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 58: Retreating to Play
We can look at kids with all the energy we wish we still had and get tired by looking at them. Sometimes we joke and say, "Man, if I could bottle all that energy and sell it, I'd make millions." We all laugh and agree. I think sometimes we forget what it's like to play. I'm not saying to go out to the monkey bars or anything. I'm talking about taking time out to do some fun adult things like rock climbing, paintball or going to a dance club to just let loose. Kids are undeterred by what … [Read more...]
Day 54: The Beginning Writer
It's interesting to think that when you are staring at a blank piece of paper, or in many cases today, a blank document on the computer screen, that we are all beginning writers. As far as literally, someone who's had several books published or been writing for several years is not a beginning writer. A beginning writer is someone like me. Someone who has recently begun to write. I have no published books. I don't have several books I've written waiting to be published. I just have two books … [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...]
Day 47: The Writer’s Club
As a writer, we have all joined a special club that I'm happily a member of: The Writer's Club. It doesn't take much to join. Actually, it's relatively painless. Simply put, you just have to write. That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. I joined the writer's club while my daughter lay before me getting sicker over those 16 days. At the time, I didn't even know I had joined. I was accepted without question. And all I had done was relay information to family and friends about Mari's … [Read more...]
Day 43: Nelson’s News
Perception. There can be ten people who read the same exact story and you will have ten differing opinions on whether the story is any good and what they liked and disliked about it. A great example for me is the "The Shack." Personally, I loved this book. It was recommended to me by a friend shortly after my daughter died. It took me a long time to finally sit down and read it. I loved how the author was able to show God in such a way that the main character of the book could finally … [Read more...]
Day 37: Being a Writer
I think deep down inside us we all have a little bit of being a writer. If you've ever day dreamed or made up stories and played them out as a kid, you are a writer of sorts. The only difference is you didn't write them down. Whereas those that call themselves writers do. I love being a writer. I never thought I'd be one. I remember when I would be reading a book thinking about how much fun it would be to write a story myself. I had absolutely no confidence that I'd be any good. I'm glad I … [Read more...]
Day 36: The Peculiar Art
As writers, it takes a certain type of person who doesn't mind sitting by themselves diving deep into the recesses of their minds as they write or type out onto the page lines for their story. You can't be in an office work space surrounded by people who constantly interrupt you. Scenes can flow out of you fluidly which requires sitting down and getting it all out on paper. Writing is a peculiar art in that as writers we do like to be alone. Quite frankly I think many of us thrive on it. I … [Read more...]
Day 33: Diving, Not Drowning
When I went to go read today excerpt, this was the first line: "The fear of going back into your past — reliving trauma or grief — sometimes can block writing about the most important part of your story." This struck me to the core. I have so many things in my past, the good, the ugly and the tragic. All of which have shaped and molded me into the person I am today. The unfortunate part to all of this is there has been those very ugly things that no one ever wants to have happen to themselves … [Read more...]
Day 32: Improvisation
When we think of the word improv, we typically think of actors and actresses in an acting class. All they may be given is a word or a phrase. From there the true magic behind acting comes forth. They get to play out whatever comes into their heads. Sometimes its funny. Sometimes sad. Sometimes it just makes you think. The bottom line is they have fun doing what they love to do most and that is to act. This should be the same for us as writers. To be able to tap into our own creative muses and … [Read more...]
