Erica Vetsch's Blog, page 62

Weekend Edition

  






If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Please send to Seekerville2@gmail.com. If the winner does not contact us within two weeks, another winner may be selected.


Monday: Mary Connealy talked about her recent writer's retreat. The winner of her Six Pack Cooler to celebrate the release of Braced for Love is Sarah Taylor.
Wednesday: Mindy Obenhaus shared some encouragement when facing those flaming arrows life likes to throw our way. The winner of a signed copy of either A Brother's Promise  OR the 2-in-1 anthology with Her Colorado Cowboy is... Angeline! 
Friday: T.I. Lowe shared about embracing the marginalized! Winner of her new release Under the Magnolias is WINNER!



Monday: Guest blogger Janyre Tromp shares a superhero editing trick that works for her and will help you too!

Wednesday:  Oops, Ruthy Logan Herne was late to the party, but she'll be here Wednesday talking about building a story from the ground up: How To Stay True to the Characters' Roots. Swing on by, she's got a copy of her newest mystery "Patterns of Deception" for one lucky visitor... and she's bringing some great virtually brewed coffee!   Friday: Carrie Schmidt does some translating between reviewers and authors to avoid misunderstandings when reading and writing reviews.







Carrie Schmidt shared her perspective on Christian fiction, as an avid reader, reviewer & influencer, during a FB live panel with Christian & sweet romance authors. You can check out the recorded video HERE or click the photo below. 
 

Do you love to sink into a cozy spot and escape into a delightful, heartwarming Amish romance, romantic suspense, or novel? Then this giveaway is for you!
📚 13 Amazing Authors & 40 Winners🌟  1 Grand Prize - All 13 eBooks 💗 39 Prizes - 1 ebook each
ENTER BY 5/15/21:https://forms.gle/d3quv3GxcwFhBMsp8*Read the instructions. U.S only please.
Participating Authors:Amy ClipstonAmy GrochowskiCharlotte HubbardDana R. LynnDebby GiustiJanice Kay JohnsonKristen McKanaghLaurel BlountLenora WorthPatricia JohnsRebecca KertzShelley Shepard GraySuzanne Woods Fisher*Prizes are ebooks unless otherwise noted on the form.*Facebook is in no way associated with or endorses this giveaway.
#amishromance #amishfiction #inspirationalromance #giveaway #giveawayalert
ON SALE NOW! $1.99 "LEARNING TO TRUST" https://amzn.to/3h56zkc






5 Things Every Author Needs to Know To Format Their Book by Dave Chesson at An Indie Adventure


Fun With White Boards by Sarah Sundin at Learn How To Write A Novel
How To Craft Impactful Character Deaths by Kristen Kieffer at Well-Storied

5 Tips for Finishing Your Novel by Derek Murphy at NaNoWriMo Blog

Freytag's Pyramid at Write To Done
The Secret to Making a Living as a Full-Time Author by Lewis Jorstad at The Novel Smithy
Why You Should Revisit Your Writing Goals by Hannah Bauman at Between The Lines Editorial
Easy Tips to Incorporate Backstory into Your Novel by Jenna Harte at Fiction University

The Business of Writing by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi at Writers Helping Writers

Beautifully Organized by Camila Caminha at Bullet Journal
How to Find an Audiobook Narrator by Julie Rowe at Book Brush Blog

Embracing the Marginalized: Writing Characters Who Are Considered Different by guest T.I. Lowe

Let's give today's guest author T.I. Lowe a warm Seekerville welcome as she shares her heart for writing characters who are considered different by embracing the marginalized.

I was asked the following question in an interview for my book Under the Magnolias and thought I would elaborate on it for you in this post:

Why did you choose to represent characters who are “marginalized” or “misunderstood” in this book?

My answer: I am just so tired of the labels and the unrealistic boxes society creates and expects you to live up to. That’s hogwash. If God wanted us all to fit in the same box, he would have created us as carbon copies. He didn’t, so that means it’s a gift to be different and I think differences should be celebrated. I did a lot of celebrating this in Under the Magnolias.

That’s the blunt answer, and I feel like bluntness is needed for this question. No beating around the bush.

As a writer, I think it would be an injustice to write solely about cookie-cutter characters. I don’t know about you, but I’m a hot mess. I have issues. I’m pudgy. When I’m nervous, I cannot find eloquence to save my life. And those are just some of my issues. Other folks have other issues. Honestly, that’s what makes them interesting in my book.

My desire is to showcase differences, in all forms, and to have people realize how unnecessary labels and boxes are. The ones who are typically overlooked are the ones I always gravitate toward when investing in character studies.

Labels created by society come with scarlet letters of shame. Body-shaming. Race shaming. Gender shaming. Social views shaming. I could go on and on. If one person reads Under the Magnolias and can relate to one of the marginalized characters and realize they are perfectly acceptable as is, then I’ve done the job I wanted to achieve.

Here’s a sneak peek at the interesting mix of characters you will meet in Under the Magnolias.

As the piano came to life, I sat a little straighter and scanned the small pews and felt certain the ragtag congregation near about represented any walk of life you could think of.

A fortune-teller accused of being a witch doctor. Check.

An ex-con with a glass eye. Check.

An atheist believer with a Polish accent. Check.

The town’s undertaker whose sexual orientation was questionable. Check.

The town floozy with a penchant for neon-blue eye shadow. Check.

A poor farming family with way too many kids. Check.

A madman leading them. Check.

As you can see in this small excerpt, there is quite a colorful group of people just waiting to introduce themselves to you. Sadly, they carry labels and shame formed from falsities and gossip. Mostly because those characters didn’t look or act like the “normal” townsfolk. Surfaces can be deceiving, but with a closer look, my readers are going to meet a spectacular group of people.

It’s time to stop the shaming and start being encouragers. I know this sounds more like a soapbox speech, but I think it’s important to grasp, in real life and in fiction. And as a Christian author, I feel like it’s my duty to love as Jesus loved. That means encouraging and not shaming. I want people to read my stories and see themselves walking through the mistakes with my characters, and I want them to celebrate in the moments of redemption as well.

Sometimes our issues or the labels placed on us due to our issues hold us back from seeking help when we need it. Shame will send us into hiding. Readers will discover how detrimental this is in Under the Magnolias. My characters hide behind the labels, become prisoners to them actually, until it almost becomes their ruin.

As a writer I have the gift of giving the story a happy ending. Sadly, this isn’t always the case in real life. Please, if you are struggling with any form of mental illness or have been hiding some other issue, I want to encourage you to get help. As Austin Foster discovers in this book, you’d be surprised how supportive those around you can be if you just let them in.

Is there a marginalized character you’ve discovered in a book you related to? If so, what book and how did it affect you? 

Share your thoughts in the comments and one reader will win a print copy of Under the Magnolias courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers.

Under the Magnolias Releasing May 4, 2021Purchase Link This night not only marked the end to the drought, but also the end to the long-held secret we’d kept hidden under the magnolias.
Magnolia, South Carolina, 1980
Austin Foster is barely a teenager when her mama dies giving birth to twins, leaving her to pick up the pieces while holding her six siblings together and doing her best to stop her daddy from retreating into his personal darkness.
Scratching out a living on the family’s tobacco farm is as tough as it gets. When a few random acts of kindness help to ease the Fosters’ hardships, Austin finds herself relying upon some of Magnolia’s most colorful citizens for friendship and more. But it’s next to impossible to hide the truth about the goings-on at Nolia Farms, and Austin’s desperate attempts to save face all but break her.
Just when it seems she might have something more waiting for her—with the son of a wealthy local family who she’s crushed on for years—her father makes a choice that will crack wide-open the family’s secrets and lead to a public reckoning. There are consequences for loving a boy like Vance Cumberland, but there is also freedom in the truth.
T. I. Lowe’s gritty yet tender and uplifting tale reminds us that a great story can break your heart . . . then heal it in the best possible way.

T. I. Lowe is an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories and is the author of nearly twenty published novels, including her debut, Lulu's Café, a number one bestseller. She lives with her husband and family in coastal South Carolina. Find her at tilowe.com or on Facebook (T.I.Lowe), Instagram (tilowe), and Twitter (@TiLowe).

Those Flaming Arrows

by Mindy Obenhaus

Ever felt as though you’re under attack? You know, going through life, kind of enjoying your comfortable little routine and then along comes something to throw you off balance. So you address that issue, then, before you know it, here comes another one. And then another, none of which are catastrophic, yet they keep bombarding you until suddenly all of those little things start to feel huge.

Yeah, that kinda sums up the last month for me. Not that I should be surprised. After all, Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble.”

Well, that doesn’t make me want to jump up and down for joy, but the good news is that Jesus didn’t stop there. He went on to say, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Indeed He has. Yet while He’s called us to be more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), I can easily spend more time whining than conquering.

You’ve often heard it said here at Seekerville, “If He calls you, He will equip you.” Yes, we’re talking about writing, but the same holds true for every other aspect of our lives. So how do we deal with those flaming arrows when they take aim at us?

Faith.

Ephesians 6:16 NIV says, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Yes, right there we see that God has equipped us. He’s given us a shield of faith to have at the ready. Except sometimes we leave our shield in the closet or tuck it under the bed. Even if it’s only in the corner of the room, it takes effort to walk over and pick up our shield.

The King James version is a little more direct. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Not take up but taking. As in always having it with you. And it doesn’t just say “in addition,” but “above all.” Hmm, Paul is really stepping on my toes now.

So what is faith? Faith is confidence. Trust. In some ways, faith is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Unlike muscles, though, you can choose to have faith at any time. You don’t have to be a Bible scholar or be part of an intensive Bible study or even quote scripture verses. You simply have to believe that God is bigger than whatever you’re facing and that, no matter the outcome, He is with you and will guide you through it.

Why am I sharing this today? Because my posts usually reflect something I’ve been struggling with since we last talked. And I know that somewhere out there one of you is facing the same battle. So sister, I’ve got your back. Let’s take up our bedazzled shields of faith (because let’s face it, why have a plain old shield when you can have a sparkly one?) and quench some fiery darts. 

And while we're at it, let's giveaway something. Giving and/or receiving always brightens my day. So how about this? Leave a comment to be entered to win a signed copy of my March release, A Brother's Promise, OR the 2-in-1 anthology with Her Colorado Cowboy. Your choice. US mailing addresses only, please.

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com

 

Rockin' the Riter's Retreat!!!

 I spent five days at a writer's retreat 

(Yes, I know how to spell writer!!!)

This is me, sitting outside on a beautiful morning on the porch of the Log Cabin we stayed in in central Iowa.Trust me, this place have NOTHING IN COMMON with a true, frontier log cabin. It was such a nice place. Beautiful house, lots of space, very comfortable...not counting that Erica Vetsch started coughing from something she was reacting to. But I felt fine!!!Our hostess was Dawn Ford from Iowa.Here she is with Erica Vestch. We were each given a meal to be in charge of. Dawn is actually making coffee, but Erica is faking that she's cooking.
Next is Nebraska author (like me) Kathy Geary Anderson.

Cathy just had her first book release, The Trouble with Jenny, and it was so fun to talk about!

She's working on the next book already.

Our fifth writer was Iowa author Shari Barr. She left a day early and as you might predict, I didn't get my camera out until she was long gone. But she had fun writing and then off she went, something about a daughter getting married in the near future.
And we had a guest come by one day. Iowa author Erin Stevenson. 

Her latest book is Sisters Ever After, book #1 of a new series.

I wrote as many words as I could for five days, two of them mostly travel days, and got 13,000 words down. 
I finished one book and began another.I need to go through the book I finished and do revisions but I didn't want to spend the retreat doing that. I wanted WORD COUNT!!!I couldn't hold a candle to Erica and her TWENTY THOUSAND WORDS!!!
We also brainstormed for a while each night, if someone wanted to. And someone always did?

The one drawback was no wifi. That surprised us but we had a little lead time for it. Still, I wanted wifi. I'm pretty hooked!
Erica is the one who mentioned how often we, as historical authors, look up words to see if they existed during our book's era. Pro-tip... Shenanigans DID exist in 1870...but not by much. 1850s.

We were on our own for breakfast--which I mostly skipped. And lunch, which was either leftovers or turkey sandwiches. And we had a nice snack counter which, no matter how much we ate, seemed to grow more plentiful with each passing day.
Then we signed up for dinner. Which, four days before, I had to ask if we'd ever discussed dinner. At which point Erica told me what I'd agreed to make and when and Dawn showed me the Google document where I'd filled in my meal plan.


Sigh.
Swiss Cheese Brain is my superpower!

It was wonderful. Dawn Ford has arranged a writer's retreat before, and I have to say she's really got a knack for arranging a successful writer's retreat.

The Log Cabin was so pretty and really out in the woods.


As part of a successful writer's retreat we often look around the area for touristy or scenic things and in this case we could not resist historic Fort Dodge. Erica found it and lured me and Dawn to it the morning the retreat ended. I took so many pictures! But I won't subject you to all of them.There was a pioneer village with old buildings pulled in to surround the restored Fort Dodge.This is the Blacksmith Forge.Below it the Blacksmith Shop.I have a whole lot of pictures of old iron tools. I wanted to make my next character a blacksmith but after studying this building, I maybe can't handle it! We'll see.
Next we walked along the stockade walls to enter Fort Dodge. I just love this kind of stuff. 
Below is a picture of the Land Office. Looking around restored pioneer villages helps me to remember all the possible stores in a town of this era. I tend to have a general store, a livery stable, a jail, a diner and a saloon. I'm trying to remember there are occasionally a few more things. This village had a veterinarian, a cabinet maker, a carriage maker, a drug store, a church, a school...I remember to add those always. It was a cool place.

And one more little thing...today is my mom's 93rd birthday. This is a picture from her 90th birthday party. Mom and all seven of her children. She's survived Covid and now is vaccinated but we are still very restricted in our visits to her nursing home.So we don't get to throw her much of a party. I'll be gone for a while this morning. But I'll be back.

We all agreed this last year has been so majorly WEIRD with Covid and everything shut down, that getting together (all of us vaccinated) was just purely uplifting.We haven't done it enough.And we're already talking about next time!Leave a comment to get your name in a drawing for aKeepin' Cowboys Cool Cooler to celebrate the new series.Keepin' Cowboys Cool


Braced for Love

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Request

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 

Christ the True Vine, 16th century Greek icon,
Byzentine & Christian Museum, Athens, Greece. [PD-US]

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”

John 15:1-8

The Seekerville bloggers are praying for YOU and for our entire blog community. If you have any special intentions that need additional prayer coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below. 

Please join us in praying for the United States--and the world--during this Coronavirus pandemic. Pray for the sick and suffering, for businesses and schools to remain open, for people to be able to work and for our economy to prosper.
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

May the Lord bless you and your families and keep you safe.   

Weekend Edition

  






If you are not familiar with our giveaway rules, take a minute to read them here. It keeps us all happy! All winners should send their name, address, and phone number to claim prizes.  Please send to Seekerville2@gmail.com. If the winner does not contact us within two weeks, another winner may be selected.


Monday: Erica - we talked about All The Other Things that come along with writing a book, like marketing, social media, and more!
Wednesday: Cate was back to discuss another favorite craft book. The winner of a copy of James Scott Bell's Super Structure is Jamie Adams. Please let us know if you would prefer a print or eBook.
Friday: Stephanie Landsem guest blogged with us and shared insight into her May 4th release, IN A FAR-OFF LAND, set in Hollywood during the Depression. Our generous guest donated a copy of IN A FAR-OFF LAND as a giveaway, and the lucky winner is Lucy Reynolds! Congrats, Lucy!


Monday:  Mary will have all the words about something humorous and enlightening.
Wednesday:  Mindy will be here to share some encouragement for those of us dodging those flaming arrows.  Friday: T.I. Lowe is our guest today.






Cover Reveal!Coming July 27, 2021

.

Widow Paisley Wainwright’s so close to taking her Texas event-planning business to the next level by turning Renwick Castle into a wedding venue. Only one thing stands in the way: her longtime rival, Crockett Devereaux, who wants the castle to become a museum. When the building’s owners insist they collaborate to implement both plans, can Paisley and Crockett put their differences aside…and fight for their dreams together?

Do you love to sink into a cozy spot and escape into a delightful, heartwarming Amish romance, romantic suspense, or novel? Then this giveaway is for you!
📚 13 Amazing Authors & 40 Winners🌟  1 Grand Prize - All 13 eBooks 💗 39 Prizes - 1 ebook each
ENTER BY 5/15/21:https://forms.gle/d3quv3GxcwFhBMsp8*Read the instructions. U.S only please.
Participating Authors:Amy ClipstonAmy GrochowskiCharlotte HubbardDana R. LynnDebby GiustiJanice Kay JohnsonKristen McKanaghLaurel BlountLenora WorthPatricia JohnsRebecca KertzShelley Shepard GraySuzanne Woods Fisher*Prizes are ebooks unless otherwise noted on the form.*Facebook is in no way associated with or endorses this giveaway.
#amishromance #amishfiction #inspirationalromance #giveaway #giveawayalert








6 Tips for Making Memes Fantastically Fast  by LA Sartor at Book Brush Blog
Words for Writers - Avoiding the Pitfalls of Historical Fiction: Part 1 by Amanda Cabot
Controlling the Element of Time in Your Novel by CS Lakin at Live Write Thrive
Archetypal Character Arcs, Pt 12: The King's Shadow Archetypes by KM Weiland by Helping Writers Become Authors

How to Build Your Own MFA Experience by Tasha Seegmiller at Writers In The Storm
Building a Social Media Plan by Rochelle Melander at Fiction University
Using TikTok to Sell Books by Dominika Pindor at Writers Helping Writers
Five Hacks to Bring Your Character to Life by Janine Rosch at Learn How To Writer A Novel
5 Simple SEO Technique Tips for Authors by LA Sartor at Book Brush Blog
Testing the Truth by Tamela Hancock Murray at Steve Laube Agency

In A Far-Off Land, by Guest Blogger Stephanie Landsem

Debby Giusti here! 

It's my honor to welcome today's guest, the talented Stephanie Landsem.  I met Stephanie at an ACFW Conference some years ago where she introduced me to her good friend Frank Peretti! Having coffee in the hotel Starbuck's with Frank and Stephanie was the highlight of the conference, and Stephanie and I have stayed connected ever since. 

Stephanie is no stranger to Seekerville. She's blogged with us before and shared insight into her Biblical fiction. Today we're learning how she made the switch to the Depression Era in her new story from Tyndale, In A Far-Off Land, releasing on May 4th.

Stephanie promises to stop by often to answer questions and share insight into her writing journey. Also, she's donating one of her books so be sure to leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for a copy of  In A Far-Off Land!

And now, here's Stephanie...

When I first began this amazing journey of writing books, I knew I wanted to write historical fiction, but I had no idea what time period to focus on. I loved them all. Ancient to Regency to World War II. It wasn’t until one Sunday when I heard a sermon about the Woman at the Well that I had that light bulb moment every author knows, and I said – that’s a story I want to write! That moment resulted—after years of writing and a few minor miracles—in the Living Water Series. 

So how did I go from writing about biblical women transformed by encounters with Jesus to writing about the Great Depression and Old Hollywood? It’s not as far a stretch as it seems.

God knows how his people learn and how they think. He made us, after all. And so Jesus told stories to his followers. We call them parables. One of the most well-known and beloved of his parables is that of the Merciful Father, also known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. In Luke’s gospel, when Jesus told this particular parable, he was talking to tax collectors and sinners, but also to Pharisees and teachers of the law. He started out with a story they all knew the ending to—a story of a bad son who took his father’s money, squandered it in a sinful life, and came to a bad end. But Jesus turned this familiar story upside down! In his version, the terrible son who merited punishment was instead welcomed home by an overjoyed father, forgiven, and given a feast. 

That’s not how it was supposed to turn out! 

And that’s when I knew I wanted to write this story of mercy and forgiveness. 

But how to write it? 

It was about that time that my husband and I took a short trip to California and visited the familiar tourist attraction of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is so where many classic film celebrities are immortalized in brass stars that line the sidewalk. And it was there, that I had the light bulb moment that every author loves.

The far-off land in which my prodigal daughter runs must be to that glittering promise of fame and fortune that was Hollywood in the 1930s, when sound and color were turning pretty girls to glamorous stars overnight. 

And that famine that hits the land must be the Great Depression, plunging her into a deprivation so severe that she must decide if she can return to her father and ask his forgiveness, or continue to wallow in the mess she’s made of her life.

 

And so, the jump from biblical fiction to A Far-Off Land was not as far as it looks. The parable of the Merciful Father is so beloved and enduring because it transcends time and history. Jesus knew that. I hope that my readers will, when they close the pages on Mina’s story, consider the Father and the idea of his radical love and mercy in their own lives--just like Jesus asked of his followers two thousand years ago.

Debby again! The coffee's brewed and tea is available so pour a cup of your favorite beverage as we chat with Stephanie! Blueberry muffins and biscuits, hot from the oven, are on the breakfast bar, along with fresh fruit. Enjoy! And remember to leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for In A Far-Off Land!

Bio: Stephanie Landsem writes historical fiction because she loves adventure in far-off times and places. In real life, she's explored ruins, castles, and cathedrals on four continents and has met fascinating characters who sometimes find their way into her fiction. Stephanie is just as happy at home in Minnesota with her husband, four adult children, two cats, and a dog. When she's not reading, researching, or writing, she's avoiding housework and dreaming about her next adventure—whether it be in person or on the page.Author’s Links: Website | Facebook |Twitter | Instagram

In A Far-Off Land

By Stephanie Landsem

A story about the price of fame, the truth sacrificed on its altar, and the love that brings a prodigal daughter home.

As the Great Depression hits the Midwest, Minerva Sinclaire runs away to Hollywood, determined to make it big and save the family farm. But beauty and moxie don’t pay the bills in Tinseltown, and she’s caught in a downward spiral of poverty, desperation, and compromise. Finally, she’s about to sign with a major studio and make up for it all. Instead, she wakes up next to a dead film star and is on the run for a murder she didn’t commit.

Only two unwilling men—Oscar, a Mexican gardener in danger of deportation, and Max, a too-handsome agent battling his own demons—can help Mina escape corrupt police on the take and the studio big shots trying to frame her. But even her quick thinking and grit can't protect her from herself. Alone, penniless, and carrying a shameful secret, Mina faces the consequences of the heartbreaking choices that brought her to ruin . . . and just might bring her back to where she belongs.

Order HERE!

Cate's Favorite Writing Books Series #3

 Anyone who has ever talked to me about writing knows that plot as a verb is my idea of a 4 letter word. 

For a very long time when I first began writing, I didn't plot ahead. I just let the story unravel as my fingers typed away (or filled pages of notebooks). I still need to do that to some extent because it's how my brain works. I can't figure out a story unless I'm actually telling it.

However, the reality of the publishing world is a bit harsh. My fervent wishes to the contrary, my editor is not going to offer me a contract on an opening chapter followed by the words and then a bunch of things happen and they fall in love and live happily ever after.

So I've had to learn to do some plotting. Let me tell you, it's been a struggle! 

But over the years I've learned that whether I choose to acknowledge it or not, stories need structure.

I think of the image of this bridge.

I wouldn't want to drive across that bridge if the engineers who designed it hadn't properly planned the structure. But what does that have to do with story structure?

There are dozens if not hundreds of books out there offering to teach you how to plot your novel. I've read some and skimmed more. I've done workshops (I highly recommend Michael Hauge's The Hero's Two Journeys). Read dozens of articles. 

But one book stood out in the way it helped me understand how to structure my stories - James Scott Bell's Super Structure: The Key to Unleashing the Power of  Story. This craft book uses 14 signpost scenes to help you plan your story. They have wonderful names like The Care Package, A Kick in the Shins, Pet the Dog - and my favorite - The Mirror Moment. Look at the bridge above. See how it is perfectly symmetrical. In your story, the Mirror Moment is that scene exactly in the middle of the book where the protagonist has to confront himself (as in the mirror) and make a decision. The rest of the book hinges on it. 

The book is set up so that each of the 14 signposts has it's own chapter that thoroughly explains its purpose and how to use it.

But there's a deeper reason I love this book.

The blurb on Amazon says:

Super Structure represents over two decades of research on what makes a novel or screenplay entertaining, commercial, original, and irresistible. Contrary to what some may think, structure is not a nasty inhibitor of creativity. Quite the opposite. Properly understood and utilized, structure is what translates story into a form readers are wired to receive it.

I bolded those lines because I think that's what appealed to me. 

The beauty of this book is that it can work for each of us in our own way. Sort of like play dough, we get to mold it in a way that fits our style while keeping the same central backbone of structure. Plotters can use the signposts as they outline their novels. Mist writers like me can use the same signposts to make sense of the ragged mess of story we’re left with after speeding through that first draft. As Bell indicates, we’re not all that different really. The pantsers are simply writing that outline as a rather long, somewhat rough first draft.

In the book, Bell uses many examples from books and films to show how these signposts work to support great stories. He takes you through step-by-step explaining the role and location of each signpost. It’s amazing! One of the first things I do when planning a new book is make a doc outlining each of the signposts.

Bonus:  Missy Tippens did an article on another of James Scott Bell's books, one I like to think of as a companion book to SuperStructure. Really this one came first and it focuses completely on the Mirror Moment. You can find Missy's article in the Archives of the original Seekerville. A Look Inside a Writer's Mind - Working from the Middle of a Story.

So what do you think?

Today I'm offering a copy of the ebook version of Super Structure. Be sure to let me know in the comments if you're interested.

Image from Pixabay

All The Other Stuff

 

Before I was published, before I even attended a writer’s contest, seminar, or read a craft book, I thought I knew how the writing life would go.

Step one: Write a story you like

Step two: Mail it off to editors

Step three: Sort through the various offers and sign a contract

Step four: Lather, rinse, repeat.

Okay, you can stop laughing now.

In the intervening years, I’ve acquired some experience, some knowledge, and a fair few bumps and bruises doled out by this writing life. I’ve learned that writing the book isn’t enough. There’s so much more to do, requirements to meet, obligations to fulfill.

So, I thought I’d talk about “The Other Stuff.” Things that a published writer has to do/should do/can do in addition to writing books. Things the publisher expects you to do to help market the book and get your name and self out there to potential readers.

These things can be broken down into categories.

 

Communications. You must conquer the tyranny of your business email. It’s so easy to neglect your email, and suddenly it’s an avalanche ready to bury you. Prioritize your email so you don’t waste time on the less important and leave the urgent to go begging.

Editors and Agents first. NEVER ghost your agent or editors. Communication is key to your relationship!
Other professional emails, from fellow writers, agency mates, whomever, who may be looking for a reply from you. Bookstore managers, bloggers, review sites, magazine editors, etc.
Reader emails and messages. Don’t skip these. Sew a little kindness and attention to people who have read and enjoyed your books.


The Writing that Isn’t Writing

Plotting and proposals. Working on that next idea to propose to your agent/editor. The publishing world is a fodder machine, and there is no time to rest on your laurels. You need to work on the next idea.
Edits. Edits of various sorts will arrive in your inbox while you are currently writing one story and marketing another. Prioritize your edits as you did your emails. Set up a calendar to ensure you finish your edits on time, and remember that Communication comes first. Communicate with your editors and your agent about editing deadline expectations.
Blog posts, interviews, articles. You will find yourself doing a lot of writing that isn’t actually on one of your books. You’ll write about writing, about your process, about your characters, about the history and setting of your book, about your favorite tea and movies. And while you may fell all this writing takes your focus off your book, remember that this extra writing is what helps people learn about you and your work. It can be time consuming, and it tends to cluster around when you are releasing a new book. (Hint: pre-write some of these articles and blog posts. As you write your book, take some notes on your research, write up a blog post or magazine article. You can bring it out when you need a post in a pinch.) Also, consider a group blog rather than an individual blog to lessen your load. Here at Seekerville, we each blog once a month with the occasional guest post, which is much more manageable for all of us than each writer blogging 3-5 times per week on her individual blog.
Marketing and Social Media

Beware of this one. It can be a HUGE time-suck and reason for not getting your other work done. And yet, it needs to be part of your professional life. Much like publishing, social media is a content machine. New pictures, posts, pins, tweets, grams…It can be daunting and time consuming.

Pick one or two. You cannot possibly keep up with every social media platform out there. I know, because I tried. I burned my twitter account for a couple of reasons. 1. I didn’t enjoy composing tweets. And 2. The atmosphere on twitter is so rancorous. Acidic and mean, and I had little control over what I saw in my twitter feed. But I very much enjoy Facebook and Instagram. So I decided to concentrate on those.

Narrow your focus on social media. Not just your platform, but the content you’re creating for it. At the moment, most of my efforts on social media go into a public group created with fellow Regency authors that focuses on the era we write and the lovely readers who enjoy that era. Polls, games, photos, questions. Interaction daily with people who read what I write.

As to Instagram, I don’t really use Insta to market my books much. I use it to follow the people I want to follow. Which will show in my follows/followed by numbers. Many more people follow my Instagram than I follow. I made the mistake on Twitter years ago of automatically following back anyone who followed me, and yowza, there turned out to be lots of people who were putting out content I didn’t want to see, but I had felt obligated to ‘return follow.’

 



It can be daunting to think about all the non-writing obligations that can come along with that dreamed-of contract, but don’t let it overwhelm you. Prioritize, triage your projects, take things in little bites, discipline yourself when it comes to social media. And above all, keep the writing first, the non-writing obligations second.



What part of the writing journey has surprised you the most? What misconception did you have that you now know is false? How do you manage your social media time?

Can Captain Wyvern keep his new marriage of convenience all business--or will it turn into something more?

Captain Charles Wyvern owes a great debt to the man who saved his life--especially since Major Richardson lost his own life in the process. The best way to honor that hero's dying wish is for Wyvern to escort the man’s grieving fiancée and mother safely to a new cottage home by the sea. But along the way, he learns of another obligation that has fallen on his shoulders: his uncle has died and the captain is now the Earl of Rothwell.

When he and the ladies arrive at his new manor house in Devon, they discover an estate in need of a leader and a gaggle of girls, all wards of the former earl. War the new earl knows; young ladies and properties he does not. Still wishing to provide for the bereaved Lady Sophia Haverly, Charles proposes a marriage of convenience.

Sophie is surprised to find she isn't opposed to the idea. It will help her care for her betrothed's elderly mother, and she's already fallen in love with the wayward girls on the Rothwell estate. This alliance is a chance to repay the captain who has done so much for her care, as well as divert her attention from her grief. When Wyvern returns to his sea commission, she'll stay behind to oversee his property and wards.

It sounds so simple. Until the stalwart captain is arrested on suspicion of smuggling, and Sophie realizes how much he's come to mean to her. Now she'll have to learn to fight, not only for his freedom but also for his love.

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschAuthor/ where she spends way too much time!

Sunday Scripture & Prayer Request

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Good Shepherd Sunday

Good Shepherd, Bernard Plockhorst, 
early 1900s. [PD-US]

Jesus said:

“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”

John 10:11-18

The Seekerville bloggers are praying for YOU and for our entire blog community. If you have any special intentions that need additional prayer coverage, leave a request for prayer in the comment section below. 

Please join us in praying for the United States--and the world--during this Coronavirus pandemic. Pray for the sick and suffering, for businesses and schools to remain open, for people to be able to work and for our economy to prosper.
We are so grateful for all of you—for your friendship and your support! 

May the Lord bless you and your families and keep you safe.