Edie Melson's Blog, page 101

A Writer’s Goals for 2023

by Crystal Bowman
As we begin another lap around the sun, we will read many posts and words of advice about setting new goals or making resolutions for the coming year. There’s something motivating about starting a new year and opening a fresh calendar with lots of blank spaces. So as writers, what can we do to fill in some of those blank spaces? 
How Writers Can Move Forward This Year
Attend a writers’ conference. Whether you are a published author or not, and whether you have already attended a conference or two or three—go! Attending a writers’ conference is one of the best investments you can make in your writing career. You can meet other writers, attend workshops, listen to keynote speakers, and meet with editors and agents. Not only will you learn tons, but you will also make connections that may open doors down the road. If you can’t attend a conference in person, consider attending a virtual conference. There are benefits to both.
Try a new marketing strategy. If you have a published book that isn’t climbing in the amazon ranks, explore ways to make it more visible. Create fun Facebook memes. Offer to be a guest blogger. Go to your local bookstore and offer to do a program or book signing (for free). Be a vendor at a local event. Find local support groups or organizations that would be a good target audience and offer to give a presentation. Any exposure is better than no exposure and every little bit helps. 
Try to obtain more book reviews. UGH! I hate asking for reviews but have found that most people are happy to write them. You may need to provide digital or hard copies to those who agree to write a review, but it’s worth getting your book in any format into the hands of reviewers. 
Start a new writing project. Whether you are trying to get a book published or working hard to market your book(s), it can be motivating and exciting to start writing something new. It might be an article, blog post, newsletter, or manuscript—but a new writing project keeps those creative juices flowing and adds to your collection of written words. 
Have your work edited. If you have written something that you would like to submit somewhere, go the extra mile, and have your work professionally edited before sending it into the world. A professionally edited manuscript will go much further than one that is not edited. 
These are only a few suggestions, and you don’t have to do them all. But setting realistic, attainable goals for the coming year may increase your writing opportunities and put a smile on your face.
Writers, please join the conversation. What other goals can we add to our calendars this coming year? 
TWEETABLEA Writer's Goals for 2023, insight from Crystal Bowman on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Crystal Bowman is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 100 books for children and four nonfiction books for women. She also writes lyrics for children’s piano music and is a monthly contributor to Clubhouse Jr. Magazine. She loves going to schools to teach kids about poetry. She also speaks at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) groups and teaches workshops at writers’ conferences. When she is not writing or speaking, she enjoys going for walks, working out at the gym, and eating ice cream. She and her husband live in Michigan and have seven huggable grandkids. 
WWW.CRYSTALBOWMAN.COMWWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CRYSTAL.BOWMANWWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CRYSTALJBOWMANWWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CRYSTALBOWMANAUTHOR

11 Things I've Come to Love About Social Media

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Let’s face it, social media takes a lot of hard knocks and gathers a good bit of bad press. 
I know I’m guilty of thinking only about the drudgery of doing it, even as I acknowledge the necessity. 
But just like almost anything we have to do—or even love to do—there are good parts and bad parts. 
Today we’re going to concentrate on the good parts!
11 Reasons to Keep Doing Social Media1. I can reach more people. With the advent of the internet and specifically social media, I can connect with more people than I’d ever been able to in the past. It’s easy to overlook about this advantage, but it’s something that should keep us pushing forward when we get tired.
2. I can help others without having to be in person or even on the telephone. I can offer assistance through a comment, a prayer, a practical link, many of the ways I could before, but without the barrier of location.
3. It gives me a wider perspective. I live in the south, in the United States. Without the benefit of social media, this would give me a fairly specific definition of what normal looks like. But now I have friends and connections all over the country and even the world. Those connections have broadened my horizons and influenced the way I see things. 
4. I can get my message out faster. If I have something I want to share, I can do so almost immediately—with little or no time-lag. 
5. I can connect with others regardless of location. I think we forget what a benefit this is. I know it’s helped me reconnect with old friends, stay in touch with new ones, and even develop relationships with people whom I might never have met in person. 
6. It makes me deliberate about reaching out beyond my inner circle. Social media is a world that grows with momentum. If I’m consistent and diligent about connecting every week, my circle widens. If I don’t, it shrinks. This make me conscious of the need to reach out. Since I’m an introvert, this is good for me. It’s also an attitude that has bled over into my physical community.
7. It has forced me to clarify and shorten my message. There are good and bad things about living in a world of soundbites. One of the good things is that it has forced me to drill down to the core of who I am and how I want to present myself. This makes my presence on social media more effective, but it also makes my in-person presence better.
8. It give me a new skill set and has made me more confident. Doing social media well requires a big jump in skills. By learning all these things, I’ve proven to myself that I’m not too old—or stupid, or lazy, or ______—to grow as a person and as a writer.
9. It has made me more respectful of others. I’d like to think I was already respectful, but I know that wasn’t true in every area of my life. By watching the negative behavior of others, it’s made me more mindful that I need to follow the golden rule and treat others the way I’d like to be treated—online and off. 
10. My definition of community has grown. I grew up believing that my community consisted of those who were physically nearby. Now I know better. My community consists of those with whom I share life, sometimes in person, sometimes online.
11. I have found a new aspect of the ministry God has given me. Many of us feel that God has whispered a unique purpose for our lives to us. With the advent of social media, that purpose has deepened. Where once He could use me to reach a small group in my community, now He can use me to reach the world. Yes, I know God could reach the world through one insignificant person without social media, but I also know that He’s using it in a powerful way.
I know we could (and often do) go on and on about how social media is a drag. But it isn’t it nice to spend a little time focusing instead on how it’s a blessing? I’d love to know what you’ve found positive in your time on social media. Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
And don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLE11 Things I've Come to Love About Social Media from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking to writers, entrepreneurs, or readers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives. Connect with her on her website, through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

3 Tips for Creating Great One-Liners in Your Writing

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28
Great one-liners become fodder for memes, tweets, and Goodreads. Did you know that you can share quotes from your books on social media or a website called Goodreads, and your words and byline might end up on a stranger’s memes without you ever knowing?
You should try it sometime. I did. I listed my book on Goodreads.com, which is owned by Amazon and a great tool for authors and readers. It’s like a library of possible books to read, and after we’ve read the books, we can leave reviews about them. 
I created a Goodreads author page and added my books to the website. I then added quotes from my books and didn’t think anything else about it. One day when I was googling my name (we’re supposed to do that to see how far our reach is), I found websites that put my quotes on memes with the appropriate attribution. A delightful surprise.
So how can we create one-liners that will inspire people and possibly even move them to share the encouragement they received from our writing
3 Tips for Creating Great One-Liners 
When we write nonfiction, we may be so focused on explaining our main point or meeting a deadline, that we forget to create quotable sentences. But great one-liners aren’t only useful for sharing online; an author or publisher can use them as pull quotes in a book to highlight a tidbit of encouragement for readers. 
So here are three tips for creating one-liners that will stick in your readers’ minds and hearts long after they’ve closed your book.
Tip #1: Contrast a battle with its victory.
What do we learn at writers’ conferences? Write to address our target audience’s felt need. What problem are they facing that we can offer a solution for? What challenge do they need encouragement to overcome?
A great one-liner will contrast a problem with its solution.The next time fear paralyzes you, … (fill in the blank).When loneliness creeps into your quietest moments, … (give a solution). 
Powerful quotes can inspire us to tackle challenges with new courage and fresh wisdom. How can you inspire readers to face their challenges with faith in God and practical wisdom?
Tip #2: Don’t always talk in paragraphs. 
Say what? Of course, we need paragraphs in our writing. But I’ve noticed in my own writing and in others’ writing that sometimes we can’t pull a line out of paragraph and quote it because it needs its neighboring sentences for context. You would have to quote the whole paragraph for that one sentence to shine. Because of copyright permissions and the space we have on memes, a chunky quote isn’t easy to share. 
So as you write your chapters, be mindful of creating some short sentences that don’t need neighboring sentences to make sense. Often, I like to plant a short sentence right after a couple of long ones for impact. Create a “pow” after a long sentence that explains Scripture, by inserting a short, punchy sentence that applies Scripture. Those short sentences can make great one-liners. 
Tip #3: Use a name for God instead of pronouns.
Sometimes I read my paragraphs and see a line about God that really stands out. But I have used “He” and “Him” to refer to God, and if I don’t change those, some people may not understand the quote like I intended it. 
Fix this in your own writing by seeing how many times you’ve used “God” in a paragraph, and then switch out a “He” for one of His names—God, Father, the Lord, or the Almighty. Then someone can lift that sentence out of its paragraph and quote it without anyone wondering who you’re talking about or what you meant. 
What tips do you have for great one-liners? Do any of these tips inspire you to take a second look at your paragraphs for quotable lines? Join the conversation, and happy writing and quoting!
TWEETABLE3 Tips for Creating Great One-Liners in Your Writing from author @KatyKauffman28 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a co-founder of LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE STUDIES. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in compilations, such as Feed Your Soul with the Word of God, Collection 1 which is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist. She also enjoys encouraging writers and giving writing tips in her monthly writers’ newsletter called THE LIGHTHOUSE CONNECTION.
In addition to online magazines, Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.COM, thoughts-about-God.com, and three blogs on writing. She loves to spend time with family and friends, create art and make crafts with her group MY ARTSY TRIBE, and tend the garden in the morning sun. She makes her home in a cozy suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. Connect with her on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.
Featured Image: Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

31 Bible Verses for Writers

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Being a writer can bring times of great joy and times of incredible difficulties. It's a solitary pursuit that often depends on the opinions of others. There are days—and sometimes weeks—of intense deadlines, followed by months of seeming inactivity. 
I love being a writer, but there are times I need encouragement. Thankfully, I don't have to walk this life relying on my own abilities. God is with me—through the good times and the bad ones. 
To help with that, I've come up with a list of Bible verses—specifically for writers—to help us focus on God and what He's doing in us and through us. We deal with insecurity, fear, trust, doubt, discouragement, and weariness. I've tried to include verses that pertain to all of these things.
It has been a huge blessing to me to pull this together, and I hope this list is a blessing to you as well. 
Biblical Encouragement for Writers
1. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
2. May the kindness of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands: Yes, confirm the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17
3. for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29
4. Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:31
5. For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose. Philippians 2:13
6. When I am afraid, I will trust in You. Psalm 56:3
7. Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, Colossians 3:23
8. Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14
9. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. 1 Corinthians 4:2
10. ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jeremiah33:3
11. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
12. The Lord will also be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble; And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, Lord, have not abandoned those who seek You. Psalm 9:9-10
13. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
14. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. Revelation 1:19
15. But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:25
16. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8
17. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13
18. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11
19. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
20. Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write down the vision And inscribe it clearly on tablets, So that one who reads it may run. Habakkuk 2:2
21. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
22. If you keep silent at this time, liberation and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s house will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.” Esther 4:14
23. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
24. “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. Jeremiah 30:2
25. being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, Colossians 1:11
26. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to giveyou hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
27. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
28. Commit your works to the Lord, And your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3
29. for we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
30. A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9
31. Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
TWEETABLE31 Bible Verses to Encourage Writers from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking to writers, entrepreneurs, or readers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives. Connect with her on her WEBSITE, through FACEBOOK, TWITTER and on INSTAGRAM.
Featured Image: Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

Intentional Marketing Strategies Help Authors Reach More Readers & Sell More Books

by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting
I learned last year that really taking time to plan and be intentional pays off and is a great way to set some marketing groundwork for growth. I want to share my experience and guidelines on developing solid plans.
Choose a Plan
First, think of your strengths. I like to do video and create memes. I dislike regular newsletters, but enjoy writing articles. 
So, I switched to Substack and stopped the old email newsletter service. I imported my contacts to Substack.com and can simply put out a short or long piece at any time. I simply write and send. Substack is free no matter how many emails you collect or how many times you email . They do not let me segment really, but I have that somewhere else now.
Create a Plan
With my strengths in mind, I thought of friends who run Christmas specials. Rather than just buy ‘my books’ I chose to offer a peace shop to promote books of friends plus my November release, Growing a Peaceful Heart. I chose to limit it to a dozen books including mine and one I co-authored with my older daughter. That’s a good start and would fill 12 days, but I wanted to run the shop for 4 weeks.I also believed the week of Thanksgiving would not be great to promote books, so I’d create a special video for that week and post it in several places. I’d create it in Canva where I could blend the memes with video. Then as I gave the authors an option to send in a digital freebie. I decided to use the last week before Christmas sharing the freebies and making memes for each one. That would bless the followers with free gifts.I created a meme for each book and live videos about each book. 
Thus, I had a good plan. I gathered the info from the authors in a google spread sheet where they could give me a link to buy the book, a peace tip, book cover, and short description of the book. 
It worked out well and everyone involved was happy. Some shared the posts more than others and some added the link and main meme about the store to their newsletters. I blessed friends who have blessed me over the years and also a few newer writers.
Lessons Learned:Create a timeline and plans to fill the days.Make allowance for a busy season or pre-post for times you will be away.Make it easy for everyone.RECYCLE: Think beyond the initial work. For the Christmas Peace Shop, I’ll post again for Christmas in July, but posts and videos are ready!EVALUATE how things went. My shop went well for doing this the first time. I plan to do it next year with a new theme, matching my 2023 release. I will use a little of the shop I did as a reminder of Christmas past and the fun we had. That will help launch the new shop. If it bombed I would probably choose to not repeat it. As I continued along I had more engagement and people mentioning they planned to buy a book when I did the FB live of one that connected with them.
Evergreen Plans
I like to know I’ll have marketing continually going and starting. Some things are my stable plans for new releases. I contacted media for interviews on the new book and wrote articles for a few places that have huge or large, loyal followings. Plus, I released a hidden Pinterest board on peace and continued to post to social medias I use.
Other New Plans
Behind the scenes I built a quiz and implemented in recently. People are starting to take the quiz, subscribe, and go through the sequences of automated emails. I’ll chat more about that next month.
I also decided to create a sequence since the original plan for a FB group launch would not work so close to the holidays. I’ll launch the new release sequence in the New Year. The spreads sheet is filling up and I’ll start working on creating the actual workflow of the emails soon. 
I also chose to grow my Pinterest slowly this fall. I spent minutes each week adding new posts and sometimes reposting from other people’s posts. I grew my Pinterest from 700 views to 4300 views monthly. It’s good to have a marketing plan that takes minutes a week. It will be easy to continue and keep growing.
In addition, I had been contacted by someone who does a promo for an author tied to promoting more authors. They wanted to promote my historic NF of Stories of Faith and Courage from the Home Front. I had to recommend four other author’s books related to my topic (American History/military). I did that and it was easy. Now one of those authors has been asked to do the same thing for other authors. It’s a pass-it-on promotion. I simply promote it, to share about the people who run it and their products. I love these types of marketing plans where we simply slide in.
Always look to the future. I also took a little training on selling books through subscription services that companies and individuals run., That’s on my list to do in the New Year. I hope you will add something to your New Year’s list or choose to continue with a marketing project you already started.
TWEETABLEIntentional Marketing Strategies Help Authors Reach More Readers & Sell More Books, tips from author @KarenHWhiting on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Karen Whiting (WWW.KARENWHITING.COM) is an international speaker, former television host of Puppets on Parade, certified writing and marketing coach, and award-winning author of twenty-seven books for women, children, and families. Her newest book, The Gift of Bread: Recipes for the Heart and the Table reflects her passion for bread and growing up helping at her grandparent’s restaurant. Check out her newest book Growing a Mother’s Heart: Devotions of Faith, Hope, and Love from Mothers Past, Present, and Future. It's full of heartwarming and teary-eyed stories of moms.
Karen has a heart to grow tomorrow’s wholesome families today. She has written more than eight hundred articles for more than sixty publications and loves to let creativity splash over the pages of what she writes. She writes for Crosswalk. Connect with Karen on Twitter @KarenHWhiting Pinterest KarenWhiting FB KarenHWhiting.
Featured Image: Photo by Sergey Zolkin on Unsplash

Three Tips to Help You Become a Better Writer

by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam
It was your allotted time to sit down and write. You perched yourself in front of the computer screen or notebook with a pen and have written your fingers numb. As you wrote the piece, whether it’s a blog post, article, devotion or part of your book, did you give it your best effort?
Be honest.
I have to confess, there’ve been times I would wait until the last minute or unfortunately my mood was not conducive for productivity, but I knocked at the door of a due date. I needed to finish the piece for submission and I hurried through it to catch that deadline. I threw some words down on the paper, rearranged the order to make it somewhat flow and pressed the submit button. 
Then I agonized later for the error of my ways. 
Last year, I committed to pray over any writing that I would do. I prayed that God would show me when my best wasn’t in a piece I felt entitled to type The End on. I asked Him to give me an unsettled feeling about it. And make it clear, I prayed, I’m your stubborn one, Lord.
And man did He show up! It’s said, be careful what you ask for, and this applied here. There have been times where I was about to hit the submit button and my computer froze or the piece wouldn’t transfer. I was living in answered prayer. 
In order to get a handle on my writing and make sure my best work is what I published, I have come up with three checkpoints that I’ve used this year. Maybe they will give you some help so you, too, can do the same. 
Three Tips to Make Your Writing Better
1. Plan your writing schedule better. What I’ve been doing is writing my deadline for something one week earlier than when it is actually due. I guess I’m playing a little mind game with myself, but it’s worked. By building margins in the deadline dates, it allows time for the words to roll around in my mind. Have a piece due on the fourth Tuesday of the month? Put it on the third Tuesday in red bold and then a different color on the true due date. This will allow time to write the piece, do what ever extra is needed—photos, references, etc.—and then read it again a day or two later. Does it feel right? Have that peace the best effort was applied? Perfect, hit that submit button.
2. Make an attitude adjustment. Are you rehashing a snarky comment made directed at you? Family member say something hurtful? Bitter about something you don’t want to admit? This could block your entire thought process, which could cause you to write with a sour attitude and you didn’t realize it. Time to get up and walk away. Take a breath. Say a prayer. Maybe even make a needed phone call. 
3. File it for later. When you complete a writing piece, sit back and ask God to show you if you really applied yourself to it. If you get the feeling it’s not your best, do not hit delete. Make yourself a file that says, Needs Work. File the piece there. Pull it out on another day. Let it brew until the words start pouring into it again. 
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” Colossians 3:23 ESV
As we head into a brand new year of great projects, my prayer for each of us is that we always present or post our best work wherever we have placed our words. Because remember—we want all things to be pleasing to God. 
What about you? Do you have a tip to add to those above?
TWEETABLEThree Tips to Help You Become a Better Writer from @TickledPinkTam on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out! 
When not writing Rom-Com, she’s The Launch Team Geek helping authors launch their books and also a Virtual Assistant for a couple best-selling authors. Her work was published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. She’s also the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President and current Vice-President of ACFW Upstate SC, and Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. She’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation Blog, Novel Academy, MBT Monday Devotions, The Write Editing and others. Connect with Tammy at https://www.tammykarasek.com.
Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Writers, Remember to have Fun!

by Beth Vogt @BethVogt
“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” Dale Carnegie (1888-1955), American writer and lecturer
Last week, I was talking to a writer who I mentor, discussing her progress during 2022. I’m so proud of how she’s persevered through obstacles while plotting a wonderful novel idea. We reviewed what she’d do before we met again, and then she grinned and said, “I’ve had fun.”
I raised my hands and cheered. 
Success!
Do I tell writers I mentor they are going to work hard? Yes.Do I want writers I mentor to learn new writing skills? Yes.Do I want writers I mentor to achieve the specific goals we set each month? Yes.But while they’re working hard and learning and achieving goals, I want writers I mentor to love, love, love writing. 
Maybe writing still is fun for you. Yay! But maybe you’re trying to remember when writing was fun. If you avoid writing because it’s drudgery, because it’s painful … then it’s time for a reset. 
How to Rediscover the Fun of WritingTake a break. When was the last time you didn’t write? If you’re worn out with too many back-to-back deadlines or too many non-stop days writing, it’s time for a break. I protect my Sundays as a day of rest, including not opening my laptop for social media or for writing. Consider a weekly writing break or even a longer hiatus from writing. Rediscover other forms of creativity. You’re a writer, so yes, you’re creative. Nourish your creative heart by indulging in something as simple as coloring pages, or listening to music, or visiting an art museum. See a play or go to the symphony. Take a cooking class or a stained-glass class.Do something that makes you laugh. Watch a funny movie or indulge in some old Dick van Dyke TV shows – my go-to for laughter. Spend time with your best friends—writers or not—and talk (and listen). Our stories flow from our heart.Keep writing. Just because writing isn’t fun right now doesn’t mean it will never be fun again. Ignore the temptation to quit. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Kick the words “I quit” to the curb. Keep writing in a personal journal. Keep writing in a prayer journal. Keep writing in a gratitude journal. See the common theme here? Keep writing.TWEETABLEWriters, Remember to Have Fun! Wise Words from author @BethVogt on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” She’s authored 14 novels and novellas, both romance and women’s fiction. Beth is a Christy Award winner, an ACFW Carol Award winner, and a  RITA® finalist. Her novel Things I Never Told You, book one in her Thatcher Sisters Series by Tyndale House Publishers, won the 2109 AWSA Golden Scroll Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. She lives in Colorado with her husband Rob, who has adjusted to discussing the lives of imaginary people. Connect with Beth at bethvogt.com.
Featured Image: Photo by Kaleidico on Unsplash

How to Help Others Take Your Writing Seriously

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
"Nobody takes me seriously as a writer or respects my time."
This seems to be a common refrain I hear from newer writers. They’ve finally worked up the courage to get serious about writing regularly and some of their closest family and friends won’t respect their time. They get calls during the times they’re writing and attitude if they don’t stop to talk. They hear comments that undermine their newfound confidence.
“You can do that, after all you stay home all day.”
“Oh come on, you’ve got nothing better to do.”
And my favorite. “It’s not like you have a real job.”
So what’s a writer to do?
To begin with, take a deep breath and realize this problem isn’t unique to writers. It happens to everyone who works from home—I should know—my husband and I have shared a home office for the past thirteen years. For some people an office isn’t an office if it isn’t off site. Not logical—but an all too common misconception.
I’ve fought this battle—sometimes more successfully than others—and these are the strategies I’ve come up with. 
Tips To Help Friends and Family Support Your Writing
First, make certain you’re setting the example you want followed. By that I mean keep regular hours. Notice I said regular hours—not normal ones. For years I wrote with young children. That meant writing in the afternoons and after they were in bed. Just because you’re working odd hours doesn’t mean you can’t have a schedule. Second, treat what you’re doing like you’re serious. If you blow off writing for shopping and lunch several times a week your friends and family won’t understand if you don’t stop for them. Third, be consistent. If you’re not accepting calls from your mother-in-law because you’re working, don’t spend the afternoon on the phone with your best friend. Stay focused on your writing. This is even more critical if your time is at a premium. Fourth, recruit a support team. Instead of adversaries, enlist your friends and family to help you reach your writing goals. Communicate those goals, clearly and frequently. Ask for their help to reach them. After all, what mother doesn’t want to help her baby succeed! Fifth, share your victories. Let those that help you share in the joy of goals accomplished and milestones reached. These five things have helped me immeasurably over the years. But they’re not a cure-all. There will still be those who think what you do is fun and not work. Expect that, anticipate it even. Knowing it happens to everyone takes away a little bit of the sting.
So what have you found to help when you struggle with sabotaging friends and family?
Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLEHow to Help Others Take Your Writing Seriously, tips from author @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through her camera lens. She’s a writer who feels lost without that device & an unexpected speaker who loves to encourage an audience. She also embraces the ultimate contradiction of being an organized creative. She knows the necessity of Soul Care and leads retreats, conferences & workshops around the world on staying connected to God. Her numerous books, including the award-winning Soul Careseries & reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts. Her blog, The Write Conversation is recognized as one of the top 101 industry resources. 
She and husband Kirk have been married 40+ years and raised three sons. They live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and can often be found hiking—with Edie clinging to the edge of a precipice for the perfect camera angle and Kirk patiently carrying her camera bag and tripod. Connect with her on her website, www.EdieMelson.com and through social media.

Spilled grits, ladders, and a writer’s dreams for the New Year

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites 
I stopped by the grocery store on my way home from work, as per my mom’s request. Just one item. If I could locate it, I’d be in and out quickly. Picking the wrong aisle, I encountered a ladder blocking the entire walkway. 
Chuckling to myself, I defied Grandma’s silly superstition and ducked under the ladder rather than retrace my steps to go the long way. 
On the next aisle over, unbeknownst to me, someone had spilled a bag of grits and tiny, unseen grains littered the floor. I promptly slid across the floor like an ice skater with no grace whatsoever, arms flailing. I might’ve even squealed a little just before I landed on my southern keister.
I was barely sixteen, but that worldly experience made me ponder the validity of Grandma’s superstition…at least that one.
I grew up with two grandmothers in mobile homes, just across the side yard from our old farmhouse. Both were women of God and had strong faiths, but my mother’s mom was also oddly superstitious. 
We didn’t dare wash clothes on New Year’s Day or we might suffer the consequences of washing someone out of our life that year. 
Dropping silverware meant someone was coming for dinner. 
An itching palm meant money coming our way, and an itching foot meant we’d walk on new ground. Being the poor farmer’s daughter that I was, neither of those seemed to work in my favor because we were always low on cash and couldn’t afford to travel to new territory. In fact, the diagnosis for my ten-year-old, itching foot one year was a ringworm. Surely that could be blamed on a black cat .. 
This same Bible-reading, hard-working, God-fearing woman who took superstitions seriously didn’t believe that God wanted women to wear pants. I never saw her in anything but a handmade dress, even when she went out to hoe the garden or pick peas. She also never watched anything on television except Little House on the Prairie, because she thought modern TV shows were the ruination of us all.
I couldn’t help but think of my grandmother this past New Year’s Day. I made sure not to wash clothes that day just in case, and I followed her directives at mealtime. I nibbled on a few greens, ate some black-eyed peas, and added ham to my plate. Coins in my pocket, good luck, and good health—hopefully my lucky lunch will provide all those things for me in 2023.
My grandmother reminded us each year that whatever we did on New Year’s Day, we would do the rest of the year—another superstition. 
For fun, I made sure on January 1 to fit in as many of the activities I’d like to do this year as possible. 
I spent time in prayer during my morning walk, exercising physical muscles and spiritual ones, too. 
I spent time with four generations of extended family over lunch. 
I baked homemade bread, using the sourdough starter recipe favored for years. I hope to enjoy cooking and baking often for my little small family still at home, and I’m hoping my adult children will visit me frequently and expect cookies and treats when they get here! 
I made sure to read a couple of chapters in a book for pleasure, a nonfiction chapter about writing, and my Scripture reading for the day, but not necessarily in that order. 
I worked on a newspaper column in hopes that writing assignments and projects would be plentiful during the year. 
My husband and I drove to the next county over to enjoy an afternoon walk on a nature preserve. We talked about dreams and hopes for the upcoming year on the drive. 
I talked to all four of my adult children and the favorite grandson. 
Just in case there’s something to Grandma’s silly superstitions … 
How about you? What did you do on January 1 this year that you hope you’ll do all year long? In my prayer time that day, I prayed for writers, in general and with specifics. I plan to pray for many of you this year, that your writing dreams and goals will find much success! 
Oh, and by the way … I’m not superstitious at all, in case you’re wondering, because my faith lies with the One true God and Creator of the universe. 
Except for that ladder thing … the jury’s still out on that one … 
TWEETABLESpilled grits, ladders, and a writer’s dreams for the New Year, insight from @JLavenderWrites on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Julie Lavender loves the start of a new year with fresh goals for spiritual growth, family time, and writing opportunities. Rather than make a list of resolutions for the entire year, she prefers to revisit her goals on the first day of each month, recharging, updating, and pressing on into a brand new month. Julie is the author of Children’s Bible Stories for Bedtimeand 365 Ways to Love Your Child: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories.

How & Why Writers Need to Find the Original Source When Using Quotations

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden
Often when editing a book for someone I come across a quote that is either improperly sourced or not sourced at all. When I ask the author about it, I have heard many answers. But the most appalling is, “Well, it was on the internet so I thought it was okay to use it.”
Yes, you can use it but not without proper credit and, sometimes, permission.
Using quotes from other people or from books lends credibility to your writing and supports the information you are using. Quotations give you a way another expert to reinforce the information you are trying to communicate.
Do your best to track a quote back to the original source. Don’t stop at the first place you see it; that may not be the original source. Some websites or blogs list a source because that is the location they found a quote. However, they may have failed to trace it back to the original source.
How can you do that?
First, consider the source that is listed with the quote. Is it attributed to someone who has been gone for decades or maybe even centuries but the source has been listed as a contemporary website, blog, or book? If that is the case, you’ll need to do some research.
For instance, Alexander Hamilton is quoted on several of the often-used quote websites as having said, “When the sword is once drawn, the passions of men observe no bounds of moderation.” An entire Broadway musical has been written about this man. But the quote wasn’t original to the musical either. We know Alexander Hamilton didn’t say that yesterday but we don’t know if it was part of a speech, written in a book, or spoken to his next-door neighbor.
The best place to locate the source of the quote is to paste it into google with quotation marks around it. Carefully study the resources that come up. Many of them will be the well-known sites for quotes. Select one that will take you back to an original source.
We know Alexander Hamilton lived in the late 1700s. So I looked for entries that were historical in nature or contained papers with Hamilton’s writing in them. Finally found that this quote was part of Hamilton’s efforts in Federalist paper #16 to address the inadequacy of the Articles of the Confederation and argue for a federal government. It was dated 4 December 1787. 
When giving attribution to the quote you are using, you do not have to put all that information with the quote. It would be fine to say in your article or book, “In 1787 Alexander Hamilton said, ‘When the sword is once drawn, the passions of men observe no bounds of moderation.’” However, when you turn it in to the editor, he or she will appreciate a separate source sheet that tells him or her just where to find the original source.
Beth Patch, with CBN.com, says, “Since we are online, I prefer not to use footnotes or endnotes. I usually cite the resource in the body of the text and hyperlink it where possible. If the source was a book, I would hyperlink to the book.” 
When you are writing an article for a specific magazine, ask your editor “How do you prefer quotes to be handled? Do you want sources cited in the body of the manuscript, prefer footnotes, end notes, or just a reference or resource sheet?” This information is sometimes found in the writer’s guidelines.
“I think it is important when I quote someone, to make sure I use the direct quote in quotation marks and include the author’s name,” says Susan Reichert, Former Editor-in-Chief, Southern Writers Magazine.“Right after the author's name, I then feel it important to cite the place I got the quote along with the website address.”
Different editors will handle quote citation in different ways but all will want correct, original sources. With the current trend being to use few or no endnotes and footnotes, documentation often is put on a separate sheet and sent with your manuscript. That information will be filed by the editor and only used if someone inquires about the original source.
Writers love to use quotes. One word of caution, if you find the perfect quote to support your writing but you have never heard of the person who said the words, be sure to look him or her up. As inspirational writers, we need to make sure we quote people who are believers. Otherwise, readers may wonder if our beliefs align with the source of the quote who may believe very differently and have values unlike our own.
Quoting from the internet is no different than quoting from anywhere else. Don’t make the mistake my editing client did and think that just because words are on the world wide web, they are not free and clear world wide words for anyone to use.
TWEETABLEHow & Why Writers Need to Find the Original Sources When Using Quotations, insight and tips from author @LindaGilden on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Linda Gilden has coauthored 11 books with 5 different coauthors and has #12 and #13 coming out in 2022, adding a new co-author to the list. She loves every one of her coauthors and enjoys collaborating on interesting projects with them. She also has written many books on her own and realizes what a treasure and blessing a good co-author is.