Please welcome back this week's guest Holly Michael for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? God has worked in a mighty way in my writing journey, beginning from the day that I quit writing. Yes, that’s right. About fifteen years ago, a stay-at-home mom with three small children, I grew frustrated upon receiving yet another rejection letter. I was so done writing query letters. With the two oldest in school, I put the baby in a stroller … [Read more...]
The Journey with Jean Ann Williams #acfw
Please welcome this week's guest Jean Anne Williams for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? My writing journey began before I even knew it, and God had a plan. I’ve always had lots of energy—no I don’t drink coffee—I come by this naturally. Sitting still for very long wasn’t in my vocabulary until one Sunday on July 2, 1994. On my way to worship services in my little Honda Accord, I slowed for a familiar incline and then the dip in … [Read more...]
The Journey with Alison Bryant #acfw
Please welcome this week's guest Alison Bryant for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? I never wanted to be a writer. Well, I never planned to become one, at least. You know those amazing authors who began cranking out crayon-scribbled stories at age two? That wasn’t me. Instead, I contented myself while growing up to feed on the fruits of authors. They were my heroes, and I inhaled books. My literary identity into adulthood was a … [Read more...]
The Journey with Kathy Nickerson
Please welcome this weeks guest Kathy Nickerson for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? Thanks to Kristena for sharing her space to let me talk about my writing journey. In the late eighties, I wrote a personal experience piece about my battle with depression for Christian Herald Magazine. I was thrilled with the check that came in the mail and excited by the opportunities Editor Dean Merrill offered me for more articles. We worked … [Read more...]
Day 128: Learning to Swim #acfw #365days
I normally don’t like to quote from the book but I like what this had to say: “I learned to swim from a magazine article I read when I was eight years old. It told me to grab my knees, duck my head, form a tight little ball in the water, and then float. The next step was to stretch out and continue to float. I did exactly what the article said to do, and lo and behold, it worked. I got my arms going at some point, and I was a swimmer. It’s kind of like writing: get a paper and a pen, start with … [Read more...]
The Journey with Jeanie Jacobson #acfw #thejourney
Please welcome this weeks guest Jeanie Jacobson for The Journey. She answers the question: How have you seen God work in your writing journey? An old Verizon commercial showed a man striding through various locations, from cornfields to city streets. Everywhere he went he'd hold out his phone and ask, "Can you hear me now?" For me, it seemed like everywhere I went God kept calling out, "Jeanie, can you hear me now? Write." To be honest, I ignored Him. Fear held me back. Negative thoughts … [Read more...]
Day 125: Approval #acfw
That one little word, approval, can mean so much to someone. To know that someone approves of something you have said or done. It gives you the confidence you might not have had otherwise. I think back on the time when Mari was in the hospital. When she had made it to her fourth and final hospital, I was told by one of the nurses about CarePages. She told me it was a way to keep family and friends updated on Mari and how she was doing. I couldn’t wait to get started. We had so many people … [Read more...]
Day 122: Fiction vs. Nonfiction #acfw
I think back to the day Mari was in the hospital and I told someone whether Mari made it or if she passed I was thinking about writing a book about her life. I’m not exactly sure why I would've thought to do something like this as I definitely didn’t believe I was a writer. After she passed and a little time went by, I decided to write a book about her life. The only drawback is I had no idea what I was doing. My husband tried to help me with editing it the best he could. His main comment was … [Read more...]
Day 120: Writing the Event #acfw
There an old adage in writing about ‘show don’t tell.’ I’d never heard of this personally before I started to write my first fiction book. Even when I was writing the original book about my daughter I was being told to add fiction elements to her story. I’d never understood exactly what that meant until I made my first attempt. When I submitted it for comments, I was told that it was much better but I knew I needed to go deep to really convey what I was trying to say. One day I had an idea … [Read more...]
Day 119: Stillness #acfw
For me, I like to write in complete silence. No TV on. No music playing in the background. This is what works for me. My mind is clear. The words flow forth. I tend to get distracted if anything is happening around me. Writing in silence helps me to be a better writer. It’s the stillness around me that helps my creative juices to really flow forth. Sometimes as a parent we need that stillness, or quiet time, away from our children. It’s not that we don’t love them or don’t want them. We just … [Read more...]
