ENCOURAGED TO WRITE

My husband, Ray, regularly shares devotional thoughts with us here on Fridays. I couldn't resist asking him to write this post for us about how he started writing for publication of his own books.

Being an obedient husband plus wanting to be fed, I’ve agreed to write this guest blog for Mary. What to write about for Christian fiction writers when my interest is in another genre is an interesting exercise. Sure I’ve read Mary’s novels. No I wasn’t threatened with starvation if I didn’t. Were they enjoyable? Without fear of reprisal or starvation I can honestly say “yes.”

Personally, my preferred reading is history, commentary and devotional material. I guess that’s the preacher in me. Those with the ability to write must express themselves. This is especially true from a Christian worldview perspective and across all genres. Years before my fingers found the keyboard of a computer I’d heard Mary’s cries of anguish, frustration, joy and triumph after grappling with characters, settings and editing. Many of you know those scenarios too I’m sure.

It was Mary’s encouragement that made me begin my 31 Day Themed Devotional Meditations. No, it wasn’t “Dear, you write or you starve!” Rather it was more like, “Dear, you have something to say and others need to read it –so get to it!” So I did. However, who is willing in these tight financial times and changing reading patterns to risk taking on an unknown Australian? This is doubly difficult when you know what I like to write is over supplied.

Well, Rochelle Manners of Wombat Books and it’s division EVEN BEFORE PUBLISHING (EBP) in Queensland, Australia, took the risk. We met when Mary and I attended an Omega Writers Conference a bout three or four years ago. With her and Mary’s refining skills they polished the gems they saw under the mass of words, removed the rubble and produced four (so far) well received books. They are Children–God’s Special Interest; From Eden with Love (the Mystery and Majesty of Marriage); Captured by Calvary (Biblical insights into the Cross) and Bethlehem’s Warrior Baby (Detailing that Christmas is Heaven’s Invasion into the Usurper’s earthly darkness).They are also available as E-books.

Hovering in my mind or frozen in computer files are the following: No Soft Option (the call to the Christian Ministry); Signposts to Happiness (Beatitudes across Scripture); Dynamic Aging and The Warrior Lord Returns (The Second Coming of Christ).

After publishing comes what I think is the most onerous task Promotion. Still it must be done. I hang onto the thought even after a non-event promotional day that the person you met today could well be the purchaser of your book tomorrow. Then my publisher insisted – rightly so, that I get a website/blog . O joy! O rapture! Still, being an obedient writer I have done just that.

If you are tempted (hope, hope, hope) to have a look and read some of my writing efforts there,  CLICK HERE  

Just to show we are not in competition, CLICK HERE  too for Mary's website and her blog. (which is more uptodate, says Mary.

I have been really thrilled that after Ray and I sharing so many ministry experiences over many years, now, after all the numerous times he has encouraged me to persevere, he too is knowing the delight of having readers share how God is blessing them through his books.

The fine art of genre switching

Not long after my fifth novel, Heléna’s Legacy, was released last August, I submitted my sixth, The Inheritance, to the same publisher and it was duly accepted for publication. In the meantime, I had begun writing my first full length non-fiction work, Soul Friend: the story of a shared spiritual journey, an account of my relationship with a dear, older mentor and spiritual friend over the past fifteen years.

After a few months, however, my publishers decided not to proceed with my sixth novel, opting to focus more on non-fiction. Determined not to give in, I sent this same novel off to another Christian publisher here in Australia. This new publisher soon responded, saying she really liked the manuscript, but pointing out various changes she would want made before she would consider publishing it. I agreed to tackle these, but mentioned I also had a non-fiction work I would like her to see. To my surprise, soon I found myself signing not one but two contracts – one for my non-fiction work and the other for my sixth novel again.

But all of this genre switching can become a little confusing, I’ve discovered. While working through all the final edits of Soul Friend over recent weeks, in preparation for its release in October, I found myself thinking at times how a fiction author often has to. Were my characters coming across as ‘real’ enough? Was the plot believable? Did the story have a good ‘arc’? Was the first person point of view used throughout too boring? Had I somehow swapped to omniscient point of view at times? Had I handled direct speech well throughout the manuscript? Were there too many taglines?

Now since my non-fiction work is essentially a story of my own spiritual journey and the impact my friend has had in my life, I realised I still needed to apply many things I had learnt as a fiction author, in order to touch the hearts and grip the attention of my readers. But I soon discovered there are differences as well. For starters, I didn’t have to create my characters – they already exist! Yes, I had to work out how best to portray them, but I couldn’t change who they are. And I couldn’t change the basic storyline. Admittedly, I did have to decide at times what needed to be included and what might be better left out. But the story had to unfold as it happened in real life – my friend and I could not be portrayed as doing things we hadn’t. At times, when I could not remember the exact words we had said to each other and found nothing in my journal entries or emails about the issue at hand, I knew I needed to call on my fiction experience and imagine the words we might have said. But I could not let my imagination run away with me, as I had the luxury to do in my novels. After all, I wanted my non-fiction book to have complete honesty and integrity.

So after October this year, when Soul Friend is released, I will find myself both a fiction and non-fiction author. Have I succeeded in crossing that genre boundary on this occasion? Time will tell – but I hope so, with all my heart. I love writing both and pray I have managed to honour God well in both.

How about you? Have any of you had interesting experiences in changing genre, even if temporarily?

Jo-Anne Berthelsen grew up in Brisbane and holds an Arts degree from Queensland University. She has also studied Education and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher and editor, as well as in local church ministry in Sydney. Jo-Anne loves communicating through both the written and spoken word and currently has five published novels – ‘Heléna’, ‘All the Days of My Life’, ‘Laura’, ‘Jenna’ and ‘Heléna’s Legacy’.  She is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and three grandchildren. For more information or to contact Jo-Anne, please visit her website, www.jo-anneberthelsen.com.

Persevering with point of view!

These past few weeks have been quite tumultuous in my writing journey, as I have tried to edit two manuscripts at once – my first non-fiction work, entitled Soul Friend: the story of a shared spiritual journey, and my sixth novel, The Inheritance. With my non-fiction book, my new publisher wanted a few things changed – and rightly so. While it took some time to do, it was nevertheless reasonably straightforward. However, it was another matter altogether with my sixth novel. You see, I had decided I would try something new. I would have two main characters and would write from both points of view, according to what fitted best. But I would also write from the points of view of several minor characters, where necessary. In other words, I was venturing into ‘multiple point of view’ territory.

Now being a rookie at such things, I was bound to make mistakes. With my first two novels, I had stuck to omniscient point of view. In fact, back then, I didn’t even know what that term meant! I simply wrote in the same style in which many of the older books I loved were written. Over my next three novels, I gradually refined my style and wrote from the point of view of my main protagonist, although I’m sure I often strayed into omniscient point of view out of habit. But now, in trying to be clever, it soon became clear, from my publisher’s comments, that I had skipped from one point of view to another far too often. Sometimes this was intentional – I felt it worked that way. But mostly, I have to admit, it was unintentional – I had happily hopped into someone else’s head for a few lines, before proceeding to hop to another one – and then to another again! It was as if all my characters were joining in the conversation, each with their own little agendas.

So ... now I had quite a rewrite on my hands. I sighed – I did not need such a large job at that point. However, once I had begun, I soon discovered how much I was learning. In fact, it became an interesting challenge to see how the various scenes could in many cases happen just as easily from the point of view of one of the main characters and not one of those minor characters who kept wanting to get in on the act!

Now I am on the other side of that rewrite – and I hope I have succeeded in vastly improving my manuscript. But all this has served to show me yet again that there is always so much more to learn in this writing business – so many new things to come to grips with and new ways to refine our writing style. Will I ever ‘arrive’ as an author? I don’t know. But I do know I’m going to keep on trying. I want to write the best fiction – and non-fiction – I can for God. As Paul writes in Philippians 3:13, I want to forget what is behind and strain towards what is ahead. I may never write that best seller, but I sure know I can improve from where I am now.

Somehow I don’t think God has finished with me yet, moulding me into the author I am meant to be. How about you? Is that how you feel too?

Jo-Anne Berthelsen grew up in Brisbane and holds an Arts degree from Queensland University. She has also studied Education and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher and editor, as well as in local church ministry. Jo-Anne loves communicating through both the written and spoken word and currently has five published novels – ‘Heléna’, ‘All the Days of My Life’, ‘Laura’, ‘Jenna’ and ‘Heléna’s Legacy’.  She is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and three grandchildren. For more information, please visit her website, www.jo-anneberthelsen.com.