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Preparing Teens for “The Publishing Games”

Posted in Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Publishing journey, Uncategorized, Writing Fiction on July 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »

“A picture,” it’s been said, “is worth a thousand words.” Then are these ten pictures worth 10,000 words? For teens who love to write and dream of one day becoming an author, yes!

Teens Write, Thursday, August 2, at the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference offers a team of ten professionals who will train teens to participate in The Publishing Games. This year’s workshops all receive a TEN in helping young writers win a Gold Medal.

The training schedule is at www.writehisanswer.com/Philadelphia/Teens_Write.htm. It’s not too late to register, but the price increases after July 21 so don’t delay! Scholarship help is available if needed.

Teens Write is a full day workshop, running from 10am – 6pm, and includes lunch and snacks. It will be held on the campus of Philadelphia Biblical University in Langhorne, PA.

Bring a notebook and pen, the first page of your manuscript, and get ready to work out.

Pam Halter, head coach of Teens Write

P.S. Parents, teachers, and pastors are encouraged to attend the writers’ conference or our Thursday Specials for concered Christians during Teens Write.

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Writing for Hollywood, young adults and more from Robert Liparulo

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Publishing journey, Uncategorized, Writing Fiction on May 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Donna Brennan’s interview with Robert Liparulo continues. It’s not too late to register for the May 16-19 Colorado conference where Robert is teaching a continuing class on Writing Suspense / Thrillers. The price increases slightly on May 11. Walk-ins are welcome.

Donna Brennan’s Interview with Robert Liparulo

Part 3 – Writing for Hollywood, YAs, and More

Question: Your first two books seemed to have been optioned for film right away, and a novel you’re currently working on has garnered the interest of two movie companies before it’s even released. That has to have something to do with the pacing and how your construct your scenes. Will you be sharing some of your “secrets to success” during the continuing session? Can you give us any hints now?

Yes, I’ll talk about the correlations between pacing in novels and pacing in motion pictures, as well as other ways in which writers can “steal” secrets from movies to make their stories more vivid and attractive to readers who have been raised on film- and TV-based storytelling. I was a motion picture production major in college, so I tend to think like a screenwriter. All the tips and tricks center on one thing: Can you see your story on the screen? I mean, really. Act it out, speak the dialog. Who would play the characters? If you have to change too much to make it fit on the screen-and you want readers to experience a similar sense of immersion into your story as they do in movies-then maybe you need to rethink a few scenes.

Question: How different is writing for the Young Adult market from writing for the general market? Did you have to change the storyline or the language of your Dreamhouse Kings series?

I decided that the only two things I would change from my adult stories for my YA stories were that the protagonists would be younger and that the story would be something younger readers would appreciate more than, say, a police procedural (Dreamhouse Kings is about time travel). Other than that, my style, the structure, even the level of violence and scariness are similar to my adult stories. I didn’t want to “write down” to younger readers. I think they are far more intelligent-especially about character and story-than adults give them credit for. I believe that’s the key to its success.

Question: Surely all those years you spent as an investigative journalist must contribute to your writing style and your research skills. You must have had to do a lot of technical research for Germ, and Comes a Horseman must have involved research into how the FBI works and maybe even some biblical research. Exactly how much research is involved in your books? When do you know you’ve done enough? And how do you resist the urge to include all the details you learned that may be intriguing but have nothing to do with moving the story along?

Honestly, I over-research, but I’m okay with that. I’m always looking for that little gem, that nugget of information that will tell readers that I have done my homework without inundating them with trivia. That nugget is the thing that you can’t find by reading articles or limiting your research to the internet. Once I have that, I don’t worry about anything else. The details about an occupation or a weapon or location or scientific breakthrough will come through the characters, or the needs of the plot.

I don’t want to impress readers; I want them only to feel as though they’re spending time with real people in real jobs with real technology. But still, I always ask myself, why am I putting this tidbit in here? How does this move the story along or how will it impact the story later? If I don’t have a good answer, I don’t write it. Of course, that’s subjective, as all writing is. So I may think describing a fishing boat docked in Sesimbra, Portugal, puts me there, and someone else will think it’s meaningless. That’s where your instincts as a writer come in.

Question: Your road to success seems to have been very different than most authors today. What words of advice do you have for someone just starting out?

Read everything and finish whatever you start. The reading will fill your head with viewpoints of the world outside of your own. It’ll introduce you to vocations and philosophies that you’d have no other way of knowing. It teaches you the cadence of dialog.

Finishing things is crucial to learning how to be a writer. Too many new writers shift gears halfway through a story. They think, “This doesn’t interest me anymore,” or “I’ve been writing about vampires and now zombies are hot. I have to go write my zombie story instead.” But by finishing, you learn the entire arc of storytelling. You learn how to wrap things up, which also teaches you how to set things up. And then you have something to show editors and agents when the opportunity arises. Editors and agents need to be confident that you know how to finish a project, even if it’s not something they want to buy. Finishing is what it’s all about.

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Getting Published

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Publishing journey, Uncategorized on April 24, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Hungry to publish your writing?
Go about it in the right way and you won’t get stuck!

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I couldn’t resist sharing these two pictures. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

But Donna Brennan’s words below on how to prepare for appointments at a writers conference are worth a great deal and will help you not get stuck in an awkward situation because you’re unprepared.

Father, thank You for the editors and agents who are taking time from busy schedules to meet with conferees. May the appointments be fruitful for them and for our conferees.

How to Prepare for That Editor or Agent Appointment

by Donna Brennan

When you go to a conference you often have the opportunity to meet with an agent or editor and pitch your work. Depending on the conference, you may get one appointment or may get several. And the duration of the appointment varies too, typically ranging from five to fifteen minutes.

(Note: The Colorado Christian Writers Conference and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference both give you four 15-minute long appointment opportunities if you attend for all three days!)

But how do you select which agent or editor would be the best one(s) for you to meet with? And how do you prepare for that meeting? And what if you don’t get an appointment with your first choice? Here’s some advice addressing those questions.

How to Select Which Agent or Editor to Meet With

The longer the list of available agents and editors, the more daunting the task may appear. But look at it as an opportunity to find the best fit for you and your work.

First, read the bios listed on the conference website, paying special attention to what their current needs are. Don’t pitch a fantasy to someone who is only interested in contemporary romance. Then, go to their websites (usually listed in the bio) for more information about them and their agency or publishing house, including titles of books they represent or publish. Read reviews and summaries of those books online. If you can, read the first few pages online, too.

Do they have a blog? Read that, too. That often helps you to get a feel for what kind of person they are.

Next, pray. Always pray. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt to pray while reading their bios or visiting their websites or blogs.

Pick your top choices, but also have some back-up choices. Appointment slots usually fill up quickly, with folks who register for the conference early getting first dibs on who they meet with. So register as soon as you’re sure you’ll be attending.

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

If pitching an article or short story, you should bring that with you. If you’re pitching a longer length article that isn’t written yet, bring a summary and outline of the article along with any other articles you have already written (to provide a sample of how you write).

For pitching a fiction book you typically want to have a one-sheet (described below) and the first chapter (in case the person you’re meeting with wants to look that over while you talk). It’s a good idea to bring along a one-page synopsis and a bullet list of critical points in your story. For pitching a nonfiction book you should bring a one-sheet, a synopsis, and an outline. A chapter by chapter summary is a good thing to have with you, as well as a bullet-list of important topics covered in your book. Your book does not have to be finished, but it does have to have a solid outline and be well thought out.

A one-sheet can be thought of as an at-a-glance overview of your story and you. Different people like to put different things into their one-sheets. (Be sure to check the agent or editor’s website to see if they have certain expectations as to what belongs in a one-sheet.) Basically it contains both an elevator pitch and a one-paragraph summary, along with your story’s genre, target audience, and word count. It also contains your bio, told in the third person. There are lots of examples of one-sheets online you can look at before creating your own including Marlene Bagnull’s sample one sheet (click here).

An elevator pitch is one or two sentences that sum up your story. It needs to be short enough that you can share it quickly if you happen to find yourself riding on an elevator with an agent or editor who represents your type of writing.

Sometimes it’s hard to condense your book into a one-page synopsis, let alone a one-paragraph summary or two-sentence elevator pitch. Here’s one way to get that done.

First, write the synopsis in however many words you need to tell what you feel is important about your book. And then you start cutting out all the non-crucial elements and all those extra words we writers like to sneak into our prose. Keep cutting until you get it down to one single-spaced page.

Once you have your synopsis done, start cutting some more until you can get down to a single paragraph. Then cut some more until you get it down to two sentences.

To put together a bullet list, go back to your synopsis and pull out any items crucial to what happens in your story or any main items you want to mention about your nonfiction book. Put them in the order you want to talk about them.

This list is for you while you’re talking so you don’t forget important points. Therefore, keep the descriptions of each item brief so you can glance down at your paper and remember the topic, but let it make enough sense so the agent or editor can understand if they ask to look at the paper.

If you’re having multiple appointments, bring several copies of the one-sheet, outline, and first chapter. Agents and editors don’t usually ask for hard copies of things at conferences (because they’re seeing lots of folks and that’s a lot of stuff to carry back home). But sometimes they do. And if you give away your only copy at your first appointment, you’ll have nothing to show at your other appointments.

When it’s time for your appointment, review your synopsis and bullet list before you walk in. Relax and know that the agent you’re meeting with wants to find clients to represent and the editors want to find work to publish.

What to Do if You Don’t Get an Appointment with Your First Choice(s)

If you don’t get the appointment you wanted, don’t despair. Sometimes God gives us what we need instead of what we ask for. You may learn something at the conference to let you know your manuscript is not ready yet. Or you may wind up in a chance meeting with this person at the conference that works out better than an appointment would have. Or you might have a surprise elevator ride with an agent or editor who wasn’t even on your radar.

So first pray, then prepare. Have your elevator pitch memorized and have your one-page with you all during the conference. If you’re already carrying a bag or notebook, stick your synopsis and first chapter in there-just in case. If you run into an agent or editor you were interested in but didn’t get an appointment with, ask if you can give them your elevator pitch (but please, don’t be pushy). If they say yes and they like it, ask if you can show them your one-page or send them a query letter. If you send a query, be sure to mention that you met them at the conference.

After the conference, if you didn’t get an opportunity to talk with a particular agent or editor, you can still send them a query letter. Say in your letter that you were at the conference but didn’t get a chance to meet with them. But . . . if you learned at the conference that your manuscript wasn’t quite ready, be sure to make those changes before sending out that query letter.

And did I mention pray? Always pray. If God put the desire to write in your heart, He will provide a way for your writing to be read by His intended audience.

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Children and teens at risk

Posted in Uncategorized on September 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »

When I think of “writing His answer,” I immediately think of the needs of children. You may have heard me say, “No child should go to bed hungry . . . or be abused or forced to witness things a child should never have to see.”

I regularly receive email from Kimberly Smith of Make Way Partners (www.makewaypartners.org), “a Christian mission agency committed to prevent and combat human trafficking and all forms of modern-day slavery.” A staggering quote from her website says: “Sex slavery – in our world today, there are more women and children forced into sex slavery than the entire female population of Atlanta, Houston, LA, and NYC combined.” I highly recommend Kimberly’s book, Passport Through Darkness, and want to encourage you to subscribe to her newsletter. And I urge you to pray for the children in their Hope for Children Orphanage in the Sudan who are in grave danger. This morning the director called to say that “at this very moment a large team of raiders were running through our orphanage property unleashing heavy machinegun fire. At least two locals are dead, maybe more. Our guards were quick thinking and were able to round up all of our children and close them into their dormitory, where all are safe for the moment. It seems tension has continued to rise over these months and one group wrestled a herd of cattle from another. The raiders are killing each other, and  anyone who gets in their way. Child trafficking often gets included in these raids so our children are very vulnerable tonight.”

Please pray for these children and for the estimated one million orphans in Sudan. “These precious children,” Make Way Partners says, “are primarily left unprotected to survive by themselves in the African bush. Many find trees to sleep in at night to avoid hyena attack.” And yes, you do hear me saying, “Children should not have to sleep in trees!”

And then I think of children and teens here in America. Did you now that suicide is the third leading cause of death among America’s teenagers? The granddaughter of Fran Pasch, one of GPCWC’s conferees, has written a powerful song, “Take My Hand,” about teen suicide. Fran writes: “I have a special favor to ask you. Our granddaughter April needs people to subscribe to her YouTube account. She will be going to LA within the next month for a big meeting about her music and some good opportunities to write. If you have a YouTube account go on the internet and type in www.YouTube.com/AprilLockhartmusic and press the yellow button to subscribe. She needs to get 1000 people to dothis. If you don’t have a YouTube account you can sign up. There is no charge. You will hear her singing a song when you go on but she did not write this one. After you subscribe, you can click on Take My Hand, the song she wrote about teen suicide. Please ask others to do this too.”

Father, please stir our hearts to pray for children and teens here at home and around the world. Show us how You can use us to make a dfference.

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Challenged by Challenger

Posted in Uncategorized on January 28, 2011| 3 Comments »

Twenty-five years ago, along with countless others, I watched in horror as the Challenger exploded just over a minute after lift-off. I wrote the following article that was printed in World Vision magazine.

     “Oh, my God!” was all I could say as I watched the videotape playback of the Challenger explosion just after lift-off. Although I rarely weep over new reports, I found tears rollng down my cheeks as I thought of the crew members and schoolteacher on board.

     “Please, God, let there be a miracle,” I pleaded.

     After the shock of the tragedy wore off, I found myself wondering why this particular event had made such an impact on me. In a world where thousands die from hunger every day,* why was I so grieved by the death of seven?

     The conclusions I reached are not comfortable ones.

     I thought of the way I’ve come to value people. The beautiful and intelligent who are in the limelight somehow are seen as having more worth than others. Yet in God’s sight each individual is equally imp0ortant.

     Perhaps the unexpectedness of the tragedy was the reason it affected me so. That thought also made me uncomfortable. Have I become so accustomed to seeing reports of starving children that I am no longer moved by them?

     Like millions of others who watched, I felt special concern for the family of the schoolteacher. Was that because I was more able to relate to her than to families of another culture who have been squeezed into refugee camps. Probably. Yet the oneness we possess as human beings made in the image of God should bond me to them enough so that I hurt when they hurt.

     I may never know the answers to the disturbing questions that the Challenger tragedy caused me to ask myself. But I can, with God’s help, find ways to work good from its effect on me.

     I can decide to become more responsive to the needs of the emaciated children I am all too accustomed to seing in television specials and newscasts. Though I may never meet them personally, and they may never become well known to the world, I can give some of them the opportunity to live, to experience health, to know Christ.

     I can’t save them all, but I can save some. And when I give to “one of the least of these” I can know the joy of giving to Christ Himself.

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Why should I come to GPCWC?

Posted in Uncategorized on July 9, 2010| 1 Comment »

Most “advertising” is exaggerated, but the best part about what you’ve written is that it’s all true.
GPCWC can have a great impact on your writing, but even more on your life.
I trust that God will use your words to encourage people to come. They won’t be sorry!
Esther Lovejoy – 2009 conferee

Dear Writer –

Why should you come to this year’s conference?

If you’re a beginning writer, GPCWC will give you a solid foundation to build upon. It can save you both time and disappointments in your journey to publication.

If you’re an advanced writer, there’s always more to learn.

Whether you have never published or even submitted a manuscript to an editor or are publishing regularly, GPCWC is an opportunity to grow your writing and marketing skills through eight continuing sessions and 56 workshops. As one conferee said, “It’s the equivalent of a semester course in writing.”

If you’re working on a novel, GPCWC has a strong emphasis on fiction. See the article in July’s Christian Fiction Online Magazine at http://christianfictiononlinemagazine.com/home_publisher.html.

GPCWC will give you face-to-face opportunities to present your ideas or manuscripts to editors and agents or to authors who can provide needed encouragement and direction. Free one-on-one 15-minute appointments with our faculty are included with your registration. The more days you come, the more appointments you may request. And this year there are 70 faculty members to choose from!

Need hands-on help with your manuscript? Apply by July 15 for the Women’s Fiction Clinic with Susan Meissner, the Not Yet Published Novelists Clinic with Joyce Magnin, or the Nonfiction Books Clinic with David Fessenden, managing editor at CLC Publications. Or choose one or more faculty at www.writehisanswer.com/Philadelphia/2010_paid_critiques.htm to review a portion of your manuscript pre-conference and meet with you for 30 minutes during the conference. Manuscripts for paid critiques need to be postmarked by July 21.

Do you long for deep friendships with others who share your passion for words and the Lord? You’ll meet them at GPCWC.

Have rejection slips or writers’ block caused you to become discouraged? You’ll find answers and encouragement at GPCWC.

Do you need direction from the Lord and confirmation that you’re writing what He wants written? GPCWC is not just a writers’ conference; it’s also a retreat where those who are listening have heard from Him in ways that have changed their lives.

Are you running on empty spiritually? The worship and messages in our general sessions will fill you to overflowing.

And there’s still more, for in addition to being a high-quality professional conference, GPCWC seeks to be on the cutting edge of issues and world needs.

“Love is the Final Fight,” Dr. John M. Perkins will proclaim in his Thursday morning keynote. “Without love,” he says, “our words just sit on the page going nowhere, having no impact for God. With love, what we write, do, and say—what we live out—will make all the difference in the world.”

What about issues such as human trafficking, child slavery, world hunger? Do you long to be a voice for the voiceless? Thursday evening’s “Justice, Compassion & Advocacy Panel” will address how we can balance passion and objectivity and effectively communicate our concerns. You may want to attend this continuing session as well or get the CDs.

Do you carry a heavy burden for those who do not know Jesus? Friday morning Rusty Wright of the Amy Foundation will speak on “Effectively Communicating Christ to Secular Audiences.” And you won’t want to miss his Thursday afternoon workshop “Seekers and Skeptics at Your Door.”

Are you concerned about the eroding moral climate in our nation and increasing hostility toward Christianity? Rick Marschall’s Thursday afternoon workshop, “Writing His Answer,” is one you’ll want to attend as well as Dr. Rebecca Price Janney’s workshop on Friday afternoon, “Wise as Serpents.”  “We live in a culture that is greatly at odds with our Christian beliefs and world view,” Rebecca says. “How can we be ‘salt and light’ to a perishing society?”

Yes, GPCWC by God’s plan and design is much more than just a writers’ conference. I’m excited to see what He is going to do and  know that it will be “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20 NKJV).

Serving Christ joyfully and expectantly – Marlene

P.S. The sooner you register the better opportunity you’ll have to get your top appointment picks. The price increases July 16. Scholarship help is available for those with financial need as well as time payments. For more information go to www.writehisanswer.com/Philadelphia.

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Pray for North Korea

Posted in Uncategorized on December 31, 2009| Leave a Comment »

You have no doubt heard about the American, Robert Park, who entered North Korea on Christmas Day in a courageous effort to bring world attention to the needs of the North Korean people. Please make time to read the following Reuters interview with him and the news release from the North Korea Freedom Coalition. Hope Flinchbaugh, CCWC & GPCWC faculty member and author of the powerful novel, I’ll Cross the River, sent this to me. I hope you’ll send it on to others and that you’ll pray.

I’m reminded of how the seemingly impossible happened when the Berlin Wall came down. In my spirit I sense that we may be on the eve of a similar miracle in North Korea. Oh Father, cause it to be so, please. Use us and our prayers in Ephesians 3:20 ways.

From Hope Flinchbaugh:

Reuters interviews Robert Park before he went inside.  God help us live like this young man.  What a witness.  Please read.

http://blogs.reuters.com/global/2009/12/30/interview-with-north-korea-border-crosser-robert-park/ 

 Press release from Suzanne Scholte . . .

 PRESS RELEASE                                                                        For Immediate Release

North Korea Freedom Coalition Appeals for Humanitarian Consideration for American Robert Park 

Washington, DC (December 30, 2009)  The North Korea Freedom Coalition has sent urgent appeals today for humanitarian consideration for American Robert Park, a devout Christian, who crossed into North Korea on Christmas Day in his words “to proclaim Christ’s love and forgiveness” and to call upon North Korea to open its borders so food and medicine can be delivered and to close down its political prison camps.  NKFC sent appeals to Dr. Jakob Kellenberger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross; Sweden’s Ambassador to North Korea Mats Foyer (the protecting power for United States in the DPRK); and Ambassador Sin Son Ho, North Korea’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

Citing Robert Park’s motivation for entering North Korea as an expression of his great love and compassion for the North Korean people, NKFC specifically requested Dr. Kellenberger and Ambassador Foyer’s help to ensure that Park is treated humanely.  In their letters to Kellenberger and Foyer, they noted that international attention to the detainment of American activists Euna Lee and Laura Ling was critical and led to their eventual return home, while permanent American resident Reverend Kim Dong Shik starved to death while detained in North Korea. 

In their letter to North Korean Ambassador Sin appealing for Park to be given humanitarian consideration, the non-denominational NKFC, which has Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, and Muslim members, wrote, “We know that Robert Park entered North Korea illegally, but we know him to be a man of great love and compassion for humanity and especially for the people of North Korea…We appeal to the authorities in North Korea to consider that this man’s actions were totally motivated by his love for them and that his behavior is modeled on the teachings of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe laid down his life for mankind.  Certainly, this was what motivated Robert to cross the border on the day that Jesus’ birth is celebrated around the world.”

Park has been spearheading efforts in South Korea including prayer vigils and mass demonstrations to call attention to the suffering of the North Korean people and has led the worldwide campaign Freedom and Life for all North Koreans.  He has not been heard from since he crossed the border on Christmas Day, but North Korean authorities have confirmed that he is in their custody.

“He knew fully the risks of going to North Korea,” said NKFC Chairman Suzanne Scholte, “but was willing to lay down his life for the North Korean people who are the most persecuted people in the world today.  We need to honor his commitment by redoubling our efforts to promote freedom and human rights for North Koreans. ”

The NKFC released a report this month entitled “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and North Korea” that examines the thirty articles of this document to conclude that North Koreans are denied every single one of these universally accepted human rights standards.  The document is available at nkfreedom.org.

For further information, visit nkfreedom.org or call 703-534-4313.

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As a new year dawns . . .

Posted in Uncategorized on December 28, 2009| 5 Comments »

I love finding bargains! In fact, it is rare for me to purchase anything unless it’s on sale. Even better is finding it on clearance at 50% or more off. So you can imagine my delight when I discovered a beautiful crèche in the clearance section. The carved figures of Mary and Joseph and the angel were exquisite. But wait! Something, no Someone, was missing. There was no baby Jesus!

I thought of the efforts of the “politically correct” to take Christ out of Christmas and how much has changed since I was a little girl. Christmas without Christ was unimaginable. He was indeed the “reason for the season.”

This December I went on a Caribbean cruise with my daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren age 18 months, four years, and five years old. I was a needed third pair of eyes to watch the little ones. Except for a few decorations, there was no evidence of Christmas onboard. There were no Christmas carols, no mention of Christ in the shows we attended. There was, of course, much eating and drinking, gambling and partying. How empty it all seemed, and how I longed for fellowship with other Christians.

I’m reminded of Jesus’ words, of how He said the world will be at ease, drinking and partying, before His unexpected return (Lk. 17:26-30; Matt. 24:48-49). I’m also reminded of His challenge to be a “wise and faithful servant. . . . Have I given you the task of managing my household, to feed my children day by day? Blessings on you if I return and find you faithfully doing your work” (Matt. 24:45-46 TLB).

Father, as a new year approaches, ignite in me and in every believer a renewed passion to be Your light in the growing darkness. Give us a holy boldness to be Your representative and to share Your truth. Most of all show us how to truly love others so that they will see Jesus in us and be drawn not just to the Babe in the manger but also to the Savior who willingly went to the cross to save us from our sins. How I thank and praise You for this greatest of all gifts!

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