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Archive for the ‘Writer’s Life’ Category

Facing Elephants

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming self-doubts, Writer's Life on February 22, 2016| Leave a Comment »

elephantAre you facing an elephant?

More than likely your elephant, same as mine, is something you’ve been putting off doing because it’s just seems so big, so beyond your capability, so overwhelming . . .

You’d think after 20 years directing the Colorado Christian Writers Conference and 32 years directing the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference the task would be easier. Not so!

Each year the task seems more daunting.  And each year I have to remind myself that “God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promises” (Rom. 11:29 TLB).

What has He promised you and me?

That it would be easy to follow Him? No! But He has promised always to be with us.

I’ve learned (but need to keep re-learning) that “when I am weak, then I am strong—the less I have, the more I depend on him” (2 Cor. 12:10 TLB). elephant cookie

I know that in His strength you and I can eat the elephant a bite at a time!


Update: May 11-14
Colorado Christian Writers Conference

The faculty and program are in place. The brochure is in print. Lots of new to CCWC people are registering. Thank You, Father!

I’m slowly making progress updating the website that is now mobile-friendly. Sadly HTML is not user-friendly. Can anyone recommend a good book or website? And would you please pray that I can get the photos, bios, and editorial needs/areas of expertise of our 57 agents, authors, and editors online in the next couple of days?

 

Update: August 3-6
Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference

2 elephantsWith the April 15 D-Day for opening online regisration looming, I feel like I’m facing not one but two elephants! There are days I fear I’ll be trampled under their weight. But “through your  faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done” (Phil 1:19 MSG).

Are you facing an elephant today?  “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Heb. 12:2-3 MSG).

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Think Big!

Posted in Goal-setting, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming self-doubts, Pondering Biblical Truth, Writer's Life on July 21, 2015| 3 Comments »

Think Big3This spring I had the joy of keynoting at the Stay Focused Writers’ Retreat in New Jersey. The theme of the retreat was “Think Big” based on Dr. Ben Carson’s book, Think Big, written with my good friend, Cec Murphey. I highly recommend this book and Gifted Hands, also written with Cec, and the movie, Gifted Hands.

I began my message with this powerful promise:

Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. – Ephesians 3:20 TLB

In my keynote I identified a baker’s dozen of attitudes and actions that hinder or help us to think big.

1. Failing to cut old tapes. – “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 TLB).

2. Listening to the wrong voices. – “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:4 NASB)

3. Self-centered rather than God-and-other-centered focus! – “Look out for one another’s interests, not just for your own. The attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had” (Phil. 2:4-5 TEV).

4. Lack of vision. – “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov. 29:18 KJV).

5. Failure to set specific and measurable goals. – “We should make plans – counting on God to help us” (Prov. 16:9 TLB).

6. Allowing disappointments to derail us. – “No one who believes in Christ will ever be disappointed” (Rom. 10:11 TLB).

7. Sinking in the sea of doubts. – “But I’m not the person for a job like that” (Ex. 3:11 TLB).

8. Falling victim to discouragement. – “He is a mighty Savior. He will give you victory. He will rejoice over you with great gladness; he will love you and not accuse you” (Zeph. 3:17 TLB).

9. Procrastinating instead of persisting. – “Dreaming instead of doing is foolishness, and there is ruin in a flood of empty words” (Eccl. 5:7 TLB)

Instead we need to:

10. Draw near to the Promise Giver and Keeper. – “When you draw close to God, God will draw close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and let your hearts be filled with God alone to make them pure and true to him” (James 4:8 TLB).

11. Stay in the Word. – The whole Bible “is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone” (2 Tim. 3:17 TLB).

12. Get to work. – “Be strong and courageous and get to work. Do not be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with you; he will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly” (1 Chron. 28:20 TLB).

Run13. Put on the armor and commit to what He is calling you to do – NOW! – “So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I’m not just shadow-boxing or playing around” (1 Cor. 9:26 TLB).

Now you have every grace and blessing;
every spiritual gift and power
for doing his will are yours 
during this time of waiting
for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:7 TLB

Banner 2015 GPCWC

It’s not too late to register for the July 29 – August 1 Greater Philliy Christian Writers Conference. A $15 late fee will automatically be added to your online registration on Thursday, July 23, so do it now. That’s a great motto for writers!

It’s also not too late to request free one-on-one appointments with our facuty of 53 authors, editors, agents, and publicists, but after July 22 you’ll need to schedule your appointments when you arrive. Appointments are 15 minutes long and give you the opportunity to pitch your idea to editors and agents and/or get helpful suggestions from professional authors.

I hope to see you there!

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Nurturing the Heart of the Storyteller – Part 2

Posted in Called to write, Craft of writing, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Publishing journey, Writer's Life on July 14, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Allen Arnold Nov 2013Donna Brennan
Interviews
Allen Arnold

God’s primary desire isn’t that we write about Him. Or even for Him. It is that we write with Him.


As founder and former Publisher of Thomas Nelson Fiction, Allen Arnold was a strong advocate not just for story, but for the storyteller. He has worked with hundreds of authors and published more than 500 novels in his 20 years in Christian publishing.

Allen’s personal ministry is now to nurture the heart and spirituality of the storyteller. More recently, as Director of Content and Resources at Ransomed Heart Ministry, he has been able to expand his reach to help many others—besides just authors—get closer to God and live the story of their life with an awakened heart.

But he still has a special place in his own heart for the storyteller. That’s why he’s such a popular presenter at Christian writing conferences, and part of the reason he received the ACFW Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

Allen will be presenting a five-part continuing session at the July 29 – August 1 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference on “The Heart of the Storyteller” as well as a keynote Friday evening, July 31, “Awakening the Writer’s Heart.” I caught up with him to ask him some questions about this session and about his passion for nurturing the hearts of others.

Question: Isn’t it easy to lose track of God in the hustle and bustle of trying to do everything we are told we need to do? Is your session going to help us understand how to keep from getting burnout and still find time to spend with God?

An author recently told me, “It’s easy to sometimes forget why I’m writing in the first place.” And that is so true. We lose ourselves in the blur of deadlines, social media, and daily word counts. We turn to productivity while God longs for our presence. We put our heads down and focus on getting things done for God…instead of realizing we are on a creative playground with God. We ask God to bless our time writing instead of asking what His plans are for our day. We get busy doing rather than being. And when we look up, we find ourselves in a desert. In my sessions, I’ll identify the main “creative deserts” and offer tangible ways to avoid or escape them.

Question: Do you think it’s the enemy that distracts us so much with the busyness of writing and marketing? Or do you think we do it to ourselves?

The answer is both. We have an enemy of the story we are writing AND the story we are living. His goal is not distraction as much as destruction. I believe the enemy has a unique hatred for creative…and will spend time taking readers into why this is and how to overcome his very specific plans to destroy our creativity and our calling. The second element is our own motives. It is easy to make our stories and our success an idol. If that sounds a bit strong, realize this. Whatever we turn to for life is what we worship. So if your validation hinges on success as a writer…you may be more focused on your calling than the One who called you into it. During my sessions, I’ll share how to make your writing an offering – and how to resist the enemy. It’s a two-fold approach.

Question: The nature of writing usually makes it a solitary—and isolating—task. Why can this be dangerous, and what can we do to avoid any pitfalls?

We write in isolation – but we never have to write alone. Because our gifting came with an invitation from God. Not just to create. But to create together. God gave you this talent so you can spend it with Him…as a way to grow closer together. But something happens along the way. The gift overshadows the giver – and aloneness replaces fellowship. Remember this – God’s primary desire isn’t that we write about Him. Or even for Him. It is that we write with Him. When writers discover this truth and learn how to live it, they will never write alone again. That is the whole focus of being in Creative Fellowship with God.

Question: In the description of your continuing session, it talks about discovering “how to live free, write free.” What exactly does that mean?

This phrase is a short-hand way of reminding writers that Jesus came to set us free…and when we are living in His freedom, we can then create in total freedom. Imagine what better stories we can tell when we are writing from an awakened heart and walking with Him through the entire creative process. It is  transformational, but it starts with our lives before it can transform our writing.

Question: The novel I’m working on is fiction, but my life is real. How can getting in touch with my own story—my own life—improve the story that I want to write?

Here is the bottom line – you can’t write a better story than you are living. So to write really powerful stories, you first have to live a really powerful life. Knowing your personal story (it didn’t just begin last week or even last year) allows you to tell better stories. There’s got to be time built into your life for you to be aware of what’s really going on in your heart. Artists are gifted at “seeing the unseen” and then creating. Yet they often overlook their own spiritual health. Writers can focus more on imagined stories than the rhythms of their own life story. We’ll dive into this more – but it’s impossible to offer words with life when your own life is stressed out, dried up, and empty. The discovery is how to live and create from an awakened heart.

Question: Is it more than just a coincidence that you have such a passion for the writer’s heart and the ministry that you’ve been drawn to deals with restoring and nourishing the hearts of God’s people?

Great question! There are no coincidences for those who walk with God. He has invited me into a ministry in Colorado (Ransomed Heart) where the focus is healing broken hearts and setting people free. If that phrase sounds familiar, it is from a passage in Isaiah 61 that Jesus quoted to start His ministry. Two years ago, God told me that my new ministry was going after the hearts of writers. I wish I had done that while I was in publishing for 20 years. I did my best as a publisher to help authors write the best stories and then get them to the broadest possible audience. But I didn’t know how to go after their hearts…probably because I didn’t even know fully how to pursue my own heart at that time. So while being a part of the Ransomed Heart ministry is my full-time role (and I love it!), I also speak and meet with hundreds of writers a year to help them write with God from an awakened heart. It brings me incredible joy to help writers find a way out of the creative desert and into the wildness of creating with God.

Question: What are some of the things you do to revitalize your own heart? How do you get in touch with who God created you to be?

If I don’t spend regular, intimate time with God – I quickly end up in a dry and dusty place. For too long, I thought productivity was the secret to my happiness – the more I got done, the happier I was. But I’ve discovered that God always longs for our presence before our productivity. So what revitalizes my heart is savoring God by just being with Him, reading (for pleasure), playing (with my kids), dreaming big with my wife, and time at the gym. Oh, and salsa. I love salsa.  ;  ).  

Allen, to be quite honest, I didn’t think I was “in need” of your session—I thought I was in touch with my heart and that I had most things pretty much in balance. But after reading a few things short things you’ve written and listening to two online interviews you gave, I realize how far I am from what you are talking about. Your passion for the writer’s spirituality made me realize how much my writing has been becoming a business, and not a calling. I wonder how many other writers, like me, don’t realize how much they need your message. I’m including a link to a PDF of the Keynote you gave at the Christy Awards in 2012.http://www.christyawards.com/ca_new/images/stories/client_pdf/CAPTURED_BY_STORYed.pdf

I think it will inspire a lot of other writers to remember why they are writing, and to actively partner with the One who called them to write.
___________________

Thank you, Donna and Allen, for this thought-provoking interview. Allen welcomes your comments on this blog.

Allen’s Friday evening, July 31, keynote is open free of charge to the community. To register for the conference which includes your choice of 9 workshops from 58 offered and 1 continuing session from 8 offered including Allen’s “Heart of the Storyteller” go to http://philadelphia.writehisanswer.com/register. The price increases July 16.

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Listening to the wrong voices?

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Overcoming self-doubts, Writer's Life on April 30, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Discouraged face
Years ago my beloved friend and mentor, Lee Roddy, admonished me that I was “listening to the wrong voices.

“Like me, you’re probably all too familiar with those voices that make us question and doubt that God can use us.

Sandy Quandt, a frequent attendee at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, writes,

We allow stuff to hold us back from becoming the person we were created in God’s image to become. We put self-imposed road blocks in the way of the Holy Spirit’s working in us. The shackles bind and restrict, yet we falsely believe we will never break free. . . . Read more of this powerful message at http://www.sandykirbyquandt.com/take-those-shackles-off.

Barb Haley, the appointments coordinator and bookstore manager at both the May 13-16 Colorado and July 29-August 1 Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference shares her experience as a first-time conferee 16 years ago:

I’m reminded of the time just before my first conference when I didn’t feel like I was really ready to go. I didn’t know if I was a writer, and I felt guilty squandering our money just for a fun trip. Our finances were tight at the time, and I wondered if I were being a good steward of the money God gave us. As the days before the conference ticked off, my anxiety grew. . . . Read more in Rick Marschall’s Monday Morning Music Ministry blog post, “A Mountain-Top Experience Accessible to All” at http://bit.ly/1DvtZ2F. Rick’s blog was birthed at CCWC and has almost 100,000 hits and is reprinted internationally.

I can so identify with Barb’s feelings. My pastor sent me to my first writers’ conference about 40 years ago.Talk about anxiety! I got lost on the way to the conference and felt even more lost once I arrived as it immediately became obvious I was out of my league. If my pastor hadn’t paid for the conference, I wouldn’t have stayed. But I did stay, and that conference changed my life!

There’s still time to register for the Colorado conference before the price increases May 9.

Online registration is open for the July 29 – August 1 Philly conference. Our 16-page brochure will be off press tomorrow. If you’re on our mailing list, it should be in your mailbox by mid-week. If you’d like to be added or to receive a quantity to share with your writer’s group, please email me at mbagnull@aol.com.

As you seek the Lord for His plan for your life and your writing be encouraged by the Scripture He led me to this morning:

“Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied)
are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him,
who expect and look and long for Him
[for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy,
and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!”
Isaiah 30:18 AMP

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On Writers and Rhino Skin

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Writer's Life on April 22, 2015| 4 Comments »

RhinocerosGuest blogger
CCWC & GPCWC faculty member
Marti Pieper

As a little girl, I excelled in school. Even before I was old enough to earn A’s, I received E’s (for “Excellent.”)

But there was one area in which I didn’t excel. Look at my second-grade class picture, and you’ll find me on the front row: cat’s-eye glasses, red cheeks, and clasped hands.

I donned my first pair of glasses earlier that school year. But the red cheeks and clasped hands? Those appeared a few minutes before the photo shoot, when two of my classmates told me I pressed too hard when I colored.

The problem (and subsequent sobs) came not because I thought I was a great artist, but because I wanted to do everything right. Hence the tears and red cheeks. Hence the soggy tissue stuffed between those clasped hands. Hence the consistent report- card comments: “Does not receive criticism well.” “Needs to work on responses to criticism.”

My teachers could well have said, “Needs to develop rhino skin.” These ponderous mammals have skin more than ten times as thick as the human epidermis. We’re talking tough!

So yes, I needed to develop thicker skin. I needed to understand that not everyone would like what I drew (or wrote). And I needed to gain the strength to persevere no matter what.

Today, I believe that my tender heart is a God-given quality, part of what makes me a good writer and intercessor. But if I’m not careful, my sensitivity can also drag me down, leaving me stunned and silent after a negative review or trembling after a harsh conference critique. And, if I’m not careful, it can block my desire to improve my work.

At the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, in a special Early Bird workshop on Wednesday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m., I’ll teach about “Rhino Skin: Why We Need It and How to Get It.” I’ll share how I moved from the tearful second-grader to the writer who has no more fear in giving or receiving critiques of her own. And I’ll teach how you can grow that tougher skin, too.

Unless you’re a zoologist, you probably don’t care about the thickness of a rhino’s skin. But as a writer, you should care a lot about the thickness of your own. Join me (it’s not too late to register for the conference) and we’ll learn together.

P.S. If you missed my tongue-in-cheek poem about Sam-I-Am and the CCWC, check it out here. Enjoy!
__________

Marti also will teach workshop 6F, “Blogging Success,” at the May 13-16 Colorado Christian Writers Conference for Rick Marschall who is unable to be with us. At the July 29 – August 1 Greater Philly Conference she is teaching a continuing session on “Master the Memoir.” In addition, along with Ava Pennington, she will serve at the appointment desk at both conferences. Thank You, Father, for the faculty You have provided for both conferences and for all You are doing and will do.

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Waiting patiently, productively, expectantly!

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, God's promises, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Writer's Life on March 29, 2015| 1 Comment »

flowers-purple-crocus-13111088Spring is coming!

Actually, it arrived a week ago, but you can’t tell it from the cold the past few days.

I am so ready for spring – so ready to work in my garden. Even when it does warm up (really, it will;I KNOW it will), until the ground dries out from the winter snows, I’ll sink in above my sneakers.

Truth is, I don’t like waiting. And so Father called me to be a writer, a profession where waiting is a given!

Many of you know that my first book was rejected (returned sounds better!) by 42 publishers over a six-year period.

“I want you to learn to wait patiently, productively, and expectantly,” the Lord told me one day when I was griping and feeling sorry for myself.

I pondered those words the rest of the day. The productive and expectant part sounded okay. But patience? Surely the Lord knew I had a problem being patient. Yet I knew if I failed to learn the lesson of patience, I wouldn’t be prepared to persist during other dry spells. The challenge Lee Roddy once gave me, “write so heaven will be different,” would never happen if my lack of patience caused me to quit.

If I chose to use waiting times to indulge in self-pity and gripe to other writers about “those editors,” time that could be used productively would be lost. And the bottom line . . . failing to learn to wait patiently and expectantly would be the denial of a Scripture I promised years ago to heed. “I will keep on expecting you to help me. I [will] praise you more and more. I [will] walk in the strength of the Lord God” (Ps. 71:14, 16)—through the times when my writing is bearing fruit, as well as through the times when I must wait for it to mature and ripen.

spring-flowers

Are you stuck in a time of waiting? Does your writing ministry seem to be on hold? Ask the Lord, “What lessons are You trying to teach me?” I’d love for you to share what He shows you.

Scriptures to encourage you: Psalm 27:14; 32:8; 42:11; 130:3-6; Isaiah 40:29-31; Hebrews 11:1.

Our four hands-on clinics are a great way to get the help you need and to connect with a small group of writers that may become forever friends.  Applications (click here) are due April 1 for:

Fiction Intensive with Tracie & Jim Peterson – limit 8 participants
What makes a good story? How do you give life to paper characters? Why is setting so critical? What’s research got to do with fiction? How can you avoid mistakes like telling not showing, too much backstory, flashbacks within flashbacks, lack of motivation in your characters, and more. In addition to the application, you need to submit 15 pages.

Nonfiction Book Proposals with Cindy Lambert – limit 6 participants
Cindy will lead a group of six authors in critiquing one another’s proposals, then spend the conference improving and fine-tuning them. She will also have a one-on-one 30-minute appointment with each participant.

Get Them Coming to Your Blog/Website with Megan Breedlove – limit 10 participants
How do you bring the maximum number of people to your site so they can hear your message or receive your ministry?  Learn what kind of web presence you need and where to go to get it, determine exactly who your target audience is and what they need, receive individual instruction to ensure your site does the best possible job of meeting your audience’s needs, discover how to promote your site and increase your Google ranking, expand your author platform so you can get your message out to the nations and develop a presence that will be attractive to publishers, and more.

fear-of-public-speaking-1

Speakers’ Clinic with Roy Hanschke
limit 8 participants
Every writer needs to be a speaker, too. If you’ve been avoiding the challenge to begin the speaking part of your ministry or need to improve what you’re already doing, this is the clinic for you. Roy will help you 1) discover your ministry focus and how to talk about it (power statements), 2) organize one of your talks to maximize time and effectiveness (message development), 3) present your talk with power and pizzazz (voice personality), and 4) market your message through radio (media mania). You’ll have an opportunity to test what you learn and receive helpful evaluation from Roy and your peers.

It’s often said that writing and speaking go hand in hand.
That’s why I’m grateful that CCWC  offered Roy’s Speakers’ Clinic.
Roy is a dynamic example of “show don’t tell”
as he actually demonstrates different methods of effective communication.
Each participant had the opportunity to try out Roy’s suggestions
in a safe and encouraging atmosphere.
We learned from each other
and went home with a notebook full of useful instructions
on how to become a more skillful communicator. 
Sue Cameron


Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference – July 29 – August 1

Yes, I know it’s been a long wait, but finally the faculty and continuing sessions are in place. I’m really excited at how I see Father at work. Now I need to work at getting the rest of the website updated and  the brochure to the printer. Online registration opens April 1. No fooling!

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When Words Don’t Come | News You Can Use

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Pondering Biblical Truth, Publishing journey, Uncategorized, Writer's Life on March 11, 2015| Leave a Comment »

pen & inkwellWhen Words Don’t Come

Guest post by
Starr Ayers

If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. Habakkuk 2:3 NLT

Staying in tune with God can be difficult … especially when we don’t hear anything. As I drove my daughter, who has Down Syndrome, to an appointment, she listened to her favorite station through her headphones. Before long, she huffed and began thumping on her radio.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

She gave no reply but continued to thump her radio in frustration.

“What’s wrong? Isn’t your radio working?”

“No.”

“How long has it not been working?” I asked.

No answer.

“Did it work yesterday?”

“No.”

“Did it work the day before?”

“No.”

“Did you wear your headphones at work anyway?”

“Yes.”

My heart broke. After my daughter’s appointment, I stopped at the store for batteries, replaced the old ones in her radio, and drove her back to work. When I left, she was wearing her headset and was working to the beat of the music once more. As I climbed into my car, God whispered, “She didn’t hear anything, but she kept on listening. You should too.”

Once again, my daughter was the teacher. I was the student. Sometimes, God is silent. During those times, the temptation to change the channel is great. We want to remedy the situation ourselves. Search in other directions. Fill the dead air with the sound of our own voice or the voices of others, or simply “thump” in frustration.

Although the words of today’s text may not be the words we want to hear, they do give us some much-needed insight. Listen. Keep watch. Remain steadfast. Live in expectancy. God will speak. He won’t remain silent forever. Although He may not rush in with His answer as quickly as I supplied the batteries for my daughter’s radio, His timing will be perfect.

Don’t grow weary and lose heart, my friend. Keep on listening. God’s words will come, and you’ll be dancing to the rhythm of His beat once more.

 

StarrAyers

Starr Ayers is a third-generation artist, writer, and speaker. The mother of a daughter with Down syndrome, her heart is to encourage the acceptance of those with life-challenging disabilities and to inspire others to embrace their own uniqueness in Christ. Starr is a contributor to the book Hopelifter: Creative Ways to Spread Hope When Life Hurts and is published monthly in Thrive magazine. Connect with Starr at http://bringinglifeintofocus2.blogspot.com, or starrayers@triad.rr.com.

First appeared in www.christiandevotions.us. Used with permission of Christian Devotions Ministries.

Thank you, Starr, for this important reminder of the verse that comes before Habakkuk 2:2, the theme of the Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers Conferences. And thank you, Cindy Sproles, for your ministry through http://www.christiandevotions.us and giving me permission to reprint this. You can meet Cindy at the July 29-August 1 Greater Philly conference and the co-founder of Christian Devotions Ministries, Eddie Jones, at the May 13-16 Colorado Christian Writers Conference. I want to encourage you to subscribe to these daily devotions and to check out their helpful guidelines for writers.

 

News You Can Use

Set of multicolored big buttons made of glass or plastic with metallic borders

Leading Hearts Magazine

ASKS:

“Is God Calling You to Write?”

Wish You Had Your Own Writing Coach?

Now that could make THE difference to help you answer your call. Right?

This is exactly is why authors Angela  Breidenbach and Linda Evans Shepherd are presenting a live webinar called Secrets to a Successful Writing Career. And the best news is that even if you can’t make it to the live class — if you sign up, you will automatically get a recording of the class.  To Register: Click HERE.

The class will cover:

The big picture – What you need to know – to embark on the journey to publishing and readership.

  • Which key tools do you need to help you in your journey?
  • How do you get, find, and keep an editor or agent?
  • Finding a publisher and other publishing ops.
  • What is ‘platform’ and how do you build one?
  • What do you need to be writing now?
  • How do you write like a pro anyway?  What do you need to do in order to create excellence in your work?

We will cover this and a lot more to help you not only get published, but build an audience and an enduring readership – so you can answer your call to write.

Webinar Details:

When:  Thursday, March 12

Time:  9:00 pm EST, 8:00 pm CST, 7:00 pm MST, 6:00 pm PST

Where:  Watch our live Webinar on your own computer; or sign up and you will automatically get the replay to watch at your convenience.

NOTE:  Students will receive handouts plus, Angie and Linda will be live, in person, to answer your questions.

To Register: Click HERE.

About our Presenters:Angela Breidenbach

Angela Breidenbach is a captivating speaker, coach, and author. Angela serves nationally as the Christian Author Network’s (CAN) president. With a volume of appearances online and on television, stage, and radio Angela loves to share her knowledge to build up others. (And yes, she’s Writer in the #Muse & Writer comedy duo.)

linda shepherd hi res 2 from we bLinda Evans Shepherd is an award-winning, best-selling author of over 30 books.  She’s the president of Right to the Heart, the publisher of Leading Hearts Magazine, an international speaker as well as the director of Instant Writers Conference and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA). Linda will give a keynote, “Write, and Speak, His Answer . . . Prayerfully” at the May 13-16 Colorado Christian Writers Conference. She will also teach the continuing session, “Reaching Women through Writing and More.”

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Critique, or not?

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Craft of writing, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Writer's Life on March 6, 2015| 1 Comment »

Grumbling face croppedCritique, or not?
That is the question.

Guest post by
Sandy Quandt

Picture the following scenario with me, if you will. Two individuals are engaged in a deep conversation. One of the individuals becomes aggravated. Defensive. Begins making excuses. Questions the other’s authority. Pouts. And finally sulks away disgruntled.

Now, which of the following do you believe was the unhappy participant in the conversation?

  1. A) Toddler who hit his brother
  2. B) Teen who missed curfew
  3. C) Writer receiving a critique

If you chose C, you are correct.

Receiving a critique is sometimes difficult for those of us who call ourselves writers to endure, wouldn’t you agree? Especially for those of us in the beginning stages of our writer’s journey.

We’ve written the next best seller. Why is it so difficult for others to see that? We may have read several books on the craft of writing. We might have participated in an on-line discussion group, webinar, workshop or conference. We know what we are doing. If the so-called experts can’t see that, then who needs ‘em?

While I am guilty of thinking this way, may I suggest that it is NOT the correct attitude for us to have at any stage of our journey?

The first time I got the courage to actually submit my freshly written darling for a critique at a Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators conference, I was disappointed I was not able to speak with my first choice editor of a major New York publishing house. Instead, a multi-published author in my genre had the privilege of reading my best seller.

She was kind in her critique and complimentary of my efforts, but when she told me my story, Mandee the Manatee, started off slow, I knew she didn’t know what she was talking about. Of course it starts off slow. Have you ever seen an actual manatee swim?

It did not take me long, though, to realize my critiquer was correct. Mandee the Manatee was not ready for publication. It sits in a drawer of my desk.

I followed that critique with a brand new novel, In the Valley of the Shadow of Death, for an appointment at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference with James Scott Bell. You know, the guy who’s written tons of best sellers and all those Writers Digest how-to-write books. Surely he’d know what he was doing and be able to recognize quality work when he saw it. Maybe even ask for a full to send to an editor he knew.

When Mr. Bell told me he found it difficult to read the dialogue I’d written in the appropriate dialect to reflect the area of Appalachia where my historical novel was set, I balked. What did that guy from California know about the way people in Appalachia speak?

Next.

Figuring out that maybe the dialect was a bit too difficult for the average reader, I did away with it, but left enough distinctive words to reflect the region. With that done, I submitted my baby to a super-star editor at another major New York publishing house during another SCBWI conference.

She was complementary. She loved my voice. She enjoyed reading the sample. By this time, I was ready to hand her the full manuscript I’d brought with me that was sitting on the floor board of my car. But . . . she felt it wasn’t edgy enough. Now, if I’d change my historical middle grade novel to a young adult vampire romance, she’d be more interested. This after telling me my title, In the Valley of the Shadow of Death, was too morbid. Seriously?

There have been other critiques and appointments. One editor at an American Christian Writers Conference even went so far as to take my one sheet, proposal, and three sample chapters of Valley back to her superiors, only to be told historicals weren’t selling in the children’s market.

Although I never enjoyed being told my writing really wasn’t where it needed to be, and I still don’t, with each and every critique I’ve improved. That is the point after all, is it not? To keep improving. To keep striving to make our writing the best it can be. To write as unto the LORD?

2015 CCWC Banner

 

Will you be heading to the CCWC this May? If so, might I suggest you get those writing samples polished until they shine. Sign up for appointments and critiques. Believe the person sitting opposite you has your best interest at heart, even when their words hurt and sting. They want you to succeed. Really, they do. They are professionals who know what they are talking about. Trust them.

Here are a few things I’m learning through my mistakes which I’d like to share with you for this writing journey we’re on.

  • Bite your tongue if you have to, but don’t argue.
  • Don’t make excuses.
  • Don’t question the critiquer’s judgment.
  • During the appointment take notes whether you agree with what is being said, or not.
  • Take a breath when you feel like your dreams are crashing around you.
  • Take a walk and talk with God until you can get your feelings under control.
  • Take your time once you return home to reassess your writing. Look at it with fresh eyes after letting it sit for a week or two.
  • Reread your notes. It might surprise you how much wisdom that critiquer had after all.

______________

Thanks, Sandy, for sharing your hard-won wisdom. Sandy weaves “words of encouragement and hope” on her Woven and Spun blog at http://www.sandykirbyquandt.com/.

Father, please give us teachable spirits. Help us – help me – not to fall in love with our words but to listen, to learn, and to seek You for the words we write.

Check out the list of critiquers and genres for the May 13-16 Colorado Christian Writers Conference (http://colorado.writehisanswer.com/paidcritiques).  Meeting for 30 minutes with one or more of these professionals who will have read your manuscript pre-conference is a great opportunity to make your writing the best it can be.

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Paid critiques will also be available at the July 29 – August 1 Greater Philly conference. I’m working to finalize the faculty and program and with the Lord’s help plan to open online registration April 1.

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Writing Saved My Life!

Posted in Colorado Christian Writers Conference, Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference, Writer's Life on February 20, 2015| Leave a Comment »

pen & inkwellGuest Blogger
Barbara Haley

I was ten years old when I asked God to show me if He was real. The next day my sixteen-year-old sister was killed in an automobile accident. God was real. I shouldn’t have asked.

Of course, I didn’t tell anyone. Instead, I stuffed the guilt and the excruciating pain when my parents said things to me like, “You may look like her, but you’ll never be as good as her.” Or, “Comb your hair a different way; I can’t stand to look at you.”

Thirty-five years later, I finally opened up to a therapist. He sent me home to write a letter to my big sister from the point of view of a ten-year-old child.

After just a few sentences, my heart connected with the hurting little girl inside, and she began to voice her pain. Begging forgiveness from her precious older sister for causing her death. Suggesting that everyone would have been better off if only she could have died in her sister’s place that day. And finally, admitting how very much she hated God for what He’d done.

My next letter was to that sweet child—explaining to her that she didn’t cause her sister’s death and that God was not angry with her for her honest feelings and reactions. I released that child to be exactly that. A broken and confused child who desperately needed to know she was loved by God and family.

That writing changed my life and instilled in me a desire to learn how to use my life experiences to minister to others through the written word.

But I needed to learn how to write tight. To eliminate wordiness. To organize my thoughts. To connect emotionally with the reader. To stick to one point of view. To create a setting that captures the reader’s imagination and transfers them from their everyday life to an exciting new story world.

Writing conferences. This is where I’m learning the craft. Where I connect with other writers to encourage and be encouraged. Where I receive one-on-one feedback with paid critiques. And where God speaks clearly to my heart through inspiring worship and keynote speakers, informative workshops and continuing sessions, life-changing editor appointments, and most of all—the day to day rapport with fellow writers while sharing meals, waiting in line at the book table, or joining together for intimate prayer and Bible study.

Sure, you can buy books about the craft of writing. My shelves are loaded with them. But only when I began to consistently attend conferences did I really improve as a writer. I needed the immediate feedback and the hands-on practice provided in small groups led by experienced teachers. I grew in leaps and bounds as I jotted down strategies mentioned by other writers and began implementing them in my own writing. And, as I stood amazed, listening to big-name authors share their overwhelmingly deep love for God and His people, I realized just how sacred the ministry of writing is.

Let me encourage you to come and grow in your ministry as a writer at the May 13-16 Colorado or July 29-August 1 Greater Philly Christian Writers’ Conference. The friendships you’ll form will develop into a network of love and support in all areas of your life, and your writing friends will truly become your family. I promise.

______________

Thanks, Barbie, for sharing your heart and for scheduling the appointments and managing the book table at the Colorado (CCWC) and Greater Philly (GPCWC) conference. You are a blessing!

CCWC banner with lodge 2015

CCWC Update – We now have 39 registered from 10 states. If you’re among the next 36 to register, you’ll receive an additional free one-on-one appointment with the agent, editor, or author of your choice based, of course, on their availability. Remember, the earlier you register the  better opportunity you have to get your top choices. If you’re among the first 75 to register for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday you’ll receive a total of FIVE appointments. For more info on our appointment procedures click here and on how best to prepare click here. During the coming week I’ll be adding faculty bios and editorial needs to the conference website to help you make the best choices. The appointment request form will not be available until then, but appointments requests received through April 10 will be booked in the order you register.

Banner 2015 GPCWC

Ted & DanGPCWC Update – I’m grateful that Dr. Ted Baehr (on the left), Founder and Chairman of The Christian Film & Television Commission™ and Publisher of MOVIEGUIDE®, will keynote and teach a continuing session on “Breakthrough Scriptwriting” at this year’s Philly conference.  Ted hosted the 23rd annual Movieguide Awards February 7. To find out who won, click here. Better still, you can watch the Movieguide® Awards this coming Saturday on the REELZChannel, 7 p.m. Eastern time and 4 p.m. Pacific. www.movieguide.org

I’ll be posting info on our July 29 – August 1 conference to the website soon.

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Tempted to Give Up?

Posted in Called to write, God's promises, Overcoming self-doubts, Uncategorized, Writer's Life on February 13, 2015| 9 Comments »

Faith rock
I will commit everything I do to the Lord.
I will trust Him to help me do it and He will.
(See Psalm 37:5)

 

Have you ever been ready to give up? Have you tried everything you know but feel like you’re banging your head against a brick wall?   What do you do when the accuser tells you that your best isn’t good enough – that it never has been and never will be?

Perhaps it’s a manuscript you’ve been working on for years. You’ve rewritten it not just once or twice but many times. Still you’ve been unsuccessful in finding anyone interested in publishing it. And it makes no sense because you know it’s something God has called you to write. You’ve studied the craft. You’ve gone to critique groups and conferences trying to find that missing something.  And now . . . now you’re not sure you can keep on keeping on.

That was my experience with my first book that some of you know was rejected by 42 publishers over a six-year period. If I had given up (and believe me, there were many times I wanted to), it and the eight books that followed would never have been published. I would not have founded the Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference in 1983 or said yes in 1997 to directing the Colorado Christian Writers Conference.

Yes, there have been many times when I’ve doubted and when, as my friend and writing mentor Lee Roddy admonished me years ago, I’ve “listened to the wrong voices.” The accuser still taunts me. “You’re not smart enough. You can’t do this.” And that’s true. What the Lord asks me to do is so far beyond my abilities. I can easily become overwhelmed and stressed. Like dangling my little toe in quicksand, I can get sucked down into that dark place of doubt and fear. It happened again just yesterday.

“Worship Me,” I felt the Lord say. “Put on a CD and worship Me.” To be honest, it would have been easier to continue wallowing in the quicksand. But I obeyed. The darkness began to lift. And then a friend called. I confessed how I was struggling and she prayed for me. And Father answered and reminded me of lessons I thought I’d learned and even written about in my book,  Write His Answer – A Bible Study for Christian Writers).

I need, we need to …

Keep our eyes on the Lord, on how far we’ve come, and on the prize. It’s easy to allow problems and challenges to consume us and to blind us to the Lord’s presence, to how far we’ve come, and to the prize. “I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us” (Philippians 3:14 TLB) Paul wrote from prison in Rome. Paul had reason to be greatly frustrated and discouraged by the loss of his freedom. He could have questioned the Lord and concluded that his ministry was over. Instead he focused on the needs of the churches and wrote letters that continue to encourage Christ-followers almost 2,000 years later.

Cut the tapes from our past. Although Paul never forgot the person he was before he encountered the Lord on the Damascus Road, he did not wallow in the past or dwell on what others thought or said about him. Instead he embraced the truth of Zephaniah 3:17: “He is a mighty Savior. He will give you victory. He will rejoice over you with great gladness; he will love you and not accuse you” (TLB). Paul was able to preach and write about the message of salvation because of his firsthand experience of God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness.

Don’t grieve the Lord by our lack of faith. Although sometimes it may seem that He’s not listening, we need to trust that He will equip us with all we need for doing his will (see Hebrews 13:20). It’s not easy to wait on the Lord and to have Hebrews 11:1 faith in what we can’t yet see, but “God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promises” (Romans 11:29 TLB).

Do our best and trust God for the rest. The fear of failure can paralyze us if we let it, and that’s exactly what our adversary wants. I grieve for the books that have not been published and for ministries that have been abandoned because of the evil one’s accusations. I pray for those who are frustrated and discouraged by the need to build their platform and questioning their call to “write His answer.” Friends, we must not leave God out of the equation. Instead we need to affirm His promise that He is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20 NIV).

Father, help us to believe You and not the accuser. Thank You for loving us and for being bigger than our fears. Thank You for encouraging us not to give up. We will keep on expecting you to help us. We will praise you more and more. We will walk in the strength of the Lord our God (Psalm 71:14, 16 TLB).

What promise do you claim when you are tempted to give up?


I keep an excerpt from Write His Answer
taped to the cabinet next to my desk.
When discouragement sets in,
when the loneliness of writing and the
enormity of the task threatens to overwhelm me,
Write His Answer spurs me on. I can think
of no better resource for helping a writer
maintain a biblical perspective than this book. 

Linda J. White
Christian Author & Speaker
www.lindajwhite.com

 

For 24 years Write His Answer has encouraged writers.
This new edition of 176 pages includes updated resources.
Autographed copy available for only $10.
Click here for excerpts and to order.
E-book available through Amazon.com.

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