1. Stay focused. As writers it's important to stay focused on our writing to make it the best we can. When we don't we end up with a mess and more likely than not have to go back and either do some major edits or to rewrite it all. No fun at all. So staying focused is paramount to making the writing successful. 2. Retain mystery. It's important to keep the story a mystery so the reader will continue to keep the reader engrossed in the story otherwise they would lose interest. 3. Hunt … [Read more...]
Day 101: Waiting for the Train
We all have our ways of writing. Some write on a computer. Some write on paper. Some write in a journal. Some write on post-it notes. We each have our own unique way of doing things. When we do sit down to write do we allow ourselves to get into the moment to really take off like a freight train and everything flows smoothly out or are we trying to force something that may not be right, or even ready, for what is being written, especially writing a book? So far I'm the latter. If I'm feeling … [Read more...]
The Journey with Angela Meyer
Please welcome this weeks guest Angela Meyer for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? God has always been a part of my writing. Since junior high with the first pen scratches, poems of angst and attempts at stories. My heart poured out to God in written prayers and lessons He taught me. He drew me closer to Him in those early years on my journey of faith. About 7 years ago I wrote my first full length novel and over the course of 5 … [Read more...]
Day 100: Writing as Therapy
Since I can remember I have kept a diary. I think I was in the fourth grade when Grandma Patton sent me a diary for Christmas as well as a pen. I could write whatever was on my mind. Whether it was that I hated my mom for something I probably got in trouble for or that she wouldn't let me do whatever I wanted. If I'd only known then what I know now. I promised myself I'd never be like my mom, yet the honest truth is all kids can't stand their parents as kids from time to time but so appreciate … [Read more...]
Day 98: Ideas in Limos and Planes
I love this quote in the book: "You can’t just dance or paint or write or sculpt. Those are just verbs. You need a tangible idea to get you going. The idea, however minuscule, is what turns the verb into a noun." —TWYLA THARP Think about that. As a writer, no matter how small the idea might be, we're able to turn that into a full length book. We can get ideas from any where. Almost eight years ago I was told I needed to add fiction elements to my daughters book. The problem was I had … [Read more...]
Day 97: Clear Language
When we write do we want to be vague or do we want to be as clear as possible? I hope your answer was the latter. In our writing we should want to be as clear and straight forward so there is no confusion on the part of the reader. The clarity of our story needs to not make sense only in our heads but also the reader. If we didn't have readers there would be no need to write a story in the first place. One morning my niece and her friend that had stayed the night were upstairs in her room … [Read more...]
Day 96: The Things We Keep
In life, as each day goes by, we create memories. For the most part, most of those memories aren't that important so we forget about them. But the important ones sometimes feel like they embed themselves into our brains. When my daughter died I knew I couldn't go back and live in the house where all I had surrounding me were memories of her. Pictures on the wall. Her sippy cups. Her food. Her bedroom. I was a stay at home mom of a child with severe autism whose life completely revolved around … [Read more...]
Day 95: Five Things Writers Can Learn from Dogs
I love the list from the book as these can be applied to not only writers, but so many things people do in life. 1. Be tenacious and curious about everything. Don't be afraid to try and do new things. See where they take you. Who knows, maybe you'll like it. 2. Abandon yourself to joy on occasion. Don't be afraid to allow yourself to be happy. It's okay to give into the joyous side of life. If your dog suffers from depression they probably need CBD oil to feel better. Get more info here on … [Read more...]
The Journey with H. L. Wegley
Please welcome this weeks guest H. L. Wegley for The Journey. He answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? As a meteorologist and a research scientist, for many years I wrote scientific reports, journal articles, and books. But my writing journey outside my daily work started out years later as a “noble quest”—at least that’s how I pictured it. I was determined to write the next great text for teaching Christian apologetics and then, perhaps, expand it to … [Read more...]
Day 94: Lighting Candles
Or better said having a ritual that works for you with whatever you do. I talked about habits yesterday. They can take time to form. Whereas rituals are things you do when you do something on a regular basis. For example, when I write I sit in my big comfy-cozy rocker-recliner. I put the footrest up. I have my college ruled binder paper plus my PhD .7mm lead mechanical pencil. The TV is off and no music is playing in the background. The only noises around me are the one talking to me in my … [Read more...]
