Edie Melson's Blog, page 165

10 Ways to Keep Your Writing Passion Burning

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Writers are encouraged to wrap themselves in passion for their projects. And rightfully so. The definition of passion is enthusiasm or zeal that places something as a priority. The passionate person is willing to make sacrifices, and in the religious sense, to die if necessary, for their commitment or belief. We might not be ready to die for our writing, but we certainly want the zeal and enthusiasm needed to complete our calling.
What does that mean for writers who have lost interest in their craft? How do they regain their passion? 
Look at the following ways to keep a writerly fire burning.
1. Recognize if your desire to continue writing is trending toward burnout and choose to do the work to find out why.
2. Take a break. Yes, step back from the writing. Give yourself permission for a vacation. A writer doesn’t create his/her best when operating on a weary body and mind.
3. Let your mind wander. There’s wisdom in kicking down the doors to our self-imposed box. Do new ideas spark your attention? Has your interest in the subject matter taken a new direction?
4. Journal your contemplations. Record the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of your thoughts. Does your writing need a fresh vision? Are you bored? Is time management an issue? Do you feel your writing is merely repetition of what you’ve previously done? Do you need a sabbatical? Would a class addressing a specific aspect of the writing and publishing industry rekindle your enthusiasm?
5. Spend time praying, thinking, and reflecting on what you listed in numbers 3 and 4. What thing or things do you perceive as the root of the problem?
6. Confide in a trusted friend or family member about your dilemma. Sometimes talking through a problem brings about valid solutions.
7. Decide the best course of action for you as a person, your personality, genre, style, voice, and stage in life. Contemplate the decision(s) for at least a day before taking action.
8. List solutions for your lack of passion. How can you implement the one(s) that serves you best? Do you require professional assistance?
9. Locate the resources necessary to help you move forward. Strive for balance.
10. Do the work. Courageous writing means finding answers to problems.
Have you ever lost your enthusiasm for writing? How did you regain your passion?
TWEETABLE10 Ways to Keep Your Writing Passion Burning - @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 director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Retreat, and Mountainside Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson. Connect here: DiAnnMills.com

Dipping the Quill Deeper: From Conquered to Conqueror

by Eva Marie Everson

John Wesley (1703-1791) the English cleric who became a leader of a revival movement known as Methodism, once wrote these words:

 

After my return home, I was much buffeted with temptations, but I cried out, and they fled away. They returned again and again. I as often lifted up my eyes, and He “sent me help from his holy place.” And herein I found the difference between this and my former state chiefly consisted. I was striving, yea, fighting with all my might under the law, as well as under grace. But then I was sometimes, if not often, conquered; now, I was always conqueror (Journal of John Wesley, “I Felt My Heart Strangely Warmed”).

 

As we writers prepare for upcoming conferences, whether we are new to this writing thing or not, we often find ourselves returning home with a source of positivity pulsing through our arteries and veins that declares, “I can do this! I can write a book . . . an article . . . a blogpost . . . a devotion . . . a poem.” We have everything we need now. Someone told us we canwrite. Someone else showed us how to beef up the weak areas. Someone pointed out where our strengths lie. We sat under the masters of the craft and took copious notes. We returned home and pored over them and, then . . .

 

Somewhere, sometime deep in the night or early evening or the middle of the day or just as we fluttered our eyes open, we hear another set of words whispered in our ears. Words that say, “You cannot do this. You are not a writer. You are a wannabe and only a wannabe and you will never be more than this.”

 

This is where we have to turn it all over to God. We cannot depend on our abilities or the words of others or the teachings and inspirations found in hours upon hours of workshops and general sessions. We must cry out, as Wesley did, to God and ask Him to send help “from his holy place.” We must now let the Holy Spirit do His work within us, fully. 

 

That said, if Wesley struggled with such doubts, then I believe it is not outlandish to expect we will too. If you are a new writer, I hope you will read this next part carefully: I have published 40 books, countless numbers of devotions, blogposts, articles, etc. and I still have to shout over that voice that tells me I cannot. I still have to cry out to God for help. For reassurance.

 

But the more often we do so, like Wesley, the more often we will find ourselves not the conquered, but the conqueror. We will discover that, unlike before when the fight left us drained and shaking, now the fight takes little out of us because we have called out and believed first. 

The moment I awakened, “Jesus, Master,” was in my heart and in my mouth; and I found all my strength lay in keeping my eye fixed upon Him and my soul waiting on Him continually (The Journal of John Wesley, Thursday, 25).

TWEETABLEDipping the Quill Deeper: From Conquered to Conqueror - Eva Marie Everson on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Eva Marie Everson is the president of Word Weavers International and the director of its two conferences. She is the multiple award-winning author of nearly 40 works and has received awards as a speaker and Bible teacher. Eva Marie is often seen at writers conferences across the States. She served as a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins’ Christian Writers Guild for several years, and taught as a guest professor at Taylor University in 2011. She and her husband make their home in Central Florida where they enjoy their grandchildren. They are owned by one small dog and a princess cat. 

When a Creative is Dogged by Doubt

by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan 

An engineer doesn’t doubt her calling. She’s a left-brained mathematician with a formula for every situation.

 

A fisherman doesn’t doubt his calling. He’s a left-brained strategist who can outsmart any fish.

 

A company CFO doesn’t doubt her calling. She has left-brained-focus on the bottom line.

 

But creatives, right-brained as all get out, are dogged by doubts. 

 

Is my work good enough? Will everyone hate it? Has the well run dry? Are all my ideas merely repeats of what I’ve already done? How did I do it last time? Am I really called to do this?

 

My name is Ane Mulligan, and I have another passion besides writing.

 

Oh, pick up your jaw. It’s not a secret to anyone who knows me. I’m managing director of a theatre company. Theatre is in my blood just like stories are in my head, and both are in my heart.

 

A problem arises

The problem arises when one passion’s screaming demands are louder than the other. It doesn’t matter what that passion is. It can be family, especially when our children are young. Softball, swarm soccer, parent-teacher conferences. Your day job. They pull at a writer. 

 

Then, you hit a wall in your current work in progress. Doubts raise their ugly heads. After all, a real writer doesn’t get writer’s block. A real writer can write through anything. Maybe you’re done. Is it time to quit? I’ve been plagued with all these and more in the years I’ve been writing. 

 

During one particularly trying manuscript, we held auditions for a new show I was to direct. I was excited about it, and the busyness of planning and directing (and writing a few short bits to ease scenes transitions) stole my creativity and focus. 

 

Doubt crept in once more. Is writing my will for me or God’s? I couldn’t imagine quitting Theatre. Is it truly time to quit writing? If so, then so be it. 

 

Yet, I cringed at that thought. I didn’t want to quit either one. I prayed and decided I’d leave it at His feet.

 

I turned my attention to the theatre and all the shows for that year. I was producing all, directing one, and set dresser on another, all while managing the non-profit business side. Maybe that’s enough for one person.

 

Then it happened. 

As my husband and I chatted about his upcoming choir concert, suddenly in the midst of that conversation, the one piece I hadn’t consciously realized I’d missed exploded in my mind, sparking creativity in a great, big, wonderful visual of motivation ... for my character and for me. 

 

I love it when God shows up.  

 

Creatives will always be plagued by doubts. That’s part of it. It’s built into our DNA. We can’t escape it. So, what do we do? Panic and down copious pots of coffee and six pounds of chocolate?

 

No. Well, yes to the coffee and chocolate. But learn to embrace the doubts. Take them to God. He’s big enough to handle them. Then wait. Don’t try to force anything. Wait. 

 

Take a day trip. Grab your camera and go take photos somewhere peaceful. Read a book. Cook a new recipe. Go shopping. 

 

In some part of your brain, you’re thinking about your work in progress. So wait. Don’t stress God will show up. After all, you’re a writer ... called to write. 

 

TWEETABLE

When a Creative is Dogged by Doubt - encouragement from @AneMulligan on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Ane Mulligan has been a voracious reader ever since her mom instilled within her a love of reading at age three, escaping into worlds otherwise unknown. But when Ane saw PETER PAN on stage, she was struck with a fever from which she never recovered—stage fever. She submerged herself in drama through high school and college. One day, her two loves collided, and a bestselling, award-winning novelist emerged. She lives in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a rascally Rottweiler. Find Ane on her website, Amazon Author page, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and The Write Conversation.

Are You a Reluctant Writer? So Was U.S. Grant!

by Dr. Craig Von Buseck @CraigVonBuseck
Military memoirs were the rage in the decades following the Civil War. Some were credible, making a helpful contribution to the history of the war, like the memoirs of William Tecumseh Sherman, James Longstreet, or Philip Sheridan. But many were self-serving vanity pieces that minimized the faults of the commander, embellished his accomplishments, and took potshots at political enemies.
Raised by his Methodist mother, Hannah Grant, to carry himself in humility, Ulysses S. Grant found many of these memoirs distasteful. So when his friend, Mark Twain, tried to convince Grant to write his memoirs for his new publishing house, Charles Webster and Company, the general rebuffed him like he did every other attempt by publishers to secure his book. 
“Oh, I’m not going to write any book,” he told a Saint Louis reporter not long after leaving the White House. “There are books enough already.”
But then his investment firm, Grant & Ward, was destroyed by an unscrupulous business partner in a massive Ponzi scheme. Grant was left penniless and was forced to reconsider Twain’s offer. In addition to being nearly bankrupt, the general was also concerned with how he was viewed by the general public in the wake of the Grant & Ward swindle. 
When it seemed things could not get any worse, they did. On June 2nd, 1884, Ulysses took a bite of a peach and immediately shot up from the table in tremendous pain. “Oh my,” he exclaimed, “I think something has stung me from that peach.” The pain continued and finally on October 22nd, Grant went to see a doctor. 
During the examination, Grant could read the verdict in the doctor’s facial expression. “Is it cancer?” the general inquired. Sadly, the answer was yes, and the disease was incurable. Now penniless and dying of cancer, Grant immediately set out to write his memoirs in order to secure the financial future of his wife. He eventually agreed that the book would be published his friend, Mark Twain.
Putting pen to paper, Grant discovered that he thoroughly enjoyed the writing process. Having fully grasped the advice given by editor Robert Underwood Johnson of the Century Magazine, Grant added this thoughts, feelings, and other personal touches to bring the human dimension to the battlefield stories. Drawing on his powerful memory and official battlefield reports, Ulysses worked for several hours every day. 
To keep his mind sharp for the research and writing, the general refused to take morphine during the day, enduring terrible pain for more than a year in order to complete the mammoth writing project. The only relief he received was when he sprayed his throat with cocaine water – but that was only temporary.
This year-long struggle to complete his memoirs was both a labor of love and a race with death. For Grant, it would be his final battle.
Twain was initially motivated to secure Grant’s memoirs because of the anticipated financial bonanza. But when he read the completed first volume, he realized the book was a literary and historical masterpiece. 
Twain concluded that Grant’s writings were on par with Caesar’s Commentaries. “The same high merits distinguished both books—clarity of statement, directness, simplicity, manifest truthfulness, fairness and justice toward friend and foe alike and avoidance of flowery speech. General Grant’s book is a great, unique, and unapproachable literary masterpiece. There is no higher literature than these modern, simple memoirs. Their style is flawless—no man can improve upon it.”
As he pressed forward, the struggle for Grant was no longer simply to provide an income for his family after the bankruptcy of Grant & Ward. The writing of his memoirs gave him reason to soldier on in ways he could not have imagined when he began. As his body weakened, Grant became aware of how his writing gave him a reason to continue living.
Grant’s doctors recognized Grant’s rapid decline, but still believed it was important for him to focus on the memoirs as he was able. “When he forced himself to write or dictate he was thus able to distract his attention from his condition,” Dr. George Shrady recalled. “Hence every encouragement was given him to do as he pleased in such regard.”
The general completed his book four days before his death. More than 1.5 million Americans attended his funeral in New York City, including Mark Twain who viewed the solemn procession from his office windows near Union Square. He considered the publishing of Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant as one of his greatest accomplishments. “I think his book kept him alive several months,” Twain wrote when he heard the news of Grant’s death. “He was a very great man and superlatively good.”
Grant’s Personal Memoirs became the second highest selling book of the Nineteenth Century. Mark Twain eventually delivered to Julia Grant profits from the book in the amount of $450,000 – equivalent to more than $10 million today. The book is now considered a treasure of American literature and one of the greatest military memoirs in history.
Like Ulysses S. Grant, you may be hesitant to write, feeling that you are not fully equipped for the task. I pass along this important lesson I have learned: if God calls, He equips. If you sense God calling you to write, do what is necessary to prepare yourself and then get to work completing your heavenly assignment with the help of the Holy Spirit. As I wrote in my column last month, the world needs to read what you are called to write.
I tell the story of Grant’s final years in detail in my new book, Victor! The Final Battle of Ulysses S. Grant. Order your copy at GrantVictorBook.com.
TWEETABLEAre You a Reluctant Writer? So Was U.S. Grant! - @CraigVonBuseck on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Dr. Craig von Buseck is an award-winning author and the Managing Editor for Inspiration.org. Learn more at vonbuseck.com.

Avoid This Way to Confuse Your Readers

by Zena Dell Lowe @ZenaDellLowe
One of the things we don’t talk about enough in writing is how easy it is to accidentally confuse the reader. Have you ever been trucking along, totally engrossed in a story, and then all of a sudden, you stumble across a paragraph or a sentence that makes you go, “Huh?” When this happens, it immediately yanks the reader out of the story. And that’s a bad thing. Of course, sometimes this happens because we have made the error – perhaps we’ve been reading too fast and so we missed a key word or clue. If this is the case, it’s easy enough to correct. But if the problem resides with the writer/writing, well, it’s another matter completely.
It could be argued that one of the main duties of a writer is to make sure that he or she writes in such a way as to keep the reader engaged and invested in the story. It’s essential that we do everything possible to keep our readers “in” it. We never want them to be taken out of it. And nothing takes a reader out of a story faster than confusion. The moment we find ourselves confused, we have already checked out of the story. The good news is that many of these “confusion causing” mistakes can be avoided. Today, I’d like to point out one of the more common ones that I consistently see in the work I’m critiquing and reviewing. Hopefully, this may help you to avoid this same pitfall in your own work. 
PROBLEM ONE:One surefire way to confuse your audience is to fail to clarify who “he” or “she” is in the text. 
I read a novel recently about two sisters who were going through some kind of life crisis together. The story was told in third person, and, not surprisingly, the sisters shared many of the scenes together. However, the author kept using the reference “she” in the body of the narrative, but often failed to clarify which of the two female characters “she” meant. The text would read something like: 
"Oh, sure. Go ahead and judge me. Not like you've never done that before," Mary said. 
"Would you please stop being so paranoid?” Jo responded. “I thought you got over that in the eighth grade." 
She scowled, her hands clasping involuntarily into a fist. 
Do you see the problem here? As the reader, I don’t know who “she” is. Maybe it’s Jo since Jo was the last character to speak, but maybe it’s Mary’s response to Jo. The context gives no help since the description could apply equally to both characters. Thus, it’s unclear to me which sister is doing the scowling and involuntarily clasping her hands into fists.
Now, here's the thing. Since I don’t know which sister is doing these things, I’m frustrated (and by the way, frustrating the reader is generally considered a bad thing in storytelling). However, not only am I frustrated, but I also feel lost. I feel like I’m not tracking with the story anymore, which makes me feel like giving up. Furthermore, as the reader, I know this action by the character, however small it may be, is still very important, because whoever’s doing that action, she's the one I'm supposed to emotionally connect to – she’s the one with whom I’m meant to empathize. 
So, what do I do? I’ll be like, "Wait, who was that? Which one was that?" And then I’ll go back to try to figure it out. But by then, I'm already out of the story. As with anything in life, you want to keep up the momentum. You want to keep things flowing. You want to keep your reader in it. You don't want to disrupt the flow of the story by confusing your audience with an unclear reference, especially when there’s such a simple way for you to avoid it.
THE SOLUTIONThe best and simplest solution is to find a way to reference the character's name. If the character is Mary, then simply write, “Mary scowled, clasping her hands into involuntary fists.” Or, if “she” threw a glass of water at the wall, then write, “Jo threw a glass of water at the wall.” Or, “Zena scrunched up her face and screeched like monkey,” or whatever the case may be. The point is, it’s better to be explicit in this case than to be vague and confusing. If it’s Zena who’s doing these things, let us know it's Zena. 
Now, if you start saying their names too often, I understand that it can start to sound redundant. So, the solution to that is to give a character a particular identifying trait, and then to refer to that, or, alternatively, if the observation is being made by one character, then find a nickname for the other character that the first character refers to him or her by - particularly if it's negative. 
For example, in my children's fantasy novel, my main character is Percy. This means that the scenes are always told from Percy’s point of view. Since he’s the one through whom the story is told, he often refers to Wilbur, another character in the story, as “the little fool” or “the naive dolt,” or whatever the case may be. Consequently, I can substitute Wilbur’s name with this kind of phrase. I can write, "the little fool," instead of saying Wilber's name. If you know which character’s point of view this part of the story is being told through, even if the story is told in third person, you can still reference the character appropriately. So, with the two gals in the example above, maybe one of them thinks of the other one as "the great prissy prune." Now, instead of saying that character’s name, I can simply write, “The prissy prune twitched, her mouth set tight...,” which, as an added bonus, does the double work of alerting us to the other character’s inner emotional state. 
All this to say, one of the primary ways that writers confuse readers is by using an unclear reference, which can be avoided by employing one of the tactics described above. Next time, I’ll address another common mistake that causes the reader to be confused. Until then, “I hope this has been helpful,” she said. 
For more tips like this, check out The Storyteller's Mission podcast with Zena Dell Lowe, for artists and storytellers about changing the world for the better through story. New episodes available every Thursday on the podcast app of your choice. www.thestorytellersmissionpodcast.com. Also, check out The Storyteller's Mission online platform at www.thestorytellersmission.com where you can find classes, services, and resources for writers. 
Until then, may you go forth inspired to change the world for the better through story.
TWEETABLEAvoid These Three Ways to Confuse Your Readers - @ZenaDellLowe on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Zena Dell LoweAward-winning Filmmaker, Speaker, Teacher, Story Coach, and Podcast Host 
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.COMand WWW.THESTORYTELLERSMISSION.COM

Avoid These Three Ways to Confuse Your Readers

by Zena Dell Lowe @ZenaDellLowe
One of the things we don’t talk about enough in writing is how easy it is to accidentally confuse the reader. Have you ever been trucking along, totally engrossed in a story, and then all of a sudden, you stumble across a paragraph or a sentence that makes you go, “Huh?” When this happens, it immediately yanks the reader out of the story. And that’s a bad thing. Of course, sometimes this happens because we have made the error – perhaps we’ve been reading too fast and so we missed a key word or clue. If this is the case, it’s easy enough to correct. But if the problem resides with the writer/writing, well, it’s another matter completely. 
It could be argued that one of the main duties of a writer is to make sure that he or she writes in such a way as to keep the reader engaged and invested in the story. It’s essential that we do everything possible to keep our readers “in” it. We never want them to be taken out of it. And nothing takes a reader out of a story faster than confusion. The moment we find ourselves confused, we have already checked out of the story. The good news is that many of these “confusion causing” mistakes can be avoided. Today, I’d like to point out one of the more common ones that I consistently see in the work I’m critiquing and reviewing. Hopefully, this may help you to avoid this same pitfall in your own work. 
PROBLEM ONE:One surefire way to confuse your audience is to fail to clarify who “he” or “she” is in the text. 
I read a novel recently about two sisters who were going through some kind of life crisis together. The story was told in third person, and, not surprisingly, the sisters shared many of the scenes together. However, the author kept using the reference “she” in the body of the narrative, but often failed to clarify which of the two female characters “she” meant. The text would read something like: 
"Oh, sure. Go ahead and judge me. Not like you've never done that before," Mary said. 
"Would you please stop being so paranoid?” Jo responded. “I thought you got over that in the eighth grade." 
She scowled, her hands clasping involuntarily into a fist. 
Do you see the problem here? As the reader, I don’t know who “she” is. Maybe it’s Jo since Jo was the last character to speak, but maybe it’s Mary’s response to Jo. The context gives no help since the description could apply equally to both characters. Thus, it’s unclear to me which sister is doing the scowling and involuntarily clasping her hands into fists.
Now, here's the thing. Since I don’t know which sister is doing these things, I’m frustrated (and by the way, frustrating the reader is generally considered a bad thing in storytelling). However, not only am I frustrated, but I also feel lost. I feel like I’m not tracking with the story anymore, which makes me feel like giving up. Furthermore, as the reader, I know this action by the character, however small it may be, is still very important, because whoever’s doing that action, she's the one I'm supposed to emotionally connect to – she’s the one with whom I’m meant to empathize. 
So, what do I do? I’ll be like, "Wait, who was that? Which one was that?" And then I’ll go back to try to figure it out. But by then, I'm already out of the story. As with anything in life, you want to keep up the momentum. You want to keep things flowing. You want to keep your reader in it. You don't want to disrupt the flow of the story by confusing your audience with an unclear reference, especially when there’s such a simple way for you to avoid it.
THE SOLUTIONThe best and simplest solution is to find a way to reference the character's name. If the character is Mary, then simply write, “Mary scowled, clasping her hands into involuntary fists.” Or, if “she” threw a glass of water at the wall, then write, “Jo threw a glass of water at the wall.” Or, “Zena scrunched up her face and screeched like monkey,” or whatever the case may be. The point is, it’s better to be explicit in this case than to be vague and confusing. If it’s Zena who’s doing these things, let us know it's Zena. 
Now, if you start saying their names too often, I understand that it can start to sound redundant. So, the solution to that is to give a character a particular identifying trait, and then to refer to that, or, alternatively, if the observation is being made by one character, then find a nickname for the other character that the first character refers to him or her by - particularly if it's negative. 
For example, in my children's fantasy novel, my main character is Percy. This means that the scenes are always told from Percy’s point of view. Since he’s the one through whom the story is told, he often refers to Wilbur, another character in the story, as “the little fool” or “the naive dolt,” or whatever the case may be. Consequently, I can substitute Wilbur’s name with this kind of phrase. I can write, "the little fool," instead of saying Wilber's name. If you know which character’s point of view this part of the story is being told through, even if the story is told in third person, you can still reference the character appropriately. So, with the two gals in the example above, maybe one of them thinks of the other one as "the great prissy prune." Now, instead of saying that character’s name, I can simply write, “The prissy prune twitched, her mouth set tight...,” which, as an added bonus, does the double work of alerting us to the other character’s inner emotional state. 
All this to say, one of the primary ways that writers confuse readers is by using an unclear reference, which can be avoided by employing one of the tactics described above. Next time, I’ll address another common mistake that causes the reader to be confused. Until then, “I hope this has been helpful,” she said. 
For more tips like this, check out The Storyteller's Mission podcast with Zena Dell Lowe, for artists and storytellers about changing the world for the better through story. New episodes available every Thursday on the podcast app of your choice. www.thestorytellersmissionpodcast.com. Also, check out The Storyteller's Mission online platform at www.thestorytellersmission.com where you can find classes, services, and resources for writers. 
Until then, may you go forth inspired to change the world for the better through story.
TWEETABLEAvoid These Three Ways to Confuse Your Readers - @ZenaDellLowe on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Zena Dell LoweAward-winning Filmmaker, Speaker, Teacher, Story Coach, and Podcast Host 
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.COMand WWW.THESTORYTELLERSMISSION.COM

Time for Fun – Three Favorite Word Games for Writers

by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

Are you sick of COVID (no pun intended), Cancel Culture, politics, shutdowns, shortages, quarantine, isolation, social distancing, and MASKS?

 

Me too. It’s been a weighty, serious, fun-stealing year. 

 

During Week Five of the lockdown, friends from Louisiana texted my husband and me to ask if we’d like to play a game on Zoom. Through an elaborate set up that included two iPhones, an over-the-table light fixture, and several pipe cleaners, they had figured out a way to display the gameboard of a new game so socially-distant family and friends could play the game “together.” 

 

We had so much fun playing with them that we ordered the game, duplicated the setup, and invited friends and family from all over the country to play with us. Having a social and creative outlet brightened our otherwise dreary isolation.

 

Social restrictions are easing up, but we still take the writing life way too seriously. I thought it would be fun to take a break from all the platform-building, agent-finding, contract-seeking, social-media-wrestling aspects of the business and just have fun.

 

If you’re a logophile, a lover of words, allow me to share three favorite games guaranteed to test your linguistic creativity and inspire your thinking. If you’re a logomaniac, a person who is obsessively interested in words, you’ll want to buy them all and throw a party—outdoors, of course.

 

CodeNames

My favorite new game, the one our Louisiana friends introduced us to, is CodeNames. This barnburner of a game has 15,665 five-star ratings on Amazon. Here’s a snippet of Amazon’s description: “Spymasters give one-word clues that can point to multiple words on the table. Their teammates try to guess words of their color while avoiding those that belong to the opposing team. And everyone wants to avoid the assassin. The game works very well with four players if you prefer to guess without help. Or you can add more players if you prefer lively discussion.”

 

Codenames forces you to think creatively and take risks, two skills necessary to succeed as a writer. Suitable for ages 14 and above.

 

Bananagrams

I’ve often described Bananagrams as Scrabble on steroids. Like Scrabble, players use tiles to form words. The person who uses all their tiles wins. But this is where the similarity ends. With 14,208 five-star ratings, “Bananagrams is the award-winning word game that needs no pencil, paper, or board. Players race against each other to build crossword grids and use all their letter tiles first.” The game comes in a banana-shaped pouch so is great for travel and is perfect for everyone 7 and up.

 

I enjoy playing Bananagrams because I can play it with wordsmiths of all ages and levels. You don’t have to have an extensive vocabulary or spelling ability to win. I was once beaten by an opponent faithfully stringing together three- and four-letter words while I waited in vain for a Q so I could spell quintessential.

 

Taboo

I can’t list fun word games without mentioning the classic game of Taboo. Complete with a noisy buzzer to call players out, this game requires an extensive vocabulary of synonyms. Players try to get teammates to say the Guess word on the card without using any of the forbidden words in the clues. The first team to fifty wins.

 

Taboo is the perfect training for those times when you discover you’ve used the same word three times in a paragraph and need to substitute synonyms for two of the three. It’s fast-paced, noisy, and brain-stretching. Ages 13 and up. Four or more players.

 

If 2020-21 has stolen some of the fun from your life, why not push back by breaking out your favorite word game or trying one of these? Having fun with words might stimulate the Muse, jumpstart your creativity, and teach you a synonym or two. Best of all, it will make you laugh. 

 

And we all know laughter’s the very best medicine.

 

If you’d like to join the conversation, please leave a comment sharing your favorite word game. I’m always looking for the next linguistic adventure.

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Time for Fun - Three Favorite Word Games for Writers - @LoriHatcher 2 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Lori Hatcher loves God even more than she loves chocolate—and that’s a lot. Since He saved her at age 18, she’s been on a relentless journey to know and love Him more. Her deepest desire is for her others to join her on the journey. As an author, blogger, and women’s ministry speaker, she writes for Our Daily Bread, Guideposts, Revive Our Hearts, andCrosswalk.com. She’s written three devotional books, including  Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible , and  Hungry for God…Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women . Connect with her at LoriHatcher.com or on Facebook, Twitter (@lorihatcher2) or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

What To Do When a Writer is Discouraged

by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas
One given in the writing world is writers will get discouraged. 
An area where I’ve been discouraged is when a story doesn’t work. My fingers are like stones on the keyboard. What seemed like a great story idea flickers like a dying fire. The plot is what my Italian friends call a frittata. The characters are flat and couldn’t inspire or engage a tree stump. The dialogue puts me to sleep and I’m writing it. And the setting has all the excitement of a square room with floor white walls and a bare floor. One way I deal with this is to put the story aside and write something more meaningful, like a grocery list or a to do list.
There are other areas where discouragement can raise its ugly head. Unfortunately, it’s something we do to other writers. I was at a workshop several years ago. In one session we were doing critiques. One participant said to another, “I don’t think that’s a story you should write. In fact, I don’t think you should write at all.” Shock smothered the room. It was so quiet you could hear an ant burp. The critiqued writer fought back tears. The moderator called an immediate break and took the critiquer to one side. But the damage was done. It was a long time and a lot of support before the critiqued writer returned to her story.
We’ve all heard stories of situations where a writer has been ripped to shreds by a critique, a reviewer, or an editor. Why do we do this to each other?
For some, it’s jealousy. For others, it could be a need to be in control or feel superior. And for still others, it could be hiding their own inadequacies. In fact, it’s probably a combination of all these effected by other internal aspects in their psyche.
It doesn’t really matter what motivates someone to disparage or discourage another. Especially among the Christian writing community where our focus should be on representing Jesus to those striving to fulfill his call just like us.
When we’re discouraged, we actually have a choice about what to do with this awful emotion. We can let it control us and spin us out of our dreams and out of following God’s purpose. 
Or we can turn to Jesus.
I’ve done that on more than one occasion. In the last the five months, I’ve been rejected by at least seven agents or publishers. Now none has said I should quit writing, but they sure haven’t been encouraging either.
Here’s what I’ve learned.
One, it’s not personal. There are a lot of writers competing for a few spots in the publishing universe. Even with self-publishing, it’s hard to get a book on the market and have it get noticed. If it is a personal attack, there may be something seriously wrong with the other person. In which case, I remove myself from their presence.Two, I dig back into the craft. Is there some nugget in the discouraging experience I can take and apply to my craft? Three, rejection, while discouraging, can also be a step toward success, albeit a sidestep around the mulberry bush. Better than thrashing through the thorns of my own bullheadedness.Fourth, I remember those times when I have been encouraged by a critique group, an agent, or an editor. One editor who rejected me recently was very kind and referred me to another publisher she thought might be a better fit.Five, keeping all this in mind, look for opportunities to encourage others. Jesus said it best:
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. Matthew 7:12 NIV
I know, we’ve heard it since we were kids. That doesn’t make it any less true.
In essence, critique others how I want to be critiqued. I submit to my critique group with the attitude that I want to be corrected and taught with kindness. I look to the group to improve my story. And this is the attitude I take when I critique or edit someone else.
There are plenty of others in the writing universe eager to stomp on someone’s dream.
I don’t want to be one of them.
TWEETABLEWhat To Do When a Writer is Discouraged - 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.

Writing Bible Studies with Punch, Zip, and Wow

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28
“God is boring.” Three words that have subconsciously shaped my desire to write Bible studies. 
A fourth grader in VBS uttered those words. We were trying to settle the kids down for the Bible lesson, and a little guy in the middle of the room objected with this statement. Everything within me cringed when he said it, and the teacher proceeded to tell him that God was the least boring person ever. His innocent question was, “Why?”
We spent the whole week telling the class why. We picked different aspects of God’s nature—Savior, Father, Friend, and Lord—and let the kids come up with ways that such a person would work in their lives. At the end of the week, we asked the class whether they thought God was worth knowing. The little guy in the middle of the room thought so. 
Bible studies should be anything but boring—they should be infused with punch, zip, and wow. We write Bible studies so that our readers may not only come to know God more, but love Him more as well. The whole point of eternal life is knowing God (John 17:3), an adventure which starts now and lasts for all eternity. The greatest action we can ever take is to love God with our whole selves and then to love others (Mark 12:30-31), and Scripture shows us how to do that. The Bible is alive and powerful (Hebrews 4:12), yet it matters how we present it. When we are mindful of how we write about Scripture, our readers will come to grasp even more who God is, how to love Him, and how His word applies to their lives.
Just the Right Ingredients
A Bible study that is infused with punch, zip, and wow includes just the right ingredients for reader appeal and life transformation. When we write our Bible studies with punch, we make a point and we make it well. We include the right amount of insights proven by definitions, commentary notes, and illustrations. When we write with zip, we streamline our flow of thought so that our words hit the heart and sharpen the mind. We choose just the right words and cadence to drive our point home. When we write with “etches its message into our readers’ memory, and we share fresh insights or practical how to’s that help wow,” we deliver a unique approach to Scripture that them with present challenges. 
Just the right ingredients also include a balance of story and explanation. Too much story, and the book won’t feel like a Bible study. Too much explanation of Scripture, and it will feel like a commentary. With a conversational, friendly voice, we can blend both tools for heart impact, and keep the study animated and inviting. 
The heart of Bible study that keeps readers turning pages is application. Writing Bible studies with punch, zip, and wow means that we have application for the reader on every page. We plant takeaway for them at the end of our lead-ins, in the paragraphs that explain Scripture, and at the conclusion of each day’s reading. We keep them engaged with how God’s sacred words speak into their modern lives with all of its ups and downs, joys and heartaches. We keep the felt need of our study always before them, and answer their questions and provide solutions to problems with what God says about the situations they are likely facing. 
Together we can have a strong voice for God and His Word in this world, and we can do it with punch, zip, and wow! If someone told you that God or His Word were “boring,” how would you help them to be convinced that the opposite was true?

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Katy Kauffman finds herself writing about life’s spiritual battles more than anything else. As an award-winning author, an editor of Refresh Bible Study Magazine, and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies, she has the privilege of working with writers and the Lighthouse team to create Bible study compilations and magazine issues. She recently started a monthly newsletter for writers called The Lighthouse Connection, and she contributes to three blogs on writing. Connect with Katy at her blog, Winning the Victory, and on Facebook and Twitter.

Can a Writer Ever Have Too Many Books?

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel

Tidying up guru Marie Kondo once wrote that after one particular purge, she ended up with only thirty books in her home. 

 

Why, that’s practically the number on my nightstand to-be-read stack alone!

 

My books are not just cardboard and paper. They are my friends. Each book contains not only unique stories and life lessons, but sometimes daring adventure, tender comfort, radical transformation, or courageous challenge.

 

The books that fill my home (and there are hundreds and hundreds I’ve collected throughout my six decades of life—not gonna apologize either) have mostly all been read! They are dog-eared and underlined. Many are signed because I have the great privilege of knowing so many wonderful authors who have blessed me with the fruit of their creativity.

 

As I sort through them, I am immediately transported back to the season and location of my first reading—who I was then, why I chose that book, and what I took away from it. So, you can imagine how difficult it is for me to do the necessary task of reducing my library. Giving them away seems akin (but harsher) than “unfriending” a true friend.

 

“A book is a soulish thing. It is physical—dots of ink and paper from old treesand yet it feeds our minds and moves our wills. We read with our bodies; with our wills we choose to have our thoughts guided by the words of another person. Books connect us with ourselves and with others—and perhaps with God.” (from Soul Keeping)

 

But the time has come, and I’m in a season where my kids have firmly informed me that I indeed do have too many books. You too? 

 

Maybe these ideas will help you navigate this part of the journey:

Be ruthless during the winnowing process. Decide how to prioritize your “keep” books. Don’t just ask, “does this spark joy?” but perhaps “did it change my life?” or “will I refer to it again?” or “is this a treasure to pass along to someone?” (for those, consider giving them now, not later.) Perhaps just keep one book from each favorite author. Of course, there are authors whose entire collections I most certainly keep – and you know who you are.My husband and I prayed over all these 350 book friends—that each one would end up in the hands and heart of someone who needs the message. I found such joy just releasing them out again into the world, trusting God for who got what.After neatly stacking all the books on shelves and tables on my front screen porch, I privately invited about twenty younger people in ministry/writing/speaking to drop by any time for the next couple of days and take whatever they wanted. I also set out about 25 bags of well-loved “speaker” jewelry. Those who came were free to browse and decide on their own.After a few days, I sent the same invitation to my neighbors and a few local friends, including some very enticing photos of the loot. Finally, I took all the remaining books off the porch and down to my lawn by the curb, stuck a huge “FREE BOOKS” sign in the ground, and posted an announcement on all my local Facebook Swap Groups. Honestly, I had no expectation of how many people would actually take the books. But some did. And whatever was leftover was immediately loaded up in our car and taken to a charity store.  

Friends, who knew? It turns out you can—at a certain season of life—have too many books! I suspect you will know when/if that time comes. And I pray that you (and I yet again in the future) have the grace and joy in thanking God for each one, and then releasing them back into the world. 

TWEETABLECan a Writer Ever Have Too Many Books? @LucindaSMcDowel on @edieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Lucinda Secrest McDowell, M.T.S., is a storyteller and seasoned mentor who engages both heart and mind while “Helping You Choose a Life of Serenity & Strength.” A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Furman University, McDowell is the author of 15 books and contributing author to 30+ books. Her award-winning books include Soul Strong, Life-Giving Choices, Dwelling Places, and Ordinary Graces. Lucinda, a member of the Redbud Writers Guild and AWSA, received Mt. Hermon “Writer of the Year” award and guest blogs monthly for ‘The Write Conversation.’ 

Whether coaching writers and speakers, pouring into young mamas, or leading a restorative day of prayer, she is energized by investing in people of all ages. As a communications teacher, she has served on the faculty of Speak Up Conference, Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Florida Christian Writers Conference, Asheville Christian Writers Conference and co-directs the annual spiritual retreat reNEW – retreat for New England Writing & Speaking. Known for her ability to convey deep truth in practical and winsome ways, McDowell shares words from “Sunnyside” cottage in New England and blogs weekly at  WWW.LUCINDASECRESTMCDOWELL.COM