Friday, June 29, 2018

Five Ways to Boost Your Writing Career by Cindy Patterson

Cindy Patterson

I’m so honored and excited to be here today. Thank you, Dawn, for inviting me.

As I thought about what to write, my mind took me in all different directions, but I settled on how to make this the best writing year yet. I don’t know about you, but I need a boost. And what a perfect time!! My birthday's tomorrow :)



Five Easy Ways to Boost Your Writing Career


ONE

Write every day. The name of this site says it perfectly. “SERIOUSLY WRITE”

If you take time to write every day, you'll get better. Find a routine and stick with it. Just imagine ...  500 words a day, 5 days a week equals= 2,500 words a week. If you do this for 52 weeks you'll write 130,000 words a year!! WHY AM I NOT ALREADY DOING THIS??



TWO

Read every day. There's so much inspiration in reading. Writers definitely need to read books on improving our writing. But do you read other writers’ fiction while working on a project?

Some would say no, but I find it stimulates my brain in different settings, pacing, and plotting. It encourages me to evaluate my work with a sharper eye. Experiencing different writers’ techniques also makes me question am I doing the best I can do. And if I'm in a writer’s block, reading a few chapters of another book helps tremendously.



THREE

Take a notebook with you everywhere. Write down your favorite words, books, describe your favorite places. Here’s a sample of my some of my favorite things...

1~Hugs and kisses from my babies
2~Soft puppy fur beneath my fingers
3~A movie with a really good story that brings me to tears
4~God’s Holy Word and how it blesses every part of my life
5~Sprays of pink across the sky, late in the afternoon
6~A beautiful book cover
7~The gentle touch of love when my husband takes my hand
8~Peppermint ... anything with peppermint. I love that stuff!
9~Rainy days, especially when I don’t have anything planned
10~My hot cup of coffee every morning
11~The strength of both my sons
12~The girliness of my daughter
13~The freedom to worship my Lord and Savior, Jesus
14~That God has a plan for me
15~My huge family who I love to pieces



FOUR

Always keep a pen with you. Without a pen, number three is useless. And use that pen to edit the mess out of that manuscript.

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is … the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

—Mark Twain



FIVE

Don’t settle on one style. Try something new. Read a genre you’ve never read. This can lead to problems. Especially when great ideas cause a lot of work. This quote says it all.


“Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now.”

—Annie Dillard


Thank you for stopping by and may God bless you in all your journeys, whatever they may be.

Cindy






FORBIDDEN LOVE

Paul Fischer's a plain man with big dreams and an even bigger problem—gaining his uncle's approval. He's just settled on how to accomplish that while maintaining loyalty to his family and heritage, when a beautiful Englischer shows up threatening to defeat all his efforts.

A romantic relationship with Rachel is forbidden and he soon discovers it will take more than simply guarding his heart. The more time he spends with her, the more he wants to overcome every obstacle that's keeping them apart.

Rachel Adam’s home was once filled with happiness. It now occupies only painful memories. Even still, she never dreamed she'd have to leave Florida. She’s determined to return, until an unlikely attraction brightens her outlook. Drawn to Paul like a butterfly to a flower, she begins to imagine a future in Paradise. A future very different from her life-long plans. A future only Paul has the power to rewrite ... unless a devious plot destroys it first.

Chasing Paradise is a story rich in emotion that beautifully portrays love and loss and confronts the difficult question—How far would you go to protect the one you love?




Cindy Patterson is the award-winning author of Broken Butterfly and Chasing Paradise. She believes in life-changing fiction and happily-ever-afters that start with Jesus. Her passions include Jesus, her husband, children and her family. She’s an ordinary girl wanting to do extraordinary things for Christ. In her stories, she loves to give glimpses of how God can use brokenness and make them whole. She reads a lot, drinks too much coffee, and wishes she had more time to write. She loves to connect with her readers.

Chasing Paradise Trailer: https://youtu.be/a0Rmq8Z_-ZE