Inspiration from Good Books

When I was a teenager, I used to be an avid reader of the Mrs. Polifax mysteries. I read and felt like I was on an adventure with her. This is how I long to write. For so long, I've been writing the facts of life. I naturally and easily write the non-fiction but there is a part of me that longs to write fiction and not just any fiction. I want to combine comedy, mystery, suspense and romance into a novel that people drewl over and stay up all night reading.  Is that even possible?

I love, love, love old-fashioned murder mysteries. I adore comedy. I can only write that when I'm overtired and then I don't know I'm funny until the morning after. Then there's the suspense. I've been told I have no poker face. Maybe I can get over this in writing since people will not see my face... and romance, well, certain kinds of it I enjoy. Some of it is so unrealistic. Is that my non-fiction writer voice coming through?

In addition, how will I ever make writing anything more than play if I can't find time to write until my brain is a white screen of static? In years past, my creative brain was on full force and I wrote all the time, everywhere about anything and everything. I even had some writing published. It wasn't bad either. So what shall I do to wake up my sleeping  muse? Well, if you can't write it, read it.

I'm back into Mrs. Polifax mysteries again and loving it. I figure that I might as well begin where I first started. Maybe that will inspire me.

What do you do when you just seem stuck? I hear people say that they never have a problem with this because they are true writers and they always write. I always want to write and I seem to write in spurts.  Sometimes it's all or nothing, Baby.

For now, I will inspire myself by reading some good books. I shall put up the "DO NOT DISTURB"  sign. Mrs. Polifax and I shall have tea.

Back in the Saddle

I'm so thankful for the time to write once again. A part of  me was missing without being able to "write my heart" as much. I am once again "back in the saddle".

Last weekend, I watched my boys as they enjoyed therapeutic equestrian training. It was quite the experience. So much of their involvement focuses on balance, posture, learning to communicate with the horse and listening to the trainer. It struck me as similar to life. Whatever we learn to do takes focus, concentration and communication as well as learning the rules and philosphies around the particular interest. Mistakes can be dangerous or even fatal.

Writing is also like that. It takes research, time honing the skill, a general interest in what you write, advice from the experts and listening to your Trainer. You have to balance your unbridled dreams with the "bit" of editing and consideration of who is sitting in your audience. Your posture on topics and what you present publically determines the direction that your writing takes in the market. You have to run a few times around the ring to learn what works and what doesn't. Maybe you make a mutitude of laps before you see a rut behind you.  You mount carefully and ride confidently all the while realizing that your horse is bigger than you and must be tempered. You must lead your horse rather than letting it lead you but you'd be a fool not to notice what your horse is doing and "saying". Are you tracking with me here?

Writing is complicated. It flows naturally but must be harnessed as well. If you don't pay attention on the trail, you are likely to be bucked accidentally at bumps. After a great deal of riding, you climb off and need to rest for a while. You might be a little sore from the effort. It can be a while before you are able to climb back on again.

Well, I'm there. I'm finally back in the saddle.  This week, I began working again on my Christian RAD Parenting book.  I also had a children's book idea that "asked" to be written right away. I have several works in progress:  one big one and many little projects (some finished and some still developing).  I don't know if this is unusual or not but that is how I tend to work best with many irons in the fire (I had to use that analogy since we are talking horse sense).  I needed to be off the ride for a while to straighten up some things in the ring and on the trail of life but now I am ready to ride. Fences needed to be mended; holes needed filling.

So where will this ride take me? I feel like I have trail maps now and a good compass. God will be my guide too. Please pray for me if you are so inclined. And if you are a writer, saddle up, partner! You're along for a great, scenic ride, Lord-willing.

Pardon Me, My Epidermis is Showing

It's been ages since I posted here. I've been too busy with other writing and real life duties as a: therapeutic parent, counselor-in-training, band member, teacher, homeschool mom and many other responsibilities. I'm doing well now, though I was overwhelmed for a few months. I needed to drop a few things and balance the plate a little better so I had some time to write and to blog.  I recently began working on a book I had on hold for a while---which leads me to this story:

 When I was an awkward eleven and half year old, a smart-alek boy in my school walked up to me and whispered through grinning teeth, "Your epidermis is showing." I looked down at the hem of my skirt and around at my body for a few minutes until I realized he was attempting to provoke me. I rolled my eyes and walked away, all the while shaking my head in disgust. How dare he put me on the spot like that? Later I chuckled. It was kind of cute.I just couldn't believe I fell for it at first. How humiliating!

I've had many embarassing moments in my life: like the time in my teen years when I attended a youth conference with 7,000 other teenagers and my worn half-slip fell to my ankles right in front of a clump of sharp-looking 16ish year olds. With my puritanical type upbringing, humiliation became a familiar friend again. I walked right out of the slip and never looked back for fear that the shock on my face would provoke even more of a reaction from the boys. I ran up the steps to what I thought was the balcony and right straight into the mens' bathroom. My only option was to back out and run down the steps, right into the pack of boys I just left. Of course, that was not the last time that I felt the blood rising and my face flush as I or someone near me did something very, very embarassing. (Oh, trust me. All of my sons have found pleasure in finding ways to make a public scene at some point in time.) 

Not too many years back, I sang on a worship team where suddenly the worship leader changed songs DURING the service. Good thing the projector crew was on top of it. The words were projected on the front and back walls for the worship team and congregation to both be able to view. I had forgotten my glasses and did not know the song at all. Since I grew up on stage, I figured I could fudge it well enough. I was right. I really fudged it, not as in faking it-pull-the-wool-over-their eyes-that-I-know-the-song kind of fudge but bigtime-make-a-fool-of-myself fudge.

The fatal line was "God is bigger than the biggest________________".

The blank was suppose to be filled by "canyon" but with my heavy but rare for me, New England accent bursting from the deepest parts of my inner nervous consciousness,  I sang, "crayon" squarely into the microphone for three hundred people to hear. Can you say, "Awkward"?

So what is the point of this blabber about bloops and blunders? As I said, I've picked up writing again on a book I had on hold for a while.  Honestly, I'm not the provokational type; I'm a peacemaker but this message includes some not-so-easy chunks to swallow. 

 "God, do you really mean for me to write this? This is not going to put me on the well-loved resources list." I prayed a few months back.

Don't get me wrong; it will not be condemning, but merely off the beaten path compared to what is out there. I sometimes wish it was someone else called to write it but the inspiration has not dissipated regardless of the time spent avoiding it. Write I must...but...but my epidermis is showing.

Do you ever write things that you feel in your heart of hearts that you are suppose to write but you know that the product may not contain the most desired message? How do you deal with the inner urgings to write things from your heart that may not be popular? Or how do you deal with writing the truths from the hidden places of your soul that you feel others may not be willing to say either? I've had this feeling when I shared my testimony a few times and when I've written a poem about something personal.  Often, the writing when read, has stirred up someone's honest realization of things in his or her own heart that they might not have realized or it gives hope to someone going through a similar experience.

I pray that whatever I write, God will use it to touch hearts, change lives and inspire hope. If He wants me to also lovingly chide, well then, I must say "yes" to the call, though I dread it, in part. Can anyone relate? Or is all your writing pure pleasure to share with others?

Thank you for following my blog about writing. I hope to post more often on this page.  If anyone is still a reader, thanks for being so patient.  Please feel free to jump in the conversation and tell me about your writing journey. I'd love to hear from you.

BeckyJoie

DEADlines

Do words sometimes jump out at you while you write? Today, while competing with several deadlines, I developed an intense curiosity about the word, "deadline".   From where did it orginate? What on earth does it mean?

Every humorous thought came to mind. Maybe it is because you feel like you're going to die before you meet your deadline OR maybe you write for such a long period of time that everything begins to look like  dead lines. Of course, these were not the correct explanations but it was fun imagining it. Eventually, though, my inquisitive side won out and I popped the question into the search engine.

Here is what I discovered:  According to Merriam Webster's Dictionary and commonly known legend, the word, "deadline", has it's roots in the American Civil War when there were no literal prisons in the field.  Captives were held at gunpoint and told to line up and stay behind two  temporary lines. If they crossed the first line, they were ordered back behind the line. If they ventured over the second line, they were SHOT. Yes, SHOT. Thank God we don't get shot by editors if we are tight on the deadline but it's really a good idea to get your writing done on time anyway or your chances of keeping a writing job are SHOT!

To quote Paul Harvey, "Now you know the rest of the story." 

With that in mind, let me get back to my deadlines. I'll be back soon with April's Cheerleader of the Month.

March 2010, Cheerleaders-Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs

Every month, I aim to post a "cheerleader" to encourage Christian Writers in their publishing journeys. 

Today, I found a secular website that lists the "Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs".  I visited a few of the links already and thought  it a good site to pass on to my readers. 

I don't often run out of things to write about ; I run out of free time to write about them or information on where to submit them after I write them. Nevertheless,  all people get writer's block at times and a website so full of ideas from other writers might help to cure that. 

 On the TOP 100 Creative Writing Blogs, you will find writing challenges, contests, information on getting published and many miscellaneous writing pointers. It's great for beginning and intermediate writers, especially. There's a cute blog on apostrophe abuse. (Who'd a' thunk it?)

Some of my readers self-publish, write e-books or write for their churches. I've had a few things published in the non-fiction category (articles, poetry, songs, etc.) but one of my goals as a writer is to be published in many genres since I like to write about many things. I am sure that non-fiction writing is my niche but diversification is a good thing too and it never hurts to try. One never knows where he or she will strike gold. 

Meanwhile, I intend to continue to write and learn. A few months from now, my whacked out schedule will slow down to a reasonable pace and I will have more time to blog and write. I look forward to that day. This has been a very full season of my life. My season of rest is en route. When it arrives, I will write to my heart's content.

Meanwhile, I plan to keep working my craft (writing) and learning new skills.  I read many, many blogs. Some of them are about writing but many are about life in general.  One must live life to write about it. 

Despite that, it's my aim to read more blogs about writing. The above-mentioned website is a wonderful resource. Maybe you have  writing blogs that inspire you that are not mentioned on the above mentioned site or in my sidebar links. Check them out. I have some excellent writing websites and blog links.  Here's a link to one of my absolute all-time favorite websites/blogs.

What writing websites or blogs do you read on a frequent basis? What do you find helpful about them? What  tips would you, as a writer, give my readers about visiting writing blogs? How important do you think it is to writers?

Writing Opportunity for Leading Homeschool Magazine

Last year, I became an independent contractor to write reviews for +-75 vendors who contract with The Old Schoolhouse Magazine to gain exposure for their products. Most of the items are Homeschool Curriculae but there have also been products for family fun and household use.  One item we received was a sampler basket  of natural soaps and laundry detergent fragranced with essential oils and natural scents.  Oh, it smelled so scrumptious, I would have eaten some if it hadn't been soap. Other fun things we received were a: Hank, the Cowdog board game along with some CD's and books, Sarah Books a historical novella series based on the time period when the Underground Railroad began to rise as a help to slaves, music instruction, educational games for the computer, curriculae for every school subject including special education materials, college preparation guides and a Bible Study Course for kids using stick figures to make the stories come alive. I still have several months left to receive these products for free as a member of the TOS Homeschool Review Crew. You can read my reviews here at: Leaders In Learning blog.   It has been QUITE an experience and I have met MANY wonderful writers and publishers in this process.

The reason I tell you all of this is not to boast on my great treasures nor to brag up my own talent as a writer.  I am not the only person who has this priviledge.  In fact, there are MANY moms and a few dads working from their homeschool program to write excellent reviews for the TOS magazine and what's more? The time is here again for tryouts and you too can try out for a position on the crew. Click here for details.  Your compensation is not in monetary return but you will receive awesome products for your family to try and help bringing traffic to your blog where the reviews you write are hosted. I have received enough curriculum to use for several years, free of charge. As well, I have had my exposure to homeschool materials expanded by leaps and bounds. I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity this year and so have three of my friends across the states. I know there are people outside the state who participate as well. To read their reviews,Click Here.  While you are there, look for a ship that says, "Blog Cruise" where crew members answer common questions asked about homeschooling in general.  If you ever wanted to homeschool or are simply curious what all the hubbub is about regarding homeschooling, then you won't want to miss all the blog links that will give you a widespread exposure to why many choose to teach their children at home instead of a public or private school. I have one in public school and another at home but homeschooling is no longer a fringe movement. Numbers are rising across the world, thanks to early pioneers who paved a path to show the world how much sense it really makes.

So, what do you think? Are any of you good technical writers or wonderful conversational writers? The reviewers are ALL styles from a simple straightforward scientific sounding report to elaborate or funny reviews. If you are a homeschooler who likes to write, and would benefit from an opportunity to receive great things for your family, then this opportunity might be for you.

If you tryout, please let me know and tell the editors I sent you, too!

I try to publish helpful articles on this site. I've been a little busy lately and not posted devotionals or market opportunities so I thought I would let you know about this one.  It could be really a good fit for some of my readers. Check it out!

Christian Writers, Contend For the Faith!

"Beloved, ... it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints." JUDE 3

Whatever genre in which the Christian writers flourish, we have a high calling to exhort our Christian readers to contend for the faith and to bring in those yet to be found. 

It's so much easier to be a generic Christian. By that, I mean, to blend in with the world and not share our faith. However, I believe that we, as all believers, have a call to share the Good News with a lost and spiritually dying world, not to cram words down anyone's throats but to shine the light through our witness so that people will ask and we will be ready to answer.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying it's wrong  for a Christian writer to flourish in the secular market. When God gives you a seed to plant, He will bring the harvest in the ground where it should be planted. Let's not forget though, when the baskets are full of monetary proceeds from the sold harvest (or when they are empty), there is a spiritual harvest ready and waiting for us to come and pick. We are not called to be sheep in wolves clothing but to fit nicely in our sheepskin and to wear it with honor and humility. 


 I exhort you and me both to contend for the faith as the early disciples did. There may be a time when we won't have this freedom that we now hold dear- our freedom of speech. It is happening all around us. I received an email recently about an author who is being imprisoned for using his free speech right here in America. These instances are few and random in our country but not so elsewhere.

It doesn't costs us much in comparison to what our brothers and sisters in Asia and third world countries suffer when they preach the Gospel. Many of them give their lives; all we get receive is a little flack here and there from people. 


Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel, (make disciples of all nations) baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20


Christian Writer, remember who you are. Don't forget your call. Remember you have fellow sheep spread across this continent and further. Use your freedom as a Christian writer to contend for the faith and win souls whenever God gives the opportunity.