There has to be a Beginning...

Backstory: More Information

2012-01-26T03:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, you've heard my thoughts on backstory, but what do the real experts have to say about it? I've asked other writers where they learned about backstory - here's what they had to say:

From Amazon.com: "Stein on Writing provides immediately useful advice for all writers of fiction and nonfiction, whether they are newcomers or old hands, students or instructors, amateurs or professionals. As the always clear and direct Stein explains here, "This is not a book of theory. It is a book of usable solutions—how to fix writing that is flawed, how to improve writing that is good, how to create interesting writing in the first place." With examples from bestsellers as well as from students' drafts, Stein offers detailed sections on characterization, dialogue, pacing, flashbacks, trimming away flabby wording, the so-called "triage" method of revision, using the techniques of fiction to enliven nonfiction, and more." (This includes backstory)

From Jeanne Campbell, The Character Therapist: A character’s back story is almost as important as the story unfolding on the page. Packed with insight based on a character’s family of origin (the people who raised him or her), this Writer’s Guide is the most informative yet, delving into 5 different parenting styles a character might grow up with, along with Attachment Theory and the 4 attachment styles a character might develop. The Character Therapist explains in detail the resulting impact both factors would have on the character as an adult. Ta-da! Your character’s back story in a nut shell. 37 pages. (available here)

I know there are other great references out there, but these two come to me with trustworthy recommendations. Now it's your turn to share - tell me what you've ready about backstory? What are your favorite resources?

Stuff I Like

2012-01-22T03:30:00.000-08:00

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Recently my sister introduced me to a new blog/web site: Stuff Christians Like by Jon Acuff. I'm a fan now. I thought I'd introduce you to him, too.

Enjoy!

Back Story: It's Proper Place

2012-01-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

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We know that back story is important. We know how to create it. Now where do we put it? Brace yourselves. You may not like this:

No where.

Back story isn’t part of the novel, it leads up to the novel. You’ll make references to it throughout your story, but it doesn’t need to be included. In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe we don’t need to know why Mr. Pevensie is in the army or how the kids ended up at Professor Kirke’s house. C.S. Lewis needed to know it, but it’s not vital to the tale that starts when Lucy steps into a wardrobe.

For many new writers (myself included) it’s tempting to start with back story. I did this with my first manuscript. I wanted readers to know why Addie went to Michigan, why she got nervous around men, and why she liked alcohol. I wrote many beautiful chapters explaining her motivations. I showed the incidents that led up to the actual plot - her new job and new love. I’ve since cut the first five chapters from the novel because that technique doesn’t work. Here’s why:

1. Back story drags. I know it’s your baby and you’re proud of all of the details you put into it, but most of it is just boring.

Think about the people you know - there’s at least one person you dread talking to because he can’t tell a short story. If you want to know where he buys groceries, he’s going to tell you about every grocery he’s ever bought and why he shops where he shops. You can’t ask him a yes/no question without getting a ten minute commentary.

That’s what you’re doing to your reader when you start with back story. Hold on to that information. It can be your little secret.

2. Don’t give away the milk, or no one will buy the cow. Back story not only propels your story, it creates mystery. Take romance novels. They’re pretty formulaic. Boy meets girl, they fall for each other, but they can’t be together until the end of the book. Kiss.

People don’t read romance novels because they don’t know how it will end (spoiler alert: the boy gets the girl). People read romance novels to find out how the couple meets, why they can’t be together, and how their love will prevail.

The answer to those questions? Back story.

In the movie Penelope, Penelope can’t be with Max because she needs a blueblood to break the family curse and relieve her of the pig snout and ears. Max can’t do it. We assume that he, like everyone else, can’t love a pig-faced girl. If the movie started with back story, however, we would know that Max is really Johnny, a gambling addicted musician. He can’t break the curse because he isn’t a blueblood, not because he can’t love Penelope. If the movie started there, we would have no reason to keep watching the movie after Max walks out. We already know why. The mystery is gone.

As you write your novel, back story will drive the plot. You’ll reveal bits and pieces of important information to help your reader understand your characters. For the most part, however, it’s for your benefit.

Don’t be afraid to write something that people will never read. By taking the time to create detailed back story you’ll be able to write a believable, engaging novel that people will want to read.

Guest Post: A Strange Change of Life Crisis

2012-01-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

I’ve heard of men who buy a sports car, women who have houses or their bodies completely re-modeled. I even believe that Lizzy Borden was probably suffering some type of strange life crisis. (There MUST be some excuse).

But who would have thought a soccer/karate mom would suddenly go from reader to writer, writer to reviewer, and reviewer to agent.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I can’t stand to pick up a book and find typos, etc. . So when that happened one day, I contacted the publisher and politely asked if they might need proofreaders. I was informed they had enough (really?) but that they would keep my name on file. Eventually I became a first reader for them, and when the sister company broke away, I went to work for them as a final reader. I loved it, though I was probably far too anal (can I say that?) and no doubt drove them crazy with all my shining finds. BUT! And here’s the real kicker, it gave me a good look into what was being published in different genres and who were doing well as authors.

Once I managed to convince an agent I had a story to tell, he and I began working together. Eventually, he needed another editorial assistant, and I was excited to work with new clients. A match made in Michigan and Texas. You thought I was gonna say Heaven, right? No, God isn’t looking for a writer yet, I think He tells His own story much better. Anyway, I loved working with Terry Burns. I began to take pitches for him at smaller conferences. Finding those diamonds in the rough was such an incredible rush that I couldn’t wait to mine the next and the next and the next.

Then, last spring when Hartline began looking for another agent, Terry Burns put his boot to my backside and shoved me from the proverbial nest. Before I knew what was happening, I was an agent with Hartline. It’s been a slow growth this first year, but I have some absolutely wonderful clients who I am shopping around. They are hardworking, far-sighted, enjoyable clients who are first to help each other with projects, queries, etc. I have the unique opportunity to pray for these folks, help prepare their proposals to send, and to encourage them in general.

So, this life change has been nothing but pure joy. Okay, it’s had its moments, but overall, I can’t wait to see what God has for the rest of my life. He has certainly taken me in directions I would never have guessed I might go. Blessings to you all in your writing endeavors.

Linda Glaz is a writer with her hands in too many pots including her new gig as an agent for Hartline Literary Agency. But she loves to stir those pots and see what the finished products are like. She was an editorial assistant to Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency and a final reader for White Rose Publishing. She still judges, and is a speaker for conferences and meetings where she takes the adage “make ‘em laugh” to heart. She writes secular and inspirational fiction. Suspense being her favorite genre—Yeah, scare me! Feel free to contact her at lglazagain@gmail.com just to say hi or to bring her to your writing group or conference to speak.

Back Story: How To Write It

2012-01-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

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So we know that back story is important, but how do we create it?

That’s easy - tap in to your inner pre-schooler.

Not quite sure what I mean? Head on down to your local elementary school. Ask for a guest pass to the pre-school classroom (bring some credentials so the school secretary doesn’t think you’re crazy). Then go observe. Listen. Count the number of times you hear the students ask, ‘why’? Now go home and do the same thing. That’s how you create back story.

Some of you have already had the light bulb do on - you know exactly where to start and how you’re going to create 30+ years of fictionalized lives. Others are staring at the computer screen, blinking. I’ve just presented a good theory, but ... what? How do you even know where to start? Then there are a few of you who are wondering if you should bring a treat into the pre-school room - don’t. I was just kidding about that. Don’t worry, though. I’ll help you and the deer-in-the-headlight figure this out.

You need to start asking questions, but it can be hard to figure out which questions to start with. That’s okay. Dozens of people have already created character questionnaires that you can grab online. Just Google it - there are 8,800,000 results! Or, if you’re feeling a bit mischievous, go to a dating website. Check out their user profiles. Start asking yourself similar questions about your characters. Then start asking why.

For those of you who don’t want to sift through the 8 million questionnaires (or the 46 million dating sites), I’ll share my worksheet with you. It’s not the most comprehensive worksheet (you’ll have to go to eHarmony for that one), but it’s a good start and that’s all you really need. After that, it’s all about the ‘why’.

Character Worksheet

By Karin Beery

Name:                                                 Age:                            Job:
Height:             Weight:                        Eyes:                            Hair:
Other Physical Characteristics:
Car:
Hobbies/Talents:
Parents:                                                Siblings:
Significant friends/people:
Idiosyncrasies (characteristics):
Motivating Incident:
Greatest Strength(s):
Greatest Weakness(es):
Long-term Goal(s):
Short-term Goal(s):
Greatest Fear:
Biggest Regret:
Motivating Dream:
Greatest Accomplishment:
Character Conflicts with Other Protagonist(s):
Romantic/Interpersonal Conflict (what keeps them apart):
Danger (If I love him/her...):
Darkest Moment:
How this character renews the spirits of others:
How do strengths overcome weaknesses for a happy ending:
What does the character learn:

To Annoy or Not: That Is the Question

2012-01-08T03:30:00.000-08:00

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This is Rory Gilmore. She's perfect. No, really - she is. My character, Callie ... she's not quite so perfect. In fact some of my crit partners don't like her much. I'm working on creating a good balance between likability and reality.

Here are some tips from My Book Therapy on creating that balance.

Back Story: Why You Need It

2012-01-05T02:00:00.000-08:00

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Everyone has a past. In fiction, we call it back story. It’s not always appropriate to include it in your manuscript, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write it. Everything about our past influences our actions - the same is true about our characters. No one “just” decides to do something. You need to know enough about your characters to know what’s influencing their actions.

So why is back story important?

Because the story started when your character was born, not where you started writing the novel. Your 35 year-old heroine has 34 years of history influencing her decisions. Do you know what happened back then?

I’ll be honest - I don’t believe that an introverted, workaholic, well-coifed woman is going to meet the man of her dreams at her high school alma mater’s football game one Friday night “just” because she was there. If she’s a workaholic, why would she take the time off for a football game? If she’s a football fan, why doesn’t she watch NCAA and NFL games from the comfort of her home? If she liked high school so much, why isn’t she a teacher? What’s her deal?

If you don’t know why she’s at the game, it’s just a convenient meeting point and your reader will see through that. You need to know why she’s there:

This high class lady steps out of her heels and into team colors every week because it reminds her of her dad. He was a workaholic, but he loved football. No matter how busy things got, he took his little girl to every home game. It was their bonding time. When he died of a heart attach her senior year of college, she moved back home to be near her mom. She started going to games to remember her dad.

She doesn’t resent her dad’s work hours because she knows that as the youngest of seven kids on a farm, he didn’t have much growing up. That’s why he worked so hard, and that’s why she respected him. It’s also why she works so hard.

And that’s why she loves football. That’s why she was at the game that one night, why she met the new head coach, why she fell in love, and why her story became a romance novel.

It’s possible that none of this information will make it into your novel, but you need to know it. There’s no better way to know what happened than to write it down. J.R.R. Tolkien knew the entire history of Middle Earth when he wrote The Lord of the Rings. There are only four books in his popular series, but there are TWELVE books of Middle Earth history. By the time he told the 14-month saga of Aragorn, Frodo, and Legolas, he not only knew his characters, he knew how men, hobbits, and elves in general thought and acted because he knew their histories. We need to make sure we know our characters, too (though probably not as thoroughly as Tolkien did).

Write some back story. Start at the beginning of your novel and work backwards. Keep asking ‘why’ until you figure out what makes your characters tick. Embrace your characters’ pasts so you can give them an authentic future.

52 Weeks: 1 Novel and 50 Pounds

2012-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

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Here it is - my first post of the new year. My big goal for the year: write another novel. From start to finish, I’d like to get a new novel put together. This isn’t going to be easy - I’m prepared for it (I think). All I need to do is create some new characters, pick a location, devise a plot, and figure out how it all fits together.

No problem.

My hope for this year is that blogging through each step will hold me accountable to get the work done in a timely manner. To help me do that, I’m going to attack this in twelve steps.

Here’s what you have to look forward to:

1. Back Story
2. Visualizing (Story Boards)
3. Outline
4. Beginning.
5. Bridge
6. Middle
7. More Middle
8. Bridge
9. Ending
10. Editing
11. Critiques
12. Wrapping It Up

Even if I don’t get the novel written, I’ll at least have a nice 12-step process put in place!

In addition to writing the novel, I’m also going to get healthy. That starts with dropping some weight. You don’t need to know how much I weight, but I am so overweight that I am, in fact, technically obese. I hate to admit it, but it’s true. It’s time to make a change. To do that, I need to drop 50 pounds (though more would be better).

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Here’s the January plan: no processed sugar. I’m going to give myself one cheat day a week (Sunday). The rest of the time, I’m off sugar. Period.

I’m also committing to six CrossFit workouts a month. I know I’ll need to workout more than that, but that’s what I’m promising to do right now.

There you have it. I’ll be posting writing updates on my regular days (5th, 12th, 19th, 26th of each month). At the end of the month, I’ll let you know how the fitness goal works out.

Here’s to a great year!

Hello 2012!

2011-12-27T04:10:00.000-08:00

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I don’t know about you, but 2011 can’t go fast enough. There’s not one specific reason why this year roughed me up. Everything just hit me hard … much harder than I expected. 2012 is going to be different.

I haven’t spent a lot of time praying about it yet, but I know that I need to write this year. I’m not talking about the writing I’ve been doing - when I can squeeze it in here and there and write when the mood strikes. I need to push the boundaries in 2012. I need to let God guide me (and actually listen). There are some things that I know for sure.

1. I need to write sacrificially. What am I willing to give up to be a writer? As I work full time and write on the side, can I sacrifice my social life? Will I? Yes. I’m sorry in advance for the events that I’ll be missing, but I hope that my friends will give me this time to focus on what I must do (and it is a must - I tried to give up writing before and I can’t do it - I must write).

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2. I need to rewrite the classics. Songs, that is. Years ago I felt like God wanted me to rewrite some hymns. I didn’t think I had the talent or ability, so I let other people do it. What I noticed, however, were subtle changes to the songs, but not a real rewrite.

As I writer, I know what a rewrite really means - I don’t take my characters, put them in a different setting, and call it good. I have to tweak the people, places, and things. This year I’m not just going to play with the music, I’m going to tweak what’s already written. I don’t expect that anyone will recognize the songs when they’re done (because, well, I’ll have rewritten them). I do expect, however, that there will be new songs inspired by the classics. I’ve already finished “How Great Thou Art” - moving on.

3. It’s time to move on. I’ve been working on a novel for 2-3 years. I’ve rewritten it so much that it’s actually been three different stories. I’m done. I’m going to finish this edit, take my critique partners’ suggestions, and finish it. I don’t think the story has a very strong ending, but I can’t keep running around this mountain. It’s time to finish the story and start another one. I will write another novel this year.

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4. My health is not an option. I can’t do anything if I’m not healthy. That includes writing. I started snacking on Dec. 23 and haven’t really quit yet, but prior to that I went weeks without sugar. It wasn’t bad. I’ll be re-instituting that Monday. I’m also upping my number of workouts per week.

I spent most of 2011 battling colds, asthma, and other maladies. Not this year. I’m sick of being sick, and I’m sick of my husband being tired. We’re investing time and money to buy good food and supplements and to strengthen our bodies. No more sickies here.

5. Isaiah 12. That’s my chapter for the year. I’m going to hang it on my wall.

It’s not technically the new year yet, but I’m ready to get started. How about you? What are your plans for 2012?

Y is for Yoda

2011-12-26T05:57:00.000-08:00

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Yoda is more than a Jedi Master. He’s a wealth of wisdom. What isn’t there to learn from the little green wonder? Here are a few gems for every writer:

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”

“Do or do not … there is no try.”

“Good relations with the Wookies, have I.”

Luke: “I can’t believe it.” Yoda: “That is why you fail.”

Y is for Yoda

Fear - you can’t be afraid to write. Or to submit. Or to take criticism. If you are afraid of it, then when you finally get that rejection letter or suggestions, your defenses will go up. You will get mad. Then you’ll hate what you do and the people who are trying to help you. And Yoda was right - you’re gonna suffer. Don’t give in to the fear.

Do it. There really isn’t a way to “try” writing. You either writer the book, or you don’t. It doesn’t have to be good (and if it’s your first one, it won’t be), but it won’t write itself. Once you decide to do it, write it.

Grammar. Rules. The “right” way to do things. As a character Yoda isn’t popular because of his syntax. He doesn’t worry about following the rules. Yoda doesn’t have to look and talk like everyone else to be liked. He works well because he’s interesting. The same goes for your book. The rules of writing guide us. They point us in the right direction for publication, but the story sells your book. The last three best sellers I’ve read broke all of the rules, but the gripping stories kept me reading. Know the rules, but don’t be afraid to break them for the sake of an interesting story.

Have faith. Believe in yourself and what you’re doing. If you don’t believe in your story, why should anyone else? It doesn’t matter why you’re writing. Have enough faith in yourself and your story to break the rules, get it written, and submit it.

May the Force be with you.

The Best Christmas Movies ... Sort Of

2011-12-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas, along with millions of other people in the world. I also can't stand certain Christmas movies (I'm looking at you Charlie Brown). Though I pass on many of the traditionals, I do have some non-traditional favorites. Here are a couple of movies that I must watch every year (they just put me in the holiday mood).

What about you - what are your favorite non-traditionals?

a2z: X is for The Challenge

2011-12-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

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Seriously - I only know three words that start with the letter X, and none of them have anything to do with writing. So, instead of stressing myself out, I’m going to put this post on YOUR shoulders (you can thank me later).

X - The Challenge

In a sentence I want you to use a word that starts with the letter X, BUT … it cannot be xylophone, x-ray, or Xerox.

There you go folks - dazzle me!

Guest Post: My Writing Journey to Publication by Pamela S. Meyers

2011-12-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

Although I’d always felt a need to write things down, not just think about them, it never occurred
to me that anyone would pay for my words until I attended an accelerated adult program at a
local Christian college. While enrolled there I took as many writing courses as were available,
and one day, my writing prof suggested I had the ability to make a career of my writing. Slack-
jawed, I stared at her with a “yeah right” expression on my face. But I never forgot her words,
and after taking an introductory creative writing course from her I became hooked on fiction.

I knew I needed more training and enrolled in several Writers Digest courses including a novel
writing class. Later, armed with a synopsis, the first three chapters of what I thought would
be the next Great American Novel, and encouraging words from my instructor, I set off for a
locally-held writers conference.

At the conference, during each of my three editor appointments I was told that my premise was
good, but the story wasn’t ready. I started in the wrong place and although my writing showed
promise, it wasn’t yet ready. Shortly after that, I discovered American Christian Fiction Writers
on line. (Back then it was known at American Christian Romance Writers) I promptly joined,
this fledgling writing group and felt as though I’d arrived home.

As ACFW grew to its current membership of 2000 plus members, I grew as a writer through
the many online writing classes, conference workshops at the annual national conference, and
mentoring from many of the multi-published author members.

Over the years, many times an editor asked for a full manuscript, only to be soon followed
by a rejection. One time, the line I was targeting totally shut down just as the editor had
shown interest in a manuscript! At the same time, many novels I’d critiqued for others were
getting contracted. Of course, I was thrilled for my friends’ successes, but I asked God if I
misunderstood what I thought was His call on my life. Perhaps I was called to help others
publish rather than myself. But, each time I questioned God something positive would soon
follow such as a request for a full manuscript or placement in a writing contest. So, I’d continue
to plot, write, tweak, and submit.

Then last May my agent Terry Burns called in the middle of a weekday morning from the
Colorado Christian Writers Conference where OakTara publisher and editor Ramona Tucker was
also in attendance.

“She wants Thyme for Love!”

I sat stunned for a moment as the truth sunk in—then I screamed and cried and screamed again.

Sometimes God likes to surprise us.

A word to those writers who are still working toward the day when you, too, will receive such a
call. Persevere and don’t give up. God just may have a surprise coming for you when you least
expect it.

Pamela S. Meyers is first a child of God and second a writer. God's calling on her life is to write for Him, telling stories of romance with multi-layered twists. Pamela belong to a wonderful writing organization called American Christian Fiction Writers where she was honored to serve as Secretary on the Operating Board for two terms. Pamela took early retirement from her day job several years ago and is now writing full time, having completed several novels. Pamela is very blessed to have two books coming out. Thyme for Love, a romantic mystery will be out at the end of November, and in June 2012, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, a 1933 historical set in her hometown, will release.

a2z: V is for Versatility

2011-12-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

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I write contemporary romance novels, and I love reading them as much as I love writing them. I also love to read historical westerns, military suspense, and fantasy. And I don’t just write novels - I’ve written devotionals, essays, and dozens of local news features. I like all of these experiences because I know they’re all helping make me a better contemporary romance novelists. It’s all about versatility.

V is for Versatility

Lots of experts say to read outside of your genre, so I’m doing it. This year I’ve read my first memoir, my first Ray Bradbury and, I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, my first Hemingway. Definitely not like anything I’ve ever read before, but so revealing. I’ve seen old and new authors follow and break ‘the rules’. I’ve read great Deep POV, bad analogies, and beautiful dialogue. I’m learning about all kinds stories.

I plan to keep up this discovery in literature, but I don’t think reading outside of my genre is enough. I think every writer needs to try his or her pen at something completely different.

I’m not just referring to other fictional outlets. Short stories and other genres are great experience, but they’re still the same general principle. I think everyone needs to explore the unfamiliar realm of non-fiction.

When I started pursuing publication for my first manuscript, I realized that I needed more general writing experience. I decided to take any by-line I could get, fiction or not. That left me writing for a free local weekly paper (how’s that for adjectives?). I wanted by-lines at any cost, including planning commission meetings.

I’ve also covered school board and township board meetings. I’ve conducted interviews with actors who can talk about their work for hours and teachers who answer in five word sentences because they like to focus on the students more than themselves. I’ve written about things that I enjoy and policies that I can’t stand. I’ve had to cut 1200 words down to 500 and try to expand 200 words into 600.

Now I’m getting ready to wrap up manuscript #3 and I’m more confident than ever. I know how to meet deadlines and word counts. I’m okay with editors making changes. I’ve also learned a lot about people and their careers. All of this will eventually make its way into my novel writing.

I know that I have a lot yet to learn (and practice), but I also know that by reading and writing so many different styles on a regular basis, I’m learning (and practicing) my skill set every day. I could focus only on contemporary romance, but why limit myself? I’m not just a romance novelist - I’m a writer. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be, so I plan to continue my study in versatility.

QUESTION: Have you trapped yourself in a genre hole? How can you become more versatile?

Now available - by Linda Glaz!

2011-12-10T03:00:00.000-08:00

It's time to get into the holiday spirit! My new friend, Linda Glaz, has a new book out this year, just in time for Christmas! Pick it up at Amazon.com and get ready to snuggle up with a good book!

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Brice Taylor might not be on Aleni Callan's Christmas list, but she finds him under her tree anyway.

Nurse Aleni Callan's anger toward God is fueled when Brice Taylor enters her life. Not only does Brice have no regard for his own life—as evidenced by the concussion and hypothermia he suffers after participating in the Polar Bear Plunge—he escaped the war in Afghanistan and lived to tell his story in a bestselling book, while her precious husband was killed.

But little does Aleni know that God’s will can be orchestrated in all kinds of ways…sometimes through a meddling but loveable mother-in-law who conspires with Brice and Aleni’s son, Tyler, to force her from a lonely, bitter life.

---

Linda Glaz is an experienced editor, reviewer and writer, and for a couple of years has been a final reader for Wild Rose Press, then for White Rose Publishing. She has worked the last couple of years as an editorial assistant for Hartline Agent Terry Burns. She was a judge for the Genesis contest for the American Christian Fiction Writers, a judge for the Emily Award for the West Houston Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, and on the faculty for Faithwriters.com annual conference in 2010 and again this year.

What I've Read

2011-12-08T03:00:00.000-08:00

Last month (or two) I've read and reviewed a couple of great books. In case you missed it ...

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones

Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble

a2z: W - Wait for it....wait for it...keep waiting...

2011-12-05T03:00:00.000-08:00

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If you’re still with me after reading that title, then you’re probably not the person who needs to read this. The person who needs to read this post took one look at the title, decided he didn’t have time for this, and went back to his query letter explaining that his novel is the next great American classic and the publisher will be crazy to turn him down. Two months from now, that same guy will self-publish because no one ‘gets’ him.

Whoa, buddy. Slow down. Take a breath.

W is for Waiting

Patience is a virtue...it’s just not mine. I lived by that mantra for years. I’m naturally a quick moving person (I don’t know how anyone can stay in the shower for 20 minutes, much less spend an hour eating - it’s not that complicated!). Over the years, however, I’ve learned that there’s a difference between slow and patient. That’s good news for me, because writing and publishing are all about being patient.

Even if you’re a speedster, consider three months to write a novel. A week to send out queries. A week before an agent responds. Three months before anyone is looking at your novel. Another few months before they set a publishing date. By now over half of your year is gone, and this is the most unrealistic example I’ve ever read.

Randy Ingermanson looks at writing like your years in high school. It takes four - four - years before you’re ready to graduate to the level of published author. That’s 48 months of working, studying, working, crying, working, studying more. Four years of your life with nothing to show for it, except that eventual book contract.

Now I’ve never signed a book contract, so I don’t know how it feels, but I imagine it will be worth all of this time and effort...and waiting. It will be worth it to know that I’ve applied my talents and someone eventually recognized it. I don’t know if that's true, but I hope so. In the meantime, I’m gonna keep working and waiting.

Wait, Writer. Wait.

QUESTION: How long did it take you before you got your contract? Why did you stick with it?

The Incredible Shrinking Deadline

2011-11-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

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I don’t know if I can do it. My goal is to finish this novel by the end of the year - do I have enough time? I honestly don’t know.

I thought about looking back at my goals for the month, but have decided against it. I don’t want to depress myself with what I didn’t accomplish. Instead, here’s what I did do:

- Spent a week with my handicapped Aunt for Thanksgiving
- Installed/updated a new hard drive on my computer
- Received a signed contract for me to edit a book
- Edited through chapter 10 of my manuscript
- Attended a writing conference
- Read a book
- Wrote two articles
- Mentored a young writer
- Saved 67% on necessary housewares
- Celebrated my husband’s, mom’s, and nephew’s birthdays
- Celebrated my 6th anniversary
- Watched the Wolverines finally beat the Buckeyes

Not as much writing as I’d hoped, but, as you can see, a pretty busy month.

Here’s the December plan - finish the manuscript! I’m just under 58,000 words now, but every time I edit a chapter, I add a couple of hundred more. I think there’s another 2-4 chapters yet to finish the novel, but I’m focusing now on editing what I’ve got so that when I get to where I left off, I know exactly where my characters are and where they need to go. And I have 31 days to get them there (eek!).

So no more dawdling! I need to get writing. See you in a month with, hopefully, some good news!

a2z: U is for Undulate

2011-11-26T02:00:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite movie characters is Ms. Perky, the high school guidance counselor in 10 Things I Hate About You. Ms. Perky is a novelist at heart and routinely takes time out of her novel-writing schedule to counsel students. She’s a perfectionist, taking her time to select the perfect descriptions for each scene.

My favorite: “undulating with desire”.

Really - undulating? I had to look it up in the dictionary. That brings me to today’s a2z letter.

U - (please don’t) undulate with desire

With so many millions of books in print, it’s difficult to write non-cliche ways of describing what it feels like for two people to fall in love. We’ve all read stories where someone’s heart dropped. Skin tingles. Eyes lock on each other. By the time you’ve read as many novels as I have, you’ve pretty much read it all.

It becomes the writer’s challenge to show these common emotions in uncommon ways … but should people really undulate? Or capitulate? Or commutate? It depends.

Writers need to select words that fit into three important categories:

1. Is it a word your character would think/say?
2. Is it a word you really use?
3. Is it a word your readers would use?

As a reader, I find it more distracting when an author throws in an unfamiliar/out of contest word than when I read a familiar phrase. To a certain degree readers expect that books from their favorite genre will read similarly. In romance novels, there’s always a sparkle/light/life when the hero looks into the heroine’s eyes. In suspense novels, hearts pound and pulses race. It’s been written before, but it’s expected. It’s familiar.

As a writer, I strive for a more creative, appropriate, way of describing the familiar, but I also don’t try to force it. If I can’t hear my character say it (and if I have to look up the definition!), I leave it out. The right word might come to me later, but it’s okay if it doesn’t. We think on the things we recognize, things we understand. I often think in cliches - I’m sure my characters do, too.

QUESTION: What do you think? Does there need to be a new way to describe every event, or is there a time to use a familiar phrase?

Things for which I'm thankful...

2011-11-23T07:01:00.001-08:00

My favorite author: Mary Conneal

My shoe supplier: Macy's

My friends: ACFW and ACW

My hubby, my family, my job, and my Savior.

What about you?

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

a2z: T is for The Right Time to Tell

2011-11-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

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I don’t even have a novel published yet, but I’m gonna say it - sometimes it’s okay to tell. Don’t freak out on me - I heard James Scott Bell say this at last year’s ACFW conference, so I figure I can repeat it. Let me repeat it: sometimes it’s okay to tell.

T is The Right Time to Tell

Referring back to a2z - P is for Pacing, consider this scenario. The main character has an important meet at 7:00 a.m. Which scenario works better?

“She looked at the clock and gasped. Even though she’d set the alarm last night for 6 a.m, she must have forgotten to turn it on. The numbers showed 7:30.”

Or,

“She looked at the clock and gasped. She was late!”

The reader needs to know that the main character is late, but no one needs to know every minute detail leading up to the lateness. What is important is finding out what the leading lady is going to do, now that she’s already 30 minutes late for her appointment. And if you consider the pacing of the scene, is she more likely to think about all of the reasons why she’s late, or jump out of bed and try to fix the situation?

I’ve read plenty of novels that have gone into such great detail to show me such insignificant details. If the reason for her lateness is key to the plot (maybe she’s losing her memory because someone has been drugging her over time?), then it’s definitely worth it to explain. There are cases, however, when a quick tell keeps the plot moving without sacrificing pacing or style.

I’m not saying this should be the rule when writing, but sometimes it’s okay to tell … if it’s the right time.

CHALLENGE: Pick up a novel. Find a telling passage. Does it work? Why/Why not?

Guest Post: It's Not About What You Know by Jennifer Brady

2011-11-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

Every writer has had that age-old piece of advice drilled into her head: write what you know. We read it in writing magazines, see it on writing-themed blogs, and hear it at conferences. Write what you know, because if you write about things you’ve experienced first-hand, you’ll be able to bring a certain amount of expertise and authenticity to your work. After all, proponents of this writing rule ask, how can you write convincingly about Paris if you’ve never been there (or at the very least done a whole heck of a lot of research)?

Well, as a stay-at-home mom, I have plenty of experience with changing diapers, dodging spit up, and vegging out in front of the movie Cars. That’s what I know. But who would want to read about that? And why would I want to spend any more time than is necessary thinking about dirty diapers?

That’s why maybe it’s not “write what you know” that’s so important. Maybe, instead, it’s “write what you’re passionate about.”

Whenever you write for publication, you want to do two things: 1) produce a high-quality piece of writing and 2) move your readers emotionally. You won’t be able to accomplish either one of those goals if you aren’t excited about the subject of your writing.

I love camp. I went to a Christian camp as a kid and counseled there as a teenager (and am still a counselor and dean at age thirty-two). Camp was the place where I met my husband and got married, made the friends I still consider family, and had the majority of the funniest and most meaningful times of my life. It makes sense that the stories I get inspired to tell at 2 a.m. and the passages I slave over to perfect are about camp.

I don’t mind spending hours a day thinking about the fictional camp my book series centers on because I love the subject. Writing doesn’t feel like work to me because I’m dreaming up a world I’m already crazy about. My books are anywhere from 200 – 450 pages long. That’s a lot of pages to read over and over, trying to fix scenes that just don’t feel right or figuring out where that comma goes. If I didn’t write about something I loved, it would be hard to motivate myself to get through that extra edit. I also wouldn’t care nearly as much if I chose the perfect words to convey how it feels to turn left at the camp gate and pull onto the grounds for the first time that season.

I know how to clean my house and fold clothes while simultaneously entertaining a toddler. I’m actually quite good at it after raising two kids of my own and full-time baby-sitting for two others. But I’m not passionate about it, and I don’t care if anybody else gets drawn into that world. I can’t make anybody laugh or cry over a story about housework, and I’m certainly not interested enough in the topic to want to proof-read even a short article about that topic. But camp—I’d spend weeks working on a chapter about summer camp so that people would be able to experience it through fiction.

We’re all knowledgeable about many things. Our jobs, the places we live, the chores we do. But for writers, it’s our passions we should share with the world through print.

What are you passionate about? What part of yourself do you want to share with the world?

Tune in Tomorrow for a Guest Post!

2011-11-14T02:00:00.000-08:00

Jenifer Brady has been a ‘Camp Addict’ since her first counseling experience as a sixteen-year-old in 1995. She knows all about rock hopping, skit planning, cabin clean-up, cute lifeguards, and most importantly—gimp bracelets. Her goal in writing about summer camp is to capture the essence of camp in literary form so that fellow Camp Addicts will be able to pick up a book and go to camp no matter the season and so people who have never been to camp can understand what it means to those who love it.
Jenifer is a 1997 graduate of Iron Mountain High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and a 2001 summa cum laude graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. She and her husband Jeremy had a camp wedding in August of 2000, with one of their favorite deans officiating. Since then, the Bradys have become deans themselves and continue to counsel. She is the author of Buddy Check and the Abby's Camp Days series, all available at createspace.com, amazon.com, and Kindle edition at kindle.com.

Tune in tomorrow for Jenifer's post, It's Not About What You Know.

a2z: S is Strategy

2011-11-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

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I wrote my first novel in eight weeks. I was like a golfer focused on my first swing, mastering the use of my drivers. The problem with focusing on your driver is that you eventually need to pull out your irons and putter, maybe even a pitching wedge and sand wedge. I had finished my manuscript, but didn’t know what to do next.

Getting a novel published doesn’t happen on the tee-box. That’s just the first swing. After that, you have to keep working. You need a strategy.

S is for Strategy

Writing a novel is fun, but if you want to be a novelist, you need a strategy. Here are some things to consider.

Deadline: Even if you aren’t under contract, give yourself a deadline. Otherwise you may find yourself on the same manuscript for ten years, writing, editing, re-writing. It won’t get published if you don’t finish it submit it. Decide when you’re going to do that and do it.

Critiques: If you’re serious about getting a novel published, get some critiques from fellow writers. Family and friends aren’t enough. (And put on your big girl pants, because some of the comments won’t be easy to accept).

Query: It’s never too late to start thinking about where you’re going to pitch your novel - agents or publishers? Once you know that, you need a query letter. Find some samples and practice (maybe even send it to your critique partners!).

Move on: Once the manuscript if finished, critiqued, edited, and queried, move on. Start the next novel. Don’t sit back and wait for a contract - keep writing. It may be the fifth or sixth book that really grabs an agent’s eye.

This is a basic list of things to consider. You can also attend conferences and join writer’s groups. Buy some books. They thing is you need an action plan. Form a strategy and get writing!

QUESTION: What’s your strategy for getting published?

BAM! It's Coming!!!

2011-11-08T02:00:00.000-08:00

Not Emeril, Books A Million!!

When Borders closed, it left a void in my life. Literally. They packed up their store in my town and left a big, empty building. But not for long! I drove by last night. The sign is up, people were inside stocking shelves, and there was a piece of white printing paper taped to the door - Opening Soon!

I’ve never been in a BAM, but I’m excited. Learn more about my new supplier here.

a2z: R is for Rest

2011-11-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

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When I was in high school, taking a sick day wasn’t an option. I played sports. To play in the game, you had to attend practice. To attend practice, you had to be in school. That meant toughing it out - going to class no matter what. I’ve carried that bad habit over into adulthood.

Pushing myself to the limit is most definitely a bad habit because it never ends well. I get tired. I get cranky. I get sick. And I most definitely can’t work.

R is for Resting

One of my biggest challenges as a writer is the ability to stay rested. I cannot write when I’m tired. I’ve tried, but it makes my head hurt. The words blur. I do stupid things, like put my characters in situations that I read in other novels. Caffeine works for a while, but it’s not the same as staying well rested.

God created us perfectly with a need for sustenance, air, water … and rest. We need to study our craft. We need to ask questions, practice, and learn, but we also need to know when to rest. Know when you need to step back, whether it’s for a day, a week, a year.

There will come a time when you, as a writer, want to step away. You’ll want to walk away from the computer. You’ll want to work as an accountant just so you don’t have to work with words. You’ll want to take a break.

Take it.

Rest up. Let your brain relax. Give your characters a little vacation. Your writing will always be there when you’re ready to come back, but don’t be afraid to take that break. If you push yourself to the limit, like I always do, you’ll eventually be resting anyway, but with a box full of tissues from a sick bed.

QUESTION: Where’s your favorite place to rest and refresh?

Another Month, Another Missed Blog Post

2011-11-01T02:38:00.000-07:00

So, today I pulled up my blog to see who's stopped by, and I couldn't believe the same post has been up since October 22. I thought about it, and realized that for the past week I've been looking at the same post, but I've been too busy to worry about it. Now that it's the first day of the next month, however, I decided to figure out what went wrong.

Me.

Yeah ... I like to pose for the camera.

I wrote my next a2z post, but forgot to tell my Blog Mistress about it, so it never got posted. Sheesh. And I should have had this post up and going yesterday morning, but I just plain ol' forgot about it.

What kind of blogger am I??

The busy, pre-occupied kind. But who isn't? That not a good reason to miss a blog post. Please accept my apologies.

I can hardly believe October is over. I'm looking forward to November, but have to admit that I'll be lucky to accomplish anything writing related.

My husband's 30th birthday dinner.

November is jam-packed full of fun at my house. We have three birthdays, an anniversary, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and deer rifle season (though I don't hunt and the hubs doesn't have time, it's still important to know because it increases the possibility of car accidents). November is also National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) - a contest where you have 30 days to write 50,000 words. I participated one year, but there's just so much happening in November that I decided to preserve my sanity.

Looking back at October, it was a good month. I met my daily word goal (321 words/day), so I'm on track to finish my novel before the end of the year. I don't actually think I'll need all 70,000 words, but I'd like to play it safe. I also managed to submit a few articles. Squeezed in there someplace I also attended a writer's conference.

http://www.myrecipes.com/holidays-and-occasions/thanksgiving-recipes/turkey-101-10000001678095/

Looking ahead to this month, I'd just like to maintain my sanity (see two paragraphs ago). I haven't set the bar very high:
- Daily word count
- 2-3 articles
- Don't dry out the turkey

Really, that's it. I've got birthdays to celebrate, a week-long house guest for Thanksgiving, serious bargin shopping to do, and only 30 days in which to do it.

How about you guys - what are your plans for November 2011?

God Knows Best by K. Dawn Byrd

2011-10-22T02:00:00.000-07:00

While writing my most recent book, Ilearned that sometimes a story takes a life of its own and carries meaway to places I'd never planned. ThisTime for Keeps startedout as a WWII romance, but ended up becoming a modern day one. Mycharacters gradually took shape and become people I didn't expectthem to be, especially my hero, Chase. I'd never planned for him toride into town on a Harley on a stormy night, but he did. I'd neverplanned for him to have been previously married and his first wife tohave died of cancer, but somehow it happened. I'd also never plannedfor Chase, the guy who left India a decade ago, without as much as agoodbye, to be so loving and compassionate, and to want her back sobadly, but he did.

Alove triangle takes shape when Chase rides back into town on thenight that India has just become engaged to another man. After takingone look at Chase and experiencing all the heart pounding emotions oflove and attraction, she begins to question her feelings for herfiancée. Sometimes, I think there's a little bit of this story inall of us. I'm happily married to a wonderful man who I love verymuch. I'm glad God gave me what I needed when He gave me him. But, Ithink everyone sometimes wonders what would have happened if they'dbuilt a life with a certain someone. Looking back, I'm so glad Ididn't and that God knew what was best for me and that I chose tofollow after God's heart.

I'velearned that God knows what's best for me and sometimes for mycharacters too! In ThisTime for Keeps, myheroine realizes that God knows what's best for her and because sheseeks after him, He gives her the desires of her heart. Sometimes, wecan create havoc by getting in God's way. I'm not a very patientperson, but am learning more to pray and wait on God to lead me inboth my writing and my personal life.

K.Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational romance and romanticsuspense. ThisTime for Keepsis her fourth release in two years with four more books to follow in2012. MistakenIdentity,her first young adult romance released on June 15 from Desert BreezePublishing. She enjoyed writing it so much that she'll have four moreyoung adult releases in 2012. The sequel to MistakenIdentity,ShatteredIdentity,will release in June and a college-age romance/mystery series, TheZoe Mack Mystery Series,will release in January with others to follow in June and December.

Tune in Tomorrow: Guest Post by K. Dawn Byrd

2011-10-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

K.Dawn is an avid blogger and gives away several books per week on herblog at www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com,most of which are signed by the authors. She's also the moderator ofthe popular facebook Christian Fiction Gathering group athttp://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=128209963444.

Whennot reading or writing, K. Dawn enjoys spending time with her husbandof 16 years while walking their dogs beside a gorgeous lake near herhome and plotting the next story waiting to be told.

a2z: Q - Question Everything

2011-10-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

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Kelly walked into the living room. (Why?) She frowned when she looked at the wall. (What did she see?) She didn’t want to do it, but it was time to go. (Where? Why?)

Q is for Questioning Everything

It’s important to have a good story before you decide to write a novel, but that’s not enough. You also have to have engaging character, yet even that’s not enough. You have to know the characters’ motivations.

GOAL - MOTIVATION - CONFLICT

Every character must have a goal. She must have a motivation. There must be a conflict that keeps her from achieving that goal.

Ask yourself what these things are for each of your characters. They may not all make it into the plot line, but if you know how your hero acts and why, you’ll be able to write a more believable guy.

You know those novels that you read where the hero and heroine fight their attraction, but you never understand why? It’s because the author doesn’t either. The author figures it’s enough to let you know that Bob and Betty are fighting their attraction, but if she doesn’t know why she’s not letting the couple get together, the reader won’t understand it either. And if this reader doesn’t understand it, I stop reading.

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?

I know you’ve already got these words committed to memory. You probably learned them in elementary school. Now it’s time to apply them to your writing. Make sure you can answer them all so that you can create believable characters for your captivating story.

QUESTION: That’s right - question it all!

Successful Freelancing - How do you do it?

2011-10-15T03:08:00.000-07:00

We're a little off schedule this month (so that I can accommodate our guest blogger). That means today you get a link - yea!!

If I could answer that question, I wouldn't be working full time as an accounting assistant. I'm a horrible full time freelance writer because I need structure. I need someone to show me the ropes. I need just a wee-bit of guidance.

Here's a wee-bit of help for you (and me). This article was written for all freelance workers, but can definitely be applied to the writing world.

Check it out here.

a2z - P is for Pacing

2011-10-12T02:00:00.000-07:00

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How many of you noticed your surroundings last week when you were late to work? Did you stop to smell the roses after a fight with your spouse? In the middle of a heated debate, do you pause to consider your words and actions, or do you say whatever pops into your head.

Maybe some of you can answer yes to these questions, but not me. And if I don’t do these things, why should all of my characters? There’s a time for deep thoughts and elaborate descriptions - just don’t let it interrupt your flow.

P is for Pacing

A while ago I read a book where the hero and heroine were arguing. After every sentence of dialogue, there was at least one sentence of reflection (sometimes more). What should have been a quick exchange of ideas covered almost two pages of paper. The tempo was off.

Another book showed a woman rushing off to work. She noticed the buildings, people, and unseasonal weather for that time of year. Lucky her. When I’m in a hurry I’m lucky if I notice when the car ahead of me hits the brakes.

Our stories need to have captivating settings that pull in the reader. We need to have unique characters that make people want to learn more about them. What we can’t do, however, is interrupt the story for the sake of describing these people, places, or things.

Let your writing reflect what’s happening in the story. Hurried people have hurried thoughts. A lazy person probably won’t finish... Someone at ease will take the time to admire the new shutters on the old church and wonder who installed them (and how much they charged).

Consider the pace at which you and other people move/talk/interact. Reflect that in your writing. Don’t tempt the reader to skip over your descriptions because they’re poorly placed - find the tempo of your story and you’ll know where to put them.

QUESTION: What are some things that you’ve read that have taken you out of the tempo of a story? How can we fix them?

Two of the Best People I Know

2011-10-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

As many of you may know, last month was the ACFW Annual Writer's Conference. Once again, I couldn't attend, so I once again hosted an online at-home conference for people like me. Previously I hosted in on a private, Midwest loop for ACFW members, but this year I decided to open it up to everyone.

To put it mildly - WOW!

The response was HUGE, and it overloaded my private blog. Less than a week before we were scheduled to start I had to choose - tell people they couldn't attend, or find a new site. Since I was also working full time and writing part time, I didn't have the time to do the research. I put out a desperate call, and found my hero.

Tiffany Colter, the Writing Career Coach, not only let us use her site (for free!), she also did all of the maintenance on her site so I wouldn't have to worry about it. We had some bugs, but because of her generosity and help, the conference went on.

My sister and her Butter Bean

My other behind-the-scenes gal is my sister and blog manager, Camille Gabel, owner of Growing Up Gabel. A SAHM with two very active young children, she started homeschooling this year, cooks everything from scratch, and does some pretty awesome blogging (for me and herself).

I want to take time today to thank them again and let them know what an immense blessing they were to me and the attendees of the at-home conference. Please stop by their sites and get to know their work - you won't regret it!

a2z: O - Opportunity

2011-10-05T03:00:00.001-07:00

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My younger sister’s college roommate started her own business a few years ago. She created a website that included her biography. Though a talented photographer, she wasn’t the most brilliant wordsmith. Lucky for her, I had just decided to start a writing career, so I agreed to edit her website. She didn’t pay me anything, but that’s not why I did it. It was all about the opportunity.

O is for Opportunities

There’s more to writing than books and articles. Some people want to maintain blogs, but they don’t want to write them. Talents accountants, realtors, and chefs may want to let the world know what they’re doing, but writing a press release gives them migraines. Your church needs a weekly bulletin or monthly newsletter. A friend has to create a cover letter and resume.

Opportunities, opportunities, opportunities.

It really isn’t that difficult to find ways to practice writing. The hard part is convincing a major newspaper to print the thoughts of an unpublished, unproven writer. It doesn’t have to be that way. You need to gauge every opportunity and decide if it’s something that can help build your career.

Even though I’m working as an Accounting Assistant, I’m still finding opportunities to write. The Marketing Director heard about my work with the newspapers and asked if I’d be willing to write some of the marketing copy (blog posts, a couple of interviews, and press releases). I absolutely agreed. I have plenty of experience with the interviews and blogs, but press releases are new to me. I won’t get paid nearly as much as if I were working as a private contractor, but the experience will be worth it. Having a few press releases in my portfolio will open the door for more writing gigs in the future.

So keep your eyes and ears open - you never know when someone will say something about needing some help writing. It may only be a flier for the elementary school talent show, but take the opportunity and keep a copy for your records. Every step will help you build your writing credentials.

QUESTION: Have you discovered any surprise writing opportunities?

October?

2011-10-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

You're kidding me, right? I don't even remember most of August - how did September already disappear?

This past month was my first full month working full-time outside of the house. I tried to cut back on my freelance writing, but I have a really hard time saying no to my editor, so I wrote quite a bit. Add to that my work on The At-Home Conference (check it out here if you missed it), and my time ran by so fast that I barely had time to wave as it passed.

Positives: The hubs and are were able to start rebuilding our savings account. I've met some really fun people. I'm learning new skills. Discovering new restaurants. Wearing some of my favorite clothes that haven't been out of the closet in months.

Negatives: Starting a new job didn't suddenly make me an expert at scheduling my time, so I'm exhausted. And I got sick...twice. My office is a disaster. I forgot to pay some bills. And I haven't worked out in over a week (partly because I've been sick).

Conclusion: I'm sticking with it. Matt and I both prayed long and hard about the decision to take the job, so we're not going to change our minds now. If God wanted me there, there's a reason. I knew when I started that this would be the beginning of a new season for learning and growing. Now I just have to figure out how to do it less painfully.

Plan: I have three months to finish my novel, because in 2012 I am moving on. I want at least 70,000 words, and I'm at 43,000. That's 27,000 words in 3 months; 9,000 words a month; 2,250 words a week; 321 words a day. I already have my writing schedule for the paper figured out for the month, so now I need to add these word counts in there. If I don't do it, you have my blessing to give all of my Christmas presents to the needy.

QUESTION: How about you? Let me know how you're doing - what's this month hold for you?

a2z: N - Not Now!

2011-09-26T03:00:00.000-07:00

PHOTO CREDIT

In many ways I’ve succeeded as a writer. In other ways, I’ve failed. Without question, my biggest failure is my inability to devote a set amount of time to writing. It’s not taking me three years to finish this novel because I didn’t know what to write. It’s taking me this long because I let everything interrupt me. It’s time for a change, and I’m inviting you into my challenge.

N is for Not Now!

I know it’s meal time, bed time, nap time, bath time, workout time … but when is it writing time? Beats me. In the morning I have too much energy and want to do chores. In the afternoon I get drowsy and can’t focus. In the evening my hubby comes home and I want to spend time with him. Boy can I come up with excuses.

I’m really getting sick of it.

I don’t want to work on this novel anymore because I’ve been writing it for so long that I’m sick of it, but if I could just commit to a certain amount of writing every week, I’d be done in no time. What I need to do is institute the ‘Not Now!’ policy.

Need to answer an email? Not Now!

Answer the phone? Not Now!

Do the laundry? Not Now!

Eat some chocolate? Of course, I’m not crazy, but I can always type while I savor.

It really is time to put my foot down, and it’s time you do it, too. Don’t wait three years, or three months, or even three weeks. Decide right now when you’re going to write, and stick to it. If it’s too hard for you to say, let me know. I will happily make and mail a ‘Not Now!” for your office door.

QUESTION: What can you put off until tomorrow so that you can write today?

I'll Believe Anything You Say

2011-09-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite teachers is James Scott Bell. I'll do pretty much anything he tells me to do (in his writing books, of course). Here's another fabulous blog post by Mr. Bell: No Fear, No Envy, No Meanness.

http://killzoneauthors.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-fear-no-envy-no-meanness.html

Mr. Bell & Me at the 2010 ACFW Writers Conference

a2z: M - Make Connections

2011-09-19T03:00:00.001-07:00

Photo Credit

No man is an island, no matter how badly he wants to do everything his way. God created Adam and Eve for a reason. Then he told them to multiply. He didn’t want us to live solitary lives, and that doesn’t just mean personally. Professionally there are numerous benefits to getting off of our islands and mingling with others. Don’t just go out and look at people - make connections.

M is for Making Connections

I could have waited for ‘N’ to come around and called this networking, but that word has a bit of a stigma to it. I used to associate networking with coffee drinking, suit wearing, take-no-prisoners business types. I know better now, but I think some people still misunderstand networking. That’s why we’re going to make connections.

Networking is absolutely a plus when trying to get published, but it helps to make connections early, and I’m not just talking about the agents and editors you’ll eventually work with. Some of the most helpful and influential people I’ve met are the writers who are just like me - trying to get it written and published. We encourage, challenge, critique, and celebrate with each other.

Start locally - go to your local bookstore and library to find book clubs and writer’s groups. Go online to look for regional, statewide, and national group, and don’t forget to be specific. The American Christian Fictions Writer’s Association is amazing, but not necessarily if you want to write a memoir. There are groups for children’s authors, romance writers, horror writers - find your people, and get connected!

These groups may not work for you, but here are some of the associations and conferences that have helped me make some important connections:

American Christian Writers Association (and conference)
American Christian Fiction Writers Association (and conference
Write-to-Publish Conference

QUESTION: How have you made your connections?

My Surprise Book by Millie Samuelson

2011-09-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

In an earlier blog here, I shared about writing my China novels, While I've been writing those novels, I've had a surprise book happen.

Mary Allen, who shares with me being a Hoosier writer, wrote in one of her blogs: "If God has given you a task -- say to write -- don't grow weary in doing that job. Don't let opposition or difficulties or logic sway you."

My surprise book has been just such a task. . .

The seed for Women of the Last Supper: “We Were There Too,” was planted in my heart decades ago in China, where I was born and raised during the devastating wars of the 1940s. While my younger brother and I survived, our three older brothers are buried there, along with millions of other victims of China's turbulent history.

Until seventh grade, my sporadic home-schooling was by my missionary parents as we fled from place to place, seeking safety from bombs and anti-foreign-devil mobs. So during my elementary years, Dad’s pocket New Testament was often my only textbook.

I still vividly remember one day reading a lesson in the Gospels and asking, “Daddy, why didn’t Jesus have any girl disciples?”

Dad looked at me with surprise and answered, “But of course Jesus had girl disciples!” And he showed me the passage about the young girl he brought back to life, plus the many other passages about the women who followed Jesus, such as Matthew 27:55 and Luke 8:3.

After my family escaped to Taiwan in 1951, we were able to subscribe to the Reader’s Digest. What a happy day for us when each new issue arrived! (Many months late back in those years.) It quickly became my favorite textbook.

Then one momentous day an issue arrived with an article about Leonardo da Vinci's famous Milan mural depicting the Last Supper. As soon as I read it, I rushed to Dad. “Look at this picture,” I said, “why aren’t any of Jesus’ girl disciples there?”

Dad patiently explained to me that it was a very old painting, and that for some reason the painter had left out the women and the girls. He didn't try to explain at my young age about centuries of church tradition and theology, and the painting's place on the wall in a men's monastery.

In the decades since, with great fascination I've researched this topic of women and children likely present at the Last Supper. And why wouldn't they have been there? After all, it was a Jewish Passover Seder family meal much like our Thanksgiving dinners.

Some years ago when I moved to Chesterton, Indiana, for the first time I had a pastor willing to portray women at the Last Supper along with the twelve men disciples. (Not that I hadn't asked and begged before.) And that happened because I wrote Lenten monologs for the twelve men disciples at that pastor’s request. He then with only slight hesitation agreed to twelve women monologs as well (although he mentioned it might be "heresy").

These fictional, but biblically and historically based monolog performances of women likely present at the Last Supper were portrayed by daring women from my Joy Circle at church. The performances caused quite a stir of interest and controversy! People asked for copies of the women's monolog stories. So my Joy "sisters" made copy machine booklets and sold them to raise money for missions. When my son Peter saw the booklets, he urged me to instead self-publish more professional looking books.

That's how my first published book was also my surprise book. And then I was further surprised when groups started studying it and asked for study questions and resources. My initial, timid run of 250 books printed by www.instantpublisher.com was gone in two weeks. To date, I’ve printed my Last Supper books seven more times and sold thousands, mostly when I speak about this topic, but also on Amazon.

The Chesterton United Methodist Church portraying Men, Women, and Children of the Last Supper during Lent, 2011. I am seated at the far left.

If you'd like a look at some of the controversy about this topic, check out the responses to one of several articles I've had published titled "Women at the Last Supper," this one in Christianity Today's Kyria.com
http://kyria.com/topics/spiritualformation/biblestudyanddevotions/womenlastsupper.html.

As I've already noted, my book is available from Amazon. It's also available from my website, where I share performance suggestions and photos: www.milliesbooks.org. Right now I'm preparing to publish it in e-book format for the Kindle (along with my China novels). Exciting, for sure!

In conclusion, because this topic is VERY dear to my heart and from God, I'm happy to send a free copy to the first five of you who comment here and provide me your mailing address (or email it to me, info on my website).

a2z: L - Learn, Learn, Learn

2011-09-12T03:00:00.001-07:00

I loved school. I could have done without the drama. The hormonal boys and over-sensitive girls made me crazy. So did tests. And the self-imposed pressure to succeed. Other than that, I loved being in school because I’ve always loved learning. That’s one thing I’ve never given up, even though I have my degree.

L is for Learning.

The most successful people are those who never stop learning. I don’t have the stats to prove it, but I’m sure it’s true. Just look at the people around you, especially the successful people. If you’re a writer, check it out at your next writer’s conference. Don’t just see who’s teaching the classes. Scan the class to see who’s attending.

Last year I went to the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Annual Conference. It’s the event for writers wanting to break into Christian fiction. I couldn’t wait to go to the classes and learn from some of the most successful writers, agents, and editors in the business.

When I got there, I realized many of my favorite authors were there, too, but they weren’t teaching. They weren’t looking for agents, either. Some of these men and women had dozens of books published. They already had contracts and connections. So what were they doing at the writer’s conference?

Learning.

They weren’t attending the conferences because they’re successful and wanted to show off. They’re successful (and can show off) because they attend the conferences. They haven’t stopped learning about their craft and the business, so why should I?

Do a little research, spend a little money, and invest in your future. Go to a conference. Buy some books. Just don’t stop learning.

Romantic Comedy - My Life's Blood

2011-09-08T03:00:00.001-07:00

My goal in life is to write sappy love stories that make people laugh so hard they pee their pants. Think that's not possible? I didn't think it was, until I read Tamara Leigh. She opened my eyes.

Tamara's recently been recognized as one of the 10 Essential Voices in Romantic Comedy. Also on that list are some other authors that I've read (and enjoyed): Lorna Seilstad, Jenny B. Jones, Karen Witemeyer, and Mary Connealy (perhaps my favorite rom-com writer of all time).

Stop by Family Fiction (or click here) to check out the rest of the list.

a2z: K - Keep 'em Real

2011-09-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

USA Network. Characters Welcome.

I love that slogan. For me, it doesn't matter how good the plot is, if it doesn't have believable, fun characters, it's a bust. Take the recent action movie, Thor. I'm a big fan of cartoon-based movies, but I didn't really get into this one because I didn't buy the characters. Honestly - is Jane, the genius astrophysicist, so shallow that after one look at a shirtless Thor she's ready to risk her life for him? I just don't buy it.

It's not enough to make the characters say and do things. You have to know them. That's today's thought.

There are some fabulous books out there that can teach you how to develop believable characters. As a visual learner, they helped some, but I really needed to apply what I was learning. I also needed to make sure I truly understood what I was talking about (because it turned out that I didn't). It's taken me a couple of years to really figure this out, and I'm still tweaking it.

If you're the kind of person who can read a book, absorb the knowledge, then apply to it everything you say and do, feel free to skip this post. If, however, you're like me and you read it, love it, and forget it as soon as you close the book, I'd like to offer some practical suggestions.

1. Pick a starting line. There are some great books out there on creating characters, so there's no need to reinvent the wheel. Find one that interests you and use that as your starting point.

This was my starting out point.

2. Go back to the beginning. You picked your source, read it, then forgot it. Now, go back to the book and skim it again. This time, make note of the things that don't immediate click with you. Research them.

3. Keep going. You've read and reviewed your source (maybe reviewed it a couple of times). By now you feel as if you're never going to get it, there are too many characteristics to remember, and there's no way you, a substitute teacher and former hotel worker, can possibly create a convincing character. Eat some chocolate, have a beer, take a day off, then bust out your pencil and notepad.

4. Date your character. Yep, that's what it says. How do any of us really get to know people? We spend time with them, we go out with them. When we're looking for a spouse, we put all of our time and energy into getting to know that person so we can decide whether or not we really want to spend the rest of our lives with him or her. Do the same thing with your character. What's his favorite restaurant? Why types of movies does she like? Are you getting dressed up, or putting on hiking shoes? This lead right into the next step...

5. Regress. It's time to become a toddler again. Not the tantrum-throwing, diaper-wearing kind. You need to become the inquisitive two year-old. Why? Why? Why? It's not enough to know your heroes favorite sport - know why it's his favorite sport. Just keep asking.

6. You time. Now I want you to sit back and learn about yourself. Get one of those personality tests (I picked What Type Am I? by Renee Baron). Go through it and find out about yourself. It's always fun to spend a little time focusing on yourself, but don't get lost there. You still need to go back and see if you can find your character in those personality traits. It's not necessary that you be an expert, but when you realize that an introvert really can be a chatty person, you'll be able to create more realistic characters.

6. Relax. This was hard for me. I didn't want to take time to meet my characters, so I rushed right into writing my novel. After scraping it for the second time (and tossing out roughly 90,000 total), I decided that I really needed to focus on my peeps. It actually took me a couple of months to do it, but it's been worth it. Now as I write, the only thing that slows me down is my poor time management, not my cartoonish, unsuitable-for-adult-fiction characters.

So that's my spin on creating characters.

QUESTION: What gave you a character-making breakthrough?

There Has To Be A (New) Beginning

2011-08-31T03:00:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit

Evolution - a process of change in a certain direction

That pretty much describes my blog. Perhaps I should rename it: The Evolution of Karin. Anything is easier to say than my current blog name, but I digress. My point is to let you know that, once again, my blog will be changing because, once again, my life is changing.

Earlier this summer I picked up a temporary job doing some filing for a company where my friend works. It lasted four half-days. About a week later they asked if I’d be willing to come in twice a week to do more filing and pick up some other responsibilities. I agreed. Not quite two months later they asked if I’d come on full-time for an extended temporary position (roughly a year). I agreed.

It’s not that I don’t want to write anymore, but this is the direction my life is going, and I’m pretty excited about it. As a work-from-home freelance writer and out-of-control extrovert, I had my moments of insanity. I had to get out of the house. Though I loved substitute teaching, the uncertain hours made it nearly impossible to schedule anything. Staying at home all day, however, gave me too much time to dawdle, day dream, and waste a bunch of time. The part-time gig doing office work got me out of the house while still letting me write.

When the full-time offer came up, it freaked me out. I didn’t want to quit, but I wasn’t sure if I was ready to go back to a M-F, 8-5 schedule. I’m still not sure if I’m ready. I do know that I have peace about the position.

So where does that leave my writing?

I spoke with one of my editors and agreed to continue with some work for him, but I won’t be doing nearly as much as I used to. I want to devote what little writing time I have left to my novel...and book editing. My first editing gig was about the most fun I’ve had in ages, and I’m excited to do it again. Unless someone is on a really tight deadline, I figure I can edit books on the side.

That still leaves a lot of work for me at home: the bills, cooking, cleaning, outdoor maintenance, etc. I’m not worried, though. We hired someone this summer to mow the lawn (and I’m going to chat with him about snow removal for the summer). The hubs and I have already agreed that we’ll eat out 2-3 times during the week (thank you BOGO coupons). Matt also made one of the most romantic, seductive offers I’ve ever heard: “Let’s hire a cleaning lady.”

SCORE!

All of this will also effect my blog. I’m cutting back with the writing (since this doesn’t yet pay), but especially with the details. I spend way too much time looking for photos and their credits. I spend way too much time trying to make my blog pretty. I know there are ways to profit from my blog, but they take too much time.
Enter my sister, Camille. Camille (aka Cam-Homeo) is my new blog manager. I type. She posts. It’s a beautiful thing. (She’s pretty experienced - check out her blog here).

In order to make the most of my time, without shorting my readers of any valuable/fun info, I’m re-tooling my schedule. Check it out:

5th - Writing Post
8th - Link/Book Review
12th - Writing Post
15th - Guest Blogger
19th - Writing Post
22nd - Link/Book Review
26th - Writing Post
31st/1st - News/Updates

(And on the 3rd of each month I’ll be at the Barn Door)

In my mind, this will work beautifully. In real life, we’re gonna have to wait and see. In the meantime, I invite you to share your favorite links/blog posts with me. I’d love to share them with others!

a2z: J - Just Do It

2011-08-26T03:00:00.001-07:00

Lots of people have great story ideas, but most of those people never write a single word. The only reason I know about them is because everyone tells a writer about their stories. I think people believe that we writers have some secret to share that will help write them get their work published. I would say that’s not true, but it is. We do have a secret - we did it. That’s the trick.

J is for Just Do It

As in everything in life, if you don’t start moving, you won’t get results. You can’t get healthy if you never start exercising. You won’t make money if you don’t get a job. And you definitely won’t get published if you never start writing.

A good idea, even if you have a strong desire, isn’t enough. You need to act. If you want to write an essay, article, or book, write it. No excuses.

Believe it or not, there was once a time when I didn’t have anything published. At one time in his life, Stephen King hadn’t written a single book. Janet Evanovich was once a stay-at-home-mom. No one’s born with a resume of published works. It’s simply a matter of putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

That’s it - that’s the secret. Just do it.

So, tell me, what are you waiting for?

Photo Credit

Monthly Writing Prompt

2011-08-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=587

Oh baby, it's back to school time! A million school supplies, stocked and on sale. I could spend hours (and thousands of dollars) in Staples and Office Depot this time of year. How about you?

Here's this month's writing prompt - what's the one school supply you had to have, and why?

a2z: I - Inspiration

2011-08-19T03:00:00.001-07:00

The only thing worse than going to the dentist is sitting in front of the computer and wanting to write, but not having any idea what to write. Maybe you’re stuck in the middle of your novel, or maybe you have a topic for an article but you can’t think of anything to say about it. You need inspiration.

I is for Inspiration

Getting inspired is not as easy as it sounds. In the romantic, dramatized view of writers we need only grab a bottle of wine, find an untouched spot in nature, then wait. The loon will inspire you. Or maybe the abundance of alcohol will weaken your inhibitions. It might...if you like to drink wine, and if you have a lake nearby (I have three, just to brag).

In the real world, however, we don’t always have time to disappear into the woods for the weekend. And even if we did, it won’t do anything if we equate nature with mosquito bites. The trick is to find out what inspires your writing.

I write romantic comedies. When I get stumped, I pick up Mary Connealy or Jenny B. Jones and re-read the funny parts. If I don’t know how to describe a kissing scene, I go to YouTube and search for ‘romantic kisses’ (careful with this - you can get some weird stuff). I could go sit at the beach, but that usually inspires a nap, not my next scene.

It took me a while to figure out how to inspire myself, but now I can do it. I don’t get blocked for days at a time anymore. I know how to get my creative juices flowing. Now it’s your turn!

Have you figured out a way to inspire yourself? If so, please share!

Photo Credit

D'oh!

2011-08-18T04:20:00.000-07:00

Does it seem like it's been a while since I posted something new? If not, it should. There was a little confusion, a mix-up of days, but starting tomorrow everything is back on track. I promise (I think...).

In the meantime, something to ponder (courtesy of my brother-in-law, who read this someplace else):

If you were the relief pitcher for a baseball team, what song would play as you walked out to the mound?

My choice: Bad to the Bone (as song by the Chipmunks).

a2z: H - Have Fun

2011-08-12T03:00:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I wrote this elaborate post explaining what I like about writing fiction and how I got swept up in other things and blah, blah, blah. Then I looked back up at today's letter – H. The theme – Have Fun. My post – boring to write, boring to read.

Follow closely now, because this is a quick one: H is for Having Fun.

I'm a huge advocate for enjoying your job. If you don't like what you do, you should at least like the people you work with. If you don't like the people you work with, I certainly hope you enjoy what you do.

I've been incredibly blessed to have enjoyed every job I've ever had – mini-golf course, hotel, car ferry, resort, staffing agency, substitute teacher, freelance writer, and accounting assistant. I had days when I wanted to leave. There were times that I cried and cringed. But there was always, always a redeeming factor – I always found something to enjoy about my job.

This past year I learned something very important about myself – I am TOO extroverted to work at home full time. I now work a part time job out of the house two days a week. This allows me to socialize. It provides me with new opportunities (that could someday make an appearance in my books). It gives me a reason to get out of my sweatpants.

Whatever you're doing right now – if you're writing full time, or squeezing it in while the kids nap – HAVE FUN! I'm not suggesting that every day is party day, but you shouldn't dread your writing time. If you're not having fun, ask yourself why. Figure it out, then tap back into that part that you enjoy. Good luck!

So tell me, what do you enjoy most about your job/writing path?

Photo Credit

My Time of the Month: New Life Begins

2011-08-08T04:12:00.000-07:00

This is my piano. I grew up playing this piano. My parents retired. They gave me the piano. I'm quite excited, and this has absolutely nothing to do with today's post...

Today I start my first official editing job. The manuscript is on my laptop. My wireless mouse has a new battery. The laptop cooler is in place and plugged in.

Today, I become an editor!

a2z: G - Give Back

2011-08-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

When I started writing, I was like a dry sponge in an ocean. I couldn't wait to soak up as much information as possible. I attended conferences, bought books, read blogs - anything that I could do to learn as much as possible about the craft and business of writing. Anytime I was in the presence of anyone who knew more than me, I would bask in their knowledge.

All I wanted was to do was learn, but there's more to becoming a good writer than just gathering information. At some point, we all need to give back.

G is for Giving Back

The best way to remember something it to teach someone else how to do it. As an above average student in school, I learned that at an early age. There were times in class when the teacher would ask me to help another student, but I honestly didn't fully understand the topic. I could never admit that, though, so I would slide up next to my classmate and offer my assistance. I'm sure there were times when I confused people more than I helped them. There were also other times when I think I learned more that my classmates.

As a writer, be it a beginner or an expert, it's important to find opportunities to teach others. It doesn't have to be the class on how to succeed. In fact, unless you're Stephen King or Karen Kingsbury, it probably shouldn't be. Just find something that works for you and tell people about it. Start small, then work your way up.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1819

The first time I offered advice, I simply answered an emailed question a writer had about writing conferences. Having been to four different conferences, I offered what information I could. I answered other questions, then I started writing blog posts on those topics. Last month, for the first time, I spoke to a local writers' group about how to create and connect your Blog, Twitter, and Facebook accounts.

As I wrote my emails, posts, and presentation notes, I learned about summarizing and linking. I researched different points. I admitted the limits of my knowledge and often had people volunteer the information that I hadn't been able to find. They weren't always perfect, but I did my best.

Every time I share my knowledge with others, it's a challenge to myself to learn as much as I can so I can look as smart as possible. It's also a growing experience for me - one less jitter out of my system.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1152

If you've been writing for a while now but have never shared your knowledge with others, then I challenge you to find a way to help others. Offer to help your church secretary polish up the monthly newsletter. Type up some helpful hints for a newer writer who's going to his first conference. Craft a new post or Facebook note about the top five most helpful writing tips you've received so far.

Whatever you do, don't let your lack-of-a-book-contract stop you from giving back. Keep learning. Keep sharing. Remember to give back.

QUESTION: How do you give back?

Winners!!

2011-07-31T16:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=659

Congratulations!

Linda, Camille, and Marie - you're all winners!!

I'll have your books to you soon. Thanks for entering!

Book Reviews (and some giveaways) - Check 'em Out

2011-07-28T03:29:00.000-07:00

http://kavicvb.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-from-darkness-won-by-jill.html - Book Three of the Blood of Kings trilogy - a must read for young adult fantasy lovers!

http://kavicvb.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-and-giveaway-in-stitches-by.html: In Stitches is a candid look at life in a strict Korean home, the struggles of getting into and surviving med school, and Youn's determination to to succeed at it all while finding a girlfriend. (check out the book trailer here).

http://kavicvb.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-and-giveaway-wolfsbane-by.html: Book Three of the Discarded Heroes series - not your typical action/adventure Christian romance novel.

###

All winners picked on July 30 - leave a comment on any post, or leave one here (just tell me what book you want) and you're in the running. Don't forget your email address!

a2z: F - Faceless Friends

2011-07-26T03:08:00.000-07:00

Last year I entered a writing contest for unpublished novelists. It was my second year of entering the same manuscripts, and I had high hopes. When I got the lower-than-expected results, I collapsed like a $2 suitcase. I can't tell you exactly why it upset me so much, but it did. I cried buckets of tears. My heart broke. All I wanted to do was curl into a ball, pull up the covers, and quit.

That's where "F" comes in -

F is for Faceless Friends

Even though I love my husband dearly, and even though he fully supports my career choice, he doesn't really "get" it. He tried to encourage me. He tried to comfort me. I just kept crying. That's when I turned to the internet, and to my Faceless Friends.

www.shutterstock.com

My Faceless Friends. A group of people I've met through associations and online groups. We've never met face-to-face, but we understand each other.

Over the years I've tried and tried to find or create reading and writing groups in my area. I knew it was important to find people nearby, people I could look at and laugh with, but I was looking so hard for my Fleshy Friends that I didn't fully appreciate my Faceless Friends. I don't really know them. I can't see them. I didn't think they could offer me the same type of relationships I craved from locals. Then I got my contest results.

www.shutterstock.com

When I finally read them, it was 10 p.m. It was too late to call anyone, even if I had anyone to call. Even if I had anyone to call, I was crying too hard to talk on the phone anyway. Matt didn't know what to say. There was no one else available, so I logged on.

It was coming up on midnight, when I sat down at my computer and poured out my heart. I shared my desires, my fears, and my disappointments. I hit enter and went to bed.

I woke up to an inbox full of encouragement. Kind words, prayers, stories from people who had been in my situation. Some understood me. Others didn't, but they understood the struggle that is the writing life. They took a few minutes out of their day to love on me, their Faceless Friend.

Don't underestimate the power of people you've never met. While it's fun to sit down and have a cup of coffee with another writer, for some of us rural folks it's not always easy to find someone. That's okay. There's a world full of people just waiting to meet you, and some of them will be the best friends you've never met.

QUESTION: I've met my Faceless Friends through the American Christian Fiction Writers Association, the American Christian Writers Association, and blog hunting. How do you meet your Faceless Friends?

Monthly Writing Prompt

2011-07-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

Oh baby, it's that time of year again - the grilling season!! I grew up with a dad who couldn't wait to start the grill every spring. If he could have figured out how to make pancakes on the grill, I think he would have made breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us all summer long.

Now that I'm married, I'm the grill master at my house. I'll grill anything I can get my hands on (take a portabella mushroom cap, and brush it with spicy mustard, then grill ... mmmmmm). I just love this time of the year.

Here's your prompt: why do you love barbecue, and what's your favorite grilled food? (Or, tell me what you hated about it and I'll try not to think that you're weird).

a2z: E - Evolution

2011-07-19T03:10:00.000-07:00

No one is born perfect. We don't pop out of the womb walking, talking, and negotiating complex business transactions. We must learn. We adapt. We evolve. The same is true in writing. You must be willing to let your story evolve.

E is for Evolution

evolution: (n) the process of working out or developing.

Whether or not we want to believe it, first drafts are not born perfect. For many people (including yours truly), it'll take second, third, fourth drafts. As we write and re-write we need to be willing to let our characters and the plot work themselves out.

www.shutterstock.com

Have you ever found yourself sitting at your keyboard, trying to figure out why your story isn't working? After spending hours and days and weeks and months slaving away, creating characters and plots, things just aren't fitting together. Why?

I'm currently on the third rewrite of a manuscript. My main character started as a ditzy girly-girl. I wrote 45,000 words before I realized the plot wasn't working. Then I wrote another 40,000 words before I realized it wasn't just the plot - it was my main character. I wanted to show her transition from ditz to down-to-earth, and I forced it through almost 90,000 words. I knew what I wanted from my girl, and I tried to make it happen.

Unfortunately, it wasn't working. That girl didn't fit well with my other characters, so she didn't fit well in the story, which wouldn't work at all, since the story was about her. How did that happen?

It happened because I wasn't willing to let my character develop. There were character traits and flaws that needed to be worked out, but I didn't want to do. I didn't want to do it because I knew it would change the person I had created.

www.shutterstock.com

What I never considered was that I had to let my character evolve. Yes, I had created a wonderful person, but it was just a glimpse of her true self. Like a first impression, I had an idea of what the person was like, but not the full picture. I had to let her develop. Now I realize that she's actually a meticulous girly-girl, a planner and organizer. Understanding that makes all of the difference to the plot, which is finally coming together.

In order to let my character evolve, however, I had to learn a little bit about people. Two books that I found very helpful were Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins, and What Type Am I? by Renee Baron. I found that these books helped me to figure out how people might really act as well as how to write about it, and that helped when I realized that my characters wanted to act differently than I thought they should.

QUESTION: Have any of your characters evolved beyond what you originally imagined? How did you handle it?

Magic Beans by Timothy Burns

2011-07-15T03:00:00.000-07:00

As the second day of my first writer's conference coasted toward a stop, my head was spinning. I'd spent 12 hours listening to editors and successful authors describing the art and science of professional writing. Looking back, I think I was searching for a formula. Surely these successful writers could tell me how to build a career, write well, overcome my fears, and construct stunning sentences, all in a few simple steps. But alas, as I searched through my full backpack – no magic beans. Unlike Jack's trip to market, I returned to my room empty handed.

So I plugged in my laptop, and read through a few emails before finding some much needed rest. In my search for wisdom, I'd discovered an online writing community in the far away land of Cyberspace. Maybe they could direct me toward the secrets I thought I needed. Surely there was a goose out there somewhere what would lay nothing but golden writing contracts.

Maybe it was because I was tired, and my defenses were worn down. Not realizing my own inexperience, when I read of a fellow future wordsmith in search of advice, I waded in and retold some of the wisdom I'd gleaned just a few hours earlier.

Senior editor Len Gross had challenged a room full of writers with these words: “As an acquisition editor, we are unjustly accused. People often say that editors are too inclined to say 'NO' when we consider a new book. That's not right. As an editor, when I get your manuscript or proposal, I'm not inclined to say no. My first answer is 'NO!' As a writer, you have to give me a reason to say 'Yes.'”

He spent the rest of his hour defining four of five ways writers can give editors, such as himself, reasons to say “Yes.” I passed along his wisdom, and then traded the glow of my laptop for a pillow. Tomorrow would be an equally busy day.

The next evening, as I dutifully read through the day's email digest, I discovered a direct message in response to my comments. The editor of a small Canadian writer's newsletter wanted to know if I could take the advice from editor Gross and turn it into a 600 word article. She wasn't offering magic beans or a golden goose, just a small payment and my first byline.

That night I slayed my first giant, and as I write these words, I realize that maybe I found my fairy tale in a dorm room on the Wheaton College campus 10 years ago. There are no magic beans for writers, only words. There is no golden contract goose, only silent hours in front of my laptop, shouting down the drone of an inner critic. My beans are words, characters and metaphors and a well crafted story is my reward. Today I am freelancing full time. I learn and earn a little more each month than the last, and teach other wayfaring writers to follow their dreams and write their own tales.

---

Timothy Burns has written professionally for 9 years. Timothy's work explores cultural and political social trends, and how they collide with Christ-centered values. His writing spans Christian living, apologetics, and the hidden benefits that surface through personal trials. He's the founder of Word Weavers of West Michigan, a thriving Christian Writer's Guild writing community that meets bimonthly across West Michigan. He specializes helping writers draft compelling book proposals, and teaching writers how build their platform with integrated social media tools and marketing campaigns.

Feel free to connect with Mr. Burns via email, web site, or drop in on a writer's group meeting if you're in the area.

t b@timothyburns.com
www.timothyburns.com
http://www.meetup.com/wordweavers-wmi/

a2z: D - Deadlines

2011-07-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

There's not much to say about this topic, but it is sooooo important that I'm going to tell you everything you need to know as quickly as I can. Then, re-read it six or seven times so that it sinks in.

D is for Deadline

Here's the only thing you really need to know - DON'T MISS A DEADLINE! In fact, set your own deadline, and make it at least 24 hours earlier than what your editor tells you. Make this a goal until it becomes a habit.

Meeting a deadline isn't just about getting it to your editor in time for publication. It tells the editor about your character. I've developed a wonderful reputation in our area as a writer editors can trust. When it's crunch time and they have a last minute lead, they call me. It's not because I'm the greatest journalist, but because they know'll I'll give them a well-written, well-edited article early enough that they can jazz it up if they need to (and they usually tweak it a bit). I wouldn't get these calls, however, if I didn't meet my own deadline (which is always the day before their deadline).

There you have it, repeat it with me now ... DON'T MISS A DEADLINE!

QUESTION: How do you motivate yourself to make sure you meet your deadlines?

My Time of the Month: Months, Weeks, Whatever

2011-07-08T03:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not gonna spend a lot of time on this because, well...I have a lot of other things to do. So here's the gist of it: I can't stop writing.

I thought I could cut out the writing and relieve some of the stress in my life. I was okay with the decision. I had peace about it. I just couldn't do it.

I didn't really free up anytime. Instead, I sat around daydreaming about when I could start writing again. I stared at my computer wasting time trying to decide if I should write a little, a lot, or nothing at all. It didn't help at all.

Since I can't give up writing, I'm working on a way to fit it in my life. That means, once again, making some changes to my blog(s), my assignments, and everything else that I'm trying to do. You won't see any character or author interviews for a while, and once I finish my current round of book reviews, I'm gonna cut back on those, too.

In the meantime, I'm going to continue with my a2z posts starting July 12 (Happy Birthday, Shaina!). There will also be guest posts and writing prompts, and I'm still trying to figure out what to do on the 8th of each month, but nothing is coming to me. Don't worry. I'll figure it out.

Thanks for hanging in there with me. Chat at ya soon.

Book Review: How To Write A Book Proposal by Michael Larsen

2011-06-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am taking a break from writing, but I have a few commitments to fulfill first. One of which is my promise to review some books.

I posted this review at my other site, so you can read it here. I should give it away, but I sort of made some notes in it. Maybe next time...

Don't forget: June 28 I'll give away a copy of A Great Catch. Check out the details here.

A Short Break ... I Hope

2011-06-21T03:55:00.000-07:00

I'll get right to the point - I'm going to stop blogging for a while. Some things have been going on in my life, and I have to make some changes. I've spent a lot of time praying about this, and I need to cut back on my writing. This hasn't been an easy decision. I sobbed. Two days later, however, I felt at peace.

I'm not sure how long this sabbatical will last (not too long, I hope). I just know that it's something that I need to do. I'm hoping to be writing again by the end of the summer. Even if I'm not, I'll stop back then to give you an update.

Thanks so much for your follows. I know it can be time consuming to peruse the blogs every day, and it means a lot to me that you let me take some of that time. I hope you've enjoyed this as much as I have.

Many blessings!

See you soon...

a2z: C - Color Coding

2011-06-19T03:07:00.000-07:00

C - the first word that pops into the head of a writer is character, and I wrote a really nice post about how I create realistic characters. It obviously works for the a2z series, but it's so predictable. Then, yesterday, I was working on my manuscript and had SO MUCH FUN using note cards and Sharpies that I decided to write a different "C" post.

C is for Color Coding

There aren't many species of office supplies that I don't like. When I have free time, I love roaming th aisles at Staples and Office Depot. Considering my career, however, it shouldn't surprise anyone that one of my favorite supplies is the writing utensil, specifically colored ones.

Being a visual learner, it always helped me organize my notes and thoughts when I used color. I tried to find some of my college notes for you - I used different color pens to write the notes, then used a specific highlighting pattern when studying. It was a bright, colorful mess, and it worked well for me.

Scene-by-scene break down by POV.
The colors help me see who's getting the most page time.

Now that I'm working on my manuscript, I'm learning that the best techniques for me are the same techniques I used in college. I recently started outlining my novel. Now I'm adding the color.

As you can see by my masterpiece to the right, I started the novel with altering character POVs, but as it gets toward the end ... it's pretty one-sided. I suspected it was happening, but I needed to see it (and flipping through pages on the computer screen doesn't work well for me). By laying out the cards and assigning each character a color, I'm able to literally see what's happening in each chapter.

I like it, but I'm not done yet.

I fully plan on adding more color. I can go back and use more markers, stickers, and highlighters to help me see a lot of other things:

- Beginning, Middle, End chapters

- Doorways (from Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell)

- Action, Reaction, Set-up, and Deepening scenes (P&S by JSB ... check it out)

- Character Arcs

- And more!

I need to see my areas of weakness, and keeping it colorful keeps me interested. I'm looking forward to getting through this manuscript, then going back to the beginning and adding more color to those little cards (I can't wait to show them to you when I'm done). Then I'll have a nice picture to go with my tens of thousands of words.

QUESTION: Are you a visual person? If so, how are you using color to help you organize your work (or how are you going to start using it)? If not ... I'll take your extra highlighters.

Why I Write by Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar

2011-06-15T03:10:00.000-07:00

F. Scott Fitzgerald once said, “Writers aren’t exactly people…they’re a whole lot of people trying to be one person.”

A psychologist might conclude, therefore, that writers have “personality disorders.”

William Faulkner stated, “My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food and a little whiskey.”

Hmmm…does that mean Faulkner had an addictive personality? After all, he said he needed to smoke, drink, and eat while he wrote what we now consider to be timeless classics.

People have been trying to figure out what makes writers tick for as long as the first words were ever penned. What’s more, writers want to understand themselves because in order to express a concept, a theme or message, authors must reach deep within themselves, collect their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, and then put them into words.

Sounds easy, right? You just take what’s on your mind and scribble it onto a blank piece of paper or type it into the computer.

Well, sometimes it is easy. But then other times it’s an excruciating process.

Personally, I write because I just can’t seem to NOT write. When I was a little girl, I wrote stories and kept a “Dear Diary.” I’ve always been a letter writer. I’d write to my grandparents, aunts and uncles. I even had a “pen pal” who lived in Indiana – these were the days before email. When I’m in between book contracts, I update my blog, write articles, devotionals, and occasional letters to friends and family members. I still keep a personal journal, although I’m not faithful with my entries. However, I believe there’s a little piece of me in all my books, articles, and devotionals.

Writing, for me, has always been a way of gathering my emotions and expressing myself. However, since 1991 when I asked Jesus Christ into my heart, my writing has developed into much more than creative expression. It’s now a way for me to honor God and share a message of hope with my readers. So many people today feel hopeless. Look around: Immorality is a virtual plague. There are broken families strewn across our community. Our young people are experimenting with dangerous, highly addictive drugs – more so today than even during the 1960s. Violence in major cities runs rampant. People in general, myself included, have become more desensitized, thanks to the high graphic and less modest media. And, as for spirituality, most people claim to have some sort of religion, although many haven’t heard or accepted the Good News! To me this proves that people need a supernatural Hope from above. They need a miracle in order to merely survive – believers included!

And that’s why I write. Be it a devotional, a contemporary novel or historical, romantic fiction, I use real-life situations, some that I’ve experienced myself, so my readers can easily relate. I want my stories to be faith in action for whoever reads it, a Christian or non-believer. One time I urged a coworker to read The Scarlet Thread by Francine Rivers and the novel turned around the way my coworker viewed Christianity – Christians, in particular.

Yes, in part, my writing is an extension of me, but I pray it will be a vat of hope, encouragement, and inspiration to readers everywhere.

Tomorrow: Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar

2011-06-14T03:00:00.000-07:00

Boeshaar's latest book, now available!

Tomorrow's guest post comes from Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar, an author, speaker, and Certified Christian Life Coach. Here's a little bit about Andrea to help you get prepped for tomorrow's post!

Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar has 23 published novels, 8 published novellas, and a host of collective nonfiction under her belt. She knows the peaks and valleys of the publishing industry and loves to share her experience with other writers. She was an agent for more than 10 years, but is now writing full-time and is represented by the Steve Laube Agency.

Some of Andrea’s recent titles (2008 to present) include: Love Finds You in Miracle, Kentucky (Summerside Press); Be Still…and Let Your Nail Polish Dry (nonfiction with authors Sandie Bricker, Loree Lough, and Debby Mayne – Summerside Press); Heartland Heroes (a collection of 3 short novels, Barbour Publishing) and Seasons of Redemption series, which includes: Unwilling Warrior (Realms/Strang Book Group) Uncertain Heart (Realms) and Unexpected Love (Realms) Undaunted Faith (Realms). Another series is already contracted for in 2011-12.

Additionally, Andrea is a certified Christian life coach. She is also a cofounder of ACFW. She’s taught at several of the organization’s conferences as well as the Oregon Christian Writers Conference, Write-To-Publish, and Mt. Hermon Christian Writers Conference.

For more info, visit Andrea on the web, at: www.andreaboeshaar.com

a2z: B - By-lines

2011-06-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

I've always enjoyed being in the paper. My first photo appeared in the Ludington Daily News when I was in the third grade - they posed my sisters and I in a local drug store for a back-to-school blurb. After that day I made it my goal to get in the news as often as possible.

When I decided to start writing, I wanted to be in the paper for a different reason - I wanted a by-line.

B is for By-line

I'll be honest - before I started writing, I never paid any attention to by-lines. I didn't really care who wrote what, and I never really noticed a difference between articles. A story was a story was a story.

When I decided I wanted to write a novel, however, by-lines became a big deal. Any time a writer queries a publication (be it a newspaper, magazine, or book publisher), she needs to include a few things: a summary of the article/story, details about it (length, comparatives, etc.), and experience (i.e. by-lines).

Right away that told me I needed to do some more writing if I wanted to get a book published. It wouldn't be enough to tell people that I can write - I have to prove it. The best way to prove it, of course, is to present examples of published materials. Hmmm...that can get a little tricky. You need to have experience to get the gigs - how does that work?

I can't speak on that, but I can give you a great tip for getting by-lines: start small.

I'm sure there are other ways to make a start, but this is what worked for me. I started by accepting an on-line writing gig. I found it via Freelance Writing Jobs. Someone gave me a chance and let me write 500-1000 word articles for the astounding payment of $10/article.

They published my first one, which I used to help get me another gig writing for a small local, weekly paper. They didn't pay much more ($10-25/article, depending on length), but I took whatever jobs they offered. There was another free weekly paper in the area, bigger than the first, but still not huge. I took advantage of a story that I thought fit into both paper's readerships and pitched it to the new paper. They liked it, and agreed to let me start writing for them.

I still don't get paid a lot of money, but I've been regularly contributing to four local papers for two years, and I've now had almost 250 articles published. The money isn't great, but I'm not worrying about that right now. My focus, for now, is to build my resume - get some by-lines.

When I do, finally, submit a manuscript to a book publisher, I want them to know that I can work for an editor. I can meet deadlines, word counts, and periodical expectations. It'll be larger scale in the book publishing industry, but the principles are the same. I hope that my years of freelance writing experience will translate well into the novel world.

QUESTION: Where was your first by-line? How did you get the gig?

Continued Re-evaluation = Going Back to Work

2011-06-08T03:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Shaina. This isn't an actual photo of her, but this pretty much sums up her life at work - too much to do, and too many phone calls to answer.

In order to get caught up, her boss hired a temp to file some paperwork. After a few issues with a couple of temps, Shaina called me. With a little finagling, I went in for a few half-days and got rid of that pile of papers. Shaina's slightly less stressed and her boss wants to hire me.

But I'm a writer ... right?

I am. I love to write. I love to help others learn how to write, but right now, I'm struggling to stay focused and be productive. It's too easy for me to get distracted, and when an extrovert like me is at home for the fourth day in a row, I barely write anything. I definitely wrote more when I was substitute teaching, but the inconsistent schedule made it too difficult to schedule interviews and make it to appointments. Staying at home by myself, however, hasn't worked out very well, either.

This week I finally had the chance to really start listening to some CDs from the Writing Career Coach, Tiffany Colter. Earning A Living As A Writer focuses on making your writing a business, not just something you do. As I listened to her teachings, I had some revelations:

1. I don't like journalism. I don't mind helping out the papers with feature stories, but I don't care about hard news. I don't like calling people at home to find out about the recent county lay-offs (especially when they blow me off). I don't want to do that kind of writing.
2. I need structure. I'm not so sure freelance writing is the key for me, because there are too many variables. I don't have subscriptions to anything. I'm not good at picking topics out of thin air. Give me some guidelines, and turn me loose.
3. I like helping others. I've loved the times I've critiqued/edited/coached others. I want to share my knowledge. Plus, the more I teach, the better I understand the information.
4. I am 100% extroverted. I need people. I need regular social interactions. I can't handle 40 hours of cat bonding.

So where does these leave me?

First, I'm taking a part-time job with Shaina's company. They're going to pay me to open mail, talk on the phone, use office equipment, and work with Shaina. It'll be two set days a week, so I can still write, cook, and play with the cats.

Second, I'm continuing to fine-tune my writing services, and I think I'm going to focus on editing, tutoring, and mentoring. I also love to blog, so I'm going to try to work that in there.

Third, with the regular, additional income I'm gonna pay someone to clean my floors and bathroom. I'm also gonna hire the neighbor boy to mow my lawn.

Fourth, the hubs and I have agreed to eat out on the nights that I'll work. That will give me some free time at night to write, instead of cooking and cleaning.

There you have it - a little bit of change that, I think, will help me get back on track. It may seem counter productive to take a part-time job, but adding another element of structure is good for me. I need this. I'm excited to see where it will take me.

a2z: A - Attitude

2011-06-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

I've thought a lot about my new alphabetically-themed posts. I'm not going to abandon my blog theme during this stretch, so you'll still get to read about my journey toward getting a novel published ... you'll just get to read about it in alphabetical order. As I did pass kindergarten, and spent many hours watching Sesame Street, I know that today is brought to you by the letter "A".

A is for Attitude!

You've heard it said before: success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration (or something like that). It's more than just perspiration, though. You can sweat all you want, but if you're not sweating with the right motivation, you're sweating in vain.

It's all about attitude. If you're working so hard because you think you can't do it, you can't. If you think you have to work hard because you're not talented enough to do it, you aren't. But if you're working hard because you want to succeed as quickly as possible, you're gonna make it.

My writing career is an interesting story. I've always loved stories. Whether it's television, the movies, or books, I like anything that's make believe.

When I went off to college, I chose to major in English after a couple of days of prayer. I wasn't planning to write, it just felt like I was supposed to study literature. (I wanted to major in chemistry, and thought business would be more practical, but I still picked English). I read and wrote on command for four years. When it was over, I didn't pick up another book for seven months.

So how did I end up writing? My husband-of-less-than-a-year was diagnosed with cancer. While that may not be incredibly motivating for some people, it worked it's magic on me. I needed something to do while he was in the hospital sleeping or getting chemo. I decided to read. I didn't want to read dramas, though. My coping mechanism is laughter, so I wanted comedy.

At that time, the only Christian novelists I knew were Janette Oke, Lori Wick, and Frank Peretti. Not quite what I wanted. A friend recommended Janet Evanovich. I didn't have high hopes, but I cracked open One For The Money. A few tears and one aching side later, I was hooked.

I couldn't believe people could actually write novels that made me laugh at loud, and in public. Even though there other books like that existed, I had never read anything like it in Christian fiction - witty, sarcastic, not even remotely serious. I loved it! That was my motivator. I decided to write funny Christian fiction. I had no idea how to do it, but I knew I could figure it out.

I knew I could write - I have a degree in English. I knew I was funny - people laughed at me just for walking through the door. I knew I wanted to read Christian novels that both inspired and tickled me. Since I didn't know where to find such novels, I had to write my own.

Once I decided to start writing, I just wrote. I knew what I wanted to do, so I did it. I didn't let my inexperience scare me away. I just did it. It was all in my attitude.

As of this posting I still haven't had a novel published, but I'm closer. I have three completed manuscripts, over 200 published articles, and a few editing jobs to my credit. I'm still studying, still learning, and still determined to see my words in the form of a book.

I've got an attitude.

QUESTION: How about you - do you have the right attitude?

Book Review at The Ramblings

2011-06-04T05:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday! I just reviewed A Great Catch over at my other blog, The Ramblings. Please check it out, and then enter to win a free copy of this fun book!

Character Profile: Violet Harrigan

2011-05-31T03:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes one event can forever change a person's life. For 14 year-old Violet Harrigan, that event was in 1885 - an accident that killed her father. Now she and her family must decide whether or not they can survive life alone in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Violet loved her life on Sac Bay. "In spring, my friends Guy and Celina and I pick trillium, the white ones that grow all through the woods. I love that time of year the best," she said. "The forest looks like a storybook picture with a carpet of white flowers growing beneath the hardwoods."

The forest isn't always a storybook setting, though. It can also be deadly. "My Papa was killed in a tree-felling accident recently," said Violet. "He was a cooper, and the tree was for barrel staves. It landed on him. My mama is heart broken." So is Violet.

"Before Pap died, we had plenty of fun," she said. "Mr. Ansell has a dance hall, and Mama and Papa would take all of us there on a Saturday night." With her 12 year-old brother Dan and 10 year-old sister Rose, the Harrigan children would dance all night. "I especially liked the jig we danced to the tune 'The Irish Washerwoman'," said Violet.

That shouldn't be surprising. With her dark eyes and curly red hair, her Irish roots are no secret. She'll miss the Irish heritage her Papa brought to the family. "He played the Irish whistle and taught us Irish songs and jigs," she said. "We all sang and danced, and were so happy. I don't suppose I'll ever be that happy again."

Now that her father is dead, Violet isn't entirely sure what's next for her. School is out of the question. "There's no high school near here," she said. "I'd have to go all the way to Escanaba, but I don't need to go to high school. Mama can teach me everything I need to know to be a wife and mother someday."

Violet's not sure how far away 'someday' will be, but she has time to figure it out. Her mother married when she was 17, but that gives Violet three more years before she needs to worry about such things, and that's okay with here. "Mama will need me more than ever now that Papa is gone," she said. "I suppose we will have to find work."

Life made a hard turn for Violet, and she's not sure there's an end in sight. Papa believed in God, so he might have prayed, but Violet isn't so sure she can trust God. "How could he let Papa die?" she said. "I yelled at God. I was so angry that He took Papa away to heave when we need him here with us!"

She hasn't turned her back on God, but she's not ready to make up just yet. "Maybe someday I'll be able to understand why Papa had to go to heaven so soon," she said. In the meantime, Violet helps her mom and her siblings, wondering if, someday, she'll ever be happy again.

Violet Harrigan is the heroine for Donna Winters' most recent historical romance, Fayette - A Time To Leave. Donna has been writing since 1982, and has been published by Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Guideposts, and Bigwater Publishing (her own organization). She currently has 15 historical romances in print under her Great Lakes Romances trademark.

For more information, visit Donna at her website, Great Lakes Romances, or her blog.

a2z: Thank you, Patty!

2011-05-26T03:33:00.000-07:00

In case you missed my last writing post, I'm in a bit of a rut. There's a lot going on right now, and it's hard enough to find the time (and will) to feed my family and keep the house clean. I'm barely managing to get my paid writing assignments finished ... working on my manuscript is pretty low on my list of priorities, and blogging has sunk even lower. It's not that I don't like to blog, but when the brain is pre-occupied, coming up with post ideas just plain sucks. I'd rather stop blogging than waste people's time, and I was honestly considering it. Then I read Patty's post.

I ventured over to OrdinaryLives.net and found Patty's post about the blog desert. Long story short, she's also having a hard time with post topics, so she created a challenge. We're going to work through the alphabet, one letter a week, until we hit Z.

Since I have a pretty rigid blog schedule, I'll be joining the fun in June. My regularly schedule Writing Post dates (5th, 12th, 19th, 26th of each month) will still be writing related, but they will also take me through the alphabet. My schedule is a little bit off from everyone else's (because I'll be skipping some weeks due to the way the days fall), so instead of finishing just before Thanksgiving, I'll wrap it up in December.

This has me pretty excited. It takes off a lot of the pressure, and it also gives me a plan (and I really like planning). Here's to an alphabetical year!

QUESTION: What's your favorite letter? Why?

Monthly Writing Prompt

2011-05-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I find it hard to motivate myself to get working. I can find a million other thing to do. What about you? Tell me your top 10 ways to procrastinate.

Calgon, Take Me Away!

2011-05-19T03:32:00.000-07:00

The last couple of weeks have been very stressful and emotionally taxing. I'm beat. I have all kinds of great writing topics for my blog, but I've barely been able to stay awake for the past few days. Instead of forcing it and writing a poopy post, I'm gonna call it a day and let my brain cells recover. I'll see you back here on May 26.

QUESTION: How do you recharge?

Whine and Money by Conda V. Douglas

2011-05-15T03:15:00.000-07:00

After my fifth grade teacher told me that I could be a writer, I immediately set out to be one. I worked hard at my craft. Okay, granted my first novel was written with colored pens, sometimes every other word was a different color, and the novel was only 30 ruled pages long, but still. At the age of ten, I sat down and taught myself to touch type, using a book borrowed from the library and my mom’s 1939 typewriter, the one with the sticky D and E keys. You know the one. Amazing how many words have D and E in them.

Then I sent my stuff out, certain that what I wrote would be admired by all and sell my work for oodles of dollars, say $25 (hey, I was 10). Some kids waited for the toy they’d collected cereal box tops for, but I waited for acceptance letters. I haunted the mailbox and received horror instead of happiness—rejection letter after rejection letter.

I’d complain to my mom, who’d say sweet encouraging words. Then I’d repeat the entire process. I repeated the process through the age of 10, then 11, then into the ancient age of 12. Write, edit, submit, receive rejection, WHINE. Repeat. Mom’s words remained sweet, but got fewer and fewer, until one time when I was ranting about how I’d been writing and submitting and failing FOREVER (well, two years is, when you’re 12), and she snapped.

“Enough,” she said. “I can’t stand it anymore.”

“Me, neither,” I said. “My life is filled with horrors.”

“Well, then - if it makes you miserable, why do you do it?”

“Because it’s what writers do.”

Mom put her hands on her hips. “Then, if this new thing doesn’t sell you need to stop. Enough already. You got one more chance.” With that she stormed off, leaving me speechless, but not wordless. I already had an article in mind for Seventeen, which took essays from those 17 and under. That afternoon I sat down and wrote “Too Many Suds” and sent it off.

They bought it, for $25.

When the envelope came, Mom was with me. She was as surprised and delighted as I was. And then she said to me, “I figured you’d get a rejection, realize you were a writer, and keep writing. You’d just stop whining. This is almost as good.”