I want to share with you something the author wrote: "Writing is so intensely personal — our thoughts, emotions, memories, imagination, fantasies right out there under the spotlight — that it really is a striptease act. So it’s natural to panic if someone doesn’t think your naked prose is perfect. Hopefully when you get feedback, you can use it to make your work better. But if someone gives self-serving, snarky comments in a workshop or writing group to build up his or her own ego, leave at the … [Read more...]
Day 67: Seinfeld’s Calendar
You might be thinking, "What in the world does Seinfeld's calendar have to do with writing?" It's simple. He, too, is a writer. A writer of comedy. He knows how to make people laugh. He was so good he even got his own TV show that went on for years. Personally, I was never a fan of him or his show, but millions of people were and still are, so much so that his show remained on for years. Here's the thing. Did he become popular overnight or do you think he worked at it several years while he … [Read more...]
The Journey with Cara Putman
Please welcome this weeks guest Cara Putman for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? A Writing Journey that Weaves and Runs I’ve wanted to write for about as long as I can remember. I’ve always had a love for good books and stories. When I was a teen, my favorite authors didn’t write new books fast enough – now I understand why! But at the time, I thought they should be able to write more books in a year, so I decided to try my hand at … [Read more...]
Day 64: Writing Is Not Pretty
Are you a little confused by today's title? To be honest, so was I. So I got to thinking. When we're writing a book, or a play, or a blog post, or whatever type of writing that needs to be done, our first drafts are anything but pretty. There are grammar mistakes galore (even though in our head it was perfect :( ). We have all the spelling errors that either our auto-correct didn't change our word automatically or we really messed up the spelling (gotta love spell check, a writer's best friend). … [Read more...]
Day 61: Writing Hours
Everyone's writing time is individualized to that person and what works best for them. One person may only have an hour at lunch time to devote to the craft whereas someone else may have the entire day. We all lead different lives. Some are married while others are single. Some have children others don't. Some have a job outside the home and some may have no job at all. We can't judge someone else's output by what they do. Personally, I am now a stay home mom who homeschools her niece. I work … [Read more...]
The Journey with Sydney Avey
Please welcome this weeks guest Sydney Avey for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? Curses! Attend any story craft seminar today and you won’t leave the room without being admonished to “show don’t tell” at least once. Example: Writer: Anneliese felt scared. Reader: Do tell. Writer: Anneliese’s eyes froze in their sockets. Her heart tried to beat its way out of her stiffening chest. Reader: Did I remember to lock the door … [Read more...]
Day 53: On Work and Sentences
When I was young and growing up, English was a hard subject for me. I always had a hard time knowing when a run on sentence became one and was I supposed to use there, their, or they're. (To this day I still struggle with homophones.) My dyslexia always made it more difficult. Today it has gotten easier but it's still hard work. I've been able to learn to compensate. For example, when I take a college class I probably spend a lot more time than most to get the same 'A's as someone … [Read more...]
The Journey with Jennifer Slattery
Please welcome this weeks guest Jennifer Slattery for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? It’s always exciting, terrifying, and more than a little unnerving to sense God calling you. I believe most often, the details come later. Consider the biblical character Samuel, awakened by God one night. Three times God called out to the child, “Samuel! Samuel! Samuel!” And three times, the young boy bolted from his room in search of an earthly … [Read more...]
Day 49: Tilting
When we write we put our heart and souls into our characters. They become a part of who we are. But are those characters verbatim of who we are? Of course not. We "tilt" the character just so, so that he or she has something similar to who we are. There might only be a smidge of something about us but it's there. Tilting the characters makes them in their own right, individual and unique. But if we don't put ourselves into our work it won't sound right. Something will feel off. No, I won't … [Read more...]
Day 48: Community
When I think of a writing community I think of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). This little community of writers is so much more than writing. There is Novel Track. It's a place of accountability and support. You let the group know what your goal is at the beginning of each month. Then, as each day goes by you report in your numbers for that day. In return, you will receive positive reinforcement. Even on the days where you did nothing and tell the group you have a great big goose … [Read more...]
