The Race—
Don’t let yourself get caught up in a competitive
spirit.
Don’t let the race be a rat race!
It’s easy to get caught up in a competitive spirit. Don’t take the bait!
Embrace God’s individual plan for your writing and realize that it won’t be the same as His plan for
your neighbor.
Run for a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9:24, 25)
I love this quote from Terri Blackstock:
God rewards each of us in so many different ways. Some get awards, some get
great reader letters, some get big royalty checks, some get great articles written
about them, some get fulfillment, some get more time to spend with their children,
some get those special “aha!” moments in front of the computer, some get pride
from their parents, some get that one person walking up to them and saying, "Your
book changed my life."
Sometimes the reward is peace in knowing that we're being obedient and
contributing to His kingdom.
Sometimes we just trust that the rewards will come later.
~ Terri Blackstock
The Christian publishing industry is a business like any other, but it has the wonderful factor of
combining business with ministry. I love the we're-all-in-this-together attitude I see in most arenas of
Christian writing. We're all human of course, and sometimes jealousy and self-centeredness creep in,
but I see very little of the cutthroat, dog-eat-dog shenanigans we so often hear about in the secular
market. I hope we're all making it our goal to learn from those who've been where we want to go, and
to appreciate them, and sing their praises whenever we can. But more importantly, once we get there
ourselves, I hope we're all turning around and giving someone below us on the ladder a hand up. If we
do that, we're all in a win-win situation.
The Rhyme—
Perfecting your writing craft is an important part of
the business.
Continuing education
Never stop learning!
– Read books on the craft of writing
Realize that writing books are not one-size-fits-all. Keep in mind the way you write (plotter or
pantser, genre, character- or plot-driven, etc.)
Here is a list of books on the craft of writing that I've found to be practical and most helpful:
http://tinyurl.com/c2td3v6
A Novel Idea: Best advice on writing Inspirational Fiction, ChiLibris, Tyndale House
Getting Into Character, Brandilyn Collins, John Wiley & Sons
GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict, Debra Dixon, Gryphon Books
An Introduction to Christian Writing, Ethel Herr, Write Now Publications
The New Writers Handbook 2007, Philip Martin, ed., Scarletta Press
On Writing Well, William Zinsser, Harper & Row
Polishing the PUGS (Punctuation, Usage, Grammar, and Spelling), Kathy Ide, UpWrite Books
Plot & Structure, James Scott Bell, Writer’s Digest Books
Quit Your Day Job, Jim Denney, Quill Driver Books (To order, call 1-800-497-4909)
Revision & Self-Editing, James Scott Bell, Writer's Digest Books
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, Renni Browne & Dave King, HarperCollins
Stein on Writing, Sol Stein, St. Martin’s Press
Strunk & White’s The Elements of Style, Longman Publisher
The Christian Imagination, Leland Ryken, Shaw Books
The Christian Writer’s Market Guide, Sally E. Stuart, Shaw Books
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Christian Fiction, Ron Benrey, Alpha
The Creative Call, Janice Elsheimer, Shaw Books
The Heart of the Artist, Rory Noland, Zondervan
The Writer’s Journey, Christopher Vogler, Michael Wiese Productions
The Writer’s Market, Writer’s Digest Books
Writing the Breakout Novel, Donald Maass, Writer's Digest Books
Writing the Christian Romance, Gail Gaymer Martin, Writer's Digest Books
* Titles in red are those I've found the very most helpful for the way I write (as a seat-of-the-pants plotter).
– Read the kind of books you wish to write
– No more guilt sitting around reading!
There is no better way to learn the craft of novel writing than by reading excellent fiction.
My favorite thing about being a writer is that I no longer have to feel guilty about the amount
of time I spend with my nose in a book (or a Kindle, as the case may be). It's all research and
continuing education! Go for it! : )
– Attend writers workshops and conferences
You will find a list of some of the best-known Christian writers conferences at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/writconf
Remember, there are MANY other smaller, local conferences where you can learn
and grow as a writer.
– Enroll in professional course studies
ACFW's online courses are a great start, but again, there are many other places where you can hone
your writing skills. Try a creative writing class at the nearest college, or if grammar and spelling are
your weak spots, take a class on the subject at a nearby high school or junior college. Often public
libraries or community education programs offer writing classes.
– Study the industry and your competition
Joining organizations like The Writers Guild, The Christian Writers Guild, Romance Writers of
America,
and of course, ACFW is a great way to learn more about the publishing industry and about the
books that
are being published in your genre (your competiton.) Another way to learn about the industry is to
subscribe
to magazines like Publishers Weekly, Writers Digest, etc., and to read the publications of writers
organizations
like RWR (Romance Writers Report), ACFW's Afictionado (soon to be ACFW Journal!) and
others.
– Work with a critique partner or a critique group.
Iron sharpens iron, and a great way to sharpen your writing skills is to have another writer read
and edit/critique
your work. Be careful that you don't let a critique group write your book "by committee" or suck
your voice
from you. But we all get so close to our own work that it's difficult to be objective. Working with
other writers
whether brainstorming, editing, or just giving general feedback, can be very helpful.
We are spending a few days with our daughters and family in Missouri and won't be home until late
Sunday, so Monday's lesson may not arrive in your inboxes until Tuesday. In the meantime, thank you
for the input on the last lesson, and if you have a favorite way you're discovered to continue honing
your skills as a writer or a business person in the publishing industry (which is what you are as a writer!)
feel free to share with the course loop. Please cut tails for those on digest, and keep your messages as
brief as possible (250-300 words).