Edie Melson's Blog, page 173

Celebrate an Endless List of Newspaper Writing Topics

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites
What’s up in your neck of the woods? I hope that you have the pleasure of reading good news stories in your hometown newspaper. But if the bad news or difficult headlines to read far outweigh the “feel-good” stories in your paper, why not consider submitting freelance articles to the editor for possible publication? 
We’ve discussed before in this column about becoming a newspaper stringer (and you can find those articles archived by searching for my name), but let’s talk today about where you might find ideas for stories. 
Besides just the “newsy” stories that take place in your community, seek out some lifestyle pieces that will be interesting to community members. And if you’re at a loss for ideas, then consider checking out some of the many holidays and celebrations that are touted on a number of websites. Then, find a related article to go along with that holiday. 
Here are some of the sites that list holidays by the month, week, and year: 
www.holidayinsights.com
www.daysoftheyear.com
www.nationaldaycalendar.com
www.brownielocks.com
www.nationaltoday.com
www.nationalday365.com
(Please be aware that these are general market sites and will have a variety of national and worldly holidays and celebrations and anniversaries, along with various religious-based ones, too.)
You’ll find all sorts of silly, wacky, zany holidays and festivities to recognize on these various sites. Perusing the sites will help you brainstorm ideas for newspaper articles. 
Keep in mind, you’ll need to plan far ahead to choose a holiday, seek out a resource, write the article, and allow for publication time. For the sake of celebrating February holidays along with this column, let’s take a look at a few February holidays as examples. 
February is American Heart Month. You could interview several doctors in the area and share an article on the best health practices for a healthy heart. You might also know a community member who suffered a frightening heart-health issue that completely changed his or her way of life, who now spends much time giving back to the community with a new attitude about what’s truly important in this world.
Black History Month is celebrated in February. Seek out people of color to interview for feature articles. In fact, build a collection of articles to turn into an editor frequently, not just during the month of February. Pastors often have inspiring stories to tell about themselves or someone in the congregation that you might not be aware of. 
National Bird Feeding Month falls in February. Do you have a bird sanctuary in your hometown? Does an ornithologist from a nearby college live close by? Interview a bird expert to get tips for best bird-feeding practices this month. Hopefully, the person you interview can give you the directions for building or creating a simple bird feeder that families can do together. Include that in the article, too. 
National Marriage Week takes place in early February. Can you locate someone in your community who’s been married for more years than even they can remember? Interview both and ask the secret of a healthy marriage! 
For Thank a Letter Carrier Day, interview several postal workers and find out the wildest thing that’s ever happened to them while on the job! Compile the stories into a humorous article, and encourage readers to leave a thank you note for their letter carriers! 
February 14 is, fittingly, National Organ Donor Day. One of my most favorite articles that I had the pleasure of sharing in our newspaper was of a sweet young couple, who found out, after months of waiting, that her husband was actually a perfect match for her much-needed kidney transplant. He surprised her by scheduling the surgery on their fifth wedding anniversary and then surprised her with the test results! 
These few holidays don’t even touch the surface of all the silly, but actual, holidays celebrated in the month of February. And every month of the year. If you’re searching for new ideas for newspaper stories, those freelance submissions that have the potential to boost your writing resume, look no farther than the calendar on your desk. And get creative! 
Happy February! 
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Julie Lavender has enjoyed celebrating silly holidays with her husband and kids for years now, incorporating many of those celebrations into her homeschooling curriculum annually. She enjoys welcoming each day as a gift from God and especially likes any excuse to celebrate with ice cream cone! Julie celebrated the launch of her book, 365 Ways to Love Your Children: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories, back in October, with a large cookies and cream milkshake!

A Special Invitation to the Carolina Christian Writers Conference

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden
Happy almost Valentine’s Day.
Have you already bought a special gift for your sweetie? If you are like my husband, he may ask you a few days before the occasion – What would you like for Valentine’s Day? May I make a suggestion? Registration for the Carolina Christian Writers Conference would be a fabulous Valentine’s Day gift for a writer. And if you don’t have a special someone in your life, gift yourself with a conference that will help you follow your writing dreams.
We are going to use a virtual format this year so you don’t even have to dress up, get in the car, or board a plane! You will have opportunities to meet with editors and professional writers just like always. These meetings will be held at the faculty member’s convenience either before or after the conference so you will not have to miss classes to participate in them. Once registered you need to email wendyeleech@gmail.com with your top three choices of people to meet with. If you have questions about who to meet with Wendy can help you with that as well.
If you are just getting started there are plenty of classes to help you learn the craft of writing such as Writing as a Career, Self-Editing, How to Write Articles, Building Blocks of Nonfiction, Using Fiction Techniques in Your Nonfiction, and more. If you have had a few things published, you may want to learn a new genre or explore an advanced form of writing in The Art of Laughter in Your Writing, How to Start a Podcast, Evaluating Your Publishing Options, and more. There are classes on the business side of writing, the craft, and marketing.
Courtney and Kelli will be with us to lead us in worship and we will have breakout rooms for every class.
If you have never attended a writers conference, don’t wait another minute. There is no better vehicle for encouragement, inspiration, networking, learning, and opportunities to pitch your work. There will also be an optional Friday morning session led by Larry Leech called “Article, Blog or Book,” which will give you an opportunity to discern whether your idea is long enough for a book or if you should work on an article or blog. Help get your manuscript ready for an editor’s eye. There is an extra charge for this information-packed workshop.
We are also offering a complimentary Friday morning class at 11 o’clock led by Linda Goldfarb. She will walk us through some “Tips for Navigating a Virtual Conference.”
Our two days will be packed and there is so much more. We also have a contest that benefits our scholarship fund. You don’t have to be registered for the conference to enter the contest. However the deadline is February 15 so don’t wait too long to send your entry. Visit fbs.org/writers for all information.
The Carolina Christian Writers Conference is also a great stepping stone for other conferences. In May of 2021 the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference will be held at Ridgecrest just up the road in North Carolina. If you feel you need a little help in getting ready to attend Blue Ridge, join us in March for some great feedback and tips as to how to get your manuscript ready to take to a larger conference. All info for that conference can be found at www.blueridgeconference.com.
Can’t wait to meet you at a conference soon. You will be so glad you took advantage of this career-changing opportunity.
TWEETABLEA Special Invitation to the Carolina Christian Writers Conference - @LindaGilden on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, certified writing and speaking coach, and personality consultant. Linda is the author of 19 books and over 1000 magazine articles. She enjoys every meeting with editors and knowing we are all part of the same team. Linda’s favorite activity (other than eating folded potato chips) is floating in a pool with a good book surrounded by splashing grandchildren—a great source of writing material! www.lindagilden.com

Believing in Yourself as a Writer is Vital

by Cindy K. Sproles @CindyDevoted
I have a confession. It’s hard to admit to the world but it’s true. I suffer from a severe lack of self-confidence.
Perhaps you chuckle and say, “Seriously?” But yes. It is true. From childhood, I have been fearful and lacking in self-confidence. Let me clarify, I had a wonderful childhood, with terrific parents so let go of any terrible thoughts you might be trying to diagnose. I’m simply being honest with you.
A lack of self-confidence is a common thing and if the truth is known, we’ve all fought the battle from time to time. My lack of confidence isn’t from childhood trauma, it’s simply part of who I am. It’s a weakness, not a disease or mental issue.
The difference between me and others is that 1) I admit it’s a weakness and 2) I’m not willing to allow it to freeze me in my tracks, no matter how hard it tries.
When it comes to our writing, we all face rejection and times when the words just won’t come. It’s part of the process of growing as an author. I’ve had very well-known authors talk with me about how they have fought through those moments of insecurity and it’s never easy. 
WHERE DOES A LACK OF SELF-CONFIDENCE COME FROM?
Sometimes it’s a lack of direction. This too is part of the process. As writers, we must experience different types and styles of writing to find where our niche is. There are times, this takes a while. When I began writing I thought I might write for children, little did I know, my heart was in adult fiction. I had to experience writing in different areas to find my sweet spot and know this was the direction I wanted to follow. Once I found that my confidence went up a few notches.
Sometimes it comes from having no physical support. This makes me sad having been raised by parents who supported me and encouraged me to try all sorts of things. Their encouragement taught me to try, seek out the desire, and decide if it was for me. Still, some writers do not have this type of support. What do you do if you don’t have this support? You begin by finding peers who share your love of writing. You spend time with them, learn with them, accept their encouragement and support. I began my first writing experience being part of an on-line critique group. From there, I grew to a point where I realized I needed to attend a conference. It’s not always easy, but you must reach out and seek peers.
Sometimes it comes from failure. It’s a joke with my friends. I’ve consistently been second place – to the point that my track coach in High School gave me the nickname Consistently Second Cindy. What do you think that did for my self-esteem? Yet what I found in myself, and it took some time to realize it, was despite the times I came in second, I never stopped striving. Eventually, I won. I have three best-selling books. Who could ask for greater proof that you are not second? My point is bloody knees should give us the incentive to push harder. I once told my brother I might be a loser on the track but I’m a winner in my effort. He has lovingly reminded me of that when I feel like my confidence wains. Pushing ahead, working to improve may not make me first place, but it certainly gives me a solid foundation. 
Sometimes you simply must believe in yourself. When I began writing novels, Appalachian Historical was called “literary”. Literary wasn’t “in.” Still, it was my niche. It was the sweet spot of my writing. Writing the narrative of my Appalachian stories in the lingo of the mountains, was not something folks did. It was frowned on, so when I got that first contract, my editor asked me why the narrative wasn’t more formal? My response was this. The story is in first person, it seems wrong to drop out of the character’s natural voice for the sake of formal. My character is telling the story. Why would she talk one way in dialogue and speak differently in the narrative? My editor was quiet for a moment before she said, “That makes perfect sense.” Going forward, my novels have remained such and one of the remarks readers give us, is “This writing is so real.” I had to believe in myself enough to give the editor a clear answer – to my surprise, she agreed.
It’s important to believe in yourself, be it for writing or your job. You’ve been gifted long before your birth, by the Father Himself, and if He believes in you that much…who are you to not believe? Even when the odds are stacked against you, plow through. You can do this. You can do this because you were chosen well in advance. It takes time and practice to hone your craft. A writer must focus and then first believe there is always room to learn but secondly, to believe in the gift and talent they have. Tell the stories God places on your heart and do not give in to fear or a lack of self-confidence. You will have your shares of ups and downs but success will follow. Now write and believe in yourself! 
TWEETABLEBelieving in Yourself as a Writer is Vital - @CindyDevoted on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Cindy K. Sproles is an author, speaker, and conference teacher. She is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries and the executive editor for christiandevotions.us and inspireafire.com. Cindy is the lead managing editor for SonRise Devotionals and also Straight Street Books, both imprints of LPC/Iron Stream Media Publications. She is a mentor with Write Right and the director of the Asheville Chrisitan Writers Conference held each February at the Billy Graham Training Center, the Cove, Asheville, NC. Cindy is a best selling, award winning novelist. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.

Valentine’s Day Speaking Tips for Writers

by Yvonne Ortega @YvonneOrtega1
Whether you’ve never married, are married, divorced, or widowed, Valentine’s Day with the Lord can be a fabulous speaking day for writers. For the never married, divorced, or widowed writers, it can also be a painful day. 

You and I can use the Valentine’s Day speaking tips as a springboard for virtual or live events. As much as possible, we can include God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in our Valentine’s Day plans. If you have a spouse, children, in-laws, or grandchildren in the home, you can still celebrate with God and invite them to join you. Whether they accept the invitation is up to them.

First, tell God that you love him.

As soon as I open my eyes on Valentine’s Day, I say, “God, I love you. You are my special Valentine today and every day.” 

Since I’m not a morning person, I set the table the night before to make it easier. At breakfast on Valentine’s Day, I say, “God, I love you and this is why:”

“[I] love you because [you] first loved [me]” (1 John 4:19 KJV). “For [I am] [your] handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which [you,] God prepared in advance for [me] to do” (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). You prepared me to speak, write, coach, and mentor in your name.“People look at the outward appearance, but [you,] Lord [look] at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7e–f NIV). You knew I’d never become Miss America or Miss Universe, but you chose me anyway. You knew I would speak for you on radio, television, other online media, and at live events.If you have children or grandchildren at home, you can help them express their love for God.Have a brief family devotional time with the children.Talk to them about a Bible verse, such as “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8 NIV).Memorize that Bible verse together.You may be encouraging a budding writer or artist.

Second, sing aloud to the Lord.
I let my creativity flow as I make up my own love songs to sing to the Lord from the Psalms. I take songs from movies and address them to God. I also sing contemporary and traditional songs to the Lord. For example:From the movie “Sister Act 2,” I sing “Oh Happy Day.” I found “Unending Love” from the Hillsong Worship album “God Is Able” and the traditional hymn, “My Jesus I Love Thee” sung by Darlene Zschech, on youtube.com“Welcome Holy Spirit” with lyrics, also on youtube.com, may take you on a mountaintop in the presence of the Lord.

You and your young children or grandchildren can sing “This Little Light of Mine” and “I’m in the Lord’s Army,” for which you can find music and lyrics on youtube.com 

If you have teenagers, they may prefer to gather with their friends or the youth group on Valentine’s Day. 

Third, journal about the speaking ideas God gave you during this experience.

As you spend Valentine’s Day with the Trinity, God may fill you to overflowing with ideas for a keynote speech, a live or online workshop, a podcast, or an interview. 

If you have young children at home and struggle to find time for yourself, plan ahead to find crafts, puzzles, or other free resources online for them. You can keep the children engaged, while you journal. Perhaps you can find a free online movie about God’s love to show them, such as Veggie Tales “God Loves You Very Much.”

Remember that you have a Valentine in heaven, and he’s waiting to hear from you. Feel free to share your Valentine’s Day speaking tips for writers with me.

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Yvonne’s background as a licensed professional counselor brings a unique perspective into the heart of women. She’s a speaking and writing coach and the owner of Moving from Broken to Beautiful®, LLC. She belongs to the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, the Christian Authors Network, the National Speakers Association, and Toastmasters International.

She celebrates life at the beach, where she walks, builds sand castles, blows bubbles, and dances.

Writing Lessons from One Perfect Flower

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
This flowering bush stopped me in my tracks. I was first struck by the rich purple of the blossoms. As I studied the plant, my photographer’s eye searched for just the right flower in just the right setting. It took several minutes before I chose this particular one. 
It wasn’t that the other flowers weren’t as pretty, some had even more vibrant colors, but they weren’t at the correct angle or had too much sun or shade. I wanted to get a picture of the entire bush, but it was too large and busy to get in one shot. The flowers showed best when I focused on just one.
All of this made me think about my publishing journey. My manuscripts are each like one of the flowers on the bush. Each publisher has to study everything they get and decide on a perfect fit for them. It’s not that there is always something wrong with the ones they don’t choose, they’re just not right for them at that place or at that time. And no publisher can publish everything well. Each one does much better when all the attention is focused on it. 
This metaphor can be applied to many things in life and I for one, will try to remember this lesson the next time I face disappointment.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:16
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Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking to writers, entrepreneurs, or readers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives.Connect with her on her website, through Facebook, Twitter and on Instagram.

Time is a Gift

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth
When this post goes live, it will be my birthday. Again. Seems like it comes around every year.
However, this is one that gets your attention. 60. The big six oh. (You thought I looked older than that? Thanks.)
How did it happen so quickly? I’m minding my own business, then, all of a sudden, I’m getting letters from AARP.
When I was just a babe, in my twenties or so, sixty was so old. The sexagenarian wasn’t old enough to retire, I heard, but they were too old to play backyard basketball.
Now that I’m nearly sixty, I watch my 87-year-old mom plan to have lunch with her 91-year-old friend. Age has taken on a different perspective.
Birthdays are times when we tend to look over our lives, both what we have done and what we hope to still do. When we do, we realize how fragile and valuable life, and time, is.
Considering time is very revealing to anyone who is a writer.
Writing is such a personal thing. Some of us write because we have a story or message we want to share. Some of us write for our families, or to better understand our selves and the world around us. Whether we hope to write to be published, or we write for just ourselves, writing is something we feel driven to do.
The longer I write, the more I realize what an incredible gift it is. (Or curse, considering how it the writing is going.) The ability to describe something in a new way giving it a fresh spin, or to reveal something that others haven’t thought of, is a special treasure. One of those wow moments.
As I look forward to putting out the candles on my cake with a fire hose, I appreciate the value of time a little more.
What Makes Time ValuableGod thinks you are valuable and made you for a specific purposeGod has created each of us with unique skills, talents, and personalities. Only you can accomplish the tasks that your Creator fashioned you for. In other words, you are not an off-the-rack human, you are a finely crafted individual. Crafted by the Master who had all the knowledge, supplies, and tools at His disposal.
You weren’t a rushed job. God has utilized your whole life polishing and refining you to make you who you are, who He designed you to be.
Even if you think you are rubbish, and most of us have those days, and you think He made an obvious mistake, that is not who He is or what He does. He doesn’t make rubbish. He makes treasures. One of whom is you.Time is a gift that you choose how to useWe are bombarded by so many demands on our time. Jobs, hobbies, families, doctor visits, broken water heaters, social media notifications. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the noise, all the busyness, all the choices.
We all have been given a certain allotment of time. And none of us know how much that is. If you have a dream, something you really feel you should do, have you started? Have you worked out a plan?
You have the ability to make a difference to someone, to your group, to the world. You have the chance the grow, to learn, no matter how old or young you are. Until we enter Heaven, God isn’t finished with you here on Earth, or the moon, or on Mars.
Who do you think gave you that desire?Time is a treasure that shouldn’t be wastedTime continues to unwind no matter what we choose. We can let the busy river carry us wherever it flows, we can stay on the bank and watch it pass by, or we can make our boat and pilot it to a chosen spot. We control the choice we take.
The time that is left is a blank slate. God has a plan for you He wants to see you fulfill. Are you taking the steps to walk with Him? Are you using your treasure?
So, as I look at celebrating my birthday during Covid, I meditate on this gift and treasure I’ve been given. I have a lot of dreams and goals still to do. It would be easy to say I’m too busy as it is, or that I’m too old and don’t have enough time.
But the question to all of us, at whatever our age, is what will we do with the remaining time, the valuable time, God has given us? How can we not only keep living until he calls us home, but to live a more valuable life?
Isn’t that the birthday gift we all give to God?
TWEETABLETime is a Gift - encouragement for writers from @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.

Writing Character Focused Fight Scenes

by A.C. Williams @Free2BFearless
If you write stories with action scenes, it’s important to know how to communicate action in a way that doesn’t make your readers zone out. The world is full of distractions—now more than ever—and we are competing against media giants like YouTube and Netflix for the waning attention spans of the general public.
Over the years I’ve worked with young writers, one craft issue that continually rears its head is writing fight scenes. Many of my students try to write a fight scene as though the fight had been choreographed for a movie. To be honest, that’s not a horrible place to begin, but you can’t leave it there. Why? 
Fight scenes for movies and television are created for visual media, so they are designed specifically to appeal to the eye. Fight scenes in novels must be written to appeal to the emotions, because all you have to communicate the intensity of your scene is the words you use to describe it. Your readers must be able to share what your character is experiencing in order to connect with the action, otherwise the scene will fall flat.
Whenever I write fight scenes or action scenes, I always try to focus first on what my characters are feeling. What is the emotion that the conflict or the encounter is creating in them. Are they scared? Are they nervous? Are they calm and confident? Are they angry? How you portray your character in a fight scene depends greatly on their own emotional state at the time of the scene. It also depends on why they’re fighting. You must understand their motivation.
It sounds elementary, but I’ve discovered that the most important step of crafting an engaging, believable fight scene is knowing your characters. You must have realistic, captivating characters to start with, or no one will really care about whether or not they win a fight. 
You want your readers to cringe when your hero breaks a finger or to gasp when your hero gets stabbed. You want your readers to cheer when the unbeatable villain finally goes down. And you can’t make that happen unless you connect with your readers on an emotional level. 
Emotional connection begins with character development. 
Physicality and cultural background plays a role as well, obviously. For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger fights differently than Jackie Chan. A Marine will fight differently than a street-smart kid from Brooklyn. But all of those differences stem from character.
Currently, I’m in the throes of last-minute reviews on a manuscript that’s going to my editor next week. (Yes, my eyes are crossing, and I’ve killed three red pens. Please take pity on me.) As I tweak this monstrous fantasy novel full of Centaurs and Vulcan-Jedi-type people, I’m having to remember that my perspective characters experience fights in different ways, and since I write ensemble casts, I can’t just tell my readers what’s happening in a fight scene. I have to show them through the eyes of the characters themselves. I have to make it possible for my readers to experience the mind-numbing fear, the heart-stopping anxiety, the pulse-pounding anticipation, and the sweaty palms of that moment right before you charge into battle without looking back.
Let’s say you’re crafting a fight scene in an open-air market in Guatemala. Why not? Then, let’s say we have two combatants: A tourist who just wanted a papaya smoothie and a kid who wants the tourist’s wallet.
The height will be different. The level of physical ability will probably be different. And, since they are also from two completely different cultures, their points of view and motivations will be different. 
If you write the struggle from the tourist’s point of view, he will be off kilter, on the defensive, uncertain of where he is or who to ask for help. He won’t know the local names for the fruits and vegetables in the market, if he happens to use them as projectiles. He’ll be protective of his cash, sure but what he’ll be the most terrified of losing is his passport and travel papers. 
If you write the struggle from the pickpocket’s point of view, it’ll turn the whole scene on its head. The kid has done this before. He knows how to manage crazy American tourists. The kid doesn’t want the guy’s passport; he wants a few quetzales to buy some bread so his little sister won’t starve. The kid will know the streets, he’ll know the market, he’ll know the vendors, he’ll know where to run, and he’ll know how fast he needs to get away.
Both are motivated by fear. One is afraid of being stranded. The other is afraid of losing his sister.
Sure, they can slap each other up and down the street. They can wrestle and flail in the piles of fresh mangoes and fling plantains at each other like boomerangs. But if you don’t establish why we should care about either of them, your readers will check out.
When you’re writing fight scenes, don’t forget character. 
Also, if you’re looking for a tremendous resource on writing fight scenes, my (scary, terrifying) friend Carla Hoch is the place to look. She’s got a brilliant book called Fight Write  that helps authors make fight scenes more realistic.
TWEETABLEWriting Character Focused Fight Scenes - A.C. Williams, @Free2BFearless 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 @free2bfearless.

Writing Rejection Doesn't Mean Writing Reject

by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

Rejection stinks.

It hurts. 

I hate it.

And I deal with it all.the.time.

 

Now that I have your attention, I should warn you that this won’t be a feel good post. It’s more of a tough love, buckle up, this is how it really is kind of post. 

 

So, let’s talk about rejection. Yay! (Not!)

As a rule, rejection is something we avoid. 

 

As a suspense writer, I will tell you that I *can* come up with a few scenarios where rejection would be a beautiful thing. Say, for example, if a serial killer rejected you as his next victim. That would be good. Or a drug kingpin rejected you as a mule. Also, a positive. Or say a criminal on the run decides to reject the car you’re driving as his preferred vehicle for an imminent carjacking. Hallelujah.

 

But once you rule out the horrific stuff, most people would prefer to go through life without experiencing rejection on a regular basis. Unfortunately for you, the simple fact that you’re reading this post tells me that you are not someone who will be able to avoid lots of rejection.

 

Because you’re a writer. 

 

If you’re pursuing publication, rejection can take many forms.

You don’t win the contest you entered.

Your dream agent isn’t interested in representing you.

Your favorite author won’t mentor you. 

You receive feedback on your submission/contest entry that crushes you.

 

Here’s where the buckle up part for this post comes in….

 

Getting published does not mean an end to rejection. In fact, it means you have more opportunities to be rejected on a more public stage. 

 

How fun does this sound?

A national magazine reviews your book—and they don’t like it. So now it’s splashed all over the internet and maybe even put in print that your book stinks. 

The contests you enter? Everyone knows you entered, and they know you didn’t win. 

The feedback you receive on your work isn’t private anymore. Nope. Those one-star reviews detailing all the things you did wrong are right there on Amazon or Goodreads for anyone to read.

 

Now, here’s the tough love…

 

If you can’t persevere in spite of rejection, you’ll never make it as a published author. Rejection comes with the territory. There is no writer good enough to never face it. You are not going to win every contest. You are not going to be everyone’s favorite writer, and some people will be very vocal about how much they dislike your writing.

 

With that in mind, it’s crucial that you learn the difference between a rejection and being a reject. 

 

Perhaps we need to pause for a little grammar lesson. It turns out that reject is both a verb and a noun. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary…

 

The verb form of reject means to refuse to accept, consider, submit to, take for some purpose, or use

 

The noun form of reject means  a rejected person or thing especially : one rejected as not wanted, unsatisfactory, or not fulfilling requirements

 

Here’s the how it really is part of the post…

 

Just because someone rejects your work, that does not mean that you are a reject. I know it feels that way. Boy, how I know it. But you have to find the strength to know, deep in your core, that you are not a reject. 

 

This is a fine line, but it matters. It isn’t the rejection that determines the course of your career. It’s thinking that someone’s opinion of your work means that you, as a person, have been rejected, when that is not true. 

 

I’ll be real with you: My writing is personal. It is a reflection of me. It does hurt when someone doesn’t appreciate it. It’s impossible for me to make it impersonal. But that does not mean that when someone rejects my work, they are rejecting me. 

 

Can you see the distinction? In my experience, the writers who can are able to get a handle on rejection, absorb the hurt, process the pain, and then press on. 

 

The writers who can’t? I’m sorry, but they don’t make it. 

 

Many of us can handle the rejection of our work, even if we have to take a lot of it.

Few of us can carry on when we believe that we are a reject. 

 

I told you this wasn’t a feel good post. But it’s real.

 

The bottom line is that being a writer means feeling the sting of rejection in myriad ways. You can’t avoid it, and depending on your personality, you may feel it deeply. I’m not telling you to develop a thick skin or pretend it doesn’t hurt. 

 

I am suggesting that if you want to do this, make up your mind that no amount of rejection will ever convince you that you are a reject. 

 

If you can do that, then you’ve got a fighting chance.

I’m cheering for you!

 

Grace and peace,

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Writing Rejection Doesn't Mean Writing Reject - @LynnHBlackburn on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Lynn H. Blackburn loves writing romantic suspense because her childhood fantasy was to become a spy, but her grown-up reality is that she's a huge chicken and would have been caught on her first mission. She prefers to live vicariously through her characters and loves putting them into all kinds of terrifying situations while she's sitting at home safe and sound in her pajamas! 

Lynn’s titles have won the Carol Award, the Selah Award, and the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award. Her newest series kicks off in March 2021 with Unknown Threat, Book 1 in the Defend and Protect series. 

She is a frequent conference speaker and has taught writers all over the country. Lynn lives in South Carolina with her true love and their three children. You can follow her real life happily ever after by signing up for her newsletter at LYNNHBLACKBURN.COM and @LynnHBlackburn on BOOKBUB, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM.

Creating Believable Action in Your Manuscript

by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer
I love fight scenes in movies and on TV. Full of powerful moves, with lunges and uppercuts and fancy steps, they seem very real. But they’re not. They’ve been carefully blocked, with everything we see having been choreographed as if it were a dance, something that is also blocked out. Even love scenes have “intimacy coordinators” now, so that actors can make love scenes realistic. Amazing! 
But, first, these scenes must be on the page, whether in a script for video, or in a novel. And the choreography isn’t only for high-action fight scenes. Any scene, even something that seems as simple as Joe walking across the room towards Sam, can be blocked out, so the reader can “see” the action in their mind. 
Making action believable isn’t hard, but takes specific steps to achieve. I don’t think that a writer should interrupt the flow of creativity, at least in that first, all-important draft. Blocking action can be better done after the scene itself is on the page, in any one of the subsequent edits. Not every scene will be “important” enough to block every move. I suggest that only the big scenes -- where something story-changing happens -- need a step-by-step arrangement. What is the goal of the scene? The motivation behind it? The end result? If the scene is written, you may already have all this but it will matter as to how the scene plays out. Imagine the scene in your head. What do YOU see? Where are the characters? Does their location make a difference in how the scene will be played out? The personality of the characters makes a difference in an action scene. How does Joe differ from Sam? Is one of them stronger-willed than the other? Or more experienced? What needs to happen? Are they going to fight with their fists over who gets to take Susie to the prom? Or will they only shout at each other? (Even that needs to be choreographed.) Pay attention to all of the limbs involved. I read a scene where a character had three hands (yes, three!) because he was holding something in each one of them. Of course, that wasn’t the case, but that was what was on the page. Love scenes are notorious for this problem, but any action scene can fall into this trap. If you can, ask real people to help you by acting the scene out. One of my students wrote an amazing historical romance about “Lizzie,” whose daughter lived in another state. Lizzie finds out her daughter is in danger, but in the story, she barely reacted. We took the scene and assigned others in the group to act it out, even wrapping a tablecloth around Lizzie’s waist so that she would see how it felt to wear a long dress. We each took a character and, line by line, read the scene. It was amazing to watch it come to life in front of us, especially when Lizzie realized her daughter had been sold to a brothel. She jumped up from the bench and paced back and forth, clutching the neck of her blouse, her strides hampered by the fabric around her legs. She wanted to run, to race to the town where her daughter lived, but couldn’t, so she screamed at the bearer of the bad news. It went on for several more pages but the information the writer gained by acting out the scene was wondrous to watch. And she changed her story to fit what she saw.The power was in the acting. Because we writers sometimes forget that we are talking about REAL people with REAL emotions, even though they're only characters.
Try acting out your own action scenes. Plan them first, so that you know all of the emotions and dialogue and setting is right, then "put them on stage" and see what happens.
Have you tried acting out a scene?
TWEETABLECreating Believable Action in Your Manuscript - @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 whose shoulders I stand on and who taught me so much about the writing craft. I would list every one, if it were only possible.

Who is Your Reading Audience?

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells
You have an idea, message, or story you want to share. The question is, who do you want to share your message with?
Before you begin, clarify exactly who you are speaking to. This is as important as dialing a specific number when you make a phone call. 
No project – outside God’s Word – is for everyone. Who is your target audience? Who is interested in receiving your message? 
Age, education level, ethnicity, faith, gender, hobbies, interests, and profession are among the considerations when you define your audience. Academics, artists, and athletes each have unique jargon and terminology as do zoning specialists, zoologists, and zoo keepers.
How specific can you be when you describe your audience?The Ten Best Decisions A Single Mom Can Make is practical help and tangible tips for solo parents ages 24 to 45, eager to create a healthy and successful family.Slavery in the Land of the Free informs intermediate and high school students about human trafficking in the United States. Geared for four to eight-year-olds, The Girl Who Wore Freedom is the true story of five-year-old Dany who was given Lifesavers and liberty on D-Day.Writing to children is completely different from communicating with teens which differs from sharing with adults. Generally speaking, the vocabulary that appeals to women is not the same as the descriptions that resonate with men. While the words in a toddler’s board book are chosen as carefully as the text for a novel, the volume is exceedingly fewer. Knowing your audience guides your vocabulary level and the length of your project akin to crafting a conversation with a child or an industry professional.
Writing for children? These are the general rules for the age of your audience.
Board Books 
Ages 0 – 3 are 24 pages in length, consisting of no more than 50 words 
Ages 2 – 5 are 24 to 32 pages, under 200 words
Picture Books
Ages 4 – 8 (prekindergarten through second grade) 32 pages with 500 to 600 words. If you have 1000 in your picture book, I’d betcha lunch out some editing is in order.
Ages 7 – 10 (second, third, and fourth grade) 32 to 48 pages with approximately 1000 words
Ages 9 – 13 (fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade) 32 to 80 pages in the 1500 to 3000 word range. These longer projects include graphic novels, photographic nonfiction, or picture-rich fiction. Chapter books for middle grades are 20,000 to 35,000 words. 
Young Adult books have a word count of 55,000 to 80,000 
Full length novels for adults are traditionally 40,000 words to 90,000 with chick-lit toward the shorter end, and contemporary, mainstream, mystery, romance, suspense, thriller, and literary on the longer side.
NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month in November) aims for 50,000 words
Westerns are some 65,000
Memoirs log in around 70,000 to 80,000
Sci-Fi and Fantasy run longer at 100,000 to 115,000 
Novellas range from 17,500 to 39,999 words
Novelettes average 7,500 to 17,499 words
Short stories for teens and adults land under 7,500 words
Early in the creation of your message, define your audience. Knowing who you are talking to guides you to dial in the most effective way to share your message.
TWEETABLEWho is Your Reading Audience - @PeggySueWells on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Tropical island votary and history buff, PeggySue Wells parasails, skydives, snorkels, scuba dives, and has taken (but not passed) pilot training. Writing from the 100-Acre wood in Indiana, Wells is the bestselling author of 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.