Edie Melson's Blog, page 433

Writing Prompt Image—Open Doors

A few weeks ago, Mary Denman and I had the opportunity to travel by plane together to a conference. Both coming and going, our flights left before dawn so we were able to capture some amazing photos. This one in particular, a river seen from 40,000 feet, resonated with me.

What are you doing to walk through the open doors in your journey? "Life is a Journey. Time is a River. The door is ajar." - Jim Butcher, Dead BeatShare your answers 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

Life Lessons—It's Not Over Unless You Say it Is!

by Reba J Hoffman, Ph.D


As you read this, I’m pedaling my way south from Northern Florida on the Road to Freedom Bicycle Tour to help women who have been the victims of violent assault.
Those of you who have followed the journey will remember I tore a ligament in my knee six weeks ago. I thought the Tour—at least the bicycle portion of it—was coming to an end.
I shipped my bike to Florida and after attending the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Conference in Indianapolis, I flew to the Sunshine State, albeit kicking and screaming all the way.
During those weeks of healing, the urge to help these women only increased. I knew I could not stop Road to Freedom. I spent two weeks on a farm in Kentucky and stared out the window over the open fields at night praying that God would show me His will.
I knew my work wasn’t completed and I began exploring other ways I could keep the great mission alive and moving forward. I explored RV’s and even searched for motorcycles on Craig’s List.
But, I just wasn’t ready to give up the bike. It disarms women when this gray-haired woman rides up on a bicycle loaded down with gear. When I tell them my story, many of them feel the freedom to say, “It happened to me.”
Road to Freedom simply had to continue. Period.
My knee improved, slowly at first but then rapidly. By the time I reached the Florida sand, I had no pain. I was timid since I’d spent several weeks in a knee brace but the pain was undeniably absent!
I pulled my bicycle out of the shipping box and put it back together again. The next day I rode it forty miles across the largest city in the world. Still, no pain. No tenderness. Not even a twinge!
So today, Road to Freedom Tour continues. That’s a great thing but what’s even greater is the fact that you’re just like me. I’m nobody special. I don’t have super powers.
I just dug in my heels and decided that I would do whatever it takes to continue. You, too can look at your circumstance and say, “It’s not over unless I say it is!”
You may not be faced with an injury thousands of miles from home but you do have a dream, a mission that you have set out to accomplish. Never, never, never give up on your dream.
I encourage you to make a decision today that you are not going to accept the circumstances, but rather reach deep within yourself and find what you need to stay the course and complete the mission.
After all, it’s not over unless you say it is!
What are you facing today? What difficulties are you wrestling with? Share it here!
Reba J. Hoffman is the founder and president of Magellan Life Coaching (www.magellanlifecoaching.com). She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling and is a natural encourager. She serves as Member Care Coach for My Book Therapy and is the author of Dare to Dream, A Writer’s Journal. You can connect with Reba through her motivational blog, Finding True North, or by email at reba@magellanlifecoaching.com. You can also follow her on Twitter at @MagellanCoach.

Thursday Review—The Dance of Character and Plot

by Lynn H. Blackburn
Plenty of people know that DiAnn Mills is a fantastic novelist, but they may not realize that she is also a wonderful mentor to new writers.
I’ve had the privilege of attending her classes at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, sitting in on webinars she’s taught through the Christian Writers Guild, and having her critique my writing.
So when I learned that she had taken time from her fiction schedule to write a book on the craft of writing, I knew I had to get my hands on it.
Reading TheDance of Character and Plot is like having DiAnn in your home for a writing seminar.
If you’re a new(er) writer, The Dance of Character and Plot is a foundational craft book that would be an excellent addition to your bookshelf. DiAnn covers formatting, plotting, characterization, setting, symbolism, voice, POV, revisions—all the basic steps to the dance of writing a novel.
The more experienced writer will find the stretching exercises at the end of each chapter to be a wonderful way to hone your skills and take your work to the next level.
The Dance of Character and Plot is written in tight, concise chapters that make this a great read for the busy writer. Take a chapter a week and use the exercises to jumpstart your writing sessions. Or use it as a guide to find the weak spots in your completed manuscript.
With so much writing wisdom packed onto each page, this is the type of craft book you’ll find yourself returning to again and again.
Lynn Huggins Blackburn has been telling herself stories since she was five and finally started writing them down. She blogs about faith, family, and her writing journey on her blog Out of the Boat. Lynn is a member of the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild and the Word Weavers, Greenville. She lives in South Carolina where she hangs out with three lively children, one fabulous man, and a cast of imaginary characters who find their way onto the pages of her still unpublished novels. She drinks a lot of coffee.