Keep the Faith by Shannon Redmon

The End…Two words that carry a multitude of meanings. 

When a writer completes a story, these two words bring joy and satisfaction. When a chaotic year comes to a close, these two words signify relief and hope for a better tomorrow. 

Many of us look forward to 2020 coming to an end. But when these two words are included in a sweet goodbye to our very own Seriously Write Blog, sadness resounds and reflection begins. 

These two words may conclude the end of our blog, but the writers, contributors and readers will continue forward. Our call to write and read is still clear. Instead of an ending, let this be a new chapter in our lives, an open door, a new mission from God. He’s freed up time for us to do something new. 

And who doesn’t love something new? 

Especially at Christmas. 😊 🎄

I resolve to... The 2016 Edition

AUTHOR/EDITOR SANDRA D. BRICKER

Financial guru Suze Orman once said, “No one’s ever achieved financial fitness with a January resolution that’s abandoned by February.” 

This is true of writing a novel as well.

How many New Year’s Eves have you resolved to get serious about writing in the new year? Promised yourself 80k+ solid words of genius by next December’s end? How many consecutive January 2^nds have you greeted by plopping down in front of your computer with all your good intentions to fuel you forward … only to end up wasting several hours on Pinterest and Facebook?

Whether you’re trying to write full-time or – like me when I started out – you’re trying to balance some degree of creativity with a demanding day job, writing time is a precious commodity, and using it well is imperative. Here’s what I (finally) learned after too many good-intentioned New Year’s promises to myself: There’s only one hyper-focused resolution that will truly make a dent in the desired Big Picture outcome.

I resolve to overcome the blockages.

One important fact to wrap your brain around – despite the fact that you might not want to – is that writer’s block is often self-imposed.

I know. We don’t want to admit this, but writers very often talk themselves into believing they simply can’t find The Zone. And sharing this burden with others adds credence to the challenges of the creative life. “Woe is me. No matter how hard I try, the words just won’t come!”

But … Yes. THEY WILL.

If you believe Scripture the way I do, there’s an important key in Proverbs 18:21:  “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”  So your first line of defense is already within you. Stop telling yourself (and others) that the words won’t come.

Speak and think LIFE to your writing goals instead of death.

Need more to get you started? Here’s a few additional tips. At first blush, you won’t like them. But it’s a new year with a whole new start. How about giving them a try, just for kicks?

Eliminate distractions. Don’t even open the browser that bridges the gap between your writing space and the internet. Think of yourself like an alcoholic avoiding the open door of the corner bar at all costs. When you sit down to write, open a Word document. Period. Don’t even access the online Thesaurus … Google, for the purposes of “research,” of course … Facebook, for a quick break from the very hard task before you … Gmail to check and see if that elusive publisher has finally come to their senses and offered a contract – on the book you haven’t yet written. All of those things can be done later. After you’ve spent sixty (or ninety!) uninterrupted minutes putting words on the page.

Edit later. Don’t worry about the perfection of each word, the effective turn of phrase, the sheer beauty of the language landscape you’re designing that will surely earn you accolades in the publishing community. Come to terms, instead, with Hemingway’s realization that “the first draft of anything is $#!+” and reminding yourself that no one ever has to see your initial draft except you. Just get the words on the page. In the same way an artist can’t rework a blank canvas before him or a musician can’t perfect the melody of what she hasn’t composed, we writers can’t raise the bar on what we haven’t actually written.

Choose your distractions. Now that you’ve sweated blood over that keyboard and completed a few pages or a chapter, it’s only human to require a change of pace, right? A reward for all the hard brainwork! Warning: Do NOT use that afterglow time to cruise the internet; that’s what early mornings and late nights are for. Instead, go for a walk; take a bath; listen to some favorite music; have lunch with a girlfriend. Do something that whisks you safely away from the computer and social media because – the secret they never tell you up front – that’s the sweet spot where your creativity will truly recharge.

[Note: This is not the time to retreat to your reading nook with something from your to-be-read pile. The danger there is the temptation for comparison. Save your TBR pile for in-between treats rewarding finished projects!]

So there you have it. As you begin your bright, shiny new year, try not to bog yourself down in pretty resolutions dressed in the bling of generalizations you have no real chance at mastering. After all, I resolve to finish my novel this year gives you a Grand Canyon of 52 weeks in which to procrastinate, delay, and craft surprisingly realistic excuses. However, I resolve to take daily steps toward finishing my novel this year fences you into actually sitting in the chair, firing up a Word document, and focusing on the actual telling of the story you’re compelled to tell.

Good luck! Here’s a sip of virtual champagne (non-alcoholic, of course) lifted high in a toast to the baby steps and to each chapter you complete through the tenacity and deliberate focus it takes to be called Writer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SANDRA D. BRICKER was an entertainment publicist in Los Angeles for 15+ years where she attended school to learn screenwriting and eventually taught the craft for several semesters. When she put Hollywood in the rear view mirror and headed across the country to take care of her mom until she passed away, she traded her scripts for books, and a best-selling, award-winning author of Live-Out-Loud fiction for the inspirational market was born. Sandie is best known for her Another Emma Rae Creation and Jessie Stanton series for Abingdon Press, and she was also recently named ACFW’s Editor of the Year for her work as managing editor of Bling!, an edgy romance imprint for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. As an ovarian cancer survivor, Sandie also gears time and effort toward raising awareness and funds for research, diagnostics and a cure.  

HOW TO CONNECT WITH SANDIE:

Author website

Latest book website

Twitter

Author Facebook

Bling! Romance Facebook

Trying New Things by Terri Weldon

Terri Weldon

It may be Thursday, but it isn’t my usual Thursday so I hope you’ll give me a minute to get settled in. Thanks to Dora for switching weeks with me, when I had some unexpected events crop up. Hmm, maybe that’s where I came up with the idea for today’s post.

Most authors, myself included, have a specific genre we like to write. Suspense is my favorite genre and it is the publishing path I’m pursuing. Almost all the ideas for stories that pop into my head are suspense. Now, I’m not sure what that says about me, but since I know plenty of other normal suspense authors I’m not going to worry. When I stop to think about it, my penchant for suspense shouldn’t surprise me. I’ve long been a reader of suspense novels and I love television shows that are police procedural dramas. Sherlock Holmes is playing in the background while I write this post.

However, my published Christmas novella is a lighthearted contemporary romance. I had a blast writing it and I’d love to do more, time allowing. Romance has been a staple in my library for years. Christmas books, especially novellas are some of my favorite reads. Plus, my all-time favorite movie is Pillow Talk. Definitely a romantic comedy.

But lately I’ve had a yen to write something totally off the wall – for me. Speculative fiction. That’s what I really want to discuss with you guys today. I’ve read speculative fiction, but it isn’t one of my favorite genres to read. Help me out, how did the idea pop into my head? How in the world would I go about writing a speculative fiction book? Right now I don’t even have a story idea. I just have this niggling inside me that says it would be fun to try. A few thousand words into the story and that feeling may well change! As much fun as it sounds, it also sounds off the wall and a little scary. Is this my idea or God’s plan? If the desire to write this book is from the Lord, I believe He will provide the idea.

How about you? Have you ever desired or felt called to write something totally different? Did you do it? Please let me know if you have and how it worked out.

Purchase Link

****

Misty Winslow is determined to find her prince, and she meets the man of her dreams through an Internet dating service. Or is he, because the new dentist in town also sets her heart aflutter.

It's love at first sight for Tyler Davenport, but before he can finish his first root canal, Misty is involved in an exclusive online romance with Wes99—Tyler’s online persona. How can he tell her he’s the man she’s been waiting to meet, and how rational is it for him to be jealous of Wes99! Soon Tyler's pulling out all the stops to woo Misty.

As Christmas approaches, Wes99 and Tyler both ask her to meet them under the mistletoe. Which man will she choose?

Terri is a lead analyst by day and an author by night. She enjoys gardening, reading, and playing in the hand bell choir. One of her favorite pastimes is volunteering as the librarian at her church. It allows her to shop for books and spend someone else’s money! Plus, she has the great joy of introducing people to Christian fiction.

She lives with her family in Oklahoma. Terri has three dogs – a lovable mutt and two adorable Westies.

Terri is a member of ACFW and OCFW, a local chapter of ACFW. Her dream of becoming a published novelist came true in November 2013 when Mistletoe Magic, released from White Rose Publishing. To learn more about Terri visit her website at www.TerriWeldon.com.

Rejection by Terri Weldon

Terri Weldon

An author’s life is tough. We plot, work, and pour our hearts out onto the page. Still, we often face the sting of rejection. I’ll tell you something that I’d flat prefer to keep to myself. I’ve been rejected more times this year than any other in my writing journey.

I’ve heard many authors say you get used to it or you develop a tough skin. Both of those statements are true – in a sense. Don’t get me wrong, I had my pity party after every rejection. Each time I gave myself the usual pep talk, listened to friends as they tried to boost my morale, and forged ahead to the next project. However, one “thanks, but no thanks” hit me particularly hard. My pity party lasted a little longer than normal and it took an entire afternoon off work commiserating with friends to move forward. Not to mention all the conversations I put my longsuffering sister through. Thankfully I have a great support system, which for an author, is invaluable.

I’ve given up the pity party circuit (I hope) and now I’m working on honing my craft. Looking at the invaluable feedback I received from editors and trying to make sure I don’t make those same mistakes again. Will I succeed? I hope so, but I’m sure I’ll have my relapses. And I’m sure the good Lord had a reason I’ve walked this path. Part of it I’m beginning to understand and part of it I may never understand. That part I’ll just take on faith, because regardless of how I feel, when or what I understand, His ways are far better than my ways.

Rejection is part of the journey. The hard part. I may not like it, but I can accept it. Still, I could use a leg up, so how about sharing with me. Have you ever been rejected? If not, I applaud you. If so, how did you handle it?

****

Purchase Link

Misty Winslow is determined to find her prince, and she meets the man of her dreams through an Internet dating service. Or is he, because the new dentist in town also sets her heart aflutter.

It's love at first sight for Tyler Davenport, but before he can finish his first root canal, Misty is involved in an exclusive online romance with Wes99—Tyler’s online persona. How can he tell her he’s the man she’s been waiting to meet, and how rational is it for him to be jealous of Wes99! Soon Tyler's pulling out all the stops to woo Misty.

As Christmas approaches, Wes99 and Tyler both ask her to meet them under the mistletoe. Which man will she choose?

Terri is a lead analyst by day and an author by night. She enjoys gardening, reading, and playing in the hand bell choir. One of her favorite pastimes is volunteering as the librarian at her church. It allows her to shop for books and spend someone else’s money! Plus, she has the great joy of introducing people to Christian fiction.
She lives with her family in Oklahoma. Terri has three dogs – a lovable mutt and two adorable Westies.

Terri is a member of ACFW and OCFW, a local chapter of ACFW. Her dream of becoming a published novelist came true in November 2013 when Mistletoe Magic, released from White Rose Publishing. To learn more about Terri visit her website at www.TerriWeldon.com.

The Tools of Your Trade by Susan Tuttle

Susan Tuttle

This is our last post from David and Goliath. We’ve hung out here for my past two posts, starting with “Tune Out and Turn Away”, which reminded us to listen only to the voice of God, no one else’s. Then we moved on to “Recount, Recall, and Apply”, noting how we must stand firm in our faith and what God has called us to do.

Today we’re going to talk about the tools God has equipped us with. We rejoin David as he prepares to go to battle. He hasn’t listened to the discouragement coming from his peer group or his king…rather he listened to his King. Nothing to this point detoured him from getting to where God called him. And now, even Saul is on board with David going after Goliath. In fact, Saul even helps him. Take a look:

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”

Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:38-40

Sounds great, doesn’t it? Here is David’s king, a man who is a battle-expert himself, readying David for war. Saul knows his stuff! David is lucky to have him pass on any help he can.

Except, Saul wasn’t handing out pointers, he was turning David into a Mini-Me, placing his own clothes onto David, and those clothes didn’t fit. Rather than a help, they became an impediment because they were meant for Saul, not David.

I see this in the writing industry often. People scramble around to fit into the current hot genre simply to be published—but that may not be where God is calling you. I also watch as young writers allow more experienced writers to mold their voices into Mini-Me’s rather than maintaining the unique voice God gave them.

Please don’t get me wrong, God may very well call you from writing contemporary to speculative, or maybe he’s gifted you with the ability to do both. And I’m by no means downplaying the role of mentors in our lives, because we all need them to grow. What I am saying, however, is you must be sure that everything you approach is with the covering God has given you. If something new you’re trying doesn’t feel like it fits, there just might be a reason. Pause and pray, walk around in those new clothes for a moment…still feel uncomfortable? Then perhaps they aren’t for you.

For David, this meant shedding the armor of Saul and picking back up his staff, sling, and shepherd’s bag and trusting that God would use those simple measures to do the impossible. He didn’t need the armor of another warrior, God produced a warrior with the tools he’d already grown in David. Had David tried to use another’s, he wouldn’t have succeeded.

Bottom line? God created us with unique talents and voices—and he wants us to use them. Not to put on anyone else’s clothes because that’s the way it’s been done before or what’s currently working. He gave you what you need, and he’s training you in how to use those tools, (look back at 1 Samuel 17: 34-36 and see how David had been trained!) so don’t pick up anyone else’s instruments.

Don’t try to model yourself after anyone but God and who he created you to be. The tools he gives are all you’ll ever need to walk the path he’s placed you on.

****

About Susan:

Susan Tuttle is a homeschooling mom of three who is crazy about coffee, dark chocolate, and words—both reading and writing them. Combine that love of words with her passion for leading women to a life-changing encounter with Christ, and you’ll find her crafting Inspirational Contemporary Romance stories laced with humor, love, and healing transformations. When not cheering on her Ironman hubby, chasing the family dog, or tackling complex math problems to teach her kids (yes, even the third grader), you can catch Susan at her blog, Steps.

It's Never Too Late by Dora Hiers

Dora Hiers

When it comes to time, I'm a firm believer that most people fall into two different categories:

those who are usually a few minutes early

That would be me. I'm the one sitting patiently at the airplane gate an hour before the plane is due to board. 

and those who are perpetually running late 

Hubby fits in this category. You know the type. He's the guy standing in the Starbucks line as the airline announces the last call for a boarding flight.

My sweet hubby

He doesn't just arrive late, he also includes some type of dramatic announcement of his presence, usually a booming, "Well, well, well." Those of us who like to keep a low profile, well, we've learned to adjust or duck our heads in embarrassment, just accepting his energetic personality as one of the things we love about him. Can you see that mischievous glint sparkling from his eyes? >

What about when it comes to our writing? 
Do you worry that you'll be too late in achieving your dream, of holding your story in your hands, of seeing your baby in print?

Maybe you crested the "hill" more years ago than you care to admit, and you've been knocking on the publishing door for decades. Hundreds of rejection letters are crammed into the deepest, darkest hole in your closet. Or maybe the agent you've been hoping to land has just turned you down for the fourth time. Wherever you're at, take hope in God's promise:

To everything there is a season,

A time for every purpose under heaven:

Eccl 3:1, NKJV

We've all endured traumatic events at some point in our lives. Maybe it was a divorce, a tragic accident, a serious illness, or the death of a loved one. Whatever the circumstances, it shattered our perspective, made us lose our grip on reality for a time. It's only later, when we look back, that we realize something good came out of it, that God weaved those painful threads into a glorious tapestry as only He can do. 

Trust Him with your writing dream. He has a purpose, a plan, and He will reveal all of it in His time.

You see, God's timing is always perfect, never too late and never too early. Rest in that, stop fretting, release the stress and worry over not being published back to Him, and leave it there.

No matter where you're at on your particular writing journey, take time to treasure the friendships He's placed in your path, to savor the actual gift of writing for writing's sake. Cherish Him because He is enough.

Where are you on your writing journey?

Do you worry about the timing?

Journey's Edge
Purchase Link

A Routine Audit? Hardly.
Red flags—including some goon who's following her—raise McKinley Frasier's suspicions that numbers don't add up at the insurance firm. When someone tries to snatch McKinley's daughter from school, she turns to police officer and ex-fiance, Renner Crossman—the cop who walked out on her a month before their wedding. But Renner's not the same guy who broke her heart ten years ago. He calls himself a "new man." She trusts the new Renner with her daughter's safety...but what about her heart?

Dora Hiers is a multi-published author of Heart Racing, God-Gracing romances. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Treasurer for ACFW-Charlotte Chapter. Connect with her here on Seriously Write, her personal blog, Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

Library Events: What's good, what's bad, what works, what doesn't. By Myra Johnson

Myra Johnson

Dora here, waving from somewhere in Norway where Hubby and I are enjoying a cruise. Yay! My sweet friend, Myra Johnson, agreed to step in for me today with a fabulous post on library events. It's a bit longer than our usual, but there's some great stuff in here, so fill up a bigger mug with coffee and settle back for an extra minute. It's worth it! Myra, welcome to Seriously Write! 

First of all, my thanks to Dora Hiers for inviting me to be your guest today to share some of my experiences with author events at public libraries.

Let me just state for the record that I am not an “out there” kind of person. I would much rather sit at home in my comfy writing chair with my nifty adjustable laptop desk with its built-in cooling fan and my trusty MacBook Pro open to my work-in-progress.

But let’s face it. Writing isn’t just about writing. We want readers. Faithful readers. Readers who tell their friends what great writers we are so their family and friends will buy our books!

And that leads us to the dreaded word promotion, which in turns brings us to one of the primary methods writers use to promote their books.

[Cue scary music here.]

PUBLIC SPEAKING!!!!!!!!

When I first dreamed of becoming a published novelist, it never occurred to me that I’d eventually be called upon to speak in front of various sized groups whose interest varied from “You are beyond fascinating!” to “Where’s the nearest exit?” 

My first few post-publication speaking gigs were for church gatherings or my local writers group, where I knew I’d be among friends. But when you have no idea whom you’ll be addressing--much less how friendly and open-minded they’ll be--it’s a lot different.

It also makes a difference whether getting up in front of an audience comes naturally to you. For some authors--the extroverts among us--public speaking is a breeze. Others, like introverted moi, need some encouragement.

That’s why, after moving to the Carolinas in 2011 and joining the local American Christian Fiction Writers chapter, I was very grateful to connect with Dora, a writer who has developed a real knack for working with area libraries to schedule author events.

Although I’ve done several library programs with Dora over the past couple of years, I certainly don’t consider myself an expert on the subject. But these experiences have brought a few things to light that I believe are worth passing along to other authors interested in braving the library circuit.

The first program I shared with Dora was actually a three-author panel that also included Jennifer Hudson Taylor, another Carolinian. The audience, comprising readers who enjoy inspirational fiction, proved very welcoming. Each author gave a 10-15-minute talk describing our journey to publication, providing background about our novels, and sharing a few thoughts about writing Christian fiction. Afterward, we took questions and then visited with attendees and autographed books.

A couple of weeks later, and feeling more comfortable now that we’d gotten to know one another better, the three of us repeated our program at a public library in another city with even more success.

Sharing the program with one or more author colleagues definitely takes the pressure off! That’s why, when Dora asked if I’d be interested in working up a joint program for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library System 2012 Summer Reading Series, I immediately said yes, and soon we were hammering out a talk on “Writing Inspirational Fiction” that would be presented at two different libraries.

We organized our talk in a “she said/she said” format, beginning with each of us sharing our personal background and highlights of our writing journey. We went on to discuss our individual writing styles, where we get ideas, advice about finding an agent, and an overview of several Christian publishing houses. Each participant received a handout with a list of our favorite craft books and writing websites.

We ended the program with Q&A, which was a great opportunity to zero in on participants’ individual needs and interests. Afterward, we stayed around for book browsing and more casual conversation. Overall, the program seemed to go over quite well. In fact, so well that this past summer Dora and I collaborated again to give three library presentations on the subject of creating memorable characters.

Now for the good, the bad, etc., etc.

Good: People who attend library events are avid readers. 

Bad: Library patrons like to check out books, not necessarily buy them.

Good: It’s fun and inspiring to chat with people who are really interested in books and writing. 

Bad: Turnout is unpredictable. At some events we had 10-15 or more in attendance. At one of our first summer programs we had only two.

Good: Librarians are your friends. Get to know them and they will recommend your books to readers and suggest upcoming releases as possible library additions.

What works: Contacting libraries well in advance of your desired program dates. 

What doesn’t work: Expecting the library to get you on the program calendar within a month or two. It can take several weeks to several months to get library approval.

What works: Planning ahead of time whether you will address primarily readers or writers and adjusting your content accordingly. 

What doesn’t work: Not clearly advertising your program as Christian or “inspirational” (if that’s central to your topic). People have been known to walk out at the first mention of faith.

What works: Promoting the event on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc.; also finding out what forms of promotion the library will be using. 

What doesn’t work: Scheduling your program either too early or too late on a weeknight evening.

What works: Arriving early enough to get your table and book display set up, visit the ladies’ room, get some water, and mingle with attendees as they arrive. 

What doesn’t work: Misjudging rush-hour traffic, then arriving so close to start time that you’re flustered and out of breath. Also, trusting Google Maps only to be sent to a nonexistent location!

What works: Giveaways (bookmarks, postcards, chocolate, etc.) and handouts containing supplemental information. 

What doesn’t work: Sitting shyly behind your book table and waiting for people to talk to you.

What works: Interacting with attendees, asking them about their reading interests, and suggesting other authors (yes, your competition!) you think they might enjoy. 

What doesn’t work: Not verifying whether the library has copies of your books in circulation.

What works: Donating a copy of your book to the library prior to or, at the latest, the day of your program.

What works: Remembering to send a thank-you note to the program organizer and mentioning your interest in working with him or her in the future.

Bad: Preparing talks and doing programs definitely takes its toll on your writing time. 

Good: But in the end, it’s usually worth the sacrifice!

Have you braved the library program circuit yet? What do you like most about speaking events? What do you find most challenging?

Any librarians in the audience? What advice would you offer authors interested in presenting a program to your patrons?

Purchase Link

About When the Clouds Roll By: Annemarie Kendall is overjoyed when the armistice is signed and the Great War comes to an end. Her fiancé, Lieutenant Gilbert Ballard, is coming home, and though he is wounded, she is excited to start their life together. But when he arrives, her dreams are dashed when she learns Gilbert is suffering from headaches, depression, and an addiction to pain killers. This is not the man she had planned to marry. After serving in the trenches, Army Chaplain Samuel Vickary is barely holding onto his faith. Putting up a brave front as he ministers to the injured soldiers at the hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, he befriends Gilbert and eventually falls for Annemarie. While Annemarie tries to sort out her confused feelings about the two men in her life, she witnesses firsthand the bitterness and hurt they both hold within. Whom will she choose? Will she have the courage to follow her heart and become the woman God intended her to be? As the world emerges from the shadow of war, Annemarie clings to her faith as she wonders if her future holds the hope, happiness, and love for which she so desperately longs.

About Myra: Award-winning author Myra Johnson writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction—emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. She is a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award finalist, most recently for her novel A Horseman’s Hope. Her novel Autumn Rains won the Romance Writers of America 2005 Golden Heart for Best Inspirational Romance Manuscript and was a 2010 Carol Award finalist. Married since 1972, Myra and her husband are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters, and are also grandparents of four rambunctious grandsons and two precious granddaughters. Although Myra is a native Texan, she and her husband now reside in North Carolina and share their home with a very spoiled lapdog. Myra writes full-time and is currently serving as president of Carolina Christian Writers (ACFW--Charlotte Chapter).

            

Myra has seven novels and an anthology in print and has recently completed a historical romance series for Abingdon Press. Book 1, When the Clouds Roll By, releases this month. Visit her website at www.MyraJohnson.com. Myra can also be found at www.Seekerville.net and www.facebook.com/MyraJohnsonAuthor. Follow her on Twitter at @MyraJohnson and @TheGrammarQueen.

Writing for the Young Adult Market By Krista McGee

Krista McGee

Know your audience.
Young adult writers need to spend time with teens, get to know them. Writers can’t assume their adolescent experiences will translate into comparable experiences for 21st century teens. The reality of life as a teenager today is radically different from what it was twenty – or even ten -- years ago. Though the pressures are similar, the pace at which kids are exposed to those pressures has increased dramatically. The avenues through which those pressures come are far more varied, subtle, and dangerous. Teens today develop friendships over Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, Path…They rarely pick up a home phone and think a PC is an ancient artifact. Their computers are handheld, and much of their self-image can be found within the slim confines of their iPod Touch. The stories that will resonate with them acknowledge all that – and more. Even if the story is set in the past (or future), current realities must be considered.

Write for a specific audience.
No matter what you write, you won’t be able to appeal to all teens everywhere. Teens, like adults, have varied interests, are at different places socially, spiritually, and emotionally. Some writers in the Christian market cover pretty heavy subjects  – drugs, sex, suicide. They address those themes, not because they are seeking to push the envelope, but because their audience faces those issues at school and at home, and those writers want their readers to see those issues handled from a Christian perspective. On the other hand, the audience I write for are predominantly Christian kids who are truly seeking to live the Christ-life. I don’t discuss sex, drugs, and suicide, not because I want to avoid those topics, but because my audience wants to hear more about how to deal with apathy, how to grow in their faith, how to find their self-worth in Christ and not in the opinions of others. My books do not appeal to all audiences, but I never intended them to. I write for a specific audience, and I am overjoyed when I get emails from readers thanking me for speaking to them through my stories.

Keep it moving.
Teens today don’t like to wait. Thanks to DVRs and Youtube, there is little need to watch commercials – at least not for more than 5 seconds. They can complete research for their term papers online in one night – no scouring books after finding them with the card catalogue. Food is fast, and opinions expressed in 120 characters or less. As much as some of us want to spend several pages developing our exposition, we just can’t. Descriptions have to come between dialogue, a sentence at a time. And dialogue has to be fast, moving the plot along.  Less summary, more action. Cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. Keep the kids turning pages or you lose them – after all, they have a group chat and an Instagram daily challenge they could be doing right now.

Dora here. Do you write for the YA market?

What are some of the challenges you've faced and how did you overcome them?

About Krista McGee

When Krista McGee isn't living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she lives in Tampa and spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher, and coffee snob. 

Right Where I Belong
Purchase Link

Natalia’s about to discover her place in the world . . . and it’s not following in her father’s footsteps.

After watching her father jump from one marriage to the next, Natalia has completely written off love. And when her father divorces his third wife—the only one who has been a mother to her—Natalia is ready to write him off too.

Needing a change of scenery, Natalia leaves her home in Spain and relocates with her stepmother to sun-soaked Florida. But she didn’t realize just how far a new school, a new culture, and a new lifestyle would push her out of her comfort zone.

One of her biggest surprises comes from Brian, a pastor’s son with an adorable smile, who loves God with a sincerity that astounds Natalia. She doesn’t want to fall for him, but she can’t seem to avoid him long enough to get him out of her mind.

Love is the last thing Natalia wants. Even so, God has her right where she belongs.

Are You Ready for a New BFF? by Sandra Ardoin

I’ve made two major moves in my life—once from Indiana to Texas and once from Texas to North Carolina. Those weren’t just “a hop, skip, and a jump” to another neighborhood. Each move required me to say goodbye to old friends. 

Reaching the end of a novel is a little like making a major move. As writers, we create “friends” we spend time with for as much as a year or more. I don’t know about all writers, but I suspect many are like me. They get attached to their characters—even the not-so-friendly ones. They are people we endow with talents, flaws, quirks, tragic pasts, and a destructive present. We give them happily-ever-after endings or, in some cases, vague futures. We stand alongside them as they face tough challenges. (If they don’t have tough challenges, it isn’t a story worth writing.)

Like our real-life friends, they can reflect some aspect of our own personalities—we have something in common with them. Maybe your heroine has a similar sense of humor to yours, which makes her dialog sparkle with teasing sarcasm or dry wit. Perhaps your hero has suffered a tragedy you can relate to and your empathy causes his emotions to run deeper on the page.

Some of us wipe away tears when writing that last scene because it means saying goodbye to those we’ve come to know as well as we do our real-life BFFs. It can be like staring through the rear window of the car as the people and places we know so well grow smaller and smaller until they disappear. But take heart, dear writer, there will be future visits through edits and the marketing of your book.

Now before you call in Dr. Phil for yourself (or me), let me say there is good news. Just as you made friends in your old town (novel), you’ll make friends in your new town (novel). While writing one book, plans for your move to another will have been popping in your brain like a bag of Orville Redenbacher’s best.

Soon, you’ll meet new characters whose stories draw you to them. In the planning, you’ll question them about their lives, eventually getting to see what makes them the people they are. In the process of writing, they’ll show even more of themselves.

Relationships grow when people allow us see below the surface to the person they really are—their emotions and how they change and grow. It’s the difference between true friendship and a passing acquaintance. If you cannot see below the surface of your fictional characters to sympathize or empathize with them, then neither will the reader. And everyone will miss out on a special relationship.

Have you ever written a character you dreaded saying goodbye to? 

What makes someone else’s fictional character stand out in such a way that you, as a reader, don’t want to their story to end? 

Sandra Ardoin writes historical romance, mostly set in the second half of the nineteenth century. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Carolina Christian Writers, and the author of Get a Clue, a children’s short story in Family Ties: Thirteen Short Stories. Contact Sandra through her website at www.sandraardoin.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Goodreads. 

JANUARIES by Tanya Hanson

January

When I was little, January was the cruelest month. Watching the Rose Parade only reminded me I had another year to wait before Christmas came again. Oh, I don’t mean just presents and cookies and new black patent leather Mary Janes. I mean the whole wonder of memorizing Luke 2 for the Christmas program at school. The joy of the carols, the “gloria” of the angel wings I wore in the pageant. Most of all, the splendor of a tiny baby who was really the King of all kings...

The Januaries of high school and college weren’t much different. January only meant the end of Christmas break and back to the grind. And as a teacher myself later on, January slung me headlong into final exams and report cards.

January five years, though, found me barraging God with gratitude. After a long sophomore slump, I had a second romance novel scheduled to release!

And it released the same day my husband was diagnosed with cancer.

Those horrible months taught me it wasn’t about the book. It was prayers and tears and caretaking as he battled to live, then struggled to regain his health.

Because of my husband’s ordeal, and the stretching of faith so taut my breath can still stop, I got the urge to write inspirational romance. By January 2010, I believed God had opened a new window, and I soon contracted a bunch of novellas about a fictional Colorado ranch family. I stood there, glowing, atop my pretend Rocky Mountain town. Into these stories flowed the people and stories of my own life and heart. Despite my best efforts and prayers, though, I can’t say I’m any kind of success. So once again, I realized it isn’t about the books. This time, it’s about the message.

Maybe reading Book three, a woman will get her husband or son to check himself for testicular cancer and help save his life. Maybe somebody will realize there can be falling in love during cancer. Maybe, like in Book Four, some reader’s estranged family will break down barriers that divide them. Maybe some couple on the brink of collapse, due to the stresses of an unimaginably disabled child might, can find the faith and trust to make it, upon coming across Book Six.

Maybe, like in a few of the stories, readers will simply realize that taking a city slicker wagon train trip can be just plain fun!

I don’t know.

This January has opened a new window, and it’s a terrifying one. By year’s end, I’ll be another name, Anya Novikov, and part of a young-adult launch. I left teaching years ago, I’m a gramma now of two tiny boys, and I have no idea how to reach a teenage audience. I guess I’ll have to use the next few months to try to figure it all out.

One thing. Mine won’t be the only set of footprints in the sand as my new journey starts.

 

Determined to get her life back on track, Mary Grace Gibson takes on a substitute-teaching job, grateful for the room and board offered at Hearts Crossing Ranch. The bustling family life helps her heal after abandonment by her ex. But her little boy’s serious disabilities make her cautious about revealing her secrets to anybody. Even Scott Martin, the handsome cowboy who’s fast stealing her heart.

Her former student now grown up, cowboy and graphic artist Scott Martin is instantly drawn to the beautiful single mom. She’s had some hard luck but never let go of her faith. Their age gap doesn’t fret him, and their kisses ignite his love. But as they fall for each other, Mary Grace’s lack of trust in him shatters his feelings, for he’s been down that broken trail before.

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I’m a California beach girl happily married to my personal hero (firefighter and cancer survivor). We’ve got two grown kids, who are the best thing I’ve ever done, and two little grandsons who totally obsess us. I love travel, country music, Hallmark movies, and McDonald’s iced coffee. I don’t like to cook, am terrified of down escalators, am a proud Defender of Wildlife, and I volunteer at our local horse rescue.