WARNING:  This post is more about questions than answers. So be prepared to be confused or if you’re not confused, then be prepared to leave comments so I can become unconfused!

To borrow the format of an old old song, how many words must a writer write before he/she becomes a writer? That is the question of the day.

Last year, my fourth book released (PURSUED, www.whiterosepublishing.com) and am only beginning to  look people in the eye and say, “I’m a writer.”

This is my first book published by a “traditional” publishing company. I self-published my first book, then had two published by a POD publisher. For me, I didn’t feel like I was a writer until I’d been validated by a traditional publisher, but that’s just me.

I know there are plenty of writers out there who haven’t even completed a book but they have no problem telling others they are a writer. And far be it from me to disagree with them.

Does a person become a writer as soon as they decide to become a writer? After they’ve written the first word, first paragraph, or finished their first book? Maybe, they don’t become a “real writer” until they’ve published a book?

Mmm. That could be a good definition. A person becomes a writer after they’ve published a book. Really?

I wrote for at least eight years before my first book was published. I wrote faithfully day after day, before work, after work, on weekends and holidays. Didn’t that make me a writer? And yet, at the time I didn’t feel like I could tell people I was a writer. Crazy, huh?

Let’s see what the dictionary says. Dictionary.com says an author is a person who writes a novel, a poem, or other written work.  Another definition is the maker of anything, the creator of anything.  Mmm.

I don’t see anything in the definition that you are only an author if your writing makes money, or if your book becomes a bestseller, or if everyone knows your name, or even if a publisher decides you are a writer.

Gosh, I guess I was a writer all along and just didn’t know it. To learn more about Lillian and her writing visit: www.lillianduncan.net

What’s your opinion? When does a person become a writer?

God Bless and Good Reading! Lil

BIO:

Lillian Duncan is a book lover as both a reader and a writer. Her tagline on her website (www.lillianduncan.net) says it all STORIES OF FAITH MINGLED WITH MURDER AND MAYHEM.  Tired of having to skip over all the four letter words and explicit sex scenes, she started writing the type of books she loved to read—suspense with a touch of romance.

To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit: www.lillianduncan.net.  She has a devotional blog at: www.PowerUpWithGod.com  Her most recent releases are PURSUED (White Rose Publishing) and DECEPTION (Harbourlight Books).

BOOK BLURB:

DECEPTION: 

Twins are supposed to have an unbreakable bond, but Patti and Jamie have serious “relationship issues.” Patti hasn’t seen Jamie since her twin ruined her upcoming nuptials years before. When a niece she knows nothing about calls, Patti must unravel the yarn of Jamie’s life and her disappearance.

Detective Carter Caldwell takes his job seriously, and it's his job to keep Patti and her adorable niece safe. But Patti is determined to help find her sister. Each step brings her closer to the truth, but pulls her further into a web of danger and deception.

Together, they must find the courage and faith to continue the search for her sister. Her journey will take her down a road of deception where they will have to fight for her life and the lives of countless Americans.

How Many Words Must a Writer Write Before They Become a Writer?

Guest Post by Romantic Suspense Author Lillian Duncan

WARNING:  This post is more about questions than answers. So be prepared to be confused or, if you’re not confused, then be prepared to leave comments so I can become unconfused!

To borrow the format of an old old song:

How many words must a writer write before he/she becomes a writer?

That is the question of the day.

Last year, I my fourth book released (PURSUED, www.whiterosepublishing.com) and I am only beginning to look people in the eye and say, “I’m a writer.”

This is my first book published by a “traditional” publishing company. I self-published my first book, then had two published by a POD publisher. For me, I didn’t feel like I was a writer until I’d been validated by a traditional publisher, but that’s just me.

I know there are plenty of writers out there who haven’t even completed a book, yet they have no problem telling others they are a writer. And far be it from me to disagree with them.

Does a person become a writer as soon as they decide to become a writer? After they’ve written the first word, first paragraph, or finished their first book? Maybe, they don’t become a “real writer” until they’ve published a book?

Mmm. That could be a good definition. A person becomes a writer after they’ve published a book. Really?

I wrote for at least eight years before my first book was published. I wrote faithfully day after day, before work, after work, on weekends and holidays. Didn’t that make me a writer? And yet, at the time I didn’t feel like I could tell people I was a writer. Crazy, huh?

Let’s see what the dictionary says. Dictionary.com says an author is a person who writes a novel, a poem, or other written work.  Another definition is the maker of anything, the creator of anything.  Mmm.

I don’t see anything in the definition that you are only an author if your writing makes money, or if your book becomes a bestseller, or if everyone knows your name, or even if a publisher decides you are a writer.

Gosh, I guess I was a writer all along and just didn’t know it.  What’s your opinion? When does a person become a writer?

God Bless and Good Reading! Lil

To learn more about Lillian and her writing visit: www.lillianduncan.net

Lillian Duncan is a book lover as both a reader and a writer. Her tagline on her website (www.lillianduncan.net) says it all STORIES OF FAITH MINGLED WITH MURDER AND MAYHEM. Tired of having to skip over all the four letter words and explicit sex scenes, she started writing the type of books she loved to read—suspense with a touch of romance.

 
To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit: www.lillianduncan.net.  She has a devotional blog at: www.PowerUpWithGod.com  Her most recent releases are PURSUED (White Rose Publishing) and DECEPTION (Harbourlight Books).

DECEPTION

Twins are supposed to have an unbreakable bond, but Patti and Jamie have serious “relationship issues.” Patti hasn’t seen Jamie since her twin ruined her upcoming nuptials years before. When a niece she knows nothing about calls, Patti must unravel the yarn of Jamie’s life and her disappearance.

 
Detective Carter Caldwell takes his job seriously, and it's his job to keep Patti and her adorable niece safe. But Patti is determined to help find her sister. Each step brings her closer to the truth, but pulls her further into a web of danger and deception.
 
Together, they must find the courage and faith to continue the search for her sister. Her journey will take her down a road of deception where they will have to fight for her life and the lives of countless Americans.

 AVAILABLE AT:

Harbour Light Books:

http://www.pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/deception

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Deception-Lillian-Duncan/dp/1611161479/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341007975&sr=8-1&keywords=deception+lillian+duncan

Barnes & Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/deception-lillian-duncan/1107954236?ean=9781611161472

CBD:

http://www.christianbook.com/deception-ebook-lillian-duncan/9781611161465/pd/23410EB?item_code=WW&netp_id=967295&event=ESRCG&view=details

Hot Tips on Crafting Blurbs for Your Novel

Ah, the promotional blurb. Those little emotion-packed paragraphs that have to do it all; hook the curiosity, sway the impulses, swoon the heart. They never get easier to write. Whenever I find myself caught and reeled in by a well-crafted blurb, I want to analyze its parts and dissect its structure.

Blurbs have to do a few things which are:

• tell us something about the protagonist(s) that hint at their personality and deeper character,
• cast a mood or tone so we know if the book is suspenseful, funny, dramatic, romantic -- if it's historical or speculative this might include hints at setting or era,
• set us up for the primary conflict or story problem.

But this is a lot to accomplish in, say, 100 words, give or take a few. Meaning -- it's imperative no words are wasted. So, just like in the manuscript itself, get rid of unnecessary words like "that", or opening phrases like "this story is about..." Lose adverbs that take away immediacy and add to word count. Replace them with taut verbs.

Here's an example:

Clara Hopkins' spine tingles with dread every time she's forced to look upon Brody Mack's scarred face. How could her father really expect her to marry such a powerful and frightening man? Still, with her father's fortunes spent, and Hopkins House falling into disrepair, she dare not refuse Brody's attentions. Without the promise of his money, Clara's mother might never have the chance to get well. If only Brody were like Tom, the poor school teacher she admires more than anyone. He is light to Brody's darkness. Fear twists Clara's heart as her carriage bounces over the rain-gushed ruts, and lightning illuminates Brody's mansion in stark contrast against the night. For there is no way out.

Here we learn that Clara is of marriageable age, she's a faithful daughter, frightened but determined, willing to sacrifice for her mother whom she must love deeply, and perhaps formerly used to privilege but without fortune now. We know she compares two very different men. We don't know if she has good cause to fear Brody Mack, or if she's just being snobbish because of his scars, but that begs a good story question.

This blurb also helps us know we are in some type of historical setting, and that the book is suspenseful and romantic -- gothic even.

The conflict is clear. She must save the family fortunes and her mother's life by marrying well and against her wishes. Will she do it? Will she find love instead with Tom the school teacher, and discover another way to save her parents from their despair? Who is Brody Mack?

Know the purpose of your blurb.

Doing so isn't as obvious as it seems. You will have different blurbs for different purposes. The example above is too long for an elevator pitch, and it might be too short for something else, like a brief synopsis in which an editor will want to know further details and answers to those story questions. It might need further tweaking to suit the back jacket of a book. Note that in the example of Clara Hopkins's story, I haven't really given any idea about a hero or protagonist. We don't really know the precise roles of either Brody or Tom. In some genres -- straight romance for example, and depending on the requirements of the publisher -- you might need to specify more in your blurb about those roles. So you will need to write more than one blurb, because, as I said, different blurbs serve different purposes. In writing several, you will notice the cream of your reconstruction rising to the top. You will wind up with a variety of very effective blurbs of differing lengths which you'll use on Facebook, Twitter, in interviews, and for web pages. It's all good.

Another thing to do when crafting your blurb is to let it rest.

It's a good idea all the while you are working on your novel to periodically reassess your blurb. Stepping away from it for days or even weeks at a time will give you a fresh perspective each time you visit it. I just wrote the above blurb yesterday. I'm sure when I look at it again in a few days or weeks, I'll think of many ways to change and improve it.

Showing is still better than telling.

Blurbs, by their capsulated nature, tell things. But whenever you can, show in your blurb rather than tell, just like you do in the story itself. Notice the last line in the example above. Instead of saying, the future looks dark and ominous as Clara realizes she is forced to accept her fate, we see it happening in real time as she bounces over those rain-gushed ruts in her carriage while lightning flashes across the sky.

Hmm... I like it. I think I'll go write a book to go with it. God speed tackling your blurb.

Write on.

Coming Soon! The Black Rose ~ Empire in Pine, Book 3

Despite the panic of 1893, logging reaches its golden era in the growing state of Wisconsin, and twins Jesilyn and Corianne Beaumont enjoy a comfortable life with family in the bursting Great Lake city of Superior. But when jealousy incites Jesi to seduce Cori's fiance, a flight and fall from grace lands her in a boomtown brothel, where a fresh start is denied her.

Camp preacher Paul Winter longs to offer hope in the logging and mining towns of northern Wisconsin, but not in the way he expects when he meets a redhead he calls Pie Girl. He's never had to battle his own longings quite this way before.

Meanwhile, stung by Jesilyn's betrayal, Corianne's bitterness might separate her fom a second chance at happiness and peace. Only by Grace can both women begin new lives, and budding love can bloom in places neither of them expect.

Purchase Links:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/7m5a5ah

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/3gelmzp

CBD: http://tinyurl.com/72auylb

Desert Breeze / Other Formats: http://tinyurl.com/43jbuvd

Writing Conversation - Essential Tips for Dialogue in Your Character Driven Novel

Guest Post by Patty Froese

University English classes look down on romance writing. When I was taking my English degree, I looked down on romance writing, too, until I figured out how much fun it was, that is. I learned a lot about writing from reading the greats, but when it comes to learning how to write a great romance novel, I have to learn through trial and error. I do my best, and then get hacked apart by editors. It hurts, but it's good for you.

While working with a Harlequin editor on a book that didn't quite make it to print because of a marketing hitch, the editor pointed out something I could improve upon as we polished the manuscript up together--conversation.

Now, a plot driven novel keeps the pages turning because of the rollicking plot. You want to see what happens next, and each chapter leaves you on a cliff hanger. In my opinion, there had better be a good plot in a good book, but a character driven novel keeps you turning pages for a slightly different reason--findingout what happens with the characters in their relationships.

The character driven novel uses conversation to do more than propel the plot forward. In a plot driven novel, a character announces a vital piece to the puzzle. In a character driven novel, we want to know how the character feels about it, and how that is going to factor into relationships around them. In a character driven novel, there is a higher expectation in character development. Conversation serves to give that character a unique voice, deepen relationships, and draw the reader into a scene. It's about a lot more than just revealing a piece of information.

I've discovered a few tricks to use when writing conversation in a character driven novel:

1. The conversation has to sound like a real conversation. That means, they can't always say the right thing or have the right words on the tip of their tongues.
2. Real people interrupt each other and misunderstand each other. Characters do that, too.
3. Keep the "he said" and "she said" tags to a minimum. If you can make it clear who is talking without them, leave them out all together.
4. Try writing longer conversations, describing things the characters are doing while they talk. Take a realistic amount of time to get to the point and let your characters discuss. It helps to deepen the reader's understanding about who your characters are.
5. Sprinkle your conversation with description so that you have a break between parts of conversation. Write a few lines of conversation, and then describe something for two or three lines, such as something the character is doing, something applicable in their surroundings or how the character (from whose point of view we are seeing the conversation) is feeling about what is being said.

There are no hard and fast rules about good writing. Most rules are made to be broken, or least bent from time to time. Go with your instinct and give some of these ideas a try if you think your written conversations could use a little boost. In my opinion, there is only one rule that is paramount in writing: if you want to get published, the editor is always right.

Patty Froese's most recent novel, Perfect on Paper, was released in April 2011. You can find her at her personal blog (http://pattyfroese.com) or on Facebook. (http://www.facebook.com/pattyfroese)
 

Perfect on Paper

Anne Stanborough, a well known mystery writer, inherits her maiden aunt's book store, Perfect on Paper. The lawyer handling her aunt's estate is none other than the handsome Jake Harrison, but despite his attraction to the beautiful author, his painful divorce has made him wary of a marriage between two driven professionals. Anne can't let go of the career she's worked her entire life towards, and he isn't willing to make a second mistake in marriage. It looks like they should call the whole thing off until Anne discovers that her late maiden aunt might not have been so "maiden" after all… A love story from the past tugs this couple back together again, but will it be enough to prove that a love founded in God really can overcome anything? 

 Buy Now:

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-on-Paper-ebook/dp/B007UB24OW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338841429&sr=8-1

"How in the world do you plan ahead enough (material) for there to be a SERIES? I mean, you could change your mind inthe middle of writing the first book, and make it just ONE STORY!"


A young writer recently made this remark, and I got to thinking there are probably other writers new to the craft who wonder about the process of developing a series. For writers ready to take the step of creating a series, please take a look at my earlier posts: Tips for Writing a Series (http://www.naomimusch.com/apps/blog/categories/show/1249356-tips-on-writing-a-series).

But to answer the question, how do you plan ahead -- or maybe it could be stated -- how do you know that what you have is actually meant to be a series?


The truth is that sometimes an idea seems big enough to become a series, but at closer look, it's really only the makings of a single book. Maybe it just doesn't have enough of a plot continuum to make a series compelling. Perhaps what it really has is a single story heartbeat with layers. It could drag on too much if spread into a series.


On the other hand, with time and experience, a writer might shape a series in his or her imagination before a single key is stroked on the keyboard. But for me, a series is more likely to evolve. Here's how it worked for Empire in Pine.


First I had a passion for a single story. If you get ahead of yourself and start trying to imagine a whole series at once, the project is already ripe to flop. You have to be in love with an idea for a single story before you can perfectly visualize what a complete series will entail. It's like the gal who made the first comment said, "You could change your mind in the middle of writing the first book", and you probably will, about many things.


I don't mean you shouldn't let your imagination roam, or that it's impossible to have a general idea for a series in mind. But your focus has to remain finite -- on the project at hand --  or you may be prone to rushing through and not making the book all that it can be. Does that make sense? See, when you've invested your entire creative being into one single story, it's much more likely that it will become full, complete, layered, and able to evolve into something more down the road -- a series.


I invested myself into The Green Veil - Empire in Pine, Book One.It was the story of my heart. Two-thirds of the way into the book, as characters had taken over and my research had run full circle, I started visualizing a second book. I didn't let it run away in my head just yet, but while I finished The Green Veil, I let the seeds settle into the soil of my imagination. Now and then I'd jot a note or two, nothing more.

I began plotting and researching as I wrote the final pages of The Green Veil.In those final pages of book one, I was finally able to lay the ground work for book two, because that's when I knew there would indeed be a book two. During the continued plotting and early writing stages of The Red Fury, I realized a series of three books was imminent. How? Based on the era of my books, the logging boom of northern Wisconsin lasted for about 60 years. If I followed a pattern of each book taking place 20 years apart, the series would culminate nicely in time, location, characterization, and historical context with a third story, The Black Rose, at the peak of the era. The stories are, naturally, generational.

That's how the series was born. But being a new author, I didn't expect a publishing house to look at my proposal unless I not only had it clearly mapped out and conceived, but also had enough of it written so they'd know I was capable of concluding the series. When I pitched my book series to Desert Breeze Publishing, The Green Veil was complete, The Red Fury was nearing completion, and The Black Rose was in the outline stage, but with a basic synopsis fleshed out. It gave me enough to tell the editor what the story line was going to be. That worked.


In short, I didn't have a concept for a series at the outset of writing Empire in Pine. I merely had a passion for one story, and I let that story take on its own shape and plan until it evolved into a series.


If you have the notion that something you're writing is series material, exhaust the storyline. Ask yourself whether or not there's really enough weight in the concept to carry through several books, or if it's best left in one. The time for that kind of introspection is now, before you've written hundreds of pages and are told by an array of publishers that it should only be one book. But if you've very nearly completed a book, investing it with passion, and you see another taking shape, by all means, start the plotting process.


Write on!

The Black Rose - Empire in Pine, Book Three

coming July, 2012, from Desert Breeze Publishing

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-template/NaomiMusch/Page.bok

What Makes a Fiction Proposal Pop or Fizzle

Guest post by Stephenia McGee

I have been doing evaluations for a literary agent for the last sixteen months. It's my job to send the agent a short evaluation of the author's proposal and whether or not I think the book will catch a publisher's attention. During this time I've noticed a few things that make some proposals pop, and others fizzle. 

   

The first thing I look for should really go without saying. Did the author follow the agent's instructions on what he wants in the proposal? You'd be surprised how much this actually means. The agent wants specific things included for a reason. Following directions automatically puts you in a good light. 

   

Next, I look at the word count. Most publishers will toss out a proposal before they even read it if the word count isn't in their specified parameters.  If an author states the book is a novella and then shows me a 60,000 word count, I know they haven't done their homework. 

   

Genre is another snag a lot of authors hit. Really try to do some research into genres and make sure you have the correct one for your story. I once got a proposal where the author presented a romance, but then gave me a happily married couple in their mid-fifties starting up their own private eye firm. Knowing your genre means knowing your market, your audience and what agents and publishers are a fit for you. If you're sending a great book to the wrong agent, you're still going to get a rejection letter.   

    

The next portion of a proposal is usually a summary of the book. Don't be afraid to tell everything that happens, including the ending. While it is impossible to include every sub plot in a summary, the agent wants to see the major themes, plots and conflicts. This is not a reader pitch where you want them to be interested enough to read more. This a brief overview of the entire book that will show the agent if you have written a complete storyline with a satisfying ending. 

   

The last portion I evaluate is the author's sample chapters. First and foremost, have someone else proofread your sample chapters for typos and misused words. Too many mistakes are sloppy and unprofessional. 

  

When I am evaluating an author's sample chapters, I look for something that grabs my attention, has engaging characters and an interesting premise. I ask myself: Does the story flow, is there good dialogue and beats, and is there some kind of conflict occurring? Does the book fit the author's specified target audience and type of publisher they are seeking?

   

And finally, I look for what I call "clean" writing. Here are a few brief tips for common mistakes I see: 

1. Show, don't tell. Let me see a conversation; don't tell me what the characters talked about. 
2. Don't give a huge section of backstory. Avoid the urge to tell the reader the character's past and motivations all at once. Weaving these details throughout the story feels like a natural way to get to know the character and gives the reader a sense of mystery. 
3. Don't head-hop. It is very frustrating to be reading a paragraph inside one character's point of view and thoughts, then jump inside another character's in the next paragraph. It is confusing to the reader and breaks the spell of bringing them inside the story.   
4. Choose your point of view carefully. First person works best with only one character, not several. Third person and deep third-person work well for multiple characters and for plot driven novels.

Don't stress so much over your proposal being perfect that you never send it in. I have seen several proposals where the story needed a little work, but the agent was willing to represent the author if they made the corrections. Having a great story that is well-presented and being open to suggestions will always makes your proposal pop and help you to land that perfect agent.

Stephenia McGee writes Christian fiction with a little bit of flair. She is a member of the Christian Writer's Guild, a lifetime member of the AQHA and a member of the Fort Rosalie chapter of the DAR. Stephenia serves as Chairman at Spirit Horse Ministries, and is married to her best friend and greatest blessing, Jason. They currently live in Mississippi with their two sons.

A Legacy of Lies is Stephenia's new novel from Desert Breeze Publishing.

Sarah Sanders is so stressed-out at college that she’s having fainting spells. She’s behind on the rent and facing eviction. Dropping out of school feels inevitable. Needing a break, she accepts her boyfriend’s invitation to visit his parents’ ranch out west. But she finds much more in Montana than fresh air and mountain trails.

 
Ranch hand Jim Anderson has suffered from night terrors for over a year. But despite this secret struggle, his life at the ranch had been a welcomed escape from his past. Until those terrifying dark shadows started coming for him in the middle of the afternoon.
 
Brought together by an unseen hand, Sarah and Jim must travel across the country to unravel a web of deceit and uncover Jim’s long history of lies before the evidence is sealed away forever.

Buy now from:

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/A-Legacy-of-Lies-ebook/dp/B007K1LS58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332042156&sr=8-1

Barns and Noble:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-legacy-of-lies-stephenia-mcgee/1107713261?ean=2940014338950

Desert Breeze:

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-273/A-Legacy-of-Lies/Detail.bok

CBD:

http://www.christianbook.com/a-legacy-of-lies-ebook/stephenia-mcgee/9781612521497/pd/28979EB?product_redirect=1&Ntt=28979EB&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP

A Character Interview from "Never Forsaken" a Novel by Jennifer Slattery - and How YOU Can Help 2 Important Orphan Ministries

Today we’re visiting with Pastor T, the mission team leader from Jennifer Slattery’s novel, Never Forsaken. He’s here with one of his youth kids, Aubrey Dicky, and a couple who run an orphanage in El Salvador. After our little chat, make sure to listen for how you can help two important orphan ministries. Aubrey will tell you all about that, I’m sure.

Good morning, Pastor T. Thanks for stopping by.

Pastor T: Hi, thanks for having me.

God’s really drawn your church members to El Salvador orphans, hasn’t He?

Pastor T: Yes, He has. Not just orphans in El Salvador, but orphans in general. God would rather us live out our faith than act it out on Sunday mornings, and according to James 1:27, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” So that’s what we’ve been trying to do.

Aubrey, was this your first mission trip?

Aubrey: Uh … I’m not sure if I can answer that. Pastor T, will that give away the story?

Pastor T: I don’t think so.

Aubrey: Maybe we should call Jennifer. I’d hate to breach our contract or anything. It could get us sued, you know.

Pastor T: (frustrated) We didn’t sign a contract, Aubrey, and Jennifer’s not going to sue us.

Aubrey: You sure?

Pastor T: I’m sure.

Aubrey: Still … I’d rather not risk it.

That’s okay. We can talk about something else. Like what you’re doing now.

Pastor T: Looks like we’ll be talking lip gloss.

Aubrey: Yay! My favorite subject! Well, my second favorite subject. Maybe third favorite.

Pastor T: (clears his throat)

Can you tell me about this Mary Kay Make-over contest you’re part of?

Aubrey: Actually, I’m not part of it, per say, although I did receive some awesome samples. But I never got my photo taken or anything. That was Jennifer. And I think I’m largely the reason she did it. Well, she did it for the orphans, but I think my jewelry making sort of motivated her, along with all her research. I guess she read some pretty sad human rights reports about child labor, articles on sex trafficking, that sort of stuff.

Such a sad realty! So many children suffering from such unspeakable evil!

Aubrey: Yeah, it’s pretty overwhelming. I mean, when I first learned about child labor and sex trafficking, I was like, “What can I do??? I’m just a kid!” But then I learned about Fair Trade, and this Mary Kay contest, and I realized there’s a lot I can do!

Amen, Aubrey! By ourselves, it can seem like we’re not making much of an impact, but we must remember God has many others working alongside us. Combined, we can help bring about great, long term change! So tell us about this charity make-over event.

Aubrey: Sure! It was a blast, and it’s for a really great cause. We’ve coined it the “Beauty for the Broken” campaign. One of Jennifer’s friends is a Mary Kay beauty consultant. Apparently, Mary Kay does a lot of charity type stuff. This month they’re doing this make-over thing where people get to vote for their favorite before and after shot. The person with the most votes receives $5,000 for the charity of their choice, and their consultant receives $500.

So, that’s $5,500 going to charity, just for wearing lip gloss and blush?

Aubrey: And for flashing a winning smile. Or a really, really bad before shot. Which I think was Jennifer’s aim. Whew! Have you seen her photos?

Pretty bad, huh?

Aubrey: (laughing) To put it mildly.

So, how does this event help orphans?

Aubrey: If Jennifer and her beauty consultant win, they’ll give their donation to two orphan ministries: Gothreads and the Raining Season. But you all have to vote. Like a lot. (You can vote up to five times a day.)

That’s a lot of money.

Aubrey: Yeah, and Sharyline, the beauty consultant has a chance to win another $5,000 for participation, too. So really, this could lead to a $10,500 donation.

How can we help?

Aubrey: That’s the easy part! All you’ve got to do is vote, and tell your friends to vote, too. Five times each day. Maybe set a reminder on your phone or something.

Okay, so how do they vote?

Aubrey: Oh! Duh! Go to https://www.mkmakeovercontest.com/gallery.jsp?id=163379 and vote for Jennifer! Make sure to share the link on FB, tweet it, blast it out through Youtube. Don’t forget, you can vote up to five times. Every day.  Oh, and one more thing. Please don’t say anything about the cheesy before and after pictures. At least, nothing negative. Although you don’t want to lie, either. It’d probably be best if you just didn’t mention them, except to say you voted. Make sure to do that, otherwise you won’t get your gift certificate.

Tell us about that.

Aubrey: Oh, that’s the fun part! To encourage all you lovely-lipstick wearers to vote, Sharyline Cochran’s http://www.marykay.com/sharilyne  giving away a $10 gift certificate and a free make-over (in person or through Skype) to every voter who votes then tells us they did so in the comments here.

Sounds like a win-win. Friends, make sure to vote, and check out these great ministries:

(taken from their website) The Raining Season (http://www.therainingseason.org/): a ministry meeting the educational, spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of orphans in Sierra Leone

(taken from their website) Go Threads (http://gothreads.org/): a ministry started by The Global Orphan Project started by GO Threads to: (a) generate revenue to sustain the costs of orphan care; (b) provide quality clothing, including school uniforms, for children in care and other hurting children; and (c) create local jobs in some of the poorest communities in the world. GO Threads represents a new and creative partnership to address poverty devastating children at the end of humanity’s line.

***

Jennifer Slattery lives in the Midwest with her husband and daughter. She writes for Christ to the World Ministries, the ACFW Journal, Internet Café Devotions, and Jewels of Encouragement. You can connect with her online at her devotional blog at http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com or via Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte

Summer's Here - Time to Re-establish a Writing Routine

Let's talk about routine. Today is the last day of my part time day job at a local elementary school. That means it's the kick off to my full time writing job. Like most of you, I do a lot of juggling to squeeze writing around the need to keep house, make a steady paycheck, raise a family, stay involved in my church, and so on. So when summer comes, I get pretty excited for a change in routine.

Is your routine affected by a seasonal change? What sort of routine helps you accomplish your writing goals?

Here's my general routine:

• First thing in the morning -- prayer, coffee, devotions, email, and... Facebook. I'm addicted, and I'd just as soon start my day with a few hellos and some shared virtual coffee with my friends, that way the thought isn't lurking over my shoulder. But I try not to linger!

• Schedule tweets and status updates on Hootsuite.  This is actually fairly time-consuming for me. I keep a file of previous tweets in case there are some good ones I want to re-use. But I like to mix them up and talk about new things and find other people's interesting tweets to RT too. I didn't use a scheduling app for a long time, but now I use one and love it. It allows me to put networking out of mind for part of the day - much as I love it -  while I focus on the writing at hand.  

• Blogging is next on the list. I try to get a rough draft of something done in the morning. Sometimes in lieu of blogging, I work on an editing deadline, an article, a query letter, or whatever else is demanding immediate attention or some tweaking. During the school year I don't always get this much accomplished before I'm off to work. Instead, I wait until late afternoon or early evening to tackle the detailed projects.

• When I happen to have bigger bigger chunks of day to work with, I get to the real heavy writing and editing. But I do take frequent breaks to launder clothes, feed the critters, mop the floor, pop back in on Facebook, or just hang out with my family. A gal's gotta live.

• Sometimes new writing is done solely in the evening, when everyone in my family is otherwise engaged. But somewhere between 9 and 11 o'clock I stop making sense, so I engage with a good book to read.

That's my writing routine on most days. What's yours? Is it affected by seasonal change? In what ways does it help you accomplish your writing goals?

This summer, hang with me here on More Reason to Write to talk about things like routine and other tools we use to get our books written well. I'm hosting a number of authors this summer, who'll add to the conversation.

Write on!

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/7m5a5ah

Barnes & Noble: http://tinyurl.com/3gelmzp

CBD: http://tinyurl.com/72auylb

Desert Breeze / Other Formats: http://tinyurl.com/43jbuvd

5 Times Writers Should Heed Their Inner Critic

I haven't posted in while, partly because of my own inner critic. He can be a good guy, or a bad guy. Sometimes he talks trash: This isn't any good. Throw it away. Why blog? Who cares? Tweeting is a waste of time. Set the novel aside and get a real job. I'm usually a bit too susceptible to his voice when he uses this tone.

At other times he's a helpful partner. The heroine isn't compelling. Her personality is flat, but there's a way to bring her to life, just keep digging.

  

The inner editor is, indeed, a critic. But whereas in the first example he can make us feel like losers who never should've gone into this writing game, in the second example he whispers softly, and gives us just a pinch of feeling that something isn't right. He keeps up a gentle cajoling, while we rehash, reconstruct, and rewrite several times over, until at last his voice is quieted.

Just as there are those dark moments when we need to tell him to put a cork in it, there are distinct times we need to heed the voice of our inner critic: 

 

1. When a character's actions or reactions don't ring true to who they are. When one of them does something "out of character" it causes a bump in the believability of our tale. If we sense it but ignore it, thinking that the reader will brush it off too, we'd better hold on. Listen to the critic and change the scene or the character's response. Be true to who they really are, and ask them if that's really how they would act or respond, or if there's a better way.
2. When we try to force history or factual details into a plot where they clearly don't belong. History buffs will close a novel tighter than a drum if they think we're handling facts clumsily. Readers of suspense will roll their eyes and toss it in a dumpster if a writer isn't deft with forensic details.  Sometimes we have to heed the inner critic when he's telling us to change the plot to fit facts, rather than trying to force the facts into our plot.
3. We need to listen when our inner critic scolds us about a scene being too telling, unmoving, or just plain unnecessary. Every scene is like a mini-novel, with a hook, a climax, a response. It must always serve a purpose. Yet it's easy to rely on "telling" during a lagging writing session, or to attach our emotions to scenes that serve no purpose in furthering the story. Sometimes during the early plotting stages of a book, I've visualized a scene waaaaaay before the time it is to appear. I may completely write it out, thinking that when I reach that point in the story I'll be able to drop it in. But by the time I reach that place in the story where I intended to use it, it no longer works. My inner critic has been known to raise his hand, clear his voice, and say, "Let it go." When our inner critic tells us something needs to go, we must listen. We can't be so in love with a scene, a dialogue, or anything that isn't true to the story, that we can't toss it. This includes pet words, phrases, and descriptions. You now the old saying -- kill your darlings.
4. We need to listen to the inner critic when it might be telling us something is trite, or that it's been done before. If something we write starts to ping our subconscious with the thought that this is kind of like some other novel, then we need to go back to the drawing board and figure out what will make it new and different. It seemed that after Tolkien's Lord of the Rings became the movie series, everybody wanted to write a fantasy about elves and dwarves and sorcerers. That was fine, it was inspirational even. But the trick was to write something that was not Lord of the Rings, but something different.
5. Finally, heed the inner critic when he tells you a novel is finished, or when it isn't. There's nothing more satisfying to a novelist than typing The End. But an experienced writer knows that it isn't really the end. His inner critic doesn't even need to raise a finger and point anymore, because he knows the end is merely the beginning of the next stage -- rewriting -- which is just more writing. At the same time, experience will also recognize the inner critic saying -- sometimes after a number of rewrites -- Ah, ha! Now it's ready to send out. I have been on both ends. The end that thinks I've listened to the critic long enough and sent a manuscript out hastily, only to be embarrassed later on over a piece of work that wasn't ready yet. And I have polished and shined until the inner critic was satisfied, and knew that, despite future edits, it was now as good a piece as I could make it.

So don't listen to the inner critic when he's merely being cantankerous. But do heed his wisdom, when it will bring your work to a level you can be confident of.