Lenora Worth's Blog, page 4
April 3, 2021
Happy Easter! He is risen!
Easter is so precious to the world. It’s a time of spring, rebirth, flowers, church traditions, and hope. Jesus gave us that hope when he was born, walked the earth, talked to the children, taught the adults, and died for our sins. He left us a very important commandment, that we love one another as he loved us.
When I write, I try to remember hope and love and faith. I write about flawed people who find love and community with other flawed people. But I believe there is goodness in everyone. I try to look for the good, instead of assuming the bad. Negativity does not bring about change. Looking for the good does that. When we assume we know someone based on what we hear on television or read in the news, we can be assuming too much, or the wrong things. Hate uses up too much energy. Love gives us energy.
I like to watch people. In the mall, in the superstore, walking along my street, on the beach. If you study humans, you’ll see we are all different, but we are all the same. We love, we laugh, we cry, we hurt, we wonder, and we wander. We make mistakes and we have regrets. But love conquers a lot of things, forgives a lot of things, and hold us tightly to the people we meet and the places we travel. Life isn’t always easy but life is a blessing, even on the worst days. It is a blessing because we get to live it–savor it–grow into it–make it ours.
Easter brings hope to life every year, even if you’re not a believer. But know this–however you believe, love is the answer, always. Love gives energy to life.
This is why I write love stories. I like happy endings, because we know real life doesn’t always have happy endings. Death, destruction, despair, desperation, and distance can ruin lives and cause us to forget what love truly means. If you’re not speaking to a relative, love them from a distance with your thoughts and prayers and hope that maybe one day, you can see them again and make peace. Reach out with your heart and your conscience will guide you the rest of the way. Sometimes, when we focus on thinking about a person we haven’t seen or heard from in a while, God can give them a little nudge, and He can give us the courage to face the past and forgive them and ourselves.
This is the joy of Easter. The sun rises in the east … the start of a new dawn, a new day, a new hope. So I want you to know, wherever you are, how ever you believe, whoever you love, whether you are happy or hurting, you are loved. Feel the energy of that love and look toward the sky.
March 18, 2021
Hope springs eternal …..
But blogging comes and goes … and people often ask me ….
I’ve been busy. I finished a six book contract last year, signed another six-book contract for one publisher, and began work on a three-book contract for another publisher. Then a one book contract for yet another publisher. So people often ask me–how do you do it?
I don’t know how I do it. If I stop to think about it, I’ll panic! I only know that I have to write every day. Yes, every day. I don’t work as much on the weekends, but I do work. I decided a long time ago, if God gave me this career, I’d do my best to take care of it.
But I did have to give up a few things: committee work, saying yes to anyone who needed anything, not as many lunches out, not as many afternoon shopping trips to the mall, less phone calls, and less of a lot of things. But I consider what makes me happy and brings me fulfillment:
My faith, of course. It took me a while after we moved to Florida to find a home church. But I never lost faith. I talk to God every day, and I pray to him every day. Most of my story ideas come with walks on the beach, talking to the Lord.
My family. I’ve always tried to balance family with work, but my work day is a full day unless I pencil in giving myself time off. However, if someone in my immediate family needs me, I try to be there.
For years after I became published, I still kept part-time jobs. Growing up on a farm taught me a strong work ethic. I learned discipline and multi-tasking and following the seasons. I learned how to get things done because farming always has a deadline, just like writing. So now I write, I work, I balance my schedule and take time off as needed. I never take the consistency of this work for granted. I write commercial fiction which means I like to make a living with each book. My publishers and I need to eat and pay bills, (and buy shoes) so my work is just as important as anyone’s job. It pays the bills and keeps me out of trouble. Mostly 
So how do I do it?
Sometimes, I work on two projects at once. I write one in the morning and one in the afternoon, I alternate days between books. Or I get on a roll with one, and then go back to the other one and get going on that. I don’t recommend this for everyone, but it works for me. But I’m old, and my children are grown, and my husband is retired. I have more time to write.
So hope springs eternal because we know other seasons will come. If you’re struggling with your writing time, remember in order to get a job done, your first must show up. If you don’t show up to write, the work won’t get done. And someone could be missing out on a good book!
Happy Spring. What is your hope this spring?
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Available for Pre-order now. Releases November 30th
January 25, 2021
Never send the first draft ….
Writing a book can seem like climbing a mountain, right? We stumble, we hike, we fall, we hike, we get blisters, but we want to reach the top of the mountain. What we need to remember is–the first steps are the hardest. Once we get going, we also get creative. Bypass the rocks, jump over the stream, get lost and find your way, run from bears, edit the route, meander or stay on the trail. We find a way to the summit then we stand, inhale, and enjoy the view. But wait … now we’ve got to go back down the mountain. This is why you never send in your first draft.
“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.” (Mark Twain)
I spoke at a conference once and mentioned that infamous suggestion. “Never send in your first draft.” Later a woman who’d been in my workshop came up to where I was signing books and said, “You should tell us not to send in our first draft. That’s an insult.”
Surprised, I asked why she felt that way. She said speakers always encourage writers to FINISH the first draft, and then once it’s finished we tell them not to send it in. Why wouldn’t we be proud for them and encourage them.
She has a point, but she also missed the point. The first draft is your worst draft. Never, ever, type The End and then hit send. A first draft is a celebration, no doubt about that. Save it, do cartwheels, eat chocolate and order new shoes. Then walk away. Let it simmer and stew, sleep on it (or sleep with it tucked underneath your pillow) and give yourself some space and time to debrief. Because, darling, your work has just begun. You thought you’d reached the summit, but you’ve only taken the first step. It’s a big step, an important step, but you still have miles to go before you hit send. Now here is why you shouldn’t send that baby out the door.
First, it’s your baby. You love every beautiful word. But you need to revisit those feelings and clean your baby up. Would you leave the house without the house keys? Would you go to church in your PJs. (Okay maybe these days with church being zoomed to us). But taking this first step means you also have to put your best foot forward and make your best first impression. An editor is like a lie detector. They can spot a hot mess from a mile away. You want to present them with your best FINISHED product. Not your first draft. That’s like baking the cake’s layers, but neglecting to put the icing on the top. Yes, we all want you to finish the book, because if you don’t finish it, you can’t send it. Editors like things finished, polished, scrutinized, analyzed, and clean. They expect this because the publishing world is a competitive, brutal trail that can take you to the top, or make you fall flat on your face in the rocks. You need to go back down the mountain and pull out your map again. Read it from a new perspective. Look at like it’s a tree and start trimming limbs or adding water and nutrients. Nurture the thing you have created, pamper it, fluff it, and make it pretty. Don’t just add words for the sake of adding. Edit and prune the words you have into the best book. Once you do this, you’ll be ready to send it out into the world.
And to my friend who asked, we tell you that because we’ve been through that first climb. Experienced writers didn’t get that way overnight. We started walking the trail, we pivoted, we twisted, we got lost, we got turned around, but we kept going until we made it to the summit. We didn’t quit. In writing terms, we learned how to take a first draft–a treasure that we created–and get serious about making it into a real book. Because, darling, very few first drafts go to print. They might get you a contract (it does happen) but then the editor sends it back for the real work–making the beauty in your words into a strong, powerful read that will go out for all to read, solid and sure. We’re actually doing you a big favor–finish the book, then start all over and edit the book. Just do it. You’ll avoid being discouraged from the get-go. That is just the first leg of your journey, bless your heart!
You wouldn’t start up a mountain trail with just water and a granola bar. You’d be prepared–hiking boots, first aid kit, hidden chocolate, phone to call for help, you get the idea. Your story has to be prepared for all the pitfalls that writing involves–the first being revisions and edits. You keep at it, growing stronger with each step. Until one fine day–you will walk into a bookstore or scroll through an online bookstore, and you’ll find the summit–your book with a wonderful cover, right there for all the world to see.
Isn’t that worth all the extra upfront effort? Rather me tell you that, than an editor. Me saying it won’t sting nearly as much as getting your first rejection. Trust me on this, darling.
Coming in February!!!!
January 2, 2021
Hello, 2021!
Just popping in to say “Happy New Year!” I hope to get back to writing next week. I’ve finished a big Amish story that will be out next December–The Memory Quilt. I can’t wait to see the cover. I’m also finishing up a Christmas story for Tule Publishing, also will be out next Christmas. And right now, I’m starting yet another Christmas book–part of a two-in-one novella collection with the amazing Maggie K. Black. Whew! I do have a February release coming out, too. Here’s the cover and it’s available online for pre-orders! Do you have plans for the New Year?
https://www.amazon.com/Amish-Country-Secret-Inspired-Suspense/dp/1335405011I wish you all the best of love, peace, happiness, and hope for 2021!
“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all.”
Emily Dickinson
