Tag: writer encouragement

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A3 Contributor Book Release

War’s Respite and Love’s Kindling by Elaine Cooper

New from A3 Columnist Elaine Cooper. It’s exciting to have one book release, but Elaine has two! War’s Respite and Love’s Kindling.  Both books recently released from Amazon in Kindle format. Elaine writes Writer Encouragement, a popular engaging column to give readers who are writers a pick-me-up.

War’s Respite Back Cover Blurb

In 1763, the war with the French came to a close. While most Connecticut colonists breathed in relief, others are faced with unexpected conflicts as battles of a different nature ensue at home.

Veteran Abijah Whitney regrets leaving his pregnant wife behind when he was called away to war. The news of her death during childbirth as well as the ugly brutalities of war have left their mark. His only comfort is the knowledge that his daughter survived. But his plans for her upon his return will cause an uproar in many lives, including the aunt who raised her.

Primrose Allan’s sole consolation after the death of her sister in childbirth is the baby girl who lived. The aunt raises the girl as her own, fearing that one day the girl’s father might return for her. But Primrose never imagined the nightmare that would ensue.

Dr. Isaac Northrup is a friend caught in the middle of the turmoil. Always desiring to bring healing, he feels helpless in the events that cause pain and heartache to others, as well as himself.

Jonas Wooding, the town’s blacksmith, is caught in the strife, made all the worse by a serious epidemic. Bound by constrictions of local law and forced to face his own grief, Jonas’s trust in God is stretched beyond endurance.

When all seems lost, will faith endure?

 

Bio

Elaine Marie Cooper has two upcoming releases on January 18, 2019: War’s Respite (Prequel novella) and Love’s Kindling. They are the first two books in the Dawn of America Series set in Revolutionary War Connecticut. Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her 2016 release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. You can visit her website/ blog at www.elainemariecooper.com

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Publishing Pulse

Don’t Let the Industry Dehumanize You

If you are an author, a human being writing for other human beings, you have been blessed with a precious ability. If you write fiction, you have the unique gift of storytelling. If you write nonfiction, you are no less creative, because you have devised ways to describe and explain truth to make it understandable and compelling. Don’t let it go to your head, but also don’t deny the importance of the  role you play in the publishing industry.

I feel the need to make such a warning because the publishing industry can tend to dehumanize us (a danger I suspect is found to some extent in most industries). But book publishing wasn’t always this way; the artistic and creative interaction between authors and publishers tended to keep the human factor at the forefront. It’s only in the last couple of decades that the publishing industry—or I should say, certain elements of the publishing industry—began referring to the person who writes the words as a “content provider.”

It all came about innocently enough. With the advent of ebooks (and to some extent, audiobooks, computer apps and other derivative products), publishers started realizing that they were not the purveyors of books, but of content. The author’s words were what had value, and the medium—paper and ink, a text file, or an audio file—were merely the window dressing. In a sense, they made an about-face from the 1960s chant of Marshall McLuhan that “the medium is the message” to see that the value was in the message, regardless of medium. The new refrain has become “content is king.”

I appreciate the sentiment. Of course, the content is what makes the book, the ebook, the audiobook a sellable product, but where does the content come from? It comes from the mind of the author, not from a computer with artificial intelligence, and certainly not from an infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of typewriters. They really have it all wrong—the author is king, and always has been. Your words are the commodity that is for sale on the marketplace. The rallying cry of “content is king” attempts to divorce the product (the content, your words) from the creator and owner of the content—you, the author.

Consider the attitude of Amazon’s publishing arm toward authors and content. They claim to have the most content of anyone—and that is true, except they don’t own that content, they did not create that content, and (unlike most traditional publishers) they do little or nothing to develop and polish that content.

A lot of authors think it is wonderful that Amazon allows them to publish their material with little or no editorial “interference.” But the better authors, the ones that succeed, realize their creation needs polishing, and their creative ideas need an editorial sounding board—the feedback of a first reader, who may see problems that the author is blind to. You get that polishing, that sounding board, at a good traditional publisher, but you won’t get it at a self-publishing provider such as Amazon. It is unlikely that you will even have any interaction with a human being—the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) system is computer-automated. Talk about dehumanizing!

So don’t let the “content” mongers dehumanize you. Demand (or if you are self-publishing, pay for) a real, live editor who will work with you creatively to hone your manuscript into the best book it can be.

David E. Fessenden

Literary Agent, WordWise Media Services
Publisher and Proprietor, Honeycomb House Publishing LLC

David Fesseden has degrees in journalism and theology, and over 30 years of experience in writing and editing. He has served in editorial management positions for Christian book publishers and was regional editor for the largest Protestant weekly newspaper in the country.

Dave has published seven books, written hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, and edited numerous books. He is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences. Two of his books, Writing the Christian Nonfiction Book: Concept to Contract and A Christian Writer’s Guide to the Book Proposal, are based on his experience in Christian publishing. The Case of the Exploding Speakeasy, Dave’s first novel, reflects his love for history and for the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan-Doyle.

Dave and his wife, Jacque, live in south-central Pennsylvania and have two adult sons.

Websites/Blogs:

www.fromconcepttocontract.com
www.davefessenden.com
www.thebookstore.info

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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

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My Writing Journey

Still Scribbling

I loved books before I could read and scribbled thoughts before I could write. Throughout my childhood, crayons, pens, and pencils provided some of my favorite entertainment.

My senior year in high school, the local newspaper published a Christmas story I wrote as a class assignment. I thought little more about publication until after college graduation. One of my professors suggested I send writing samples to a church bulletin service. Lifeway published those articles, but my attention soon shifted to work, family, and church obligations. Although I wrote for each of those, I published nothing else until 2005.

Once again I wrote for church bulletins. In addition, I tweaked and submitted monologues and poems I had shared in church services, backyard Bible clubs, and mission trips. Those appeared in several program books.

Online resources, books on writing, bookstores, and the work of other writers became my go-to for training. Although my publications list grew, writing remained nothing more than a hobby.

One day I ran across an advertisement for the 2008 Kentucky Christian Writers Conference (KCWC). I walked into that conference with fear and trepidation. I knew I didn’t belong with real writers. However, I decided to listen and learn. What a game changer.

Along with encouragement, information, and lasting friendships, I discovered the definition of a writer: A writer is a person who writes. That’s it, plain and simple.

I was a writer.

That conference also taught me to expect rejections – lots of rejections. However, as I honed my craft, I could also expect a growing number of acceptance letters.

The more I wrote, the more I loved to write. Some people stick with one genre. I remain all over the board. From children’s work to senior adults, drama to devotions, magazine and newspaper articles to planning guides, Bible studies, and poetry, I love it all. I do prefer nonfiction over fiction.

My scribbling has been accepted more than 800 times by 40-plus publications. I write mostly for the Christian market, such as The Upper Room, The Secret Place, Missions Mosaic, Clubhouse, Seek, devozine, The Christian Communicator, and The Lookout. Secular publications include Chicken Soup for the Soul, Country, Kentucky Monthly, and Kentucky Living. I also write radio drama for Christ to the World Ministries and am a contributing author to several anthologies. My poetry has received first prize awards twice from the Kentucky State Poetry Society.

The first time an editor initiated contact to request my services, I did a happy dance. When a publisher offered a book contract on dramas I originally submitted for a multi-author compilation, I happy danced again. Although I’m working on a few book proposals, I loved becoming an accidental author with Beyond Bethlehem and Calvary: 12 Dramas for Christmas, Easter, and More!

An international student’s request for a new slang expression and its definition every day led to my blog, Words, Wit, and Wisdom: Life Lessons from English Expressions. It helps people with a non-English background understand the meaning of unusual English expressions. It also offers a brief respite for people who share my love for word play. Everyone who subscribes to my blog receives a free copy of my “Words of Hope for Days that Hurt” with the first email. Many of those “Words of Hope” grew out of our family’s “Days that Hurt” in recent years.

I can’t imagine life without writing, and I thank God for this incredible privilege,

“Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” (Psalm 142:8 NIV)

 

Diana Derringer’s adventures as a social worker, adjunct professor, youth Sunday school teacher, and friendship family for international university students supply a constant flow of writing ideas. She enjoys traveling with her husband, singing in her church choir, and taking long walks in the country. Visit her at dianaderringer.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

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Uncategorized

All Writers Need Encouragement

It’s time for another Third Anniversary Throwback Thursday. One of our goals at Almost an Author is to encourage aspiring writers. Writing is a calling, but it can be lonely, frustrating, and wearisome. Writers face rejection, doubt, and discouragement.

This collection of posts was written with those truths in mind.

Come Out Swinging: Fighting Fear as a Writer

The writer’s life is not for the faint of heart. There are moments that are downright scary. That first writer’s conference, critiques, contest entries, appointments with an editor/publisher, the blank page—all potentially terrifying. If you’re like me, you’ve wasted precious writing time paralyzed by fears and insecurities. But enough is enough. Here are three ways to face our fears head-on: Read more.

13 Things that can Steal Your Writing Joy

Writers have a love/hate relationship with putting words on paper. Sometimes it’s difficult because of the process. Other times we sabotage ourselves. Today I’d like to share my list of things that steal your writing joy. Read more.

What if?

Have you ever ignored the Spirit’s nudge? Opted not to put pen to the thought? Bought into the thinking, “Why bother?” Do you realize you could be the favor, the blessing, the encouragement, the hope, the answer to someone’s prayers? Read more.

Dreamers Wanted

Dreaming is not a waste of time, it is a necessity to rescue and redeem our limited time. I challenge you to ask God to awaken the dreams he’s sown into your soul and spirit so long ago. Stop listening to the naysayers and the doomsdayers. Blow off the dust, take it in your hands, hold it close to your heart, and nurture that dream until it becomes all that God says it will be. Read more.

Souls Perish from Procrastination in Writing

What if Queen Esther had procrastinated instead of facing the king? We writers have plenty or reasons to procrastinate. If God has given us something to say, then it is important. It’s our responsibility. Souls hang in the balance. You better get to writing because “who knows but that you have [been given this story or message] for such a time as this.” Read more.

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Guest Posts

What to Do When You Are Told You Are Not Enough by Whitney Ward

Have you ever been told you are not enough?

For whatever reason and no matter who you hear it from, being told you do not measure up is difficult to hear.

How do I know what it feels like to be told I am not enough? My whole life I have lived with a chronic Primary Immunodeficiency, (PI), called MAGIS Syndrome. Having a PI meant my immune system didn’t work properly. Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio became my home away from home.

There were so many things I would have loved to do and be involved in, but my lack of energy prevented it. The unpredictability that came with my disease caused me to be isolated, lonely, and unqualified. I often felt like people my age were experiencing normal life milestones and my life had just stopped.

I was just not enough.

So, what do you do when you are made to feel you are not enough?

First of all, remember who created you. John 1:3 says that we are all made by God.  In fact, there is not one thing that was not made by Him. When someone makes you feel “less than,” remind yourself God created you and allow your creator to use your story for His glory.

Secondly, when individuals question whether you can accomplish a goal you have set out to obtain, ask yourself this question: “Am I setting goals that fall in line with the passions and talents God has created within me or am I trying to accomplish a goal that is meant for someone else?” It is tough when someone questions our ability, but it may be God’s way of checking our true motives to get us back to what His purpose is for us. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 teaches Christians are a body and we all have a special part God has given us.

No one is the same; we are all unique. Someone else’s goal may seem more impactful than your talents, but remember God knows the exact reason He has given you the part He has and He has already ordained what lives you will touch and minister to because of the dream He has planted in your heart. You may not see the fruits immediately, but keep working for His Kingdom, because God knows the perfect time for your fruit to bloom.

Lastly, if your answer to the above question is yes, you are setting goals that fall in line with the talents God has created within you, then do not dare stop reaching for those dreams no matter what is said to you, or how you are made to feel. Some people may think you are inadequate, but God knows you are more than adequate. Psalm 37:4-5 tells us if we serve the Lord and trust in Him, not only will He give us the desires of our heart, but He will bring them to pass. Not everyone might approve or agree with the path you have chosen, but that is okay as long as you are working towards God’s perfect will and plan for your life.

Remember how I shared there were things I would have loved to do and be involved in, but could not because of my disease?

Guess what?

While I waited, I served the Lord and I trusted Him, He began healing me of my illness and all of those dreams and desires have come to pass. Not only did I graduate from high school, but I have a Bachelor’s in Creative Writing. I have gone on six mission trips, and three of them have been overseas. I am a member at my local gym and I work out at least three times a week. I volunteer for a non-profit called the Immune Deficiency Foundation, helping others who have chronic illnesses. I am now a Sunday School teacher, work in Vacation Bible School, and youth camp at my home church. I have seen when God brings something to pass, He goes above and beyond, just as Ephesians 3:20 promises. It has put a drive in me not to just settle for “some” of God’s blessings and good gifts, but to go all out seeking and reaching for all He has to offer.

This is exactly what I encourage you to do as well. People are human, and they may say hurtful things, but remember Who created you. You are not an accident. Determine in your heart you are working towards the calling and mission God has given you. If you are, do not let anyone stop you from achieving EVERYTHING God has for you, because to Him you are not just enough, you are MORE THAN ENOUGH.

Whitney Ward graduated from Asbury University with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and a minor in Journalism. Whitney struggles with a rare lifelong disease. She has shared her journey at various venues, and resides in Rubyville, Ohio, attending Rubyville Community Church, teaching Sunday School to 1st and 2nd graders, and manages the church’s website.

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Writer Encouragement

Avoiding New Writer Pitfalls

I know about new writer pitfalls first hand.

When my first book was written in 2009, the publishing industry was going through a crisis. Layoffs in the publishing world seemed to occur more frequently than snowflakes in a blizzard.

At that time, once flourishing publishing houses practically came to a halt in their production of new titles. Fledgling writers like myself were not feeling welcome.

My first novel had just been completed and I just knew (i.e. thought) that I was supposed to see it published right away. So I made a decision that I now deem to be unwise: I self-published “The Road to Deer Run” and spent a lot of money doing so.

Oil Painting that became the cover for my first novel
Oil Painting that became the cover for my first novel

It actually was well received for its storyline but five years later, I see the flaws I made as a new writer. I didn’t know enough about writing and it showed.

Today, self-publishing is common and is no longer deemed a plebeian form of seeing a book become a reality. But there is much more to publishing a really great book that just getting it formatted to Kindle. There are proper edits to any book that will make a reader not want to put your story down. There is marketing. There are writer’s conferences you should attend. There are books on the writing craft you’ll want to read. There are many facets of getting published without making the myriad of mistakes that I did. And were I to start over again, self-publishing is not the way I would begin.

My hopes for this column are that I might encourage you in your writing. Crafting words and pitching ideas to potential editors, publishers and agents can seem overwhelming. My first encouragement to you is to take one step at a time. Don’t rush from having an idea for a novel to seeking an agent. Take your time and absorb as much knowledge from other writers and editors who have been in the writing trenches. Don’t be in such a hurry to see your book birthed that you make mistakes that you might regret later. No one is more aware of this than I am.

In this monthly column for Almost An Author, I want to encourage you. I’m now a published author who has gone from feeling humiliated to winning awards. From self-publishing to having six contracts signed for books. Even “Road to Deer Run” has been contracted for re-release with an independent Christian publisher and will receive new edits and a new cover later this year.

After five years of struggle and mistakes, God has given my first novel new life—just like He gave new life to me when I became a Christian. I’m so grateful for His grace!

[bctt tweet=” God has given my first novel new life #novel #firstnovel #amwriting” via=”no”]

[bctt tweet=”… self-publishing is not the way I would begin #writer #firstnovel #novel” via=”no”]

(Old Typewriter image courtesy of Thaikrit through FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

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Writer Encouragement

Writer Interruptions

There it is again—another interruption.

If it’s not the screaming baby needing to be fed, it’s the dog demanding another outdoor visit. Or a phone call from your mom who requires another trip to the doctor. Interruptions like these plague a writer wanting to be serious about their work.

“How will I ever get to my writing with so many obstacles?” You throw up your hands in exasperation, wishing you could hole up somewhere and do nothing but write.

But wait. Aren’t these “interruptions” our work? Our life? Dare I say it—our inspiration for our writing?

We can view these common episodes as a negative or a positive. I choose to view them as the latter.

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I remember when my kids were small, I felt like I was drowning in baby spit up, poopy diapers and all the other “gifts” our little ones share with us. In frustration, I decided to turn these episodes into short humorous poems about the daily difficulties of being a mom. Little did I know that these verses would end up on the desk of a features editor at a local paper. My attempts at poetic sanity had led to a freelance job and two newspaper columns.

 

Now, I understand deadlines and contracts, and all the other responsibilities that writers face. And there may be times when a babysitter needs to be hired or your spouse may need to fill in a bit more while you put your fingers to the keyboard. You are blessed if you have a family that supports your creativity.

But a balance needs to be reckoned with. If you are constantly frustrated by these day-to-day interruptions, perhaps an evaluation of your time commitments needs assessment. Have you taken on too many writing assignments? Too many blog posts? Too many contracts to juggle? Remember, you don’t always need to say, “Yes” to every offer. The wise writer prays for guidance.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1 it says, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” (KJV). Is this your season to take on writing tasks that fill your whole day, every day? Or are some of these writing commitments best put off until the kids are in school or have flown the nest?

One thing is certain: Your daily commitments to family that are “swallowing” up your time and energy today will some day change. Your children will grow and then be gone. Your parents will pass on. I’d encourage you to plan your today in such a way that tomorrow holds no regrets.

 

Image of typewriter courtesy of Just2Shutter via freedigitalphotos.net

Image of woman courtesy of artur84 via freedigitalphotos.net