Reading Critically: Grow as a Writer

I am blessed to attend a critique group twice a month with two multi-published, award-winning authors. They take turns sharing words of wisdom about the craft of writing at the beginning of our sessions. This week the topic was on reading to improve your craft, given by the incredible Lynne Gentry. While I knew it was important to read, the tips given opened my eyes to how I can grow as a critical reader. I thought I'd share a few with you.

1. Read outside of your genre. When you always read the same genre, it is easy to gloss over that unique turn of phrase, the pacing of story, etc. Reading something new makes it easier to see new things that can up your own writing.
2. Read to find out what you DON'T want to do in your writing. Let's face it. Not everything in a book grabs our attention. Pay attention to what you skim over and make sure you don't do that particular thing in your own story.
3. When you start to "feel" something, take notice. When your heart races, when you heave a sigh, when you get angry...these are the things that should make you sit up and take notes. What did the author do to inspire such feeling? Whatever it was, incorporate that type of writing in your own story. 

These are just a few ways to grow in reading critically. Can you think of anything to add to the list? What things do you look for while reading to learn?

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Sherrinda Ketchersid is a born and bred Texan, preacher’s wife, mother of 4 children, and works part-time as a bookseller at Amazon. With the children grown and out of the house, she weaves tales of fierce knights and their ladies in a time where men were warriors and women had to be strong enough to keep them in check.

After taking time off from writing, she has returned with a new motto in place to spur her on. “Writers write. Everyone else makes excuses.” ~Jack Bickham.  No excuses this time. She is weaving her love of romance with history to bring joy and the hope of love to those who may one day read her stories. Her first book, Lord of Her Heart, releases May 2019.

You can connect with her through:
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Read to Gain Writing Muscle

I'm a huge believer that writers must read. All the time. In all genres, but particularly the ones they write. Read ABA. Read CBA. Read bestsellers. Read what works. Read what doesn't. Why do I so firmly believe you have to read? Because it's as you read that you will subconsciously learn the ways to write the novel you want to read -- and that hundreds, thousands, and more of readers just like you will enjoy -- and expect.

Now, I can hear you. Many of you are arguing that you don't have time to read, because you're writing. Here are a couple strategies I use to always be reading:

• I always carry a paper book with me. I have one in the car right now that I can't wait to start, but it's there waiting for that moment I'm waiting on a child at their activity. As soon as that happens, I can snap that baby up and read for a few minutes. It doesn't take too many pockets of time like that to finish a book.
• If somehow my trusty paperback fails me, I have a Kindle app on my phone and iPad, and I always have one or both of those with me. While e-reading is not my first choice, it works in a pinch. And it's a great way for me to get to books I might otherwise forget about.
• I taught myself to read on the treadmill while training for mini-marathons. Now you don't need to run a crazy race like that to make use of your exercise time to read. Exercise bikes are perfect for reading. Walking on a treadmill and reading is super easy. Jogging and running are skills you can work up to. I recommend books you can throw away or iPads for treadmill reading.
• I've given myself permission to keep reading. It's one thing I can do that is for me. It sounds silly that I had to give myself permission, but it is one key way that I relax.

So what should you be looking for now that you've recaptured some time to read? There are several things you can look for whether you're reading for pleasure or purposefully reading to dissect.

• Think about what has you coming back to the book. If your TBR pile is anything like mine, it's down-right daunting. Why are you still reading the book you are? Is it the characters? The setting? The plot? The romance? The dialogue? Take the time ;;;;to thin about what makes the book work for you.
• On the flipside, if a book doesn't work for you, take the time to figure out why. What didn't resonate with you? What had you struggling to connect with the book and its premise?
• If it's a genre you want to write in, take the time to pick a couple books apart. Do a literal chapter by chapter summary. You will learn so much about pacing and reader expectations if you take the time to do this. It doesn't have to be detailed -- just enough to let you know what's happening and which story thread it is with. It's a great way to pick up nuances about genre expectations that you'll breeze right over when you're reading solely for pleasure.

Have you ever read with the intent of learning to be a better writer? What helped you do that? 

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Cara Putman

An award-winning author of twenty books, Cara is a lecturer on business and employment law to graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman also practices law and is a second-generation homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana.

Writers, Read!

I remember the twists and turns of Jane Eyre...even though it's been nearly two decades since I lastread the book.
I often reflect on the tragedy of Wuthering Heights, and the devastation of The Great Gatsby. Even though I read those books before Jane Eyre. There are stories that rooted themselves in my heart, and they were on high school reading lists, the pages of a high school textbook--Thoreau, Fitzgerald, Shakespeare, Poe...

During college, the only thing I recall reading is Amitai Etzioni and a social geography textbook..my reading of fiction was very little. But after college, I'd read as I worked out, and devoured books that everyone talked about.

And then, there were several series I read as a young mother,
raising my children in the quiet of a West Texas sand storm.
There were books scattered here and there these past ten years, many that I never finished because of lack of interest or a whining toddler. But, this past month, I have had a great desire to READ. I have devoured about 5-6  books, and continue to have one on my kindle and one in paperback for my convenience wherever I am at.

I feel like it's God pushing me to the next level of writing by giving me the desire to actually read the market I long to write in. When stories model the flow of character, plot, and conclusion, we grow as better writers. If we become out of touch with what is out there, then our writing and pitching and proposing  will flounder.

So, what have you read lately? Learned anything new about your own writing?

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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 six historical novels and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Angie also spends her time designing one-sheets and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com and connect at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dicken.angie, 

Twitter: @angiedicken

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/agdicken/

The Most Important Ingredient in Your Writing Recipe

Hermione Granger is my spirit animal. Just a little tidbit you may not know about me.

Like our favorite wild-haired brainiac, I’m a reformed know-it-all, hopefully a little more bearable to live with than the girl whose hand was raised so high, her fanny had lift-off from the plastic, grade school chair-desk. But I still devour information about topics that interest me. Google has especially enabled this tendency. 

Now that you know this important piece of trivia about me, let me tell you what happened after pressing send on my second manuscript. I bought a ton of craft books. I studied the industry -- both my little subsection of it and on the whole. I tried a variety of writing tactics recommended by plotters, pantsers, speed-writers, and the like. But despite abiding by my tried and true M.O., I began to flounder between book ideas. The DELETE key became my BFF.

Why were my first and second books so much easier to get on the page? After months, I finally had an epiphany this weekend.

Yes, it's important to study what's selling in the industry, to follow your agent's recommendations if you have one, and to sharpen your craft until it reaches an almost deadly fine point. But there was one important thing I'd forgotten:

You have to write what you want to read. 

I learned that you can read all the books and blogs until you've fine-tuned a rubric with the most popular and sellable aspects in your genre, but if you don't start with what makes your story one you'd like to read, 1) it likely won't be unique enough to thrive in the industry, 2) it might not have the pulse that breathes life into the muscles and bones of the plot anyway.

So. What kinds of ideas spark your stories? Inspiration from real-life? Music? Movies? Themes or scriptures? That indignant feeling when you would have ended a novel differently? 

Tell us in the comments!

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Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and received the Genesis Award in 2013 (Contemporary) and 2014 (Romance). 

Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com

Reading Teaches us to Write

Reading is one of the best ways to learn how to write. It's so important to read books in the genres we write. By doing that we learn pacing, how a good book is put together, dialouge, etc. It also can teach us what doesn't work. Were you pulled out of the story? Why? Did the pace lag? Why? Was the book so gripping you couldn't put it down? 

If you read with a critical eye as to what works (or doesn't), it will be a great help to your writing. 

It’s also summertime. So here are a few ebook deals you may want to snag in time for vacation! The listed prices are still good as of the evening of June 15. Please double-check before purchasing. These are also books I thoroughly enjoyed from six of my go-to authors. I hope you enjoy reading them

A Lady at Willowgrove Hall is a wonderful regency by my friend Sarah Ladd. It’s on sale for $2.99.

A perfect read for fairy tale loving teens & women, this book is on sale for $1.99.

This is a compelling story set in France during WWII and is on sale for $1.99.

I adore Tamera’s Reconstruction era romances set in Nashville. This one is excellent and on sale for $2.99!

I LOVE this book with contemporary and WWII art story lines. It’s on sale for $3.99.

I love Katie’s women’s fiction, and this is her first foray into YA. It looks so intriguing and $3.99 is a great price to try something new.
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Cara Putman

An award-winning author of twenty books, Cara is a lecturer on business and employment law to graduate students at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management. Putman also practices law and is a second-generation homeschooling mom. She lives with her husband and four children in Indiana.

A Reader Shares: The Impact of Fiction

In every season of my life, God places a person who makes a difference in my perspective, or challenges me to search my heart deeper than most. After living in this town for over a year now, I can confidently say that my friend, Alice, is one of those people. She is my church's Women's minister, a spunky pastor's wife, and a faithful, loving friend. We've discussed many things, but when Fiction became a topic of conversation, I was blessed by her words.

When Alice told me that she recently finished reading her first Christian fiction book ...EVER... and that it was LIFE CHANGING...I had to bring her to the Alley. If any of you are like me at all, the question **does fiction really has impacts on lives?** has crossed your mind at least once on this journey. Alice's perspective as a new reader of fiction, secured my confidence that, without a doubt, the impact of fiction is HUGE. Notice the underlined parts below...these are wonderful nuggets from my friend!
 
ME: What types of books do you usually read? 

 Alice:  Christian self-help/psychology

ME:  How did a fiction account impress on your heart unlike a non-fiction book? 

Alice: I was able to enter into the character's role. At times, I was able to step into not just one character's role, but other characters roles as well. Through fiction life stories I experience a life situational experience that I may have also experienced to some degree. In that, I may be able to walk through the situation with the healing that the character had the courage to take which I may not have been able to do in my own life. Fiction gave me the chance to do that. This happened to me while reading Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, in the same way it happens while watching inspiring movies. Just as the character shows ability to tap into certain emotions, the reader gets the chance to take on the same courage, strength or the forgiveness, grace, love and acceptance.

ME: What spurred you on to consider the story as application in your life?

 Alice: My mentor suggested the book to me. I was hesitant as I felt fiction was not as effective as Christian psychology, but now I believe, it actually can be more effective, because your heart and mind are engaged in it to a greater degree then Christian self-help.

Psychologists claim that a person cannot change with mind or intellect alone, but that there has to be a heart or an emotional experience as well, to create that heart change. Psychologists say there has to be an emotional experience and intellectual knowledge to truly be able to change a person's way of thinking or behavior. That is why the book is always better then the movie, because the reader has to put their creative mind to use while reading, (which comes from the heart), to imagine the situation. Thus the reader feels the book more so then the viewer feels the movie. The book takes the reader to a deeper level, to their creative and/or personal heart level, not just the intellectual level. Therefore, I believe fictional writing can be a powerful tool or may I say, more powerful tool.

ME: What overall truths resonated with you as you read?

Alice: Forgiveness. The character was able to go to a level of unforgiveness that I have not been able to do for a decade. While reading Redeeming Love, a scene that I entered into as a reader, opened my heart and mind to my own hard- heartedness. It was so ugly, it made me want to change. I cried my eyes out and wept aloud and released it up to Christ.

ME: Can you share another personal change this made on your life? 

Alice: It has healed a very huge part of my life. It has healed my anger issue, and changed me as a wife and mother. More grace abounds in me now as a person and to others, my family, and mostly to myself. I am acting differently, my expectations are no longer too high, and I am living more from my heart. 

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Wow. This is every author's dream review...right? Alice's words have confirmed my calling one more time, and now I will choose to remember her words whenever I wonder...whenever I forget to look up and give God the reigns on why in the world I am writing "this one"!

Whether you write Romantic Comedy, Historical Fiction, or Young Adult sci-fi, your stories are gateways to a reader's heart. God is creative in His avenues to change hearts, and never forget that this calling to write will not be wasted by His Almighty!


I hope this encouraged you as much as it encouraged me. Alice's first fiction read was Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers...a very popular read, indeed!

Do you have any books that have resonated truth in your life? I would love to see how much variety in genre we can get!
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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

TOP 10 Things To Do When You Can't Go To Conference

What? You can't go to the 2012 ACFW Writing Conferences this year? Well, I have just one thing to say...

HAKUNAH MATATA

No worries...just chill out and pick out one of my Top 10 Things To Do When You Can't Go To A Conference. Let's shorten that up to T4DWYCGTAC, why don't we? I wasn't sure what to write about, but everyone seemed to be writing about conferences, so I thought I'd join in the fun.

The countdown begins:

Photo by savit keawtavee
freedigitalphotos.net

10. Stock the pantry with chocolate bon bons and the freezer with ice cream, and pig out for the duration of the conference. (Warning: Not Waistline Friendly!)

9. Have a slumber party and read your favorite romance scenes aloud to each other. Bring out the chocolate for a night of fun!

8. Read a book a day, preferably romance, where you can escape into sigh-inducing scenes and smile at happy endings.

7. Make up flyers announcing your future bestseller and post them in all the coffee shops and libraries in your area. Make sure to put a cute head shot of yourself. They say it's never to early to market yourself.

6. Subscribe to Netflix and have a sappy movie marathon day...or two...or three. Cry and laugh your heart out. You might want to have your bon bons close at hand.

5. Text your friends at the conference every 30 minutes, telling them how your word count has grown...and how theirs has not.

4. Send out 54 queries to random agents. You can pick any number to send out, but I prefer randomness. Who knows? You might hit the jackpot.

Photo by digitalart
freedigitalphotos.net

3. Go to Disneyland and devise a murder mystery involving Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, and the Big Bad Wolf. (Yes, I know the Big Bad Wolf is NOT a Disney character, thank you very much.)

2. Spend an hour in Barnes and Noble. Take one page from 300 books in the store and string them together for a Mad Lib Novel.

1. Watch the weather channel and drive to the nearest rainstorm. Let your hair down and dance a jig in the rain, screaming at the top of your lungs how much fun you are having instead of meeting famous authors.

There you have it, my TOP 10 fun things to do while I won't be at conference this year. I am sad to not be going, but am excited to get to stop by and HUG all the Alley Cats who are coming to town! Can't wait!

So those of you not going to any conferences this year, how do you intend to chase the blues away?

*This post was originally posted May 25, 2010

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is wife to "Pastor John" and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and forever love.

Hearing God in Fiction

freedigitalphotos.net
by imagerymagestic

I recently read A Bride Opens Shop by Keli Gwyn and loved it! It had everything I love in a story - a great plot, awesome secondary characters, and heart-thumping romance. The unique thing about Keli's book was that I heard God whisper to me while I turned the pages. How cool is that?

In the book, widow Elenora Watkins is an independent woman. After being under the rule of a mean husband and then an overbearing father, Elenora wants some freedom. She packs up, heads across the country, and puts her savings into becoming a partner in a thriving mercantile owned by Miles Rutledge. Only he doesn't know she is a woman and refuses to allow her to be a partner when he finds out.

What I loved about Elenora is her independence and strength to do what women didn't normally do back in those days. Instead of running home to Papa, she opens up shop across the street, becoming the competition to Miles. Maybe I like her so much because I want to be like her...independent, confident in my abilities, unafraid to step out and try something new.

The problem comes when our independence gets in the way of seeing things clearly. It becomes all consuming...it becomes an idol. We want to be seen as invincible. We want to be the best. We want to win all the time and show others we are just as good - if not better - than everyone else.

Elenora faced that very thing. She felt like she had to prove herself in almost every aspect of her life...her business, her violin playing, and even in her shooting skills. Doing so caused a rift between her and Miles, because even though they had growing feelings between them, pride on both sides made them compete even harder.

Really what Elenora wanted more than anything was to be loved and accepted as she was...someone capable of being a partner, being a helper, being able to run a business and bring something to the table buisness-wise.

I could see myself in Elenora. I tend to want to prove to others I am capable, that I am skilled at many things, that I can be counted on for excellence. I compare myself with others and strive to be as good...or better. But really, all I want is to be accepted and appreciated, no matter what my accomplishments and giftings are.

And here's the kicker. I AM loved. I AM accepted. I AM appreciated...by the One who really matters. God loves me with an unconditional love. He is the One who has gifted me and enabled me to do the things I do. He would love me just as much even if I couldn't do a single thing! I just need to accept that love and revel in the beauty of it. I don't need to compete with others. I just need to be me and be open to the lover of my soul...my Lord and Savior.

Don't you love it when a piece of fiction like A Bride Opens Shop speaks truth into your heart? Stories have a way of showing us God's truths in way that really hits home, rather like the parables that Jesus told.

When God places a story on your heart, write the words boldly, knowing that God will use them to bless His kingdom. The stories you write will speak to encourage, to motivate, and to strengthen. They will be words of life to those who read them.

What have you written lately that you knew was from God? Or what have you read recently that touched your heart? 

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is wife to "Pastor John" and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and forever love.

Improve Writing Skills by Reading Books You Love and Books You...Don't

As writers tend to do, I often find myself critiquing books I read. I'll pick up a book, typically in my genre, settle down, and start analyzing from page one. Why isn't this scene starting off faster? What is wrong with this main character? Or on the good end, how does this author always manage to pull me in?

And not only do I critique, I compare. I take my writing skills and compare them to the skills of the author of the book I'm reading. Yeah, so that's not always a great way to improve writing skills (or self-esteem), but it is a great way to learn and grow as a writer.

Here are some big topics I find either make me want to continue reading a book, or make me want to stop.

Opening (Hook)

And opening that grabs me right away is super important. We have so little time these days that I tend to be one of those people that wants to be snatched up by a story and not let go. I don't really enjoy building up to it unless the book turns out to be phenomenal. A strong, catchy opening is a great thing we can take away from a good book.

Dialogue

Not all of us are big fans of dialogue, but it really depends on the genre. Sparse of dull dialogue really makes me want to put down a book. Also, great dialogue is a super way to show instead of tell a characters personality.

Sympathetic Characters

Although I do enjoy unique characters, with characteristics that are different from my own (like a sassy sense of humor or unwavering independence), I like to be able to relate to them somehow. I like to know that they have feelings just like me, even morals just like me.

Character Growth

On the same note, if I'm going to invest myself in a couple hundred or more pages of a book about a character's life, I want to see the change in that character's life. I want to see that they've gone from a challenging spot and overcome it. Or I want to see them grow up to be a strong person. I want to see them get better and grow over time.

Steady Action

Dull or slow parts (particularly the beginning or middle) definitely make me want to put a book down. When the action continues and something new or different is always happening, I'm swept away by the book and hardly notice I've read the entire thing so quickly until I'm done.

Ending

Cliche endings bother me. They make me wonder if investing my time in the whole book was a good idea or make me wonder if I want to read a book by that author again because I expect more. So, keep those endings fresh. Make the reader want to cheer at the end, or make them think and wonder what happened afterward. But make it a believable ending and one that the reader will appreciate.

Even though we enjoy reading books we love, as writers we can still learn a lot by reading books that turn out to be far from our favorites. We can see what doesn't work and make sure to keep that from our own writing.

So, what do you love or dislike about books you read and what makes you want to read more by that author? Are you going to have a checklist the next time you read a book or do you already have one?

What Keeps You Reading?? (and a giveaway!)

It's a conversation kind of post day!

What keeps you reading a book?? We all have excuses for what DOESN'T keep us reading. Blah characters, no interest, no hook, poor writing, shoddy novel construction, etc. etc.

But what KEEPS us reading??

→Strong characters

→Riveting plot

→Captivating dialogue

→Tension!

→Hooks

→Investment in the story and the characters

→The writing. The story can be great, but if we don't "get" the writing...

→Drama-- all books have drama!

→Strong showing (but also an ability to tell too)

→A sense of setting

→Strong follow-through. Both in plot and character motivation

And this would just be the TIP of the iceberg. I personally want to keep reading a book if I am INVESTED. I want to like the characters, I want to love the story they are living. I want to fall in love over and over again every time I open the book. I want to avoid my family, chores and responsibilities to submerge myself in the dance and vibrancy of the words across the page.

We can pick a book apart for why we DON'T like it, have you ever tried to pick one apart for why you DID??

Join the conversation today for what keeps you reading!

And all comments will be entered to win MaryLu Tyndall's latest novel, Surrender the Dawn (I must restrict this giveaway to U.S. addresses only please. :-))

Winner announced in the Weekend Edition

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery - Writing What you Read

Pepper, the title wizard got the creative juices flowing and invented this title- thanks!! What would I do without you??

Okay, I loooooove to read. It is never ending. Like tentacles extending from my body, my hands and brain just doesn't know what to do if I don't have a book to read. I wanted to read 100 books before December 31st and as of today I have read 92. Hmmmm. Think I'll make it? Do you think I LIKE to read?? More like love. : )

On an average I read between 3 and 5 books a week. And from those books that I have read, I have found many different styles and genres, all prompting me to want to write like that.

One of the best pieces of advice that I have ever been given is to write what you read. Now you might thinks this borders on plagiarism, but it is the farthest thing from the truth. Like Sherrinda talked about in Ditto Writing, there are no new ideas, no new stories, only your new take. Even if you took the exact same era, setting and idea, you would come up with a completely different story. That is what makes each of us unique and special in the eyes of God.

So join me for a few minutes as I explore my book shelves and journey through each book, dissecting why I like each one and why I would like to write like that particular author.

So first up: Double Trouble by Susan May Warren.

There is hardly anything I don't like about the writing style of Susan. Her witty dialogue, snazzy characters and intriguing plots keep me riveted to the page. Her humor and ability to make me laugh make me excited to read each of her new books. The serious side of her fiction always makes me dig a bit deeper inside myself and explore how I could write like this.

But what really draws me to the page are her characters and their insane ability to always say what I least expect them to.

Whenever I read a book by Susie, I look at her word construction, wordsmithing her story to paint a vivid mental image. I really study her word choice. Instead of saying a "twenty dollar bill" she calls it an Andrew Jackson. Makes you think, huh?

Her dialogue is witty and filled with what you least expect the character to say. So what can my character say that is completely within character, but will shock my reader? She enters the character's persona herself, bringing me along with her. There is nothing left untouched when she enters the world of PJ Sugar.

Next up is: A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman
Okay, who DOESN'T want to write like Julie??? Okay maybe a lot of people, because she is truly one of kind and some just aren't cut out for romance. : )

But I love romance. I love to read a good wholesome Christian romance and I would love to write it. So what I hope to take away the most from Julie's fiction is her ability to make my blood heat. What does she incorporate to make each scene sizzle with more dramatic and emotional tension?

Now I'm not cut out to write the epic romances that Julie does so well, but for the little bit of romance I want my novel to have, her books will be the first I will turn to.

Next is Hidden Places by Lynn Austin

This has to be my favorite book of all time. I have read it through three times and is the only novel I believe my dad has ever read straight through twice. : )

Lynn crafts characters. Real live one with flaws, struggles and skeletons buried so deep in their closest that it takes nearly 400 pages to dig them out.

I remember the very first time I read Hidden Places. The story and the writing kept me riveted to the page. The story world was vivid, the characters amazingly crafted until now, years after I have turned the last page, I still turn to Aunt Batty as the most memorable character I have read.

But what I hope to someday emulate in my first fiction from Lynn is her ability to portray the human condition and amazing ability to incorporate back story. Her characters are flawed with serious need for help and as they come to that conclusion of their need for a Savior, they grow and move forward into better people. If I can show a characters growth and understanding of their place in the world and their need for forgiveness, all while painting a vivid picture in the reader's mind, then I will have done my job well. And while Lynn's style is all her own, her detailed back story is an inspiration for my own writing.

Next up is The Frontiersman's Daughter by Laura Frantz

I still haven't decided just how to truly follow in Laura Frantz's footsteps. I have stepped away from historical fiction for the time being, but even in contemporary, I can take things I have learned from this book and put it into mine.

And I think the most I took away from this novel, is the author's ability to draw me in with her words. She painted a dream for me, until I could not put this book down. In one scene the heroine, Lael is dreaming, but I don't know that. And I was so shocked at the sudden turn of events I stayed up past my bedtime to find out what in the world was going on!

Most dream sequences are easily detected, this one, not so. And if I can do that with my reader. Throw a complete loop their way with the simple elegance of my words, that for me personally will be the greatest pleasure.

Next is A Constant Heart by Siri Mitchell

I love Siri Mitchell's ability to draw the reader in with facts about the particular era, without the knowledge becoming tacked on and stale in the course of the novel.

But detail doesn't have to apply to just historical. The wider and deeper you read, the more these details may play into your contemporary. Knowing history and what you can learn from it, will make your fiction richer and take it's surroundings to another level. Just because you learn something, doesn't mean that you talk about, but if you character knows and understand something that happened in the past, it may affect how they act in the present.

Siri has also impacted how I am writing today. All of her books (at least that I have read) are written in first person, just like my novel and she does it seemlessly. Something I want to capture in my fiction.

Almost Forever by Deborah Raney

Deb is one of my favorite authord in today's contemporary fiction. Being a new writer of women's fiction, she is the model I try to emulate when I write.

Her books evoke deep emotions and delve into topics that stir my soul all the while delivering a story that entertains and keeps me riveted.

What I love about Deb's fiction is it's life. Plain and simple. She portrays normal characters in normal life, thrown into circumstances that either bring out the best or the worst in them. And in the end she always brings a strong faith message into the character and readers lives.

If I can write a story that grips the emotions, that packs a punch that makes the reader dig deeper into themselves than I would be thrilled. A book that evokes emotion, no matter the emotion (as long as you aren't throwing the book across the room) is a book that will often be remembered the longest and have the biggest impact.


One of my favorite historical books is The Lady of Milkweed Manor by Julie Klassen

Julie has the amazing ability to bring the setting directly before my eyes. I see the surroundings, I sense the smells, see the sights, feel the emotions. Never has a book taken me directly to the middle of the story world before. That combined with a great story makes the book unforgettable for me.

I still need to portray storyworld to the highest sense. (That among other lessons) But to be able to paint such a vivid picture of the world the characters live in is an amazing ability. To be able to sprinkle it in through the story until without being aware of it, you are suddenly there. And there is no turning back.

Now my last book (I could go on forever, but decided I would save one of the best for last): The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry

This is truly the book that inspired the novel I am writing right now. When I read this book a month ago, I knew that I wanted to write a book that riveting. A book that left the reader breathless while reading. A book that never dropped the pace, but kept getting worse and worse until I wasn't sure where I was going to be able to breathe again.

That is the kind of book that drives me to write. That inspires me. I wanted to write a book with an intimate view of a character by going at first person, and The Familiar Stranger gave me a glimpse into that world.

If I could point at any one book that inspired my current WIP and made me write to the best of my ability that would be the one.

So in summery, if I could take Susan May Warren's characters and snazzy dialogue, the romance of Julie Lessman, the ability to portray back story and the human condition of Lynn Austin. The dreamlike ability from Laura Frantz, the intricate details and first person from Siri Mitchell, the emotional impact and faith journey of Deborah Raney, the sensory details of Julie Klassen and the inspiration of Christina Berry-- if I could cobble all of those elements along with my own voice and ability to put words on paper, I will have the novel of my dreams. I will have the novel that speaks from my heart. The novel that truly brings out my own voice.

I have other favorites, Terri Blackstock, Kathyn Cushman, Tamera Alexander, Janette Oke, Beverly Lewis, Cindy Woodsmall, MaryLu Tyndall and the list goes on and on. And all of these authors are contributing to what kind of writer I am becoming.

Because that is what writing is all about. With every book you read and love, there are going to be elements of that story that you will want to incorporate into your novel. Even though I am not writing historical fiction right now, I can look at the author's ability to put words on paper. At the lyrical sound of their pen on paper. I can break down the word choice, the way the story is structured and so on. Your greatest teachers are going to be the novels you know and love. Because only through truly experiencing the make believe world another author creates, will you learn how to make your own.

So what do you read? Are you pulled towards a particular genre? Do you like elements of the fiction you read that you that you wish to incorporate into your novel? Don't be shy to share!