Edie Melson's Blog, page 242

Don't let Fear Paralyze Your Writing

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

I have a confession. It’s not the kind that involves a lie or something terrible, instead, it’s something frightening and it’s affecting my ability to write.
You might ask, what is so terrible that a writer can’t write? What’s so frightening that she can’t manage to enter her office? Actually, it’s pretty simple and if you’ll bear with me, I’ll walk you through. 
A few weeks ago, I received some devastating news that sent me and my writing career into a tailspin. I was stunned. Shocked. A little angry. But mostly, I was terrified. 
God has blessed me in my writing career and grant you, He hasn’t just handed it to me on a platter. I’ve worked very hard over the years learning the craft, making my way through the ranks, receiving rejection after rejection. Yet, I’ve never given up. Never once quit (though I can’t lie and say the thought never crossed my mind. It has, if even so briefly in a moment of frustration.) My prayer has remained firm.
Lord, will you allow me to be a writer? I just want to be a writer. I’ll work hard. I’ll keep plodding along. I’ll give back. Will you just let me be a writer?
God has answered my prayer. Not only has He answered, but He has gifted me with the tools and a few rewards of success and I am grateful. But now, I sit on the cusp of a major decision in my career and I honestly have no idea what to do or where to turn. My peers would say, “What’s the problem? You have everything you need to move ahead despite this hiccup.” And I do. Instead, I find myself facing a crisis of faith. A crisis of career. Just sitting down to type a word on my nearly finished manuscript makes me a little woozy. I truly find myself wanting to throw up.
As I work to prepare for upcoming conferences, the things I teach tumble in my stomach. I’m reminded of a time I struggled to write a manuscript that was polished enough to show to an agent. And when I did show it to agents, it was. . .you guessed it. Rejected. Still, I kept up that prayer and I kept up the work – striving to learn more, write on a deeper, more engaging level, remaining true to the genre that had not yet been considered a “real genre”. 
I remember the late Ron Benrey, an amazing author and teacher, reading my work and saying, “You got something here. But it’s not time. Publishing is not ready for this. Stay true to what you write, and the market will eventually come to see.” He was right. It took eight years for the market to be open to the hard life of the Appalachians during the 1800s. It took the right agent making the right connections to the right publisher, who echoed Ron. “She has something here. Something we’re not sure publishing is ready for, but we’re willing to stick our toe in the water.” So, they did and, in that moment, God told a story through me that changed those who have read it.
You ask again? “What’s got you so scared?” My only answer is – the journey of the story. Not just the how’s and whys of the story, not the plot, but personal journey this story is taking me.
When that first novel hit the page, there were days I literally crawled to the keyboard. God had placed such a burden on my heart. He had impressed such an empathy on me, that I literally felt as though I was living the life of the character. And when the story was done, I felt a 1000-pound weight lift.
“God,” I prayed. “Why was this so hard?” 
His reply, “Because you needed to feel it, to understand the depth of redemption I hold in My hands.”
The second novel flew onto the page. Its impact was good. The story speaking to those who needed to find the type of forgiveness the story insisted they find.
Now, here I sit. 15,000 words from completion of the fourth novel and I can’t type another word on the story. It’s not writer’s block. It’s not a bad plot. It’s not even the hits I’ve taken personally as my career takes a new direction. It’s the fear the story brings into my heart and the message of truth God is shoving me to write. My feet feel like lead. I have a hard time taking a deep breath. I’m frozen as God holds me in suspension, working the empathy I must learn, to spell out the need He wants to me convey.
My guess is, you are wondering why or if there is any method to this madness of this post? There is.  I want you to take a minute and remember the moments you have been frozen in your faith. Those times God presses hard.
I want you to mull over the times you have, as a writer, said, “God, I want to be a writer.” I want you to remember the subject matter and the method you have used to place the words intricately on the page. How you emotionally connected to the story you were crafting. Remember how it tore at your soul, moved in your heart, and haunted your dreams because these were not only the ways God used for you to craft good words, but it was His way of changing you.
I’ve heard it said, “Fear is from Satan.” There was a time I believed that. Not now. My eyes have shifted to a different level in my relationship with Christ. I am seeing the fear of faithfulness. Taking the step to write the things I’m not sure our hardnosed Christianites will want. God is pushing me to write outside the box. He’s forcing me to understand the fear the world outside of Him feels. And it’s frightening. He’s asking, “Are you ready for the journey?” I’m shaking in my boots trying to lay aside what I think Christian readers want to read and open up to those who may not know Christ. He’s forcing me to get dirty and teaching me He’s in control. He’s saying, “Don’t be afraid. You wanted to be a writer – now write.”
After weeks of staring at my office door and never cracking it open, I walked into the world of the last 15,000 words, preparing to write through the fear. It’s not a testament to my faith, for God knows better than anyone, I’ve been a Jonah. It’s the call He’s given me, and it’s stepping through the fear to write what He demands. 
Our ship is put into motion when we untie the rope from the dock. We think we’re prepared, but maybe we aren’t as prepared as we thought. Instead we trust the One who tilts the compass toward the direction He’d have us sail. Even if it’s rough waters.
Your writing career is more than writing a story. We are Christian writers and because of that,  God demands more of us . The weight is heavy. Will you grow afraid and then follow the navigator into an ocean where you cannot see the shore ahead? Trusting gets us to the shore so the question remains – will you write what He asks or will you try to grab the compass from His fingers? God shapes the world through our words and He shapes us as we write

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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

How To Craft An Introduction for Your Speaking Engagement, Part 1

by Yvonne Ortega @YvonneOrtega1

“I can’t speak for you this weekend, ma’am. I don’t have anything to say, and no one wants to hear me anyway.”
“Yvonne, you do have something to say, and we do want to hear you. I’ll see you tomorrow—on stage.” And she hung up.That conversation occurred years ago. I was scheduled to speak for a women’s event. The night before out of fear, I called the event planner to get out of it, but she wouldn’t let me.  
I felt sick to my stomach. The next day, as I stepped on stage, I felt like a prisoner walking the plank on a pirate’s ship. I spoke, and it was a disaster. That group never asked me to speak for them again.
When you need to speak, how do you react? Do your knees shake? Do your hands get clammy? Does your stomach feel uneasy? You may wonder how you’ll start. I understand.
Fast forward to today, I no longer fear speaking to an audience. I enjoy it and look forward to it. My heart doesn’t race anymore on stage. I don’t pace back and forth, and I can eat.
How did I move from “Fearful Frances” to “Confident Connie”? Speaker training and the investment of several thousand dollars paid off.  I learned how to craft a presentation from the introduction to the conclusion. I also learned delivery techniques. 
However, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on speaker training. You can learn from my mistakes, which I often mention in my monthly speaking tips for writers. You can attend conferences that have a speaking track, read books on speaking, and invest in individual and group speaker coaching online and in person from me or another certified speaking coach. You may decide that practice will help you, but if you practice wrong, it won’t. Think of speaker training as an investment and how much you will gain from it. 
Let’s start with the introduction. In this article, you will receive three steps you can use to craft your introduction and speak with power, passion, and polish. 
First, to draw your audience in, “Begin with a Bang.” In writing, you begin with a hook, a literary device to grab the attention of the readers. In speaking, I call it, “Begin with a Bang.” If you look at how I started, you’ll notice I jumped into the middle of my disastrous first event with dialogue. Then I gave you the back story. 
Next, I involved you, the audience, as I asked how you might feel in a similar situation.
How did I grab your attention? I recognized the importance of the first seven seconds and began with a bang. The audience will decide whether they like you in the first seven seconds. You also establish credibility as a speaker in the first seven seconds. And in the first thirty seconds, the audience will decide if they want to hear more. 
To begin your speech with a bang, you avoid “unpleasant pleasantries.” Here is an example of an unpleasant pleasantry: “It’s my pleasure to be here, even though the weather is very cold, and the wind is blowing.” That audience entered the building from outside, and they don’t need a weather report. 
Here is another example of an unpleasant pleasantry: “I want to thank Rita, Rhonda, and Renee for inviting me to speak here.” There’s nothing wrong with gratitude for the people who invited you to speak, but don’t open your speech that way.
Unpleasant pleasantries are weak openings. Many speakers open their presentation that way, but it’s not effective. Sadly, the audience expects you to start that way. You capture their attention when you open in a different way. 
Don’t open with a joke. Your audience probably already heard the joke. Some may think that if you used someone else’s joke, you probably also used someone else’s presentation. 
To wrap up Part I of How to Craft Your Introduction for a Speaking Engagement:Begin with a bang.Avoid “unpleasant pleasantries.”Don’t open with a joke.  
Follow these three tips to craft your introduction with power, passion, and polish. 

TWEETABLES
How to Craft an Introduction for Your Speaking Engagement - @YvonneOrtega1 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

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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. 

Writing from the Desert

by Audrey Frank @AudreyCFrank

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water (Psalm 63:1, When David was in the Desert of Judah).
Bump, roll…thump! Bump, roll…thump!
(Giggle)Riding on a camel through the Sahara Desert, I gripped the rein tightly with one hand and my four-year-old son with the other. He had immediately named our camel Sand Bob and was thrilled with our bumpy ride. Sand Bob was a perfect name for our wooly, slobbering friend because we were surrounded by sand as far as we could see in every direction. On our way to a Berber village, we would celebrate Christmas in tents made of brightly colored, thick, woolen rugs. Our caravan of camels created a silhouette of cutout paper dolls on the golden dunes as we loped slowly along.
The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world and one of the harshest environments on Earth. It covers a third of the African continent, spanning a stunning 3.6 million square miles. We were journeying over a minuscule portion of that monstrosity and we were well supplied with water and food, but its sheer size and presence still loomed powerful and intimidating. I never failed to feel a sense of awe, fear, and excitement when we took our desert treks. 
The desert taught me life lessons I will never forget.
I Can Sing in the Darkness
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings (verses 6-7).
The songs of our friends, worshipping by the light of small, handmade kerosene lamps, rose around us as peace filled the vast darkness.  Bundled in heavy wool sweaters and hats, my husband and I grabbed a blanket and quietly slipped away with our boys to the top of a sand dune, shining silver in the moonlight. Myriad stars twinkled in the night sky, making the darkness look temporary, as if it were being torn and stretched by some tremendous, overpowering light of heaven on the other side, as if it would soon disintegrate and surrender completely to the bright light behind it. 
The light is greater than the darkness, I thought to myself.
Settling on the blanket with our boys in our arms, we told them our news: They were going to have a baby sister. 
His voice a sacred hush, our nine-year-old asked soberly, “Will she wake up first in heaven or with us?”
Much like our long journey through the desert earlier that day, the past few years had seemed endless, surrounded by desert. Cancer had put me at high risk for miscarriage and we had lost a baby the year before. I was two years post-recovery and was expecting another child.
Like the Psalmist, I had spent many nights on my bed thinking of the Lord, reminding my soul that He was my help, singing in the shadow of his wings as the desert of illness and loss loomed long and seemingly interminable before me. Tonight, sitting at the pinnacle of this real Desert, we chose to sing again and trust the One who made the sand.
My Soul Will Be Satisfied
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you (verse 5).
The desert does not have to determine my soul’s satisfaction. Though my portion of the journey may seem unending and frightening, My God sees me. He is the God who saw Hagar in the desert and gave her hope and a future. He is the God who made all 3.6 million square miles of this desert through which I slowly trod and He can deliver me from the very small space I occupy in its vastness.
The God of the desert knows the deepest fantasies and desires of my heart, the “richest of foods” for which I long in my most desperate moments. When I turn my soul’s thirst upon Him, when I force my body’s longing upon Him, my God will satisfy my soul.
The Desert Can Be a Place of Rejoicing
But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God’s name will praise him (verse 11).
The desert will not always become an oasis. Sometimes it becomes a place of fellowship and provision. The place that moments before appeared barren and desolate transforms before our very eyes to a place of rejoicing.
As we made our way back down the dune, I took in the scene below me. Our boys were squealing and sliding down the dune as if it were covered in thick snow, not sand. The tents sat nestled together in a dip in the valley as warm lamplight illuminated the smiling faces of friends sharing hot cups of sweet mint tea. Sand Bob sat curled up to the other camels in our caravan, completely at peace to wait for morning. And somewhere in the darkness, someone continued to sing in the night.
God provides in the desert. There is so much to write about from this unlikely place. But it is a place we have all sojourned and a place where we find songs in the night.
Lord, be my help in the desert. Give me songs in the night, and let your words flow from me for others. Amen.
TWEETABLEWriting from the desert - @AudreyCFrank on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
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

What Would You Do If Writing Let You Onto The Big Stage

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth


I’ve just finished Tim LaHaye’s Jesus. It’s a look back through history at why the world is still fascinated by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. In the last chapter, he writes that while following Christ is a choice with eternal consequences, often the journey will be unpopular here on earth.
It got me thinking. (Don’t you hate that.)I imagined myself standing before a crowd accepting an award for one of my books. (Don’t laugh. It could happen. I didn’t say it was a large crowd.)
I was giving my speech to THE LARGE CROWD *wink*, explaining to them how we need to use the platform God has given us as a way to spread Christ’s message—His hope, His life, His love—to our readers.
As I was giving that awe-inspiring, imaginary speech, I thought, ‘Would that hurt my book sales?’
Screeeech! Crunch.
So, which one is my top goal?
In other words, which one is my god?
Now, don’t misunderstand me, I want both. Tim Lahaye’s Left Behindseries, C. S. Lewis’s Narnia series, Ben-Hur, and a multitude of others have shown that you can have both a popular book and one with a message. His message.
But, which would I give up or compromise first?
Writing is hard work. It’s easy to think that my writing is dull. I can’t get the attention of anyone in publishing. Everything takes sooo loooong.
Maybe God could use a little bit of help. I mean, do we know if He reads Publisher’s Weekly?
The children’s song, This Little Light of Mine, popped into my mind. (A lot was going on up there, okay?) I’ll give you a moment to hum the chorus.
The song represents your Christian walk as the light a candle gives off. One little candle. The chorus goes that you wouldn’t hide the light under a bushel, but that you would hold it up for the world to see.
But in our world, there’s a cost to holding up your light, to sharing how God is active in your life. Everyone sees you. You become a target. Not everyone wants the Light to shine into his or her world and to expose them.
Sometimes it seems easier just to go with the flow.
Do you remember why you began writing? Whether it’s articles, devotionals, nonfiction, fiction, what motivated you to put forth the time and energy it requires? Have you strayed away from why you started? (Sometimes my happy dreams pack a punch.)
###
I’ve been feeling guilty with a few of my posts on here lately. When I beggedasked Edie if I could write posts for her on this blog, I told her I would do book reviews. I know way too little to presume to tell you how to improve or think about your writing.
But, in a way, this has been a book review. One waaay better than getting five stars. Because Tim Lahaye’s Jesus made me think. (Neat ambiguity, don’t you think?)
And isn’t that what we writers want? To leave our readers with something to chew on. Educated in nonfiction, entertained in fiction, but still with a thought that lingers even after the reader has closed the link or book.
As Christians, God has made a difference in each of our lives. That Spirit, that Power, that is in our lives is what this hurt, mislead, screaming world is so desperate to see and hear from us. It’s what God wants us to show His world. No matter the cost.
One candle gives off only a little light. But with God, who knows what He has in store for those who hold their candles high on top of a platform. 

TWEETABLE
What Would You Do If Writing Let You Onto The Big Stage - insight on @TimSuddeth on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

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.

Becoming a Middle of the Pack Writer

Edie here. I'm so thrilled to introduce you to my friend, Starr Ayers. Not only is she an excellent writer, she has a wonderful blog and is an amazing photographer. I know you're going to love her, so give her a warm TWC welcome!


Becoming a Middle of the Pack Writer
by Starr Ayers @StarrAyers2 

My memories of grade school are sketchy, but I do recall a first-grade writing assignment.  Our teacher passed out ruled sheets of handwriting paper and told us to print our names on the first line. How hard could it be, right? With a pencil as thick as my thumb and my tongue thrust between my teeth at just the right angle, I scrawled my name with broad, deliberate strokes on the top line of my paper. As my teacher ambled through the rows of students, she gave nods of approval―until she came to me. With a scowl, she eyed my name written on the first line of the top margin, instead of within the first two lines, and with a gruff reprimand gave my blonde bangs a quick yank. No wonder it’s taken me over two-thirds of my life to realize I’m a writer. If not for that early trauma, I’m convinced I’d be a New York Times bestselling author by now.Although I’ve written in a journal the majority of my adult life, I’d never thought of myself as a writer. I simply did what came naturally. I have drawers of journals spanning several decades that shelter great portions of my life. Thumbing through their pages, I warmly recall long-forgotten events and am reminded of the importance of writing things down.
My journals are places to record significant events, tape special cards and photos, sort through my thoughts, and process my feelings. Above all, they’re places to pour out the fountain of my heart to God and record his words to me. The ability to look back and remember his faithfulness encourages me as I take on new challenges and remind myself that what God did before, he can do again.
In 2011, a dear friend invited me to a writer’s conference in the mountains north of Phoenix. There, surrounded by a small group of women who shared a passion for God and writing, I uncovered my gift and love of words. To discover this incredible skill and hear God’s call in the winter of my life was exhilarating, yet bittersweet. The more I learned about writing, the more I realized there was so much more to know. I wondered if I’d have enough years to perfect my craft. My redemption was—it’s never too late to experience the joys of writing and to leave a positive impact. Even, if I only write for an audience of one, the benefits of my time alone with God are worth it.
Writing is therapeutic and invigorating. It brings healing to my body, mind, and spirit. Just as I need physical exercise to stay in shape, writing jumpstarts and gives my brain a workout. It refines my thoughts, flushes the slush, and permits those things worth keeping to rise to the surface.
The greatest temptation and hindrance to my growth as a writer is to fall into the comparison trap. Reading the brilliant works of others should serve as a path of inspiration and learning. But there are times when my inner critic shrieks, “You’ll never be good enough,” then ushers me down the boulevard of discouragement to leave my voice of reason sprawled in the ditch of despair. The urge to choose an alternate route and bypass the gift within me seems a plausible solution, until I remember anything worth doing takes effort, and the rewards are always great.
Keeping a steady pace in the midst of my struggle and remembering to be grateful for the privilege of writing are keys to releasing a spirit of joy. Regardless of the route I take, I’ll always be where I need to be―in the middle of the pack. When I look ahead, I see throngs of people on the trail before me. I work hard to catch up. As I look behind me, I see those who need words of encouragement. I drop back to offer them. And as I look from side to side, I realize I’m not alone and reach out. Others walk beside me, ready to give me a hand up whenever I stumble. I'll take it. Perhaps, somewhere in the mix walking hand-in-hand will lend support for them too.  
Writing may be a solitary journey, but it’s not a solo sport. We don’t need to walk alone. As for me, I’m learning to like being in the middle of the pack. Perhaps, you will too. We’re in great company here.

TWEETABLES
Becoming a Middle of the Pack Writer - @StarrAyers2 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

"Writing may be a solitary journey, but it's not a solo sport." Wisdom from @StarrAyers2 on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Starr Ayers is a third-generation artist, award-winning writer, avid iPhone photographer, Bible study leader, and speaker.
She began her writing journey in 2011 and cut her teeth on learning the craft through writing devotions. She’s a contributor to two published anthologies: Hopelifter: Creative Ways to Spread Hope When Life Hurts, and Reasons to Smile, Celebrating People Living with Down Syndrome, and writes a devotional page for Thrive,a monthly magazine distributed throughout central North Carolina.
Starr is a member of a Word Weavers online critique group and attends several Christian writers conferences each year where her devotions and unpublished novel have garnered numerous awards. She is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency. 
She lives with her husband in North Carolina, and they have two adult daughters and a son-in-love. 
You can connect with Starr via her website at www.starrayers.org,Twitter:  https://mobile.twitter.com/starrayers2, or Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/starr.ayers.9

Waiting for the Right Time to Write

by Lynn Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn


March of 2019 marks ten years since I began writing. I sat at a computer in our bonus room and the story in my head found its way onto a page. That book remains in a drawer, but that night was the beginning of all that has come since.I started thinking about what I had learned in the last ten years, and as often happens to me, the insights came in waves. 
The first wave that hit me was, “Holy Cow! March is a great month for my writing life!” :) And it is. I started writing in March, entered the contest that led to my first book in March, signed my first contract with Revell in March (are you sensing a pattern) and then signed yet another contract with Revell . . . in March. 
But then the second wave hit. While all of the above statements are 100% true, there’s more to this story. The March I started writing was such a painful season in my life that I hope I never experience anything like it again. The March I entered the contest? Utter chaos reigned! Thanks to a burst pipe, our kitchen was gutted and our home was a construction zone for three months. I was so stressed out that I made lists of my lists and then would stare at them in horror because there was no way I would ever get everything done. It was nota good time. Definitely not the right time to enter a contest.
I can see now that those March days and nights when I was hurting and harried, those were times when God was growing something in me. Something I couldn’t see or even imagine. Just like when we plant seeds in the spring and they spend time in the soil, in the dark, alone, only to burst forth at a later time, blooming and beautiful, God was doing something new and amazing. But in the moment, I didn’t realize it. It’s only now, a decade later, that I can see His hand in it. 
And then the third wave hit. 
And it’s the one I can’t get out of my head now. Because there are a lot of writers out there who are waiting on the right time to write. The right time to submit. The right time to pursue publication. They are waiting for things to settle down or level out or ease up. 
Guess what?
There is no right time and if you keep waiting for it, you’ll wait a lifetime. 
I can’t remember why I entered that writing contest when everything in my world was topsy-turvy. I just did. It wasn’t a great time, but it was a great contest and I took a chance. And I’m not alone in this. Many writer friends write despite unbelievable personal trials. These are the things that don’t make it into tweets and Instagram stories. You probably won’t see this on their author pages, but there are books on bookstore shelves right now that have been written by men and women living with mind-numbing pain, suffering from autoimmune diseases and debilitating migraines, going through chemo and radiation, taking care of spouses, parents, or children with overwhelming needs, working multiple jobs to make ends meet, mourning the recent loss of loved ones, and even fleeing abusive relationships. 
And guess what? They’re still writing. Still submitting. 
Now, are there ever times when life throws you a curveball so twisty that you need to step away from everything including writing? Absolutely. Is it possible that God will ask you to set your writing aside for a time to focus on something else He has for you? Absolutely.
But for most writers, do you know what’s even more likely? That God is ready for you to finally get on with it already! Finish that book. Query that agent. Enter that contest. Go to that conference. 
Quit waiting for things to get better so you can pursue your writing dream and actually pursue your writing dream! 
Then check back in with me in ten years and we’ll chat about what God has done! 
Grace and peace,




TWEETABLES
Waiting for the Right Time to Write - insight from author @LynnHBlackburn on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

"Quit waiting for things to get better so you can pursue your #writing dream and actually pursue your writing dream!" @LynnHBlackburn on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)


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.

Tips for Tagging Dialogue

by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Dialogue tags can be one of the most useful tools in your toolbox, or they can be completely wasted words, depending on how you use them. Putting just a little thought behind which tags you use can make all the difference in the world. A dialogue tag – also called an attribution – is a small phrase, which usually tells the reader WHO is speaking. But it can tell us so much more.We’ve all seen dialogue tags that make us say “huh?” but my very favorite is one a friend shared with me. Here’s the sentence: “Don’t get your dander up,” Alice said, slangily. 
Slangily? Really? What exactly does that mean?
So not only did this writer (I won’t mention which 1960s series of a young female detective it’s in) use a word that most people wouldn’t know, if it even exists, she also threw away a perfect opportunity to add a description or an action or even set the tone for the scene. In so many words, she wasted it.
Margie Lawson (www.margielawson.com) says that, “Dialogue cues inform the reader howdialogue is delivered. They are NOT dialogue.” (My emphasis.)
So how do we make dialogue tags count? Instead of a throwaway words, search for phrases that can enhance the story. Use strong words to accentuate what a character said. 
A few very specific tips:1. Don’t use adverbs, i.e. –ly words. Example: “I don’t want to,” she said, haughtily. (Or loudly. Or softly. Or gloatingly. Or angrily. Or joyfully. Or any other of them!) 
2. Don’t use clichés. Example: “I don’t want to,” she purred. (Or hissed. Or sneezed. Or laughed. Or queried.) Unless you can actually say something while you’re purring or hissing or sneezing or laughing, your character can’t either. And, by the way, hissing involved the letter ‘s’. There MUST be an ‘s’ in the sentence to allow someone to hiss.
3. Do use dialogue tags to set a scene or add description.Example: In her calmest pre-saloon-brawl voice, she said, “I don’t want any trouble.” Jessa Slade, Forged of Shadows“Guess we’ll have to remedy that.” I matched my inflection to her sing-song dialect that wandered up and down the scale like the mountain switchbacks. CJ Lyons, Rock Bottom
4. Do use dialogue tags to add emotion.Example: “But Uncle Bob,” I said, whining like a child who had just been told she couldn’t have a pony for her birthday. Or a Porsche. Darynda Jones, First Grave on the Right“Why are you making like a guidance counselor?” I could hear the venom in my voice but couldn’t seem to control it. Rosemary Clement-Moore, The Splendor Falls“Blood?” She heard her voice come out crooked and harsh. “What did they do with blood?” Sarah Hamer, The Curse of Jezebel’s Jewels
5. Do use dialogue tags to add action.Example: “I’ll teach ya a thing or two about stealing from the Saloon passengers, me boyo.” The man loomed over her, sticking a billy club back into his belt before he grabbed her shoulder and gave her a shake. Sarah Hamer, The Curse of Jezebel’s Jewels“What do you need from me?” Sam’s voice had gone blurry. He caught the phone under his jaw, writing. Tana French, The Likeness (paraphrased slightly)
Do you see the difference? How much more information about your character can you shove into a simple “said”? It’s amazing how much!
I’d love to see some examples of your dialogue tags. I bet you can do even better!
TWEETABLESTips for Tagging Dialogue - @SarahSallyHamer on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Use dialogue tags to move the story along - @SarahSally Hamer 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

After the Conference—How to Navigate a Writing Conference, Part 2

by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells


Wonder of wonders, miracles of miracles, you attended a writers conference and met with an editor about your project. 
At the end of your 15-minute meeting, the editor handed you his or her business card.“Send me the proposal. I’d like to take a look at that.”Now what? Follow through. If an editor tells you to send in your project, do it! These industry professionals are busy people and only offer to look at a project if they truly have an interest. Editors report that only a small percentage of writers actually email their manuscript to the editor who requested it.Make changes. If an editor recommended that you make changes or restructure the order of your chapters, do it! Industry professionals only offer suggestions if they see potential in the writer and the writing. Following your meeting, do the rewrites right away while the suggestions are fresh in your memory.In the subject line of your email, type the words ‘requested material.’ In the body of the email remind the editor that you met at the writers conference. Editors get lots and lots of emails and attend lots and lots of conferences so make their job easier by helping the editor remember where the two of you crossed paths. Include a note in your email that says, ‘Thank you for your suggestions to improve my writing. I followed your advice and appreciate your time to reconsider the new and improved version.”Send a BCC (blind carbon copy) to your own email for your records.Get to work on your next project while you wait for the acquisitions editor to get back to you. Industry standard is to allow three months for a response.At the three-month mark, if you have not heard anything regarding your submission, forward your initial email including the attached proposal to the editor with a note that says, “I’m checking to see if you’ve had an opportunity to look at this requested project.”Editors do their best to keep up with demands on their time but occasionally challenges ranging from job changes to restructuring to merges interrupt our carefully planned calendars. Once, a year later, I received an envelope (back in the day when we mailed proposals) with a note from the editor, “Cleaning off my desk I found your proposal. It’s been so long I’m sure you found another publishing home.” If I haven’t heard back after two check-in, that’s an Indiana No, and time to move on.
Typically, you will hear back from the editor after sending your requested project. Hopefully you receive a contract to work together. And when the editor likes that project, talk about how you can help market this first collaboration, and other ideas that might make your editor’s eyes light up. 
And keep attending writers conferences. The networking is important for your work, and staying up on industry trends is vital to your career. 
TWEETABLESAfter the Conference—How to Navigate a Writing Conference, Part 2 - @PeggySueWells on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Tips for navigating a #writing conference from author @PeggySueWells on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Don't Miss the Rest of the Posts in This Series:
How to Navigate a Writing Conference, part 1
After the Conference: How to Navigate a Writing Conference, part 2

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. 

It's Time to Quit Social Media

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Yep you read that right. And even thought it IS April Fool's Day, I'm only half kidding.
The Queen of social media is telling you it's time to QUIT social media. 

NOT permanently (thought you were going to get out of it, didn’t you!), but I'm suggesting you take a break periodically, and re-examine your plan.
I used to keep up with social every single day, whether I was home or traveling. But I’ve learned that I can’t sustain a reasonable social media schedule seven days a week, indefinitely. So I’ve given myself permission to have weekends off and to relax when I’m traveling.
1. STOP. Give yourself permission to quit social media completely for forty-eight hours. Don’t announce it on Facebook, Twitter or even your blog. Just STOP.
2. Rediscover what you enjoy about social media. AFTER the forty-eight hours of rest, spend a day or two just browsing. Take time to really read a couple of blog posts, visit with friends on Facebook, or hang out on Twitter.
3. Determine what you need to accomplish with social media. Then make a plan so you can accomplish it in no more than thirty minutes a day, no more than five days a week.
4. Restart your social media. Do it by sharing what you’ve learned. You can update about quitting social media, new blogs you’ve discovered, even new connections you’ve made.
I recommend a minimum of four Facebook posts per working day and four Twitter updates. This is something anyone can accomplish during a quick thirty minute window.
Quick Tip: If you schedule your social media for the day in the morning, get a jump on the next morning by scheduling some of the next day’s updates in the late afternoon. A lot of blogs go live in the afternoon, so you’ll have a chance to que up some fresh material before you stop work for the day.
Now it’s your turn, what do you do when social media overwhelms you?
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie

TWEETABLE
It's to to Quit #SocialMedia - tips from @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Why I decided to quit #socialmedia & you should too! @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Learning Obedience

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
He who is faithful in very little is faithful also in much... Luke 16:10
When I was young all I wanted to be was a writer. As a matter of fact, I actually wrote my first novel in eighth grade…long hand, with a purple ink pen. But through the years, my dream of writing drifted farther and farther from the realm of reasonable possibilities, until I finally I gave up.
I finished my first Bible study and the printer ink was barely dry before I had the manuscript in an envelope and on the way to publisher. I could see my future so clearly and I was on fire, with plans to do great things in His kingdom. All He had to do was open this one door.
Not only did He not open that door, it seemed every other door had slammed shut and locked. It quickly became obvious that going and doing weren’t part of the call He’d placed on my life. Instead, the doors at home began to swing wide, as He invited me to share my story with those closest to me.
As I swallowed my pride and became obedient to act where He’d placed me, the fruit began to grow. Years later, going and doing has become part of my call, but first I’d had to learn obedience and the difference between His will and mine.
TWEETABLELearning obedience as a writer is part of the call -  @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)