Novel Rocket

Writing is a Business - Kellie Gilbert

2012-06-04T04:56:00.000-04:00

A former legal investigator and trial paralegal, Kellie Coates Gilbert writes with a sympathetic, intimate knowledge of how people react under pressure. Her stories are about messy lives, and eternal hope. For more information, visit Kellie at www.kelliecoatesgilbert.com

* * * * * * * * * *

I’ve worked around my share of business professionals over the years, and noticed those who succeed utilize good business practices. That philosophy is as relevant for Bill Gates, as it is for the kid selling lemonade on the sidewalk. Too often, novelists fail to recognize the concept applies to us as well.

I hear some of you sigh. In your head, you’re arguing storytelling is an art. And it is. I understand if you wanted to sell widgets, you’d have invested in an MBA and signed up for a fat operating loan down at the bank. But, if your goal is to be a career novelist, I urge you to read on.

WRITING IS A BUSINESS. People in the publishing industry have been saying this for some time. Ignore them, and you’ll soon fall into discouragement. Guaranteed. And possibly even failure.

With limited space, let me get right to the nuts and bolts of how to treat your writing career as a business.

Develop a business plan. A multitude of information is available on the internet about how to write a business plan. In essence, you simply need to write down your goals. What do you want to accomplish in the coming year? Two years from now? Five? And what are the finite steps that will get you there? Construct your plan in a way that allows you to measure whether or not you accomplish your goals.
You need investment capital. Yup, that’s right. No smart business person starts a new enterprise without making sure the venture is properly funded. For many of us novelists, that means taking on a second (or third) job to earn a little extra to invest in marketing efforts. You can skip this step, but doing so dooms you to running behind the pack at nearly every level.
Sell a great product. This is possibly the most important. What do you sell? Chips or tires? Don’t confuse your customers and try to sell both. And don’t sell greasy chips or tires that blow out after a few hundred miles. Make sure your novels are the best available in your chosen genre. Satisfy that reader who spent good money to buy your product.
Hire experts. Consider a marketing expert who will help identify and convey your brand to readers. Pay the best web designer you can find to build your cyber office. Shell out the extra for tracking tools that will let you see who’s coming to your “store” and what your customers are pulling off the aisles. Hook up with the best agent and publishing house you can muster. Both are critical to your business success, for obvious reasons. Hire a publicist, someone who believes in your product who will highlight your novels to the reading public. If the publishing house helps with the expense, great. But DO NOT SKIMP on hiring your experts. Which is why you might want to back up and read #2 again.
Advertise. Many of my writing buddies agree, it’s hard to toot your own horn. But if you fail to tell the world you’re a good writer and your books are worth the money, people will likely pass and go to a movie instead. And many are. So, buy that ad space. Write a blog and tweet. If you receive an award, tell your reading public. Even better, hire a videographer to produce a professional video (emphasis on professional.)
Carefully evaluate ROI. Will you have a better return on your investment by purchasing a thousand dollar ad space, or by spending that amount on books to use for give-aways and promotion? Get creative. Don’t follow the pack. Do something new.
Know your customers. Don’t just post what you had for breakfast and give a weather report on Facebook. TALK to your readers. What do they care about? What ticks them off? Connect and learn how to create stories they will love and tell their friends about. This approach will increase your market share. (It’s not all about you.)
Work hard. I challenge you to find a successful entrepreneur who doesn’t put in hours of effort, analyzing the market, sizing up competition, evaluating and adjusting where necessary. Are you going to conferences? Are you networking and creating business alliances? Are you wasting precious hours that could be spent creating more inventory to sell? In the end, as novelists we create. We form art for thirsty souls. But, even great lemonade needs a lemonade stand. Build a good one.

* * * * * * * * * *

PRE-ORDER NOW! MOTHER OF PEARL (Abingdon Press) - A high school counselor discovers her teenage daughter had an inappropriate relationship with the football coach . . . and this mother risks everything to bring him to justice. Coming SEPTEMBER 2012!

MOTHER OF PEARL kept me turning pages and on the edge of my seat. Wonderful, richly-drawn characters who drew me to their hearts despite their flaws. ~Deborah Raney, bestselling author of the Hanover Falls Novels series

Living Out the Great Commission

2012-06-03T02:00:00.000-04:00

Sandra D. Bricker was an entertainment publicist in Los Angeles for 15+ years. She is now a best-selling, award-winning author of laugh-out-loud fiction for the inspirational market. As an ovarian cancer survivor, she gears time and effort toward raising awareness and funds for research, diagnostics and a cure. Her latest novel, Book #3 of 4 in the Another Emma Rae Creation series for Abingdon Press, is Always the Designer, Never the Bride. Sandie invites every reader to click the FOLLOW button on her newly-redesigned BLOG and contribute to the ongoing conversations.

I’m pleased to be back to share with you a special Bible study that I write for my church, CedarCreek, and their daily Bible study program called Living It Out (LIO). Each study is taken from the pastor's Sunday sermon, attempting to bring clarity and further explanation, or just to bless you in a deeper way as you strive to "live out" the teachings of the Bible. If you're interested in a deeper look at what you read here, please feel free to SIGN UP for daily emailed studies to be sent to your inbox, or check out the audio versions for a quick Bible pick-me-up each day.

There is an interesting book that I’ve come across, written by Jim Collins. In Good to Great and the Social Sector – Why Business Thinking is not the Answer, Collins delves into the difference between the mediocre and the truly excellent:

“The comparison companies in our research—those that failed to become great—placed greater emphasis on using incentives to ‘motivate’ otherwise unmotivated or undisciplined people. The great companies, in contrast, focused on getting and hanging on to the right people in the first place—those who are productively neurotic, those who are self-motivated and self-disciplined, those who wake up every day, compulsively driven to do the best they can because it is simply part of their DNA.”

Does that describe you? Are you “compulsively driven” to do your best for the cause of Jesus, both in your personal life and your service within the church?

The song that made Whitney Houston a household name was titled, “How Will I Know?”Remember it, from the mid-1980s? There’s a line in the song that says, “I’m asking you ‘cause you know about these things.” That’s how we feel about the Bible, isn’t it? When we’re unsure or confused about something, we seek the answer in scripture. When we wonder if we’re doing a good job as Christ followers, as leaders, as servants…we find the answer by turning to The One who“knows about these things.”

The Great Commission tells us to go out and make disciples of men; part of doing so means to teach them how to live as truly converted believers.

The dictionary defines CONVERT in the following way: To change (something) into a different form or properties; transmute; transform.

Transformation is a powerful word, isn’t it? It implies a certain rebirth, a compulsive and devoted commitment to a new way of life. This should be our goal in teaching others how to live as believers.

Jesus instructs us as his disciples to serve as examples and teachers to others by purporting three unique qualities: A life of LOVE for Jesus; a life of SERVICE to others; and a life of TELLING the world what we know. It’s known as The Great Commission, but it’s really quite simple. It all starts with our love and passion for Jesus.

In order to be effective in fulfilling the commission he gave us, our next step is connecting with people on a regular basis and sharing our passion with them. Whether that’s done through church attendance and service, life group participation, committed missional membership or via some outside venue or source, we know from delving into the life of Jesus that being where the people are is the first step in teaching them about the salvation that awaits.

How many times has some simple gesture from a random person blessed your heart and provided a reminder that you are not alone? Through our service to others, we are instrumental in lighting the way for them toward transformation. This is why our involvement in church ministry and our commitment to furthering the cause of the church is so vital to our obedience to the teachings of Jesus.

By following up that service and sharing what we know and believe, the commission comes full circle in our lives.

What's So Hard About Climbing A Mountain?

2012-06-02T03:00:00.000-04:00

"If you don't know it's impossible, it's easier to do."

~ Neil Gaiman

When I first set my boot heel on Mount I'm-Going-To-Write-A-Novel, I had no idea how strenuous the trek would be. Good thing. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Still, it would've been nice if I'd had a sherpa or two to help me out.

So as you climb your way to the top of the publishing mountain, here are 5 slippery slopes you should definitely avoid...

Don't expect to sell your first manuscript.
Come on. Admit it. You know you did. I'm just as guilty. I wrote my first novel out of pride, thinking I could do better than the lame fluff I'd been picking off the bookstore shelves. Who wouldn't buy something so compelling, it'd have housewives feeding their families frozen pizza for dinner because they just couldn't put my book down? Who wouldn't want to read something different? Publishers, that's who.

Your second manuscript is just as iffy.
The brutal truth is, even your second try at knocking out the Great American Novel might not attract a whole lot of interest either. Why? Because great writing takes practice--and lots of it. There's no shortcut to learning the craft so well that it becomes an integral part of you.

Just because you acquire an agent doesn't mean you've got an open door to every publisher.
Don't get me wrong. Agents are great. In fact, I love my agent. Still, as great as she is, the acquisitions editor at Harper Collins isn't exactly one of my friends on Facebook yet.

Contracts don't necessarily multiply like Tribbles.
Contracts are helpful and cuddly little creatures, but they don't guarantee siblings. One contract does not always lead to the next. The only thing certain about the publishing industry is that it's not certain.

Getting published doesn't put an end to rejections.
Hate to burst your bubble on this one, but I don't care if you're insert-famous-author-of-your-choice. If your next story doesn't dazzle and your writing isn't top notch, then you're going to get a rejection just like all the other plebians out there.

Ultimately it's not impossible to land a three-book deal, but it is easier if you learn the trade and network with others in the industry. Writing is an uphill journey, but wowzer...what a view!

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas…professionally, however, for the past 10 years. Her latest release, UNDERCURRENT, is available by Risen Books. You can find her at: Writer Off the Leash, www.mmgriep.com or on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.

Beach Reads

2012-06-01T13:42:00.001-04:00

If you're looking for Summer Fiction choices, I'm excited to be talking fiction on Chris Fabry Live ! on Moody Radio w/ Christian authors Julie Cantrell, Tina Ann Forkner, and of course Chris Fabry @ 2:00 CST/1:00 MT. The only caveat: We can't talk about our own books! http://www.moodyradio.org/chrisfabrylive.aspx

How is Writing Like a First Date?

2012-06-01T04:00:00.000-04:00

We've all heard it said that writing is a solitary pursuit. We can even visualize writers in ages past, slaving away in solitude with nothing more than a candle, a bit of parchment and a pen. In reality, writing is an endeavor built on forging relationships.

Between you and the reader.
Between the reader and the characters or subject.
Between you and the editor.
Between you and your agent.
Between you and other writers.

I'll go even a step further and propose that writing something for publication is like going on a first date!

If you think about it you'll see it's true. With writing, like first dates, the first impression counts. When you write your first line it’s your first impression, and many times it determines whether or not your reader will go any further in the relationship.

So here are some writing/dating mistakes to avoid.

Mistake Number One

One mistake we make is in how we present our story. We've all met people who try to give us their life story in the first thirty seconds we meet. It's not comfortable, and I often find myself running for the exit. This was illustrated in a popular episode of the TV show Seinfeld. Does anyone remember the 'Close Talker' episode? Sometimes we open our novels with too much information and we overwhelm the reader. There's a term for this, backstory.

Mistake Number Two

Another first date mistake we make in writing is found in non-fiction. We've all met the person who exaggerates everything. It's hard to take anything they say at face value. I've actually found myself verifying everything this person says, even if it’s just that it’s sunny outside. I can’t resist peeking outside just to be sure. We can come across that way in articles and non-fiction books if we aren't careful about where we get our facts. It takes time to do in-depth research, but the reputation we gain as a writer is priceless.

Mistake Number Three

The last mistake we can make is going on a blind date. I know there are exceptions to the rule, but for me, blind dates didn’t ever turn out well. The same thing can happen to us as writers if we don’t take time to get to know our audience. We have to have our audience well defined before we begin or it probably won’t end well. This is equally true if we're writing books, articles or devotions.

So now it's your turn—how have your relationships with the reader turned out?

And the Winner is ...

2012-05-31T09:14:00.002-04:00

Martha Rogers! Congratulations, Martha. You've won Sandra D. Bricker's new release Always the Designer Never the Bride.

Writing Nostalgia and Other Period Pieces

2012-05-31T09:00:00.000-04:00

Nostalgia is the deep bond we have with the past. It is delicate, but potent. In Greek, nostalgia literally means a pain from an old wound, a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone. It goes backward and forward and takes us to a place where we ache to go again.

This paraphrase from Don Draper, the über ad man from Mad Men caught my attention and describes my passion as a writer: taking the reader on a nostalgic journey.

It’s not as easy as you think, but here are some guidelines to steer you in the right direction:

There must be a reason for placing your story in a certain year or decade.
• A backdrop of world events or social customs unique to the era make a story feel organic.
• This establishes credibility and gives texture to the story even if it’s not the major plot.
• Everything else springs from this so choose your era and events wisely.

Research is vital.
• Historical inaccuracy breaks the “fictional dream” and pulls readers from the story.
• Memory is faulty, so it’s imperative to check the facts: music, TV shows, brand names, and products. If you get it wrong, your readers will tell you about it. (Ouch!)
• “Rule of Threes” – try to obtain three sources. Consider the reliability of the source. For example: government documents or professional journal articles are more reliable than random blog articles.
• Visit the setting. If that’s not possible, use Google maps for general lay of the land and read books and newspapers from the era for public opinions of the day.
• Don’t impose modern views on historical characters.
• Organize your materials (a whole other blog post!).

Vivid, specific details elicit emotion.
• Sights, sounds, and smells draw the reader in. Music is a powerful tool. Nothing nails an era like its particular “sound.”
• Smell evokes emotion because it is associated with memory.
• Visualize scenes like a movie in your head. Smell the popcorn at the theater. Hear the guns blazing in the wide screen of your mind. Watch the colors and the landscape drift by. Voices and speech patterns will come more naturally with this exercise.

Language and slang.

• Language and slang create a doorway to your time period and give regional distinction to your writing. You hardly ever hear anyone today say, “cool cat” or “the cat’s pajamas.”
• Likewise, don’t have your vintage or historical characters use modern slang.
• Dialect: Use sparingly, if at all. Use syntax and grammar to denote dialect. An occasional mention of an Irish brogue or that the character came from the hills of Arkansas, and readers will get it. Promise.

Are you up for the challenge? The ultimate sweet reward is having a reader say, “I felt like I was there and didn’t want to leave.” Transport your readers into the fictive dream and give them an emotional experience. They will thank you for it.

Guest AUTHOR BIO:

Carla Stewart’s writing reflects her passion for times gone by. A child of the fifties and sixties, she recalls it as a glorious time when the summers were lazy, colors were brighter, and music filled her heart. Carla’s desire is to take readers back to the times when they knew they were loved, to that warm, familiar place in their hearts called “home.”

Her award-winning novels include Chasing Lilacs and Broken Wings. Stardust is her newest release. She loves readers and participating in book club discussions. You can learn more about Carla and ways to connect with her at www.carlastewart.com, twitter: www.twitter.com/#!/ChasingLilacs and
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/carlastewartauthor

STARDUST Book Blurb:

In the bayou country of East Texas, the neon sign of the STARDUST stands silent, no longer beckoning visitors to its cozy cottages. But two days after Georgia Peyton buries her unfaithful husband, a curious thing happens: the STARDUST sign sputters to life and winks at her. Sustained by a memory from the past and determined to build a new life, Georgia acquires the STARDUST with hopes of breathing new life into it too.

But the guests who arrive aren't what Georgia expects: her gin-loving mother-in-law; her dead husband's mistress; an attractive drifter who's tired of the endless road; and an aging Vaudeville entertainer with a disturbing link to Georgia's past. Dreams of a new life are crippled amid the havoc. Georgia's only hope is that she can find the courage to forgive those who've betrayed her, the grace to shelter those who need her, and the moxie to face the future. One thing is certain: under the flickering neon of the STARDUST, none of their lives will ever be the same.

Branding, by Sandra D. Bricker & Book Giveaway!

2012-05-30T04:00:00.000-04:00

For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mom became ill in Florida, Sandie left L.A. and screenwriting behind. With 15 books now in print and 5 more slated for publication through 2013, Sandie has carved out a niche for herself as a best-selling and award-winning author of laugh-out-loud romantic comedy for the inspirational market.

NR: To be entered in a drawing for Always the Designer Never the Bride, leave a comment for Sandra. U.S. residents only, please.

The topic of BRANDING has been a hot-button issue among writers lately, and I recently assembled a group of industry professionals to discuss it for a blog I wanted to put together. Before my writing days, I was a publicist for actors, and I had to deal with the issue of typecasting on a pretty regular basis.

But around the time that Always the Baker Never the Bride was released by Abingdon Press, branding entered my radar for the first time as an author. My dream of writing suspense was shoved to the sideline by a successful string of romantic comedies from Summerside and Abingdon Press.

During my chats on the subject, author Jenny B. Jones commented that one of the down sides of branding, for her, has been that readers aren’t totally aware that she writes anything EXCEPT YA, even though she clearly does. “I've seen bloggers mention one of my women's rom-coms and call it a YA,” she explained.

Agent Tamela Hancock Murray believes that, once an author becomes established, readers look for certain types of books from that author and could be disappointed when they find they’ve bought something else entirely. She uses music as the comparison. “If you are a fan of a dance music group, wouldn't you be disappointed by a recording featuring nothing but ballads?

No matter how good the ballads are, they are still slow grooves and not the upbeat tunes you were expecting. In my view, giving readers what they expect from you, but still keeping stories fresh, is the best path.”

Jeane and Tyson Wynn, longtime publicists for the Christian market, chimed in with their perspective. “It’s a waste of effort and lost opportunity,” Jeane says, “if authors don’t use the cheap and, in most cases, free tools available to them to reinforce their brand.” Through modern tools such as social media, she expounds, authors can “regularly engage their fans, which constantly goes to establishing their brand.”

Barbara Cameron, an author known in recent months for top-of-the-line Amish fiction, hopes that – branding aside – she has established herself as “a good writer, not just a good Amish writer.” And I’ve had the same hopes, especially in the beginning of my career when I had my eye on writing suspense rather than romantic comedy.

However, once the Another Emma Rae Creation series took off, I’ve found that my readers pick up my books with the specific expectation of a healthy dose of humor. The thought of letting them down is what inspired my quest for professional insights on the topic of branding.

One of the things I’ve learned is that branding is a bit of a familiarization technique for an author to effectively “make friends” with readers. Jeane Wynn cites the example of tag lines, such as mine: Author of Laugh-Out-Loud Fiction for the Inspirational Market.

“Brandilyn Collins is known by her Seatbelt Suspense,” Jeane explains, “and Terri Blackstock writes Up All Night fiction, so even though they both write suspense, the branding really enables both of those suspense authors to carry their own identity.” So fans of previous books provide a built-in market for new books, and there are always opportunities to try to expand within your brand.

“With all the talk of platform these days,” Jeane’s husband and business partner, Tyson Wynn, adds, “it’s always a plus to take an existing potential market to a publisher when hoping they’ll publish your book. Branding can help to build that platform, which certainly is no guarantee of a publishing success, but it can help decision-makers as they decide whose book they want to take a chance on.”

As I’ve to make a definitive decision on the impact of branding on my future directions as a writer, I can’t help remembering an actor I used to know in Los Angeles. He left the steady paycheck and sort of stratosphere kind of notoriety of the soap opera he was on, and ended up coming back a year or two later.

When I asked him about it, he said that no one wanted to see him for anything other than that character he’d made famous. Meg Ryan had the same challenge when she branched out of the cute little romantic comedy heroines she made famous.

So for any writer considering their next move, I do caution you to think about branding as you look into the bigger, more far-reaching picture of your ultimate career path. A little analysis now can go a long way in building a writing career on solid ground rather than hindsight-seeking, shifting sand.

Always the Designer, Never the Bride

How many dresses can a designer design before she finally designs her own?

Audrey Regan spent years establishing herself as a wedding dress designer and to date, she's been roped into creating dresses for nine of her girlfriends. Request #10 follows her vow to "Just say no!" and comes from her very best friend. She can hardly turn Carly down!

Audrey arrives in Atlanta to perform all of her maid-of-honor duties and the festivities make her question whether there's a prince of her own anywhere in her future. Enter the groom's brother and best man. J.R. Hunt couldn't be any more different from Prince Charming is he rode in on a Harley Davidson. Oh, wait. He actually did ride in on a Harley!

Random Highlights From The Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference

2012-05-29T05:00:00.000-04:00

Last week I hung out in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains with fellow whackos in the publishing industry, so I thought I’d toss out a few random thoughts about the conference:

If you’re ever tempted to send a few e-mail zingers to the faculty e-mail list about how you’ll never get up on stage in front of the entire conference with a tiara on your head, trust me, don't do it. (No, there are no photos.)

Alton Gansky and Edie Melson consistently put together one of the best faculties of any conference. I repeatedly found myself wishing I wasn’t teaching because I wanted to go to two or three other classes being taught while I was speaking.

If you have a 15 minute appointment with an agent, editor, or author, use the time wisely. During one of my appointments I had a talented and sweet lady tell me about her book for fifteen minutes. I kept waiting for her to stop and ask me a question or two, but time ran out. It’s so easy to get talking about our story or project we miss the chance to pick the brain of the person we've set up our appointment with. Ask questions first, speak second.

Torry Martin (who writes for Adventures in Odyssey among his 3,492 other talents) pegs past the red line on the entertainment scale. (He keynoted on Wednesday night and slayed all of us with his stellar sense of humor.)

Cecil Stokes (producer of the ground-breaking movie October Baby) is persuasive when you’re kind of hungry at 12 midnight there’s a Denny’s close by:

James L. Rubart, Dina Sleiman, Susie Warren, Cecil Stokes, and Steven James

About half an hour into our meal someone asked if author Tosca Lee would be at the Christy Awards in July. (Steven, Susie, and I are up for the award as well and were discussing who among us would be at the ceremony.) I said I’d text her and find out if she would be there. Someone commented that it was 12:30. I said, “Yeah, but it’s only 11:30pm where Tosca lives. She’ll be up.” She was. Tosca proceeded to demonstrate why she should be in the Guinness Book of World Records for her speed-of-light texting ability. She was simultaneously texting all of us and sent out her multiple messages--and working on a side project as well--in the the time it took each of us to send one. And her texts were more than a few words.

Authors Susie Warren and Steven James have RADICALLY different ideas on how to craft a novel. Definitely entertaining to hear them (passionately) explain the merits of their methods—and question the other’s techniques. Since both of them are award-winning, bestselling authors, it’s a great reminder that there’s more than one way to craft exceptional fiction.

There’s never enough time to hang out with all the people you want to spend with. There’s one person in particular I didn’t get time with—next year I’m going to see them first.

It was confirmed once again the biggest highlight of the Blue Ridge conference (and most writing conferences) is the new relationships formed and the deepening of existing ones. In other words I love my fellow crazies dearly, and hanging out with them is gold.

If you’ve been to a conference this year, tell us about a few of your highlights. Inquiring whackos want to know. (And yes, feel free to guess why we're pointing in the photo above.)

James L. Rubart is the best-selling and award winning author of ROOMS, BOOK OF DAYS, and THE CHAIR. During the day he runs Barefoot Marketing which helps businesses and authors make more coin of the realm. In his free time he dirt bikes, hikes, golfs, takes photos, and occasionally does sleight of hand. No, he doesn’t sleep much. He lives with his amazing wife and teenage sons in the Pacific Northwest and still thinks he’s young enough to water ski like a madman. His next novel releases in October. More at www.jameslrubart.com

How Do We "Glorify God" in Our Writing?

2012-05-28T00:01:00.000-04:00

When asked what they hope to accomplish with their writing, Christian writers are fond of saying that they want to "glorify God." They want to magnify, exalt, honor, give witness of and uphold God in the stories they tell.

Which leads to a confession: I have no idea what they're talking about.

Of course, I realize that Christians are to glorify God in everything they do.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (I Cor. 10:31).

But doesn't this render the Christian writer's response moot? I mean, if you're supposed to do EVERYTHING to the glory of God, why must you single out your writing?

Do you glorify God in how you eat?
Do you glorify God in your TV habits?
Do you glorify God in how you manage your money?
Do you glorify God in how you treat your boss?
Do you glorify God in how much you serve others?
Do you glorify God in your online presence?
Do you glorify God in how you market your book?

"Do ALL to the glory of God."

If this is assumed, then why are Christians writers so concerned to point out that their literary mission is to "glorify God"? That should be a given. In fact, if you're not glorifying Him with your whole life now, why should it matter that you stick references to Him in your stories?

And, sadly, that's what many folks mean by glorifying God in their writing. For most Christian writers, glorifying God is all about their message. It means not backing away from the Gospel and not avoiding references to Christ in their novel. It means developing content that is virtuous, redemptive, and spiritually uplifting.

Which leads me to ask: Can only writers of explicit "Christian content" glorify God in their writing? Can a Christian sportswriter glorify God in his writing? Can a Christian textbook maker glorify God in her writing? Can a Christian chef God in their cookbook? Can a Christian op-ed columnist glorify God in their editorial columns? Can a Christian scriptwriter for Nickelodeon glorify God in their writing?

IF NOT -- if only Christian writers can glorify God in Christian stories -- then how can a Christian ever hope to "do all to the glory of God"?

IF SO -- if Christians can glorify God in whatever kind of story they write (or task, service, job they perform) -- then how is glorifying God in a Christian story any different than glorifying God in a "secular" story?

Call me a stickler, a wet blanket if you like. But glorifying God seems to be a lot more than just going to church, quoting Scripture, referencing God, and distributing Bible tracts. Glorifying God is a lot bigger than just our message.

So why must our novels be any different?

* * *

Mike is a monthly contributor to Novel Rocket. He is represented by the rockin' Rachelle Gardner of Books & Such Literary. Mike's novels include The Telling, The Resurrection, and an ebook novella, Winterland. You can visit his website at www.mikeduran.com.

Listening for God's Voice

2012-05-27T02:00:00.000-04:00

Sandra D. Bricker was an entertainment publicist in Los Angeles for 15+ years. She is now a best-selling, award-winning author of laugh-out-loud fiction for the inspirational market. As an ovarian cancer survivor, she gears time and effort toward raising awareness and funds for research, diagnostics and a cure. Her latest novel, Book #3 of 4 in the Another Emma Rae Creation series for Abingdon Press, is Always the Designer, Never the Bride. Sandie invites every reader to click the FOLLOW button on her newly-redesigned BLOG and contribute to the ongoing conversations.

I’m pleased to be back to share with you a special Bible study that I write for my church, CedarCreek, and their daily Bible study program called Living It Out (LIO). Each study is taken from the pastor's Sunday sermon, attempting to bring clarity and further explanation, or just to bless you in a deeper way as you strive to "live out" the teachings of the Bible. If you're interested in a deeper look at what you read here, please feel free to SIGN UP for daily emailed studies to be sent to your inbox, or check out the audio versions for a quick Bible pick-me-up each day.

Words truly do matter! After all, if you misspell a word or forget a word, it could change the entire meaning of what you are trying to say. Take a gander at excerpts from actual church bulletins across the country and see why words matters:

Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.
Evening massage - 6 p.m.
The Pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.
Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 to 8:30 p.m. Please use the back door.
Ushers will eat latecomers.
Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 PM in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.
The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight of the audience.
Next Sunday Mrs. Vinson will be soloist for the morning service. The pastor will then speak on "It's a Terrible Experience."
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.
Don't let worry kill you off—let the church help.

Although we can get a good laugh from these Bulletin Bloopers, we need to realize that we are competing with voices and words trying to drown out the Word of God and its truth and how God speaks to us and impacts our daily lives.

Looking through the window on the morning of an unexpected snow, it can be difficult to spot the traces of the familiar path of the driveway or the sidewalk. But since you’ve lived in that home for many winters, you know it’s there; it’s just a matter of hauling out the shovel or the snow-blower and getting to work at finding it. It’s the same with searching for God’s voice. You’ve heard it before, so you know it’s there.

An important thing to bear in mind is that our God desires to commune and fellowship with us. In 1 Corinthians 1:9, Paul writes that He “has invited you into partnership (fellowship) with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Fellowship involves a great deal more than occasional or sporadic communication. In this technological age, when it’s so much easier to maintain and nurture long distance friendships because of the capacity to keep in closer touch beyond the occasional phone call, consider the many options we’ve also been given to nurture our relationship with God.

If the love of your life lived somewhere else for a time, you would certainly utilize every platform possible to keep in touch and to fellowship with them. You would email and text regularly, set times for intimate phone calls so that you might exchange little details about one another’s daily lives, perhaps even chat with hope about that coming day when you’ll be reunited at last.

How much more diligent can we be about listening, praying, reading His Word, and pushing through the noise to find that still, small voice within us that seeks a conversation? His desire is to share an intimate fellowship with each of us…even in the winter of our relationship with Him, when we have to haul out the shovel to find it.

When listening, reading, or even praying doesn’t clear the path to God’s voice, keep digging. It’s there, beyond the noise.

Two-Time Christy Winner, Jill Williamson

2012-05-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

I'm so happy to have Jill Williamson here today. Not only does she write great fiction, but she's an Alaskan girl--lived just up the road from where I lived--so I really enjoyed talking with her.

Jill’s first novel, By Darkness Hid, won the Christy Award. She loves working with teenagers and gives writing workshops at libraries, schools, camps, and churches. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children. Visit Jill online at www.jillwilliamson.com.

Welcome, Jill! First, tell us about your latest release, please.

Replication: The Jason Experiment is the story of a girl who discovers that her father is working at a cloning lab. It’s also the story of Martyr, one of the clones who escapes the lab and discovers the world for the first time.

I loved Martyr’s voice. Loved how he viewed the world. Did you have fun writing him? (Loved the dog!)

Yes, Martyr was a lot of fun to write. I found it interesting to see the world through his eyes, to appreciate things that I so easily take for granted every day.

He offered a great way for you to preach the gospel without making the book preachy. When did you realize that would be the case?

When Abby first prayed for her breakfast that day when Martyr was there. He asked the question and he just kept asking questions. Martyr wants to know everything, so he naturally wanted to know about the Creator of Everything too.

I thought it was brilliant for you to have this character who knew nothing and who was naturally curious. Where did you get the idea for him? Where did you get the idea for Jason Farms?

I was riding in a car through upstate New York, on my way to pick apples with my family. We passed farm after farm after farm. And I got thinking. What if there was a farm that grew people? Clones. They could call it Jason Farms!

Oh! Upstate New York? Where did you live in Alaska? I lived off of Wasilla Fishhook for eighteen years, and I was sure Jason Farms was right there in the valley.

I didn’t know that about you, Sally! I grew up in Houston, Alaska, which is about 25 miles north of Wasilla. Truly, when I first wrote Replication, it took place in Wasilla. But it was the Wasilla I remembered, not the Wasilla of today. When I was a kid, Wasilla had one stoplight. Now it’s massive! So I made up the town of Fishhook, based on Wasilla-Fishhook Road, and put it pretty much in the same place.

When I moved to Wasilla, it had three stop lights. I haven't been back since it's been massive. What does it have now? Ten stop lights? :)

I think I saw that you had another book coming with Marcher Lord Press, is that correct? Can you tell me what's coming out in the next year or so?

I do! The New Recruit is scheduled to release in September 2012. It’s the story of Spencer, a jock, who’s more interested in video games than God, being forced to join a spy organization that’s run by Christians. One thing he learns right away: this is no bible club. These guys mean business!

And I also have a dystopian novel scheduled to come out in February 2013 from Zonderkidz. Inspired by the first chapter of Daniel, Captives tells the story of a village conquered and three brothers, who fight to unite their people against the lure of wild entertainment, instant gratification, and materialism unbounded within their new home.

Those both sound great!

You won two Christy Awards with books published by Marcher Lord Press. I was at the dinner when you won the second one, and I heard Chip read your letter. It was very funny and well received. How did winning those awards affect your career?

I think it gave respect to both Marcher Lord Press and my name, that even though the books had come from a small press, they were of high quality. And they opened the door to my working with Zondervan and signing with an agent.

Why did you decide to publish with Marcher Lord Press? Did you try bigger publishers first, or did you want to go with Jeff because of his love for fantasy?

I had talked with some bigger publishers, but most of them weren’t interested in anything YA back then. It was bad timing for a YA author to be trying to get published in CBA. But I wasn’t trying to get published by Jeff when I showed him my chapter of what I then had called Bloodvoices and eventually became By Darkness Hid. I respected his editing genius on The New Recruit (which I had paid him to freelance edit and, years later, he’s now publishing). So I wanted to know what he thought of my fantasy story. He asked me why it had to be young adult. I said that I guess it didn’t. And that was that.

Very cool. So, do you own an e-reader? Will you ever consider publishing your own e-books?

I do! I own an old school Kindle. It’s a second generation, I think. I love it because I can read other people’s books on it and get away from the computer that I sit at all day. But I must have paper copies of my favorite books too.

And, yes! I’d publish my own ebook right now if I had one ready. My son and I were working on some early reader books that we were going to epublish starting this December, but I’ve got a lot of books scheduled for the next two years, so I don’t know if it will work out.

Well good for us. I'm looking forward to all those books!

Do your children read your books? Do they offer critique? Do they give you fodder for the books (with or without knowing it)?

I read my books aloud to my kids when I’m doing my final read-through. I catch more errors when I read aloud, and my son often asks questions to clarify. So far my kids haven’t given me too much fodder for my fiction, but my kids are only eight and ten. I suspect that soon they will be a constant source of inspiration!

Speaking of inspiration, do you have a life verse or a Bible passage that shows the direction you want to go with your writing?

Yes I do. It’s Psalm 96:3—“Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”

Thanks for stopping by, Jill!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sally Apokedak is the local liaison for SCBWI in Cobb County, Georgia. She has published short works in a number of places and has received an SCBWI Work in Progress grant. She can usually be found blogging about young adult novels at sally-apokedak.com.

Silencing Your Inner Editor

2012-05-25T04:00:00.000-04:00

Is your Inner Editor a friend or foe? For most of us the answer is dependent on where we are in the writing process. This overly helpful voice lives inside most of us and comes in handy when we’re putting the finishing touches on our manuscripts. But when we’re in the midst of a creative surge, that same help can short-circuit our progress.

There’s a scientific reason for that roadblock. The creative act of writing a first draft stems from the right side—or creative side—of the brain. Later in the process, when polishing begins, the left side takes over.

Right Brain

Visual in process, focusing more on patterns and images.

Generally intuitive, led by feelings.

Is the epitome of multi-tasking, able to process ideas simultaneously.

Progresses from the big picture to the details.

Lacks organization, utilizes free association.

Left Brain

More verbal, needs to find specific words to express ideas.

Analytical, led by logic.

Takes things step by step, one idea at a time.

Organizes details first before moving to the big picture.

Very organized, utilizing lists and detailed plans.

Mixing up the process—trying to use both sides of the brain at the same time—can lead to a tangled mess and a major roadblock. All of this is good to know, but what if our left-brained Inner Editor won’t go away? There isn’t one way that works for everyone, but here are some tips that should help.

Don’t give in to temptation. Our Inner Editor gets stronger the more frequently we give in to his demands. If he thinks you need a certain word before you can finish that sentence, stay strong. Type xxx and go on. Later, during the rewriting process, you’ll have plenty of time to find the right word. At this point in your manuscript, speed is your best friend.

Set a daily and weekly word count goal. This can often sidetrack the Inner Editor because of his need to meet a goal. Sometimes, in his drive to succeed he can even become an ally.

Make lists in a separate notebook. Use your computer for the story, but if the need for details overshadows the creative urge, make a quick note in a notebook. Don’t let yourself get bogged down.

Don’t give in to fear. Many times our Inner Editor is driven by fear. Fear that this draft isn’t good, won’t work or just doesn’t make sense. Remind yourself that this version isn’t written in stone. Sometimes just giving ourselves permission to write a crummy first draft is all we need to derail our inner editor.

No matter how insistent your Inner Editor, these tips can help you change his role from enemy to encourager.

Edie Melson is a freelance writer and editor with years of experience in the publishing industry. She’s a prolific writer, and has a popular writing blog,The Write Conversation. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, as well as a popular faculty member at numerous others. She currently has two books available, the best selling eBook, Social Media Marketing for Writers, and her latest project, a devotional for those with family members in the military, Fighting Fear: Winning the War at Home When Your Soldier Leaves for Battle.Married 30 years to her high school sweetheart, Kirk, they have raised three sons.

Doing New Things

2012-05-24T01:00:00.000-04:00

“Sing to GOD a brand-new song. He’s made a world of wonders! He rolled up his sleeves, He set things right.” (Ps. 98:1, The Message)

Do you like doing new things?

I thought I did, until I had to do a really important new thing—find a job. Then I realized that what I really like is routine.

I enjoy the comfort of getting up in the morning and knowing, within some parameters, what I’m going to do that day.

Writers straddle this line

We love working on our existing manuscripts—crafting characters, deepening plots, adding in those glorious sensory details. We love writing, but more than that we love having written, as Dorothy Parker said.

I treasure the opportunity to spend more time with my characters, messing up their lives and figuring out how to fix it. I dread coming to the end of the book—until I’ve written “The End” and then I love it.

For about 30 minutes.

That’s when I first start to think about what comes next: Starting a new book. Shortly, the creative paralysis sets in.

Can’t afford to shut down

Knowing this about myself as a writer, coming to a screeching halt is what I need to avoid when looking for a new job. After all, as a job applicant, there is only so much you can do—and then you’re waiting on some company’s Human Resources department.

So I determined to move forward with an idea I’d been toying with for several years, but never had the time to pursue: freelance editing. This week I debuted WritingOnTheFineLine.com.

What fine line?

You’ve heard someone say, “There’s a fine line between ‘this’ and ‘that’.” Well, I see fine lines everywhere. For instance, there’s a fine line between:

Being ready for publication and being published.
Having completed a manuscript and having that manuscript ready for publication.
Having the desire to write and having the determination to complete a manuscript.

I believe, based on my past experiences and my skills, that I can help writers cross over the fine line separating them from the next step on their journey.

What you’ll find on my site

On Tuesdays, come Into the Edit with me as we look at one author’s writing before, during, and after my edit. Ane Mulligan was this week’s author.

Thursdays we’ll look at ways you can improve your writing (also known as self-editing) to move you closer to your goal–whether that’s publication or ministry-related. Today begins a two-part look at ways to add clarity to your writing.

Then, on Saturdays, stop in for a clever or humorous writing quote as a way to ease out of the week.

Doing something new can be scary, but The Word addresses this, of course:
Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! (Isaiah 43:19, The Message)

Michael Ehret loves to play with words and as editor of the ACFW Journal, he is enjoying a new playground. He also plays with words as a freelance editor/writer at WritingOnTheFineLine.com and as a contributor here on Novel Rocket. He has edited several nonfiction books, played with words as a corporate communicator, and reported for The Indianapolis Star.

Keyboard image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Somewhere over the Rainbow. . .

2012-05-23T00:30:00.000-04:00

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance. Like many of her characters, Valerie grows much of her own food and is active in the local food movement as well as her church. She only hopes her imaginary friends enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, gardening and geocaching with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters. Check out her website and blog at http://valeriecomer.com.

Rumor has it that somewhere, over the rainbow, there's a pot of gold. Occasional reports trickle back from that distant land. Some confirm the existence of treasure while others express doubt.

As prepublished writers, that first contract seems as elusive as a pirate's hidden treasure box. But when it's in hand, we realize the trail isn't over. There are more rainbows, more pots of gold (mostly metaphorical). More dreams of multi-book deals, of royalties, of bestseller lists, of fame. But how do we get there?

I can't give you a path. I've only reached the first milestone myself. But like any good treasure hunt, there are a series of waypoints, or intermediate goals, along the way.

My husband and I began geocaching in 2008. This is an electronic treasure hunt game using a GPS (global positioning system) receiver to find your exact position on the planet: the latitude and longitude. Having found the coordinates for a cache online at geocaching.com, you're now trying to get yourself to the same coordinates so that you can locate the physical cache. Sometimes the website will give you clues--either a little poem, a riddle, a cryptogram, or some other veiled hint to help you find your way.

Not only did I get a story idea or two from the adventure of trudging along behind my husband up steep mountain trails in search of the latest geocache, but the correlation to writing began to seep into my mind.

The geocache is a defined, precise goal. You know when you've found it. You open it up, peer inside, and sign the logbook. You can exchange a piece of treasure you've brought for something someone else has left behind. Getting a book contract is also a specific goal. When you sign that contract, you know that particular target has been met.

I've seen Jim circling around a clearing in the woods or over boulders beside a river, watching his step and his GPS unit at the same time. The coordinates are right. That cache has got to be here somewhere. It's so close we might be tripping over it.

I felt the same about finding a publishing contract for several years. I'd done everything 'right.' I'd finaled in ACFW's Genesis contest 3 years running. My writing was getting stronger. I'd worked my way through, past, or around the riddles and clues--aka writing advice--along the path, even though many of them conflicted.

Yet not every rock had been turned over. While all the signals I received indicated that I was on target and I'd find the 'treasure' at any moment, still I continued to stumble in circles. Why? It wasn't yet time.

There are so many kinds of treasure. A geocache is only one. While it's wonderful to use electronics to get off the sofa and into the awesome wilderness that God created for us to enjoy, finding a cache is only a temporary thrill.

A writing contract--a book in hand--is another prize. It's definitely a more permanent legacy that may last longer than our lifetimes. Much good, some of it of eternal value, can come from securing this treasure. But in itself, it still isn't the most precious wealth.

What is? The only treasure any of us can bring into eternity is a soul. All the prosperity we've amassed in our life on earth will stay behind. So while there's nothing wrong with seeking a geocache or a book contract, keep your eye on the real prize: believing God's gift of salvation and encouraging others to accept it, too.

Now that's a treasure worth striving for.

Valerie's one-and-only release is a novella in Rainbow's End, where four young women invite you to join them in a geocaching adventure along the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Will they find the treasure they’re looking for. . .or something else entirely? For more about Rainbow's End and geocaching, check out Romancing America.

Oh, My Galoshes, Noah Lukeman Was Right!

2012-05-22T09:36:00.000-04:00

Born Valentine’s Day on a naval base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin's Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers. Her books have received an RT Reviewers Choice Award and a Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence final. Find out more or join her newsletter in the space provided at www.CherylWyatt.com

OH MY GALOSHES, Noah Lukeman was RIGHT!

In case you’re wondering, the galoshes are because we have been bombarded by rain this week.

Sloshing onward…

Noah Lukeman, esteemed Literary Agent and bestselling author of many popular craft books, penned one of my favorites: The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying out of the Rejection Pile.

If you are an aspiring author and don’t yet have it, do yourself and your chances at publication a favor and purchase one for your Keeper Craft Bookshelf. His book can be purchased here:

In it, Lukeman discusses common writing mistakes that are across-the-board to new writers. He talks about the importance of Presentation…the immediate, out-of-the-gate perception that your first five pages will give to potential editors or agents.

In short, you have one shot within these first-impression pages to reel in or repel them.

Sounds harsh, I know, but you have to understand how intense the competition is and the astronomically high number of stellar submissions agents and editors get on a regular basis.

This is not meant to discourage you. This is meant to give your story a better shot at standing out among the multitudes.

This is VITAL information you MUST know if you are an aspiring author serious about breaking in: For two years in a row, I’ve been polling agents and editors from ABA and CBA about how long they read submissions before they know whether the manuscript is a go or a definite no go. I suspected that many of them would know by the end of the first ten pages, but was shocked at the outcome of this poll.

I phrased the question like this: If you are, or have been an acquisitions editor, or an agent, and have time to answer this question, I'd appreciate it. This is for a conference workshop.

Question: The majority of the time, how long do you MOST COMMONLY read material from a slush pile before you (usually) know for certain a manuscript will receive a "pass" verdict?

Please respond with one letter below.

A. First line.

B. First paragraph.

C. By the end of page one

D. Within three pages

E. Within five pages

F. Within ten pages

G. By the end of the first chapter

H. Within the first three chapters or before fifty pages

I. Mid-book

J. By the end of the book

K. Other (Please explain)

Without having seen anyone else’s response, A WHOPPING 97% of the hundreds polled gave “C” as the answer!!!

That means ONLY a handful of those interviewed gave an alternate answer.

NO ONE gave an answer beyond G other than ONE new literary agent who said he or she would actually read the entire manuscript. I’d be interested in knowing if this agent has since changed their mind about that. LOL!

In summary, how important is the first page of your manuscript? Crucial.

My advice?

STRIVE for absolute excellence in that first page.

Then write EVERY page as if it were your first page.

Thanks for being with me today. I’d love to know what your personal first-page weakness is.

Maybe in sharing, it can help others struggling.

The Doctor's Devotion

When he fled Eagle Point years ago, former air force trauma surgeon Mitch Wellington left only broken dreams behind. Now he's back with a new dream—opening a trauma center in the rural area and saving lives. He hopes to hire the quick-thinking nurse who impressed him during an emergency. But Lauren Bates lost her faith and doesn't believe she deserves to help anyone. Mitch knows firsthand what loss feels like. And it'll take all his devotion to show Lauren that sometimes the best medicine is a combination of faith, community—and love.

What are "Hidden Sales?"

2012-05-21T09:34:00.001-04:00

by Mary DeMuth

She approached me from across a crowded hallway. "I feel like I know you," she said. "I receive your newsletters. Thank you."

I asked her about her family.

"I wanted to tell you thank you for Thin Places," she said after our small talk. "I've passed it to a friend who's passed it along several times."

In one quick moment, I felt sad. Passing a book along five times prevented five sales. But in the next moment, I smiled. I thanked her for passing the book along. I wondered who the book had been passed to, what had been the response, how God had worked.

Lying in my bed that night, I told my husband about the encounter. And I marveled at what sales might mean in eternity. Probably nothing at all. What will matter is influence, how my words expanded the kingdom of God. My hunch is that the passalong "sales" are what will make heaven so interesting. People I've never met who read my words, chew on them, and hopefully fall in love with Jesus more.

Don't be discouraged, then, if you see your book at Half Price Books, or a garage sale. Don't be bothered by people checking it out from their library. Don't fret when people pass your book on because they love it so much. Instead, be encouraged. Be thrilled. Be expectant.

Those "hidden sales" will mean something.

***
I've simplified my life, making my facebook page truly for deep, sweet friends and family. If you'd like to get regular updates, join my public page here. Find out more about my books, life and crazy thoughts on my blog.

Part of The Kingdom - M. Laycock

2012-05-20T01:00:00.000-04:00

A friend just sent me a link to a Youtube video of a bunch of musicians singing Stand By Me. I've seen it before; it has been circulating for a long time but it still made me smile as I watched it again. In fact, in made me choke up just a little. It's not just the song, it's the fact that the song was being sung by many different musicians all over the world, from New Orleans to Umlazi, from Moscow to Caracas, and many others in between. It's the idea of the possibility of that kind of oneness that makes me get a little emotional. It's the idea that people can and do join together in like mind, for one purpose, that is inspiring.

I remember another day when the tears seeped from my eyes. I'd only been a Christian for about two years when God moved my husband and me and our two little girls from a tiny town in the Yukon to a Bible College campus in Saskatchewan, Canada. The culture shock was still fresh when we attended our first church service there. As we walked to the church that Sunday morning I was suddenly overwhelmed. Throngs of people were walking, driving, biking, all in the same direction. There were about three thousand people doing the same thing all at the same time - going to a building on the bald prairie to worship God. And I suddenly realized there were many more, all over the world, doing the same thing.

We had come from a very tiny church in an isolated place and at times it often seemed that we were alone in the world. But on that day, for the first time, I realized I was part of something huge - part of a mass of people of like mind, moving together for one purpose. That morning I realized I was part of a Kingdom.

I'll soon be attending a writers' conference where about two hundred and fifty people will gather to hear speakers, talk to agents and publishers, and learn from one another. I remember the first time I attended a large conference like this; I had many of the same feelings as that day on the Canadian prairie. I felt part of something huge - part of a group all working toward one purpose, to build the Kingdom.

Writing is a solitary profession. You can feel like you're trying to do something all alone. But we are all part of something huge, something God-ordained. It's inspiring now and then to be able to lift your head and see the bigger picture - masses of individuals with their heads bent over their keyboards doing what God has asked them to do, bring glory to Him through their stories.

Yes, it brings tears to my eyes. And I'm humbled to know I'm part of it.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1).
****

Marcia Lee Laycock writes from central Alberta Canada. She was the winner of The Best New Canadian Christian Author Award for her debut novel, One Smooth stone. The sequel, A Tumbled Stone, can be ordered from any bookstore or from her website at www.vinemarc.com

Top 5 Reasons Writers Write

2012-05-19T00:30:00.000-04:00

Why is it when you tell someone you’re an author, they immediately ask how much you make? When I find out the fella sitting next to me at a potluck is a plumber, the next words out of my mouth aren’t, “How much does that pay?”

But even worse are those “discreet” people. The crafty ones who slink around the edge of the question they’re dying to ask and come at you with, “So, I bet your book is selling really well, hmm?”

Far be it from me to drizzle on everyone’s parade, but here’s a newsflash: most authors don’t have a Swiss bank account where they store their hordes of cash offshore. In fact, most authors are lucky to have an intact piggy bank sitting on a shelf in their bedroom.

I propose that the real question snoopy-snooperbees should ask isn’t how much do writers make, but why do writers write? What drives a relatively normal human being to stare at a screen for hours on end, fatiguing brain cells to create a twisty-turny plot with memorable characters, all for pennies per word?

Lots of reasons, really, but here are the 5 biggies…

Cheaper Than Prozac

Writing is a way to make sense of and sort through emotions. Who needs a shrink if you can work out your frustrations on paper? Fiction is a safe environment to build a world and play the what-if game.

No Felonies Involved

Some people are hooked on crack cocaine. Others sell their soul for meth. Let’s face it; writing is an addiction. A compulsion. The act of writing gives writers a huge warm fuzzy.

FAFSA or Student Loans Not Required

Writing is an education. There’s always something new to learn about the craft or a deeper level of knowledge to attain. And no matter what genre you write in, there’s always research to be done.

To Avoid Groping TSA Agents

Love to go on vacation but hate the hassle at the airport? That’s one of the best things about writing. Escaping into the world of story saves tons of money and you don’t have to apply for a passport.

To Breathe

The bottom line is that writers write because they must. It’s an expression of self. To deny that self causes huge amounts of frustration and invalidation…which makes for a very cranky person.

Not that getting a fat advance or a juicy royalty check isn’t important. It’s just not the end all and be all of a writer at heart. In the words of one of my favorite authors…

“I write for the same reason I breathe ~ because if I didn’t, I would die.”

~ Isaac Asimov

Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make at a Crime Scene ~ Colleen Collins

2012-05-18T01:11:00.000-04:00

Colleen Collins is a professional private investigator and multi-published author. Her current novel, The Zen Man, is a murder mystery featuring a private eye man-and-woman team, which she calls a “21^st-century Nick and Nora” story. When Colleen isn’t writing or investigating, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and trying to train a willful Rottweiler named Jack Nicholson.

Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make at a Crime Scene

By Colleen Collins

Next to confessions, crime scenes contain the most first-hand evidence explaining the who, what and whys of a crime. Unfortunately, sometimes writers get aspects of a crime scene wrong, which puts a dent in the credibility of a story.

David Swinson, a retired Washington, DC, detective and author of A Detailed Man (available in most bookstores and Amazon), calls these dents “Aw c’mon, man” moments. “I have been to countless crime scenes,” says David. “When you respond to a scene that is related to a violent crime, especially homicide, even the smallest mistake can ruin the outcome of the case. I’m especially tough on some authors who write crime fiction -- it’s what we in law enforcement call an ‘Aw c’mon, man’ moment.’”
Let’s look at the top five mistakes, or “Aw c’mon, man” blunders, in no particular order, that writers make at crime scenes.

Using incorrect terminology. One popular misconception is that the words cartridges and bullets are synonymous. A bullet, the projectile that fires from a rifle, revolver or other small firearm, is one part of a cartridge. Two other words that writers sometimes use interchangeably: spent bullets and spent casings. A spent bullet, sometimes called a slug, is one that has stopped moving after being fired. Spent bullets are often pretty distorted after hitting objects on their way to a resting place. A spent casing is one from which a bullet has been fired. Although spent bullets and casings might be found at a crime scene, casings are more likely to be lying in plain sight.

Mishandling evidence. “First rule of any crime scene investigation,” says Swinson, “is when you observe what is obviously evidence, leave it where it is. Don’t move it!” An “Aw c’mon, man” crime scene scenario for Swinson: “Spent casings are visible on the floor beside the body, a semi auto is a few feet away, and a little baggy that contains what appears to be a white powdery substance is near the weapon. The detective picks up the gun and inspects it and then picks up the baggy, opens it and smells or takes a taste using his finger. This makes me crazy! A detective would never pick up crucial evidence before it is photographed or, if necessary, dusted for prints. This contaminates evidence and can jeopardize the prosecutor’s case. And a detective would never, ever pick up what might be illegal narcotics and taste it!”

Mishandling evidence includes placing it in plastic bags. According to Joseph L. Giacalone, a retired detective sergeant, former commanding officer of the Bronx Cold Case Squad and author of Criminal Investigative Function: A Guide for New Investigators (Looseleaf Law Publications, Inc.), “The biggest mistake I still see on TV and in movies is that evidence which may contain biological evidence is put in plastic evidence bags. I guess they want the viewer to see the item, but it is the worst thing you can do with that type of evidence. Plastic builds up moisture and degrades your evidence, even completely destroying it in most cases.” Types of paper containers for collecting evidence include packets, envelopes and bags.

Contaminating the crime scene: Detectives and others ambling about and speculating. Too often in stories, writers depict scenes where detectives and others meander onto a crime scene, then stand around the body and speculate what might have occurred. While they’re speculating, know what else they’re doing? Contaminating the crime scene. Or as one detective phrased it, “They’re creating a defense attorney's wet dream.”

Shaun Kaufman, a Denver, Colorado, criminal defense attorney, agrees. “Cross examining a detective or patrol officer about a crime scene is fun when it has been trampled on by officers, detectives, ambulance personnel and possibly fire personnel. I can ask about hairs and other biological evidence on their clothes as they sit there on the stand. I can ask where each hair, thread, crumb came from. After about five minutes it is pretty clear that the officers, detectives, paramedics and firemen can pick stuff up anywhere and leave it at a crime scene. This is why real-life crime scene investigators don paper booties and coveralls when they work a scene to minimize contamination with their own hair, fluids and whatever else they were wearing when they got to work.”

Contaminating the crime scene: Too many people. Giacalone says one of his pet peeves in stories is when a writer depicts too many people at a crime scene. “Wow, talk about contamination,” he says, “it looks like the policeman's ball in the crime scene. Very few people should be allowed in the actual crime scene: the case investigator, [his/her] partner, their boss, crime scene tech, the medical examiner and if necessary the assistant district attorney.”
In addition, Giacalone offers these tips to writers about crime scenes:

Investigators should interview the first officer at the scene before entering the scene. They should also ask the first officer to take them through the crime scene so they do not contaminate the scene any further.
Investigators should avoid going directly to the body in a homicide. They have to fight that natural tendency to go right to it because they may destroy evidence inadvertently when doing do. (Along these lines, an additional “Aw c’mon, man” mistake Swinson often sees in stories is when detectives respond to a homicide scene and immediately move the body, search the pockets and put certain items of possible evidence in their own pockets.)
A gatekeeper (uniformed police officer) must be at every crime scene to prevent unauthorized members, as well as media, from gaining entry to the scene. The gatekeeper keeps a written record of who enters the scene and why they are there.

A private eye touching a dead body. Being a private investigator in real life, this is one of my pet peeves in stories. Can’t count the number of times I’ve read a scene (or seen in a film) where the private eye stumbles upon a body and rummages through its clothes or touches the body itself. Uh, tampering with evidence charges? Also, unless the private eye has snapped on a pair of latex gloves, he/she’s also leaving their DNA all over the crime scene.

Use these tips and techniques to add plausibility to crime scenes in your stories. Thank you to Novel Rocket and Kelly Klepfer for hosting this guest article!

Book Blurb
Just as washed-up criminal defense attorney, life-long Deadhead and current PI Rick Levine decides to get relicensed as a lawyer, he’s charged with killing one and ends up in the slammer with a half-mil bail. Released on bond, Rick and his girlfriend Laura have 30 days to find the real killer. Dodging bullets, a kidnapping and the FBI, they eventually learn that true redemption begins at home.
"Move over Sam Spade, Nick and Nora; make room for a Denver who-dun-it, Colleen Collins’s The Zen Man. Brilliant and fast-paced writing. I couldn’t put it down." ~ Donnell Ann Bell, Award-Winning Author of The Past Came Hunting

Blood, Guts and Peanuts: What it’s Like Writing with Ted Dekker?

2012-05-17T03:50:00.000-04:00

Guest blog by Tosca Lee

Our guest today is Tosca Lee, author of Demon: A Memoir and Havah: The Story of Eve. She is also the co-author with Ted Dekker of the NYTimes bestseller Forbidden. The next book in that series will be out this Summer. A sought-after speaker and former Mrs. Nebraska, Tosca was a senior consultant for a global consulting firm until turning to writing full-time. She holds a degree in English and International Relations from Smith College and also studied at Oxford University. Please visit her web site at www.toscalee.com.

(Reposted with permission www.stevelaube.com.)

People ask me often what it’s like writing with Ted. “Is he weird?” they say. “Does he really paint his nails/eat small children/write from a dungeon?”

Of course he’s weird. As weird as anyone else who grew up with cannibals. As strange as your average seven million bookselling novelist who lives mostly on peanuts and barbeque in Texas and, you know, speaks an obscure language known only to remote tribes in Papua New Guinea.

Or as weird as you and me.

And yet, the questions persist. “He scares me,” author friends confess in low tones.

He scares me, too. Because, you know, it’s just not healthy to eat that many peanuts.

***

Snippets of the work day, below. It’s up to you in most cases to guess who’s saying what.

“So, I accidentally killed ___ in this scene.”
“WHAT? That’s not on the outline.”
“Dude. It was his time.”
“But—”
“You gotta let him go, man. Let him go.”

On iChat:
“What’ve you got for lunch?”
“Um, sandwich (holds it up).”
“Oh man. That is way better than my V8/Greenfood shake/Cheetos.”
“You seriously live on that?”
“So far.”

“Look. This is what I think we need to do.”
“I don’t like it.”
“What? Why not? It’s brilliant.”
“Because.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t.”

“Okay, this is what needs to happen now.”
“I don’t want to do that.”
“But it’d be cool.”
“Okay.”
“What?”
“I said let’s do it.”
“You’re supposed to defend your position.”

***

Some days, Ted’s wife, LeeAnn, comes up to talk to her husband. She leans in to say hello, waving at the screen. She’s always gorgeous, put together and made up.

Without fail, I’m wearing the same t-shirt I wore yesterday. And, truth by told, the day before. Except that I had one of my ever-present polar fleece tops on, so no one knew it. At least no one can smell me.

***

Ted: “Check out the UK version of Forbidden. Look! It’s so cute!”
Me: “You said ‘cute.’”

“They have to kiss here.”
“Is this a kissing book? Can we skip that part?”
“They have to kiss.”
“I hate it when they kiss.”
“You write it.”

“I think ___ should happen here.”
“No.”
“Yes. Or I’m going to say you pick your nose in my status update.”

“You’re being difficult.”
“No I’m not.”
“You are.”
“No I’m not.”
“I’m calling your wife.”
“Okay. Okay, okay.”

Ted: “Every time I talk to you you’re eating.”

“I have to go. I have a workout.”
“Me, too.”
“I don’t want to. It hurts.”
“Let’s call in sick.”

“Why’d you change that? It was great!”
(Silence.)
“Hello?”

“We’ve been talking about TV shows for 45 minutes.”
“Yeah. We need to work.”
“Yeah, let’s work.”
“Did you see The Walking Dead?”

“That last scene you did was really cool.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Except that you kind of went on and on.”
“What?”
“And then you used a semi-colon.”
“So?”
“And you have this habit of—”
“I thought you said it was cool?!”

“You’re eating peanuts again.”
“No I’m not.”
“I can hear you crunching.”
“That’s not crunching.”
“Crunching!”
“I always make that sound.”
“Because you’re eating peanuts.”

“It’s hard work making stuff up.”
“I’ve written 30 books. Don’t talk to me.”

“You done with that scene yet?”
“No.”
“You done yet?”
“No.”
“You done yet?”
“I’m hanging up.”

“So, listen. I need to ask you a really uncomfortable question.”
“Um. Okay.”
“I’ve been wondering this for a year and a half.”
“Okay?”
“So I know you grew up with cannibals.”
“Yeah?”
“Did you uh, ever eat anyone?”
“Not that I know of.”

“No. No no. I know who we need to kill. It’s ___.”
(Stare)
(Choked up)
We got so choked up we had to come back later.

Via text:
“Are you up?”
(Nothing)
“Are you awake?”
(Silence)
“Awake yet?”
(Blank)
“I’m going to kill Rom.”
“I’m here. I’m here. Don’t touch anything.”

“I think we should have the old guy pick his nose.”
“We can’t have him pick his nose.”
“Everyone picks their nose.”
“He can’t pick his nose.”
“You pick your nose.”

“I’m writing this thing about what it’s like to write with you. Wanna read it?”
“Yeah.”
(Screen-sharing ensues)
(Laughter)
“This is great. Just make sure they know it’s you picking your nose and not me.”
“Uh huh.”

Find out what Frank Peretti had to say about writing with Ted Dekker in a previous interview: HERE.

The winner of Karen Witemeyer's book is

2012-05-16T17:53:00.000-04:00

Wendy! Please email me with your snail mail address.

How I Got Here ... I Think, by guest blogger Deb Kinnard

2012-05-16T04:00:00.000-04:00

Deborah Kinnard started writing at age ten. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, serving as Midwest Zone Director, and confesses to being a loud singer at church. In the early 2000s, she sold her first two novels. Now with eight books published, she's won the Grace Award in speculative fiction in 2010. “The Faith Box”, a series of medieval romances, will release from Desert Breeze starting in September, 2012 with Peaceweaver. When Deb’s not at the computer writing, she keeps busy reading and doing beadwork, and needlework. She loves to travel and meet new people, some of whom turn up later in her stories. So if you meet a short woman with a light in her eye…

How I Got Here – I Think

Sum up a long road in few words?

I started writing due to becoming a honked off ten year old. I was a fan of “Bonanza.” Being a less-than-patient sort of kid, I kept waiting for the women to appear. I waited. And waited. No women. Or worse, whenever a woman appeared, she was either a Loose Woman or a Doomed One. Remember Ben’s wives? Doomed, every single one of ‘em, and no surprise there. Ben wasn’t known for holding onto ‘em very well.

I gave it half a season. “If they don’t put one in, I’ll do it myself.”

Enter Vanessa Cartwright, Ben’s long-lost, newly discovered daughter. Being ten, I didn’t speculate how she’d gotten onto the Ponderosa. She just arrived. No six-gun, of course, but leather pants and her own horse. She had adventures, mostly with Hoss and Little Joe, ‘cause I didn’t care for Adam. Too much black.

They spoiled her stupid, the Ponderosa men. My parents wouldn’t get me a pony, but Vanessa had a palomino quarter horse. I wrote her as spoiled as I wanted (of course it didn’t ruin her character—Vanessa was a sweetie in spite of overindulgence by four grown men). I could give her long, curly hair! I could make her a redhead, a brunette, someone who could handle a rope and a calf. I could take her up into the high Sierras and have desperadoes menace her. I could make her outwit them.

All this, and she never had to cope with 6^th grade!

Opening my mind to Vanessa awakened all sorts of possibilities. Once I outgrew “Bonanza,” I wrote popular girls. I wrote athletic types, adventuresses, career women, co-eds, sharp and witty and successful. Better still, for an hour or so at a time I was all these people. Free to wander my own imagination’s Ponderosa, I could get into lives and make things happen.

I never stopped writing. In college and afterwards, I filled notebook after notebook. Anya Seton awoke me to the possibility of writing real, true love stories. A few years later, Carolyne Aarsen showed I could write real, true love stories that encompassed God’s amazing love as well as that of a man and woman. I wrote the end on my first book in 1983, and foolishly sent it out. My rejection letter was kind. That’s all I’ll say about it.

From then on, I’ve written to publish. My first novel, POWERLINE, sold to a small press in 2002, and since then it’s been a ride up and down them hills on the Ponderosa. Though not everything has sold as of now, I’ve made a quality decision to write only what I love. It’s all rooted in Vanessa Cartwright, and feeling my way toward how things should be. That’s my power. That’s my pen. Writing romance in a Christian worldview gives me freedom to express faith, love, and hope—and not always in order.

I wouldn’t trade that for Vanessa’s palomino.

Powerline

Is healing really a phone call away? Cassandra McAdam volunteers at the church-sponsored crisis line. With a wall around her heart due to early losses, she believes all she can do is listen. Only God's help gives her anything of value to offer.

A devastated man calls the Powerline to discuss his thoughts of suicide. Jeff Hadley recently lost his wife, and questions why a loving God allows such suffering. Though caller and client are not supposed to meet, a neighbor's illness accidentally brings them face-to-face. Jeff realizes Cassie's voice is that of the woman on Powerline.

Cassie soon wonders if a relationship of helping can possibly turn into a partnership of equals.

Introducing Author Valerie Comer!

2012-05-16T00:30:00.000-04:00

Tell us about your new release

My novella, "Topaz Treasure," is the first story in a 4-in-1 collection called Rainbow's End written with Annalisa Daughety, Cara Putman, and Nicole O'Dell. Rainbow's End is set around the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, with all the characters participating in a geocaching challenge set up as a church outreach event.

How did you come up with this story? Was there a specific 'what if' moment?

My husband and I began geocaching in 2008 and find it a great way to explore the area we live in. If you're not familiar with geocaching, it's basically an electronic treasure hunt that uses a GPS (global positioning system) receiver to provide (and locate) precise coordinates, where someone has hidden a 'treasure' cache.

It didn't take long for me to begin musing ways to use geocaching in story form, but it took longer to gel. When Nicole O'Dell and I were chatting about submitting a proposal to Barbour for a novella anthology, I mentioned it to her. We tossed it around for a while and decided to run with it. The rest, as they say, is history!

Did anything strange or funny happen while researching or writing your book?

I hadn't been to Missouri since I was a young teen, which, um, was quite a few years ago. Though I could find plenty of info online about the types of trees, plants, and animals my characters could encounter in the Ozark wilderness, getting specifics about one of the trails proved more difficult. The Lake Area Chamber of Commerce couldn't help, as none of the staff had hiked the Trail of the Four Winds. A general plea for local information on Facebook didn't help either. Eventually I found Ozark Mountain Geocachers, a club covering a much larger area, on Facebook and joined the group. Then I 'haunted' the page, waiting for someone to be online that I could chat with. The woman I met gave me the name of an avid geocacher from Osage Beach, whom I then messaged on FB. He answered all my questions in great detail. I know I wouldn't have gotten as much right if it hadn't been for Gary.

Every novelist has a journey. How long was your road to publication? How did you find out and what went through your mind?

My road began in earnest ten years ago, when I found myself with plenty of spare time at a new job in a small-town flooring shop. If ever there was a golden opportunity to write, this was it. I wrote eight complete novels over as many years, learning the craft piece by piece. I finaled in ACFW's Genesis contest in 2007, '08, and '09, and began getting 'nice' rejections from agents and editors, but was unable to break in.

When I saw Barbour's call for novella anthology submissions in December of 2010, I realized it was a great opportunity. Rainbow's End was the second proposal Nicole and I submitted, but with a different set of friends. We got 'the call' via email on January 31, 2011, and I signed with Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency a few days later. For the story details, check out my blog post!

Do you ever bang your head against the wall from writer's block? If so, how do you overcome it?

Of course. Doesn't everyone? (If not, don't answer!) I have three methods, I guess. One is to bounce stuff off a friend in chat, if someone is available. I also like to freewrite, just starting with what the problem is and what I know about it and why I can't do this or that with a story and how I feel about it. I simply explore options as they come to mind until I find a direction that works better than the others at reaching the desired goal.

The third method I use is mind mapping, which I haven't been doing as long. I'll write something in the middle of a large piece of paper (the back of a calendar blotter works well) and circle it. Then I note options, circling them and connecting with the central thought. If an option contains an interesting thread, I'll keep jotting words and linking them back. Hit a roadblock? Try one of the other ideas. It's a lot like freewriting, but it's easier to see where I've been and how ideas connect.

Do you consider yourself a visual writer? If so, what visuals do you use?

I am quite visually oriented. My niece created a large inspiration board that hangs over my desk. On it I pin images of my characters (often printed from jupiterimages.com), floorplans of their houses, and maps of their neighborhoods. I also have monthly calendar printouts near my desk to remind me of blogging and other obligations, and pictures of my granddaughters to make me smile.

I've also started Pinterest boards with various inspirations for works in progress. It's a great place to see pretty pictures and still have the link to its original website right there, ready to click, if I want to read the info over again.

Novelists sometimes dig themselves into a hole over implausible plots, flat characters or a host of other problems. What's the most difficult part of writing for you?

My characters tend to be the opposite of flat. Instead, they come with all sorts of baggage and hobbies and interests and friends and enemies. The most difficult part of writing is not to let all the subplots get out of hand!

How do you overcome it?

Now that I'm writing my tenth full-length novel (still without contract for any), I'm learning to see which pieces of my characters directly affect the main plot, and to cut away the other (vitally intriguing) parts. In the first draft of "Topaz Treasure," Lyssa's mother, who walked out when Lyssa was 12 and hasn't been heard from since, calls her. There simply wasn't room in 20,000 words to let them have that conversation and follow the ramifications, so those scenes hit the cutting room floor.

If I can't see the parts of the story that can be trimmed out, I have critique partners who are willing to tell me the unflinching truth.

Where do you write: In a cave, a coffeehouse, or a cozy attic nook?

I write at work. I've partitioned a section off with flooring sample racks and have a cozy corner all to myself. My boss guys, thrilled to have an employee that can entertain herself for hours on end, got me an internet connection and occasionally ask about my work.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I arrive at work at 9:00 am and check messages. If there's nothing pressing, I'll pop open my laptop, check email and Facebook, and get started with my day's work. If I'm diligent to get into my story world first thing, I can pack several thousand words into the morning. Of course, if there are sales reps, freight trucks, customers, ringing phones, or boss guys with questions, comments, or requests, my morning can get sidelined easily. Honestly, it's rare to have so many work 'distractions' that I can't funnel back in easily once I've started. Some days it's the getting started that's the big problem, and it's more likely me than outside forces.

Some authors report writing 5-10 thousand words a day. Do scenes flow freely from your veins or do you have to tweeze each word out?

There are days either could be true. I tend to write more slowly at the beginning and end of stories, and faster in the middle. When I'm first-drafting, my goal is 10K a week, or 2500 words per work day (allowing a day of flex because I never know what will happen). When I'm in the groove, a 1500-word hour isn't unheard of.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve heard?

Two-fold: Keep writing, and be patient. Don't be so addicted to the first story you write that you overly invest in it. One book isn't a career. Certainly work and rework to learn from it, but if you've done what you can with it and it still has deep flaws, write another one and build on what you've learned. Yes, it takes time, hence the 'be patient' part. Writing isn't a quick track to wealth. In fact, it probably doesn't lead there at all.

Do you have any parting words of advice?

Enjoy the journey, because the end isn't guaranteed. If you don't LOVE the process of thinking up stories, creating characters, writing their tales, and editing until the story shines, find another hobby. The moments where publishing houses write you checks and readers write glowing reviews are fleeting compared to the time it took to get there.

For the next few weeks my co-authors and I are featured at Romancing America, a site I developed to bring awareness to all the novella collections coming out from Barbour in 2012. There will be author interviews, excerpts of each story, and 'guest' posts about various aspects of writing the novellas. The opening of "Topaz Treasure" is posted here. Hope you'll all come by and say hello!

Rainbow's End

"Topaz Treasure" is the story of Lyssa Quinn, who's the volunteer coordinator for the challenge. She's shy about sharing her faith, and hopes canvassing businesses for sponsorship will help get her out of her shell. But at the very first business she walks into, a soon-to-open electronics store, she encounters her former college professor--young, handsome, and decidedly anti-Christian Kirk Kennedy. To her surprise, he's interested in the geocaching hunt and, apparently, in her. How can she trust someone who once shredded her best friend's faith?

Here are links to various online retailer

Search and Destroy ... er ... Find

2012-05-15T09:32:00.003-04:00

Now a literary agent at WordServe Literary, Barbara J. Scott has been a book editor for 13+ years and has more than 30 years of publishing experience, ranging from newspapers and magazines to books. The fiction line at Abingdon Press exceeded all sales expectations, and Barbara has been credited for kicking off a well-rounded series of quality, highly-reviewed novels. Among her many published works, Barbara is the co-author of best-selling novel Sedona Storm, as well as the sequel Secrets of the Gathering Darkness, both published by Thomas. Nelson.

The Search-and-Find Feature

Over the years I’ve harped at authors never, ever to turn in a first draft. Some writers think the editor’s job is to spiff up their grammar, correct misspelled words, change passive voice to active, eliminate repeated words and phrases, or do laser surgery on their mixed metaphors.

Word travels in publishing circles about whether you’re a professional or you’ve made your living on the backs of good editors. You don’t want to be known as a hack writer.

Hopefully, the electronic tool known as search and find will make your self-editing chore more enjoyable.

1. Passive voice (one of my pet peeves): Passive voice is created by using a form of be, such as am, is, are, was, were, being, be, or been and followed by the past participle of the main verb, or gerunds comprised of a present participle (ending in “ing”) that functions as a noun. Learn more in Hacker’s Rules for Writers. Search for these words and recast your sentences to make them more active. Examples:

Passive: He was jumping over the cliff into the river below to escape.

Active: He jumped over the cliff into the river below to escape.

2. Qualifiers: These words clutter up your writing. Sometimes I think writers use them to boost their word counts. Examples: begin, start, started to, almost, decided to, planned to, a little bit, almost, etc. Examples:

With qualifier: Mary felt a little bit out of place among the nouveau riche.

Better: Mary felt out of place among the nouveau riche.

3. Weasel Words: These words are easy to spot. You can drop them and no one will notice. My high school English teacher told me that if you could replace the word very with the word damn, you didn’t need it. Other examples: really, well, so, a lot of, anyway, just, oh, suddenly, immediately, kind of, extremely, etc. I’m sure you can come up with your favorites.

With weasel words: Suddenly, she stood up and said, “Oh well, let’s retire to the drawing room and just stay out of his way.”

Better: She stood and said, “Let’s retire to the drawing room and stay out of his way.”

4.Adverbs: I don’t hate adverbs, but they “usually” are unnecessary, especially in dialogue tags. Your prose should communicate a character’s state of mind without using a tag line such as the example below. Use search and find to look for an ly followed by a space or a period.

With adverb: “I’ll kill him,” she said ferociously. (Really?)

Better: “I’ll kill him,” she said.

5. Extraneous thats or thens: Use the global search-and-find feature for the word that. If you can understand the sentence without it, you don’t need it. You notice I didn’t write, then you don’t need it. Both of these words are over used.

Writing is rewriting, and rewriting involves self-editing. It’s your job to turn in the cleanest manuscript possible to your agent or editor. Use the search-and-find tool to speed up the process.

Can you think of other ways you can employ the search-and-find feature in Word to edit your work?