Contest Entries: Cleaning Those Babies Up

Hi there! The weekend was filled with swim meets, fundraisers, writing and family, so I thought I would dig up an archived post to resonate with all the contest talk going on right now! 

Happy Monday!

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It's about that time. For a few GREAT contest opportunities out there...Namely, ACFW's Genesis Contest and the MBT Frasier.

Many of you might be tidying up those babies for contests as you read this. I know I am! And many of you might be reluctantly looking at last year's feedback, planning to tweak your entry based on “some” of that feedback.

Are you just “tweaking”?

lots of messiness in my house!

Do you go in with the mindset of taking the grammatical suggestions, the edits here and there...Maybe a misplaced comma or changing a word that's been used in the sentence above? Kinda like dabbing at a baby's food-caked face, but not really scrubbing away the mess?

Or....

Are you willing to make that BIG change...possibly rearranging entire scenes, OR, Heaven forbid, DELETING a scene altogether? Getting that big super-duty washcloth and start scrubbing? Maybe, your last feedback is a sign that the scene you love and hoped would attract the judges' favor, is not the scene for that moment in the manuscript...is not what hooks the reader after all.

freedigitalphotos.net by pod pad

Now don't get me wrong, I have certainly had some bogus feedback over the years. Don't go slashing away at your entry according to everything a judge says. You may have scrubbed that baby's face clean, and that scrutinizing mother-in-law type will still criticize (and to be clear, I have two of the best mother-in-laws, so this is pure third-party metaphor ;) ) No need to listen to that type of feedback...unless, of course, it rings true to you (insert cring and gnashing of teeth here).

BUT...

Do consider BIG changes, and DO brainstorm different starts of your chapter. This last entry I “tweaked” had me delete the first TWO scenes of my manuscript and start with a different character's POV. UGH!!!!! It was hard to do, but deep down, after receiving critiques and contest feedback over the past year, it had to be done. AND, I love it now! And I thought I LOVED it then, but just because it came out that way the first time I wrote it doesn't mean it has to stay that way.

It is art, after all.

freedigitalphotos.net by jomphong

We can start to mold the story and keep it in the perfectly simple shape that our hands first squeezed it into...OR, after smoothing it down, sloughing away the excess, we can create something more... evolve our creation to an even more beautiful work of art.

In other words...

Let's not coddle our baby so much that it never gets the chance to succeed to its fullest potential!

Let that baby GROW!!

Comment below and tell us the latest BIG changes you made to an entry or your manuscript. Have you reaped a contest win by using feedback from a previous year? Please share!

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Angie Dicken is a full-time mom and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she has written five Historical Romance novels, has a Historical underway, and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets, selling Jamberry Nail Wraps, and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check out her author page at www.facebook.com/dicken.angie and her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com 

Confessions of a Contest Judge: Learning from the Mistakes and Triumphs of Others

Have you ever judged a writing contest?

There are a variety out there for writers at all stages of the game: from published to newbie. Entering contests and receiving feedback with grace and using it to improve your writing further is of inestimable value. But today I'm talking about the behind the curtain view.

I have judged American Christian Fiction Writers' (ACFW) Carol awards for the past three years. This year I have participated as a judge and also as an assistant to the Carol Awards Coordinator (Go Alley Cat Casey!). Both have been valuable experiences. Each year I've learned something new both about the industry and about my own writing.

Here are five reasons to jump on the opportunity to judge a contest:

1) Judging can be an inside track to the pulse of the industry.

Evaluating in your category can be an excellent way to answer questions such as:

Do particular eras dominate historical fiction right now?

Some heavy hitters for 2014 are World War I and World War II because of current events and anniversaries of crucial dates during these wars.

What changes have been made in the past year?

As we know last year saw MANY changes, including the conglomerations of publishing companies and the closing of B&H fiction line. What changes will come with 2014?

Over the past few years, it's no secret we're seeing a new side of Amish fiction. Still valued for its simplicity, the genre has tackled new time periods (the beginning of the Mennonite church, the Vietnam war), life issues (infertility, infidelity, etc) and even ventured into space. If you are a writer of Amish fiction, you will want to know about these new directions. What better way than digging into recent releases?

Although these books are last year's releases, it still provides a valuable picture of the state of the market. You don't want to follow fads of the market, but rather watch and see what changes are enduring, so judging recent (though not brand new) releases is a great way to do so.

2) Evaluating other books can help you grow in your own fiction.

There are some fantastic reads out there. \Learn from the examples of great authors in your field. Watch the way they write descriptions. Attempt to increase the realism of your own dialogue with others example.

The best books are the best teachers.

Some contests such as the Carol awards have a single number rating for the purpose of evaluation. Others such as the Frasier use a categorized rubric. When I received back my evaluation sheet from the Frasier, I found it was an excellent self-evaluation tool for some of my other writing. What a great way to find your own strengths and weaknesses in a more objective fashion.

Looking at why you rated a book or story the way you did is valuable. Were the characters not compelling? Did their motivations lack credibility? Did the plot progression make logical sense? Was there well-written description or overwriting?

Become a detective. How would you rate your story?

3) Expanding your reading horizons opens up your mind to new ideas.

I like to choose to evaluate books in at least one category that is very different from my own writing genre. I have read historical and suspense, yet I have never completed a manuscript in either of these categories (have started several in each however I'm embarassed to admit).

Reading suspense books has taught me to write tighter and ratchet up the tension. The authors who keep us up at night have plenty to teach us about giving our own readers sleepless nights no matter what our genre might be.

Travis Thrasher sometimes ends his chapters mid-sentence. This is one of the reasons I fell in love with his young adult Solitary Tales series (not a typical category for me). Once I saw how well he did it, I HAD to try this technique in my own writing just for fun.\

Writing description is not my strong suit, but by reading historical I learn that every detail matters. From describing a Revolutionary-era meal to adding the perfect period attire, Laura Frantz is a master in helping the reader to picture every tiny detail. Her books come alive as a result and its no surprise that she has been nominated for several industry awards.

I've discovered books I didn't even know existed through judging.Sometimes small publishers put out stellar work that is not always on the radar of online media. In other cases, I began to understand why the book did not receive press.

4) You are helping the industry and its key organizations.

Organizations such as ACFW thrive on volunteer activity. I have been a member for several years now and have found it worth at least double the membership fee. Helping with contests as a judge is a great way to pay it forward.

In the few years I've been writing, many authors have come alongside me to encourage, support, and give feedback that is both valuable and valid. Without this help I would no longer be writing. Through the loops run by ACFW I also received new opportunities to review and to write articles.

By judging a contest you can help authors receive recognition. And sometimes you can provide the right word of kind criticism that leads to a better manuscript for another writer. My writing has been changed by contest judges, oftentimes the very feedback I at first thought was too harsh was exactly what I needed to hear to grow. I'm grateful for these words of criticism.

There can be NO growth without accepting and internalizing valid criticism (and almost ALL of it is valid).

5) It is thrilling to watch awards ceremonies or see a list of finalists and know your feedback was taken into consideration.

It is wonderful to hear someone's name called and a squeal of delight as they make their way to the front of the room to give an acceptance speech.

Its even better when you had a part in the process. You feel as though you have somehow helped in the discovery of a new talent.





Have you judged a contest this year or in the past? Which one? Did you find it to be a valuable experience? What did you learn?\

Next time I'll springboard on this to share how to be a stronger judge of other's fiction (whether it be your critique partner or as a judge). 

Julia enjoys writing women's fiction whenever she can find a chair free of smushed peanut butter sandwiches and lego blocks. She is a wife and homeschooling mama of two littles. She also enjoys reviewing and writing for Library Journal and the blog Wonderfully Woven.

How to know if your writing really DOES stink...

In my last alley post, we chatted about the insecurity of thinking our writing stinks.

Comparison can be EVIL.

But...

Let's face it.

We aren't perfect.

There are times when we write something would make Charles Dickens want to give up writing so he doesn't have to share the title of "writer" with someone who writes such drivel.


But how do we know? How do we know our precious gems, which we've worked so hard on, which we already have such anxiety and doubts about, really is crap and needs to be rewritten or completely deleted and never, ever, ever, ever, ever resurrected?

Here are a few tips from my personal experiences. Because I've written some doosies in my time, let me tell you.

1.) Crit partners are your friend. Get someone else's opinion. Still not sure? Find a few writer friends you trust to tell you the TRUTH and see if more than one picks up on it.


2.) DO NOT LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER. Ever. Only see her when you're suffering from the "my writing stinks and I need to just quit right now" syndrome. This could apply to any family member who knows nothing about writing but is just in awe of the idea of you writing a book.

3.) Cut the part in question... paste it into a different document... write something different. Is it better? Then WOOT! Is it worse? Maybe the original wasn't as bad as you feared... It might not always work, but sometimes a different perspective on what it could be helps bring you full circle.

4.) Enter writing contests. Oh, I know. Contests are hard. I've had my own personal love/hate relationship with them. Half of the feedback is, "OHMAGOSH why aren't you published????" And the other half is, "Why in the world are you writing at all???" Somewhere in the middle is probably around the truth. But if you're getting 3 low scores... or 2 low scores and one medium score? Then you probably need to grab a few more craft books and keep trying. But if you're getting two good scores and one crap score? Well, someone might have a case of sour grapes or red-pen-itus.

5.) Do you break all the rules? You know those things that are really guidelines because they are breakable all the time? No adverbs.... no "feels" word... show don't tell... YES... they are guidelines. They are not hard fast rules, because we do need an -ly word every now and again. And somethings just need to be told and moved on. But are you breaking the rules A LOT? Are you constantly justifying your rule breakage as "okay" because it's a guideline? Then your writing probably is suffering.

*note* If you're looking at me, jaw dropped, and being all like, "WHAT?? We can't use adverbs?? There are.... RULES?" Then you probably need to do a pretty good sized edit as well after you've brushed up on those guidelines.


6.) Put it aside. Wait a week. A month. Or heck, even a year or more if you're still in the early stages of your writing journey. Then bring that puppy back out and see what you think. Time tends to let the dirt, if it's there, settle to top. Then it's much easier to vacuum up:-)

And my last note on how to tell that your writing stinks...

You know that rough draft? That draft you've slaved over for weeks/months/years depending on your writing speed?

Yeah.

You can pretty much assume that it stinks like rotten eggs and needs to be edited. I've found, at least for me, if I go into editing knowing that I'll have to use some Lysol and Bleach, that I'm better prepared and am more likely to find the stinky spots instead of being surrounded by a load of Air freshener that just masks the nastiness.

On that BRIGHT note...

How do YOU know when your writing is less than stellar---when it's time to keep editing instead of submitting?

Have you ever written something that you decided was too stinky to be deodorized? Where you able to move forward without too many tears or were you relieved to be able to finally take off the nose plugs?

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Krista is a follower of Jesus, a wife, a mother, and author of Sandwich, With a Side of Romance . She blogs about finding JOY in the journey of LIFE at http://www.kristaphillips.com. She is represented by the fab agent, Rachelle Gardner.

The Justification for Entering Writing Contests

I absolutely loved watching the Olympics. An added benefit to my viewing the competitions this year was watching two incredible stories ripe to match today's topic.

USA men's skater, Jason Brown, went to the ice as a 19-year-old representative of our country. He knew he couldn't do the quadruple jumps to earn a medal. He also knew the competition would help him learn many new skills. When Jason received his scores and learned he placed ninth, his face shined. He smiled and hugged his coach. He didn't medal, but his delight in the experience radiated and the crowd cheered him on.

Russia's men's skater, Evgeni Plushenko, skated Monday in the team competition helping the Russians to earn a gold medal. During the days that followed, Evgeni skated the short program and did well. He then warmed up for his long program on Thursday and fell during practice, injuring his back. He was given medication to help him endure the pain for the performance that night. His country depended on him to win another gold. 

During the time between his fall and the evening's performance, Evgeni considered what to do. For whom and why would he risk his health by skating the long program? Later in an interview with ABC he said, "I think God is saying, 'Evgeni enough, enough with skating.'" The crowd cheered as he stepped out on the ice. He waved. He scanned the adoring audience then turned and approached the judges table to withdraw his name from the competition, stating he was retiring. It was a very difficult decision to make.

I have a feeling Evgeni will be coaching many children on the finer points of skating in the years to come. His career is long from over.

As successful writers or aspiring to become successful writers, we have our own style of Olympics. We enter writing contests. First, we enter small competitions then move to larger contests. Why? Why should we spend the money and work really hard to enter a writing contest?

Benefits for Entering Writing Contests:

1. One of the most beneficial and hardest components of entering a writing contest is to accept/receive the criticism. Confession: I entered a contest last December and have received the scores and comments/criticisms. Two of the three scores were exceptionally high. The third was rock bottom. I had to dig a hole in the ground to see the number. Despite the two great scores, I couldn't bare to open any of the comments because the third score broke my heart.

I gave myself a day to have a pity party then assigned a day in the future when I would open all three score sheets and learn. I wish I could have smiled and been excited at the two high scores like Jason Brown. Hugged my coach (God) and been thankful for all He's done to bring me to this point as Jason did with his coach. This is my new goal in my endeavor to become a successful writer.

2. Time management. There are many things in life that steal our attention away from what we should be doing. A theme in my house is do the hafta dos before the wanta dos. Plushenko used the time between his fall in practice and when he stepped out on the ice to consider the best choice for his life. 

The strict requirements given for each contest are great practice for agent/editor submissions. If you receive a contract, you will be expected to adhere to specific deadlines and specifications. Time management skills learned in the process of entering a contest prepare writers for publication. 

3. It forces us to examine/edit our work. Both Jason Brown and Evengi Plushenko arrived early and stepped out on the ice before their performances. They tested the ice. Practiced their most difficult jumps. Skated the arena and noted where the judges tables were. They watched other skaters, listened to their coaches, and took deep breaths.

The only work ever written perfectly the first time was the Bible. Like the skaters, we need to step into our arena, examine our words, listen to critique partners, read other writer's works, note what the judges/editors/agents are looking for, rework sentences to improve quality and move our manuscript to a higher level of acceptance. Use the time before pressing the send button to make your manuscript medal worthy. Perfecting our work for a contest prepares writers for publication.

Reasons Not to Enter a Writing Contest:

1.  The prize money. Generally speaking the prize isn't more than a token over what you paid to enter. We may not receive a gold medal, but successful writers use the affirmation of a contest win to press forward to the high calling by God to become a published writer.

2. Capture the glory. We may wave to the crowd cheering to us in appreciation (usually on FB and locally) but that glory will not last forever. Some gold medal olympic winners have faded from the eyes of the viewers. Successful writers note the success of a contest win on a resume, a query letter, or proposal as validation of their skills in order to earn a contract. The goal is not the contest. The contest is simply a tool to prepare writers for publication.

3. Because other writers are entering. This turns the contest into a fad and takes away every benefit. A successful writer doesn't need to please others, they need to please God. Imagine what might have happened if Plushenko had taken to the ice for the long program as his coach and others wanted him to. Most likely he would have fallen or injured his back during a jump. He may have been carried off on a stretcher. He chose, instead to withdraw because it was the right thing for him to do. The last skating memory the audience will have of him is his excellent short program and the gold medal performance for the team. As it should be. The goal is not to gain the attention of others in the field, but to prepare ourselves for publication.

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Many writers have won writing contests and have never been published. Winning the contest does not guarantee a published book. It does not guarantee an editor will read your full. 

Competing in a writing contest does guarantee to be a process in which your skills and your manuscript can be honed to a quality worthy of what it's original intent--for publication.

Are you planning on entering a writing contest this year? 

Here are a few writing contest websites that are open for entries at this time:
My Book Therapy The Frasier Contest
American Christian Fiction Writers: The Genesis
American Christian Fiction Writers: The Carol
Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Contest: BRMC Writer's Contest

Why are you/would you/have you entered a writing contest? Your answer may help a reader with their decision, so please comment.

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This blog post is by Mary Vee

Mary has moved to Michigan with her husband, closer to her three college kids. She misses the mountains of Montana, but loves seeing family more often. She writes contemporary and romance Christian fiction, is honing marketing and writing skills, and loves to pen missionary and Bible adventure stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids.

Visit Mary at her website and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

All About NETWO Writer's Conference 2014 by Caryl McAdoo

First, thank you so much for inviting me to the Writers’ Alley! I admire all you Alley Cats, and am so pleased to be here. And what a privilege to speak about something near and dear to my heart: the North East Texas Writers' Organization’s 28th annual Writers' Round-up Conference in Mt. Pleasant, Texas on Friday and Saturday, April 25-26th, 2014. This year, we’ll return to the Mt. Pleasant Civic Center barely south off Interstate 30.

There’ll be Pitching, Mentoring, and Self-publishing appointments offered; great Writing and Marketing Workshops, and Read and Critique Sessions with published authors in attendance for those who rarely have the opportunity for live feed-back. And new this year is the First Chapter Contest open to everyone - you don not have to attend to enter and we're offering over $1250 in cash and prizes to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners including submission of a completed manuscript to a New York agent!

I’d like to share my personal conference experiences with y’all so you’ll know where I’m coming from. After I’d barely started writing seriously in the late ’80s, I attended the Ozark Writers Conference in Arkansas, thoroughly enjoyed myself, and won a First Chapter Contest on a book that was published years later.

Eighteen years passed until I attended NETWO’s 2012 Writers’ Round-up and met Mary Sue Seymour from The Seymour Agency in New York. I played as her go-for making sure there wasn’t anything she needed during the event then enjoyed driving her the two-and-a-half hours back to the DFW International Airport. I’d recently moved from the Metroplex, so the traffic didn’t bother me as it did so many of my new ‘country’ friends.

On the way, Mary Sue told me if I’d write a historical Christian romance set in the 1800s, she’d sell it. So I dropped her off on Sunday and started writing VOW UNBROKEN on Monday, sent it to her 9 weeks later in July. She signed me to a representation contract in August and true to her word, sold it to Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster in October, a little more than five months after we first met at Writers’ Round-up.

She also told me to join and try to attend the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Conference being held in Indianapolis in 2013. Somehow, God made a way, and I did. The thrill of it overwhelmed me, meeting so many Christian authors in one place. I made so many bonds I know will be lifelong with other attendees and met my Howard editors, Frank Peretti, and so many more authors, editors and agents in this wonderful industry of publishing. And I LOVE that there’s a Christian segment!

SO, though my experience is slight—only three conferences—it’s taught me that attending conferences is a wonderful and important part of being a writer. It’s an awesome place to Network and learn more about the industry. And I want to invite you to ours! Find out all about it and the First Chapter Contest at: http://www.netwo.org

Here’s our wonderful Faculty for 2014:

PITCHING APPOINTMENTS:  

JIM HART, Literary Agent at Hartline Literary Agency - Looking for unique, engaging women’s fiction, great YA, spiritual warfare, and some sci-fi and fantasy.

MIKE FARRIS, Literary Agent at the Farris Literary Agency is looking for both fiction and non-fiction and loves Texas authors!

MENTORING APPOINTMENTS:

          Theses ladies will offer their experience, expertise, and guidance to authors at all stages.

LENA NELSON DOOLEY, author and mentor OR ACFW Mentor of the Year and award winning author with more than 800K books in print.

ALLISON PITTMAN, multi-published author and mentor, writing trainer, teacher, speaker, actress and comedian.

AMY LILLARD, a 2013 Carol Award-winning multi-published author and mentor who loves reading romance novels from contemporary to Amish.

 PUBLISHER APPOINTMENTS: for those wanting information on self-publishing

SHARI PARKER, Publisher and author at Shari Parker Publishing and Printing helps writers fulfill their dream of publishing through her complete and unique services. Shari wants to speak with anyone who’s considering the Indy publishing route, so bring your questions. And she’s an author herself, too. Many conference attendees can speak to Shari’s competence and integrity.

WRITING WORKSHOPS:

LENA NELSON DOOLEY (above), award winning author with more than 800K books in print, will expound on "Layering Pizzazz" 

ALLISON PITTMAN (above), multi-published author, mentor, writing trainer, teacher, speaker, actress and comedian will bring a humorous talk on.

MIKE FARRIS (above), Literary Agent at the Farris Literary Agency will present “Eight Steps To Dynamic Storytelling”.

JAMES R. CALLAN, author, holds workshops on  "Character: The Heartbeat of the Novel" and "How to Write Great Dialog

MARKETING WORKSHOPS:

FRED CAMPOS, an effective social media marketer and networking guru will share "Thirty Tips To Use Social Media" 

KATHY L. PATRICK, author and Pulpwood Queens Book Club founder, with 500+ chapters, the largest "meeting and discussing" book club in the world as seen on Good Morning America and The Oprah Winfrey Show!

SHARI PARKER (above), Publisher at Shari Parker Publishing and Printing and author , “Hit Your Target and Sell More Books!”

AMY LILLARD (above), a 2013 Carol Award-winning multi-published author, will be informing all on “Brand! Brand! Brand!”

PUBLISHING WORKSHOPS:

GINNIE BIVONA, Publisher, author, TV writer, and speaker will present “To E or not to E? That is the Question!”

J. LEE BUTTS, Berkley multi published author brings “How to Get Published~Lotta Luck and a Bit of Talent”

READ & CRITIQUE SESSIONS:

With multi published authors Ginnie Bivona, Jimmy Butts, Ron and Caryl McAdoo, and more.

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Caryl has always loved to write, and she's excited with her first historical Christian romance VOW UNBROKEN, debuting March 2014 from Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster. For every good blessing - including 10 children (4 by birth, 6 by marriage) and 14 grandchildren - she gives God the glory. Caryl lives a country-life with Ron, her husband of forty-five years and four grandsons, outside Clarksville, Red River County Seat, located in far Northeast Texas

A Leap of Faith

**Disclaimer** Blogger is having some technical difficulties formatting this post properly. Sorry for all the little quirks and snafus.

In order to counteract the wild cravings for carbs and cheese that I instilled with my pizza post I thought I'd broach a topic that couldn't be more unappetizing.

I'm thinking something extreme like, dare I say it . . . dirty diapers.

Okay, so now that we are all safely back on track with our New Year's resolutions let me explain why I have been thinking about diapers.

I have two little boys and we are currently on the very messy journey called potty training. Each morning when I am about to commence the rather undesirable ritual of the day's first diaper change my youngest son, Rafe, issues me a warning.

"Mommy," he says with a gleam of mischief in his cobalt blue eyes, points at fresh load he just emptied beneath his jammies. "Tinky, poo poo. Issa big one!"

**Sighs** Is there any other kind?

Though I can appreciate the heads up, it is obvious what my next step will be, and that it will be unquestionably unsavory. Sometimes we can anticipate exactly what’s ahead. Whether from previous experience, or from some general street smarts, the stepping stones are marked, expectations and consequences are clear.

 Though life can dish out its fair share of, um . . . poop, it's often the unknown that causes the most stink.

We've all heard the ago old adage "Look before you leap." Problem is, even when you look, sometimes you can't see anything. The next step might very well be firm and sturdy, but how can we know that? And without visual confirmation, how can we even be sure it's there? 

What if we misstep? What if we garner our courage, crest the edge of comfort, and fall?  So much in life is uncertain. Our dreams, our future, our calling. Though the Bible gives a great blueprint to build a life, we simply cannot know what plans He has drafted.

For me, writing was one of those unexpected additions to the building plan. I'd never taken a creative writing class. In fact, I'm fairly certain I hadn't even read a book cover to cover until college. I didn't grow up with fanciful visions of holding my own story in my hands--didn't know I had one to tell.

And when that light flicked on and exposed the frame work for a new addition--a new dream God was practically etching on my heart so I couldn't resist--I was scared. What if I step out, take a run at this thing and land flat on my keester? What if my heart gets wrapped up in the hopes and dreams that the next step could lead to, but I'm not good enough, my steps falter, my foot slips through and I fall headlong into disappointment and failure?

Sometimes God calls us to leap, trust, fling ourselves out into the dark scary void without knowledge of what's to come. 

For us writers, sometimes that means putting pen to paper, not knowing exactly where the story will go but forging ahead to form, shape, sculpt, dream what it could become.
 
Sometimes that means exposing the stories of your heart to criticism like contests or critiques. These are an 
unknown step, a shot in the dark--an opportunity to learn or even get the encouragement needed to boost you on toward your goal.


For me, that step is now called submission. Funny that it is called that. Appropriate, because with all the clamoring energy stripping your nerves bare, the weight of the unknown tossing your dreams on tumultuous doubts and what-ifs. I feel I am called to submit. Submit my fears, my hopes, the fragile thing that God is building within me. 
 

It may not be poured of impenetrable concrete or triple enforced with rebar. And your knees might wobble when you stand on the edge, but sometimes, God's not willing to give your dream wings until you prove you are brave enough to take that leap and risk the possibility of the fall before you can soar to new heights.

 

How do you know when you are ready to leap? What 
helps you step out into the unknown? And what things are holding you back?
 
Just remember, faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we don't see. 
Be strong and courageous. 
Don't let the enemy rob you of the beautiful hope of the 
unseen. 

Unusual Things to be Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving Holidays to you!

We here at the Alley are so blessed by your readership. Although many of you are shy to comment or maybe you've enjoyed a post but didn't have time to share or have a specific thought to comment with, we see you here. God's richest blessings on you.

Today, I thought we could talk about the unusual things to be thankful for. 

Sure it's easy to thank God for our children, the weather, our food, etc. But what about the unusual things. 

Let's see, what can we put on this list.

Crits with lots of red writing. Sigh. I get those more than the raving positive comments at the end of the doc. I am, however, thankful for the color on my paper because I learn, I see the issue in my work, I change, I write better . . . until the critters find a new issue GACK! Breathe. I can be thankful again, learn yet another concept, see my error, change, and write better again.

Contest responses in the first round. No. no. Please. I really didn't want an email from the contest category administrator yet, at least wait another two months. Actually, I was hoping for the golden call about that time. 

The email was sweetly written, sorry....blah blah blah. I usually open the email later that evening, with a cup of hot chocolate, hoping my entry was really good but my score just missed the cut. Two days later, when I have matured, I read the judges comments.

Now comes the thankful part. I really am glad to have the score sheets. Specific areas of writing earn their own points. I can find out if I scored high on the hook, but bombed style or setting. Sometimes a judge will include a critted version. Sure, because of the subjectivity of the business three judges can score completely different. I can compare the three and learn what needs to be perfected. And if I keep learning and trying and submitting, someday, I might get the call like I did this year for the Phoenix Rattler Writing Contest :)

NaNoWriMo in November. In the season of crazy, NaNo gives you the opportunity to go insane. I am thankful because I had this fabulous idea for a story swirling in my head, consuming my thought time, but I had editing, requests, and obligations which required my full attention. The new idea had to wait until January, maybe February before I would have time to devote to it. Seriously, this is was not the time. 

But . . . this year, I signed up. NaNo has become my vent. An opportunity to get that first draft out of my head with no obligations to edit at this time. It moved those ideas that pop into my head when I was in the middle of something onto a page and cleared my mind to focus on the other tasks I needed to do. Insane ended up working for me.

Frantically busy days. No way will you get any writing done on a day where the to do list outweighs the available time. This is a day to keep one of those mini spiral writing pads and a pen with you. This is the time when new, fresh ideas will form, soaked with sight, sounds, feelings, tastes, and new learning. Don't waste these added blessings, whip that spiral out of your back pocket, take notes, and later add them to the perfect character/setting in your book. It will make you feel better, I promise:)

Suggested frantic day observations worth taking notes:

*the cheerleader or grannie type cashier leaving the register to run after the customer who forgot a bag, 

*the fresh scent of a traffic jam, and musical blarings of horns, engines, and screeching fan belts bleeding over your favorite song on the radio. 

*the missing ingredient in dinner flavor 

*the unexpected guest's lovely appearance, and yours when you answered the door with curlers, no make-up, and fuzzy slippers

*the voice of the marketer who called-yet again, this time when the oatmeal boiled over 

*the vibrant colors of your child's drawing on the surface of the living room wall which you noticed right before your mother-in-law arrived. 

*the new things you found while searching for your missing keys during the last twenty minutes 

*the force needed to scrape frost off the car when you're ten minutes late for the special appointment. 

This list could go on for pages!

Oh the blessings we have in disguised packages. 

Have some fun. Giggle. 
Add an unusual thing to be thankful for.

(Including prepositions at the end of a sentence:) )

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This blog post is by Mary Vee

Mary lives in Montana with her husband and loves to hear from her three college kids. She writes contemporary Christian fiction with a focus on the homeless population and loves to pen missionary and Bible adventure stories on her ministry blog, God Loves Kids.

Visit Mary at her website www.maryvee.com

Step into Someone Else's World

Ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids http://www.mimaryvee.blogspot.com