Writing Spaces/Goals/Headlines/Devo/Risks

1.  Zoe M. McCarthy blogs about writing spaces that could change how you create.

2.  Erin Buterbaugh, at MacGregor Literary, talks about setting realistic goals.

3.  Christianheadlines.com reports on the disruption of Christians worshiping and the storming of homes in Pakistan. Please remember to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world, who daily risk their lives to serve Jesus Christ.

4.  I believe Adelee Russell's devotional will touch many hearts. Do you feel damaged?

5.  I'm not a natural risk taker, but Lynn Simpson's post, at Connecting Stories, gave me something to chew on.

Writers:  What are your goals for 2016?

Readers:  Are you a risk taker or do you hesitate to make changes? Please share.

Photo Credit:  Louis Hall

Are You A Character Control Freak?

Why is it that when I go to bed my brain decides to pump out all kinds of ideas for writing? Is it just me or does this happen to you as well?

A few weeks ago, I'm drifting off to sleep. My mind is tossing around ideas for an upcoming Author Event at Horsham Library, in Horsham, PA. on November 12th. Out of the blue, I get this thought about being a control freak with my characters.

Sleep did not happen right away. I gave up and turned on the light, pulled out my trusty journal, and started writing. Now that I've told you how this blog post exploded onto the page, you probably want to know what on earth it means to be a control freak with your characters.

1.  Yours truly decides to write a sequel to The Moses Conspiracy. (At that point, I still didn't know it would become a trilogy.) I mull over my idea and assign the original cast starring roles.

2.  My head is aching, and I can't get it right. "Come on, you guys, do something interesting, so I can write it down."

3.  Ellie and John fold their arms and remain silent. I face them much like a gunslinger at the OK Corral. "You are the stars of this story, and I'm the Director." (God uses some strange methods to get my attention.)

4.  I feel a gentle tap on my shoulder and hear a whisper in my ear. "This is MY story." I shrug the thought away. "Be quiet. You'll have a part, but Ellie and John get top billing."

5.  Now, no one is cooperating. It's three against one. I cave in. "Okay, okay, I'll give it a try." Jim Kenneman, my shoulder tapper, grins, and soon my fingers are flying over the computer keyboard.

And that is how The Scent of Fear was born. When feisty Kendra Marshall showed up for the next book, I knew better than to argue with HER!

Writers:  Do you force your characters to fit into a story or do you allow them some measure of freedom? Please share how you keep things humming along.

Readers: Have you ever thought of writing a book? Please share. (I hope I haven't discouraged you from undertaking the project.)

Photo Credit:  David DiBiase

A Piece of Cake

We Christians love our fellowship suppers, potlucks, and covered-dish dinners. Whatever we call them, there's always plenty of food and desserts.

People will often tell us what size portion they want, especially with sweets. Some want a "regular slice," while others watching their waistlines or tasting a dessert for the first time ask for "a sliver." If there's enough to go around, they might even come back for seconds.

The newbie writer will sample different genres - a sliver here and a sliver there. Just like the cake eater, they'll savor each one and decide if they want seconds.

Seasoned writers know what genre speaks to them. They sit at the computer and pound out words that express their passion. Authors are often labeled by the genre they write: Amish, Romance, Romantic Suspense, Christian Speculative Fiction, Sci-Fi, Women's Fiction, etc. They know what they like and ask for a "regular slice."

Each stage of a writer's life brings new experiences and challenges. Wherever you are in the process, whether as a writer or some other occupation, enjoy each moment.

Writers:  How did you discover your genre?

Readers:  Do you check out books that aren't your usual fare? I love to sample new genres as a reader.

Photo Credit: Michaelaw

Avoiding the Writing Deep Freeze

Snow, Ice, and freezing temperatures conspire against our ability to move about and perform daily tasks. The treacherous piles make each step an opportunity to exercise our faith.

We may not be able to prevent every difficulty caused by storms, but we can minimize their impact on us. Here are a few steps for making life easier during winter:

1) When you're parked, pull the wipers away from the windshield. Now, this isn't a good idea if there's a blizzard. I wouldn't want them snapping off. However, in a run-of-the-mill snow/ice storm, it could prevent your wipers from freezing.

2)  If snow is expected and then an icy mix, don't clean the car off until the storm is over. The snow underneath will make it easier to get rid of the ice.

3)  Carry a bag of kitty litter in your trunk. If you get stuck it will provide much-needed traction.

The writing deep freeze can be just as daunting as a winter storm. The freedom and ease of getting words into a computer document or on a page disappear. Every word comes with tortuous exertion. Here are some preventive measures:

1)  Fear often precedes a writing deep freeze. You've got an assignment for an article, a guest blog, a short story, or a novel. Thoughts start swirling around your head: Can I really do this? What should I write about?

I deal with this issue by: A) Reading scripture verses regarding fear such as II Timothy 1:7. B) Asking God to give me the ideas I need. C) Relaxing and trusting they will come.

2)  If an interesting thought or event captures your attention, go with it. A winter storm provided the idea for this post. Warning: These tidbits have a way of flying through your brain and disappearing. Seize them, and examine their facets using the why, what, where, which, and how questions.

3)  Visual prompts can inspire you and keep brain freeze at bay. I love flipping through sites with pictures. When looking for a graphic for one post, I may see five more that give me writing ideas.

Any venture, whether writing, painting, sculpting, or crafts, can suffer from a creative freeze. Keep those ideas flowing by exercising the gift God gave to you.

Writers and Readers:  What are some of the ways you use to prevent brain freeze?

Photo Credit:  MEJones

The Genre Dilemma

Imagine going into a bookstore or library with no clearly-defined sections. The task of locating a book you like would take on nightmarish proportions. Books, music, and many other art forms are broken down into genres, so we can locate the type of reading material we love.

When I began writing The Moses Conspiracy, genre didn't enter my mind. All I knew was I had a novel to write. After a few years of dealing with craft issues, I started hearing things like, "What genre is this?"

Editors and agents all had an opinion. To my horror, one person labeled it, "Sci-Fi." This genre evoked scenes with aliens and spaceships, which definitely did not fit my book.

Others labeled it, "political, futuristic, or fantasy." I decided if anyone was going to categorize this book it was going to be me. So, I began presenting it as Christian Speculative Fiction because it takes place in 2025 and presented a what-if scenario.

The problem with this designation was the staggering number of sub-genres under it. My publisher decided to label it futuristic/fantasy for the various outlets.

In fact, The Moses Conspiracy is a cross-genre work. It's futuristic, but also suspenseful. It's a mystery and has some Amish characters. In my opinion, a lot of people could relate to this book and enjoy the various elements.

Let's face it, our lives are not segmented into genres. People interact with various ethnic groups and face challenging life situations. It's one reason I read many genres. Think about all those new synapses growing in my brain when I open to different reading material.

I'm curious. What are your thoughts about reading/writing different genres or cross-genre works?

The Mystique of Setting

When I was 5 years old, my uncle gave me a dollhouse for Christmas. From that point, I was totally hooked on giving my miniature people all the advantages of a real home. Little children played in the nursery, while Mom cooked dinner. They had a stage for their activities.
 

My larger dolls didn't escape my vivid imagination either. When my cousin was born, my aunt passed her outgrown baby clothes on to me. I preferred them to the flimsy doll clothing available in stores. Real sweaters, hats, and booties adorned my darlings.

Along with the clothing, came the bassinet, the real wood crib, highchair, and doll carriage. At one point, my room had a fully-decked out bassinet, a crib, and a doll bed made out of a Penny Playpal box. (She was the older sister.)

A character without a setting is like a doll without the trappings of real life. Who can forget the curtains Scarlett O'Hara made for Tara? Authors like Cathy Gohlke, Tamera Alexander, and others draw us into their worlds with sweeping vistas and realistic details of bygone years.

How can we create a stage for our characters that doesn't resemble a cardboard backdrop?

1) Research, research, research. I know authors, who read books, newspapers, articles, visit museums, and travel to absorb the flavor of their characters' era.

2) Word choice. We would not use King James English in a contemporary novel. Neither would we resort to modern terminology in a historical romance.

3) Interview experts. While working on my first manuscript, I relied on a friend to give me cultural input. On TV, the character, Richard Castle, hangs around a real-life detective for inspiration and accurate details.

P.S. DON'T FORGET - TOMORROW IS ELECTION DAY IN THE U.S.!

Photo Credits:  Dollhouse by melodi2
                         Fashion by Ayla87

Writers:  What techniques do you use to produce great settings?

Readers: What does a stunning setting do for your reading experience?