Write a Psalm by Annette M. Irby

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

Psalm 62:8 NKJV

Hey, writers. Have you been distracted by the news lately? Sitting down to write can mean a quiet mind, while we ponder the next step in our stories or the next theme in our nonfiction. Unfortunately, quiet minds are sometimes easily bombarded by the latest statistics or social media rants. I imagine you’re like me these days—using time in God’s Word to combat those thoughts/fears/worries.

The Book of Psalms offers a little bit of everything. Nothing’s off-limits, it seems, to the psalmists. They wrote from hearts full of praise to hearts full of angst. They wrote about attacks and then deliverance. They wrote of God’s answers to their prayers. They wrote what they wanted to see. They wrote out of a place of need or when they wanted to change their focus.

I’ve been a prayer journaler now for decades. About thirty years ago, I attended a retreat where the leaders asked us to write our own psalms to God, with no plans to set them to music. Our psalms didn't have to be poetic or rhyming. They are basically written prayers in which we pour out our hearts to Him. (Psalm 62:8)

If ever there was a time for pouring out our hearts to God, this is it.

If ever there was a time for pouring out our hearts to God, this is it. Write a psalm to God. #amwriting #ampraying @annettemirby

You can write about:

* Any theme

* Desire for God (Psalm 63)

* Longing for His Word (Psalm 119)

* Lament (Psalm 102)

* Justice (Psalm 94)

* Desperation (Psalm 55)

* Deliverance (Psalm 98)

* Repentance (Psalm 51)

* Sustenance (Psalm 23)

* Declaration of protection or provision (Psalm 91)

* Worship (Psalm 45)

* Praise (Psalm 150)

* God's greatness (Psalm 65)

* Rehearse past times when God delivered you and/or your family (Psalms 106, 136)

* Hope for deliverance followed by God's powerful and decisive answer (Psalm 18)

At times, the biblical writers began their psalm with desperation, but by the end, they were encouraged; their tone changed. (See Psalm 55)

Have you noticed this in Luke’s Gospel: It’s when the disciples are telling stories of the resurrected Christ, and how their hearts burned within them, that Jesus manifests His presence among them. He was already in the room, but He appears to them when they talk about Him. Rehearsing how God has provided (or healed) in the past, brings Him into your current situation. He’s right there, but as our faith rises, He demonstrates His nearness. (see Luke 24, especially verses 35–36)

Once we’ve poured out our hearts to God, we’re more able to focus on our writing goals for the day.

I encourage you to write out your psalms, dear writers. Let the words flow. It’s cathartic, but it’s also prayer. And as you know, prayer changes people and situations.

Your turn: What other themes would you add to this list? Which are your favorite Psalms and why?

~~~~~

Finding Love on Whidbey Island

Could what drove them apart be what draws them back together?

Liberty Winfield lives with loss every day. She’d rather leave her history behind her, but when faced with moving back to her hometown, the past becomes unavoidable. She takes a job at the florist shop owned by her ex-boyfriend’s family from a decade ago. Now he’s unavoidable.

Clay Garrison knows the pain of ruing his mistakes. Most of his regrets center around Liberty. If he could undo his poor choices, he would. Liberty is back. He has one more chance to make things right. She doesn’t believe anyone could love her unconditionally, so he sets out to prove her wrong. He must also try to right the biggest wrong of their past, knowing that in doing so, he could lose her forever.

Will addressing the past together help them find love?

~~~~~

Annette M. Irby*

Annette M. Irby has been writing since her teen years when she sat pounding out stories on a vintage typewriter just for fun. Since then, she’s joined Christian writing groups and launched blogs so she could share the joy of writing. She likes to say she’s addicted to color as flowers and seascapes inspire her. In her off hours, she enjoys gardening, photography, and music. She lives with her husband and family in the Pacific Northwest.

Learn more here on her Seriously Write Page.





Photo credit: woman writing: Pixaby
Author photo: Sarah Irby

Branding 101—Mission Statement and Goals by Patty Smith Hall

The closing of Lifeway’s brick and mortar stores shook me out of my comfort zone. For the past ten years, I’ve been blessed with continuous contracts, and while we haven’t been able to retire, it was nice to see my work gracing the bookstore shelves.

With Lifeway’s announcement and the ever-shrinking shelf space at Barnes and Noble, I realized it was time to re-evaluate and possibly reinvent myself for the changing market. Yet, how does a mid-list writer do this is the world of Amazon, Facebook, podcasts and You-tube?

I needed to revamp my mission statement and make a new set of writing goals.

Why make a mission statement and goals? Because what’s the point of branding yourself if you don’t know why you write in the first place? For me, a mission statement is my anchor. It’s the deep down-in-my-soul reason I stand at my kitchen counter for hours and write. It can be as complex—and I’ve seen some where I’ve needed a dictionary to decipher—or as simple as you like. The most important thing is that this statement reflects your core reason for writing.

I’ll be honest—I didn’t have a mission statement until this year. For most of the last ten years, I’ve concerned myself with getting and staying published. While that’s all good and nice, writing to get published can’t be the only reason a person suffers through writing a synopsis or a proposal. There has to be more to it, something one desires to accomplish with their writing.

My mission statement is simple—To glorify God in all facets of my writing. That just doesn’t mean the words I put down on paper. It includes the way I conduct business with agents and editors, how I start my daily writing time, the way I encourage other writers, even making the time to rest or take a break after a long writing sprint. Simple, yet effective.

Here are some questions you can use in developing your mission statement:

1) What makes me write?

2) What do I want to accomplish through my writing? This can be a monetary value, a fan base or like mine, reaching others for Christ. Whatever it is, it has to be the most important objective for you.

3) When I think about my writing, how do I measure my success? Is it the number of books sold or money from sales or something else entirely?

Goals are simple. They’re what make our world function. They give each one of us purpose, something to strive toward. They keep us on track and remind us what we’re working toward and how to get there. I use weekly, monthly and yearly goals.

How to use Goals:

1) First, write your goals down.

Every Sunday afternoon, I sit down and write my goals for the week. I figure out how many words I’d like to have written in the next week, then I make a plan on how to get them. In my goal-planning, I also include housekeeping, meal preparation and Bible time. Once I finish writing them down, I put them in a place where I can see them every day and mark off my progress.

2) Make your goals quantifiable. Every day, I know how many words I need to get down in order to reach my word count for the week. If I don’t make it, I may have to work on a Saturday or add words to my daily counts. If I write more, I give myself a little treat!

3) Give your goals a time limit. Deadlines are great reminders of this. Once I sign a contract, I have a certain period of time until I have to turn in a manuscript, or I’ll be in violation of the terms of the contract and that’s not a good thing to be. If you’re pre-pubbed, set deadlines for yourself and stick with them. You’ll not only make your goal; you’ll be getting into a habit that will help you when you do get the call.

4) Update your goals occasionally. Ten years ago, my only goal was to get published, and while that’s still a goal, it’s not the only thing I want to do now. Another reason to do this is the rapidly changing landscape of publishing. Ten years ago, the thought of Borders, Family Christian and Lifeway closing up was unthinkable. Also, when you achieve your goal, make another one to keep you focused. So, change your goals to reflect the times.

Homework: Work on your mission statement and goals for the month.

~~~~~~

Patty Smith Hall lives in North Georgia with her husband of 36+ years, Danny. Her passion is to write tender romances based in little-known historical moments. The winner of the 2008 ACFW Genesis award in historical romance, she is published with Love Inspired Historical, Barbour and Winged Publishing, and is a contributor to the Seriously Writing blog as well as Journey magazine. Patty is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. 

10 Strategies to Get Back in the Writing Game by Heidi McCahan

My family and I stayed up way too late recently, yelling at strangers on television playing a riveting game of professional football. I’m embarrassed to admit I went to bed mad because the team I wanted to win lost in overtime. I just couldn’t accept reality. As it turns out, a lot of people agreed with me and took to social media to vent, signing petitions and vowing not to watch football anymore.

Yet the outcome is still the same. The teams who won are still going to February’s highly anticipated professional football game. While some might say questionable calls by the officials influenced the outcome, others will argue the two teams still standing earned the opportunity through superb coaching and brilliant athleticism. Regardless of what happened, every player and coach who didn’t win has a choice to make: they can be bitter, make excuses, argue with their friends (and strangers on the internet), or they can step back, re-evaluate and commit to doing the hard work required to prepare for next season.

Much like professional sports, the writing life is a rollercoaster of successes and perceived disappointments. Sometimes what we thought might work in our favor doesn’t. Other people are claiming victory with signed contracts and revealing gorgeous new book covers, while we’re still on the sidelines toiling over our manuscripts.

To quote George Eliot, one of my favorite novelists, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” As February approaches, resolutions are fading, if not completely discarded. Maybe you’re questioning whether or not you even want to keep writing.

Perhaps the agony of past defeats and the achievements of others hurts more than you’d care to admit.

Take heart, my word-wrangling friends. You are not alone. It’s time for an honest look at your circumstances. Do you have measurable action steps mapped out for how you will achieve your goals in 2019? Much like the professional athletes coping with a painful loss and the disappointment that comes with no championship ring, writers often wrestle with feeling uncertain or even discouraged by their manuscript’s current status.

Today’s a new day. Here are 10 strategies for improving your craft, connecting with others and consistently putting more words on the page.

• Join a writing group (online or in real life)

• Commit to writing a manageable number of words every day and track your progress 

• Finish that manuscript

• Start a new manuscript

• Plan and save to attend a conference or a writer’s retreat

• Enter a contest

• Join a book launch team for a published author in your genre 

• Create in a different format (write on paper with a pen, try dictating into an app on your phone, visit a new coffee shop and write for an hour)

• Write a short story

• Find out where your target readers hang out on social media and start engaging 

Your turn: leave a comment and share one strategy you’re implementing in your writing life this year.

~~~~~~

Heidi secretly dreamed of writing a book for most of her childhood, but a particularly painful rejection letter in middle school convinced her to tuck that dream away. Instead, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington and a Master’s Degree in Athletic Training from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. After a brief career as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Heidi married her husband Steve. They live in North Carolina with their three active boys and one amazing Goldendoodle. Heidi dusted off her big dream of becoming a published author and launched her first contemporary romance into the world in 2014. She is a huge fan of coffee, dark chocolate, and happily ever after. Look for her next novel Their Baby Blessing releasing June 2019 from Harlequin Love Inspired.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidimccahan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidimccahan.author/

Website: https://heidimccahan.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeidiMcCahan

Receive a free novella when you subscribe to Heidi’s newsletter.

Heidi’s author newsletter opt-in: http://www.subscribepage.com/heidimccahan-newoptin

Their Baby Blessing back cover copy (releases June 1, 2019):

The navy prepared him for anything … except an instant family

When navy veteran Gage Westbrook promised to look out for his late best friend’s son, he never imagined he’d bond with the baby boy. And he definitely didn’t plan to fall for Connor’s gorgeous temporary guardian, Skye Tomlinson. But weighted by guilt for the accident that took Connor’s dad, can Gage find the courage to forgive himself and embrace the chance at a family?

Their Baby Blessing Pre-order Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Their-Baby-Blessing-Love-Inspired-ebook/dp/B07LH2G698

Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781488042911_their-baby-blessing.html

Ready, Set—Wait: Three Questions for Writing Success by Gayla Hiss

When I first began writing, it was as a hobby that I enjoyed on the weekends. Then I decided I needed to be published in order to be successful. However, by the time my first book was released, many years later, my idea of what it means to be a successful writer had changed altogether. Here are three questions to consider if your goal is to become a successful writer:

1. Are you ready to put in the effort and make the required sacrifices?

It’s one thing to write at your leisure or when you’re feeling inspired and it’s convenient, but it takes more commitment to write when you’re sick, in a bad mood, or when words don’t come easily. It sometimes requires performing well under pressure, and saying no to other things so you can finish your work on time. Often, it involves allowing others to read and critique your work, and being willing to revise it based on their feedback. If you’re not ready to do that, then this is a good time to re-examine your writing objectives and think about which aspects of writing you are comfortable with. Question 2 addresses this process.

2. Are you willing to adjust and re-set your writing goals as needed?

I first began writing as a way to relieve stress from a demanding job. However, I enjoyed writing so much that I started to dream of becoming published. As I pursued this goal, I had a few setbacks. Then more setbacks. Years went by with nothing to show for my hard work but a stack of rejection letters from publishers and agents. Eventually, I realized that if I wanted to enjoy writing, I needed to change my goal to something more attainable than becoming published. So I focused on writing the best book I could. That decision liberated me from the stress of striving to be published, and I rediscovered the joy of writing again, which leads me to the last question.

3. Are you in it for the long-haul?

Facing the possibility that I might never be published, I became frustrated and discouraged. After a lot of soul-searching, I finally decided to turn it over to God. After all, if this wasn’t His plan for me, then He must have something better in mind. Like a composer penning a hymn, my writing became an exercise of gratitude and worship. It was at this time in my life when God opened the door to publication for me—suddenly and without any striving on my part. Yet, it was after I had my head and heart in the right place to receive His blessing in accordance with His plan.

If God is calling you to be published, it will happen at the right time, even if it’s years away. Meanwhile, embrace this season of waiting as a gift so you can grow in your craft and focus on the simple joy of expressing yourself through words as a spiritual act of worship. When you’ve mastered that, then you truly are a successful writer, regardless of whether you’re published or not.

How are you "embracing the season of waiting"?

~~~~~~

Gayla’s writing journey began with her hobby painting landscapes. In her imagination, characters and scenes came to life as she painted beautiful natural settings. Her inspiring novels combine her love for the great outdoors with romance, suspense and mystery. Gayla and her husband often tour the country in their RV, visiting many state and national parks. She enjoys hiking, camping, and traveling, and lives in the Pacific Northwest. She’s excited to announce the release of Dangerous Ground, book 2 in her Peril in the Park series, which can be purchased on Amazon at: http://goo.gl/wQQTqB. Visit www.gaylakhiss.com to learn more, and connect with her on Facebook, Amazon and Goodreads.

Dangerous Ground

It started with an anonymous note, but will it end in disaster?

Uncle Owen had died mysteriously, and Deputy Marshal Kate Phillips wants to know why. After arriving at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in search of answers, Kate finds herself at the center of an ancient family feud and a land dispute. It turns out a surprising number of people have an interest in her uncle’s estate. Even David Jennings, Kate’s handsome Good Samaritan who rescued her when she arrived, thinks he has a claim on Owen’s property—which some say is cursed.

Amid the mounting secrets and rumors circulating in the seemingly peaceful community, Kate has a secret of her own—one that could threaten her life and any future she might have with David. It soon becomes clear someone is targeting her. Could Kate’s troubled past have come back to haunt her, or have the clues she’s uncovered about her uncle’s suspicious death put her life in danger? To solve the mystery, Kate needs David’s help. But can they pull together before time runs out? Or will they become the next victims when it all explodes?

Time for a Direction Check by Carol J. Post

Are your resolutions for 2017 intentions or are you focusing on direction? Author Carol J. Post provides tips for accomplishing your writing goals for this year. -- Sandy

Carol: Happy January! This is the month when thousands of people make resolutions for the new year. They’re going to eat healthier, exercise more, lose weight, get organized, spend more time with family and friends, or (fill in the blank). We all start off gung ho, but by February, most of those resolutions have fallen by the wayside.

On New Year’s Day, I went to church with my sister. Like most of the pastors around the country, hers spoke about resolutions and changes people hope to make in the coming year. During his message, he made a statement that stuck with me: “It’s direction, not intention, that determines destination.”

The problem with so many New Year’s resolutions is that they’re nothing more than intentions. To me, intention focuses on thoughts, whereas direction involves movement. I live in Florida. If I want to go to New England, I’ll get on I-95 and head north. I can leave home intending to arrive in Connecticut the next day, but if my direction is south, I’ll end up in Miami.

Whatever we hope to accomplish in the new year, intentions alone won’t get us there. As writers, most of us want to further our careers during 2017, whether that means finishing the first book, getting published, transitioning to full time or making a list. Whatever the goal, we’re more likely to reach it if we take steps that move us in the right direction.

Hone Your Craft

From newbie to multi-pubbed author, everyone has room for improvement. Workshops and writer’s conferences are great resources. So are many of the craft books available. Jerry Jenkins provides his top 11 picks here: http://www.jerryjenkins.com/best-books-on-writing/. Articles and blog posts on writing abound, too. And don’t limit your reading to craft topics. Reading quality literature inside and outside your genre is bound to improve your writing skills. Lastly, finding a critique partner who really “gets” your writing can be invaluable.

Guard Your Muse

Writing is a solitary activity, and it’s easy to get discouraged. Nothing kills inspiration faster than having someone downplay what you do. Join a writers group. Surround yourself with like-minded people who provide encouragement and understand the difficult road we as writers travel.

Arrange Your Priorities

Reaching one’s goals often involves sacrificing other enjoyable activities. Whether watching TV or cute cat videos, hours can fly by with nothing to show for the time. I like to track my activities using toggl.com, with categories like writing, editing, exercise, email, social media, church-related, recreation, etc. The totals at the end of the week can be telling. Doing sprints with other authors and reporting weekly word counts are great for focus, too.

Reward Yourself

Set goals, and when you reach them, celebrate! Did you get that chapter finished in spite of 1,001 demands on your time? Do a movie night. Did you make it all the way to THE END? Take time to recharge before starting your next project.

What about you? What steps do you take to get yourself headed in the right direction, writing-related or otherwise?

~~~~~~

Carol J. Post lives in sunshiny Central Florida and writes fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense. Her books have been nominated for a RITA® award and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award. She is also a popular speaker, presenting workshops on a variety of craft topics. Besides writing, she enjoys sailing, hiking, camping--almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of a fat and sassy black cat and a highly spoiled dachshund.

After her broken engagement, Nicki Jackson hoped her move to Cedar Key would give her a fresh start—instead she quickly learns someone's out to destroy her. Are the attacks tied to her mother's recently reopened murder case…or to the nightmares Nicki's beginning to suspect are actually hidden memories? With the threats against her escalating, former soldier Tyler Brant vows to keep Nicki safe. He refuses to lose the woman who's swiftly becoming more than a childhood crush. But when danger circles closer, is Nicki's traumatic past better left forgotten…or are her memories the key to something far more sinister?

Tips to Keep Distractions from Veering You Off Course

Me - Dora Hiers

This spring, hubby and I purchased a new car. Before that, I drove a Ford Explorer, which I loved, but now that it's mostly me and the dog tooling around, it seemed pointless to drive such a big car. And gas? Nothing like watching $70 drain out of a tank, right?

So when the Explorer got to be of age, I set out to find a car with better gas mileage, but it had to be sporty and roomy enough to accommodate our full-figured Golden Retriever.

We decided on a Hyundai Santa Fe. I could ramble all day about the features. Heated seats, shiftronic capability (the ability to switch between automatic and stick~don't get me going on that!), great gas mileage, and ...

<--- check this out!

An electronic digital display estimates my average miles per gallon. What?? Do you know that you can boost your gas mileage by taking your foot off the accelerator for a few seconds? Well, I am all over that! That's why I got the car, right?

So, instead of focusing on the road, sometimes I would find myself honing in on that blue line, getting giddy as it edged closer to 50 mpg. I mean, really. How cool is that?

But then a honk would get my attention. Or moseying off the side of the road...

It's the same with our writing, isn't it? We allow distractions to take our attention away from getting words on the page. Those interruptions and diversions will drain our writing time and cause us to veer off the road, er...not accomplish anything that day.

Here are some suggestions that help me stay on track:

Determine your most productive time and stick to it. Early on, I recognized my most productive time of the day was in the morning, so that’s when I write. After breakfast and quiet time, I respond to emails and check social media briefly, and then immediately start writing. Every thirty minutes I get up and stretch, occasionally hit the restroom or refresh my drink. I don’t answer the phone unless it’s my husband, and I schedule all appointments for afternoons. Figure out your most productive time and do your best to work with it within the confines of your schedule. 

If you work a full time job, but your fingers fly across the keyboard in the mornings, can you get up a few minutes early to write? If your mind comes alive late at night, carve out some time after the kids go to bed to write. If your day consists of taxiing your kids around from football to gymnastics, you may have to adjust to lugging a laptop or tablet and squeezing word counts in fifteen minute increments. As much as possible, whenever you write, guard that time.

Set a goal. Set a realistic word count goal for the day, and then map it out for the entire year. Sounds like a lot of work, but it’s actually a great tool to help you see what you can accomplish if you cut out the distractions. Ask your spouse or a friend to keep you accountable by asking how many words you wrote that day.

Recognize your priorities. My recent college grad lived at home for a short time while he searched for a job. When he sauntered in my office, no matter the time, I was all ears because I recognized time with him was short, so talking with him was a priority. Occasionally, I found it necessary to adjust my word count while he was living with us, which I did, willingly.

Eliminate unnecessary distractions. Do whatever it takes to eliminate distractions. The biggest distraction for me is the Internet. There are apps available to disconnect from the Internet for extended periods of time, or you can just set a timer to alert you when your break is over.

What about you? How do you minimize your distractions?

Care to share the tips that work for you?

Journey's End
Purchase Link

Devastated after the brutal murder of her husband, Chelsea Hammond vows never to love another lawman. Intent on rebuilding her shattered life, she turns her focus to helping troubled teens. But when an angry father bent on retaliation, threatens her, Chelsea must turn to the one man she never thought to trust: Deputy U.S. Marshal Trey Colten. 

Trey wants only to protect Chelsea, but she blames him for her husband’s death. Trey can relate. He blames himself, also. As danger lurks, Trey begs Chelsea to heed his warnings. He let down one Hammond. He won’t let down another—especially one who now holds his heart.

When Chelsea is snatched from her home, can she put aside her fear, and trust Trey with her life? Can she forgive him for destroying her past and let him help to rebuild her future?

Cause for Celebration by Darlene Franklin

Dear writer, are you longing for the day you reach a specific goal? Annette here. I can relate. But are we wishing our lives away with that end in sight? We can be, if we miss the journey. Here's Darlene Franklin's wise advice. Enjoy!

Darlene Franklin

Cause for Celebration
by Darlene Franklin

Lately celebration has floated to the top of my mind. Years ago, a piece of advice helped me as a fledgling writer. Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal. Celebrate the steps.

In other words—celebrate the journey.

On July 1st, my twenty-fifth book was published, It Is Well with My Soul. The joy doesn’t get old. Almost every book represents a significant step forward. In this case, it’s my first nonfiction book. It’s also my fifth book this year, in spite of the physical problems I’ve battled for the past twelve months. So I announce it and quietly rejoice.

Lest you think, That’s easy for her. She has so many books out there, I point to the facts. I wrote for fourteen years before I had that first book contract. Success didn’t come easily or quickly.

What steps can we celebrate? Writing the first word. Joining a critique group or a writing organization. Participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Completing a manuscript. Editing it. Sending it to a publisher (magazine or book or electronic). Receiving a rejection.

Celebrate all of that and more.

CONTRACT! Definitely calls for a celebration. But how about submitting the final manuscript, approving art work for the cover, doing the edits, proofing galleys—all of that before you receive the book in your hand (or it appears on line).

How do we celebrate? You get to decide! I’ve done everything from buying a Bible cover to getting a much-needed laptop.

Hand me that candy bar, please. 

~~~~~

Golden Dreams

Award-winning author and speaker Darlene Franklin lives in cowboy country—Oklahoma. Oklahoma has the benefit of being the home to her son, his wife, and their four beautiful children. Darlene loves music, needlework, reading and reality TV. She currently resides in a nursing home, which has become a place of blessing. Darlene is the author of twenty-five novels and novellas. She has also written around 250 devotionals and personal experience pieces for various publications, including her soon-to-release book, It Is Well with my Soul. For links to her books and other writing, check out the second page of the blog. Her latest book, Golden Dreams, releases this month. Learn more about Darlene by visiting her website/blog.