Edie Melson's Blog, page 400

Life Lessons for Writers—Live Like Joni

by Bruce Brady @BruceDBrady

Recently I found myself encouraged in an unexpected way when my wife and I drove to the Billy Graham Library to meet and listen to an amazing woman. Her name is Joni (pronounced Johnny) Eareckson Tada.
If you’ve not heard of her, she’s an author of over 50 books, a blogger, and an excellent artist whose paintings and drawings are in high demand. But that’s not all, Joni is a public speaker, and an international advocate for disabled people. She’s served on the National Council on Disability and the Disability Advisory Committee to the U.S. State Department. She’s the founder of “Joni and Friends,” an organization that encourages physically handicapped people all over the world, and supplies them with free wheelchairs.
She’s also recorded a song for a that was nominated for an Academy Award. This recording tested her physical limitations. While singing, her husband had to press on her diaphragm so she could hit and hold the high notes.
But these aren’t the reasons I’m so impressed by her. What amazes me is that she has done all this for forty-seven years as a quadriplegic with fifty percent of normal adult lung capacity.  We all hear about people like this, but it really hits home when you meet one of them in person. There’s no smoke and mirrors.
Seeing really is believing.
With Joni, you learn she’s genuine. There’s no façade. In fact, we were told by the library personnel that she wanted to start and finish early because she wasn’t feeling well. But when she came out and saw the hundreds of people waiting to hear her, she came to life and, I’m sure, spent much more time with us than planned.
By her life, Joni takes away all my excuses. When she damaged her spine at seventeen, she could just as easily have given up. And she’ll tell you there were times when she wanted to. But relying on her faith, she followed the path that God laid out for her and has touched millions of lives.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve moaned and groaned about my perceived inability to accomplish some writing task because there wasn’t enough time or it was too difficult—and I have full use of all my extremities.
While I too rely on my faith, I will also look to Joni whenever I’m having a pity party.
Who do you look to as an example to give you the strength or motivation to press on?
Don't forget to join the conversation!
TWEETABLESLooking at the triumphs of others can motivate us when the #writing life gets tough - via @BruceDBrady on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Life Lessons for Writers - who do you look to as an example of strength & motivation - via @BruceDBrady (Click to Tweet)
Bruce Brady is an author, writer and playwright. His work has appeared in Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family, www.ChristianDevotions.us, and on stage. Currently, Bruce is working on a Young Adult Novel about a boy who must deal with the death of his dad, being bullied, and helping his mom through her grief. His first five pages took third place in the ACFW South Carolina Chapter’s “First Five Pages” contest.
When he’s not writing, Bruce spends time learning from and helping other writers. He serves as Mentor of Word Weavers International’s Online Chapter, and as a member of Cross ‘N’ Pens, The Writer’s Plot, ACFW’s National and South Carolina Chapters.
“My dream is to entertain my readers and give them hope as they travel the rocky road of life.”

Connect with Bruce on his blog, The Write Voyage, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Blogging Success—Slow and Steady Really Does Get You Where You Want to Go

by @EdieMelson

For the past five years I’ve been sharing tips and tidbits from the writing life here on The Write Conversation blog. One of the things I keep coming back to is the fact that small consistent steps make a big difference.
Today I want to toot my own horn a little, as well as share some small things you can do consistently to duplicate the success I’ve had with building an online platform.
Timeline for SuccessDecember 11, 2009: Here’s the very first post, MasteringYour Dream .  I haven’t gone back and edited or formatted it—it doesn’t even have an image to go with it. It was seen by 27 people and got 5 comments, really not bad for a first post.My goal was to blog once a week, reality was a little different. I posted twice that December and twice in January of 2011. Then, because I’d gotten so consistent at this blogging thing, I started a second weekly post in February of 2011. That was when my Thursday Review column began. That idea actually began to shape the focus of my blog. I didn’t do (and still don’t) general book reviews, but instead review things related to writing.I added my third weekly column on March 27 with my Weekend Worship devotion on Sundays. The first one was Beneath the Cross .  As you can tell, I still hadn’t clued in to the fact that images make the post better.In October of 2011, I hit my first month of more than 10,000 unique hits. I stayed with three posts a week until December 11, 2011. Then I was asked to become part of the Clash of the Titles group of bloggers. That year (2011) I ended up with approx. 80,000 unique hits. 2011 was also when I began using social media (Twitter and Facebook) consistently.In 2012, I sort of leveled out. I had good numbers—approx. 20,000 hits per month—but couldn’t break past that. I ended up with approx. 296,000 hits that year. I stayed consistent with my blogging schedule and with social mediaIn 2013, I broke into the 30,000 hits a month category and began to see my consistency with blogging and social media begin to bear significant fruit. August of 2013 was also when I started blogging seven days a week.A couple of months ago, I did a rather major change. I opened up The Write Conversation to other hand-picked contributors. This means I’m no longer one hundred percent responsible for posting seven days a week. I share the burden with other writers who, truth be told, know a whole lot more about this industry than I do.And just this past week, I hit 15,000+ Twitter followers and 1,000,000 unique hits on my blog. That’s why I decided to do a little sprucing up with a new header and design.
But all this personal bragging really isn’t to lift me up. It’s to encourage you with the thought that if I can do this—ANYONE can.
Tips to Achieve Your Own Successful Timeline 1. Come up with a blogging schedule and stick with it. If something happens and you miss a day here and there, don’t stress. Go right back to the schedule and keep moving forward.
2. Don’t be afraid to play around with the focus for your site. I’ve let you—my audience—help me refine my focus.
3. Don’t count the plateaus as failure. I truly believe those months where I didn’t see active growth were a time of strengthening. It’s almost like my blog had to develop muscle to get to the next level.
4. Use social media to enhance your online reach. I tried to stay as consistent as possible with social media—always promoting others instead of me. I know this helped my audience gain confidence in the fact that I’m not in this for myself.
5. Don’t be afraid to quit something that doesn’t work. I mentioned that I was a part of Clash of the Titles. Well, I wasn’t a successful part. My blogging audience wasn’t interested in that column. I gave it time to be sure (about 8 months) then quit when I saw it was the weak link in my weekly schedule. I rarely got more than a few dozen visitors on the days that column aired.
6. Remember that the numbers aren’t really numbers, they’re people. Through all this time I’ve tried to stay focused on the people I’m reaching. It’s hard at times, but always remind yourself of this when you get discouraged.
7. Always keep refining. I’m always looking for ways to make my blog better. Trust me, we’ve never arrived. No matter where we are, there’s always room for improvement.
This is my story and these are the tips I’ve used to get where I am. Now I’d love to learn from you. What things do you do to continue growing your blog?
Don’t forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie
TWEETABLESBlogging Success – a peek at my blog’s timeline & tips to duplicate it – via @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

A look at the growth of a successful blog & tips to duplicate it for yourself – via @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Brainstorming for Writers—Use Social Media to Get Unstuck

by Lynette Eason @LynetteEason
So…what do you think about brainstorming? Do you do it? Do you enjoy it? Or are you afraid someone will steal your story idea? Or do you simply prefer working alone?
I have to say I’m a mixture. LOL. I love to work alone most of the time, but there are brief moments when I come out of my writing “cave” and love to brainstorm. The problem is I’m much better at brainstorming someone else’s story than I am my own. LOL. I don’t usually get “Writers block”, but sometimes when I’m first fleshing out a story, I love to get a bunch of ideas and thoughts to wade through.
“A couple of you asked about characters and how I get my ideas. This particular post is about allowing you, the readers, to help me write my next book. Now, I'm not going to give away any spoilers or anything like that, but thought I would ask for your input. I've given a short synopsis of the main character and have asked a few questions at the end of the post I'd love for you to answer if you feel so inclined and have the time. Depending on the response, I may do a part 2. Thanks to you all! I'll be checking in at the blog to see your responses.”
Here were some responses:
“Olivia is independent because her dad left her
mom when she was in high school. Her mother
 had to get a job and stretch finances to make ends meet. Her only brother joined the army and is stationed overseas. Her mom died the year that she graduated from college. So lots of changes in her life, too fast. Olivia doesn’t want to be close to anyone so she doesn’t get hurt again.”
“I’m thinking that maybe she was an FBI Agent, perhaps maybe in the prologue there could be a scene where Olivia is in the middle of a firefight and either a victim or a fellow agent somehow ends up in the crossfire are killed, and it’s later determined that the bullets came from Olivia’s gun and even though OPR clears her and deems the shooting accidental, she quits the FBI because she just can’t get past it. And maybe she sees being a bodyguard-willing to take a bullet for someone-as penance for and a way to emotionally deal with her past. I’m also thinking that she might have a few siblings and she might be the youngest and if so she’s probably pretty spunky. Oh, and if she has older siblings that have kids perhaps her niece or nephew had been kidnapped or something and that was who got caught in the crossfire!”
Me again here:The yellow highlighted part is mine. That one sentence gave me a whole lot of backstory for my character. It sparked ideas and scenes and conflict. Yes, all that from just one little sentence. You may ask why I posted TWO of the brainstorming responses. Great question. I posted that because I wanted to show you that sometimes you might get a lot of GREAT ideas, but you might only use a snippet of it. And from that little snippet, you can develop characters and start to plot your story. That’s a huge thing for me and I love it when it happens!
How about you? Do you have someone you brainstorm with? A group you can send something out to and yell, “Help!”?

If not, I highly recommend it, but that’s just me. What are your thoughts on brainstorming? Positives? Negatives?
Don't forget to join the conversation!
TWEETABLESUse #SocialMedia as a brainstorming tool to get unstuck - @LynetteEason shares how on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet) 
Brainstorming can help you get unstuck - @LynetteEason shares how on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Lynette Eason is the best selling, award winning author of the Women of Justice Series and the Deadly Reunions series. Since 2007, she has written/contracted thirty-six books. Currently, she writes for Revell and Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense line. Her books have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists. She has won several awards including the 2013 Carol Award for WHEN A HEART STOPS. Lynette teaches at writing conferences all over the country. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). Lynette can be found online at www.lynetteeason.com and www.facebook.com/lynette.eason and @lynetteeason on Twitter.

Conquering Six Enemies of Deep Point of View

Jessica (@AuthorKeller) here: Today my friend and critique partner Amanda is here to share some tips on writing in Deep POV. Amanda's debut novel Seek and Hide released YESTERDAY **tosses confetti** and let me just tell you, this book is amazing friends. Amazing.


Conquering Six Enemies of Deep Point of Viewby @AmandaGStevens So you know the rules of point of view (POV), the difference between first and third person. You understand what writers refer to as “deep POV.” You’ve decided you want to write that way, offering your reader an immersive experience in the thoughts and senses of your character. But when looking at your scenes, how do you know you’re writing deep? And if you’re not, how do you start?This post will compare examples to show how to conquer some “enemies” of deep POV. Please note that, like every writing principle, there are exceptions to each of these. Also note these enemies can infiltrate both first and third person. Switching your POV to first is not going to fix a thing if you let the enemies lie. (It is, in fact, even more jarring to the reader. It’s acceptable to write third person from a removed POV; not so with first.) All right, so how to conquer them?
1) Eliminate sense verbs; instead, describe the sense itself. This is the difference between He saw a flower growing through the gaps in the fence and A flower grew through the gaps in the fence. In the first, the reader is seeing the character see something. In the second, the reader is seeing what the character sees. For the same reason, deep POV characters should never remark on their own blushing cheeks or white smile (unless they’re standing in front of a mirror). This principle can be applied to all of the senses, almost all the time. He heard an alarm blaring from the hallway vs. An alarm blared from the hallway. Tell us the coffee tasted too sweet, not that she tasted the coffee. 2) Eliminate “thinking” verbs; instead, put us in the thought. This pitfall is most common with memories, e.g. She thought about the times they used to ride the carousel vs. They used to ride the carousel, or She remembered the old red van they drove vs. They drove an old red van. A more subtle version of this is the use of sure when it isn’t needed. He was sure she could handle herself vs. She could handle herself. (Note: for this last one, “he” is the POV, not “she.”) You don’t need to tack she thought onto the end of a deep POV sentence. Just make the statement from inside the character’s head. The reader knows who’s thinking. 3) Rewrite any scenes in which there are no character thoughts at all. This is not deep POV: She gasped and ran. She looked over her shoulder, nearly tripped, but kept running. When she stopped to catch her breath and look around, she couldn’t see any pursuers. In these sentences, the reader is merely a camera. How much character thought/reaction is needed in a scene? That varies a lot (could probably be its own post!), and of course, it can be overdone. Just make sure the reader is experiencing things from inside your character, not outside. 4) Eliminate emotion naming; instead, make the reader feel the emotion. This can usually be achieved by asking why. A few examples: The man terrified her vs. If she crossed him, he would hunt down everyone she loved. She worried often about her father vs. Her father might turn on the stove and forget about it thirty seconds later. She was determined not to cry vs. If she cried, he would mock her for a year. In the rewrites, terror, worry, and determination are shown not told, but the reader understands and has more to feel.  5) Rewrite any perceptions that are yours, not the character’s. We’ve all watched TV shows in which the characters say things they never would, in order to inform the audience. In deep POV, watch for this in the character’s thoughts, too, not just the dialogue. This is especially true of backstory. If backstory is going to come out through introspection (rather than action or dialogue, which by the way are almost always better), it should only be revealed when the character would naturally be thinking about it. Also in deep POV, your character naming must be consistent. The character shouldn’t think about Jack in one scene, Bauer in another scene, and CTU Agent Jack Bauer in a third scene. If she thinks of him as Jack, then she always thinks of him as Jack.  Another example for this principle is a recent experience of my own. The main character of my book Seek and Hide does not appreciate music, and I made this clear to the reader. At one point, he attends a piano concert. My editor pointed out a (lovely, I thought) paragraph in which the emotional effect of music is described in appreciating terms, and asked why Marcus was suddenly affected by music this way. The answer is simple, of course: Marcus’s authoris affected by music. That paragraph had to be rewritten to reflect Marcus’s perspective, not mine. 6) Eliminate head hopping. All of it. All the time. I hope these tips are helpful to you all. The best way to edit for deep POV, I have found, is to imagine your scenes through the eyes and body of your character. Don’t watch him; be him. Sooner or later, the POV enemies will become more obvious, and then you’ll find you can’t help seeing (and fixing!) them.  Jess here: Need help writing in Deep POV? Have questions?—Amanda’s here to offer advice (and let me tell you, she’s amazing at this). What are some tricks you use to keep your writing POV deep? TWEETABLES Conquering Six Enemies of Deep Point of View with @AmandaGStevens #publishing #amwriting #writertip (Click to Tweet) Debut author @AmandaGStevens shares easy tricks to writing in Deep POV #amwriting #publishing #writertip (Click to Tweet) Seek and Hide  Six years ago, the government took control of the church. Only re-translated Bibles are legal, and a specialized agency called the Constabulary enforces this and other regulations. Marcus Brenner, a new Christian, will do anything to protect his church family from imprisonment--including risk his own freedom to gain the trust of a government agent.  Aubrey Weston recanted her faith when the Constabulary threatened her baby. Now released, she just wants to provide for her son and avoid government notice. But she's targeted again, and this time, her baby is taken into custody. If only she'd never denied Him, maybe God would hear her pleas for help.  When Aubrey and Marcus's lives collide, they are forced to confront the lies they believe about themselves. And God is about to grab hold of Marcus's life in a way he'd never expect, turning a loner into a leader.   As a child, Amanda G. Stevens disparaged Mary Poppins and Stuart Little because they could never happen. Now, she writes speculative fiction. Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in English, she has taught literature and composition to home-school students. She lives in Michigan and loves books, film, music, and white cheddar popcorn. Connect with Amanda by signing up for the newsletter located on her website, follow her on Twitter, or like her Facebook author page.   

10 Novelist-Tested Ways to Defeat Writers Block from Acclaimed Author Warren Adler

Warren Adler is best known for The War of the Roses , his masterpiece fictionalization of a macabre divorce turned into the Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated dark comedy hit starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito. In addition to the success of the stage adaptation of his iconic novel on the perils of divorce, Adler has optioned and sold film rights to more than a dozen of his novels and short stories to Hollywood and major television networks. In recent development are the Broadway Production of The War of the Roses, to be produced by Jay and Cindy Gutterman, The War of the Roses – The Children (Permut Presentations), a feature film adaptation of the sequel to Adler’s iconic divorce story, and Capitol Crimes (Sennett Entertainment), a television series based on his Fiona Fitzgerald mystery series.Adler's forthcoming thriller Treadmill, is slated to be released in September. Learn more about Warren Adler at www.Warrenadler.com, and connect with him through Facebook and Twitter.
* * * 

10 Novelist-Tested Ways to Defeat 
Writer’s Block 

1. Reread your favorite novels, the ones that once inspired you to be a writer.
One of my favorite books is the Red and the Black by Stendhal, not surprisingly, it makes an appearance in my new novel Treadmill.

2. Rewatch your favorite movies, the ones that made you hope your work would follow suit.
No one can deny that electric feeling of inspiration that sparks up after watching a great movie.


4. See a stage play or musical revival that you once enjoyed on film or on live stage. 
My all-time favorite musical and film is My Fair Lady.

5. Don’t frustrate yourself by starting something new until your imagination reveals a new idea for a story.
Never force an artistic endeavor. When the muse comes to visit you, you’ll know it right away.6. Exercise frequently, avoid alcohol or drugs, and avoid any negativity—It leads to depression and locks creativity.
I am a great believer in the benefits of Pilates and do it twice weekly.

7. Read newspapers. Many great novels have come out of newspaper stories.
My third novel, The Henderson Equation, was inspired by the Washington Post’s relentless pursuit of President Richard Nixon, which became the political scandal of the century known today as Watergate. It made the careers of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, and brought lifetime laurels to the publisher of The Washington Post, Katherine Graham, editor at the time, Ben Bradlee, and a host of writers, who have since analyzed, parsed, recounted and fictionalized the episode ad infinitum in hundreds of books and media, including the Academy Award winning film, All the President’s Men.

8. Keep your antenna circling, looking for story ideas.
It is always difficult to describe to people how a story idea enters a novelist’s consciousness. By the time I began to write The War of the Roses I had already published nine novels and my antenna must have been circulating feverishly searching for a new idea until it finally came to me. 9. Listen carefully to conversations. Don’t shut off contacts with friends and acquaintances.
I am always writing a story in my head and I never pass up the chance to listen in on a good conversation (even bad ones). The idea for The War of the Roses came to me at a dinner party in Washington in 1979. One of our female friends was dating a lawyer, who was her guest at the party. At some point, he looked at his watch and announced that he had to get home or his wife would lock him out of the house. When asked why, he said he was in the process of getting a divorce and was living under the same roof and sharing facilities and that part of the agreement was a strict set of rules on coming and goings and the division of living quarters.

The dilemma expressed by this dinner guest might be called the “eureka” moment. The story quickly formed in my mind and, with the exception of a brief conversation with a Judge who was an expert in domestic law, I did no other legal research on the subject of divorce. Oddly, many people have become convinced, including said dinner guest, that somehow I had burrowed into the legal files of their various divorce actions. I cannot tell you how many times, over the years, people have accused me of “stealing their divorces.” I tried countering this accusation by explaining that a novel’s story grows out of a novelist’s imagination and the amalgamation of his or her observations and experiences, but to little avail.

10. Above all, don’t whine to them about your problem.


Be sure to share your tips in the comments section below!
TWEETABLES10 Novelist-tested ways to defeat #writersblock from acclaimed author @WarrenAdler on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
If you're stuck with #writersblock acclaimed author @WarrenAdler has tips to help on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
Don't miss Warren Adler's newest release, TREADMILL.
Jack Cooper is an unhappy man, mind, body, and spirit. In the span of months he lost his longstanding job to the economy, his mother to illness, and his wife to her secret lover. Beaten, broken, and crippled by the tragedies of life, he withdraws from aspirations and passion, narrowing his life down to the simplest of routines in order to block out the pain and prevent any in the future: wake up, go to the Bethesda Health Club—his personal oasis where his mind and body can be free—come back home, escape from reality with his books, go to bed. Nothing more, nothing less.That is, until he meets the enigmatic Mike Parrish. Stolen from the hospital as a newborn and passed around from household to household, Parrish has no official identification—to the government and the world at large, he does not exist. He is a drifter, and the first person that Cooper has more than a superficial conversation with. Cooper finds solace in Parrish, a man who understands Cooper’s plight and is sympathetic to his pain.And then Parrish disappears off the face of the Earth, leaving Cooper to search for a virtually invisible man. As Cooper chases leads as fleeting as shadows and looks for clues as intangible as ghosts, his search leads him back to the one place that he called his refuge: the Bethesda Health Club. 

Weekend Worship—The Wind of Truth

by Sarah Van Diest

We've all been both leader and follower.I’ve been a leader and a follower, or maybe the way I’m currently thinking about it, I’ve been an active participant and a responder. And as I think on the idea of being either of those two, I recognize that I place a value judgment on them. I don’t mean to, but I do.
In my mind, I value the times more highly where I have been the active participant. When I have been a teacher, a missionary, a leader of women…whatever. And I feel shame for the times I have just been a responder: a mother, a wife and friend. And I’m not saying that I have shame in being a mother, wife and friend, but I’m saying that the part of those roles where I am a responder has been tainted for me. I feel less than when I think of those things, like I’m not doing enough and not being enough.
But I know that’s bad thinking.
Sometimes truth gets swirled with lies.Somewhere in that place where truth gets swirled around with lies I embraced the notion that doing is better than being. I’ve seen the accomplishments of others and belittled my own existence. The restlessness produced by this false belief brings me to despair. I am not enough because I do not do enough is the mantra that plays in my soul. How bitter those words taste and how rough they are to swallow. But I eat them daily. I am an addict convinced that partaking enough of this ill medicine will somehow make me more than I am. How disappointing.
I know the truth. At least, that’s what I claim. And I understand (another claim) that taking hold of these maleficent thoughts and throwing them at the feet of my Savior is my duty and my privilege. This is an action, a thing I do that “fixes” me. I do not mean to belittle the power of Christ to defeat lies with truth, by no means and heaven forbid, but I know my tone is mocking. But it is me I mock, not the healing of my Jesus. It is that voice in me that still says, “you are not enough.”
So I stop. Refusing to do just because it is expected of me. I stop. I wait. I listen. That swirling wind blows truth and lies around me, in me, and through me. The force of their furied, frenzied pace unhinges the armor I encrust myself in. The armor built of self created, image promoting protection. The armor that binds me in and imprisons me in falsehoods. I pray. I ask my Father to separate from me all that is lie, half-truth and deceptive perspective of reality. I ask to see myself with His eyes.
Calm invades when we remember who we are in Christ.The wind disperses and the calm invades. My heart remembers the embrace of His loving arms around my worthy soul. Worthy soul. That is the true description of me. Me. Just as a created one. Not because of what I have done do I claim that honor, but because of Him. It was His precious desire that I be made…so He made me. Oh, how lovely His eyes on me are. His gaze on me is full and pure and holy. His thoughts toward me are good. I am worthy because He has made me so. There is no alteration in His view of me. I am worthy.
And now there are things designed before my life began, things set before me to do, that are waiting for me. I walk forward toward those with the confidence that my value is not dependent on how well I perform those tasks. I will do my best to teach, to mother, to lead, to love and to respond all in the knowledge of the truth of who I am because of who made me. My steps will not be perfect, but that is not the proclamation and pronouncement of who I am.
I will likely return to the dark vision of myself, because I have done so before, but I am not hopeless. The time I spend in that darkness grows less each time. The lights return more quickly as my heart remembers the truth. But even if the blackness should enshroud me for a life time, I am still worthy. Unchanged by the forces of this world, I am His beloved child. Worthy. Always worthy.
It is the deception of a fallen reality that causes us to believe we are less than if we follow rather than lead. I think that’s why Jesus walked this earth washing the feet of others. He wanted to prove to us that it is not what we do that makes us who we are. The King is King no matter what task He performs. Nothing can affect who He is. And the same is true for us.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8


Sarah has worked in Christian publishing since 2005 as both and editor and an agent. 
Currently, she works with her husband, David, in their agency, the Van Diest Literary Agency. Writing is a growing passion for her as she hopes to bring hope to hurting hearts.

Following Your Dreams Means Getting Your Feet Wet

Life is hard, chasing our dreams is hard. 

Making what we dream a reality takes more than wishing. We have to get our feet wet and venture into unknown waters—swimming in faith. 

What are you doing to get your feet wet?



Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

I also invite you to use this image any way you like online. Post it to your blog, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, anywhere you'd like. All I ask is that you keep it intact, with my website watermark visible.
Don't forget to join the conversation!Blessings,Edie

and the winner is...
The winner for the drawing for Ane Mulligan's book is Marjorie Hill!
Marjorie, please contact me (ediegmelson (at) gmail (dot) com) and we'll get your book to you.

On Being a Perfectionist Writer

by Henry McLaughlin @riverbendsagas 

It's rough being a perfectionist in an imperfect world.It’s rough being a perfectionist in an imperfect world. It’s a wonder we can make it through the day.

In a perfectionist’s world, every driver would operate their car exactly the way I want them to. (Ooops, ended a sentence with a preposition. Oh my!)
I cringe when a critique partner finds a sentence splice. Or spots a sentence dangling its participle for the entire world to see.
I missed a comma or put one where it doesn’t belong? Whatever made me think I could write?
My hero has blue eyes on page 3 and green eyes on page 150. It’s a historical novel so I can’t use the contact lens excuse.
Do you freeze at the thought of submitting your
writing for critique?When I first started writing, I froze at the thought of submitting my work to a critique group. The Apprentice course at Christian Writers Guild had me more jittery than a gallon of coffee. And I was paying for them to criticize me!
And we all know the deadly side effect of perfectionism—procrastination. At times, this means I won’t start because conditions are not ideal.
Or I won’t start chapter two because chapter one isn’t perfect. But I don’t touch chapter one because I can’t put my finger on what’s wrong with it.
Or I won’t submit my manuscript until it’s perfect. Well, it’s never perfect enough. So it dies the slow death of constant tinkering.
Wisdom is knowing that perfect just isn't possible.I know of writers—writers with talent—who left critique groups because of criticism. They took the criticism to mean their writing wasn’t perfect. Therefore, they weren’t perfect.
Now, through taking risks, I know perfection is unattainable in this world. Especially in my writing. And that is okay. Perfection comes when I get to heaven.
Although, I still think other drivers should operate the way I want them to.
Do you struggle with perfectionism? How do you overcome it?

Don't forget to join the conversation!

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Author Henry McLaughlin, @riverbendsagas shares tips for perfectionists #writers on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Struggling with writing perfectionism? Henry McLaughlin, @riverbendsagas has tips to help on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Henry’s debut novel, Journey to Riverbend, won the 2009 Operation First Novel contest. He serves as Associate Director of North Texas Christian Writers. Henry edits novels, leads critique groups, and teaches at conferences and workshops. He enjoys mentoring and coaching individual writers. Connect with Henry on his blog, Twitter and Facebook.

Remembering 9/11

#neverforget
Today we honor the sacrifices made on 9/11 and the ongoing sacrifices made because of 9/11.
Most of you know that our oldest son served four years in the Marine Corps, with two tours in Iraq. Because of that, I’m passionate about supporting our military and their families.
Today I’ve decided to pre-empt my regular blog post schedule and take a moment to remember the attack on September 11, 2001.
I believe that remembering 9/11 is important, not just to honor the sacrifices on that day, but also to honor the ongoing sacrifices because of that day. 
Most of us remember where we were that day. My morning had started off a little calmer than usual. It wasn’t my week to drive in our neighborhood carpool, so I’d rushed the two youngest out the door to grade school first. Then the car horn sounded for our oldest son and, after a quick hug, he was off to middle school....
Read the rest of my post, A Marine Mom Remembers 9/11  on While They Serve. I'd love to hear your stories of where you were when you found out what happened and how it affected you.
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TWEETABLEHonoring the sacrifices made on 9/11 & those still being made BECAUSE of 9/11 - @EdieMelson #neverforget (Click to Tweet)

The Magic Paragraph for Writers

by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan
Today I'm excited to have another guest on The Write Conversation. Ane Mulligan is one of my favorite new authors to watch, as well as a dear friend and president of Novel Rocket. Be sure to leave a comment below welcoming her here.
The Magic ParagraphThe Magic Paragraph was the brainchild of the late great Ron Benrey. I sat in a class Ron taught at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference a number of years ago. That was, for me a benchmark in my writing career. I’ve been given permission to carry on teaching it by his widow, Janet Benrey. For more of Ron’s witty delivery of writer advice, do yourself a huge favor and buy his book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to WritingChristian Fiction .

So, what is the Magic Paragraph? It goes like this:Signal whose head to enter.Twang an appropriate sense or start a thought process.Show appropriate action or reaction (what the character experienced).Start the character thinking.
Repeat as often as needed.
Here's an example from my debut novel:
Claire hung her tote on the stairs newel post. From the looks of the set table and the appetizing aroma permeating the house, the girls had been home for some time. She wondered what they'd fixed. It didn't really matter, of course. Twin-cooked anything was her favorite. They definitely inherited Joel's culinary talents.
1. In this paragraph, Claireis whose head we’re entering. She’s the POV character in this scene.
2. The next sentence twanged two senses, sight “from the looks of the set table” and smell “and the aroma permeating the house” and it started her thought process, wondering what they cooked.
3. Next is something Claire has experienced: “Twin-cooked anything was her favorite.”
4. She starts thinking how they have inherited their daddy’s culinary talents.
Here’s one more. See if you can pick out the Parts from the Magic Paragraph:
Patsy gave the fluffy duvet a final tug then aligned her and Nathan's pillows. The bed appeared department-store-perfect—nothing out of place. Beneath the top cover, the sheets hadn't been changed, but from the outside, all looked ideal. Hiding imperfections seemed to be the story of her life.
If you’re having problems keeping the reader turning pages, try this technique. Definitely start each scene with a Magic Paragraph, and then repeat as necessary.
Don't forget to give the magic paragraph a try, leave your answers (along with any questions)  in the comments section below!  
Don't forget to join the conversation!
TWEETABLESKeep the reader turning pages by using the Magic Paragraph - via @AneMulligan on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
A foolproof way to start each scene in your manuscript - via @AneMulligan on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
While a large, floppy straw hat is her favorite, Ane has worn many different ones: hairdresser, legislative affairs director (that's a fancy name for a lobbyist), drama director, playwright, humor columnist, and novelist. Her lifetime experience provides a plethora of fodder for her Southern-fried fiction (try saying that three times fast). She firmly believes coffee and chocolate are two of the four major food groups. President of the award-winning literary site, Novel Rocket, Ane resides in Suwanee, GA, with her artist husband, her chef son, and two dogs of Biblical proportion. You can find Ane on her Southern-fried Fiction website, Google+, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, and Pinterest.
Chapel Springs Revival With a friend like Claire, you need a gurney, a mop, and a guardian angel.
Everybody in the small town of Chapel Springs, Georgia, knows best friends Claire and Patsy. It's impossible not to, what with Claire's zany antics and Patsy's self-appointed mission to keep her friend out of trouble. And trouble abounds. Chapel Springs has grown dilapidated and the tourist trade has slackened. With their livelihoods threatened, they join forces to revitalize the town. No one could have guessed the real issue needing restoration is their marriages.
With their personal lives in as much disarray as the town, Claire and Patsy embark on a mission of mishaps and miscommunication, determined to restore warmth to Chapel Springs —and their lives. That is if they can convince their husbands and the town council, led by two curmudgeons who would prefer to see Chapel Springs left in the fifties and closed to traffic.