Tag: Writing Inspiration

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A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Keep Rolling

lighter look at a writer's life

I love quotes, motivational thoughts, words of wisdom or whatever you like to call them. The writer in me often says, “Why didn’t I think of that?” One of the nuggets that has become popular lately is, “Progress over perfection.”

This bit of wisdom can relate to our writing. While we always want to strive for perfection, we often find ourselves avoiding our work in progress because we can’t get it to the state of perfection that we desire.

This goes back to a rule of writing that we all learned early on: don’t edit as you go. Progression is an ongoing, moving process. It slows greatly if we must start and stop to edit. It is comparable to the difference in driving on the interstate and driving in a traffic jam.

 We all like to keep rolling when we are driving. It is a sense of accomplishment when we are moving on down the road. We are making progress toward our goal of arriving at our destination. We see landmarks swishing by, and nothing can stop us now.

A traffic jam causes us anxiety. We worry about the time we are wasting inching our way along.  We are mumbling about the unknowns up ahead, and we convince ourselves that we really need to go to the bathroom and are going to burst if we don’t move soon. We are still on the same road going the same direction but not gaining much ground on getting to where we are going.

The better way: if you are on a roll, keep rolling. Write words that are big and bold. Write words that are bright and colorful. Write words that you are not sure you are using correctly but sound good at the moment. Just write. There will be time later to go back and check for correct usage and over usage. There will be time to correct grammar and punctuation. There will be time to work on perfection, but, for now, progression is the goal.

By the way, it’s ok to take a bathroom break as needed.

Sue Davis Potts is a freelance writer from Huntingdon, Tennessee. She is mother to her beautiful adult daughter, Jessa. Sue enjoys writing for both children and adults. She worked for years as a preschool teacher but feels most at home these days with other writers who speak her language. She has been published in local magazines, anthologies, Ideals, Southern Writer’s Magazine and Focus on the Family’s children’s magazines Clubhouse and Clubhouse, Jr.

She authored a children’s library book.  She is the author of a book of short motivations 101 Life Lessons From Uno (The One-Legged Duck) and coauthored. The Priceless Life (The Diane Price Story). Both books are available on Amazon. Sue can be found on her website, www.suedavispotts.com.

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

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A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

An Ode to ______ship

lighter look at a writer's life

Summer is ending, and that means teachers like me (and maybe you) are getting ready to go back to full-time work. To help me forget the impending return and to have some fun, let’s play a game of “Song Title Fill in the Blank.” After all, I love to include these types of questions when I prepare tests for my students. I will add I don’t own the rights to these songs and/or lyrics, and I’m not even sure I own the rights to my own name anymore. Here goes—try your best:

“I get by with a little help from my ___________________.”

“You gotta have ______________________.”

“___________________ are __________________ forever.”

“You’ve got a ___________________.”

“Thank you for being a ______________________.”

“People, let me tell you about my best ________________________.”

What’s the answer? Beagles? Robots? Chimpanzees?

Nope. It’s . . . wait for it . . .

Friends.

Yay, you got it! What does this have to do with writing? Well, everything. Where would I be without my writer friends? I am thankful for all my friends, but my writer friends hold a special place in my heart, as they can identify with a lot of different things I go through:

–They share the feeling that, when I have a deadline, I want to do anything (vacuum, wash dishes, build an addition onto the house) but write.

–They know the emotions that come when I write something that seems so bad, I want to throw the laptop in the road.

–They understand the feeling of revising a piece over and over, clicking “send,” and then realizing 15 more things I want to change.

–They remain friends even when I go into the “cocoon” to write for a big project with a looming deadline (or when I avoid the deadline by vacuuming, washing dishes, or building an addition onto the house).

–They cheer me on in my writing victories and commiserate with me in the rejections and failures.

–They attend writers conferences with me and hang out with me at the coffee shop even though I don’t drink coffee, laugh with me, and help me storm the lunch line in search of chocolate macaroon cookies (Oh, and attend classes with me—guess I should include that).

–They pray for me when I need help or when I am ready to quit.

So, thanks to all my writer friends—past, present, and future. If you see me at a writers conference, feel free to be my friend, but don’t expect me to drink coffee with you. Why don’t we do smoothies instead? Or chocolate macaroons?

After all, that’s what _____________ are for.            

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

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A Lighter Look at the Writer's Life

Journaling, Journaling Through the Year

lighter look at a writer's life

Happy Journalversary to me!

Yes, I made up a word, but, as I write this post, it’s a very special occasion.

One year ago today, my wife and I were in Morehead, Kentucky for the Cave Run Storytelling Festival, an event I love (and missed this year). During one of the breaks, we drove into town—which is my old stomping grounds, where I attended college—to shop at CoffeeTree Books. This store brings back many memories, as it is located in a redesigned movie theater, where I saw film after film as a college student. So I enjoyed two of my favorite things: shopping for books and reminiscing about the Big ‘80s.

Anyway, I browsed book after book, and one caught my eye—One List a Day, A Three-Year Listography Journal. I looked through it and was intrigued. One question a day, asking you to list three things. That first day was “three decisions you have recently made.”

I could do this.

I checked the price and put the journal down to look at other areas of the store, but I kept going back to it. I finally decided to take the plunge and buy it before I changed my mind.

Back at the hotel, I answered that first question. The next morning, the second. And on and on. For the last year, I have kept up with the journal. Sure, I have a missed a few days here and there, but I have always caught up. THIS IS HUGE.

Now, during this period, I was laid up with an injury for two months and lived through the “COVID/Quarantine” experience. But that doesn’t dampen my achievement: I, Carlton Hughes, have journaled for ONE YEAR.

I have started and stopped countless journals through the years. I would normally follow a familiar routine: buy a neat-looking journal. Get a fancy pen. Get up each morning for one to two weeks to write in the journal. Get busy with life. Wake up late a few days. Rush to get to work/meet church obligations/do things with family. Forget the journal and eventually relegate it to the back of a bookshelf, never to be opened again.

I have quite a collection.

With my current venture, I learned that journaling, even this simple one with only three things each day, keeps creative juices flowing. I realized I had set the bar too high in previous attempts, thinking I had to write a novella of my life each day.

Plus, since I’m into the second year, it’s interesting (albeit a bit scary) to look back at how I was thinking a year ago. So far this year, my answers have reflected the current crazy world situation, so, though it is not fun now, it will be fun to look back on it in several years.

So, in the tradition of my one list a day journal, I will ask you a question: what three things come to mind when you think about journaling? Go ahead . . . I’ll wait.

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

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Becoming an Author

5 Creative Writing Prompts for the Quarantined Writer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Journeying through the Writer's Life

For Writers: 7 Tips to Silence the Negative Voices in Your Head

Following the dream of becoming a writer involves so much more than just learning how to write. Sure that’s a biggie and without learning the craft of writing we’re sunk. But not knowing the basics is just one thing that can defeat us before we get started. We also have to silence the negative voices.

Yep, one of the biggest obstacles writers face is found inside our own heads.

[bctt tweet=”One of the biggest obstacles #writers face is found inside our own heads #writing”]

We spend a lot of time alone—just us, ideas in our heads, words, and voices. Yep, we all have those little voices that whisper in our minds. They say all sorts of things, some positive, but the majority negative.

I’ve heard them say things like:

  • You know you can’t write, why are you even bothering?
  • Others more talented than you have already written that, what could you possible add?
  • You’re wasting your time and your family’s money.
  • You’re a failure.

If we listen to these voices and give them the opportunity, they can keep us from writing. They can defeat us before we even begin. Instead, we need to learn how to overcome them and become resilient.

Today I have some tips to silence the negative voices in your head.

[bctt tweet=”7 Tips to silence the voices in your head #writing #writer”]

  1. Remind yourself about the WHY. We all have a reason we want to write. That was what gave us the impetus to begin.
  1. Replace the negative with the positive. Studies continue to show that negative self-talk has a huge impact. Instead of reinforcing those negative voices, replace them with positive.
  1. Find yourself a writing tribe. We writers aren’t good at evaluating our own work. We need objective opinions from those we trust. Band together with other writers and reinforce your defense against those voices.
  1. Get out. Not out of the writing biz, out of your office. Take your computer (or pen and paper) on a field trip. Go to a coffee shop, a park, where ever you feel comfortable. So often just the act of changing locations can give us the boost we need.
  1. Let your tribe know you’re struggling. It’s not enough to be part of a writing tribe, you also have to reach out when you need help. Yes, they’re there to critique and read. But they’re also there to help one another succeed.
  1. Face the fear. So often those negative voices play off the fear we feel. Maybe we’re afraid what we write will be junk and unpublishable. I’ll let you in on a secret, even best-selling authors write junk. So go ahead and write the junk. Get it out of the way and keep writing.
  1. Write down what you’re hearing in your head. The voices whispering in our souls often seem big and powerful. When we write down what we hear, they are revealed as the ridiculous things they are.

If you’re trying to write, you’re hearing these voices. I know because I hear them, and so does every other writer on the planet. You aren’t alone and you can over come them. These are the things I do to silence the negative voices in my head. I’d love to hear how you cope. Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Categories
Magazine and Freelance

Jobs in your “Inbox” and more

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

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

Websites

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

YOU

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

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

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

Categories
Storyworld

Anatomy of Grays: Sex

AnatomyGraysSex

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

External Fertilization

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

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

Internal Fertilization

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

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

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

Sex Between Species

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

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

Sex and Culture

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

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

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

 

Photo Credits:

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

 

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

 

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

Categories
Storyworld

Anatomy of Grays: Alien Digest

The autopsy window allowed Jim a clear view of the good doctor’s grim work. The gray-skinned corpse had been cut open from neck to … whatever was between its legs, and its internal workings were just as alien as its external ones. Over the speaker, Doctor Stein began commenting on how the ugly fellow might digest its food. Apparently the little gray invaders had multiple stomachs like cows. Jim sighed. So their world was being invaded by bipedal gray-skinned cud-chewers. Great. Just great.

This month we continue our series on alien anatomy, literally delving into the bowels of unusual creatures – specifically their appetites. I’ve already posted an article about food and its necessity to your characters, which are probably vertebrates. That means they ingest their food, break it down, absorb it, and then circulate it to every single living cell in their bodies (which is headache-inducing if you stop to ponder it – don’t). Unused consumables are then disposed of in the same way that publishers typically treat unsolicited manuscripts. But with an alien anatomy, it bears mentioning that exotic creatures might ingest, digest, and circulate food differently.

 

Self-producing

Take for example a typical plant. Its food is self-produced, using a special pigment called chlorophyll, plus sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. It still needs potassium, nitrogen, and various other nutrients found in the soil, but the energy the plant uses is the sugar it produces for itself. This may not sound extremely interesting as a plot device in a book, but wait until you read John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War. I won’t spoil who the green-skinned creatures are, but suffice to say Scalzi incorporates a creature that uses chlorophyll-infused skin to further enhance its energy (as a hint, they aren’t the Jolly Green Giants).

 

Externally Digesting

Other organisms like fungus and starfish actually digest their food externally. A fungus emits enzymes into the soil (or plant, organism, or whatever the fungus is feeding on), and its “food” breaks down around the root-like hyphae. The nutrients are then absorbed into those little tendrils. Try not to think of that the next time you get athlete’s foot. Arguably more gross is the starfish, which actually spits its entire stomach out of its mouth to digest its food externally. Creatures like this are likely to be pretty alien. Again, the world of Scalzi’s Old Man’s War is populated with interesting characters. Take the Gehaar for example, which are blue, tentacled extraterrestrials that inject their food with acid and slurp up the mostly-digested syrupy mess into their mouths. Yuck. But who knows what your space-faring adventurers or fame-seeking wizards will find in their world?

 

Otherworldly Appetites

But not all creatures need to follow the same rules as those in our own world. The second book in Larry Correia’s Monster Hunter series (incidentally, no relation to the Pokemon craze), includes some creatures called Oni, which feast off of souls to prolong their life. They do this in an almost literal way, because the souls are actually stored in a stomach-like bag inside the creature, where they are processed and provide energy for the evil beings. Apparently such a malevolent metabolism makes a monster very hard to kill too, since an entire section of Alabama interstate was virtually destroyed in the process. You’ll have to read Monster Hunter Vendetta to appreciate it though.

 

Picking up a Monster Manual from Pathfinder or 3rd or 5th edition D&D can also give you some interesting ideas for aliens and fantastic creatures (Note: 4th edition is great to play, but the monsters typically lack back-stories). Examples from these books are Gelatinous cubes and oozes that tend to be mindless blobs of jello that are only semi-aware. If you touch one though, your skin will begin to decompose in their uniform acidic bodies. That’s because their digestive systems are little more than homogenous blobs of acid. Rust monsters are also interesting since they eat metal, including magic weapons. In one of the editions this meant that one of their waste products would sometimes be residuum, a magical substance used to enchant other weapons.

 

That’s all on the menu this month. Next month we’ll talk about alien sex and reproduction, but don’t worry, I’ll keep it PG. Still, you may not want to invite your grandma.

 

Gelatinous Cube Inspirational Photo from http://catsoftindalos.blogspot.com/2016/05/caverns-of-slime.html

Green Giant image from https://www.tellwut.com/surveys/lifestyle/food-drink/91881-jolly-green-giant.html

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi Storyworld

World-building From the Eyes of a Character

Character Eyes

The carbine was still jammed and Jim couldn’t do anything to fix it. He finally tossed it aside and cursed the shoddy Adronni weapon manufacturers – maybe their world would be next on the alien invasion tour. A shrill whine filled the air, and Jim pressed himself tighter against the debris-covered groundcar. A scant thirty feet away the earth erupted in blue smoke. As the remains of a prefab shelter rained harmlessly over his powersuit, Jim took inventory. A Gilgamesh repeater pistol, a single frag, and a suit of armor with a busted rebreather. As long as the reptilians didn’t gas him first, he’d probably live long enough for one of their walker units to plasma-blast him in the chest. He sighed. No, there was one last thing he possessed – the souls of his charred comrades pushing him on to avenge them. Jim unholstered the pistol and peered around the corner. Time to move – vengeance would be his!

On the surface, the above paragraph looks like an action scene. It’s dripping with tension, and Jim’s fate looks pretty bleak. But even an action-packed paragraph can be used to build your world. In fact, study it a minute and try to identify some of the foreign storyworld elements.

We’re not sure what kind of weaponry Jim has (laser? projectile?), but his attackers clearly have plasma weapons that explode in puffs of blue gas. And we can guess based on the grisly state of his allies that either the plasma weapons burned them alive or that the aliens have some other kind of burning weapon.

Let’s look at some of the subtler elements though. Take the use of the word “groundcar.” What is the implication there? Obviously a “groundcar” is a type of vehicle distinguished from some other type. An aircar? A hover car? We don’t know specifics, but use of that word reveals that methods other than ground-based vehicles are used for transportation in this world.

We also get a glimpse into the intergalactic relations. First of all, these reptilians are not only invading Jim’s planet but have apparently been on “tour,” invading many planets. We don’t know if “Adronni” is a company or a race of aliens, but we do know that either Jim or his military outfit purchased firearms from otherworldly suppliers. This establishes that the storyworld has interplanetary trade.

All of this could be done from a detached, third-person omniscient perspective, but the story is told from a deep, although third-person, POV. This not only conveys the gobs of storyworld information above, but it also does two other things: 1) it gives the action emotional impact. Sure, the battle scene is only a paragraph long, but you’re emotionally involved in the character. It inspires you to read onward and learn Jim’s fate, even as your imagination processes the alien elements. And 2) the world is shown with Jim’s particular biases. A comment like “shoddy Adronni weapon manufacturers” shows us Jim has preferences in firearms and the Adronni-supplied weapons are apparently not among them. This doesn’t mean his preferences are necessarily right, and a different character’s POV may reveal a different perspective on the carbine and its manufacturer. Your storyworld’s inhabitants, like those in the real world, won’t always agree on things.

This isn’t to say that every paragraph in your 90,000-word manuscript must be packed with exotic storyworld elements, but the first few chapters should do so as much as possible. And if you’re trying to get your audience attached to your characters in that same timeframe, doing so from a close, ground-level perspective can really help.

mhi1-posterLast year, my favorite novel was Monster Hunter International written by Larry Correia. A contemporary fantasy novel like this doesn’t need as much storyworld explanation as a distant-future sci-fi novel, but the author does equally amazing jobs at world-building and deep character exploration. I’ve also just started Marc Turner’s When the Heavens Fall, an epic novel with some well-developed fantasy elements and several great POVs. A final verdict will have to wait since I haven’t finished it yet, but thus far it’s a great read and exemplifies some of what we’ve discussed here.

That’s all for now. Next month we’ll kick off a series on alien and fantastic biology. Until then, let me know if there are any other storyworld elements you’d like me to explore in this space. Thanks for reading!

Categories
Storyworld

Board Games that Inspire Writing

The murmur of countless alien tongues subsided as the chairman of the interstellar council called for order. The delegates to Mecatol Rex were unusually nervous tonight, and with good reason. By the end of the week, congress might put forth a motion to ban bio-technology, a move that would devastate the inhabitants of New Moscow. The young ambassador from the Federation of Sol held his breath as the insectoid chancellor of Sardakk N’orr took to the stage, violently shaking a proposal in his foreclaw. The political games had begun. 

When you think of storyworld ideas, your typical sources are probably other books, movies, and TV shows. But have you considered board games? No, I’m not talking about Monopoly, Risk, or Sorry. Modern games provide a wealth of imaginative fodder for the aspiring novelist.

twilight-imperiumThe example in my opening paragraph comes from a truly epic game called Twilight Imperium. In it, various alien races compete for galactic supremacy through military force, shrewd diplomacy, and delicate trade arrangements. While there are similarities to any conquest-type game, from a writing perspective the real gem is the character development of the individual races and the manner in which they interact in the galaxy. In addition to battles and alliances, the actual rules of the game get voted on regularly at the council event. It’s an intriguing concept for a game, and any sc-fi writer is sure to enjoy the political debates between each of the six players. Trade deals and a variety of starships round the game out and should provide an abundance of ideas for anyone hoping to write a space opera.

Love LetterSmaller in scope but not in story, the game Love Letter is a simple game where each player has only a single-card hand. Easy to learn, but sophisticated enough to keep gamers coming back, Love Letter serves as a wonderful gateway for those unfamiliar with modern games. But even the included back story is captivating. Basically, the queen of the kingdom has died and various suitors are trying to win the hand of the princess. The king won’t just let anyone speak with his daughter, so he carefully guards the young woman. Her only hope – that some handsome prince might find a way to deliver a message through the castle staff. Filled with intrigue and amusing characters, you might be surprised at the writing inspiration you can draw from this simple game.

Davith and FriendI recently had the opportunity to play the game Imperial Assault, a cooperative strategy game of heroes set in the Star Wars universe. While you might think you already know that Galaxy Far, Far Away pretty well, you should think again as you play this. Set in the period of the rebellion, each character possesses a deep history and exciting side quests. My character, a force-sensitive operative dressed somewhat like Mortal Kombat’s Sub Zero, is on the hunt for his former employer who might be selling secrets to the Empire. The set-up is similar to a Jason Bourne movie, but with enough interesting twists to keep me engaged. But the story isn’t just about my character, as each of the main characters has his own story that further fleshes out the universe. The elements of the world (blasters, walkers, etc.) may feel familiar, but the scenarios are unique enough that they may inspire you in ways that George Lucas’ films haven’t.

Shadows of BrimstoneSet in the Wild West, Shadows of Brimstone puts you in the role of a sheriff, preacher, rancher, or any number of assorted other professions of the period, and pits you against a wide array of Cthulu-inspired critters. The blending of monsters with a gold-rush era landscape is a great and fresh setting. The individual missions are all twists on old west concepts, whether exploring an abandoned (and now demonically reoccupied) mine, rescuing a child who fell down a well (and is now surrounded by evil critters), or finding the source of a town’s disturbances (which happen to be in another dimension). The amount of storyworld built here is stunning. Many of the ideas could inspire a hopeful steampunk or fantasy writer.

This is just a small sampling of various games I’ve played, but the wealth of ideas that have gone cardboard is legion, and many host quirky and fun stories to boot. If you get a chance, stop by your local boardgame store and scope out the market. From the 16th century piracy of Merchants and Marauders to the superhero battles of Sentinels of the Multiverse, you’re sure to find something that captures your imagination. Granted, you can’t lift their storyworlds directly without a copyright lawsuit, but if you’re searching for inspiration, this might be the ticket. Ooh, did I mention Ticket-to-Ride?

 

Twilight Imperium image from http://www.swordsandspace.com/2013/08/twilight-imperium-after-action-report_31.html

 Love Letter image from https://lordoftheboard.wordpress.com/2013/05/17/love-letters/

 Imperial Assault image from https://deathwatchstudios.com/2016/07/11/imperial-assault-heroes-of-the-bespin-gambit/

 Shadows of Brimstone image from https://wediealotblog.wordpress.com/

 

 

Categories
Grammar and Grace

Misheard, Misused, Misspelled Words

This month’s post is all about words you might be hearing and saying and, consequently, writing improperly. We’re not talking about homophones this time. We’re talking about misheard, misused, and misspelled words.

The idea occurred to me when I received a message from whom—before this ill-typed group of sentences appeared in my inbox—I considered an educated, real adult.

Here’s the problem. She used prolly instead of probably. This construction is not a typo. It’s a made up, wrong word. Maybe that’s how she pronounces it, but it’s still wrong, wrong, wrong. And the little red squiggly line that shows up underneath—even in Facebook messages—indicates a warning people—especially writers—should heed. (I apologize if my old English teacher, persnickety self is shining through here.) (A little bit.)

What about should of? NO! The correct use is should have. The problem probably stems from the contraction, should’ve. I agree. It sounds like should of when we speak. When writing, however, use should have or should’ve. Have is a helping verb: I should have paid attention in English class.

Suppose/supposed has a couple of problems. Here are the correct usages:
I suppose I can cook dinner tonight if you wash the dishes.

I am supposed to cook dinner tonight if I have time. (Don’t forget the d on the end.)

Supposedly, I am a good cook. Not, not, not supposably. Supposably is not correct—even if you hear everyone you know say it this way.

All of a sudden is correct. Years ago when I was teaching, a student wrote, “all of the sudden.” I stopped reading. I shook my head. I’d never heard that phrase before. I marked it as wrong. The student was irritated. A wiser colleague mentioned that all of the sudden was a colloquialism. At its worst, it’s wrong. At its best, it’s informal. Use the accepted all of a sudden in your writing.

Finally, here’s one just for fun. One of my students wrote chester drawers in an essay. I don’t believe she capitalized the C either. Again, even if in quick, slurred speech, the words sound like chester, they really should be written chest of drawers.

Now that I’m thinking about it, chester drawers could make for some interesting dialog in my next work in progress.

Happy writing!

Categories
The Ministry of Writing

Remember Your Christian Foundation: Seminary in 5 – Spiritual Formation

Save money. Learn theology. Become a better writer. Minister more effective. That’s my hope for you. In this second year of my column, The Ministry of Writing, I want to take you to seminary — writing seminary. If you have had the chance to go to seminary then let this be a refresher. If you haven’t please soak up this tuition free theological education given each month in 5 points. God has called you to write. You want to glorify Him and reach the world, but the problem is that we can easily be false teachers and not know it. This is why growing and learning in biblical and theological knowledge is vital to your writing ministry.

 

If you are a Christian writer this post may seem unnecessary, but I want to help you remember your Christian foundation. Believe me, Spiritual Formation class in seminary seemed unnecessary to me. I’d been a Christian for over ten years and in ministry for half that, and there I was in a class that taught the basics. The basics I knew. The basics I had experienced, but it was the basics I needed to remember. And I imagine it wouldn’t hurt you to remember them.

As Christian writers we can get so wrapped up in our projects and the message we are trying to get across that we can easily forget that original joy of our salvation. We can forget the basics that each one of our readers need to know.

So let’s go back to the basics, to the foundations of our faith.

 

  1. We Need a Savior

I trusted Christ as Savior and became a Christian at age 12. Some of you it may have been much younger, while for some of you it was when you were older. After a long time of conviction, I placed my faith in His sacrifice on the cross for our sins, but it wasn’t until I was studying theology that I realized my dire need for that salvation.

No matter how long you have been a Christian it is vital that you see the absolute need  we have for a Savior. Matthew 5:48 states that we must be perfect to enter Heaven. This is impossible because as we know too well, and Romans 3:23 tells us — we all have sinned. In Ephesians 2:1, we read that we are dead spiritually because of our sins. Therefore, we can not be saved by any merit of our on.

When I was in early elementary grade I almost drown at a cousin’s birthday party. I couldn’t swim well and I ventured into the deep end. Fortunately, someone saw me and jumped in.

I couldn’t rescue myself — I had to be rescued. We, too, need to be rescued in light of our sins and in regards to eternity.

So no matter how much we grow in Christ, we can’t forget we are still completely reliant on His grace and mercy for salvation.

 

  1. We Can Be Born Again

As I stated it is vital we realize that the core of our Christian walk and then our expression of that in writing is that we were spiritual dead. Romans 6:23 states that this spiritual deadness results in a spiritual death for eternity. Although a strong punishment is foretold, it is followed by a “but”. Paul records in Romans that although our sin leads to death, a gift of eternal life is available. We also read in Romans 5:8, that although we are sinners Jesus came and died for those sins. The price has been paid. An acquittal is available. Jesus has done all the work. The rope of eternal rescue has been let down, then by faith we can take that rope. When we place our trust in Jesus, repent of our sins, and commit to follow Him we are born again.

In that new birth, we receive the promised new heart. A large part of us being made new is that we are given the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. The power of Christ becomes a guide, counselor, comforter, and convictor in our lives.

 

  1. We Can have a Relationship with God

When we celebrate our salvation in Christ, we think of the forgiveness of sin, but what I believe is the most amazing part is that we’re able to have a personal relationship with God. We’re no longer separated from Him by sin. We can walk with Him.

The Christian walk is not following a list of rules, but living in a relationship with Christ. It is not following the prescribed steps A and B, but rather staying in step with the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul instructs the believers in Galatia to walk in the Spirit.

 

  1. We Need to Use Spiritual Disciplines

In our western mindset we actually would prefer that set of rules to follow as Christians. We prefer the methodology of science over the ebbs and flow of art, but walking in the Spirit is an art. It is a practice in which we grow into. It is in this frame work we must understand the spiritual disciplines. It’s said that if one was to ask a puritan preacher for counsel, he would reply, “Put yourself in the way of the Lord.” The preacher would mean for that parishioner to read their Bible, pray, meditate, fast, attend church, etc. Then in seeking God the parishioner would then encounter God. This is taking God at His word when He promised in James 4:8, “If we draw near to Him He will draw near to us.”

The believer actually already has God near since they possess the Holy Spirit. So spiritual disciplines are tools to help us stay in step with Spirit, so that the He can show us how to live.

 

  1. We Need to have a Regular Quiet Time

 Each morning I begin with what I call a quiet time which includes prayer, a devotional reading, and Scripture reading. I know others call that time by different names. Whatever you call it, you need to have it. Basically, it is a regular time in which you seek the Lord. It’s through a regular time that we are able to have our steps directed by the Holy Spirit. It is through hearing the direction from Him, that we are able to live out our lives as a follower of Christ.

 

Categories
Storyworld

Fantastic Geographical Influences on Cultures

Tatooine

As Tatooine’s twin suns slowly inch to the sand dunes in the horizon, a lone figure strains his eyes as he scans the endless wastes to the west. Some of us are so familiar with Star Wars that we can’t remember the first time we saw young Skywalker against the backdrop of the two setting suns, but this scene is anchored in my mind as a brilliantly subtle method of showing a vastly different world.

Not every sci-fi or fantasy story has fantastic geographical elements, but some of the most memorable do. If you’ve considered writing a speculative fiction book, you’ve probably already considered a number of its aspects, but you’ll need to consider how the world’s geography shapes the culture of your storyworld.

The titular world described in the novel Dune by Frank Herbert served as a great inspiration to George Lucas’s Tatooine. Windswept sands and arid climates make for eye candy, whether reading about them or watching them, but the real gem in Dune is seeing how the local people survive in their environment. Water is such a scarce resource that it becomes a trade commodity and advanced suits are used to recycle their liquid wastes. But dehydration isn’t the only concern, since deadly storms whip up frequently and massive worms seek to devour anything that makes vibrations on the sands. The setting is incredibly perilous and consequently the indigenous people live a Spartan, nomadic lifestyle. I think because of the climate and the culture, Herbert models the people like a romanticized version of 19th Century Arabs, though with a sort of mysticism uniquely their own.

crater2Closer to home but no less exotic, Homer Hickham’s novel Crater takes place on our own moon. If the author’s name sounds familiar to you in a non-literary sense, that’s because Hickham was the real life main character in the movie October Sky. After a successful career at NASA, he’s taken up writing Christian Science-Fiction situated on a lunar landscape. Crater, the first novel in his series, deals with the difficulties of lunar survival on a well-established colony. The book is geographically interesting, from the ubiquitous low-gravity to the commerce routes used by space age delivery trucks. Starting in his home in a rugged Helium-3 mining town, the main character must trek across craters, canyons, and rocky plains to obtain a mysterious package at the moon’s main port of call. Because of the harsh setting and the rugged independence of these colonists, Hickham portrays the men and women of the moon similar to Appalachian miners.

PT_BtPoSWhile my first two examples take place in environments naturally devoid of water, the complete opposite is seen in Howard Andrew Jones’ Pathfinder Tales: Beyond the Pool of Stars. In it, Miriam Raas is pulled back into her family business of deep sea salvaging and must fight off monsters, pirates, and evil sorceresses along the way. But she isn’t without her tools of the trade: a magical version of scuba gear, complete with underwater breathing and enhanced mobility. The society that has grown up around her home in Desperation Bay is one of commerce and shipping, complete with nobles and merchants vying for importance through petty political squabbles you could expect in such an environment. The culture is probably most similar to that of Britain during the peak of its naval might, but the magical influence sets the tone as something distinctly different.

When you think of your storyworld, consider its unique geographical features and how civilizations might develop around them. As in these examples, you don’t have to invent environment-culture interactions from scratch. Readers expect people (and all sentient beings) to naturally develop functional cultures around their environment, and they expect these interactions to have elements similar to what we’ve historically seen on earth. So the more you borrow and tweak elements from our own diverse world for your own purposes, the more your settings will feel realistic.

Categories
The Ministry of Writing

Better Understand God’s Instruction — Try Triangulation

Labeled for reuse from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Waas.png

As a Christian writer in your life or in your writing it is not merely about what you want to say or do. You are an ambassador of Christ. You are a soldier in His command. Therefore, you should be seeking Him consistently, walking in the Spirit so that you know His instructions.

I have no doubt that you are doing this, but being certain we are understanding the Spirit’s guidance is not always that easy. We can hear His voice. We can know that voice as we read in John 10. This is not so much a science, but is  an art. It is something that is developed over time. Hearing God’s voice and being certain it is something you can continue to do better.

One way you could do this better is through triangulation.

I highly doubt you have heard this term in a sermon, but maybe you have heard it in an overly technical explanation about your cell phone or a GPS.

I grew up fishing on a local lake. One side of that lake was wide-open with no apparent landmarks on the surface, but underneath there were some serious honey-holes. The trick became finding those spots again after catching fish there the trip before. So to help find those spots we would locate a landmark on the shore. For example, we might chose to line up with the old concrete plant’s smokestack.

The issue would be the smokestack might put us close to the fishing hole, but not exactly. We could be in a three hundred yard circle of the key spot that was no bigger than a bucket. If we added another landmark then we would get closer. So maybe the smokestack on the east and the fourth buoy in the south. Those landmarks would get us close, but still not exactly where we wanted to be, but three landmarks put us exactly where we needed to be. The smokestack on the east, the fourth buoy in the south, and the boat ramp to the west — and we would find that exact spot. The three points of reference created a triangle.

Now days we don’t work so hard. The honey-hole is marked in our GPS and we can go right to it. The reason the GPS works so well is not because a signal from one satellite is locating us, but there are signals from at least three. The GPS uses the same principle of triangulation.

So now back to us hearing God’s voice. How many points of reference are you using to determine His instructions to you?

God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, through His Word, through circumstances, and through other believers. All though through each source of His voice we can know all we need to know, it can be easy to misinterpret. But if we are consistently allowing multiple avenues in which for His voice to speak into our lives, when they line up we can be certain we are hearing clearly.

Each day as I have my “quiet time” with the Lord I don’t rely on just one avenue, but I try to allow for triangulation. I have a prayer journal in which I write my morning prayer and I write down what I feel the Spirit may be speaking to me. I also list circumstances that I believe may be important in determining His Will. So that is the point of reference of the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

During my morning quiet time I read a portion of Scripture. This is a point of reference from His Word. I also try to find a reading plan that someone else has designed that way each day’s reading is objective. If left to me to pick passages I am going to consistently go to Jeremiah 29:11 and dream of that next book contract.

I also do one or two devotional type study books. This I refer to as my teacher point of reference. I am letting God use a teacher to speak into my life. I try to do two such books at a time. I like to have one that is more inspirational and then one that is more doctrine focused. I say a fun one and a boring one.

You may say all this is over kill, but by having usually four avenues for God to speak into my life if they all line up in some way then I feel with certainty I am hearing correctly.  Now they don’t always line up, but when they do — triangulation works and I better understand God’s instruction.

 

Categories
Polishing Your Message Uncategorized

A Shell of a Draft . . .

Shell of a Draft

Shortly after moving to the Islands, a new habit easily became walking early on the beach. On one particular morning, something unlikely happened. (Unlikely from my beach experiences . . . ) I found a big beautiful shell— a whole shell. Do you understand?  I found a large complete shell five inches tall and four inches wide.  Feeling stunned, amazed, and thrilled, I instantly knew I was meant to find this particular shell, on this particular day, in this particular way.

How do I know that? Because it was God showing off again in my world. See, before my walk I had just read how God uses our SHAPE for his purpose. SHAPE being an acronym from Rick Warren’s book A Purpose Driven Life (236).  His SHAPE acronym represents the following words and how God uses them in our life:

S – Spiritual Gifts

H – Heart

A – Abilities

P – Personality

E – Experiences

The SHELL I found is a symbol for the devotion I had read and a gift to remember the lesson. Believe me, I have walked beaches many times, and I have never found such a big unbroken SHELL. On this particular day, He reminded me he has made us all for a special purpose and wants us to use all the above traits for his purpose.

A couple months pass and again I’m walking the beach contemplating inspirations for a new blog, and again I am still thinking about that SHELL. (Now anytime I see a shell, I think of that shell.)

As I continue walking the pastel carpet of broken shell pieces listening to the crunch of each step, I ponder Warren’s acronym and think about how our first drafts for short blogs, essays, and articles form a shell for our final written work. Getting that first Shell of a Draft is sometimes the hardest part of writing. Coming up with ideas is not difficult for writers– it is giving the idea shape. Ask around and discover, most writers keep stashes of ideas tucked in shoe boxes, notebooks, electronic files, and the sandy corners of their minds to develop one day. Discerning what direction, what purpose, and for what audience an idea best agrees often forms its shape when we write that First Shell of a Draft.

[bctt tweet=”Getting that first Shell of a Draft is sometimes the hardest part of writing.”]

While walking and enjoying the formation of birds standing at attention, a new ACRONYM for the word SHAPE came to mind. An acronym to help writers create a first SHELL OF A DRAFT.

How to SHAPE a Shell of a Draft:

birds8

S – See it

H – Hear it

A – Ask it

P – Perceive it

E – End it, Edit it, Edit it, Edit it,  .  .  .  and END IT.

[bctt tweet=”Write to see what’s on your mind. “]

See it:

One of my favorite quotes to share is by E.M Forster, “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” The heart of our drafts often originates when we free write those first initial thoughts and ideas. Sometimes we are surprised by what appears on the blank screen or notebook and we discover, learn, and grow when what is deep within our heart is revealed.  So for step one, when you have a topic or idea,  just write. Write to see what’s on your mind. Write to see what’s on your heart, and write to see what’s in your Spirit. Just get it down on paper.

Hear it:

Do my thoughts flow smoothly for the reader? Reread the draft repeatedly listening for areas where words may be missing or thoughts are not connecting smoothly. (Perhaps some transitions will help.) Listen for opportunities of adding parallelism with list or alliteration to catch a reader’s attention. These are all writing elements, tools, or techniques a wordsmith enjoys adding to his or her work. Pay attention to word choice when rereading aloud. Look up words if needed and use a thesaurus to reduce redundancy. Finally, say a little prayer and trust your ear; trust it as an assistant to your writing.

Ask it:

Are there any areas of confusion? Are the examples and support all supporting the main idea of the message? If not, some may need to be omitted. Writers often have lots of ideas on how to reveal a message, but determine which details and examples best reveal your purpose and audience and omit the rest. This question is a key factor in helping writers decide what to leave in and what to take out. If it does not support the purpose, consider leaving it out.

Perceive it:

This is the time for peer review or reader feedback. Can the text be misunderstood, unclear, or offensive to readers? How might others interpret the prose? When asking someone’s perspective, you may want to share a past blog on how a friend can offer confident feedback.

End it: 

This may be the hardest decision, but deadlines and goals help encourage the process. End it, then edit it, end it again, let it rest, and edit it again. Embrace the process and accept revision, revision, revision is required to get that draft into shape. Continue the process until you feel peace or your time has expired. Say a little prayer and let your message go.

Today, when I hold the shell I found, it symbolizes for me the SHAPE God is molding me into and how my spirit, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences SHAPE my writing. In addition, the shell is a marker of answered prayer (for years I’ve wanted to live back near a beach).  It represents my current life transition from single motherhood to empty-nester and the SHAPE for which my heavenly father sees me and cares about every detail in my life– even a walk on the beach.

I hope these suggestions will help new writers develop their ideas into drafts and then on to a final message.

(I am ending here because it’s now time to go walk on the beach with a friend.)

Below, I invite you to share what gifts God reveals to  you while enjoying nature.

Categories
Journeying through the Writer's Life

Time to Write—The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself

We writers are an odd lot.

We’re driven to write, spending time composing poetry, writing books, researching articles. We doodle titles, character names, and plot ideas on scraps of paper. All the while feeling guilty about the time we spend pursuing our dream. I call it writer’s guilt.

So how have I solved this dilemma?

Years ago I made a conscious decision to give myself permission to make writing a priority. I gave myself the gift of time to write. Not only has giving myself this gift gotten me closer to achieving my goals and dreams, it’s given me a self-confidence I didn’t expect. The more I make writing a priority, the better I get at it. Then the more success I have, which leads to the courage to push myself and reach for the stars.

[bctt tweet=”Time to Write – The Best Gift You Can Give Yourself this Season – @EdieMelson #writing ” via=”no”]

Here are the steps I took to set aside time for writing:

  1. Come up with a schedule and keep regular, consistent hours. Notice I said regular hours—not normal ones. For years I wrote with young children. That meant writing in the afternoons and after they were in bed. Just because you’re working odd hours doesn’t mean you can’t have a schedule.
  1. Respect your dream. If your best friend, or child had a dream you’d encourage them to pursue it. Give yourself the same support that you’d give someone else. Trust me, you’re worth it!
  1. Be consistent. If you’re not accepting calls from your mother-in-law because you’re working, don’t spend the afternoon on the phone with your best friend. Stay focused on your writing. This is even more critical if your time is at a premium.
  1. Recruit a support team. Instead of adversaries, enlist your friends and family to help you reach your writing goals. Communicate those goals, clearly and frequently. Ask for their help to reach them. After all, what mother doesn’t want to help her baby succeed!
  1. Share your victories. Let those that help you share in the joy of goals accomplished and milestones reached.

What do you do to make your writing time a priority? What interruptions do you struggle with the most? Share your thoughts and we’ll all support each other.

[bctt tweet=”5 Tips to Help You Find Time to Write – @EdieMelson #writing ” via=”no”]

Categories
Child's Craft Uncategorized

Where to Begin?

Where to begin? I had a friend ask me this question recently, who is interested in writing a young adult novel. She was worried that she didn’t have an agent or know of a publisher. I’ve had people tell me they wanted to write a picture book but didn’t have an illustrator. I know another man who keeps talking about writing a novel, but keeps buying books on how to write novels so he knows how to write a novel correctly before he begins writing. That was about six years ago, and he still hasn’t put the pen to the paper yet.

Let’s clear up some of the above misconceptions then I’ll share my three thoughts on where to begin. If you’ve never been published before in any manner, an agent isn’t necessary at this point. You must have something written. They want to see that you can write. You need a tangible manuscript as a new author.

If you’re writing a picture book, most publishers provide their own illustrators. They just want the text from you. I’ve heard that unless you are an artist and draw your own illustrations, do not submit pictures with your manuscript. However, with that being said, you need to write a picture book with varying pictures in mind to make it enjoyable for the reader. Write creatively so your words illicit what pictures would appear on each page. Write so that the illustrator will have fun designing the pictures.

Reading books is also helpful in directing your writing, but not to the extent that it becomes an excuse not to write. It’s great to learn as much as you can about the craft. Go to writer’s conferences, attend critique sessions, and read books to hone your craft, but keep on writing. You generally need to be in the midst of your project to get as much as you can out of conferences and critique sessions and book advice. When I was in anesthesia school, the first semester was didactic book work. But if all we did was read about anesthesia, that would not mean we’d know how to actually administer it. We needed hands on experience and a lot of it. It’s the same with writing. It’s good to read about the craft, but you won’t have a full understanding of how that works until you jump in and begin writing.

So, where to begin? First, you must have an idea in mind of what to write, an inspiration that can’t help but be written. It’s difficult sitting in front of a white page trying to will the words to appear. You definitely need an inspiration. Once I get an inspiration, I usually have to mull it over for a few days, take it for a couple runs, play with it in my mind so I can imagine a direction it may go. Do whatever you need to do to help formulate the idea in your mind.

Secondly, once you have an idea in mind, sit yourself down and let it flow. Write with the creative side of your brain. Don’t edit yourself yet. That comes later. Let it go. It may flow in the direction you imagined or it may grow feet of its own and charge down its own path. But start writing and see what you’ve got. Sit anywhere you feel the most creative. I actually hand wrote my first manuscript sitting on a sofa before plugging it into a computer.

Third. Have fun. Writing is a calling, a joy, a pleasure. God will not place a calling in your life that will place you in eternal misery. It may not always be a walk in the park, but it’s what you are made of, made for, it’s who you are. This is not a high school book report or grueling essay. It’s what you choose to do and what chose you! Have fun with it. Work at it. Then the critique groups, conferences and books can help make your writing better, stronger, publishable. But in order for that to happen, you must have something written. Begin by sitting down and starting to write. That, my friend, is the hardest part.

Categories
Journeying through the Writer's Life

Move Forward with Your Writing By Looking Back

I’ve found the writing path to be the journey of a lifetime. At times it’s fraught with discovery and at others, discouragement. I’ve learned how to avoid some of its pitfalls by spending some time each year gazing back at the way I’ve come.

[bctt tweet=”Move forward with your #writing by taking time to look back – @EdieMelson” via=”no”]

This time of year, with New Year’s just behind us, my thoughts turn backward as I evaluate the past year and prepare for the next one. I’ve given up New Year’s Resolutions completely and find the freedom from those expectations a major relief.

But I have implemented something else instead. My husband and I spend some time looking at our spiritual markers in the past year. We look at them individually, as a couple, and as a family. I also look at them in regard to my past year as a writer.

This is particularly helpful because the writer’s path is unique for each of us. In the past I’ve had trouble evaluating my progress because I was comparing my journey to someone else’s. To begin the process, I start with some basic questions.

  • What were some of my writing highlights of the year? (Not necessarily the most lucrative, but the most rewarding.)
  • What were some of my writing setbacks for the year?
  • How are some ways I’ve grown during the past year?
  • Who has impacted my writing career and in what way?

As I map out these spiritual markers, the path God’s had me on becomes quite clear. And, by knowing where I’ve been, it becomes clearer where to go next.

[bctt tweet=”Knowing where I’ve been on the #writing journey gives me direction on where to go next – @EdieMelson” via=”no”]

Categories
Journeying through the Writer's Life

Tips for Catching & Storing Writing Ideas

As a writer, I’ve come to realize the value—and the elusiveness—of writing ideas. They come and go like beautiful blossoms in spring. And just like flowers, if we don’t pick them and save them, we lose them. So today I’d like to share some tips for catching and storing writing ideas.

[bctt tweet=”Every writer should have a system of keep track of #writing ideas – @EdieMelson” via=”no”]

Every single writer should have a system of keeping track of ideas. I have several. I also save the same ideas in multiple places to make them easier to find. Here is a peek at my storage system:

Computer Files: I have multiple files on my computer for ideas. Here are just a few:

Blog posts

Devotions

Quotes

Book Ideas (divided into fiction and non-fiction)

Article Ideas

Links

As I said, I may store the same idea in multiple places. For instance, an idea for a blog post, might also work well for an article. Or I might expand it into a book idea. The reverse is also true. I may take a book idea and pull it apart and put multiple things from it into blog posts and articles.

I keep several different quotes files, including writing quotes, inspirational quotes, and Bible verses. These will often grow into ideas for articles, blog posts and devotions.

I also keep a list of links. If I come across a cool idea on the web, I paste the URL and a quick description of what I think I could write about.

I have a place on my iPad and iPhone where I can write ideas.

I’m also a big believer in making audio recordings. Especially when I’m driving or if I have a long idea, I can just record it on my iPhone’s voice memo and transcribe it later.

I’ve also begun to do some sketching. Trust me, it’s nothing I want to share yet, but it seems to jump start my creativity. So I keep some colored pens and pencils—with a small sketch pad—in my computer bag.

I’ve discovered that taking pictures is also a good way to record inspiring ideas. I take pictures of interesting people, places, even geometric shapes in buildings and clouds.

[bctt tweet=”Capture #writing ideas visually with your camera – via @EdieMelson” via=”no”]

Finally, in case electronics fail me. I always carry a small notebook in my purse. The trick here is to remember to transfer those ideas to my other files so I don’t lose them!

These are my tips. What ways have you found to keep track of your writing ideas?

Categories
Journeying through the Writer's Life

9 Things for Your Writing Vault

We all know the value of saving for the future. The truth is that’s not just good financial advice—it’s also good advice for writers. There are times when creativity won’t come and times when failure seems to be all that’s happening. For those times, we need to have a place we go to renew and refresh. I like to call that my writing vault.

[bctt tweet=”Here are 9 things all authors need in their #writing vault – @EdieMelson” via=”no”]

Here are 9 things for your writing vault:

  1. Books—I’m a writer, so of course I have a library. But my library isn’t just for recreational reading. I have scores of writing craft books (ebooks and physical). I also have a lot of books that I study because the author is either really good or really bad at some aspect of the writing craft. For example, I learned some amazing tricks of dialogue by reading and studying Janet Evanovich. I bought several of her books at the used book stores and marked them up, studying how she made her dialogue so natural and interesting. I also have books full of writing prompts, and even some blank books for those days when I need to step away from the computer.
  1. Websites—these range from author sites I follow to writing instruction, to research. I bookmark my favorites and return to them again and again.
  1. Writing Friends & Critique Partners—these are the people who get me. They know the struggles I face. They also help me grow by holding me accountable, exchanging critiques and providing someone to brainstorm with.
  1. A History of Workshops & Classes—well, truthfully I have the notes and often audio recordings from these. But over the years I’ve amassed a lot of knowledge. I keep it filed away and easy to find so I can return to it when the need arises.
  1. Favorite movies and TV shows—I’m more of a movie person, but with Netflix and Amazon Prime, I’m watching more television shows. All of these help me with story, character, pacing, even ideas.
  1. Quality Equipment—I’m not just talking computers here. I have an iPad, stylus, standing desk, and a copier/printer. I also have a stash of my favorite pens, notepads, and general office supplies. Having what I need on hand helps take away the excuses.
  1. Inspirational Music—this isn’t necessarily religious music, it’s anything that inspires you. Put together a playlist on Spotify and keep it on in the background while you’re writing.
  1. Alligator-tough Skin—writing isn’t for the faint-of-heart. We must endure rejection, revision and those horrible voices that live in every writer’s mind.
  1. Faith—This may be listed last, but I believe it’s the most important thing of all. For me, it goes beyond faith in myself, although that is important. My faith in the God who created me for the purpose of stringing words together is my foundation every single time I sit down to write.

[bctt tweet=”What do you keep in your #writing vault? @EdieMelson” via=”no”]

These are the things that I keep in my writer’s vault. I’d love to know what’s in yours.

Categories
The Ministry of Writing

Improve Your Writing With Your Spiritual Gift

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If you are a born again follower of Christ then you have been given a spiritual gift or gifts. Scripture tells us that our gift is for building up the body of Christ. There is no doubt that ministering with our gifts gives God glory and enhances our witness.

The benefits of our gift — building up the body, glorifying God, and reaching the lost —probably steal lines from your personal writing mission statement. Those things are the reasons we write. They are our purpose. Therefore understanding our spiritual gift is essential to our ministry of writing.

There is a hiccup though.

Writing is not listed as a spiritual gift in the Bible.

So does that mean our writing is not important or a tool for ministry? NO WAY! We know better. I will only provide one example — the Bible was written, right? Definitely God has blessed you with a gift of writing, but I believe spiritual gifts should be understood that they are more about the message rather than the method.

Spiritual gift lists are found in Romans 12:1-8, 1 Corinthian 12:1-31, Ephesians 4:1-16, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. Read a complete list [here]. There are methods of ministry listed like preaching, service, encouragement, and others. But even with those the emphasis is on the thought process and the message. There are gifted writers throughout the spectrum of spiritual gifts. We are tempted to stop short of expressing our spiritual gift because we do not look past out writing, but it is our spiritual gift that shapes our writing. Writing is a tool to exercise that gift so it is important to know your area of gifting because out of that gift comes what you like to write, as well as the writing you despise.

We can find writers gifted with encouragement, preaching/prophecy, shepherding, encouragement, evangelism, mercy, teaching, and faith. And to find them we wouldn’t even need to receive the results of their spiritual gift inventory or receive special revelation from God to know their gift for their writing reveals it.

The writer gifted with encouragement (exhortation) writes positive, encouraging, and uplifting pieces.

The writer gifted with evangelism seeks to win souls with everything they write.

The writer gifted with shepherding will write with people at the center of their work, while the writer gifted with prophecy focuses on doctrinal truths and tends to be harsh towards their reader.

The writer gifted with teaching is always going to have a lesson in their books.

I’m sure you get the idea by now. [bctt tweet=”Our spiritual gift is more about the message rather than method.”]

Within the biblical teaching of spiritual gifts we are told that we are all parts of one body and  have different roles within that body. Therefore, we need to fulfill our role and support others in their roles.

Knowing your spiritual gift(s) can help you focus your strengths, but the greatest value is that it shows how we fit into the body. Through understanding our gift we can see our writing in the context of other authors. Along with providing us with strengths our divine gifts also have a negative side. I feel my gift is teaching. So my focus tends to be on discipleship and spiritual growth. So when I run across a writer who is always putting out peppy uplifting devotions — I get frustrated. I condemn them for presenting everything in rose-covered glasses, but I am sure when they read my work they complain that I am discouraging and negative. The reality is that we are on the same team. That writer has the gift of encouragement which the body of Christ needs and I am writing from a teaching prospective that the body of Christ also needs. There is a place for both of our writings. I have many times been blessed by a writer spiritually gifted with the gift of encouragement when I googled “encouragement for writers” or “encouragement for pastors”.

I have had writers who are gifted with evangelism criticize me because I don’t present salvation enough in my writings. On the other hand I feel they need to focus more on making disciples not just “soul-winning”. Again we are both on the same team just gifted differently, but both providing what the body needs.

Christian writer it is important to seek out your spiritual gift and to recognize gifts in others. We are all on the same team. Some are feet, some hands, some a nose, some an eye, and I guess someone has to be a butt.

Regardless of your role in the body [bctt tweet=”improve your writing with your spiritual gift.”]

 

For more information on recognizing your spiritual gift or taking a spiritual gift inventory check out my blog…www.graytotebox.com

 

Categories
Journeying through the Writer's Life

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.

[bctt tweet=”13 Things that Steal Your #Writing Joy – via @EdieMelson” via=”no”]

  1. Comparison. We each have our own process, our own strengths, and our own path. Comparison will draw you away from being yourself.
  1. Avoidance. The longer we stay away from the process of writing, the harder it is to go back. Not writing will steal away the joy of writing.
  1. Negative Voices. We all have them—those negative voices that live in our heads. We say thing to ourselves that we’d never say to another person. So quit encouraging the voices and just write.
  1. Perfectionism. We all dream about being perfect. But some of us mistake that dream for a goal. We agonize over the fact that we’re not perfect. It’s time to quit and just enjoy the words.

[bctt tweet=”Perfectionism is one thing that can steal our #writing joy – via @EdieMelson” via=”no”]

  1. Fear. Writers and insecurity, it’s so common it’s a cliché. But that’s the thing with clichés, they’re so often based in truth. When we focus on fear, we can lose the happiness we feel when we write.
  1. Time. Yep, busy schedules can come between us and the joy of writing. Finding time to write is a myth, instead we have to carve it out, fighting for every minute we spend putting words on paper.
  1. The Past. We can hold onto past mistakes and missteps and let them steal our writing joy. Learn from the past, but don’t drag it along and let it keep you from the happiness ahead.
  1. Solitude. Believe me, I do fit the stereotype of introverted writer. But that doesn’t mean I should to travel this writing road alone. If I spend too much time along, I loose perspective. I need companions for encouragement and support.
  1. Unreasonable Expectations. This goes beyond perfectionism. So often we have expectations about how this writing life is going to work. We need to get to know the industry and learn how things work.
  1. Lack of Variety. Focus is good. But it’s hard to know where we should focus our writing when we haven’t tried anything new. Writing the same thing (articles, devotions, fiction) day in and day out can make our writing stale. Take up the challenge of something new and you’ll often find joy is the outcome.
  1. Yes. Yep, saying yes to too many things, people, expectations, etc. can come between you and the joy of writing. As writers, we have to find the will power to say no.
  1. Toxic Relationships. Not having traveling companions can steal our joy, but so can choosing the wrong companions. Pick your writing buddies with care or you may find they are the ones keeping you from enjoying the journey.
  1. Forgetting Why You Started Writing in the First Place. It’s easy for the dream to get buried. I keep a reminder above my desk. It’s a few words that sum up what I believe to be God’s call on my life. He fashioned me to process and share life through the written word. When I go back to that, everything else falls into place.
Categories
The Efficiency Addict

Picturing Your Characters

As writers, we do many things to capture what drives our characters. We’ll complete questionnaires detailing their likes and dislikes, create a complete family tree, and of course, analyze their goals, motivations, and conflicts. These are useful tools. However, sometimes we just want to SEE our characters and inhabit their world. When a visual aid is needed, here are three ways for picturing your characters lives:

The Wall Board

This old school method is still quite helpful. Hang a board filled with pictures of your characters and setting(s), and it is constantly before you as you write your piece.

Tips for your wall board:

  • Use foam board instead of poster board. Foam board is stiff and can be leaned against a wall. Poster board will curl over time and fall.
  • Divide your board into sections. In the example below, the top is for main characters while the bottom covers the setting. Remember, to fully capture a character, you need to see them in your story’s environment.

Character Board Layout to help you picture your characters in your story's setting.

  • Look for pictures of your characters in clothing catalogs or fashion magazines. Not only will you capture your character’s style, you’ll also have a nice description of everything they’re wearing. This is great for dressing a character who’s style is not your own. FYI – you can go online to see many companies’ catalogs or request a paper version be sent to your home.

Pinterest Boards

If you’re on Pinterest, you have a ready-made electronic format for researching your characters. Create a board for each of your main characters and pin away with everything that makes them unique.

Tips for your Pinterest boards:

  • Make your character boards secret. You don’t want others to see these wonderful people you’re creating until your story is done.
  • Use Pinterest to research special topics for your story. Beyond boards for your main 2-3 characters, you can also have boards researching a specific location, time period, event, etc. Below is a board I keep on the 1930s. When I look through that board, I not only see information but also the colors, style, and feel of the period.

Pinterest for Writers - Create a secret board dedicated to an time period, event, or setting.

[bctt tweet=”Use Pinterest to research special topics for your story. #HowTo #WritersWrite”]

Bonus: Once your book is sold, you can share your Pinterest Board with the cover artist and marketing group. They’ll immediately have a feel for your characters and the world these people represent.

Scrivener Character Pages

If you’re already using this writing software, Scrivener has a whole section devoted to character research. If you’re unfamiliar with Scrivener, you can see a demonstration video of this software here: www.LiteratureAndLatte.com.

Items of note within Scrivener:

  • This program comes with a basic character template you can customize for your story.
  • You can insert pictures or website links to go along with your notes.
  • Your character profiles stay with your story. When you open your story file, all your character notes open with it. As you write, your can easily reference or update your character notes because everything is with your manuscript document.

Now that you can see your characters, I’m sure there is a lot for them to do. So, get back to writing. Their stories are waiting!

[bctt tweet=”Sometimes we want to SEE our characters and inhabit their world. #AuthorLife #Writing”]

Categories
Truth Be Told

Planting the Seed

Devotions: Seeds to Grow Faith

I still have a copy of the first sermon I ever preached. Imagine trying to cram the entire gospel message and journey of faith into a fifteen minute talk. I did that because I thought I was supposed to. I knew nothing about the crafting of a message or the necessary research, and even less about the dynamics of preaching to people of different ages and developmental stages of faith.

The only reason the congregation tolerated my bumbling presentation was it was expected of them to put up with the kids leading one service a year.

Expectations and assumptions can be just as detrimental to the process of writing devotions.

Think about it. I’m already over 100 words and I haven’t made the point I want to make in this article. That would be half of the typically allotted words for most devotional publications.

There are many who debate the Twitter mentality of such limitations. Can anything good thing come in such a small package?

What are the advantages to a five minute—or less—devotion?

Truth be told: even in our time crunched culture, there’s a least time to plant a seed.

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. (1 Corinthians 3:6, NIV)

Without the planting there will be no growth, no fruit, no harvest.

We’re living in a cut to the chase climate. People want sound bites and essentials.
So what are the essentials of a good devotion?

A scripture verse linked to a relatable story, finished with an application, and sealed with a prayerful thought. These are ingredients that grow great faith.

And what can be done with a seed?

Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20b, NIV)

What seeds will you plant today?

 

 

Categories
Journeying through the Writer's Life

What to Pack for the Writing Journey

Early on I discovered a basic truth for writers. Publishing is a journey, not a destination. This holds true no matter what you write—long or short pieces, fiction or non—there’s not really a final destination. Even award-winning, best selling authors still have new places to go with their writing. So it’s important to know what to pack for the writing journey, so you’ll have fewer regrets.

[bctt tweet=”Publishing is a journey, NOT a destination #writing #pubtip”]

  1. A sense of adventure. I can promise you this writing path is going to take you places you never dreamed. Be ready and open to where the road will take you.
  1. The knowledge that the path isn’t a straight line. I know a lot of writers and we all have one thing in common. Our journeys have never gone in a straight line. But truthfully, it’s the twists and turns that make it so much fun.
  1. A library. It’s important for writers to be readers. Read deep and wide and your writing will reflect that.
  1. A sense of curiosity. All they best writers will tell you that they never quit learning. So e prepared for life-long learning.
  1. Humility. In the beginning we tend to look at things as black and white. But the publishing industry is subjective. Hear what others have to say and don’t be quick to argue.
  1. A strong sense of who you are. It’s easy to begin chasing publication and lose your way. It’s also tempting to take every critique we hear and act on it. If you do that, you risk stifling your unique voice.
  1. Traveling companions. Every journey is more fun when you share it with friends and family. Don’t try to tackle this on your own. You’ll miss out on the support and encouragement you’ll need along the way.

These are the things I list when writers ask me what to pack for the writing journey. What would you add to the list? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

[bctt tweet=”7 things you need to pack for the #writing journey #pubtip”]