A Book is Born!

At our recent writing event, I had a great time observing our attendees as they plunged right into a writing activity that was presented before them.  Before the event I had gathered miscellaneous items from my home to create various centerpieces for the tables at the event. At our previous writing conference in November, we had learned about story structure and how there has to be characters (protagonist and antagonist) and a setting as well as a goal to be achieved through various pivot points in the story.   So I created scenes that could provide at least one character in the story and a possible setting. Each table then had to work together to come up with a story outline within a half an hour.  

Writers are amazing!  With four or five trinkets and a little bit of time, book ideas were born!  It was so fun for me to wander around the room as they were doing this activity and listen to the brainstorming that was going on. "There are three children in the picture. Who are they? What does this lantern represent?"  Another table wondered, "Whose shoe does this puppy have?" "There is a symbol on the holster that has all the suits from a deck of cards, yet on the cowboy belt, there is a praying cowboy. How are the two related?"

At the end of the half hour, they were asked to share their stories.  Some brought their centerpieces with them and explained how they came up with the story outline. They were energetic as if practicing their elevator speech for their future book! In fact, one woman who had attended our last event actually took the outline her group made that day and is turning it into a work of fiction!

I have just recently started dabbling in fiction. I don't feel very creative when it comes to "What if" scenarios. These writers made it look so easy to come up with an outline!  I wondered why I haven't done this activity for myself at home to get the ideas rolling. You can bet I will be doing it in the future!

Get creative and write on!

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An Amazing Event!

It has been a week since the Idaho Creative Authors Network hosted the Spring Writers' Symposium and I am still trying to absorb all that I learned and observed.  We had the privilege of having some great speakers!

Joanna Tucker shared a wealth of information in regards to editing. She taught us everything from misplaced modifiers to what could get you in trouble legally in our writing, especially when it comes to writing nonfiction.  We were thankful to have her on the panel at the end of the day as many of the questions were in regards to editing.  

Lance Thompson gave us some great lessons on how to show not tell in your writing.   He gave an analogy of using a camera and zooming in on the action. You want to take the reader right there. Don't tell the reader what is happening, show them! Let them experience it with you! I am anxious to try to do this myself as I start writing fiction.   It was also discussed that this is an awesome way to write nonfiction as well!

The main theme of our day was networking.  Speaker, Pamela Thompson, used perfect personal illustrations to explain what networking looked like. I appreciated Pamela's transparency in revealing how shy she is and that networking used to be a real struggle for her. I am an introvert by nature and have to really push myself to meet new people.   She shared tips on how to remember a person's name but also how to recover if you have forgotten a name.  After supplying us with the tools to network, she then gave us an opportunity to put it into action. We  had to find someone in the room that we did not know well and find out information about each other. Then we had to bring our partner to the front of the room and introduce our new friend to Pamela.

Each of these speakers stretched us and brought much insight into the world of writing!  We continued our theme through the lunch hour as Carol Green facilitated the network lunch by revealing the talents that were in the room: book coaches, illustrators, freelancers, editors, etc. With labels on the tables and a host at each one, people were then able to fix their plate from our beautifully catered lunch table (hosted by the talented Laura) and sit at whichever table they wanted to know more information about.  We used every minute of the day to gather tools for our writing toolbox!

We gave the attendees opportunities to exercise and share their writing talents through a story outline activity in the morning. Everyone was so amazing with the stories they came up with and all within a half an hour!  I am always blown away by the courage and boldness new authors have in getting up and sharing their stories.  It was also fun to have some seasoned authors/writers in our midst to help encourage those who are new to this journey!

Towards the end of the day we had a panel discussion, facilitated by Sheila Eismann. Questions were taken from the attendees and answered by our I CAN team and special speakers.  It was amazing to see the talents that were combined to make this whole event work.  We needed each person that was there to make our team complete.

To finish the day off, Phyllis Vavold led the awards ceremony for the writing contest.   She handed out certificates, formal critiques, and a gift to the winners. It is thrilling for us to see the winners so excited to be rewarded for their hard work and achievements.

Now that the spring event is over, we are looking forward to planning the 2nd Annual Treasure Valley Writers' Fest which is our November event!  There is always something new to learn!

Keep writing!

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Lesson Learned!

As the old saying goes, “You learn something new every day”. That is so true. Some days we have to look a bit harder than others, but I am always happy when I have learned a new tidbit of information.  Let me share with you what I learned today:  don’t try a new hairstyle 30 minutes before you have to be somewhere.  

Recently I shared some videos on facebook that demonstrated fun hairstyles for long hair.   I tend to wear my hair in the same four styles: partially up in a barrette, in a French braid, in a braided ponytail, or in a bun on the run. So when I see a video with fresh styles I Pin It or share it or save it to my picture files.   Apparently, I have never tried any of these examples before. 

My husband texted me today and asked me to meet him in town for coffee. I had been doing errands  and had a wrinkled t-shirt on and my hair up in a bun on the run.   I didn’t want to meet my husband looking like that so I put on a nice shirt and thought to myself, “Self, wouldn’t it be fun to try one of those new styles we watched on the videos this week?”  “Yes, Self, let’s!”

I’m not sure I will take Self’s advice next time.   Apparently, these videos that show the examples being done on someone with long, sleek, shiny hair are not supposed to be done on people who have long, naturally curly, mind-of-its-own hair. There should really be a disclaimer on this.

I go to the mirror and pull back my first section of hair that is usually in the barrette. The barrette doesn’t normally give me any problems; I slide it across the section and latch it. Done.  Obviously, I have not ever tried to put a section of long hair into a ponytail holder. I pulled it through once. No problem. I twist it and pull it through again, catching some of the extra dangling hair.  With a bit of pain, I pulled it through. I flipped that section over my head, hoping it would not catch like that again, but this time it caught on its own self. More tugging and adjusting was needed.  Finally, that FIRST part was done.  Now I had to pull back another section…and go through the same process.  Same results. But I’m over half way done and not giving up now.  Whew! Okay, done with that part. 

Next, I had to push the bottom ponytail over the top and through the top ponytail. I put my fingers through an opening trying to grab the whole section of hair and pulled it half way through. I’m in trouble. I painfully get it through. I find a mirror and look at my….not so much of a masterpiece that definitely doesn’t look like the picture. I can’t go like this! 

It is now five minutes away from the time that I was supposed to meet my husband who is sitting and waiting for me in a restaurant 20 minutes away.   I painfully pull the ponytail back through and begin the task of trying to take the elastic bands out of my rat’s nest. Pulling and tugging strand by strand, trying to unwind 2 ½ feet of hair from the bands had me looking in the mirror and laughing.  “What am I going to do?” I actually asked Self out loud, but was not willing to take Self’s advice when she said, “You’ll have to cut it.”    I couldn’t cut the bands out without getting a good chunk of hair with it. 

 I left the first and started on the second one thinking it would come out easier. Yeah…not sure why I thought that.  It didn’t .  I just grabbed each band and started tugging and tugging, clumps of hair falling to the floor.

FINALLY! They were off my head. I prayed I could get a brush through it. Painfully, I did. I tossed my hair into a full ponytail and braided it and out the door I ran. I was 15 minutes late to my very important date but walked in refreshed enough to visit. I let my secret out when I got home.

Lesson learned!

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Tips to Working With Cover Designers

I have learned some important things when it comes to working with cover designers and illustrators. The cover is a very important part of the book. The title, subtitle, and presentation of the cover is going to be the first hook the reader has. You want to make sure that it all comes together to support the topic of your book.
   
- Many times, the designer will want to meet with you personally so that they can get a good feel for what you are looking for. They may request to read a portion of  your book so they understand fully what you are trying to convey to the reader.  

- Bring as much information and detail as  you can to the meeting. The more you have, the easier it will make the designer's job resulting in a lower cost for you.   If you already have an actual picture, bring that to them.

- Make sure to be specific with your timeline so that they understand when you are expecting to have it finished.

- The designer wants you to be happy with their work. Communication is key to this.   They may try different fonts and colors. Respectfully, give your feedback. If you are not happy with something, let them know and also let them know what you do like about their work. They are working for you and want referrals to come their way so they will go above and beyond the call of duty to give you what you want.

- Trust your designer. This is their job. Many times, they will know what will capture the reader's eye better than we do.

With my second book, I had had a general idea for the front cover but I had something very specific in mind for the back cover.   I wanted chains and a lock as I talked in the book about being bound by the chains of our past.

When I received it, the front cover was beautiful! I was so happy with it. I was anxious to see the back cover. Instead of locks, however,  there was a watermark of a baby's face. I was not very pleased. I emailed the designer and asked if he could please place the lock and chains on it as I had asked. Then I softened and explained that I thought it was a beautiful picture that he used, but it took my breath away and I was not prepared for it. I then asked if he could send me what I had requested so that I could look at the pictures side by side.   He did exactly as I asked and what I had been so set on having on my cover honestly looked dumb compared to the one he had chosen to use.

I was thankful he had a bigger vision than I did for the topic of my book. I knew if it had made that big of an impact with me, it surely would with others as well.  

Writing is a process!

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The Secrets Behind the Eyes
A Realist's Guide to Being a Pastor's Wife
Are You on the Verge of a Spiritual Heart Attack?

Write! Write! Write!

The weekend is here! Carve out some time for writing. Worlds are right at your fingertips!  If you are not quite sure what you would be best at, experiment. Write different styles of poetry and poetry directed to different audiences.  I love to write about deep feelings but then other times I just like to be silly with my poems. Most of the time I write what's on my heart, but in recent years, I have been assigned topics. Stretch yourself.

Try your hand at short stories. This has been very interesting for me. I have never limited myself on word count, but recently I have been trying my hand at some freelance articles.  They limit the word count. It is harder than it sounds.   To pack a mystery or a romance story into 800 words and still be able to hook the reader and provide all the story elements has proved to be quite the challenge for me.

Decide if you are more interested in writing fiction or nonfiction.  "Write what you know" is a piece of advice that has been very helpful. What do you know?  What experiences have you had in life? What are some unique opportunities you have had? You can incorporate what you know into fiction or nonfiction.

Everyone has something to offer.   There are things you have been through that other people need to hear about. It may be to inform them or to let them know that they are not alone in the world.   Many people are afraid to speak up and be transparent about their own lives for fear of judgment. They feel they may be the only ones who are dealing with a particular issue.   There is a huge amount of relief for them when they realize somebody else can identify with their struggles.

Here is a bit of advice: you can't write wrong! I'm sure English teachers hate it when I say that and I know that there are certain rules that we have to follow.   Ultimately, though, you are the writer. There may be reasons for some of the punctuation you use or the sentence fragments that are implemented.   Even if you have an editor go through your work with a fine-tooth comb and it is returned to you all marked up in red, you get the final say. You know what you are trying to communicate.

So have fun writing! I get the privilege of being a part of a writing conference tomorrow where we will be encouraging others to use their writing gifts.  I am looking forward to it!

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"I'm healed!"

As adults, it seems more difficult to accept things on faith. Sometimes prayer can be our last resort. I have been thinking about the youth in my life a lot lately and their faith seems so unwavering, so sure, so pure.

I picked my grandson up one day and I took him out for a treat.  We sat down at the table and he exclaimed in his four-year-old voice, “Gramma! You need to be prayin’ for me!” He had my attention and I asked him what was going on. “I’m not feeling good. I have been sick and you need to pray that God heals me!” I assured him I would.  

I was amazed that at four years old he would see the importance of asking someone to pray for him in his sickness. It encouraged me knowing that if he had that concept down NOW what a powerful prayer warrior he will be when he is older. 

Sometimes when I pray, I feel it is more out of hope than expectancy, but kids just seem to have such a strong faith that when something is prayed for, they expect it to happen. I love it! What an example to me!

I remember when one of my sons had blood work done when he was four and his platelets were very low.  The physician’s assistant nonchalantly said that could be found many times in kids with leukemia and wanted to recheck it in two weeks. What?! I didn’t understand how he could use my son’s name in the same sentence as the word leukemia and then tell me we had to wait two weeks before discussing things further! 

Every night for two weeks my husband and I prayed over our son HOPING God was hearing our cries. We took him back in and the blood work was the same and so was the PA’s response, “Come back in two weeks.”  This time my husband was on the phone with the clinic demanding something more solid than that. He wanted to know the possibilities, the probabilities, anything that would help our minds wrap around what we might be dealing with.   A physician called us and explained that we would do one more set of labs and go from there.  So we prayed and prayed.

The night before my son’s next appointment, my husband and I knelt next to his bed instructing him that we were going to pray.  Laying his head on his pillow, he folded his little hands and closed his eyes. When we said amen, we opened our eyes expecting to hear him mimic our response as he always did, but he didn’t this time. We looked at him and he opened his eyes and smiled so big. He formed his fingers on both hands into the shape of guns. He made a clicking sound with his tongue and said, “I’m healed!” My husband and I looked at each other and giggled and kissed him on the forehead.

We took him in the next day for his labs. A couple of days later, the doctor called and said, “Everything looks great, his platelets are back up to normal.” For a  little guy of four years old to hear his mommy and daddy praying over him over something I’m sure he didn’t understand, I don’t think he knew enough to HOPE for the best. He expected our prayer to be heard. He expected to be healed. For four weeks we poured our hearts out, but he seemed to know the minute those cells were touched by his God.

A child’s faith is so amazing! We need to not get bogged down by the clutter of the world and remember how big our God is!  Expect great things from a great God!

The Parking Lot

Are you one to get distracted easily? Chances are, if you are a writer, the answer is a resounding YES! That’s okay. Writers are ALWAYS writing even when they don’t have a pen in their hands or they are not at the keyboard. Their minds have a hard time shutting off. They are constantly thinking of a new story or how to enhance an existing project and then the grocery list gets mingled in there as well. Here is a sure little trick that I was taught. I have used it myself and it has saved my sanity more than once.  

When you are working, keep a notepad near you.   That notepad is going to be your “Parking Lot”.  When you are in the zone and on a roll with writing/typing, you do not want anything getting in your way. So when that thought enters your mind that your forgot to pick up a present for Aunt Sally’s birthday, you are going to stop and jot it down in your parking lot. That way you do not have a chance to forget it and you don’t have to dwell on it any longer.   Carry on with your writing until the next irrelevant (to your working project) idea tries to bully its way into your brain. Stop and put it in your parking lot.  

I even use this tactic at night when I am trying to go to sleep. This is when your mind is attempting to wind down and you not only have to fight the thoughts of forgotten tasks but now the characters and ideas in your writing projects decide that they all want your attention this very minute. They don’t talk to you all day and you struggle to find them and incorporate them into your writing, some days to no avail. Apparently their morning is your midnight.   That’s okay! Because now you have a parking lot and you can jot down the ideas and write about it in the morning.  Very simple fix that eliminates a ton of frustration!

Happy writing!

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