Edie Melson's Blog, page 123

Tips to Breathe Life Into Your Writing

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28
The imposing deadlines, that stubborn writer’s block, and maybe even lifeless words. This triple threat can threaten our creativity and stifle inspiration. Our highest aspiration as nonfiction writers includes capturing a message on paper that imparts truth, grace, and power to our readers. But when we grow weary of getting the words just right, smashing writer’s block, and conquering our deadlines, the goal becomes writing something on the page. Sometimes that’s all we can do until a fresh breeze of wisdom (and divine intervention) breathes life into our writing.
How can we transform lifeless into animated, and flat into inspiring? If your busy schedule and mental blocks are killing your writing, breathe life back into it with the following CPR method.
How to Give Your Writing Some CPR
C – Create a lead-in that captures the reader’s interest, and weave your story or slant all the way through your writing.
A story draws the reader in, and allows them to “see” your point. Pick a story that perfectly illustrates your main idea, and share more of the story in the conclusion or repeat a part of it that builds to a climatic finish. 
If you’re using a metaphor as your slant, weave it into several parts of your writing. Use it as the lead-in to gain interest. Explain its spiritual significance as you begin to talk about Scripture. Repeat it in your ending takeaway. The metaphor reinforces your point and ties your paragraphs together.
My favorite metaphor tends to be music or dancing. (The good kind.) I have contrasted guilt and forgiveness by using music as a slant. “The haunting melody of guilt had followed her, had crept into her soul. But she heard Jesus sing a different song, one of mercy and forgiveness.”1 This contrast became the slant for talking about the woman with the alabaster flask in Luke Chapter 7, a story I have always treasured. 
P – Present not only the what of your point, but include the why and/or the how.
Many writers stop with the what. It’s essential, but it’s not the whole story. Too often “factual” causes an article to be rejected or a book proposal to end up in the slush pile. Connect the facts to what intrigues the mind and touches the heart. 
To inspire readers to take action, show them why they need to take action and how to do what you’re discussing. Use Scripture and life experience to show them why they need to take your message to heart. Give them practical steps they can start implementing immediately. 
For example, in Breaking the Chains, Laura W. Watts contributed an article titled “Fight Indifference with a Flame of Love.” She not only identified eight symptoms of indifference, showing why it was so dangerous, but she gave six ways to break free from it. 
R – Replace limp words with vivid ones, and cut unnecessary words, sentences, and paragraphs.
I’ve learned that editing is not a personal attack. A cut to my words isn’t a cut on my identity or value. Editing is needed. Essential. It’s a must for anyone who bears the name writer. 
A good practice is to look at every word in a sentence and see if it’s vivid and necessary. Exchange limp words with nouns and verbs that illustrate, that paint a picture in the reader’s mind. Cut the words and sentences that aren’t needed. Analyze the purpose of whole paragraphs, and see if they fit nicely into your flow of thought. Streamlined writing makes for streamlined and enjoyable reading.
My heart has ached when I’ve copied and pasted whole paragraphs into an “Extra” file. But I knew I could visit them again if I found a home for them. The reader will never know what we have changed or cut in our writing. However, they will receive the best possible version if we faithfully infuse our writing with words that sing, touch the heart, and follow our flow of thought. 
Which step in the CPR method do you practice regularly? Which one do you need? Tell us in the comments, and keep infusing your writing with vitality and impact.

 

1 Katy Kauffman, compiler and author, Breaking the Chains: Strategies for Overcoming Spiritual Bondage (Buford, Georgia: Lighthouse Bible Studies, 2017), 13.

TWEETABLETips to Breathe Life Into Your Writing from @KatyKauffman28 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Katy Kauffman is an award-winning author, an editor of REFRESH BIBLE STUDY MAGAZINE, and a co-founder of LIGHTHOUSE BIBLE STUDIES. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in compilations, such as Feed Your Soul with the Word of God, Collection 1 which is a 2020 Selah Awards finalist.
In addition to online magazines, Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.COM, thoughts-about-God.com, and three blogs on writing. She loves to spend time with family and friends, talk about art and crafts in her group MY ARTSY TRIBE, and tend the garden in the morning sun. She makes her home in a cozy suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. Connect with her at her blog, WINNING THE VICTORY, and on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

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How to Treat Your Writing Business Professionally

by Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted
The mail is delivered, and you receive your first payment for writing. It may only be $25, but the fact remains: an earned check is exciting. Your writing has just moved to the next level—it's become a business.
Of course, it depends on how you want to run your business, and that is between you and your accountant, but there are some things you need to remember. 1) earnings are taxable2) expenses are deductible3) records are necessaryWhen you sell your first book and receive an advance, you must keep a running record of income and expenses. It doesn't have to be fancy. Just two envelopes with expenses written on one and income written on the other will help immensely when tax season rolls around.
Many writers think it was just $25, and I'll never sell anything else. Call it "under the table" and be done. Well, you could do that, but the question is—is that honest? I remind you of the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Lying about your income, regardless of the amount, is not truthful. It wasn't that God wanted the total amount of their tithe that forced His wrath on Ananias and Sapphira. It was the fact that they lied. 
I doubt you'll be penalized over such a small amount, but the principle is the same. Start your writing career on the right foot and keep your books on the up and up. Your accountant can decide whether the amount needs to be taxed or not. Yearly, I keep any payments made to me in a file. At the end of the year, I can quickly transfer the amounts to a spreadsheet that fully discloses any payments or royalties I have earned. Our family hires a good account because—well, I'm not good at the ins and outs of the tax laws. Often our accountant can find things I would never think of that works in conjunction with my writing income and works to our advantage tax-wise. The point is, to be honest. Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is His." You will be glad you began your writing career on the right foot.
Just as you keep up with any income, do the same with your expenses. Anything you pay out related directly to your writing, travel, new equipment, internet, off-site storage, or even mentoring and extended learning can be lumped together for expenses. It behooves you to keep track.
As I travel, speak, mentor, and write, I keep a log sheet of what I am doing. It houses my work, payments for that work, advances (because they pay in pieces), articles, book sales, and payments received, as well as client names and what I have done and when they pay. This helps prevents me from cheating myself or missing a deadline. It also aids in reminding me when I should receive payments for services rendered, articles, and contracts. I'm often amazed when I look over my log sheet, just how much work I have done. HINT: a certain percentage of the work I offer as a donation is also useable in tax season. The rules are tight, and you should seek counsel from an accountant on how and if the work you have done qualifies for this deduction. 
Keeping a log sheet also keeps you accountable for your work see all you have accomplished. Start your writing career right. Keep up with the business end as well as the writing end of being an author.
TWEETABLEHow to Treat Your Writing Business Professionally, tips from @CindyDevoted on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Cindy K. Sproles is an author, speaker, and conference teacher. She is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries and the executive editor for www.christiandevotions.us and www.inspireafire.com. Cindy is the lead managing editor for SonRise Devotionals and also Straight Street Books, both imprints of LPC/Iron Stream Media Publications. She is a mentor with Write Right and the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference held each February at the Billy Graham Training Center, the Cove, Asheville, NC. Cindy is a best selling, award winning novelist. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.

3 Reasons Introverted Writers Make Effective Speakers

by Linda Goldfarb @LindaGoldfarb
If your storytelling style is deeply methodical, you have the makings of an excellent public speaker. 
Oh, my friend, does God have a plan for you. Indeed, you read correctly. Some of the world's most compelling speakers are introverts—Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Eleanore Roosevelt, and Gandhi, to name a few. Hearing these names alone should heap a ton of hope into your extraordinary, introverted writer's soul. Personality-wise, introverts, Stabilizers, and Organizers are well known for making a positive impact with their words. Though appearing timid to some, perhaps even awkward growing up, every shy writer has the potential to be exceptional as a speaker.
How is it possible, you might ask, for a quiet behind-the-scenes writer to speak so people will listen, let alone be glad they did? Because God designed all of us to be effective for His purpose, no matter our personality style, and if you write—you will speak.
Three Reasons Introverted Writers Excel as Speakers:(I'd like to know if I'm describing you.)
1. Introverted Writers are Deep Thinkers
Consider Meek Martha and Gentle Gene. 
Martha and Gene think before giving their opinions in private and personal settings. When they do speak, it’s evident they ponder their words carefully before sharing them. 
As far as Martha presenting on stage or Gene offering his opinion as an interviewee, they take their speaking opportunities seriously. Each prefers to think long and hard before they present. 
Gene takes his time preparing his speech. He may not rush up on stage, yet arriving at the lectern, his message will be heartfelt and competent. Martha’s message invites her audience on a journey they will remember. 
Can you relate to either or both of our deep-thinking speakers? What topic do you see as your profound thought message? 
2. Introverted Writers are Factfinders
Consider Dig-Deeper Dave and Data-Diva Denise.
Do you, like Dave and Denise, love research? Does your heart race when you start a project, knowing you will spend a lot of time discovering details? Do you seldom embellish a story? Oh, my friend, you are designed to be an exceptional speaker, just like one of my BFFs.
Linda Gilden, my introverted coauthor and cofounder of the LINKED® Personality system, loves chickens. She puts Dave and Denise to shame with her knowledge about chickens. Proving her prowess as a keynote presenter, Linda closed out the 2021 BRMCWC with "Eggucation-Writing Tips from the Chicken Yard.” I will say, “She brought the coop down,” leaving every seat empty—no words required, while the rousing applause affirmed Linda as an exceptional public speaker.
What tools do you gravitate to for research? Honestly, if you have a list in your mind, there's no test needed as to your ability to craft a speech worth listening to. 
Introverted Writers are Prayer Warriors 
Consider Prayerful Penelope and Loyal Larry.
Prayer is essential for influential Christian speakers. Penelope and Larry will cover every situation in prayer. Intercessory prayer? They're on it. Community prayer? Ready for action. Personal prayer? The need list is completed and sent out.
A prayer-saturated speech cannot be anything less than exceptional. You, my introverted messenger, have supernatural strength within you. Once you tap into the Holy Spirit, lean in close, and release any fear, doubt, or depressing thought in God's direction, He has you and is ready to shine through you. Fire up your prayer chain. Engage your armor. Step out in confidence. 
What About Cold Speakers-Feet?
Are you wavering over the possibility of having cold feet? Welcome to the club of everyone-who-has-ever-stepped-on-a-stage or spoken into a microphone. Introverts or extroverts, personal insecurities rise when we step out in our calling. No worries, check out these three empowerment routines to use before you step up to speak.
Clinch Your Fists for 5-8 Seconds. Clinch, then release slowly. Practice at home to create a comfortable rhythm. My serving routine primed me for a good strike when I played volleyball. Bounce-catch, bounce-catch, bounce-catch, strike. Clinching our fists works the same way in preparing to deliver our talks—without the ball. Repeat no more than three times (as this can lead to procrastination and no one has time for that—LOL)
Remember Why You’re Speaking. God has given you something to say. Though what you share equips others, you will need to talk about yourself, which may not be easy. Remember, you are the messenger God chose to convey your message, your testimony—to speak for His glory. Believe it or not, speaking may become one of your new sweet spots.
Breathe in Slowly and Breathe out Completely. Breathe in for a count of four seconds through your nose, hold for five seconds, then breathe out completely through the mouth on the count of six or seven, allowing the air to flow gently over your bottom lip.
I realize you may have a few can I really do this, thoughts bouncing around in your head, and it's completely normal and expected. That said, your design is perfect for an effective vocal messenger of God. And you're not alone. Ask your questions. I'm here to help you in any way I can. 
Until next time, remember Father always equips those He calls to service. 
Link
1 for Stabilizers and Organizers - https://www.linkedpersonalities.com/2 for Linda Gilden https://lindagilden.com/3 under Remember Why You’re Speaking - https://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/2022/02/one-struggle-this-introverted-writer.html#more
TWEETABLE3 Reasons Introverted Writers Make Effective Speakers, tips from @LindaGoldfarb on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Besides hosting the award-winning, YOUR BEST WRITING LIFE PODCAST, Linda Goldfarb is a multi-published award-winning author, audiobook narrator, international speaker, board-certified Christian life coach, and the co-owner, co-founder of the LINKED® Personality System, and co-author of the LINKED® Quick Guide to Personality series.
Linda and her hubby, Sam are empty nesters leading full lives. With four adult children and grand-baby #15 on the way—life is a new adventure every day. She loves sipping frothed coffee with friends, traveling the countryside with Sam, and sharing transparent truth to help others take their next best step—personally and professionally.
Connect with Linda Website - HTTPS://WWW.LINDAGOLDFARB.COMFacebook - HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/LINDA.GOLDFARBPinterest - HTTPS://WWW.PINTEREST.COM/GOLDNTEXAS/LinkedIn - HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/IN/LINDAGOLDFARBInstagram - HTTPS://WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/TEXASGOLDFARB/Twitter - HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/LINDAGOLDFARBYouTube - HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/C/LINDAGOLDFARBLIFECOACH
Featured Image: Photo by Baptista Ime James on Unsplash

Guard the Gift

by Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod
“Oh, they have a piano.”
My mother-in-law once spent several months in a local rehab center, recuperating from a fall that broke two vertebrae in her back. One day, my mother accompanied my wife and me to visit her. We strolled my mother-in-law down to the great room where we could all sit around a table while she ate the lunch we had taken her. 
As soon as we entered the room, my mother’s eyes locked on it: a piano. At the time, Mom had been playing the piano for over seventy years. Recognizing her talent, my grandmother had sown into this talent by purchasing piano lessons for Mom with money she accumulated by selling fish to the neighbors. Mom began playing hymns as a middle-schooler in the little Methodist church they attended, and she has been playing in churches ever since.
“Go ahead and play it,” my wife remarked. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”
Mom loves a little bragging, so initially, she refused. But after a few nurses encouraged her to play, she mosied over and plopped onto the stool. Mom can read notes, transpose music into different keys, and play by ear and memory. 
As the music reverberated throughout the halls of the rehab center, other patients gathered. Before long, Mom had a small audience. One man loved every song she played. After each selection, he said, “Don’t stop.” And she didn’t. One woman stood by Mom and sang along. She knew the words of the songs by heart. For forty-five minutes, Mom played. When it was time for us to leave, they invited her to come back soon. 
For seven decades, Mom has guarded her gift by using it as God has given her opportunity—and those have been many. She may not have fulfilled her dream of becoming a concert pianist, but she has played at numerous churches, weddings, funerals, family gatherings, and concerts. She isn’t famous in the music world, but she has been faithful to God’s calling. 
Paul encouraged early believers to use the gifts God had given them. “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (Romans 6:8 ESV).
The same goes for writers and editors. Writing is a craft to develop, but it is a gift and a calling. So is editing. And some of us wear both hats. Who of us could live without the Chicago Manual of Style or the Christian Writer’s Manual of Style? Our calling is to help writers make their devotion, article, or manuscript the best it can be so it can effectively relay God’s message. After all, grueling grammar, sloppy syntax, or dull dialogue—or a combination thereof—will quickly lead a reader to stop reading. 
Whatever our gift, God wants us to use it to glorify him and to spread his message of love across the world. For me? I teach, preach, write, and help other writers. For you? God will help you discover your gift and then give you opportunities to use it. Everyone has at least one spiritual gift, and many have more. God knows our personalities and has equipped us accordingly. Our world needs your gift. 
Join the conversation and tell us how you are guarding and using your gift.
TWEETABLEGuard the Gift - insight from author Martin Wiles, @LinesFromGod on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Martin Wiles is the founder of Love Lines from God (www.lovelinesfromgod.com) and serves as Managing Editor for Christian Devotions, Senior Editor for Inspire a Fire, and Proof Editor for Courier Publishing. He has authored six books and has been published in numerous publications. His most recent book, DON'T JUST LIVE...REALLY LIVE, debuted in October of 2021. He is a freelance editor, English teacher, author, and pastor.

Choosing to Live in God’s Grace

by Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt
I’ve been reading different books about prayer this year, thanks to my One Word for 2022, which is “pray.” I just finished 100 Prayers Every Christian Should Know: Build Your Faith with the Prayers That Shaped History, which is published by Bethany House.
The Introduction ends with these inspiring words: “… we hope you feel drawn not only into the presence of the Almighty who loves you, but into the awareness of being one witness of many to His ongoing story of redemption.”
Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. The various prayers by such notable historical figures as American composer Fanny Crosby, American evangelist Dwight L. Moody, and American TV host and minister Fred Rogers, stretch across centuries to give us a wide expression of faith.
However, one brief phrase from a prayer by Blaise Pascal included early in the book has influenced me more than any other prayer I’ve read. 
Pascal was a mathematician and philosopher born in France in 1623. Pascal’s full prayer is beautiful, but his words in the very first line is what I lasered in on: The year of grace 1654 …
Next to these words, I noted: Pascal was acknowledging he lived in grace. 
Isn’t that an remarkable mindset? 
Since reading Pascal’s prayer back in January, I’ve adopted his style of dating things. Entries in my prayer journal, birthday cards, or any kind of handwritten correspondence? Each are dated with the words “the year of grace 2022 …”
While no one else may notice my new habit, I notice the phrase every time I write out the date. In doing so, I’m centering my heart and my mind on the truth that I daily live in God’s grace.
Writers, we are creatives who live under the pressure of deadlines, both personal and professional. Think about how purposefully framing your life in grace, day in and day out, would change your life.
Consider taking a piece of paper and writing out the words: the year of grace 2022. Post it somewhere you can see it every day. Whenever you read those words, embrace the truth you live in God’s grace. Every. Single. Day. 
TWEETABLEChoosing to Live in God's Grace, insight from @BethVogt on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” Having authored nine contemporary romance novels and novellas, The Best We’ve Been, the final book in Beth’s Thatcher Sisters Series with Tyndale House Publishers, releasers May 2020. Other books in the women’s fiction series include Things I Never Told You, which won the 2019 AWSA Award for Contemporary Novel of the Year, and Moments We Forget. Beth is a 2016 Christy Award winner, a 2016 ACFW Carol Award winner, and a 2015 RITA® finalist. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Learn How to Write a Novel and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. Visit Beth at bethvogt.com.

The Lord’s Prayer for Writers (Part 3)

by Joshua J. Masters @JoshuaJMasters
The integrity of our writing relies on the integrity of our character—not the ones we create for our narratives, but the character of the one typing. For those called to the ministry of writing by God, the condition of our hearts toward sin dictates how effective our craft can be for the Kingdom.
In this series on The Lord’s Prayer for Writers, we’ve explored how we should approach God in our writing  and how our relationship with Him and others will affect our writing.  This month, we’ll look at the last line of Christ’s outline for prayer:
And don’t let us yield to temptation,but rescue us from the evil one. (Matthew 6:13 NLT)
And His final instructions in that passage:
“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting … Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. (Matthew 6:16, 18 NLT)
As we seek God in our writing, we must also seek His protection from the temptations that draw us away from His purpose in our calling.
Here are Three Things to Remember as We Pray About Our Writing: 
1. Pray to Resist Evil. 
“… Don’t let us yield to temptation.” 
You’re probably familiar with translations that read, “Lead us not into temptation,” but the rendering above is closer to the heart of the message. I think one of the most profound descriptions of temptation is found in the book of James:
And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.James 1:13–14 (NLT)
Our temptation to sin or develop a corrupted heart comes from our own self-focused desires. For writers, that may come as competition, success, fame, sales, contracts, awards, or carving an idol out of our writing career itself.
Temptation could also come from a secret sin apart from our writing, but any sin in our lives will drastically impact the Christ-focused purpose of our craft.
This line in the Lord’s Prayer, “Don’t let us yield to temptation,” is an acknowledgment that we’re unable to overcome those desires on our own and a plea for God to intervene. 
Despite our good intentions, the thing we most desire will influence our writing—it will become the subtext for every word we pen. So, we must be sure that desire is for Christ.
Ask God to show you how to escape your temptations, as He promises in 1 Corinthians 10:13, and then give you the strength to follow that path.
2. Pray to Rely on God for Protection. 
“But deliver us from the evil one.” 
For our writing to be Christ-focused, we need rescue—not only from our own selfish desires, but from the lies of the enemy.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “After a man is converted and has received forgiveness of sins, soon he will be tempted by the devil, for Satan cannot bear to lose his subjects. And when Satan sees someone cross the border and escape out of his hand, he gathers up all his forces and exercises all his cunning that he may slay him at once” (The Spurgeon Study Bible, Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017).
The enemy can’t steal your salvation, but he can certainly impede your impact for the Kingdom. If you allow him to, Satan will turn your writing into a pool of selfishness and self-doubt. He’ll convince you that your art is a scepter to promote your own worship rather than a sacrifice to worship Christ. He’ll weave the grammar of false motives between every word you write.
He is the enemy, and he’s cunning. So, we must pray for God’s rescue, “Deliver us from the evil one.” Ask God to reveal Satan’s tactics as He draws you closer to Him. 
3. Pray and Fast to Reveal His Voice and Blessings. 
“And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do… And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
Jesus concludes his teaching on prayer by reminding the disciples how to fast as they pray. Have you made fasting a regular part of your writing career? A lot of Christians believe fasting is reserved for the super-spiritual. But look at the words Jesus used.
He said, “WHEN you fast…” 
Not, “If you want to fast,” not “if you decide to fast” but “When you fast.”
Jesus expected this to be a regular part of our relationship with Him. Every believer.
That’s because fasting is a form of worship that surrenders our desires and our bodies to God. It’s an intentional devotion to Him—a time set aside to abstain from food so we can better connect with Him and put His glory above our comfort. 
Fasting is a sacrifice of worship that removes the distractions of this world and allows us to hear His voice.
Isn’t that exactly what we need if we’re going to reflect His voice in our writing?
A focused connection to God through fasting will open our ears to His direction, reveal the temptations in our way, thwart the lies of the enemy, and strengthen the integrity of our writing.
If you’ve never fasted, I encourage you to review the article and podcast series, Fasting: What Christians Should Know , to help you get started.
“How Do I Get God to Bless My Writing Career?”
So many Christian writers have asked this question. Well, the actual goal is for God to bless you through your writing rather than the career itself. But challenging our motives and evaluating our relationships as this prayer model teaches is the clearest path to reveal God’s purpose in our writing.
1. Evaluate How You Approach God.In Part 1 of this series, we discussed our need to approach God with reverence, in relationship, and with resignation to His plan.
2. Evaluate Your Relationship with God and Others.In Part 2, we learned to evaluate the condition of our relationship with God and others, seeking to reflect His grace to other people as we rely on Him to meet our needs and sanctify us.
3. Evaluate Your Motives and Stumbling Blocks.Finally, we must seek God’s strength and protection from our own desires and the lies of our enemy through prayer and fasting.
Using the Lord’s Prayer as a guide to evaluate the heart condition behind our writing will always lead to a deeper communion with God and a more fulfilled purpose in our writing. Then, as Jesus concludes in this teaching, “… Your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”
TWEETABLEThe Lord's Prayer for Writers (Part 3) from @JoshuaJMasters on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Don't Miss the Rest of the Posts in This Series!Part 1: The Lord's Prayer for WritersPart 2: The Lord's Prayer for WritersPart 3: The Lord's Prayer for Writers
Joshua J. Masters is a pastor, author, and speaker with a heart for encouraging others. His book on prayer, AMERICAN PSALMS, was a Serious Writer’s Book of the Decade finalist. He’s been featured on CBN Television, HIS Radio, the Light Radio Network, and worked in the film industry as a member of SAG-AFTRA performer. He is a regular teacher and speaker for large groups. A self-proclaimed sci-fi and comic book geek, Josh loves film, pop culture and is known in some circles as THE BAT PASTOR. Joshua was raised in the White Mountains of New England and now serves as a pastor in South Carolina where he lives with his wife, Gina, and their miniature poodle, FRANKLIN THE PUP, who is the subject of his latest book. Josh would love to connect with you on his website, JOSHUAJMASTERS.COM

How to Cope with Post Writing Conference Blues

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites
Definition: Post-Writers’ Conference Blues (noun). The sadness that often occurs immediately following a writers conference. 
Do you experience the “blues” after returning from the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writing Conference or other writing conferences you attend? 
I certainly do! The thrill and excitement of being with a sold-out conference center of comrades who are as passionate about writing as I am for almost a week, that amazing, mountain-top experience, can come crashing down around me if I’m not careful. 
BRMCWC Conference Director Edie Melson wrote two great articles about post conference blues and you’ll find both of those here: Don’t Let Post Conference Blues Derail Your Writing Journey  and 8 Ways to Beat Post Conference Blues .
And, in this article, Edie includes a section with suggestions for what to do after attending a conference. Tips to Make Valuable Connections At Your Next Writing Conference.
I’ve followed Edie’s helpful tips and suggestions when returning from a conference. And, I also include a couple of actions I’ve practiced over the years that aren’t specifically writing-related. With these suggestions and a lot of prayer, I get through the post conference blues and start dreaming about the next conference on my calendar!
Here are my 5 Tips to cope with post writing conference blues!
1. Go for a long walk outside. Allow your thoughts to wander back to the conference and give yourself that time to decompress. An additional benefit to a walk outdoors? Soaking in sunshine (safely) increases the body’s serotonin and is often medically recommended to help people with anxiety, depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
2. Reach out to one or two new friends each day for the couple of weeks that follow the conference. Using the information on the business cards you collected, pick two a day to connect with. Find those new friends on social media, follow their author page, visit their website and subscribe to their newsletter, and reach out in an email, letting the person know how much you enjoyed meeting them at the conference. 
Allowing yourself contact with a couple of conference-goers each day helps you slowly come down from the mountain-top experience of being surrounded by like-minded writers for almost 24-7 for a week. Continuing the conversation with new contacts, albeit through social media and emails, each day keeps you from crashing head-first into the valley when you’re back home and have no writing friends within your sphere of daily life. 
Hopefully, these connections will continue throughout the next weeks and months and carry you until you meet again at next year’s conference.
3. Go out to dinner or coffee with one of your biggest “fans” to tell them all about the conference. That special person may be your spouse, adult child, favorite friend, mom, Sunday School teacher, or if you blessed to have one close by, a fellow writer. The person that celebrates and encourages your writing.
Choose that person who will listen to all the details without nodding off as if they suffer from sleep deprivation and that person who’ll cheer your success and encourage your perseverance. Though you love your mom or spouse dearly, they might not be the best suited person to listen to all the details you want to share. Oversharing with someone who loves you dearly in return but might not appreciate or understand your enthusiasm can often deflate the conference experience unintentionally. 
4. Find a way to serve someone else. It’s hard to have a “woe is me” attitude, an “I’m blue because the conference is over” attitude if you’re busying yourself by serving others. If baking is your thing—and if it is, then I certainly hope we connected at a recent conference, because it is definitely MY thing!—hen bake something sweet to take to a new mom or a casserole to share with an elderly neighbor or some fresh, homemade bread to share with the fostering family down the street. 
Arranging flowers might be your hobby—then pick up a couple of bouquets at the market and make a gorgeous display of God’s creations to share with an exhausted caregiver. 
Handy with tools? You might offer to help the single mom in the neighborhood with tasks that need accomplishing. Take along your spouse and visit at the kitchen table before the repairs begin.
5. Arrange a date night with your spouse or an outing with your kids to give them the opportunity to tell you all about their time while you were away. Oddly enough, part of my “post conference blues” stems from realizing that I “missed out” on something fun that happened back home while I was away. Creating intentional time with those I left behind when I attended the conference and catching up on their lives during that time alleviates the FOMO—fear of missing out—that sometimes pushes my blues’ button.
Post Conference Blues is definitely a thing! But you can alleviate some of the sadness of parting from writing friends after an extended period of time by incorporating writing related tips and non-writing suggestions in the days that follow the conference. And before you know it, conference time will come again for a fresh season of new and renewed friendships and new and reinforced information! 
What post conference tips would you add to the list? I’d love to add more to my list! 
TWEETABLEHow to Cope with Post Writing Conference Blues - tips from @JLavenderWrites on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Julie Lavender loves attending writing conferences and looks forward to several this calendar year. She recognizes and credits most of her writing opportunities with attendance at conferences and the connections made while there. Julie takes part in The Seven, a podcast where she joins six other writing friends to talk about life’s journeys and how we can intentionally ignite our faith each day. She is the author of 365 Ways to Love Your Child: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories (Revell) and Children’s Bible Stories for Bedtime (Zeitgeist/Penguin Random House.)

Why NOT to Give Away Your Presentation Slides

by MaryAnn Diorio @DrMaryAnnDiorio
"May we have your slides?" This is a common question that I often hear after I give a presentation. Although I used to give away my slides, I no longer do so. While at first my decision may seem socially unacceptable, there is good reason and good precedent for not giving away one's slides. In the long run, not giving away one's slides will benefit those who attended the presentation.
So, why do I not give away my slides?
Several Reasons NOT to Give Away Your Presentation Slides:
1. Slides are viewed in the particular context of a specific presentation. When the slides are sent to those who attended the presentation, that context is lost. As a result, people will tend to have more questions about the information instead of fewer. Part of the effectiveness of a presentation is that the slides are shown in the context of your talk. 
2. A presentation is not about the slides. It is about the presenter. The presenter controls the tone and pace of a presentation, moving from slide to slide according to his or her sensitivity toward the audience and its needs. Remove the presenter and you remove tone and pace and, ultimately, impact.
3. The moment you send your slide deck to others, you lose control of your presentation and the way it affects your viewer. This loss of control can result in a great disadvantage to the viewer who can then misinterpret or misrepresent the meaning of your presentation.
4. PowerPoint slides are editable. This is a big reason not to give away your slides. Anyone could simply make a few changes and use your slide presentation as his own. Most people will not use your slide deck for their own presentations. This would be a violation of copyright. But I have heard of instances in which people who received a slide deck did, indeed, use it for their own presentations. 
While some people may get offended by a presenter's policy not to give away slides, you can mitigate their offense by offering them the following substitutes:
1. Your speaking notes. These are the notes you use to prepare your presentation. Put the most important information in your speaking notes. Slides should include major points only. Perhaps the biggest reason people ask for slides is that there is too much information on the slides. Too much information on slides makes it difficult for viewers to remember the information. So, they ask for a copy of the presentation in order to review it. When we place too much content on a slide, the result is a document, not a slide.
Slides should feature only the key points of your presentation, not the whole presentation. I am still learning how better to streamline my slides so that only the main points are listed.
2. A PDF file of your slides. A PDF file offers your slide images to others without relinquishing your control of your presentation to them. 
Bottom LineYou want to control the way your message is delivered. And giving away your slides is not a good way to do that.
TWEETABLEWhy NOT to Give Away Your Presentation Slides, insight from author & speaker @DrMaryAnnDiorio on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

MaryAnn Diorio writes riveting fiction from a small, quaint Victorian town in southern New Jersey where the neighbors still stop to chat while walking their dogs, the houses still sport wide, wrap-around front porches, and the charming downtown still finds kids licking lollipops and old married couples holding hands.

A true Jersey girl, MaryAnn is a big fan of Jersey diners, Jersey tomatoes, and the Jersey shore. You can learn more about MaryAnn at maryanndiorio.com.
Featured Image: Photo by Product School on Unsplash

How to Use Mentors in the Stories You Write

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells
Of the four characters generally found in story—protagonist, sidekick, antagonist, and mentor—the role of a mentor gets its name from Homer’s classic tale, The Odyssey, when the mentor actually has the name, Mentor. Disguised as the goddess of wisdom, Athena, Mentor instructs Telemachus to seek knowledge and stand against his enemies. Mentors have pretty much been dishing the same advice ever since. But it's important to know how to use mentors in the stories you write. 
“Use the force, Luke.” Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker in the first Star Wars
"If you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it." Irving Blitzer to Derice Bannock in Cool Runnings
“Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, in the most delightful way.” Mary Poppins to Jane and Michael Banks
The role of a mentor in story is to share knowledge and wisdom with the less experienced main character. According to author J.K. Rowling, Albus Dumbledore “has always had to be the one who knew, and who had the burden of knowing. And he would rather not know.” As a mentor to the main character Harry Potter, “Dumbledore is a very wise man who knows that Harry is going to have to learn a few hard lessons to prepare him for what may be coming in his life.”
Well-loved mentors includeObi-Wan Kenobi to Luke SkywalkerAlbus Dumbledore to the young scholar, Harry PotterAlfred Pennyworth to BatmanM in Ian Fleming’s James Bond seriesMary Poppins to young Jane and Michael BanksMr. Miyagi to the Karate Kid, Daniel LaRussoHaymitch Abernathy to Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger GamesJohn Keating to his students in Dead Poet’s SocietyGrandmother Tala to MoanaTony Stark’s Ironman to Spiderman’s Peter Parker
Not all mentors are humanMufasa to Simba in The Lion KingMushu the Dragon to MulanJedi Master Yoda is another mentor to Luke SkywalkerJiminy Cricket to the puppet-turned-boy, PinocchioBaloo the bear and Bagheera the panther to Mowgli in Jungle Book
Not all mentors are willing teachers. In these stories, the athlete wannabe grows in skills while the mentor experiences a transformative character arc. In the film, Cool Runnings, the Jamaican bobsled team invest a lot of time and effort convincing former Olympian bobsledder, Irving Blitzer to train them for the Olympics. Perhaps one of Irv’s most insightful messages to team leader Derice Bannock was, “Getting what you want and being happy are two different things.”Eddie the Eagle persistently works at his sport until Olympian jumper Bronson Peary agrees to be his coach. Secretariat’s trainer, Lucian Laurin reluctantly agrees to prepare the horse to race. 
In his Save the Cat series on writing, author Blake Snyder notes that the protagonist’s dark night of the soul is frequently caused by the death of the main character’s mentor. Without their mentor, the protagonist must carry on only to find they can do the right thing and be victorious without their mentor after all. 
And while most mentors remain gone, there are exceptions. Obi-Wan becomes part of the force and occasionally gives the right reminders at the pertinent time. 
In Lord of the Rings, Gandalf is overcome by the Balrog and falls for a long time before being burned by the Balrog’s fire. Though darkness took Gandalf, and he passed away, as a divine spirit clothed in mortal form, the wizard returned to life some 20 days later. “Darkness took me,” he described to Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli in The Two Towers, “and I strayed out of thought and time, and I wandered far on roads that I will not tell.” The experience changed the wizard from gray to white. 
In C.S. Lewis’ classic tale, The Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan is an iconic mentor to the about the Pevensie Children. The great, wise, and noble lion represents Christ, a reminder that for each of us, God provided a wise mentor in the Holy Spirit. 
When adding a mentor to your story, consider these questionsWhat must your main character do that he or she feels is impossible to accomplish?How can the mentor guide without rescuing?How will the mentor know the student is ready?Will the mentor leave the story partway through or be there to celebrate the main character’s success?Is the mentor a willing or reluctant teacher?How will mentoring impact the mentor?
As you craft your characters, remember that mentors serve as mirrors for the protagonist’s potential, and as a magnet drawing the main character toward their destiny.
TWEETABLEHow to Use Mentors in the Stories 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

Why Writers Can’t Rush Ripeness

by Kristen Hogrefe Parnell @KHogrefeParnell
Here in Florida, blueberry season recently ended. However, opening week back in April was something I anticipated, because my husband and I had made plans to drive up to my parents’ place and pick at the farm down the road from them. 
Though we left opening weekend with a good haul, several rows of bushes weren’t ready yet. Their berries were green or a queasy shade of light purple. Tasting one of those berries was a recipe for puckering up!
Those unripe berries reminded me that we can’t rush ripeness—on a berry bush or in our own lives. If you’re feeling impatient today about the progress of your writing or publishing journey, be encouraged that ripeness or completion takes time. 
Thrive in Your Writing Season
“To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NKJV).
Born and raised in Florida, I don’t deal with seasonal changes like many of you, but even Florida has its seasons (that sometimes change on a weekly basis): cool and comfortable, warm, hot and humid, sweltering, and even chilly at times. Though some people want to rush through our intense summers for relief in our less humid fall weather, that’s not how Florida works.
It’s all not how life works either.
But here’s the secret Floridians know. The brutally hot summer is great for water sports. Get wet, and the heat can be your friend.
The same is true for writers. When we feel as though we’re in a desert season of rejection letters or rewrites, we can “get wet” by reminding ourselves that rejection brings us one step closer to the right fit for our work and that rewrites serve to make our writing better. We can find creative ways to cope with the heat, whether it be stepping away from our desks for a favorite hobby or watching a sunset and realizing that every ending is a new beginning.
Abide in Christ
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (John 15:4 NKJV).
Abide is an interesting word. The definition means “to remain, continue, stay.” When we read John 15, that idea seems comforting and reassuring. When we think about being in an unripe season of life, it’s less desirable.
But whether our writing is ripe for the picking or still an unready shade of green, our relationship with Christ should be the same: constant abiding. Are we in the Word daily, remaining instant in prayer, connected with our fellow believers, and serving in our calling? When we stay close to the Source of life, we will ultimately bear fruit in our season.
That day back in April, those blueberries that weren’t the perfect shade of deep blue still had a chance to bloom because they were connected to their bush. As long as they were (and no pesky bird knocked them to the ground), they were guaranteed to ripen in a few weeks. 
We might have to wait longer than a few weeks for our writing to ripen, but if we remain connected to our Vine, we will bear fruit pleasing to Jesus in due time.
What ripeness would you like to take place in your writing? How can you make the most of your current ripening season? 
TWEETABLEWhy Writers Can't Rush Ripeness, insight from author @KHogrefeParnell on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Kristen Hogrefe Parnell writes suspenseful fiction from a faith perspective for teens and adults. Her own suspense story involved waiting on God into her thirties to meet her husband, and she desires to keep embracing God’s plan for her life when it’s not what she expects. She also teaches English online and is an inspirational speaker for schools, churches, and podcasts. Her young adult dystopian novels, The Revisionary and The Reactionary, both won the Selah for speculative fiction, and her first romantic suspense novel with Mountain Brook Ink releases December 2022. Kristen and her husband live in Florida and are expecting their first baby in August. Connect with her at KristenHogrefeParnell.com.