The Sheepish Scribe

Writing in Obedience - A Primer for Christian Fiction Writers by Terry Burns
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I finished this book. Now before you laugh at that statement, you must understand that I'm the queen of unfinished books on writing. I have a STACK of them. I'd like to tell you that they are all unfinished because I got so inspired half-way through that I dropped everything and dug into my writing. But you go to hell just as fast for lying as you do for stealing.

This book isn't a how-to type of writing book. It's a thoughtful look at whether or not you're ready to be a writer. It gives a general overview of what it takes to write a book, what it takes to get published, what it takes to self-publish, and all along the way, questions for the reader to think about in their own writing journey.

I found it very insightful and realistic, while also encouraging. Writing in Obedience is for the newbie writer, the thinking-about-it writer, and the discouraged writer. It's not a long book. It's easy to read through and absorb. If you're wondering whether or not writing is for you, get a copy.

I am blessed - incredibly blessed - to be part of an awesome group of writers known as the Quid Pro Quills.  We started as a spin-off from the American Christian Fiction Writer's Scribes group.  We've grown into an active, supportive, accountability, critique group.  And along the way, we've become friends.

Today, December 1, 2013, we are launching the Quid Pro Quills web page.  That's right... we're going BIG TIME!  Stop by and meet the ladies - known affectionately as "the Quids."  We plan to provide some fun stuff for readers who want a peek at the writers behind the quills. 

My third year at Maranatha is the first year I've been able to relax. My book is written. My job is done. Whether or not it sees publication, I've done what I felt called to do. What a liberating feeling! This year I gave myself permission to *gasp!* skip a few sessions, to slow down, to enjoy the moment and the people. I've volunteered to go in front of the group - twice - and survived both times.

I wish I could describe the worship here. David Teems employs his God-given talents in this area. Words fail me (pitiful lack of expression for a writer) but my spirit soars. Debbie Taylor Williams pumps life into the morning devotional time. Her gift of encouragement to others is inspiring. Her knowledge of the Person of God dwarfs my meager understanding.

Those behind the scenes, working the bookstore, putting out snacks, running the sound equipment, and performing the many other unseen chores are the unsung heroes of the conference. A hearty thank you to each of them. That they can put up with a wallowing hoard of self-absorbed writers and do so with a smile on their faces gives a new level to the word "gracious".

Next year's dates are September 24 - 28. If you're looking for a Christian writers' conference with a heart, look no more. Mark the date and start plopping your pennies in the conference fund jar today. You won't regret it. Oh - and if you see me muttering to myself and frantically cramming in every session I can find next year - you'll know I'm somewhere in the middle of my next novel.

At a recent writer's conference I was given a list of the 10 most commonly misspelled words in print today. Let's see how you do! You can Google each word for the correct answer.

10) separate - seperate
9) commited - committed
8) receive - recieve
7) collectible - collectable
6) accommodate - accomodate
5) cemetary - cemetery
4) calendar - calender
3) millenium - millennium
2) lightning - lightening (the type in a storm)
1) judgement - judgment

John Robinson has a new release out Aug 2nd titled Heading Home. If you like apocalyptic thrillers (think Left Behind - but on steroids) you'll want to check this one out! You can read the first chapter on John's blog.

Lord grant me the hope to unwrap this day as the precious gift that it is.
To embrace it with the wide-eyed wonder of a child.
As if it were my last.

Lord give me the wisdom to give this day to others.
To add a moment of warmth or some twist of loving fate.
And not need to be right, or the object of gratitude.
Or even be there when they smile.

Lord deliver strength to accept what is.
If today should be my time to bear the load,
Help me find a way to see burden as grace.
To make a lesson and therefore a blessing out of pain.

Lord grant me the will to walk with purpose.
And sway with neither storms nor winds of change.
To choose a path with mind wide open,
To make the most of every page.

Lord give me the peace that comes with knowing
That despite my frail anonymity You are here.
That if my heart can surrender and remain open,
Then today will hold no limits,
And no fear.

L. Brooks 1999

For a change of pace and a bit of writing fun, I'm trying my hand at writing a Christian romance novel. I've read many romance novels over the years, Christian and secular. I think I understand the basic mechanics of what makes a romance work. So how hard can it be?

On the one hand, it's like any other type of writing.

Step one - position butt in chair
Step two - place fingers on keyboard
Step three - ignore all the other things left unfinished around the house and farm
Step four - let the story flow

Then comes the ticklish part, how to balance "romance" with Christian values. Everyone knows the steamy romance covers gracing today's bookshelves. The scantily clad, buxom woman falling back over the arm of some impossibly handsome man with no chest hair. The Christian romance of today typically includes an Amish buggy and someone wearing a prayer cap.

My goal in writing this book is to find a balance between those two extremes while incorporating some practical, down-to-earth characters women can relate to. Characters with flaws who make mistakes and grow through them while learning to rely on God. Don't look for Miss Perfect or Mister Incredible in my story. They won't be there. But hopefully you'll find my characters believable, real... human.

I discovered this completely by accident just yesterday. Pulling a load of wet laundry from my washer and heaving it over into the dryer, I heard an unidentifiable clatter in the belly of the dryer. Generally speaking, my laundry doesn't make that sound. I decided to investigate. Pawing through wads of wet shirts, a small object fell out and clattered again at my feet. Stuffing the wet mass back into the dryer I retrieved my flash drive that I had not realized was missing up to this point.

I did the obvious thing first, I went and looked at the place where I keep my flash drive to be sure it wasn't there and that this damp, black plastic bit wasn't an imposter. But no, my flash drive parking spot was empty. Crumbs. I gingerly put the little plastic memory device back in its normal resting place and decided to wait 24 hours for it to dry before slipping it back into my computer. Much to my delight and amazement, 24 hours later there were all my precious files, cleaned, pressed and waiting for me to search them out.

I shall sleep better tonight than I did last night, I'm sure, knowing my digital memory is intact and well - even if my neurological memory isn't. And while I have proven that you can, in fact, clean your flash drive in the washing machine, I do not recommend it. The sleepless night is hardly a fair trade for freshly laundered files. Note to self - do not put the flash drive in your pocket again... ever.

In the last ten months I have filled my aging mind with numerous tidbits of knowledge concerning writing. I have pounded out tens of thousands of words on my sturdy laptop. I have combed the Internet for sources and stumped around my home town looking for more. I have, in short, turned myself into a writer. Not an author, I'm not ready for that yet, but a writer... most definitely.

What I lacked and what I needed to progress to the next level, was a work space. A writing space. A place to go create where my references and materials were close at hand. After several months of work, rearranging and reorganizing, I am now happily ensconced in my new writing space.

It's funny how the little things matter so much. I needed a bulletin board to keep all my notes in front of me. Check. I needed a chair comfortable for the long haul. Check. I needed room to move around and room to put out my reference materials. Check. I needed a floor mat so my chair could move freely on the carpet. Check. I needed a wonderful husband who didn't balk at a single change I was making. Check.

Thank you, Lord, for making all things possible.

Have you ever read a book that held your attention until the final few pages and then... fizzled? Did the ending leave you looking at the back cover with the desire to call Paul Harvey? Did you feel robbed of the "feel good moment" the end of a story should bring? I know I have.

My story is languishing at the moment for want of a good ending. I thought I knew, at least roughly, how my story would end. But as the characters have unfolded and come to life, I realize that my original ending will not do. Not at all. I am roughly one third of the way through a story which has, at this moment, no ending. I have nothing to write towards. I'm flummoxed.

I sit here this morning listening to a Mourning Dove outside my window. Spring is coming with warmer weather and the hope of a good crop of lambs and produce here on the farm. In the grand scheme of life, my book is at best a smudge on the landscape. But it matters to me. And I want it to matter to others. So I need an ending that will make that happen.

What book have you read that ended with a "feel good moment" so powerful you remember it years later? I'd love to know!

I need some butt glue. What?! Did she really type that? What is she talking about? Do I really want to know? Just to put you at ease, dear reader, it has nothing to do with any natural crack in that region of my anatomy.

I need to glue my butt to my writing chair. You see, writing comes very easy to me. I sit down, start typing and pretty soon pages and pages are full. The problem is... I can't type until I SIT DOWN in my chair.

Some part of me always needs to be in motion. My hands, my mouth, my feet... or all three which is even better! Michael teases me for pacing when I talk on the phone. Not just a little moseying around, I cover the house from stem to stern. Walking, talking and gesturing with my hands... I'm a happy camper. Sitting down and facing my computer isn't something I look forward to even though I enjoy writing.

It's a little like Sunday mornings before church. You know what I mean. You've been there. It's a gorgeous morning, or a rainy one, or it snowed last night and the roads are slick. The reasons not to go are numerous. But once you walk through the doors of the church, you can't imagine not being there.

For me getting started, putting my butt in the chair and keeping it there, is the hardest part of writing. Maybe if I talked Michael into installing a seat belt on my La-z-boy..., "Honey!"

Thank you to everyone who had such nice, heart warming comments about Sarge's Story. I've pulled the posts telling his story because I am re-working them. My hope is to edit them into a story for publication in a magazine.

I haven't submitted anything for magazine publication in years. And by years - I m mean - YEARS. How many, you ask? Well, let me put it this way, I haven't submitted anything since I had to do it the old fashioned snail-mail route. There was no e-mail back then. Yikes! I'm dating myself!

I have another piece ready that I'm submitting this week. It's a humorous piece about raising sheep. Imagine that. ;)

This is something of a hot topic among writers now. Changes in the industry combined with our sagging economy have caused traditional publishing houses to cut back on the number of books they publish per year. Naturally, that mean fewer writers are getting their books accepted for publication.

Many are opting to self publish. This means that they take complete control of their book. They write, edit, design and print, owning the entire process themselves. It's an intriguing notion for several reasons.
1. You don't have to make changes to please an editor.
2. You have full control of the final product.
3. You make more money on each book sold.
4. You decide how many copies to print and when.

The down side of self publishing is what is keeping me from jumping on this band wagon. In short, you're on your own. In some respects that sounds good, but on the other hand...
1. You have no editor to review and help polish your manuscript.
2. You have no publishing house to help with distribution.
3. You have no marketing department to help with promotion.
4. You have no "name brand" to add credibility to your book.
5. You pay all the costs, everything, with no money coming 'up front' to help.

I can see self publishing working in some genres better than others and I can see it working for people who don't have a "day job" or two. But I don't see it working for me, not at this time, not as it is happening now. It will be interesting to see what changes are coming down the pike with e-books and such. For now... I just need to write!

Today the podiatrist took an x-ray of my gimpy foot and discovered that I have an extra bone. Running along the outer tarsal bone is a wimpy, little, tarsal-bone-wanna-be. I was born with it, but for 47 years it lay dormant, waiting to pounce at just the right moment. That moment came last June.

I like to give Mother Nature a good shake at healing without interference, but after 4 months, it was time to get this pain checked out. It seems the tarsal-bone-wanna-be is now irritating a rather major nerve in my foot. (In point of fact, it's irritating the rest of me as well!) Dr. Z. gave me a shot of cortisone and the, "We'll see you in two weeks," pep talk. Then he sent me lumbering back to work on a numb foot. Aside from my Frankenstein-ish gate, I was feeling pretty good. However, if the cortisone doesn't do the trick, that bone is going to have to come out.

The writing process can be equated with this whole situation. A writer struggles to get his/her story down in whatever format; scribbling or typing in a mad rush to get all their thoughts down in black and white. Then comes the editing. Reading back through the pages and pages (or screens and screens) the writer finds all sorts of "extra bones."

These may not be bad bits of writing. They may, in fact, be very good bits of writing. For whatever reason, in the context of the story, they are only wanna-be bits contributing nothing vital to the actual story itself. The more the writer reads over these "extra bones" the more they begin to irritate. They don't fit. They aren't needed. They may slow down the pace or muddy up the story. What's a writer to do?

Before doing major surgery to remove these "extra bones" the writer should see if a little shot of "literary cortisone" can salvage them into workable scenes. Only, of course, if they are worthy to be salvaged. If they are not or if they cannot be, if they add no intrinsic value to the whole or part of the story, if they become a Frankenstein in your Amish romance... "Scalpel please!"

Writing is an amazing craft, the more I learn about it, the more I want to improve what I do. I want my story to sparkle and shine, polished as a pearl. Then, and only then, will I send it out into the cold, cruel, literary world. That world is literally papered with rejection slips. Very few book proposals are accepted when first pitched to an editor. Rejection slips are part and parcel of a writer's life. How will I handle these inevitable rejections? Someone asked that question at ChristianWriters.com this weekend. I hope I'll be able to look at the rejection slip, shrug it off, and get back down to work. It's either that or stuff myself with chocolate. Hershey may appreciate my rejections slips.

This week has been filled with more reading than writing. I've spent an inordinate amount of time at storyfix.com. There is a wealth of information there about how to structure a story for the best "story telling" effect. If you are writing or planning to write, I highly recommend visiting there for a week or so. I know I'll be back to see what else I can learn from Larry Brooks. I appreciate his humor and interesting examples that keep the articles fun, not dry and boring.

What started me on my reading venture was a book I read last weekend. It is written by a well known author and it sold very well. However, in all honestly, I didn't think it was all that well "written." Despite the fact that the writing wasn't anything exceptional, the story was compelling and well told. This confirmed what I've often thought about good books. Readers will ignore or forgive mediocre writing as long as the story is gripping and is told in an engaging way.

This isn't to say that lazy writing, poor grammar or weak sentences should be acceptable. I still want to do my best, writing a tight, well worked story, but now I feel better prepared to tell that story in a way that readers will enjoy. I want my readers to set the book down with a sigh of satisfaction. That, I think, is a wonderful goal to have.

I've often heard it said that one should, "write what you know." This makes sense, especially for my first attempt at a novel. So it's no surprise that my story involves some rural living. Tonight I was banging out more of my story when I mentioned a pair of African Geese named Abner and Abby. Well that's great, I know about African Geese... sort of. How tall are they? Dang!

The Internet is a great research tool. Research is vital to creating a good story. Just because I don't know how tall an African Goose is, I can't assume that my readers won't know. So tonight I Googled away, cross referencing in a couple of different places, and I learned more about African Geese than I will ever use in my story.

The downside to this is that I found them quite intriguing fowl. We've never had geese on the farm. Yet. "Michael, honey..."

Years ago I took an oil painting class. Oil paints dry very, very slowly. This allows the artist to fiddle and fidget with her work over a period of time, making changes here and there until the painting is “just right”' Or until she drop-kicks it in the dumpster and finds another canvas... whichever comes first.

Now I'm writing and I've found that, like oil painting, authors can fiddle and fidget with their work endlessly. Computers make this both easier and more difficult. Easier because cut and paste are wonderful inventions, wasting neither paper nor ink. More difficult because it's hard to set the brake and say, “it is finished.”

How many ways can you say the same thing? More than I'd dreamed possible! Take something as easy as a character entering a room:

Donna turned the knob slowly, nudging the door open enough to peer inside. Finding the room empty, she walked in.

With a sharp kick of her high heeled pump, Donna burst into the room expecting to find her family. What met her was an empty room.

Donna knocked twice before juggling both grocery bags to one arm and fishing her house key out of her coat pocket. She pushed open the door and yelled for help, only to discover nobody was home.

Is it any wonder writing a novel takes so long? So many choices, so much to fiddle and fidget with until it's “just right” or until it meets the delete key... whichever comes first.

The most important thing I took away from the Maranatha Writer's Conference is that Christian writers are genuinely nice people. There was a sense of camaraderie and an almost tangible willingness to help. I expected to be "taught" by experts and instead I came away feeling like I'd been mentored by colleagues.

One quote from Ten Kluck particularly sticks in my mind, "As a freelance writer you eat what you kill." My family is full of hunters so maybe that's why this stuck with me. This isn't an industry or a time in history when people are going to pay you for producing an 'okay' piece of writing. The competition is fierce and the publishing opportunities are shrinking.

So why bother? I have a story to tell.