Julie Jarnagin

The Writing Process

2012-02-22T05:00:00.000-06:00

Today, I'm over at Working Writers talking about my writing process. I'd love to see you all there.

How can I pray for your writing?

2012-02-20T05:00:00.000-06:00

On Thursday a group of women at my church agreed to pray for my writing. It gives me such confidence knowing they're lifting me up in prayer.

Throughout the next week, I want to pray for you.

So tell me, how can I pray for your writing or your work this week?

Let nothing upset you

2012-02-17T05:00:00.000-06:00

And the winner is...

2012-02-15T18:56:00.003-06:00

Congrats, Heidi! Email me your address (Julie (at) JulieJarnagin (dot) com), and I'll mail you a copy of Canyon Walls and Canyon Crossing.

I didn't let my husband enter the drawing, but he did get to draw the winner. :) Thanks to everyone who commented here and on my Facebook page! I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day.

Valentine's Day Giveaway

2012-02-14T05:00:00.000-06:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I've decided to do a surprise giveaway. One commenter will win a copy of Canyon Walls and Canyon Crossing. Stop by my Facebook page and comment for another chance to win. I'll draw the winner on Wednesday afternoon. And don't forget to give all those special people in your life an extra hug and an extra "I love you" today.

How are you celebrating Valentine's Day?

Tranquillity

2012-02-12T13:46:00.000-06:00

A Bible Dropout

2012-02-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

Confession time. I'm a Bible Reading Plan dropout. I've started and stopped so many different Bible reading plans that I've lost count. I always start strong with my Bible and my journal by my side. After a few weeks or months, life gets busy, I get behind, and eventually I give up.

I'm not proud of this. It's pretty embarrassing. I write inspirational fiction. I go to church every Sunday. Shouldn't I have enough discipline to read my Bible?

Recently, this all changed.

At the end of last year, I opened my Bible and read Genesis, Chapter 1. The next night I read Chapter 2, and I continued reading one chapter per night. Slowly, I began seeing the Bible, not as something on my to-do list, but as the story of how my God was saving His people. I write novels - so obviously stories speak to me. For the first time, I began seeing the beautiful, heart wrenching story of God's love for us in the pages of my Bible.

This time the habit stuck. Not only that, but it has been life changing for me. I truly believe I'll finish the Bible this year (probably sometime this summer), and when I'm finished, I'll start right back at Genesis. Not because it's a New Year's resolution or something on my list of things to do, but because I can't imagine my life without it.

That being said, it hasn't been easy. The Old Testament can be tedious, difficult to understand, and frustrating to read. Okay, that's an understatement. There are things in the Bible that have been just plain disturbing to me. God has done things that I don't understand. That fact used to frighten me...a lot. I'm learning to give those feelings and that confusion to God, and He's teaching me that I can't fit the Creator of the universe into the neat box I've tried to create for Him. Sometimes I can't explain His plans or His story, but our God is a big, awesome, powerful God. In the end, that's all I need to know.

Interview with Okla. author, Sharon Srock

2012-01-30T05:00:00.000-06:00

I wanted to introduce you all to another wonderful Oklahoma author, Sharon Srock. Sharon recently signed a contract with Harbourlight Books for two books in her series, The Women of Valley View.

Congrats on your recent contract, Sharon! What have you learned on this journey from aspiring to contracted author?

I look at those words "contracted author," and I look around to see who you're talking about. What have I learned? Oh wow, so much.

I've learned to listen. Not just to fellow writers, but I've learned to listen to my own heart. Mostly, I hope I've learned a new level of listening to God. I told someone that I'm just the funnel to the keyboard. I want what ends up on the page to be what He intended.

I've learned perseverance. I think Callie's story went through six complete re-writes in three years.

I've learned that an old dog CAN be taught new tricks.

Those are all great lessons! What was the best and worst advice you've received on writing?

I can't think of a single piece of bad advice so we'll skip right to the good. The first piece of good advice came from a good friend who isn't a writer, but believed that I could be. She found the website for ACFW and encouraged me to contact the local chapter. That first meeting was the first day I realized there were other people in the world with the same voices whispering in their heads. What a relief to know I wasn't alone!

The agent that now represents me was the first to reject me, but he pointed me in a new direction. His advice? Get some good critique. Good critique partners are a gift from God and I have one of the best. Beyond the one on one, I enjoy the group setting of a critique group. Our little group probably isn't the most faithful when it come to regular meetings, but the feed back I come home with is always solid and has pushed me to try things I wouldn't have on my own.

I completely agree. I don't know what I would do without great critique partners. Other than writing, what do you enjoy doing?

Reading. Nothing holds my attention quite like a good courtroom drama, or a brisk romantic suspense. I like to cook. Baking mostly. I love cookies, and I have a shelf full of cookie cook books. I enjoy going to NASCAR races and panning for gold. And I'm a HUGE Star Trek fan. Writing for Star Trek Fanzines and chapter news letters is where my early writing experience came from.

But my favorite hobby over the last few years has been traveling with my grandchildren. I take one of them on a special vacation every year. I'm working my way down from oldest to youngest. So far we've been to Hawaii, Cozumel, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and several cruises. This year it's Disney.

Fun! Can you adopt me as a family member so I can go? :) Tell us a little about your book.

The Women of Valley View: Callie is about a woman wounded by the death of a child she tried to help and her reluctance to listen to God when he urges her to get involved again. Callie is afraid to risk her emotions a second time but finds she can't ignore the problems of the Evans sisters. When she steps out on faith to reunite the girls with the father who abandoned them ten years ago she finds herself rescued in the process.

It sounds wonderful! Where can people find you online and follow you on your journey?

I've become a computer junkie.

Twitter account: @SharonSrock

Facebook: Sharon Clements Srock

And my blog: www.womenofvalleyview.blogspot.com/

The blog is a great place to meet the Women of Valley View. The main weekly post is a running story just for readers. There is a page that introduces the main characters with pictures and short bios. Each of the women have their own page inside the blog. Callie does Bible lessons, Terri does author interviews, then reviews and gives away their books. Pam does recipes, and Karla's page is a this and that sort of thing. They would love it if you stopped by for a visit. I'd love it if you joined the page.

Here's a little more about Sharon:

Sharon Srock lives with her husband, Larry, and two dogs in Rural Oklahoma. She is a mother, grandmother, and Sunday School teacher. Sharon has one and three-quarters jobs and writes in her spare time. Her favorite hobby is traveling with her grandchildren. She is a member of the ACFW and currently serves as treasurer for her local chapter. Sharon’s writing credits include numerous poems and short stories published in science fiction fanzines.

Writers, what is the biggest lesson you've learned on your journey?

5 Easy Questions

2012-01-25T06:34:00.002-06:00

I'm the guest on Jill Kemerer's blog, answering 5 easy questions: http://jillkemerer.blogspot.com/2012/01/5-easy-questions-with-julie-jarnagin.html

I'll see you there. :)

Sunday School Memories

2012-01-18T05:00:00.001-06:00

A tweet by Keli Gwyn, an author and devoted Sunday School teacher, got me thinking about my experiences with Sunday school. As a child of the 80s who grew up in a tiny Oklahoma town, attending Sunday school and church on Sunday morning was a given. I have great memories of my Sunday school days:

Lacy socks

My mom would dress my sister and I in our Sunday best, which included patent mary janes and white socks with lace around the hem.

Felt Boards

We had felt figures like Noah's ark, the ten commandments, a fishing boat, fish, and loaves of bread to stick to the felt board. There were also several generic felt people in long robes who served as whichever Biblical character we were learning about that week.

Rocking boat

We had a wooden rocking boat that turned into steps when you flipped it over. We spent hours re-enacting Bible stories on that boat/stage.

Frosted animal crackers

This was one of my favorite parts of the hour. The cookies always came with a paper cup of juice made from little more than sugar, water, and red food coloring.

Did you attend Sunday School as a kid? What are your memories?

The Obligatory Family Christmas Photo

2012-01-02T20:12:00.006-06:00

Every year, I'm in charge of the family photo at Christmas.

I don't have a fancy camera, and I don't have great photography skills. Basically, I'm in charge of the family Christmas photo because I'm the only one who knows how to use the self timer on my camera. With three active little boys in the family, getting the photo is one of the most challenging parts of the holidays.

After several attempts, we manage to get a photo where everyone is looking at the camera.

But before we get that photo, we get several that show what our family holidays really look like.

I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as mine!

Giveaway & Interview with my friend, Darlene Franklin

2011-12-13T18:13:00.008-06:00

I'm so excited to have my friend Darlene Franklin here today. Darlene and I are both members of the Oklahoma Christian Fiction Writers group. I love getting together with Darlene and talking about books and writing.

Award-winning author and speaker Darlene Franklin lives in cowboy country—Oklahoma and loves writing about the American West. Oklahoma also has the benefit of being the home to her son, his wife, and their four beautiful children. Darlene loves music, needlework, reading and reality tv. Talia, a Lynx point Siamese cat, proudly claims Darlene as her person. Darlene is the author of seventeen contracted books and novellas, as well as several hundred short pieces. Two of her books have finaled in ACFW’s Book of the Year (now the Carol award) contest: her novella, Dressed in Scarlet, and her cozy mystery, A String of Murders. Her latest release is Maple Notch Brides.

You're a big sports fan. Where did your love of sports begin? What are your favorite teams and sports to watch?

Ah, you know me. Did my love of sports begin with playing in the marching band in high school (where my team only won or tied ten games in four years)? In college, when our soccer team competed for a national title?

Actually, I know exactly when my addiction to sports started: watching Jimmy Connors in the 1991 US Open. I recently watched a 20 year retrospective, and it brought back a lot of memories.

And having moved here from Denver – I was there for the Broncos’ 2 Super Bowls and the Avalanche’s 2 Stanley Cups and the Rockies’ 2 appearances in the post season and the first time the #8 seated team defeated the #1 seated team in the NBA. It was fun watching the Nuggets vs. Thunder in the last NBA post season.

Since Denver sports only air here was in a GREAT while, I now follow the Thunder and OU and OSU sports.

What else do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?

Watching TV. Playing with my cat. Reading. I’m not terribly interesting.

You've lived on the east coast, Colorado, and Oklahoma. Am I leaving anywhere out? Maple Notch Brides is set in Vermont. How has living in all these different settings inspired your writing?

I was born in New Hampshire and grew up in Maine. I’ve also spent brief stints in Alabama and Massachusetts and Arkansas. I went to college in New Jersey and seminary in Texas.

Growing up in New England and now a westerner by chance and by choice, I understand the culture of both regions of the country. A recent example: In my book Plainsong I talked about “Western Art.” Meaning art depicting the American West, such as Frederick Remington and Charles Russell. My editor took it to mean “art of western civilization.” She’s from Ohio. 

When you're developing new story ideas, what comes first—the plot, setting, or characters?

All of the above? Often I start with a setting, such as Vermont for Heartsong’s series of state-themed romances (Maple Notch Brides) and a pretty Christmas setting (Christmas at Barncastle Inn.) .

You've written numerous novels for Barbour's Heartsong Presents line. You’ve recently released Lone Star Trail, part of The Texas Trail Series with Moody Publishers. What's next for you in your writing journey?

This year I will see my first trade-length fiction with Barbour published (A Bride’s Rogue in Roma, Texas). I’m also doing all four stories in a novella anthology called Calico Brides, also with Barbour. I also have a book upcoming with Heartsong Presents. I am sad to see that venue go . . . Beyond that, I have nothing lined up. Working on several things, but not even a whiff of a contract at the moment.

Tell us a little more about Maple Notch Brides.

Maple Notch Brides is a repack of my three historical romances set in Maple Notch, Vermont. I wanted my stories to have a real Vermont feel. Pamela Griffin used the maple sugar industry as a backdrop for her contemporary set, Vermont Weddings. So I used a covered bridge that plays a role in each story. In the first book, it’s still a tree. . .the first covered bridge wasn’t built for another thirty years.

Climb into adventure in the Green Mountain State where party politics, parental pressure, and personal misperceptions challenge three couples. Sally Reid and her family of Patriots are in hiding. Can she trust Josiah Tuttle, a man whose father is loyal to King George? (Prodigal Patriot, a Revolutionary War story) Beatrice Bailey’s wealthy father wants his daughter to marry up—not down. Does farmer Calvin Tuttle have any chance of winning Beatrice’s heart and her father’s blessing? (Bridge to Love, a Year of No Summer story) Clara Farley has accepted the role of spinster. Can Daniel Tuttle get her to change her mind? (Love’s Raid, a Civil War story) Will God show these couples a way above the fray?

You can get to know more about Darlene at her blog at http://darlenefranklinwrites.blogspot.com/

Darlene has graciously offered to give away a copy of her book Maple Notch Brides. On Wednesday the 20th, I'll draw a name from the comments below. (Minimum five entries for the drawing)

What states have you lived in? If you're a writer, have those locations shown up in the settings of your stories?

Interview on ACFW's Fiction Finder

2011-12-12T06:13:00.003-06:00

This week, I'm over at the ACFW Fiction Finder blog where Anita Draper interviewed me about NaNoWriMo, procrastination, bucket lists, and my debut novel, Canyon Walls.

12 Days of Christmas for Writers

2011-12-07T08:41:00.003-06:00

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

12 Fulls Requested

11 Muses Musing

10 Plots-a-Flowing

9 Bloggers Blogging

8 Hours-a-Writing

7 Editors Editing

6 Tweets Retweeted

5-STAR REVIEWS

4 Best Sellers

3 Query Letters

2 Agents Calling

And a Contract to Fill you with Glee!

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful writing friends

*Reposted from December 2010

Hope and Survival in the Philippine Floods

2011-11-18T13:50:00.003-06:00

Please take a few minutes to view this video from Compassion International. I hope you'll watch all seven minutes, but if you don't have much time, skip to minute three. I love Compassion International and what they're doing for children in poverty.

You can click here to learn more about sponsoring a child.

Ten Ways to Procrastinate

2011-11-11T19:59:00.003-06:00

In honor of week two of NaNoWriMo, I’ve made a list of ways to procrastinate instead of writing. I’ve even added justification for the procrastination in the parentheses. Bonus!

If you’re not participating in NaNoWriMo, I’m confident you can use this list to learn new ways to procrastinate on all kinds of things. The sky is the limit!

Write a post about how to procrastinate (Blogging is marketing.)
Sign up for Pinterest (For inspiration, of course.)
Clean the house (This will help your spouse forgive you for all the time spent on your novel.)
Create a new Pandora station (You need music to write, right?)
Visit the NaNoWriMo forums (75,000 other NaNo participants are on there right now. Why shouldn’t you be there?)
Go to the store and buy more chocolate and coffee. (What will you talk about on twitter and the NaNo forums if you don’t have these things on hand?)
Check Twitter and Facebook (Because you need to make sure no one else is procrastinating.)
Check your email (Someone important may have emailed you at 11:32pm or 11:34pm or 11:37pm.)
Go shopping on Zappos.com (Research! You need to accurately describe your character’s shoes.)
Check your word count again (Maybe it magically increased while you were reading this)

How do you procrastinate?

I know something you don't know...

2011-11-10T17:00:00.002-06:00

Thank you, Brandi Boddie for giving me the “Tell Me About Yourself Blog Award.” If you haven’t already, you should definitely check out Brandi’s amazing blog. You’ll love it!

7 things people probably don’t know about me:
.

1. When I met my husband, I was the “lunch lady” at a church camp.
.

2. I read way more non-fiction than fiction books.
.

3. A lot of people in my “real life” don’t know I’m a writer.
.

4. I’m a terrible singer and a terrible dancer.
.

5. My family and I sing and dance around the house a lot!
.

6. I was a big speech and drama nerd in high school, and I loved it.
.

7. I have a pretty thick Oklahoma drawl. When I go to my hometown, it gets even more pronounced.
.

Bonus: When I was in high school and college, people began telling me I sounded like Patti Mayonnaise from “Doug” on Nickelodeon.

I’m breaking the rules of the “Tell Me About Yourself Award,” but instead of awarding it to 15 other people, I’d love to hear about YOU in the comments. Tell me one or two things about you that I probably don’t already know.

Happy NaNoWriMo!

2011-11-03T17:00:00.000-05:00

I'm busy writing 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo this month. I'm not sure how much blogging I'll accomplish during the month of November. Instead of more words (because all my free time is going to be revolving around more words), I'll leave you with this.

I hope you're having a great November!

This Little Light of Mine

2011-10-30T08:54:00.006-05:00

...Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Exodus 34:29

I read this last night, and it made me teary-eyed. Isn't this what we all want? To spend time with God and for even a tiny bit of His radiance to reflect off of us into the world. Moses had jut spent forty days and forty nights on Mount Sinai with the Lord before he came down with his face shining so bright he had to wear a veil to cover it.

It's a huge reminder for how important time with God is. After Jesus came, died and rose again, time with the Lord isn't limited to Moses on Mount Sinai. Jesus gave us the freedom to spend time with Him. What an amazing gift!

Are we receiving that gift or are we turning away from it? Have you ever known anyone whose light reflected their relationship with God?

Ten Reasons to sign up for NaNoWriMo

2011-10-27T17:00:00.001-05:00

1. It’s fun to see the look you get when you tell someone you’re writing a 50,000 word novel in a month.

2. Those characters who have been talking in your head will finally have a purpose.

3. Writing fast and furious can release creative juices you never knew you had.

4. It gives you an excuse to procrastinate on things like cleaning the toilets.

5. It’s the perfect opportunity to write that weird time travel, pirate, romance novel that has been plaguing you.

6. You’ll have something to do while everyone else is taking a nap on Thanksgiving afternoon.

7. At the end of the month, you can say, “I wrote a ~~good~~ book!”

8. It’s a great way to get to know other crazy writers.

9. For years, you’ll know that 50,000 / 30 = 1,667 (because that will be your daily word count goal).

10. You don’t have to edit or work on a synopsis for an entire month.

Have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo? Do you plan to in the future?

Don't Write...

2011-10-23T16:04:00.005-05:00

Don't write to earn anyone's approval.

Write to understand others better.

Don't write to quit a lousy job.

Write to create something meaningful.

Don’t write to win an award.

Write to thank God for giving you the gift.

Don't write to escape an unsatisfying life.

Write to learn something about yourself.

Don't write because you need a hobby.

Write because God uses stories.

Tell me why you write.

Simplify

2011-10-12T12:40:00.000-05:00

About twice a year I get into a mood where I have a need to simplify my life. A few days ago I warned my husband that this urge struck again. I told him to hide all the things that he doesn’t want me to get rid of and asked him to ignore my craziness for the next few weeks.

I don’t know how it’s going to manifest itself this time. Sometimes, I feel the need to go through my house and get rid of any clutter surrounding me. Sometimes, it’s more about clearing out my schedule and my time commitments. Other times, it’s simply about looking at my priorities and refocusing on the things that are most important to me.

I’ve already organized my office at the day job. I broke out my new label maker and organized my files, but I have a feeling that this time it will take more than that.

It’s kind of like “nesting” without the pregnancy. Does anyone else do this?

My first 5K

2011-10-01T13:06:00.001-05:00

I ran my first 5K today. That's me on the right in the obnoxiously pink hat with two of my coworkers who ran it with me. They made great running buddies. What are you up to this weekend?

Hawaii Photos

2011-09-05T06:24:00.008-05:00

I'm the absolute worst at remembering to take photos on our vacations. I asked my husband if we should pull out photos from the honeymoon we took 10 years ago and try to pass them off as our most recent trip. Even though I didn't get a lot of photos, I did get a few I love.

Here's where I spent most of my time-lounging on the beach.

We spent one day at Hanauma Bay snorkeling. It's beautiful there.

The most important part of any trip is the food. Here's Kevin at Duke's and another photo of us at dinner.

We had an amazing trip, but we were also excited to get back home to this little guy.

New Beginnings

2011-08-18T16:58:00.005-05:00

I believe that not much happens of any significance when we’re in our comfort zone. - Bob Parsons

For those who don’t know, after almost twenty years, the Heartsong Presents book club is coming to a close. The publisher, Barbour Publishing, is still publishing and will continue to publish a lot of wonderful books, but the specific line I’ve written three books for will close at the end of the year.

Several people have asked me how the changes will affect me. My second book in the series, Canyon Crossing, will still come out to the Heartsong Presents book club this year. I turned in book number three, Canyon Café, on July 1st, but I’m unsure of how it will be released. They’ve told us that books that were scheduled to come out after the line closes will probably come out as ebooks or as part of a collection.

I’ve only written Heartsongs (45,000-50,000 words) but I’ve always had ambitions to someday write trade-length books (80,000-100,000 words). While I’m disappointed that the line is closing, it is pushing me to take a leap of faith and work on a novel I may not have had the courage to write. Because the Heartsong editor was willing to work with me without an agent, I never aggressively pursued finding one. So it does feel a little like I’m starting over, but that’s okay. It’s exciting and a new test for me. I’m feverishly working on a new novel, and soon I’ll begin the hunt for an agent. I’m trusting God to lead me where He wants me to go.

Nothing to Prove

2011-08-12T12:15:00.000-05:00

I recently heard the phrase "Nothing to Prove" in a song on a Christian radio station. I can't remember what song it was, but the phrase has been stuck in my head.

I'm a people pleaser. I've been one my entire life. My parents didn't have to impose much discipline on me because I didn't like to disappoint them. I didn't break curfew. I've always been the one who stays out of trouble and works hard.

I've never realized how this little trait has been holding back my relationship with God. Much of what I've done has been about how I can prove to God that I deserve his love. "Look at me, God. I'm (volunteering), (leading a small group), (insert good, but misguided, activity here)."

Someone recently posted this on their Facebook wall: True obedience is a response to God's grace, not an attempt to earn it. - Bryan Chapell

Intellectually, I know that I can't earn God's love. I know that what I can offer isn't enough, but that constant tugging in my chest that I need to do more, to be more, for Him isn't always a response to His grace, it's that little girl inside that doesn't want anyone to see her as a disappointment. That's not the kind of authentic relationship I want with my Savior.

Starting today, I'm striving to live like I have nothing to prove. I only have love and a life to give to the One who gave everything for me.

What about you? Do you strive to prove yourself to God instead of serving and obeying out of love and gratitude?

Run On

2011-08-09T21:30:00.000-05:00

I'm officially training to run my first 5K. I love to take classes at the Y, but I've never been much of a runner. My husband is training for another marathon, which inspired me to give a 5K a shot.

Are you a runner? What advice do you have for me?

Room to Move

2011-07-21T16:34:00.001-05:00

Imagine your ideal life. The one you've longed for. The one that fills your dreams.

God's will for your life is better.

By the world's standards it may not look better. It may not involve money, fame, or security, but it does guarantee a life filled with God's blessings, and that's something beyond our wildest dreams.

Are we so wrapped up in our own goals and visions for our lives that we're not giving God room to move us toward His perfect plan?

Writing Vacation

2011-07-08T05:28:00.005-05:00

That's my little guy on the left with his two cousins on our recent vacation.

I turned in book three on July 1! I took a one week vacation from writing to sleep in and clear my head, and I discovered something.

I get grouchy when I don't write.

It's true. When I don't write, I have less patience, and it's difficult for me to focus on other things. Getting up at 6:45am for work isn't much easier than waking up at 5:00am to write. The only benefit I've found from my writing break is that my house is a little cleaner. :)

I'm ready to jump into a new story, and I think my husband will be glad to have his cheerful wife back.

What about you? What do you do to keep yourself in a positive mood?

Book Signing

2011-06-17T06:45:00.008-05:00

One of the great things about growing up in a small town is that no matter how long you've been gone, the people there continue to love and support you no matter where you go in life. I was so blessed by the book signing the Hollis Public Library held for me last week. We had a great turnout, and I got to see so many people that I hadn't seen in years.

Here's a photo of the wonderful ladies who planned and organized the entire event. They did a great job!

My husband, Kevin, was determined to get a shot of me signing a book.

My son had a blast playing in the rows of books.

But his favorite part was the tray of cookies.

And finally, a photo of my family. I love this group of people like crazy! That's my mom and granddad in front, and my aunt and uncle on the right.

10 Years

2011-06-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy 10th Anniversary to my amazing husband. I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.

I will praise Him

2011-05-24T21:18:00.005-05:00

I spent the evening hiding in a closet under two mattresses with my two-year-old son in my lap. I've lived in Oklahoma my entire life, but this was the scariest storm I've been through. The combination of having a toddler, hearing the tornado sirens blaring, and seeing the red line of the predicted storm path pointing at us, sent me reeling. I prayed a lot, and the Casting Crowns song "Praise You in This Storm" played over and over in my mind.

I'm beyond grateful that the tornadoes didn't rip through our neighborhood. I'm praying for all those in my city, state, and nation who are still in the midst of cleaning up from the fallout of the deadly storms. I also pray that whatever happens, we'll all have the strength to continue praising Him through the storms.

Comparison

2011-05-20T07:59:00.005-05:00

Comparison is the thief of Joy. ~Theodore Roosevelt

Do you compare your writing to the work of other writers? Is it sucking the joy out of your writing?

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-06T12:32:00.004-05:00

My husband made this video for me and the other moms in our family two years ago on my very first Mother's Day. It was such a thoughtful, wonderful gift.

Moms - What has been your favorite Mother's Day gift?

It's here!

2011-04-21T21:25:00.003-05:00

Canyon Walls is on the Heartsong Presents website! And I'm in awesome company. You'll also find Erica Vetsch's novel, Before the Dawn.

A Box of Books

2011-04-14T21:16:00.006-05:00

A box of books arrived on my doorstep this week. Not just any books...

I can't believe they're finally here! It's like Christmas morning.

The Proposal

2011-04-06T21:57:00.002-05:00

The story of how my husband proposed (and spilled coffee on me) is on Shannon Taylor Vannatter's blog today! Comment to enter to win a copy of my soon to be released novel, Canyon Walls.

Inkslinger Blog Part 1

2011-04-04T13:01:00.002-05:00

I'm visiting Shannon Taylor Vannatter's Inkslinger blog this week. Stop by to read about how I fell in love while stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire.

Feeling Overwhelmed?

2011-03-31T11:30:00.003-05:00

First drafts, research, edits – it’s easy to get overwhelmed. There are steps you can take to get through it.

• Write it down – I often make lists of everything that’s causing me stress. There is something about getting it from your mind to paper that helps keep it in perspective.

• Start with something small – I love Dave Ramsey’s snowball method for paying off debt. He recommends you start with the smallest debt. Once you pay that off, you work on the next smallest debt. Why? It builds momentum. If you’re working on a large project, start with something easy to get your momentum going.

• Don’t get caught up in the details – Have you read every craft book on Amazon? Have you done so much research on your topic you could fill a library with the information? You don’t have to know everything you think you could possibly need to know before you begin a project. Sit down, and do it.

• Make it fun – Is there a scene you’re really excited to write? Write it or use it to push you through the tough scenes. Introduce a new character. Add something silly. Do something to kick start your creativity. If it doesn’t work, you can always cut it out later.

What helps you complete overwhelming projects?

Blogs that Encourage

2011-03-24T05:00:00.001-05:00

After signing my first contract, I was amazed by the support I received from other writers. I want to recognize some awesome people in the blogosphere who are out there supporting Christian fiction.

Romance Writers on the Journey - Keli Gwyn has created a wonderful blog filled with interviews of unpublished, recently contracted, and published authors. Keli has been a great encouragement to so many writers, and she handles her interviews like the true professional she is.

Inkslinger Blog - Shannon Taylor Vannatter gives authors a place to share their true-life love stories. I had so much fun writing about how my husband and I met, and I love reading the love stories of other authors.

Clash of the Titles - The ladies at Clash of the Titles found a creative way to highlight Christian fiction by giving authors an opportunity to share excerpts and allowing readers to vote for their favorites. I haven't had a chance to submit anything to Clash of the Titles, but I definitely will in the future.

Brenda Anderson is a writer and book reviewer who loves Christian fiction. She has an area on her blog designated to highlight debut authors. Thank you, Brenda!

Oklahoma City chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers of America - I don’t know what I would do without this group. Not only do we have awesome speakers, online classes, and programs, but the members of this group are amazing and always there to lend support.

Who do you know who is encouraging writers online?

Writing Routines

2011-03-19T07:04:00.003-05:00

I recently stumbled across this blog and was fascinated by the routines of several famous authors.

This got me thinking about my own routines and how important they are to my writing time. My alarm goes off at 5am. I have the nicest husband in the world who doesn’t complain when I hit snooze a couple of times. Next, I get out of bed, brush my teeth, put in eye drops to keep my eyes open, and make a cup of coffee. I sit in this chair with a warm blanket and my notebook or laptop and write until I have to get ready for work or until my son wakes up.

A few months ago, Jody Hedlund wrote a great blog post about how to establish your own writing routines.

What are some of your routines?

It Doesn’t Get Easier

2011-03-11T06:02:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago the company I work for had a motivational speaker at our monthly staff meeting. One thing he said really stood out to me.

He said, “It doesn’t get any easier. Accept the process.”

What a great lesson for our writing journeys! Writing (or whatever your dream is) is going to be hard work now, and it’s going to be hard work in five years.

It’s never going to be easy. It’s never going to be the right time. The book is never going to write itself.

It’s time we accept writing for what it is––a demanding, difficult, amazing process. Stop fighting the journey and embrace it. Get over the idea that the writers you admire sit down and write a masterpiece on the first try. The writing process can be ugly and grueling, but if you really love it, it’s worth it.

It’s never going to be easy, but you and your writing will be better for it.

How I Outline

2011-03-07T06:45:00.000-06:00

I’m spending the next week putting the finishing touches on my plot outline before I begin writing the first draft of book number three. I thought I’d give you a glimpse into my process.

I sold my last two books off synopses. So, I’ve already brainstormed, and I have a general structure for the book. I like to go further by creating an outline that tells me exactly what I’m going to write for each scene. I do this by creating a detailed spreadsheet that I use as the blueprint for my book.

I label the columns of my spreadsheet “Chapter,” “Scene Summary,” “POV,” “Setting,” “Goal/Reaction,” “Conflict/Dilemma,” and “Disaster/Decision.” If you don’t understand the significance of the last three columns, you should definitely check out Randy Ingermanson’s article on scenes and sequels.

Each row represents a scene in my novel. The novels I write for Heartsong are between 45,000 and 50,000 words. My scenes tend to be about 1,000 words long. I plan for two scenes per chapter (usually one in the hero’s POV and one in the heroine’s POV). Therefore, I have around 25 chapters and approximately 50 rows. Everyone writes different chapter and scene lengths; this is simply what works best for me.

Are you still with me?

I have additional sheets in my spreadsheet for the heroine’s profile and the hero’s profile. There’s also a sheet that includes miscellaneous information including my theme or story question, setting information, and any other details I need to track.

My novel tends to deviate a lot from this spreadsheet, and I almost always have to go back and revise it during the writing or editing stage. So why do I spend all this time on the spreadsheet? There are three reasons.

1. It forces me to take a close look and answer questions about my book before I start writing, which saves me time in the end.
2. When I’m working on the rough draft, it helps me dive straight into writing when I open my WIP.
3. During the editing stage, I can go back to the spreadsheet and look at my entire book in only a few pages.

If you’d like a copy of my spreadsheet, send me an email at julie (at) juliejarnagin (dot) com. I’d be happy to share it.

What’s your process? Pantsers, does my process sound crazy to you?

I'm so excited!

2011-03-01T10:54:00.002-06:00

Three things I’m excited about today:

1. I turned in my next book to my editor. Canyon Crossing will be the second in my series with Heartsong Presents.

2. I have a chance to catch up on all the blogs I’ve been missing. I have over 800 unread posts on my google reader. I won’t be able to make it through all of them, but I want to know what has been going on with all my writing friends.

3. I get to dive into a new proposal and start writing my third book, Canyon Cafe.

What are you excited about today? And tell the truth, how many of you thought about Jesse Spano when you read the title of my post?

Reclaiming the Family Dinner

2011-02-09T12:34:00.003-06:00

There are so many useful online tools for busy moms. One of my favorites is E-Mealz. It's a great site that does your meal planning for you. Every week I log on the site and print the new grocery list and menu waiting for me.

Why it works for us?

1. I don’t have to think about what’s for dinner. For me the worst part of preparing dinner has never been the actual cooking. The toughest for me was never knowing what to fix and grocery shopping without a plan. I always ran out of ideas, and we’d end up on an endless cycle of spaghetti and tacos. Now I fix a wide variety of meals, including crockpot meals, quick dinners, and meals fit for company. The recipes are easy to prepare and delicious.

2. It saves us money. You can select between different plans (low carb or different grocery store chains). We use the "Aldi meals for 2" menus. If you’ve ever been to Aldi, you know their prices are great, and E-Mealz stretches the money even further. It has dramatically cut down on my grocery bills. It costs $15 for a 3-month subscription, and I easily make that money back the first week or two I use it. The grocery list tells me exactly what to buy and even uses ingredients in multiple recipes so they don't go to waste. I rarely have to throw away uneaten food.

3. We eat more dinners at the dinner table as a family. We turn off the television and hang out at dinner time. It makes this momma’s heart dance with joy.

Do you do meal planning? What are some of your tricks and tips for getting your family to sit down together for dinner?

How to Meet a Deadline

2011-01-31T12:59:00.000-06:00

The countdown is on! I officially have one month until book #2 is due to my editor. It is my first time to write a book on a deadline. It's exhilarating and scary.

Here's what I've learned so far about how to meet a deadline.

1. Banish self doubt. There isn't time to constantly second guess every decision. If an editor had faith that you could deliver, have that same amount of confidence in your own abilities.

2. Have a great critique partner. When I couldn't make a chapter in my book work, I sent it to my critique partner and got some great advice. (Thanks, Sue!) On a tight deadline, it helps to have a fresh set of eyes on your project.

3. Focus on the big picture changes first. I have a tendency to tinker with my scenes. Change a small sentence here. Reword a phrase there. That is not progress. Save the tinkering for your final run through of the book.

4. Leave enough time for surprises. I just received my galley proofs for Canyon Walls. Yea! It means I'm going to have to step away from book #2 to proof the galleys of book #1. If I had left myself only enough time to finish book #2, it would have changed the arrival of the galley from an exciting development to a stressful one.

How about you? Do you work better on a deadline? If you're unpublished, do you impose your own deadlines for your writing?

"Editing As I Go" Part 2 - Guest Post by Lauren Boyd

2011-01-25T21:04:00.000-06:00

On Monday, Lauren Boyd told us a little about her experience editing her first novel. Today she's back to tell us what she's learned in the process. Thanks for being here, Lauren!

I submitted my manuscript to thirteen agents and editors in early January. I know the finished product was much better than my first draft because of that final edit.

But I bet if I went through the manuscript again today, I’d still find things I could tweak and make better.

That’s because, if you’re like me, you’ll finally have to get to the point where you feel good enough about your manuscript to make the call that you’re done. Otherwise, you could be editing it for years in an attempt to get it “perfect.”

Plus, putting a limit on how many times you edit your work is good practice for when you get a publishing contract. Because once you’re under contract on a manuscript, the publisher doesn’t give you years to write and edit the next one. Maybe a few months.

As Julie has said on her blog before, editing can require more undivided attention and unbroken concentration than writing. Now that I have had the experience of writing and editing a novel, I see what she means – and I completely agree. Editing a novel is an arduous, tedious, sometimes exhausting task. Editing a novel requires a lot of perseverance because the manuscript is so long and because every piece of it has to work together to be cohesive, to make sense, and to be believable.

In conclusion, I learned a few things while writing my first novel that I hope will help you in your writing (if you don’t already do these things). I know I’ll be doing them next time:

1.) Make a plan. Before you begin writing, figure out where you’re going, especially if your manuscript will be significant in length. Write down your ideas in whatever way helps you the most: an outline, brief notes, or a lot of information about what each chapter will include. I’m sure there are people who write well without a plan. But, as it turns out, I’m not one of them . So I’ll be making a plan next time.

2.) Fresh eyes find errors. I mean your eyes. Take a break from your writing for several hours, or pick it up again the next day. Chances are, when you come back to it, you’ll easily find things that could be better written.

3.) A second opinion is important. You might think you have a masterpiece on your hands – and maybe you do! But you would still be well-served to have at least one friend, significant other, or fellow writer read and edit it. You’ll probably be surprised at (and grateful for) the things they find. And their edits might mean more work for you, but that’s okay – because if they noticed a glaring problem when they read it, an agent or editor would, too. So you might as well go ahead and fix it now – before you submit it.

I think the bottom line is this: It doesn’t matter so much when you edit, as long as you do edit.

And by the way: As I edited my first draft, I cut and pasted material that I wasn’t sure I wanted to use into a new Word document – just in case I did ultimately decide to use it. Some of it I did indeed use.

But 16,324 words of it I didn’t.

My lesson here? I need to do a final edit – even if I think I’m editing as I go.

What have you learned from your writing and editing experiences?

Lauren Boyd blogs about writing at www.laurenspathtopub.blogspot.com. There, she offers thoughts about writing based on her own experience and research of the publishing industry. Hopefully, her musings will help you. If you enjoy her blog, please visit often!

"Editing As I Go" Part 1 - Guest Post by Lauren Boyd

2011-01-23T18:36:00.000-06:00

I'm working fervently on book two of my series right now. A few fellow bloggers have offered to help me out by providing guest posts. This week I'm pleased to introduce Lauren Boyd. Thanks for being here, Lauren!

I like words.

That’s one reason why I started writing in September of 2009.

Mostly, I wrote picture book manuscripts because my two young children are a great source of inspiration and ideas. Since a picture book manuscript doesn’t have many words, I could quickly type it up, just to get the words down, then edit it to sharpen it before submitting it.

But then, in May of last year, I saw a news clip about something that struck me as very interesting.

And I decided I wanted to write a novel on the subject.

The longest piece I’d ever written for possible publication was a 1,222 word manuscript for young readers. So the idea of writing something as long as a novel was daunting. In fact, I wondered if I would lose motivation before I even finished it.

But my excitement about the topic won out, and I jumped right into writing! No plan, no outline, nothing. I just started writing.

I didn’t write the chapters in order: I wrote them as they came to mind and renumbered them as necessary.

As I went along, I felt like I was writing well – like this first draft could be my final product. At one point, my husband, Jason, asked me how long I thought it would take to write the entire manuscript. “It shouldn’t take long,” I answered him. “I’m editing as I go.”

My manuscript had a fictional plot and characters. But the topic was non-fictional (scientific), so I had to do extensive research as I went along in order to make sure I was incorporating correct information into my writing – because I wanted that aspect of the story to be completely accurate.

Then, in September of 2010, after spending most evenings of the previous four months on this novel, I finished it! It was done! Jason expressed interest in reading it, so I decided to take him up on his offer. I gave him a few chapters at a time to read. I knew it would be good to have new eyes go over the manuscript, in case there were any outstanding problems.

So much for “editing as I go.”

Turns out, this first draft was not going to be my final product. (Incidentally, my husband should have been an editor).

He found things that he said were not believable or realistic. He pointed out things about the scientific world that don’t happen the way I had described them (he’s an engineer who works with scientists.) He pointed out responses in conversations that could be better stated.

And a lot of the problems he found occurred in the first three chapters, which were fundamental in setting the stage for the rest of the story.

So much for “editing as I go.”

I had a lot of work ahead of me.

I began to revise, rewrite, and edit. As I went along, I found things that I knew could be better written – in addition to what Jason had suggested. Maybe it was a catchier way to say something. Maybe it was a more concise way to say something. Maybe it was a better way to explain something. I even realized as I double-checked my research that I had mistyped or miscalculated a few things.

As I read through the manuscript, I realized that I hadn’t discovered my style of writing, “or voice”, until about halfway through chapter three. I wouldn’t have noticed this without a final edit. Therefore, I rewrote the first two chapters and half of the third chapter in my “voice”, in order to match the rest of the manuscript.

So much for “editing as I go.”

I went through each chapter of my manuscript, one by one, and edited it. It took self-discipline. It took perseverance.

It took four months.

As long as it had taken to write the first draft.

How about you? Do you write to get your ideas down and then edit when you’re finished? Or do you edit as you go and your manuscript turns out beautifully?

Come back on Wednesday to learn what Lauren learned from her editing experience!

Lauren Boyd blogs about writing at www.laurenspathtopub.blogspot.com. There, she offers thoughts about writing based on her own experience and research of the publishing industry. Hopefully, her musings will help you. If you enjoy her blog, please visit often!

Three Things I've Learned

2011-01-20T20:24:00.000-06:00

Three things I learned this week:

1. I should have gotten a Kindle a long time ago.
2. I’ll never get accustomed to my husband being away from home on business trips.
3. Sometimes I need to turn off the Internet and just write.

What have you learned this week?

How I Benefited from an E-Mail Critique Group, by Julie Gillies

2011-01-17T05:33:00.000-06:00

I'm so pleased to have Julie Gillies as a guest today! Enjoy!

I attended my first writer’s conference in such great fear I didn’t eat the entire four days, unless you count occasional sips of Nesquick chocolate milk. Deep doubts about my qualifications to do the one thing God seemed to be pushing me toward—writing for publication—nearly drove me from the conference long before it was over.

But my desire to obey Him and grab hold of my God-given destiny propelled me past the doubts and beyond my fears. So, I met with editors while my knees knocked and even managed a meeting with an agent—without throwing up. But ultimately, what made the difference for me was that I connected with a small group of women. At the end of the conference I suggested we stay in touch and encourage each other by forming an e-mail critique group, since we lived in far-flung corners of the United States.

That original group gave me encouragement, opened my eyes to my writing weaknesses, and taught me editing skills that I continue to use. Most of all, it caused me to grow as a writer. A solid critique group took my writing to the next level. If you’d like the same opportunity, read my critique group guidelines…then develop thick skin; open yourself to honest, constructive criticism; and maintain a teachable heart.

Establishing the Group

The ideal e-mail critique group size is anywhere from 4 to 8 writers, but can vary according to your preference. Smaller groups mean more frequent submission opportunities, but fewer fellow writers to critique your work. On the other hand, larger groups offer more input, with a longer cue to submit. A typical group with 7 members means that each writer will have the opportunity to submit approximately every 8 weeks.
Whichever size you choose, it is wise to establish, agree upon and limit your optimum group number at the onset.

Establish Submission Procedures

* Create a rotation schedule. Who wants to go first? Who wishes to be at the end of the line?
* Establish submission frequency – my suggestion is to submit on a weekly basis. Allow 7 days for each submission to be read, critiqued by group members, and returned privately to the author.
* Allow “Pass” options (life happens!) and be prepared to go to next person in the rotation.
* Decide on a maximum number of pages per submission – my suggestion is anywhere from 6 to 12 pages. All submissions must be double-spaced with #12 non-fancy fonts. (Note: you do not have to send a minimum number of pages; some writers will only have a single page to submit at their turn.)
* Make sure that each author includes a “Due Date” in the subject line of their submission. This allows group members to return submissions on time.
* Technical: Each submission should be sent via e-mail as an attached Word document.

E-mail Guidelines & Suggestions:

As the leader, your main goal is to keep the critique rotation on schedule. You will:

* Send out weekly group e-mails notifying members of their turn.
* Always include ample notice, or a “heads up” to the next person in line whose turn is pending.
* Follow through on pending critiques. One day prior to “due date” send out a reminder to the whole group so the critiqued submission will be returned to the author on time.

“What Do I Look For When I Critique?” - Helpful Critique Suggestions

* Always begin and end each critique on a positive, encouraging note.
* Return critiques/suggestions privately to the author only, and on time.
* Use red (or any different color) type when noting suggestions in the submission – this makes it easier for the author to find your comments.
* Note grammatical errors – give possible corrections if desired (and known).
* Point out wording, sentences or paragraphs that seem confusing or ‘off’.
* Note repetitive word use.
* Note passive voice: Avoid the words “is, as, was, would, should could”.
* Point out punctuation errors – clean copy is a must.
* Look for a strong beginning and a strong ending.

Optional “Extras” to include in weekly e-mails:

* Encouraging or humorous writing quotes, and/or helpful tips.
* Be aware of and send out potential writing opportunities to the group.
* Remind group members to contribute writing opportunities they discover.
* Encourage group members to share successes and rejections, and also to share when something is being submitted to a magazine, etc. for prayer covering.
* Prayer requests are encouraged but optional; as time spent answering e-mails will increase your time commitment.

Note: Give grace to yourself and others for family emergencies, vacations, holidays, etc. Plan ahead of time and notify the group of holiday, spring and/or summer breaks.

Approximate time commitment:

· Set up: Between 2-3 hours (Including initial “Welcome” e-mail w/ group guidelines)
· Weekly group e-mails: 30 – 60 minutes
· Additional e-mails: (answering questions, responding to or receiving advice, suggestions, etc.) 1-2 hours weekly (varies greatly)

Above all, enjoy your critique group, and trust God to accomplish His purpose in each individual member.

Bio:

Julie Gillies is passionate about encouraging and equipping women to fulfill their God-given destinies. Healed by God from a traumatic childhood and awed that He saved her seriously troubled marriage, Julie understands the power of God’s Word and prayer to change the seemingly impossible. She has written over 90 articles for various publications including CBN.com, Marriage Partnership, Vista, and P31 Woman magazine, among others. Julie is also a contributing writer to the books Daily Devotions for Writers and Penned from the Heart. She is the Critique Groups Coordinator for Proverbs 31 Ministries, serves on the editorial team for P31 Woman magazine and serves on MOPS’ MOMSnext Advisory Team. Julie is founder of Word Chicks, a prayer ministry for women writers and speakers.

Julie thinks heaven will smell like an apple-cider mill, and adores long walks with anyone in her family. A joyful wife, mom of three (one of whom serves in the U.S. Army) and grammy of four, Julie communicates hard-won truths that stir the soul. Visit her website at: www.juliegillies.com

101 Blog Post Ideas for Writers - Part 2

2011-01-11T21:15:00.000-06:00

You can find Part 1 (1-50) of 101 Blog Post Ideas for Writers here. Happy blogging!

51. Avoiding burnout
52. Tools every writer needs
53. Breaking bad writing habits
54. Creating positive writing habits
55. How to enjoy writing time more
56. How writing affects other areas of your life
57. Finding a Mentor
58. Developing a thick skin
59. Hiring a freelance editor
60. Attitude after rejection
61. Book trailers
62. Blog design
63. Web design
64. Conferences for writers
65. One writing rule you break
66. Using social media effectively
67. Review a book outside your normal genre
68. Etiquette with editors and agents
69. How to build confidence as a writer
70. Writing an ugly first draft vs. editing as you write
71. Writing a great first line
72. Developing a compelling hook
73. Inspiration boards or collages
74. Music or silence while writing
75. Choosing a setting
76. Infusing sensory details into writing
77. Desk exercises and stretches
78. Tips for fostering a love of books in our children
79. Business card / bookmark design
80. Post a survey
81. Writing through difficult / stressful situations
82. Why you write in your category or genre
83. How your faith or beliefs have impacted your writing
84. How your writing has impacted your faith or beliefs
85. The most difficult scene or piece you've ever written
86. A turning point in your writing career
87. Dealing with people who are unsupportive
88. Share a short story
89. Respond to a blog post by a well-known blogger
90. Adding depth to your writing
91. The right time to begin a new project
92. Building a platform
93. Create a funny video using Xtranormal
94. Interview a character
95. Breaking out of your comfort zone
96. Book covers
97. Finding life / writing balance
98. Choosing a title
99. Writing Contests
100. Favorite children's book
101. How writing has changed your life

101 Blog Post Ideas for Writers - Part 1

2011-01-10T12:00:00.000-06:00

I'm constantly trying to come up with topics for my next blog post. I began compiling a list, and I want to share it with all of my writing friends. I'll post 51-101 later this week. I hope this sparks ideas for some brilliant posts!

1. What is your favorite quote and why?
2. What is your favorite book and why?
3. Ask a question
4. How you knew you wanted to become a writer
5. Your first memory of books or reading
6. Your first memory of writing
7. Photos of your writing space
8. Describe your dream writing space
9. Writers in your life and how they've inspired you
10. Creative prompts for other writers
11. What you've learned through blogging
12. What novelists can learn from screenplays
13. Overcoming writer's block
14. A list of your favorite industry blogs
15. A list of the best writing posts of the week
16. How you researched your last book
17. The most interesting piece of research you came across
18. If you could write any genre (and it would sell), what would it be?
19. How to plan a book signing
20. How to cope with a substantial critique or edit
21. Create a cartoon about writing
22. List the biggest mistakes you made in your first manuscript
23. How to throw a launch party
24. Describe your dream launch party
25. Your process for brainstorming
26. How to find a critique group or partner
27. How to speed up your writing process
28. Write about the time you almost gave up writing for good
29. Encourage other writers to keep going
30. The book idea you wish you'd thought of first
31. I can't sit down to write unless...
32. Time management systems for writers
33. Reviews of your favorite office supplies
34. An interview of your significant other about your writing habits
35. Your process for outlining a story
36. Goal setting
37. What to do if you've failed at the goals you set
38. How the books you read as a teenager affected you
39. Pseudonyms
40. Where to find inspiration
41. How a hobby has made you a better writer
42. How not to get an agent
43. Mistakes to avoid in manuscripts
44. Mistakes to avoid in synopses
45. Mistakes to avoid in query letters
46. Myths about writers
47. Grammar and punctuation lessons
48. Advice you wish someone had given you
49. Advice you wish you had never heard
50. Character names

You can find Part 2 (51-101) here.

If you write a post based on any of these prompts, post a link in my comments. I'd love to read it. Do you keep a list of blogging ideas?

Happy blogging!

Night Owl or Morning Person?

2011-01-06T08:12:00.000-06:00

I never thought I would be a morning person, but this is my first time to write on a deadline. Before my first contract, I worked on my writing whenever I felt like it. Not anymore! I have a full-time job, a two-year-old, and my next book is due March 1. Eek!

I'm excited about the story and about the writing journey. I'm learning more about myself and my process of writing. I now go to bed at 10pm and get up at 5am. I exercise three mornings a week, and I write four mornings a week. So far it's working out great for me - thanks to the new coffee maker I got for Christmas.

Are you a night owl or a morning person? Have you ever tried switching it up?

2010-12-25T06:56:00.000-06:00

O Holy Night

2010-12-23T07:41:00.000-06:00

What's your favorite Christmas song?

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas for Writers

2010-12-14T09:16:00.000-06:00

Give a Goat for Christmas

2010-12-09T14:26:00.000-06:00

I’m a huge fan of Compassion International. It’s an awesome organization that helps children all around the world.

If you’re still looking for gifts for those difficult–to-buy-for people in your life, consider giving them the gift of giving!

Huh?

It’s simple. Go to the Compassion on-line catalog and choose a gift like a farm animal, clean drinking water, medical treatment, food supplies, mosquito nets, etc. Your gift will provide that item to a needy child in the name of whomever you choose. You will receive a gift card to personalize for the recipient of your gift. Each card includes a message explaining how the gift will make a difference for a child in need.

What could be better than that? If you haven’t gotten me a Christmas present yet, I’d love a mosquito net.

http://gifts.compassion.com/?utm_source=blogger-network&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=blogger-network_giftCat

Busyness

2010-12-08T13:09:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas, but during this time of year, busyness consumes our household. Sometimes it seems like I don’t have a moment to catch my breath between Halloween and New Years.

I’m currently editing the first draft of book two. For me editing takes large chunks of uninterrupted time and requires more undivided attention than writing. Trying to accomplish this during this time of year is a daunting task. How do we resist letting our writing commitments slide because of the busyness of the Christmas season?

Make Writing a Priority. Faith and family definitely need to stay at the top of our priority lists, but if writing is important to us, we need to make sure it’s not getting buried by less important things. After we identify what’s important, we need to share it with our families. I’m so blessed to have a husband who constantly helps me carve out writing time.

Be Realistic. My house may not be spotless, and I may not be able to host a big Christmas party. And that’s okay! If our expectations are unrealistic, we will only be disappointed. Learn to say “no.” Give someone else an opportunity to host that get-together or to chair that committee.

Identify Time Zappers. Sometimes I waste precious time without even realizing it. Keep a log of where you spend your time for two days. It may reveal time wasters you hadn’t noticed. After we identify those things, we can put measures in place to control them. Set a timer by your computer while you’re searching on the internet. Only allow yourself to watch shows you’ve recorded on DVR instead of surfing channels. Turn off your cell phone during certain hours of the day.

How do you protect your writing time?

Big News!

2010-11-18T23:02:00.000-06:00

I have a lot of great news to share today!

First, Connie Arnold won a copy of White Roses by Shannon Vanatter Taylor. Congratulations, Connie! If you’ll click on the connect link above and send me your contact information, we’ll send you your book.

Also, my edits for Canyon Walls are complete, and I was thrilled when the editor was happy with my changes. It made all of the late nights working on the revisions worth it.

Finally, my biggest news is that I’ve signed a contract with Heartsong Presents for the sequel to Canyon Walls! Book #2 will be due to my editor on March 1. It’s time to get back to work!

Interview with Shannon Taylor Vannatter

2010-11-07T20:58:00.000-06:00

Shannon Taylor Vannatter is back, and this time, she's in the interview chair! Don't forget to comment for a chance to win a copy of White Roses, Shannon's current release by Heartsong Presents.

Can you give us a glimpse into your journey to publication? How long did you pursue publication before your contract? Had you written any other novels before White Roses?

I started writing in late fall of 1999. In 2001, one of my books was print on demand published. I didn’t know what that meant and thought I’d be famous. Not!
I wrote five books before White Roses and three after, before I sold. I got the contract in early spring 2009. 9 ½ long, frustrating years. Now that I’ve improved my craft, I plan on going back and fixing some of the old ones.

What has been the biggest surprise about the process from the contract to the book release?

Writing is a full time job and deadlines are stressful. I thought it would be a career where I could run around and write just when I wanted to. Wrong! I spend 6 – 7 hours daily during the school year actively, writing, revising, and publicizing. In the summer, I grab hours when I can since I have an eight-year old.

You have a wonderful blog, which provides a place for writers and others to share their true-life love stories (http://shannonvannatter.com/blog/). Where did you come up with the idea and how has the experience creating and overseeing that blog been for you?

I’d been trying to figure out what to blog about for over a year. My marketing friend, Linda Fulkerson, suggested I blog about romantic tips and give advice on love and marriage. It was a really great idea, but it scared me to death. Yes, I’ve been happily married for 26 years, but that doesn’t make me an expert on the subject. I could just imagine someone asking me for advice and ending up getting a divorce.

I kept praying about a topic. Finally, I took an online marketing class through ACFW presented by Rusty Shelton. He gave an example for a blog topic that got my wheels spinning and I came up with sharing real life romances and pictures.

Initially, I planned to feature regular people, but soon learned that non-writers don’t want to write or don’t feel like they write well enough to share their story. So, I turned to writers and included weekly book giveaways. The blog has really taken off and my readership grows consistently every month. I’ve enjoyed the stories and gotten a lot of book ideas. By the way, Julie’s story was my favorite pick for the first quarter of my blog’s life.

How do you spend your time when you're not writing or speaking?

Son time includes riding four-wheelers in the woods, going for walks, and in the summer—swimming in our blue Wal Mart pool. Family time includes movie nights, eating out, and shopping. I go in the cheap shoe store and my guys go in the book/movie/music mega-store next door.
Since my husband is a bi-vocational pastor, church is a large part of our lives. We have a great lady’s prayer group I enjoy fellowshipping with our congregation, which usually includes food.

What are you working on next?

I’ve officially finished all the edits on the White Rose series. I submitted a Rodeo series set in Texas, but haven’t heard anything yet. I’m polishing up a longer length romance about an estranged married couple who have both become Christians since their split. I write ideas in a big notebook and plan on getting to all of them.
In case you missed it, here’s the link to Julie’s story on my blog: http://shannonvannatter.com/my-favorite-romantic-blog-post-june-aug-2010/

Thanks for stopping by, Shannon!

About Shannon: Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. Her three book series is set in Romance and Rose Bud, AR and published by Heartsong Presents, a division of Barbour Publishing. Each book releases to a ten thousand member book club and then to stores six months later. White Roses her debut novel will hit store shelves in November. Two more books in the series will follow: White Doves releases to the book club in October and stores in April and White Pearls releases to the book club in January and stores in July.

ABCs of the Content Edit

2010-11-04T20:00:00.000-05:00

Every step of my journey to publication has been a huge learning experience for me. The revision letter was no different. The content edits for Canyon Walls were pretty extensive. At first, I was disappointed, but now, I realize that it is just another step in making me a better writer. Here are a few of the things I learned from my content edit.

A - Avoid emotional whiplash - In an effort to create more tension in scenes, I was unintentionally making my heroine an emotional mess. When an editor labeled this “Emotional Whiplash” a light bulb went on in my brain. What a great way to explain this problem! When you’re adding conflict and emotion in a scene, be careful not to jar your reader.

B - Be Decisive – The editor (at least in my case) lets you know what needs to be changed, but doesn’t tell you how to change it. After I read through the revision letter, I had to make some big decisions about what I would do to correct the problems in my story. No one knows your story better than you do. Learn to follow your instincts, make a decision, and make it work.

C - Consider subplots carefully – Just because you love a secondary plot in your novel, doesn't mean it belongs there. What does it add to your main story? If you removed it, how would it change your story? If it doesn’t add anything to your plot, cut it.

D - Details are important – Content editors are experts at picking up on those little inconsistencies. Before you send your book to an editor or agent, do a read through looking at the details. Come up with a system or a spreadsheet to track these easy-to-miss, but incredibly important, details.

E - Enjoy the process – A big set of revisions can be stressful and cause a lot of self doubt. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. Trust me, I know! Every now and then, I had to step back and remember that I’m getting the chance to do what I love to do. What could be better than that?

Public Speaking and the Introvert by Guest Blogger: Shannon Taylor Vannatter

2010-11-02T14:00:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to have Shannon Taylor Vannatter as a guest today. If you ever have the chance to meet Shannon, don't miss it. She's a sweetheart and a blast to be around.

Shannon kindly offered to give away a copy of her new release, White Roses. I'll draw a name from the comments on this post and an upcoming interview with Shannon! So, don't forget to comment and stay tuned!

Public Speaking and the Introvert

At my first writers’ conference in 2001, I listened intently to the speaker and realized I wanted to do that someday. Which made no sense. I’m the kid who dreaded the thought of reading a book report in front of my 4th grade class so badly, it almost made me sick. I’m the adult who still stands quietly in the corner if I’m in a crowd of people I don’t know. I’m the mom who sits on the bleachers in silence to watch my son play baseball because we had to change schools and I don’t know any of the other moms.

Once I finally signed a book contract, I jumped into the public speaking circuit, starting with free workshops for writers’ groups. I didn’t take any classes, I just did it. As my name circulated, I worked up to paid workshops and conferences. After speaking half a dozen times to groups and several paid presentations, I don’t get nervous anymore. It amazes me, my husband, and my parents, but put me in my element—attendee or speaker at a writers’ conference—and I’m outgoing, talkative, and having the time of my life.

Once home, it takes me anywhere from a day up to a week, depending how long the workshop or conference was and how far away, to decompress and get back to my normal productivity.

Recently, at a very large conference, the master of ceremonies admitted she’s an introvert and by the third day of the conference and forcing herself to be outgoing, she’s running on empty. I never would have dreamed she could be an introvert. She’s always so funny and fun.

At a smaller conference, I met the funniest mystery writer. She was so animated, acted out conversations, and kept me laughing. Before her presentation, she told me she loves conferences and speaking, but she has to put her game face on to conquer the nerves and is exhausted afterward to the point of throwing up.

Then it hit me, conferences drain me because I’ve got my game face on, climbing out of my introverted box and forcing myself to network and mingle. When I get home, I crash. Book signing events take their toll in the same way. For an hour or two, I’m trying to engage with readers—people I don’t know—and interest them in my book. I have fun, meeting new people, sharing a love for books, and making sales. Afterward, I’m toast.

But public speaking benefits the writer. At each of my events, I’ve publicized my name and books and sold several copies. If the thought of public speaking makes you squirm, here are a few tips:

1. If you can’t imagine ever speaking in front of a group, seek out classes on public speaking.

2. Browse writing books or magazines to come up with topics. Put together a program on a topic you know well that others can learn from.

3. List your topics on your website.

4. Start out free. Contact writers’ groups you’re familiar with and offer your services. If your book has released, ask if you can bring copies to sell.

5. Arrive early enough to talk with a few people, which can ease nerves, since you won’t feel like a stranger.

6. Have a water bottle handy. Your throat might get dry. If nerves overtake you and your voice begins to quiver, pause to get a drink.

7. Let your audience know you have books for sale with humor. “My suitcase is really heavy, so I hope you’ll help me lighten it up.”

8. If you’re a techie, use Power Point. It takes the focus off of you and makes you more comfortable.

9. As you work with editors and learn new things, expand your topic base.

10. Until you get comfortable with speaking in front of groups, use handouts with fill in the blanks. This holds the audiences’ attention and keeps the focus off of you and on the paper.

11. Once you’ve spoken to several groups and don’t get as nervous, contact conferences and send them a one sheet with your topics.

12. Once you work your way up to conferences and paid presentations, don’t do a lot of reading. Work from notes and keep your focus on the audience.

13. Remember that your audience wants to be where you are—published. This can ease nerves and keep you focused on sharing your knowledge.

14. Be accessible, approachable, and friendly. Don’t intimidate by lording your published status above your audience.

15. Don’t limit your presentations to writers. Expand your group base to include church, ladie’s, community, library, school, college, and civic organizations.

16. Don’t forget book clubs. Contact your local library for information.

17. Save your best presentations for paid events.

18. Once you put presentations together, back them up, so you always have them to teach or present over and over.

About Shannon: Central Arkansas author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter is a stay-at-home mom/pastor’s wife. Her three book series is set in Romance and Rose Bud, AR and published by Heartsong Presents, a division of Barbour Publishing. Each book releases to a ten thousand member book club and then to stores six months later. White Roses her debut novel will hit store shelves in November. Two more books in the series will follow: White Doves releases to the book club in October and stores in April and White Pearls releases to the book club in January and stores in July.

Learn more about her and her books at http://shannonvannatter.com. Her blog, The Inkslinger, celebrates true love stories, inspirational author’s real-life romances, insight into the love lives of their fictional characters, book excerpts, romantic destinations, and book giveaways at http://www.shannonvannatter.com/blog.

Feeling Discouraged?

2010-10-27T21:14:00.000-05:00

I'm taking a quick break from revisions to say that this business of chasing after our dreams is tough. I've noticed that many of you are facing discouragement right now, whether it’s with writing or other areas of life.

If that’s you, no matter where you are in your journey, I want to tell you that you are so brave to continue to put your faith and hope in God’s plan for you. Don’t let anything keep you from continually seeking God’s will for your life. God asks us to walk in obedience – steadily heading down His path and keeping our eyes on Him.

Do you remember the scene in Runaway Bride when Julia Roberts is walking down the aisle and Richard Gere knows that the only way to keep her from running away from the altar again is for her eyes to stay locked with his?

Lock your eyes on Jesus Christ – not on the contract, not on your dream agent, not on approval from people around you.

Keep your eyes locked on Him. His plan for your life is so much better than you could ever imagine.

Back to Work

2010-10-22T22:06:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I was in...

My mom, sister, and I went to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was a blast.

Now, I'm back to the real world and feel like I'm facing this...

Revisions to Canyon Walls are due on November 1. I want it to be perfect, and it's a little overwhelming.

I'll be back to blogging soon!

Seasons

2010-10-05T23:03:00.000-05:00

I love the fall. I love the weather, and I love pulling my sweaters and boots from the back of the closet.

The change in the air has me thinking about the seasons of my relationship with Christ. I’m just so thankful for the place I’m in right now where I feel like I’m growing and He’s taking me on all kinds of new adventures.

What about you? What season are you in right now?

Journaling

2010-09-25T21:06:00.000-05:00

I'm thinking about getting back into the routine of journaling. It's something I've done off and on throughout my life. I think I'm in a season when it could really benefit me. Here are a few reasons I'm thinking I should try to journal daily again.

1. It helps me focus on reflection after reading my Bible. I've always gotten more out of my quiet times when it includes journaling.

2. Journaling jump starts my creativity. If I can get out some of the thoughts swimming around in my head, I'm usually more productive when I'm working on a novel.

3. Journal entries show me how God's hand has been working in my life. Reading over old journal entries can be an amazing way to see just how powerful prayer is.

4. I like to buy new journals. I'm kidding. Sort of. Is there anything better than a beautiful journal?

Does anyone here journal regularly? Any tips for me?

My New Website!

2010-09-21T19:15:00.000-05:00

I'm proud to announce the launch of www.JulieJarnagin.com! Jason Walker with Website Ministries did an excellent job.

I'm currently unpacking from conference, packing for another trip, and working on a new book idea that will be so much fun to write.

Conference Time

2010-09-10T05:53:00.000-05:00

I can't believe the ACFW Conference is next weekend. I'm a big ball of excitement and nerves.

I'm nervous about...

1. Being away from my family. I haven't gotten to see my husband enough lately because he has been traveling a lot, and it's always difficult for me to be away from my son.
2. Pitching my YA novel to agents. I was hoping I would have it completely edited by the time conference rolled around, but that didn't happen. I'm still going to take my opportunity to meet with some agents face-to-face.
3. Overcoming my introverted ways so that I can network and meet a lot of new people.

I'm excited about...

1. The fact that it's going to be like a mini vacation for this mommy.
2. Being around so many people who are passionate about writing.
3. Soaking in all of the knowledge and advice I possibly can.

Who's going? I can't wait to meet you.

Inspiration

2010-09-08T19:14:00.001-05:00

My son thinks my next book should be a western with plenty of horses, guns, and cowboy hats.

World of the Unagented

2010-08-31T07:12:00.000-05:00

April W Gardner kindly asked me to visit her blog today and talk about being published without an agent. See you there!

Now I See

2010-08-23T20:50:00.000-05:00

Last week, I had Lasik surgery. It's pretty amazing that in ten minutes a surgeon can use lasers to correct vision that has been poor for most of my thirty years.

My eyes haven't completely adjusted to their new lives without contacts or glasses, and they get tired after staring at the computer screen for too long. Hopefully, I will be able to get over that quickly and get back to writing.

I loved reading your comments on my previous post. Everyone had some great things to say about why we write.

From the beginning, I've questioned why I have this desire to write, and I learn more and see it differently with every step I take. I often think about a scene from Hinds Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard. I was going to try to describe it, but I couldn't do it justice. Here's an excerpt:

Still there was silence, a silence as of the grave, for indeed she was in the grave of her own hopes and still without the promised hinds' feet, still outside the High Places with even the promise to be laid down on the alter, Much-Afraid repeated the glorious promise which had been the cause of her starting for the High Places. "The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet and he will make me to walk upon mine High Places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments" (Hab. 3:19)
The priest put forth a hand of steel, right into her heart. There was a sound of rending and tearing, and the human love, with all its myriad rootlets and fibers, came forth.

That's my prayer. That God will rip out all of my hopes and dreams and make space for His love and His dreams for my future.

Why we write

2010-08-16T15:11:00.000-05:00

In a recent blog post, Chip MacGregor wrote, "I believe most new writers basically want to get published so that they’ll be famous."

If you were forced to write under a pseudonym and couldn't tell anyone except your spouse that you were a writer, would you still pursue publication? If this were the case, what would you do differently?

I'd love to hear what you think. I'll post my thoughts on the topic later in the week.

My Office

2010-08-13T09:51:00.000-05:00

I recently found this blog that shows the gardens of popular Christian authors. My husband keeps our lawn looking great, but my skills in the flowerbeds aren't as impressive. So, instead of showing you my garden, I thought I'd show you where I spend a lot of my time - my office.

My office is actually the formal dining room in our house. Since we eat at the kitchen table, we use the extra space as my office. I'm lucky to have a sister who enjoys decorating. She helped me choose a lot of the pieces and put it all together.

The big black thing on top of the desk is an old window frame from a building that was being remodeled at a local university. We found it at a garage sale. The ceramic cat is also from a garage sale.

This is the perfect chair for reading. My mom wasn't using it anymore, but it was in a floral fabric. At the fabric store, I heard about a lady who did re-upholstery out of her home, and she recovered it for me in the hounds tooth. It was much more affordable than finding a new chair. I spray painted the mirror black and found the antique typewriter in front of the mirror at a garage sale for $5. Do you see a theme here? I love garage sales!

I'd love to see pictures of your garden or your office. If you post them, please leave me a link to your blog in my comments.

Happy Birthday, Kevin!

2010-08-10T08:43:00.000-05:00

August is just one big birthday celebration around our house.

I'm so blessed to have such a loving husband. He inspires me every day with his passion for life, his faith in God and his love for our son. With a husband like Kevin, it's no wonder I write romance novels. I love you, Kevin. Happy Birthday!

Praying for Annabelle

2010-08-09T11:24:00.000-05:00

I'm reposting this from Jamie's Blog:

So I was up half the night prayer for a dear fellow blogger Krista Phillips and her new baby girl Annabelle who is struggling with recovering from heart surgery in these first few weeks of life. The recovery is physical ups and downs and emotional ups and downs. Having my child in the NICU the first week of her life was hard enough, but Krista's little sweetheart is in need of even more prayer and her mommy and daddy in need of support and encouragement.

IT'S MY MISSION TODAY - to get as many of you praying and reposting the request on your blogs! Let's place this precious little baby girl before the feet of the GOD who parted the Red Sea!

Here's what you do

1. Check out Krista's blog and familiarize yourself with her dear little Annabelle
2. Cut and paste this entire blog entry and post on YOUR blog
3. Post a comment on my blog with YOUR blog address and where you're blogging the prayer request and I'll be sure to pass it on to Krista
4. Post on Krista's blog a prayer (keep it relatively short) that she read ACTUAL words of prayer being lifted for Annabelle
5. Continue to pray ... indefinitely :)

Are you with me??

Happy Birthday!

2010-08-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

What a difference a couple of years can make.

Happy birthday to my precious baby boy.

I love writing synopses!

2010-07-18T14:14:00.000-05:00

Okay, maybe I don't love writing synopses, but that's what I've been telling myself for the past few weeks as I've been trying to get through one. I'm happy to announce that I finally finished and submitted the synopsis for a possible sequel to Canyon Walls!

Synopses are tough for me. Here are some things I learned this go around.

1. There's no formula, article, example, etc. that will make writing a synopsis easy. Trust me; I looked. There are plenty of great things you can learn, but the toughest part is sitting down and doing it. It usually takes me more time than I think it should to write a synopsis, and that's okay.

2. Writing a synopsis is a great way to pinpoint plot problems in your story. When I couldn't figure out a simple way to explain something in my synopsis, it was probably because it didn't belong in the story or needed to be reworked.

3. It's all about motivation. Nothing matters if your character motivations don't add up and if they're not clearly laid out in the synopsis. We have to ask "why" about everything on the page. Which leads me to critique partners, who were a huge help with this.

4. It's important to have several people critique your synopsis for two reasons. First, you go over it so many times, it's difficult to see the small mistakes you've made. Secondly, as writers we're so engrossed in our stories that it's easy to forget the reader doesn't know everything we know about our story. A good critique partner can let you know what's missing. Thank you Sue, Terri and Lacy for your help! And thank you to my husband for doing a final read through and for reminding me that...

5. At some point you just have to gather your courage and hit the send button.

Now, I have to get busy on the synopsis for book three!

Interview on Romance Writers on a Journey

2010-07-14T20:22:00.000-05:00

I'm over at Romance Writers on the Journey today. I really appreciate Keli Gwyn inviting me. She did a wonderful job interviewing me, and you even get to hear a little about my book coming out in April. Plus, you can enter to win a scarf crocheted by me. I hope to see you there.

Author Bio

2010-07-06T18:49:00.000-05:00

Jason Walker with Website Ministries is going to start working on my author website soon. I can’t wait! It was a blast coming up with ideas on what I wanted it to look like.

Now, I’m working on writing the copy. The hardest part for me has been how to write an author bio. Writing about myself is awkward.

I don’t want it to be boring, but I don’t want it to be too corny. I want to add enough accomplishments, but I don't want to look like an egomaniac. I’m pulling my hair out.

Have you had to write a bio about yourself? What should I include? What should I leave out? What should the tone be – professional, personal, light, funny? Can anyone give me some great examples?

It's a major award...

2010-06-30T14:52:00.000-05:00

I'm going to catch up on the fun awards bloggers have given me recently!

A huge thank you to

Lynn at Place to Create ,

Julie Dao at Silver Lining,

Tessa at Christ is Write, and

Jana Hutcheson at All I'm Saying...

These ladies have great blogs. You should definitely go check them out!

Final Inkslinger Post

2010-06-25T09:33:00.000-05:00

My final post on The Inkslinger Blog is up today. You won't believe what Kevin and I claim as our song.

The Engagement

2010-06-23T11:32:00.001-05:00

My second blog post about my real-life romance is up on Shannon Taylor Vannatter's Inkslinger blog. Today, it's all about our engagement. If you like coffee, you definitely need to check it out.

Inkslinger Blog

2010-06-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Shannon Taylor Vannatter was kind enough to invite me to be a guest on her Inkslinger blog this week. Please go check out my real-life love story here and comment for a chance to win her book White Roses.

It's Monday

2010-06-13T19:41:00.001-05:00

Do you need something to make you smile?

You're welcome!

Procrastination Nation

2010-06-10T11:42:00.000-05:00

Hello, my name is Julie, and I’m a procrastinator.

I’ve blogged about it in the past. It’s something that I struggle with often. I have a short attention span, which isn’t helpful when you’re writing novels.

In college, I was great at cramming for a test all night the night before and doing okay. Now that I’m a mom to a toddler and have a full-time job, if I procrastinate, I’m not going to get it done. I was doing all of my writing at night after the little guy went to bed, but now that it’s light outside longer, he stays up until 9:00pm. I get up at 5:15am. That means I either don’t have much time for writing or I don’t get enough sleep.

It has forced me to teach myself to stop procrastinating and work on my writing during the small spaces of time I have available throughout the day. Here are some of the tricks I use to get things done:

1. I use a timer. A kitchen timer would work, but I use an online timer I found through a search on google. Whether I’m writing or working, I keep one open on my desktop. I choose the project I want to work on, set the timer for 15 minutes and commit to not getting off task until the timer is signaling that time is up. Usually, I end up working much longer than 15 minutes, but the short amount of time keeps me from making any excuses.

2. When I sit down at my computer, I always start with 15 minutes of writing or editing (or if I’m at work, I start with an important project.) If I let myself ease into writing by checking blogs or my email, I can lose half an hour without even noticing. Then when I do start writing, I’m still thinking about everything I’ve just seen on the web. If I start with writing, I allow myself to do whatever I want after the time is up, but I find that I usually want to keep writing.

3. I track how much time I’ve actually spent writing. But there’s a catch. I can only record the time if it is more than 15 minutes of continuous work. I don’t stop and restart the timer to go get a cup of coffee or text someone on my phone. If that happens, I have to start my time over again. It’s motivation to focus on the task at hand.

4. In the morning, I write down a list of three things I want to accomplish that day. I also have a longer, master to do list so I won’t forget all the things I want to do over the next week, month, year, but my list of three is what I’m going to focus on that day. The things on my list of three must be small and specific. For example:
• Send a chapter to my critique group.
• Write and post today’s blog.
• 30 minutes of editing on my YA.
Hopefully, I’ll get more done than that through the day, but the list of three keeps my main priorities top of mind.

Now that I've shared my steps for avoiding procrastination, I better get back to work!

I'd love to hear how you fight the inner procrastinator.

Agent Search

2010-06-01T08:34:00.000-05:00

As we wait for the ACFW conference registration to open, I’ve been thinking about literary agents and who I would like to meet while I’m at the conference. I don’t have an agent. The publishers for shorter Christian romance novels usually accept submissions from unagented writers, which is how I submitted my novel.
Now, that I’m looking at submitting a young adult novel (if I can get beyond editing the first chapter, but that’s a post for another day), I’ve been looking at agents. I’m trying to decide who would be a good fit, and who should be at the top of my list for appointments. Here are some questions I’ve been asking when deciding.

1. What is his or her style? I’ve been reading blogs written by the agents on my list to get a feel for how the agent works. I’ve learned that some agents are more aggressive. Some agents love to work with new writers, while others prefer seasoned authors. I’ve also found interviews that give some insight into what they’re like.
2. What genres do they represent? I’m not only looking at if they represent what I’m working on now, but also, things I may be interested in later. If they say they would never represent science fiction and that’s the next book you want to write, maybe it wouldn’t be a good fit.
3. Who represents my favorite authors? I’ve spent some time on the agency websites and using google to figure out which agents represent authors I love. If we like the same writing style and genres, there might be a better chance that the agent would like my writing.

There are a few big names that make me nervous. I’m still trying to decide if I need to step out of my comfort zone and get some face to face time with these agents. At the last conference I attended, the agent I was most nervous about meeting gave me some great advice that led to big revisions and ultimately to a contract.

What research have you done or questions have you asked in your search for an agent?

Good Things

2010-05-23T20:58:00.000-05:00

My son brought home his first art project from Sunday school today.

It makes this mommy's heart very happy. If you look closely, you can see cookie crumbs mixed in with the paint. That's my boy!

Thank you to all the Sunday school teachers and nursery workers out there. You make a difference in our kids' lives.

Editing Goals

2010-05-21T13:33:00.001-05:00

I said I was taking a week off of writing, but I have to admit that I cheated a few times. I'm really excited about editing the young adult novel I wrote a few years ago. I've learned a lot since writing it. I still love the story, and there are plenty of ways that I can make it stronger.

I'm trying to figure out what kind of goals to set for editing it. A daily word count? By the number of pages? Getting it all done by a certain date? I'm not sure where to start. Also, I'll have to go through it several time. Do I set my goals for only the first go around? If I don't set goals, I'll tinker with it forever.

I need your help. What kind of goals do you set for editing and rewrites?

Animal Cruelty

2010-05-17T09:09:00.000-05:00

This is why I shouldn't be allowed to take a week off from writing.

My mom's poor little dog is now suffering because I had time to crochet her a sweater, and as someone on facebook pointed out, it's May.

2010-05-15T16:12:00.001-05:00

I finished my first draft yesterday. Woo hoo! The problem is that it's shorter than it needs to be. I'm targeting Heartsong Presents. They want submissions that are between 45,000 and 50,000 words, and my first draft stands around 43,000 words.

This is pretty typical for me. I tend to write bare in the first draft and add a few thousand words with the rewrite and editing process. Hopefully, it will be the same with this book.

I'm going to take a one week break from writing, and then, jump into editing an old young adult manuscript. I don't want to edit the one I just finished, right away. I need some distance before I can see what needs work.

Writers, does your first draft usually end up too short, too long or right on target?

FAQ

2010-05-12T11:21:00.000-05:00

Now that one of my novels is contracted with a publisher, more people in my life are finding out that I write. Here are a few of the questions I've gotten.

1) What kind of books do you write?

I love to tell them I write romance and see their reactions. It surprises a lot of people. When they give me the eyebrow raise, I explain it’s Christian romance. Usually, it’s a positive response. Every now and then, it’s not. Betsy St. Amant recently blogged about it.

2) I’ve always wanted to write a book. How do you find the time?

My response to this is, “Sit down and do it!” If I can do it, anyone can do it.

3) How long did it take you to write the book?

Eight years. I’m kidding, sort of. I wrote a children’s book in college. Then, I wrote my first novel my senior year of college. I tinkered with it for years. I wrote my second novel (a young adult) in 2005 as part of NaNoWriMo. I actually finished this one and submitted it to agents and editors. In November 2006, I wrote the first draft of the book currently under contract. I wrote it in a month and edited it over the next year before submitting it. I’m almost finished with the first draft of my next novel. I wrote it in a month and a half and plan to take a few months to edit it.

4) How much are they paying you for the book?

I get this question a lot. I totally understand why people would be curious, but I’m never sure how to answer it. I’m so thankful that my book is going to be published and even more thankful that I’m getting paid for it. I’ll say that my advance isn’t enough to buy a new car, but it is more than enough to make it possible for me to attend the ACFW conference in Indianapolis this year!

5) Where do you get your ideas?

The setting for the book came from real life experiences, and the story idea literally came while I was sleeping. I was visiting my sister and took a nap one afternoon. I woke up and furiously scribbled my idea down on paper. For other books I get ideas from everywhere. They are bits and pieces of things I’ve experienced or read about, people I know, and places I’ve been. The fun part about fiction is that you get to make it up as you go along.

So there you have it! Did I leave anything out? Writers, what responses do you get about the fact that you’re a writer?

I've been tagged

2010-05-10T08:40:00.000-05:00

Wendy Paine Miller tagged me. These questions are so fun!

The rules: Answer the five questions below, five times each. Then, tag five bloggers.

Where were you five years ago?
1) Starting a new job in marketing - where I'm still working today
2) Living in a little house near campus
3) Spending evenings taking long walks with my husband and our lab
4) Wondering if I'd ever get published
5) Considering going back to school

Where would you like to be in five years?
1) Having several more books published
2) Still living in Oklahoma
3) With a second child (Not yet, family. Within the next five years!)
4) In a more organized house (I'm not sure how this will work out with #3)
5) Having more balance in my life

What is on your to-do list today?
1) Work on this stack of files in my inbox
2) Write some upcoming guests blogs (I'm really excited about these. More about this later.)
3) Go see my little guy at lunch and give his chubby cheeks a hundred kisses.
4) Working out was on there, but it has already been checked off. Yea!
5) My daily word count (plus the word count that I got behind on last night - oops!)

What snacks do you enjoy?
1) Anything sour. Sour candy, limes, lemons, pickles
2) Dark chocolate
3) Coffee (does this count as a snack?)
4) Apples
5) Crackers

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
1) Sponsor as many kids as possible through Compassion International
2) Buy my husband a hunting spot that is close to home
3) Crochet and knit with expensive yarn
4) Take a European Vacation with Kevin and take the entire extended family to Disney World
5) Hire a housekeeper and a personal chef

I think everybody should play, but I'll follow the rules and tag five people:
My husband, Kevin
IHeartFootLoose
Jessica Nelson
CJ
Jan Cline

I love you, Mom!

2010-05-07T23:33:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you more than you'll ever know.

My Journey to Publication

2010-05-04T10:55:00.000-05:00

When I read the email that the editor at Heartsong Presents wanted to contract my book, I was shocked. Not only because my work was going to be out there for the world to read, but because God had brought my writing journey full circle.

A year earlier, I had been in church doing everything I could not to cry. I had a new baby, and I had been feeling God pulling me away from my dream of being a writer, a dream I had pursued since college. That day, our pastor was talking about how sometimes God calls us to give up our dreams so that he can give us something even better. The pastor didn’t know it, but he was talking to me.

On our way to lunch after church, I broke down to my husband having a big, ugly cry and pouting about the fact that God would let me chase after something for so long and then, tell me to let it go.

I was especially worried that all my friends and family who had supported me on my journey would think I was a quitter. I didn’t want them to think that I couldn’t cut it and had given up. My need for everyone’s approval was one reason my writing dream had become toxic. It was more about proving to everyone that I could do it than following God’s will for my life.

I had one submission left that was ready to go out the door. I prayed about it and decided that it would be a good form of closure. I’d send it off, get another rejection letter, and know that I’d done the right thing.

I stopped writing. I gave away most of my writing books. I stopped reading the blogs of all my favorite writers. I started reading more nonfiction. It was too hard to read the books that I had dreamed of writing.

It turned out to be a tough year for our family. My husband’s grandfather passed away. We also lost my husband’s dear uncle and his other grandfather within one day of each other. I received an email from JoAnne Simmons requesting the full manuscript while I was in Kentucky for Kevin’s grandfather’s funeral. We were flying to New Mexico for his uncle’s funeral the next day. With the tough times we were going through and my belief that this submission was merely closure on a chapter of my life, I sent the manuscript when I returned home and didn’t let myself get excited about something that I thought wouldn’t happen.

When things began to settle down, I realized that I was bored. I had been spending so much time and energy on my dream of publication, I didn’t know what to do with all my free time. I had a new baby at home, so I obviously spent most of my time focused on my beautiful family. Outside of my family and my job, I didn’t have anything to do.

I prayed about it, and I volunteered to lead the 6th grade girls small group at my church. I learned to crochet by watching videos online. I took a knitting class. I joined the YMCA and started taking care of my body. I still missed writing, but slowly, I found other ways to fill my time and I was thankful for my life and all my blessings.

One day, I opened my inbox and there it was - an email from JoAnne Simmons asking if my book was still available and congratulating me because she wanted to contract it.

I knew God had reopened the door for me to start writing again, and this time, I had a whole new outlook.

My writing is about following His plan - not about my need for affirmation from others. I’m so thankful for the journey.

Mini Vacation

2010-04-29T23:03:00.001-05:00

We're taking a quick weekend trip to my sister's in Texas. On Saturday, we're going to First Monday Trade Days, which is a huge flea market in Canton, Texas. I love digging through piles of junk for treasures. Maybe, it will even give me some inspiration for my WIP. The heroine is fixing up an old farmhouse.

I'll be offline for a few days, but I look forward to catching up with everyone on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend!

P.S. - Thank you Jana Hutcheson for the blog award. If you don't follow Jana's blog, you should stop by and check it out!

I'm married to a rock star!

2010-04-26T19:03:00.000-05:00

I interrupt this blog to brag on my amazing husband. Yesterday, he ran his first marathon. I'm incredibly proud of him. He trained so hard, not missing any of the runs on his training schedule. His goal, besides simply finishing it, was to finish in four hours. His time was four hours and fifteen seconds. If that's not a lesson in setting goals and having discipline, I don't know what is. We were there to cheer him on at the finish line. I think this photo says it all.

The Spark

2010-04-23T23:17:00.001-05:00

Thanks for all of your congratulations and kind comments on my last post. Ya'll are the best!

Recently, several of you blogged about how you got started writing. I enjoyed your posts so much, I wanted to share my own story.

My first book was written in second grade, and it was titled "Katie in Care Town." Literary genius! I don't remember exactly what happened to Katie. I'm pretty sure she had something to do with saving Care Town. I think the “book” is stored somewhere at my mom's house. I should scan it and share it on my blog.

In high school, I didn't write fiction. I was a speech and drama nerd, and we had a blast. Every year I wrote a speech for competition in the original oratory category. I enjoyed it and did pretty well with it. I also participated in extemporaneous speaking. You would draw several topics, usually about politics or current events, choose one, have thirty minutes to prepare, and give the speech to a group of judges. I always came up with stories to use as metaphors or illustrations. I think this is where I learned about the power of using stories to get your point across.

In college, my freshman English teacher was probably the first person to tell me that my writing was any good. I remember telling my boyfriend, now husband, that I would write a book someday when I actually had something to write about. At this point, I wasn't even considering writing novels.

Before we got married, we both transferred to the University of Oklahoma. I enrolled in the journalism college with an emphasis on professional writing. When I enrolled, I thought I would be pursuing magazine writing. The professor assigned us to write a short story - something I knew nothing about. Mine was filled with mistakes, including my main character's name changing halfway through the story. Across my paper, bleeding with red ink, my professor had written "Hang on to this story.” That note was the spark that started my dream of writing novels.

What was the spark that got you started?

Big News!

2010-04-18T14:41:00.000-05:00

Today, I signed a contract with Barbour Publishing/Heartsong Presents for publication of my novel, Canyon Walls! I’m extremely excited and still can’t believe it.

I’ll blog more about the details soon.

Rough Day?

2010-04-13T21:58:00.000-05:00

Here's what happens when an almost two-year-old leaves his favorite toy outside with two labs.

Luckily, my son didn't seem to care that the horse only has three legs and not much of a face left. I hope your day went better than the horse's.

Critique

2010-04-12T09:43:00.000-05:00

For the most part, I would say that fiction writers are on the sensitive side. Would you agree? I think it comes with the territory of being able to write entire books about people we’ve made up in our minds.

Unless you write books and hide them under your bed, there is some point when they’re going to be read and critiqued. Gasp! I don’t know if you’re like me, but the thought of someone reading my stuff and pointing out everything that’s wrong with it is frightening. It’s not that I think that there is nothing wrong with my writing because I know that everything I write needs improvement and can benefit from a great critique partner. To me, the process is difficult.

I recently joined the ACFW critique group, and I’ve yet to contribute anything. Why? I’m intimidated. I’m not new to writing. I have a degree in professional writing. I’ve been writing and studying the craft of writing for years, but one glance at someone else’s work, and all of my insecurities kick in.

What about you? Do you struggle with insecurities about others reading your work?