Encourage One Another

“I’m going to miss you teaching us, Mrs. Fleiss.”

Monday will be the last day of my six-week, junior high history unit. One of my students wrote those kind words in a short e-mail to me. I work hard at teaching. I strive to create a loving environment where we all grow, learn, and wrestle with the topics together. I stay up late, spend hours on my computer, pray a lot…His word of appreciation eased my load, added to my joy.

He’s not a writer, but in that short e-mail, he had a writing ministry.

I’ve been thinking about how to look at writing as an opportunity to serve, aside from the obvious ways (like selling millions of Christ-centered books). It occurred to me one way to honor God in this passion of mine is to encourage others on the same road. 

Our profession is an isolated one. We often sit and stare at words on a screen for more hours than those dear to us. Yet, our hearts, souls, and great desires are mixed up in this work we love—the work of words. How can we push through the isolation? The anxieties and triumphs?

Like my student-friend’s thoughtful note, a short word of encouragement in an e-mail to a writing friend, a blog comment (hint hint), or even a “like” on Facebook can help lift the loneliness of writing. And when I reach out to hold up a friend, my load gets a little lighter--and joyful--too. 

I need to do better at this. Do you? 

Thank You, Lord, for your kindness to me. Help me to share it with my writing friends. 

So ... bless each of you who reads this. Remember the great love our Father has for you and rest in that love. Your dreams and desires are in His hands. He knows them and he knows your disappointment and fear. He is intimately acquainted with all your ways--and carries you through every path. Even when you fail and fall, his grace remains. 

Ahh...

Ocieanna

Ask O Wednesday: How Can I Conquer my Obsession with Being Published?

Happy Wednesday, my writing friends! 

“Give me a quarter, Mom.” My six-year-old boy has grown fond of money lately.

Always looking for a chance to impart the Protestant work ethic, I answer, “Well, what are you going to do for it?”

“Aw Mom, just give me a quarter. Don’t make me do anything!”

This reminds me of a tendency I’ve seen in writers. We like to seek out shortcuts. Some desperately chase after trends, or search for the big trick to see their name in print. I absolutely relate to this consuming desire to be published because I lived in that swamp for many years. Like my son who wanted a free quarter, I craved the reward without the work (or at least as minimal work as possible). Can’t I just be an author, already? What’s with all this training, learning the craft, and “paying my dues”?

Thing is, although some people have overnight success, producing publication-worthy prose normally takes commitment…and time. It’s not an easy road, but it’s rewarding.

So since you’ll probably have to wait it out anyway, how about enjoying the journey? I’ve learned some obstacles to avoid along the way. Maybe my journey can clear a path for you. 

Give Yourself Enough Time

            Years ago I heard Jack Cavanaugh say it took him thirteen years after he started writing to get a book published. Thirteen years? I thought. Lord, please don’t let it take that long. I couldn’t imagine waiting, waiting, waiting for my dream. Thirteen years seemed like forever. Well, in God answered my prayer. It actually took twelve years for my first title to come out. I didn't have to wait as long as Jack Cavanaugh, but it still seemed like forever. I should’ve been more specific in my prayers!

A recent book called Outliers presents the 10,000-hour rule. It says if you want to be successful, you must spend around 10,000 hours of focused practice on a specific task. 10,000 equals about eleven years. (Guess I needed a little extra.) Now, looking back, I see how those twelve years functioned as a classroom where I grappled with the craft of writing. I’m grateful for the chance to labor with the language and examine the elements of story and character.  

Rejection Is a Blessing

           I know what you’re thinking, blah, blah, blah. Heard that before. You’ve heard that even a "no" from a publisher can be a yes from God. You know this. But, man, I wish, years ago, I’d believed the concrete truth that a rejection letter is good news. So many times I went to conferences, got all psyched when an editor liked my project only to receive a rejection letter many months later. “Oh, I can’t write!” I lamented. “I shouldn’t even call myself a writer. It’ll never happen for me!” But now I finally realize one simple truth.

I don’t want my writing to be published if it’s not ready.

I recently received a rejection for a novel I’m working on. The editor said the project wasn’t up to their standards. (Yes, it happens even after you’re published). I’m not going to deny that it stung. It did. But rather than wallowing in despair, I’m incredibly grateful my not-yet-ready-to-hit-the-shelves book isn’t going to print. Why? Because readers deserve a tale crafted with excellence; I only want my most stellar work out there; and…I desire to honor the Lord with my best.

            Also, the rejection gives me time to go back and spruce it up. Ask questions like, “Did I really put my heart into this?” “Is there enough depth in the characters?” “Does the plot carry?” What a great opportunity to gain a fresh perspective. Yay for rejection!

Do the Work

Finally, while you’re waiting, why not learn the craft? Read writing books, go to workshops, hire a writing coach, check out writing blogs. Glean everything you can. And use it! Write every chance you get. Not only for the practice, but even if it’s not selling off the shelves at Walmart, you’re writing can still bless others. I have a friend who sends out lovely cards, rich with encouragement from Scripture. Her simple card-writing ministry blesses me and so many. How can you bless others and glorify God with your writing? Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?

And don’t forget the business aspect of the writing world. Learn about Christian retailing, market trends, what publishing houses want, how to pitch an idea, how to write a back cover… so much fun stuff to do while you wait, you may be too busy to worry about being published.

As we trek this writing path, remember we’ll get to the prize, but first, the work.

How do you fill your time waiting for publication? I'd love to hear!

Happy writing! 

Ocieanna

 (This piece was originally published in the Northwest Christian Author.)

Finding the Time to Write by Lacy Williams

I started writing seriously (aiming toward publication) almost six years ago. At that time, my biggest challenge was learning the craft to get my stories in shape to be published. Then my challenge became finding time to write around a full-time work schedule (and still fit my husband in there somewhere too!).

Now my biggest challenge is writing books with two small children in the house. I have a two-year-old daughter and eight month old son, and right now I think I work harder now than I ever did in the corporate world! My days are busy with potty training, feeding both of them, and somewhat trying to keep the house clean.

So my usual writing time is relegated to naptime (if I can get them both down at the same time—some days I can’t!), and after bedtime. That means my writing time is limited to about 2 hours a day. Here’s how I’m coping with this significant challenge:

• Turn off email, TV and all other distractions when I have my writing time. I need to do this to take advantage of all the brainpower I can and not be distracted. (Thank goodness for DVR!! I’m addicted to CASTLE.)
• Know where I’m going. I am a halfway seat-of-the-pants writer, but for me to get in a good word count of quality writing, it is important that I have the next couple of scenes thought out or a rough draft of them scribbled on a piece of paper. So that way when I actually get to sit down and write I can write quickly because I have a plan of where the story is going.
• Think about my story when I’m not writing. See the above tip about having scenes in mind for when I sit down to write. When I can, I think about my characters, story, etc. when I’m doing something mindless like folding the laundry. Or I get a lot of inspiration in the shower. Used to get a lot while driving but not now that I have a chattery two year old. :)
• Prioritize. This was essential when I was working under my last deadline. It meant I couldn’t work on marketing stuff or check email or other important projects and I even had to put aside a few times of going out with friends or dinner with family to get the book done. But it did get done on time.

These are my tips for writing with small children. I’m sure they’ll change as the kids get bigger. I feel like my writing has been something that morphs into whatever time I can take for it—but it is important to me and I have never been able to stop, which some people says is a sign of a true writer.

Lacy Williams is a wife and mom from Oklahoma. Her debut novel, MARRYING MISS MARSHAL, won ACFW's Genesis award before being published. She promises readers happily-ever-afters guaranteed.

Lacy combines her love of dogs with her passion for literacy by volunteering with her therapy dog Mr. Bingley in a local Kids Reading to Dogs program.

Lacy loves to hear from readers. She posts short stories and giveaways at her website http://www.lacywilliams.net and can be found on social media at http://www.facebook.com/lacywilliamsbooks and www.twitter.com/lacy_williams.

Be sure to check out her special promotion with freebies and giveaways all through the month of May. Check it out at www.megamaybirthdaybash.com.

About THE HOMESTEADER'S SWEETHEART
To escape a dreaded arranged marriage, Penny Castlerock will face anything—even life on her grandfather's farm. But it isn't the rustic lifestyle that's got the Philadelphia socialite tied in knots. It's the handsome homesteader and his eight adopted children next door….

With seven boys and a girl to raise, transplanted farmer Jonas White could sure use some help. He just didn't expect it to come from the high-spirited, copper-haired beauty he's always admired from afar. But surely working the land is no life for a woman like Penny. Yet a threat to Jonas's farm just might show him how perfect Penny is for him after all.

Lessons Learned from the Movies Series: Part 2 by Fay Lamb

If you're a fiction writer, I imagine you love story. And if you love story, I'm guessing you love good movies. Today, Fay Lamb is back for her second installment on story craft lessons she learned from movies. Enjoy! 

Scenes to Remember: 

Motivating Your Character

by Fay Lamb

Lots of people aimlessly roam around in life, bouncing from one opportunity to the next. Sometimes they hit pay dirt by accident. Most times, they wander around accomplishing nothing.

An author cannot afford to allow his lead character to drift for one single moment. In movies, as in novels, each scene must link to the next scene then the next to build to the conclusion of the story. Character motivation is the link to each scene.

In the movie August Rush, the little hero is on a journey to find his parents. He’s actually in tune with the One who directs our steps, and he knows that somewhere in the world outside the orphanage where he resides, he has a mother and a father. His goal throughout the story is to find his parents. He takes the first step by leaving the orphanage, and his journey is detoured along the way, but in each scene he moves closer to his goal.

Every lead character in your novel must have a clear goal, and each scene for that lead character must move him one step closer to his goal.

It isn’t a big enough goal for ex-master thief, Andrew, to want to rob the owner of the most magnificent diamond in the world if Andrew doesn’t have something significant pushing him toward that goal. And since jewel thieves aren’t the likeliest of heroic figures, that goal must be something the reader can sympathize with, like say, the girl he loves, Hannah, the one he gave up the life of crime for is dying.

While he lived pretty well as a master thief, when he denounced his old ways and gave back ten-fold to those he stole from, he definitely doesn’t have the money to help her now. With that added incentive, right or wrong, Andrew moves forward and he brings the reader with him. They are marching right alongside him—willing to get caught with him, if that’s what it takes to get Hannah the treatment she needs. All the while, the reader is looking for a way for Andrew to help Hannah without taking the wrong course.

Every character needs to be motivated by something. The larger the goal, the larger the scene, the greater the setbacks for the character, and the better the read for those wanting to see a character reach his goal.

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Fay Lamb works as an acquisition/copyeditor for Pelican Book Group (White Rose Publishing and Harbourlight Books), offers her services as a freelance editor, and is an author of Christian romance and romantic suspense. Her emotionally charged stories remind the reader that God is always in the details. Because of Me, her debut romantic suspense novel is soon to be released by Treble Heart Books/Mountainview Publishing. Fay has a passion for working with and encouraging fellow writers. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she co-moderates the large Scribes’ Critique Group and manages the smaller Scribes’ critique groups. For her efforts, she was the recipient of the ACFW Members Service Award in 2010. In 2012, Fay was also elected to serve as secretary on ACFW’s Operating Board. Fay and her husband, Marc, reside in Titusville, Florida, where multi-generations of their families have lived. The legacy continues with their two married sons and five grandchildren.


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Not your typical Christian fiction.


Michael’s fiancée, Issie Putnam, was brutally attacked and Michael was imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Now he’s home to set things right.


Two people stand in his way: Issie’s son, Cole, and a madman.


Can Michael learn to love the child Issie holds so close to her heart and protect him from the man who took everything from Michael so long ago?

Because of Me is available through all fine book retailers, Amazon, and Mountainview Publishing, a division of Treble Heart Books.