Writing or Not?

I've read a number of blogs that talk about how simply writing makes you a writer. You don't have to have an agent, or be published. Sitting down with your laptop and tapping away is the only qualifier. Or scribbling away with your pen and paper. Words on paper, digital or analog.

So what happens when you stop writing?

For me, the main problem has been my health. Long periods of illness left me behind on work and chores at home. My normal time to write got pushed aside.

This not-writing business has left me feeling like a writer, past-tense, but today, I am going to change that. My health issues have been dealt with. Starting today, I am going to once more make writing a priority.

I write, therefore I am a writer.

Are you?

The (Literally) Printed Word is a Beautiful Thing

Photo by my awesome social media manager Becca Anthony. Ask me about her if you're looking for social media help!

I take pride in being a techie geek. I have set up business networks, and enjoyed it! So I always felt a little smug satisfaction in the fact I had very few physical books. Lots of ebooks, and lots of audiobooks, but only a few shelves of real paper and ink.

Then I set about to improve my Instagram account. Sure, I could have posted all ebook covers, but I thought I should buy a few of my very favorite books in hardback. Not only would they look great in photographs, I would be able to read just my favorite parts over again, something very difficult to do in digital format.

Little did I know what I was missing. How exquisitely beautiful these books have been! I have learned there is so much more to book design then the front picture, from the quality of the paper, to the design of the cover under the dust jacket, to the font, and how it feels under my finger tips. Wow!

Looks like I am going to have to buy some more bookshelves!

(Don't) Preach It

Dear General Market Author:

You've complained about us Christian fiction writers for years, and honestly, you were right. Our pet talking points were elevated above story, which lead to some pretty bad books. Sometimes hilariously bad, with two-dimensional villains, Mary-Sue protagonists, and plots so predictable finishing the book was pretty much optional.

Our bad. We've been trying to do better, adding nuance and realism,and most of all, letting any moral come out naturally through a great story, instead of hoping (praying?) it would work the other way around.

Here's the thing, though. This whole not-preaching goes both ways. Sacrificing story at the alter of any belief system, no matter how fantastic or fervently held, still ends up just being a bad story.

So stop. Please.

You're hurting all of us.

Showing Versus Telling - Three Steps to Getting it Right

Instead of Telling

One thing almost every new writer hears is to "show not tell." Okay, great. but what does that mean? I thought I was showing.

Apparently not.

I didn't understand showing versus telling until I attended a writer's conference with my son. At 17, he was hesitant to wander a strange campus on his own, so instead of attending my "real writer" sessions, I went to his screen writing sessions. It was one of the best inconveniences of my life, because I finally realized what had been missing in my writing.

Movies show. They have to. When a character is sad, a voice doesn't boom, "The news saddened John." No, John hears the news, and his behavior changes. His shoulders slump. His gait shuffles. Tears well in his eyes.

So, in three easy steps, here is how to show, not tell:

1. Pretend you are a movie director and your characters are actors. How would you get an audience to know what your character is thinking or feeling? What would you tell and actor to do? Write your character doing those things.

2. Tell to speed up the story, when showing isn't necessary, or to let your readers know something isn't very important.

3. Show and tell when you want to emphasize a point.

My favorite reference book for showing emotion is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide To Character Expression Of course we want to show more than emotion, but it's a good start.

How do you show and not tell?

Characterization - Three Steps to Getting it Right

Know your characters, inside and out! Okay, maybe not this well. :)

As writers, we all want characters that jump off the page and into our reader's hearts, but making our characters come to life isn't easy. All too often, characters come across as paper-thin and two dimensional. When a character doesn't have depth, it's difficult to relate to them, or to care about what happens to them.

The answer to creating well-rounded characters is to know them, inside and out, but how do we do this? Here's three ways:

1.  Complete a character chart for each character. If you're having a difficult time figuring out your character, filling out a character chart is a good way to get to know them and their background. This knowledge will not only influence how your write your character in each scene, it will keep their behavior consistent, so they don't act "out of character" and throw your reader off.
 

2.  Imagine the story being told from each character's point of view. What are their motivations? Why are they doing what they are? If you take a minute to imagine each character the hero of their own story, you will bring meaning to their actions.

3. Write difficult scenes from various characters points of view. If a scene doesn't feel right, or if you just want to understand each character's behavior in each scene, writing the scene from their perspective will help you refine their dialogue and actions, making them more realistic.

Flat characters can ruin the best of stories. Developing characters takes time, but well-rounded characters keep readers invested more than any other part of writing.

Tackling That To-Be-Read Pile

Three weeks ago, my debut novel, ALL THINGS NOW LIVING, released. It's been an exciting time, and I've been satisfied with the attention and sales my book has been receiving. One thing that hasn't been easy, however, is getting reviews, and because they are so vital to sales, it is a must-do.

Which leads to me my to-read pile. I have dozens of books piled around my house and loaded on my Kindle that I want to read, but haven't gotten around to yet. As a recently published author I am looking at those piles with fresh eyes. Somewhere out there a new author is anxiously waiting for me to finish her book so I'll post a review. Or she used to wait. I'm sure by this time she's given up. Some of the books I bought new are now completed series, and though I own all the books that followed the first, I've yet to dive into any of them.

I decided last week to be kind to myself and other authors. I love reading, and authors love reviews. Win-win, right? So I made a plan to read more:

1. Read more than one book at a time. I know, a lot of other people do this all the time, but it has always driven me crazy. I wouldn't watch 45 minutes of a movie then stop, watch something else, and finish the movie later. But if I was going to read more, I was going to have to read more than one book at once. For me this meant one audio book, one digital book, and one paper book going at the same time. So far, it's actually worked out really well.

2. Read what you can, when you can. I typically don't read books, I devour them. I've never been a one-chapter-a-night person. It's all or nothing, but I've decided on no more nothing. This is still quite frustrating. I don't enjoy pesky interruptions like having to go to work, but I have read more.

3. Read with my husband. My husband isn't a big reader, so usually for relaxation we watch a movie in the evening. It's our social time together, and I enjoy watching movies, but every night is a little much. It's valuable time I could spend reading!I've talked my husband into giving a few books a try, and while our social time is quieter on those nights, it's been really fun.

How big is your to-read pile? How do you get around to reading

What Exactly is Christian Fiction?

My book, coming out May 15, 2017 is being published by Written World Communications, a Christian publisher. This has lead to a number of people asking me if ALL THINGS NOW LIVING is a Christian book.To be honest, I don't have a simple yes or no answer. What is considered Christian varies from person to person, but I'd say in recent years two types of Christian literature have emerged:


Overtly Christian

In these books, the main character is usually a Christian. If not, they will undoubtedly become one before the story is finished. Bible verses are liberally sprinkled throughout the text, and prayer is an essential element. Often there is what I like to call a "Come to Jesus" moment. 

Written from a Christian World View

These books may have no mention of God or Jesus at all. Words like "clean", "sweet", and "cozy" are often used as descriptors. They typically offer a positive message while avoiding graphic depictions of ideas, concepts, or behaviors Christians may find offensive.


So, which is ALL THINGS NOW LIVING? I would have to say it falls into the second category, as there is no mention of Jesus, no conversion, no bible verses, and limited prayer, but ALL THINGS NOW LIVING is a spiritual coming-of-age story. This make it heavier on religious content than many of the "Written from a Christian World View" books I've read.

What do you consider a Christian book?  Do you regularly read Christian literature, or is it something you avoid? How do you feel about "Christian" books that lack overtly Christian content?