October 05, 2017

Reflecting on Resources by Glynis M Belec




I love my dictionary, the big black book
It's always been my friend.
Thesaurus is the second one, on which I do depend. 

Rhyme-zone, Inscribe, Fellowscript 
Are handy things to read.
Websites, blogs and courses, too, all help me to succeed. 

But most of all when I feel lost
And my brain goes on a break,
Prayer is on my resource list, with that there's no mistake! 

God whispers words that make me smile
He tells me to be still
And then He pours the words right in as I try to do His will. 


A few of my favourites on my shelf!
I have to agree with many of the other writers who have preceded me. So many good resources out there these days. I love to read how other people 'write' and also I love picking up quick tips, so I use YouTube for inspiration and direction, especially if I need hands on help with my programs or the like. I am such a visual learner so this works so well for me. 

Here's four great books I love having in my arsenal of resources. 


#1. My CHILDREN'S WRITER'S WORD BOOK is one of my favourite resources for when I am writing for children. It helps a children's writer choose exactly the right word for a particular age group or grade level. This is the new, 2nd edition and it is really a great resource that I use often.






#2. This next book - THE NAME BOOK - is such a great resource for me. It's a book from the 80s but to me, it never gets old. It gives all sorts of ideas for character naming including the definition of names, meanings, spiritual connotations and supporting scripture. Love that.

#3.The INDIE AUTHOR GUIDE is described as a 'roadmap to success'. I can think of another Book that fits that description better, but this is a very good book for the indie author who needs direction with all sorts of information from organization to publishing to building an author platform and SO much more. 

#4. I like WRITING PICTURE BOOKS because it totally respects children's writers of all levels. There's plenty of instruction on creating characters, plotting, working out beginnings, middles and endings, hands on revision exercises, tips on researching markets, and plenty more.


  And then there is the Greatest Resource ever!
A few wise words for contemplation ... 


Proverbs 1:5
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

Proverbs 18:15 
An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Proverbs 9:9
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

Proverbs 1:7      

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.







Glynis lives, loves, laughs and does an awful lot of reading, writing, publishing and praying in her home office. 
        How thrilled Glynis is to be part of CHRISTMAS WITH HOT APPLE CIDER - an anthology filled with a wonderful assortment of Christmas short stories, memories, drama and poetry. 
                     www.glynismbelec.com 

7 comments:

  1. Love the poem, Glynis. Thanks for your insights.

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    1. That peom just sort of 'fell out' of my brain as I was thinking about what to say. Thanks, Tracy.

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  2. During my years of teaching and raising children, I read a lot of children's books, had reviews of children's books published, and was somewhat of an expert in books for children. That also inspired me to write for children, so I used to attend workshops by visiting children's writers through our local library. I was steeped in children's lit. Later, I shared children's books with my grandkids. Hmm! You make me wonder why i've dropped this as a writing genre. Thanks for sharing these resources, Glynis.

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    1. It sounds to me like you might have a bit of gold to dig up. Double dog dare you to get cracking on a children's book! :)

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  3. Thanks for sharing the resources that you use, Glynis. I was just introduced to The Children's Writer's Word Book in a course I took this year. What a treasure! I also have Writing Picture Books, but haven't read it yet. One of the projects on my "To do" list is to polish a manuscript for children and publish my first picture book. So much to learn and do :)

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    1. I agree, Ruth. The Children's Word book is such a treasure. I don't use it all the time when I write but it sure is a handy resource when you are looking for that perfect word and the right age/grade level. And excited for you for your new picture book! Congrats!

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  4. Thanks, Glynis, for the recommended resources. I will be using the Rhymezone along with my Merriam-Webster's Rhyming Dictionary from now on. I also intend to check out The Children's Writer's Word Book (especially after reading Ruth's comment), Writing Picture Books, and The Indie Author Guide. Writing a children's book and indie publishing are all on my long "to do" list.

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