Well Super G is back, so I can’t talk about her like I did for the past two weeks. Most of the stuff I said wasn’t true. At least it couldn’t be proved.

Speaking of tension, that’s our topic of the day. Last weekend I read Brandilyn Collins latest, That Dog Won’t Hunt. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Ron, a super-macho guy like yourself readin’ a women’s lit book? It’s okay. You can maintain your high opinion of me. I have my reasons.

First, I knew it would be well written because Brandilyn’s been writing great novels for a while now. Second, I needed the lesson in tension.

You see, us mystery and suspense writers can get a little lazy. If we need tension in a scene–and we always need tension in a scene–we just bring in a guy with a gun. Armed nutcase = instant tension. Unless you have about 60 gun-toting maniacs lined up outside your protag’s apartment, though, you’re going to need other means of adding tension.

Enter non-suspense literature

Readers want tension. In. Every. Scene. Do I need to repeat that. I’m too lazy, go read it again. Your job is to make sure the Gorilla Glue of tension is embedded in every scene. No tension, the reader breaks the bond and goes to sleep for the night. Not good. Keep her awake. Make him late for work. Never let your reader sleep! Only tension will make that happen.

Like I said, though, you can’t count on the guy with the gun in every scene. He’s union (United Brotherhood of Psychotic Killers) and only works two or three scenes per novel. That leaves you with about fifty or so scenes to fill with non-weaponized tension. So let’s take a look at some fun-filled types of tension at your disposal.

Your Tension Toolbox

Romance. Put a man and woman in a room with a mutual, but unspoken, attraction toward one another and you have the best tension known to man and babekind. Just about every TV series uses it. Castle used it to the max. Know when the series started to suck? When Castle and the ever-hot Detective Kate hopped in the sack. Tension broken. Now we’re back to relying on gun-toting maniacs.

Money. Do yourself a favor and listen to the Dave Ramsey show on the radio for a while. I get tense every day between 4 and 5pm as I drive home. Why? Because I listen to the callers on Dave’s show and get sick when I hear the financial messes they get themselves into. Have your protag’s broke and in debt brother move in with him, bringing his stupid habits with him. Tension.

Politics. I really don’t need to go beyond that word, but just to be sure, imagine your pro-life protag stuck in an elevator with a wealthy abortionist. Or Rush Limbaugh in the same elevator with Nancy Pelosi. Make the differences of opinion work for you. Just be sure not to go overboard. Remember, the readers on the opposite side of your political beliefs spends money on books, too. We’re all capitalists here.

Kids. Kids, especially teenagers, come with their own special form of tension. That’s because they can ignore things like common sense and prioritizing. They want what they want and they want it now. It really doesn’t matter if your protag mom just got done running the ten-mile dash with the aforementioned armed maniac on her tail. Little Johnny wants a ride to the mall, and the credit card, or his life will be ruined. So change into a blouse without bullet holes and take care of his needs!

Family. Family gets a separate category from kids because these tend to be more in-depth, and long term, issues. The classic “sister stole my boyfriend and married him” is always good for a little tension-glue. Read Brandilyn’s new book and you’ll get more family tension than you can shake a cat at.

The Combo Plate. Naturally, a combination of these and other avenues of tension will really amp up the scene. Have your protag’s hippie liberal, and broke, brother move in with his teenage daughter and you’ve got an entire novel of tension. Gun-free.

Naturally, there are different levels of tension, and I should probably save that for another post. But this is probably instinctive for most of you. Only Jack Bauer can stay awake for 24 hours, on full-alert the entire time. The rest of us need sleep and restroom breaks. Spread the tension accordingly. Just keep the reader awake and engaged.

Need some encouragement on your writing road? Here are 5 Bible verses for writers:

1. Jeremiah 30:2 

“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.’”

and Revelation 21:5

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Yes, these are precise words to designated prophets with specific assignments. (And yes, I’m starting out with a twofer.) However, Christian writers should take note, as they show our Lord commissioning writers for His purposes. He could have communicated with mankind in any way He pleased, and He chose the written word. (More on this in a moment.)

 2. Psalm 45:1

My heart overflows with a good theme;
I address my verses to the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

I love that this verse likens an overflow of praise to a ready writer. That white-hot glow of an intense creative burst that we all love? It’s a picture of what our praise can and should look like. (Bonus tip: when you let God fill your heart with good stuff, good stuff comes pouring out.)

 3. Matthew 13:51-52    

“Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.” And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Jesus, who so often taught by telling stories, spoke a special word to the scribes who became His followers. The word scribe here refers to a clerk, public servant, secretary or recorder, possibly a teacher of the law. What a thrill that when we understand His word, our store of treasure contains old things (like truth and salvation) and new things He’s licensed to us to create!

4. Esther 4:13-14   

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

I include this verse for two reasons. First, its application: who knows whether your writing journey hasn’t led you to such a time as this? Second, its pure power in the story of Esther. I hope the stories I tell, whether fiction or nonfiction, will be blessed to raise chills and strengthen hearts in the Lord in a similar way.

5. Psalm 19:1-4a-b

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.

Remember No. 1, where the Lord could have chosen any means of communication? It turns out that He did. All creation proclaims Him, folks. Before I get too puffed up in thinking how meaningful my writerly service is, Psalm 19 is there to remind me that while God chose words, He didn’t need them.

 Question for You

Which Bible verses inspire YOUR writing life?

Image courtesy of geww / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Super G is back in the wonderland that is Oklahoma, but we’ve still got a little time to ravage her blog while she recovers from a severe overdose of trans fats. By the way…who knew you could get a good bottle of chardonnay at White Castle? Only in New Yawk.

Today, my minions, I’m going to introduce you to the wonderment that is Dropbox. For those of you already in on this little secret, please remain silent and in your seats. Work on assignments from one of my other classes or meditate on my wisdom for a few moments.

For the rest of you, here’s the skinny on Dropbox.

Dropbox is nothing more than file storage in “The Cloud.” The Cloud is not just one of those words that will never look right if you stare at it too long, it’s one of those mysterious terms that Trekkies have applied to server storage sites. Theoretically, The Cloud should involve at least two independent servers in separate locations. That way, if a nuke hits a server in Denver, your files are still safe at the alternate location in Detroit (though the hubcaps may be missing…yes, I remember hubcaps).

If you have an Apple account via your i-phone, pod, or pad, you may have set up a cloud account with a unique e-mail address to go along with it. I believe other smartphone companies are getting on board with the program as well.

Dropbox allows you to store up to 250Mb free to start with. For the average writer, that’s plenty. But you continue to build up storage space over time. I currently have 2.5Gb and I have no idea what I did to earn it. You can also add space by referring friends. For example, here’s the link I was given to send to friends. If any of you click on that and sign up, I get more space. Or, if you need 100Gb because you want to store every family photo for safe keeping, it’s $99 a year.

But wait, there’s more! I always wanted to say that. There is much more to Dropbox. I have an icon on my laptop, desktop, iPad, iPhone, and my company Android (I got it all man). And I can login to Dropbox.com from any computer with internet access as well. All my files are there. Anywhere I go, my latest WIP is there and waiting. From most of my apps, I have a dropdown option to save to Dropbox.

Most of you know I use Scrivener for my writing. If I have my way, each of you will do the same if you hope to be on my coveted good side. Good grief, writing is hard enough. Why mess with Word? Okay, enough preaching. Scrivener doesn’t have a handy Dropbox connection. However, I can save my entire WIP into separate scenes with a click of the mouse. Scrivener saves in RTF or TXT format. I always use RTF because it’s the first choice. I save that to a “Ron’s Current WIP” file on my desktop. Dropbox opens as a file folder, so it’s just a matter of dragging and dropping from that point. Now I have my WIP backed up and available for editing anywhere I go.

If you insist on using Word, you can do the same thing (by the way, you can try Scrivener for free).

Oh but wait…we’re not through. Dropbox also allows file sharing. If you and your writing partner, who is too busy dancing and eating her way through New York to get with the program, want to access each other’s latest scenes for critiquing, you simply create a file in Dropbox for this task and invite aforementioned partner to join in. Of course, aforementioned partner will have to get with the program and open a Dropbox account. It’s free. So really, there’s no excuse is there?

You can create as many share folders as you like. For example, I have a “Budget” folder that I share with my wife. Only she and I can access it.

So there you have it. Never again will your writing partner in crime send you a frantic message from the airport, on her way to New York, saying she forgot to save her WIP to laptop hard drive. Because she will listen to her wise, talented, and good-looking partner and open a Dropbox account, thus never being without her files again, even if she forgets the whole laptop.

So for those of you already using Dropbox, have you found it to be the lifesaver I have?

Welcome to Flashback Fridays! For the summer and beyond, I’m going to run some nostalgic posts on parenting and writing from writing wannabes, newbies, and published authors. Many of these prepublished writing interviews are now published. So I encourage you to visit their sites and see what they’re up to today. 

Feb 2007

Robin Caroll, writes deep South mysteries of riveting suspense to inspire your heart. Louisiana born and raised, Robin is a Southerner right down to her “hey, y’all.” Her mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who has instilled in Robin the love of heritage and family bonds. Robin draws on these important factors when weaving her stories. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of eighteen years and three daughters. She enjoys hearing from her readers–visit her at www.robincaroll.com to find out more about this new Southern fiction writer.

Welcome Robin! Tell us a little about your family and your call to write.

I’ve been married for almost eighteen years to the most supportive man ever. We have three daughters—16, 6, and 4. My call to write…hmmm….I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. I wrote stories, journals, poems. Had a couple of those published back in the day. I’ve always known I’d be writing.

Joining ACFW and “meeting” Colleen Coble. This woman opened more doors for me than I can ever explain. I signed with my agent, Kelly Mortimer of Mortimer Literary Agency in July. Kelly is so awesome and enthusiastic that I don’t know what I’d do without her. I trust her advice and guidance completely. I met with Krista Stroever from Steeple Hill at RWA National, where I pitched her the manuscript I was currently working on. She requested the full from my agent once it was completed. My agent submitted it after she line edited it, and we got “the call” a month later. These three amazing women are the ones God put in my path to provide me with my “writing break.”

What do you write and why this genre? 

Colleen Coble told me long ago…write where your passion is. My passion has always been mysteries/suspense. I grew up reading Trixie Beldon as young as fourth grade.

Do you have any recent contracts and up coming releases?

My first book, BAYOU JUSTICE, will be released by Steeple Hill, Love Inspired Suspense in October of 2007.

What do you hope to accomplish through your novels?
First and foremost, I hope I honor God. I want to entertain readers, but leave them with a sense of hope and being uplifted.And now for the tough questions…
Okay…LOL

How do you balance being a mom, wife, and writer?

It’s hard. There is no set example that works. Each person has to find what works for them. I’m blessed to have a supportive husband in my writing, and in recently being elected president of ACFW. I try to set my “work hours” just as if I were at an away-from-home job. Our youngest daughter isn’t in school yet, so the interruptions happen. I’ve learned to take the distractions in stride. For the most part, it works. After the two older girls get home from school, unless I’m on deadline, I call an end to my “work day” so I can spend time with them and prepare supper and be ready for when my husband gets home from work. Sometimes, it doesn’t work out that way. Again, having a family who supports my dream is critical to me being pulled in several different directions.

Do you think it’s possible to give yourself fully to raising children, writing, working full time, and keeping in shape? If not, which one for you has to take a back seat?
>Housekeeping has taken the backseat for me! LOL Seriously. I used to be really picky about certain aspects of household duties. Now, well….does anyone really ever notice if my baseboards are clean? LOL Keeping in shape. I don’t go to a gym anymore, but I still have a 4 yr old to chase around, so that helps. Sharing parenting responsibilities with my husband is crucial in keeping things running smoothly. The kids having chores helps me with the housework, but also teaches them responsibility and working as a team within the family.

When do you find the time to write, and do you ever feel like you’re neglecting your children when you write?
As I said, I try to write during “working” hours. Sometimes, after everyone else goes to sleep, if my characters are arguing in my head, I’ll fire up the laptop and sit in bed and write. I’m fortunate that I speed read and write fast as well. I don’t feel like I’m neglecting my kids when I write. It’s a job. A dream job, yes, but a job nevertheless. I think it’s important for them to understand that acquiring dreams takes work and sacrifices. I view it as a life lesson.

How do you handle interruptions in your writing life?
With God’s grace. LOL But it’s true. Since I don’t work outside the home, I get called upon by people to do things, serve on committees, etc. For a while, I tried to do it all. That didn’t work. I wrote less and less and became grumpy. My family doesn’t like me much when I can’t write. LOL I’ve learned to prioritize.
How do you get back into the flow of writing after you’ve been interrupted?
I read the last scene I wrote. I listen to my characters. (Yes, mine really do talk to me!) Or sometimes, I’ll just let the interruption flow. I’ll get up and read a book to my daughter. Go watch the girls swing outside. Listen to my teenager’s drama of the week. You’d be amazed at how doing the mundane can actually help you focus. If none of that works, a venti white chocolate mocha with extra whipped cream from Starbucks is sure to!

What do you do to encourage yourself during those stormy days every writing mom has?
I realize I’m so blessed to be working at my dream. Sometimes, just walking around the house and naming my blessings aloud is a real reality check. Makes the writing woes seem really insignificant.

How do you position yourself to HEAR God’s voice when all the noises of life are swirling around you?
Okay, this sounds so awful, but during the day when I NEED to hear Him (my regularly scheduled quiet time is in the evening) I take my Bible and hide in the bathroom. It’s the one place where I can lock the door and just shut out the world.

If you do feel your priorities slipping, what do you do to get back on track?

Funny, by the time I realize they’re slipping, God’s already hit me upside the head with a 2X4 to get my attention. Yeah, some people get the small, still voice. I get the 2X4. LOL But it works. He normally shows me where I’m letting things slip and gives me the wisdom and energy to correct my shortcoming.

Has there ever been a time God told you to set aside your writing to focus on other areas of your life? If so, how did you handle that?

Actually, yes and no. He didn’t tell me to set aside my writing, but He did show me to focus it toward the CBA versus the ABA, which I had originally geared my stories toward. It took me long enough to get the message, though. LOL

Did you ever feel like you’ve “missed” God in regards to writing, that maybe you should be doing something else?
Personally, I feel like I connect MORE with God through my writing. I don’t start out with a spiritual arc in mind in my stories. That’s not my job. God shows up when I sit down at the computer and He tells me what He wants me to share with others. I’ve learned quite a bit that way, in avenues I would have never dreamed of pursuing. It’s a fun ride as co-pilot when I let God in the driver’s seat.

What advice would you give to writing moms who are have their hearts set on publication?
You CAN do it. Don’t let anyone distract you from pursuing your dream. It may take longer with kids calling for your attention. Relish those moments (and remember some of them because you can use them in a wip). It’s all a journey…enjoy the trip. All of it. It makes us who we are.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

If someone had told me twenty years ago that I’d be where I am today, I would never have believed them. Not that my dreams weren’t in this line. They were. But they were more along the being-a-NYT-Bestseller-career writer type. Yet, I wouldn’t trade where I am now for that. I adore being a best friend and wife to such an amazing man. I love being a mom to three really awesome girls. I’m blessed to have awesome writing friends and critique partners. Getting a contract for a CBA publisher was truly the icing on the cake for me. If I arrived in heaven today, I’d be content with my life on earth. How blessed am I?

Thank you so much for sharing your heart hear today. Please come back in October and tell us all about your expereince with your first release!!

Visit Robin and see what she’s up to today! www.robincaroll.com

Sometimes I fear that my personal lack of discipline will ruin my kids’ futures. I look at them and see these bundles, packed with potential to an unfathomable degree. They overflow with it! The horizon stretches in sunset hues while God works His wonders in and through their lives, employing each gift He has given them.

And then I look at me.

While insecurities whisper lies and build doubt about my own talents, I cannot deny that I have them. God has gifted me. I say that not from pride, but from honest recognition and utmost humility. And I wonder why. What am I doing with what He has given me and how I can seize my God-given writing potential?

It’s time to be honest. How many submissions did I make this month? Last month? How many articles did I finish? How much progress did I make on that dusty WIP? How much time did I waste “marketing” a platform that has nothing to sell?

Why did God give me the ability to write if I will do little with it? Why did God grant me a love of words, if I will keep the bulk of them to myself? I want to be a solid example for my kids so that they can’t blame me will succeed, but I want to succeed, too. I want to seize the future God has for me.

Photo Credit: Orin Zebest via Flickr and Creative Commons License

Do you remember in Exodus 3 when Moses confronted the burning bush? (We always say “Moses confronted the bush”, but really Moses was confronted by the bush. Yes, that’s too passively phrased to satisfy, but bushes don’t have feet, so we’ll just have to go with it.) 

Moses heard the Voice speak his name and immediately responded with “Here I am.” It’s a confident statement, no? That’s me. God calls my name and I boldly say, “Yup! That’s me! Here I am.” I commit to follow wherever He leads and I profess great devotion and conviction and then … well, then we get to the next part of the story.

Once God told Moses the plan, Moses provided all sorts of excuses, a list that began with “Who am I?” He worried that he couldn’t do it and that no one would listen and and — “Oh, by the way, are you sure you got the right guy here?” (Don’t quote this. I’m speculating and paraphrasing.)

Yeah, that’s me, too. God tells me to submit (both to Him and to editors, agents and publishers), and I balk. I question if I can do it and if anyone will listen and — “Oh, by the way, I think you got the wrong girl.”

Back to Moses … In the midst of meeting Moses’s stream of arguments with great patience, God asked the shepherd-prince a key question: “What is that in your hand?” (Exodus 4:2) God knew what was in his hand. The question wasn’t for God’s edification but for Moses’s assurance. God promised to be with him and then God reminded him that the tools he would use were already provided and familiar to him. Sure, the environment would change and the obstacles would be great, but the challenge presented was something Moses was already equipped to face. (There I go with passive verbs again.)

My point, dear writers, is this: You have made it this far because you possess potential. Your ideas, your skills, your talents have been given you by God to face the challenges before you. Look at yourself the way I look at my kids: saturated with possibilities. Now put it to work. Don’t allow those whispers of insecurity to paint a limited picture of you. You have much in your hand. Use it.

What is it that God has placed in your hand? Are you using it? Or are you — like me — blubbering excuses and arguments while still standing in the desert?

Talk to me. How can we maintain motivation to persist in our callings as writers when lacking discipline or proper confidence?

Guest Post By Becky Jacoby

The ASPCA claims that 5-7 million dogs inhabit the USA. Considering how that number might have been ascertained, I would bet it did not include strays or dogs in shelters. I would love to see all dogs in good homes, wouldn’t you?

Not only do I love dogs, but a Lab-Border Collie mix (Lehigh) and a Boxer-mix (Abigail), two rescues, live as part of my family.  And as a writer, I frequently include dogs in my stories (including the suspense novel on my desk for final editing.) So, when Author Gina Conroy invited me to write a guest post about dogs in fiction, I first wanted to know some statistics.

For instance, did you know Wikipedia has an entire entry listing dogs’ names, breeds and authors who created their stories? Ronie Kendig is writing a Christian fiction series incorporating some special K-9s. Further, both Amazon and Goodreads list pages of books showcasing dogs in fiction. Even science fiction can boast of dogs inhabiting its worlds.

It seems we humans truly appreciate the need and gift of canine companions in our lives and favorite reads. I recall watching Lassie on TV as a child and reading The Call of the Wild and Old Yeller.  Of course I cried when Old Yeller had to be put down—and c’mon, I know I am not the only one who did. I also cannot watch the “animal cruelty” shows or commercials as they upset me too much.

Dogs touch our hearts with authenticity

I think God put His unconditional love in dogs. No matter what mood I’m in, my dogs greet me with the same high excitement and welcome. They want to participate in all that I do, especially if it involves meals or spending time with friends. Like bookends, they are glad to surround anyone who sits on my sofa and they mourn when these people leave.

Lehigh “talks” to everyone and brings them her favorite toy to share. Abigail stares at them with her soulful brown eyes, wagging her tail, patiently hoping for gentle petting.

I enjoy the smiles that these sweet dogs bring to other’s faces.

How could these characters not spill into my writing?

Tales bred of courage with a lick of suspense

Make Me Forget is the story of widowed Marine Veteran Terri Ruiz who returns home from Afghanistan to take care of her Aspergers Syndrome daughter and older sister by starting a contract business of training military war dogs. Her success is undermined by an all-too-familiar saboteur who is linked to a terrorist network, bent on destroying her and all military.

My novel is a suspense story with threads of mystery interwoven with supernatural elements. As I prepare my manuscript to submit, I am grateful to have had the help of Perry Money, a former Marine and Vietnam War Dog handler. I would also like to thank Gina for allowing me to share a bit about dogs in fiction.

Woof. Semper fi.

Becky writes fiction and nonfiction that often include some K-9 characters. She has produced Beating Cancer, Stories of People Who Are Surviving and Thriving, published The Quilt Lady, and ghostwrites for businesses. She is completing her debut suspense novel about a Veteran Marine single parent who returns home to face deadly obstacles as she begins a contract military dog-training business to support her family.

She also runs Words with Wings, a Christian Author interview and book review blog and loves to hear from readers at contact@beckjacoby.com.

It’s been years since I’ve been to New York.

Years since I walked the streets where I grew up, ate the BEST food in the world, and hung out with the craziest, funnest, and most loving people on earth! My family!

No kids. No husband… And I’m having the time of my life!

I thought I’d do more writing, but that’s okay. I’m doing some research for some of my current WIPs and let me tell you, I’m getting lots of fodder for future story. Family is good for that.

So my encouragement for you today… live in the moment! I’m a dreamer, a planner, so it’s REALLY hard for me to enjoy the present. But I am. If you don’t believe me, just have a look…

Food

Family

The girls!

Three Generations…

First Cousins! Grew up with these girls!

First Cousin! Spent my summers in Florida with this girl!

Fun

 All the first cousins together again!

Nothing like a New York Italian Wedding or family!

New week: Interrupted by Vacation: The New York City Edition!

Okay, it’s day seven of Super G’s exile in NYC. I was able to log in to the blog today, so I’m guessing she is a) without internet access, b) desperate for bloggers (and partners), or c) still trying to figure out her subway connections.

At this point, having succesfully hooked you into reading this here blog post, I must admit that I don’t really have the ten best titles for your blog post. And shame on you for desiring such an easy out. You’re the writer. Come up with your own titles.

However, I can lay down some advice. It’s free advice and worth every penny. So listen up.

Blog Title Dos and Don’ts

DO use the numbered title, both in print and in the blogosphere. 7 Ways to Breath Life into your Characters. 9 Locations that Guarantee a Best Seller. 10 Sure Fire Jokes to Start your Elevator Pitch. You get the picture. Oddly, it’s never less than 6. I’d stick with that rule.

DON’T use titles that say “it’s all about me.” Unless you’ve already got a gagillion readers dying for your next release, don’t title your blog “My Next Release!” People read blogs to a) be  entertained and b) learn stuff. Yes, your bestest facebook friends will read about your upcoming vacation and your  gagillion fans my be interested in your daughter’s first job, but at this entry-level stage of your writing, just assume that if it wouldn’t be sellable to a print magazine, no one will read it on your blog.

DO use catchy titles. You can’t always come up with a number title, but you can always make it an eye-grabber. Last week I posted “10 Uses for your Writing Tomato.” That got thee most views last week. Why? Because it was an outlandish title. Either that or I can make a killing selling writing tomatoes. The best titles attack a well-known “rule.” If you title a post “Do More Telling and Less Showing,” I guarantee it will bring in readers. After that you’re on your own.

DON’T use glossover titles. By that I mean subject that we’ve seen so many times that we just gloss over them. The “7 Ways to Breathe Life Into your Characters” is a perfect example. Do you still read those? Me either. But it doesn’t mean you can’t write on the topic. Find a new angle or be more specific. How about “7 Ice Cream Flavors that Give Your Characters Depth.” I dunno. I think I’d read that just for an excuse to try 7 different ice-cream flavors.

DO use keywords in your title. Remember the Tomato post? A keyword the word or phrase you want to point at your post or even your entire website. If your post is about literary agents, get the term “literary agents” or “writer agents” in your title. Yes, I know “writer agents” is an abuse of the language and not an accurate description, but we don’t worry about things like that when we type a search term into the little Google box. By the way, Google offers tools to find the top search words and phrases. Entertain yourself with it one night.

DO keep titles short. This should be obvious.  You’re a writer. Cut excessively excessive words. Instead of “Ten Opening Lines that Will Blow an Agent Away,” try  ”10 Agent-landing openers.” Less is more, right?

Blog Titles YOU Love

Here’s your homework assignment: Go to your blog reader (GET ONE…I like Feedly), and scan the titles. Which ones grab you? Which do you gloss over? In fact, let’s hear your favorite titles. Post them in the comments below.

By the way, for great tips on blogging, I recommend Copyblogger.com.

Welcome to Flashback Fridays! For the summer and beyond, I’m going to run some nostalgic posts on parenting and writing from writing wannabes, newbies, and published authors. Many of these prepublished writing interviews are now published. So I encourage you to visit their sites and see what they’re up to today. 

July 2006

Mary DeMuth’s articles have appeared in Marriage Partnership, In Touch, HomeLife, Discipleship Journal.

Her books include Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God (Harvest House, 2005), Sister Freaks (Time Warner, 2005), Building the Christian Family You Never Had (WaterBrook, 2006), Watching the Tree Limbs, and Wishing on Dandelions (NavPress, releasing in 2006).

This post really touched me and I wanted to share it with you. I know you will enjoy it and don’t forget to come back tomorrow for a follow up interview with the author.

By Mary DeMuth
Reprinted with permission

Someone I respect in the publishing business recently made this statement: Publishing doesn’t validate your life. How true.

I have to admit before I was published, I thought that if I reached that nirvana called “published author,” I’d have sweet validation. Every day would be smiles and dancing. You know what? I was wrong. Being published is terrific, mind you, but it doesn’t bring happiness or validation. Instead, it adds more stress to your life.

Gone are the days when I could write for the sheer joy of it. Always looming is a deadline. And though I pinch myself because I “get” to write, and I feel like I’m doing what I was created to do, I sometimes get lost in the cycle of publicity, sales and marketing.

Maybe I’m the only one (and I’m embarrassed to admit this publicly), but I check my Amazon ratings for the three books I have in print. I know, know, know that these ratings mean very little. I know that a high rank (which is bad) just means that during that hour the book didn’t sell. I know that if a band of readers (like a book club) went together and bought ten of my books in one hour, my rating would shoot lower (which is good). But it doesn’t mean anything.

Why do I pester myself with such nonsense? After all, publishing doesn’t validate my life, right?

It’s like this weird endless cycle of neediness. It evolves in incremental steps of if onlys:

1. If only I could be published in a magazine, even if I’m not paid.

2. If only I could be paid to be published in a magazine.

3. If only I could go to a writer’s conference and have an agent show an interest in my proposal.

4. If only I could sign with an agent.

5. If only that agent could sell my work.

6. If only I could have more than one contract.

7. If only I could earn out the advance for the book I wrote.

8. If only I could sell enough books so a publisher would want another book from me.

9. If only a publisher would treat a midlist author like me kindly.

10. If only I could make a living at writing.

That’s a lot of if onlys!

I remember reading about blocked goals once and it’s stuck with me. A blocked goal is a goal that is dependent on other’s actions or happenstance. All these if onlys fit, albeit somewhat awkwardly, as blocked goals. I don’t have any control over whether I’ll get a contract offered. I can’t make people buy my books. I can’t make my book sell enough to earn back an advance. I can’t control the fickleness of this industry.

What I can do is create goals that can’t be blocked. Goals like:

1. I will listen to the heartbeat of God and write what He inspires me to write.

2. I will not let writing, by God’s strength, overshadow the needs of my family.

3. I will write the best books I can write, always seeking to improve, abounding in humility and teachability.

4. I will be patient when sales wane and trust God’s sovereignty.

5. I will promote my books with this motivation: to see the kingdom of God advanced.

6. I will laugh at the unpredictability of this industry and strive to be lighthearted.

7. I will serve others and not let elusive and fleeting fame (if that happens) inflate my head.

8. I will attend conferences, read writing books, and welcome critique.

9. I will serve my readers by praying for them and answering emails when God provides time.

10. I will write for the sheer joy of it, not despising unpublished words.

So, yeah, publishing does not validate me. Sure it feels great to hold my book in my hands. It’s lovely when I get a good review. But it’s the hand of God on my life that brings me ultimate validation. That God stooped to earth and chose me, a frail, needy girl, stops my heart every time. And by His grace, I will carry on.

In the last year, I’ve probably seen no less than a half dozen articles by smart, well-respected bloggers explaining why you should be on Pinterest and how to use it to drive web traffic. It’s also a big hit with my ladies’ groups at church. How many times have you heard or even said yourself, “I saw the cutest thing on Pinterest…”?

I could be alone in this, but I’m not a fan. It may work for your web marketing strategy, but your home management plan may be better off without it. Here are four reasons writers should NOT to use Pinterest.

1. It’s a satellite office of the Department of Lost Time, especially for writers.

I signed up for Pinterest and promptly lost a weekend in the fun and fascination of browsing and pinning and liking. It’s a little embarrassing, honestly. I know I’m not the only one afflicted, which is why I’ve been thinking about writing a parody article about how to save time on Pinterest. (Tip# 1: Install browser add-ons to make pinning faster! Tip #2: Find people who share your interests and follow their boards instead of creating your own!) I have too many real projects to be serious about a fake one, but all my time-saving “tips” boil down to one easy precept: don’t get on Pinterest in the first place.

2. I’m not good at everything – and I don’t need to be!

It’s true that Pinterest houses all the DIY projects, food art, and party plans a homebody like me should love (and without the incredible nuisance of doing a Google search!) but I find an unusual thing happens as I scroll through other people’s good work. I start in admiration mode, enjoying the wealth of ideas and beauty, but before long I’m comparing myself, my abilities and talents and resources, to others.

“Oh, I wish I could do that.”

“I bet that cost a fortune to make.”

 “Now why didn’t I think of that?”

There are quite a few problems with this sort of thinking. Remember my “too many projects” from Reason #1? Yeah, I definitely don’t need to take on more. Also, I make myself feel lousy while devaluing all the skills and superpowers I do possess. (Example: Excel spreadsheets can be beautiful too!) So why not just focus on what I’m good at and can actually accomplish!

3. I respect intellectual property and have a healthy fear of getting sued.

Call me crazy, but I have a little distrust for sites that make it incredibly simple to misuse other people’s content and rely on a Terms of Service agreement and the honor system to keep everything above board.

Non-legal advice reality check: whenever you distribute content online, you’re implicitly claiming the right to do so. That means you either own the content, or you have permission to use it. If you’re assuming that it must be okay because it’s already online, you’re on shaky ground, friend. At minimum, ask before pinning (and make sure the person you ask has the ability to grant permission!)

4. I have my own creativity, thank you very much!

See the John Deere tractor cake up top? I made that myself with a box of cake mix and a loaf pan. It’s a little messy and a Teddy Graham driver would have been cute, but it came from my imagination. I don’t say so to brag, but to encourage. What cool, quirky, offbeat things might you dream up on your own?

Yes, Pinterest can be handy for inspiration and idea-collecting.  Just don’t let your brainstorming skills atrophy in the bargain. As writers, we’re creative people and most of our creativity should be poured into our work. Not daydreaming about all the pretty things we wish we could make on Pinterest.

Question for You

What’s your oPINion? Have I got it all wrong? Leave a comment!

Photo credit: Brandy Heineman