A Writer's Quote

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You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you're working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success - but only if you persist. - Isaac Asimov, science fiction author

(Thanks John Kremer for the quote).

Only 11 Days Left to Enter This Contest

This contest is sponsored by my own ACFW Chapter here in Ohio. Take a look--it may be the right one for you.

Only 11 days remain!

Want to get feedback on the opening of your book?
Want feedback on your back cover blurb?
Want help polishing those first 4 pages of your book, in preparation for important contests, like Genesis and Golden Heart?

HOOK ME is for you.

Sponsored by ACFW-Ohio, the Hook Me contest offers feedback from judges, a PDF of writing tips from published authors and judges, and even 2 nifty prizes for your favorite reader and writer: You!

Check the ACFW-Ohio web site for the contest rules and submission information. www.acfwohio.com

The basics:
1,000 words from the beginning of your book, and a 300-word back cover blurb in OND .doc or .rtf document -- emailed.
$15 check (ACFW members) sent by snail mail
DEADLINE: October 31
Judging will be finished and winners notified by December 1
Each entry will go to 3 judges

Check www.acfwohio.com for the complete rules, and a sample of the judging sheet.

Michelle Levigne
ACFW-Ohio 2010 president
www.MLevigne.com

Lesson from The Yearling

I loved The Yearling as a child. It was a long book and it earned a bit of reverence from this reader by the time I had finished it. Of course, I cried my eyes out. But like today's devotion for writers, below, I had still missed a lot--simply because I wasn't ready for any more. Thanks to Jeanette Hanscome (whose site you can visit by clicking on the title above, or her name) for this thoughtful meditation.



The Bigger Story
By Jeanette Hanscome

I have a strange habit of picking up spiritual applications and writing-life lessons wherever I go. It must be the devotional writer in me. This week I found one in an old movie.

Since trading cable for an inexpensive Netflix subscription, my sons and I have developed an appreciation for classic films. Most recently, I decided to introduce them to The Yearling. It had been so long since I watched it that I almost felt like I was seeing it for the first time. I remembered about enough to warn my eight-year-old that it was sad. I’d forgotten how long it took for the boy to actually get the deer that becomes the title character. As a kid that had been the story—Jody finds a baby fawn, names him Flag, raises him, then tries desperately to keep Flag from eating the family crops until Pa has enough and. . . well, we all know how the story ends. I vaguely recalled Jody throwing something at a snotty little girl who was making faces at him. I also remembered a close-up on a row of tiny graves stones, followed by a father/son discussion about Ma losing so many children that she couldn’t bring herself to risk loving anyone—including Jody—too much. But as I re-watched this movie with my sons I discovered how much I’d missed as a younger viewer.

As I told my almost-20-year-old, it suddenly hit me that The Yearling isn’t really about Jody and Flag. Well, it is, but that is only the surface plot; the bigger story is about Jody growing from a starry-eyed boy prone to wandering in the woods when he should be doing his chores and begging his parents to let him bring home “a critter” (such as a raccoon), into a young man who, after a few painful doses of reality, is ready to face the responsibilities of grown-up life. He gets there through a lot of heartbreak and loss, including a moment of completely understandable anger that pushes him to run away. But he returns to his parents a different son, one who, as Pa puts it “Isn’t a yearling no more.” (Don’t you just love those soppy Old Hollywood lines, and Gregory Peck’s ability to deliver them so beautifully that laughing at the melodramatic wording would be about as disrespectful as laughing at a funeral?) In the process we see the family grow closer and a grieving mother’s walls come down.

So what does this have to do with the writing life? It reminded me how often we see only the surface plot of our careers, missing the bigger much more important story. Just as we appreciate a movie or book in a deeper way as an adult than we did as a child, the deeper story of what God is doing in our lives shines through as we mature, experience setbacks, frustration and heartbreak, and learn to persevere. What once looked like a long dry season in our career, we suddenly see as a time of growth, either in the craft or in our ability to discipline ourselves to sit down and write. Or we recognize it as a time of preparation, when God taught us valuable life lessons that equipped us to be the writer He needed. The tragedies that took us away from writing for weeks, months, or even years and had us crying “Why God?” we later recognize as the missing piece of the puzzle—that source of wisdom and understanding that we needed in order to truly inspire others and point them to Christ.

Take some time this month to examine the deeper story beneath some of your personal or professional surface plots, particularly those that had you kicking and screaming and groaning, “Why God? When are you going to use me?”

What has God used to grow you to a point where He could say you are ready to serve Him in a new way—that you “aren’t a yearling no more?”

The Success "Secret"

Sometimes newer writers feel like no matter what they do, success (ie., publication) remains out of their reach. Successful authors, they think, must know a secret or two that they are simply unaware of. Why else aren't they published by now?

If you are feeling like that, beware.

While success is sometimes a matter of being in the right place at the right time, or a result of who you know, more often it is a result of something completely within your grasp: Perseverance and work.

Perseverance can get you in the right place at the right time, and hard work will help you meet the people you need to know.

Colin Powell said, "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

Before you start to feel that life is unfair or that all of your time spent writing and editing your work is fruitless, ask yourself if you have prepared sufficiently, done the work that is necessary, and learned from your failures.

If you aren't published in book length fiction and that is your goal, then it stands to reason that your work is not done. (Even when you get published, your work is not done!)
Before getting that first contract, however, it is doubly important that you prepare--and keep preparing.
You must work hard--and keep working hard.
And you need to learn from every failure, which is, every rejection, every critique. (Some criticism will not be accurate, but learning to find the grain of truth in it can be very, very helpful.)

Only the Lord knows the right time, the right publisher, or the right agent for you.
And every time you get a rejection, you can accept that it was not the right place, time, or person for you or for your work.
The key is to find the right one, and that takes time, and patience.

"Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance." Samuel Johnson

It's hard to keep believing that success will happen when it hasn't happened, yet. It's difficult to persevere in the face of rejections. But this is precisely what you must do. This is the time to lean on your God, and remember that HE is the one who has called you to do this thing called writing. Your publishing success will come in His time and in His way.

In the meantime, remember that you write not because you may be published, not to impress an agent or editor, not to show your family or friends that you can, but to serve GOD. To steward the resources of creativity and imagination that He has entrusted to your care. When you remember that it is GOD you serve,you are always a success, so long as you are faithful.

His yoke is easy and His burden is light!

For more of Linore's instruction on writing, sign up for the Greater Harvest Newsletter. You'll receive announcements of upcoming Greater Harvest Workshops for writers and speakers, which you can attend for more in-depth help in your writing career.

Another Contest Deadline is Imminent!

******* Permission to Forward Granted and Encouraged! *******

We are in the home stretch now, there are only FOUR days left to get your
entries in before the September 10th deadline.

With EIGHT categories, we�re sure to have the one perfect for you. Each
category will be judged by at least ONE published author in the first round.

In the final round, entries will be judged by BOTH an editor AND an agent.

Categories and Final Round Judges include:

Category Romance - Susan Litman, Harlequin/Silhouette

Contemporary Single Title - Danielle Poiesz, Pocket Books

Historical - Tessa Woodward, Avon Books

Romantic Suspense - Lauren Plude, Grand Central Publishing

Paranormal - Meredith Giordan, Berkley Publishing Group

Erotic Romance - Meghan Conrad, Ellora's Cave

Young Adult - Natashya Wilson, Harlequin Teen

Inspirational - Melissa Endlich, Steeple Hill

*Agents*

Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary Agency

Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary Agency

Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency

Karen Solem, Spencerhill Associates

Claudia Cross, Sterling Lord Literistic

FMI � visit our website at www.mararwa.com

Keri Smith & Heather Snow

MARA Contest Coordinators

Deadline Looming for this Contest!

(Permission granted to forward...)

Oklahoma Romance Writers of America invites you to enter our 2010 FAB...

***Over 50% of last year's finaling entries were requested by editors***


Finally a Bride Contest

Sponsor: Oklahoma Romance Writers of America - (OKRWA)
Fee: $25-30
Deadline: September 10th, 2010
Eligibility: All unpublished authors of novel length romantic fiction,
with a manuscript that has finaled but not won an RWA sponsored contest.
Entry: Electronic entries. First 30 pages - No Synopsis in first round
First round Judges: trained, published, and un-published.

***All finalists will have an opportunity to revise their entries after
receiving the first round judge comments. A synopsis is required in the final
round before entry is seen by the editors.

Final Round Judges: TWO EDITORS WILL JUDGE EACH FINALING ENTRY!!!

Historical:
Deb Werksman with Sourcebooks AND Carly Corcoran with Harlequin Historical

Inspirational:
Melissa Endlich with Steeple Hill AND Barbara Scott with Abingdon Press

Mainstream with Romantic Elements:
Keyren Gerlach with HQN AND Esi Sogah with Avon

Paranormal/Time-Travel/Futuristic:
Margo Lipschultz with HQN AND Alicia Condon with Kensington

Romantic Suspense:
Alex Logan with Grand Central Publishing AND Charles Griemsman with
Silhouette

Series Contemporary:
Wanda Ottewell with Harlequin AND Patience Smith with Silhouette

Young Adult: Anne Bensson with St. Martin's AND Leah Wilson with BenBella
Books

Top Prize: An engraved cake server and knife to be used to cut the cake
when you get 'the call'

FMI: _www.OKRWA.com_ (http://www.okrwa.com/) or contact _FAB@OKRWA.com_
(mailto:FAB@OKRWA.com)

Steps to Being A Writer

Thanks to Kathi Macias (click the title to go to her blog), I came across this advice from seasoned writer Kay Marshall Strom. Many people ask her (and me!) how to become a professional writer: Here's tips on getting started for the person who means business.


Set aside a writing area. You say you plan to clear away a little spot when you're ready to write? Won't happen! My first writing area was a dedicated end of the kitchen table. Yours doesn't have to be fancy, it just needs to be yours.
Learn your craft. Locate a writing class (university continuing education classes can be great). Find--or start--a writers' critique group. Start saving your $$ for a good writers conference.

Invest in the tools of the trade. For starters, you need: A computer. A printer. Internet service. A basic set of reference books. A bookcase for your library. (Trust me, you'll accumulate a library!)

Read. Great writers are great readers. Read different things: books on writing, magazines, books both fiction and non-fiction. Read critically, paying attention to characters, plots, tension, the use of details.

Put words down on paper. Loosen up your writing joints by spending five minutes writing whatever pops into your head. Don't stop until the five minutes are up. After that, the sky's the limit.

Write every day. It may mean getting up early. It may mean turning off the TV. (Bonus for the entire family!) But make time to write every day. Oh, and carry a notebook with you so you can jot down ideas. The most unforgettable ones have a way of hitting at inopportune times, then slithering away before you can find paper.
Determine what type of writing you want to pursue. Your first clue might be the type of writing you enjoy reading. That old nugget Write about what you know has a lot of truth to it. If you love reading legal drama, but know nothing about the legal system, you've got a huge amount of research to do. Do you love to ponder life? To know your family? Maybe you want to write a journal, or a family history for your next reunion. All writing doesn't have to be published.

Think small. "I'm writing a novel about..." Why does everyone think novel? Or even book? Write fillers. Start a blog. Write an article for your local newspaper. Contribute to on-line magazines. Writing small hones your work, a vital step for most writers.

Write something someone wants to read. If your intention is to be published, avoid the trap of writing only for yourself. Instead, write with the reader in mind. Locate the Writers' Guidelines for the publisher to which you want to submit and follow the directions. Edit your work until it's the best you can do right now, then send it off.

Expect rejections. Rejection letters are part of the writing process. We all get them. Some of us get lots and lots of them. When you open yours, remember that it's only one editor's opinion. Only one publication's consideration. Lots of great books were rejected many times before they hit stardom. On the other hand, look back over your manuscript with an editor's eye. What problems did she see? What will you rewrite before you send it out again?
Best advice: If you want to be a writer, write. Write and write and never give up.

"When I am working on a book or story I write every morning as soon after first light as possible. There is no one to disturb you and it is cold and you come to your work and warm as you write."

Ernest Hemingway

Thanks again, Kathi and Kay!

A Poem for Writers

A Writer’s Step of Faith
(Matthew 14:28-33)

by Donna J. Shepherd, Author, Speaker, Singer

I step out
Into a sea of words.

Oh, that anointed phrases
And heavenly prose
Would jump onto my page
Like fish jumping into a boat!

But they don’t.

I take each step in faith,
all the while
Catching fish as I walk.

Waves of rejection
Threaten to overcome,
And I’m afraid.

I begin to sink
Into the murky deep.

“Lord, save me.”

Jesus stretches forth His hand.
I keep my eyes on Him,
And grasp Him tight.

He guides me
through every storm
Over contrary seas,
Catching fish
One word at a time
Until we cross
To the other side.

Copyright © 2006 Donna J. Shepherd

Labels: Donna Shepherd, Inspirational, Poetry, Writers