Edie Melson's Blog, page 167

Giving an Encouraging Word

by Martin Wiles @LinesFromGod
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
I ignored the call, imagining it just another spam call from someone who wanted to ruin my Saturday morning with their nonsense. 
Writers’ conferences present a double-edged sword. I hang on every word from speakers, authors, and editors who are more experienced than I. Experts who share their journeys and help me with mine. I hear their instructions and cautions. Be patient. The publishing world takes time. 
Don’t give up when you receive rejection letters. Perhaps the timing is not right, or you are not as prepared as you need to be. Show don’t tell. Get an agent. Submit something for publication…anything. Make your manuscript, devotion, or article as good as you can before submitting it. Pay an expert to look over it if you need to. Remember, you only write for an audience of One. On and on the good advice trails. 
But then that devilish angel hops on my shoulder. I hear him, too. You’ll never succeed. Your writing stinks. Don’t expect any compensation for your writing. Who would pay for what you write? 
And hearing from those who’ve experienced a measure of success in selling articles or publishing books doesn’t help. The jealousy bug emerges…angrily…and largely. Why couldn’t the same happen to me? I’ve been writing longer than they have. Why did the agent accept them as a client but reject me? Why did the publisher accept their manuscript but toss mine? 
Between sessions, I headed for the bathroom. While taking care of restroom business, I heard the call and saw the number appear on my screen. Although the number was local for where I lived, I didn’t recognize it. Knowing spammers can fake a local number just to make me answer, I ignored the call and waited to see if the caller would leave a voice mail. 
A minute or so passed before I heard the ding notifying me I had a voicemail. I waited for it to transcribe. Nothing. I pressed the play button to listen. “You don’t know me, but I’m….” 
A pastor with a congregation not far from where I live had read some of my devotions in a denominational magazine. Enjoying what he read, he had investigated my bio. Seeing I had a website, he visited. 
And the purpose of his call? Just to give me a word of encouragement. Just to tell me he enjoyed reading my devotions and to express his appreciation for what I did. 
“I know we all get a lot of spam callers,” he said, “but I wanted you to know this isn’t what this is. I just wanted to give you a word of encouragement.” 
Most of my voicemails, I erase. This one, I saved. A day will come when someone will give one of my books a critical review or put a judgmental comment on one of my blog posts, and I’ll need this voicemail. I’ll need to hear a word of encouragement. 
Doing what Paul says takes initiative. Our default mode is often criticism. It seems to come more naturally. But God wants us to do what this stranger did. I needed encouragement that day. He didn’t know I did, but God knew, and God’s timing proves perfect every time. 
Rather than criticize, encourage. When you ask, God will direct you to the person who needs it, and at just the right time. 
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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, A Whisper in the Woods: Quiet Escapes in a Busy World, released in December 2019. He is a freelance editor, English teacher, author, and pastor.

Choosing Mediocrity to Become a More Successful Writer

by Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt
I’m always looking for encouragement as a writer. Something to motivate me to write. Something to push me through a slump or to challenge me to improve my craft. Sometimes my goal might be to put words on the page, other times I’m searching for a metaphor or simile that will elevate my scene with deeper emotion.
Want to know what motivated me the most in recent weeks?
The encouragement to be mediocre. 
Didn’t see that coming, did you?

I discovered the podcast Ted Talk Daily, specifically one by sociologist Christine Carter titled “The One-Minute Secret to Forming a New Habit.” She introduces the concept of the “better than nothing” habit, something that is easy to repeat again and again. We can do it when we are tired or have no time. 

Let me give you a simple way I applied Carter’s “better than nothing” habit in my life. 
Have you ever been encouraged to drink water, perhaps by your doctor or a nutritionist or a personal trainer? The usual recommendation is 64 ounces of water per day, although some people say the amount needs to be adjusted based on factors like your weight and how much you exercise. 
I’m lousy at drinking water. I just don’t do it. I decided to adopt the “better than nothing” habit by selecting a fun llama water bottle I’d received as a gift and telling myself I only had to drink one of these each day. I didn’t even measure it to see how much water I’d consume. 
You know what? It was easy to hit such a low goal. If I drink one bottle, it’s also easy to drink two if I want to – and I usually want to drink more.

“The goal is repetition, not high achievement,” Carter said. “So go ahead and be mediocre, but be mediocre every day. Take one step, but take only one step every day.” (Emphasis mine.)

How does this apply to writing? 

You tell me.

What “better than nothing” mediocre habit can you do today to improve your writing? And then do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day?Write 50 words in your work-in-progress (WIP).Read one page in a craft book.Research one comparative title for your manuscript to add to your book proposal.Work on one section of your one sheet. (Select from your bio, your one-paragraph synopsis, your contact information, your graphic.)Do one exercise to improve your health. (Combatting our “tush in chair” lifestyle)As we accomplish our mediocre habits, we can build on them and succeed at something more ambitious in the future. 
You can do this – be mediocre and succeed as a writer!

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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.

What is Your Identity as a Writer Tied To?

by Joshua Masters @JoshuaJMasters

I am not a writer, but my next book is coming out soon. 

 

What is our identity as writers for God? One ministry I oversee as a pastor is Celebrate Recovery. It helps people overcome the stumbling blocks in their faith by pursuing a healing relationship with Jesus. Unlike many recovery programs, this one is for anything preventing you from getting closer to God.

 

Whether they’re facing anxiety, anger, fear, self-worth, relationship problems, food issues, or chemical addiction, those taking part in the program are very intentional about how they introduce themselves during Open Share Groups.

 

“Hi. I’m a child of the Most High God. I struggle with anxiety and depression and my name is Tom.”

 

“I’m a grateful follower of Jesus Christ celebrating victory over drugs and alcohol. I still struggle with self-worth and my name is Elizabeth.”

 

“I am called to a purpose by my Creator. I’m seeking His healing from an unwanted divorce and my name is Michael.”

 

Do you see the pattern? 

Everyone may say it differently, but we introduce ourselves like this to remind ourselves (and one another) that our identity is not in our struggles. I am not my anxiety. I’m a child of the King who happens to struggle with anxiety. It may seem like a minor distinction, but it’s vital to our spiritual growth.

 

The greatest step in overcoming our struggles is realizing they’re not who we are. We find our identity in the power and purpose of Christ, not our mistakes or what the world says about us.

 

Yet many of us in the Christian writing community continue to live under the weight of how others see us and what our past says about who we are.

 

But that’s not our only problem. Old hurts and addictions aren’t the only walls we build between us and our identity in Christ. Sometimes it can be our pride, insecurities, or ambition. Even the call God has put on our lives to write can become a golden calf we trip over on our spiritual journey.

 

Working in an industry of rejection and comparison has manipulated many of us to look for our value in the day-to-day circumstances of our writing careers rather than drawing closer to the One who’s called us to it.

 

I once had a literary agent tell me my book proposal was the worst thing he’d ever read, and that I was fooling myself if I thought I could be successful. He said I’d probably never please God trying to serve Him as an author—that I didn’t have any value as a writer.

 

Well, that’s a paraphrase. What he actually said was, “I don’t think this project is for me.” But my self-worth was so attached to what this agent thought of me, I manufactured the rest. Am I alone in that experience?

 

That’s an identity issue.

 

Is my hope found in Christ or in my title as a writer?

 

When we wrap our identity up in the success of our writing rather than its purpose, we surrender the call God’s placed on our lives. We exchange our identity in Christ for fleeting moments of approval from the world.

 

We measure our value by asking:

How many likes did my post get?How many reviews does my book have on Amazon?How many people watched my Instagram reel?Did the agent ask me to send her my proposal?How many people joined my Clubhouse room?Did the magazine accept my article?

If God has called you to be a writer, then that calling is significant. But those questions of sales and stats can’t measure how significant we are. They can only measure how important we feel. 

 

But being significant and feeling important are not the same.

 

Importance is pride-based.

Significance is compassion-based.

 

Importance glorifies MY name.

Significance glorifies GOD’S name.

 

Importance is a feeling.

Significance is a state of being.

 

Importance is built on what the world tells me.

Significance is built on what God tells me.

 

And don’t miss this one:

Importance is always fleeting.

But significance is eternal.

 

If we hope to make a lasting impact for the Kingdom with our writing, we must have our identity firmly rooted in who God says we are rather than embracing the false narratives of the enemy. When God wrote your story, do you think He wanted you to continue reading the version your antagonist wrote? Or does He want you to embrace who He created you to be? Not a writer—but a beloved child He chooses to elevate.

 

Yes, our day-to-day activities will include effective social media strategies. We’ll write proposals and submit articles. We’ll do the work. But we should not base our identity on the title, tasks, or outcomes.

 

God has planned a life of meaning and significance for you. That’s what I shared in a recent sermon series on Discovering My True Identity, but you’ll only find meaning in your life when you stop looking for it outside the significance you have in Christ.

 

When my identity is in His love for me, who cares if an editor takes a red pen to my passive verb?

 

He says I am loved. 

He says I am rescued, and chosen, and significant. 

 

Imagine the power our writing would have if we wrote from that identity. Imagine the closeness we’d feel to God as our fingers tapped out the words He gives us while truly believing the words He says about us. 

 

I am not a writer. 

I’m a child of the Most High King, who empowers me to write as a reflection of His love for me.

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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

7 Newspaper Articles You Could Be Writing for Your Paper

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites
Conference season is just around the corner. If you’d like to pad your one-sheet with a few more writing credits before an upcoming conference, I have a suggestion for you. Consider writing for your hometown newspaper. 
Newspapers are in constant need of fresh content, whether your paper is a weekly paper, daily paper, or three-days-a-week paper. Because of financial constraints, newspaper editors often use freelance stringers to help supply that content. 
The pay might not be great, but the opportunity to add additional credits to a resume or one sheet may far outweigh the slim paycheck. And, many newspapers are amenable to faith-based material, so the rewards from sharing those stories are way better than monetary ones! 
Before querying your local newspaper editor about a possible story, familiarize yourself with the types of newspaper articles included in the paper. 
Types of Newspaper Articles
1. News Reports: this one is self-explanatory, and this type of article is often covered by a staff writer. However, sometimes only “big” news events get covered by the very slim staff of most newspapers. If you know of a news-worthy event that is seemingly “small,” in comparison to other community happenings, yet would appeal to a large number of readers, consider covering the event and presenting the article to the editor. News articles don’t convey opinions, but are straightforward and contain “just the facts.” News articles lead with a summary of the complete article and are written in an inverted pyramid format. 
2. Feature Article: these articles usually garner higher word-count opportunities. Lifestyle subjects fall into this category. I often consider these the “good news” kinds of stories. Feature stories are written to convey information, but also to entertain the reader. Profile pieces of community members fall into the feature article category.
3. Letters to the Editor: these short opinion pieces typically address a current community interest. Generally, anyone in the community can send a letter to the editor with the possibility of seeing their words in print. Though not a freelance journalism opportunity per se, an acceptance may get the attention of the editor for a future opportunity.
4. Column: many of the recurring columns in a newspaper come from syndicated sources, but freelancers have an opportunity to write columns, also. Most of the time, columns follow a theme, though some columns’ themes are broader in scope than others. 
5. Review: some newspapers, usually ones with a large circulation, include review articles of restaurants, books, movies, art exhibits, and more. These pieces are often open to freelancers, but query first to make sure you don’t waste your time covering a story that has been assigned to a staff writer.
6. Sports Story: another self-explanatory type of article and is more likely to be covered by a staff writer than some of the other pieces. But, again, a slim staff means not every game in the community will be covered, so you might could ask for an assignment, especially if you have a child or grandchild playing on that particular team. These news stories will often have elements of feature writing, too, to personalize the stories just a bit more than a “facts-only” article.
7. Entertainment Article: again, some of the smaller newspapers might not have a section devoted to entertainment. Stories for freelancers here might include upcoming cultural event announcements or coverage pieces following the event. Articles about “famous” people—actors, musicians, and other artists find their way here, but these stories are often secured in other manners than local reporting. However, if you happen to know one of these “famous” folks, you could always query the editor about a story with a personal interview. 
If you wow a newspaper editor with a story that’s well-written and appeals to the readership of the paper, you’ll most likely get lots of chances to contribute other stories. Newspaper credits build up quickly, and you’ll learn a lot about writing in the process. If you start now, you just might have a huge handful of newspaper credits by the time you pack up and drive to a conference! And then, you might even wow an editor or agent with your writing portfolio! 
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Julie Lavender, author of 365 Ways to Love Your Children: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories, published by Revell, loves the portfolio of newspaper articles she’s collected over the years. “I’ve met the most interesting people in my community and had a blast writing about their adventures,” Julie says. “And the best part is, most of my articles are faith-based, so it’s a great way to talk about God in my newspaper. Connect with Julie on social media or at julielavenderwrites.com. 

Make Your Characters Come Alive with Visceral Reactions

by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Have you ever been told your characters are cardboard? Or have you read a book where you were left wondering why you couldn't identify with a particular character? It could be that the character isn't reacting in a "normal human" way, which includes visceral responses.  

 

What is a Visceral Reaction?

A visceral reaction is a response to an emotional stimulus—something that is involuntary, immediate, and very, very physical. It's the skin crawling when we see something that scares us. It's the punch in the gut when we get bad news. It's the feeling in our bones when we know something's not right. It's also the heat of a blush when we're embarrassed. In other words, it's our body reacting to outside stimulus without any thought. Humans have five physical senses: taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing— our "antenna" that allow us to perceive the things that go on around us. And each of us perceives that stimulus in a very unique and personal way, depending on our previous experiences. 

 

As do our characters. We want our characters to seem real, so having them react to situations needs to seem real too. Visceral reactions always come first. 

 

Here's an example.

When Joan sees Brad, her soon-to-be ex-husband, put his arm around his much younger girlfriend at the courthouse, her visceral – and completely unconscious – reaction will probably be an elevated heartrate and blood pressure, a dilation of her irises, and a surge of blood into her arms and legs, a set of items called the "fight or flight syndrome". She has no control over that reaction. It's an immediate and overwhelming sensation. (To explain a little more – the sympathetic nervous system, which has just been triggered in Joan's body, supports the assumption that she will need to protect herself or flee for her life. Our bodies set the stage by increasing the amount of blood to our brain, lungs, and extremities so we can run or fight, and our eyes dilate so we can see better.) 

 

Another reaction follows, one of three possibilities and not in any particular order.

ThoughtSpeechAction

In fact, she may experience all three with lightning-fast speed. But by then, the visceral reaction has control and, in this particular situation, she may do something she shouldn't. 

 

This is how it might look:

A high-pitched giggle from the end of the hallway brought Joan's head around. Who would be…? The tight skirt, bleached hair, and five-inch spiked heels caught her attention first. Then, Brad patted the woman's butt, looking down the hallway at Joan with a smirk (stimulus). Hot blood shoved its way into her face and her vision blurred (visceral reaction), finally narrowing on the man who had promised to love her forever (thought reaction). "You son of a …." (speech reaction). She was halfway down the hallway (action reaction) before her attorney caught her arm. "Joan, don't do it. It will just make everything worse." But the fear on Brad's face was worth it.

 

Of course, there are hundreds of better ways to show this on the page. Here are a few of them:

"His heart skittered." (Abbie Roads)"Fear plunged into this heart sharp as a scalpel." (Abbie Roads)"Something twisted into my chest. Something ugly. Something I didn't even know existed." (Lori Freeland)"Fear and panic and guilt jammed in his chest." (Kimberly Meyer)

Also consider the depth of reaction. 

The stimulus of a door slamming, for instance, will bring a different reaction from someone who is safe in their own home or someone who is hiding from a murderer. The reaction to the second version will be stronger, of course, but a character can still react to a slammed door, probably just not with fear. 

 

Getting visceral reactions right is almost an art and playing with different ways to put it on the page can be a lot of fun. Create something new! You'll be amazed at how your writing will improve!

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Make Your Characters Come Alive with Visceral Reactions - @SarahSallyHamer on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

 

Sarah (Sally) Hamer is a lover of books, a teacher of writers, and a believer in a good story. Most of all, she is eternally fascinated by people and how they 'tick'. She’s passionate about helping people tell their own stories, whether through fiction or through memoir. Writing in many genres - mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, medieval history, non-fiction – she has won awards at both local and national levels, including two Golden Heart finals.

 

A teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for almost twenty years, she also teaches online for Margie Lawson at www.margielawson.com. Sally is a free-lance editor and book coach at Touch Not the Cat Books, with many of her students and clients becoming successful, award-winning authors. 

 

You can find her at hamerse@bellsouth.net or www.sallyhamer.blogspot.com

From Sally: I wish to express gratitude to the giants upon whose shoulders I stand and who taught me so much about the writing craft. I would list every one, if it were only possible.

What's the Best Format for Your Writing & Your Audience?

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells

Once you know your audience and the take-home value your writing will provide to that audience, it’s time to decide on the best vehicle to convey your message. There are myriad ways for a writer to communicate including:

AdvertisingAnalyticsAppsArticleBlogsBusiness LetterChildren’s BooksCookbooksCurriculumDevotionalsFictionFlash CardsFlash FictionGreeting CardsInstructionsMarketing CopyMemoirNews ReportsPoetryProfilesReportsReviewsScreenplaysScriptsShort StoriesSong LyricsSpreadsheetTechnical WritingTravel TipsVideo GamesWeb Content

After shopping a book proposal for quite a while, an agent suggested the multi-sensory story of the pioneers who dared to see how fast they could go in the unregulated, flaming, thunderous, and unpredictable AA Fuel Altered race cars would be better told as a screenplay. Another project, spawned from my early bestseller, What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Say, worked best as a line of greeting cards. A children’s topic became more interactive and effective as a game. 

 

Wanna test your book idea? Publish the topic as an article. Introduce your memoir in a Chicken Soup for the Soulsubmission. If your novel lags in the middle, can the manuscript work as a short story or novella or part of an anthology? 

As writers, we have myriad formats to connect with readers. When you know your target audience, and the take-home value you want to deliver, then consider what format will be the most effective to share your message. You have a plenty of options.

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Don't Miss the other Posts in this Series:Discover the Take-Home Value of Your WritingWhat's the Best Format for Your Writing & Your Audience?

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 twenty-eight books including The Slave Across the Street, Slavery in the Land of the Free, Bonding With Your Child Through Boundaries, Homeless for the Holidays, and Chasing Sunrise. Optimistic dream-driver, 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 Twitter @PeggySueWells.

How to Avoid Weasel Words When You Write

By Kristen Hogrefe Parnell @khogrefeparnell
By night, I write novels, and by day, I teach English online to ninth graders. One of my joys is when students realize my desire is not to be overly critical but to help them express themselves as clearly and effectively as possible. During one such session, a student thanked me for my detailed comments but said he didn’t understand why I highlighted certain words on his essay. 
“Do you see how you’ve used the word ‘thing’ multiple times in this paragraph?” I asked. “Instead, try using more specific or descriptive words to say what you mean.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess I do tend to overuse that one.”
“It’s one of your weasel words, and we all have them,” I said. “The key is to be aware of them.”
“Weasel words,” he repeated. “Huh, I’ve never heard it put that way before, but it makes sense.”
Although we writers have long since graduated high school and college, we probably still have words that “weasel” their way into our writing more than they should. The good news is that there are simple solutions to this problem.
#1: Know what they are.
If you’ve been writing for any amount of time, you’ve probably noticed a pattern of pet words or phrases. Perhaps your character “gasps” every other page. At one point, my editor kindly pointed out that my heroine “rolled her eyes” so much that it made her unlikable.
These words can also be adverbs, like “really” and “very” that simply aren’t necessary, or adjectives that “tell” instead of letting the description or dialogue reveal the information organically. 
Regardless of which weasel words reappear on your page, keep a running list of words you notice yourself overusing and save it somewhere so you can refer to it often.
#2: Forget about them.
This piece of advice seems to negate step one, but we can’t focus on our weasel words when writing our rough drafts. If we do, we will get lost in the mechanics and lose sight of the story or message we’re trying to tell.
When drafting, focus on story. We’ll have time to weed out the weasel words later.
#3: Edit them out.
Sometimes, “weasel words” can even be acceptable misspellings. For me, I tend to type “image” when I mean to say “imagine.” A spell check won’t catch this mistake, because both are correctly spelled words.
The good news is that you can easily edit out mistakes like this. If you write in Microsoft Word, here are some easy steps to follow:Under the Home tab, choose “Find” and then “Advanced Find.”Type in a word or phrase you might be overusing.Choose the “Reading Highlight” option. You should then see the option to “Highlight All.”Word will then tell you how many instances were highlighted.At a glance, you can see how often you’re using the weasel word per page or per chapter and then make revisions.To remove the highlighting, follow the previous steps and choose “Clear Highlighting.”Okay, I’ve confessed my weasel words. What are some of yours, and do you have any other tips for dealing with them?
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Kristen Hogrefe Parnell is an award-winning author and life-long learner. An educator and mentor, she 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 she is working on several new projects, including a romantic suspense novel. Kristen and her husband live in Florida and enjoy sharing their lake home with family and friends. She blogs at KristenHogrefeParnell.com where she challenges readers to find faith in life’s everyday adventures.

Writing from the Comfort You Have Received

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

 

Each month, we tuck a bit of money back into our savings account. It’s automatic and has been a great help in times of need.

 

God’s comfort is much like our savings account. When we turn to Him in our struggles, when we trust His promises during suffering, He comforts us. What we may not realize is that in the process, we are accruing a surplus for a later time of need. 

 

But unlike my bank savings account, God’s comfort account is intended for others. Hurting people who will come into my life needing the comfort God once gave me.

 

You see, what we receive from God is not only for our good but for the good of humanity. 

 

As writers, we have a long reach into the world.

 

What impact might we have in this hurting world if we opened the coffers of our comfort account and allowed the wounded to come and take what they need?

 

So many need comfort.

 

A comfort account begins when we choose to suffer well.

 

How, might you ask, can we suffer well? Suffering is hard. Rejection stings. Loss swallows. Pain consumes.

 

My comfort in suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life (Psalm 119:50).

 

The Bible brims with promises. And they all belong to those who are in Christ. If you are a follower and worshipper of Jesus, then the promises of hope, a future, peace that surpasses understanding, strength made perfect in weakness, and so many more, all belong to you. 

 

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).

 

When we believe His promises even when we can’t see them, we receive His comfort. When we choose to trust God even when we don’t understand Him, His comfort anchors us in the storm. 

 

Faith is the key to suffering well.

 

God’s unnatural peace astonishes me when I choose to trust Him. It is unnatural because everything within me is screaming for relief. For release from trouble. For the breakthrough I think I deserve. For the healing of a loved one. Peace under such agonizing circumstances simply doesn’t make sense. But Jesus’ peace calms my soul, clears my mind, and brings order to the disorder.

 

God’s comfort is real.

 

Look over the dark patches in your writing journey. Where did you find comfort? How did you gain the strength to move forward? What gave you peace in painful circumstances?

 

If you relied upon God in those moments, you have a surplus of comfort to share with others.

 

I would never have chosen to have a comfort account for parents of critically ill children. But that is the conflict and climax the Author of my story chose. Slowly word got out. Audrey has a surplus, and we are welcome to draw from it. 

 

What joy it brings to see their hearts comforted! Joy I could not imagine in the excruciating hours, days, and months I sat by my child’s hospital bed, leaning on God to sustain me.

 

How can I keep such surplus to myself? According to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, my comfort belongs to others. That is its purpose. 

 

We comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

 

Writer, open your comfort account for the hurting. Let them come and draw what God has stored up in you for their healing.

Lord, give me the courage to share the comfort You have given me with others. Amen.

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Audrey Frank is an author, speaker, and storyteller. The stories she shares are brave and true. They give voice to those whose words are silenced by shame, the hard things in life that don’t make sense, and the losses that leave us wondering if we will survive. Audrey and her family have spent over twenty years living and working among different cultures and world views, and she has found that God’s story of redemption spans every geography and culture. He is the God of Instead, giving honor instead of shame, gladness instead of mourning, hope instead of despair. Although she has three different degrees in communication and intercultural studies, Audrey’s greatest credential is that she is known and loved by the One who made her.
Audrey is the author of Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World (Harvest House Publishers), an outpouring of Audrey’s heart to introduce others to the God of Instead. Shame is not unique to the developing world, the plight of the women behind veils, young girls trafficked across borders; shame is lurking in hearts everywhere. Through powerful stories from women around the world, Covered Glory illuminates the power of the Gospel to remove shame, giving honor instead. Available at favorite booksellers: BARNES & NOBLE , BOOKS A MILLION, AMAZON.

Make the Characters You Create Come to Life

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth

Bob Newhart. Dick Van Dyke. Lucille Ball.

 

Each of these were real persons. And many of us feel like they are our long-time friends because we’ve watched their shows on TV and in the ubiquitous reruns for decades, right?

 

But Bob Newhart didn’t really run a bed-and-breakfast, did he? And I am sure, when Mr. Van Dyke took his wife out to dinner, he really wasn’t taking out Mary Tyler Moore. Although I have to admit, that would be who I’d expect to meet.

 

And Lucy? (Makes you smile just thinking about her, doesn’t it?) Well, it does seem that Ethel was a real friend to her. Only her name wasn’t Ethel, it was Vivian. In fact, when Lucy did a new series in the 60s, Vivian Vance agreed to come back but only if they changed her name.

 

So, what made the characters so real that they continue to be meaningful for us today? And how can we use those tools to make our characters come to life?

 

1. Show their friends.

 

Each of these characters had one or more friends who really connected or followed them. We like to read stories about people we can see as being one of our friend. There are some exceptions. But most lead characters are written in ways that make them attractive to their audience.

 

By giving your characters friends, that shows your readers that they are friendly. Look at Cheers, where everybody knows your name. Whenever a certain character walks in, the whole bar called out, “Hey, Norm.”

 

Now, he can be a crotchety old geezer, but we always saw him as friendly because everybody welcomed him so heartily.

 

2. Show their nice sides.

 

Another way to do this is the popular save-the-cat method. Let the reader or watcher see your character doing something nice for someone or thing. Helping someone with their groceries or throwing the ball back over the fence to the kids. By showing them doing something kind, then we think of them as being kind and we are more accepting of their story.

 

Making your character likable doesn’t mean they are all nice and sweet. All of us have our good days, as well as our bad. It’s those good times that help a reader care about your character.

 

We may put up with a jerk, but do we really care about what happens to them. Or are we hoping to see them get that pie in their face?

 

3. Put the right words in their mouths.

 

Another reason the three I listed stand out so much is their dialog. For these three, they were laugh-out-loud funny, Sometimes, even without the laugh tracks. But it wasn’t just the humor, it was how natural it sounded.

 

Now, dialog is strange. Sounding natural doesn’t mean sounding like what is actually said. We don’t want all the uhs, hems, and throat clearings. Even too many ‘you knows’ will cause the reader to toss your pages across the room.  And in real life, we say a lot by motions or eye contact that just won’t come across on the page.

 

Yet, writing dialog correctly is one of the best ways to get your reader interested in your story and characters. So, take the time to study how to do this. Study good books in your genre and learn how other authors pulled it off.

 

4. Show more than one side of life.

 

It’s amazing how these shows have stood the test of time so well, ignoring the clothes, hair, and some of the ideas. Even in reruns, these shows get new readers today. And that goes to making the characters as real as possible.

 

We call that making them a three-dimensional character. They had more than one purpose for their character. They usually had a career, a family, and friends that all revealed different parts of them. Unless you are writing a short story, it is important to show how your character deals with and relates to others in different settings and relationships.

Now, why is creating a strong character important, even if you write nonfiction?

 

There are at least two reasons. First, the more attractive, not just physically, the person is to the reader, the more they will pull your reader into your story. And the more likely the reader will accept the situation they get into, no matter how far fetch it was.

 

Lucy is a great example. Only by showing how far she would go to show Desi she was right; would we believe she would stuff bon bons down her blouse. But knowing her as we did, it made perfect sense.

 

Second, the more they like and accept your character, the longer they are likely to remember your story. A Sunday morning service is a great example of this. On the way home, you get a call from your mom asking what the service was about.

 

Now, if you’re like me, you’ll reply, “God.”

 

But normal people usually recant the illustration the minister used.

 

And that is why illustrations are so important in works of nonfiction. The stories are able to get passed your listeners’ walls they put up and help them see the moral that may even go against what they wish to do. 

 

The Great Teacher, Jesus knew this. And it must have worked with his disciples because much of their gospels isn’t given to what He did, but to the stories He told. Just saying the Good Samaritan reminds us that putting others before ourselves is important.

 

And mentioning Lazarus? Even death shouldn’t make us anxious.

 

So, when you’re writing a story and you are planning the whats and wheres, remember to take special care of the whos. Because the stronger your characters come across, the better your story will be.

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Make the Characters You Create Come to Life - @TimSuddeth on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Tim Suddeth is a stay-at-home dad and butler for his wonderful, adult son with autism. He has written numerous blogs posts, short stories, and three novels waiting for publication. He is a frequent attendee at writers’ conferences, including the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and a member of Word Weavers and ACFW. He lives near Greenville, SC where he shares a house with a bossy Shorky and three too-curious Persians. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, or at timingreenville.com. 

Find Your Writing Community

by A.C. Williams @ACW_Author

Writing is a solitary career. Sure, you can participate in critique groups and collaborative projects, but when it comes right down to actually putting words on a page, we write alone. That’s why one of the most important elements of a successful writing career is belonging to a writing community. 

 

It could be a writing community. It could be a faith community. A basket-weaving community. Whatever. Any sort of community usually always makes individuals better people, but along with the concept of community comes a problem: Communities are made up of people, and people are dumb. 

 

Being involved in a community is a challenge. It makes sense that it would be. Anything that helps us grow in maturity and wisdom requires effort and discomfort and sometimes sacrifice.

 

Community will stretch you in ways you may not feel ready for. You may have to speak up when you’d rather be quiet. You may have to listen to critique when you don’t think you need it. You may have to hold your tongue when you feel like you need to criticize. You may have to get personal, be vulnerable, and honest. 

 

Community is hard, but nothing that makes us better is easy.

 

So where do you find community? 

Where do you look? And, once you find someplace to plug in, how do you know that’s where you belong?

 

I’ll have you know that I am the poster child for square pegs. I have never fit in anywhere, not at church, not at school, not at work.

 

I tried too many times to get into groups of people who I thought would be advantageous. The result was always frustration because no matter how I tried to be like everyone else, I couldn’t. Often I didn’t share the same values, or my goals were so completely different that nobody else could relate. And expecting them to try didn’t seem feasible. 

 

It was discouraging, to say the least. I’d go to book clubs or writing groups or conferences and come back feeling more isolated than ever. I tried to change myself so I could be accepted. I tried to write stories that were better suited for those communities, but all those stories were in genres I didn’t read. And they were about topics that didn’t matter to me. It’s not that those other genres were bad or wrong or unimportant, but they didn’t have my heart. Have you ever tried to tell a story without your heart? It doesn’t work very well. 

 

I spent many years looking for a community that suited my needs, my goals, and my preferences, and you know what I found? 

 

It didn’t exist. 

 

That’s when I realized that I had been making community about me. I had been looking for a community to serve my needs and to support my work. I had never considered looking for a community where I could serve others.

 

I had only considered community with a consumer mentality, as though relationships were products on a store shelf displayed for casual browsing. Granted, that’s how our culture has trained us to see every aspect of life—through the lens of “what’s in it for me.”

 

Don’t get me wrong. It’s important to have a sense of like-mindedness in community. You have to have common ground. But if you are driven only by what you can get out of someone else, you’re going to have the wrong perspective.

 

Once I changed my mindset and focused on serving others instead of the other way around, community took on a whole new meaning for me. 

I became a better friend. I became a better coworker. I became a better writer. And then something I didn’t expect happened: A like-minded community began to form around me. I am so blessed to know these people, to be able to live life alongside them, to share their joys and their sorrows. I am blessed to be able to make them smile, to make them laugh, to bless them. And that’s what community is all about, because it’s not about me.

 

I’m still learning how to do this. I’m still trying to figure out how to make this work on social media and over email and live video. But if we all approached community with this mindset, we’d all be healthier.

 

Does that mean you can’t ask your community for help? Of course not. Sometimes engaging in your community means being open about your struggles, but if you only participate in your community to ask for help, how can you notice when someone else has a need?

 

Don’t ever, ever underestimate how wonderful it is to demonstrate to another person that you believe in them, that you support them, that you’ve got their back. It’s better than a five-star review.

 

If you want community in your life and in your career, don’t make it about you. 

Go where people are and be yourself. Listen. Serve. Love. The ones who share your values, who can relate to your goals, who have a similar vision will come to you. Start building there on a foundation of mutual respect, common courtesy, and basic friendship.

If you live like that, you’ll find community wherever you go. 

TWEETABLEFind Your Writing Community - @ACW_Author on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
A.C. Williams is a coffee-drinking, sushi-eating, story-telling nerd who loves cats, country living, and all things Japanese. She’d rather be barefoot, and if isn’t, her socks will never match. She likes her road trips with rock music, her superheroes with snark, and her blankets extra fuzzy, but her first love is stories and the authors who are passionate about telling them. Learn more about her book coaching services and follow her adventures on social media @ACW_Author.