Creativity in His Image by Linda W. Yezak

My favorite Bible study guide so far is Beth Moore's The Patriarchs: Encountering the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or, as I call it, Encountering God. This study is about the One True God revealed in His many titles that illustrate His attributes, characteristics, and personality. Beth's comments on page 28 of the study guide caught my attention and imagination:

Man's vast creativity and capability to spin a tale or unveil a mystery is just another part of how humans are created in the image of God. He is the master storyteller, weaving a thousand story lines together over the course of 66 books and many centuries.

As a writer, this just made my day. It confirmed my belief that creating worlds and people is Godlike—just as Godlike as healing the sick, judging the accused, ruling the nation. Just as Godlike as loving the unloved and unloveable, having mercy, understanding the misunderstood.

We have these abilities because God has these abilities to a degree far higher than we can possibly imagine. Doctors know about the human body only a miniscule portion of what the Creator of that body knows, but God shared His knowledge with them in order that they may heal others. Righteous judges can make righteous judgments based upon the wisdom the wisest Judge provides them. And so on throughout my examples: We can do what we do because He does it. He does in purity and perfection what we, in our humanness, tend to pervert, but still, we obtain our ability to do it at all because we are made in His image.

We can create and write and bring people to laughter or tears, joy or shame, because He gave us a tiny part of the creativity He possesses. Because we are made in His image, we are able to do to a minute degree what He does in an infinite degree.

We are not gods and we certainly aren't anywhere near God, but because we are created in His image, we have His qualities in us. Just think about it—the Creator/Possessor of Heaven and Earth gave His creative abilities to us.

Be encouraged in the knowledge that you were created in His image.

Have you had a special experience when it was driven home to you that what you created was God-inspired, that He pretty much used your fingers to type the story?

~~~~~~~

Though we don't do giveaways on Seriously Write, Linda wanted you to know she's running a special giveaway during her blog tour for Ride to the Altar. When you comment on any of the blogs in her tour, your name goes into a (figurative) cowboy hat in a drawing for the items in the photo: "a signed print version of the series, a 16-ounce Christian cowboy mug, a horseshoe picture frame, a Ph. 4:13 stretch bracelet, a cute set of magnetic page markers, and a Texas Rubiks cube." Tomorrow (7/26), she'll be visiting with Linda Glaz. 

Linda W. Yezak lives with her husband and their funky feline, PB, in a forest in deep East Texas, where tall tales abound and exaggeration is an art form. She has a deep and abiding love for her Lord, her family, and salted caramel. And coffee—with a caramel creamer. Author of award-winning books and short stories, she didn't begin writing professionally until she turned fifty. Taking on a new career every half century is a good thing.

Website: http://lindawyezak.com

Newsletter: http://dld.bz/CoffeewithLinda

Facebook: Author Page

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lyezak/

Twitter: @LindaYezak

Amazon Page: http://dld.bz/LWYAmazonPage

Goodreads: Linda W Yezak

I Don’t Have Time to Write by Angela Arndt

Smartphone games

I see you. You’re nodding and saying, “See? Someone finally understands. I’ve got to take the kids to school, go to work, pick them up in the afternoon, help with homework, cook dinner, wash dishes, put them to bed, then fall into bed myself. I’m so glad someone finally understands.”

Ahem. Wrong. You know there’s a story rattling around in your head. But writing is not a one-of-these-days concept. Someday will never come.

But you do have bits and pieces of time you can use so you can start writing today. How? Here are a few suggestions to help you find time:
Time-Wasters
Instead of playing Candy Crush, Solitaire, or Words with Friends, (you knew I'd start here) jot down a few ideas in an email and send it to yourself with the subject line: WIP. (Just using the acronym for “work-in-progress” feels writerly, doesn’t it?)

Time-Theft
On-hold with the insurance company, Department of Motor Vehicles, or doctor’s office? Close your eyes and imagine your opening scene: your hero or heroine in an action scene that will leave your readers wanting more. 
Jot down a few notes: what did you see, smell, touch, feel or even taste? After you hang-up, quickly use your phone’s voice recorder app to describe the scene in detail. Then, save the audio file to your WIP file. 

Bonus: use Apple Dictation and Google Docs Voice Typing to save time (they will transcribe as you dictate).

Taking Back More Time
Designate one spiral-bound notebook for your WIP notes and take it everywhere: from the doctor’s office, back to the exam room. If you’re blessed with “flying thumbs,” then open the text app on your phone and write away. There at least two multi-published authors who have written their ENTIRE BOOK on their phones. Honestly.

Someone forgot their notebook.

Dream Download
Speaking of having a notebook with you at all times, here’s another tip: keep it by your bed. Why?

 A professor I had (a Rhodes Scholar) said our brains continue to wrestle with our problems while we sleep. Have you ever woken up at 3 a.m. with a great idea? That’s your brain’s background processes at work. 

Use the light from your smartphone or a small book light to jot down the highlights of the dream in your notebook so you can read it in the morning. Or if you can talk without slurring or waking your spouse, use your speech-to-text app.

Bonus
Keep all those WIP emails in one place by setting up smart folders and filters in your email program. Use Share command to save voice memos to that folder.

Excuses, Excuses!
Waiting for the perfect time to sit for hours at a time in your local coffee shop is an excuse. Instead, grab every moment you can and write, write, write!

Next week I’ll talk about specific apps and programs that can help you take back time.

Where have you found time to write? What’s keeping you from writing the next Great American Novel?

About the Author

Angela Arndt

 Angela Arndt is Jesus-follower and God-lover. She loves to write women’s fiction with a thread of romance and tell stories of strong, independent women in difficult situations. Her biggest hope is that she will encourage others to overcome their own “back roads” to find their joy in the Lord.


She and her husband, Charles, live on a bee farm in the middle of a big wood with their three furbabies: Beau, Harley, and Buddy the Wonder Dog.


She's also team-member of Seriously Write. Click here for more posts by Angie. By the way, she'd love for you to join her on her website, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. 

Living in a Virtual World by Mary Manners

Living in a Virtual World

by Mary Manners

Writers tend to be solitary creatures and I can certainly attest to that. Nearly a decade ago, when I first got 'the call' to enter the publishing world, all I knew about writing was exactly that--to write. Facebook was barely and entity, Twitter stood virtually non-existent, and other social media outlets that are so popular today were merely a vision. I actually wrote my books with pen and paper, then reluctantly transferred the words to my laptop. I had never (gasp) heard of blogs or book trailers (I thought they only applied to movies), Bookbub or Goodreads. Newsletters were something I sent home weekly to communicate with parents of the students in my classroom.

 

I've come a long way, baby! And coming this far has taught me one important thing--I still have a long way to go. Miles. An ultra marathon worth of miles.

 

Writers have to wear many hats, and besides actually writing the story, one of the most important is marketing. Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Intagram, newsletters, Website, street team, reviews, reviews, reviews...just to name a few. I don't know about you, but for me it's so easy to get swallowed up in marketing and, in the process, lose focus of what made me dream of becoming a writer in the first place--the joy of writing. The pleasure of sharing stories of my heart. Honestly, I'd rather put my energy into crafting the next story than planning Facebook parties, booking blog tours, or studying Amazon's logarithms. Yet, the hard truth is this: It's great to have a story, but unless you get the word out, you'll merely have a nice dust collector for your bookshelf.

 

So I did a little research (yes, I did) and found a knowledgeable virtual assistant that's a great fit for my needs. She's more valuable than gold and great at all of the things I am not. We work together like apples and cinnamon to spread the sweet word about my books. I am not ashamed to say she's taught me so much, and is patient with knowing I have so much more to learn. Hiring her is the best decision, writing wise, that I ever made. With a skilled virtual assistant to carry the bulk of the marketing load, my joy of writing has been restored.

 

Whew...when it comes to the ins and out of the writing world I'll never stop learning and growing. The industry is simply too vast to ever learn everything out there. But it's nice to know I'm not alone in the journey.

 

Now, I'm off to write!

 

 

~~~~~

 

 



Fall in Love (Five Sweet Tales of Autumn Romance)

 

BE SWEPT AWAY IN FIVE HEARTWARMING ROMANCES FILLED WITH HOPE, FAITH, AND SECOND CHANCES...

CAPTIVE AT SEA
Claire Mulvaney’s benevolent spirit has her biting off more than she can chew when she spearheads a charity fishing event to raise funds for Winding Ridge’s overcrowded animal shelter and is forced to call on fishing expert Sean Maguire.

 

NEVER THE TWAIN
Hollywood agent Cass Townsend makes a more-than-satisfactory living helping talented “wannabe” actors become stars.

 

FULLY COMMITTED
Receiving a Dear Rand email while serving his country didn’t douse the fire in Rand Tenneson’s heart for his high school sweetheart.

 

WITHOUT A SONG
Still reeling from the loss of her husband, young widow Roni Marsden resolves to be strong for her precocious daughter.

 

AUTUMN LOVES
Two years after her husband’s tragic death, middle-aged widow Rylie Thornton struggles to raise her three sons while keeping the family business in the black.

 

~~~~

 

 

Mary Manners is a country girl at heart who has spent a lifetime sharing her joy of writing. She lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats Colby and Rascal, 8 rambunctious chickens, and 13 fish.

Mary writes stories full of faith and hope. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

 

If you’d like to receive information on new releases, please follow Mary here: Author Page

 

Subscribe to Mary's newsletter and receive a free story. This is also where she shares exciting contests, upcoming releases, and special deals: Newsletter Subscribe

 

Want to join Mary's street team and help spread the word about her books? Find information here: Mary Manners Page Turners

Turning Life into Comedy by Janetta Fudge Messmer

Janetta Fudge Messmer

Think of all the excuses we come up with for not writing. For instance ... there’s not enough time, we keep getting interrupted, or we don’t have the right space. But author Janetta Fudge Messmer’s experience is a testimony to the fact that if we really want to write, we’ll find a way. ~ Dawn

Turning Life into Comedy

My tagline for my books is: Turning Life into Comedy. If truth be told, humor follows me (and my hubby) around. As full-time RVers, and me writing and getting published while on the road, life is always interesting. Reason being—I have to find time to write and still see the sites around the area we’re camping in.

I struggle with the balance of the two. Most mornings, sightseeing calls my sanguine soul. But my brain—with the Lord’s prompting tells me, “Janetta, you have to finish the scene (or book) before the turn of the next century.”

Thankfully, I listened to the right Voice and completed Early Birds in 2016. The other three books in the series followed (Southbound Birds, Girly Birds, and Blessings Birds). They’re Christian Comedies with a splash of Romance, published with Winged Publications (Forget Me Not Romances).

And they all happened while traveling in our RV. The schedule I find that works for me is writing in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, we go see the sights. On travels days, you might find me buckled into our banquette, writing or editing. Yes, I can write while Ray drives. I’ve learned to take advantage of those times and get work done.

Oh, if you’re wondering how I came up with the idea for the series—my hubby and I tease that the idea for Early Birds came from our pooch, Maggie. She ‘told’ us to quit our jobs, sell everything, buy an RV and get on the road. Which we did. And we love our tiny-space living. It’s cramped at times, but we’ve made it all work.

There’s another perk of our RV adventure and it’s helped my writing too. When I’m out and about, I listen to people. They never cease to amaze me. The best one yet was a one-side phone conversation we overheard about the other person’s itch. J My suggestion: Next time you venture out, bring a notepad and listen to those around you. They’ll give you plenty to write about.

In conclusion, I guess what I’m saying is writing can be done…whatever your circumstance. Don’t get discouraged if you have limited time or space. Keep putting the words down. Whether you’re doing it on your lunch hour, or at midnight on your closet floor. The words the Lord has given you need written. 

Take it from me—you can do this. Remember, I’m writing mine in an RV. J

  

And, ONE MORE THING. Now until the end of the month, the e-books of Early Birds, Southbound Birds, and Girly Birds are available for .99 cents each on Amazon at: https://goo.gl/PG0Y4O.  SUCH A DEAL!!!

Blessing Birds

Blessing Birds

Before the Early Birds leave Florida, on their trek up the East Coast, Rose Wilford shares another idea with her friends on how to help humanity. They love it, but the concept needs a little fine tuning. One things for sure, they’re not letting Rosie out of their sight the rest of the trip. If they do, she’s liable to alert more than the media. Buckle up for a mixture of merriment and mayhem from the Early Birds.

 

Janetta Fudge Messmer is an inspirational author, speaker and editor. Her Early Birds series (Early Birds, Southbound Birds, Girly Birds and Blessing Birds) is sure to make you chuckle and want to hit the road in your own RV. Janetta, her hubby (Ray), and their pooch (Maggie) are full-time RVers. Writing and traveling go hand in hand as they see the USA in their twenty-five-foot Minnie Winnie.

Connect with Janetta and learn more about her books here:

Website: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge