer Kennedy Dean, who wrote books on prayer that will become classics some day
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
Learn how to study the form of the genre you wish to write. While I heard that expression many times when I was beginning, I really didn’t know how to do that. I taught myself, and I now teach that analysis skill for writers conferences and my own Sierra Valley Writers Retreat.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?
I often see aspiring writers just sit down and start writing. They really need to create a proposal first, even if they’re going to self-publish the book. My agent, Janet Grant, says a proposal is basically a business plan, but it also is a vehicle for creating a much better book. It will focus the content, better meet the needs of the potential audience, and create a product that is unique.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
Beginning writers should find their tribe so as to have a ready-made audience for their book. They should also attend as many different writers conferences as they can—so as to make connections in the industry and to learn the craft. I attended THREE major Christian writers conferences within that first year after God called me to write for him, and I kept going to one (Mt. Hermon) nearly every year thereafter.
A national speaker, Janet McHenry is the author of 24 books–six on prayer, including the bestselling PrayerWalk and her newest, The Complete Guide to the Prayers of Jesus. She is also the creator of the masterclass Prayer School, a certified writing and life coach, and the host of the Sierra Valley Writers Retreat. Janet and her husband Craig raised four children in the Sierra Valley in northern California, where he is a rancher and where she taught high school English and served as an academic advisor. She loves connecting with readers and writers: janetmchenry.com.
Do you remember playing dress-up as a child? Little girls
wear grown-up shoes, tripping over their feet. Little boys don vests and hats,
imitating the men in their lives. My children loved to play dress-up.
Nightgowns became turbans. Umbrellas became shields. Bed sheets served as tents
in faraway deserts. The art of play introduced them to the world of the
grown-ups they would follow.
As writers, we are not so very old ourselves, are we? Others
have gone before us to lead the way. Their works have honed our view of the
literary world, and we have become their apprentices. They have taught us to
sharpen our spears in order to garner respect in the writing community for the
Christian viewpoint. Their example led us to a high standard where we polish
our skills and prepare for the work of presenting God’s Word.
How will you get ready for your battle with words?
Will you read works on the writing craft? Will you attend a
writers’ conference? Will you enlist a critique partner?
Whom do you seek to inspire? Is your target audience male or
female, child or YA, fiction or non-fiction?
What is your goal? Make it SMART: specific, measurable,
attainable, realistic and timely. Then tackle it with determination and
preparation!
Further investigation into the Jeremiah passage reminds us
that it doesn’t matter what size our battle (or topic) is, we are still to
prepare.
What do you need to do to prepare?
Do you have enough background information for your story? Is
the research complete for your article?
Maybe you’re worried about public response to your stance,
or criticism of how you tackle a project? What do you need to do in order to
shore up your confidence? More research? More prayer? Assemble a prayer team to
help you in the battle.
Jeremiah 46:4 says, “Take your positions with helmets on!” Maybe this is a reminder to guard against being offended by opposing viewpoints. Or, maybe, as in Ephesians 6:17, the helmet of salvation is to give the grounding we need against doubt in what we have the ability to say.
It’s your job as an apprentice to prepare.
Be bold today. Prepare…and be bold!
Exercise: What “master” would you choose to study under as an “apprentice”?
Read the works of an author you respect. What grabs your attention? What do you want to imitate? Why is this author of particular interest to you?
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.
Joshua J. Masters is a pastor, author (American Psalms), Christian speaker and artist. He currently serves as an Associate Care Pastor in South Carolina. As a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Josh is also comfortable working both in front of and behind the camera. Joshua lives with his wife, Gina and their dog, Franklin.
Welcome Joshua, please tell us about your most Recent Book:
My most recent book is American Psalms: Prayer for the Christian Patriot. I was really moved by the scriptures reminding us to pray for our leaders and that God has a purpose in every leader he places in authority—even when we don’t agree with them. The result was a book of worship-based prayers for our nation with teaching components to help the reader learn how to pray for the country without political bias. There are 52 weekly prayers, additional psalms for special days of prayer like holidays, and worksheets to help the reader focus their prayers. Through writing American Psalms, God changed the way I look at prayer, our country and our leaders.
Why do you write what you do?
Writing is one of the ways I connect with God. Eric Liddell, the Olympian depicted in Chariots of Fire, once said, “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” I’ve never been much of an athlete—actually, I wince if someone throws something toward me, but I’ve always identified with that quote because it’s how I feel when I write. God changes me, and often explains things to me as I write. So when asked, “Why do you write what you write?” It’s usually because God is trying to tell me something. That’s why I primarily write Christian non-fiction, but even my occasional adventures into fiction are about something God is trying to teach me.
What are you currently working on?
I’m actually working on a book focused on the life of our dog, Franklin. He was rescued from a puppy mill and faced a great deal of adversity before coming to us. The trauma he faced as a puppy left him with a lot of struggles to overcome. In the book, the events of Franklin’s life serve as lessons about our own faith. Each chapter ends with a Bible reading and questions for spiritual growth that you can gnaw on with the rest of your pack. Franklin recently started his own Twitter account and gives frequent updates on the book: @FranklinThePup. I also have an ongoing blog at www.joshuajmasters.com
How does your work differ from other work in its genre?
My prayer is for my writing to be relatable and challenging at the same time. The simple story of a rescue pup need not be limited to simple themes. I want my writing to be enjoyable, even fun but still lead the reader into a deeper relationship with Christ. My goal is to share what some consider difficult Biblical truths in a way that is encouraging. I want to build a relationship with the reader that makes it safe to explore the parts of their faith where God wants them to grow.
How does your writing process work?
I have a tendency to write things that can be broken down into sections—works within the greater work. In American Psalms, each prayer can stand alone, but they’re woven together to intentionally create a larger theme. The same is true with Franklin’s book. Each chapter is a unique lesson of faith, but the story is continuous and connected.
Because of that, I tend to work on each section as an individual work. I’m always thinking of the larger story, but I focus on what each individual piece is teaching. As for the process itself, it starts in my head. I will go round and round with a section in my head long before I put anything on paper. I usually get 2-3 key sentences that I jot down (often the last sentence) and build the piece around that.
Once I’ve written a section, I will leave it alone for a few days and go back to it with fresh eyes. That’s usually where I more specifically tailor the piece to work with the other sections of the book. To be honest, I’m always a little surprised how God orchestrates it all to fit together.
