Writing Consistently By Terri Weldon

Terri Weldon

Well, here I am on the wrong Thursday again. A special thanks to Dora for her flexibility and kindness in switching with me. While I’m writing this I know my sister will be in surgery as you read the post on Thursday morning. Please say a prayer for a successful surgery and swift recovery.

Recently, I wrote a complete book in what felt like a very short amount of time – at least to me. I won’t deny the pace was grueling and there were times I wondered if I would ever finish something worth reading in such a short timeframe. I’m pleased to say I did finish and while it might or might not find a home, I had an epiphany as I wrote the novel. Writing consistently makes you a better writer. I know, you’ve heard that a million times before. So had I, but while writing this project I experienced the reality of it firsthand.

To finish my book and edit it in the allotted time, I had to write boo coos of words fast. What I discovered was the more I wrote, the easier it became to hop into my character’s head. Their voices came naturally, and I knew how they’d react in the harrowing situations they’d face in this romantic suspense novel.

Don’t get me wrong, like all characters they refused to stick to the synopsis I’d written 100%. Seems they had a mind of their own and they weren’t afraid to let me know when they didn’t like my original plan. But let’s face it, when have your characters done everything according to plan? Mine never do. They seem to think they know best.

Would I want to write all my manuscripts at the breakneck pace required to finish this one? NEVER! I think sleep deprivation would do me in. However, as I’m plotting the sequel to the book I just finished, I do want to meet a specific word count every day. I do want to write faster than I have in the past. I do want to write consistently, it reduced the amount of editing required. So regardless of what happens with this story, I’ve learned an invaluable lesson that will help me grow as a writer.

How about you? Do you write consistently? If so, has writing consistently improved your writing? If not, would you be willing to give it a try for two weeks and let me know how it goes? I’d love to hear your responses so leave a comment about your experiences.

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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.

3 Keys to Protect Your Writing Time by Ralene Burke

I don't know about you, but time is worth double its weight in gold to me. I never seem to have enough to accomplish all I want. Today, author Ralene Burke shares three tips on protecting your time for writing. -- Sandy

Ralene: We live in a society that loves to fill its days with activity—lots of activity. All too often, we pile on obligation after obligation. Our kids need to be somewhere, the church needs a Sunday School teacher, our mother needs someone to trim the bushes, the writers group needs a speaker for next weekend, and the list goes on.

Somewhere in the midst of all the activity, though, we missed any chance to do the thing we’re called to do: write. Where did the writing time go? We were well-intentioned when we said we would write 5,000 words this week, weren’t we?

While each activity listed above is important, and while someone does need to do it, here’s a little secret: it doesn’t have to be you. There may be a need, and you may be able to fill it, but that doesn’t mean you’re supposed to. With a system in place, you can keep the busyness to a minimum.

3 Keys to Protect Your Writing Time

1.       Know Your Priorities: Ultimately, your priorities are between you and God, but it is important that you know what they are! Spend some time in prayer, talk with your spouse, and then WRITE THEM DOWN. Writing them down helps to establish them in your brain so you’re more likely to remember and stick to them.

2.       Set Your Schedule: With your priorities in mind, go through the activities already in your schedule and determine if they fall in line with your priorities. If they do, add them to your schedule; if they don’t, throw them out! Then determine what time is available for writing based on when you are most creative/awake and what is available in the schedule.

3.       Learn to Say No: This is a big one that we hear a lot—but how often do we take it to heart?

Think of it like this. If you were at a normal, 9-5 job with a boss and a paycheck, what would you do? In non-emergency situations, you’d have to say no and then address it later. For bigger needs, like being a Sunday School teacher or speaking for a writers group, take the time to pray. Ask God if this is an opportunity that He wants to use you for. Does it align with your priorities? Can you balance your schedule or are you adding unnecessary obligations?

Our writing time is so fleeting, it’s gone before we know it if we’re not making a conscious effort to protect it. Priorities, a schedule, and the ability to say no give us more control and help make room in our busy lives for that which we are called to do.

Therefore, go forth and write. Make the time to be the writer God called you to be.

How do you make time in your schedule for your writing? What kind of priority do you give it?

~~~~~

Whether she’s wielding a fantasy writer’s pen, a freelance editor’s sword, or a social media wand, Ralene Burke always has her head in some dreamer’s world. And her goal is to make it SHINE! She spins fantastical tales to encourage people to SHINE BEYOND. She has worked for a variety of groups/companies, including Realm Makers, The Christian PEN, Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, and as an editor for a number of freelance clients.

Her first novel, Bellanok, is being published as a 5-part mini-series starting in August 2015!

When her head’s not in the publishing world, she is wife to a veteran and homeschooling mama to their three kids. Her Pinterest board would have you believe she is a master chef, excellent seamstress, and all around crafty diva. If she only had the time . . .

You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, or at her website. 

Are You a Pickle Sloshing in the Salty Brine? by Zoe M. McCarthy

Image by Scarletina

Perhaps, you’re sloshing in the salty brine because God is fermenting you to be the salt of the earth.

Verses in the Bible assure us God is ready to give us success with one requirement:

As long as we seek the Lord, He will give us success.

It’s that simple.

The hard part is truly believing God. But, dear friends, it’s time we decide.

I invite you to read my story and then the passages below (NIV). And as you slosh in the salty brine, believe and stand firm on these promises.

In 2007, John and I found the perfect hill in a remote valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. I wanted to build a house, move there from the city five hours away, live on that hill, and write.

We made an appointment for the next day with the realtor.

In the motel that night, I woke at 4 am. “What am I doing?”

Back home, I’d committed to Bible Study Fellowship and was called to be a children’s leader. I had four years left in the program. Sick to my stomach, I sought God. I asked Him to forgive me. I let go of my dream and recommitted myself to BSF. Peace washed over me.

Then God said, “You may buy the land, but complete your commitment before you go.”

Four years later, John and I moved to this Eden, and I received a contract for my first book. I’m still sloshing in the brine, but I’m learning to seek God and discern the successes He gives me.

Scriptures

We seek God, then succeed.

2 Chronicles 26

^5b As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

We obey God, then receive blessings and prosperity.

Psalm 128

¹ Blessed are all who fear the Lord,

who walk in obedience to him.

² You will eat the fruit of your labor;

blessings and prosperity will be yours.

We delight in God, then receive our heart’s desires.

Psalm 37:4

⁴ Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

We get into God’s Word and do what God says, then prosper and succeed.

Joshua 1

⁸ Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

We seek God first, then receive things we need.

Matthew 6

³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

We submit to God, then our paths straighten.

Proverbs 3

⁶ In all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

We trust God, then we are helped.

Psalm 28:

⁷ My heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

So you see, it’s all about seeking God in everything. How has this worked for you?

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Bible verses assure us God is ready to give us success with one requirement.  Click to tweet.

Has there been a time you sought the Lord and experienced success?

About the Author

Zoe M. McCarthy

Zoe M. McCarthy believes the little known fact that opposites distract. Thus, she spins Christian contemporary romances entangling extreme opposites. Her tagline is: Distraction to Attraction, Magnetic Romances Between Opposites. Now retired actuaries, Zoe and her husband evaluated the financial risks for insurance companies. Nick, in Zoe’s debut novel, Calculated Risk, is an actuary. Christian Fiction Online Magazine published two of her short stories. Zoe self-published two books of contemporary Christian short stories. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She enjoys leading workshops on the craft of writing; speaking about her faith; planning fun events for her 5 grandchildren; and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she lives with her husband, John.

Learn more about Zoe M. McCarthy at her website: http://zoemmccarthy.com

Calculated Risk

What happens when an analytical numbers man meets a mercurial marketing Rep? Romance is a calculated risk…

 

Calculated Risk
by Zoe M. McCarthy

Jilted by the latest of her father’s choices of “real men,” Cisney Baldwin rashly accepts an invitation to spend Thanksgiving weekend with a sympathetic colleague and his family. Nick LeCrone is a man too much her opposite to interest her and too mild-mannered to make her overbearing father’s “list.” Now, Cisney fears Nick wants to take advantage of her vulnerable state over the holiday. Boy, is she wrong.

Nick wants little to do with Cisney. She drives him crazy with all her sticky notes and quirks. He extended an invitation because he felt sorry for her. Now he’s stuck, and to make matters worse, his family thinks she’s his perfect match. He’ll do what he can to keep his distance, but there’s just one problem—he’s starting to believe Cisney’s magnetism is stronger than he can resist.

Purchase links for Calculated Risk: http://zoemmccarthy.com/books

When God Gives Us Pearls by Marianne Evans

Marianne Evans

My husband and I are in the process of selling our home. An adventure, they say. Right-sizing, they say. Well, had someone warned me about the work and emotion involved, I might have applied the brakes and said, “No way, baby!” But God’s in control, so on we go, and all kidding aside, I’m eager to explore this new season in our lives!

One of the treasures I uncovered as I sort and pack is a story I saved from over twenty years ago. Its impact remains, so I wanted to share. The story is titled Foil Boxes & Blue Velvet – Author, Unknown.

My prayer is that it encourages you the same way it encouraged me.

~~~~~

Jenny was a cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, five-year-old Jenny saw them—a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

“Oh, please, Mommy. Can I have them?”

The mother checked the back of the box then looked into the pleading eyes of her daughter. “They’re almost two dollars. If you want them, I’ll think of some chores for you, and in no time you’ll save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday is only a week away and you might get a dollar bill from Grandma.”

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her bank and counted out seventeen pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores. She went to the neighbor and asked if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday, Grandma gave her a crisp new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel grown up. She wore them everywhere—Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only place she didn’t wear them was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a loving daddy. Every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and read her a story. One night, when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, “Do you love me?”

“Oh, yes, Daddy. You know I love you!”

“Then give me your pearls.”

“Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. You can have Princess—the white horse from my collection. She’s my favorite…but please, not my pearls.”

“That’s okay, honey. Daddy loves you. Good night.” He brushed her cheeks with kisses.

A week later, after story time, Jenny’s daddy asked again, “Do you love me?”

“Daddy, you know I love you!”

“Will you give me your pearls?”

“Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. You can have my doll—the brand new one I got for my birthday. She’s beautiful, and you can even have her little yellow blanket. Please, Daddy, not my pearls.”

“That’s okay, honey. Sleep well and God bless you. Daddy loves you.” As always, he brushed her cheeks with gentle kisses.

A few nights later, at story time, Jenny sat on her bed. When Daddy came close, he noticed her chin trembled, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

“What’s the matter, Jenny?”

Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her hand. There rested her little pearl necklace. “Here, Daddy. It’s for you.”

Tears gathered in his eyes as Jenny’s Daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace and with the other hand reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls. He gave the case to Jenny. He had had them all the time. He was simply waiting for her to give up imitation jewelry for genuine treasure.

So much like our heavenly Father.

Be blessed, friends, and may you always rejoice in the genuine treasure of Christ!

~~~~~

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Can you give up dime-store jewels for genuine treasure?

Do you choose foil boxes or God’s jeweled velvet?

~~~~~

Aiden Balfour has always craved stability, independence and security. He’s led a rocky life but always treasured his summers in Northern Michigan with his best summertime friend, Olivia Masters.

Olivia is dedicated to preserving the life she’s known and always treasured at her grandparent’s home high on a bluff overlooking the pristine waters of Avalon. With their blessing, she’s turned the expansive piece of property into a quaint, restful bed and breakfast.

But developers are circling—and they’re led by none other than Aiden Balfour.

Now an ambitious businessman, he’s determined to turn the lake into a tourist mecca. A successful business owner, Olivia is equally determined to stop him...no matter what his hold on her heart.

Can the innocent joy and love of their youth be reclaimed? Can Then…and now…ever be reconciled to a future overflowing with love, and hope?

~~~~~

Then & Now is part of Pure Amore, a Christian New Adult imprint and book of the month subscription service. Find out more at Pelican Book Group!

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Marianne Evans is a multi-award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction with over twenty titles to her credit. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create.

Happily married and the mother of two, Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan who is active in a number of Romance Writers of America chapters, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President.

Connect with Marianne:

Website ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Amazon ~ Pinterest