Where is YOUR focus?

God's been dealing with me a lot lately on the issue of self-confidence.

After wrestling with Him about it for a few weeks, I posted a deeply personal blog on my own site that talked about my struggle from an early age with self-image and confidence issues.

My struggle, which I think many of us have to varying degrees, has a ripple effect over to my writing.

Am I good enough?
Does my writing really stink and everyone is just lying to me so I don't feel bad?
Will people like my book?
What if I don't sell enough? Does that make me a failure?
OHMAGOODNESS what if people write horrible reviews and HATE it?

And in another super honest confession... part of me feared greatly that people would "buy" my book, or "pretend" to like it only because I'd just gone through a terrible ordeal with my daughter's health that I dealt with very publicly, that it'd be for pity only.

Stupid, huh.

When we write a book, it's different than other "business" deals. Our writing is very personal and comes from a place deep inside us. Or at least, it is that way for me. So putting it out there for rejection or acceptance is a scary thing.

But BOTTOM LINE:

IT'S NOT ABOUT US!!

YES, some people will hate our books and trash them on Goodreads.
YES, some people will hate our books and trash them on blogs.
YES, our sales might totally flop and make us look completely inept.

All those things are totally possible (and honestly, probable.)

But God has a purpose for ALL things. And for me, my #1 purpose for my LIFE is to glorify Jesus. Everything else, my marriage, my writing, my children, my job, all falls under that. I want everything I do to be with the motive of glorifying the God who made me.

And that includes my writing.

I need to stop stressing about sales and start focusing on story. God gave me stories to tell, and EFFECTIVE marketing will happen when I focus not on "how many books can I sell" but on "How can I get my book into the hands of those God wants it to be in."

See that focus shift?

It's an important one.

One I feel like I failed MISERABLY with in my first go-around at this whole publishing thing.

I'm a numbers girl. It's how my mind works. But maybe I can start thinking about "number of lives touched" vs. "number of books sold" hmm?

And then there is that darn Amazon ranking I was addicted to for the first six months... I kinda just wish they'd take it away so I would stop obsessing over it!

Bottom line: Our writing isn't about us. To have a truly fulfilling publishing experience, I highly suggest you turn your eyes toward Jesus. Follow HIM, not the just trends. Follow HIM, not just the numbers.

Discussion: Am I the only one that struggles with self-confidence issues over books?? If you've got a grip on it, share some of your secrets!!

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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.

Deb Raney on Time Management 101

Today, Deb Raney joins us. Her latest book, Silver Bells, released this month, October 2013. This is a beautiful story about a small Kansas town's Christmas miracle.

DEBORAH RANEY's books have won numerous awards including the RITA, National Readers Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, the Carol Award, and have twice been Christy Award finalists.

Deb has a heart to help writers. She recently critiqued a portion of my manuscript at the ACFW conference. I learned a great deal from her in that fifteen minute appointment, much more thank I expected. This last weekend, she shared blessings from God on my website. Click here to read. Now today, she shares time management 101 for writers with us, here on the Writers Alley.

Please welcome: Deb Raney.

TIME MANAGEMENT 101 FOR WRITERS

Deborah Raney

An aspiring writer recently asked me how I managed to stick to a writing schedule and still “have a life.” I remembered a list I’d written as a conference handout and shared it with her. This was written while I still had children at home, and I must confess that now that we’re empty nesters, it is much easier to manage my time. But many of these tips are practical at any stage of your writing career and it was a good reminder for me to read over them and remind myself how well they worked in the early years of writing.

1. Lower your standards for household chores. There is no law or rule in this world that says you have to dust every week, mow the lawn twice a week or clean closets twice a year. I dust about once a month. I have not lost one friend over it, nobody has come to arrest me, no one has developed allergies from all the dust. In fact, I opened up the newspaper a while back to discover that scientists suspect one reason people have so many allergies today is because we live in environments that are TOO clean, thus we haven't been able to build up any immunities to dust mites, etc. (It's no coincidence that no one in my family is allergic to ANYTHING!)

2. Delegate. When I started writing, my family treated it as if I'd taken a full-time job outside the home. My husband started doing laundry (something he'd never, ever done before, except maybe when I was in the hospital having babies), and my kids picked up the slack with the housework and yard work. No, things didn’t always get done quite to the standards I would have preferred, but it got done, and the kids gained all kinds of good life-skills as a result. If you already work a full-time job besides writing, maybe you can cut back somewhere else and hire someone to mow your lawn, change your oil, clean your house, or send the ironing out occasionally. 

3. Ban television from your life. For ten years while our kids were small, we didn't even own a TV, so it’s not much of a sacrifice for me to turn off the tube, but even today with two TVs in the house, the only time I watch is for 30 minutes each night while I ride my elliptical trainer, and occasionally on Friday or Saturday nights if my husband and I rent a movie. I simply do not have spare time to sit and watch TV. On the other hand, if you find inspiration in movies or sit-coms, or if watching TV is truly relaxing for you, then quit feeling guilty and count it as “work.”

4. Add a few good, nutritious fast foods and convenience foods to your weekly menu. Or teach the rest of your family how to cook. My kids all learned to be good cooks, thanks to my writing career. We also started ordering frozen entrees and convenience foods from Schwan’s, a frozen food delivery service. Yes, it's a little more expensive than home cooking, but we decided it’s worth it. If that's not an alternative for you, maybe you could spend one day every couple of weeks cooking a freezer full of entrees. Then all you have to do is thaw something out and pop it in the oven each night. The Crock-Pot is also a writer’s best friend.

5. Multi-task. If I do watch a movie or a newscast in the evening, I try to clip coupons, fold laundry, sew on a button, or clean out the junk drawer while I watch. If I go for a walk, I brainstorm the scene I'm working on. If I'm playing cards with my kids or Scrabble with my husband, I have a writing magazine beside me to skim while they take their turn or shuffle cards.

6. Practice the art of "just say no." When I first started writing, I tried to stay active with all my volunteer work, clubs, church activities, etc. I finally realized that I just could NOT do both. In the past several years, I've turned over the church newsletter to someone else (I still teach Sunday School with my husband), gave up freelance proofreading for our weekly newspaper, dropped out of one of my women’s Bible studies, and retired after my second four-year term on our city's recreation commission. Writing takes a tremendous amount of time, energy and commitment. If you’re serious about writing, you will probably have to give up some other things you enjoy. But oh, to be able to say, “I am a writer” makes it all worthwhile.

Thank you, Deb for sharing these great tips!

Reader, We count it all joy to read your comments. 

Please take a moment to share with us. 

Which time management tip could best help you?
Do you have other time management ideas to add to this list?

How is your Christmas book list doing? Don't forget to check out Silver Bells.

In addition to Deb Raney's Silver Bells, what other Christmas books can you recommend to add to our holiday pile?

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photo provided by Deb Raney.  Thanks, Deb!

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 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

What If We Try And Fail?

Photo by Stuart Miles
freedigitalphotos.net

Have you ever not tried something just because you were afraid you might fail? Been there, done that, right? It's normal to fear failure and I can safely say that everyone of you have had that fear.

At church Sunday, the preacher spoke about the parable of the talents from Luke 19. You know the one where the king leaves three of his servants money while he goes away. When the king comes back, two of the servants had used their money to make more money for the king. The third servant was afraid to even invest his money to earn the king interest and buried his money to keep it safe.

Here's the thing...the king didn't want his money back. He wanted productivity. He doesn't want us to keep to ourselves what He has given. He wants us to be bold and brave.

But sometimes being brave is hard. What if we try and fail?

The question of failing shows our misunderstanding. Failure is not really failure. The end result may not look like what we expected, but it is in the trying...the journey...where our success lies. It is what we learn on the journey. It is the truths we uncover in the process.

To play it safe is not safe. It is when we open up completely, giving all of ourselves and pursuing the purpose laid out for us that we find the blessing.

And remember, when we are giving of ourselves and blessing others, we make God smile.

So if you are thinking about beginning a writing career, or if you have been on the writing journey for quite some time, don't be afraid. Just write. Just pour the story of your heart onto the page, knowing that the process is a blessing. A blessing for you and a success to God.

What are you afraid of? What is it that you really fear?

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is a minister's wife 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.

Writing Memorable Characters - The ARC

Last time I wrote an intro post about creating memorable characters. Today, I want to chat about the heart of what makes a character memorable and/compelling. The Arc.

There are two elements that I’m going to chat about regarding the Arc

    1.       Individual types of arcs

    2.       Influence of others on the arc 

First of all, what is a character Arc? A Revised Character has an ARC, but that revision can take three different forms.

a.       A Change – this is what we usually think of when we refer to a Character Arc. A character changes from one type of guy to a different type of guy, usually in a good way. We see this type of change in Eliza Doolittle and Artemis Fowl.  I’d hazard a guess that Joe from You’ve Got Mail is a ‘change’ character too. Frodo Baggins is an example here as well as Eustace Scrubb and Edmund Pevensie (from Chronicles of Narnia). Han Solo changes. Luke Skywalker grows (see next type) J

b.      A Growth – this is when the character doesn't necessarily have a full change, but overcomes his/her insecurities or fears to become a stronger person by the end. A lot of novels use this type of arc, particularly romances. Darcy and Lizzie are examples of this. Aragorn overcomes his fears to become King of Gondor. Peter Pevensie only shifts into a stronger character, but doesn't really change. Harry Potter would probably fit into this one as well as Captain America (although is has a physical change, his good heart is still very much the same).

c.       A Fall – This character changes for the worst, or does not find fulfillment in the story. It is probably considered a Tragedy.  Michael Corleone from The Godfather might be considered a ‘fall’ character. Glen Close in Dangerous Lliasons. Kurtz in Heart of Darkness and Gregor Samsa from Franz Kafka’s novel, The Metamorphosis.

I will make a quick mention here that there are some fine characters in books that do not change, and I’m going to use this to segue into how characters influence each others’ change. Particularly in romance. Characters who do not have a strong arc, are usually GREAT influences on the arc of someone else in the story. In the case of Gandalf, he is the mentor and influencer of both Bilbo and Frodo, but at his core, he doesn't really change or grow.

    I'm going to focus on one of my favorite characters in literature. Edward Rochester from Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre. (And I may get a little flack about my perspective on this ;-)

    One character whose very presence influences another in dramatic ways is Jane Eyre. In fact, the same strong and good personality she begins with in the novel, she has in the end. She may grow in bravery and strength some throughout this novel, but her biggest influence is on the hero, Edward Rochester. J

(again, MY Opinion)
Hang with me here.

Michael Hauge says that a character arc is taking a character from his identity in the beginning of the story and moving him to his essence by the end. His identity is what he wants the world to see. His essence is who he truly is.

What makes Jane Eyre compelling is Jane’s influence on the change which happens in Rochester. Michael Hauge refers to this as one character helping the other bring out his/her essence. 

Edward Rochester and Jane Eyre are very much alike. Next week, I’ll go through the 9 traits of a memorable character and show you how Edward meets each one of them, but for now I want to focus on how he is transformed by Jane.

More than anyone else, she connects with him at the heart level. At the level of the man he truly is. Because of this connection, it brings out in him the man he wants to be but is afraid to reveal. Because of his wounds and the betrayal of his father, he’d donned a protective ‘identity’ of a philandering, wealthy man without a care. Even in a few of his private interactions he presents as a harsh, unfeeling person....but his actions speak a whole lot louder to his true nature. This persona protected his secret and his wounds.

Jane’s subdued passion, quiet strength, hunger for knowledge, honesty, and goodness attract him at his core. There is even a part in the novel/movie where Rochester talks about how similar they are. Jane sees the hero in him and helps him regain part of that man by the end of the novel. 

He’s still endearingly ruthless and crass, but by the end of the novel the reader sees what Jane has seen all along. A hero within.

That’s the power romances can have with Character Arc.

It's why P & P is so beautiful!

Without Lizzie's changing view, the reader wouldn't have seen the stellar attributes of Fitzwilliam Darcy as Lizzie discovered them. Lizzie's and Darcy’s growth influence each other. They both gain a new perspective. They both overcome their pride and their prejudices.

What type of character arc are you writing? If you are writing a romance, have you thought of ways that your hero and heroine can influence change in each other?

(Next time we’re going to talk about 9 Character traits of Memorable characters and more examples of how romance makes a difference in the Arc)

What's Up the Street for Next Week?

On my goodness the books that are being released right now! My TBR stack is tumbling over with new releases by Laura Frantz, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Jordyn Redwood, Dani Pettrey and more! It's a good problem to have. ;-)

What is the one (as if we could pick!) book that you're looking forward to this fall?

Pepper is continuing her series on developing memorable characters focusing on arc. Be sure and start your week "write" with us on Monday. ;-)

Tuesday, Sherrinda is your hostess!

Wednesday brings none other than the one and only Deborah Raney. Deb is the author of over twenty novels with plenty of wisdom to share from her years of experience.

Remember laughing your head off with Krista about writing a world class novel on your phone while standing on your head, chewing gum? It's why she's published after all. ;-) Check out her post on Thursday.

Guest Gabrielle Meyer will be sharing on the Alley on Friday. Be sure and stop by for your chance to win MaryLu Tyndall's The Red Siren.

See you right back here on Monday! :-)

Boulevard of Broken Dreams…

Is this where you are? Have you been here?

Has the past taught you to dream big . . . or dream safe?

I feel like for many of us, and even some of the best and most passionate writers I have ever had the pleasure to know, we cut ourselves off at the knees. We let doubt and fear and those pesky little odds and insecurities creep in and derail our dream. Have you? Have you been wondering, after those rejections come back to chip away at you . . . am I fooling myself? Wasting my time? Will my words ever see print?

For most of my life I didn't dream of becoming a best-selling novelist. I didn't even dream of becoming a writer. I was a singer. And that dream, for so long, was completely tangled up with my identity. In some ways, it will always be a part of who I am. But, my life without pursuing music . . .

 

Is it devastating? Void? Am I itching with every stalled note in my chest to stand before a crowd and pour out my song? Am I heartbroken?

No. I love music. Love to sing and worship and belt and harmonize. I LOVE it. But that dream of my youth dwindled and found its place in the real world.

Now I have a new dream... Isn't it great how, at any point in time, God can birth something new in you? He can expose a passion you didn't even know existed. I write. Not only because I love it. Because I do. I also love music. And running. And baking. But the simple truth is, I simply can’t not write! So this is my dream. And for however long it’s mine to hold, I’m gonna make it BIG!

Let’s face it… dreams can be brutal. I mean, can you imagine how foolish some of the greatest minds in the world must have felt… failing time and again? Having people ridicule them for their ludicrous theories and ideas. But imagine what we would be missing if they listened to the wrong critic... if they let go too soon.

On the other end…

A hard truth of life is that sometimes dreams don’t come true.

But maybe we just haven’t found the dream that God has for us. And whether it’s writing, or something else, you've just got to trust that the one who gave you those dreams will help you see when to hold them tight… fight with everything you have, get beaten down a hundred times before you see that beautiful thing take off into greatness.

Or... trust Him to know when to let go of those lovely detours, or maybe just see them for what they are, and find what you were meant to do.

Don’t hide your dreams in a safe place. Don't let the enemy steal something that is meant to be yours. Be bold. TRUST that the one who knows the desires of your heart has a great plan for the right dream. The right spouse. The right job. The right house. The right future. HIS way.

I’d love to hear from you…Have you ever wanted something that, in hindsight, you’re grateful you didn't get? Do you have any dreams that have carried on from your childhood? Have they changed? And how do you stay encouraged when your dream feels like a sinking ship?

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Amy Leigh Simpson writes Romantic Suspense that is heavy on the romance, unapologetically honest, laced with sass and humor, and full of the unfathomable Grace of God. She is the completely sleep deprived mama to two little mischief makers and would challenge anyone to a cutest family contest. Represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc.

Ramping Up the Story Conflict -- How to Keep Your Readers Turning Pages

How do you manage conflict in your stories? Are you using tension to keep your readers turning the pages?

Recently, I paid for a critique of my WIP so I can get an idea of areas I need to improve. One of the most helpful pieces of criticism I received is that I tend to wrap up the conflict in my WIP too quickly... sometimes even by the end of the same chapter that conflict is introduced.

See, I know I need tension in my story for it to operate properly. I always spend time brainstorming challenges and problems for my characters, and I try to match those challenges to the emotional areas the characters most need to grow. My problem? I don't like conflict. I feel bad making my characters squirm! I'll gladly introduce a series of setbacks for them... but seeing them suffer on account of those setbacks? Well, that's a different story.

But I realized, through this feedback, that when we back too quickly out of conflict, we cheat our readers out of a deeper emotional resonance in the story world. A character shouldn't go from an internal struggle to a state of peace within only a page or two. Readers need to see that struggle really developed before they can be moved emotionally by its resolution.

Do you have a tendency, like me, to introduce a problem, and then move on too quickly? Maybe you're afraid you'll forget to resolve the obstacle, so you do it before you have a chance to forget. Maybe you don't like writing scenes where your characters are struggling. Maybe you're just ready to get on to the next part of the story.

Here are three easy tricks you can use to ramp up the tension and keep your readers guessing.

1) Even in a romance, include red herrings. Your characters should not be successful at everything each time they attempt it. If your character is a teenager learning to drive, have her run over a few curbs and maybe even slam into the garage--hey, don't we all have those stories in real life? If your character is looking to solve a crime, consider giving her some bad information--a false clue that will send her in the wrong direction. By challenging your characters in this way, you'll also challenge your readers' expectations of what comes next, and you'll hold their interest. Make these distractions/setbacks as organic and believable as possible. The more believable they are, the more likely your readers will buy in and then be surprised later.

2) Look for opportunities to expand conflict in each scene, particularly in your chapter endings. Do your chapters end with a zinger in the middle of a conflict? While everyone loves turning the pages in the middle of a heated scene, be sure you don't use chapter breaks as an excuse to back out of conflict development. Are your characters having a verbal spat? Let's see it on the page. Is one of your characters running from someone and having to hide out? Let's see how she manages. Look for spaces in each scene where you've shied away from showing the actual conflict, then find a way to fill in those gaps and ramp up the tension. There's nothing I hate more, as a reader, than finding myself invested in a particular conversation or circumstance, only to find it's cut off prematurely by a chapter break.

3) Surprise, surprise, surprise. As readers, we may like characters who are predictable, but rarely do they challenge us. Fiction has the secret weapon of imagination-- use that to your advantage. Be tricky. Lead your readers to believe one thing, then surprise them with a twist--being sure you plant subtle clues all along. Suspense and mystery are not the only genres that benefit from the element of surprise. When you're sitting down to write the black moment in your romance, consider whether your readers will be able to anticipate what's coming. If they can, ask yourself what your characters might do that defies that expectation. Surprised readers are interested readers, and often the most satisfied.






Remember that like a bow and arrow, the tighter you pull the threads of your story, the further it will reach. It may take time, editing, and practice, but well-developed conflict is worth all the effort to your readers.







Can you think of any examples of stories with excellent use of tension? How do you stir up the conflict in your own writing?

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Ashley Clark writes romantic comedy with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.