Edie Melson's Blog, page 109

How Active Are the Settings You Write?

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells
Settings come in four types: passive, active, like a character, and when the setting is the story.
Setting isTime PlaceSurroundingsMoodCultural nuancesHistorical periodA backdrop for a storyPassive settings are so ordinary as to be nearly invisible and can be described as simply as
Aboard Air Force OneIn the hospitalAt his officeSeated in front of the sound boardPoolsideRiding along the trailSeat-belted into the cockpitMeanwhile back at the ranch
Active settings create an environment that contributes to the story. For instance, ()The Scarlet Pimpernel is set in Paris during the French Revolution. The political climate, modes of travel, communication, societal categories, and madame guillotine had powerful influences on the story.The film, Crocodile Dundee, loosely based on Rod Ansel whose story is told in Outback Heart by Joanne Van Os has an active setting in the Australian Outback complete with—well—crocodiles. Secrecy Order, takes place in a kibbutz. Deep in Israel’s Negev desert, the communal living isolates our hero in proximity to smugglers of illegal arms.
Following their long-legged host, Marc eyed their surroundings. They were on a hillside overshadowed by higher hills fringing a canyon. Below, the rocky terrain flowed into a wide, dry wadi bed. Two donkeys, a camel, a rust-fringed Mitsubishi truck, and a dusty jeep were parked in the shadow of the hill they descended. The threesome followed a shallow horizontal groove carved into the thirsty hillside. Gradually angling down, the man-made depression disappeared under the base of a rock-lined well.
Perched on the edge of the well, Adi tossed a bucket into the water below. Hand over hand, he pulled the rope that brought the filled container back to the top. Balancing the bucket on the rim, he removed the fabric tied about his head. He strained the water through his scarf into the trough of hewn rock that sat beside the well. Three times he repeated this process. With a wave of his hand, he indicated they should help themselves.
After washing, Marc and Lei climbed into the dusty jeep and Adi steered the vehicle along cliff edges, plunged into deep dry wadi beds, and climbed steep passes. The few times Adi used the brakes, they piercingly squealed their protest at being coaxed to work.
At last, an oasis appeared in the desert and the vehicle sped toward this place. As they drove, the desert gave way to acres of carefully maintained orchards, gardens tented under white plastic, and pasture animals grazing among sparse crops of wild grasses. Adi parked the jeep beside a cluster of well-kept buildings.
“Where are we?” Lei’s legs were wobbly after the wild ride. Before Marc could offer, Adi took her hand to steady the girl as she climbed from the jeep. 
Their host gave a grand sweep with his free hand. “This is my home, my kibbutz.”
In Homeless for the Holidays, the Arctic Artie’s bathroom actively places our hero, Jack Baker, in a contemporary American restaurant where employees make minimum wage and occasionally wear the company’s mascot costume. Jack looked ridiculous in the Arctic Artie’s penguin mascot costume. He resembled an oversized, out-of-place, non-flight bird.
As if to confirm his thoughts, a tough looking guy emerged from the bathroom stall and smirked. Locking eyes with Jack, the cocky guy washed his hands, dried them on a paper towel, and tucked the used, wet towel into Jack’s white penguin shirt. The man tweaked Jack’s plastic penguin beak and left.
The humiliating experience left a bitter taste in his mouth. Standing in a fast-food restaurant bathroom, making minimum wage, dressed like a penguin was a far cry from the VP office he had worked hard for, deserved, and pridefully occupied.
Whether using a passive or active setting, describe for the reader what is unusual. Smelling of hamburgers, a fast-food restaurant is familiar to the reader, but not an Arctic Artie penguin costume. Paris in the 1700s is different from any other large city of the period when the setting includes the haunting sound of the guillotine. 
Chekov’s gun is the Russian author’s reference to active setting. “One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn't going to go off. It’s wrong to make promises you don’t mean to keep.” Include time, place, surroundings, mood, and cultural nuances necessary to the story, and edit out any background that does not contribute. 
TWEETABLEHow Active are the Settings You Write? Tips from author @PeggySueWells on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Tropical island votary and history buff, PeggySue Wells parasails, skydives, snorkels, scuba dives, and has taken (but not passed) pilot training. Writing from the 100-Acre Wood in Indiana, Wells is the bestselling author of thirty books including The Slave Across the Street, Slavery in the Land of the Free, Bonding With Your Child Through Boundaries, Homeless for the Holidays, Chasing Sunrise, and The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make. Founder of SingleMomCircle.com, PeggySue is named for the Buddy Holly song with the great drumbeat. At school author visits, she teaches students the secrets to writing and speaks at events and conferences. Connect with her at www.PeggySueWells.com, on Facebook at PeggySue Wells, and LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/peggysuewells

How Writing Ruined My Wife: Why Going Out with a Writer is a Scary Endeavor

by Kirk Melson

I used to love taking my wife out to eat. It was always a carefree time when we could visit about what was going on in our lives, share our dreams and our struggles. 

Then she began to write…fiction.
And the carefree quickly morphed into the socially awkward. Oh we still discussed our dreams and our struggles and what was going on in our lives, but the stories she was (and still is) writing began to intrude. 

I’ve always loved her book ideas and personally I think she’s a genius writer. And I’m NOT saying that because she’s my wife. She’s really good. She writes the kind of books I like to read—scifi and mystery/suspense—the kind of books a man can sink his teeth into.
And as an engineer I’m fascinated by the process. I still marvel at how her mind comes up with this stuff! But that’s also the challenging part for eating out…in public. Contrary to what I thought about fiction writers, these books don’t just spring forth fully formed. There are hundreds (sometimes thousands) of little details to be ironed out before everything fits together just right.
Details like how to murder someone. Or how to make her characters act right. I mean really, they’re imaginary characters. I would have thought they’d have been easy to control. 

As usual, I was dead wrong.
And meal times seems to be when Edie is most comfortable discussing these problems with me. I’m flattered really. I can’t imagine why she’d think I’d have any insight into the challenges she’s facing. 

And I can assure you, I do NOT have any experience in murdering someone.

But that doesn’t stop conversations like this from occurring at our favorite restaurants.

“I need your help with an issue I’m having with my antagonist.” An innocent enough way to start dinner conversation.

“Sure. How can I help?” I want to support her anyway possible. What else could I say?

“Well, we need to plan a murder.” She says it so matter of factly, like it’s a common topic of conversation. 

I notice a few people glance our way, like they’re certain they couldn’t have heard that correctly.

“Are you sure you want to talk about that here?” I can see it coming, but can’t stop it or even get out of the way.
“Why not? We’re alone, no kids. What could be better?” 

What indeed? “Okay, shoot.”

She frowns. “No, I need something more original than just shooting or stabbing someone. It’s got to be unique, and hard to solve.”

No those around us have stopped eating, some mid bite. My only thought is to get this topic finished and on to another one before someone calls the police. “I have to admit I can’t imagine. Maybe some kind of poison.”

“That sounds like a possibility, maybe something slipped into her food or drink.” She stares into space for a moment then smiles. “When I get home I’ll research some poisons and see if that helps.”

Then she’s off chatting about another subject. 

I on the other hand am signaling to the waiter for the check. I want to be long gone before the police arrive.

Has this happened to anyone else out there? Give a struggling spouse some perspective!
TWEETABLEHow Writing Ruined My Wife: Why Going Out with a Writer is a Scary Endeavor from Kirk Melson on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Featured Image: Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Quit Writing from a Place of Fear and Rediscover Your Joy

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson 
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him (Psalm 28:7 NIV).
A while back, I was having difficulties with a project. As I tried to figure out why, it dawned on me that instead of writing with courage and faith, I was writing from a place of fear.
No wonder the work was so difficult. The revelation stunned me. If there’s one thing I pride myself on (and that should have been my first clue I was about to fall flat on my face), it’s the thought that I’m not afraid of anything.
As I travel and speak to writers, one of the first things I share with them is how being courageous has helped me with my writing endeavors. 
So what did I do to overcome this roadblock?
1. I took my fear to God in prayer. His word is clear on the fact that we’re not supposed to fear. I acknowledged what I’d been doing and turned my fears over to Him.
2. I made a list detailing all my fears specifically. I didn’t simply think about them in my mind. I put those fears on paper. Know what I discovered? Most of the things I was worried about looked pretty silly on paper. 
3. I looked at the parts of the list that weren’t silly and turned them upside down. For example: I was afraid someone I loved would misunderstand my motive. To turn it upside down I considered the possibility that someone God loved would see Him more clearly. Yes, what I was fearful about could happen, but after flipping my perspective, I decided it was worth the risk.
4. I gave myself permission to write from a place of courage. I turned away from those voices that warned about bad results. Instead, I spread my writing wings and soared into the freedom of wordplay. I recaptured the joy of writing from my heart, exploring the whisperings of God in the depths of my soul. I rediscovered writing from a place of grace.
Today I’d like you to take a long and sensitive look at where you are with your writing. Ask yourself if you’re writing from a place of grace or a place of fear.
I'd also like to pray for you as you battle any fears that are hanging around. 
A Prayer for Courage
Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it (Ezra 10:4 ESV).
Dear Lord, You know what a wimp I am. At times it seems like my first love isn’t really writing’ it’s thinking up reasons to be fearful about my writing. You didn’t design me to be this way, and You certainly didn’t call me to a life of fear. 
I know Your plan for me is to walk confidently on the path before me. Help me learn how to do walk forward. Enlarge my courage and turn my focus away from the what-ifs that clutter my mind. 
Some days I wake up confident in what’s to come. But often even that confidence is misplaced—focused on me and my ability instead of on You. That’s when I get into the most trouble. Don’t let me substitute self-confidence for confidence in You. Remind me that I don’t have to get it right for You to use my words for the benefit of others. 
You take my most timid offerings and use them to further Your kingdom. I don’t have to write perfectly, hear perfectly, or even follow perfectly. Perfection is Your job, obedience is mine. You gave me a precious gift when You called me to write. Thank you for choosing to use me. Don’t let me waste it by being afraid. Amen.
Now, I have something for you to day. Please share some of the things you do to move past the writing fear! 
Don't Forget to Join the Conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLEQuit Writing from a Place of Fear and Rediscover Your Joy, tips from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
This post is an excerpt from  Soul Care for Writers  (Bold Vision Books 2019)
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.
Featured Image: Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Writing Stress Happens, Use These Tips to Find Relief

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
The world has come through a couple of stressful years. Writers haven't been immune to the fall out from that difficult time. We're all trying to figure out what normal looks like going forward. Beyond the world-wide stresses, there are other things that can make life harder and affect how we move forward. The reasons for the stress we face are as varied as the writers who suffer. We can experience anxiety for many reasons—from a series of difficult deadlines, an extended length of time with no forward momentum, exhaustion from a marketing push, or even a series of negative experiences.
The cause isn’t as important as recognizing the symptoms and dealing with them.
Tips to Cope with Writing Stress
1. Take your fears and feelings to God. Begin with prayer, but take it a step further. Journal your prayers and what you feel God is saying to you. When we begin with a connection to the Father, the other things we do to cope are more productive.
2. Stay connected to the present. This is also a kind of non-judgmental mindfulness. Look honestly at your situation and evaluate what's bugging you. Examine and emphasize the differences between truth and lies. Don’t beat yourself up for your feelings, instead study them and acknowledge what you’ve learned and apply that. 
3. Start a journal. Give yourself the gift of a place to pour out your feelings. I’ve found that especially for writers, writing down the confusing emotions we’re dealing with brings order. Give yourself permission to be messy. Don’t try to write only once a day in an orderly fashion. Instead write when you feel like it. It may be several times a day or only a few times a week. The important thing is that you have a place to pour out what you’re dealing with. 
4. Surround yourself with good smells. Yep, aromatherapy can actually help. Use essential oils, candles, and even soothing lotions. Our mood is affected by the odors around us. Be deliberate about enhancing that part of your environment. I’ve begun lighting a certain candle when I write. Now I’ve got a kind of Pavlov’s Dog situation. When I catch a whiff of that candle, I’m almost instantly in the mood to write.
5. Avoid caffeine, tobacco and alcohol. Yes, we’re writers and we are caffeine-fueled word machines…sometimes. Now is not that time. Instead find a beautiful glass, fill it with sparkling ice cubes, a slice of fruit and fresh water. Hydrate your water-starved body. Need something warm? Choose an herbal tea.
6. Walk away regularly. You may find yourself on a deadline again, but the time you spend on a short walk or another healthy exercise will make you MORE productive. If you’re a knitter, spend an hour with yarn and needles. Pull out your Bible journal or bullet journal and let creativity reign. Whatever renews your spirit is what you need to build into your routine.
7. Find a support group. You are not the only one who has ever experienced this. You are not weak or stupid or defective. Listening to those lies isolates us from the community we desperately need right now. In addition to leaning into God, find His people, open up, and let them support you. When you’re feeling better, you can return the favor. 
8. Don’t neglect physical activity. Go for a walk, take a hike, but most of all—work up a sweat. You need those endorphins right now. By getting back into a regular exercise routine you’ll also bring order from chaos. 
9. Weed out the unnecessary. Now isn’t the time to add to your work load. Instead look for things you can drop from your regular routine. Cut back on social media, subscribe to a meal service and let that hall closet rest without cleaning it out. 
10. Unplug from your electronics. Yes part of being a writer in 2020 is having an active online presence. But this does NOT mean 24-7. Resolve to check your phone only a few times a day. Otherwise, leave it in the other room. Consider even writing old school. Walk away from your computer, pick up a pen and record your ideas on actual paper. 
11. Refuse to give in to shame. We have all been where you are. But when we all hide it shame creeps in. Instead be the brave one who admits life can be overwhelmingly stressful. You’ll find freedom in that and release others from their bondage in the process. 
12. Prioritize daily and weekly. Every evening I use my bullet journal to make a list for the next day. By recording my to-dos then, I free up my first-thing-in-the-morning for time with God. I also keep a running list for the week so I don’t forget anything vital. I’m developing the habit of NOT looking at my phone or email until after I’ve had some precious time with God. Knowing I already have a list, frees me from the stress of feeling like I’m already behind when I climb into my work-mode. 
The biggest thing to remember is that we’re not alone. Being a writer can lead to an incredible life, but it can also bring extreme times of difficulty. With these tips you can begin to recover from the stressful times and help others in the process. 
Now it’s your turn. What would you add to my list of ways to cope? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section below. 
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLEWriting Stress Happens, Use These Tips to Find Relief, @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.
Featured Image: Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash

10 Tips for Writing Amazing Amazon Book Reviews

By Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2
When an author friend asks you to write a review, what should you write? What shouldn’t you write? 
In last month’s post, I shared how to Maximize Your Amazon Reviews with These Eight Book Launch Tips. Today I’d like to flip the perspective and share ten tips when you’re the one writing Amazon reviews. 
How to Write Amazon Book Reviews
Step 1: Buy the book.Amazon doesn’t require reviewers to purchase a book before they review it, but it helps. “Verified Purchase” reviews go to the top of the page and carry greater weight with Amazon. The company is also less likely to suppress a review if you bought the book from them.
Step 2: Read the book. This seems obvious, but please at least read enough of the book to form an accurate opinion. Just because you love the author doesn’t mean you’ll love the book, so don’t assume. Do your due diligence. 
Step 3: Choose a star rating.The Amazon star rating goes from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Stellar). Be honest. Integrity calls you to accurately reflect your opinion, keeping in mind that it’s your opinion. Opinions vary based on preference, background, and previous experience with the genre, but they should always be honest and fair.
Step 4: Share what you liked.Think carefully and spotlight one or two aspects of the book you especially enjoyed. Maybe you fell in love with the characters or identified with the heroine. Or the action kept you turning the pages long into the night. For a non-fiction book, perhaps you bought it in response to a need, and the book really helped meet this need. Say this.
Step 5: Share what you didn’t like.You don’t have to give a negative review to share something you didn’t appreciate or wish were different about the book. Perhaps the book’s organization made it a little hard to follow, or a character was annoying. It’s okay to say this. A balanced review is credible, because it shows the reviewer read the book. One of my favorite reviewers wrote, “I do have one negative about the book: It wasn’t long enough!” God bless her. Thank you, Jesus.
Step 6: Refrain from saying you know the author personally.Amazon often rejects reviews from those with personal connections to the author. To give your review the best chance of being accepted, refrain from saying, “She’s my daughter-in-law, BFF, Sunday school teacher, or fellow writer.” If you’ve followed the author professionally, it’s certainly fine to say, “I’ve read every book he’s written,” “I subscribe to her blog,” or “I’ve heard him speak multiple times and love his ministry.”
Step 7: Include a picture.Reviews with pictures also tend to rise to the top of the list, so take 30 extra seconds to snap a picture and add it to the bottom of your review. (Scroll down. You’ll see the spot to upload it from your phone or computer.) If you’re not feeling photogenic, take a picture of the book beside a vase of flowers or your coffee cup. One of the cleverest photos a reviewer posted for one of my books shows her holding the book up to her face as if reading. All you can see is the book cover and her eyes peeking over the top. It’s makes me smile every time.
Step 8: Post a video.If you really love your author (and the book), post a video. Use your phone to record a quick blurb about why you love the book and who would benefit from it. Don’t overthink it and don’t expect it to be perfect. Just share your thoughts. Save the video, then click on the plus box on the review page that says, Add a Photo or Video to upload it from your computer or phone.
Step 9: Disclose if you received the book for free.If you received an advanced copy (ARC) from the author or publisher, you must disclose this in your review. Add a line at the bottom that says something like, I received an advanced copy from the publisher. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Step 10: Share your review on other platforms. Don’t limit your review to Amazon. Share it on Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, Christian Book, and the publisher’s website. Then share it on social media with a picture of the book. Show your author friends some love and make the most out of the time you spent composing the review. Writing is the hard part. Once it’s done, copy and paste it everywhere you can.
Authors love reviews better than chocolate—and that’s a lot! If you follow these ten tips, you can bless your author friends and their readers by leaving amazing Amazon reviews.
TWEETABLE10 Tips for Writing Amazing Amazon Book Reviews from author @LoriHatcher 2 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Now it’s your turn. What’s your best tip for writing Amazon reviews? Share your thoughts in the comments.Lori Hatcher is an author, blogger, writing instructor, women’s ministry speaker, and career dental hygienist. She writes for Our Daily Bread, Guideposts, Revive Our Hearts, and Crosswalk.com. Lori’s upcoming devotional, Refresh Your Hope, 60 Devotions for Trusting God with All Your Heart, will release on January 3, but is available now for preorder. Connect with her at www.LoriHatcher.com or on Facebook, Twitter (@lorihatcher2) or Pinterest (Hungry for God).
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Common Writing Obstacles (Part 6): Plotting

by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas
This is one more installment in a series on common obstacles writers face.
Some people say you can’t have a story without a plot. Others say you can’t have a story without characters. Both are true. I think characters are more important.
If we have a plot with no characters, I’m not sure what we have, but we don’t have a story.
If I have characters with no plot, I have life like we have in the real world outside the book.
In writing a story, we have characters. They can be people, dogs, horses, cats, whatever works for our story and genre. The important ingredient is they have a goal to achieve. Along the way, they encounter problems, obstacles, setback, and failures. The story is how do they overcome them or what happens if they don’t. We love our characters, but making it too easy for them to achieve their story goals isn’t good for the story or the reader.
Simplistically, plot is what the character does or doesn’t do to achieve their goal in the story.
In my first novel, Journey to Riverbend, my main character is Michael Archer. His story goal is to help a young man, Ben, achieve reconciliation with his father. This is the basic plot of the story. The plot thickens, as the cliché says, when the hero, Michael, encounters obstacle after obstacle.
The first obstacle is the town hangs Ben for a crime he didn’t commit. This happens in the first chapter. Michael chooses to attempt the reconciliation on his own because it is important for him to keep his word.
Another complication is the father, Sam, threw Ben out of the house and out of the family several years earlier. He is not like the prodigal father in Bible.
Michael arrives in Riverbend to discover the prodigal father has been kidnapped by an old business partner. 
Michael joins the posse where there are more complications and obstacles to overcome in the effort to find Sam. When the posse locates the kidnappers, I put Michael in the position of choosing between his two core values: he will always keep his word; and he will never kill anyone. To free Sam, he may have to kill one kidnapper.
I mentioned core values in the above paragraph. Having core values conflict within the character adds complexity and depth to their personality. The value conflict makes them more alive and believable.
Our character’s obstacles and challenges must be believable in the story's context. And their solutions must also be believable in both the story and story world we’ve created. For example, my story is a Western. Michael can’t have a transporter beam, ala Star Trek, snatch Sam out of danger.
For the ending, we want to avoid cliches and what the Greeks called Deus ex machina—God in the machine. Usually, this refers to the appearance of some unseen or unknown character or force at the climax. We can’t have the cavalry ride to the rescue unless we have cavalry earlier in the book. Our hero or heroine can’t have Kung Fu skills in the last scene if they didn’t show these skills earlier in the story. We can’t have our college professor hero know how to hot wire an escape car unless they’ve shown similar skills earlier. Unless they’re Indiana Jones.
James Scott Bell has an excellent book titled Plot and Structure for help in this area.
Steven James also has a craft book I highly recommend called Story Trumps Structure .
How do you overcome obstacles in plotting your stories?
TWEETABLECommon Writing Obstacles (Part 6) Plotting, tips from author Henry McLaughlin, @RiverBendSagas on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Don't Miss the Rest of the Posts in This Series!COMMON WRITING OBSTACLES (PART 1): TIMECOMMON WRITING OBSTACLES (PART 2): TALENT VS LEARNINGCOMMON WRITING OBSTACLES (PART 3): PERFECTIONISMCOMMON WRITING OBSTACLES (PART 4): WORLD BUILDINGCOMMON WRITING OBSTACLES (PART 5): TAKING RISKSCOMMON WRITING OBSTACLES (PART 6): PLOTTING
Links to The Art of Self-Editing Blogs:THE ART OF SELF EDITING PART 1THE ART OF SELF-EDITING, PART 2THE ART OF SELF-EDITING, PART 3THE ART OF SELF-EDITING, PART 4THE ART OF SELF-EDITING, PART 5
Henry’s debut novel, Journey to Riverbend, won the 2009 Operation First Novel contest.
Henry edits novels, leads critique groups, and teaches at conferences and workshops. He enjoys mentoring and coaching individual writers.
Connect with Henry on his BLOG, TWITTER and FACEBOOK.

How Writers Can Create Authentic Cause and Effect

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Bestselling stories explode from powerful emotions that push a character into authentic cause and effect. The process is the backbone of fiction. A character is deeply motivated and commits skills, time, energy, and knowledge to pursue something tangible or intangible. The something is valued, meaning sacrifices are expected. The reader will feel cheated if the character is not willing to give up that which is treasured.
Cause is the physical action the character uses to obtain a goal or solve a problem. Cause begins as a desire, which is emotional. The urge grows and refuses to abandon the character, increasing it’s worth. The cause now has an emotional attachment. The character is motivated into action, and nothing can get in his or her way. The character devises a plan either quickly or detailed, according to the character’s personality, backstory, inherited traits, and life experiences. 
Effect is the internal reaction the character feels resulting from the external action. An emotion pairs with a favorable or unfavorable outcome of the action. The effect is triggered by a unique character who views life according to the same criteria as cause: personality, backstory, inherited traits, and life experiences. These internal reactions vary from scene to scene, and more than one emotion can be involved. 
Cause and effect work together to build scene after scene leading to the climax and resolution. Each scene’s goal depends on the previous outcome, whether the objective is gained, or the stakes increase. The character learns new information and works steadily toward the main goal. Each new cause can’t occur without the previous one(s), and the effect is the emotive fuel pushing the character forward. 
Five essential components accompany cause and effect:Unpredictable PurposefulLogical Authentic/In CharacterNot always the same
Believable and unexpected is the writer’s mantra. Using the easy effect spoils the reader’s adventure. Look for ways to connect the action or behavior with the character’s inner workings that are unforeseen but make sense with the character’s traits. Use the literary technique, “what’s the worst thing that could happen to the character in this scene” and take it to the third or fourth level. The effort keeps the reader immersed in the story. 
Example:
Cause: A man meets a woman and is wowed by her beauty, brains, and wit.
Effect: He can’t stop thinking about her. He hears her laughter in his head, smells her perfume, and longs for her touch.
Cause: A woman purposely meets a man whom she has set up for blackmail by looking her best, knowing his interests, and laughing at his jokes.
Effect: She’s pleased, satisfied that her plan is working. She will get even for his breaking up with her sister and sinking her into medically diagnosed severe depression. The sister is hospitalized in a mental facility.
Cause: The man asks the woman for a dinner date. She accepts.
Effect: He is thrilled. He’s never felt like this about a woman before.
Cause: The woman moves forward at dinner to lure the man into believing she cares about him.
Effect: The woman is frustrated when the man refuses her advances. He says it’s too soon. They have something special together, and he doesn’t want to move too fast and ruin the budding relationship.
Cause: The man chooses to tell the woman about his last dating experience. She fell for him hard, but he didn’t have the same feelings.
Effect: He sees anger on the woman’s face and believes his refusing her advances has upset her.
Cause: The woman explodes and tells him that woman he cast aside was her sister.
Effect: The woman knows her sister didn’t lie, and the man is feeding her the same lines that he told her sister.
Cause: The man tells her he might have left out a few things. He apologizes for her sister’s reaction. He begs for a chance with this woman, but she leaves the table.
Effect: He tried to add another conquest to his list, but his game ended in a stalemate. 
Cause and effect raise the stakes throughout the story. Whatever matters to the character can’t be easily obtained. The process takes work, physically and internally. The result is a character who shows through authentic action and emotion that burst onto the page and grip the reader until the last line.
TWEETABLEHow Writers Can Create Authentic Cause and Effect, tips from author @DiAnnMills on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. 
She is the former director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson. Connect here: DiAnnMills.com

Dipping the Quill Deeper: A Writer Who is a Christian or a Christian Writer

by Eva Marie Everson
Lately I’ve struggled with something personal. A thought, really. One that the enemy brought up, I know, to confuse and confound me … to slide a tentacle up and around my throat ever-so-gently … almost unnoticeably … until time to squeeze.
And the squeezing has caused me to question. To wonder. To try to figure out, on my own, whether or not I am who I say I am, namely a writer. More directly, a Christian writer. Or, a writer who is a Christian. 
I do not doubt my Christianity. That I am a follower of Christ is without question. That I know Him … worship Him … want to be more like Him, I do not have to wonder about. I also do not doubt that I am a writer. For one, I’m published. My works have won numerous awards for pity’s sake. For another, I write and, therefore, I am a writer. It’s kind of like the “I think therefore I am …” quote first used by Rene Descartes, which means (according to reference.com) that thinking cannot be faked. Neither can writing. If that’s a pen in your hand (or a keyboard at your fingertips), and you are spilling ink onto paper (or pixels onto a document), then you are a writer.
But, am I a Christian writer or a writer who is a Christian? Am I worthy of the first? Or am I trying to simplify the latter?
Years ago, after my mother’s unexpected passing from this life to the eternal, I found a book she had been teaching from. An old book, but one with truths that appear timeless. God’s Psychiatry, by Charles L. Allen, published by Fleming H. Revell Company in 1953 (I had to use my old skills of translating Roman numerals to know this), is a look at the 23rd Psalm, the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Beatitudes. 
I wasn’t as interested in the words by Reverend Allen as I was in the notes Mother had made in the margins. I spent weeks upon weeks reading them. Writing them down. Studying them. What had made her zero in on these particular words, for example, rather than those? But for years now, that book has been left unopened on my desk.
Until … the struggle began, and a sweet voice called to my spirit saying, “Find that book.” It took a while. Gracious, it was right under my nose, but I’d set another book on top of it, and I’d only focused on that book rather than the one I sought. (There’s a sermon in there, if you’ll look for it.)
I opened the book to the first page, titled The Healing of Mind and Soul. On the second page of Reverend Allen’s narrative, my mother had penciled in these words: train mind, teach the truth, wrong thoughts are sick mind. Next to it, she had underlined Allen’s A mind which thinks error is a sick mind. 
I felt a jolt. Had I been thinking in error? Had I allowed the enemy to confuse the issue of being a Christian writer and a writer who is a Christian? Had I allowed—haveI allowed—my mind to become sick? 
Seek truth and know truth … Mother had circled. And so I have. And I have tried to stop my thoughts from running amuck when it comes to this question. If, as a Christian, I write truths not necessarily Christian-Literature-bookshelf-bound, are the truths any less so? Am I any less a Christian? Or am I daring to walk away from the choir and go into the world? To share a story I know it will understand. Furthermore, were the words Jesus spoke along the way or in the marketplace or on a hillside any less impactful or powerful than those He spoke in the synagogue? 
What say you?
TWEETABLEDipping the Quill Deeper: Writer Who is a Christian or a A Christian Writer from Eva Marie Everson on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Eva Marie Everson is the CEO of Word Weavers International, the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference, and the contest director for Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. She is the multiple award-winning author of more than 40 books and countless articles and blogposts. She is also an award-winning speaker and a Bible teacher and the most recent recipient of the AWSA Lifetime Achievement Award (2022). 
Eva Marie is often seen at writers conferences across the States. She served as a mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild and taught as a guest professor at Taylor University in 2011. She and her husband make their home in Central Florida where they enjoy their grandchildren. They are owned by one persnickety cat named Vanessa.
Eva Marie's latest book, THE THIRD PATH, takes a look at 26 of the questions God asked in the Bible, then makes them personal to the reader. The premise of the book is currently her most asked for continuing workshop at writers conferences.

Create a Fictional Town Your Readers Can Relate To

by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan

I'm a visual writer. I have a cork board in my office where I post photos of my characters and a map of the town where the story is set. Being a writer of more than cough-cough years, I've entered that forgetful stage of life, where I forget what I came into a room to get—or where I left my cup of coffee … usually found in the linen closet or a cupboard.

 

One of the most important items for me is the map. I can't have a character going down the wrong street. Readers catch things like that. Besides, I want them to feel like it's a real town, so if I have a map, where I can add bits of description to help them in the suspension of disbelief.

 

Recently, I was informed my publisher had negotiated the translation of In High Cotton into German. Yes, I was very excited. This is the second of my Georgia Magnolias series to be translated (the first was On Sugar Hill). My publisher asked about the map and getting permission to reprint it. How did I find it, and where did I get it?

 

That was simple to answer. I made it on my computer with a publishing software I own. He was delighted, since that meant no other permissions were needed. 

 

With only a few exceptions of placing stories in Sugar Hill where I live, all of my novels are set in fictional towns. It frees me to place homes and shops where I want them. I have the fictional towns near real ones, so readers get a sense of place. I love comments from readers saying they loved seeing a certain city in a story or they'd been to that town.

 

I've been asked how I create a town. For my Chapel Springs series, I hand drew the small village. I patterned it after two real towns for ambiance: Dahlonega, GA and Black Mountain, NC. I drew the lakeshore, a road running alongside it, and then added houses and businesses where I wanted them. 

 

As new characters popped up into sequels, I added their homes to the map. My only problem was getting it to look really good. I paid a high school student studying graphic arts to hand copy it on a 11x17 sheet of thick artists' paper. I loved the final drawing and it hangs on my office wall. You can see it here on my website. 

 

I no longer hand draw a map. I use a software program to create Rivers End, the town in which I set In High Cotton. While the map isn't quite as charming as the Chapel Springs one, it is more readable. You can see the result here, just scroll down to the map. 

 

Because I write most of the story by the seat of my pants, things can change. If I decide character 'A' needs to live on 23rdAvenue instead of High Street, I can easily move it in my software and reprint the map. 

 

Most of all, for me it's fun to create the town. It also helps me dive deep into the setting, which in my books is a character. If my character grew up in that town, it has shaped his or her worldview. 

 

Right now, I'm working on a Christmas novella and decided to place it in Chapel Springs (after receiving permission from my publisher). The last book in that series came out in 2017, so it's been quite a while since I've "visited" the town. Thankfully, I have the map. I can refer to the placement of buildings, not to mention it helps me remember who owns what store and other such trivia. 

 

If you want to place your novel in a fictional town, make a map. It's a fun exercise for any creative. What special helps do you create to write your stories?

 

TWEETABLE

Create a Fictional Town Your Readers Can Relate To, tips from author @AneMulligan on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Ane Mulligan lives life from a director’s chair, both in theatre and at her desk creating novels. Entranced with story by age three, at five, she saw PETER PAN onstage and was struck with a fever from which she never recovered—stage fever. One day, her passions collided, and an award-winning, bestselling novelist immerged. She believes chocolate and coffee are two of the four major food groups and lives in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a rascally Rottweiler. Find Ane on her website, Amazon Author page, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, The Write Conversation, and Blue Ridge Conference Blog .

17 Things About Social Media that Scare ALL Writers

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
It's October and in honor of Halloween, I just couldn't resist a tongue-in-cheek post about something scary. After spending the fall traveling and teaching social media I have plenty of fears to share. Lest you think this is me pointing fingers, let me reassure you. EVERY single one of the things listed has been something I've done/struggled with at some point. And these are helpful tips about social media for writers.Remember, none of us is born knowing how to do this stuff. So lets laugh at our phobias together!
17 Scariest Things About Social Media for Writers
1. Having to have a picture taken to use as an avatar. Someone please reassure me that I'm not the only person who hates having her picture taken!
2. Trying to figure out the point of Twitter. HINT: Use Hootsuite. The columns can help you pull out what's relevant. Otherwise you're stuck trying to pull something meaningful from the home feed.
3. The pressure of taking beautiful pictures for Instagram. I'm an amateur photographer, but at times it feels like so much pressure to make sure something is Instagram-worthy. 
4. Working to make my social media names match across platforms. Okay, this one wasn't much of an issue for me - except for the fact that my memory is bad. For a while I was using Edie Melson and Edie G Melson. 
5. Receiving friend requests on Facebook. Have you seen some of the creepers that hang out on FB? They are sometimes the stuff of nightmares! LOL!
6. Refusing friend requests on Facebook. No not the creepers from #5. The ones I feel guilty and agonize over are those where we have lots of friends in common, but I don't actually know them. I've learned the hard way to say no to requests from people I don't know.
7. Political rants. 'nuff said
8. Taking a FB quiz and discovering your steampunk name is Dame Beatrice Kettlebottom. Seriously. It was a huge disappointment and definitely something I did NOT share on FB.
9. Discovering my life isn't beautiful enough to be on Pinterest. Where do these people find the time—not to mention the money to do this stuff???
10. Finding out Facebook is changing their Edgerank algorithm yet again. It seems like they have a think tank whose only goal is to think of as many ways as possible to sabotage our efforts?
11. Realizing you used the word your instead of you're in a grammar rant. I really try to avoid posing when I'm frustrated. This is the reason why. 
12. Posting a beautiful meme with the perfect quote and discovering you’ve got the attribution wrong. Yep, it happened to me. All I can say is be sure to check and double-check who said what you're sharing.
13. Sharing a light-hearted update and getting angry and/or weird comments. When this happens I can't decide if what I said was unclear or the people commenting are just a little dense.
14. Learning how to use hashtags. Now that I know how, they're great. But learning the best ways took time.
15. Anything to do with snap chat. If someone says Snap Chat to me, I mentally stuff my fingers in my ears and try to ignore anything that's said.
18. Trying to Find the Time to actually DO social media. My schedule is slammed full and some days it seems I can't add one more thing.
17. The scariest thing ever with social media is refusing to do it and missing out on a book contract because you have no platform! 
I lost a book contract in the mid-nineties because I didn't have a platform. That's one of the reasons I made sure it would never happen again. But truthfully, I hear stories about this happening on a weekly basis.
This is my list. What scares you the most about social media. Leave your answers in the comments section below!
Don't forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLE17 Things About Social Media that Scare ALL Writers, tongue-in-cheek post 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.