The God Effect in Stories

Even as writers we don't always see details or truths or influences flowing in our books. 

Not all readers will either. 

BUT there are the many who will notice amazing details that spark their interest, cause them to think and respond to ... well... us, and their friends, and ... others.

This week I posted a photo. My thoughts: this is a dreamy place. A dock reaching out to a lake surrounded with trees. The unique aspect from my pov: part of the dock is underwater. This looks good... I thought. It was a photo story.

More than almost any other photo I've posted, this one sparked many responses. A few responders mentioned the dreamy doc setting. BUT the majority noticed a detail I had not.

In the foreground, small, and not in my thoughts, was a tool my husband uses. It rested on a wooden plank. Underwater. Although silver, it didn't especially stand out since the sun didn't reflect the shiny surface. Commenters asked questions that grew into conversations. 

How odd, I thought. I didn't even see it there when I took the photo.

As writers called by God to tell stories, we describe scenes, use interesting dialogue, explode action on the page, and develop relationships. Behind the scenes, God is using our work to touch lives in ways we don't even realize.

If this isn't incentive to set aside time to write, edit, and write more, I don't know what is. Our stories are important in ways we don't understand.  A tool used by God to impact someone we may not know...for His glory. Perhaps the story you have written or are writing is God's tool to impact your life.

So, friend, ready to write?

Has a reader pointed out something amazing in your story you didn't see?

#story #writing #behindthescenes #MaryVeeWriter #Godeffect #thewritersalleyblog

~Mary Vee
Photo by Mary Vee

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Christmas is Mary Vee's favorite holiday. She loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her king.  

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

Honoring the Process

Today I (Laurie) have some encouragement for the faith-filled writer -- and the writer who doesn't feel very full of faith.

A little background for you in case we're not friends yet, I'm naturally the kind of person who measures her pursuits in items checked off the to-do list, achievement milestones, and--if we're honest--human affirmation. I like to know I'm doing a good job and that my hard work is meaningful. Or at least that it's leading somewhere.

But over the last few years, the Lord has been working in me to honor the process of writing. My first few years in the pursuit of publication were littered with contest wins, contracts signed, and manuscripts finished relatively quickly.

The last couple of years? Totally different.

I've alternated between hustling to manufacture inspiration and deleting hours of work in self-doubt. I've sabotaged my creativity by reading all the books, searching for some mirror or scale or rubric that will tell me:

Is my offering enough? 

Am I enough?

In January, I wrote about the creative wilderness and how surrendering one's art to the Lord is necessary. But I think it's just as important to honor it as a journey of creating with God, as Allen Arnold emphasizes in his book, The Story of With. Writing is an ongoing process that looks different every day. It should be guided by the Spirit, not the road markers of contracts, wordcounts, and trophies. It should be fueled by the sustenance that only nearness to the Father can provide, not by human accolades.

Not even by coffee.

That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with deadlines, plotting story arcs with the help of a craft book, or seeking feedback from trusted writers. It simply means we should invite the Lord into that process and leave room for Him to improvise.

When we treat our art as an act of worship and a living, breathing practice that's an extension of who God called us to be--who he created us to be--then success won't be measured by completed chapters. Satisfaction won't depend on shiny gold-foil stars in the corner of our paper or what others' successes look like.

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I took a break from writing this post for a bit because my three-year-old Cubby asked me to watch him do a puzzle, and the Lord gave me a beautiful, real-time illustration. Here's what I found in it:

• I stopped what I was doing because I was so happy my son invited me to do something he loves. It pleases the Lord when we invite Him into our lives, not that He isn't already there, but because we are intentionally aware of being in His presence. 

• A few times along the way, Cubby paused, unsure where a piece would go. Most of the time, I resisted the urge to show him, even when he was frustrated. Figuring it out himself made him proud and confident in his next decisions. Even though our all-knowing Father can see the big picture, part of His goodness is letting us do the work of figuring out where the pieces go--in art and in life. We can be confident that He's watching us, will be there to guide us, but that we have everything we need to accomplish this work through the Spirit.

• As my son worked on his puzzle, I wasn't focused on his performance but more on the fascinating way his mind works and the adorable way he sticks out his tongue when he's concentrating really hard. Nothing will make God love us more or less, because the Father's love doesn't depend on what we do but who He is. And His nature is love. 

Whether we're writing the next bestseller or a manuscript that will never see the light of day, the Lord delights in what we are doing because we are HIS. When we feel stuck or disheartened, we can remember our calling may be to point others to the Cross in our stories, but the process of creating is a life-giving, sacred privilege.

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About the author - Current reasons Laurie Tomlinson may have burned dinner include: ogling her soccer playing engineer, chasing two small children, studying for a summer school final, or promoting her latest release, The Long Game, an inspirational rom-com featured in the Once Upon a Laugh novella collection. (On sale for 99 cents-YAY!)

She is also the author of With No Reservations, now available from Harlequin Heartwarming. You can connect with Laurie on her website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

The Importance of Setting in Fiction

I read another chapter of Donald Maass's book, The Fire In Fiction, and it was all about setting. When I think about setting, I usually think about the place and the details, but Maass says it is oh-so-much-more! You "bring the setting into the story in a way that integrates it into the very fabric of your character's experience." Easier said than done, I know. But he gives suggestions on how, like:

LINKING DETAILS AND EMOTIONS - Take a childhood home, for instance. Describe the place and let your character experience the feelings the place evokes. Together, details and emotions make a place a living thing.

MEASURING CHANGE OVER TIME - Tangible things in your scene can bring out passage of time, such as ice cream trucks, crew neck sweaters, leaf blowers, Popsicles, swim suits, scarfs, snow plows, etc. Of course, these things can evoke emotions as well, to enhance the experience of your character.

HISTORY IS PERSONAL - Historical detail is a good thing, but a story doesn't have to be chock full of it. Creating a sense of the times is not just about the details (or even coupling them with emotions). The times are also enhanced by infusing a character with strong opinions about both the details and the emotions. What does the character feel about historical events? What shapes his views?

SEEING THROUGH CHARACTER'S EYES - Use different POV characters to "see" the setting. Each character's personality will see with different emotions and from a different perspective.

CONJURING A MILIEU - Yeah, I had to look that word up. (*blush*) It means a social or cultural environment. It is not necessarily a "place", but something like the world of pro-baseball players, or the life of stage actors, etc. This is what Maass said about it: "A milieu exists not in a time or place, but in the mind and hearts of the characters who dwell in it. Their memories, feelings, opinions, outlook and ways of operating in their realm are what make it real."

SETTING AS A CHARACTER: A setting may participate in the story, like a blizzard, drought, or nature. It can be a place of significance, like The Boardwalk on Coney Island. It could be the place where your husband proposed and you spend every anniversary at. You make it real by making it significant to the character.

As always, Maass gives many examples of each point from many different author's works. It is very helpful to see how others are doing it.

Setting is one of my weak points in writing. I like dialogue and action best, so all the details slip me by. I am trying to incorporate setting with each new scene, but I am definitely a minimalist. :)

Do you love to build your story's world? If not, how do you make yourself write the setting? What tools or rituals do you use?

**Originally posted at Sherrinda.com on 6/22/09
**Photo by schwoaze at pixabay.com


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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, tentatively The Lady's Masquerade, will release April 2019.

You can connect with her through:

Personal blog: sherrinda.com

Twitter: @sherrinda

Instagram: @sherrinda

Cultivating the Heart of a Writer

For many of you, Spring has taken its time in coming. You are still shoveling snow or are watching the weather channel with baited breath, wondering if possibly...maybe...perchance...hopefully...the snow has done its final dump and a thaw is in the forecast.

Some of us have been more fortunate and are sitting on the back porch, writing away in the glorious warmth, among the spring flowers that are bursting with color. Yes, I just said that and you may hate me now.

Seasons come and seasons go, and during these comings and goings, a person needs to cultivate and prepare for what is ahead. In the gardening world, you must prepare the soil for seeds or seedlings so that your plants will flourish.

The same is true for our hearts. How are you cultivating your heart in preparation for your career as a writer? Here are some ideas for cultivating the heart of a writer in whatever season you may be entering:

PRAYER: Prayer should be the number one priority for a writer. As told in The Story of With by Allen Arnold, when we sink into the heart of God and collaborate with Him, the story within you is the story co-created with God. The story you co-create with Him will be a story worth writing. It will impact readers and bring glory to Him, the creator of the greatest story ever told.

RELATIONSHIPS: Do you have a group of people you can connect with about your writing? About your spiritual walk? About your life? Writers spend a lot of time alone in front of their computer, but they also need human engagement. We need people to speak truth into our lives and help us through the hard times. If you don't have someone to pour your heart out to, pray that God will send you someone to connect with. You need them.

GOD'S WORD: I know you know this, but writers need to be in God's Word and let those words saturate our lives. God is a great storyteller and we can learn much from His Spirit whispering words of encouragement while reading scripture. You can always find words to live by in His Word.

BOOKS TO INSPIRE: Writers need to find books that inspire and encourage them in their own writing journey. Whether it is an amazing piece of fiction that sucks you in and won't let go or a motivating non-fiction book that inspires you to be courageous in whatever you put your hand to, reading great books will help you in your journey.

What have I missed? What do you do to cultivate your heart? What helps you to grow as a person and as a writer?

**Photo credit: fietzfotos at pixabay.com

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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, tentatively The Lady's Masquerade, will release April 2019.

You can connect with her through:

Personal blog: sherrinda.com

Twitter: @sherrinda

Instagram: @sherrinda

Tipful Tuesday: Emily Dickinson

The spoken word is more powerful than we might ever hope for at times, and it is a tool for change and healing in the most powerful of ways. To consider it dead as it hits the listener, is definitely something I cannot align with, just like Miss Dickinson.  Our words can destroy, lift up, empower, motivate...the list goes on. Words are the life between us and around us.

But...how might this relate to our written words? Is it so for those FIRST words of a first draft? Do we write them as if they are dead and will be slashed in the end? Or do we write them as if they are the very cells of an organism of grand potential?

Sometimes we forget that our words are the first sign of life in our characters, in our stories, in our purpose. I see authors struggle with writing that perfect first line, or that satisfying last line. But what if we looked at each word as a living thing, a breathing thing that is the root for the next one and the next one and we just keep writing until we have poured life onto the pages? What if we don't look at our words as something as dead and boring as count (sorry...I am all right-brained...numbers=boring to me), but as new life for that next growth?

Just a thought.

But. Hmmmm. I went back and read and reread my 92,000 words in my last story before sending it off. And, while I deleted bunches, as if they were just boring numbers needing to be wiped off the blackboard, the ones that stuck--ESPECIALLY the ones that I figured would die with the first draft--those that still made it on the page--can I just say...WHOA...? Those words took on life and purpose in my story like I never imagined them to do.

Consider your words bringing life about. See how much of your life you can breathe into their first day of existence. Write that first draft without too much weight on it all sticking, but write that first draft as if you are CRAFTING. There's power in that, there's art in that.

Happy Birthday, all you words!

Tipful Tuesday: C.S. Lewis

www.facebook.com/thewritersalleyblog

Besides the quote featured, C.S. Lewis has another quote that talks about like-minded friendship, how, you know the beginning of friendship when you suddenly realize common ground. What better common ground than "I write", and what bonus my friendships seemed to be when I started looking for a contract. But, oh, they are so much more than a bonus. This quote resonated with me today:

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things which gave value to survival." C.S. Lewis

I just spent a writing weekend with some of my fellow Alley Cats. There is something about spending a writing weekend with ladies who I only see once a year, or maybe even less than that, and connecting within the first five minutes of reunion.Thankfully, we have the internet these days, because I know them and they know me, even if we never cross paths in everyday life.

On this writing journey of triumphs, failures, rejections, and doubts, I would have hardly survived without my friendships. I'd say this first and foremost--the value of my survival is only as great as the friendships that have seen me through. I don't "need" them to write a good story or send in a proposal, but to survive the road without them? Not even sure if it would be worth it. They make the survival tolerable...more than that...valuable. 

If you are just starting out on this journey toward publication, be sure to connect to a writing group. And don't just go to be known and get your edge on that next step, go to find friendship and community. Your survival will be a valuable one. 

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Angie Dicken credits her love of story to reading British literature during life as a military kid in Cambridgeshire, England. Now living in the U.S., she's an ACFW member, a blog contributor to the Writer's Alley, a baseball mom, and a self-proclaimed foodie. Two of her historical romance novels comprise her Fall 2017 debut: The Outlaw’s Second Chance, Love Inspired Historical, and My Heart Belongs in Castle Gate, Utah, Barbour. 

Connect with Angie at www.angiedicken.com

Tipful Tuesday: Charlotte Bronte

Life is bulldozing its way across my timeline and I am clutching my knees trying to gather some breath. What in the world am I thinking--trying to squeeze writing time into my real time of pouring into a family? How can I be so selfish?

What I have come to find though, is that it's not a selfish act at all. It's a sure way to sort out myself. It's an outpour of my heart, mangled as it might be with hammered-in expectations, missteps, and questions, and doubts. Especially because of my life's craze, writing is inevitable. When my shoulders are heavy with the stuff of living, my words just pour out as a sure way of peace to my soul. I don't write because I always want to. I write because I need to. I write because I cannot help it. Thank you to my favorite author, Ms. Bronte, for giving me words for my word lifestyle.

Have you ever felt like writing was the only sure next step, even amidst the busyness?

Join us every Tuesday at www.facebook.com/thewritersalleyblog for #TipfulTuesday

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Angie Dicken credits her love of story to reading British literature during life as a military kid in Cambridgeshire, England. Now living in the U.S., she's an ACFW member, a blog contributor to the Writer's Alley, a baseball mom, and a self-proclaimed foodie. Two of her historical romance novels comprise her Fall 2017 debut: The Outlaw’s Second Chance, Love Inspired Historical, and My Heart Belongs in Castle Gate, Utah, Barbour. 

Connect with Angie at www.angiedicken.com

Heart Art: Writing with Purpose

There are times, when my very right-sided brain tiptoes to that great divide and suddenly plunges its colorful toes into the waters of word count and spreadsheets and structure. I'll admit, the chill hits almost immediately, my pulsing creative juices freeze, and I wonder if I've committed to a business I'll never master completely.

My brain just wants to play with the colors of words, the textures of scenes, and the weaving of character journey. My fingers itch to get the words out, the essence out, the glorious swirling in my heart out.
But...
If I focus on the word count, the hours, the deadlines--THE NUMBERS--then I may as well turn off the writing light in my heavily one-sided brain and walk away from my story.

Of course, there is a delicate web of all these things coexisting. And I've yet to lack in word count, miss a deadline, or not gain something from "roughly" plotting out my chapters. However, if I am not careful, I get so tangled up in the overwhelming spin of numbers, my love for the craft is suffocated.

Maybe it's because I've tasted the reward of allowing my heart to overflow in my writing without inhibition? It's during those moments when I trust God, and write whatever comes through my fingertips, when I keep my heart bowed down and my eyes up to the One who guides me, that art of writing bursts upon the page.

Over this past year, I've written, rewritten, and edited three different stories of mine. They have different characters, different themes, different settings--even different time periods--but the journey I've taken through each of them, is the same.

The gift I've received as I allowed my heart to flow in the depths of the plot, has been a glowing purpose, deeper than anything I
could have come up with in an outline or a chart.

This past year I have found that my greatest joy isn't in the completion of the story, but in the realization that those bursts of creativity somehow thread together and when it's all flipped over, they reveal a very purposeful journey within my story's bounds.

Perhaps, the purpose is the very center of a creative session, the very essence of what makes art beautiful. Purpose is what keeps a patron staring and wondering at a piece of art for hours on end--without worrying about the hours spent, isn't it? Analyzing, deciphering, wondering about the artist's intent--about the whisper of the human condition--about the intricacy of a brushstroke with so much power bulging in its meaning.

When I write from the heart, casting aside any thought or concern for the numbers, I am an artist creating. And somehow, when I've poured out my words in complete obedience to the One who fills my heart, my story elements fit like a puzzle with this surprise purpose, and this thing we call story...

Or what I'd like to call, Heart Art.

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Angie Dicken is a mom of four children and lives in the Midwest with her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, she writes historical, historical romance, and dabbles in contemporary romance. Her debut, The Outlaw's Second Chance from Harlequin Love Inspired Historical releases in September of 2017, and her novel, My Heart Belongs in Castle Gate, Utah from Barbour, releases in November 2017. Angie is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. 

Sign up for my news at www.angiedicken.com

Social media:

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

Twitter: @angiedicken
Pinterest: pinterest.com/agdicken

A Season Full of Words

I don't have much energy to frame up a perfectly structured post.

Life has been too full of words.

I feel hoarse in a way.

Words--My characters constantly whisper in my ear and challenge my interpretation of their story as I barrel toward a deadline.

Words--"Characters" in the media shout them loud and ugly, my newsfeed is covered in hurtful ones, joyous ones, deceiving ones, tormented ones. And I am a contributor.

Words--My kids use them as weapons against each other, and I throw out angry word OR manipulative, encouraging words to trick them to kindness.

Words.

My ears are tired of hearing, my eyes are leery of what they'll see at every click I make, my heart is heavy with the use of words. The unbecoming words of the world out there push down my hope and peace. And my ever-opinion-forming brain wants to retaliate with too many words of my own.

Words. Such magnificent, terrible things. I mean, we writers LOVE words...I LOVE WORDS! But they are my biggest foe in many ways. If only they were all lovely and life-giving. If only I controlled all of mine like I control the words of my stories.

As I slash and splash words on my manuscript pages, I wonder at my process. It's one of digging deep into the heart of my characters, stepping into their world, understanding their point-of-view and circumstance, and realizing their journey--as fictional as it may be. I learn from their heart's cry and discover truth and ideas that I'd never have found if I kept my words within my own reality.

Is that something I can begin to do, not just as a writer, but as a real-time 21st century human being?

Before finalizing my actual words--status updates, blog posts, comments, arguments, conversations--shouldn't I look at the heart of those I'm tending to, the "characters" in my very non-fiction life?

I can explore their world, take a peek from their point-of-view, discover their own circumstances and realize their actual journey. I can allow God to change my heart about my own biases and judgement, before I jump into spewing words of my own.

Maybe then, my words would't be a burden, but a reflection of THE Word, making way for an uncluttered newsfeed and room for something God-breathed. My words would bring life and love in an authentic, compassionate way--the same end I hope to share in a brilliant story description, or a tender moment between a hero and heroine.

Words are powerful, wonderful things--if they are used wisely and with deep, sought-out intention. Same as the written word. Same as fiction words.

I write this. And I'll forget. Just like I forget grammar and spelling and showing vs. telling. But I'll try. Try to be different. Try to craft my real-time words as heartfelt and empathetic as I craft my fiction.

Yep. That's all I have. Sorry for all the...words. But, I think I've hashed out what I needed to say.

Word.

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Angie Dicken is a mom of four, an adult ministry staff member at her church, and is married to her Texas Aggie sweetheart. An ACFW member since 2010, Angie currently has two novels under contract. Her first full-length novel by Barbour Publishing comes out in November 2017, followed by her winning entry for Harlequin's Manuscript Matchmakers Contest, a Love Inspired Historical novel. Angie is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. Connect with Angie at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dicken.angie, 

Twitter: @angiedicken
Pinterest: pinterest.com/agdicken

Thoughts on Editing

For the past couple of weeks, I have been editing my newest novel. It's a strange dance. Kind of awkward at times, sometimes a bit disheartening, and other times, exhilarating. There are several unproductive thoughts that I've had to push through to get to the next edit. Ever thought this?

 Slashing these words will kill my word count goal.

 I can't get off this merry go round of He said, She said!

 Is this story just soooo boring?

The "what if" monster is tearing it apart--
                        what if she (editor, crit partner, reader) doesn't like it...
                                     what if I am going through all this only to end in rejection...again?
                                                      what if I missed the hint that I was never meant to be a writer     
                                                                                                                                                     anyway? 

When I have an editing session that is drowned out by these unproductive thoughts, I simply can't continue editing. Can you? It just feels tainted in a way. Like, I've cheated on my story and gossiped behind its back!

So, what to do when I do this?

1. Close the computer, take a breath, re-enter real life and leave the story world behind for a time.

2. Emote to good friends/crit partners and let them slap me upside the head and say I'm crazy and need to remember that this spiral has not so much to do with the story, but with the writer being overwhelmed, tired, or burnt out.

3. Eat chocolate. Always a remedy...for many, many things.

4. Now, this one is a bit more time intensive...perhaps a bit more practical--but if I really don't feel good about my writing and I think it needs to be edited or slashed further...then, I need to do that. Writing is not a "get it right the first time" kinda thing. It's a process based on intuition, craft, and hard work. Sometimes, the hard work just needs to happen.

Do you have any thoughts on editing to add?

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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 seven 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: pinterest.com/agdicken