Taking Care of Authors

Taking care of business (every day)
Taking care of business (every way)
I've been taking care of business (it's all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime

The words from Bachman-Turner Overdrive say it so well.  In our fast-paced world, we all feel pressure to be productive; to take care of business: athletes train to compete; business people strive for success; blue-collar workers work to survive; medical professionals study to be informed; innovators create to make life more convenient; and authors write to inform, inspire, entertain, teach, encourage, and more.  Just like the words say, "Taking care of business," we also need to heed the words, "Taking care of   authors."

Here's a list of ten suggestions by ten authors that every writer should put into practice in order to maintain good physical, mental, and spiritual balance.

*  Take time to let the subconscious 'play with the story' and do something creative.  Robin Carroll - mystery/suspense author of "Fear No Evil."  Painting, gardening, scrap-booking, cleaning cupboards, or whatever suits your fancy provides a great release from your story.

*  Every author needs to exercise regularly.  Lynette Eason, suspense author of "No One to trust", "Nowhere to Turn," & "When a Heart Stops," and Becky Wade - Christian romance author of "Meant to be Mine."  Work it so it becomes a part of your regular routine.  Use a pedometer to make sure to get your steps in each day.

*  Foster relationships with other writers - especially after a long stint of isolated writing.  Kellie Gilbert - fiction author of "A Woman of Fortune."  Nurturing relationships with other writers is essential to cultivating fresh ideas and to inspire creativity.

*  Get away from the computer and spend time with real live people.  Katie Ganshert - contemporary romance/romantic suspense author of "Wildflowers."  Talk with hubby.  Call a friend.  Go shopping and have a conversation with the person standing in the check-out line.

*  Pace yourself.  Be focused and disciplined with your time.  When you meet your goals for the day or the week, stop.  Give yourself time off.  Rachel Hauck - fiction author of "Once Upon a Prince."  Or give yourself a time-out and go to your room.  If you can't shut off your thoughts, jot down a few notes, then set it and forget it.  For a time.  Set reasonable goals.

* Preserve "you" in your writing career.  Learn to say "no" to ancillary commitments.  Strike a balance between necessary productive time and time-consuming unproductivity.   Ronie Kendig - rapid-fire fiction author of "Raptor 6."  Do not become a slave to writing so that it becomes drudgery.  Smile at yourself in the mirror to make sure you are still you.

*  Eliminate physical clutter in your work zone.  It does wonders for productivity.  Carla Laureano - inspirational/fantasy author of "Five Days in Skye" and "Oath of the Brotherhood."  One day this past week, my very-organized daughter, LaDawn, came to help me with a writing project.  She sat down at my computer, looked over the disarray, and said, "The first thing we need to do is to de-clutter your desk!"  I had to admit that even though I knew where everything was in each of the fashionably messy piles, I operated much more efficiently once we made space on my desk.

*  Get up every hour and move for ten minutes - not just to exercise, but to give your body movement.  Dani Pettrey - mystery/suspense romance author of "Sabotaged."  Go outside.  Breathe.  Walk.  Sing and dance to your favorite music.

*  Eat healthy and exercise.  Keep your mind and body in good condition.  Cindy Woodsmall - Amish author of "A Love Undone."  Healthy eating and exercise go hand-in-hand like love and marriage.  'Can't have one without the other.

*  Pray regularly - before, during, and after writing sessions.  Christian authors know the immeasurable worth of close communication with the Lord - not just asking that the writing be blessed when all is said and done, but during the process.  After all, His ways, His thoughts,  are much higher than ours.  Consider the timeless Book He wrote.  Rita Kroon - author of "Kiss Your Mommy Goodbye."

The Joy of Writing

The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized in the lifetime of the moment.  

The joy of writing will probably lack any luster unless there is a message that charges our emotional batteries with a passion and causes us to explore the art of writing ourselves. 

What are your jumper cables connected to?  What intrigues you?  What do you feel passionate about?  Dig deep when answering that question, and you’ll have the seed of a plot that will grow into something beautiful.

Do you know the number one factor that defeats more fiction authors than any other?  FEAR.  It shows up in ‘what ifs.’  What if I can’t convey my thoughts into words?  What if my story idea is dumb?  What if I don’t finish it?  Tuck those fears in your pocket—take a deep breath—tell yourself, “Today I start writing.  I will unleash my imagination.  Today I will discover the joy of writing!

In his book, Write Your Novel in a Month, Jeff Gerke says, “There is only one commandment for fiction—only one law that, if broken, will kill your novel.  It is this: You must engage your reader from beginning to end!”  He goes on to say, “The core idea is what makes you want to sit down and write.  The premise (a short synopsis of what the book is about) is what makes a reader want to read it.”

Ask yourself: What is my message?  What’s my point?  Who are my readers?  How do I want to impact them?  What response do I want to evoke?  How can my writing benefit others?  Do I write to make a change?  If so, how do I connect with my reader on an emotional level?  How do I tap into emotions through my characters? This matters even if you write for your eyes only.

Three basic questions I MUST ask all my main characters:

·       *   What does he/she care about?

·       *   What does he/she fear?

·        *  What motivates him/her?

Know your characters personally.  Spend time with your characters.  Take them to lunch and watch how they interact with other people.  Put them in difficult situations to see if it brings out the best or the worst in them.  Where do they get their strength?  What are their weaknesses?  How do they act when no one is watching?

“Remember,” Gerke says, “Your character(s) must change or the plot has no tension—something in your story must impact your character that will bring about change or your plot will fall flat.  What is the conflict that keeps your protagonist from accomplishing his goal?  Create you antagonist to propel the tension with your main character.”

Write with emotion—show, don’t tell.  Example:  She was surprised.  Better – her eyebrows shot up, and she made an O with her mouth.

Don’t necessarily reveal the complete ending, but give the reader a hint how it will end.  Example:  It was then that Mike realized the outer puzzle pieces—the framework—of a family picture were coming together.  (Excerpt from “Kiss Your Mommy Goodbye by Rita Kroon).

When you’re done writing, bring luster to your story.  Polish it.  That means to edit it.  Discover how the joy of writing need not be tarnished at this point—only enhanced.

Then comes publishing!

Ask Yourself

Questions I think writers should ask themselves.  "Do I have depth to my writing?"  "Do I write on several topics or on only those for which I have a real passion?"  "How does my reader response to what I write with passion and depth differ from that which I write with knowledge and research?"

Unless you're writing a technical paper for a research project or a school assignment, the answer is unequivocally the work written with passion and depth is what evokes the greatest reader response.  What then is key to writing with depth and passion?

Every email, each forty-character twitter, every blog and facebook post, texting, and all other social media are successful only if you connect with another person.  Writing books is no exception.  The key is connecting on a meaningful level and it's called relationship.  Every book and social media must be based on relationship if there is going to be any purpose at all for their existence.

 We are social creatures.  We build meaningful relationships when we spend time together.  Some would argue that if it weren't for social media, there would be no relationships at all.  True - to a point.  However, the best relationships are built on quality time together - talking and listening to one another with a caring and open heart.  The more quality time together, the deeper the relationship.

Allen Arnold, leader of 'Content & Resources for Ransomed Heart Ministries' in Colorado, puts it this way, "This deeper magic comes down to one simple word.

With

Are you writing with God?  This is a radically different approach than starting your writing time with a simple prayer or asking God to bless your work once you're done.  There has to be a relationship between you and God if you are going to write with God."

I agree with Allen.  After all, God is the creator of relationships.  He's the source of wisdom.  He's the teller of parables.  God is the storehouse of creativity.  He knows the beginning from the end.

How do I measure success as a writer?  The number of books sold?  Or, the number of hearts touched?

I am comforted and assured ever time I read the words of Jesus, "I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you."  (Hebrews 13:5)  I can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper.  I will not be afraid."

I have discovered a confidence and assurance from the Originator of the written word that gives me the depth of writing that will change the hearts and minds of my readers.

As Allen Arnold says, "It's about you and God experiencing the creative dance together."

See Allen Arnold's complete blog at www.novelrocket.com

Rita Kroon