Edie Melson's Blog, page 236

A Grammar Book for Writers and Everyone Else!

by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

Not everyone who writes is a grammar nerd.
While I fully embrace the term “nerd” when applied to me, I don’t consider myself to be a grammar nerd. My grasp of the English language comes more from the thousands of hours I’ve spent reading, and my ability to form a coherent sentence has more to do with an innate sense of what sounds right than from being able to explain what is grammatically correct.
In fact, until I’d been on the receiving end of an intense copy edit, I thought I knew what I was doing.  Clearly not.
There's a lot I don't know about the English language, so when  Dreyer’s English  released and started popping up in my Instagram feed with some regularity, I thought it was worth checking out. Benjamin Dreyer is the Copy Chief of Random House, so clearly, he does know what he’s doing. 
I didn’t expect to laugh out loud while learning, but that’s what happened. This book is not a dry text on grammar and word usage. It's interspersed with commentary and hilarity, which made it a book I gladly threw into my pool bag, and I bet none of us have ever said that about a style manual!
However, before I go further, I need to provide three caveats:
1. There are a handful of expletives and a few rather coarse descriptions. If this is a deal breaker for you, you should pass on this one.2. There are more than a few references to politics, which serve to make the author’s opinions on that subject clear. While it wasn’t enough to keep me from enjoying the book, it became tiresome and overdone and could put this book into the category of “glad I got it from the library and didn’t spend money on it” for some writers. 3. There is rarely a page without a footnote and you have to read them to get the full scope of the book. If you don’t like footnotes, you aren’t going to enjoy this book. Also keep this in mind if you’re reading on an e-reader. I’ve heard a few rumbles that the footnote situation doesn’t translate well to that format.
What I liked:
1. I already have a list of redundancies that I look for in my manuscripts but Chapter 12 - Trimmablestook my list to an entirely new level. Example: falldown. What are you doing to do, fall up? (p. 245)
2. Chapter 10 - The Confusablesis one I’ll be turning to on a regular basis because I cannot remember the correct usage of farther/further no many how many times I look it up.
3. While I don’t consider myself to be a grammar nerd, I am as many writers are, a bit of a word nerd. I like everything about words—how they sound, how they came to be used, etc., and this book is filled with random bits of word trivia that I found delightful. 
4. If you’ve ever stressed about where to put the punctuation when using parentheses or quotation marks, or if you’ve ever pondered the usage of the en-dash, you’ll find your answers in Chapter 3 - 67 Assorted Things to Do (and Not to Do) With Punctuation. (Fun tip: Look at #38). And yes, I do mean the en-dash, not the em-dash, although you’ll find all you ever needed to know about that one, too.
5. Chapter 5 - Foreign Affairs had excellent advice on how to write words in a foreign language (to italicize or not), with special attention paid to the differences between American and British English. 
I could go on chapter-by-chapter, but I think you get the idea. 
Now, what made me laugh:
1. The footnotes. Oh.My.Word. The footnotes were hilarious. Don’t skip them. Please.2. I’m certain I’ve never read a snarkier book about the English language. And I personally enjoy a healthy dose of snark. He’s not shy about expressing his opinions on serial commas or beginning sentences with “and” or “but.” (He’s in favor, and it’s fine). But also “lesser” things like the correct formatting of time in manuscripts and the classiness (or lack) of the word “classy.” 3. At least half of Chapter 13 - The Miscellany. The examples, and his snide remarks, will make most word nerds happy at a deep-seated level. (See p. 263).
The Bottom Line:
Will  Dreyer’s English  replace your style manuals? No. Will it replace the iconic volume  The Elements of Style ? Unlikely.Will it make you snort in laughter when you check to see how to properly hyphenate a word? Possibly. 
And when you’re bleary-eyed from editing your manuscript, a good snort of laughter might be just what you need. 
Have you read  Dreyer’s English ? Do you have a favorite grammar book? Let’s talk about it in the comments!
Grace and peace,







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Lynn H. Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She lives in South Carolina with her true love, Brian, and their three children. Her new Dive Team Investigations series kicked off in March of 2018 with Beneath the Surface. The second book in the series, In Too Deep, releases in November of 2018 with the third book to follow in 2019. She is also the author of Hidden Legacy and Covert Justice which won the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense and the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel. You can follow her real life happily ever after at WWW.LYNNHBLACKBURN.COM and on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM.

For Writers: Solving the Mystery of Deep Point of View—Part One

by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Get out your magnifying glass! We’re going to dig deep into deep POV and see if we can figure it out!
Deep POV really isn’t a mystery, it’s a technique used extensively in modern-day writing. It’s a to-the-bone character development which is expressed in your writing. In so many words, it’s FEELINGS. What does your character feel? And how do you express that on the page?But first we have to understand exactly what it is we want to express. 
All humans have feelings. As writers, we want our readers to sympathize with those feelings. In fact, if we can convince a reader that our characters are real, we can draw them into our stories and make them laugh or cry or get angry or cheer. It’s just a matter of making that character believable.  
So choose a character and be mean to her. Put her through a terrible divorce or the loss of a child. Of course she’s going to feel something. But if the reader doesn’t FEEL her grief and anger and pain, it doesn’t exist. 
Maybe she blows her top at that soon-to-be ex-husband and has to be restrained by the court bailiff. 
Or maybe she doesn’t show her emotion on the outside -- she’s pale and withdrawn in front of others at the funeral home, for instance—but, when she gets to her car, she screams and pounds on the steering wheel until her hands bleed.
Either can work, as long as we SEE the emotion somewhere on the page.
TIP: Deep POV doesn’t have to be shown on every page and, in fact, should not be overused. Build up to an emotional scene by using a few small “hits” of deep POV, then increase the pressure by adding more in, one at a time. 
We have a large arsenal of weapons to help us show deep POV, and can use them in many combinations throughout a story. 
Dialogue: One of the best ways a character can express deep POV is through what they say or what they don’t say. The words that come out of our mouths often give away more than we want them to, especially if we’re upset (well, maybe you don’t have that experience, but it’s the way my life works). So when our soon-to-be-divorced character is put under the pressure of an unwanted divorce, she might scream ugly things at the woman her husband is leaving her for in the courthouse hallway. It’s easy to imagine her falling apart at the seams, with a moment of politeness escalating into a hissy fit of monumental proportions. We can FEEL her feelings on the page and, because it’s a natural reaction, we empathize with what she’s going through.
Not saying something is just as effective. The mother who has lost her child may be almost silent at the funeral, pretending to be okay, to be strong. She’ll smile and nod at the people who hug her, thanking them for coming. But when the show is over and she’s finally by herself, she’ll express those feelings she’s been holding back, with bloody hands to prove it.
Allow your characters to talk, to express their feelings, even if it’s just to themselves. Find ways for them say something that allows the reader to know what’s going on in their head. Combine dialogue with body language (next on the hit parade!) and allow them to lie, if they need to.
Body Language: Do you study people and how they act? Even if you’re not aware of it, every person you see is telegraphing their emotional state to you in ways that your subconscious is evaluating every second. It’s the way we tell if someone is dangerous to us, or if their words are telling us the truth. 
The contrast between the body language of the new divorcee and the grieving mother is immense. One can’t hold her emotions back, the other is so locked up in her misery she can’t express anything. We could even reverse the two women’s reactions if we needed to – if it’s needed somewhere else in the story.
So how would you describe the divorcee’s body language? I can see her walking into the courthouse, completely in control. She may even have a smile on her face as she speaks to her attorney but her hands are clenched into fists. So, no matter what comes out of her mouth, the reader knows she’s tense. Then, she sees the ex. Her smile becomes a grimace, her entire body stiffens. When he steps back a little, the girlfriend appears. Now our heroine’s body language changes completely. Indications of anger (part of the sympathetic nervous system) appear: flushed face, narrowed eyes, head slightly forward, body poised to attack. She’s only a second away from ripping someone’s hair off, unless someone stops her. Do we need dialogue here? Not necessarily, since her body is telling us everything we need to know. 
If you were reading this in a story, would you have any doubts as to what her feelings are? Writers don’t need to TELL the reader, we only need to SHOW them through our words how someone feels.
Can you write a short paragraph for me, similar to the one above, about our grieving mother? What would her body language be? And, if you’d like, combine the body language with dialogue and make it even stronger. 
TWEETABLESFor Writers: Solving the Mystery of Deep Point of View—Part One - @SarahSallyHamer on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
"Writers don’t need to TELL the reader, we only need to SHOW them through our words how someone feels." Tips on deep POV from @SarahSallyHamer on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
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.

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 over twelve 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

Multiply Your Writing Efforts

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells

I wrote a winsome piece about a brave mother whose child was swept out of the delivery room at birth. “There are problems with the baby,” the doctor said, and advised the new mom to place the infant in an institution.
“I want to see my son,” she insisted.
The new bundle of babe was brought and placed in his mother’s arms. Nelma smelled the sweet new baby smell of him; she cooed to the little boy and cradled him to her heart. Then, ever so carefully, she unwrapped his blanket. There lay her infant, born without legs, his hands and arms not fully developed. Nelma took it all in, caressed his soft new skin, and smiled into his trusting eyes.“Oh,” she said softly, “is that all?”And so Jerry went home where he was raised as the beloved middle child in his family of siblings. Despite his ‘birth blessings,’ Jerry became a school teacher, an elder in his church, devoted husband to a charming wife, and father of five above average children. Now that’s a tale to tell.
And I did. This encouraging story first appeared in Focus on the Family’s magazine. Later, the story was included in a book on prayer for moms, in a volume of Chicken Soup for the Soul, and in my book, Rediscovering Your Happily Ever After.Once an article has been published, unless your contract states otherwise, you can submit the piece to other publications that are a fit for the same project and accept reprints. There is always some tweaking necessary to make an article comply with a second publication’s style, but it is worth the work.Does your article or book have a line or two of prose? Sentences that surprise, make us laugh, or touch the heart are candidates to submit to greeting card publishers. If there is an element of inspiration or encouragement, weave that aspect into a devotion. Include the story or information in a speech or interview. 
Writers that earn income from their craft don’t necessarily write lots of stories. More often we write good stories and sell them to lots of outlets. Some projects are specific for a single purpose and a single publisher. Others are a gift that you can keep giving. 
TWEETABLEMultiply your #writing efforts - @PeggySueWells on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Writers who earn a living must learn how to repurpose them for different outlets - @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. 

For Writers: World-Building is in the Details

by Ralene Burke @RaleneB

If you ask any speculative fiction writer what the differences are between "normal" writers and spec writers, we can give you a whole list of fun things. (Don't get me wrong, we have much respect for all writers—it's a tough job no matter your genre.) But one of the biggest, most fun, and perhaps hardest difference in being a spec writer is world building. 
Contemporary writers have the advantage of writing about a world we're all familiar with. Historical writers have the benefit of being able to research their time period and basing their story world on that research. Even writers who set stories in different countries/cultures can use research/trips/etc. to add authentic life to their stories.
Fantasy and sci-fi writers don't often have that luxury. Middle Earth, with such different races and cultures from the Shire and its hobbits to Mordor with its orcs and goblins, is a fantastical world that still fascinates readers (and now viewers) today. Star Trek was popular in part to the various worlds and cultures the humans (and a few aliens) of the USS Enterprise got to explore. We even have people out there today who can speak Elvish and Klingon. 
Speculative fiction writers become experts at world-building. We have to take a blank canvas and create a whole new world, complete with its own geography, climates, races, cultures, customs, etc. A lot of people think we have it easy because we get to "make things up." And while that's true, it's only true to a point. Everything we create has to make sense, everything we create has to fall under the natural state God created things to be. And if it doesn't, we have to have a reason for it not to be like that.
World-building is in the details!
As I designed the world of Olam for my Sacred Armor trilogy, I got to dive into world-building full-scale for myself for the first time—I had already edited several manuscripts for other authors—and I learned a lot. 
The Physical World
In the first book, Armor of Aletheia, from an environmental and topographical perspective, the kingdom of Aletheia is much like Alaska. The northern and western part is a frozen, mountainous tundra, while the southern and eastern sees more seasonal changes. There’s a large forest in the southeast, and a barren wilderness that forges a path between the mountains and the river that divides Aletheia from the other 2 kingdoms.
While we don’t see much of them in this first book, Soter is mostly made up of wetlands, and Tzedek is a plateau of grassy plains.
When it came to naming these kingdoms, I took keys from the premise of the book. A young queen is charged with retrieving the 6 pieces of sacred armor in order to defeat an ancient evil infecting her world.Each piece of armor has a power attached to its virtue. For instance, the Belt of Truth gives the wearer the ability to see a person’s past and present to see why they are the way they are (also a way to see if people are lying). In Greek, Aletheia means truth. Also, Soter means savior/deliverer in Greek. Tzedek can mean righteousness (as well as justice). 
The Cultural World
Each kingdom has unique aspects of their culture. And it is pinpointing those unique traits and how they apply to everyday life that help the world come alive. 
Popular among my early readers, Aletheia has a tradition that is used both as a hello and farewell in more emotional situations, called the Blessing of Three Kisses. A kiss on each cheek for love and joy and one on the forehead for wisdom. Also, as a highly religious people, Aletheians often send off people with blessings like “May the Creator’s might be with you,” or “May the Creator’s strength be with you.” 
Because their world is so cold for most of the year, much of their clothing is made from heavy wool and is lined with fur. While this doesn’t get highlighted much in the story, it is one of those facts that story enthusiasts may pick up on. 
I had so much fun creating the world of Olam as I wrote Armor of Aletheia. I especially enjoyed learning about the Aletheian people. As I wrote Sword of Soter, Book 2 in The Sacred Armortrilogy, it was interesting to see how vastly different the Soteran people are from the Aletheians. They have different priorities, different ways of doing everything from receiving guests to worshiping their Creator. Now that I'm writing Book 3, which is about a repressed people who live in terror of their king, it's a whole new experience.
No matter what genre you write, though, there's a good deal of world-building that has to be done. Every community, big or small, has their own customs, lingo, values, etc. And those are details are based on everything from environment to history to current events. Cultures and communities are as unique as one individual is to the next.
Take the time to get to know your world before you begin to write your story.

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Whether she’s wielding a fantasy writer’s pen, a social media wand, or a freelance editor’s sword, Ralene Burke always has her head in some dreamer’s world. And her goal is to help everyone #SHINE Beyond their circumstances! Her novels, Bellanok and Armor of Aletheia, are available on Amazon. More fantasy novels coming soon!
When her head’s not in the publishing world, she is wife to a veteran and homeschooling mama to their three kids. Her Pinterest board would have you believe she is a master chef, excellent seamstress, and all-around crafty diva. If she only had the time . . . You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or at her website.

Telling God’s Stories

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

The Lord sent Nathan to David. “This is what the Lord says…” (2 Samuel 12:1, 7).
Nathan had learned early not to trust his own words, but to instead listen to the Lord and deliver the words He gave in their entirety (see 2 Samuel 7:1-17). 
In 2 Samuel 12, we have the privilege of peering into his obedience as the trusted prophet of the king follows the Lord’s command, approaching David with words that would change the course of history. God-words, the kind that are sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating even to dividing soul and spirit, judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Nathan was a storyteller, and the story he told came from the piercing mind of God. He offered it to King David and trusted the results to God.David was smitten with the beautiful Bathsheba, wife of one of his most valiant and honorable warriors, Uriah the Hittite. One evening he sent messengers to bring Uriah’s wife to him secretly and she became pregnant. Driven to obsession and blinded by lust, David rashly commanded Uriah be sent to the front lines where the fighting was fiercest in the war against the Ammonites. Uriah was killed, and David brought Bathsheba to his palace and made her his wife.
Now Nathan comes with a story. In the parable he tells one who has much takes from one who has little. Hearing this, King David is incensed and demands justice for the poor victim.
With laser-sharp focus, Nathan looks into David’s eyes and declares, “You are the man” (12:7).
David’s moment of repentance comes quickly and without ceremony. “I have sinned against the Lord” (12:13).
We are told in the same verse that the Lord took away David’s sin. But the consequences would be far-reaching. His repentance did not prevent him from suffering the effects of his sin. Because of it, the son Bathsheba bore would die, evil would come upon David from within his own family, and his wives would be publicly shamed. 
However, in God’s mercy, another son would be born to him and Bathsheba, and that son would build the temple of God.
History tells us Nathan the prophet remained close to David during the unfolding of these predicted events and that later Nathan’s son Zabud became a trusted advisor to King Solomon.
God used a storyteller to lead David to repentance. David was the ancestor of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. David, called “a man after God’s own heart,” did not live unto himself; he did not sin unto himself. His actions were imperative to the course of God’s story among humanity. 
The obedience of a storyteller turned the imperfect man away from his sin and back to God.
Nathan does not get much acclaim today. He doesn’t need to; the fruit of his obedience, his work for God, has borne itself out through the generations again and again. 
His obedience shone as the restored and forgiven King David held his newborn son Solomon, worshiping the God who blots out sin (2 Samuel 12:24-25). The fruit of Nathan’s service hung sweet on the branches of Psalm 51, where David poured out his song of repentance and praise, penning the famous words of verse 7, “…wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” Nathan’s private work burst forth in the public square as Israel bowed low to the ground, singing to the Lord in one accord, “He is good; his love endures forever,” on the day the temple was dedicated by King Solomon (2 Chronicles 7). 
The obedience of a storyteller culminated in a rugged stable in the little-known town of Bethlehem, at the birth of a baby who would rescue all humanity from its sin and shame.
We are storytellers, and where our stories originate make all the difference to the kingdom of God. There are no great storytellers in God’s house; rather, we are invited to be servants of the Greatest Storyteller, the One whose words are living and active, penetrating the hearts and minds of every person.
His are the stories we long to tell, and we need not know their outcome on this side of heaven. One day we will see the effect of our obedience on the kingdom of God as we kneel before the Word-Giver in worship and praise.
So stand tall today, storyteller. Rise, and go where the Lord is sending you. Tell His stories, and trust Him with the outcome.

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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.
Her upcoming book, Covered Glory: The Face of Honor and Shame in the Muslim World, is 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 for pre-order now at https://www.amazon.com/author/audreyc...
You can also find Audrey at www.audreyfrank.com, as well as on Twitter and Facebook

Getting The Message Out About Our Writing

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth

Whether it’s getting back from our conference or from a vacation, many of us have returned to our cozy hidey-holes in front of the computer/laptop/typewriter. If the conversations at Blue Ridge are any indicators, we tend to lean toward being introverts and are most comfortable with our characters, all apologies to our families and friends.It’s an impression that has come down through the ages to us writers. The wise sage, whether sitting on a mountain, in some tower at a university, or locked away in a monastery, writing wisdom for hours until he or she throws the masterpiece out their window to the anxiously waiting public. I see, for our Harry Potter fans, Dumbledore standing at the window either with an owl or with a folded airplane and releasing his latest story to the waiting masses.
The problem is how are the masses going to learn where to come if we stay in our safe hidey-holes? Look at your Twitter feed, your Facebook timeline, or the new books in Publishers Weekly. How many channels do you have on your TV or how many blogs pop up in your email box each day? I feel my heart rate going up already. With the deluge of information all around us, we have to make an extra effort to be heard.
Now, I don’t know about you, although I do love to write, I do hope to have someone else to read it. Preferably more than just me and my family.
Before we look at the hows on getting noticed, I think the more important question is the why. Why should someone take their time to read what I’ve written?
That question makes me want to run to my closet. Even if I consider myself average, that means fifty percent of people are smarter, more erudite, more creative, and just plain better than me. 
Maybe I shouldn’t bother opening my window since the masses have better places to be.
A good thing about our hidey-holes is that no matter how many locks we have on the doors or how out of the way we make them, we are never alone in them. Our Creator knows exactly where we are: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And He knows why He gave us the gift He crafted just for you, for me.
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Hope and a future. Isn’t that what our world is hunting for? What we are hunting for?
So, it’s you alone with God when you write. However, there needs to be one other person with you.
Your reader. For as much as you may enjoy your writing, if it doesn’t have a message for your reader, why should they bother? They are inundated with information and noise just as you are. What do you have to say that they need to hear? What does God have to say through you that they need to hear?
Whenever I sit down to do this blog, I hesitate. What do I have to say that you might possibly need to hear? After all the sermons that you’ve heard, the great books you’ve read, the teachers you’ve listened to, what can I add that isn’t just noise?
Four Messages the World Needs to Hear From Us:I can introduce you to my Friend, who isn’t new. He’s been here since creation.I can show, or tell, you His message, that He loves each of us, and that He has a plan and a future for you.I can tell you that He isn’t bound in the dusty pages of an ancient book, but that I know He is alive today in my life and others. And He wants to be in yours.Only I can tell my particular messages.
We have great messages that we can, we need, to share to a hungry world.
But I don’t think we can do it from our safe places. The world will say that is only your opinion. That it may work for you but you don’t know their situation. And if we never go outside into their world, why should they believe that what we say matters to  them?
God sent his Son. Now He sends us. Our, His, world is dirty, scary, and often it will break our hearts. The Bible says there is a cost to following Him.
The world is more likely to hear our message if they see our message. And it’s our purpose and commission to show it in our world. They can only see it as we live it out in public. And only you can fulfill the plan He has for you.
Only you.
Often, our most powerful stories aren’t the ones we write on paper.
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Tim Suddeth has been published in Guideposts’ The Joy of Christmas and on www.christiandevotions.us. He’s working on his third manuscript and looks forward to seeing his name on a cover. He is a member of ACFW and Cross n Pens. Tim’s lives in Greenville, SC with his wife, Vickie, and his happy 19-year-old autistic son, Madison. Visit Tim at www.TiminGreenville.com and on Facebook and Twitter. He can be also reached at timingreenville@gmail.com.

A Checklist for Your Blog BEFORE You Hit Publish

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

We all want every blog post we publish to be the best it can be. Beyond that, we want our posts to get found. For that to happen, we have to increase the reach of every blog post we write. 

It's hard to remember all the things that go into an effective post, so I've compiled a checklist for my own blogging and today I'm going to share it with you.15 Things to Do Before You Hit Publish1. Determine the main keyword phrase for your post. Do this by finding the focus of the post and For this post, the keyword phrase is Increase the Reach of Every Blog Post .
2. Compose a title for your blog that contains this keyword phrase. It will help get your blog found if that title is phrased like something that would be typed into a search engine.
3. Add labels/tags to your post. These should always include: keywords, the title of the blog post, the name of the author (even if you’re the only author who ever writes for your site), the title of your blog site, if it’s different than your name (the title of my blog site is The Write Conversation, so that’s one of my labels). Here's a blog post with the specifics of How to Label and Tag Your Blog Post . 
4. Make sure there is a byline at the top of the post. In WordPress, that can be set up to show automatically. In Blogger, you’ll need to treat that as part of your blog post. With that byline, include a link to your Twitter account for easy sharing on social media.
5. Read your post out loud. This will help catch any typos or awkward sentences you may have missed before.
6. Compose an open-ended question or call to action for the end of your post. This will help engage your audience. And Don’t forget to come back and answer the comments.
7. Look at word count.An ideal length for most posts is 700-800 words. There are exceptions and if your blog is an exception, notice what word-length works best for you.
8. Check for formatting.Look for clear and concise (and mainly short) sentences. Check to make sure your paragraphs no longer than 50 words. Search for extra spaces or extra blank lines. They are more apparent online than in print.
9. If the blog post is written by a guest, include a bio and headshot. This bio should include social media links—so readers can connect—as well as an book links.
10. Verify all hyperlinks are working. There is nothing more frustrating than to click on a dead link. Google actually penalizes sites by reduced SEO if they have dead links. So take time to double-check.
11. Make sure your images are captioned. Images aren’t easily searchable online, but images that are captioned are. This adds extra power to the SEO of your blog post.
12. Check the position of your images. Pictures and graphics should illustrate your post, not interrupt the flow of the text. Think of it like a magazine layout.
13. Add a Click to Tweet or Tweetdis for easy sharing. Tweetdis is a paid plugin for Wordpress and won’t work on Blogger, but it’s becoming my new favorite for my WordPress sites. Click to Tweet is free and here's the link to a screencast on How to Install Click to Tweet.
14. Preview your post. Take an extra minute and preview your post one last time. Especially if you've made changes, this help ensure they haven't caused other issues.
15. Schedule your post.I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but occasionally I forget to hit schedule and the post ends up as a draft and is late when I discover my mistake.
By consistently checking for each of the 15 things listed above, you’ll increase the reach of your individual posts and the overall reach of your blog. I’d love to know what you’d add to the list. Be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments section below.
(NOTE: if you want to print this list, there's a link at the end to allow that)
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESA Checklist for Your Blog Before You Hit Publish - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
15 Things to do before you hit publish on your blog - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Don't Miss Part Two, A Checklist for Your Blog AFTER You Hit Publish

If you find this list valuable, I've provided a PDF Download in the link below:
Link to Download and Print 15 Thing to Do Before You Hit Publish

A Checklist for Your Blog Before You Hit Publish

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

We all want every blog post we publish to be the best it can be. Beyond that, we want our posts to get found. For that to happen, we have to increase the reach of every blog post we write. 

It's hard to remember all the things that go into an effective post, so I've compiled a checklist for my own blogging and today I'm going to share it with you.15 Things to Do Before You Hit Publish1. Determine the main keyword phrase for your post. Do this by finding the focus of the post and For this post, the keyword phrase is Increase the Reach of Every Blog Post .
2. Compose a title for your blog that contains this keyword phrase. It will help get your blog found if that title is phrased like something that would be typed into a search engine.
3. Add labels/tags to your post. These should always include: keywords, the title of the blog post, the name of the author (even if you’re the only author who ever writes for your site), the title of your blog site, if it’s different than your name (the title of my blog site is The Write Conversation, so that’s one of my labels). Here's a blog post with the specifics of How to Label and Tag Your Blog Post . 
4. Make sure there is a byline at the top of the post. In WordPress, that can be set up to show automatically. In Blogger, you’ll need to treat that as part of your blog post. With that byline, include a link to your Twitter account for easy sharing on social media.
5. Read your post out loud. This will help catch any typos or awkward sentences you may have missed before.
6. Compose an open-ended question or call to action for the end of your post. This will help engage your audience. And Don’t forget to come back and answer the comments.
7. Look at word count.An ideal length for most posts is 700-800 words. There are exceptions and if your blog is an exception, notice what word-length works best for you.
8. Check for formatting.Look for clear and concise (and mainly short) sentences. Check to make sure your paragraphs no longer than 50 words. Search for extra spaces or extra blank lines. They are more apparent online than in print.
9. If the blog post is written by a guest, include a bio and headshot. This bio should include social media links—so readers can connect—as well as an book links.
10. Verify all hyperlinks are working. There is nothing more frustrating than to click on a dead link. Google actually penalizes sites by reduced SEO if they have dead links. So take time to double-check.
11. Make sure your images are captioned. Images aren’t easily searchable online, but images that are captioned are. This adds extra power to the SEO of your blog post.
12. Check the position of your images. Pictures and graphics should illustrate your post, not interrupt the flow of the text. Think of it like a magazine layout.
13. Add a Click to Tweet or Tweetdis for easy sharing. Tweetdis is a paid plugin for Wordpress and won’t work on Blogger, but it’s becoming my new favorite for my WordPress sites. Click to Tweet is free and here's the link to a screencast on How to Install Click to Tweet.
14. Preview your post. Take an extra minute and preview your post one last time. Especially if you've made changes, this help ensure they haven't caused other issues.
15. Schedule your post.I know this sounds like a no-brainer, but occasionally I forget to hit schedule and the post ends up as a draft and is late when I discover my mistake.
By consistently checking for each of the 15 things listed above, you’ll increase the reach of your individual posts and the overall reach of your blog. I’d love to know what you’d add to the list. Be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments section below.
(NOTE: if you want to print this list, there's a link at the end to allow that)
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESA Checklist for Your Blog Before You Hit Publish - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
15 Things to do before you hit publish on your blog - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

If you find this list valuable, I've provided a PDF Download in the link below:
Link to Download and Print 15 Thing to Do Before You Hit Publish

35 Pictures YOU Can Take for Your Blog or Social Media

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
I’ve shared several posts about where to find images for your blog. But one thing I haven’t covered is a list of images you could take with your own camera. I’m always on the lookout for images that I could use to illustrate a post. In my mind, I have a list of things I always need.
Today I’m going to write that list out and share it with you.
Before I start though, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to be professional photographer to take your own pictures. You can use a fancy camera, a point and shoot, or even your cell phone. Personally, I use my Nikon point and shoot and my iPhone 6 to take a lot of the images you see on my site.Things to look for that will build your library of blog images:1. A Wall. It can be a brick, stone or any kind of wall. But when we’re talking about obstacles in a blog post, this can be a great visual.
A Gate.2. A Gate. I have pictures of open gates and closed gates. Again, good images if you’re talking about traveling.
3. A Path. I have dozens of path pictures. I have paths in the woods, paved paths, paths that divide, paths that go downhill and paths that go uphill.
4. A Tunnel. This is great if you’re talking about the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s also a good way to illustrate going through tough times.
5. An Obstacle. I have pictures of a trail with a tree blocking the path. I also have pics of detour signs, roadblocks, etc.
6. Traffic Signs. Again, detour signs, Road Closed, Yield, Winding Road, etc.
Rain.7. Rain. I love pictures of rainy pavement, raindrops, even puddles. These can evoke emotions and illustrate lots of things, like saving for a rainy day.
8. Mirrors. For some reason, it’s really hard to find stock images of mirrors. I’ve solved that by taking my own. I just stand off to one side and click away.
9. The Horizon. I love taking horizon pictures. These are really good for illustrating posts about the future.
A Cross. And I took this picture at
the Florida Christian Writers Conference
in 2015.10. The Cross. If I see a cool cross, I usually try to snap a picture of it. And I try to find unusual angles, instead of just straight on.
11. Animal Pictures. I look for the opportunity to snap pictures of my dog and cat illustrating emotions. The one here is of my dog Jake napping. I can use this one to illustrate lazy, relaxing, etc.
12. Light Bulb. Anytime you write about finding an idea or having an idea, a light bulb is a great illustration. It can also be used anytime you refer to illumination.
13. Clouds with Sun Rays. These are great to illustrate faith and God.
14. Ripples in Water. These images are great when we write about the effect of something.
15. The Bible. Again, great for messages of faith. I take pictures of the book close, specific passages, and pages that have notes on them.
Words in the Dictionary.16. Words in the Dictionary. Some times it’s hard to find just the right picture. Instead, look the word up in the dictionary and snap a picture. You can manipulate the picture in www.PicMonkey.comand have a great blog illustration.
17. Computer Keyboard/Keys. Again, good for illustrating posts about writing. You can also take images that focus on a certain key, like Delete, Shift, a Question Mark, etc.
This is my typewriter with a blank sheet of paper in it.
I added Write in Faith using PicMonkey.18. Typewriter/Typewriter Keys. This is great for us when we write about writing. You can even put a piece of blank paper in the typewriter and use a site like PicMonkey to add words to the paper.
19. Luggage. This is great when we’re talking about taking more than we can handle, carrying baggage, etc.
20. Exit/Do Not Enter Signs. These are great to illustrate posts that warn about something.
21. Doors. I take pics of open doors, partially open doors, closed doors, even locked doors.
Funny Signs/Objects.22. Funny Signs/Objects. This is one I just took this week while we were on vacation at Universal Studios. I also have one from another amusement park that is a suspended net full of bricks. It has a sign on it that says, “A ton of bricks.”
23. Chain/Lock/Key. I use chain links when I’m talking about links (as in computer links). And locks and keys are always great images.
24. Fog. This is another great image to have in your library. It evokes a lot of emotion and can illustrate uncertainty.
25. Tools. Pictures of tools can be great illustrations. I have quite a few—from a simple hammer and nails—to tools on a workbench.
26. Winding Road. Another great image to illustrate a journey.
A Pen/Paper/Journal.27. A Pen/Paper/Journal. This is another image that I use a lot more than I thought I would. It's easy to set up and take yourself.
28. A Clock. Any time you're writing about time, a clock is a good way to illustrate that.
29. A Foundation. This is another image that's really useful and hard to find. So if you're near a construction site and can snap a quick pic, do it.
30. Spring/Summer/Winter/Fall. We reference the seasons a lot when we write, so having images available to illustrate that is a big help.
31. Stairs/Staircase. A great way to illustrate change.
32. A Bridge. Like several others I've mentioned, a picture of a bridge is a great way to illustrate a variety of posts.
33. A Reflection. This isn't necessarily in a mirror, it can be in a window, in water, anywhere. 
34. A Window. Another staple for bloggers, no matter what the focus of your site.
35. Fire/Candle/Fireplace. All excellent for illustrating subjects like ignite, warmth, etc.
Two important tips when you’re taking & using these images: 
First: Always include your contact info on any image you took yourself. I use PicMonkey on the computer or WordSwag on my phone to add the following somewhere on the picture:Edie Melson Photography
This does a couple of things. It reminds people that someone owns the image and it's not just free to use without permission. It also is free advertising because it directs people back to my site, if the image shows up on social media anywhere. (NOTE: you can see my watermark in the first image on this blog)
Second: Think of composing the picture so there is room to add words to the image to make a meme. (Review: A meme is an image with words on it. The first image for this post is a meme.) Try to keep your background simple. Below are two images, one with room for words, one without room.

NOTE: Here are 2 posts on how to add text to images: 
1. Add Text to Images Using Picmonkey
2. Add Text to Images Using iPiccy
The background in this image isn't busy and there is plenty of room to add text.
This background is busy, and there isn't a blank space to fit the words in easily.These are just some of the basic images I try to keep in a file of pics for my blog posts. There is literally no end to the list. But this should get you started and help you begin to look at the world around you from a new perspective.

I’d love to know what you’d add to the list. Be sure to leave your comments in the section below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLES35 Pictures YOU Can Take for Your Blog or #SocialMedia - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Build Your Library of Blog Images with Pictures You TakeYourself - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

13 Things We Must Remember About Being a Writer

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Choosing to stand up and be identified as a writer can be a scary thing. The road is rarely a straight path to publication. These are some things that I hope will help you stay the course as you continue on your own writing journey

13 Truths About Being a Writer1. It’s an eternal struggle between you and the blank page. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get a whole lot easier. The doubts still crowd your mind, and fear still whispers in your ear no matter how long you’re in this business.
2. Talent without persistence is worthless. So much of what we need to know to be successful, no matter what our goals, can be learned.
3. You’re stronger than you think. If I had known when I started, the hard work and emotional toll getting to this point would take. I would have quite because I would never have dreamed I could do it.
4. You can’t plot a course always expecting to be the exception to the rule. Things generally happen in a certain way, over a certain time-frame. As believers we know that God can step in at any time and turn things upside down. But expecting that to always happen just isn’t reasonable. We need to do the work and celebrate when the exceptions do occur.
5. Quitting is the only path to failure. I’ve found writing success, but a lot of it has come simply because I refused to give up.
6. God is the One who directs my path—and yours. I can (and will continue) to make plans—but I stay flexible. I would never have even dreamed of the opportunities God has given me.
7. There’s a big difference between goals and dreams. They both have their place in the writer’s life, but a goal is something who’s outcome I can influence. A dream is something I wish would happen. It’s the difference between having the goal of getting a book published or having a best seller. I can achieve the first by hard work, but the second is ultimately up to God.
8. Detours aren’t the same thing as roadblocks. My path to publication has zigged and zagged so many times it looks like the path Mother Goose’s Crooked Old Man left behind. But more frequently than not, those detours ended up getting me further ahead, faster.
9. Change is the industry standard in publishing. It’s not possible to base your path on what has gone before. Technology is moving too fast. We either embrace the challenge or we fall by the wayside.
10. Generosity will always get you farther than selfishness. I have never once regretted putting someone else before me. I’d even go so far as to say that I’ve build my career (or at least my platform) by promoting others.
11. Your reputation is worth solid gold, but it’s not something I can buy. I can only achieve it and keep it by guarding it. I always try to communicate honestly and above all, keep my word.
12. The joy is in the journey. The people I’ve met, the things I’ve gotten to experience have been the high points, not the achievements.
13. Publication isn’t the sole definition of writing success. Touching someone’s life through the words I pen, whether it’s on a blog or a book or an article, is way more important than a book contract.
These are just a few of the things I wish I’d known when I started. I think my expectations would have been more realistic and the heartbreak a little less frequent. Although it could be that someone did, and I just wasn’t paying attention. 

What about you? 

Has writing taught you anything important about yourself and/or about life? Share your thoughts below.

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

TWEETABLES
13 Things We Must Remember About Being a Writer - via @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Detours aren’t the same thing as roadblocks—in the #writing journey—or in life @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)