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Jennifer Slattery

Today we have Jennifer Slattery sharing with us today.

Sometimes we forget we’re called. When pressure comes or ministry events don’t turn out as we hoped or expected, we tend to make much of ourselves and little of Jesus. Only when we, like Paul, can say, in the depths of our hearts, “I am a slave of Christ,” can we rise above outward successes and failures and the ever-shifting opinions of man.

I have a dear friend who’s an equally humble and gifted writer. She’s never signed with a publisher or seen her name in a byline of a national magazine. But she writes truth with the transparency, and grace of one chosen and empowered by the Risen Lord. However, she doesn’t often remember this. She tends to allow her insecurities and doubts to overshadow God’s authoritative voice.

When this occurs, I remind her that she’s called, chosen, lavished with grace, and given everything she needs to fulfill all God has planned. Whenever I introduce her, I especially love stating her role as a writer, after which she’ll drop her gaze and sputter something about me being too kind.

I’m not. I’m simply calling out the truth. She became a writer the moment she took her first steps of obedience, regardless of the words penned on a page. The same holds true for every speaker and ministry leader commissioned by Christ. Our calling isn’t dependent on the size of our readership or how many Instagram followers we have. It’s determined by the will and pleasure of our Sovereign Lord.

I love how the apostle Paul introduced himself in his letters. He almost always began by asserting who he was in Christ. He told them, and likely himself, that he was “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God” (1 Cor. 1:1).

We are as well.

We are called: summoned by God Himself and gifted with salvation.

We are apostles: messengers sent on mission, commissioned by Christ to represent Him to a broken and hurting world.

We’re called by theléma, God’s preferred will. His preferred not decretive will. In other words, this is something we accept or reject. We submit or rebel.

 It’s possible to waste the life and talents God has given us. It’s possible to be so set on a particular direction or opportunity, we completely miss the amazing things God has in store. It’s possible to stand on the fringe of the abundant, filled to overflowing life Jesus promised without experiencing the full joy and depth of it. When we choose surrender, however, no matter what we encounter, no matter the opened and closed doors, we find deep intimacy with Christ, our true prize, and therefore realize we have every reason to rejoice.

To lead, write, and speak well, with the power and authority granted us by Jesus Christ, we must anchor ourselves in God’s love and grace and fully commit to His call, regardless of where He leads.

Identity, not just who we are, but who we think we are, determines behavior.

So remember and hold tight to this:
You are called.
You are sent.
You are empowered.
.

~ ~ ~

Jennifer Slattery is a writer and international speaker who has addressed women’s groups, church groups, Bible studies, and other writers across the nation. She maintains a devotional blog found at Jennifer Slattery Lives Out Loud and on Crosswalk. She has a passion for helping women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. As the founder of Wholly Love Ministries, she and her team partner with churches to facilitate events designed to help women rest in their true worth and live with maximum impact. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. When not writing, reading, or editing, Jennifer loves going on mall dates with her adult daughter and coffee dates with her hilariously fun husband. Contact her HERE to book her for your next women’s event.

Hometown Healing:

She’s home again, but not for long…
Unless this cowboy recaptures her heart
Returning home with a baby in tow, Paige Cordell’s determined her stay is only temporary. But to earn enough money to leave, she needs a job—and her only option is working at her first love’s dinner theater. With attraction once again unfurling between her and Jed Gilbertson, can the man who once broke her heart convince her to stay for good?

Buy your copy HERE.

Dee Dee Lake, Christmas, memories

Dee Dee Lake, Christmas, memories

Today we welcome Dee Dee Lake as she shares

her thoughts about writing during Christmas.

I have learned to never, never ever, set a writing deadline during the holidays. As an author, I am an observer and keeper of history in the making. My job is to capture moments and honor traditions of God, family, friends, and community.

If my mind is on editing and meeting writing deadlines, I miss the life stories happening around me. I need to be available. I need to be present in the moment as we celebrate.

Christmas is a time to

  • watch babies experience their first of many Christmas celebrations;
  • meet shy new significant others and introduce them to crazy, loud, busy family;
  • see Great Uncle Joe pretend to be gruff when he truly is a teddy bear at heart;
  • hear children shriek with joy as they begin their own journey, story, and generation of new traditions and experiences;
  • welcome new people into the family and make strangers feel like family;
  • remember the reason we have this Christmas season, the birth of Christ, our Redeemer.

Conversations are a vital part of being family and close friends. We recall and laugh about our past celebrations, burnt feast, and disagree over which of Grandma Mattie Lou’s desserts should be “the best in show”. There may be tears, laughter, and raised voices all in the same conversation. During this season we take time to remember those who are with Jesus and those who are out-of-touch. These conversations bind us as family.

Being an author is what God created me to be. He wants me to capture the joy, love, and family.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds me to stay in the moment because there is a time for everything. “There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every [a]event under heaven—” NASB

As my family’s scribe, I’m the story-keeper, the one who remember the details and scribbles in journals the precious recollections for future generations.  Soon enough it will be time to say good-bye to the out-of-town family and friends and begin to write down all the experiences.

My advice author friends take the time to experience the life around you and then capture the moments with words for the generations to come.

 

Dee Dee LakeDeeDee Lake is the Marriage Expert, although, she’s only be married for thirty-five years. She speaks and writes about taking your marriage and relationships from ordinary to extraordinary. DeeDee also works with CrossRiver Media as their Author Relations Coordinator. A job she loves because she connects and encourages other authors.

Connect with Dee Dee

Website       Facebook

Winter's Silence, Clarissa Ruth, Christmas poetry

Today, we welcome Wordsower Clarissa Ruth.

Clarissa RuthClarissa Ruth is a storyteller, adventure-loving healer, and an undeserving bride of Jesus Christ. The outdoors may find her star-gazing while whispering a prayer, or weaving a morning dance of praise barefoot on the grass. Indoors, words are her playground. When this world becomes boring, she travels, via her Scriptorium, to Cheled and all the adventures her fantasy world contains. She’s written one of these epic tales down, and more books are to follow. Though writing stories of freedom is her passion, she is lost for words without Jesus.

Connect with Clarissa:    Website    Facebook    Twitter

 

Enjoy Clarissa’s Christmas poetry…

Thank you for stopping by today! If you enjoyed Clarissa’s poetry, please share this post with your friends.

May the peace of this season fill your home.

 

 

Photo Credits: Pixabay

Writing, writing during the holidays, Brenda Anderson

Writing, writing during the holidays, Brenda Anderson

Today, we welcome Brenda Anderson, author of life-affirming fiction. She has some great tips to share with us about writing during the holiday season.

When considering writing on this topic, admittedly, I doubted I could do it justice. After all, writing during the holiday season has been very difficult over the years. Yet, I’ve always met my deadlines.

This year I’ve got a few different deadlines. My first draft of my current work-in-progress needs to be completed by the end of November. And then I’ll need it back from my critique partners by the end of December when it goes to my editor. In the meantime, I should begin my next book which has a first draft deadline of April 1. Eek! So, no resting in December.

The question then is, How can I get writing in and make the holidays special? Here are a few suggestions that help me:

Make a To-Do List: Include everything that you’d like to accomplish on this list. Don’t worry about time constraints … yet. And don’t forget to include some R&R and maybe a Hallmark Christmas movie or two to help you wind down.

Check Your Calendar: Don’t forget about church and concerts and sporting events and family celebrations and other time-fillers.

Establish Your Priorities: What absolutely needs to get done? How many words per day? Work? Shopping? Decorating? Cleaning? Cooking? Serving? Wrapping? What’s less important? What can be set aside or done last minute?

Set Specific Goals: I want to write a 70,000+ word first draft by April 1, 2019. If I start on December 1, that gives me eighteen weeks. To write 70,000 words, I would have to average 3889 words per week. Considering I typically type 1000+ words per day, that means I should spend four days per week writing. As I like to reserve weekends for family that gives me one full day each week to focus on other tasks.

Be Prepared for the Unexpected: Unplanned events, problems, list additions always crop up. Go into the holiday season knowing that they will happen, so you’re not completely taken aback when they do show up.

Give Yourself Grace: If you don’t mark off everything on your list, that’s okay! If your goal was a thousand words a day and you “only” wrote 900, that’s still fantastic! Give yourself the grace to say you did your best, and don’t beat yourself up over it. Rather, applaud yourself for what you did accomplish.

Spend Time Praying and in the Word. I’m uncomfortable adding this to the To-Do List as then it becomes something that you just tick off on a box and then it becomes all about religion and not relationship. But if you get nothing else done this season, when you pray and read God’s Word you’ve gotten the most important things done.

Remember What’s Important: It’s so easy getting caught up in the busyness of the holiday season that we forget what it’s all about: Celebrating Jesus Birth! Faith, Family, and Friends are far more important than any item you can cross off on a list, so make them your focus.

Hope you all have a very blessed Christmas!

Author Brenda AndersonBrenda S. Anderson writes gritty and authentic, life-affirming fiction. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, and is Past-President of the ACFW Minnesota chapter, MN-NICE, the 2016 ACFW Chapter of the Year. When not reading or writing, she enjoys music, theater, roller coasters, and baseball, and she loves watching movies with her family. She resides in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area with her husband of 31 years, their three children, and one sassy cat.

Connect with Brenda: Website   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Goodreads  

Sign up for Brenda’s newsletter

For the holiday season, enjoy Brenda’s book, Hungry for Home                          A Different Kind of Christmas Story…

Hungry … Homeless … Heartbroken

After a troubling encounter with a pregnant teen, Sheila Peterson-Brooks hurries from the crisis pregnancy center into the frigid Minnesota winter where she is mugged and left for dead. After a frantic search, Richard, her husband, finds her, and the police quickly nab the mugger …

A hungry, homeless teen.
The brother of the pregnant girl Sheila had just counseled.

The girl pleads for her brother, and Sheila and Richard choose not to press charges. Instead, they open their home to the boy, a move that could cost them their possessions, and their hearts.

And, in the process, teach them the true meaning of home.

Get your copy today on  Amazon     Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

 

 

 

It's the Little Things by Catherine Brakefield

The Little Things by Catherine Brakefield

It's the Little Things by Catherine Brakefield

The little things are what get a chuckle out of me and inspire me during a crazy day. The wet kiss plastered on my cheek by my three-year-old granddaughter. The toothless grin generated from a full tummy and dry diaper from my three-month-old granddaughter. Then there’s that spontaneous review which not only generates a smile, but truly inspires my day!

Why is a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Goodreads so inspiring? Because you, dear readers, are every writer’s employer, and a review is like an unexpected bonus check.

Writers can feel inspired to reach unfathomable heights by our fictional characters. Now don’t call in the psychiatrists just yet, first here me out.

Writers live a unique life. We spend countless hours in what we could label “solitary confinement”. Yes, in our padded world of make-believe, the only voices we hear are those in our imagination of our characters. Strange to say, a writer does not feel alone while in the company of their characters’ antics.

We tap away patiently on our keyboard and pour in the hours, days, and months of research so our fictional novel sings with realism. We want our imaginary characters to walk and talk with vitality, vividness, and validity. Then, like a mother caressing her newborn child, we eagerly await the debut of our new creation to the world.

The writer’s key desire is to make historical and modern-day romances sound like the characters live. That they are sitting in the next room, waiting to hear your questions. Check out Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice; Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind. After eighty plus years, people continue to speak about these awesome novels. Talk about imaginary characters coming alive!

A writer knows that they have achieved their ultimate goal in creating a superb novel, through readers communicating their emotional experience to others. Readers can either verbally communicate this to the writer or take time to write their review on Amazon and other search engines.

Would you enjoy preparing for an Easter pageant, pile on the hours in rehearsals for weeks and months, and—then play to an empty auditorium? A writer’s applause comes in the way of reviews. Readers, as I mentioned before, are the writer’s employers, and they convey to the writer if a particular novel has accomplished its goal, by giving out a bonus, telling others about your emotional experience.

Yes, it is the little things in life that inspire us to meet each day with enthusiasm. Our grandchild’s first steps, the antics of make-believe characters, or the finished product of years of work framed in a provoking cover and bound with the author’s prayer.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season

we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9 NKJV

Inspiration can come in many forms, but the best is a hug, a kind word,

and for satisfied readers to take time to give out bonuses. God Bless!

 

Catherine says, “My readers inspire my writing!”

She is the author of three faith-based historical romances; Wilted Dandelions; a four book Destiny series, Swept into Destiny, and Destiny’s Whirlwind scheduled for April 17, 2018 release. She has written two pictorial history books: Images of America: The Lapeer Area, and Images of America: Eastern Lapeer County.
Her short stories have been published in Guidepost Books True Stories of Extraordinary Answers to Prayer,  Unexpected Answers and Desires of Your Heart; Baker Books, Revell, The Dog Next Door, Horse of my Heart, and Dogs/Rescue scheduled for October, 2018 publication; CrossRiver Media Publishers, The Benefit Package and Abba’s Promise; Bethany House Publishers, Jesus Talked to me Today.

She enjoys swimming and horseback riding and lives in Addison Township with her husband and their Arabian horses. Her children now grown and married, she and Edward are the blessed recipients of two handsome grandsons and two beautiful granddaughters!

Connect with Catherine on her Website and on  Facebook

Releasing April 17th: Destiny’s Whirlwind

Collina McConnell is thrust from adolescence to adulthood shortly before the Spanish-American War erupts when she promises her dying father she will manage their estate in Emerald, Kentucky. But her father dies before disclosing the mystery behind his legacy for Shushan.

Rough Rider Franklin Long offers his help till that fateful day he leaves for Cuba, then a disgruntled in-law and a vindictive lawyer places the McConnell clan in the clutches of life’s tangled web of deception and greed. The words of Esther 8:6 ring in Collina’s thoughts. “How can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people?”

Get your copy today on Amazon

A Wordsowers review by Clarissa Ruth

Destiny’s Whirlwind is a tale of heart and grit straight out of post-Civil War Kentucky. Likable characters face their challenges with faith and courage, but at times enjoy the beauty of a glittering backdrop, sometimes of natural splendor, other times of the shared luxury of wealthy friends. With frequent nods to Scripture and examples of sustaining faith, this novel is overtly Christian in a way that generally does not preach. Though romantic, unexpected twists, engaging drama and a bit of action add extra layers of interest to the tale. From the beginning, the story caught my attention, drawing me into the world through its details: from simple farm life, to the exploits of patriots. At times I struggled to follow the flow of individual conversations or events, as if part of the picture were missing. A more thorough process of writer editing with reader input would cure many a hiccup in the story’s flow. Still, the narrative is strong enough to pull a reader around these issues as the unconventional romance unfolds. Along the way, you may find yourself rooting not only for the hero and heroine, but also for the country in which they, and we, live. Patriotism flavors this book with a vibrant taste of why we can be proud to be Americans.

Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher for a fair and honest review.

About our reviewer:

Clarissa RuthClarissa Ruth is a storyteller, adventure-loving healer, and an undeserving bride of Jesus Christ. The outdoors may find her star-gazing while whispering a prayer,or weaving a morning dance of praise barefoot on the grass. Indoors, words are her playground. When this world becomes boring, she travels, via her Scriptorium, to Cheled and all the adventures her fantasy world contains. She’s written one of these epic tales down, and more books are to follow. Though writing stories of freedom is her passion, she is lost for words without Jesus.

Connect with Clarissa on her WEBSITE.

 

Swept into Destiny by Catherine Ulrich Brakefield

Catherine says, “My readers inspire my writing!”

Catherine is the author of three faith-based historical romances; Wilted Dandelions; a four book Destiny series, Swept into Destiny, and Destiny’s Whirlwind scheduled for April 17, 2018 release. She has written two pictorial history books: Images of America: The Lapeer Area, and Images of America: Eastern Lapeer County. 

Her short stories have been published in Guidepost Books True Stories of Extraordinary Answers to Prayer,  Unexpected Answers and Desires of Your Heart; Baker Books, Revell, Th

e Dog Next Door, Horse of my Heart, and Dogs/Rescue scheduled for October, 2018 publication; CrossRiver Media Publishers, The Benefit Package and Abba’s Promise; Bethany House Publishers, Jesus Talked to me Today.

She enjoys swimming and horseback riding and lives in Addison Township with her husband and their Arabian horses. Her children now grown and married, she and Edward are the blessed recipients of two handsome grandsons and two beautiful granddaughters!

Connect with Catherine on her Website and on  Facebook

Swept into Destiny

 One brave decision leads to serious consequences.

Maggie Gatlan is secretly educating the slaves at Spirit Wind Manor. But the manor’s serenity is soon threatened by abolitionist John Brown. A new republic looms ahead with Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, and her countrymen’s anger escalates as secession spreads across the southern states.

With the fires of civil war glowing on the horizon, Maggie is swept into its embers, realizing she is in love with the manor’s hardworking, handsome Irishman Ben McConnell.

Ben joins the Union Army and Maggie is forced to call him her enemy. An unexpected chain of events leads her into choosing where her loyalties lie. Conscience and consequence – did she care more for Ben or for her beloved South?

As the battle between North and South rages, Maggie is torn. Was Ben right? Had this Irish immigrant perceived the truth of what God had predestined for America?

Review by Angela D. Meyer:

Ushered into life around the time of the Civil War, you will experience the joys, heartache, and emotions of the era through the eyes of Maggie Gatlan. Written with great attention to details that bring this time alive, Swept into Destiny will give you a greater understanding into the hearts of those who loved the south and struggled with the reality of the Civil War that tore families apart and divided friend from friend.

Meet, the author, Catherine Brakefield

Why did you choose to write historical novels? I choose to write historical fiction because of my love affair for anything history. During my school years, my attention was American History. I remember thinking of it as America’s love relationship with God and His Savior, Jesus Christ.

I was reared when public schools recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang all stanzas of “My Country ’tis of Thee”. A picture of George Washington kneeling in the snow next to his dapple-grey Thoroughbred hung in our school auditorium. We were taught our founding fathers declared their sovereign pledge to God, and we sang songs in our music classes like “God Bless America” and the “National Anthem.” Through my novels, I hope to give this generation the experience of patriotism I felt while growing up.

Where do you do your research? I start my research reading old history books: Freedom’s Frontier, copyright 1948, Backgrounds of American Freedom copyright 1953, based on The Past Lives Again, copyright 1937. These history books were written before political correctness. I have a better chance of knowing how people thought and felt during America’s earlier years. I interview people who lived or knew someone who lived during the era of my books. I check on their facts and have always found what they told me to be correct.

How do you incorporate your research into your story without making it sound like a history lesson? When I incorporate these facts into my book, I recall my interviewees, their expressions, their chuckles, their tears, and their fears. History is about people, and I want foremost to make sure my readers see those people first and the history that molded their lives and our beloved country in the background, not the foreground.

With this attitude in mind, you never bore your reader. You lift your reader up and plop them right inside your action, sort of like time travel, only your reader becomes the main character, laughing, scared out of their wits, and immersed in the romances of that era.

What is your favorite part about researching a historical novel? My favorite part about researching is the field trips. With Wilted Dandelions, my husband and I traveled the pathway my characters Rachael and Jonathan took through the wind tossed Nebraska plains, the Devil’s Gate of Wyoming, and the steep Red Canyon Mountains of South Pass.

With Swept into Destiny, we traveled to Maryville, Tennessee, where we drank in the mystique of the Smoky Mountains, the wisdom of Mr. Greatheart, and the stamina of the Irish immigrant. I have to admit, I opted out on the swamp experience!

In Into Destiny’s Whirlwind, I felt I had come home. My mother’s people embedded their roots in the rich soil of those blue grass hills where Thoroughbreds thrived and the grit of its people was measured by their determination. And where the Gibson Era continues to inspire and romance a new generation.

Do you have any tips for the author researching a historical novel? Believe Matthew 7:7 “…seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” Seek God’s will for your lives. It might not be what you wanted—“what you what men to do to you, do also to them”—but it will be rewarding. Our forefathers left an imprint of blood upon the stairway leading to heaven for us to follow.

Other books by Catherine

Wilted Dandelions

High-spirited Rachael Rothburn is eager to leave her luxurious life in Buffalo, New York, to share the gospel with Native Americans in the Oregon Territory. But the missionary alliance requires their missionaries to be married and Rachael has no husband or suitors.

When Dr. Jonathan Wheaton, another missionary hopeful, learns about the restriction, he is desperate to find a wife. He offers Rachael a marriage of convenience and she agrees.

After a hasty wedding the pair sets off for the west knowing little about each other. Together they battle raging rivers, hostile Indians, sickness, treacherous mountain trails, and more. But as the seeds of love begin to grow, Jonathan’s jealousy and pride threaten to be an even greater danger than anything they find in the west. Can they overcome the challenges and discover a true and lasting love?

Get your copy of Wilted Dandelions

Amazon   Barnes and Noble

Coming April 17th: Destiny’s Whirlwind

Collina McConnell is thrust from adolescence to adulthood shortly before the Spanish-American War erupts when she promises her dying father she will manage their estate in Emerald, Kentucky. But her father dies before disclosing the mystery behind his legacy for Shushan.

Rough Rider Franklin Long offers his help till that fateful day he leaves for Cuba, then a disgruntled in-law and a vindictive lawyer places the McConnell clan in the clutches of life’s tangled web of deception and greed. The words of Esther 8:6 ring in Collina’s thoughts. “How can I endure to see the evil that will come to my people?”

Fresh Starts Second Chances

Today we welcome guest Michelle Greenwood as she shares about how writing aided her healing from life’s falls. 

I thought my relationship with God was great.  I volunteered at church. If the doors opened, I was there.  The truth is I became proud, thinking myself better than everyone else because of all the work I did.  I know Christianity doesn’t work that way, but I was lost. Despite appearances (the perfect Christian family) my family took a road of destruction.

My oldest son fell fast and hard. His reputation of being a straight arrow was demolished. The media treated his fall as they did Sam Berkowitz’s fall. I drowned in a sea of embarrassment.

Focusing on my son through visits created day to day activity. Then one day, a friend of mine gave me a puppy. She weighed 4 pounds and demanded attention. I could no longer wallow in self-pity I had a baby in need of care.

My son asked me to write daily and I did. I quickly realized I needed God to be able to write positive letters. I decided since I was writing why not share with others. I formed a blog for this purpose.

Initial entries came from Proverbs.  Through writing I realized I had fallen into the trap of pride. The letters I sent him contained personal notes as well as what I posted. our relationship improved. It took a few years for him to arrive at the conclusion that his arrogance led to this fall. Today he enjoys a great relationship with God. In prison he is the straight arrow without pride enjoying God’s blessings.

Next, I focused on Psalms. David has always been one of my favorite Bible characters. God calls David a man after His own heart. Writing about David’s words brought awareness of my need to talk to God as a regular person, my BFF if you will.  David screwed up all the time, yet David was humble. He brought everything to God.  I remembered Prayer is communication between God and me.  Prayers are supposed to be specific.  Today, when I am in the car by myself, I talk to God as if he is my BFF. I yell, I cry, but most of all, I listen. God has great advice. To hear, I must listen.

The protection and blessings my son now enjoys is due to the prayers of many.  One friend told me you have no idea how many people are praying for him. I told her I know people pray, I see the results.

My growth continues. I find myself more mindful of the trap of pride. Currently, my youngest son battles the green-eyed monster. My husband found a niche at church and work. When he speaks, God comes out. Recently we returned to volunteer work.

God is never done with us until we are with Him in heaven. I strive to focus on this fact: Life with Jesus is about #FRESHSTARTS and #SECONDCHANCES. When we fall Jesus is always there.

How has writing helped you heal from the falls of life? 

 

Originally from Midwestern Pennsylvania, Michelle Greenwood is a Christian, wife, mother of two and a (disabled) veteran. Although not yet published, Michelle is busy writing and submitting her work. Her first book is “How to Read the Bible Through Studying John” and she is currently penning her family’s story.

Connect with Michelle

Facebook   LinkedIn   Blog   Instagram   Twitter

 

5 Simple Ways to Stop Being Your Own Worst Enemy by Paula Zwenger

Ever felt paralyzed by the next step – judging it too far out on a limb? Or sat immobile, convinced no one else has ever faced what you’re facing? A part of you knows these thoughts are irrational. Still negativity holds sway.

Welcome to the world of neophyte writers. Desire burns to spill to paper a story trapped inside. Yet fire extinguishers proliferate like dandelions in springtime, converting your writing sparks to ashes. What to do? Here are tips I try when feeling stifled. Maybe one will work for you.

Write like no one will ever read it. This one I learned during Tosca Lee’s keynote address at the April WordSowers conference. It sounded counter-intuitive. Don’t we write so that someone will read our words? In trying it, I found a release to focus on truth, which lends authenticity to my writing.

Don’t edit as you write. Do set time aside once per week to edit. I’ve only recently begun this practice. Poems and blogs by nature are shorter pieces. They still need editing, but the time commitment is less than a chapter or story requires. This practice may save time and editing costs in the long run. Professional, final editing for longer works is still required.

Set weekly, monthly and annual goals. I first started setting weekly and monthly goals about a year ago. I created an editorial calendar for blogging on the advice of Lee Warren after the 2016 conference. I tried daily goals, but found it discouraging. They took longer to create and were often missed. I’m still warming up to the annual goal idea.

Try one new and different thing within the next three months. When I started writing I’d try new poetic forms as soon as I learned of them (i.e. sonnet, haiku, charita, ballad, villanelle, prose poetry, etc.). Now I focus on one at a time. A different, though related idea on my list is to attend and take part in a poetry reading. You might try writing a poem or reading something out of your favored genre to mix things up.

Celebrate small successes. This is easily neglected if you’re an all-or-nothing personality. If getting the book published is the goal and nothing less counts as success, the wait is long. There are many steps in that process. I recently learned how to schedule blog posts and a subscriber newsletter. My site is new and the subscriber list small, but it will grow and this was a necessary and good accomplishment.

Discouragement can often be a side effect of fear,

but if you take one simple step your path ahead will clear.

Continue with your mission and do not give way to foils.

Remember in the Kingdom to the victor go the spoils (1Chron. 26:27)!

 

What works for you when you are stuck? Share with your fellow WordSowers in the comments below.

 

 

Paula Zwenger is a wife, mother, and grandmother who, upon finding herself an empty nester, tried on the hat of rhyme loving writer. It fitted very well. Her joy manifests completely while taking the ups and downs of life and wrangling them into poetry. She has a passion for creating rhymed treasure hunts with a Catholic flare to celebrate the faith and learn a thing or two along the way. You can find her musings at RhymeLovingWriter  and connect with her on Facebook.

Today, we welcome freelance editor Debra Butterfield to our blog. We are highlighting her newest book, 7 Cheat Sheets to Cut Editing Costs. You are sure to use this book over and over! It’s not a long book, but it is packed full of valuable information. Ever wondered what goes into the editing process? Have you ever been a bit daunted by the thought of self-editing your book before initial submission – to your critique group or publishing house? Whether you want to do a better job at self editing or critiquing your writing partner’s book, or just be able to partner better with your publishing house’s editor, this book is for you.

Debra created cheat sheets for Research, POV, Showing vs Telling, Chicago Manual of Style, Punctuation, Creating a Style Sheet, and 10 Things to do before Hiring an Editor. Her writing is to the point and easy to understand. This is one resource you don’t want to pass up.

Purchase your own: Digital Copy   ~  Amazon (Print Copy)

Debra Butterfield is the author of 7 Cheat Sheets to Cut Editing Costs, Abba’s Promise, Carried by Grace: a Guide for Mothers of Victims of Sexual Abuse, and Mystery on Maple Hill (a short story ebook). As a freelance editor, she offers book and article editing, proofreading, critique, and coaching services, as well as Scrivener training. Her editorial credits include three award winners: Wilted Dandelions, This I Know, and Bethany’s Calendar. She is a former copywriter for Focus on the Family.

Connect with Debra:  Website   Facebook   Twitter  

 

Interview

What kinds of interesting things have you done in your life? I’ve been aboard C130 airplanes and watched US Marines jump out. It’s tough to beat that! I also lived in Germany from 1987-1991, during which time the Berlin Wall fell and the Gulf War erupted. I saw a lot of amazing places, but there was also danger in being an American in Europe—we learned things like checking our car for bombs whenever we went off base.

When you’re not writing, what do you enjoy doing? When I’m not writing, I’m editing. As a self-employed writer/editor, I battle balancing my time. It can be all work and no play, but that’s not healthy. I enjoy reading and crocheting. When I lived in Colorado, I went hiking. I miss that here in Missouri.

What does your family think of your writing? My parents (now both dead), children, and siblings are very proud of my books. They actively help me market them as well, especially my book Carried by Grace. I’m very fortunate to have them help that way.

Tell us about getting your mind in a creative mode? How do you begin your writing process? There is no “getting in a creative mode.” I sit down and do it. When I’m working on a book, I often reread a portion first to get myself oriented to where I left off. If I want to capture a specific mood for a scene I’m writing, I’ll play instrumental music that fits the mood. The closest I come to getting in a creative mode is to play movie soundtracks while I write because music stimulates my creativity. I think every writer should spend time learning what stimulates her/his creativity.

What motivated you to write on this topic? The same kinds of mistakes pop up in all the manuscripts I edit, so I decided to help writers solve those errors before they send their manuscript to editors or publishers. All writers need professional editing and helping them reduce those costs is what the book is all about. Simple things they can do that make a big difference in the time editors spend doing the work.

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What was the hardest thing about writing the book? The hardest portion of the book was the section on the editing process. I wanted to give writers enough information without overwhelming them with details. I hope by explaining the editing process and giving them a way to determine costs, it empowers writers to move forward with professional editing rather than blindly fearing the costs.

Which part of your book was the most enjoyable to write? Writing the cheat sheets. I do this stuff every day; that made them easy to write. That’s not to say I never reach for my style guides or catch every error when I proofread. But if writers follow this advice, they’ll create stronger stories and cleaner manuscripts, and that translates into saving $$$ in the professional editing process.

What has been your biggest challenge when it comes to self-editing?

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Our guest today is Paula S. Zwenger. Paula  is a wife, mother, and grandmother who, upon finding herself an empty nester, tried on the hat of rhyme loving writer. It fitted very well. Her joy manifests completely while taking the ups and downs of life and wrangling them into poetry. She has a passion for creating rhymed treasure hunts with a Catholic flare to celebrate the faith and learn a thing or two along the way. You can find her musings at RhymeLovingWriter. You can also connect with her on Facebook.

From Paula…I sat in a quiet kitchen one week after our youngest son moved into his college dorm room thinking, “This is it. I’m finally going to do something I’ve talked about for years. I’m going to start writing.”

And I did. For nearly two hours that afternoon, interrupted by numerous side stops to check Facebook or email each time a notification bell dinged, three games of Sudoku plus the daily crossword puzzle online, and two trips to the refrigerator for tea, I wrote. No inkling at all remains of work produced that day, but I was on the path.

In the intervening two years I’ve moved in fits and starts from being a closet poet to a fairly consistent rhyming blogger. The way has been enhanced by on-line writing classes with Metropolitan Community College (MCC), two WordSowers conferences and several monthly meetings, countless hours of internet research, and being part of a writing community. The sheer amount of information available is staggering, but digestible in small bits. Even in these early stages I’ve learned valuable things.

Be not afraid. This is easier said than done some days. Fear of getting things wrong and looking foolish often slows me. But not trying guarantees I won’t succeed and every ‘failure’ holds a lesson.

Speak the words “I’m a writer.” Aloud. This took me a long time. I’d produced two to five pieces of poetry daily for months and created numerous rhymed treasure hunts for family and friends.  Yet when people asked what I did I’d stutter, “I’m thinking about writing.” I wasn’t thinking about anything. I was doing it! Because my work hadn’t been sold, or wasn’t in book format, it somehow didn’t count. The first time I actually said the words, I waited for the sky to fall or a gigantic finger to point out my mistake. Guess what? No one blinked or laughed and I’m still breathing. Tada!

Write something every day. This was easy at first because words burst from pen to paper. Eight months later things slowed down. Now once in awhile it feels like work (gasp!), and that’s OK.

There is no one perfect path. Do you write the book first? Start a website? Attend a conference? Join WordSowers?  Yes, yes, yes, and yes – in whatever order works for you.

 

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At the most recent WordSowers conference in April, I learned many more great tips. I’m practicing them as I write this post. You can read more about what I learned here.

Finally, because I write in rhyme, I’d like to leave you this little ditty:

If you have tips to share with all, we beg you, don’t be shy.

There’ll never be a better time to tell another why

it’s worth the work and sweat and toil to write the words He sends.

When sown for love of Him who saves – the story never ends.

 

Do you remember the moment when you

finally called yourself a writer?

Today, Janet Sobczyk joins us again and shares her anticipation for this year’s writers conference!

2017 Conference

It’s been almost a year since my first Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference. I’ve made great strides (okay, baby steps) with my writing. It feels terrific!

Right away I joined Wordsowers and began to attend their monthly meetings at the Swanson Library in Omaha. I can’t always make it (the last Thursday of each month, 6:00 to 7:45) but when I do, I leave inspired and happy.

At the meetings I heard about the critique group that meets once a month. I’ve only been able to go once so far, but in that session I learned so much! They showed me how to format manuscripts to be taken seriously by editors. They showed me how awesome it feels to be surrounded by successful people who want to help you succeed.

I’ve used what I learned at the conference to submit poetry and articles to magazines, with a few successes. It’s nice to have some of the poems in my binder collection be seen by readers beyond my own family.

I’ve discovered how to be patient through the long wait for responses to submissions. A writer just keeps working and submitting. “You can’t sell what you don’t submit” is true! And rejection letters truly are just one submission closer to success.

Now I have new ideas and questions (and business cards!) to take to the 2017 Conference. I can’t wait to hear the new speakers and meet more writers. I know the 2017 Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference will inspire me to take the next steps in my writing.

If you have signed up for our conference, what are you most looking forward to?

 

Look for more next week from Janet about her first conference experience.

Janet Sobczyk (pronounced Sub-check) is a new member of Wordsowers Christian Writers Group and is looking forward to the April 2017 Conference. She is a writer/poet in Omaha, NE as well as a substitute teacher, and a trainer for Boys Town’s “Common Sense Parenting.” Connect with Janet on her BLOG filled with poems, stories, and photos about motherhood, pets, faith, and more.

 

Today, new Wordsower, Janet Sobczyk shares about her experience meeting with speakers. 

Conference attendee in a one-on-one meeting with author Cheryl St. John.

At the 2016 Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference I met three of the speakers. Each made a lasting impression.

First, Lee Warren at his book table. He’s a journalist, author, editor, and member of Wordsowers Christian Writers. I attended his workshop, and purchased his instructional materials for writers. But the time spent at his table wasn’t about his experiences. He asked about my projects and advised what to do next. He suggested I sign up for a one-on-one session with the keynote speaker, which I wouldn’t have dreamt of doing. He told me exactly how to prepare for that meeting. So I did!

The keynote speaker was Troy Griepentrog, a senior associate editor for Focus on the Family. I approached the meeting just the way Lee directed me, and we had a wonderful conversation. He assured me there is a need for articles about the topics I suggested. He encouraged me to send a query email, and promised to forward it to the proper editor.

The third speaker I met was Sally Jadlow, a published author and poet who teaches creative writing.  She edited (and praised!) a poem I brought, and asked what other writing I’ve done. I admitted I’ve only had a few published articles, but two poems and a creative non-fiction piece had won writing contests. She exclaimed, “You’re an award-winning writer! You need to say that whenever you write a bio for submissions.”

I walked away from each meeting with more confidence and knowledge. Thank you, Wordsowers Christian Writers, for inviting such awesome speakers!

What apprehensions (or advice) do you have about meeting with conference speakers?

Click HERE to get more information about our 2017 conference and to register now.

 

 

 

Next week, Janet shares about her anticipation for this year’s conference. 

Janet Sobczyk (pronounced Sub-check) is a new member of Wordsowers Christian Writers Group and is looking forward to the April 2017 Conference. She is a writer/poet in Omaha, NE as well as a substitute teacher, and a trainer for Boys Town’s “Common Sense Parenting.” Connect with Janet on her BLOG filled with poems, stories, and photos about motherhood, pets, faith, and more.