Getting organized to write: idea catchers

May 202013
 
 May 20, 2013  Organization, Writing 1 Response »
Getting organized to write: idea catchers

The absolutely most important item for any writer to have organized is his or her ideas. Everything else can get messy or be allowed to sink into oblivion if necessary, but ideas are the straw writers must have in order to spin their gold. So how do you keep those ideas safe? First, I never go anywhere without a small notebook. After years of trying out various styles, my preference is a small, spiral bound notebook that has plain (unlined) pages. It’s about 4″ x 6″ at the most, and will fit into my purse quite easily. A man might [ Read more...]

Getting organized to write: create files

May 132013
 
 May 13, 2013  Organization, Writing No Responses »
Getting organized to write: create files

The moment you have several ideas down on pieces of paper, you need some files. Not a lot of them. You might start with only five or six. You can easily buy a small metal holder with half a dozen or so coloured folders in it. Mark the blue folder Nonfiction Ideas, the red one Fiction Ideas, the Purple one Drama Ideas, the yellow one Poetry, the pink one Resources, and the grey one Business…. Now, you may have decided you only want to write in a specific genre. Say fiction. No non-fiction for you. And definitely no poetry or [ Read more...]

Getting organized to write: finding things

May 082013
 
 May 8, 2013  Organization, Writing 2 Responses »
Getting organized to write: finding things

Over the years, I can’t begin to estimate how much time I’ve wasted looking for things I’ve misplaced—slips of papers with ideas on them, contracts, books, emails… You name it, I’ve misplaced it. And I’ve spent hours and hours and hours searching for something, only to have it turn up shortly after I stopped looking for it.  Can you relate? I won’t try to fool you into thinking I’ve solved this issue. But this week, I will mention a few things I’ve learned. It’s much easier to find things if you leave them in the location where you put them [ Read more...]

Getting organized to write: filing

May 062013
 
 May 6, 2013  Book Reviews, Organization, Writing 2 Responses »
Getting organized to write: filing

I probably have close to 1000 file folders. All colours. They’re in various places, including a 4-level horizontal filing cabinet, a smaller narrow filing cabinet, drawers in two desks, several Omni carts, several other movable carts with file folder spaces on the top and plastic drawers underneath, and a few file boxes. The files are in many categories. Files with stories and articles that have been published. Files with stories and articles that might never be published. Resource files on a variety of topics. Files on various areas necessary for writers. A file for each book of the Bible. Files [ Read more...]

What to do with your idea for a novel or short story

May 022013
 
 May 2, 2013  Writing, Writing fiction No Responses »
What to do with your idea for a novel or short story

If you’ve been in one of my workshops where I talk about writing fiction, I usually hand out small cards with these words on them: character, setting, plot, theme. For me, they are the four corners of all good fiction. But when you begin a story, you usually have only of these things: a character you find interesting for whatever reason (might be completely made-up, based on someone you know, or a combo); a setting (again, either completely imaginary, very real, or a combination); a plot, or at least the beginning of a plot, even if only a “What if?”; [ Read more...]

Walking the fiction tightrope: writing with faith and honesty

May 012013
 
 May 1, 2013  Independent publishing, My books, Publishing, Writing, Writing fiction 4 Responses »
Walking the fiction tightrope: writing with faith and honesty

I was writing a scene around Paul Manziuk, my police officer in Shaded Light, and suddenly he decided to swear. I told him he couldn’t. I don’t swear myself. Why would I swear when writing? He said he wasn’t me. True. He said that he was hot, tired, and frustrated, and he really needed to say one mild swear word. I agreed that under those circumstances I might feel the same way. Paul said, “So?” I reminded him that I’m a Christian; although I think the real reason I don’t swear is that I find the words offensive. Paul reminded [ Read more...]

Substantive editing – the all-too-often missing ingredient

Apr 302013
 
 April 30, 2013  Independent publishing, Publishing, Writing, Writing fiction 3 Responses »
Substantive editing - the all-too-often missing ingredient

As more and more books are published by individuals or by companies who want the manuscript to be near-perfect when it arrives, the one thing that is less likely to happen is good editing. I’m talking about the kind of editing where someone who is an expert in the genre takes apart the manuscript and points out every single flaw and potential problem so that the author can  hone it and mold it. It’s called crafting. In my opinion, writing has four aspects: art, craft, business, and ministry. It’s very easy to focus on only one of those aspects. But [ Read more...]

The dilemma of being a Christian who writes fiction

Apr 292013
 
 April 29, 2013  Christian publishing, N. J.'s Books, Publishing, Writing, Writing fiction 6 Responses »
The dilemma of being a Christian who writes fiction

Writing fiction would be easier if I wasn’t a Christian. I’d just sit down and write whatever I wanted. No problem. But I am a Christian. And it’s frequently been a problem. When I began writing more than 35 years ago, I had a BA in English and the English medal for my graduating class. I also had a very strong faith in God. It seemed natural to me to combine my knowledge of good literature with my faith. I soon found, however, that not all fiction written by Christians was for me. Some books, like the Narnia series, delighted [ Read more...]

When your sole Twitter goal is to sell your product

Apr 262013
 
 April 26, 2013  Marketing & Promotion, Social Media No Responses »
When your sole Twitter goal is to sell your product

Is your goal for being on Twitter to convince me to buy your product? If you said yes, it’s okay. However, my question for you is this: “What if I’ve already done it?” I’ve either bought your product or checked it out and decided it really isn’t for me. Now what? If all you do, day in and day out, is tweet about that same product, please give me one reason why I should continue to follow you. (Our being related or bffs doesn’t count.) Can’t think of one, can you? So, now that I have your attention, I’d advise [ Read more...]

8 random things that make me “unfollow” people on Twitter

Apr 252013
 
 April 25, 2013  Marketing & Promotion, Social Media 2 Responses »
8 random things that make me "unfollow" people on Twitter

Coming purely from the perspective of a “Follower” on Twitter, my last two posts have addressed some of the things that make me “unfollow” people. Here are some short random things I hate, most of which will make me eventually unfollow you. 1. Posting quotations from other people (usually famous) with no explanation as to why you are posting them. Unless your site was created simply to post quotations, why do you do this? 2. Double-posting to another format (Facebook, etc.) where you can use more words, so that I have to go from Twitter to your Facebook page to [ Read more...]

How to make me want to check out your link on Twitter

Apr 242013
 
 April 24, 2013  Marketing & Promotion, Social Media 2 Responses »
How to make me want to check out your link on Twitter

Yesterday I talked about how to improve your chances of selling me something on Twitter. Today it’s about using links. And why I don’t like being told what to do. Okay, I get it. You want me do something (read this, buy this, look at this, etc.). But all too often, you don’t tell me what it is, why you chose to post it, or how it would benefit me to do what you want me to do. So, for me, it comes across as yelling. Worst: (link) Please don’t ever just post the link and nothing else. Ever. Unless [ Read more...]

How to improve your chances of selling me something on Twitter

Apr 232013
 
 April 23, 2013  Marketing & Promotion, Social Media 4 Responses »
How to improve your chances of selling me something on Twitter

I’ve been on Twitter pretty well since it began in 2006. And most of the time, I love Twitter. I use it to follow people or businesses or teams that I’m actually interested in. I find it cool that I can sometimes connect with someone who I’d never have a chance to connect with otherwise. Occasionally, I learn something new. And now and then I even buy something I discovered on Twitter. But I have to add that I frequently find Twitter frustrating because of the habits of certain people. I thought I’d post a few of my thoughts here. [ Read more...]

On taking things for granted

Feb 212013
 
 February 21, 2013  Inspiration No Responses »
On taking things for granted

Some years ago, I endured a long night at a hotel where I tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable. You see, I had forgotten to bring my own pillow, and the one the hotel supplied just didn’t feel right. So at 3:00 AM, I lay there wide awake thinking about pillows. When I was younger and used to watch a lot of westerns, I always felt sorry for those poor cowboys who had to set their heads down on rocks or saddles during their long cattle drives. No wonder they were always ready for a fight! Who wouldn’t be [ Read more...]

Putting the heart back in Valentine’s Day

Feb 122013
 
 February 12, 2013  Relationships 20 Responses »
Putting the heart back in Valentine's Day

Every time I think about Valentine’s Day, I remember the inevitable Charlie Brown cartoon with Charlie dreaming of all the Valentine’s cards he would get and then finding his mail box empty. I always sympathized. I still remember Valentine’s Day in elementary school. We put our cards into a decorated box, and then the box was opened and the cards distributed. It was always agony for me. I was neither popular nor an outcast, but I dreaded Valentine’s Day. I’m still not crazy about it, but for different reasons. Since Christmas, every time I go into a store I’m bombarded [ Read more...]

Our award-winning bestseller, A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider, is now available as an e-book

Dec 222012
 
 December 22, 2012  My books No Responses »
Our award-winning bestseller, A Second Cup of Hot Apple Cider, is now available as an e-book

It’s available for Kindle on Amazon.ca and Amazon.com and also as an e-Pub for Kobo or other readers. Above everything else, this is a book of hope. And our goal is to get it into the hands of everyone who needs hope.  We’d love for you to check it out and tell your friends. What we need in the next few days is lots of sales, lots of “likes,” and lots of reviews of the book. This will help people who aren’t aware of it find the book. This book has sold more than 10,000 print copies, and has another [ Read more...]

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