Beginning Anew by Melinda Viergever Inman

Taking time to contemplate.

Beginning Anew

Today everything we own is being loaded into a truck to be hauled away. Strong men with burly arms heave our earthly possessions out the front door, up a gangplank, and into the back of a semi-trailer, returning with synchronized precision to capture yet another load. By the end of the day the entire house will sit vacant, the truck will be full, and it will drive away with everything.

I face the New Year stripped bare of my writer’s cave, my comfort zones, my daily habits, and my rituals. Every year it’s wise to reassess every single thing we do in our spiritual practice and in our practice as Christian writers. This year I’m doing so in an extreme manner, stripped of all my props.

If you’ve never relocated, I highly recommend it. It’s one of the most wrenching experiences of life. It causes us to reassess everything we do, think, and believe. During the uprooting, we examine our rituals, habits, practices, and reasons. The decks are cleared. A move forces us to determine what we will put back into place, what we will practice moving forward, and how we will carry it out. Necessity forces us to unearth the whys of our actions and processes.

Yet, even without the brutal experience of relocating, spiritual and writerly reassessment can occur. Periodically it’s necessary and beneficial to engage in a retreat, a thorough clearing of former clutter, and a probing assessment of absolutely everything.

Consider what would happen if you stripped everything to the bones and started afresh. What would you keep? What would you toss? The start of a new year is a good time to ask the hard questions and to establish or reestablish necessary goals and structures.

• Am I consistently contemplating God’s Word?

• Am I responding to the inner work of the Holy Spirit?

• Do I take time to still my active mind, so I can hear the Spirit’s quiet urging?

• How are God’s Word and his leading affecting my work as a writer?

• What is he inspiring me to write?

• Am I writing what pleases him?

• Are my writing rituals healthy?

• Can my practices be physically and spiritually maintained?

• Am I abusing my body and neglecting my family?

• Do I need to learn balance?

• Am I making my writing a priority, or am I neglecting it?

• Have I set the necessary structures in place to achieve my writing goals?

• Am I pushing forward toward my goals, or am I languishing?

• What do I need to change?

• How would the Lord have me carry this out?

• How will I turn and go the direction he leads?

If years go by and we never take the time to assess these things, we find ourselves in a dark place. We are human. We are sinners. Sinners constantly drift.

And so, we turn and turn again toward the Lord to face him and to walk in his narrow way. We assess our habits and beg the Lord to give us the self-control, determination, and strength to do the work he has given us. And then, we rely him, rather than upon ourselves. Simply doing this requires a constant awareness of our motives. To produce the uplifting spiritual content God desires, a well-examined life is necessary.

Take the time. This year my assessment is extreme, but the Lord will bless it, as he will bless your unveiling before him when you lay it all open for his evaluation.

May God’s peace be with you in this new year.

Melinda V Inman - Author of Refuge, Fallen, and No Longer Alone

Raised on the Oklahoma plains in a storytelling family, Melinda Viergever Inman now spins tales from her writer’s cave in the Midwest. Her faith-filled fiction illustrates our human story, wrestling with our brokenness and the storms that wreak havoc in our lives. Find her weekly at http://MelindaInman.com/blog. To find her work and to be notified of future published novels, follow her at http://bit.ly/MelindasBooks/.

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Goal Setting by Susan Tuttle

Happy 2018! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. As always, it went by way too fast, and now the decorations, holiday music, and wonderful treats are all packed away. It’s time to stare down this new year and set some goals.

You can plan out a month-at-a-glance or a year-at-a-glance. Write out your must-do’s and fill in around them with dedicated writing time. Let your goal be a certain number of minutes, a specific word count, or a manuscript you want to finish. Whatever it is, you need to set a concrete goal so you have something to shoot for. Think about any sport there is, the athletes have a specific end goal that they are focused on. This shapes everything they do and keeps them on track for success.

And make sure your goal stretches you without being unattainable. If you know that your writing time is limited, don’t decide you’re going to write three full-length novels before summer. However, if you know that you are a fast writer with extra time this year, maybe add one additional novella or short story into the mix. Also, set at least one of your goals in an area that is brand new to you. Research into a genre you’ve always thought of trying. A new marketing strategy that you’ve wanted to employ. Reading a craft book to strengthen one of your weaknesses. Or attending a conference.

Whatever it is, take a few minutes to set up your path for the year. If your ultimate goal is to publish a book some day, you’ll need to set little ones to meet along the way. What better time than the beginning of a new year full of new possibilities?

Susan L. Tuttle lives in Michigan where she’s happily married to her best friend and is a homeschooling mom of three. She’s firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire, encourage, and grow women into who God created them to be. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. You can connect with Susan at her blog, Steps, Facebook, or Twitter.

 

Self-Care for Writers by Amanda Barratt

We ran today's post in November, but had issues with our comments. To be fair to you and Amanda, we're running it again. ~ Sandy

As writers, we have advice at our fingertips about a myriad of topics. One, however, is rarely discussed, and that’s how to take care of our physical bodies as writers.

Like actors or athletes, we work in an environment that requires us to be both quantitative and qualitative. Doing those things simultaneously and doing them well, places a huge amount of stress on the physical. I learned this firsthand when, after several years of pounding out 3k a day, I developed tendon issues in my arms. For a year, I had to take a hiatus from typing, go to physical therapy, and totally redo my desk setup. This was not only difficult for me physically, but emotionally, since creating stories is such an integral part of my heart. Thankfully, I’m now able to write again and am grateful for God’s healing hand on my body. However, I now invest more time and energy into taking care of myself.

A few tips:

1. Stay hydrated – With the amount of soft drinks and caffeinated beverages available, most of us don’t drink nearly enough water. Dehydration can bring on side effects such as headaches and lack of energy, two things that can seriously stop a writer’s creative output. Experts say to drink half your weight in ounces. Personally, I try for 3 quarts a day—way more than the recommended amount for my weight. I find that when I drink less, I definitely notice a change in how I feel. I also avoid all soft drinks and only consume caffeine in limited quantities. Along with water, I love a mug of green tea. It’s full of antioxidants, plus I love how it tastes.

2. Consider an ergonomic keyboard – The keyboard on your laptop, while handy and portable, wasn’t designed with ergonomics in mind. Even if you only use an ergonomic one part-time, it can make a huge difference. A supportive desk chair with properly adjusted armrests is also a must. Another option, especially if you’re already experiencing issues, is a voice to text software like Dragon Naturally Speaking. I’m using mine right now to draft this blog post! Though it takes a learning curve and isn’t a hundred percent accurate in dictation, I love using mine, especially when I’m going to be writing a sizable chunk in a short amount of time.

3. Exercise – Before beginning any exercise program, you should of course, consult your doctor. Exercise is great on so many levels – it reduces stress, builds strength, and can be a good way to listen to your favorite podcast while still getting something accomplished. There are also exercises available to help repetitive strain injuries – I do mine every day.

4. Take breaks – At least once an hour, leave your desk and move. This gives you a break mentally, as well as physically.

5. Eat healthy – Today, more than ever, we have access to, putting it bluntly, “junk food.” Athletes stick to a healthy diet to keep their performance levels up. As a writer, I’ve committed to the same. When I make dessert, I sweeten with agave or coconut sugar, and limit the amount I consume to a couple of times a week. While you may not take it to this extreme, if you’re feeling sluggish, maybe reaching for that chocolate bar isn’t the best idea. Try a piece of fruit instead!

I love what I do and want to maximize the health God has given me to the best of my ability, so I can continue to write. I hope you’ve been inspired by some of these tips, or perhaps encouraged in what you’re already doing.

Thanks so much for having me!

Do you have anything to add to Amanda's list?

~~~~~~

ECPA bestselling author Amanda Barratt, fell in love with writing in grade school when she wrote her first story – a spinoff of Jane Eyre. Now, Amanda writes inspirational historical romance, penning stories that transport readers to a variety of locales – from the sweeping coastline of Newport, Rhode Island, to the rugged landscape of Central Texas. Her novella, The Truest Heart, finaled in the FHL Reader’s Choice Awards.

A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, she lives in the woods of Michigan with her fabulous family, who kindly put up with the invisible people she calls characters.

These days, Amanda can be found reading way too many books, watching an eclectic mix of BBC dramas and romantic chick flicks, and trying to figure out a way to get on the first possible flight to England.

The Art & Science of Reviewing by Marie Wells Coutu

Marie Wells Coutu

Angie, here. Happy New Year! We're starting 2018 with our favorite posts of 2017. This ia a favorite of mine from September and, according to the numbers, it's one of your favorites, too. Writers depend on word-of-mouth to sell books and reviews are a great way to encourage an author. My friend, Marie Wells Coutu, has a few tips for writing a great review. 

As an author, I know the importance of reviews. As a reader, others’ reviews help me determine which books to spend my money and time on.

So I try to post reviews of the books I read, especially novels. Thanks to Amazon, if I’m reading on my Kindle, I get a reminder and it’s easy to write the review as soon as I’ve finished.

But here’s the thing: how good should a book be to rate five stars?

Does five mean I loved the book and found nothing wrong? Do three stars mean it was only “so-so”? Will I hurt the author if I give her book four stars? (This especially concerns me if she’s an acquaintance.) On the other hand, if all my reviews are 5 stars, do I lose credibility as a reviewer?

Recently, I finished a book that I really enjoyed and couldn’t put down. But there were a couple scenes where I was momentarily pulled out of the story. In one, for example, there was a severe thunderstorm and a car accident where the heroine was injured. Yet when the police and the hero arrived, everyone stood around talking while the victim was loaded into the ambulance—with no reference to rain, water, or the storm having passed. As a writer, I couldn’t help but notice the omission. But was it serious enough to downgrade my rating?

In the end, I asked myself the following questions before deciding on the rating I’d give:

• Did I enjoy reading the book in spite of the minor deficiencies?
• Are there similar deficiencies throughout the novel, or did they occur in only one or two spots?
• Would the average reader notice these weaknesses, or did it bother me because I’m also an author?
• Could I recommend the book to a friend (because, after all, that’s what a rating is—a recommendation)?
• With the exception of the “problem” spots, is the book well-written, are the characters well-developed and is the story believable?

Based on my answers to these questions, I chose to give the book a favorable review. Since I know the author, I could address my concerns with her privately, but I decided a public review is not the place to point out minor—some might say “petty”--weaknesses.

I’ve read other novels where there were so many “issues” that I could not enjoy the book and thus could not rate it higher than a 2. In those cases, I chose not to post a review. Mother taught me, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

But I’m curious. What’s your approach for reviews? How far do you go to provide an honest review without damaging the author’s overall rating, ego, and potentially your friendship?

The Secret Heart
by Marie Wells Coutu

About the Author

Marie Wells Coutu retired in 2013 from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. She now spends her time writing fiction—when she’s not busy having fun with her husband or with their four grandchildren. She has written three novels for Write Integrity Press, including the award-winning For Such a Moment and Thirsting for More. Her most recent book, The Secret Heart, released in February. She is working on a historical novel set in western Kentucky, near where she grew up.

Marie is a regular contributor to Seriously Write. For more posts by Marie, click here.