Devotion: Severely Flawed, or just a Writer?

I've been becoming increasingly concerned about myself. There are some character traits that I cannot shake, no matter how hard I try or pray.  For one thing, I am a complete night owl. If I didn't know better, I'd be concerned that I was harbouring latent vampire genes. If real life didn't demand that I put in an appearance while the sun was up, I could probably go for weeks productively busy between sundown and sunrise.

I'm also obsessive over details. I get caught up like a burr in woolen socks over whatever my mind hooks onto. If there are no current WIP's to take centrestage, then my brain will look for something to chew on - a conversation, a look, a feeling. Analyze analyze analyze... process... allow the resultant emotion to take hold of me and dictate. This is not always a good thing and I'm working on it.

I'm also somewhat anti-social. It's not that I don't like people, I just like being by myself. School holidays are a real challenge as the days often start with a bed full of sprogs before I'm actually ready to open my eyes and continues in a flurry of mom-demanding activities until way past the time I would like to be closing them.  By the time peace and quiet arrives, I'm way beyond tired to do anything but surrender to the soft cooing of the duvet.

I was chatting to God this morning, and He gently flicked a switch in my brain. It all became obvious - I'm not odd, weird or degenerate... well, maybe just a little... Truth is, all the stuff above are good ingredients for a life given to churning out words. To write an article, story ... novel - one needs to be consumed with details, labour alone for long hours and the best time for this is when the world is asleep.

So I'm not bizarre, just built for a purpose.

That's a really good thing to know!

So now it's your turn. Are there things about yourself that bug you? If you step back and look at the big picture, can you see how those niggles actually fit? Let's chat.

"For we are his workmanship, 

created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 

which God prepared in advance for us to do." 

Ephesians 2:10

(reposted from Di's blog Doodles)

Dianne J. Wilson writes novels from her hometown in East London, South Africa, where she lives with her husband and three daughters. She has just signed a three book contract for a YA series, Spirit Walker, with Pelican / Watershed.

Finding Mia is available from Amazon, Pelican / Harbourlight, Barnes & Noble and other bookstores.

Shackles is available as a free ebook from Amazon & Smashwords.

Find her on Facebook, Twitter and her sporadic blog Doodles.

Walking on aeroplane wings and other preposterous ideas

So I’m in an aeroplane. We are thousands of feet above mother earth. I look out the window and read this little gem printed on the wing…

‘Do not walk outside this area’

Oh really? Why ever not? I’m so glad they put that out there, because you know – I was just about to head out to stretch my legs…

After I recovered from a severe laughing fit, I got to thinking. That’s pretty much what we writers do all the time. It’s craziness to get out of an aeroplane and walk on the wing. Its also craziness to spend hours, days, months, years! at the keyboard, producing hundreds of pages that we hope – yes, HOPE! not know, hope – will snag the right persons attention. And yet we do. Because it’s what we’re built for. We do it because we hope our words will make a difference inside someone along the way.

It’s a good thing to hope for!

So I say to you (and me) today:

Walk outside this area!

Run

Fly

Soar

WRITE!

Disclaimer: I’m sure some of you, my tech boff buddies, will feel the urge  to enlighten me as to why they print that daft sentiment in that particularly daft place. I’m begging you to leave me wallowing in my ignorance this time. You’ve got to agree, it’s just so much funnier this way. 

Dianne J. Wilson writes novels from her hometown in East London, South Africa, where she lives with her husband and three daughters.

Finding Mia is available from Amazon, Pelican / Harbourlight, Barnes & Noble and other bookstores.

Shackles is available as a free ebook from Amazon & Smashwords.

Find her on Facebook, Twitter and her sporadic blog Doodles.

Brainstorming: What's your method?

By Morgan Tarpley

Whether notecards, notebooks, journals, binders, Scrivener, Smartphones or a mass of notes pinned to a giant corkboard, there are just a plethora of options to plot and brainstorm a book. And in an attempt to figure out what works, the process can be an extremely overwhelming one.

I’m speaking from experience. I’ve tried about all of these and more and I think I’ve finally narrowed it down – to a bit of all of them actually.

When I first set out on the road to write a novel several years back I had no idea where to begin, so I naturally turned to research from popular writing books to the blog posts of favorite authors and I’ve compiled some of my favorite plotting methods from some of my favorite writers.

Michael Crichton

The first is the notecard method from the late great Michael Crichton. Crichton puts most of us “busy” writers to a bit of shame for he not only sold over 200 million copies of his books across the world but he also was successful as a screenwriter, television producer, film producer and film director—whew—and he also was a doctor and wrote while attending Harvard Medical School.

Through his notecard method he was able to work on his writing with the bits of time he had here and there. It’s not a rather complex method, but when I read about it I was blown over with why I hadn’t thought of it myself.

Crichton would tuck a small stack of index cards into his shirt or lab coat pocket and when ideas for scenes or characters, etc. came to mind he would simply remove a notecard, jot it down, replace it with the stack and forget about it until he got home and he’d toss it into a shoebox with a growing heap of others.

When the shoebox was filled and he didn’t feel any more ideas coming for that particular story, he’d riffle through the cards and arrange them on a table until he’d have an outline for his novel. He’d revisit this outline over the course of days and add new cards and shift others around until fully satisfied.

Next, he’d stack up the cards and place them in a index card box and whenever he had some time he’d remove the first card and write that scene, rinse and repeat, until the whole novel was completed.

Brilliant right! Yes, I do think so. I’m sure you can agree that ideas crop up anywhere, anytime with no rhyme or reason, so I have a slim index card holder I keep in my purse so I can jot down notes quickly. Then, I have several shoe box size boxes on a shelf in my office where I can drop ideas for each new book that’s building in my mind plus one box for miscellaneous ideas too. It’s helpful!

Kate Morton

Australian author Kate Morton has published six novels which have sold millions of copies and been translated into many languages. She’s one of my all-time favorite authors, so, of course, I had to pay attention to how she crafts such complex and unique twists and turns in her story worlds.

On her website, this is what she had to say about her use of notebooks/journals for her brainstorming: “I am absolutely a notebook person. To imagine being without one fills me with dread … By the time I finish writing a novel, I’ve usually gathered around ten notebooks of story ideas, random images, plot schematics, scene details, graphs, snatches of overheard conversation. . . you name it, it’s in there. Scribbled, crossed-out, connected with arrows, stapled in on top of other bits and pieces. Quite a mess, but a somehow lovely one. I’m a visual person and to see them sketched out in my notebook helps me to clarify my thoughts and pin down my ideas. Also, the pen in hand forces me to focus…

“When I was about a quarter of the way into The Shifting Fog (House at Riverton) I lost a notebook … It was an awful experience, but it taught me that no matter how essential the notebook seems at the time, no matter how tightly I cling to it when I’m dreaming up a story, a novel is a living, breathing organism and will continue to grow—perhaps in even more propitious ways than those sketched out—without it. There are always more ideas and new ways of tying them together, and the unconscious mind is a powerful thing—it doesn’t need a notebook to keep hold of the really important ideas.”

I love notebooks and journals and paper in general too! I’m right there with her, and like Morton I think the pen in hand and the blank pages of a journal or notebook peering back at me is a fantastic way to dive into a story. It’s one of my main go-to brainstorming methods where I can scribble and dream up any direction that the story could go.

Morton also says when she gets stuck in writing she’ll go to a cozy corner of a coffee shop, notebook in hand, and start writing as fast and furious as she can until the ideas start flowing again and she’s back deep into the world of her novel. That’s just lovely.

More Methods

There are so many other methods that authors use for writing, researching, and brainstorming, etc. I’ll mention three more here though there are so many more that I have learned about over the years. I’m sure you have too! And I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

An author whose books I really enjoy is Sarah Sundin. She writes inspirational historical fiction set during World War II. I was privileged to finally meet her in person this year at the ACFW Conference in Dallas, TX and attend her class about historical research. In this class, she shared about her research methods utilizing a well-tabbed binder with loose-leaf paper and printouts, etc. and the Evernote app where one can create digital-type notebooks and collections.

Another fascinating tool used by a favorite author, Kristy Cambron, is a smartphone. She writes all her first drafts on her iPhone. Cambron is another author I was pleased to meet at the conference in Dallas.

Popular author of fiction and wonderful writing books, James Scott Bell writes in several of his books about his use of the computer program, Scrivener. He especially enjoys using the digital corkboard feature that allows digital index cards to be moved around in different order, which also allows for a quick outline to be compiled and printed for his review.

So What About You?

So whether it’s a digital notebook or real one or a plethora of other methods writers sure employ a lot of ways to organize their thoughts and research. In my writing, I utilize a combination of the methods listed above: journals for brainstorming and character sketches, a well-tabbed binder to organize printed research, notecards or Notes feature on my iPhone for ideas that hit me throughout the day. I’m rather curious to find out what other methods are out there and are preferred.

So what method do you use? Is it listed in this post? Or is it a combination of a few of these? I’d love to hear about it! The more methods to ponder the better to find out what works for us. Thanks!

Morgan Tarpley

Morgan Tarpley is an award-winning newspaper reporter and photographer in Louisiana. She is also a historical novelist currently seeking representation. Besides writing and traveling to over a dozen countries, her interests include acting in her local theater, genealogy, photography, and singing. She resides in Louisiana with her husband.

For more information about Morgan, visit her website (www.morgantarpley.com) and blog (www.pensonaworldmap.com). You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, orGoodreads.

DEVOTION: Finishing Touches ~ Shirley Corder

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:3-5 NIV


A few weeks ago, we looked at the magnitude of God as creator. Last week, we saw Him as the Master Potter. Today I'd like us to see Him as a God who delights in adding finishing touches to His work.

Have you had the experience of writing something with a sense of excitement, only to find when it’s finished it’s just not right? You’ve somehow missed the mark, and it no longer fits the market you originally had in mind. If you’re like me, you put it to one side and work on something else for a while. Then some days or weeks later, you may open it up on the screen and read it afresh. Chances are you will realise it is nothing like as bad as you originally thought. It just needs a tweak here and a cut there, and suddenly your article comes to life.

The Japanese have an old tradition called Kintsugi, where they repair broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum. They believe that the breakage and subsequent repair job is a part of the article's history, and it should not be disguised.

Sometimes, as the creator of an article or story, we need to add that special something which will complete a character or help the reader connect with the true story. Instead of deleting it, we can take the part that hasn't worked, and perhaps highlight it in some way. Maybe the flaw in your hero's character can become a twist in your story. Or perhaps the part of your article that doesn't work needs to be taken out and given its own space as another piece altogether.

Whenever we are busying fixing our broken work, it is good to remember that we are God’s creation. If we have reached adulthood, there are no doubt many cracks and chips in our lives. Maybe we have had our hearts broken on more than one occasion. But each one of us has had many special repair jobs done by God, and those only increase our value. After all, that is what makes us absolutely unique—and beautiful in His sight.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 NIV

OVER TO YOU: What crack or break in your life can you think of where the Lord has added some gold?

SHIRLEY CORDER lives on the coast in South Africa with her husband, Rob. Her book, Strength Renewed: Meditations for your Journey through Breast Cancer contains 90 meditations based on her time in the cancer valley.

Sign up here to receive a short devotional message from Shirley in your inbox once a week.

Please visit Shirley through ShirleyCorder.com, where she encourages writers, or at  RiseAndSoar.com, where she encourages those in the cancer valley. You can also meet with her on Twitter or FaceBook.  

BREAKING THROUGH THE WALLS - TO WRITE

Today Ray and I went with our adult children here for Christmas holidays from the Australian mainland to see the movie, Tin-Tin. It was a most enjoyable family film. Our children began reading Tin-Tin when they were quite young and have a number of those comics still on their shelves. In a couple of scenes the comment was made, “when you come to a wall, you’ve got to break through it!”

For this writer, those words accompanied me home in the car. Having this blog to write made the statement even more relevant. Why? Because over the last couple of weeks a number of invisible yet very real walls have appeared across my pathway to writing my next book! Breaking through them has required more than one type of “hammer.”

There has been the Wall of Sickness and now whooping cough which has infected our grand-children. We have six youngsters under ten years. The youngest is 10 weeks. By the grace of God and wise management by parents she has so far escaped its ravages. Prayer is sustaining the family as sleep has been in short supply. Christmas Day this year was certainly “different.” We did join them all in the open air for far too brief a time to give and receive gifts but no hugs, no kisses! I am a “hugger” so that was particularly difficult!

Over the years, the Wall of Distraction has often come to taunt me day in and day out. Before long my writing schedule is derailed and I become frustrated, even despondent. Fortunately I have a wonderful husband who prods me along. So many times he not only helps with tasks that should be my responsibility, but picks up the “axe” of priorities and helps me break through. I have to remember to let some things in the house and garden remain untidy, to delegate some responsibilities and try harder to ignore others. Having dealt with those levels of self-discipline, I still have to put seat on this chair, read back over some of what I’ve already written until I’ve crept back into the heads and hearts of the characters in my latest story.

At last! Fingers poise for a moment over the keyboard. A deep breathe, and off they go trying to keep up with those characters’ fears and problems, tears and triumphs. I am writing again at last!

None of this is easy. My having a perfectionist nature makes that very evident and something about myself I’ve had to come to grips with many times over the years. God sure knew how much I needed the help of a sympathetic “close enough is wonderful” husband to get me back on track to crash through that “Wall”.

Unfortunately, as in that Tin Tin story today, there are too many times series of Walls to break through when actually working on a manuscript.

Sometimes plots and characters just won’t “behave” as I thought they would or should in certain situations. This is the Wall of Disappointment when things don’t work out in the story. The encouragement of fellow writers through face to face contact at meetings, conferences, reading other writer’s blogs, tips on many aspects of writing help tear the walls down plank by plank or even brick by brick.

The Wall of Aging becomes an excuse as I find it takes more and more time to assemble fresh and stimulating words and plots. I can’t do much about the years but accepting a slower work rate allows for escape holes to appear in the barrier between me and my final edit.

There are all kinds of Walls of course that can slow or even stall the writing process. But my final one I’d like to mention here is the Wall of Criticism, especially from family and close friends. This is a hurtful barrier which I can only really conquer with the sense of conviction I’m doing what is pleasing to the Lord. I may not be a “World Winner”, but God will use what I’ve framed and had accepted by editors and publishers to be a blessing to someone somewhere.

Essentially, this is the best “Wall Breaker” I know. Nothing you do for the Lord, with the Lord and according to the Lord’s purposes will ever be contained by the “Walls” of the world, the Flesh or the Darkness. In fact, when all is said and done it has only been because HE is the one who has been my strength to break through the walls that would stop me writing – and being – what HE wants me to do and be.

What about your world – whether it is also that of the writer or some other tasks?

What kind of Walls do you discover may block the road you know you should be faithfully travelling on?



Ray and Mary with 2011
CALEB Award certificates.

 Mary Hawkins is a best-selling inspirational romance author. A Queensland farmer’s daughter, she became a registered nurse before going to Bible College. She and her minister husband have three adult children and five grandchildren, enjoyed over 46 years of ministry including church planting in Australia, two years in England, three short term mission trips to Africa and now live in Tasmania, Australia's island state. Her 19th title, Justice at Baragula was released May, 2011
Read more about her books, her husband Ray and his devotional books on their blog from the website: http://www.mary-hawkins.com/

DEVOTION: Published! - Pam Ford Davis

It is thrilling to see my work published. I am motivated to continue sharpening my skills. The rewards are not only financial; it is nice to earn some extra money, but the fulfilment of my dream means so much more. Achievements may be small; I am not a well-known author, just a happy one.

 Christian writers have both a great opportunity and responsibility. "Sing a new song to the Lord! Sing it everywhere around the world! Sing out his praises! Bless his name. Each day tell someone that he saves. Publish his glorious acts throughout the earth. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does" (Psalms 96:1-3 The Book/ Living Bible). That is a big goal; each writer plays a small part to spread the good news.

With God all things are possible! Devotionals are Pam Ford Davis's first love in writing! She has published articles in Mature Living Magazine, Secret Place and Daily Devotionals for the Deaf. Her e-book, FORGET-ME-NOT DAILY DEVOTIONAL is available at the Faith Writers book store.

Read more of her work at her websites and blogs:

http://pamforddavis.wordpress.com/about/

http://innerfulfillment.wordpress.com/ and

http://www.teapottestimony.vpweb.com

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com

The Global Village

They say the world is shrinking. Sometimes it certainly seems that way. Technology has reached the point where it allows us to communicate across time and space like never before. For example, in the Firefox browser you can use an add-on called FoxClocks. It sits in a bar along the bottom of your browser window and can display the current date and time of as many time zones as you like. I have US Pacific, US Mountain, US Central, US Eastern, the UK, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Victoria Australia. The reason I have so many clocks is because I have to communicate regularly with people in all these places. I also have a watch on my wrist for emergencies.

Communication technology has come a long way since the smoke signals of North America, the bullroarer of the Australian Aborigines, and the talking drums of Africa. We can now hold simultaneous conversations with multiple people from all corners of the earth, the only obstacle being the need for sleep. Just this weekend I helped Grace do a final check of Splashdown's upcoming short story anthology. We were able to exchange documents back and forth almost instantaneously. Up until not so long ago, that sort of thing would have been impossible.

The Internet has created the "Global Village" which sounds cozy from the inside. Unfortunately, it is a village to which not everyone has access. While we enjoy chatting, texting, and tweeting, there are people out there whose only concern is finding their next meal. Sometimes it is easy to forget just how privileged we are. This weekend I read the news headlines and my heart almost broke. The main story was about how East Africa is being ravaged by the worst drought in sixty years. Somalia is worst-hit and the UN estimates there are ten million people in that region at risk of starvation. Another story covered the shooting in Norway in which an estimated ninety-six people lost their lives. A third story was about a talented British singer who was found dead at her home on Saturday after a long battle with drug and alcohol addiction.

All of which brought home to me how much the world desperately needs the healing power of Jesus. Without Him, we are at the mercy of all that is bad in the world. Without Him, we are doomed. Scientists may try to tell us that we can build a perfect world, but they are deluded. In one weekend, a woman with everything the world has to offer lost her battle with addiction, an apparently ordinary man decided to kill as many people as he could, and the Horn of Africa stands on the brink of starvation. If this is the best we can do, then we are in deep trouble.

As Christian writers spread across the globe, we are perfectly positioned to help spread the word that there is a solution to this world's problems; that there is a peace that fame and fortune cannot bring; that there is a love that can make the angriest man lay down his guns; and that God's mercy makes us all brothers and sisters in Him and that no-one should go hungry.

We have the technology at our fingertips to see our stories reach the farthest corners of the globe. My prayer is that we write for God's glory, and that our words might help nudge the world a little closer to Christ. Because there is no higher calling.

The Farmers' Market

My husband and I have just returned from Sedgefield, a seaside town just over three hours by car from our home town of Port Elizabeth. We went to house and doggy-sit for our son and daughter-in-law who were in America. We looked forward to attending the local Saturday farmer's market.

Every week, farmers come from miles around to set up their stalls and people likewise travel many miles to attend.

As we joined the throng of people walking towards the entrance, we were caught up with the toe-tapping sound of a minstrel band. Their music hooked us in with the promise of a fun-filled morning. An open guitar case invited us to show our appreciation.

Inside a large cordoned-off area, hundreds of people mingled with one another. They queued for Russian hot dogs; braaied boerewors (spicy traditional sausage cooked over an open fire) and homemade chicken, beef, and venison pies.

Long lines formed in front of stalls that sold freshly cooked pancakes dripping with lemon juice and cinnamon sugar; home-baked goodies, including melktert (a S.African favourite) and koeksisters (plaited pastry in home-made syrup). The farmers supplied something for every taste, and isn't that true of this group of writers?

Some write historical novels while others intrigue with cozy mysteries. Spine-chilling thrillers come alongside light-hearted chic-lit. We write from, and about, Australia and America, Africa and Asia, and other initials too. All sorts of writers with a variety of gifts, yet we share one thing in common. We love to share our abilities with those who want what we have. Just like the farmers.

Rob joined the queue for breakfast and I went to find coffee and a table (tree trunk) under the trees. We started on our breakfast of huge bread rolls split in half, piled high with bacon, boerewors and scrambled eggs covered in a home-made tomato and onion sauce. Yummy—but very messy. As I wiped away tomato from my chin, I gave thanks that out of the thousands of people, no-one knew us. The thought wasn't out of my mind when, "Shirley—and Rob!  My goodness! What a surprise."

The twist in the tale turned out to be a couple from a previous congregation. Our breakfast plot veered off course as I hastily trying to swallow a too-big mouthful of roll. Hoping I'd got all the tomato off my chin, I jumped to my feet and disappeared into an enthusiastic hug. What are their names? The couple had been at a holiday resort a short distance away and were now on their way home to Cape Town, five hours away. They had popped into the market for breakfast. How strange that in that mob of people, we would suddenly spot each other.

Isn't that what we do as writers? We bring together a group of vastly different people, often not known to one another, and put them in the same place. Then we make one or two stand out. Think of the thousands on the luxury liner, the Poseidon. Nameless people, all having fun together, when suddenly, along comes a 90' tidal wave and the ship turns upside down.  A handful of people stand out—the survivors. They are the ones that the story is really about.

Mercifully, we didn't face a tidal wave. In fact it was really very tame, probably in part because neither of us could remember their names until they were half way to Cape Town. After a few minutes, they went their merry way and we finished our meal and went back to exploring the stalls.

The "Red Berry" table groaned under the weight of freshly picked strawberries. The fresh meat stall supplied everything from the normal to the exotic, including kudu and ostrich. There was even a nut stall, and one that sold smoked fish.


The plant stall sold cut-flowers, pot-plants, and had buckets filled with bunches of magnificent proteas.

Although there seemed to be a vast assortment of random stalls, I realised a lot of thought had gone into their placing. The smoked fish stall was nowhere near the home-made cakes. The boerewors cooking over a smoky braai was nowhere near the red berries.

There was something for everyone, but not everyone has the same taste. Each stall-holder knew their strengths and what they could best supply. And as with our writing, each one had its own place, and together they created an atmosphere of interest and entertainment.

Opposite the flowers stood a statue, or so it seemed until a child threw some change into an upside down hat. Immediately the figure's arms and body twisted and jerked , then froze in a new position. The living statue provided nothing of great value, yet he entertained. Sometimes it's good for us to provide a character to bring light relief. Perhaps someone who isn't quite what he first appears to be.

By the end of the morning, our tummies were full, our legs ached, our arms were laden with goods we hadn't realised we needed, and our pockets were empty. But we'd had a good time. As we walked past the same minstrel band, we threw the little cash we had left into the open guitar case and headed for home.

We hadn't learned any amazing facts. We hadn't experienced any drama. But we'd been entertained. And surely that's what a good farmer's market is all about. Just like a good book.

GORLS is GIRLS by Rita Stella Galieh

Grafitti seen on a wall. "I like gorls." Someone saw it, crossed it out and wrote, "I like girls". Another came along and wrote, "What about gorls? They want to be liked too."

I guess we've all felt like the odd one out at times. And after writing several novels, I've discovered that my heroes and heroines often feel this way. Maybe that works well in a story by adding some inner conflict and perhaps some argumentative dialogue.

Authors study their protagonists as they need to know how they'll react in given situations. Writers who plan ahead with a plot structure laid out know this before they write. Others, known as "seat-of-the-pantsers" -of whom I am one- tend to discover how their main characters react while they're writing. Yes, characters can take on a will of their own and the novelist soon finds he or she is not true to the way their leading lady/man would perform. And they buck or sulk, depending on who they are. I can't tell you how many times I've had to revise and rewrite until my characters cooperate! I truly like this, though, as it adds some spice when they don't do the obvious. After all, you want to be surprised when you're reading, otherwise the story would be humdrum.

I'd really like to write about an eccentric who does and says nothing you'd expect, but can you imagine trying to explain that in a book proposal to a skeptical publisher? Maybe Dickens wrote his share of strange folk, but I wonder how it would go down today? Anyone read anything lately about an odd character as a main protagonist? Ooh yes, mythic, heroic, strong, virile...yet odd. Hmm, that's food for thought.

www.ritastellagalieh.com & Facebook