The Write Power

Writing according to Reading Level

2012-02-17T00:10:00.002-05:00

More and more, publishers are fine-tuning reading levels when preparing submission guidelines for writers of children's books. Take Simon and Schuster, for example. This well-known publisher of children's literature has established four reading levels, as follows: (For more details, see the publisher's website at http://pages.simonandschuster.com/readytoread/levels from which this post is adapted)

Pre-Level One: This level is characterized by "shared reading, familiar characters, and simple words." Children at this level are most frequently "read to" than reading themselves. This is generally the age from birth to three years. It is that time in a child's lap when she shares the reading experience with a parent or other adult caregiver.

Level One: At this level, the young child begins to "sight read" easy words. He also begins to sound out words. Stories for this age group have very simple plots and dialogue. They deal with topics familiar to the child's world.

Level Two: The child at this reading level can handle longer sentences and simple chapters. Interest in new words increases at this level.

Level Three: At this level, the child reader enjoys more complex plots and more in-depth character development. Vocabulary words are more difficult, as is sentence structure.

It is a good idea to review the guidelines of several publishers before writing your story. While I do not believe in the "dumbing down" of our children, I do think that having a general idea of the kinds of material children enjoy at each reading level will help you to craft stories that will resonate with your young readers.

Writing for Middlers

2012-02-10T06:34:00.001-05:00

Children between the ages of eight and twelve are part of a group called the "Golden Age of Readers." This age group, referred to as "middle-grade readers" or "middlers," is noted for voracious reading on a wide variety of subjects. As a result, the market for material for middlers is a vast one, both in fiction and non-fiction.

A good way to break into the children's market is through a non-fiction piece. Children's magazine editors are always looking for articles on a broad range of topics. Here are some tips to get your started:

Study several children's magazines to determine their style and their content.
Choose those that seem like a good market for what you want to write.
Obtain a copy of the magazine's guidelines. You can usually find them online.
Follow the editorial instructions and requirements.
Submit your piece.

In June of this year, I will be teaching two workshops on Writing for Children at the St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference at Grove City College, Grove City, Pennsylvania. For more details, click here. It would be great to see you there!

Determining the Viability of an Idea

2012-02-03T14:40:00.005-05:00

It has been said that ideas are in the air, and if you don't catch some of them, others will. When it comes to writing stories, many writers have similar ideas. The difference that will get your story sold is in the unique twist on those ideas.

So how do you know if an idea you get is good for a story? Here are some clues:

1) Does the idea fascinate you or intrigue you? If an idea does not capture your heart, or at least your mind, then you may wish to think twice before writing about it.

2) Is it relevant to your readership? If you write for a target audience and your idea does not fit that audience, you have two choices: a) Choose another audience; b) Choose another idea.

3) Has it been overly addressed in the marketplace? If so, do you have a fresh angle on it? Solomon said there's nothing new under the sun. The same is true about ideas. If your idea has been written about over and over again, be sure to give it a unique slant.

While others can give you feedback on the viability of an idea, ultimately you the writer must make the choice for yourself.

Interview with Children's Author Sandy Weiers

2012-01-27T02:00:00.003-05:00

Today I am delighted to welcome fellow writer and blogger, Sandy Weiers. Sandy is the author of the well-received children's book, Joey Is Thankful.

MARYANN:
Hi, Sandy. Welcome to The Write Power. We are delighted to have you with us today. :)

SANDY:
Thank you, MaryAnn. I am delighted to be here. Your posts, books, and interviews have significantly influenced my life as a Christian, writer, and mother.

MARYANN:
Thank you, Sandy. I appreciate your kind words and am glad to have been a blessing to you. You have been writing for a good while now. How did you get started in writing, and what advice would you give to someone just starting out?

SANDY:
I have enjoyed writing since I was in high school. Although I had enjoyed writing for enjoyment and catharsis, I did not take it seriously until after I had my first two children.

Aspiring writers would be wise to dedicate time each day to their writing. Of course, this means actually writing, but it also includes learning more about the craft and business of writing through reading books, attending workshops, and participating in writers' groups and online communities.

MARYANN:
What kinds of writing do you do?

SANDY:
I enjoy writing poetry, devotional/motivational essays, and informative pieces. Many of my illustrations come out out my personal experiences or from anecdotes I heard first hand. Although all good writing requires creativity I have not done much in the realm of fiction, which I think requires a special type of creativity. A little over one year ago, I published a children's book which was actually based on a true story about a conversation I had with my son while sitting on the porch swing. (http://www.joeyisthankful.com/)

MARYANN:
Tell us more about your writing, editing, and proof-reading services.

SANDY:
Well, MaryAnn, because my training is in teaching English, I receive satisfaction in helping others with all of the many stages of the writing process from gathering thoughts and brainstorming to organization to polishing up a final copy. I have edited for word count and audience, and I have assisted non-native speakers of English put out quality marketing materials in English. I have assisted individuals, ministries, and businesses with promotional materials, biographies, résumés, and books. I have also completely written content for companies, with the information provided. Technology makes it quite easy to work over the internet, but I still do face-to-face and phone consults. If I am tutoring students in writing and reading skills, it is always a face-to-face session.

MARYANN:
Sandy, you host a fascinating blog called The Word Surgeon. Tell us about its genesis and how our readers can subscribe.

SANDY:
A few years ago, I realized I needed a website to market my services and promote my writing. My mission is two-fold: 1) To assist others in creating and shaping their own work (doing surgery on their writing) and 2) To deliver a message of hope, healing, and empowerment based on principles in the Word of God (surgery for life, from the Word). My dad had a glass repair/replacement business and called himself the "Glass Surgeon," so I borrowed his idea for my name.

Readers can peruse articles by visiting TheWordSurgeon.net and clicking on Word of the Week. To subscribe, they can visit the Contact page on my website or write to subscribe@thewordsurgeon.net .

MARYANN:
You have a background in education and currently serve as the Associate Director of a Tutoring Agency. How has your experience in education served your writing?

SANDY:
As I mentioned above, my teaching background has familiarized me with every stage of the writing process and provided the training to clearly communicate that knowledge to others. It helped me understand the importance of a writer's expressing his own message in his own voice. I am a tool for writers to deliver their own message most effectively. In addition, my administrative duties with the tutoring company have quickened an awareness for the necessity of quality writing in this competitive marketplace. In hiring, we will quickly dismiss applicants whose résumés have typos or whose letters lack coherence. Clients have requested a new tutor when the tutor's letter of introduction contained an error. Even the best writer can use an "extra set of eyes" for important documents. The written page is sometimes our first means of contact, and as the saying goes, "You do not get a second chance to make a first impression."

MARYANN:
Do you mentor other writers? If so, how can our readers get in touch with you?

SANDY:
Yes, in a short-term sense. Some people come to me and want a matter-of-fact answer. Others desire a more thorough understanding of the "why's" or are seeking direction. I enjoy working with these individuals to enhance their understanding and to assist them in taking their next step or narrowing their goals. After taking the next step (or several), clients have returned for assistance over their next bump in the road, but I would not consider myself a mentor in the longer sense, as a life coach. Readers who are interested in any of my services can reach me via the Contact page on TheWordSurgeon.net or by writing to info@thewordsurgeon.net. There is no fee or obligation for initial consults.

MARYANN:
What do you see as the chief role of the Christian writer?

SANDY:
The chief role of the Christian writer is the same as that of every Christian: to use her own talents to take the Good News of the Bible to the world, and to be an instrument in bringing God's Kingdom to this earth. This may be through outright Bible teaching to train a Christian audience or evangelize the "unchurched." It may also be in the secular arena through quality work that communicates Biblical truths and values without outright preaching. There were times that Jesus spoke very directly about his mission, the relationship with his Father, and about Scripture. There were also times that he illustrated his message with parables or that he met peoples' needs (healing, food, etc.) and drew them to want to know more about him.

MARYANN:
Would you like to share some of your future writing goals?

SANDY:
I would like to make a series of children's books to follow Joey is Thankful. I had a started a project years ago that I would like to complete--a writing and grief workbook to use after the death of a loved one. I also intend on compiling my devotionals. I also believe I will minister more to women through the wisdom and understanding I am gaining in my own life circumstances.

MARYANN:
What is your typical writing day?

SANDY:
When I launched The Word Surgeon in 2009, I was getting up early before the rest of the house to do my writing. However, when I became a single parent about 1.5 years ago, I needed to rise early just to care for the family and have my quiet time. I am fortunate to have some flexibility in my daily schedule, which is also really necessary because of the demands of my current family situation. So, to make sure writing gets proper attention, I schedule it on my Outlook Express calendar, with its own category color. Some events are recurring, such as TheWordSurgeon.net's Word of the Week. I can put reminders for deadlines, marketing, and business duties. I also use the calendar to block off time to use for writing. I carry a small notebook always and jot down anything that comes to mind when I am not near the computer. So, although the time varies, there is a certain method and consistency that works with my lifestyle at this time.

MARYANN:
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

SANDY:
I heard once that God is our Boss, even though we receive our checks from another individual or company. I continually ask Him what He wants me do. What should I pursue? How should I use my time today? Sometimes I plow ahead and am reminded to pause to hear His voice. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, but I remember that if I do all in a day that my Boss asked me to do, then I was successful.

MARYANN:
Wise words, dear Sandy, coming from a wise woman. :) Thank you so very much for taking the time to visit us today. We wish you all the best with your writing.

SANDY:
MaryAnn, thank you for inviting me. It is truly an honor. May God continue to bless you and all of your endeavors.

MARYANN:
Thank you, Sandy. You may contact Sandy at info@thewordsurgeon.net. I encourage you to visit her website at http://www.thewordsurgeon.net/home

How to Pitch Your Novel

2012-01-20T07:57:00.006-05:00

If you've written a novel, you know the time and effort it takes to produce a full-length work of fiction. But once you've completed your novel, your work is not over. You will need to pitch your novel to an agent or editor.

So how do you do that?

The first step is to create a very short synopsis of your story. This short synopsis is sometimes called an "elevator pitch" because it is short enough to be spoken between two floors in an elevator. Now you know how short of a distance that is! :)

The purpose of your pitch is to give two important pieces of information that the agent or editor is looking for:

1) What is your novel about?
2) Have you finished writing your novel?

So, as you write your pitch, focus on these two points.

Author and ex-literary agent, Nathan Bransford suggests using a complex sentence to craft your pitch. Here is the sentence. You simply fill in the blanks.

When OPENING CONFLICT happens to CHARACTER,
she has to OVERCOME CONFLICT in order to COMPLETE QUEST.

Here is my pitch for my recently completed novel, The Madonna of Pisano:

When a young woman is raped by her parish priest and becomes pregnant,
she faces losing the man she loves and violating the village code of honor
in order to save her family from financial ruin.

Now try your hand at summarizing your story by using the complex sentence above. Then share with us what you've written.

For additional information on how to write a pitch, you may wish to check out the articles below:

“Agent Symposium Series – Pitching Editors”
http://www.agentquery.com/symposium_pitcheditors.aspx

“Beyond the First Draft – The Pitch Sheet and One-Sheet” by Kaye Dacus
http://kayedacus.com/2007/08/28/beyond-the-first-draft%e2%80%94the-pitch-sheet-and-one-sheet/

Exciting News

2012-01-13T00:05:00.005-05:00

This week I am delighted to post two exciting praise reports:

1) On Wednesday, I graduated with my MFA degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. After two and a half years of study, including the writing of a complete novel, I presented my thesis defense on Saturday evening and graduated on Wednesday, January 11. To God be the glory!

2) After a hiatus of several years, I have resurrected the New Jersey Society of Christian Writers. If you are a Christian writer living in New Jersey, please visit and join the NJSCW Yahoo Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/njscw/ Also, if you know other Christian writers living in New Jersey, please tell them about NJSCW.

To my knowledge, NJSCW is the only state-wide organization for Christian writers in New Jersey. My long-range goal is to establish chapters in each of the 21 counties of the State. Our purpose is to equip Christian writers for spreading the Gospel through the written word.

If you are interested in establishing a chapter in your county, please let me know and I will help you get started.

Blessings,

MaryAnn

Building a Credible Story World

2012-01-06T00:05:00.031-05:00

Your story world, also referred to as setting, is a crucial part of your fiction. Indeed, setting often carries as much weight as characterization. Writers often describe their setting as a character.

So what does it take to create a credible setting or story world? Here are a few tips:

1) Introduce your setting in bits and pieces. Just as you would not give an "information dump" with a character, so do not give an "information dump" regarding your setting. A good novel is like a good recipe. Add the "seasoning" in small amounts until you've reached the precise flavor you desire.

2) Use the five senses in your setting descriptions. The more senses you use in describing your setting, the more realistic it will appear.

3) Create metaphorical connections between your characters and your setting. Environment can affect behavior. Use your setting to your advantage by showing how your characters are affected by it.

4) When possible, personify your setting. Describing your setting in human terms can bring it to life and make it feel like a character in your story.

5) Respect your setting. Look on your setting as a foundational element of your story, much as you would look on the foundation of your house as essential to the strength of the structure you build upon it.

As you keep these points in mind, you will be creating settings that serve to bring your characters to the forefront and make your story come alive.

Starting Off Right

2011-12-30T00:05:00.002-05:00

A new year brings with it a renewed sense of hope and expectation. The new year upon us is no exception. Yet, how can we ensure that this new year doesn't end up with frustrated dreams and unaccomplished goals?

Here are a few suggestions to help make 2012 your best year yet:

1) Cover the new year in prayer, from beginning to end. Prayer will keep you in God's will for you during the new year, and the only place of true fulfillment and accomplishment is in the center of God's will.

2) Establish goals with dates for completion. A goal without a date attached to it is merely a wish. It's like playing basketball without a hoop. So as you set your goals, make sure you include a date by which you want to complete that goal.

3) Prioritize your goals. Some of your goals will be more important than others. Work on those goals first. Make them a priority in your daily activities.

4) Be willing to be flexible. A success plan must allow for unexpected interruptions. Be ready to adapt to these interruptions but never allow them to keep you from your ultimate goal. When life intervenes, take care of the problem but then get back on track for your goals as soon as you can.

5) Keep your goals continually before you. Doing so helps you to keep your focus on what matters most to you.

Remember, your success is ultimately up to you. With God's help, you cannot fail if you remain diligent and persevering.

Happy New Year!

MaryAnn

Writing Your Vision and Mission Statements

2011-12-23T00:05:00.005-05:00

[NOTE: The post below appeared on the ACFW Children's Loop of which I am the moderator.]

As a new year approaches, it's time once again to think of vision and mission for our writing. To that end, I encourage you to write both a vision statement and a mission statement. Here are some tips for doing so:

First of all, what is the difference? Simply put:
• Your Vision Statement is your picture of the future you want to create.

• Your Mission Statement is the plan of action you will take to create the picture of the future you want to create.

As you write each statement, you may find it helpful to follow these steps:

1) Pray to seek God’s will regarding your vision of the future. He has a vision for your life and it includes success (Jeremiah 29:11). So be sure that you align your vision with God’s vision for you. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time and your life.

2) Ask God what steps you need to take to fulfill His vision for you. This will not be a one-time conversation with God as He often reveals the next step only after you’ve completed the previous one. So just write down what He tells you for now. Vision statements and mission statements are often fine-tuned as you move forward.

3) Take several hours to think through your vision statement and your mission statement. An excellent book that helped me when I wrote mine years ago was The Path by Laurie Beth Jones. She is a Christian life coach.
4) Keep your vision and mission statements continually before you as a reminder to stay on course.

5) Re-evaluate on a quarterly basis to determine what, if anything, needs fine-tuning.

Make sure that you enter the new year armed with both a vision statement and a mission statement crafted under God’s direction. If you write them and stick to them, chances are very good that you’ll be a very happy camper at the end of 2012. :)

Faith and the Writer

2011-12-16T00:05:00.009-05:00

The writing journey is a journey of faith. As such, it is fraught with many trials whose purpose is to test our faith and to refine it. What faith test are you facing today? It may be in your writing, in your family, or in yourself. Regardless, here are some keys to passing the test of faith.

For every test you face, find the Scripture verse related to the test. For example, if you are facing sickness, find all the Scripture verses that deal with God's promise of healing.
Meditate on those verses. To meditate means to "chew on." Interestingly, it also means to speak. Continually speak aloud the verses related to your test and watch your faith grow to overcome the test.
Rejoice in the midst of the test. When we rejoice in the midst of the test, we are demonstrating to God that we trust Him no matter what. Also, rejoicing erupts in praise, and Scripture tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). And when God comes on the scene, miracles happen!

Our loving Heavenly Father wants us to pass every test of faith because in the process, we become more like His precious Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is the goal of the test.
If we don't pass a test of faith, we can be sure that our Father will administer the test again. So why not prepare well and pass it the first time around? If you do, you'll be that much closer to looking like Jesus! And that, my dear writer friend, should be our ultimate goal!

Planning Your Writing Future

2011-12-09T00:05:00.004-05:00

As you look back on 2011, are you happy with what you have accomplished in your writing life? If not, decide now to change things in 2012.

In order to move you in a positive direction, change must be intentional. In other words, you cannot simply sit back and let life happen. You must MAKE it happen. You must determine what kind of change you want and then develop a plan to effect that change.

As you plan your writing life for 2012, keep these points in mind:

What writing goals do I want to accomplish by the end of 2012?
What action steps will I take to achieve those goals?
How will I reward myself when I do achieve those goals?

Once you write down your goals, keep them in front of you throughout the year. A big part of achieving one's goals involves continually focusing on them.

Remember: your writing future is in your hands. Don't take it lightly.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Writers and Other Loved Ones

2011-12-02T07:46:00.001-05:00

Dear Writer Friends,

If you're still looking for ideas for Christmas gift-giving, here are a couple below:

GIFT SUGGESTION #`1:Jana Mitchell, a fellow writer, handcrafts beautiful leather journals of 240 pages each on acid-free paper. They come in various colors and in two styles: one with a beaded spine and one with a hand-stitched spine. I've ordered one for myself since I am an inveterate journaler.

Here are a couple of photos of Jana's masterpieces:

For more information, you may contact Jana at earth2jana@hotmail.com

GIFT SUGGESTION #2:
My new e-book, You Were Made for Greatness! Do you want to learn how to fulfill your God-given destiny? In this eye-opening book, you will learn how to get rid of those obstacles that are holding you back from being the person God created you to be. Read it and come alive!

To order, click here.

To order, click here.

Blessings,

MaryAnn

The Power of Thick Skin

2011-12-02T00:05:00.002-05:00

If I were to name the one key necessity for a writer, I would say "thick skin." What do I mean? I mean the ability to view rejection not as a sign of failure but as a steppingstone to success.

All writers will eventually encounter rejection. It's part of the business, an occupational hazard. If a writer is not prepared to face and handle rejection, she will have a hard time making it as a writer.

But what if you are a very sensitive person by nature? What can you do to develop thick skin?

Well, first of all, most of writers are sensitive people. Sensitivity usually goes with being an artist. But all writers can develop thick skin by applying the following points:

Do not equate rejection of your writing with rejection of you as a person.
Do not view rejection of your writing as an indication of your writing future.
Do not think of rejection as a sign that you are not cut out to be a writer.

We've all heard the dictum, if you're going to do something worthwhile, do it well. I would posit another dictum: If you're going to do something worthwhile, don't be afraid to do it poorly at first.

No writer I know started out as an outstanding writer. Each one had to learn through practice. We too have to pay our dues as we learn to master our craft. Part of paying our dues is enduring rejection.

As you apply the tips above, you will find that your skin has grown thick and rejection doesn't hurt as much. You will know that you have developed thick skin when you receive a rejection and think, "Wow! I'm another step closer to an acceptance!"

Finding Ideas for Your Novel

2011-11-25T00:05:00.002-05:00

Writers sometimes ask me where I find ideas for my stories. I tell them I find them everywhere, from family history to classified ads to daily encounters with people.

My novel, The Madonna of Pisano, is based on a true incident in my paternal great-grandmother's life. When I learned of this incident years ago, it struck me forcefully and would not leave my mind. As I prayed, I felt strongly that our Lord wanted me to write her story.

But although my story is based on an historical fact, it does not adhere strictly to that fact. I used the incident as a starting point for my story but took liberties along the way in writing it.

Fiction is not a retelling of every fact of an incident or experience. It is taking a fact or experience and using it as the kernel of a story.

What incidents have inspired your stories? We would love to hear from you! :)

Building an Author Platform

2011-11-18T08:46:00.000-05:00

The world of publishing has changed dramatically in the last decade. To succeed as a writer today, much more is required. Whereas publishers used to do most of the advertising for a book, today the writer is responsible for most of the promotion.

Promoting your book involves building your author platform because it is through your author platform that you will sell most of your books. So, what is an author platform?

An author platform is the launching pad for your promotional efforts. It includes many venues, such as print media, blogging, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a host of other outlets. It also includes your author persona, that portion of your life that you are willing to share with the public.

In order to promote your book, it is important that you maximize these venues to let people know of your work. While your publisher will do some promotion, the bulk of it is up to you.

For more excellent information on building an author platform, I refer you to the following book by Jeff VanderMeer entitled BookLife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st Century Writer :

Print Version:
http://www.amazon.com/Booklife-Strategies-Survival-Century-Writer/dp/1892391902/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321710791&sr=8-1

Kindle Version:
http://www.amazon.com/Booklife-ebook/dp/B004GHNG3Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1321710791&sr=8-2

Now Available: Kindle Version of You Were Made for Greatness!

2011-11-15T09:41:00.002-05:00

Hello, Fellow Writers,

The Kindle version of my new release, You Were Made for Greatness!, is now available on Amazon. Learn about who you are in Christ and how you can be an overcomer in every single trial.

To order, click on the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/You-Were-Made-Greatness-ebook/dp/B0067PZMZK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321366965&sr=8-1

Thanks and Blessings,

MaryAnn

E-Publishing: The Wave of the Publishing Future???

2011-11-11T00:05:00.000-05:00

I find it quite interesting that this week's post on epubishing happens to coincide with the launch of my first e-published book, You Were Made for Greatness! It certainly wasn't planned this way. :)

But our Lord orders our steps, so I am at a strategic point in time to be able to give you some pointers on e-publishing. First of all, to emulate Vince Lombardi's famous annual quote, "This is a football," I'd like to explain that e-publishing simply stands for electronic publishing. Electronic publishing is publishing that appears on the Internet instead of in print or in actual book form.

With the advent of the Kindle, the sale of e-books has soared. Recent statistics show that e-books are outselling print books two to one. As Amazon drops its price for a Kindle to only $79 this Christmas season, we can expect to see the sale of e-books to skyrocket.

So what does this mean for you, the writer. It means that you are strategically positioned to get your book into the hands of thousands, if not millions, of people via the Internet. It also means that there are certain things you need to know to do that. Here are a few of them:

1) Traditional books have to be formatted specifically for the Internet. Since I was clueless as to how to do this, I hired a company that did it for me. The company is http://www.living-parables.com/, and I am happy to recommend them. Living-Parables turned my book into the proper format for the Web and placed the final copy on Smashwords, which is a portal for most types of e-book formats. You can find my book here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/93001

2) Once your ebook is posted on Smashwords and Kindle, you will need to fill out some information on the site, such as price, description, your bio, etc.

3) Smashwords and Amazon take a percentage of your royalties simply for allowing you to use their site to sell your book. But you will end up with anywhere from 35% to 70% of the royalties as opposed to 8% to 12% which is the average for print books.

If you want to stay on top of publishing trends, I encourage you to learn all you can about e-publishing. It is a great venue for getting your work out there but, as always, make sure your writing is excellent. To that end, I suggest you hire a professional editor before you go electronic.

Let's Talk about Self-Publishing

2011-11-04T00:05:00.002-04:00

Time was that self-publishing carried with it a stigma of inferiority to traditional publishing. The consensus was that people self-published because their writing was not good enough to attract the attention of a traditional publisher. While this may have been true to a great extent, it was not one hundred percent true. Nor is it one hundred percent true today.

In fact, self-publishing today is garnering new respect as some of the big name traditional publishers are adding self-publishing arms to their organizations. WestBow is one such publisher under the auspices of Thomas Nelson Publishers. Such publishing comes under the name of subsidy publishing, meaning that the author subsidizes part of the publishing costs.

Should you self-publish? This question invites others that you may wish to consider before making your decision?

Why do you want to self-publish? Is it that you are impatient and do not want to endure the long process of traditional publishing:? Is it that you do not want to put in the effort to make your work excellent? Or is it that you wish to keep most of your royalties? Your motive for self-publishing must be the right one. For example, you may have influence in a particular niche market where your book may sell very well.
Do you have the financial resources to self-publish? Self-publishing is expensive. You need to put money up front and then hope that you recoup it later. Many an author has a basement or garage full of unsold self-published books.
Do you have the mental and physical stamina to handle every detail of the self-publishing process? When you self-publish, you become the publisher, the marketer, the distributor, the salesperson, and the bookkeeper. You are responsible for every aspect of the publishing process except the actual printing of your book.

Scripture tells us to count the cost before assuming a project (Luke 14:28). If you can answer positively to the three questions above, then self-publishing may be for you. If it is, you will find it to be a rewarding experience full of personal satisfaction.

Traditional Publishing

2011-10-28T00:05:00.002-04:00

This week, we'll talk a bit about traditional publishing which, some believe, is fast becoming a dinosaur. While I don't totally agree, I will say that traditional publishing is, in many ways, struggling to hold its own in this new era of e-publishing. At the same time, traditional publishing is still strong and remains the preferred method of publication for most writers due to the quality and prestige attached to it.

Traditional publishing usually involves quite a long process beginning with the submission of a query letter to a publisher inquiring about the publisher's interest in the book. If the publisher is interested in considering the book, the author will then be asked to submit a proposal and three chapters. If this is an author's first novel, the publisher will request the complete novel. The book is then presented to the marketing department which is the major deciding factor in whether or not the book will be published.

While many authors enjoy traditional publishing, just as many have turned to alternate means of publication for a variety of reasons. Next time, we will discuss one of the alternate methods called self-publishing.

Interview with Adina Senft, author of The Wounded Heart (FaithWords, September 2011)

2011-10-21T00:05:00.035-04:00

MARYANN:
This week, I am deeply honored to introduce to you not only a highly gifted novelist but also a wonderful person and a treasured friend, Shelley Bates, who writes Amish fiction under the pseudonym of Adina Senft and YA fiction under the pen name of Shelley Adina. For the past two years, I have had the great privilege and blessing of studying fiction writing under Shelley’s expert mentorship, so I can vouch that she is also a great teacher. Shelley, welcome to The Write Power.

SHELLEY:
:: blush :: You’re so kind. I’m delighted to be here—let’s sit down, have a cup of tea, and talk for a while.

MARYANN:

Sounds like a great idea! Before we get into the meat of our interview, I'd like our readers to read the background and the back cover copy of The Wounded Heart, as shown below:

BACK-COVER BLURB: When a business offer turns into something more personal, an Amish woman is torn between what logic tells her is right, and the desire of her heart.

A widow with two small children, Amelia Beiler is struggling to make ends meet. She is running her late husband’s business, but it’s not what she was raised to do, which is run a home. When she gets an offer for the business from Eli Fischer, she’s only too relieved to consider it–especially when it looks like Eli’s interest might include more than just the shop. But when she begins to experience strange physical symptoms and is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it’s difficult not to question God’s will. If she pursues the treatment she believes in, she risks going under the bann. But how can she allow Eli to court her when she can’t promise him a future?

BACKGROUND: This book came into being when a good friend’s health deteriorated in a very scary way over the course of several years. The docs couldn’t figure it out—fibromyalgia? MS?—until one day she was at the dentist and the guy suggested she might have mercury poisoning from the fillings in her teeth. The symptoms are very similar. I knew I was going to write about it, and setting it in the Amish community would increase the conflict because of the way their cooperative health system works. And yes, I promptly went out and had all my metal fillings replaced with that white composite stuff. I wasn’t taking any chances.

MARYANN:
Shelley, The Wounded Heart, was released on September 27th of this year. It is the first book in your Amish Quilt series, a women’s fiction trilogy published by FaithWords (Hachette Book Group). For the benefit of our readers, I’ve included above, in your own words, a brief background of your book from a recent interview you gave on Katharine Grubb’s blog, 10-Minute Writer. Did you encounter any unique novelistic struggles while writing The Wounded Heart, struggles you did not face while writing your earlier books? If so, would you share one or two of those struggles and how you overcame them?

SHELLEY:
I grew up in a plain church that has doctrines similar to those of the Amish. One of the biggest struggles I had was to continually remind myself, “This is not your church.” I was often mistaken for an Amish person, even though we didn’t have as strict a clothing standard as the Amish do, but the focus in the story was the internal approach to religion, not so much the external approach. I did a lot of research so that I would understand how deeply their religious beliefs permeate their lives and actions. Even then, I still made mistakes. Just this past June, while riding in a buggy with an Amish man, I learned that they don’t use honorifics. In English, for instance, “Mr.” is derived from monseigneur, which means “my lord.” They don’t call anyone Lord except God. This is an extremely fine point that you just don’t find in the books, even the detailed anthropological studies.

MARYANN:
Did you have a connection with the Amish before you embarked on your research, or did you have to make that connection in order to research? If the latter, how did you go about connecting with the Amish?

SHELLEY:
I was very lucky to have friends who had connections among the Amish. One of them was an alumna of the Writing Popular Fiction program. She arranged for me to visit an Amish family, where the lady of the house patiently answered questions as varied as “How do you put those tiny pleats in your Kapp?” to “Does your buggy have brakes?” In other cases, I hung around the fabric stores where the Amish women shop, and conversed with them when they’d let me.

MARYANN:
Like you, I prefer writing and reading stories that are “deep, not wide.” Stories in which the conflict and action are primarily internal and stem from religious, societal, or cultural expectations. Do you find that the emotional landscape for such stories can be more riveting than that of “wide” stories? If you do, why do you think this is so?

SHELLEY:
We’re women, and we write for women. I think women tend to like stories about emotional journeys, simply because those are the kinds of journeys we make in our own lives—toward love, toward maturity, toward faith. And in an Amish story, the canvas can be very small—sometimes the whole thing can take place within a couple of square miles, or on a single farm. So by necessity, the drama and conflict must be on the internal stage, not the external. Maybe this is why there haven’t been all that many movies made of Amish novels :) Plain Truth and Witness both had external or Englisch characters that brought drama to the farm; they didn’t portray Amish characters alone.

MARYANN:Shelley, I recently lived through my first—and, I hope, my last—earthquake. You and your husband lost your home during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Obviously, that earthquake affected your life in a major way, but did it affect your writing and, if so, how?

SHELLEY:
The earthquake happened before I began writing seriously toward publication. However, it did teach me a lot about a community pulling together during a disaster. And it taught me lessons I still observe today about living without electricity and water. It took nine months before the water system in our community was repaired, so we pumped water from a 50-gallen barrel for showers and dishes most of the following year. You would shower with a bucket in there with you (3 minutes, no longer) and then use the water in the bucket to flush the toilet. I can light and trim a kerosene lamp, and I served a New Year’s dinner once to 11 people, all without electricity. After experiences like that, writing the daily life of a woman living without electricity is pretty straightforward.

MARYANN:
Wow! A life-changing experience, I'm sure. One of my favorite childhood memories is that of taking care of our family chickens. Each morning, at the crack of dawn, I would head out to the chicken coops to gather the day’s eggs. “My” chickens would greet me with a cackle or two but did not budge from their laying posts. Many a time, I’d have to stick my hand under their warm bellies to retrieve their daily deposit of eggs. My gesture was usually followed by a leap and a flutter of wings. How I loved those chickens! You too raise chickens. In fact, you rescue them. How did you get involved with chickens, and do they play a role in your stories?

SHELLEY:
There is a chicken somewhere in every book I write, whether it’s a romance, a YA, or these Amish books :) I got involved with chickens about ten years ago, when a little red hen ran away from home and took up residence in our garden. When she started laying eggs in the periwinkle, we decided it was time to give her a permanent home. And since chickens are flock birds and don’t do well as singletons, I went down to the animal shelter to find her a companion. There in a cage was a miserable brown chick, whose very posture said, “I hate my life.” I adopted her on the spot. Cocoa Puff and Electroclux got on famously, and before I knew it, people were calling me when they had extra birds, or they’d stop my husband in the street to tell him about birds that needed a home. And he even found a hen, Millie, dodging cars on the onramp to the freeway. Of course she came home with him. You’ve gotta love a big woolly guy straight-arming the wheel of the truck, accelerating down the road with a half-grown chick in his big hand, tucked up against his chest.

MARYANN:
Sounds like something my dh would do. :) As a follower of Christ, do you view fiction written by Christians as having a purpose different from or additional to that of fiction written by non-Christian writers? If so, what, in your opinion, is that different or additional purpose?

SHELLEY:
I think it does have an additional purpose, depending on the convictions of the writer. My fiction isn’t what secular reviewers call “preachy” because I’m no preacher. But my characters quietly live out what they believe, no matter the circumstances around them, because of the strength their faith gives them. I believe a life speaks loudest when the person doesn’t speak, so that’s what my characters do, and my readers seem to respond to it.

MARYANN:
Do you follow a particular method in conducting research for your novels? For example, do you begin with on-location interviews? Do you do preliminary book and/or Internet research? Do you spend time living in the culture about which you write?

SHELLEY:
To start the process, I do lots and lots of book research—anthropological studies, social studies, even literary analysis of books about the Amish. I visit websites with good photography. And because I need to see and smell and feel a place, I visit. When I go out to Seton Hill to teach in the summer, I add a few extra days to spend in Lancaster County. This past June I learned to drive a horse and buggy, and I had dinner in an Amish home. I hang out in the fabric store and listen to what the women are talking about. I walk the roads. I have Amish clothes at home so that I know how they feel. And I make notes about what is blooming in gardens and yards so I can describe what the farms look like from a woman’s point of view. The hardest part is choosing what details to include from such a rich store of research!

MARYANN:
I have been immensely blessed to have you as my mentor in the Seton Hill University MFA in Writing Popular Fiction program. You yourself are a graduate of the program. Would you comment on what you consider to be the benefits of an advanced degree program in genre writing?

SHELLEY:
While a writer doesn’t need an advanced degree to put her passion on the page, a little education about the craft of putting together a story really helps. The advantage of an advanced degree is that you have a bedrock of knowledge about your predecessors in your genre so you know where its tropes and expectations come from. You also have an expanding network of fellow writers for support, critique, and friendship. And you have an opportunity to share your work with a number of knowledgeable reader-writers who can help you turn that heap of pages into a compelling novel.

MARYANN:
If you were to express in a single word or phrase the theme or quality that informs your writing the most, what would that word or phrase be and why?

SHELLEY:
I hope readers would think it was “compelling” and “detailed.” That’s what I strive for. I write about issues that are interesting to me, and hopefully interesting to others, too. And I want a reader to feel they’ve stepped into a world that’s real, with characters who are alive.

MARYANN:
Shelley, thank you so very much for being with us today! It has been an honor and a privilege. You have been most gracious to share your time and your expertise. We pray God’s blessings on The Wounded Heart and on its sister books. May He use them to point countless people to Christ.

SHELLEY:
As the Amish say, “Denkes!” (Thanks!) and His will be done. The next book, The Hidden Life, will be out in June 2012, and The Tempted Soul will come out in early spring of 2013. It’s been fun to visit—let’s have some more tea!

MARYANN:
Yes, let's do! I invite all of you to visit Shelley's website at http://www.adinasenft.com/ and to purchase her compelling books. You will not only be highly entertained; you will also be profoundly inspired. You may also purchase Shelley's book at http://www.amazon.com/Wounded-Heart-Amish-Quilt-Novel/dp/0892968540/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319202134&sr=8-1

Interview with Artist Michele E. Struss

2011-10-14T00:05:00.010-04:00

This week, I am deeply honored and quite excited to introduce to you Christian artist Michele E. Struss.

Michele and I met in a most unusual way. My daughter Gina was introduced to Michele's paintings through a Facebook friend. Gina saw one painting, Redemption, with which she immediately fell in love. She told me about it and I gave it to her as a birthday gift. Through this interaction, I connected with Michele and was led by our Lord to interview her on my blog.

Michele is an amazing woman, as you will see. She loves God with all of her heart, soul, strength, and mind. He has gifted her with the ability to paint. So today, we are going to discuss the similarities between two of the arts: writing and painting.

MARYANN: Hello, Michele. Welcome to The Write Power. To say that I am deeply honored to have you as my guest is an understatement.

MICHELE:
Thank you! It is a pleasure and honor to be your guest!

MARYANN:
Thank you so much for painting Redemption, a magnificent work of art that glorifies Christ.

MICHELE:
You are welcome. Of all the paintings I’ve ever done, I sensed an overwhelming purpose assigned to Redemption to bring truth and hope to others. Each of those words was written by nine different people who walked through those very circumstances, but have powerful testimonies of God’s healing, forgiveness and restoration. Redemption not only depicts what God can do, but what He has done!

MARYANN:
As most of my readers know, I am a comparatist, which simply means that I like to draw analogies between disciplines. As an artist, you understand creativity. As a Christian artist, you understand the purpose of what we create. So I would like to start today by picking your brain to discuss some of the similarities between writing and art. Let's start with sources for ideas. Where do you get your ideas for your art?

MICHELE:
The original ideas are mostly from the Holy Spirit. There are occasions when I have painted something simply because it was pretty or someone’s favorite flower, etc., however, most of my work begins with a vision from the Lord. I see it in my mind’s eye, and then I set up models and take say 50 – 100 photos in hopes of getting that one shot that I can best paint from. As in writing though, my paintings often evolve from the original vision as I work on it and gain greater clarity and revelation.

MARYANN:
We all know that words are powerful and can be used to point people to Christ. How, in your opinion, does art point people to Christ?

MICHELE:
Sometimes it is hard to grasp certain spiritual truths and as the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words”. We can ‘know’ something, but sometimes when we ‘see’ it we understand it in a new light.

MARYANN:
Please tell us what "His Paintbrush" is and how it came about?

MICHELE:
His Paintbrush is the name of my ministry. It came about while working on a painting entitled, “My Hero”. It was the first large painting I attempted of people in my choice medium of watercolors. I’d always been a watercolorist, but my subjects were flowers, scenery…anything but people! However, the Lord called me to that very subject matter and despite extreme inspiration, I kept falling short. After investing about 100 hours into “My Hero” I ruined it in one night by over shading the little girls face as in watercolors you only get one shot. I started over and again, after about 100 hours of working on it I ruined it; this time in Jesus’ robe. Finally, the third attempt flowed to create what today is “My Hero”. My prayer throughout those three attempts remained the same… “Lord, I cannot do this on my own. You be the Artist and simply use me as Your paintbrush”. Out of those prayers came “His Paintbrush”. That is why I give God any and all glory for my work. After all, who praises a tool?

MARYANN:
You are a woman of great faith. What role does faith play in the creation of art?

MICHELE:
In the Christian artist, faith is central. From the gift to the inspiration to the work…it is all dependant on the Holy Spirit at work within the artist.

MARYANN:
Is there a particular subject you like to paint most? If so, why?

MICHELE:
Well, before God got a hold of my gift, flowers. But now I love painting people. While I dreaded the thought of painting people before, I have learned firsthand how God gives us passion to fulfill His call once we step out in obedience. By the grace of God, I find so much purpose and fulfillment in the work I do now.

MARYANN:
What is your favorite artistic medium?

MICHELE:
Watercolors by far. While they have a mind of their own, they also have a beauty all their own that can’t be achieved in other mediums.

MARYANN:
Have you ever illustrated books or considered doing so?

MICHELE:
No. For one thing, illustration is a very different form of art than what I feel I am gifted at; it does not come easy for me. Also, my work takes me an average of over 100 hours a painting. It would take me way too long to illustrate a whole book!

MARYANN:
What advice would you give to someone who has a desire to create art?

MICHELE:
To go for it! Sit down and just start creating…without judging your own work. I have met way too many people who feel their work is ‘not good enough’ and throw it away before it is ever completed! With that said, my other advice would be to finish what you start. You will find that practice has value you never thought of.

MARYANN:
Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

MICHELE:
I would like to close by encouraging you to bring about excellence in the gift God has given you…whatever YOUR gift is. God gives each of us different gifts, but as Christians our gifts should exceed them all. Let’s use our God-given gifts to His glory!!!

MARYANN:
Michele, thank you so very much for sharing your time and insights with us today. It has been a great blessing to have you. May our Lord increase His anointing upon your work, for His glory and for the building of His Kingdom.

I invite all of you to visit Michele's website at http://www.hispaintbrush.com/

New Publishing Options for Writers

2011-10-07T05:05:00.000-04:00

With the traditional publishing industry in a turmoil and with e-pubbing skyrocketing in popularity, authors today have many options at their disposal for publishing their work. Which option to choose is a question of personal preference.

To help you decide what route you should take toward publication, here are some questions to ask yourself:

What is my publishing goal? Do I want a book I can hold in my hands, or does it matter only that my work gets out there?
Is my book time-sensitive? Will it be outdated before it gets to the shelves if I go the route of traditional publishing?
Do I have the money to e-publish? Although e-publishing is not so expensive as self-publishing, it does require an outlay of funds to launch your book on the Internet.
How much promotion am I willing to do? Today, writers, whether traditionally published or self-published, are expected to do the majority of promotion for their books.

Whichever option you choose, count the cost. For example, traditional publishing takes time--sometimes years--before you see your book in print. Also, royalties are far less thatn royalties on e-publishing, which can be as high as 70%.

I've published all three ways: traditional publishing, self-publishing, and e-publishing. In a future post, we'll discuss each of these in more detail.

NOTE: Stay tuned for two upcoming interviews, one with a phenomenal novelist and the other with an amazing artist.

The Unique View of the Writer Who Is a Christian

2011-09-30T05:00:00.001-04:00

Writers who are not followers of Jesus Christ have commented to me on occasion that they would like to try to write for the Christian market. While their intentions are good, they have no clue as to what it means to be a Christian writer, a writer who has been born again through Jesus Christ and whose worldview is Kingdom-centered and not world-centered.

I always do my best to answer such people with the utmost respect, fully aware that they do not understand the meaning of the Scripture verse, "what fellowship has light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14). The truth is that only the writer who personally knows Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord can convey His message with authenticity. Only a writer who has an intimate relationship with Christ can serve as the pen of Christ. Others may try, but their work will not ring true to the believer.

This is not intended to be a condescending statement by any means. At one time, I was not a Christian, and I had no clue as to the Scripture's definition of a Christian. What the above Scripture verse means is that Christians who write are not of this world, only in it. Our citizenship is in another world, the Kingdom of Heaven. We have a connection with God that non-Christians do not have. The only way to be connected to God the Father is through His Son Jesus Christ. There is no other way (John 14:6).

That a writer is not currently a Christian certainly does not mean that he or she cannot become one. It is my prayer that those who do not yet know our precious Savior will encounter Him. Only then will they understand what it means to write as a Christian.

For any non-Christians reading this, if you would like to know how to be reconnected to God the Father through Jesus Christ, click here.

Attending a Writers' Conference

2011-09-23T01:23:00.002-04:00

CORRECTION: I never did make the ACFW Conference due to a medical challenge my husband encountered. The post below was written a couple of weeks before the Conference.
__________________________________
As you read this post, I am attending the annual American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) annual conference in St. Louis. This is the premier conference for those of us who write fiction from a Christian worldview.

Attending a conference should be on every serious writer's agenda. Since we have to be wise stewards of our finances, it is important to choose a conference that meets your needs as a writer at this particular stage of your writing career.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing what conference to attend:

1) What is my objective for attending a conference? Do I want only to learn about the craft of writing, or do I want to meet with agents and editors? If the latter, make sure the conference you are considering has invited several agents and editors in your genre to attend.

2) Do I want a conference that spans several days or a one-day-only conference? If you choose a one-day-only conference, don't discount longer conferences completely because you can still attend a longer conference for only one day. The first writers' conference I ever attended was the St. Davids Christian Writers' Conference. Because I had a toddler at the time, I could attend only one day of the conference, even though the conference spanned several days. What I learned that one day literally launched my writing career.

3) How much can I afford? While we all must live within a budget, when choosing a writers' conference, don't let the cost immediately dissuade you. Think of the conference not as an expense but as an investment from which you will recoup many times over as you begin to sell your work.

4) Last but not least, pray about what conference to attend. God has ordained divine appointments for you. These appointments may not necessarily be with an editor or an agent. They may be with another conferee who needs your encouragement and prayerful support.

Attending writers' conferneces has revolutionized my writing career. I've made lifelong friends I never would have met had I not attended conferences. I make it a point to attend at least one conference per year if at all possible. If you haven't yet attended a writers' conference, I strongly encourage you to do so. Once you do, you'll understand how important they really are.

Tweeting with Twitter

2011-09-16T01:18:00.001-04:00

I recently signed up for a Twitter account. Suddenly I found myself in a world of tweets that poured into my inbox (I guess that's what one calls it :) before I could catch my breath. Overwhelmed at first, I began to explore the terrain and, to my pleasant surprise, discovered a wealth of information not only about writing, but also about a host of other subjects that interest me.

Twitter is a form of social media that is not for the faint-hearted. But the good news is that you can control your presence on Twitter and utilize it for your purposes.

Some of the people I "follow" are those related to the publishing industry, to higher education, and to the coaching profession--all areas in which I work and am interested.

How about you? Are you on Twitter? If so, how do you effectively use this venue to build your writing platform?

The Pros and Cons of Social Media

2011-09-09T00:34:00.003-04:00

In his thought-provoking book entitled Booklife: Strategies and Surival Tips for the 21st Century Writer, Jeff VanderMeer devotes several chapters to the topic of building an authorial platform. He calls this platform a "booklife" and discusses the double-edged sword of an author's public and private book life and the challenges an author faces in trying to reconcile the two.

According to VanderMeer, "Booklife is as much about balance as anything else" (153). He goes on to explain that an author must guard against simply reacting to stimuli (ibid.). Instead, an author must respond to the stimuli of his choosing and use social media judiciously.

Social media involves a lot of stimuli. Unless we pick and choose what forms of social media we want to use--if any--we will be overwhelmed by them.

Two of the most popular forms of social media are Facebook and Twitter. Both of these venues keep authors connected with their readers, and vice versa. As with most things, both Facebook and Twitter have their good points and their bad. We must all guard against spending so much time on FB or Twitter that we don't spend enough time writing. Worst of all, we must guard against allowing social media--or anything else--to steal the precious time we need to spend with our Lord above everything else.

My questions for you this week are:
1) Do you use social media to further your writing career?
2) If so, what are your chosen social media venues?
3) What challenges/benefits have you experienced from using this social media venues?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Blessings,

MaryAnn
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Source cited:

VanderMeer, Jeff. Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st-Century Writer. San Francisco: Tachyon Publications, 2009.

Is It Right for Me as a Christian to Promote Myself?

2011-09-02T15:11:00.004-04:00

This week we continue our discussion on Social Media by asking the question: Is it right for me as a Christian to promote myself?

Most, if not all, of us have struggled with this question. Here are my thoughts on it. Then I warmly welcome you to contribute yours.

1) Promotion all boils down to heart motive. If my motive is to exalt myself, then it is wrong to promote myself. The Word of God makes this clear: "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips." (Proverbs 27:21).

But if my motive is to exalt Jesus Christ and His message, then it is all right to promote myself. Why? Because I am not really promoting myself; I am promoting Christ. I see myself as an instrument in God's hands to spread the Gospel. And Jesus Himself commanded us to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth (Mark 16:15). This command is called The Great Commission.

2) Once our heart motive is right, then promotion is not only right but necessary. Why? Again, Scripture gives us the reason in Romans 10:14-15: "But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, 'How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!'"

Notice the verse that says, "how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?" Someone telling them is how I define promotion.

When I promote my writing, I am promoting its content, and its content points people to Christ.

For an outstanding article on self-promotion from a Christian perspective (very likely, the best article I've ever read on the topic), check out "Can Christians Self-Promote?" by Rebecca Seitz, founder of Glass Road Public Relations, a PR firm "representing Christians creating works of entertainment".

http://www.glassroadpr.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=1&Itemid=59

For more info on Glass Roads Public Relations, check out Rebeca's site at

http://www.glassroadpr.com/joomla/

Now, it's your turn to let us know what you think about Christians and self-promotion. :)

Using Social Media Wisely to Promote Your Writing

2011-08-26T12:46:00.003-04:00

In the last few years, major changes have occurred in the publishing industry, particularly in regard to author promotion. Numerous socia media venues have arisen that are now being strategically used by writers to establish and maintain a platform. Most of us very likely have blogs, Facebook and Twitter accounts, and many of us probably use venues like LiveJournal, MySpace, LinkedIn, Plaxo, and other online methods for getting our name and our work out there.

If you're like me, you may very well at times feel overwhelmed by all of these opportunities. So let's explore ways to ensure that we make right choices regarding if, how, and when to advertise ourselves.

First of all, as followers of Christ, we are privileged to be able to tap into His wisdom re: the decisions we make, including decisions about our writing. As James 1:5-6 promises us, we can ask our Lord for His wisdom, and He will generously give it to us.

Next, we need to determine the vision and mission for our writing. IOW, why are we writing? If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you write to promote His kingdom, not your own. This is our purpose as Christian writers. At the same time, each of us fulfills that purpose in a different way. So take some time to determine your unique purpose as a writer who follows Christ.

Once you have prayed for wisdom and determined your unique vision for your writing, you will be in a better position to determine which social media venues are best for you.

In the next few weeks, we will explore each of these social media venues and consider their pros and cons. I encourage you to share with us your experiences using each venue as we discuss them.

We'll start next week with the question: Is it right for me as a Christian to promote myself?

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #10

2011-08-19T01:53:00.004-04:00

We have reached our last tip for writing in deep POV. This tip is a tool that will really help you to know if you are doing it correctly. The tip is this: Write your scene in first person POV as though you were the main character. Then rewrite the scene in third person limited (aka deep POV). Which of the two third-person POV scenes draws you more closely into your character?

Here is an example, again from my own writing:

Before (3rd person):
Hidden from view, Sandra watched her boyfriend Paul escort her best friend to a table at the other end of the restaurant. Sandra's eyes flashed darts and her face turned a flaming red as she realized that Paul had been lying to her all along.

First Person
Hidden from view, I watched my boyfriend Paul escort my best friend to a table at the other end of the restaurant. The shameless beast! Paul had been lying to me all along. Saying he couldn't see me because he had to work late. He was nothing but a cheat. And with my best friend, no less. My eyes flashed darts and my face turned a flaming red.

After (3rd person, deep POV):
The shameless beast! He'd been lying to her all along. Saying he couldn't see her because he had to work late. He was nothing but a cheat. And with her best friend, no less. Sandra's fists clenched and her face burned.

Do you see that in the "after" example, we are "deeply" inside Sandra's skin?

The key is to write as though you are experiencing the event. If you were experiencing the event above, you would not be able to see your own eyes flashing with darts and your face turning a flaming red.

Now take one of your scenes and rewrite it in first person. Then rewrite it again in deep POV, aka third person limited, using the changes you made in your first person scene.

Next week: Using Social Media Wisely to Promote Your Writing

How to Write Deep Pov - Tip #9

2011-08-12T18:52:00.001-04:00

We are nearing the end of our 10 tips to writing deep POV. Today we're going to discuss Tip #9: Instead of simply describing settings or people, experience them through your POV character.

How do you do this? By giving your character's emotional reactions to her experiences.

For example, instead of describing a room, give us your character's reactions to the room. Here is an example from my own writing:

Before: Sarah entered the room. A long tapestried sofa stood against one wall. In the center was a long mahogany table with a large bouquet of roses on it. The flowers reminded her of Scott.

After: The beauty of the room took Sarah's breath away. And the tapestried sofa. It was just like the one her grandmother had. The sofa where, as a child, Sarah cuddled up with Granny and listened for hours to exciting fairy tales. She walked over to the table and breathed in the fragrance of the long-stemmed red roses. They reminded her of Scott. And of their failed relationship.

Do you see how the second example shows the emotional reactions of the POV character? I can still work on this example, but at least you can see that getting into your POV character's skin and experiencing settings, things, and people through her eyes will make your story come alive.

Now try this exercise on a scene from your own writing.

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #8

2011-08-05T08:45:00.003-04:00

Tip #8 for writing in deep POV is to use specific details. Details show, and showing instead of telling deepens your character's POV.

For example, let's look at the following two phrases. The first one tells; the second one shows:

A nice car (telling)

A shiny, silver Lexus in mint condition (showing)

The same principle works when you describe your character's feelings. Show them through specific details. Here are before and after examples:

Before: She felt fear when he entered the room. (Telling)

After: Her breath lodged in her throat when he entered the room.

In this second example, you have SHOWN the character's emotions by using specific details: breath, lodged, and throat.

Now look at your own WIP and circle those sentences that tell instead of show. Then revise them by using specific details.

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #7

2011-07-29T23:45:00.001-04:00

Tip #7 for writing deep POV is: Start your scene with your POV character. While this may seem obvious, many writers start their scene with a description of the setting. While this is not necessarily a bad approach, it fails to orient your reader immediately in the head of your character. And deep point of view is just that: orienting your read immediately--and intimately-- in the head of your character.

Starting your scene with your POV character does the following:

It connects your reader with the character through whose eyes your reader will experience the story.
It places your reader squarely in the perspective of that character.
It establishes a sense of time and place for your reader so that she can jump into your story with both feet.

Try this little exercise during the coming week. Take a scene from your novel where you start with a description of the setting. Then revise that scene by introducing your POV character right up front. If you want to share what you write, please do so.

Next week: Tip #8: Use specific details to deepen POV.

ACFW Awards "The End" Badge

2011-07-25T05:27:00.000-04:00

In case you are not aware, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) has issued a challenge to its members who are not published in novel-length fiction. Any member who completes a novel will be awarded a logo indicating that the author has written "The End" on her manuscript.

To my surprise, I am the first author to receive this logo. You can earn one too and place it on your website, your blog, or wherever. Check out the right sidebar of my blog (you'll have to scroll down a bit:) to see what the logo looks like.

I encourage you to keep pressing forward toward the mark for the prize of your high calling as a writer in Christ.

Blessings,

MaryAnn

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #6

2011-07-22T15:32:00.005-04:00

Tip #6 for writing deep POV is as follows: When describing setting, use words that mirror your character’s feelings. Here is an example from my own writing:

"In the distance, thunder rumbled. Her heart rumbled with it."

Have you noticed that we often feel like the weather? If the day is drab, we feel drab. If the day is sunny, we feel more positive.

Also, have you noticed that your surroundings affect how you feel? Do you feel better in a cluttered room or a neat one? Do you feel better on a littered city street or a clean one? I'm sure it depends on the person, but most of us like beautiful surroundings.

When you mirror your character's feelings in the setting, you are tapping into a human psychological law that causes us to take on the "feel" of the setting around us. So keep this tip in mind as you work on deepening your own characters.

Next week, we'll look into Tip #7 for writing deep POV: Begin your scene with your POV character. We'll see you then, Lord willing.

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #5

2011-07-15T19:12:00.002-04:00

This week we'll be covering Tip #5 in writing deep POV: Make the character's emotions DO something.

What does this mean? Let me show you a before-and-after illustration from my own writing to help you understand:

Before: "She felt fear in her very bones."

After: "Fear raced down her spine like a cavalry of stampeding horses."

In the first example, I used the word "felt" which is a no-no in writing deep POV (For more on this writing mistake, see the post for July 1, 2011). A word like "felt' will distance your reader from your character. Also, using "felt" is simply telling your reader about the emotion instead of allowing your reader to experience the emotion with the character.

Notice that in the second example, I have the emotion of fear doing something. In this example, the fear is racing down my character's spine. Moreover, I have used a simile to describe the manner in which the emotion of fear is racing down my character's spine: 'like a cavalry of wild horses." Using a simile to describe an emotion deepens the emotion and, as a result, deepens the point of view.

Here is a little exercise to do this week: Take a paragraph from your own WIP and make your character's emotions DO something. Then share what you've written.

Stay tuned for Tip #6 next week: When describing setting, use words that mirror your character's feelings.

Until then, happy writing! :)

MaryAnn

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #4

2011-07-08T11:22:00.000-04:00

Tip #4 in writing in deep POV is: Eliminate tags and attributions. Tags and attributions are words and expressions that indicate that someone is speaking. Common ones are she said, he said, he replied, she shouted. Like the words thought, wondered, noticed that we discussed in an earlier post, tags and attributions tend to distance the reader from the character.

Instead of using tags and attributions, use beats. What is a beat? A beat is defined by some as the smallest unit of writing. I define a beat as a sentence that reveals or shows an emotion while attributing dialogue to a particular character.

Below are two examples of the same passage. In the first one, I have used an attribution to indicate the character's anger. In the second example, I have used a beat that I have underlined for you. In the first example, I am telling. In the second example, I am showing:

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Sandra said angrily. (Telling)

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Sandra threw the book at him, barely missing his face. (Showing)

In the example above, I have replaced the expression she said angrily with a beat. The beat is a sentence that shows Sandra doing something after she has spoken her words. The reader understands that Sandra spoke the preceding words. Showing her in action after she speaks the words adds to her characterization and gives us a picture of the anger she is feeling.

Next week, we'll explore Tip #5 for writing in deep POV: Make your character's emotions DO something. See you then! :)

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #3

2011-07-01T06:56:00.003-04:00

Tip #3 for writing in deep POV is this: Delete filtering devices, such as tags and attributions and distancing words like felt, thought, wondered, pondered, saw, noticed, watched, and decided.

A tag or attribution is an expression that denotes who is speaking; e.g., "he said," "she said." Instead of using these expressions in your writing, use a beat to illustrate an action. For example:

Attribution: "Come quickly," Maria said, her heart racing.

Deep POV: "Come quickly." Maria's heart raced.

A filtering device is a device that distances the reader from the character. Words like felt, thought, wondered, pondered, saw, noticed, watched, and decided move your reader away from your character.

Consider the examples below, both taken from my writing. The first uses a filtering device (the word felt) while the second uses deep POV:

She felt heartbroken.

A sharp aching split her soul in two.

In the first example, I am "telling" the reader "about" my character. In the second example, I am taking the reader inside my character. My reader is experiencing what my character is experiencing. Do you see the difference?

Here is a little exercise for you to practice removing distancing words from your writing. Take each sentence and convert it to deep POV. Then share your results with us.

Michael felt angry.
Susan thought she'd be afraid when she saw Barry again.
Andrea noticed the wrinkles on her mother's face.

I look forward to hearing from you. Meanwhile, happy writing! :)

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #2

2011-06-24T00:05:00.003-04:00

Tip #2 in writing in deep POV is: Do not label your character's emotions.

To label your character's emotions simply means to state them. Labeling is a form of telling and does little or nothing to bring your character alive.

Below are two writing samples. The first is an example of labeling. The second is an example of deep POV.

Before (example of labeling):
She realized how much she hated him.

After (example of deep POV):

"She closed her eyes and her father was there—all 250 pounds of him, smashing a rock-hard fist into her jaw. Bile shot up to her throat at the memory. She’d never forgive him."

Do you see how deep POV shows instead of tells? In the second example, we actually see the character's hatred as it is expressed in physical action and raw emotion.

To help you practice, take the following sentences and write them in deep POV. Then, share your results with us.

She realized how much she loved him.
He knew how much he wanted that job.
She wondered if she'd ever have a good relationship with her mother.

Happy Writing! :)

MaryAnn

How to Write Deep POV - Tip #1

2011-06-17T11:29:00.006-04:00

This week, as I promised you, we will begin our exploration of proven techniques for writing in deep point of view (POV). So take notes and start using these techniques in your own writing. Then write to share some before and after examples.

TIP #1: Become your character. In order to write in deep POV, you must first know your character intimately. One of the best ways to do this is to become your character. This means placing yourself inside your character and pretending you are your character.

When you become your character, you see, hear, smell, touch, taste, feel, and perceive everything through your character. Everything you write is filtered through the person of your character and your character only. You, the writer, are in a real sense out of the picture in that there is no author intrusion in deep POV.

To help you become your character, ask yourself the following questions:

What do I notice around me?
How does what I notice make me feel emotionally? Physically? Psychologically?
What am I thinking about in this situation?
What am I sensing or discerning?
What am I longing for? Afraid of? Confused about?

When writing in deep POV, you have to be in touch with the deepest parts of your character's soul. Here are before and after examples of writing in deep POV by becoming your character:

Before:
“Oh, dear. It looks as though I just broke my toe. It is turning blue. I wonder if I’ll be able to dance in the competition. If not, I think Brad will be angry."

Deep POV:
"Great! Just what I needed right now. A broken toe. How am I going to get my foot into my dance shoes? Brad is going to kill me. We’ve been training for this dance competition for over a year now. I can’t back out now because of a stupid broken toe.”

In the second example, you are inside the character, feeling, thinking, and perceiving what she is feeling, thinking, and perceiving. And, best of all, your reader is inside your character too.

Next week, we'll look at TIP #2 for writing in deep POV: Do not label your character's emotions. So be sure to stop back then.

Deep POV

2011-06-10T00:05:00.001-04:00

This week we'll be discussing deep POV. Deep POV, aka "limited third person" POV, is a technique fiction writers use to create deep closeness between character and reader. It is that POV in which the writer places herself in the skin of her character and sees, hears, feels, smells, touches, tastes, and perceives everything through that character. In deep POV, the writer BECOMES the character.

Deep POV is currently the most popular technique in fiction writing. I have a theory that the reason for this is that our culture today craves a return to the intimacy that was lost when the family became nuclear and started to fall apart. Whether my theory is true or not, fiction writers today are seeking a deeper connection between their characters and their readers.

Well-known novelist Alicia Rasley describes deep POV as follows in her excellent book, The Power of Point of View: "Deep POV is about being so into the character that you feel with her body, think with her mind, and write with her voice" (p. 7). In deep POV, there is no author intrusion whatsoever. In fact, the author relinquishes her voice, so to speak, and turns it over to the character.

Another way to understand deep POV is to think of it as combining the intimacy of first person POV with the third person grammatical structure. When writing deep POV, it often helps to write your scene in first person and then change it to third person.

There are several techniques used to write in deep POV. Next time, we will explore some of the most common ones. So stop by next week, same time, same station. :)

Choosing the Best POV for Your Story

2011-06-03T00:05:00.009-04:00

One of the most important questions you will ask yourself before you start your story is what point of view (POV) should I use? Point of view is the perspective from which you write your story. The POV you choose to write your story will have great impact on the power of your story.

Basically, there are four points of view:

Omniscient. This is the point of view in which the narrator (or author) of the story knows everything that is going on in every character's life.
First Person. This is the point of view of view in which the author uses the personal pronoun I to write the story.
Second Person. This point of view uses the personal pronoun you to write the story. It is a rarely used POV and not very popular among readers.
Third Person. This is the most common POV. It is written using the pronouns he and she.

Third Person POV is further subdivided into regular third person and limited third person. Regular third person is most often used in plot-driven stories where action is secondary to characterization. Limited third person POV, also known as deep POV, is currently the most popular of all points of view.

Next time, we will discuss deep POV: what it is, what it does, and how to use it.

Exploring Point of View (POV)

2011-05-27T05:00:00.001-04:00

This week I'd like to begin an exploration of point of view (POV). As a starting point, I'll be referring to Alicia Rasley's excellent book on the topic called The Power of Point of View published by Writers' Digest Books.

In case you don't know what POV means, let's go back to grammar school days. We learned back then that verbs have a first person, a second person, and a third person form. For example, the first person form of the verb speak is I speak. The second person form is You speak, and the third person form is He or She speaks. Each of these forms uses the verb speak from a different perspective.

In writing fiction, POV also refers to different perspectives. As Rasley notes, POV is "the perspective from which the reader experiences the action of story" (p. 9). Perception is an all-encompassing word. Perspective includes a person's thoughts, emotions, opinions, and perceptions. It also includes what a person sees, hears, feels, smells, and touches.

In fiction writing, your choice of point of view will determine through whose thoughts, emotions, opinions, and perceptions your reader will live the story. I like the way Rasley expresses this: "POV is the vehicle your reader uses to travel through the story" (ibid.).

The simplest story has one point of view. Romances usually have two points of view, that of the heroine and that of the hero. Some stories have three and four points of view. In instances of multiple points of view, the technique to follow is to have only one POV per scene.

Next week, we'll consider how to choose the best POV for your story. So stay tuned! :)
_____________________-
Source cited:
Rasley, Alicia. The Power of Point of View: Make Your Story Come to Life. (Cincinnati, Ohio: Writers' Digest Books, 2008).

Genres in Children's Writing

2011-05-20T02:00:00.005-04:00

Writing for children comes in many flavors or, as we writers call them, genres. In case you are a bit confused about the many types of children's writing, let's take a brief look at them.

Picture Books
When people think of children's writing, they usually think first of picture books. Picture books form a large segment of children's literature. What is a picture book? Basically, a picture book is a book in which the pictures do a big part of telling the story. Picture books can be further divided into books for various age groups: the Baby Picture Book (under age one), the Toddler Picture Book (ages 1-3), and the Early Picture Book (ages 4-8).

Picture books can be fiction or non-fiction. They usually run 32 pages in length with a word count of anywhere from 300-1500 words (usually on the higher end for non-fiction). The average length of most current picture books is 300-800 words because most publishers today usually prefer this length.

Easy Readers
These books are geared to children who are just starting to read on their own, usually from ages 6-8. Also called "easy-to-read" books, easy readers run from 32 to 64 pages and usually have a word count of 200 to 2000 words, with a lower word count offering a better chance of publication.

Chapter BooksWritten for the 7-10 age group, these books are usually 45-60 pages in length and are divided into short chapters of about 3 to 4 pages each. The chapter divisions make young readers feel as though they are reading a "real" book.

Middle-Grade Books
Readers of middle-grade books are from 8-12 years old. This age group is often called the "Golden Age of Readers" because reading holds high interest for this age group compared to children of other ages. Middle-grade books run anywhere from 100-150 pages and are often written in series. Children of this age readily identify with a main character. If you can create an engaging character that captures the hearts and minds of the middle-grade child, you may have a series on your hands. :)

Young Adult (YA)
Young adult readers include children from 12 to 18. Books for this age group run from 25,000 to 50,000 words and are more complex. Within the YA genre, a sub-genre targeted to 10-14 year-olds is becoming popular. Books for this age group are sometimes called "Tweener" books because they are written for those between later childhood and the early teen years.

Wherever your interest lies, you can find markets for your writing. If you're not sure which genre is best for you, try your hand at all of them and discover which one best fits your writing style and interests.

Genre Fiction vs. Literary Fiction

2011-05-13T16:11:00.002-04:00

In case you weren't aware, there are two opposing camps in the field of fiction writing. There is the "genre fiction" camp--also called "commercial fiction" or "popular fiction"--and there is the literary fiction" camp. What is the difference?

Generally speaking, genre fiction is plot-driven and is read by the majority of fiction readers, although much genre fiction is character-driven. Genre fiction has several subcategories, including romance, women's fiction, mystery, suspense, science fiction (sci-fi), horror, and fantasy. Literary fiction, on the other hand, is character-driven and more intellectual in nature. Literary fiction is usually considered to be of a higher level of writing, what could be called "erudite" writing. It is also characterized by an originality that sets it above ordinary writing.

Literary fiction can fall into a genre of writing. For example, one could write a literary novel in the mystery genre. But, generally, literary fiction is a genre all its own.

So why the opposition between literary fiction writers and genre fiction writers? Well, literary fiction writers sometimes consider genre fiction writers to be lesser writers and genre fiction to be a lower level of fiction. While, historically, this may be true, genre fiction today has risen to new heights of excellence that cannot be denied.

But the distinction remains in the treatment of the subject matter. Literary fiction is more philosophical and explores the thought processes of the protagonist. Genre fiction deals more with where people live on a daily basis.

Regardless of which type of fiction you write or you prefer, each has its place in the cadre of literary endeavors. Both literary and genre fiction can be vehicles for pointing our readers to Christ. And this, bottom line, is our ultimate purpose as writers.

Using the Write Power

2011-05-06T00:55:00.000-04:00

This blog is called The Write Power for a reason. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have supernatural power to overcome the enemy. This power is demonstrated in many ways. One of those ways is through the written word.

As writers for Jesus, we have been given a mandate to proclaim His truth through the written word. But not only have we been given a mandate, we have also been given the power to fulfill that mandate.

Are you using your God-given power in Christ to proclaim His message through your writing? The world is hungry for truth. We have the truth, and we must proclaim it through the gift of writing that God has given us.

Let me encourage you today to make God's truth the focus of your writing. Whether you write fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, let God's truth be your guide.

Carpe Diem! The Time to Write Is Now

2011-04-29T00:05:00.001-04:00

It doesn't take much to realize that we are living in the end times. While we certainly do not know the exact day nor the hour of our Lord's return, we do know that the morning headlines look very much like the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

Since this is the case, we must take to heart now, more than ever, our Lord's warning: "I must do the work of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming, when no one can work." Applied to us as His writers, this warning means we must write now because the night is coming when we will not be permitted to write.

You may think that the concept of not being permitted to write is far-fetched. Yet, already the Christian element in our society is being censored in subtle ways.

So what are we to do? We are to fulfill the Great Commission our Lord gave us just before He ascended into Heaven: "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone" (Mark 16:15). We are to go into all the world through the words we write and tell everyone within our circle of influence the good news that God is no longer angry with man, but that Jesus Christ has paid the full price for sin and reconnected man to God. Man can now live forever because of Jesus Christ!

As our freedoms erode, we must seize the day, for the time is coming when there will be no more day to seize.

Writing As Relationship

2011-04-22T00:15:00.001-04:00

There are many components to becoming a writer. For us as followers of Jesus Christ, the most important component is our relationship with God. For it is out of this relationship that our writing flows.

Relationship is the core desire of God's heart. We see this desire expressed in the Cross. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to restore the relationship between man and God. Indeed, Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship between God and man.

In order to bear fruit, our writing must have its source in this relationship: "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me" (John 15:4 NIV).

As we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord, let's make sure that we are remaining in Him. Only then will our writing be full of His life, and only then will our writing bring His life to our readers.

Continuing Education in Writing

2011-04-15T13:05:00.000-04:00

Last week I had the marvelous privilege of attending the Highlights Foundation Workshop on Writing Middle-Grade Novels taught by Mr. Rich Wallace, former editor of Highlights Magazine. Prior to the workshop, we toured the headquarters of Highlights Magazine and met with several editors. We also visited the offices of Boyds Mills Press, a subsidiary of the Highlights Foundation. I even got to see the real Calkins Creek after which the Boyds Mills Press imprint was named!

Needless to say, it was an amazing experience and proved to me once again the importance of continual professional training in our chosen field of writing. Why is continuing education important?

It sharpens our craft by deepening our understanding of writing techniqiues.
It keeps us on the cutting edge of industry trends.
It connects us with people knowledgeable in the field who can teach us things we might not learn simply by reading or studying on our own.
It provides us with a network of writers and editors who can be instrumental in helping us further our writing career.
It offers us an opportunity to develop life-long friendships with other writers.

I've made it a point to attend at least one writers' conference per year at a minimum. If you cannot attend an extended conference, consider a one-day conference in your area. It could literally change your writing life.

Choosing a Title for Your Novel

2011-04-08T05:00:00.002-04:00

How important is the title of your novel? Well, if you're like me, a novel's title either attracts me or it doesn't. While I don't judge a book by its title, the title has an influence on whether or not I want to read the book.

Your title is the first hook on your fictional fishing line. With it you entice your reader to pick up your book and to read the first page. So choosing a title is a very important part of the writing process.

What should you consider when choosing a title? Here are a few tips:

1) Your title should be brief--no more than five words at the max.

2) Your title should spark interest. For example, which draws you more, Gone with the Wind or Scarlett and Rhett?

3) Your title should be appropriate to your genre. For example, you wouldn't name a fantasy novel, The Brown Family Saga, which sounds more like a historical novel.

4) Your title should be easy to remember. This helps when readers want to recommend your book to friends and family.

5) Your title should give an idea about the content of your story. While you don't want to give away your plot, you do want your title to relate to your plot.

Choosing a title takes time. Don't rush the process. In fact, you may not know your title until you've finished writing your novel. Even then, you may change it.

Finally, the title you choose may not end up being the title of the book. Your editor may recommend a different title that will work better. For the most part, you can trust that your editor knows what she is talking about if she asks you to change your title. She has had experience in the industry and knows that titles well.

But if you still feel uncomfortable with your editor's suggestion, let her know and talk it over with her. When you see where she is coming from, you may agree that your editor is right. In the end, however, your title is your choice.

How Much Should I Charge for My Writing?

2011-04-01T05:00:00.002-04:00

Writers frequently ask me what to charge for their writing. I tell them that what they charge depends on several key factors. First of all, if you are writing for magazines, you cannot choose what to charge because magazines set their own rates. If a magazine pays 10 cents per word, you will most likely not get 25 cents a word if you ask for that rate. Your fee is limited to what the magazine is willing to pay.

If, however, you write for businesses, you can set your own fees, but you must consider the market. In other words, you must consider your competition.

In my own writing business, I wrestled with whether to charge by the word or by the hour. I finally decided to charge by the hour. This enabled me to calculate how much I needed to operate my business while earning a profit.

Here are some important questions to ask yourself if you have decided to work as a freelance writer:

1) Do I need to earn my living from my writing, or do I have a spouse who will support me?

2) If I need to earn my living from my writing, how much do I need each year to live? How much do I need each month to meet my expenses?

3) Based on my monthly expenses, what do I need to earn to meet them and still have some left over?

Once you figure out what you need to live on, to meet your expenses, and to earn a profit, then you are ready to set your fees.

The Changing Publishing World

2011-03-25T09:58:00.001-04:00

Over the past few years, major changes have occurred in the publishing world. As huge publishing conglomerates bought out the smaller publishers, many of these smaller publishers had to close down. Also, many Mom-and-Pop bookstores found it difficult to survive. I know of two major Christian bookstores in an area where I lived that were forced to shut down because of lack of sufficient business.

Yet, even some major publishers are suffering from the economy. As a result, they have established what they call "subsidy" arms whereby they invite authors to pay a portion of publishing costs in exchange for being published. This practice has stirred up great protest among authors established with these publishers. The authors object to the fact that their reputable publishers are now resorting to what amounts to vanity publishing. These authors feel that the prestige once associated with having been published by a major publisher has now significantly diminished. Worse yet, because of the stigma traditionally attached to vanity publishing, these authors feel that the value of their work has diminished in the public eye.

Be that as it may, the publishing industry is definitely changing. We are seeing more and more authors resorting to electronic publishing (e-book publishing) through Kindle, ePub, and other venues. Authors are discovering that electronic publishing dramatically shortens the time between submission and publication and that royalties skyrocket from an average 10% to 70%.

There is a lot to be said for a form of publishing that gets your book out there and earns you a decent living. At the same time, it is important that your book be of topnotch quality. Getting it to that level usually requires the services of a professional editor.

If you are considering electronic publishing, do your homework. Then, if you decide it is for you, do it. :) You may discover that you have found your publishing niche. :)

The Revolutionary KINDLE

2011-03-18T09:44:00.002-04:00

When Amazon released the wireless reading device called the Kindle First Generation in November of 2007, it sold out in five and a half hours and then remained out of stock for five months. The supply was replenished in late April 2008. Thereafter, the Kindle went through various updated versions.

Sales took off when novelist Stephen King helped promote the Kindle by publishing his novella, entitled UR, exclusively as a Kindle publication. This set the stage for today's use of the Kindle as a significant publishing platform for authors.

James Scott Bell recently published his latest novella, Cover Your Back, solely through Kindle. Check out Randy Ingermanson's article on Bell's Kindle publishing venture:
(http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2011/03/04/why-james-scott-bell-chose-to-e-publish/

Today many authors are turning to Kindle direct publishing, including topselling secular author David Morrell. Kindle direct publishing offers an opportunity for authors to expose their writing to a global audience while earning royalties of 70%. Not a bad deal.

If you'd like to look into Kindle Direct Publishing via Amazon, check out this website: https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/signin

More next week on the changing publishing industry.

Blessings,

MaryAnn

_______________________________________
Source cited:
< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle

POD Publishing

2011-03-11T02:57:00.002-05:00

Last week I gave you a glimpse of the upheaval occurring in the publishing world as it moves to meet the demands of the 21st century. One such move is the rise of print-on-demand publishing, commonly referred to as POD. Print-on-demand publishing simply means that a book is published only after it is ordered.

In other words, if a customer wants a copy of a particular book, the publisher is set up to publish a single copy of that book. Obviously, POD publishing saves the publisher a lot of money and prevents things like remainders, books that bookstores haven't sold and that they return to the publisher.

POD publishing is only one of many new and exciting developments in the publishing world. Next week, we'll touch briefly on the KINDLE and how it has revolutionized the publishing industry.

The Changing Face of Publishing

2011-03-04T16:05:00.001-05:00

If you've been following publishing trends, you are aware of the major, almost cataclysmic, changes that have taken place and continue to take place in the publishing industry. Recently, I received an email from a publisher who told me that traditional book sales were down due to the rise of the availability of the same books on Kindle.

Some writers might consider this a negative change; others will see it as a fantastic opportunity to expand their circle of influence. In which camp are you?

While there are pros and cons to the new trends in publishing, we can't deny that the changes will affect all of us. So it behooves us to know what's going on and how our writing goals fit into the picture.

For the next couple of weeks, I'll address a couple of the top issues in this new world of publishing and how those issues could affect your writing career. So, stay tuned!

Hearing God's Voice for Your Writing

2011-02-25T07:41:00.003-05:00

If you're like me, you have so many ideas rolling around in your head that you need more than one lifetime to write about them. So how do we, as writers who follow Christ, determine which ideas to write about and which not to?

I think it all boils down to being able to hear God's voice. After salvation, hearing God's voice is the single most important thing a Christian needs to know how to do.

If you struggle to hear God's voice, here are four simple steps that will revolutionize your life. These steps were developed by Dr. Mark Virkler, president of Christian Leadership University. Dr. Virkler has taught this process to thousands of believers all over the world for the last 20 years, with amazing results. Before you follow these steps, however, be sure that you are born again. If you are not, click here first.

Four Steps to Hearing God's Voice:

1) Quiet yourself. Scripture tells us that God's voice is a "still, small voice" (I Kings 19:12). So, in order to hear it, we must quiet ourselves and pay close attention. Scripture also tells us that in order to know God, we must be still (Psalm 46:10).

2) Focus on Jesus. Focusing on Jesus helps us to harness our wayward thoughts and get our minds on our Lord Who is about to speak to us through His Holy Spirit. We can focus on Jesus by reading a portion of the Gospels, by listening to a worship CD, or simply by thinking about what our Lord has done for us. I usually imagine myself sitting at the feet of Jesus on the Mount of Olives as He is preaching to the crowds. The scene comes alive as I listen to our Master and focus my attention on Him. Then, I often ask Him a question that is on my mind, or I simply ask Him to tell me what I need to hear.

3) Tune into flow. This simply means paying attention to the thoughts that come to your mind as you focus on Jesus. God speaks to us primarily through our thoughts. It works like this. Holy Spirit communicates with our spirits. What He says then goes from our spirits to our minds in the form of thoughts.

4) Write down your thoughts. As you record your thoughts in a notebook or journal, you will be hearing God's voice.

Use these four steps to determine what God wants you to write. Just ask Him and then listen for His answer. As you hear His voice and obey Him, you will be spending your days on earth writing exactly what He wants you to write. In the process, you will be fulfilling your unique calling as a writer and follower of Jesus Christ.
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Note: If you'd like to learn more about hearing God's voice, you may wish to check out Dr. Mark Virkller's detailed explanation at http://www.cwgministries.org/You-Can-Hear-God's-Voice.pdf. You may also wish to listen to an audio presentation by Dr. Mark Virkler on heaing God's voice. Please go to http://www.cluonline.com/godsvoice.htm

The Functions of a Scene: To Generate Conflict

2011-02-18T09:43:00.002-05:00

This week we conclude our discussion on the functions of a scene by exploring conflict. A good scene includes conflict that will lead to the ultimate conflict or story crisis.

Most of us hate conflict in real life, but shying away from conflict in a scene is disastrous to your story. A good story thrives on conflict. A good scene, which is a building block of story, also thrives on conflict. So include lots of conflict in your scenes.

Fiction-writing authority, Randy Ingermanson, defines conflict as follows: "Conflict is the series of obstacles your POV character faces on the way to reaching his Goal. You must have Conflict in your Scene! If your POV character reaches his Goal with no Conflict, then the reader is bored. Your reader wants to struggle! No victory has any value if it comes too easy. So make your POV character struggle and your reader will live out that struggle too." ("Writing the Perfect Scene" at
http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/scene.php

In order to create conflict in your scene, you need to give your character an obstacle in that scene. The obstacle must hinder your character's journey toward his goal. In so doing, the obstacle creates conflict in your character. We all know the conflict we feel when a goal of ours is thwarted. Give your characters these same conflicting emotions (frustration, anger, fear, etc.) when writing your scene.

There is much more to writing conflict than I've said in this short blog entry. For great insight into writing conflict and writing fiction in general, I refer you to Dwight Swain's classic book, Techniques of the Selling Writer. It is considered by many to be the bible of fiction writing. If you don't own a copy, you may wish to add it to your library. It is available through my affiliate, as indicated, or you may obtain it through your venue of choice.

Happy Conflict Writing! :)

MaryAnn

The Functions of a Scene: To Evoke Emotion

2011-02-11T00:05:00.003-05:00

NOTE: One of our very own sisters in Christ and fellow writers, Pam Halter, has written a very moving, inspiring, and life-changing article about her autistic daughter. Please take the time to read this magnificent piece: http://www.gloryandstrength.com/
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This week we will discuss another function of a scene: to evoke emotion. Emotion is at the crux of writing powerful fiction because the primary goal of fiction is to entertain. Readers read to enter new worlds and to engage in new experiences. Emotion helps to ground them in this new world and to experience it fully.

Let's start with defining emotion. One dictionary defines emotion as "any strong agitation of the feelings. . . usually accompanied by certain physiological changes, as increased heartbeat or respiration, and often overt manifestation, as crying or shaking." <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/emotion>

When writing fiction, a key point to keep in mind is that emotion is expressed on the written page through the description of physical responses.

So, what are some ways to use a scene to evoke emotion?

1) Word choice. The words we choose in creating a scene are critical in evoking emotion. We could write: Jana was afraid or we could write Jana's heart thundered in her chest. Which one elicits a stronger response from you?

2) Physical senses. We saw above that using the physical senses increases emotion. Which of the following evokes emotion: Todd hit the wall in anger or Todd slammed his fist against the brick wall and flinched at the sound of cracking bones.

3) Observing others. Watch how other people express their emotions. Each of us expresses emotion in unique ways. Some people express anger by shouting; others, by withdrawing. Some people express fear by talking constantly; others, by breaking out in cold sweats. Interestingly, readers will often identify with the character who expresses emotion in the same way the reader does.

4) Drawing on your own experiences. Observe yourself. How do you respond physically to fear, anger, embarrassment? Use those reactions in evoking emotion in your scene.

5) Reading the works of other writers. Analyze how successful authors evoke emotion in a scene. Do they use dialogue? What about their sentence structure? What about their pacing? All of these elements contribute to creating powerful emotion in a scene.

As an exercise, take a story you're currently working on and edit it for emotion. Check your word choices. Analyze the physical responses to the situations in your scene. Are there places where you can ratchet up your emotion?

Increasing emotion in your scene will automatically increase emotion in your entire story. Don't be afraid to have your characters express strong emotions. Your readers will love you for it! :)

Next week, we'll conclude our series on the functions of a scene with a discussion of conflict.
http://www.gloryandstrength.com/

The Functions of a Scene: To Build Tension

2011-02-04T00:05:00.003-05:00

So far we've discussed two functions of a good scene:
1) A good scene reveals character.
2) A good scene advances the plot.

Today we'll discuss the third function of a good scene: to build tension.

How does a scene build tension? In at least two ways: by building inner tension and outer tension.

Inner tension is that tension contained within the scene itself. Outer tension is that tension that relates to the overall tension of your story. A scene's outer tension is connected to what goes before it and what comes after it.

When writing your scenes, put conflict into them. Your main character's problem should grow worse during each scene. Thsi will greatly contribute not only to the tension of your scene, but also to the tension of your story.

The Functions of a Scene: To Advance the Plot

2011-01-28T00:07:00.015-05:00

NOTE: GOOD NEWS! Reader of this blog and successful blogger in her own right, author Sandy Weiers has just published a children's book entitled Joey Is Thankful. Congratulations, Sandy! For details about Sandy's new book, please click here.

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So far, we've discussed one function of a good scene: to reveal character. Today, we'll talk about a second function of a good scene: to advance the plot.

A scene is one of several units that comprise your story. At the same time, a scene is a sort of mini-story in itself. In terms of your overall story, each scene must contribute to moving your story toward its ultimate resolution. If a scene does not make this contribution, then it has no place in your story, no matter how well-written the scene is.

When writing a scene, ask yourself these questions:

Does this scene help move my story toward its ultimate resolution?
Does this scene contain conflict, and does the conflict relate to the overall plot?
Have I given my character a goal for this particular scene?
Is my scene related to the scene that comes before it and the scene that comes after it?
Does my scene have a beginning, a middle, and an end?

If you build a good scene, you will be well on your way to building a good story.

Happy Scene-Building! :)

The Functions of a Scene: To Reveal Character

2011-01-21T08:23:00.000-05:00

Last week, we discussed some of the chief functions of a scene. The first was to reveal character. Today we will discuss that function in greater detail.

A scene is not a scene without a character. It would simply be a vignette. In fiction writing, the term "scene" implies someone acting in some way. A scene must have at least one character, and that character must display action, whether physical, mental, or emotional. Also, the character must be in some sort of increasing conflict.

In her outstanding book, Goal, Motivation, and Conflict, Debra Dixon describes the three essential elements of a character in a scene. First of all, your character must have a goal in the scene. Your character must have a reason--or motivation--for going after her goal. And, finally, your character must encounter conflict in pursuing her goal.

As the author, you too must have a goal for your scene. Before writing the scene, ask yourself what you want to accomplish in that scene. How do you want further to develop your character's growth arc? How do you want to move your story forward?

By taking into consideration the steps above, you will be fulfilling the first function of a scene: to reveal character.

Next week we'll look at another function of a scene: A good scene advances the plot.

The Functions of a Scene

2011-01-14T08:32:00.000-05:00

Scenes are the building blocks of story. If you write good scenes, you are well on your way to writing a good story.

So what constitutes a good scene? A good scene fulfills five basic functions:

1) A good scene reveals character.
2) A good scene advances the plot.
3) A good scene builds tension.
4) A good scene evokes emotion.
5) A good scene includes conflict that will lead to the ultimate conflict or story crisis.

Next week, we will begin to look at each element of a good scene in more detail. So stay tuned. :)

Finding the Time to Write

2011-01-07T00:21:00.003-05:00

Throughout my many years as a professional writer, I've encountered numerous "writers" who have easily given up on their dream to write. The reasons are many and vary. But one of the recurring reasons has been a lack of time.

I've heard comments like the following:

I don't have time to write.
I'll write when my children are back in school.
I'll write when my children are grown.
I'll write when I quit my job.
I'll write when I retire.

And the list of excuses goes on and on.

Yes, they are excuses. At the risk of seeming hard-hearted, I want, instead, to speak the truth in love. All of the above are simply excuses.

How can I say that? Well, God has given each of us 168 hours a week. No one person has more time than any other person. The key to success is what we do with those 168 hours.

Some people use them well; other people, not so well. What is the difference?

The difference is that those who use their 168 hours a week well are those who have established their priorities in life. They are people who have developed a clear vision of where they are headed and who have eliminated everything in their lives that will not move them toward their destination.

If you are called to write, then you can assume that God has provided you with the time to write. But, perhaps, you are using that time to do something God has not called you to do.

That is where I was early in my writing career. I was involved in church ministries that were not mine to be involved in. So, when our Lord, in His great mercy, showed me where I was missing it, I repented and gave up those church ministries.

Perhaps your problem is not so much a time problem as a priority problem. Take a close look at all of the activities in which you are involved. Make a list of them. Then ask yourself if God has called you to that activity.

When I was struggling with priorities years ago and complaining to God that I just didn't have enough time to do everything, our Lord spoke words to me that I will never forget. He said, "MaryAnn, you always have enough time to do what I have called you to do."

And you too, dear Writer Friend, always have enough time to do what God has called you to do.

Preparing for Your New Year of Writing

2010-12-31T00:51:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year, Writer Friends! :) If you're like me, you want this new writing year to be even better than last year. But, as with any worthwhile endeavor, planning ahead is essential.

So let's look at some steps you can take to make 2011 your most successful writing year yet:

1) Set realistic goals. Have you thought about what you want your writing career to look like by the end of 2011? If not, take some time today to imagine your writing life at the end of the new year. Ask yourself the following questions:

What kind of writing do I want to focus on this year? Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, business writing?
What projects does God want me to complete? A novel? Several short stories? A weekly column?
How much time each day will I devote to writing? Have I blocked out that time in my calendar?
Who will hold me accountable to my writing goals? A spouse? A close friend? A family member? A life coach?

2) Align yourself with other writers. Writing is a lonely profession. One can feel isolated sitting in front of a computer for hours at a time with no human interaction. It's important that we seek the fellowship of other writers who understand and share the joys and challenges of the writing life.

3) Most of all, pray. God has a plan for your writing life, and His plan may not be your plan. Before you write each day, seek His will for your writing that day. Then obey what He tells you. Your most influential writing will come out of obedience to God's direction for your writing.

Know that you will be in my prayers during the new year. May our Lord prosper the work of your heart and of your hands, for His glory and for the building of His Kingdom.

On the Writing Journey with You,

MaryAnn

Paradigm Shifts in Publishing

2010-12-24T00:05:00.000-05:00

The publishing industry is acquiring a new face as major changes take place in the industry. Gone are the days when a writer could submit a manuscript, expect the one-on-one assistance of an editor, and achieve publication mainly because of an editor's decision, not the marketing deparment's.

So what are some of these changes? First of all, traditional publishers used to be numerous. But in recent years, smaller publishing houses have been bought out by major ones so that today, from the latest information I've received, there are five major publishing conglomerates that own all the other houses.

This phenomenon has a ripple-down effect for a writer. It means that today it's more important than ever to have a platform. What is a platform? It is a place of influence which a writer has already established and which he brings to the bargaining table. Unfortunately, some of the best writers do not have a platform, while less talented writers do. So who usually gets the contract? The writer with the platform.

In order to present a fair and balanced assessment of this situation, I will say that publishers need to make a certain profit to remain in business. So they must consider bottomline results.

At the same time, the ordinary writer must often turn to other options. What are some of these options? Three of the most popular are self-publishing, subsidy publishing, and partner publishing. We'll discuss each of these in future posts.
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P.S. Be sure to check out my update website at http://www.maryanndiorio.com/

Choosing a Setting

2010-12-17T00:10:00.003-05:00

The setting of your story can be as important as the story itself. In fact, in many cases, the setting becomes almost a character. So choose your setting wisely.

What should you think about when choosing a setting? Here are a few suggestions:

1) Is it a place you know? If not, is it a place you are interested in? A place you are willing to research?

2) Is this place the best setting for your story? For example, a wilderness story would require a wilderness setting, at least in some parts of it. A story requiring coastal elements would be best set on a seacoast. A story about scientists trapped in Antarctica would require that the story take place in Antarctica.

3) Will the setting help or hinder your plot? Is this setting the most logical one for your plot? Does this setting contain elements that will enhance your plot?

4) Is this setting overused or rarely used? Stories set in major locations abound. Choose a setting that has not been used before or that has been rarely used. Readers are drawn to exotic places, unfamiliar locales that offer an element of freshness to their lives.

5) Do your characters have a good reason to be in this setting? Characters and setting work together in a story and are intimately entwined. Your choice of a setting will affect your characters and vice versa, so choose your setting wisely.

For an interesting take on whether or not you should use a real place or a fictitious place as your setting, check out this article:
http://www.novel-writing-help.com/fictional-settings.html

Also, check out my new, updated websited at http://www.maryanndiorio.com/

Marketing Your Fiction Writing

2010-12-10T07:05:00.001-05:00

Let's face it. We writers want to see our stories in print. While some of us may write fiction as therapy, most of us would like our stories to come to publication. Not to have our stories published is like being pregnant without delivering the baby. Not a very comfortable situation! :)

So how do we go about getting our fiction published? Here are a few points to consider:

1) Writers' Market is still an excellent source for markets. But now you can subscribe online and use their online search function. For more information, go to http://www.writersmarket.com/

2) Writers' magazines, like The Writer and Writer's Digest, provide periodic market lists in various genres. A subscription to one or both of these magazines is worth its weight in gold. Numerous other writers' magazines are published for various genres, like romance, children's writing, and fantasy. Check these out and subscribe to those that interest you.

3) Online newsletters abound for a variety of writing genres. Just google your area of writing interest, and you'll find dozens of newsletters with market listings.

Today, finding markets is easier than ever. When I first started writing, I used hard copies of Writers' Market and other market guides. Today, with the Internet, I can find hundreds of markets online together with guidelines.

To help get you started in marketing your writing, check out these sites:

http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/fiction08.shtmlhttp://www.writing-world.com/links/guidelines.shtml

What's in a Title?

2010-12-03T20:39:00.054-05:00

Titles are important. They are the key that invites your reader to open the door to your book or your story. A good title will make opening the door easy; a bad title will not.

So what should you consider when choosing a title for your novel or short story? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1) Your title should distill your story in a nutshell. By this I don't mean that your title should give away your story, but it should capture the essence of your story. Don't be in a hurry to title your story (although I am one of those writers who usually needs a title before I can even start my story). Often a snippet of dialogue spoken by one of your characters can trigger the best title for your story. So tell your story. You may find that in the telling, you'll discover your title.

2) Make sure your title isn't cutesy. For example, don't use alliteration for the sake of alliteration. Use it only if it makes your title compelling. Editors detest cutesy titles. Take time to think of a title worthy of your story.

3) A title should err on the short side. I've heard said that a title should not exceed five words and that three words are a good number. Regardless, try not to give your story a long title. First of all, it may not fit on your book cover. Second, it will be difficult to remember.

4) Choose a title that is "pronounce-able". Yes, that's what I said. :) A title that flows off the tongue will be remembered--and read.

5) Make sure your title gives a clue to your plot. For example, you don't want to call your story The Belle of Amsterdam when your story has nothing to do with Amsterdam or with "belles". :)

Some writers can think of a title right away; others can take months to think of one. In either case, take time to choose a good title. You may have to go through several before you find the one that "sits" well. Ask your friends to give you input on your title choices. You'll be surprised at how insightful their opinions will be.

My own first novel started with the title Sicilian Sunrise. While this is a good title, as my story evolved I discovered that Sicilian Sunrise did not reflect my plot as strongly as I wanted it to. After consulting with my mentors and critique partners in the MFA program in which I am currently enrolled, I decided to change the title of my novel to The Madonna of Pisano. This title reflects the situation of my main character who, like the Madonna in the Scriptures, has suffered much in silence but has risen above her sorrow.

If you're like me and can't start a story without first having a title, then give your story a "working title." This will allow you the psychological freedom to write your story while giving you the option of changing your title later on.

For further reading on how to choose a title, check out this article:
http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/titles.shtml

Do You Need a Writing Coach?

2010-11-26T00:05:00.001-05:00

Writers who are looking for help with their novel or short story often ask me what a Writing Coach can do for them. You may be wondering the same thing.

Perhaps you're stuck at a certain point in your novel and can't seem to get unstuck. Perhaps you're trying to balance your writing with the rest of your life. Perhaps you're having trouble making time to write. Whatever the case may be, you want to know if a Writing Coach will help.

As a long-time Writing Coach myself, I've found that hiring a Writing Coach can make all the difference in the world between starting your novel and finishing it, between being defeated by discouragement and overcoming all obstacles, between remaining unpublished and getting published.

I believe that every Coach should have a Coach. :) Over my writing career, I've had five Writing Coaches. Each one has contributed in a major way to my success as a writer. Here are the chief benefits I have found from hiring a Writing Coach:

A Writing Coach will help you see where the problem areas are in your writing.
A Writing Coach will show you ways to handle those problem areas.
A Writing Coach will offer you fresh perspectives on your story.
A Writing Coach will encourage you when the going gets rough.
A Writing Coach will hold you accountable to your writing goals.

As the new year approaches, consider hiring a Writing Coach. But make sure that the Writing Coach you hire not only has been trained in Writing but that she also has been trained in Coaching. Just as not everyone can write, not everyone can coach.

Coaching requires the knowledge of specific principles, called proficiencies, and of the methods of applying them in coaching the client. An unqualified Coach can do more harm than good, so be careful whom you choose to coach you. Make sure the Coach you hire is certified.

For those of you who may be interested, I will be taking on a few new writing clients after the first of the year. If you'd like to be one of them, please call me at 856-488-0366 or email me at DrMaryAnn@TopNotchLifeandCareerCoaching.com. It would be an honor for me to coach you to writing success! :)

Developing the Character Arc

2010-11-19T14:02:00.002-05:00

The best stories have strong character arcs. What is a character arc? A character arc is the demarcation of a character's growth from the beginning of the story to the end of the story. This demarcation is often plotted on a graph and resembles a curved line that looks like a semi-circle.

Why is a character arc important? A character arc is important because the more a character grows, the stronger your story will be. Your story can be filled with fast-paced action and crazy twists and turns, but unless your main character grows, your story will be flat.

Character growth does not necessarily mean character change. For example, a character can grow in a quality she already possesses, like determination.

How can you create and develop a strong character arc? Here are some tips:

• Give your main character a serious problem to solve or overcome (the beginning).

• Keep giving your main character more and more problems as she strives to overcome the original problem.

• Show your character either changing or increasing in a quality she already possesses as she solves her problems.

• Bring your character to a critical point of choice (climax). This is the peak point of the character arc.

• Create a satisfactory resolution consistent with your character's growth.

In future articles, we'll discuss eight specific points that can serve as a guide for creating a strong character arc.
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Copyright 2010 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All rights reserved. This article may not be reprinted or published in any way and by any means without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. Violators will be prosecuted.

Preventing a Sagging Middle

2010-11-12T21:43:00.000-05:00

It's a known fact that one of the most challenging parts of writing a novel is the middle. Most of us have little trouble building momentum in the beginning of our story and then winding down at the end. But, oh, the middle! How do we keep it from sagging?

Here are a few tips that may help you as they have helped me:

1-Up the stakes for your main character. Usually a middle sags because the tension sags. Ask yourself what new problem you can introduce for your character in the middle of your story. This new problem could be in the form of an unexpected turn of events or even a new character.

2-Introduce a "ticking clock". Perhaps your main character learns that she must accomplish something by a certain deadline or else something terrible will happen to her or someone she loves.

3-Introduce a complication. This could be something in your main character's past that has been hidden up until this point.

4-Put the main character in a new location, preferably one she didn't anticipate. Adding a new dimension to your story almost always causes reader interest to rise. Perhaps your main character's boss taps her to go on a business trip on the other side of the world. Depending on her occupation, perhaps she is assigned to handle a secret mission of some sort.

5-Reveal something from the main character's past that has serious implications in her life now. This could be virtually anything. Perhaps she discovers she has a half-brother she never knew about. Or perhaps she learns that the man she thought was her father is not her father.

You can avoid a sagging middle if you plan ahead. If your interested in more information on doing so, check out Alicia Rasley's article, Tightening the Sagging Middle.

What's in a Name?

2010-11-05T00:05:00.000-04:00

Choosing the names of your characters, especially your main characters, can be a challenging task. Yet, it is one of the most important aspects of writing your story.

A name can convey so much. Take for instance the male names of Harvey and Greg. What images do these names create in your mind? What kinds of men do you see possessing these names?

You may discover as you think about names that there are stereotypes associated with certain names. What if you used a hero's name that sounds macho and gave it to a timid man? What kind of plot could you build around that?

A name can be the starting point of your story. It can also generate a plot idea. So, choose your characters' names carefully. They could affect the success or failure of your story. They could also take your story in a direction you never dreamed of.

Refusing to Quit

2010-10-29T20:11:00.000-04:00

A great part of success involves perseverance. He who perseveres will usually reach his goal. But persevering can be one of the most difficult things to do.

The greatest test of faith is the time between the prayer and the answer to the prayer. It is during this interval that the battle of faith is won or lost.

It is also during this interval that the enemy will do his utmost to rob you of your faith through discouragement, doubt, and seeming defeat.

What you do during the test of faith will determine your success or failure as a writer. So be strong, and choose to persevere no matter what.

On Taglines

2010-10-22T00:05:00.001-04:00

As a novelist, I thought long and hard about a tagline for my fiction. I finally settled on "Truth through Fiction" which is the personal vision God gave me for my fiction writing. It is my goal as a novelist to present truth through the medium of fiction.

Why?

For one main reason: Fiction touches the heart.

Unlike non-fiction that appeals to the head or mind, fiction appeals to the heart. This is the reason Jesus used fiction, called parables, to teach truths that transform the heart.

I had my tagline registered at the US Trademark Office by an attorney. It now appears on my website and in my advertising and correspondence. It is a continual reminder to me of why I write fiction. It is a statement of my vision as a writer of fiction.

What is your vision for your fiction writing? Why do you write fiction? Take some time to think about a tagline for your own fiction writing.

Fiction at Its Best

2010-10-15T00:05:00.000-04:00

How would you define "fiction at its best"? As the newly appointed Examiner of Fiction for my city, I will be writing articles on how to write fiction. So I would like your input on what you think makes for good fiction. Is it the characters? The plot? A combination of both? Is it the setting, the dialogue, the theme? All of these elements of good fiction will serve as topics for my future articles.

IMHO, I think all good fiction can be reduced, if you will, to characters. Whether the idea for your story starts with a character or with a plot, in the end it is the characters your readers will very likely remember. If they remember the plot and forget the characters, then your story may have needed stronger characters.

Characters drive the plot. Characters solve the story problem. Characters make the story jump off the page.

I'll be looking forward to hearing your comments. Thanks for participating. I'll send you links as the articles are published.

Blessings,

MaryAnn

Writing Fiction for Children

2010-10-08T17:19:00.001-04:00

The fiction principles we've been discussing periodically on this blog also apply to writing fiction for children. Some fiction writers make the mistake of thinking that they can start by writing first for children and then graduate to writing for adults. This is a huge mistake.

Writing for children is, in my opinion, more challenging than writing for adults. When you write for children, especially small children, you are writing not only for them but also for their parents and grandparents (or anyone else who buys books for children). So you must keep in mind that your story must first pass the approval of the childs book buyer.

Writing for children also involves certain techniques that do not apply to writing for adults. For example, in a child's story, the child must usually solve his problem on his own. The presence of adults should be kept to a minimum. And by all means, do not have an adult rescue the child out of his problem.

If you are interested in writing for children, I suggest you get some good training. A program from which I graduated years ago is that sponsored by the Institute of Children's Literature. You will be assigned a mentor who is widely published in the field of children's literature and who can help you prepare a manuscript that is ready for publication. For more info, click here.

Writing from God's Heart

2010-10-01T00:11:00.000-04:00

Some writers follow trends. They write what the market demands. Other writers never follow trends. They write what they want to write. Both approaches have evidence supporting their validity.

Yet, as followers of Christ, there should be only one type of writing we do -- and that is, we should be writing what is on God's heart.

We are tools of Christ, instruments to be used by Him to write what He wants to say through us. In order to know what Christ wants to write through us, we must know Him. And we get to know Him by remaining continually in His Presence.

If you're wondering what to write today, ask Jesus. He has just the article, story, or poem He wants to write through you.

The Three Ds of Failure

2010-09-24T00:05:00.001-04:00

If I could sum up the reasons for failure, I would call them the three Ds: Discouragement, Depression, and Despair.

Discouragement is the first D. It creeps up on us when we get a rejection, a negative comment from an editor or fellow writer, or any setback that makes us feel less good about ourselves as writers.

Depression is a deeper form of discouragement, a deeper level,, if you will. Depression is insidious in that we can fall into it unawares and, once there, it's hard to extricate ourselves. Often, we need someone else's help to get us out of depression.

Despair is the loss of all hope for any kind of writing success. Despair often leads a writer to give up on his dream and on God's dream in him.

All three Ds originate in Satan's lie and must be resisted with the truth of God's Word. If you are suffering from any of the three Ds, start speaking God's Word even if you don't feel like it. Force yourself to speak words of life so that your thoughts will begin to line up with life instead of with death.

Remember: you are not fighting in your own power, but in the power of Jesus Christ. Let that power flow through you. Soon the three Ds will be replaced by the three Cs: Courage, Commitment, and Confidence.

Remaining Faithful

2010-09-17T00:05:00.000-04:00

The writing life can be a lonely life. Hence, for many writers, the temptation to quit. But quitting is not an option for the person called by God to write.

Writing for God is serious business. In fact, when God calls us to write, we must obey His calling if we truly love Him. Bottom line, we relinquish our choice to quit, to do things our way.

If you're struggling with thoughts of quitting on your writing call, think again. Remember what is at stake. Souls hang in the balance. That next article or story you write may be the very one that brings a lost soul into the Kingdom of God.

Remember what Jesus said: "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). I encourage you to endure to the end. When you stand before our Lord, you will be so glad you did.

The Writing Journey

2010-09-03T00:47:00.003-04:00

As writers, each of us takes a journey that is similar yet vastly different. Besides being a journey of growth in learning the craft and the business of writing, the writing journey is also a spiritual one. Paying attention to the spiritual aspect of the writing journey will deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ.

So how do we pay attention to the spiritual aspect of our writing journey? Here are some tips:

1) Look at your writing journey from God's perspective. If you are receiving rejection after rejection, what is God trying to teach you? If you are stuck, what is Holy Spirit saying to you? If things are flowing smoothly, are you rejoicing?

2) Keep a journal of your writing journey. Often, while we're going through a difficult time on our writing journey, we may miss the forest for the trees. Keeping a journal will help provide a balanced perspective. Most of all, as you read your journal in the days and years to come, you will notice God's hand on your writing life.

3) Pray every step of the way on your writing journey. Prayer is a critical part of the writing journey. Without it, we will lose our way very quickly. Prayer is what keeps us connected to God as we travel. Be sure that you are not neglecting prayer.

For the follower of Christ, the writing journey is more important than the writing itself, for it is the journey that draws us closer to our Lord and leads us to our destiny in Him.

Reader Input Sought

2010-08-27T00:05:00.001-04:00

I'm exploring new ways to make this blog more targeted to my readers' fiction writing needs. If you have any questions about writing fiction or any topics you'd like me to address, please let me know.

Also, if you are a published fiction writer and would like to be interviewed, please let me know as well. You will need to tell me the title of your published work, the name of your publisher, and the date of publication. Short stories will be recognized as well as novels.

Blessings,

Dr.MaryAnn

The Power of Emotion in Writing

2010-08-20T06:25:00.004-04:00

Whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction, your writing will be stronger and more powerful if you use emotion to attract and keep your reader. The key to powerful writing is to reach the heart, and the only way to reach the heart is through emotion.

Jesus knew this. That's the reason He taught in parables. Parables are stories filled with emotion. They touch the heart of those who hear them.

Why focus on the heart? Because the heart is where transformation takes place. And Jesus is all about transforming us into His image.

Emotion is not limited to fiction writing. You can use it in your non-fiction writing as well by including anecdotes--little stories that make a point about people's experiences.

So, whatever you write, think EMOTION. Remember: emotion is a synonym for heart.

Upcoming Opportunities for Your Writing Growth

2010-08-13T01:05:00.004-04:00

I once heard someone say, "Life is not static. If you're not moving forward, you're moving backward."

This truism can be applied to our writing. Are you moving forward with yours, or are you moving backward? How can you tell? Here are a few signs for each direction:

Your writing is moving forward if:

You are writing regularly.
You are increasing in your knowledge about writing and the writing profession through writing magazines, classes, conferences, and/or critique groups.
You have a writing mentor--a writer who has more experience than you--to help you move forward.
You are learning from your writing mistakes and correcting them.
You are seeking God's wisdom and direction for your writing.

Your writing is going backward if:

You are not writing regularly.
You are not making the effort to increase your knowledge about writing and the writing profession.
You do not have a writing mentor to help you grow as a writer.
You are not learning from your writing mistakes. In fact, you don't even recognize those mistakes.
You are not seeking God's wisdom and direction for your writing.

The great news is that you can choose which direction you want your writing to go. If you're like me, you want your writing to move forward. To help you to that end, I will be offering two FREE five-day mini-courses whose purpose is to give you a gentle push--or perhaps a jumpstart--for your writing. One of these free mini-courses will be on writing non-fiction and the other on writing fiction.

Each day, for five days, you will receive one lesson in your emailbox. The lesson will include information on creating outstanding fiction or non-fiction (depending on which free course you choose). It will also include exercises for you to practice at your own convenience.

To register for your FREE five-day course, please send me an email at DrMaryAnn@TopNotchWritingSolutions.com. In the subject line, please type either "Fiction" or "Non-Fiction." As soon as I hear from you, the first of your five lessons will be on its way. :)

Topics that will be covered include the following:

Non-Fiction

What are the chief characteristics of non-fiction?
What is "creative non-fiction" and how do I write it?
What six key questions do I need to ask myself when writing non-fiction?
What is meant by the "inverted pyramid" when writing an article?
Where can I publish my articles? How can I make money writing non-fiction?

Fiction

I want to write a story. Where do I start?
How can I create characters that jump off the page?
What is meant by internal story/external story?
How can I write realistic dialogue?
Where can I sell my stories?

Take advantage of this great opportunity. It's free! :) Email me today and start moving your writing forward. :)

Blessings,

MaryAnn

More on Coaching for Fiction Writers

2010-08-09T00:05:00.000-04:00

A question has arisen regarding my coaching fee for writers. I am experimenting with a new method of payment for my writer coaching clients only. I call it "honor fee coaching TM" and it works like this: You will pay for your coaching sessions based on what you can honestly afford.

Each coaching session will run for either 30 minutes or 60 minutes, depending on your choice. Also, you may choose either weekly sessions or bi-weekly sessions.

Having a writing coach will help you move your writing career from where you are now to where you want to be. And with honor fee coaching TM, you can make your writing dream come true sooner than later. :)

Blessings,

MaryAnn

Coaching for Fiction Writers

2010-08-06T00:05:00.001-04:00

Some of you may know that I am a Certified Life Coach. Some of you may also know that I am currently working on my Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction. Well, I've combined my life coach training and my fiction writing training to provide coaching for fiction writers.

What kind of services does a fiction writing coach offer? Here are just a few:

Help in brainstorming your plot;
Help in structuring your plot;
Help in creating well-rounded, fully developed characters;
Help in writing realistic dialogue;
Help in creating your story world;
Help in developing your internal and external story and in weaving them together with mastery;
Help in developing your own unique voice;
Help in disciplining yourself to write regularly;
Help in holding you accountable to your writing dream.

These are just a few of the things I will do as your personal fiction writing coach. If you write non-fiction or poetry, I can coach you in that area as well.

A writing coach will help get you from where you are in your writing life to where you want to be. If you're at a point in your writing career where you need some extra help, give me a call at 856-488-0366 or email me at DrMaryAnn@TopNotchLifeandCareerCoaching.com or at DrMaryAnn@TopNotchWritingSolutions.com. I'll be happy to discuss your particular situation with you. Remember: wishing won't move you toward your goal. Taking action will. :)

The Demon of Self-Doubt

2010-07-30T18:13:00.002-04:00

I have yet to meet a writer who has not experienced self-doubt. If you are plagued by this demon, cast it out in the Name of Jesus.

Yes, I said, "Cast it out!" As a born-again follower of Christ, you have the power and the authority to cast out devils. So use that power and that authority.

The demon of self-doubt wants to keep you from writing for God. Resist that demon with the Word of God and watch it flee from you.

Remember that greater is He Who is in you than he who is in the world (I John 4:4).

Refusing the Demon of Doubt

2010-07-23T20:01:00.004-04:00

At some point in our writing lives, we all experience self-doubt. When this happens, we should not be upset. We should understand that the temptation to doubt oneself, one's calling, or one's writing ability is a ploy of the enemy to deflect us from our destiny.

You see, those of us who write for the Kingdom of God pose a threat to the enemy because we proclaim the truth. Because Satan hates truth, he also hates those who proclaim truth. As writers of Jesus Christ, we serve Truth Himself. So it is not surprising when Satan hurls doubt our way.

If you are beset by doubt regarding your writing, resist it in the Name of Jesus. Remember your calling. Most of all, remember the One Who called you, for He is faithful to complete the good work He began in you (Philippians 1:6).

Why Do You Write?

2010-07-16T00:05:00.000-04:00

Writers give many reasons for writing, not the least common of which is that they cannot not write. Today I'd like to ask you, "Why do you write?" The answer to this question is at the core of what you will do with your writing.

You see, writing is a decision. Those who say they want to write but do not are simply making excuses. At the core of their heart, they really don't want to write. They want to have written.

Writing is hard work. But if you are called to write, you will do so even though it's hard. You will not make excuses not to write. Instead, you will find ways to write.

So, search your heart today. Ask yourself why you write. Be honest. What you discover will be very important to your future as a writer.

Show and Tell

2010-07-09T10:53:00.002-04:00

If you're like me, you remember "Show and Tell" from Kindergarten days. Each student would bring in a treasured item, stand before the class, and show the item to the class. The big thing about "Show and Tell" was that the class could "see" the item rather than having it only described.

Show and Tell in fiction writing works the same way. As fiction writers, our job is to "show" our readers the story rather than simply "telling" it. We've all heard the dictum over and over: SHOW; DON'T TELL! :)

A key ingredient in showing is immediacy. This means that we take our readers right into a scene. They are there, experiencing the scene with the characters. As Browne and King point out in their classic work, Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, "the primary aim of fiction is to get your readers so involved in the lives of your characters that they feel what your charaters feel" (p. 8).

The way we do this is by creating scenes and bringing our readers into those scenes. In my next post, I will discuss how to create scenes that ring with immediacy and "show" your story rather than "tell" it.

Discovering Your Voice

2010-07-02T01:47:00.000-04:00

Senior Editor at Boyds Mills Press, Kim Griswell, said that "a writer with voice has the ability to illuminate the ordinary." A better definition of voice I have not yet come across.

Voice is that unique quality that designates a piece of writing as uniquely yours. It is a sound in your style that comes straight from your heart onto the written page. Voice identifies you, and no one else, as the writer of your piece.

Voice is also that rare ability to take an ordinary phrase or sentence and make it extraordinary. Why not try your hand at rewriting the following sentences according to your voice. Then share them with us so that we can applaud your unique writing voice. :)

1) The dog ran across the street.
2) The birds flew through the air.
3) The child chased the rainbow.

Creating Characters That Live and Breathe

2010-06-25T01:00:00.002-04:00

A common complaint from editors is that a writer's characters are flat. What exactly does that mean?

It may help to think of it in this way: A flat character is one that is lying down, as though dead. It is a character who is not standing up, who is not alive and breathing and walking.

From an artistic point of view, a flat character is two dimensional, lacking full substance. A flat character has only a front and a back, nothing inside to give it life.

So how do we avoid creating flat characters? How do we create full, well-rounded ones? Here are a few tips:

1) Know your character. One of the main reasons for flat characters is the author's lack of in-depth knowledge about his character. Before you can create a well-rounded character, you must know her. You must know her greatest fear, her greatest dream, her greatest weakness. How do you learn these things? Simply. You ask your character. Then expect her to answer your questions. The first thought that pops into your head after you ask the question will be your answer.

2) Understand your character's motivation. Once you know your character, you will understand what makes him tick and what motivates him to do whatever he does. Knowing your character's motivation will also help you to forward the plot. A character will respond to life out of who she is. When you know your character, you will know how she will respond to every situation.

3) Respect your character. A character is a person in his own right. This means that your character will not always do what you want her to do. She has a mind of her own. Respect that. Let her do her tihng. Follow her where she wants to take you. If you have gotten to know your character, and if you have come to understand her motivation, you will trust her to tell you her story. Trust flows out of respect, so respect your character enough to trust her.

While there are other techniques you can use to create living characters, starting with the three techniques above will take you a long way toward making your characters leap off the page.

Knowing Your Character's Temperament

2010-06-18T01:47:00.001-04:00

Numerous studies have been done on the four temperaments: the choleric, the sanguine, the melancholic, and the phlegmatic. Each of us possesses characteristics of all four temperaments, but each of us also has a dominant and a secondary temperament. Knowing and understanding the characteristics of the four temperaments will go far in helping you create your fiction characters.

The choleric temperament is the goal-driven go-getter whose eyes are only on the goal, not on the people around him. As a result, he often comes across as harsh and demanding.

The sanguine temperament is considered the life of the party. It has been said that a sanguine enters a room mouth first. :) Sanguines are social butterflies who need to be around people but quickly forget them to move on to the next exciting adventure.

The melancholic temperament is the artistic type. Deep, pensive, and prone to depression, the melancholic is usually quite organized and detailed, often focusing on minutiae and not the big picture.

The phlegmatic temperament is laid back with nary a care in the world. The phlegmatic comes across as lacking motivation and being content with the status quo.

All of these temperaments have great strengths as well as weaknesses. Also, each temperament will respond to life in a predictable way. Knowing each temperament's pattern of response will help you to keep your characters consistent and predictable, thereby rendering them more lifelike and more well-rounded.

For additional study on the temperaments, you may wish to read the following books:

Your Personality Tree by Florence Littauer

Wired That Way: The Complete Personality Plan by Marita Littauer

Creating Conflict: Man against Himself

2010-06-11T03:27:00.002-04:00

One of the most challenging types of conflict when creating a fictional character is that of man against himself. One reason this type of conflict is so challenging is that it is internal rather than external. It involves delving into the hidden processes of the human spirit and soul. At the same time, the conflict of man against self can be one of the most satisfying to write. It is the type of conflict I prefer and focus on when writing stories.

In "man against self", the main character has a problem with himself. Circumstances create tension between the main character and his will or his fears, resulting in a kind of emotional schizophrenia that the character must resolve in order to grow.

In the conflict of "man against himself," the main character struggles to come to a decision that, ultimately, will cause him to move beyond himself and become a better person. This decision, at its best, will involve great sacrifice.

If you have not yet used the "man against himself" conflict in your own stories, I encourage you to give it a try. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results. :)

Creating Conflict: Man against Society

2010-06-04T00:10:00.000-04:00

The conflict of man against society can be a very powerful one in fiction. We have only to look around us today to see that the conflict of man against society is an on-going one that affects not only your individual character but many other characters as well.

When utilizing this type of conflict in the creation of your story, choose a conflict that will powerfully change your character. Whether your character is fighting crime, greed, or abortion, be sure that you include high risks. The highest risk for your character, of course, is the risk of death.

Pitting your main character against society is a great way to create a novel that will not only inspire your reader but may also lead him to bring change to his own society.

Next time: Man against Himself

Conflict: Man against Nature

2010-05-28T08:36:00.001-04:00

A second type of conflict in storytelling is man against nature. This type of conflict is pretty self-explanatory. It involves man against some sort of opposition from the world of nature. This opposition could be in the form of a storm, the risks of mountain-climbing, or some catastrophic occurrence in nature. It could also include a character's struggle against disease or the struggles against a geographic location, such as the wilds of the jungle or the frigid climate of Antarctica.

Pitting man against nature can create great drama in your story. After all, you are putting your main character against a force that seems greater than he. In many cases, the reader could conceive that you are pitting your character against God since God controls the forces of nature.

Using obstacles of nature can even enhance the other types of conflict. For example, if you are using the "man-against-man" conflict, you can enhance that conflict by having storm occur as the man-against-man conflict increases. The two conflicts--man-against-man and man-against-nature--can run parallel to each other, thereby maximizing the tension.

Think about the times in your life when you felt helpless against the forces of nature. In my case, I well remember a major hurricane that occurred in my area when I was about nine years old. As a result of that experience, I wrote a short story for children called, simply, "Hurricane".
On another occasion, I witnessed a fire in our neighbor's garage, just behind our house. This too found a place in one of my stories.

As you think back, you may be surprised at how many times you faced conflict with nature. Draw on those experiences by using them in a story.

Next time: Man against Society

Creating Conflict: Man against Man

2010-05-21T00:05:00.000-04:00

Conflict is defined as a struggle between opposing forces. Conflict can be internal or external.

Internal conflict is a struggle that occurs in a character's mind. This type of conflict is described as man against himself.

External conflict consists of a struggle between a character and an external force. This type of conflict can be of three types: man against man, man against nature, and man against society.

Today we are going to discuss external conflict and, in particular, man against man. In this type of conflict, we have one character being opposed by another character. For example, a student being bullied by another student is an example of an external, "man against man" conflict.

External conflicts occur in visible actions outside the character's mind, even though those external conflicts will affect the character internally. In the example of the bully above, external conflict may be expressed in a scene in which the bully injures the student in some way. What we see is the physical fight. This is the external conflict.

The best stories contain both external and internal conflict. When we show the effects of the external struggle on the mind and emotions, we are adding internal conflict to our story. In the example of the bully above, when we show the effects of the physical fight on the mind and emotions of the bullied student, we then have internal conflict.

If you are writing a short story, you will usually have one major conflict. Novels, of course, usually have multiple conflicts.

Next time we'll continue with "man against nature".

Creating Conflict

2010-05-14T00:05:00.004-04:00

Conflict is to story as water is to life - your story can't exist without it. If you want to keep your reader turning pages, keep putting your characters into conflict.

Conflict comes in many varieties. The four basic conflicts are:
1) man against man
2) man against nature
3) man against society
4) man against self

In each type of conflict, you have a character pitted against seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Your job as a novelist is to keep those obstacles worsening until all seems lost.

If you are a peace-loving person, it may be difficult for you to write conflict. But if you want to succeed as a storyteller, you must learn to make big trouble for your characters. The more trouble you create, the better your story.

In future posts, we'll discuss each type of conflict individually. Meanwhile, tighten the screws on your characters' lives. Your readers will love it. :)

Tribute to My Readers

2010-05-07T00:05:00.001-04:00

I was just thinking about all of you who read this blog and about how much I appreciate you. Whether you comment or not, know that the fact that you would take time out of your busy lives to read The Write Power means a lot to me.

This blog has changed a bit over the many years I've been writing it. It started out with the name of Musings That Matter and covered the gamut of writing topics. But when I discovered that the name had already been taken by another blog, I changed the name of mine to The Write Power. This name, I felt, better reflected our spiritual focus on God, the Source of our writing power.

For a while, I continued blogging about various and sundry writing topics, but in the last few months, Holy Spirit has led me to focus on the writing of fiction, including both novels and short stories. In the weeks ahead, Lord willing, I will be addressing the many facets of writing fiction. We will explore genre, technique, and characterization. We will look at plot, structure, and theme. We will also learn about deep POV, multiple points of view, and voice.

If you have any fiction questions you'd like answered, please let me know. I want this blog to be interactive. Each of you has something valuable to offer the rest of us. So make your writing voice heard! :)

Blessings,

MaryAnn

The Active Protagonist

2010-04-30T00:05:00.001-04:00

In commenting about a novel's protagonist, novelist and writing teacher Alicia Rasley writes: "Ideally, the protagonist should be involved in nearly every event, and his decisions or actions should drive the plot." (1) Far too often, novelists fall short in the creation of the protagonist. How so? In the following ways:

1) The protagonist lacks sufficient motivation to cause the plot to unfold. As Rasley points out, examples of an unmotivated protagonist include "the passive protagonist," the "victim protagonist," and the "bumbling protagonist." The passive protagonist watches the plot but does not actively participate in it. The victim protagonist complains and endures suffering but is not proactive in handling it. The bumbling protagonist makes foolish choices but never learns from them.

2) The protagonist does not encounter enough conflict. If you want your protagonist to capture your readers, give him or her a lot of trouble. :)

3) The protagonist does not change by the end of the story. As Rasley notes, "One primary purpose of the plot is to force the protagonist to change." (2) If your protagonist does not change, you have not only a weak protagonist but also a weak story.

As you apply these three simple tips, watch your protagonist become more active. :)

Sources Cited:
(1) Rasley, Alicia. http://www.sff.net/people/alicia/10prob.htm

Finding Your Voice

2010-04-23T00:05:00.000-04:00

Voice is something unique to you. No other writer has your voice, and finding it is a unique experience as well.

So, how do you find your voice? Here are some suggestions you may deem helpful:

1) Think about your background. What cultural, religious, and political influences shaped it? Did you grow up in a home where a foreign language was spoken or where certain idiomatic expressions were used? What about your neighborhood? Did you live in a city environment with a cosmpolitan atmosphere, or did you live on a farm, far away from neighbors?

2) What are you passionate about? What values drive you? What causes move you? What issues make you angry? If your best friend were asked to define your passion, what would she say it is?

3) What have others said stands out most about your writing? Is it the tone of your work, your characterization, your setting? In other words, to what do readers respond most when they read your writing?

Voice is something you may not initially recognize in your writing. It may come as a surprise, much like hearing your taped voice surprises you. Most of us have had the experience of hearing our recorded voice only to say, "That doesn't sound like me at all!" Why not? Because we hear our own physical voice with our inner ear. Likewise, we will hear our writer's voice with our writer's ear as we discover our voice through the writing process.

Interview with Donna Goodrich

2010-04-16T00:05:00.002-04:00

MARYANN:
Today I have the privilege of interviewing veteran author Donna Goodrich. Hello, Donna. Welcome to The Writer Power.
Donna, please tell us a little about yourself.

DONNA:
I'm a native of Jackson,Michigan. Moved to Kansas City,Missouri, when I was 20 to take a job at the Nazarene Publishing House as secretary to book editor (Jeanette Oke's uncle by marriage). Typed a term paper for a seminary student (Gary), and we became engaged three weeks after we met. Will be married 50 years this Au gust. He pastored one year in Michigan, but resigned due to health reasons. We moved to Arizona in 1969. Have three children and two granddaughters. I began holding writing workshops in 1980, and founded the Arizona Christian Writers Conference in 1982 which I ran for seven years before turning it over to Reg Forder, who then took the conferences nationwide (ACW). I still hold 1-and 2-day conferences on my own, and teach at other conferences.

MARYANN:
When did you know that God had called you to write? Was it a clearly defined moment, or was it a gradual revelation?

DONNA:
I always knew I wanted to write, and began writing poetry at about 9 years old. I sold my first poem at 14 and my first short story at 18. But it took a quotation from Harold Ivan Smith at a writers' conference in 1980 to show me that writing was a calling. He said, "We are called to write and I feel we will be held responsible at the Judgment for the people who are hurting that we could have helped but didn't because we didn't write what God laid on our hearts to write." That took writing out of the hobby category for me and made it a calling.

MARYANN:
Donna, you are a master at writing devotionals. Where do you get your ideas for devotionals?What are the elements of a good devotional?

DONNA:
I get most of my ideas for devotionals from everyday experiences. I think the two elements for a good devotional are: 1) a universal illustration that all readers can relate to, and 2) a takeaway that readers can remember later in the day when they're faced with a trial.

MARYANN:
Donna, you've written several books. Please tell us a little about them.

DONNA:
My first book consisted of 30 Bible quizzes I developed for children's church. I sent them to Standard Publishing for their Sunday school paper and they put them into a booklet. My next three were devotional books for Sunday School teachers, women, and children. When the Sunday School book went out of print, I later resold it in a different format. I've had two how-to books published by John Wiley based on my 18 years owning and operating a secretarial and income tax business. I've compiled two state cookbooks and wrote a book about my songwriting nephew, Dave Clark, who has had 25 songs go to #1 on the charts,and his healing from a disease he had for 19 years that 29 doctors at Mayo Clinic could find no cure fore. I also self-published 7 writing booklets taken from classes I've taught at conferences.

My writing dream came to fruition this year with the publication of A Step in the Write Direction--the Complete How-to Book for Christian Writers. I've wanted something for years to offer people who called me and said, "I want to be a writer. How do I get started?" This book includes everything from getting ideas, to different genres of writing,, to mentoring,starting a Christian writers' club, holding a conference, and income tax tips. I'm now in the process of writing a student edition of the book for teens.

MARYANN:
I own this book, Donna, and it's definitely a great resource. Thanks for writing it. :) What other kinds of writing do you do?

DONNA:
I enjoy writing short stories, articles, poems, personal experiences, and profiles, as well as devotionals. I've completed 3 gift books and 5 calendars that I'm marketing, and just completed my second dream book, The Freedom of Letting Go, that talks about letting go of grief, children, possessions,failure, success, guilt, youth, health issues, people who have hurt you, control, and the last chapter is "The Land Beyond Letting Go."

MARYANN:
I need to buy that book, Donna, as I had a hard time with empty nest syndrome. :) Besides being a writer, you are a teacher of writers. What advice do you have for beginning writers? For seasoned writers?

DONNA:
My biggest advice for beginning writers is to keep a dictionary handy and, if needed, to take a general English class. I critique manuscripts and am always surprised at wanna-be writers who misuse punctuation and who don't take the time to look up the spelling of words. Also to join a writers' group if there is one in their area, reading all the books on writing t hey can find, and attend conferences.

For seasoned writers:Don't give up, even in barren times,and stay close to God.I've always liked Sally Stuart's saying: "You can't w rite from an empty cup. Keep your relationship to God uppermost."

MARYANN:
If you were to choose one chief quality a Christian writer should have, what would that quality be?

DONNA:
Well, I guess this is two, but besides a close relationship with God, I would say persistence.

MARYANN:
Do you have a typical w writing day? If so,what is it like?

DONNA:
I wish I did! Because I do editing, proofreading, and typing for publishers and writers, and am mostly the main breadwinner for our family,as my husband is disable, I don't have as much time to write as I"d like and I tend to write in spurts.When I get caught up on jobs, I'll take several days and just write. I also belong to a weekly critique group of published writers, and always try to have something to take each week (even if it means staying up late the night before!).

MARYANN:
What do you like to do for fun?

DONNA:
Crossword puzzles; reading; shopping with daughters, granddaughters, and sister; watching TV game shows. And I know this sounds crazy, but Love housecleaning (even though my house doesn't look like it, because I also do that in spurts),and to me, writing is fun. I'd rather do that than anything else.

MARYANN:
Who are some of your favorite authors?

DONNA:
In the Christian market, I like Swindoll and Philip Yancey. In the secular market, I like Swindoll and Philip Yancey. In the secular market, I like Margaret Truman (as I used to work at the Arizona House of Representatives and Senate), Mary Higgins Clark, and Robin Cook.

MARYANN:
How can the Christian writer best prepare himself to impact our post-Christian culture?

DONNA:
Perhaps to have more unbelievers in our circle of friends.We've been t aught for so long to surround ourselves with Christians, I don't think sometimes we realize that all t he news we see on TV is actually happening to people in our own neighborhood. Being self-employed, after I sold my secretarial and tax business, I really didn't have contact with a lot of non-Christians until we moved into a mobile home park.We need to talk to these people and learn about their burdens and hurts if we are to write for them.

MARYANN:
Thank you so much for being with us today, Donna.

DONNA:
I've enjoyed it--and hope it helps someone.I would rather be known as an encourager than anything else.

MARYANN:
I invite our readers to visit Donna's website at http://www.thewritersfriend.net/ or contact her at dgood648@aol.com.