Preparing for ACFW & Other Writers Conferences

Attending a conference is nerve-wracking.

Let’s face it, you’re taking huge risks by going.

You’ve invested a lot of money: registration, hotel, airfare, some meals, and other incidentals. You’ve invested who you are – by attending you’re joining the ranks of those who have moved from wanting to write, to those who have taken steps to actively chase a dream. You’re risking your heart because you’ve gone public with your dream.

Bundle that with the fact that you might not know many people and you might be pitching the book of your heart to an editor and agent, and suddenly your stress is through the roof.

It’s okay.

Sit back, take a deep breath, whisper a prayer for peace and help.

You’ll be okay.

As someone who’s been in your shoes, and helps those first-timers attending ACFW each year, I’d like to offer a bit of advice.

Pray, pray, pray. If God has lead you to attend ACFW or another writer’s conference, then He has a purpose and a plan for your time there. It may not be what you intend. But pray and ask for His will to be done. Ask for opportunities to serve others – nothing better to take your thoughts off your fears than to focus on others. And ask Him for peace to carry you through the days.

Prepare, prepare, prepare. ACFW has a conference blog that is packed with fabulous advice on everything from how to get from the conference to the hotel, where to find food for Friday’s free night, and how to get ready for that editor appointment. Take advantage of that repository of advice. Get your one-sheet ready if you have time. Polish that first chapter, and have it in your bag for appointments. Have business cards to leave with those you meet. Get your toolbox loaded and ready.

Research, research, research. Take the time to know what the houses you are pitching are currently publishing. How does what you write line up with that? Is it a new niche? Different from current authors? Etc. Google the editors so you can learn what you can. Same with the agents. Some of the agents have blogs. Read them. It is a wealth of information not just about the industry and their firms, but also on personality. You can tell so much from how a person writes for a blog.

Relax, relax, relax. ACFW, at least, is one big family. You may not think you know anyone, but you’re wrong. You’ll spend the conference giving and receiving hugs from folks you’ve met on the loop or first timers loop. Reach out to others with a smile, and they’ll be delighted to reciprocate. At my first conference, the friend and I who had driven down together grabbed a gal who was flying solo for lunch. Before conference officially began, we’d connected in a very cool way.

Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer. By serving others you will find yourself relaxing, meeting others, and having a great time. There are so many ways to do it that don’t take much from you, but help the conference run efficiently and smoothly.

Rest, rest, rest. Sometimes you just have to skip a workshop because you’re brain is on overload. Or you can’t fathom the thought of another meal surrounded by people. That’s okay. Escape to your room. Put your feet up. Take a bath. Read a book. Do whatever it takes to recharge. We understand.

And at ACFW don’t forget the prayer room. It is open all the time, and the perfect place to escape when you’re rattled and overwhelmed.

____________________

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.

What A Writer Learns from Facebook Partying

DON'T Look at me!

Don't! ACK! Make me share my best qualities? AAAH! Not happening.

www.angiedicken.blogspot.com 

I am a self-criticizer more than a self-promoter. Writing my author bio was like torture. It was much easier to list my flaws besides my accomplishments (side note: if you're anything like me, it's always helpful to have someone "unbiased" help tweak things like that).

BUT in this social-media-driven world, it is more and more important these days to build an online presence as an author OR an aspiring one. For years, I have been nervous about "a brand" or gaining "followers". After some very good advice recently, I forced myself to step out of my "skin" and become more intentional with growing my potential audience.

I took a deep breath and asked myself, what do I have to offer an audience, besides stories that have yet to be published? Well, I have a mom blog and a bit of knowledge, and a love for graphics. I decided to re-design, zoning in on myself as an "author" as well as a "mom-blogger". Funny, but it was just a matter of choosing to actually USE my existing corner of the web and answer some of the questions friends have asked me over the years...
the Whats, Whens, Wheres, Hows, and Whys of being a mom and a writer, and how they co-exist.
After I started playing with "the look" I decided to share it all with a Blog Kick Off (and this was as much for announcing it, as holding myself accountable to committing to it)!

I am sure there are a gazillion ways to promote a blog. I chose to throw a Facebook Event since I had experience with a direct-selling company which uses this tool.

So, I sat down and decided that it could not just be about telling people all my stuff. That's just a little heavy on the self-promotion side of things. I had to make it worthwhile for my guests. I needed a purpose greater than announcing "redesign":

My Event Purpose: To SHARE, SOCIALIZE, and UNDERSTAND my guests in light of my passion for books, my season of mothering, and as potential readers.

Here are some things I learned as I went through the prep and actual party-throwing:

1. PARTY "DECOR" & GRAPHICS:  I wanted my "look" to be memorable and meaningful. I had some head-shots done a while back, and so I decided to use them in several different ways as I posted and promoted. I shared my first attempt with some very trustworthy friends --the Alley Cats--and they were honest in telling me it just didn't seem like "me". It is very important to know that WHAT you are putting out there is WHO you want to be known as! Here is my first attempt at branding myself as a Historical Author and Mom Blogger:

I like this crisp look, but my Cats know my style and my stories,
and they gently steered me in a different direction.

Here is what my new blog banner became:

This has a bit more historical flare, with the artsy fartsy stuff that I love. :)

I also created my own images and clipart to promote my party and add to my posts to pop up across newsfeeds. This kept that "decor" going throughout the party period.:)

2. POST LIKE YOU MEAN IT: As far as my actual POSTS went, I first made a script for myself to be sure to have something productive and informative to say to keep the day-long party going. I looked over my script the night before the party and read, "blah, blah, blah." It did not sound like me one bit! Who wants an infomercial on Facebook?? There are PLENTY of those. So the next two points are how I *tried* to keep it fun and authentic:

3. TREAT IT LIKE A PARTY!  An event must be fun in my opinion. I go to social media for information, sure, but I want it to be worth my time too. Instead of using the script, I chose to include what I was actually doing at the moment of my post, or talk like I would at coffee shop instead of as a salesman. I'd like to think that my Blog Kick Off party was a social affair...and not just self-promotion. Facebook parties should be just as much about conversation as promotion.

My points list: Fun way to get friends involved and start up conversations!

4. GAMES AND GIVEAWAYS!  I said fun right? Games are a great way to get those conversations going, especially those, "What kind of....are you?" quizzes (But, be careful to review them first...some can be a bit inappropriate)!  The giveaways were a blast! I LOVE giving stuff to friends...especially when they are so supportive. I didn't feel like I was expecting too much attention from my audience when I knew I could make it a true party for them.

I must say, it has been an exciting time post-party as I have watched my numbers grow...it is a slow climb, but I am getting to connect with some amazing people, and not just share about my venture across social media, but learn about other writers, mom bloggers, and all kinds of people as I connect! My Facebook Event was a great tool to get the party started...and I feel like the party just keeps going as I explore the worlds of writing and motherhood!

What tools do you use to strengthen your online presence?

********************************************************************************

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 and drinking good coffee with great friends. Check out her author page at www.facebook.com/dicken.angie, her personal blog at angiedicken.blogspot.com and connect at:

Twitter: @angiedicken
Pinterest: pinterest.com/agdicken

The Strange Incident of Inspiration

freedigitalphotos.com 

It’s true, and we all know it.

Some fiction writers are good. Very, very good.

Some fiction writers are bad – painfully so.

But almost ALL fiction writers are strange.

We HAVE to be. It comes along with the territory of living in an imaginary world. We have one foot in reality (or maybe only a big toe), and the other foot somewhere else. Where? Well that all depends on the writer.

I've been a dozen places in one hour and never left my seat.

Do any of you get distracted by a beautiful scene, or scent, or maybe a quirky person sitting on the front row of a presentation, hat askew, and murmuring to herself?

I’m a photo buff. LOVE TO TAKE pictures. But lots of times I take them because they start creating story-pieces in my head. (some I take of my cute family ;-) Photos can be an open door to a story.

How many of you talk to yourselves? Or even MORE interesting, talk to you characters?

Anyone else get lost in a song because, when you hear it, your book plays like a movie in your head?

Or can you spend years in a bookstore because you’re determined that some, overlooked treasure is hidden somewhere on the shelves – and most likely it will lead to the best historical climax in your novel.

Anyone else replay scenes of movies over and over again for research?

Or flip through websites looking for unusual facts like – what are some prints for feed-sack dresses? The type of shoes worn in 1914? How to cook chicken over an open fire? Or what about the existence of 12th century subterranean passageways? The flowers in bloom in Derbyshire in spring. What the Separatists ate on the Mayflower?

Seriously – the list goes on. And gets weirder.

Just ask Amy Simpson, who does crazy (and somewhat frightening) research about murder weapons and body decomposition.

Or Angie Dicken who is recreating history in Elizabethan England.

It’s fascinating. Mesmerizing.

So- are you strange?

It’s okay to admit it. It’s the first step to acceptance. :-)

Got any cool examples of what you do, find, or use to inspire your writing creativity?

His Perfect Pace at ACFW

Wow. Has it already been eleven days? It seems like yesterday that I was turning onto the highway toward my fourth ACFW conference! And this year, it came full circle...as my first conference was in the same place...Indianapolis. It is at that first conference that I pitched the same characters (cannot call it the same book, now,after three years of rewrites), met the first of my many friends and co-Alleycats, and basically fell in love with the writing community.

The difference between the last 8 hour drive to Indy in 2010, and this one, is I drove it alone this year...didn't drag my family of five(was expecting our fourth), and pawn them off at the Indy zoo, while I ventured to the Hyatt. This year, I was alone with Jesus, listening to His music, and anxiously looking forward to wrapping my arms around my sweet sweet friends.

As I crept closer, my foot grew heavy though, and I sped along the highway, fighting off the old anxious ways of the newbie I once was, and ignoring the signs that were telling me to slow down. I noticed the $375 minimum fine in the work zone, and I saw the orange cones. I kept up with traffic though, surely I wouldn't get caught. It was just a scare tactic...that big chunk of change. I was on a mission to get to ACFW, I wanted to get there fast and feel the happiness of being among friends and writers, and the thrill of showcasing what God has done, to editors. I kept my foot on the pedal, continued at a consistent distance from the car ahead, and slammed on the brakes when the roadside digital display of my speed showed I was 9 miles over and a flash indicated a photo had been taken.
UGH!
I thought I could beat the odds, because I didn't believe they were really keeping track. My biggest excuse being that I was keeping up with traffic...were they going to ticket all of us? But in the end, the ugly truth flashed in front of me and I was not keeping up with the expectations of the law enforcement. I had raced ahead, only to feel the big fat EXPENSIVE slap of defeat.

After attending four conferences, and looking back over how far I've come (maybe not to publication, but to some sort of maturity in the process)...I realize how that traffic incident is a mirror of the writing journey as I first embarked upon it:

Beat the odds: When I wrote my first story, and began to dabble in the writing circles, I honestly thought I would not fall into the "norm" of a long journey toward publication. I poo-pooed the idea of putting my first book in a drawer never to see the light of day. And I thought, "I will show them" when it came to the extensiveness of such an endeavor as publication. Just like my zipping by the warning signs on the road, I zipped by the words of mentors and authors who said, "Writing is not for the faint at heart."

Keeping up with traffic: When I first stepped into an ACFW conference, and pitched my novel, and compared my notes with others, hearing what agents and editors had asked for, wondering why I didn't get asked for that...I began to try and keep up with the traffic so to speak. I decided to write something else, to enter contests, to put that long list of awards beneath my name, to be sure I stalked the white board at the appointments desk each year and rack up the requests. EVEN IF MY STUFF WASN'T READY...I was not going to be left behind without success.

Facing the Ugly truth:  And that truth, just like the failure of maintaining the expected speed on the highway, the ugly truth of my writing journey before this conference, was that all those attempts, all those written words, ALL those rejections, pointed to the truth that I just wasn't ready. I didn't meet the expectations of the editors, and I paid the price of a wounded ego.
This year, after much rejection under my belt, I realize that the ugly truth of trying to beat the odds and speed along in striving toward publication, the ugly truth that I tried to keep up with "traffic" or the success of others, and facing the ugly but WONDERFUL truth that I just wasn't ready before, has led me to a place where cruise control in God's plan is so much more satisfying. I continue to see the lessons he had taught me during the self-induced race before. And now, I am ready to shout out and claim this journey as uniquely my own, at my own God-induced speed!

This year, I leave behind another ACFW conference knowing the importance of abiding, giving my journey to God, and realizing that publication is not the proof of my gift, but a fruit among many on the writing branch in my heart. Yes, there is always that niggle of comparison, that shadow of regret, but if I shake it off, point my heart toward the LIGHT of God's Grace, and release the pressure on that gas pedal toward success, He'll guide me down this road of my dream at His Most Perfect Pace.
***************************************************************************

Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous, mothering 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 historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

What's So Great About Community?

Something I wasn't expecting when I became serious about writing, was that I would be involved in community. Once I became a member of ACFW and got connected to the large crit group, I was amazed at how many people out there were on the same journey as me...and I was even more surprised that I grew true, honest-to-goodness friendships by virtual means, and then solidified them by meeting those friends in person at the ACFW conference over the past two years.

I've learned that community as a writer is such a valuable asset, as well as a necessity, in my opinion, to truly grow as a writer.

Being a part of the magnificent group of women at The Writer's Alley, is my greatest evidence of these things, and I want to encourage you to sew yourself into a community of writers, even if it's online.

Three musts to becoming part of a community fabric are:


Frequency: It would be easy for me to only contact the AlleyCats to tell them about my next post for the Weekend edition...but all ten of us have allowed our inboxes to fill up, really, REALLY fill up, with conversations back and forth, prayer requests, suggestions, questions, or even sillyness that always ends with a reference to chocolate in some form or fashion! You see, it's hard to consider yourself a part of something, if you are rarely making yourself present.

Transparency: Through all that frequency, it's hard to remain closed-off, unknown, masked. Your personality does come out...this is a good thing!! It makes you real and relateable. I have met some wonderful writers through blogland. And some of my most treasured friendships are with bloggers who don't just review books, but write about the personal life...motherhood, weight loss, what's going on besides the writing. Transparency is essential to knit yourself closely with your community.

Encouragement: It's easy to think of this business as “each man for himself” and a cutthroat kind of industry where your chances are slim, so why give anyone else an inch? Truly though, trust is key to community, and if you want to find a support group, a community of writers to journey with you, encouragement is essential too. And it is so nice to receive that encouragement also!

You may be saying...”What's the point, Angie? Sure, it's nice to have community, but is it really necessary?”

YES! I think it is. I have LEARNED so much from being in community. And I will give some examples:

P-R-A-Y-E-R …. To pray within your community, to know that others are praying for you in the midst of this journey, is powerful. Period.

Instruction: There have been more than one AlleyCat friend (ahem, Sarah, whom I will miss dearly as an AlleyCat), Writer friends, Authors...etc...that have given me specific advice through crits, phone conversations, emails...that only could blossom from relationship, from community.

A Sense of Self: Yep, it's true, you learn so much about yourself through the eyes of others, and community is a safe place to find this personal enrichment.

My biggest credits to this school of thought, are the AlleyCats and our followers. We have such great discussion in our comments section, as well as via email. As you can see, we are only one follower away from the big 5-0-0!!!! Woohoo...there's a party coming to the Alley! I hope you enjoy this community as much as I do!

Please consider this opportunity to nominate The Writer's Alley!!

Each year, Writers Digest releases a list of the 101 Best Websites for Writers. They come up with this list through a nomination and review process. And that's where you come in...

If The Writer's Alley has inspired you along your road to publication, would you consider nominating our website?

Here's how:

Just send an email to Writers.Digest@fwmedia.comduring the month of April explaining why The Writer's Alley is your favorite writing website. That's all there is to it!

****************************************************************************

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. She is an ACFW member and CEO of a family of six.

Throwing in the Towel...Again

This is a repost of one of my favorite posts by Krista. She was busy this week preparing for her little Annabelle's heart cath yesterday and so I found a post that many of us can use or relate to. Enjoy...

This publication thing is hard. The faint at heart need not apply.

So, you've decided you're in it for the long haul. You write a few books. You send out a few queries. You attend a few conferences.

Nuthin'.

So you get a critique group, you read a few writing books, you edit a few of those books you wrote, then start the process over again.

Nuthin'.

Nothing except rejection that is.

So when is enough enough? When do you throw in the towel, raise the white flag, slink back to your only-in-my-dreams world?

Some say never. And this might totally be valid. I've heard MANY an author encouraged to "keep going, keep persevering" because publication might be one step around the corner. The stories about pursuing publication for twenty years before it actually happened come to mind.

And that might totally happen to any one of us!!! (well, let's all hope it doesn't REALLY take 20 years!)

But... it also might not.

I don't have the answers to this for you. But I do have a few suggestions.

• Don't give up. If you're going to do anything, give in. Giving up says "I can't do it." Giving in says, "I can do it, I just want to do something else for a while first." One is quitting... the other is changing your mind. Quitting is for those who are weak, changing your mind or changing direction is for those who are wise.
• Don't listen to everyone else. "Keep going" might totally be right on track, but if God is whispering for you to move another direction for a while, keep going is being disobedient.
• Pray. Ask for clear guidance. Be in prayer, talk to your family, and make sure you are on the path God wants for you.
• Don't be overly sensitive. A rejection letter isn't necessarily a "no" from God about publication in general. Neither is a harsh critique of your work. Many times it just means, "Not yet" or "Not this agent" or "Not this editor" or "You have some more work to do."  It might be backbone building. But don't see every bad writing news as a lightning bolt from Heaven that you're doing wrong. You'll be shocked most every time:-) 
• Take a break. I can't remember where I heard this first, but I've heard it many times. When all else fails, walk away for a little while. Take a week, a month, a year sabbatical. Then reassess. If that pit desire in your stomach is still there, then go back. If it has fizzled, then you have your answer as well.

Most of all.... HAVE FUN WHILE YOU WRITE!!! This reminds me of playing basketball in the 5th grade. I was HORRIBLE at it. But I had so much fun doing it! And I tried my VERY best. Never got on the "A" team... but I sure had fun trying. If you're going to be writing for 20 years... it would stink to be miserable the whole time!!!

Having fun makes the journey, no matter the end, much more enjoyable!

Because there are sometimes... when you are scratching your head and about to take the throwing towel plunge, something amazing happens. Last week (revised... last YEAR now!) that happened to me when I finally landed my dream agent, Rachelle Gardner. I'd had a year of struggling with my writing while I went through a personal tragedy with my daughter, and when I was really trying to reassess just how much effort I needed to be spending on my writing, confirmation came that the towel needed to stay firmly within my grasp. 

Discussion: Have you thought about taking the throwing towel plunge? Since you are reading this... odds are you haven't yet, or decided to keep going. What kept you going? Have you ever taken a "break"?


*************************************************

Krista is a follower of Jesus, a wife, a mother, and a contemporary romance author. She recognizes that life can be frustrating and just plain not fun sometimes, but believes that laughter and smiles can make the not-so-fun a little better! She blogs about the amazing things God has been doing and her journey as a busy momma of 4 and caregiver to a daughter with a rare congenital heart defect at http://reflectionsbykrista.blogspot.com. She is represented by the fab agent, Rachelle Gardner, and her debut novel, Sandwich, With a Side of Romance, releases September 1, 2012.

The Gift of Writing

I received a gift recently. It was small, simple, in fact it was only a card. And even though it was a store bought card, it had a timely message directed uniquely to me.

Of course I was immediately drawn to this gift. I held it for a time in my hand, looked at the front, back, and inside then set it in a prominent place in my writing nook, the corner of the house belonging to me.

Even today, during my work break when I am writing this post, I thought of the gift carefully written in such a way to touch a heart in need.

God gave me a gift for writing. It needs a few more bows, ribbons, perhaps packaging. He has given me the supplies to finish off the gift. Each time I study the art of writing or write a work I am adding these touches to the gift. Each time someone reads my work and is touched, I have shared the gift with them and brought a smile to God's loving face.

At times I take the gift and hoard it.

I choose to waste freetime set aside for writing or learning the craft.  This is not referring to important family time or other important tasks, but true time set aside for writing. At times like this, I have set the gift God gave me in the back corner of a closet where it is dark, dusty, and ignored.

Other times I work hard to write a work then get lazy or arrogant, convinced that the first draft was great work. I become offended when crits offer little praise. I use "something shiny" as my excuse and toddle off to a different work, ignoring the one God prompted me to do at that time.

And other times I work diligently on my ms, listening to crits, judges, and friends editing and polishing the work to be pleasing to God, but then heed the words of a few who say this work is not of today, no one would read it, no publishing company would want it. I lower my head and allow sadness to fill my heart and snuff my drive. The work is set aside.

I have often heard the words: to be a writer you must be strong, have steel skin, Mt. Everest tenacity, a Fisher Price heart (unbreakable), and a wild passion.

All these are true.

Sometimes God sends a kindred spirit to rekindle these in us.

May we here at the Writer's Alley offer you the spark to start, complete, polish, and/or submit your work today so that you may offer your gift to others.

How can we pray for you today?
(if you prefer you can email us your prayer request-our email address is in the upper right corner of this page.)
*********************
Photos courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

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 Christian young adult fiction (pirate tales, missionary and Bible adventure stories).

Come Step into Someone Else's World with Mary's writing

To learn more about Mary, visit her blog http://www.mimaryvee.blogspot.com/

Give Yourself a Break!

I don't know about you, but I jumped headfirst into the waters of my first manuscript and didn't come to the surface for, oh, like six months.

Then I realized I had a family who wanted me to feed them and talk to them.

But then the pressures of succeeding pressed in again, and I had to keep writing, keep editing, to prove to myself that I could do it. I could get an agent. I could get a contract.

I pushed through the exhaustion, the doubts, and the prose I'd drafted with one goal in mind. Get published.

Last summer I came one step closer to that goal when I landed an agent. And praise the Lord, my agent understands how difficult my current phase of life is...living as a stay-at-home mom with two young children. But not all writers find themselves in such a flexible situation.

I've recently talked to friends who are unagented who are facing the doubts and the pressures. They keep hearing that they should meet a certain word-count quota or they're placing self-imposed pressure to get to the next step. In all these interactions, one thing keeps coming to mind.

SLOW. DOWN.

Yes, I'm shouting those words. You see, in this pre-agented/pre-published stage of your writing career, this is one time when YOU get to choose your deadlines. You get to soak in all you can, to write for the pure joy of it, without time pressure or content expectations.

Obviously if your ultimate goal is to get published, you want to craft a story that will be publishable. And sure, plenty of people recommend sticking to a regular writing schedule.

But I'm here today to take the pressure off of you. If you have a family who needs you, throw the writing schedule to the wind for a while. If you're facing a tough emotional struggle, write something to soothe your hurts rather than pumping out drivel that you don't feel.

This is one time you are free to write whatever you want, whenever you want. So embrace it! And enjoy the moment. Because once you're published, you can never go back.

What sort of pressures do you place on yourself or your writing journey? Do you find yourself anxious to make it to the next step of your career? How often do you slow down and just enjoy where you're at?

*Water photo by Koratmember / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
**Odometer photo by Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

******************************************************************

Sarah Forgrave is a stay-at-home writer-mom who feels blessed to pursue her calling and passion. She writes contemporary romance for the inspirational market and is a regular contributor to the webzine Ungrind.

To learn more about Sarah, visit her personal blog at:
http://www.sarahforgrave.com/blog

Publication versus Calling - What's your motivation?

I was having a discussion with a friend recently and we were talking about the journey toward publication.

Publication comes in many forms, you know – but the most common is the long road (not the short cut).

My kids and I have been watching BBC’s Merlin series (we’re BIG BBC fans around here). Whether you like magic and King Arthur lore or not, there’s a lesson to be learned in this series (as in most stories):

Weak motivation leads to an incomplete (and two-dimensional) journey.

In the Merlin series, Merlin is a young man who is destined to protect Prince Author so that he can become the ‘one true king’ of Camelot. What are Merlin's obstacles?

1. The present King kills anyone who has magic, so Merlin has to keep his magic a secret

2. Arthur’s half-sister Morgana wants Arthur dead (but only Merlin knows this and has to keep it a secret.

3. Many other people want Arthur dead (and a few want Merlin dead)

4. Merlin is mistreated because he’s a servant in the king’s house.

Now, it would be understandable if Merlin just gave up. If he said, “Nope, I’m not doing this, Prince Arthur. You make me muck out your horse’s stables, clean your filthy boots, and use me for target practice. Besides the fact that I’m almost killed 3 times a day, am separated from my mother, and I’ve had to save your life more times than I can count without you knowing that I’m the one who saved you. Well, I'm just fed up with it. It's too much.”

But Merlin won’t do that.

Why?

He has a deeper motivation pushing him beyond his frustrations. A more just and glorious Camelot for all. A place of peace - where people are respected and the kindgom shines like a beacon to other kindgoms because of the future King Aruthur.
Merlin knows his goal - his motivation:
Prepare and protect Arthur for that day.

What am I trying to say in all this?

Publication is third to Calling & Story.

If your only goal is publication, without the backbone of something greater holding you on the journey, then when the conflict, harsh critiques, massive edits, and daunting deadlines confront you like an army for battle, it will be easy to lose your way or give up.

There has to be something deeper to your writing. Something stronger that holds you to your task.

These two things are:

The Calling – Loving to write is one of the strongest and most enduring weapons in a writer’s perseverance arsenal. Just finding joy in the process of creating and growing through writing. If it is deepset within you – no amount of struggles will dissuade the love. You might have to take a break for a while due to various circumstances, but the thread of creativity lingers. Calls. Waits in the wings of your quiet moments and whispers another story to you.

The Story – As Christians, our hope should be to write a meaningful story. It can be lighthearted, serious, suspenseful, fantastical, or whatever else, but one of our goals should be to make it ‘sing’. That’s why writing is such a tough job…rewarding, amazing, but TOUGH. To write a memorable story, it takes work – but if God has ‘called’ us to write, He will also equip us with the ability (or at least the resources) to build a story worth telling. He creates the stories first and then passes them on to us.


So – what is your motivation for writing?

Is it just to achieve publication or is there are deeper call within your heart?

Have you ever had to take a break from writing because ‘life happened’? How do you deal with those moments and still get back on the writing journey?
*******************************************************************************

Pepper Basham is a pastor’s wife, mom of five, and university instructor. She takes the storytelling elements of her Blue Ridge Mountain heritage and spices a variety of genres with grace and humor. She can be found causing mischief at her group blog, The Writers Alley, or at Words Seasoned With Salt - www.pepperbasham.wordpress.com


Pictures courtesy of:
http://blogs.coventrytelegraph.net/thegeekfiles/2008/09/merlin-smallville.html
http://www.despair.com/