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Often we go to meetings hoping to glean knowledge, to gain tangible help to propel us along. Sometime we find those insightful nuggets; sometimes we come up empty.

That’s why this 2018 kick-off meeting is all about you. What do you need to propel your writing forward?

This meeting is an open forum. We plan to invite the rest of 2018’s monthly speakers based on the needs presented at the January meeting.

Please bring a snack, beverage, and your input. This meeting is open to all.
After the meeting we’ll gather for our relaxed Afterglow chat session at Village Inn, 7837 Dodge St.

We meet the fourth Thursday of the month
6:00-7:45pm at the W. Clarke Swanson Library.

The meeting room is on the basement level. Park on the east side of the building and walk into the lower door.

Pebbls Jacobo, A& P Virtual Enterprises Owner

Thursday October 26
6:00-7:45 pm
9101 W. Dodge Rd. Omaha, NE

Pebbles Jacobo, owner of A&P Virtual Enterprises hosts an evening of hands-on computer help, with a focus on Microsoft software. Whether you’re a novice or expert, this evening is designed to help you blast past your roadblocks. Learn tips and tricks to make your computer time more productive.

Please bring your laptops to the meeting. No laptop? No problem. Bring your questions and join in this wonderful learning opportunity.

Pebbles business, A&P Virtual Enterprises, Inc. was established in 2007. Within two years Elance.com, the world’s largest freelance contracting site, ranked her business in the TOP 1% in the ‘Administrative Support’ (100,000+ virtual assistants) and ‘Writing & Translating’ (120,000+ writers and copy editors) categories.

A&P Virtual Enterprises is a result of the collaborative efforts of owners, Alfred & Pebbles Jacobo. Husband Alfred brings 40+ years of business experience to the team. Pebbles utilizes over a decade of administrative experience, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Humanities from Grace University. Their faith in God drives them in business and life.
Click here to learn more.

Again, this special hands-on event is
Thursday October 26th 6:00-7:45pm
at our regular location, the 90th & Dodge library

We meet the fourth Thursday of the month
6:00-7:45pm

The meeting room is on the basement level. Park on the east side of the building and walk into the lower door.

Ginger Kolbaba, award winning author/editor

PLEASE NOTE: To facilitate better Skype reception and viewing, our August meeting will be held at the South Omaha Library, Meeting room A. 2808 “Q” St. Omaha, NE 68107

Thursday Aug 24th 6:00-7:45pm
The library is on the Metro Tech campus.

Ginger Kolbaba is an award-winning author, editor, and speaker.

She is the former editor of Today’s Christian Woman magazine, Marriage Partnership magazine, and the founding editor of Kyria.com, all award-winning resources of Christianity Today.

She has written or contributed to more than 30 books, including her novel series, Secrets from Lulu’s Café.

Ginger is a contributing writer for Thriving Family magazine, and has been a columnist for Let’s Worship. She has published more than 400 magazine and online articles.

She has spoken at national and international conferences, guest lectured on college campuses, and has appeared on national media outlets such as CNN Headline News (Nancy Grace), Court TV, Moody Midday Connection, and Family Life radio. She’s been quoted in national news outlets such as Newsweek and Chicago Sun-Times.

Bring your questions and get ready for a fantastic evening!

Click here to learn more about Ginger.

Again, to facilitate better Skype reception and viewing, our August meeting will be held at the South Omaha Library, Meeting room A
2808 “Q” St. Omaha, NE 68107

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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.

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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?

Tosca Lee, NY Times Best-Selling Author

New York Times bestselling author, Tosca Lee keynotes the 2017 Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference, April 28-29th. Tosca graciously carved time from her hectic schedule to visit with us today.

New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee keynotes 2017 Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference

 

Jeanie: Tosca, between writing deadlines, family responsibilities, book signings, upcoming conferences, and the May 2nd release of Firstborn, your plate seems full. How do you fit everything in?

Tosca: Haha. I keep wondering this, and the answer is I drop a lot of balls. My standard e-mail signature line should read: “I’m so sorry for the massive delay in getting back to you…”

After getting married last year and becoming an insta-mom to four, it’s definitely been a learning process for me! But they are teaching me well. 😀 Seriously, having kids has really put so much priority-wise into perspective. Writing is what I do. It’s how I’m wired. But it’s not who I am, or the end-all, be-all. Still, they are very understanding of the times that I’m holed up in the attic of the old farm house on deadline. I also surround myself with some incredibly understanding and massively helpful individuals—namely, my husband and my assistant (whom I call my Asylum Warden), Cindy.

Jeanie: Whenever I pick up one of your novels, like The Progeny, I literally stay up all night reading it. And it’s not just me. Your books are enjoyed world-wide. How did you get started?

Tosca: You know, I was writing for a long time before I ever thought of it as a thing. As a young teen, I danced with the Omaha Ballet and spent my summers dancing out of state. That was my consuming passion. When it became clear that it wasn’t going to be the path for me, I went off to college thinking I’d go into business or become a news anchor (???) or something like that. But during a trip home my freshman year, I was talking about what I loved about novels and how they’re such an emotional ride, and how cool it would be to design a roller coaster like that for readers. I just blurted out: “I’d really like to write a book.” My dad made me a deal: he’d pay me what I would have made that summer as a bank teller (which I was horrible at) if I’d devote myself to writing my first novel. So I did. I never sold it—it’s in the basement with the skeletons—but I sure learned a lot!

Jeanie: I admire (OK, envy!) how you’ve traveled the world. How does that international aspect impact your work?

Tosca: I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family that traveled a lot. Part of that was being a bi-racial kid with half my family in Korea. (Which made the fact that I used to get massively airsick until I hit high school a big bummer!) For me, getting out of my paradigm and geography is a way to get perspective. Think, dream, see how other people think, dream and live. It’s very inspiring.

Jeanie: What do you see as your biggest quirk?

Tosca: I have OCD. It has at times crippled me and shut me down completely. It’s been one of the biggest challenges in my life, and I hid it for years, and really went through some tough times in silence. Last year I decided to become more open about it, and to encourage others that whatever you may struggle with—whether it be anxiety, depression, ADHD, a chronic health challenge, or whatever it is—informs the unique way you see the world. That you are unique, special and able to use that. And the craziest thing happened when I “came out” with my OCD. Tons of people wrote and said, “Thank you,” and “Me too!” and “I have XYZ…” It was really awesome to be able to just be real.

Jeanie: What do you feel is your greatest strength?

Tosca: Aghhhh… that’s always a two-sided coin. I’m a perfectionist. It drives me crazy. But it’s really good for editing, cleaning (I can clean out a closet like nobody’s business!), or any productive application. When it comes to writing, my characterization and prose are things that readers mention the most. And research/attention to detail. That might be part of the OCD. ;D

Jeanie: What are you working on now?

Tosca: Another thrill ride! Get ready to hold on to your hats!

Jeanie: If you could share only one piece of information with a writer, what would it be?

Tosca: My number one rule of writing is write like no one will ever read it. Why do I say this? I’ll be talking about this at the conference!

Jeanie: Thanks for sharing with us today.

Experience Tosca Lee’s keynote address, “Burn the Fear- Release the Fire: Writing for an Audacious God” at the Wordsowers Christian Writers Conference, April 28-29. 2017. Tosca will be on hand after to sign books and visit with conferees.

Connect with Tosca

Website   Newsletter   Facebook   Instagram   Twitter  Snapchat: @ToscaLee

Why start now?I don’t even have a book written.

Whether you self-publish or publish traditionally, you need an audience to read your book. That’s what building a platform is all about. For the most effective book launch, you want that audience built ahead of time.

When approaching publishers and agents, that is one key element they will look for.

For myself, involvement with social media was limited prior to my contract and the learning curve for building a platform took away from actual connection time with people as well as creative time to write my content.

How do I start without getting overwhelmed?
  • Keep it simple.Choose one social media venue at a time. Take time to learn the ins and outs before you add more.
  • Supply quality content, one blog post at a time. Don’t worry about offering the same amount of content as an established blogger. But keep your promises. If you promise to blog once a month or once a week, do so. People don’t like to follow links to dead ends. They want to discover what you do. Show them.
  • Focus on making connections. How would you connect face to face? Keep it real in your interactions. Be helpful, not just self-promotional. Visit other blogs and Facebook pages and comment. Join online writing groups and participate.
Think of everything you do online as a piece of the puzzle. You are building your reputation or brand as a writer. Your brand is what people come to expect from you. What you write about, how you write about it and what you do with it.
Action: Do you have a FB fan page? If not, start one (link back to previous FB article). This is a great place to learn how to interact with your audience. And if you’re not ready to start posting on a regular basis to a blog or feel overwhelmed at the thought, this is perfect. You can still share content – in bit size pieces.

Here are two previous posts about using Facebook to help you get started: Building a Platform Part 1  and  Building a Platform Part 2

It used to be an author would spend pages setting the scene, describing the beautiful countryside or the courtly manor in which their protagonist lived. In vivid, laborious detail. And the audience loved it.
Time was taken to draw an exact portrait of each character. With words. And the audience loved it.
The first chapter could very well be completely made up of backstory. And the audience loved it.
But, today, the reader is less patient. They want to know now.
But they do still need to know. So, how do we get the information to them while keeping their attention. A few seconds is all you have to hook them into staying.
And before you even reach the general public, you have to hook the agent. And then the editor. And then the publisher.
In his book The First Fifty Pages (yes, I like this book), Jeff Gerke asserts that you have 50 pages to accomplish this task.
In reality you only have one page. And then the next. And then the next.
As Westley in The Princess Bride quoted the Dread Pirate Robert, “Good night, Westley. Good work. Sleep well. I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.”
Here are 5 ideas to help you keep your readers turning those first critical pages.
  • Make sure your opening is free of any bloopers—grammatical, spelling, formatting, etc.— that would earn you an immediate rejection. Polish your work. Get several sets of eyes (hint: critique group) on it. Read it out loud.
  • Grab your readers’ attention. Get your metaphorical hands around their throat and don’t let go. Intrigue them. Shock them. Tease them. Bait them. Make them cry, laugh, scream. Bit by bit, leave a trail of bread crumbs they can’t resist following.
  • Give your reader a reason to care about your protagonist and connect emotionally with the characters in your story. What is the problem the protagonist must overcome? Get your readers emotions involved as soon as you can.
  • Give your readers the information they need to get on to the rest of the story. Don’t beat around the bush, but don’t lose them by jumping so quickly into the story they don’t know where they are.
  • Give your backstory as you go along. Avoid information dumps. Especially at the beginning. Before your reader will sit still for downloads of information, they have to want to know.
There are many ideas that can help an author grab the reader’s attention and keep it. What tips do you follow to ensure a strong start?
A book I found as a helpful reference is Hooked by Les Edgerton.
What is the worst opening line you have ever read in a book?
What it the best opening line?