Lessons I Learned from Writing a Character Just Like Me by Carla Laureano

Every character I write has some bit of myself in him or her. Many times, when I’m writing someone who is utterly unlike myself, I give them a few of my own characteristics, just so I can relate to the character better. But this time around, Analyn Sanchez—the heroine of The Solid Grounds Coffee Company—has more than just a few similarities to me: she’s the cautionary-tale version of myself.

At the beginning of the story, Ana is a high-powered crisis publicist, dealing with clients who are various degrees of unsavory to repair their tarnished reputations. Every element of her life is scheduled from morning to night, all planned to give her the most efficient, perfect day possible. Of course, if you’re familiar with how these stories go, you know that doesn’t last long . . . and it’s the crumbling of her seemingly perfect life that helps launch her into the story (and, of course, into the hero’s arms).

It was easy to write Ana because I knew those temptations all too well. I, too, had worked in a corporate discipline that was long on appearance but short on balance. I took that same mind-set into my writing career, packing more into a single day than was actually possible or healthy, especially considering I had small humans at home to keep alive. But over the last several years, I’d gotten that tendency under control. I was taking more time for myself. I was working less, spending more time with family, and focusing on my health. I was on the other side of those issues, which meant that I had the perfect vantage point to write the character.

Or so I thought.

The funny thing about being a writer, especially a Christian writer, is that you start a book thinking it’s for other people, and by the time you’re done, you realize it was mostly for yourself. As I brought the story to a close, I realized that like Ana, I might have eliminated much of the hustle from my daily schedule, but I hadn’t completely dealt with the reasons behind that need for hustle: the quest for excellence that really just represented the desire for control of my own life, the buried belief that my worth was mostly tied up in my accomplishments, the prideful lie that people around me were counting on me to be perfect. Oddly enough, it’s not the first time I’ve written this theme in a book, and yet somehow I still find myself surprised that it applies to me.

I’m praying that this time, the lessons that I learned through writing The Solid Grounds Coffee Company will stick. But I think I finally understand, as Ana comes to in the end, that there’s no shame in being a work in progress.

"...you start a book thinking it’s for other people, and by the time you’re done, you realize it was mostly for yourself." via @CarlaLaureano #SeriouslyWrite #amwriting

~~~~~~

Carla Laureano is the two-time RITA Award–winning author of Five Days in Skye, London Tides, and the Saturday Night Supper Club series. She is also the author of the Celtic fantasy series The Song of Seare (as C. E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons.

Venn Diagrams Apply to Writers By Marie Wells Coutu

Remember math class and Venn diagrams?

If you’re like me (and many other writers), math was not your favorite subject. Bear with me and see how Venn diagrams relate to the writing life.

To refresh your memory, a Venn diagram uses circles to show the relationships between different sets of things. Areas where the circles overlap are the similarities, and areas where there is no overlap represent the differences. These diagrams are often used in business and academia to convey information.

You might use the circles in writing your novel to help you visualize the connections between your characters. Each circle can represent a character’s goals, and the overlap can show you where their goals are similar, perhaps helping you to see how you might depict the theme of the novel in different ways through each character.

In this very simple example, I’ve listed the goals of three characters. The areas where two circles intersect relates to one of their values, in this case, their attitude toward money.

We can see from the diagram that Jane has conflicting values: she believes money will help her gain popularity, but she also knows money can ruin people. John and Jerry both view money as a means to power but John sees that as a bad thing based on his personal failings, while Jerry desires the power that money will give him.

In the middle, where all of these values overlap, is where we find the major conflict for the story.

You could use such a diagram to picture your conflict, theme, or character epiphanies. When you’re outlining, this process may help you develop ideas for your plot. Or after your first draft, a Venn chart could help you identify a weakness or missing element in your character development.

(Hint: You can, of course, draw your diagram by hand but if you prefer to make such things look pretty, you’ll find the basic circles in Microsoft Word: Insert—Smart Art—Relationships—Basic Venn. The main labels for each circle will be there, but you’ll have to use text boxes to add labels to the overlapping areas.)

A diagram like this also can portray your life as a writer. One circle represents your spiritual life, one stands for your physical world, and one is the story you’re writing.

The challenge, as a Christian writer, is to allow these worlds to overlap. The points where your story intersects with your world, connected by your faith, are the points where God will use you to impact other people.

If our goal is to use our writing to spread the message of God’s love, we will pay attention to those intersections. Sometimes we have to come out of our writing cave and live out the lessons He is teaching us. That may involve serving our family, going on a mission trip, or reaching out to a needy stranger in a parking lot. And those interactions can often come full circle by adding spiritual depth to our writing.

Where do your circles overlap? And how can you use a Venn diagram to help with your current work-in-progress?

The points where your story intersects with your world, connected by your faith, are the points where God will use you to impact other people. #amwriting @mwcoutu @MaryAFelkins #writinglife

You can use a Venn chart to help you identify a weakness or missing element in your character development. #writingtips #amwriting @mwcoutu@MaryAFelkins

Marie Wells Coutu finds beauty in surprising places, like old houses, gnarly trees, and forgotten treasures. When she’s not writing about finding restoration and healing through God-designed journeys, she enjoys taking broken things and making them useful.
She is currently working on historical romance novels set in the 1930s. One manuscript won the 2019 Touched by Love Contest and the 2019 Sheila Contest, and a second novel also won in the Sheila Contest.
Her published novels are women’s contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, For Such a Moment, won the Books of Hope Contest. The Secret Heart, her newest release, and Thirsting for More, the second book in the series, were finalists in several contests.

You can find more about Marie and her novels on her Facebook author page and her website, MarieWellsCoutu.com,
Follow her on Twitter @mwcoutu or on Amazon.

The Heart of a Dog

I have two novels to read and a paper to write, as well as preparing lesson plans for several classes I’m teaching. Winston, my dog, agreed to write today. Thanks, Winston!

By Winston Churchill

Since I was little, Master, whose name is Top-Dog, would sit on the couch with Mommy, Tall-Boy, and Peep. On their laps they stared at glow-trays or Books. I know what Books are, because one day my teeth ached and I wanted to chew, so I chewed a Book, and Top-Dog taught me what a Book was and not to eat them. Even though the house is covered in Books—on the tables and desks, even on the walls, I don’t eat them, because Books are what the family wants to talk about.

I don’t know why.

Winston Churchill

Their every moment, when not hunting for food outside our when they are in the doghouse, is spent reading Books and sometimes looking at their glow-trays. They once had a giant window with a strange light that they starred at, but it’s gone and they sit and look at Books more.

One day, Tall-Boy left. I sat at the front door and waited. And waited. And WAITED. I missed him so much! Days. Months. Oh BOY! I heard his footsteps, and he opened the door. It’s Tall-Boy. No wait, he’s Taller-Boy! And so strong! He sat on the couch, took more Books from a bag, and talked about them. And the family looked so interested.

I sat on his lap.

Top-Dog started looking at the glow-tray a lot. He’s a little grumpy, and Mommy walks me.

One day, a single sheet of paper came that made the family sad. Top-Dog worked on the glow-tray some more. And again, more sad sheets. And more looking at Books and glow-trays. And more discussions. Mommy and Peep (Tall-Boy left again, but I think he’ll be back with more Books to talk about) are giving Top-Dog kind words. I can tell the comments mean a lot to Top-Dog.

Another sad sheet, and this time Top-Dog was really sad. He didn't seem to know what to do. I sat with him, but he wasn't in the mood to do anything. Not glow-tray, not Books, not talking to Mommy or Peep. It was time for a drastic action. I took his favorite Book and bit into it. He jumped up and snatched the Book away and called me BadDog. The book fell open. He picked it up at looked at it for a few moments. He started crying. I couldn't help but wag my tail and nudge him, because crying comes before everything. He holds me for a bit.

He started back on his glow-tray, and then one day, he stopped.

He was so happy. A Book arrived. But this book was different.

It had his picture on it.

It makes him happy. And now, I have to sit at a glow-tray and help him type stories. But I don’t mind. It’s like the old days. With one difference. Every now and again, a new Book comes with his picture on it. And then it’s time to party.

I’m glad he didn’t give up.

I'm glad I didn't give up writing. But what does a dog have to say on the subject? @PeterLeavell #seriouslywrite #writerslife

If you won't write for yourself, write for your dog. @PeterLeavell #seriouslywrite #writerslife

My dog wrote my blog post! What does he have to say about the writing life? @PeterLeavell #seriouslywrite #writerslife

Peter Leavell, a 2007 graduate of Boise State University with a degree in history and currently enrolled in the University's English Lit Graduate program, as well as History Graduate program, was the 2011 winner of Christian Writers Guild's Operation First Novel contest, and 2013 Christian Retailing's Best award for First-Time Author. An author, blogger, teacher, ghostwriter, jogger, biker, husband and father, Peter and his family live in Boise, Idaho. Learn more about Peter's books, research, and family adventures at www.peterleavell.com

Finding God in the Corners by Melinda V. Inman

Finding God in the Corners

We are writers. We carve out little niches of quiet and tranquility in which to write. Sometimes these tucked-away locations are grabbed via noise-canceling earphones. Often they’re within our own home offices, hidden behind closed doors. Occasionally, we duck into little corners of coffee shops.

We find places where we can think, so we can pound out the words. These places are often sacred to us. Here we meet with God. Here we are inspired. Here we write the words he gives.

This past month, we tore up our nest. A relocation across town set us in motion for several weeks as we moved over a load or two a day, ripping up my places of quiet tranquility and turning them into piles of boxes in foreign locations.

On the final day, friends and family crammed everything that was left into a truck and then helped us haul it all inside the new place. Family returned the next day to help make order out of the chaos. Still, the new home felt cold, disordered, and alien. The bathrooms and quiet corners weren’t ours yet. In the darkness of night, I crept around in the house, feeling the strangeness.

We grew exhausted during the process, and the bickering began, the failed attempts at extending grace, the petty squabbles, all coupled with the many apologies. These lapses brought even more need for a quiet space to talk with God about both the internal and the external mess.

Would God meet me here in this unfamiliar place?

Yes! Yes, of course!

In all of this chaos and turmoil, I found that God was with me in the silence within my own head and around the corner where I stepped to figure out what had transpired that had provoked a conflict. God was with me under the covers at night where I sought refuge because he felt so far away, merely because I wasn’t in my usual spot. He was with me in the darkness of the wee hours as I left my warm bed and walked about experiencing the weird unfamiliarity of our new abode. Even then, I found God in every corner of the place. He was everywhere.

He gave inspiration for new work. He revealed future projects as I came across forgotten files. He provided even more corners and niches for silence and privacy in the arrangement of our new place. He met me where I was, speaking to me through the words of friends about the beauty and the hard times of life and how God meets us in those places. He wrapped me up in his love.

The Lord wants us to hear him. He wants us to find those places that allow us to commune with him. He will provide that space in the midst of wherever we are: in a crowded city, in a foreign land, on a mountaintop, in flight, in the wilderness, in conflict, and even in chaos.

When we turn our backs on a loud room, close our eyes, and fix our minds on him, he is there. We can even meet him in the darkness, seeking quiet refuge in a corner of our closets, when feeling shaken and out of kilter.

Dear writers, he wants us to find him, to seek his guidance, to listen in the quiet of our hearts for the gentle cadence of his voice, the soft warmth of his presence, so we can hear his words. But to do so, we must search for him with our whole hearts (Psalm 119). We must open our hearts and minds to whatever he has to say to us and be willing to act, to write what he gives.

If we do, we will be blessed with his presence, and the words will flow. Will we?

I found God in every corner of the place. He was everywhere. #SeriouslyWrite #Encouragement via @MelindaVInman

We must open our hearts and minds to whatever he has to say to us and be willing to act, to write what he gives. #SeriouslyWrite #Encouragement via @MelindaVInman

The Shadows Come

The Shadows Come

Sequel to No Longer Alone
(WW1 Based on a True Story)

Germany threatens all of Europe. Millions have died. President Woodrow Wilson makes the declaration that the United States must enter the Great War to rescue our allies. Congress approves. Our story begins. In America’s heartland, everyone hunkers down to provide food for the world and resources for the war effort. A draft is necessary, and all young men must register. One by one, these are called to war. With this threat looming, Prentis and Avery raise the necessary horsepower, cultivate the needed crops, and contribute their labors to the Red Cross.

But crises at home, an insidious busybody, and one after another called up to fight in Europe bring the greatest dangers they’ve ever faced together. Then there’s the influenza pandemic. Will they survive the war abroad and the war being waged at home, threatening their love and their lives? Will their loved ones make it home again?

Melinda V. Inman, Author of
Fallen; Refuge; No Longer Alone; and The Shadows

Raised on the Oklahoma plains in a storytelling family, Melinda now spins tales from her writer’s cave in the South. Her fiction illustrates our human story, wrestling with our brokenness and the storms that wreak havoc in our lives.

Connections:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/MelindaVInman/
Website: https://melindainman.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelindaVInman
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/melindavinman/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00GFYI0RU