A New Direction in my Writing Journey

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So, I have a short, short story started that I was planning on putting on this website, but I got stuck.  I also have a novel begun and I’m feeling a bit stuck.  I’m at a place where I just don’t know what genre I should write; which one I would write best.

Therefore, I have stopped writing for a little while, aside from my blog posts.  But, our local library had a huge book sale last weekend and the beginning of this week, and my sons and I were standing in one of the rooms near boxes of books, when I asked my oldest son if he had seen any books on writing.  He said, “No.”  Then, “Wait, what’s this?”  He handed me this book:

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I purchased the book and took it home and began to read it.  I am reading about some of my favorite Christian authors and how they began their writing journeys; authors like:  Janette Oke, Terri Blackstock, Francine Rivers, Randy Alcorn, Bodie Thoene and many more.  I love reading of their experiences, both struggles and successes.  I was surprised to read how some of them began with the New York publishing houses and were writing things that they are not proud of now, but how God led them to change that.

The most important message I am learning through reading this book is that, as a Christian author, the most important thing to do is to take your desire for writing to the Lord.  I have learned that I need to make my writing a matter of prayer and seek God’s direction for it.  If I give it up to Him, He will show me what he wants me to write and He will help me write it.   I began praying and asking God to show me what kind of story He wants me to write and for whom, and I believe He has already shown me my mission.  Now I continue to pray and wait believing that He will lead me and open the doors for me, as He knows I have had a desire to write fiction for a very long time, but now I have decided it to give it to Him.  I want to write stories that will be pleasing to Him and that will bring Him glory and, hopefully, allow people to see how much they need Him in their lives.

I do not plan to write anything until I finish reading this book, and I will continue to pray.  I will also continue to attend my Writers’ Group meetings.  If you’ve been reading here for a while, you’re aware that I have joined a writer’s group that meets monthly.  They began their season last month and that’s the meeting I attended.  You can read more about it on one of my previous posts.  Anyway, tomorrow is the next meeting, and I am so excited about this meeting.  Our guest speaker will be an author speaking on creating characters.  I look forward to hearing her and learning from her.

As I continue to pray and learn, I believe God is preparing me for His work in the fiction world and I can’t wait to see what He’s going to do through me.

Liebster Award

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The Bewildered 20-Something Writer has nominated me for the Liebster Award!  What is the Liebster Award, you may be wondering?  It’s an award for smaller blogs that other bloggers think are pretty great — thank you, Bewildered.  According to The Bewildered 20-Something Writer, Liebster means “dearest” in English.

Blogs are nominated for the award by other bloggers in hopes the award will draw more traffic to the nominated blog, and that it would get more views.  If a blogger accepts the nomination for the Liebster Award, he/she answers ten questions posed by the nominating blogger, and then nominates other blogs for the award in the same way.

I have seen that I am supposed to nominate ten blogs, but as I am fairly new to WordPress and haven’t really visited many blogs and most of the blogs I follow have a large following, I only have two blogs to nominate:

Speculations Impressed

The Norman Crane

Here are my questions for my nominees:

1.  Who/What is your favorite storybook character?

2.  Why do you write a blog?

3.  If you could interview any famous/notorious person, past or present, whom would it be and why?

4.  If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

5.  What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

6.  What cartoon character are you most like?

7,  What do you like to do when you’re home alone?

8.  Have you ever danced in the rain?

9.  What advice would you give your thirteen-year-old self?

10.  What one thing do you most want to accomplish before your life is through?

Now, I will attempt to give my best answers to the very thought-provoking questions The Bewildered 20-Something Writer asked me:

What inspired you to start writing/blogging?

I have been writing stories since I was in the fifth grade simply because I enjoyed writing.

My seventh grade English teacher encouraged me to keep writing.

This is actually my third blog.  I was inspired to begin my first blog (which no longer exists) because some ladies at the church I am a part of introduced me to blogging.  This blog was a place I shared about what we as a family were doing and my thoughts and views on different topics.

Then I created a homeschool blog to post things my boys and I were doing in our homeschool and to offer tips and advice to other homeschool parents.  This blog is still in existence at here, although I rarely post on it anymore.

Finally, I began this blog because I was inspired by Jeff Goins, Writer, when I read an e-book he had written about writing that inspired me to start writing again, and to try to do so regularly.

If you could shrink any animal – real or mythical – so that it was pocket sized, what animal would you shrink and keep as a pet?

I am an animal lover, so this question was difficult, but I think I would have to say an elephant.

Name three guilty pleasure books and/or movies that you’re sorry you’re not sorry you like?

I would have to say the book The Help by Kathryn Stockett, the movie P.S. I Love You, and the book A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux.

If you could change your name to anything, what would you change it to?

I suppose it would be Isabella.

What inspires you creatively, i.e. what gets your creative juices pumping again when you’re in a bit of a slump?

Going to the mall and simply people watching and catching bits and pieces of the conversations that go on around me.

If you knew you only had one hour before the zombie apocalypse, what would you do?

I would snuggle with my husband and my three boys and read the Bible,

talk about our faith and let each of them know how very much they

mean to me, and spend some time in prayer.

Name the weirdest/funniest/coolest/most memorable etc. dream you’ve had.

The most memorable dream I have had was a recurring nightmare I had as

a child of about ten.  I used to dream that a huge giant had captured me,

my family and my closest friends, and he had this giant sized iron (the kind

they used to use to press pictures/decals onto t-shirts).  The giant would line

everyone up and make me watch as he pressed all of my family and friends

in the iron.

What advice would you give your six year old self?

Don’t watch T.V.

What are the five things that make you the happiest?

1.  Spending time with my husband and three sons.

2.  Sundays

3.  Holiday family get-togethers

4.  Trying new recipes in the kitchen (cooking and/or baking)

5.  Reading and writing

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Star Wars

In His Sandals

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This is a photo of a book that is a great tool for practicing writing or for teaching the tools of writing.  You can find out more about it or purchase it here.  I used it with my oldest son and now my other two sons have done a similar writing assignment for their Writers’ Club.

We attended their Writers’ Club last Friday and each of the eight students took turns reading, what their teacher called, their “In His Sandals” assignment.  There are eight students in the class, and the teacher had asked them to choose a story from the Bible and choose a character to be in the story.  Then they were to write the story, creatively, from their character’s perspective.  It was so much fun to hear their stories.  They all did a great job and they all chose a different Bible story to write.

My middle son chose to write about the fall in the Garden of Eden, and he chose to be the serpent and to tell the story from the serpent’s point of view.  Another student commented that she would never have thought to write from an evil character’s perspective.  My son did a good job and read it quite well also.

My youngest son chose to write about Noah’s Ark, and  he chose to be the dove that Noah sends out to see if the waters have receded.  He didn’t enjoy writing the story and found it challenging, but with a little help from Mom, he finally completed a decent story, and when he read it at Writers’ Club and heard the stories of the other students, he really enjoyed it.  I’m hoping that was a turning point for him and that he will look forward to his writing assignments now.

Love for a Lifetime

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As seasons change

And life grows colder;

As year after year

We get older;

Along the beach

We used to walk;

Of our thoughts and dreams

We used to talk.

From the nest

Our children have flown,

Leaving you and me

On our own.

Through quiet times

We walk together,

Still sharing the bond

Time has not severed.

You take my hand

And fan the spark

Of my love for you

Still strong in my heart.

Writers’ Club

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This is a neat idea that two of my boys are participating in this school year.  A lady in our area had taught her children writing and had held Writers’ Clubs for them during their schooling years, and she enjoyed them so much and saw such growth and improvement in the students’ writing, that she has decided to continue to run Writers’ Clubs during the school year for homeschool students.

We meet once a month every month of the school year except December, and the students have an assignment for each month.  When we meet, they each take a turn reading their assignment aloud to the group.  It’s a great way for these young writers to hear what other writers are writing, how they are writing it and what voice they are writing it in.  The clubs are made up of children in all grade levels and some have been attending the writers’ club for several years and some are brand new this year (like my boys).  It helps those who struggle with writing to improve and to get ideas as they listen to other students share, and it’s fun for the ones who are good at writing to share as they continue to learn more about writing and continue to improve.

This is very much like the Writers’ Groups that are available to adults, except that in the Writers’ Groups, the other group members usually offer input on each person’s writing, hopefully in a kind, constructive criticism way.  The group I recently visited uses the “Oreo Cookie” method of input, which means the first thing is to say something positive about the piece, then offer your ideas of weak areas with suggestions for improvement, and wrap it up with another positive statement about the piece.  That’s a great way to help and encourage any writer.  After all, aren’t all of the rejection letters a writer receives, when trying to find a place to publish, hard enough blows to his/her confidence?

My First Writers’ Group Experience

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Some time ago, I went searching online for writer’s groups in my area.  I found two, but only one that I really felt would be a good fit for me.  They meet once a month but take the summers off.  They had their seasonal ‘kick-off’ this morning.  They had a guest speaker, Dean Drawbaugh, who spoke about the “Nine Qualities that Generate Book Sales”.  He spoke for almost two hours.  It was very informative and interesting.  Mr. Drawbaugh is a writer, publisher and consultant.

It was definitely a step out of my comfort zone to go to the group this morning, as I am an introvert and am uncomfortable going into a group situation not knowing if anyone I know will be there.  It was a good-size group, between 30 and 35 people, some of whom drove for an hour or more to get there.  I didn’t notice anyone really reaching out to people they didn’t already know, but it is easier to get to know people and learn more about them in the small groups, so I’m sure that’s where I’ll get to know more of the people.  I did speak with the leader of the small group for a little while afterwards to gather a little more information about the group and the sharing process.

Mr. Drawbaugh also said something that I had posted here in the past about writing.  I had shared a while ago that I have been seeing a lot of stuff about writers writing for themselves and the fact that this seems to have become more important to some writers than determining their audience and writing for a specific audience.  I mentioned that unless you know who you are writing for and write to that audience, you probably won’t sell many books.  Mr. Drawbaugh said the same thing.  He said that if a writer wants to write for him or herself, that’s fine, if he/she only wants to sell one copy.  He stressed the importance of knowing who your audience is, writing to that audience, and then preparing to market to that audience.  That’s how you become a successful writer who sells lots of copies of your book.  So, the real question is, do you want to achieve a level of success that enables you to earn some money or do you just want to write for your own pleasure?  I know I want to achieve a level of success and earn some money.   Writing is hard work, and though I love it, I would really like to be paid to do it.

This particular writer’s group frequently has guest speakers.  Most months, though, they divide into small groups and whoever wants to can share a piece of writing for feedback from the others in the group.  There is a limit on the number of words your piece may have, to enable everyone who wants to share to have the time to do so.  Then there is the ‘oreo cookie’ rule that says that those giving feedback must start with something positive, followed by tips and advice on things that they think should be changed or that could be done better (this is also done in a kind, polite manner), and then end with another positive.

I think this is a great way to get and give feedback.  It gives the writer helpful advice and offers them another point of view or perspective that can be helpful without tearing them and/or their writing apart in a manner that is simply defeating.  This type of writer’s group is very helpful and encouraging.  I think I’m going to like this group.  I plan to continue attending.

It has inspired me to write more, and I look forward to seeing what I can come up with and, maybe, share at the next meeting.

Many people speak of a writer’s life as solitary and in many ways it is, but it is so important to have a network or group that you can be a part of to prevent yourself from giving up or becoming depressed.  It’s always good to know that you’re not the only one struggling with a scene or a character or whatever.

Are you a member of a writer’s group?  Can’t find one in your area?  Maybe you could start one.

My Current Work

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Now that the school year is in full swing and our homeschool co-op and the boys’ sports have begun, it is much harder to try to squeeze in some time to write, but the desire is still strong.  For the past two weeks, I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed and really needing some time to myself, so I explained it to my husband this past Friday, and Saturday afternoon, he blessed me with giving me the freedom to go out on my own for a few hours.

No, I don’t mean that he keeps me chained to the house, but it’s important to both of us to communicate and be on the same page.

So, what did I do?  I grabbed my notebook and pen, (Did I mention that I write better with pen and paper, so that is how I choose to write?  For some reason, the thoughts flow better that way.  Maybe, because that’s how I started writing stories years ago?), and I went to the mall.  I was disappointed to see that they have taken most of the nice little tables out of the center of the mall, but I found a nice table downstairs in the food court.  I bought a salad and a bottle of water at Saladworks and settled down to enjoy my lunch and some writing time.

My husband couldn’t understand how I could possibly write in the middle of a busy mall.  He said, “Won’t you have more distractions there?”  I explained, “No, because none of those people want my attention.  They aren’t seeking my attention for any reason, and besides, I also enjoy people watching and get some great ideas for characters by observing people.”

Well, I sat at that little table for about three hours and wrote probably all but about fifteen minutes of that time, in between mouthfuls of salad.  It was wonderful!  I feel my two main characters really developing and am really getting into the story.  I completed chapter one and wrote all of chapter two.  I look forward to finding some time to write again soon.

I then walked around part of the mall and then headed home feeling refreshed and as though I had accomplished something.  I hope to be able to find some space where I can be free from interruptions and spend time writing more often.  It makes me very happy.

Point of View: Yours, His, Hers or Theirs?

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How do you decide whose point of view to tell your story from?  Do you simply choose the point of view that is easiest for you to write from?

Since my last short story, Out of the Pit, I have given this a lot of thought.  Should I become the main character and tell my story from the first person point of view?  This really limits what your main character can know, because they can not tell anything about the story that they are not knowledgeable of.  They can’t tell you what happened in a place they weren’t at.  They can’t tell you what happened to a character they weren’t with.  It might make it easier to keep your story focused and not stray from your story line.  I know at least one writing teacher who stresses that their students tell their first novel from the first person point of view.

Do I create a main character, male or female, and tell the story from their point of view, but not becoming them.  In other words, third person?  And, of course, if I write in third person, it should be limited to keep from abrupt changes that would lose my reader.  That means that I tell the story from my main character’s point of view, but use “he” or “she” pronouns instead of “I”.  That allows me more freedom to offer details to my reader that my main character may not know about places he/she hasn’t been.  If you choose to write in third person and use two main characters, it is important to make clean breaks between whose point of view is being used when.  In other words, after the part that is told from the first character’s perspective, use a page break, like extra space between paragraphs, a line between the last paragraph and the new section, or change your chapter, to make it clear to your reader that the next part of the story is being told from the second character’s point of view.

It is very rare that a writer writes from multiple characters’ points of view, and it is very difficult to pull off successfully.  Often, a story told this way is choppy and difficult for the reader to follow.  Also, there isn’t a protagonist for the reader to really get to know and care about, which causes the reader to dislike the story or maybe, stop reading the story.  Readers like to get lost in the story.  They want to feel like they are the main character or that they know the main character personally.  If there are too many main characters, the story will lose this ability and may turn the reader off.

My opinion:  write in either first person or third person from just one character’s point of view.  This keeps it fairly simple to write, and because you become so in tune with that one, main character, that character becomes richer and more realistic to your reader, and your reader will be able to relate to that character, like that character, and care about that character.  It allows you to create the kind of character that a reader wants to read about again (they hate to see the story end because they feel as though they are losing a friend).  You can create other rich characters in the story as well, but it is your main character or protagonist that will capture your readers’ hearts.

Where Do You Like to be When You are Writing?

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You might think this is a silly question.  You might have a den or office in your home where you like to write.  I do not have that luxury.  As a homeschool mom of three busy boys, I have nowhere in my home that I can write without interruption, unless the youngest child is in bed, then I write at the dining room table.  If I am able to sneak away to the family room earlier in the day, I like to write there.

But, my favorite places to write are sitting at a picnic table in a park or in the food court or center of the mall.  You may be thinking that’s crazy.  You may ask, “how in the world can you write in a place like that with all of the noise and distractions?”  But, you see, I don’t see those places as being noisy and distracting.  As a person who enjoys people watching, (it’s a great way to get ideas for characters for stories), I enjoy those busy places, and I don’t find them distracting because none of the people there are my children nor are they with me.  Therefore, though many people may be around and may be talking, I don’t have to focus on them or be concerned about supplying their needs.  I can fully concentrate on my writing because I am alone in a sea of people, and I can pause and watch people, for more ideas, whenever I choose.  I would also enjoy writing as I sit in a coffee/tea shop or a cafe area in a bookstore.

Where do you like to be when you are writing?

What Do I Read? Who are My Favorite Authors?

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What do I read?  I read my Bible and some inspirational nonfiction books.  My favorite books to read are fiction and of those I prefer mystery/suspense, mystery/romance, general or mainstream fiction, Christian romance, classics and a very few horror/suspense.

Now, I will clarify my answers to the previous question by listing my favorite authors and/or the book they wrote which is my favorite, for some of my favorite books are the only book I read by that author:

Danielle Steel

Jeanette Oke

Frank Peretti

Dee Henderson especially her O’Malley Series

Charles Dickens

William Shakespeare

Maeve Binchy

Laura Childs’ Tea Shop Mysteries

Terri Blackstock

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights

Jude Devereaux’s A Knight in Shining Armor

Nicholas Sparks

Dean Koontz (I like a lot of Dean Koontz’s books, including the Brother Odd books, but Watchers is my absolute favorite)

This is not an exhaustive list by any means.  I read A LOT of books, but I don’t often read many books by the same author unless I really like something that I read by that author, or unless it is part of a series.  Lately, I have taken to downloading free e-books and reading them on my tablet.

I believe every author I read has an influence on my writing, especially the authors I read a lot.  I enjoy reading as much, if not more, than writing and I look forward to one day being able to put more hours in the day into these two activities.

What authors and books do you like to read?  How do you think they influence you?