Edie Melson's Blog, page 115

Writing an Un-Put-Downable Character (Part 8 of 10): Dreams

by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author
What do you want?
Seriously. I’m asking. What do you want? Because we all want something. Right now, I want fajitas. That’s not an exorbitant dream, but it’s a dream. 
It is a normal, natural state of being for a person to want something they do not currently have. Having dreams is part of being human. You have them, and so your characters need to have them as well. That’s what we’re talking about this time: DREAMS. 
If you really want to split hairs, dreams and goals are different concepts, both in fiction and in life, but for the sake of brevity I’m going to treat them as synonyms. For our purposes, a dream is the inner desire your character has that motivates his or her choices throughout the story. 
Your character must want something. 
It doesn’t have to be big or world changing. Shoot, it really could be a platter of fajitas! It can be anything. But whatever it is, they must want it enough to pursue it.
If your character doesn’t want anything, may I gently suggest that either 1) you don’t know your character well enough yet or 2) that character shouldn’t be your protagonist. 
I’m only half joking about the fajitas, but let’s run with that for now. What will that desire lead me to do? Get dressed, drive across town, wait for a table at a restaurant until I can place an order? Maybe I can’t leave the house, and I need to order fajitas for delivery. But delivery is so expensive! What challenges or obstacles might I encounter in this glorious pursuit?
We all know that story is conflict. We’ve talked about that over and over, and in several of the different topics in this series conflict has played a role in more than just the story. Conflict should show up in personalities, in back story, in setting, in language, and even in your character’s thought life. 
If you give your character an impossible dream, you’ve automatically created an element of inherent conflict in your story. A paralyzed man dreams of running a marathon. A blind dog dreams of finding his way back to the master he loves. A dishonored samurai dreams of ruling over his clan. Or how about this: A woman who’s supposed to be watching her cholesterol dreams of Mexican food.
See? Conflict. 
Dreams can take any shape or form, but they need to fit your genre. If you’re writing science fiction, it won’t do to have your main character dream of a festive Christmas wedding to the rancher down the road. 
Your character’s dream also needs to resonate with your readers. The best way to develop a dream that will accomplish that, however, is to really dive deep into your character’s motivation. For this, you’re going to need all the other groundwork you’ve already done. You need to know history and personality, specifically. 
Let’s look at some examples: Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, and Elizabeth Bennet. 
What does Luke want? Well, he wants to be a Jedi, right? He must dream of being a warrior. 
What about Harry? Well, he is pursuing a magical education at Hogwarts, so he must want to be a wizard. 
And Elizabeth Bennet? Well, she obviously wants to stay single for the rest of her life, because she has turned up her nose at every marriage proposal that comes her way. 
In my opinion and experience, you have to dig deeper than your character’s actions and choices to uncover the motivation that drives them.
Luke Skywalker wanted significance. He dreamed of being a part of something bigger than his moisture-farming destiny on Tatooine, and becoming a Jedi was just the route he took to get there. 
Harry Potter wanted a family. His dream focused on a sense of belonging and acceptance and acknowledgment as a person of value. He was magical already, but he needed the support and friendship of the wizarding community to reach his full potential. 
Elizabeth Bennet wanted to be loved and respected. Her dream was having the relationship her parents didn’t have, and if she couldn’t get it, she had vowed to remain single. (Of course, our dear Mr. Darcy had other plans, buy Elizabeth made him work for it.)
If you think about it that way, all three of those dreams will resonate with the average person. Those are natural human desires. Once you understand the heart of what your character wants, it will help you shape the journey he or she needs to take in order to achieve it. 
Is that clear as mud? 
Great. Because the Mexican restaurant down the road is calling my name….
In case you need to reference where we are in this series, here’s our outline: 
Personality Conflict Contradictions History Interests Language Internalization Dreams Observables Growth
TWEETABLEWriting an Un-Put-Downable Character (Part 8 of 10): Dreams, tips and insight from author @ACW_Author on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Don't Miss the Other Posts in This Series
Part 1 Personality: Writing the Un-Put-Downable Character Part 2 Conflict: Writing the Un-Put-Downable Character  Part 3 Contradictions: Writing the Un-Put-Downable CharacterPart 4 History: Writing the Un-Put-Downable CharacterPart 5 Interests: Writing the Un-Put-Downable Character Part 6 Language: Writing the Un-Put-Downable Character Part 7 Internal Dialogue: Writing the Un-Put-Downable Character Part 8 Dreams: Writing the Un-Put-Downable Character 
Award-winning author, A.C. Williams is a coffee-drinking, sushi-eating, story-telling nerd who loves cats, country living, and all things Japanese. She’d rather be barefoot, and if she isn’t, her socks won’t match. She has authored eight novels, two novellas, three devotional books, and more flash fiction than you can shake a stick at. A senior partner at the award-winning Uncommon Universes Press, she is passionate about stories and the authors who write them. Learn more about her book coaching and follow her adventures online at https://www.amycwilliams.com.

Best Writing Advice Ever: Write What You WANT to Know

by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn
We’ve all heard the classic writing advice to “write what you know.” 
And it makes sense for some things. If you know a lot about horticulture, it follows that you would write about plants and not about something else, like space exploration.
But, say, hypothetically, that you’re a thirty-something mom of two with an engineering degree and you want to write a novel. The “write what you know” advice might make that writer think she should write a novel about a mom with young children. She could mix it up a little, and she could be an engineer and the hero is a single dad with two kids. 
We could work with that, but there’s just one teensy problem. 
This hypothetical thirty-four-year-old writer with a six-year-old daughter and a six-month-old son, a husband, and a Boston Terrier, doesn’t want to write about that because that’s her real life. 
Her real life is beautiful, but when she was a young girl telling herself stories, she was always the heroine. 
And she was always a spy. 
Our writer doesn’t want to write about moms with kids who live in the suburbs. At least, not unless those moms are in danger from a ruthless criminal who is trying to kill them. 
Our writer? She wants to write romantic suspense.
She isn’t a police officer. She was never in the military. She speaks English and has forgotten most of the Spanish she once knew. She grew up in a Christian home with parents who love her. She has no experience with jails or criminals. In fact, she’s never even received a speeding ticket. She’s never been mugged or been in a high-speed chase. She’s seen spent nuclear fuel rods with her very own eyes, but she’s never disarmed a bomb. And while she isn’t a bad shot, she doesn’t carry a weapon.
What should she do? 
She could try to “stay in her lane” and write what she knows. But, honestly, that would be b-o-r-i-n-g.
Instead, she should write what she wants to know. 
Now, I know what you’re going to say because this is the number one question aspiring authors, and many readers, ask. 
“How?”
The answer to that is as simple as it is difficult.
You have to ask. 
There are some writers who have no problem with this. Their extrovert self comes out to play and they engage total strangers in conversation, picking their brains for all the juicy bits of info they need to make their story sing. If this is you, let me just say, I’m jealous. 
But when you’re still in the phase where the idea of saying, “I’m a writer” makes you hyperventilate, the concept of reaching out to someone for information can be crippling. And all kidding aside, I get it. 
Our hypothetical writer nearly died from embarrassment the day she went to the library and checked out a stack of books on writing craft. She was terrified the librarian was going to ask her if she was a writer. At that point, there was no way she could ask anyone anything. 
So for the first several years of her writing journey, she did almost all of her research with books and the internet. She went to conferences and attended the Writers Police Academy. 
But eventually, that wasn’t enough. She was shaking the day she asked a friend who had been a detective if he would be willing to chat with her. He was. He answered all her questions, and to her absolute shock, she survived the experience. 
This was good, because the next time she needed to ask for help, she wound up spending two hours sitting in the Barnes and Noble café, interviewing a man she’d never met before, but who had experience in the two things she needed to learn about—diving and homicide investigation. 
She’s working on her ninth novel now. Since she started writing romantic suspense, she’s interviewed divers, cyber security experts, secret service agents, paramedics, police officers, and many others. She’s spent hours sitting across from people who graciously shared their personal experiences with everything from health issues to cultural norms to addictions.
It turns out that most people like talking about themselves. Sure, people are busy. But if they’re passionate about their job, their hobby, or their culture, they’ll give you more info than you could ever use in your story. 
Is it easy? Well, maybe for some people. But our hypothetical writer still feels like a complete goober every single time. She gets nervous. She stresses about it, and she walks away wondering if they believe she is a complete idiot. Eight books and three novellas into this gig, and she still gets queasy just thinking about it.
But she does it.
She asks. 
She learns.
And she writes what she wants to know. 
Here’s the tough love friends. No one can do this part for you. You have to ask. You have to put yourself out there. You have to be brave. You have to be willing to look foolish so you can learn. 
You may not need to learn about the dark web or what it feels like to shoot a rifle. You may need to spend time in museums, historic homes, or *shudder* with teenagers! 
Whatever it is you want to write about, the advice is the same. Ask. Learn. Then write what you want to know. 
Is it scary? For me? I mean, our hypothetical writer? Yes. 
Is it worth it? Absolutely. 
And if you have more questions about this topic, you know what you need to do, right?
You have to ask. 
Grace and peace,



TWEETABLEBest Writing Advice Ever: Write What You WANT to Know, thoughts from author @LynnHBlackburn on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing romantic suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations while she's sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas! 
Unknown Threat, the first book in her Defend and Protect series, was a 2021 Christy Award finalist and her previous titles have won the Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award. Malicious Intent, the second book in the series, released March 2022.
She is a frequent conference speaker and has taught writers all over the country. Lynn lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after by signing up for her newsletter at LYNNHBLACKBURN.COMand @LynnHBlackburn on BOOKBUB, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM.
Featured Image: Photo by Flipsnack on Unsplash

Use These Simple Steps to Create Your Best Writer's Bio

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
Most writers struggle with writing a bio. And yet we all need one
I hate doing it. It feels either like I'm talking about how great I am or that I'm so uninteresting no one will want to engage. But it's like learning how to use a computer, word program or the Internet. It's something we all have to do and do well. 
It doesn't matter whether you're multi-published, just starting out or working as a freelance writer. Every writer needs a bio. And just like writing a query letter, a proposal, or a synopsis—writing a bio is something almost every writer struggles with. So today I'm going to share some simple steps to help you create your best writer's bio.
I said you need ONE bio, but actually, you need THREE (or even more). 
I have a word file on my computer where I keep my bios. Every time I create—or even tweak an existing bio—I include it here. My file has been ongoing since approximately 2013 and is now 37 pages long. And it’s one of my most valuable resources as a writer.
So here are the basics of what you need:A small one, 25-50 wordsA medium length one, approximately two paragraphsA full page one, in depthMany times this written bio is the first introduction someone in this business (think editor or event coordinator) or a consumer (reader or attendee) will have of you. This, with your message, can mean the difference between making the sale or not.
Your bio should reflect, through words, exactly who you are. It should boil down the essence of your personality. It should always be written in third person, as if you were talking about someone else.
A bio must beRelevantTimely—this means you need to update your bio frequentlyWhen you have a new book contracted and/or publishedWhen you win an awardWhen you change your hairstyle or look (like moving from contacts to glasses) When an industry position change occursIt must give youPersonalityCredibilityIt should NOT includeWording that is negativeI didn’t attend college but…I don’t read this genre but…My self-published book only sold 45 units…Information unrelated to the person reading the bioExaggerationWords that cause readers to stumbleBelow are some (not all) of the instances where a bio will be necessary.Cover letter (to an editor, agent or event coordinator)Book ProposalQuery LetterYour websiteSocial MediaInside your book or on the jacketPublicity for a personal appearance In a publication (web or print) after an articleIt’s important that you have control over your bio. Which means planning now. It will, in effect, be a part of your personal brand. It gives you credibility, whether you are speaking or writing. As such it should contain only things pertaining to your credibility and identity. For example, if you’re not speaking on sales, it’s not important to mention your job fifteen years ago as an outside sales person. Think relevant when you’re composing your bio.
Here are some steps to help you write an engaging author bio:
Step One: ask yourself a few questions.What are some of my passions?Why am I pursuing this craft of writing and/or speaking?What value do I present my audience?What are some of my strengths?What impression do I leave with most people?Don’t worry about sounding like an egomaniac when you answer, no one but you will see your rough draft. After answering those questions, try to come up with a one-sentence statement about yourself. Use active verbs and vivid adjectives.
Step Two: more questions.What is my experience in this field?What experience(s) in other fields are relevant to this field?What aspects of my personality give me credibility?What study(s) give me credibility?What life experience gives me credibility?Step Three: get the order right.
Now begin to put the above information in order of importance. This isn’t the time to build up to the point. Think about who the bio is for and put the information that is most important for them to know FIRST. 
Step Four: flesh it out.
Build a word pool. From the questions above you’ll begin to see a trend. Use it. Amplify it by trading on words that bring your essence to mind. If you need help with this, ask those who know you to share four or five individual words that describe you. Example: teacher, loving, encouragement. Then look through the answers to see which ones show up most often.
Step Five: wrap it up.
Put it all together. It’s time to assemble the information you’ve gathered into your full-page bio. If you’re having problems pulling it together, this is the time to get some feedback from close friends.
Step Six: refine it. 
Now that you have your full-page bio it’s time to sift through it and boil it down, first reduce it two paragraphs (try to keep it at no more than 200 words). Then cut it further to 25-50 words.
Additional ThoughtsDon’t forget to include your name in your bio. Not just your first name—the entire name you write under. If your byline is Susan H. Simpson, include that middle initial in your bio.Always hyperlink familiar words (like Twitter, Facebook, Website). Don’t use cluttered links unless specifically requested. A cluttered link for my Facebook page is this: https://www.facebook.com/ediemelsonauthor . Instead embed the link in the word Facebook.  Organize your material logically. For example, don’t jump from encouraging women and speaking to teaching writing and then back to speaking.Use correct formatting for books & series (italicize book titles). When writing out your website, capitalize your name so it’s easier to read. Like this: EdieMelson.com instead of ediemelson.com. If you’re going to mention specific networks (like Facebook), go ahead and link to your profiles.If you mention websites and publications where you are a vital team member, it’s good to link to them. I’m a board member of AWSA (Advanced Writers & Speakers Association) and mention that in my bio so I link to the AWSA website.Remember to tell us about yourself FIRST, not about where you live.To help you, I've created a bio worksheet. I'm going to share it with you here as a PDF download:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12u64jvhgTuBTU_FOb36oZOnV4Jm9Ydo0/view?usp=sharing
TWEETABLEUse These Simple Steps to Create Your Best Writer's Bio, tips 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.
Featured Image: Photo by Lauren Mancke on Unsplash

How a Writer Can Resolve a Software Issue and Meet a Deadline

by Yvonne Ortega @YvonneOrtega1
I sat at my laptop to work on a PowerPoint presentation for a speaking engagement, but the software program wouldn’t open. Too early in the morning for me to function. I’ll have to type the password again. I typed it a second and a third time to no avail. That program I bought wouldn’t let me in.
I felt the urge to pound my way into my software. Where was the hammer when I needed it? However, if my fingers hit the keyboard too hard, I would split a couple of keys in two. Ask me how I know. In disbelief, I walked outside to breathe fresh air and consider options. In the end I decided on three.
Search YouTube for advice to resolve a software issue and meet a deadline
I looked for the most current information on Microsoft PowerPoint for Mac. I watched three YouTube videos, but they weren’t about the same version as my software. In a frenzy, I watched them again and took notes to search for similarities. Afterward, I returned to my software program with my notes. They didn’t help. How could I meet a deadline?
I needed fresh air, another walk, and a protein drink. Perhaps those things would stimulate my brain cells before I tackled the other two options.
Brave it on a live chat
I thought Monday would be marvelous, but it wasn’t. I was also locked out of Word. I grew up talking in person with people. I had accepted online events, but the thought of a live chat left me frazzled. Most of the time, it took too long, and afterward, I felt drained. 
Now, I had no choice. Drenched with perspiration, I worked with the first technician for one hour, but the process felt like three. She said, “If you can wait for half an hour, I can have an advanced technician” join you on the live chat.
“Yes, of course, I can wait. I have a deadline to meet.” The advanced technician showed up on the chat in half an hour and typed that she would do all the work. I could watch. She would prompt me if she needed me to do something at my end. Relief flooded my weary body.
One hour later, she had unlocked PowerPoint and the other programs in Microsoft. In a marathon, I completed the script for the slides and the “freebie” for the audience. I kept my third option open. It was scheduled for three days later.
Work with a home technician
At last, Fabulous Friday arrived with a home technician. She took up where the live chat dropped off and worked side-by-side with me. She assured me that my previous PowerPoint presentations remained on the external hard drive and on my laptop. Timid Techie that I am, I insisted that she open and close each program so I could see the work and once again feel empowered. 
After that, the fun began. The home technician showed me how to change the color on the text to go with my website colors, how to fill the background color, and how to insert and delete graphics on the updated PowerPoint program. 
“Please explain what I did wrong to lock myself out,” I said. 
The technician replied, “You didn’t do anything wrong. About every six months, that software backs up. We need to uninstall it and then reinstall it. After that, everything works fine again.” And it did. I had a Hallmark ending with the software mystery resolved and my deadline no longer an issue. 
If you don’t have a home technician available, what steps do you take in a similar crisis?
TWEETABLEHow a Writer Can Resolve a Software Issue and Meet a Deadline, tips from @YvonneOrtega1 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Yvonne Ortega walks with a small footprint but leaves a giant imprint in people’s lives. This power-packed package is a professional speaker and the author of the Moving from Broken to Beautiful® Series through cancer, divorce, forgiveness, and loss. Learn more at WWW.YVONNEORTEGA.COM
Yvonne speaks with honesty and humor as she shares her life and struggles through presentations that empower women to find peace, power, and purpose through God’s Word. 
Yvonne’s background as a licensed professional counselor brings a unique perspective into the heart of women. She’s a speaking and writing coach and the owner of Moving from Broken to Beautiful®, LLC. She belongs to the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, the Christian Authors Network, the National Speakers Association, and Toastmasters International.
She celebrates life at the beach, where she walks, builds sand castles, blows bubbles, and dances.

Reach Your Blog Readers by Learning to Use Hashtags, Titles, and Images Correctly

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
A little teaching moment... 
With the chaos of social media, and the strict guidelines now in place with email, our digital connections have gotten more complicated. But one thing hasn’t change—the ability to be found through an organic search. 
This process begins when we know the basics of keywords and SEO. The post I wrote, How to Apply SEO to Your Blog - One Blogger's Process , will help you get started.
Recently I’ve been working with several bloggers about ways to get more organic page views. Organic views happen when someone searches for a topic—either through a search in a search engine or by searching for a topical hashtag. Beyond keywords and SEO, titles and hashtags are critical to getting found. 
It may surprise you to learn that it is possible to be found. But as bloggers, we need to deliberately set ourselves us to be found in a topical search. So today we’re specifically looking at the use of hashtags when we share a post on social media, the titles we choose for posts, and the images we pair with them. 
HashtagsThere are two times when bloggers need to carefully choose hashtags for a post.When composing a click to tweet within the post.When sharing a social media update about a specific post.Here are the things we need to remember when choosing hashtags.Choose two. Occasionally it may make sense to use a third, and even more rarely use only one. But the majority of your updates (unless you’re on Instagram) should have two. Choose hashtags that are relevant and specific. I see more mistakes here than in any other use of hashtags. For example, if I was sharing a blog post about tips on how to deal writing rejection it might seem like a good thing to use rejection as a hashtag. The word rejection is not a good hashtag. The context of that hashtag is rejection—NOT writing rejection. It doesn’t help us get more views or likes because the people searching for rejection hashtags are primarily looking for relationship advice. Hashtags are a search tool and must stand alone in their context or they’re worthless.If possible, hashtag words in the main message of the update. For example, if the word you want to hashtag is in the title, hashtag that instead of adding the word again unless it’s the first word. Avoid hashtagging the first word of a tweet.TitlesTitles need to reflect the full topic of the post. This is not time to be clever or too generic. Here are three things to remember.Your readers will evaluate your post's content based on the title. When a title is misleading or even ambiguous, the reader can walk away feeling cheated.The blog title must stand alone—with full context—when shared on social media. For example, if we go back to that imaginary post about how to deal with writing rejection. I’ve seen a lot of bloggers who would go with the title: Tips to Deal with Rejection. At first glance that seems like a pretty good title for someone who is reading a post on a writing site. But what about those doing a search in a search engine or reading the text in a social media update? For them it’s misleading and generic. A better title would be: Tips to Deal with Writing Rejection. What makes sense to a reader who has the full content of a blog is much different from what makes sense without visual clues and context.The title should contain a phrase that someone would type into a search engine to find the content in your post. It’s not clever, but I can see many people typing How to deal with writing rejection, into a search engine. That’s the final piece of the puzzle and immediately moves your post up in a search engine search. ImagesIt may seem like images are less important when it comes to being found in an organic search, but when we now how to do certain things, an image can provide a huge boost in visibility. Images need to illustrate the main focus of the blog post. Let’s once again go back to the imaginary blog post, Tips to Deal with Writing Rejection. If we’re not careful about the image we choose, we can lead potential readers astray. For example, choosing the image below could send the wrong message if someone misses the word, writing, in the title. We all know that images aren’t searchable….Unless they are captioned….Unless the file name of the image contains a searchable keyword. Yep. By taking a few extra moments to compose a relevant caption and saving the image with a relevant file name instead of some generic title you can increase your organic search views. Let’s once again visit that imaginary blog post.
That image above has a file name that includes the word loneliness—this is what www.Pixabay.com lists as the title of this specific image. So this image is not only a poor choice, but with that file title it will reinforce the wrong type of results in an organic search. The bottom line is that the details matter. It’s important that we blog smart. By paying attention to the titles we choose, the hashtags we use, and the classification of images we can make a huge difference in the visibility of our posts. 
Now it’s your turn. What questions do you have about these details? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below. 
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLEReach Your Blog Readers by Learning to Use Hashtags, Titles, and Images Correctly, tips 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.
Featured Image: Photo by Katie Harp on Unsplash

What to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Writing

by Dr. Craig von Buseck @CraigVonBuseck
It happens to all of us. For whatever reason, we don’t feel like writing. There are times when we are stretched, or stressed, or exhausted and then this feeling overtakes us. As a WRITER, I almost always want to write. So when I don’t feel like writing, I know there is something wrong. When this weariness overtakes me, I want to do what I need to do to push past the blockage and get back to writing—whenever it is healthy to do so.
And that is the central idea here—being healthy. As writers we can’t bring life-giving words to others unless we ourselves are walking a healthy path.
Writers Write
Let’s begin with this premise: writers write. Electricians work with electricity. Plumbers plumb. Writers spend their time writing. Now, we all know that the writing process consists of pre-writing—planning, doing research, outlining, interviewing, and so on—and also editing and re-writing. But this can all be considered part of the job of the writer, which is to write!
What would happen if an electrician signed a contract to wire a house or a commercial building and then suddenly didn’t feel like doing the job? He or she could take a day off, or maybe a few. Eventually they would have to get back to work or they would lose their contract, and in time, their business.
It is the same for the professional writer. A person who makes some or all of their income as a writer doesn’t have the luxury of an extenuated case of writer’s block. 
As my mentor, former New York Times reporter and editor, Bob Slosser often said to me, “You gotta keep putting the good stuff out there.”
Getting Unstuck
There are a few ways I have found over the years to get unstuck when I’m in a writing rut. These have come to me by trial and error. You will need to find what works for you, but these are some things that I have done to keep the writing juices flowing.
Change Location: While many writers have their writing rooms or spaces, sometimes it is helpful to place yourself in a different atmosphere. I’m able to write in a noisy space, so I sometimes will go to a restaurant—especially if they have free refills of coffee or soda! You may want to go to a park, a church, a beach, or a playground. You may have a friend who will allow you to write at their house without interruption.
Get Out Into Nature: I love to go to state or national parks, to the waterside, or to the mountains to write. Just make sure your laptop is fully charged! My car has a plug-in for me to recharge my battery, which is helpful. You may want to bring a notepad along, just in case the creative juices start flowing and you run out of power on your electronic device.
Exercise: Hike, walk, run, go to the gym, play volleyball, go kayaking. Do what you need to do to get the blood flowing and get your mind uncluttered.
Media and Musical Inspiration: Watch an inspiring movie or documentary. Attend an inspiring lecture. Take a master class just for fun. Listen to an inspiring symphony. The New World Symphony/Number Nine by Antonin Dvorak is my favorite (learn the heartwarming story behind this symphony in my book, Nobody Knows: The Harry T. Burleigh Story). Listen to your favorite band—digitally or at a concert. 
Visit an Art Museum: My father was a world-class portrait painter and we visited countless art museums across the country. My mother always said, “The arts travel together.” My siblings and I found this to be true as only two of seven have painting skills, but all of us are artists in other ways. Among the seven we have singers, actors, comedians, writers, musicians, video producers, and public speakers. All of us were inspired by our father and the hundreds of visual artists he introduced to us.
Visit Museums or Historical Sites: Another pastime that I inherited from my parents was my love of historical sites and museums. With their big tax return, as a result of having seven kids, my parents took us on vacation every year. They always found some interesting historical site to visit along the way. Sometimes the historical places were the destination—like Colonial Williamsburg or the Gettysburg National Military Park. I first acquired my love for history on these vacations and I still find myself recharged and inspired as I visit similar places today.
Find a Hobby: What do you like to do that renews your spirit? It could be photography, stamp collecting, woodworking, pottery/ceramics, bird watching, gardening—the list goes on and on. 
Watch Your Favorite Sport: Whether on TV or in person; whether little league, minor league, or major league; whether academic or professional—take time for recreation through watching your favorite sports.
Family and Friends: Spend time with loved ones and favorite people among your family and friends. Surround yourself with people who like to laugh and tell stories. Make gathering with friends and family a priority and set aside slots in your calendar for regular get-togethers. 
Worship and Prayer: Scripture declares, “In your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11, ESV)
Years ago I observed a ministry co-worker who was always bubbling over with joy. At the time I was experiencing a season of stress, so I admired his positive demeanor. One day I asked him to pray for me to have more joy. He wisely refused my request. Quoting Psalm 16:11, he explained that it is by being in the presence of God through worship, prayer, and reading God’s Word that we receive the fullness of joy. I never forgot this important exhortation. 
An empty joy tank may be part of the reason you are having difficulty writing. Scripture also tells us, “…the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10, ESV). So, we need joy to renew our strength and that joy comes from being in God’s presence. Fill your joy tank through worship and prayer and then get back to the work of the Kingdom! 
Once you’ve recharged your creative batteries, start writing! Get back to putting words on the page, even if it isn’t on the subject at hand. Once the flow begins, switch to your current project. Do what you’ve got to do to get the job done! 
Tell yourself again, and again, and again—writers write!
TWEETABLEWhat to Do When You Don’t Feel Like Writing, 10 tips from author @CraigVonBuseck on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Watch for Craig’s new books coming this year: Telling the Truth: How to Write Narrative Nonfiction and Memoir from Bold Vision Books and Walking in Faith: The Peter, Paul, and Mary Principle from Elk Lake Publishing.
Dr. Craig von Buseck is an award-winning author, international speaker, and a Digital Content Director for Focusonthefamily.com. More from Craig at vonbuseck.com.
Featured Image: Photo by Alice Dietrich on Unsplash

The Number One Tool to Help Writers Create 3-Dimensional Characters in Story

by Zena Dell Lowe @ZenaDellLowe
We hear it all the time. “Characters need to be three-dimensional.” But this exhortation can feel vague and confusing when it comes to story execution. What we need are specific action steps or concrete story principles to help us accomplish these things. 
The essential ingredient you’re looking for is paradox. 
I know, I know—this sounds like just another ambiguous term, but by the time we’re finished, it will not only make sense, but will also help you to take your writing to the next level. The starting point is paradox, which is imperative in the construction of three-dimensional characters since paradox allows for hidden depth. 
Great characters cannot be at heart what they seem to be at face value. 
This means you need to understand the difference between characterization and true character. Characterization is the sum of all the observable traits that we could list about a person simply by spending time with them and taking notes. Things like age, sex, sexual orientation, level of education, social status, profession, etc. These things are important and may play into the narrative, but they are not what constitutes complexity, nor are they the essence of “true character.” True character is about the choices your character makes under pressure. The greater the pressure, the harder the choices, the truer the revelation of that character’s inner nature—we see who they really are deep down inside. 
Paradox exists when characterization seems to contradict true character.
We expect characters to behave according to their characteristics. But when we see them behaving in ways that are contrary to their traits, that’s when they become complex. By way of illustration, consider the parable of the Good Samaritan. 
The first person who happened upon the robbed and beaten man was a priest. What was the priest's characterization, or what types of behavior do we expect given his profession? Priests were the spiritual leaders of the community. They were God's representatives on Earth. As such, we reasonably expect the priest to display mercy, kindness, and other acts of goodness. We expect him to behave honorably since he has been characterized as holy. However, his true nature was nothing like his characterization. He was not at heart what he appeared to be.
The same dichotomy applies to the other two people in the story. The second man was a Levite, which means he was educated, responsible for the religious education of the people, and yet, the Levite's characterization contrasted sharply with his true character. The third person was a Samaritan, whose characterization was the opposite of the other two. Instead of being revered as holy, he was deemed as the lowest of the low. The Jews hated the Samaritans, whom they regarded as half-breeds. And yet, Jesus uses the Samaritan to show true character, which is something we would have never expected given his characterization—just as we would have never expected the holy men to behave as abominably as they did.
The revelation of true character, in contrast or contradiction to characterization, is fundamental to all fine storytelling. 
It’s the juxtaposition between these two that reveals hidden depth of one sort or another. But notice this contrast isn’t a true contradiction, where it's impossible for two things to be true at the same time. This is paradox, where it only seems contradictory. Our characters need to be paradoxical, meaning they behave contrary to our expectations given their qualifications or characterizations. 
Expectations are a key ingredient in creating paradoxical characters. 
We expect the priest and the Levite to behave nobly given their high characterizations, whereas we expect the Samaritan to behave poorly because of his low characterization. But in all cases, their actions reveal that they are each not at heart who they seem to be at face value. 
At the beginning of Casablanca, Rick Blaine says, "I stick my neck out for nobody," and everything about his characterization leads us to believe this is true. He comes across as a hard-nosed, bitter, ruthless businessman and bar owner, who shrewdly manages to keep his gambling establishment running by looking out solely for number one. But deep down, we discover that Rick Blaine is a romantic! He’s a big old softie at heart. We see this side of him early on when he allows the young couple to win money at his roulette table. Rick Blaine is not at heart what he seems to be at face value, and this is precisely why we love him.
In the same way, you need to give your characters qualities that would naturally lead us to expect them to behave in certain ways. Then, you undermine our expectations by having the characters behave differently. But their actions must be believable. They can’t be truly contradictory. They must still make sense to us given who they are, what’s going on, and what we know to be true about them. It’s just that the characters need to have more going on than simply meets the eye. 
Characters must be paradoxical to be multi-dimensional or complex. 
The point is that your characters must have hidden depth that contradicts the surface qualities you’ve given them. Minor roles may not need hidden depth, but major characters cannot be at heart what we think they are on the surface. 
People are not what they appear to be, and nor are great characters. All you must do is create a contrast or a paradox between a character’s expected nature based on his characterization, and his actual nature as demonstrated by his actions. If you can do that, you can create three-dimensional characters that audiences will love. This is the best, and perhaps only, tool you will need to employ.
TWEETABLEThe Number One Tool to Help Writers Create 3-Dimensional Characters in Story, insight from @ZenaDellLowe on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Zena has worked professionally in the entertainment industry for over 20 years as a writer, producer, director, actress, and story consultant. Zena also teaches advanced classes on writing all over the country. As a writer, Zena has won numerous awards for her work. She also has several feature film projects in development through her independent production company, Mission Ranch Films. In addition to her work as a filmmaker, Zena launched The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe, a podcast designed to serve the whole artist, not just focus on craft. In 2021, Zena launched The Storyteller’s Mission Online Platform, where she offers advanced classes and other key services to writers. Zena loves story and loves to support storytellers. Her passion is to equip artists of all levels to achieve excellence at their craft, so that they will truly have everything they need to change the world for the better through story.
To find out more about Zena or her current courses and projects, check out her websites at WWW.MISSIONRANCHFILMS.COM and WWW.THESTORYTELLERSMISSION.COM

Learn These 10 Secrets of Being a Successful Writer

by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2
Ever wonder what makes some writers successful? 
Is there a secret sauce? A magic mouthwash or a particular brand of computer? A pen that writes so smoothly that words pour out of its tip unfettered and lovely?
I’ve probably attended twenty writers conferences in my ten years of professional writing. When I wasn’t learning, teaching, or networking, I watched and listened. From my observations I’ve compiled a list of ten secrets successful writers share—and, sorry all you Mac fans—they have nothing to do with owning a particular brand of computer.
10 Secrets of Successful Writers
1. They have at least one person who believes in their writing. This could be a spouse, a friend, a colleague, a pastor, or a critique partner. This person listens with empathy, speaks words of faith and truth, and sends the writer back to their computer over and over again (after they’ve fed them Reese’s Peanut Butter cups or a Chick Fil A milk shake).
2. They have a critique partner or a critique group.Why is this important? Two reasons: writing is lonely business, and it’s hard to be objective about your own work. A critique partner offers unbiased insight, suggestions, and encouragement. They’ll snatch our writing out of the fire when we lose objectivity or, when necessary, stand beside us and help us feed it in.
3. They submit often.Even if they’re submitting to their church newsletter or sending out a carefully written birthday card, successful writers release their work to the world. While it’s true that you’ll never get a rejection letter if you never submit, you’ll also won’t receive an acceptance letter. If you want God to use your words, you have to submit them—often.
4. They read and analyze their genre.When they love something, they ask themselves why. They also ask what didn’t I like? Which technique kept me turning pages? What made me put the book down? Then they incorporate the effective techniques into their writing.
5. They continue to learn the craft.Ever wonder why an award-winning author with twenty books to her credit would attend a writers conference? Because writers never arrive. They can always learn another technique, approach, or bit of information to make their writing better. 
6. They embrace who they are instead of lamenting who they’re not. In the early years of my writing life, I fancied myself a novelist. Unfortunately, God didn’t wire my brain that way. I can barely remember my children’s names, let alone keep an entire imaginary world straight. God has, however, gifted me with the ability to connect ordinary experiences with spiritual truth. It was a glorious day when I embraced God’s gifting as a devotional writer and stopped lamenting my inability to write fiction. 
7. They invest in proper tools and training. Successful mechanics have a box full of quality tools to help them do their work. Chefs use heat-forged butcher knives, not plastic butter knives to work their culinary magic. Writers, however, often limp along with a computer that crashes daily, an inadequate (but free) website, or outdated books on craft. Many refuse to attend conferences because of the cost. Early on in my writing journey, my husband, God bless him, said, “If you wanted to go back to school, I’d do everything I could to make it happen. We’ll consider conferences your continuing education.”
8. They train themselves to look for material.My friend Vonda Skelton once said, “All of life is material.” Walk through the world with your eyes (and mind) open. When you hear a snippet of delicious dialogue, jot it down and save it for just the right spot in your novel. When you learn a fact about salamanders, turn it into an animal devotion. Have you witnessed an unexpected act of kindness? Tuck it away to share with others when the time is right.
9. They keep a secret chocolate stash.In the writing life, there will be days that push you to your thesaurus-loving limit. The computer goes up in flames, taking the morning’s work with it. You receive your edits back and discover there’s more red than black on the pages. You face a hard deadline, and you can’t stop for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A well-stocked chocolate stash can carry you through.
10. They are kind, grateful, and generous.This secret isn’t always true, but it should be. Successful writers treat others kindly. They express their gratitude to God and to others—often. They’re generous with their time, knowledge, and influence. They treat others as they would like others to treat them.
This list of ten isn’t a guarantee, nor does every successful writer exemplify every characteristic. But it can be a great starting point to help us learn from the rock star writers among us and move forward in our writing journey. 
Now it’s your turn. What characteristics or secrets have you noticed among successful writers? Please join the conversation in the comments below.
TWEETABLELearn These 10 Secrets of Being a Successful Writer from author @LoriHatcher2 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
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 latest devotional, Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Restore Power and Praise, released this spring with Our Daily Bread Publishing. Connect with her at www.LoriHatcher.com or on Facebook, Twitter(@lorihatcher2) or Pinterest (Hungry for God).
Featured Image: Photo by Philipp Katzenberger on Unsplash

These Priorities in Our Lives Make Us Better Writers

by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas
I’ve been doing a lot of contemplating and pondering lately. About my writing. About life. About God. About making changes. Not really at a crossroads, but definitely a time of reassessment.
Why? What’s the point?
For me, it’s about getting priorities straight and getting myself right with God. I’m learning that too often I get private and disconnect from what’s important in life.
My relationship with God is first. But I frequently treat him as a checkbox on my to do list. Quiet time with the Lord? Done.
Ask me ten minutes later what I gained from it, what did he and I talk about, what did I learn about him, about myself, about his plan and purpose for me. You’d see the deer in the headlights look. I couldn’t tell you. But I did have quiet time, like a good Christian.
Relationship with my wife? Yep, worked on that. Really? Did I really connect with her? Did I share my heart and feelings? Or only what I wanted her to know? Did I take the first opportunity to go private? Not a good thing. And if I don’t pay attention to her, to us; if I don’t share the depths of me and my love for her, we will drift apart. And reconnecting can be a painful process, especially when I let it happen repeatedly.
When I don’t get these two relationships in order, my writing and everything else in my life suffer. These relationships are the source of my strength for every other area of life. If I don’t have these right, nothing else will be right either.
How do we get these relationships right? 
A key is to make the time to be with God and with my spouse. Don’t squeeze him in to my agenda. Just like when we don’t think we have the time to write, we learn to make time to write. We need to make the time for these most important relationships.
Give God our hearts. Submit and surrender to him. This is something we all must do, and we must do it in our own unique way. We can’t copy someone else’s way and expect the same result. Time in the Word and in prayer are important. Time in silence is also important. Sit, ask God to speak to us, and listen. He wants to talk with us, but he can’t if we’re yammering at him all the time. Ask him to speak. Ask the Holy Spirit what he wants to say to us.
Get God’s truth from our heads into our hearts. In our heads, it’s intellectual candy. In our hearts, it’s the guide to a life full of him and all he wants for us, a life of relationship, fellowship, and service to his kingdom. When God’s truth is in our hearts, we can become more conscious of Jesus in us—who he is and all he’s done, not only done for us but also what he’s done in us. This Christ-consciousness becomes our anchor, our go to source throughout our day for wisdom and guidance.
And we must give our hearts to our spouse as well. This is the sacrifice of submitting to each other that Paul writes about in Ephesians 5. I’m still working on this one, but I’m committed to making it happen with God’s help. It takes time. Above all else, it takes a willingness to change, to shift what we do to love our spouse, to change how we do it if we have to—and trust me, we have to periodically—that’s why we reassess.
When we get these two relationships in order and we commit to keeping them that way and we work to keep that commitment, the rest of life is in a position to fall into its proper place.
Blessings.
TWEETABLEThese Priorities in Our Lives Make Us Better Writers, insight from Henry McLaughlin, @RiverBendSagas on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
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.
Featured Image: Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

So, You Want to be a Successful Writer

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Writers have all experienced the moment when the urge to write couldn’t be ignored. Some of us were young, and some of us faced the inevitable at an older age. Our minds threatened to explode if we didn’t put our thoughts on paper. We might not have had knowledge of the craft, or we didn’t know where our skills lacked. But it didn’t matter. We embraced a passion for the art of writing, and despite any obstacles, we were determined to be successful. And so can you.
Guideline #1: Define your meaning of success with the understanding it won’t be the same as the next writer.
How to Weave the Qualities of a Successful Writer Your Life
1. Accept our calling to write is a gift from God.
2. Commit focused time and energy to learning the craft of writing.
3. Invest in how-to books and writing workshops to deepen an understanding of writing, the 
publishing world, social media, marketing, and promotion.
4. Plan to attend a reputable writer’s conference to strengthen our writerly knowledge and 
network with those in the publishing industry and other writers.
5. Read—in our genre, bestsellers, and information about the publishing world.
6. Understand rejection is part of the process and to consider it as redirection.
7. Participate in a writing group to learn and give back.
8. Pledge not to give up. The process won’t happen overnight.
9. Vow to pass on any writing techniques to other serious writers.
10. Open our minds and hearts to the ever-changing climate of the publishing industry.
11. Discover our readers and their needs.
12. Establish an awareness of the world around us and write to heartfelt needs.
13. Immerse time in social media, not to sell books but to help others with our experiences 
and expertise.
14. Write, write, write, and write some more.
15. Edit, edit, edit, and submit.
The above 15 traits of a successful writer instill diligence and a means for every writer to move forward with their publishing dreams and goals.
What tip can you add to the above list?
TWEETABLESo, You Want to be a Successful Writer, insight from best-selling 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