ACFW Blog

How Do You Get Endorsements?

ACFW — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:33:51 +0000

By Carrie Fancett Pagels

I was recently asked this question. As a newly published author with an ebook novella, I hardly feel competent to answer. But someone asked how I got endorsements for another project (a not-yet-published manuscript) in which three multi-published authors gave me endorsements. And the questioner wondered how I already had a number of multi-published authors who’d read and reviewed my novella, which had been published.

A good question to use for an ACFW blog post.

First of all I will back up to the beginning, because you must have relationships with published authors. Sometimes people are too busy to form relationships with authors who belong to certain groups or too busy to even join such a group. For instance, ACFW members have several genre groups where like-minded writers can mingle and some of those groups include multi-published authors. Pray, and ask around, and see where God leads you to connect with others. Sometimes however you may need to reach out and form your own group. We did this several years ago with the Colonial American Christian Writers-it was tough to get a colonial or American Revolution book published and we wanted a group where we could all help one another out with research questions and promotion of books.

If you’ve been in many groups and been a blogger, you are more likely to have more people you can ask if they might be willing to give you an endorsement.

Normally, you ask people if they’d give you an endorsement if a book goes to press. I had a dozen authors willing to give me an endorsement. I was agented and had submitted my proposal around a few places and it kept getting requests for full and going to committee. Here is how I got endorsements without asking for them. First of all I think it was a God thing. I have several author friends who I’ve gotten to know as a blogger, as founder of Colonial American Christian Writers, through my work as a volunteer with ACFW (e.g., as Mid-Atlantic Zone Director) and through meeting at conference, talking on the phone, and/or exchanging online messages.

I like to help people solve problems. I was a psychologist for twenty-five years. One of my friends, an amazing writer, wanted a certain agent. I knew that two of my friends were represented by this woman. So I asked them if they knew my unagented friend and if they’d be willing to help her connect with their agent. They went above and beyond. My unagented friend has a blog and heavily promotes authors and she’s been doing this for a while. The two authors offered to read my unagented friend’s proposal and give her an endorsement for their agent! That blew me away. Then one of the authors said her agent asked her to endorse a client trying to get her debut contract and the person was offered one. So then my author friend said she’d read and endorse my manuscript, to help me and my other author friend said, “me, too!” I was stunned.

I also have had beta readers look at my writing. After another author friend read what a beta reader put on Facebook (that she’d recommend my story as a best read in 2012 but it wasn’t published yet) she, too, offered to read and endorse! So I subsequently received endorsement from three authors prior to this manuscript being contracted.

I hope this is helpful! Do as the Good Book says-do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Carrie Fancett Pagels debut release Return to Shirley Plantation: A Civil War Romance, is a Kindle Civil War best seller. She contributed to God’s Provision in Tough Times, releasing in June 2013. Her short story Snowed In: A Northwoods Christmas will appear in Guidepost Books “A Christmas Cup of Cheer” in October, 2013. You can reach Carrie via her Facebook page, or on Twitter.

The Transparent Writer

ACFW — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:42:22 +0000

By Kathy Harris

When you take time to get to know someone — to really know them — you may be surprised at what you learn. The battles they’ve fought and the triumphs they’ve won might very well inspire and humble you.

The same, of course, is true of Christian writers. In fact, our personal stories can be just as important as our novels. Readers want to know who we are, and why we write what we do. Just as a reader responds favorably to authentic characters, they respond favorably to real authors. Authors who allow themselves to be transparent.

Your personal bio can be one of the most difficult, but important, things you write. But the perquisite name-rank-serial number information is only the beginning of putting yourself out there as a writer. A famous line from The Purpose Driven Life comes to mind. “The very experiences that you have resented or regretted most in life — the ones you’ve wanted to hide and forget — are the experiences God wants to use to help others. They are your ministry!”

Your characters aren’t the only ones with a backstory. You and I have one too. Have you ever wondered why God called you to write the particular stories of your heart? Perhaps the answer lies more with your experiences and less with your talent as a writer.

When it came time to pen the ultimate book, the Bible, did our Creator search for the best writers He could find? Or did He select men and women who had great personal stories to share — experiences that would edify other believers, as well as non-believers, and allow them to see Him more clearly.

Devotion and short form author Linda Veath Cox recently poured her soul onto paper for an upcoming post on my blog with the hope that sharing her experiences will encourage others. Romance author Ruth Axtell readily shares her compelling spiritual journey in her website testimony. And author Christine Lindsay’s bio digs deep into the heart of who she is as a mother who had to make hard choices. It’s this kind of transparency that God uses to touch readers beyond our fictional works.

In a day and age when everyone is searching for a platform, you have one. It’s called your life. Your unique experiences. Your passions. Your mistakes, as well as your successes. You just have to be willing to talk about it to the extent that you are comfortable.

Many of us (holding my hand up high here) are not natural-born public speakers. But once we’ve overcome the fear of being seen authentically — with all of our faults and foibles — we can gain more confidence, even with speaking.

By definition, authors are often private people. You may find it difficult to put yourself out there, to believe it can make a difference. But there’s irony in being “transparent” — it just might keep you from being “invisible.” In today’s frenetic media world, that’s important.

Kathy Harris is an author by way of a “divine detour” into the Nashville entertainment business. Her debut novel, The Road to Mercy, was released by Abingdon Press in September. She regularly interviews literary and music guests on her blog at www.DivineDetour.com.

I’m Not Called to Write

ACFW — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:33:37 +0000

by Laura McClellan

Are you called to write?

That question has come up many times during the past fifteen months as I’ve worked on my first novel. At writing conferences, in blog posts, in emails on the ACFW loops-I’ve lost count of the number of times people have referred to being “called” to write, with not much discussion about what that means.
I’ve struggled with the concept, partly because I dislike undefined religious jargon. I’ve pondered-what does it mean to be “called” to write? Am I “called” to write? And if I’m not, does that mean I shouldn’t do it? Isn’t it okay to write just because you enjoy it? Does being “called” to write somehow elevate your writing in some way?
I thought about this for months. When I searched the Bible for verses about being called, I didn’t find anything that persuaded me that I’m “called” to write.
* I am (we are) “a chosen people … a people belonging to God, that [I] may declare the praises of him who called [me] out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Pet. 2:9).
* I was called “to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.” (2 Thess. 2:13–14)
* I was called to hope (oh, thank God). (Eph. 1:18, 4:4)
* I have been called (chosen and appointed) “to go and bear … fruit that will last.” (John 15:16)
* I’ve been called to fulfill the Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19–20)
* I have been “called according to his purpose … predestined to be confirmed to the likeness of his Son… .” (Rom. 8:28)
I have come to believe that I am called to one thing, and one thing only: to follow God.
I am not called to write. Writing is merely an expression of my calling. It is, I believe, a gift God has given me, and we are told to use our gifts to serve others. (1 Pet. 4:10)
Maybe I’m misunderstanding the concept, but I think a calling is something indispensable, undeniable, necessary, irrefutable. Something required of us.

And I don’t find anything in God’s word that convinces me that we are required to write. Instead, I find this:

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

I can do those things without ever writing another word. Conversely, I can write and publish volumes of words and never fulfill that calling.
May it never be so.

Laura McClellan (www.laura-mcclellan.com) has been married over 30 years to the same man (she says she was a child bride). She’s mom to five, grandmother to five, and a partner in a large Dallas law firm. During her “spare time” Laura is polishing her first novel, a winner in several fiction contests.

My Learning Curve

ACFW — Tue, 14 May 2013 08:33:31 +0000

by Maggie Brendan

As I embark on my seventh book in five years, The Arrangement, book one, in yet another new series, Virtues and Vices of the Old West, I look back on those brief years on what I’ve learned about the crazy world of being an author and thankfully, it’s way more than I can share in this brief post. But I can share a few tips that might help you on your journey.

1. Focus on what God has called you to write and don’t compare yourself to fellow authors. This is hard because we are constantly seeing if we measure up to the same standards as our fellow authors.

2. Set writing goals that are realistic for you. Some authors need a year to write one novel, others can handle two or three. Only you know what your word count needs to be each week.

3. When you complete your manuscript, set it aside for a few days then read through the entire thing. You’ll be surprised at what you thought was the perfect novel is actually in need of improvement.

4. Don’t be afraid to cut what you consider your favorite scene. Don’t be resistant to do so. If it doesn’t move the plot forward. Let-it-go. We authors tend to believe every word we’ve written is scared. Learn to let go and move on to make the story move forward.

5. DON’T edit your final work before you submit your manuscript. You need another set of eyes reading because you already know what you think you wrote. Sometimes this doesn’t translate from our brain to the document.

6. This goes for criticism too. I’m the world’s worst for remembering the bad reviews instead of the ones that give my novels high praise and inspire me to keep writing. We are simply not going to please everyone. Don’t let their negativism drag you down and keep you from doing what you love most-writing.

7. Listen to your agent and editor and absorb everything they tell you. They really do work hard for their money and only want to make your novel the very best it can be. This is beneficial to both parties. They are working with you not against you. Most editors are over-worked and underpaid.

8. Support other writers in as many ways as you can. This is good networking and you’ll form some great friendships and a connection and communication that only other writers can understand.

9. Don’t forget to support your local bookstore-what’s left of them-and your local library.

10. Use social media to promote your books-blog, website, interviews, and make sure you create an author page on Facebook. Readers love to connect with authors. Utilize Twitter too. Recently I joined Pinterest so I’ll have to see where that leads.

11. Read to improve your own writing skills when time allows.

12. Your health is vitally important and since writers sit so much, don’t neglect it. Get outside when possible and enjoy a refreshing break. Some of my best story ideas have come from my daily walks.

Happy Writing!

Maggie Brendan is a CBA bestselling author, twice nominated for the RITA Award, finalist for IRCA Award, and Heart of Excellence. She is a member of the ACFW, Author’s Guild, RWA, FHL and GRW. Her series include Heart of the West, The Blue Willow Brides, and Virtues and Vices of the Old West.

Do You Have What It Takes?

ACFW — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:33:48 +0000

by Maureen Lang

Being a writer demands the impossible. On one hand, we must possess the emotional tenderness and sensitivity to see and feel all points of view. It’s only by experiencing deep emotion that we can create characters who think and feel authentically-characters who often represent two sides of a single issue.

At the same time, the professional side of writing requires thick skin and toughness to withstand rejections, negative reviews, and the insecurity of a business that is run on nothing more than the fickle tastes of the general public.

So what is a writer to do? How do we protect our emotional sensitivity while developing a tough skin? Here are a few tips for you to consider:

• Pray, and ask others to pray for you and your writing ministry.

• Don’t be shy about depending on friends to encourage you. You might even have to ask for such encouragement, especially if you’re good at presenting your stronger outside while inside you’re soft as a marshmallow.

• Let a book help you preserve your emotional sensitivity. Take regular reading breaks to refresh your love of what’s at the heart of this industry-good storytelling.

While comparison is never a good idea, it’s sometimes helpful to know others have struggled, too. Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, Margaret Mitchell were all rejected multiple times before their work found success. Even Anne Frank’s diary was rejected before finding a publisher! (Just Google “famous literary rejections” for this guilty pleasure, or for the names of 30 authors whose work was rejected, click on this link: http://www.examiner.com/article/30-famous-authors-whose-works-were-rejected-repeatedly-and-sometimes-rudely-by-publishers)

Finally, remember Eric Liddell. He wasn’t just a memorable character in the movie Chariots of Fire. He’s a real person, the famous Scottish Athlete who ran in the 1924 Summer Olympics and whose faith inspired anyone who knew him. He said “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.”

If God wired you to write, you no doubt feel His pleasure every time you sit down to create a story world. Regardless of the outcome, whether your words are meant to be read by the multitudes or simply by an audience of One, when you write you are being obedient to the call God has given you. Remember this: writing is its own reward, because when you use the gift God gave you, you’ll feel His pleasure. Just don’t let the burdens of this world (i.e. an industry that ultimately depends upon money) cloud the gift God gave you.

Maureen Lang has been writing stories of history and romance since she was ten, after figuring out how to write what she wanted to read. Since then she’s become the award-winning author of over a dozen novels, most of them published with Tyndale House. Visit her on the web at www.maureenlang.com
The e-book version of Maureen’s newest book, All In Good Time, is available now.

Research Addiction

ACFW — Sun, 12 May 2013 08:33:32 +0000

by Martha Rogers

One of my goals this year was to do more research and come up with more story ideas for both contemporary and historical novels. Research is fun and leads me into areas where I’ve never been before.

When the first novel in my new series, Love Stays True, releases this month, it will have the most extensive research ever in one of my novels. It all began with a few simple letters and some writings in a journal. The letters were to my great-grandmother from her father and from her suitor who later became my great-grandfather.

Those letters led me on a hunt to learn more about my ancestors. What I learned intrigued me to the point that I had to write Sallie and Manfred’s story. So I took what facts I had and wove them with fiction to relate the events leading up to their marriage in 1865.

Genealogy is fun, but it can become an obsession and very time consuming. One little clue leads to another discovery and then that leads you on another trail. It’s like a treasure hunt and the tidbits found are like diamonds shining in the sun, and that can lead to addiction.

Writing historical novels makes me what to “get it right.” So many times I’ve picked up a novel set in some past time period and gasp when I come across something that doesn’t sound right for that time, and it jerks me right out of the story. I have to laugh at some of the old westerns my husband loves to watch. Most of them never really give you a time period, but sometimes the fashions and references to events give the viewer an idea. Then things happen that make me wonder who was doing the research when episode was written.

Research will take you on a journey that may or may not snag your interest and lead you on side roads and down rabbit trails simply because you come across something interesting and want to follow up on it.

Whether fiction or non-fiction, research is the part of our writing we have to get right. If we don’t, be sure some expert is sure to spot the error and let us know about it. So much information is available to us today right at our fingertips, but we must remember that the internet isn’t infallible. That commercial with the young woman and man talking about the internet, and she believes just because she reads it on the internet, it’s true, is right on. Too many people believe just like the woman and end up getting it all wrong.

Those of us who research for information for our historical novels have learned to verify everything. It sure saves a lot of trouble and rewriting in the long run.

Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and the author of the Winds Across the Prairie series as well as the novella, Key to Her Heart in River Walk Christmas. Her second series, Seasons of the Heart, is now available as is her Christmas novel, Christmas at Holly Hill. She was named Writer of the Year at the Texas Christian Writers Conference in 2009 and is a member of ACFW and writes the weekly Verse of the Week for the ACFW Loop. She is a retired teacher and lives in Houston with her husband, Rex where they enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and attending football, baseball, and rugby games when one of the grandchildren is playing or performing.

Research and a Wealth of Stories

ACFW — Sat, 11 May 2013 08:33:01 +0000

by Diana Wallis Taylor

With Claudia, Wife of Pontius Pilate coming out in June, people ask me how I can write a whole book about a woman who appears only briefly in one paragraph of one of the Gospels. I tell them, that this is where your research comes in.

As with any other obscure character, you need to know about the people around them; family, friends, etc. Some called Claudia “Procula” and some suggested she did not exist. There were many suppositions as to what happened to her and to Pontius Pilate. I read all the accounts of her I could get my hands on to get as clear a picture in my mind as possible. In time a character forms that I picture as my subject. I can “see” her and begin to feel the emotions she experiences.

I draw on incidents in my own life and consider how they affected me and how I felt as I experienced them. Some incidents I draw on the experiences of others I know who have gone through this trauma. As I began to delve into Claudia’ family history, I found she was the illegitimate daughter of Julia, daughter of Caesar Augustus. Julia was married at 14 to a cousin; widowed at 16; married to Agrippa, 41; widowed just before their fifth child was born, and then while still grieving, married to Tiberius by order of the emperor.

Tiberius was the designated successor to Augustus and hated Julia for being forced to divorce the wife he loved. Yet one did not say no to the emperor. It was bad for one’s health. The feeling was mutual on Julia’s part and the only child born of that union died in infancy. Julia finally rebelled against all the manipulation by being promiscuous, which was an extremely polite word for what she was doing. Tiberius, who was humiliated by her actions and growing reputation, took off for Rhodes leaving Augustus to serve the divorce papers.

To save her life, Augustus exiled Julia to a remote island for five years and then finally relented and allowed her to live out her life in a small villa in Reggio at the tip of the boot of Italy.

Claudia was born, her father unknown. There was more but I leave that to my readers. Was there a story here? Yes indeed, and an exciting one to write!

If you want to write historical fiction, pick a character and then find out all you can about them.

Your story will begin to form itself.

Diana Wallis Taylor is a speaker and the author of eight books; five Biblical Fiction, three Christian fiction, and is co-author of an Easter cantata. She has taught workshops on poetry and Biblical Fiction. She and her husband, Frank, live in San Diego, California, where she serves on the Board of the San Diego Christian Writer’s Guild.

Social Media. A Deliberate Endeavor.

ACFW — Fri, 10 May 2013 08:33:53 +0000

by Suzanne Kuhn

Social media. Just the mere term can stir fear in the heart of the edgiest thriller writer, causes the romance writer to pine for simpler days and has the mystery writer wondering if social media works. Social media doesn’t have to be a questionable proposition. With a little help and explanation, SuzyQ can restore your confidence, offering you hope that you can successfully and effectively reach readers through your social media.

Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde. You must be consistent when engaging through social media. As a writer, you have effectively shared your heart, your passion and your ministry at the deepest level with your readers through your books and even personal appearances. Your fan friends may already feel like they’ve gotten to know you. The person the reader met within the pages of your books needs to be the same person the reader meets online.

Memoir vs. Resume. The goal of your social media profile or bio is to intrigue readers or cause a potential reader to want to follow or like you. Ultimately, this follow or like is just the stepping stone to drive them to your website or blog. If you treat this profile as your resume, it can lack dimension, therefore having little to no impact on the virtual fan. This resume approach runs the risk of leaving the fan with no desire to get to know you better. Instead, allow you profile or bio to be more of a memoir that showcases your dimensions. You are not just a writer. You are mom, wife, chocoholic. Fill in your own blanks, making sure to pique the curiosity of your virtual followers or fans. Show them a unique side of your personality, make them smile, make them laugh out loud.

Shawn and Suzanne Twitter bio examples (for reference only):

SuzyQ’s bio: Lover of Jesus, Speaker, columnist, owner of SuzyQ. Very sweet, but not the snack cake.

MrSuzyQ’s bio: I am the trophy husband behind the woman. I love all things Disney. I really enjoy working with authors, especially those in the CBA market.

Share and share alike. Key elements to an effective social media campaign are getting noticed and remaining relevant. Social media is not about your books (yes, I did just say that), but about YOU, the author. The more interesting your virtual followers and friends find you, the more likely they will be compelled to find your books. Share interesting thoughts, quotes, insights, questions, recipes, photos, links and YouTube videos … just to name a few. All content does not have to be original to you, but it does need to be relevant to your audience. Be yourself, but be cautious of over sharing or being negative. Feel free to share your readers’ thoughts or comments about you, in moderation. Sharing what others are saying about your books is one of the most natural ways for you to promote your books without coming on too strong or feeling like a hard sell. By sharing thoughts someone else has written about you, you are not talking about yourself, but simply sharing what someone else has said.

Social media doesn’t need to be a daunting task. But it does need to be a deliberate endeavor.

Suzanne Kuhn has more than 20 years of book retailing experience and event sales, including traveling as part of Karen Kingsbury’s team. In 2010 Suzanne launched SuzyQ, a full-service author promotion and retail development firm that works with authors, publishers and retailers, helping to coordinate events, train staff and authors in reader engagement, and develop promotions for increased sales and reader/customer loyalty. Suzanne’s experience and knowledge in the book retailing venue gives her an edge when consulting with retailers for niche and business plan development, facilitating book tours, and ensuring more successful and profitable events. Suzanne truly believes in the power of Christian literature to impact and change lives. Connect with Suzanne:
www.SuzyQ4U.com, on Facebook: SuzyQ4You or Twitter: @SuzyQn

The Summer Season of Writing

ACFW — Thu, 09 May 2013 08:33:27 +0000

by Telena Tanara Contreras

The Arizona summer is an early arriver. In late March a dry breeze descends on the valley to give spring its notice; and a mere month later Queen Summer herself follows behind a procession of scorching rays, ridiculous temperatures, and dramatic dust storms to begin her ruthless reign.
Come May, the people are done.

Snow birds lock up their homes, cover their pools, and head back north or east or wherever it is sane people run to when the weather is more foe than friend. The frugal adopt a beans-and-rice budget in order to crank up the air in homes where they will become hermits for the next five months. All projects that were started with fervor melt into burdens the initiator wishes would simply go away.

My first novel has hit that summer season.

It’s done, and has been for quite some time now. When I first finished it-before I knew anything about the publishing world-I took it to a conference sans edits and put out feelers. My feedback was favorable (the feedback I did get) but I was made aware of the need to do some editing.

After reading a few books on writing, like Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne & King (and feeling appropriately horrified that my first draft was ever let out of its cage), I decided to put the novel through a rigorous edit-walkaway-read program until it was as good as I could get it.

I’ve since cut and added chapters, fixed point of view, (moved on to the next book), beefed up setting, chopped narration, (plotted four more books), strengthened conflict, deepened characterization (wait, we’re still working on that one).

Needless to say, summer is on the throne in the world where my first novel exists. Though I dubbed my last edit the final draft, the need to re-read it one last time whooshes over me like a dry gale. The knowledge that I will most likely find something else to tweak-especially since I’m still reading writing books and constantly learning more-saps my strength and leaves me parched.

The temptation is there to move on and pour all of my energy into book two and the other projects fueling my enthusiasm. After all, don’t some of the best in this business have one, or two, or even five novels that have never seen the light of day?

But deep down I know that’s the oppression of the summer season whispering to me. The book has been given diligent attention-been tuned with skill and precision-but I haven’t given it its chance.

Some books may never be publish worthy, but that can’t be known for sure if they’ve been retired before their season. Unless they’ve weathered pitches and submissions, edits based on feedback, and, yes, sufficient rejections, then summer will have to wait its turn.

Because the story the dry season is trying to burn, may be the tale with the richest fruit.

Telena Tanara Contreras is a writer of Contemporary Women’s Fiction with romance and suspense elements. She is a member of ACFW, CWG, and CWOW, and a contributing author to Thriving Family. She lives in Arizona with her family and is currently writing her second novel. Visit her website at www.tanaramccauley.com.

Food Fight!

ACFW — Wed, 08 May 2013 08:33:56 +0000

by Rachel Hauck

Boy, doesn’t that title just make you sit up and take notice. I woke up thinking about this today.

Food. Writing. Diet Coke. Writing. Chips. Writing. Diet Coke. Writing. Tea. Writing. Water. Water. Water. To undo the chips and Diet Coke, of course.

Writing.

After returning from a fantastic writer’s retreat, I resolved to cut back on this, do a little more of that…

But a few months later, I can feel myself, see myself, slipping into old habits.

Some of it is just determination. Any kind of discipline requires inspiration followed by a boat load of determination.
But to keep going, we need motivation.

Motivation comes from little successes. Big successes. Encouragement. More inspiration. A notch up on the determination.

But it also requires resolve in our emotions. To just do it! And this is where a lot of writers, including me, lose the wind in our sails.

As I’m plowing through the final scenes of my latest story, cranking out new dialog and prose, I can feel myself emptying out. I’m a bit distracted. My emotions are thinning.

But I’m good… got some energy. The end is nigh. Light at the end-o-the-tunnel is bright and beckoning.

But suddenly, I want… food!

Hey, Stephen King had an affinity for cocaine! I’m not begrudging those munchy moments.

I said to Hubby one day, “Now I know why writers struggle with their weight. We sit all day, then we feed our emptied out emotions with yummo food.”

Listen, when my heroine is on the brink of heart break as my hero faces the jowls of a fire eating dragon, a baby carrot snack just ain’t going to cut it. I need cake!

(Isn’t cake such a fun word? Ca-ke!)

But least we all become over indulged, there are some things I think we can do to change any bad eating habits.

1. Really boost your spiritual life with prayer. Even a bit of fasting. Get filled with the spirit, not food. Sometimes I take a break just to pray. I pray in the spirit, sit at the piano and worship or put on good worship music – which most assuredly aids my fiction-drained emotions. So, if you’re not feeding yourself well spiritually, let that be your first priority.

2. Find good snacks that you like. Buy 100 calorie packs so you can track your intake easier. Even better, go with high protein diet and minimize the carbs.

3. Find veggies and fruit you like. I’m not a big carrot person but I love celery with peanut butter or cream cheese. I track the calories so I don’t ruin a low cal snack with a big cal spread. So easy on the peanut butter but it is a great mid afternoon protein boost. I like radishes. They have a nice bit and crunch to them. I like apples and oranges. So, find veggies and fruits that works for you. Fruit is great for the sweet tooth, too.

4. Take a few minutes to measure your food. I bought a cheap scale at the grocery store and when I buy meat, I measure it out into 4 oz sections. I put them in freezer bags. Those portions become my weekday lunch. I sauté or brown the meat, throw in a fresh onion, tomato, spinach and mushrooms, add some spices and YUMMO.

5. Keep at it. I am pretty good at not eating after lunch until dinner. But I had to develop a habit. Instead of eating, I take the dog for a walk around the block.

6. Don’t eat at your work station. Once I broke that habit, it became real easy to resist small temptations. I didn’t want to break my writing streak to run downstairs for a snack. Not worth it.

7. Exercise. Believe it or not, exercise helps the creative process. I’ve gotten plenty of good plot ideas in the middle of a spin class. There are so many exercise options. DVDs, walking, treadmill, elliptical, swimming, yoga… Don’t let any physical or time limitations keep you from some form of exercise.

8. Believe you can do it.

Writing is hard enough without adding health issues. We can be healthy writers. Be blessed!

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, best selling author. She is past president of ACFW and now serves on the Executive Board. Rachel is also a writing teach and craft coach, and mentor. She is the book therapist for My Book Therapy.Com.

What was the Question?

ACFW — Tue, 07 May 2013 08:33:30 +0000

by Beth K. Vogt

“I start with a question. Then try to answer it.” – Mary Lee Settle (1918-2005), author

The best way to start a novel is with an Inciting Incident, right? The event that changes the main character’s life – shoves them out of their normal world – and sends them on a journey.

But there’s something that a good story needs before an Inciting Incident: the Story Question. I first learned the importance of the Story Question from My Book Therapy, best-selling author Susan May Warren’s coaching community for writers. The Story Question asks a question of the heart and mind – the great “what if?” It functions like fuel for your car – the Story Question keeps your story running. If you lose sight of your Story Question, you lose the focus of your story.

How do your discover your novel’s Story Question? Ask yourself these four questions:

1. Why does your story matter to you? (If your story doesn’t matter to you, it won’t matter to your readers.)

2. What is your story’s theme? (Theme = overall idea of a book. Distill it down to one word: forgiveness, honesty, trust).

3. What is your hero/heroine learning about the theme?

4. What do you want to say about the theme through your characters?

Here’s how I discovered the Story Question for my upcoming release, Catch a Falling Star:

1. Catch a Falling Star matters to me because I’ve dealt with life not going according to plan and had to learn how to handle disappointments.

2. The story’s theme is trust – specifically learning to trust God when life doesn’t turn out the way we want it to go.

3. My hero and heroine both learn that God’s plans are better – even when their hopes are disappointed/delayed.

4. As the author of Catch a Falling Star, I am showing that trusting God is a choice. Sometimes we have to let go of our dreams to embrace the life God has waiting for us.

By answering these questions I decided that my novel’s Story Question is:

What if life doesn’t go according to plan? Do you keep pushing for Plan A? Do you pull Plan B out of your back pocket? Do you settle? And where does God fit in all of this?

If you’re just starting your work-in-progress (WIP), take the time to think through your Story Question before starting to write any scenes. Already started your WIP? Hit PAUSE. Then answer the four questions and determine your Story Question before you go any farther in your story.

Once you’ve determined your Story Question, write it out and post it over your computer so you see it when you’re writing. That way, you never lose sight of what you’re aiming for as an author: Using your characters to answer your Story Question.

What Story Question are you trying to answer in your manuscript?

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best is often behind the doors marked “Never.” Despite being a nonfiction writer and editor who said she’d never write fiction, Beth’s second inspirational contemporary romance novel, Catch a Falling Star, releases May 2013 from Howard Books. Beth is also the Skills Coach for My Book Therapy (MBT), best-selling author Susan May Warren’s writing community.

Social Media Isn’t Just about Networking

ACFW — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:33:50 +0000

by Laurie Alice Eakes

I have no scientific or statistical data to backup what I’m about to proclaim and explain. What I have is personal experience and three years of observation.

Four years ago, I joined Facebook. A year ago, I joined Twitter. Somewhere in there I signed up for Linkedin and Goodreads and probably other social media sites I’ve forgotten about. It is the right thing to do as an author. Promote. Promote. Promote. Yet promoting oneself and thus one’s books is not about making announcements of one’s releases, signings, accolades, etc.

Duh, you say to me? Of course it’s not.

Perhaps I’m slow. Perhaps I only heard part of the conversation, the part that said one must join all these social media sites to network and promote. Whatever the reason, only recently have I come to realize that Facebook and Twitter have a far more important role than the rather cold, calculating business aspect of networking.

Social Media is about relationships.

When I say relationships, I don’t mean those cold, calculating business relationships of quid pro quo-you do something for me; I do something for you. I’m talking about people with whom you connect on a personal level. The networking follows.

When figuring out how Facebook worked, what the community was all about, back when I personally had met every one of my friends, I took note of their status reports. They posted a quotation, a Bible Verse, an inspirational saying. They told me what they were having for dinner, the amusing or concerning things their children did, their struggles with family, career, life. Sometimes they received lots of responses, more often, the reactions were mediocre. The ones who got the most responses asked a question and got interaction going.

Wanting to see if my theory was right, I started to post different statuses. Yes, the questions tended to get the most reactions from friends. Face it, we like giving our opinions. And I liked hearing them. I liked hearing even those with which I disagreed. I started responding.

That’s when the light began to dawn on me. Facebook-and now Twitter-are not just about saying things like, “I sold another book.” It’s a great place to do it, and the congratulations and “likes” pour in. Very fun and heart-warming to an author.

The true difference between vague networking connections and relationships began when I interacted on my statuses and those of others, started conversations with the commenter’s. It’s all highly time-consuming, yet ultimately satisfying, for from these people whose “friend” requests I accepted, I have rediscovered old friends. I have discovered new friends, and, for those who remain acquaintances, they are more to me than names on a page. I cry when their kittens die, and laugh over their children’s antics. And I am more likely to go to the blog, pick up a book by, or vote in a pole for a fellow author who has taken the time to interact and build a relationship rather than simply make announcements.

My conclusion: Although social media is a good way to network with industry professionals, learn things, get one’s name out into the cyber world, in the end, the relationships you build by taking a few extra seconds to pay attention to those same connections is far more valuable.

“Eakes has a charming way of making her novels come to life without being over the top,” writes Romantic times of bestselling, award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes. Since she lay in bed as a child telling herself stories, she has fulfilled her dream of becoming a published author. with the release of Choices of the Heart, The Midwives #3, she sees her twelfth book published, in addition to two novellas with more novels and novellas releasing over the next three years. Laurie lives in Texas with her husband, dogs, and cats, where she enjoys long walks, rainy days, and knitting-rather badly. Find Laurie Alice on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LaurieAEakes.

Keeping the Reader in Mind

ACFW — Sun, 05 May 2013 08:33:34 +0000

by Ruth A. Douthitt

I teach writing to middle grade students here in Phoenix, and am amazed at their creativity when it comes to writing stories.

As a writing teacher, I use a plotting diagram as well as an outline. I also remind my students to keep me, the reader, in mind as they write. Now I have 70 stories to read and grade by mid-May. What was I thinking?

Being a writer is fun and I can’t contain my enthusiasm for it inside my classroom. This type of assignment might result in a lot of work for me, but, in the end, the workload is worth it. I get to see inside my students’ heads and assess how they develop obstacles for their protagonist to overcome as well as how they will resolve the problem in the story. They reveal to me a little bit about themselves in their work.

Think back to your own work. Do you keep your readers in mind when you write? Do you outline or plot out your story or are you a “seat-of-the-pants” person? For me, the plot diagram is essential. I am a visual person and I must “see” the story before it is written. Plotting it out allows for me to place obstacles in the rising action of the story. I can step back and see if I am attacking my protagonist with enough problems to cause my readers to cheer them on.

Using a plotting diagram helps me see that inciting incident that happens at the end of Act I. You know the one: The incident that will forever change my protagonist’s life. And, finally, plotting out the story helps me evaluate the resolution. Will my readers be satisfied with the ending? Or disappointed?

When a person reads your work, can they see inside your head? Can they get a picture of who you are? Or do you like to be far removed from your stories? Either way, it’s fun for the reader.

In another assignment, I asked my students to write a letter to their favorite author. As a result, I received some fan mail! It’s been fun reading their questions for me and the other authors. I can see how our stories left our readers wanting to know more about us.

That’s why it is imperative we keep the reader in mind when we write. I am in the middle of my Dragon Forest trilogy and will be starting book 3 this summer. I can’t help but keep the reader in mind when I write because I have to answer so many questions that were raised in the previous books. This final book has to bring everything to completion. That’s the challenge. That’s the fun part of writing!

As I instructed my students to keep me, the reader, in mind, I also instruct myself to do the same.

By writing for them, we make it worth the reader’s time to pick up our books and join our adventure.

Author, Ruth A. Douthitt, lives in Phoenix, AZ. In 2004, she completed The Dragon Forest which was picked up by OakTara Publishing in 2008 and released in April 2011. Ruth is currently revising book 2 for OakTara and will begin writing book 3 of the trilogy this summer.

When is Fiction Not Fiction

ACFW — Sat, 04 May 2013 11:33:55 +0000

by Charlotte Snead

His Brother’s Wife, published in October 2012 by Oak Tara, springs from the heart of one who has walked the halls of Walter Reed and seen our brave warriors. The dry places where they fought are only one battlefield. The daily war for month after month, even year after year, to regain their ability to walk, to function, to be husbands and fathers again, is a longer struggle, and a more painful one. I held the elevator for them, thanked them for their service, and looked into their eyes and saw the pride, the determination. Lot Sixty is a real place at Arlington National Cemetery, and too many of my son’s fallen comrades lie there. God rest their souls.

My father was a career officer, my son is a career officer, and our first daughter was five months old when my husband returned from Viet Nam. The novel is fiction, the emotions are not-they are all too real. Angie Carter is not a “real” person, but she walks the halls of every military rehabilitation hospital in the country.

After writing my first novel, people would come up to me and ask, “How is Missy doing. Did she ever marry? Did she ever see the baby she gave up for adoption? Was she happy?” And they were shocked when I told them she was a figment of my imagination-how could she be? They loved her. My upcoming four-book series starts where my first book left off and picks up her story. Those who love Missy will be happy to see her a wife and mother, a successful business woman, and her father back home, “Recovered and Free,” to quote the title of a song her brother wrote to proclaim God’s work in his father and himself, which is the title of the first book in the upcoming series. Her growth as a Christian musician continues throughout the series.

When fans want more of my characters and talk about them like they are old friends, that means they are believable creations. And it was a reader who told me she wanted more about Angie and Jonathan’s twin daughters that started the wheels churning for a sequel to His Brother’s Wife, Invisible Wounds, which shines the spotlight on those who face PTSD and the power of the love of families who suffer with them.

Realistic fiction springs from life experiences. Having worked in pregnancy care since 1966 when I was a young social worker with a children’s agency in New Orleans, and later in the Central West Virginia Center for Pregnancy Care, founded in 1985, I know these girls. No, Missy isn’t a “real” person, nor are the girls at Hope House, but the conversations are-real girls facing similar situations: rape, abuse, rejection, careless boyfriends, and angry, disappointed, and heartbroken parents. The adoptive parents, eager, fearful, incredibly blessed, are also composites of those encountered in this ministry.

Fiction? Yes. True? Yes. You decide.

Charlotte Snead graduated from Duke university and earned a Masters in Social Work at the University of North Carolina. A social worker, wife, mother (of 5,+ foster teenagers), and mentor for a Mothers of Preschoolers group, she is a keen observer of people. Her Oak Tara editor calls her work “edgy.”

Dealing with Discouragement

ACFW — Fri, 03 May 2013 08:33:38 +0000

by Ian Acheson

Jenny* was running late. She grabbed the first seat inside the door, and acknowledged the teacher standing on the opposite side of the room. He welcomed her, unfazed by being interrupted.

We were sharing our homework. A 250-word piece on “Daring to Kick the Universe”.

We soon got around to Jenny. She prefaced her work by sharing that she’d experienced her first troll on her blog that afternoon. We invited her to tell us more about how she felt.

Shock, anger, and frustration reflected in Jenny’s response. I could relate having only the day before read a very unflattering review of Angelguard. It didn’t matter that I had a bunch of other really flattering ones; this one review had bugged me for a day or so.

Just like Jenny, I’m new to this type of negativity. She confessed what I too had contemplated: responding with a curt reply. Neither of us did.

It riled us and we didn’t know what to do with the negative emotion it produced.

“You’re going to have develop a thick skin,”

“Don’t worry about it, its’ blah blah, blah,”

“Don’t these people have something more interesting in their lives than to openly criticise someone’s work.”

Encouragers expressed all of these statements and more. Our teacher reiterated the over-sensitive nature creative types typically have: they put their work out into the world without any protection hoping and praying it will be (and only) well received. But the well-wishers only served to diminish the flames, not extinguish them.

A few days later I read a few more such reviews and understood why many creative types refuse to read reviews. Reading reviews of your own work isn’t for everyone and that’s okay.

My mind, as it can do, spiralled into a pit where I became fearful of what those closest to me would think having recently given them a copy of the book.

I recalled the advice I gave Jenny: don’t let the negative emotions linger for long. Discouragement can quickly turn into a little seed of bitterness.

As I put my head on my pillow later that night I turned to the Lord. I sensed the question, “Is this that important?”

“No,” I responded.

“Then let it go. The only one holding onto it is you.”

So I let it go.

And prayed for all those who’d reviewed Angelguard, especially those whose reviews were negative. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5-7, says we should “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”(5:44). I’ve always found this douses the fire of discouragement in my heart.

The enemy is intentional in his strategies to unsettle us. Discouragement is one of his key weapons.

What strategies have worked effectively for you when you’re feeling discouraged?

(*Jenny is a pseudonym for one of my creative writing classmates.)

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Sydney, Australia. Ian’s first novel, Angelguard, is now available in the USA, Canada and UK. Visit Ian at his website and on his author Facebook page.