Do you cringe when someone scratches her fingernails down a blackboard or clicks her teeth against a metal utensil? Well, I have the same feeling when I read prolly in someone’s Facebook comment or blog post.
I was all ready to write, “Prolly isn’t a word! Please avoid using it! Go for the real word, probably, instead.” Before I began my post, however, I did some research. It turns out, prolly has entries in several dictionaries. (You don’t know how much it pained me to write that last sentence.” It’s accepted as a spoken colloquialism.
Spoken colloquialism.
There it is. Spoken. It’s accepted as a spoken word. If you use the word in your manuscripts, make sure you’re using it in dialog.
I also avoid using it in Facebook posts, too.
But that’s just me.
Happy New Year!
Happy Writing!
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons.
Have you ever thrown your hands up in defeat after reading your manuscript and groaned, “Someone Call 911!?” Maybe you’re anxious about how your story is developing. Perhaps you’re frustrated with your characters. Or when you read the dialogue out loud, it’s boring and unrealistic.
We all get desperate for help in our writing at one time or another and it’s OK to ask for help.
I recently had a very real 911 experience with my husband. Long story short, he had a mild stroke and his right side became paralyzed. This was a complete shock as he is not that old and we did not know he had hypertension. He’d even had a recent physical. We were stunned.
I knew, however, that it was time to call 911 and my husband is currently doing intensive Rehab therapy. He’s slowly getting his strength back with the help of professionals.
If, as a writer, you’re feeling agony over a written piece that just does not seem “healthy,” go to a professional in the field—an editor, published writer, someone who you trust to give you feedback. (Some editors will request a fee for their critique so ask before you receive an unexpected invoice)
Perhaps your story line drags or your hero is not very likeable. Maybe you’re just plain stuck. An expert can help you get back on track and give constructive criticism. Don’t be afraid to ask.
Contacts from writer’s conferences are a great resource. If you belong to a writer’s group, ask a fellow member. If the first person you contact is in the middle of their own writing woes (it happens!), ask another. Get the help you need to give rehab to your story. It might be a simple solution.
Some ER visits merely require a stitch or two. Some require intense care and follow up. But as the goal for a person in physical crisis is a healthy body, a writer’s goal is a healthy manuscript—one that draws a reader from one page to the next and keeps their eyes wide open, long after the lights should be out.
Don’t hesitate to call the emergency number of a fellow wordsmith who can bring perspective and healing to your story.
Then carry on.
Elaine Marie Cooper has two upcoming releases on January 18, 2019: War’s Respite (Prequel novella) and Love’s Kindling. They are the first two books in the Dawn of America Series set in Revolutionary War Connecticut. Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her 2016 release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. You can visit her website/ blog at www.elainemariecooper.com
Sit down with a group at a writers conference or anywhere else writers gather, and that will be the first question asked. The answers usually vary widely.
“Speculative.”
“Amish.”
“Romantic suspense.”
“Women’s Bible studies.”
“Amish speculative with a touch of romantic suspense, and a secret baby included for good measure.”
(Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating about that last one . . . but it could happen.)
My answer is a bit different: “Whatever God gives me to write.”
That may seem like a super-spiritual reply, but it is truly the way things have happened since God called me to write. Time after time, God has opened unlikely opportunities for me, and all I had to do was to say, “Yes, whatever.”
So, in the last ten years, I have written:
–devotionals
–children’s Christmas plays
–test questions and chapter summaries for a textbook
–standardized test questions for an educational company
–sports stories for an online track and field/cross country website
–blog posts
–news articles
–general nonfiction
–fiction
I’m sure there’s more, but you get the idea. I don’t share this list to brag on myself, but to brag on God. He’s the One Who has opened (and closed) the doors, and it was up to me to be obedient and to walk through (or to accept the slammed-shut ones). Each assignment has sharpened my skills, taught me about deadlines, and generally stretched me as a writer.
My advice then is not to pigeonhole yourself into one genre or specific type of writing. Sure, it’s okay to specialize and to hone your skills in one area (maybe God has called you to that), but it’s also important to be obedient to God’s leading when He makes a way for you to stretch your wings.
Now, back to Levi and Martha, who are waiting to get out of the time warp . . .
Carlton Hughes wears many hats—some serious, some goofy.
During weekdays, he sounds like Charlie Brown’s teacher (wah-wah wah-wah-wah) as a community college professor of communication and journalism. On Sundays and Wednesdays, you’ll find him playing games, performing songs with motions, and doing object lessons in his role as a children’s pastor. He and his wife also attempt to keep up with their two college-age boys.
In his “spare” time, Carlton is a freelance writer who has been published in numerous books, including several recent releases from Worthy Publishing: The Wonders of Nature, So God Made a Dog, Just Breathe, Let the Earth Rejoice, and Everyday Grace for Men. He has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul and other publications and is represented by Cyle Young of the Hartline Agency. He contributes regularly to two writing blogs, almostanauthor.com and inspiredprompt.com. He specializes in humorous observations of everyday life, connecting those experiences with spiritual application.
Carlton loves watching classic sitcoms like I Love Lucy, eating way too much chocolate, and rooting for his favorite college and high school basketball teams. He is on the planning committee for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference and a year-round volunteer for Operation Christmas Child.
I was recently polishing my latest manuscript. One of the subplots involves a grant payout with large sums of money. In the drafts, I wrote the amounts with numerals. I had written $50,000, $30,000, $20,000, and $10,000 twice–all in one paragraph. A beta reader pointed out the mega use of zeroes.
A check in the Chicago Manual of Style made me reel back all those zeroes. Here’s the rule:
Use words not numerals when expressing money unless it’s a ridiculous amount that would be hard to read.
So I rewrote the paragraph and all the other mentions of money throughout the manuscript. For example, $30,000 became thirty thousand dollars. I also rewrote the paragraph so that I wouldn’t have so many thousand and dollars in the same paragraph and tripping up the reader.
Happy writing!
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons.
Author of Rescued Hearts Irish Encounter Mars…With Venus Rising
Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, and Bethany Jett, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers, and for writers!
“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it!”
KidLit: Inspiring Children to Learn
With Annette Whipple
Many educational books for children have too much or too little on the pages causing a lack of interest or wonder in learning. Annette has a vision to make learning fun and inspire a sense of wonder through her educational works. She shares how to make a book signing into a memorable event. Annette also shares how to break into the children’s nonfiction market. There is a surprise guest appearance by children’s nonfiction author Michelle Medlock Adams.
In this open mic episode of Writers Chat, Bethany Jett and the Serious Writers Book Club discuss Gary Vaynerchuk’s book on how to understand the nuances of social media and grow a powerful platform. Gary also covers other topics like native storytelling, your brand, and much more.
Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133.
Participants mute their audio and video during the filming, then we open
the room for anyone who wishes to participate with our guests. The “After Party” is fifteen-minutes of off-the-record sharing and conversation.
I enjoy digging into the past, following bunny trails of history, and learning about cultures long interred and nearly forgotten. And then weaving a plausible story using the events and people of another time period.
It takes a lot of excavating (sometimes years) to discover enough buried remains of the past to write authentic prose, avoid historical mistakes, and gain the trust of your readers. Then you live with the fact that, inevitably, there will be mistakes. And what you create will be neither true nor false, but only a probability of what may or may not have happened.
You can’t depend on what you think you already know.
I write Biblical historical and my first novel is set in Ancient Egypt during the Abrahamic era. I started writing with my own memory of events (from Sunday School) having a large influence over my story and discovered several mistakes early.
Abraham and Sarah were called Abram and Sarai at this time.
Pictures of Abraham riding a camel through the desert are historically inaccurate–the camel had not yet been domesticated.
Although Pharaoh’s army pursued Moses into the Red Sea on chariots, during Abraham’s day, the ancient Egyptians had no such vehicle.
Wear the hat of an investigative reporter.
I took a step back and spent nearly the next five years exploring the Middle Bronze Age, Ancient Egypt, and Ancient Mesopotamia. And I realized I had to find research material beyond the internet because (surprise) it had a lot of false and flawed information.
[bctt tweet=”Like a reporter, historical novelists have to check facts and verify sources. #writetips #writerslife” username=””]
Going “old school” and visiting libraries or buying and borrowing reference books often provide my most reliable resources.
I recently wrote a heart-wrenching chapter about the death of a beloved man named Mamre. Going back through my research, I realized I killed the poor fellow off too soon. I put him in an early grave before (according to history) he went to war and became a hero.
My WIP is from Genesis, so any student of the Bible would have caught my mistake and lost confidence in me as a writer. I was glad I took the time to fact-check.
You dig up a lot of gold nuggets, but only cash a few in.
One of the most difficult things to do when writing historical fiction is to not use all of your research. You spend countless hours exploring a specific time period, and you want to share all of that information, but most of it should never make its way into your novel.
The work you do is to give yourself a sense of time and space. Take your reader on an adventure in another age, but do so without overwriting. You have to know what to leave in and what to leave out. Remember that you are writing a novel–not an encyclopedia.
Questions to ask yourself if you are wondering if historical fiction is for you:
Does reading about the past interest you?
Does the prospect of a long process sound worthwhile to you?
Are you willing to find research material beyond the internet?
After all your hard work, are you willing to let most of it go?
Do you see yourself reimagining history?
Can you visualize combining past events or people with fiction?
If you answered yes to all of the above–good news–this genre is for you!
KD Holmberg is an author, blogger, and freelance writer. She is a member of ACFW, Word Weavers International, and a founding member of the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild. She is represented by Hartline Literary Agency. A retired flight attendant, she has traveled and lived all over the globe. She and her husband, Keith, love to golf and live in South Carolina. You can find more about her: Facebook @authorkdholmberg, twitter @kdeniseholmberg, and kdeniseholmberg.blogspot.com
Last year, we explored seven of the eight parts of speech. Then I took a break to address compound words in several posts and the correct usage of its and it’s.
Now let’s look at the last part of speech–interjections.
Interjections are words that denote strong feelings like surprise, excitement, joy, fear. They’re usually found at the beginning of a sentence and are punctuated with an exclamation point but sometimes can be set off with a comma. They are not grammatically connected to the sentence. They function independently.
Use these words in dialog, but don’t use them in formal writing.
Here are some examples of using interjections:
Wow! Hurricane Florence is really huge.
Ouch! That pepperoni burned the top of my mouth.
Other examples include the following: hey, rats, shoot, whoa, dang, drat, cheers, yikes, yuck.
These are fun words to use, but I’d suggest using them sparingly. Remember to show emotion in your writing, not just with one word and an exclamation point.
Happy writing!
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons.
Almost three years ago, I wrote a post about using apostrophes. If you want to read it, go here. The explanation was supposed to help eradicate the wrong placement of the apostrophe. Admittedly, the it’s/its bit is buried in the middle. Maybe that’s why I keep seeing wrong apostrophes everywhere, even on boxes of tea!
This is the whole back of a box of tea.
This picture shows the first line of copy with the wrong word.
I almost didn’t buy the tea in protest, but I wanted to try the licorice flavor.
Using the correct word will be forever easy if you remember, it’s is a contraction for it is. That’s it, people. That’s why the copy on the back of the box–A legend in it’s own right–is, well, stupid. Sorry. I’m dealing in facts here.
The line really reads, “A legend in it is own right.”
Unless a sentence makes sense with it is for it’s, NO APOSTROPHE IS NEEDED. ADDING AN APOSTROPHE IS WRONG.
Good luck and happy writing!
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons.
This post includes the remainder of compound words from U through Z. The list is intended to help during the editing process.
underachieve
underage
underarm
underbelly
underbid
undercharge
underclothes
undercover
undercurrent
undercut
underdeveloped
underdog
underestimate
underexpose
underfoot
underground
upbeat
upbringing
upcoming
update
upend
upgrade
upheaval
upheld
uphill
uphold
upkeep
upland
uplift
uplink
upload
upmarket
upon
uppercase
upperclassman
uppercut
uppermost
upright
uprising
uproar
uproot
upscale
upset
upshot
upside
upstage
upstairs
upstanding
upstart
upstate
upstream
upstroke
uptake
upthrust
uptight
uptime
uptown
upturn
upward
upwind
waistline
walkways
walleyed
wallpaper
wardroom
warehouse
warfare
warlike
warmblooded
warpath
washboard
washbowl
washcloth
washhouse
washout
washrag
washroom
washstand
washtub
wastebasket
wasteland
wastepaper
wastewater
watchband
watchdog
watchmaker
watchman
watchtower
watchword
watercolor
watercooler
watercraft
waterfall
waterfowl
waterfront
waterline
waterlog
watermark
watermelon
waterpower
waterproof
waterscape
watershed
waterside
waterspout
watertight
waterway
waterwheel
waterworks
wavelength
wavelike
waxwork
waybill
wayfarer
waylaid
wayside
wayward
weathercock
weatherman
weatherproof
weekday
weekend
weeknight
whatever
whatsoever
wheelbarrow
wheelbase
wheelchair
wheelhouse
whitecap
whitefish
whitewall
whitewash
widespread
wipeout
without
woodshop
Happy writing!
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons.
If you’ve been writing and working towards getting published, even more so, if you are writing because you know without a shadow of doubt God has called you to do so, then I imagine (actually I’m certain) you’ve hit a dead end or will hit one soon. You’ve come to a roadblock or are headed for one. You’ve ended up at an impassable wall or at least see one in the distance.
So…what do you do?
If God has lead you to write or to share a particular message and He’s continually telling you that the mission is still a go, but it’s evident the endeavor is crashing and burning, what do you do?
Well, that’s where I am.
Actually, it’s where I’ve been the past month…err…three months…err…year. Stuck. Blocked. Crashing and burning. The odds of survival in the writing world and the mission in which I have been sent are looking bleak. So, I broke down and sought counseling.
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Gathered around the table for supper, I asked my seven-year-old daughter the question I had been asking myself. I asked, “If God has told you to do something, but its hard, should you quit?” She looked at me like I was absolutely stupid and said, “You have to do what God tells you to do. If He told you to do something you have to obey, no matter how hard it is. Even if you have to die doing it.” My four-year-old added, “Daddy, you have to do what God says.”
That’s the truth I knew somewhere in my heart. Actually, I had recently written a book about that. But on my little water-walking endeavor I had let my judgment become clouded by the waves and the wind.
Although, my daughter was convincing and again I had written on the subject, I was still uncertain. So, I posed another question to my budding theologian. I asked, “What if God told you to go cross a river, but when you get there the bridge was broken and had fallen down? What should you do? Are you off the hook? Can you say, well, the bridge is gone so God must not really want me to cross the river.”
“You can’t turn around and go home if God told you to do something. You have to find a way to cross the river. Daddy, you would be like Jonah if you didn’t try to cross the river.”
Yikes. My little girl is hardcore.
My four-year-old said, “You could just swim across!” Therefore, we then changed the scenario to a river of lava.” But regardless of what substance is in the river, if God said cross the river—you cross the river or die trying.
Then a lightbulb dinged in my head—how many different ways has God got His people across water? I posed the question to my Suppertime Ecumenical Council and we went to town listing different ways.
He got Noah and his family across with the ark.
He got Moses and the Israelites across by parting the Red Sea, after Moses lifted his staff.
He got Joshua and the Israelites across the Jordan by stopping its flow, after the priests with the Ark of the Covenant stepped in the water.
He got Elijah and Elisha across the Jordan by parting it, after Elijah rolled up his cloak and stuck it in the water.
He got Elisha across the Jordan by parting it, after Elisha touched it with Elijah’s cloak.
He got the ax head out of the Jordan by making it float.
He got Jonah across the water by spitting him out of a big fish.
Jesus got the disciples and himself across the Sea of Galilee by commanding the winds and waves to stop.
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee by walking on water.
Jesus took the disciples across the Sea of Galilee by instantly making the boat appear on the other side.
Impressive list. Also, my daughter may have had a little help compiling it.
And I don’t know about you, but looks like God can handle getting across the river if the bridge is gone. He probably could if it is lava, too.
After that counseling session I returned to my desk, and kept plugging away. God has called me to do this, therefore I got to do it or die trying.
So, what do you when its not working out?
You keep on writing.
[bctt tweet=”God has called me to do this, therefore I got to do it or die trying.” username=”@soldoutjake”]
[bctt tweet=”So, what do you when its not working out? You keep on writing.” username=”@soldoutjake”]
Jake McCandless is an award-winning author, winner of the 2018 Selah Award for his non-fiction book Spiritual Prepepr. He is the Executive director for Stand Firm Ministries and Prophecy Simplified.. A long-time pastor who is now co-pastor of the innovative “above-ground underground,” online church, Endtime.Church., Jake has a B.A. in Bible and Pastoral Studies from Central Baptist College, and an Advanced Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also is a regular contributor to WND News with voices such as Joseph Farrah, Pat Buchanan, Ann Coulter, Ben Carson, Chuck Norris, Joel Richardson, Carl Gallups. He also writes for the The Baptist Press along with other publications. He is also a regular guest on national radio and streaming web shows, along with hosting his daily radio program Prophecy Simplified Radio and weekly podcast Hold On. You can follow all Jake’s work at www.jakemccandless.com or subscribe to his newsletter here.
I love cats, coffee, chocolate, and long walks on the beach, especially if the beach has sea glass. My cat is my best friend and therapist. What does this information have to do with my author bio? NOTHING! All this information is good for a dating website (you won’t find me there, I’m married) or your personal social media page, but not a book proposal bio.
So what do agents and publishers want?
Writing experience
Don’t be shy. If you wrote for the school paper, local newspaper, or college blog, include it in this section. Of course, annotate any books or magazine articles.
Education
Include high school, college, and any online courses. Did you attend an intense class at a conference? Make sure it’s in your bio.
Achievements
Note any writing awards, no matter how small. I read one proposal that mentioned a tri-state, third-grade school award for best story. As a junior agent, this award showed me that the author began writing early and has a recognizable talent.
Publishing History
Local newspapers, blogs, magazines, books, and newsletters all count. List the name of the article or book, publisher, and date. Self-publishing counts.
Current Head Shot
Use a recent photo. If you do not have one, pay a professional, or ask someone who knows how to take a good photo.
Additional Information
Write your author bio in the third person. Use your name and a pronoun interchangeably.
The agent and publisher want to know you are the best person to write the book.
Some agents and publishers love cats, but if your book is not about a feline, leave Morris, Tabby, Felix, Sampson, or Peach out of your proposal.
If you have any questions about book proposals, email me at editor@thewriteproposal.com
As managing editor of Almost an Author, she helped the website earn the #6 spot on the Top 100 best writing websites for 2018 by The Write Life and Top 101 Websites for writers with Writers Digest.
She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Southern Writers, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Refresh and other online magazines. Cherrilynn is a contributor to the Blue Ridge Christian Writers blog. She is published in Heart Reno, Chicken Soup for the Soul-Miracles, and Selah nominated, Breaking the Chains books.
Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard; earning the John Levitow Military leadership award. She lives with her sixteen-year-old son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 19 years, Michael, Sr.
I do. Frequently. Especially if I have a headache. Or didn’t sleep well. Or have the cares of the world weighing on my mind.
But here’s the deal—I’m a writer. And all of writing is not just inspiration. It’s the “d” word—discipline.
Part of discipline involves taking care of oneself so that, when it’s time to write, you’re not battling fatigue or headaches or any assorted other reasons that can leave you feeling uninspired.
Here are a few tips for others who face the struggle:
-Turn off Netfix and get some sleep at night. You can watch the next episode tomorrow evening. After you’ve done you’re writing.
-Keep headache medicine on hand in case that pounding begins.
-If you get frequent headaches, it might be time for an appointment with your eye doctor. Give him or her a call.
-Eat healthy and on a regular schedule so you keep your energy up. Your brain power needs glucose (i.e. sugar).
-Drink caffeine but not in excess. A little goes a long way. 😉
-Remove distractions. Dog barking too much at passersby? Into the kennel she goes! Music too loud? Turn it down or off. Some writers love music in the background, especially just the tune without any lyrics.
-Dress in comfort (Jammies anyone?)
-Shut off Facebook or other social media sites while you’re working. Too tempting. Turn your phone on buzz. (Or “stun” as my Trekkie husband and I like to call it)
-Sit down. Write.
I know it sounds simple enough but we live in a world of distractions. But they only control us if we let them.
Did I mention “PRAY?” I encourage you to pray for wisdom for inspiration that travels through your fingertips, onto the Word doc, and hopefully, into the hands of an editor who loves it.
Carry on. 😉
Elaine Marie Cooper is the award-winning author of Fields of the Fatherless and Bethany’s Calendar. Her latest release (Saratoga Letters) was finalist in Historical Romance in both the Selah Awards and Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She penned the three-book Deer Run Saga and has been published in numerous magazines and anthologies. She freely admits to being a history geek. She has recently signed a four-book contract with Burnett Young Books. The series is set in Connecticut during the American Revolution. You can visit her site at www.elainemariecooper.com
The desire to write has burned in me ever since I was in middle school. I grew up in a military family that traveled the world until we settled down in the South. Daydreaming about the places I used to live and the wonderful sights I’ve seen led me to write about them.
I wanted to share with others my adventure before moving to the South. I can still remember walking the cobblestone streets of Rome—the beautiful fields of flowers that zipped past the windows of school buses while in route to Italian countryside farms.
The serenity of the early morning fishing trips with my father on Pike’s Peak in Colorado. But, my favorite was always having a white Christmas to celebrate the holidays. Writing was just as much an escape for me as listening to the words of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas.
That’s why I chose to major in English during college. I wanted to take people to great places with my words. However, working two jobs and partying in my spare time, left me little time to escape and write. I was stuck in reality.
I had no more stories to tell—I’m not talking about the lies we tell—wait, is that why our parents called lying telling stories?
My Story
We all have a story to tell, it may be fiction or it may be a-real-life, gut-wrenching truth. Sometimes my story seems like a dream… or nightmare.
When I was 22, during college, I died after a severe car accident. At the hospital the doctors had to do emergency brain surgery to remove bone fragments from my brain and I stroked out. After I was revived they removed 30% of my brain so it would rewire itself and I could function.
I remember coming to a week later and having the doctors tell me I would never walk again. Moreover, I still feel the embarrassment I felt when I fell off of the toilet after lying to a nurse about being able to walk.
After eleven months of inpatient and outpatient therapy, I returned to work and even began mountain biking as part of my recovery. There’s nothing like wearing yourself out pushing a bike pedal for hours to make you feel alive.
I spent a decade trying to write my story by pursuing a modeling career in Atlanta. Then, one night on the set of a popular dance movie I was an extra in, the writing bug bit me again.
I wanted to write again, I wanted to tell a more encouraging story. I wanted to tell people about the things I’ve seen God do in my life.
So, I wrote my first screenplay and it won awards. And my desire to write grew more. But I had a problem. My brain injury kept me from being able to type without hurting my hands.
So I prayed for help and got it. I learned that Georgia had a trust fund for people with brain injuries like me. I was awarded grants to pay for speech dictation software to help me write.
I was also awarded grants to take writing classes from Christian professional writers. And I was encouraged to write a book, and then another and still more.
Sure, I’m no big-name rock star writer and there have been plenty of people look down on me because my story doesn’t look like theirs, but that’s what makes it my story.
I was recently reminded by a fellow writer, “Keep in mind that if God is calling you to write, then you only need to do your part and write the book(s) He gives you to write out of obedience. He can make a way for publication in His timing and in His perfect plan!”
God is using my story to write His story.
History?
Now that I look back to my childhood, I can clearly see where God was giving me a story to write and making a way for me to do it. At this point I’m not sure where the climax is or how it ends, but I know it must be written, it’s part of history.
Years ago, when I volunteered in men’s ministry for Promise Keepers I heard, “God doesn’t use the able, He uses the available.”
Dr. Henry Blackaby says it best, “Will God ever ask you to do something you are not able to do? The answer is yes—all the time! It must be that way, for God’s glory and kingdom. If we function according to our ability alone, we get the glory; if we function according to the power of the Spirit within us, God gets the glory. He wants to reveal Himself to a watching world.” So here I am.
Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at https://spiritualperspectivesofdasingleguy.blogspot.com/ and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mtjohnson51.
A friend of mine edited my latest manuscript for me. She mentioned that I have a tendency toward not writing compound words correctly. I’m thinking I may not be the only person who struggles with compound words. I’ve begun a list of those pesky words. Here’s the first installment. Sorry the three columns of my original document shows up as one here!
aboveboard
afterglow
afterimage
afterlife
afternoon
aircraft
airfield
airlift
airline
airmen
airplane
airport
airtime
allover
allspice
alongside
also
another
anybody
anyhow
anymore
anyone
anyone
anyplace
anytime
anyway
anywhere
around
ashtray
babysitter
backache
backache
backbite
backbite
backbone
backbone
backbreaker
backdrop
backfire
background
backhand
backlash
backlog
backpack
backside
backslap
backslide
backspace
backspin
backstage
backstroke
backtrack
backward
ballpark
ballroom
bankbook
bankroll
baseball
basketball
beachcomb
bedclothes
bedrock
bedroll
bedroom
bellbottom
bellboy
bellhop
below
blackball
blackberries
blackbird
blackboard
blackjack
blacklist
blackmail
blackout
blacksmith
blacktop
blowgun
bluebell
blueberry
bluebird
bluefish
bluegrass
blueprint
boardwalk
bodyguard
bodywork
boldface
bookcase
bookend
bookkeeper
bookmark
bookmobile
bookseller
bookshelf
bookstore
bookworm
bootstrap
bowlegs
bowtie
brainchild
brainwash
butterball
buttercup
butterfingers
butterflies
buttermilk
butternut
butterscotch
bypass
cabdriver
cancan
candlelight
candlestick
cannot
cardboard
cardsharp
cardstock
carefree
caretaker
careworn
carfare
cargo
carhop
carload
carpetbagger
carpool
carport
carrack
carryall
carsick
cartwheel
cattail
catwalk
caveman
cheeseburger
cheesecake
clockwise
coffeemaker
comeback
comeback
comedown
commonplace
commonwealth
cornmeal
courthouse
courtyard
crossbow
crossbreed
crosscut
crosswalk
dairymaid
daisywheel
daybed
daybook
daybreak
daydream
daylight
daytime
deadline
dishcloth
dishpan
dishwasher
dishwater
dogwood
doorstop
downbeat
drawbridge
driveway
duckbill
duckpin
duckweed
earache
eardrop
eardrum
earring
earthbound
earthquake
earthward
earthworm
egghead
eggshell
elsewhere
everything
eyeballs
eyeglasses
eyelash
eyelid
eyesight
eyesight
eyewitness
fatherland
firearm
fireball
fireboat
firebomb
firebreak
firecracker
firefighter
fireflies
firehouse
fireproof
firewater
fireworks
fishbowl
fisherman
fisheye
fishhook
fishlike
fishmonger
fishnet
fishpond
fishtail
football
foothill
footlights
footlocker
footnote
footprints
footrest
forbearer
forearm
forebear
forebrain
forecast
forecastle
foreclose
foreclosure
forefather
forefeet
forefinger
forefoot
forego
foregone
foreground
forehand
forehead
foreknowledge
foreleg
foreman
foremost
forepaws
foresee
foreshadow
foresight
forestall
forethought
foretold
forewarn
foreword
forklift
fortnight
friendship
gearshift
glassmaking
goodbye
goodnight
grandaunt
grandchild
grandchildren
granddaughter
grandfather
grandmaster
grandmother
grandnephew
grandnieces
grandparent
grandson
grandstand
granduncle
grasshopper
grassland
graveyard
gumball
haircut
hamburger
hammerhead
handbook
handcuff
handgun
handmade
handout
headache
headdress
headlight
headline
headquarters
hereafter
hereby
herein
hereupon
herself
highball
highchair
highland
highway
himself
homemade
hometown
I’ll add more next time.
Happy writing!
Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University and York Technical College. Her publications include three novels Irish Encounter and Mars…With Venus Rising, and Rescued Hearts as well as nonfiction articles. A member of ACFW, RWA, and SinC, she writes for SeriousWriter.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina and enjoy visits with their two daughters and twin sons.
Welcome Lauren, can you share a little about your recent book –
The Hideaway is the story of a young woman who, while restoring her grandmother’s bed & breakfast, learns much more about her grandmother’s early years than she ever imagined. My next book, Hurricane Season, comes out in April 2018. It is the story of Betsy and Ty Franklin, owners of Franklin Dairy Farm in southern Alabama, their unconventional search for a full life, and relationships that must be mended along the way.
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I don’t set out with a particular theme or message that I want to get across to readers. I usually start with either a setting or a character
and add layers as the story comes to me. One of my favorite things about reading is when an author (or a character) says something that makes me think, “Oh, me too! I feel that too!” I always hope to give that same experience of connection and affirmation to my readers. I hope they leave both entertained and encouraged.
How long have you been writing? And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? I’ve been writing in various ways since I was old enough to spell (diaries, journals, essays, etc.) I started writing fiction with the hope of publication in 2011. I queried The Hideaway to agents for about nine months before my publisher expressed interest. (In an unexpected turn of events, my publisher was interested in the book before I had an agent.)
How long does it take you to write a book? Various amounts of time. I wrote the first draft of The Hideaway in 10 months. Hurricane Season roughly a little over a year.
What’s your writing work schedule like? It varies depending on my kids’ schedules. When they’re in school and I’m in the middle of a book, I try to get in at least 2-3 hours of writing every day. Sometimes things get crazy and the writing doesn’t happen, and other days, I write most of the day while the kids are at school. My brain works best in the morning, and I never write at night!
Do you have an interesting writing quirk? If so, what is it? Not sure how interesting it is, but I write best if I have coffee and total quiet (or the white noise app on my phone if I’m somewhere other than home.)
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career? The crazy few months between first hearing that Thomas Nelson was interested in The Hideaway and learning that they’d offered me a contract. It was total shock and glee. Another great joy was the launch party for The Hideaway. It was so special to have so many friends and family members come to celebrate with me. They knew how long I’d been working toward this goal and they were so happy for me.
Which of your books is your favorite? Oh too hard to choose! Right now, I’ll say The Hideaway because it’s the only published one, but Hurricane Season is pretty special.
Who is your favorite author to read? I have so many. Sue Monk Kidd, Sarah Addison Allen, Nanci Kincaid, Pat Conroy, Anthony Doerr, Tom Franklin, Ariel Lawhon…
What advice can you give aspiring writers that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have listened too? I’d say if you want to write—if you have ideas bouncing around in your head–try to find pockets of time to sit down and get your story down. You’ll feel better once it’s out. And no one finds extra bits of time during the day—you often have to carve it out. Get up a little bit earlier, write in the carpool line, etc.
How many times in your career have you experienced rejection? How did they shape you? Forty-one times, to be specific! That’s how many rejection letters I received from agents as I queried The Hideaway, not to mention the query letters that went unanswered. Some of them hurt more than others, but overall, each one made me even more determined to find the agent or editor who believed in the story as much as I did.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books? In The Hideaway, I love Sarah’s opening scene where she talks about the sights, sounds, and scents of New Orleans. Similarly, I love the scene where she sits in the courtyard behind her house. It takes me directly to the French Quarter in my mind. I love the chapter where Mags and her crew go to the beach for the weekend and she writes the letter to Jenny.
Where do you get your ideas? They come from everywhere—bits of conversation I overhear, things I read, personality quirks of someone I come in contact with. Sometimes it’s a setting I love and I build a story around that place.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writer’s make? Thinking that as soon as they finish their story, it’s ready to query to agents. Sometimes they don’t realize how much editing and revision is necessary to get a story into shape. And it’s crucial that someone else read the story too—someone with fresh eyes. Preferably by someone not related to you!
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market? I don’t know if there’s a way to truly break into it other than just writing the best story you possibly can. You can’t control how agents and editors will respond to it, but often persistence helps. Write your story, and if that one doesn’t get attention, write another one. Rinse, repeat.
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Lauren K. Denton now lives with her husband and two daughters in Homewood, just outside Birmingham. In addition to her fiction, she writes a monthly newspaper column about life, faith, and how funny (and hard) it is to be a parent. On any given day, she’d rather be at the beach with her family and a stack of books. The Hideaway is her debut novel. Her second novel, Hurricane Season, releases April 3, 2018.
A recent string of truck commercials makes me chuckle every time. They claim the participants are not actors but “real people.” My imagination gets carried away. I envision my favorite BBC dramas with, instead of “real” actors, perhaps marionettes portraying the characters. Or the incredible dancing in the play “Hamilton” depicted, not with Broadway stars, but with puppets or paper dolls!
If actors are not “real people,” then exactly what are they??
It’s a new year. For some writers it is an opportunity to pick up a previous work that had been lost in the daily grind of life and to finally finish your novel. For others it might be stepping into the role of serious writer for the very first time and beginning a brand new story. Wherever you might be in your writing journey, it always helps to have a list of resources to help you tackle that next fantasy or sci-fi story you hope to write! Here are a few websites that might help get your story written.
A great resource for Christian speculative writers is Realm Makers. Although this is an annual conference, they do offer recordings of past conferences for purchase and even offer a consortium for speculative writers to join on Facebook. This is a great place to connect with other Christian writers and to ask questions.
Lorehaven, along with its companion site, Speculative Faith, is a website dedicated to exploring fantasy and sci-fi writing and books with a Christian worldview. Head on over to their sister site, Splickety Publishing, to try your hand at writing flash fiction.
Other sites that are geared toward fantasy and sci-fi but do not specifically have a Christian worldview:
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is one of the oldest organizations dedicated to helping published authors within the fantasy and sci-fi genres. Membership to this organization takes some work to achieve but having this on your resume will set you apart if you’re looking to get traditionally published.
Science Fiction and Fantasy Chronicles is a community of fantasy and sci-fi writers that includes specifics on writing and publishing. Connect with other writers on the forums and check out the listing of writer blogs so you can take your research further.
Worldbuilding Stack Exchange is a place where writers can voice their questions about science and geography to aid in creating realistic fictional world building. This is a great resource to get quick answers if you want your world to be believable with specifics about science and technology.
Critters Workshop is a family of workshops and critique groups for speculative writers. This is a free website that offers discussion forums and book suggestions on the writing craft.
No matter where you are in your writing journey, utilize these resources to make this the year that you tackle those stories God has given you to tell.
Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mama to three daughters and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter @lauralzimm and at her website Caffeinated Fiction at www.lauralzimmerman.com
As a submissions reader, I now understand why my past book proposal was not accepted.
Each day I read proposals with bad grammar, misspelled names, or the submission guidelines ignored. I’ve had authors claim their manuscript is the next bestseller, better than J.K. Rowling, a must for every school in America, and sent by God to bless the world.
I shake my head and send them a “pass” email or delete the submission. Why would I pass on the next best seller?
Avoidable mistakes, like I made in my first book proposal.
So, how can we get our proposal noticed?
DO
Follow submission guidelines- Most agents will delete the submission if guidelines aren’t followed. When an author does not follow submission guidelines the agent believes the writer cannot follow any instructions.
Take time to research agents- Spell the name correctly. Research what genre the agent represents. The agent I work with represents family friendly content as stated on the website. I’ve had three erotica submission in one month. (The delete button is my friend.)
Send an edited manuscript- An unedited manuscript denotes unprofessionalism. Agents want to represent authors who are ready to publish.
Have a Social Media Platform– Let’s face it, writing is a business. The more people you know, the more speaking engagements you book, and followers you have, the more books you sell. If you don’t have social media accounts, choose two platforms and build your followers. Build a website before you send your proposal.
DON’T
Say your book is anointed by God and we must represent you– Confidence is great, an agent loves to work with a confident writer. However, there is a fine line between confidence and exaggeration.
Address your proposal to many agents in one email- Your Manuscript will be rejected by most agents if they see other email address in the “CC” or “To” sections of the email. In the body of the proposal state “simultaneous submissions,” this alerts the agent that other agencies are receiving your work.
Harass the agent with multiple emails- Agents are busy. Most submission guidelines give a response time. Three months seems to be the average. If you have not heard from the agent within the time frame stated on their site, chances are they passed on your manuscript.
Give up– Agents desire to see you succeed. Agents also look for specific genres. If one agent passes on your proposal, keep submitting to other agents. Meanwhile, make sure your manuscript is edited by a professional editor, have Beta Readers review your book, build your social media platform, and sharpen your writing skills.
If you follow these do’s and don’ts, you will have a much better chance of success.
Cherrilynn Bisbano is a speaker, editor, coach, and writer. Her passion for helping people is evident. She is Managing Editor at Almost an Author. As host of “Genre Chat” she interviews established authors in a specific genre.
She considers it an honor to encourage ladies with the Word of God, as she travels to speak.
Cherrilynn is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Southern Writers, Amramp, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Refresh, Broken but Priceless, and other online magazines. Contributor to Breaking The Chains–Strategies for Overcoming Spiritual Bondage.
She earned her Leadership Certification through Christian Leaders Institute and continues toward a Chaplaincy certification. Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard; earning the John Levitow Military leadership award. She lives with her fifteen-year-old autistic son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 18 years, Michael, Sr.
Dad was the creative genius in our family. His fingers drew cartoons on paper napkins and released lullabies from the strings of his guitar. As an aspiring author, I was almost embarrassed for him to read the opening scenes of my first serious writing project. Halfway through, he told me that he had gotten so lost in the story he forgot his son had written it. That day, a thirteen-year-old amateur felt like Steven King. For a week I was convinced that I had sprouted ten feet taller and needed to duck under doorways. From then on, writing was an addiction!
Even the smell of books enticed me. As we walked through the local bookstore, the smell of the crisp, new volumes was more alluring than homemade cookies… well almost. As I plundered through the shelves, Dad looked at the hundreds of hardbacks and paperbacks, and he noted that each of their authors had set out to write the great American novel. Hundreds of writers, hundreds of books, and some of them might never be picked up off the shelf. Then he pointed to a bookshelf and said, “See all those authors? You’ve got them all beat!”
I didn’t have them all beat! I wasn’t anywhere near publication, much less reaching the bestseller list. But Dad knew that, and I’m sure he wasn’t comparing my twenty-page working manuscript to a John Grisham novel. He was doing what a great father does – giving me empowerment to aim for greatness.
He had put a picture in my head of sitting in the middle of the bookstore, holding a book signing for my first novel. I still haven’t gotten there, but that picture gets a little clearer every day.
A chronic brain disease called PSP took dad from us in 2016. His disease attacked his ability to communicate, to articulate the thoughts and words in his head. Dad was the artist, the poet, and here he was, unable to even say “I love you,” without tracing the letters on my hand.
It’s so painful to think that my kids will have to wait until heaven to meet him, that I won’t be able to seek his wisdom as I chase the dreams of my life. But he’s instilled in me a supply of his wisdom, and the gift of looking at the world and seeing it as beautifully as he did.
The vision of a successful writing career was something we shared. For me, this has become far more than a simple dream. It’s become a promise; a promise I am working to fulfill. Part of that vision is to walk into that same bookstore and see my novel on the shelf.
For a writer, putting words on paper is as vital to our existence as the oxygen we breathe. Writing is the purest and most beautiful form of communication. It’s how God chose to communicate with us.
Words are powerful. Words start wars, summon peace and change lives. No matter how new we are to the craft, our heavenly Father has given each of us the same thing my Dad gave to me – empowerment to aim for greatness.
Reading is a more intimate form of communication than anything else. It is almost a telepathic connection between writer and reader. It influences your emotions, brings you in to share in the experience of the characters, and can affect who you become. Reading opens your mind, convicts your heart and exposes hidden truths.
As writers, God has given us empowerment to aim for greatness. We are artists, called to wield the power of words; to tell our stories and in doing so, share with others the legacies of those who have inspired us.
Who has inspired you? Join the conversation.
Caleb Walton lives in the small town of Patrick, South Carolina with his family. Caleb is an aspiring suspense and non-fiction writer, who approaches life and writing with passion and faith.
Life brings each of us strange personal experiences. This spring I traveled to visit my mother in Kentucky. When I checked into the airport, my suitcase had four wheels. When it came out of the baggage claim, this same suitcase only had three wheels. In transit, the airline had broken my suitcase. During that trip I learned to immediately file a form with the airline and they repaired my suitcase. My personal experience has some lessons and insights for the reader and is ideal for a personal experience magazine article.
I struggled to stay awake on the drive home from the Ohio Christian Writers Conference, my conference companion and I too tired to even speak to each other. Air1 and 104.9 in the background, I sang along to myself, thoughts drifting to the wonderful time of worship at the conference then to the conference itself. Those three words became the basis of my thoughts.
The OHCWC was my first writers conference. I’d attended writing workshops before, but never a conference with pitch appointments or that many agents, editors, and publishers. I didn’t realize how tired I would be.
Three days of sitting around taking notes, listening to writing workshops, pitching my WIP, and connecting with other writers shouldn’t be that tiring, right? However, I, and I think a lot of other writers, forget how mentally taxing writing is.
As you prepare for your next writers conference or are readying to return home from one, take time to recover afterwards. I’m sure upon your return home, family and friends will flood you with questions: “Did you publish your book?” “Who did you meet?” Your brain will need a rest from all that happens at a writers conference, and questions can quickly become overwhelming.
That recovery time is needed; thus, here are four ways to recover from your next writers conference:
Let your family and friends know that you will need alone time.
Writers conferences are a wonderful time of networking with others. When you return home, you won’t want to be swarmed by more people and questions. While it’s great that your family and friends care to know about the conference, make sure that you tell them before your departure that you will need alone time afterward. Tell them that you appreciate any and all questions about the conference, but to please, save them for the day after you return.
Take a shower.writers conference
It’s a strange yet well-known fact that writers think well in the shower. When your brain is overloaded from all the information you received at the conference, a nice warm shower may be just what you need to relax and to begin processing all you learned.
Drink some tea (or coffee!) and read a book.
You’ve learned so much about writing and talked so much about your own book that it will be beneficial to disappear into the world of another author for a few hours. Curling up on the couch with your favorite drink and taking a break from reality will help you relax and recover from the conference.
Journal your thoughts.
After the OHCWC my thoughts were in a jumble. All the information from the sessions swirled around in my head, and I didn’t even know where to begin sorting through them. So, I pulled out my notebook for writing thoughts, a ballpoint pen, and I wrote. The writing wasn’t pretty. It was hardly coherent. But by the end, I knew where to start formulating my writing plans and knew how to answer the questions others would undoubtedly ask me.
Most of us won’t have much time to relax and recoup after a writers conference, but these four ways don’t require a lot of time. A couple of relaxing hours will go a long way to helping you continue your writing journey.
If you’ve ever been to a writing conference, how did you feel afterwards? What did you do to recover?
Galaxy tights, mismatched socks, and a cup of tea in her T. Rex mug often accompany Megan when she sits down to write. Her passion for story has impacted her life since she and her sister first began enacting stories with their dolls and using their imaginations to create worlds of stories in their backyard. After graduating with her BA in English, she is currently earning a Graduate Certificate in Editing through UC Berkeley. Megan is using her love of story and purpose of serving Christ to write and edit at Literary Portals Editing. Find more about her services at www.literaryportals.com.
I heard my seven-year-old grandson moaning on the mat below the climbing peg-board. I went to see if he needed help, but he quickly stood up. It was clear he was embarrassed that I’d seen him laid out on the cushion.
“Are you OK?”
“Yeah.”
But I could tell his heart hurt. He’d been struggling to climb higher on the challenging board his dad had erected in the garage. Try as Luke might, he couldn’t get past the first couple of holes that required a strong effort to insert the thick pegs and pull oneself a bit higher, one step at a time. To make matters worse, Luke’s brother of the same age scaled the height with ease.
I love Oreos. Milk’s favorite cookies are great on their own, but they’re over the top when combined with other ingredients. Imagine my excitement when one of my public speaking students announced she wanted to make Oreo Balls (or truffles, for you city folk) for her process speech.
Score!
If you have never had this treat, here’s how it goes: you crush up the delicious cookies, mix them with cream cheese, form them into a ball, and then dip them into melted chocolate.
Basically a diet food . . . if you are trying to add more calories and fat to your diet to gain weight.
In my day job as a professor of communication, I count process speech time as a highlight of each semester. Because I am a chubby professor of communication who enjoys food, I strongly suggest that those doing cooking speeches bring us a sample. I’m smart like that. I’m also fat like that.
This particular student told me her idea at the end of class, but I was frazzled and didn’t write it down. When the official topic signup sheet went around the next week, a different girl indicated she wanted to make Oreo Balls. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem for a healthy boy like me, but it violated my hard, fast rule about no two people doing the same topic. By the time I realized the oversight, it was already too late, so I decided to be like Elsa and “let it go.” After all, I love Oreos (see above), so we had two speeches about Oreo Balls on the same day.
What happened was fascinating.
The speeches were a study in contrast for both approach and tone, and the samples could not have been more different. One girl made petite treats dipped in white chocolate; the other student’s finished products were huge (we’re talking Ernest T. Bass-size rocks), dipped in milk chocolate. I was in Oreo heaven.
That’s a long set-up to say, as writers, we are different. If I gave two of you the same writing prompt, I guarantee the two pieces would not resemble each other in the end.
I view the world and the things around me through a different lens than many of my writer friends. If you read this blog regularly, you have realized I can find the funny in almost anything; it is hard for me to write in any other way. I cannot explain it—it is simply how I am wired.
I have friends who write historical fiction, while others write suspense. Some write serious Bible studies, and others write children’s books. God made each of us unique, and that uniqueness spills over into our writing. It is up to us to find that one-of-a-kind voice and to cultivate it.
I’m off to write another wacky piece—as soon as I clean these Oreo crumbs off my keyboard.
I started working as a professional writer when I was seventeen. So completely captured by the craft, I made the decision to make it a big part of my life. As exciting as it is to be a young author, I learned quickly that writing comes with a lot of unique responsibilities. Responsibilities I didn’t fully understand before I signed a contract.
Recently I went to see the new Spider-Man: Homecoming movie. As a chick flick girl, I didn’t expect the movie to touch me the way it did. But halfway through, I started to identify with Peter Parker in a way that surprised me. Outwardly, Peter was living the life of a normal high school kid, but inwardly he was carrying the burden of a heavier responsibility. Just like a teen writer.
Here are some ways that being a teen writer is like being Spider-Man:
You’ll Miss Out on High School Fun
Peter Parker (Spider-Man) chose to skip out on parties and everyday teen life because he knew saving the world was more important. In the same way, writers choose to value their ambitions over a little teen fun. This doesn’t mean you won’t be able to relax now and then, but it does mean that sometimes you’ll have to meet that deadline instead of hanging out with friends.
(Your friends will understand.)
Revealing Your Secret Identity Could be Devastating
Although I enjoy telling people about what I do, revealing my author identity isn’t always in my best interest. I am an introvert, after all. Many people don’t know a real author. When they find out who you are, they might crowd you. “What’s your book about?” “Is your character anything like you?” and “When can I read it?” are all common and predictable questions you’ll receive if you become a professional writer. Though these questions are genuinely appreciated, they might wear you out fast. You have a responsibility to yourself to make sure you don’t get overloaded by people’s opinions and expectations. Keep it simple. Be discerning. If you don’t feel comfortable telling someone the intimate details about your novel’s inner workings, it’s okay to cut the conversation short.
You’ll be fighting More Than Bad Guys
In Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter Parker isn’t only battling The Vulture. He’s also fighting against his own rebellious teenage heart, and he’s facing the world’s cruelty head-on. Every day, he looks at levels of evil that his peers don’t even know exist.
As Christian writers, our task is to ultimately share the gospel through our work. Believe me when I tell you the enemy will be attacking you like crazy. Especially during big events in your career, expect the adversity to be there. Not only will you be responsible for meeting those writing deadlines (fighting The Vulture), you’ll also be carrying the weight of the world at times (spiritual attack).
Do you remember in the beginning of this post when I said I was completely captured by writing? I am. That’s something Spider-Man and I have in common, too. Peter Parker was so passionate about Spider-Man’s mission that he was willing to sacrifice everything for it. As a teen, I chose to be a writer because I know that despite the unique challenges and responsibilities, writing is something I’ll always be willing to sacrifice for.
Stephanie is a professional writer and journalist living outside of Buffalo, New York, where it probably snows a lot. She’s pursuing publication for her first novel, Reaching Home, and she spends her quiet moments writing poetry and blogging about her adventures with God. Stephanie has a heart for sharing real stories and encouraging authors to write for Jesus and love what they do. She’s a big believer in hard work, audiobooks, and chocolate, and can usually be found changing the world somewhere.
Have you ever noticed how some authors tend to focus too much on writing certain fiction elements, yet ignore the others? Maybe their writing sounds a little like this…
And on and on. Or perhaps the author writes far too much description and internal monologue and not enough dialogue or action. This becomes easily distracting, don’t you think? This is why we need to be careful that we aren’t making the same mistake in our own writing.
The elements of fiction include the following: description, dialogue, exposition, action beats, & interior monologue. Fiction writers should study and master each of these elements separately if they wish to deliver a story in novel format. However, the placement of these elements is vital. The elements need to be braided together throughout each scene and flow naturally so the scene becomes 4D to the reader. It’s a writer’s job to understand how to balance these elements in a way that keeps the pace of the story moving along.
Let’s think about this in movie format. Pretend as though you’re watching a film. If the camera focused on the scenery of the setting rather than the dialogue, I doubt you’d be intrigued enough to continue watching the movie. On the other hand, if the scenes focused on back-and-forth dialogue, don’t you think that’d feel restricting? Each element of the story must work together in order to portray the full spectrum.
If we can establish this in our fiction novels, then we will master the art of crafting a story that immerses our readers and brings them into a “fictive dream”. They’ll feel almost as though the story is happening to themselves rather than to the characters.
This is a balancing act, one that every fiction writer must strive to achieve in their stories. If we give too much emphasis on exposition and description, then dialogue, interior monologue, and beats will be neglected. So how can we balance the elements of fiction?
First, we must understand the definition and role of each element. We’ll discuss this in the next post of this series.
Which of these elements do you tend to give too much attention to in your own writing?
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Jake McCandless is an award-winning author, winner of the 2018 Selah Award for his non-fiction book Spiritual Prepepr. He is the Executive director for Stand Firm Ministries and Prophecy Simplified.. A long-time pastor who is now co-pastor of the innovative “above-ground underground,” online church, Endtime.Church., Jake has a B.A. in Bible and Pastoral Studies from Central Baptist College, and an Advanced Masters of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He also is a regular contributor to WND News with voices such as Joseph Farrah, Pat Buchanan, Ann Coulter, Ben Carson, Chuck Norris, Joel Richardson, Carl Gallups. He also writes for the The Baptist Press along with other publications. He is also a regular guest on national radio and streaming web shows, along with hosting his daily radio program Prophecy Simplified Radio and weekly podcast Hold On. You can follow all Jake’s work at 
