Edie Melson's Blog, page 232

A Balanced Life for Writers

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock (Isaiah 26:4 NASB). 
Everywhere we turn we’re being urged to find balance. In advertising we’re given soothing images of candles, yoga, exercise, places to get away, etc. etc. etc. In my life, I try to balance writing, marketing, family, friends, church . . . all good activities, but too much is still too much. No amount of scented candles or stretching can help a writer who is struggling to find time to write. As I try once again to wrest control from the chaos that is my schedule I’ve come to a startling revelation. 
A balanced life doesn’t look like we think it should. 
I’m learning that balance isn’t an exterior stability, it’s an interior poise. I don’t care how strict we are about planning, diet, exercise, even environment, times of chaos will erupt. We know this is true by experience, but more importantly we know it by looking at the life Jesus lived. 
As we march through the New Testament, we see Jesus when the crowds are pushing in, clamoring for attention. We see His followers disappoint Him. We even see times when He is faced with unexpected—in a human sense—death.
Within this outward chaos, we also see a perfect example of living a life of balance. And it has nothing to do with what’s going on around Him, much less planning, diet, exercise, or environment. It has everything to do with His absolute passion for allowing God to direct His steps.
So how do we imitate Jesus? We draw closer to God. It’s that simple and that difficult. In the past, as deadlines crowded in, my inclination was to spend more time writing and less time with God. It’s embarrassing to share that about me, but it’s true. Now, the busier I am, the more deliberate I am about my time in the Word and in prayer. I’ve learned—the hard way—the only way to come through the chaos is at the side of Jesus.
So as I launch full-force into busyness and deadlines, I’m remembering the lessons I’ve learn. I’m looking to God for balance, not at what’s happening around me. Care to join me?

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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, Twitterand Instagram.

Battling a Spiritual Enemy When We Write

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28


He doesn’t like it when we sit down to write. Our spiritual enemy’s mission to hurt God’s children and keep hearts blinded to the truth, is thwarted when we write for God. We may grow weary with writing and rewriting, but what we’re really doing is preparing for battle. Satan delights to hinder God’s work. I’ve experienced his tactics. Have you? Even as my family worked to release a magazine on spiritual warfare, we went through our own version of it. Satan will try to hinder God’s people from sharing the truth. Although we have a skilled enemy, our Lord Jesus Christ is a more powerful commander, and He has called us to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV). Are you faithfully serving at your post? Are you allowing any part of your writing or enthusiasm to diminish because of spiritual warfare? 
In His Word, God has given us an example of how to resist Satan’s tactics and discouraging whispers. Nehemiah had set his heart to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, but certain enemies in the area taunted him and the workers. Nehemiah’s response can be our response when Satan and his forces try to hinder God’s work. 
The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.Nehemiah 2:20 NKJV
Do you see the confidence in his words? Not in himself, but in God. Nehemiah identified Who they were serving—the God of heaven Himself—and who they were—His servants. So the enemies of the Jews had no right to hinder what they were doing for God. The principles works for us too.
When our spiritual enemy tries to hinder our work for God, we can answer in a similar way. God Himself will help us, and we are His servants. Satan has no rightful place in our lives to make us afraid and no authority to influence who we are or what we do. So don’t let him win.
When you sit down to write, don’t let the enemy have any place in your mind, heart, or life—in how you think, in your desires and what drives you, or in any part of your relationships, work, ministry, and dreams. Satan can never indwell a believer, but he will do what he can to hurt us and God’s plan for our lives and for others’ lives. Keep your heart close to God, and stay under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 91:4). Remember why you’re writing, and keep fighting the good fight. The story isn’t finished yet. There’s more work for you to do. 
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Katy Kauffman finds herself writing about life’s spiritual battles more than anything else. She is an award-winning author, an editor of  Refresh Bible Study Magazine , and a co-founder of Lighthouse Bible Studies. She loves connecting with writers and working alongside them in compilations. Her compilation, Heart Renovation: A Construction Guide to Godly Character, was a 2019 Selah Awards finalist and Director’s Choice finalist. Katy’s writing can be found at CBN.com, thoughts-about-God.com, the Arise Dailyblog, PursueMagazine.net, and two blogs on writing. She loves spending time with family and friends, making jewelry, and hunting for the best donuts. Connect with her at her blog,  The Scrapbooked Bible Study , and on Facebookand Twitter.

The Importance of Thinking Before You Write

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel

“Think before you speak!” is good advice.

What about “Think before you write?” Not a bad idea either. And I would add to that, “Pray before you write.”
I’ve seen far too much writing launched out into the world these days with nary a thought or prayer as to whether or not the words are true, helpful and gracious.  
Paul exhorted the people of Ephesus to “ lovingly follow the truth at all times—speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly—and so become more and more in every way like Christ who is the Head of his body, the Church.” (Ephesians 4:15-16 TLB)When you write a blog, post, story or book, do you ask if your words reflect a person who is becoming “more and more in every way like Christ?” Don’t you want your writing (and living) to be a reflection of God’s truth?
Then stop taking for granted what media shares as “truth” and be selective in your own platform.
The original New Testament Greek word used in this Ephesians passage is alethia which not only refers to ethical truth, but truth in all its fullness and scope as embodied in Christ. Paul’s passion was that people would not only understand who they are in the vertical relationship with Christ, but also express their new identity in their horizontal relationship with each other.
How we address controversial issues is important. There seems to be a steady digression into judgment and self-righteous bantering online lately. May I raise my hand and declare that I am so tired of current events being viciously argued over social media?
Recently I learned two new words: “Crowdpounding” is when the online community rages against someone or something that was said, tweeted, or blogged, with an avalanche of vindictive words is spewed on the screen and no real person has to take responsibility. 
“Crowdaffirming” is the same sort of thing but in a vehement positive way that also can get weirdly out of control. But who wants to be part of a “crowd-anything?” We are called to be individuals and to answer to God as such.

Timothy emphasized that our words are a huge reflection of our walk. “Warn them before God against pious nitpicking, which chips away at the faith. It just wears everyone out. Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple.” (2 Timothy 2.16 MSG)
            I believe that we communicators are to be salt and light in the world. Our voice must be heard. But may it never be a strident, judgmental voice. May our compassion and kindness be the ‘tact’ that accompanies truth.

In his new book, “Fool’s Talk,” Os Guiness says “God’s truth requires God’s art to serve God’s end. Any Christian explanation or defense of truth must have a life, a manner and a tone that are shaped decisively by the central truths of the gospel. We Christians must seek to communicate in a way that is shaped by the One who sends us, and therefore by the pattern of the Incarnation, the Cross, and the Holy Spirit…it should always be evident that any power and persuasiveness in our communication comes from Him and not us.”

“Pious nitpicking” chips away at the faith and wears everyone out! Let’s make sure our words – both written and spoken – reflect the One we represent.

We can handle the truth in a winsome way!

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—[WRITE] such things.” (Philippians 4.8 NIV)

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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 13 books and contributing author to 30+ books. Her books include the award-winning  Dwelling Places  (2017 Christian Retailing BEST Award for Devotional),  Ordinary Graces   (2018 Selah Finalist),  Live These Words , and  Refresh!  Lucinda, a member of the Redbud Writers Guild, received Mt. Hermon “Writer of the Year” award and guest blogs for The Write Conversation, Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog and (in)courage. Whether co-directing   “reNEW ~ retreat for New England Writing,”   pouring into young mamas, or leading a restorative day of prayer, she is energized by investing in people of all ages. Lucinda’s favorites include tea parties, good books, laughing friends, ancient prayers, country music, cozy quilts, musical theatre, and especially her family scattered around the world doing amazing things.  Known for her ability to convey deep truth in practical and winsome ways, she writes from “Sunnyside” cottage in New England and blogs weekly at http://www.EncouragingWords.net/ 
Follow Lucinda on Twitter: @LucindaSMcDowel

For Writers: Organizing Business Cards for Marketing

by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting

A few months ago, Edie Melson mentioned some great apps including Camcard for organizing business cards. I’ve been using that for a while, and it is very helpful as a marketing tool.What is the Camcard app?Camcard (camera card reader) serves as a business card read and manager. Search for it and upload the free app, unless you prefer features of the upgraded one that is sold. Once loaded, it’s ready to use. Start with your own card so you can share it.
Start Using the AppTurn on the app on yout smart phone and take a photo of the card. The app takes the information and organizes it with the person’s name, business, email, address, and more. For people with fancy font it may not scan the information correctly. But you can still hand back the card or toss it out because it retains the photo of the original card. That makes it easy to review and correct the data. The app includes a simply way to share the cared with another person. Simply open the card to share, tap share, and choose the option to pass on the information (email, camcard share, text, or another choice).
Categorize the CardsOnce the card is canned you can choose how to categorize it. Create as many groups as needed. Some people fit a few categories. Make sure to have ones for media, editors, meeting planners, street or launch team, authors, coaches, PR, and other groups that relate to your writing and marketing. That will make it easy when you want to find someone or just check out possibilities in an area where you want to connect with an expert. Add someone to more than one group if they have overlapping expertise (many authors also freelance, coach, etc.). I also use the app to store local business addresses, repair people, and other contacts. It makes life easier.
Build NetworksEach group is basically a network. Build on this as you work at promoting. There’s no spot for adding notes but you can use empty fields. I like to use nickname as a place to add a little more about the person, where we met, and intersecting interests. I may find that I have a group of people all interested in American history or crafts for children and end up adding those as groups later. That helps when I have an article to write or need a quote or material as I work on another project. 
I like to go through group on my list and pray for those people. Sometimes I email them a note to ask how they are doing and what they are working on currently. As you chat with someone and discover they might be an influencer for your upcoming book, add them to a group of influencers. Add a note why you think it might work out. That’s how we stay connected, build a stronger network, and build you marketing base. You will also discover books they are writing to share with people wo need what your network friend writes.
Market to the Launch Team and InfluencersNow that you have an organized network make use of it:Contact the possible launch team members and influencers before your next book releases. Share what is upcoming and ask if they are interested. Be specific if you hope the person would be an endorser or a launch team member. Open the media group and use this list to send a press release. You have a stronger connection since you met up if you received a business card from the individual.Open your list of influencers. Consider sharing information about the book, requesting possible endorsements, or asking if they want a review copy.
It takes a few minutes to scan in the latest cards you gathered at an event but the rewards you might reap are endless in friendships and business connections.
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Use the business cards you collect as a valuable marketing resource - @KarenHWhiting on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Karen Whiting (www.karenwhiting.com) is an international speaker, former television host of Puppets on Parade, certified writing and marketing coach, and award-winning author of twenty-five books for women, children, and families. Her newest book, The Gift of Bread: Recipes for the Heart and the Table reflects her passion for bread and growing up helping at her grandparent’s restaurant. 
She has a heart to grow tomorrow’s wholesome families today. She has written more than seven hundred articles for more than sixty publications and loves to let creativity splash over the pages of what she writes. She writes for Leading Hearts, The Kid’s Ark, and BCM International. Connect with Karen on Twitter @KarenHWhiting Pinterest KarenWhiting FB KarenHWhiting

God Loves the Scenic Route

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
I grew up during the 60s and 70s, in a family that loved to travel. Some of my earliest memories are of traveling across the united states, looking at life from the rear view window of a VW bug. When my sister was born, our family went from three to four and our parents traded in the VW Bug for a VW Bus. (And yes, the picture above is family. We're in Big Bend National Park in 1969.)
Oh the places we visited.
I’ve been out west in a blizzard so fierce we had to scrape ice from the inside of the windows. I’ve cooked an egg on the pavement in Death Valley, and spent several nights camping on top of what used to be Mount St. Helens. But only a small percentage of our time on the road was spent on major highways.
Other times . . . well . . . not so much.
I remember one afternoon all too well. We’d headed off down a road and gotten stuck in the mud. The road was little more than a dirt path and this was decades before cell phones. All we could do was pray someone else had a taste for adventure. Sure enough, just as the sun was racing toward the horizon, a huge truck, complete with towing package, rounded the bend. He was as surprised to see us as we were to see him.
He pulled us out in no time, refusing the money my dad tried to give him. When mom pushed, asking to know why he’d come down this road, he tipped back his cowboy hat and scratched his head. “I can’t really say. It just seemed like something I needed to do.”
That was one of my first introductions to the power of prayer, and I’ve never forgotten it. I’ve also never forgotten something else. The joy is in the journey, not just the destination.
Through the years I’ve come to realize God is a lot like my daddy. (I know it’s really the other way around, but humor me. I’m making a point here.) My Heavenly Father also likes to take the scenic route. He’ll drag me places I think are miles out of the way, putting my goal further and further from reach. Then boom, we round a corner and there stands what I was aiming for all along.

Or He leads me down a path that leaves me bogged down for months, and it’s only when look back that I see that time of stillness was what I needed. So often it’s in the mud that my hardest lessons and greatest joys have been realized.

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God loves the scenic route - thoughts on following God from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Edie Melson is a woman of faith with ink-stained fingers observing life through the lens of her camera. No matter whether she’s talking to writers, entrepreneurs, or readers, her first advice is always “Find your voice, live your story.” As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Her numerous books reflect her passion to help others develop the strength of their God-given gifts and apply them to their lives. Connect with her on her website, through Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.

Choosing to Relax Helps You Achieve Success as a Writer

by Beth Vogt @BethVogt

As I mulled over options for this column, American Ninja Warrior (ANW)was on the television in the background. I don’t aspire to conquer those crazy obstacle courses; I’m an armchair American Ninja Warrior. And while I cheer the competitors on during their runs, I love hearing their how-I-got-here stories even more. Alyssa Beard is one of the top female ANWs, but the 2018 season was disappointing for her. She made it to the Las Vegas finals, but fell on the first obstacle. How did she handle such an unexpected end to her season?
She gave herself permission to take a break from her training and took a three-week backpacking trip through Italy with her sister. She didn’t quit—she regrouped.
I don’t know what your summer has been like. Maybe you’ve been laying around in the hammock sipping strawberry lemonade and plotting all sorts of new stories. Or, maybe like me, you’ve juggled real life and writing life. Some days you’ve been successful and some days you’ve struggled to keep all the balls in the air.
And maybe, just maybe, you feel like you’ve been juggling and walking a tightrope at the same time … and you’ve lost your footing and every single ball you’re trying so hard to control.
If an elite athlete can take a break, then we can, too. 
I realize a three-week backpacking trip to Italy might be out of the question may be out of the question for a lot of us. But maybe a weekend away is a possibility? How about spending some time at the neighborhood pool – and not bringing your manuscript? Or going to see some of the local sights you’ve always meant to visit, but have never gotten around to? Or having coffee with some non-writer friends. You do have non-writer friends, right?
Sometimes rather than pushing through, the best thing to do is to give yourself a break. I’m all for not quitting, but relaxing and catching your breath isn’t the same as abandoning your goals. And sometimes unwinding is exactly what you—Yes, you!—need to refresh your heart and mind to achieve writing success.

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Award-winning author Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” Having authored nine contemporary romance novels and novellas, Beth's first women's fiction novel with Tyndale House Publishers, Things I Never Told You, released May 2018. Moments We Forget, book two in the Thatcher Sisters Series, releases May 2019. An established magazine writer and former editor of the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth blogs for Novel Rocket and The Write Conversation and also enjoys speaking to writers group and mentoring other writers. Visit Beth at bethvogt.com.

5 W’s and an H of Newspaper Writing

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

What’s black and white and read all over? I know, I know—it’s an old joke, and it’s really only funny when asked verbally, because the homonym “read” gives away the answer. A newspaper is black and white and read all over!! (You can recognize the joke as outdated, also, because most newspapers sport color photographs these days!) But, the joke lives on and is still accurate today. Newspapers, though no longer the only means of obtaining current event information and probably the least likely source for most, continue to be read all over the country and world. Thus, newspaper editors are in constant need of fresh material to fill newsprint pages, and that’s where the freelancer comes in. 
Novice and experienced writers seeking those elusive credits to add to the resume are likely to find success with a local newspaper. As mentioned before in this column, newspaper credits are often easier to snag than magazine or book credits. And that’s because of the copious amount of material needed to fill a paper on a daily basis and the need for “boots on the ground” reporters who can seek out local stories desired by the publication’s readership. 
So, with that information summarized from previous articles, let’s get started on what you need to know to gain entry into newspaper writing. 
The most important part of any newspaper article is the first paragraph, called the “lead.” Newspaper articles use what’s called the inverted pyramid approach, with all the important information in the very first paragraph. 
Sadly, many people often read one or two paragraphs of a newspaper article and if it doesn’t grab them or excite them enough to want to finish, that’s all they’ll read. All the important info needs to be in that first paragraph for those readers who won’t finish the entire article. But better yet, the paragraph needs to have the details in summarized form and hopefully the reader will want to find out the rest of the details and keep reading. Your lead should pique the interest of the reader, enticing him or her to do just that. 
Typically speaking, the lead should give a synopsis of the entire story and answer five ‘w’ questions and an ‘h’ question – Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
The who, what, when, where, why, and how should be in the first paragraph, and really and truly, that’s usually only one sentence with all that info. For example, here’s the first sentence of a newspaper article I did: ”Bulloch Leadership sponsored the fifth annual Chocolate Run in which participants walked or ran a five-mile course downtown on Saturday and raised $43,000 to benefit the Open Hearts Community Mission homeless shelter.”Who – Bulloch LeadershipWhat – Fifth-annual Chocolate RunWhen – SaturdayWhere – five-mile course downtownWhy – to raise money for homeless shelterHow – participants walked or ran
That’s the whole first paragraph. That’s called the lead. A lead should be between twenty-five to thirty-five words long, but definitely no longer than forty words. And, if it gets too wordy or stringy for one sentence, turn it into two sentences to give the 5 w’s and 1 h, but keep it in the first paragraph.
Then, the next several paragraphs elaborate on those details that you’ve mentioned in the lead paragraph and give additional information of lesser importance. . That’s the general journalism rule, but it’s often adhered to more stringently with an actual “news story.” 
Human interest stories or profile pieces may not be quite that strict with the lead. For example, my story about a 90-year-old gentleman began this way: “Joseph Montgomery of Newington, Georgia celebrated his 90thbirthday in a rather unusual way. On a cold Sunday morning, January 7, Montgomery gave away gifts on his birthday instead of receiving them.”
As so often happens, rules are made to be broken in the writing world, but most newspaper editors want the lead in the first paragraph.
To recap, the most important part of a newspaper article is the “lead” – that first paragraph, which is usually just one or two sentences, twenty-five to thirty-five words tops, with all these questions answered: who, what, when, where, why, and how. You may notice that not all current event articles will have a definitive “how,” and that’s alright, but include that info if it’s pertinent to the news event. 
Join me for more tips and techniques for newspaper writing in the next column. Meanwhile, keep reading your local newspaper, cover to cover. Pay close attention to the first paragraph of each article, especially those on the front page. See if you can find the who, what, when, where, why, and how of each article in the first paragraph. Are all of the questions answered in the very first sentence? Or is the info included in two sentences? Look at the pictures that go along with the articles and compare the tagline – the caption below the photo – and you’ll often see the same format: one sentence with all 5W’s and one H included. 
Until then …. Who? Julie Lavender What? Will share more newspaper writing adviceWhen? On the second Thursday of next monthWhere? On Edie Melson’s ‘The Write Conversation’ websiteWhy? To encourage you to become a newspaper stringerHow? By contributing current event articles and human interest stories to your local newspaper.
TWEETABLES5 W’s and an H of Newspaper #Writing - @JLavenderWrites on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
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Julie Lavender read newspapers all over the country while her husband served as a Navy entomologist for twenty years. She wrote for the children’s section of the Denver Post for four years. Currently, she reads and writes for her local newspaper, the Statesboro Herald, back in their Georgia hometown and loves the interesting people she meets as a journalist. Julie also writes for GuidepostsPublications, other magazines, a couple of homeschooling blogs, Just18Summers.com, and many compilations. Combining her education degree, love of homeschooling, and joy of celebrating, Julie wrote a devotional entitled, 365 Days of Celebration and Praise, a party planning book called, Creative Sleepovers for Kids, and three teacher resource books for the religious division of Carson-Dellosa. Julie and David are enamored with their four adult children, one son-in-love, and one gorgeous grandson. Keep up with Julie on social media and at her blog at julielavender.blogspot.com.

Publishing As a Second Language—5 Thoughts on Selling All Rights

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

“Can you help me? My story was published in one of my favorite magazines. I was so excited to get the contract I guess I didn’t read the fine print. I want to use my story again and realize I sold all rights to this publisher. What can I do to get my story back?”
There are a lot of elements to address in this question. Let’s take them one by one and see what we can figure out.5 Thoughts on Selling All Rights
1. Obviously the easy answer to this dilemma is to never sell first rights. Hindsight, right? But we can learn from this author’s question to read our contracts carefully and make sure we understand what we are agreeing to.
2. This post is not about rights. But everyone should understand that selling first rights does NOT mean you can never use your story again. When you sell all rights, you are selling your story in that exact arrangement of words. You cannot sell that story as a reprint because the original publisher bought all rights to it which means he owns it and can do whatever he wants with it. He can reprint it, sell it to another publication, publish in another language, publish it in a book, and so on, all without additional payment to you.
3. The questioner above made a very common assumption. Once you sell all rights, you can never tell your story again. That is not the case. When you sell all rights, you have just sold the rights to your story in that format. The story itself is yours and you can rewrite (think totally rewrite) and resell. When you sell all rights, you are not even free to sell your story as a reprint until you rewrite it. 
Perhaps we may need to pause here and take a look at just what rewriting means. I have heard some writers say, “Oh, I’ll just rearrange a few words and put in a different hook and it will be okay to sell as first rights.” A little rearranging is not the same as rewriting. To truly rewrite an article, you must change it almost completely. By that I mean the way it is written, not the story. A tip here: When starting to rewrite, don’t have the article right beside you. Recall the story and write it as you remember it. Often your rewritten story will be a better version of the story than the first!
4. The bottom line question here is about getting rights back. That is possible. When a publisher buys all rights, the rights belong to him or her so he or she has the rights to do anything with them. In this case, the writer is requesting the rights back so the publisher has two choices—sell them to the writer or give them back. Your request should be made in writing. Then the publisher can decide the proper plan. If the publisher gives you the rights back, be sure to have that in writing as well. 
5. A couple of words of caution for this writer. Read all contracts carefully to make sure you know what you are selling. Rarely sell all rights. When you have a good story, write, rewrite, and rewrite so you can sell, resell, and resell.
Using your material multiple times can reap many benefits for writer—you will make additional income, get many publishing credits, and get your message out to more and more people. So maintain your rights so you can take good advantage of your research.

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There are pros and cons to selling all publishing rights - thoughts from @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

Taking Pride in Your Writing Work

by Cindy K Sproles @CindyDevoted

I take pride in my work. It was how I was raised. Do your best because your best represents your effort and how much you care.
Some years back, my ministry partner and I decided we wanted to pay authors for their devotions on the ministry website. It wasn’t much. $10.00. But for a struggling ministry, financially, that was huge when you multiplied it times 30 days, times 12 months. Still, we stepped out on faith praying God would provide so we could offer the writers a token of our appreciation.What you are about to read is a lesson in two things. 1) God always answers prayers – just not in the way we anticipate 2) take pride in your work.
We prayed continually over these devotions and the funds to pay. AND God answered by providing the funds, but . . . and it was a big but! The devotions we began to receive were less than adequate. In fact, they were poorly written, new age, or links. We received a few good devotions, but most were people submitting simply for the money. “Here’s a link to my website. You can get the devotion from there. My address for payment is bla, bla, bla.”
This plight continued for a full year until we finally realized this was not what God wanted us to do for the ministry site. For our ministry, it was all about heart, not about money. Those who wrote for the site prior to payment, wrote because they genuinely wanted to serve God with their work. After we began payment, we quickly saw the greed of others and the lack of pride in their work. Keep in mind, not all the devotions or writers had this attitude, but unfortunately, the bulk did. We decided to stop paying. And the week we did, amazing devotions began to pour into our email box. 
I tell you this story because it’s important as a writer that you always take pride in your work. Don’t become prideful, but take pride in what you do. There is a big difference.
As I travel and teach at conferences, I use this example over and over. I want writers to see that the gift they have been given is not one to be brushed with laziness. Rather, it’s a gift entrusted to us by our Father in heaven. He expects our best – always. Here are some ways you can take pride in the work you do.Always proof your work. Make it the best it can be.Follow the guidelines. Never submit JUST a link to your website. Publishers will not look for the work you should care enough about to submit.Be gracious when your work is accepted – whether it be a paying or non-paying submission.Pray over your work. Ask God to use it to His glory, not yours. (Sometimes that hurts when we don’t receive the accolades we feel we deserve.)Trust in God’s timing for your work to be accepted within His will and the timing He sets for it in His plan.Taking pride in the work you present is important to you both personally and professionally. When you put forth the effort to submit your best, it makes an impression. 

Take pride in the work you do, and you will be rewarded in ways you cannot imagine

TWEETABLES
Taking Pride in Your #Writing Work - @CindyDevoted on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

5 Ways to make sure your #writing submissions are something you're proud of - @CindyDevoted on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Cindy K. Sproles is an author, speaker, and conference teacher. She is the cofounder of ChristianDevotions.us and the executive editor of ChristianDevotions.us and InspireaFire.com. Cindy is the managing editor for Straight Street Books and SonRise Devotionals, both imprints of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She is an award-winning and best-selling author and the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit Cindy at  www.cindysproles.com .  @cindydevoted

Spiritual Preparation for Speaking

by Yvonne Ortega @YvonneOrtega1

In your plans for a speaking engagement, you probably think about the topic, visuals, handouts, and what you’ll wear. What about your spiritual preparation? 1. Spiritual Preparation at Home First, expect spiritual attack.
The enemy of your soul will hammer you with one attack after another. He wants to convince you that you can’t speak on your topic and should quit before you embarrass yourself.
Before I spoke on forgiveness at a women’s conference, the internet service provider irritated me. Every time it rained my Hallmark Television Movie Channel wouldn’t work. I had to restrain my anger and work with the technician on the phone.  
Second, make sure you’re right with God.
Clear your conscience of any sin that stands between you and God. Ask him to show you if any wrongdoing exists in your life. He’ll do it. 
Pray Psalm 51:10, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me” (New American Standard Bible).
Third, pass the test of integrity.
Ask yourself, “Does what happens at home behind closed doors match what I want my audience to see?” If it does, great. If it doesn’t, go back to Psalm 51:10. 
Fourth, pray for the audience and others who will be there.
Pray that those who are supposed to be there, will attend. Pray they’ll be receptive to what God wants to teach them through you. 
Pray for the event planner, the media specialist, and the photographer. When I prayed before speaking for a local women’s event on finding your identity, I never thought to pray for the photographer. I wish I had because someone stole his expensive camera. 
I don’t blame myself for that theft. I simply wish I had prayed for him. God might have blessed him with an extra measure of trust in divine provision of a new camera.
2. Spiritual Preparation on the Way to Your Speaking EngagementFirst, plan to arrive an hour and a half early for your speaking engagement. 
Although I live in Virginia, I live an hour and a half from Chesapeake, Virginia where I was to give my testimony. I allowed an extra hour and a half, but a car accident at the bridge tunnel caused a standstill in traffic. 
With no choice but to go the long way around, I prayed God would multiply my time. I arrived with two minutes to put on my jacket, get my notes out of my carryon bag, and head to the stage.
Second, while you travel to the event, if you can, listen to praise and worship music.
Place your focus on the One who is your peace. As I rode the train to the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference to present two early bird clinics on speaking, I listened to praise and worship music with ear buds. I felt peaceful and empowered. 
3. Spiritual Preparation at Your EventFirst, once you arrive, pray for the people who will sit on each chair or pew. 
If you have a large audience, you might enlist the help of two or three others. If it’s a general market event, do so alone silently.
Second, if the event has a serving staff, pray for them. 
Ask God to arrange for them to listen to your presentation or to the parts of your message they need most. 
Third, greet every person or at least go to each table or pew and greet those seated there with a smile. 
Let the Spirit in you communicate your eagerness to be with them. 
4. Spiritual Preparation after Your Speaking EngagementFirst, stand at the exit door and pray for those God wants you to encourage. 
At an event in New England where I spoke on domestic violence among Christians, one of the women in the audience came to me and thanked me for addressing an issue most would rather pretend didn’t exist among Christians. I prayed for her and offered her resources.
Second, show an attitude of gratitude.
I make it a priority to thank the event planner and others who have made the occasion possible. Remember it is a privilege to speak for the general market and the faith-based market. 
To wrap up, the main points for Spiritual Preparation for Speaking are:Spiritual preparation at homeSpiritual preparation on the way to your speaking engagementSpiritual preparation at your eventSpiritual preparation after your speaking engagementTWEETABLESSpiritual preparation for #speaking from @YvonneOrtega1 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
4 Steps to preparing for a #speaking event from @YvonneOrtega1 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Yvonne Ortega speaks with honesty and humor as she shares her life and struggles through presentations that help women find comfort, peace, and purpose. Her background as a licensed professional counselor gives her a unique perspective into the heart of women. Her counseling experiences in jails, prisons, and outpatient services add depth and humor to her presentations, as do her years of teaching mostly high school and college Spanish. Her presentations are interactive and down-to- earth with application for the audience from God’s Word and his promises. 
Yvonne is also a speaking and writing coach and the owner of Moving from Broken to Beautiful®, LLC. She is the author of four books: Finding Hope for Your Journey through Breast Cancer, Moving from Broken to Beautiful: 9 Life Lessons to Help You Move Forward, Moving from Broken to Beautiful® through Forgiveness, and Moving from Broken to Beautiful® through Grief. 
Yvonne is a member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA), the Christian Authors Network (CAN), the National Speakers Association (NSA), and Toastmasters International.