April Fool's Day!

On Saturday, I dashed to my favorite store, found exactly what I wanted and was excited because I had two great coupons tucked in my purse. When I got to the cashier, I pulled them out. Uh oh, the one coupon didn't start until April 1. I shook my head and gave the cashier a rueful grin. She responded with, "April Fool, a couple of days early." The information was on the coupon, but I hadn't read it prior to my shopping trip.

Sometimes we head to a writers conference ready to show agents and publishers what great stories we have to share. I remember my first Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference. The first editor I saw didn't mince words. "You need to learn how to write fiction." Ouch! Another shot down my devotional book idea saying, "why should I buy a devotional from you when I can go to a packager and get one ready made?" Double ouch!

Lessons learned?

1.  Do my homework. Find out what editors and agents want/require.

2.  Polish those critical first five pages of my manuscript. You get one chance to make a great first impression.

3.  Educate myself about the business. It's extremely rare to get a contract on the first try. Don't get discouraged. Publishing houses make snail mail look like a Nascar race.

4.  Learn the craft. Take advantage of the writing workshops and learn from the experience of both professional writers and fellow pre-published authors.

5.  Do attend Agent and Editor Panel Discussions. It's a great way to pick their brains, as well as get insight into how these individuals work.

Be prepared, and avoid a writer's April Fool's Day. Happily, I eventually signed with a small publisher and landed an agent.

Writers:  Did you know most traditional publishers require you to have an agent? What are some of the things you've learned about publishing that surprised you?

Readers:  You see that book you're devouring? Years of hard work went into its production. You can help encourage authors by posting reviews on Amazon, as well as telling others how much you enjoyed their stories. You, the reader, are our focus. We aim to give you the best reading experience possible. Feel free to share your thoughts.


Photo Credit:  Maxime Perron Caissy

Pen Name or Real Name?

Last Saturday, Sweetie Mom and I jumped in the car and headed for one of our favorite places: Pennsylvania Amish country. Since mobility issues limit what she can do, we have a set routine. We always stop at the Bird-in-Hand Farmer's Market first.

While she rested on a bench, I checked out the souvenir shops. I found this cute keychain in purple (my favorite color) embroidered with my name. Sold! Sometimes the simplest things make me smile.

Looking at my new item, I started thinking about how something personalized attracts people. Growing up, there were so many girls in my class named Susan that it didn't seem all that special or unique. Nicknames seem inevitable and mine was Susie as a kid. Later, I adopted the moniker, Sue, and eventually returned to my original Susan.

As a writer, I decided to use my full name, Susan J. Reinhardt. After having a number of non-fiction pieces published, I discovered there was another writer with the same name in the general market. At first, people got us mixed up. The last several years it hasn't been much of a problem.

I wonder if I should have used a pen name. However, the foundation for my platform was already under my real name. All in all, I'm glad I didn't try to make any changes. After all, I'm rather attached to it. Like my keychain, it makes me smile to see it on a book cover.

Writers:  Did you research author names when you started writing? Did you ever consider using a pen name?

Readers:  Have you ever confused two authors because of a same or similar name? Please share your experience.

Photo Credit: Susan J. Reinhardt 

Writer Starvation

When a person does not get nourishment, either through a lack of food or deliberate fasting, they eventually reach a point where they no longer feel hungry. The body turns on itself, devouring fat storage and anything else that can support the major systems. If food becomes available or is re-introduced, it must be done gradually with the help of medical personnel until a normal diet can be resumed.

Hunger for relationship with God is much the same. If we deny ourselves regular meals of His Word and fellowship with other believers, our desire will wane, and we become weak and feed on whatever strength we've developed. What once gave us great joy and peace will no longer hold appeal.

As writers, we can starve our creativity by not using the gift within us. For believers, losing our spiritual hunger will severely impact our ability to produce life-giving words. How do we avoid such dire circumstances? Here are some things to help us:

1.  We need daily meals to stay healthy physically. It's no different spiritually. The purpose of regularly gathering as the church is to both give and receive the particular ministry gifts of each person. The Word says, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow thereby."

2.  Staying connected to the Vine (Jesus - see John 15) enhances and brings about greater understanding of the Word and the situations around us. Many of the scenes in my books have come through inspiration after prayer and Bible study. At times, I've gone to bed praying about a writing problem. Often I've dreamed the answer or had all the pieces fall into place upon waking.

3.  There are times in the writers life when it seems the creativity disappeared. Write anyway. Pray anyway. Read/study the Word anyway. Put something on paper. Prime that pump.

Like one physically deprived of food, the comeback is often gradual. Momentum takes time to build. The cobwebs in our hearts and brain tangle our words into incoherent sentences. Little by little, clarity will return.

I'm taking my own advice. Soaking in the atmosphere of praise and worship, taking in the Word of God both in my private times with the Lord and with the Church are all restoring what became dormant.

Writers:  Do you go through times where you have no desire to write? How do you stir up the gift within you?

Readers:  Do you ever  experience "reader fatigue?" What triggers it, and how do you recover?

Photo Credit:  Robson Oliveira

To Write or Not to Write - That's the Question

Need doesn't equal assignment.

It's something I'm learning daily as opportunities present themselves. If I'm to accomplish what God called me to do, what I take on must fit into the time available and have the green light from Him.

When people learn I'm an author, they'll sometimes ask me to write their stories or articles. Of course, they want this done free of charge. I'll either encourage them to write it themselves or steer them to people who freelance.

Writing a book requires an enormous effort:

1.  Research

2.  Meetings with the individual.

3.  Time

4.  Getting the person's voice on paper.

5.  Editing

While I may empathize with a person or situation or passionately believe in a cause, I rarely take on anything extra. Here are some considerations:

1.  I hold down a demanding, full-time position.

2.  My Mom needs more help as she gets older.

3.  I'm writing, promoting, and seeking publication of my latest book.

4.  Church involvement, including administration of their blog, takes a chunk of time.

5.  The daily chores of life must get done, i.e., laundry, shopping, cleaning. Somewhere in there, it's nice to get some sleep and leisure time.

Perhaps God wants you to take on an assignment. The peace of God will be in your heart, and you'll have the grace to see it through to completion. Otherwise, be honest and tell people you're not the right person for the job.

Writers:  How do you determine what projects to accept or reject?

Readers:  Have you given thought to the work that goes into that 350-page novel or non-fiction book? Please share your thoughts.

Photo Credit:  Channah