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Zoom Out

For many, 2009 has been a tough year. Very tough. I've watched friends lose their homes, battle horrible illnesses, lose a loved one in tragic accidents, have financial setbacks. My family has endured its share of hardships as well. But, I want to talk about zooming out this season, because this is a time when we tend to focus on hope and God's promise that came in the form of his Son.

Outlining #5 – Pacing Needs Planning

Today is December 25.  Wishing you a blessed Christmas from Gail Gaymer Martin at www.gailmartin.com

The screenwriting outline article I have been sharing with you lists a fifth and final major point for creating a dynamic story—pacing. Pacing is not only important for screenwriting. It is vital for plotting a novel. I’ve stressed this before in other articles on writing, but this will be a good review.

5. Pacing needs to flow like a river with all its hidden dangers. Through outlining the author can visual pacing before writing the book. He can see the river's calm and the turbulence and then place these scenes in the most meaningful way to impact the story.

The Little Engine that Could ~ Deadlines

 

Merry Christmas from contemporary fiction author, Deborah Vogts. We all know the story of the little engine who didn't think he could make it up the giant hill. That's sometimes how I felt this past year when I considered everything involved in marketing my debut book release with Zondervan.

The last time I wrote to you, I gave some tips for having an author photo taken. While I had planned to blog about book trailers this month, I've decided to take a quick detour and write about deadlines. It's the dreaded "D" word; a word that makes most writers cringe or shake in their boots. I should know, as I'm neck-high in an editing deadline.

And I admit it's my own fault for waiting too long to "get to work on it." So many things got in the way...speaking engagements, a family visit to Arizona, a computer breakdown, more procrastination, and then getting bogged down with the editing revisions.  

"Oh little engine, I don't know if I'm going to make it up this hill."

So how do you meet your deadlines? Do you shut everything else down and work only on the deadline project? And what happens when you have a holiday deadline? Folks, I don't have the answers to this one. I wish I did. I'd hoped to turn my edit in before Christmas, but I don't know if I'm going to make it. If you have any advice, leave a comment. If not, maybe you could say a prayer for me.

Next month, we'll move on to creating a book trailer. Until then, keep chugging up those hills  . . . and may you have a very, merry Christmas!

***

Deborah Vogts and her husband have three daughters and make their home in SE Kansas. Visit her Author Web Site to learn more about her writing and her debut book, Snow Melts in Spring, the first in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series.

Merry Christmas from contemporary fiction author, Deborah Vogts. We all know the story of the little engine who didn't think he could make it up the giant hill. That's sometimes how I felt this past year when I considered everything involved in marketing my debut book release with Zondervan.

The last time I wrote to you, I gave some tips for having an author photo taken. While I had planned to blog about book trailers this month, I've decided to take a quick detour and write about deadlines. It's the dreaded "D" word; a word that makes most writers cringe or shake in their boots. I should know, as I'm neck-high in an editing deadline.

And I admit it's my own fault for waiting too long to "get to work on it." So many things got in the way...speaking engagements, a family visit to Arizona, a computer breakdown, more procrastination, and then getting bogged down with the editing revisions.  

"Oh little engine, I don't know if I'm going to make it up this hill."

So how do you meet your deadlines? Do you shut everything else down and work only on the deadline project? And what happens when you have a holiday deadline? Folks, I don't have the answers to this one. I wish I did. I'd hoped to turn my edit in before Christmas, but I don't know if I'm going to make it. If you have any advice, leave a comment. If not, maybe you could say a prayer for me.

Next month, we'll move on to creating a book trailer. Until then, keep chugging up those hills  . . . and may you have a very, merry Christmas!

***

Deborah Vogts and her husband have three daughters and make their home in SE Kansas. Visit her Author Web Site to learn more about her writing and her debut book, Snow Melts in Spring, the first in the Seasons of the Tallgrass series.

Tips from the Pros: Jocelyn Green

Merry Christmas! I'm Mildred Colvin and I've come to talk with Jocelyn Green who has written a devotional to encourage military wives. A most worthy project! Grab a peanut butter ball (one of my family's favorite Christmas candies) and enjoy a visit with this busy author. I know she's busy because she has small children. LOL 

Hi, Jocelyn, we'll begin with our first question.

CAN Book Feature: Guardian of the Flame by T.L. Higley

Guardian of the FlameT.L. Higley

B&H Books

ISBN-13: 978-0-8054-4732-3

In a city ravaged by the clash of cultures, one woman fights for solitude. Will a Roman soldier destroy her peace?

Alexandria, 48 BC. Sophia has spent nearly twenty years as the keeper of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, alone in her task and in her heart. But when the wealthy capital of Egypt is invaded by Julius Caesar and his Roman legion, Sophia’s peace is shattered and her lighthouse invaded. The Roman general would steal both her country and its queen, the Greek Cleopatra, and when his military strategy endangers the city’s best scholars and their secret invention, Sophia must discover a way to protect the men. But as the city prepares for inevitable war, Sophia finds that the Roman centurion tasked with invading her lighthouse is also invading her heart.

Merry Christmas from CAN

Aloha from Karen, the CAN treasurer,

Only a few days to Christmas and the end of another year. As you contemplate the miracle of God becoming flesh, God incarnate, it's also a time to believe in your dreams and know that with God all things are possible.

I end the year with two unexpected book contracts although some I'd hoped for have not come through.God has such a greater plan that I have. Take time as the year end's to thank God for the gifts he has given you this year and the writing opportunities. Then pray for the coming year. I always ask God for a verse to guide me in the New Year. This past year the verse focused on making the most of every opportunity and I did that. God used opportunities to open new doors. I'm excited to pray and discover what verse He will give me for 2010.

I hope that all of you will be blessed in the coming year with opportunities to write and share God's love through words/

Karen Whitingwww.karenhwhiting.com

"This Feels like Homework."

Happy December 21 from Jeanette. Today I spent a chunk of my writing day on a project that felt like homework. Usually I enjoy the type of assignment involved but this just wasn’t clicking. On top of that, my head was foggy from a cold, both sons are off school, and four days before Christmas all I want to do is bake and watch movies. Can you relate? Then maybe you’ll benefit from how I dealt with it.

Tis the Season. . .to Edit?

Happy Friday, all! Janice Thompson here, to talk about editing. I know, I know. Not exactly ho-ho-ho material. (More ho-hum, right?) Well, think again!  A good edit will lead to a great manuscript, which is definitely a "merry" thing! So, let's get started. 

Are you well into your manuscript?  Perhaps you've even completed your first draft? Congratulations! I’m sure a million questions are running through your mind.  What comes next?  Is it ready to submit?  Maybe. Maybe not.  As soon as you’ve finished writing, put your manuscript away. Set it aside. Don’t read it for a period of time and consider this quote:

There is no great writing, only great rewriting.
Justice Brandeis

A Season for Trust

Jeanne Dennis here. Since June, I’ve been a member of the CAN Board. Even though you haven't heard from me personally for several months, I post the CAN book releases on this blog every Tuesday and help keep the CAN website up to date. 

During this holy season, I wanted to touch base with you again and express what’s in my heart. We live in a time of personal, political, and financial uncertainty. Countless people now struggle with poor health or finances; suffer the loss of loved ones, jobs, or homes; or deal with other crises. Pain and loss often feel more acute during this traditional time of joy, hope, and peace.

People need our words as writers and speakers now more than ever. So even if the paragraph above describes our lives, let’s make this Christmastime a season of trust – trust in the One who knows all things perfectly, does all things well, and makes all things beautiful in His time.

CAN Book Feature: Patterns and Progress by Amber Stockton

Patterns and Progress

By Amber Stockton

December, 2009

 

ISBN-10: 1602606870

ISBN-13: 9781602606876

Shannon Delaney was right.

Every time she might consider changing her stance on what other people called progress, something bad would happen and she would be proven right again. Take the day Jacob Berringer almost ran her over in that new Model-T, for instance. And he had the nerve to suggest she'd been daydreaming? Or the Titanic. A marvel of modern invention. Look where that got them. Or how about the new tractor her brother insisted they try out. What did he get from that? A broken arm. Why can't things just stay the way they are—the way they should be?