Christmas Celebrations by T.L. Weins

I have been blessed with a family who loves Christmas. It holds many special memories for me. When I got married, I found a family with many different traditions. It wasn't a warm special time. It was simply a time to open a gift and eat a meal.
When I first read "Christmas Chaos" my eyes were opened to many different ways to see and experience Christmas.
This is a season to not only remember the birth of Jesus Christ but His purpose. Spread His love to all. I hope this year we can all find the time to help bring His joy to those around us during this season.

2016-Already a Year to Remember by T. L. Wiens

On New Years Day, I mourned the loss of a special friend, a fellow writer and confidant. She was part of my local writers group. A very fun part as the rest of us watched her flirting spars with another member. For years, he was the lone male of the group and Margareta loved to hackle him. I loved Margareta’s stories. Non-fiction accounts of a time before I was born that painted a picture of the community where I now live. I learned so much from her, about writing and life.

Margareta Fleuter

I hadn’t finished saying goodbye to Margareta when the next tragedy struck. My cousin suffered with Crohns for years. The pain became too much and he took his life. He lived alone in the wilderness somewhere in the vicinity of Haines Junction, Yukon. Oh the pictures he took! Amazing photos of the Northern Lights and the wildlife around him. He shared them on Facebook and on his artist page. Every day, I would look at Facebook and search for Stephen’s latest post. He filled the world with encouragement. (If you want to view more of his amazing photos, you can go to: http://stephen-dyck.pixels.com/index.html)

Stephen Dyck's Photo, Aurora Borealis near his home

And before we laid Stephen to rest, another good friend went home. Doug Heid was someone I  enjoyed talking to because he had a wisdom about him. He was a leader in my church and another warrior fighting the fight with the gifts God gave him.

Today, I reflect on what I lost, what the people who knew these special individuals lost, what the world lost. Both Stephen and Margareta were encouragers and artists. Doug was an elder looking after those around him. I cannot tell you how many people have mentioned how they’ll miss the contribution these three made to their lives through their stories, photos and love for the Lord.

I’m not one to make resolutions but as I mourn, I see how important it is to use the gifts God gives us. Some days, I feel writing is a waste of time. But when I think about Margareta, Stephen and Doug, I see how these people changed the world around them with their gifts because they used them. How can I not follow their example?

Wild Weekend by T. L. Wiens

I think this will be a Thanksgiving I’ll remember for awhile. First came the news that my mom had diabetes. Then she and my step dad were in a car accident. Thankfully, they weren’t badly injured. Mom suffered some whiplash. Then came the storm. Winds howled at sixty kilometers an hour plus. At some points, wind speeds of 125 km/hr were recorded. This caused accidents, property damage and power outages. We were among the lucky ones to get our turkey roasted. I finished the sides on my barbecue. As I review, I realize this is about the story of my life for the last year.

I know the purpose of a writer’s conference is to encourage writing. I guess I knew going in, my heart wasn’t there. I enjoyed meeting the people whose names I see on the listserv and Facebook. It was nice to put real people to the computer generated images. But my enthusiasm waned during the workshops. Then I attended Melanie Fischer’s session. I know what I got out of it wasn’t on her agenda but it was on God’s. I needed a break from writing.

For months, I’ve pushed myself to the computer and struggled to get things written. When I reread these efforts, I can see the lack of cohesiveness in the words. When I brought up the subject of taking a break with fellow writers, I got the standard advice to get to the computer and it will happen. I was miserable.

In Melanie’s workshop, we were asked to figure out the “cubby hole” where God wants us. The heaviness lifted as I accepted God had a different place for me than behind the computer for a time.

I came home rejuvenated. The guilt of not sitting at my computer was gone and still is. Funny, I’ve resisted this for so long and now that I just let go, things are happening. A lady read my book and loved it. She’s not a believer. She then gave her friend the book. I haven’t had encouragement like that in ages.

I will write again. I can feel the Nanowrimo urge building. But I won’t fight the rest and will remain a stranger to my computer until the Holy Spirit shows me the time has come to let Him speak through my fingers once again.

Conference Reaction by T.L. Wiens

Last night I felt a sudden sharp pain in my toe. When I reached down in the darkness I realized an insect was having a meal. After taking my revenge, I thought about the different biting insects.

That brought up thoughts of the Brown Recluse Spider. This small creature’s bite goes from a small itchy red spot to massive swelling, loss of skin,  difficulty breathing, permanent nerve damage, and in small children, can lead to death. One little spider bite.

That sent me to thinking about the conference. For me, an introvert, the thought of going to conference is very much like that spider bite. It starts with the pain of travel, meeting people and then I think about sitting in workshops where my attention deficit will kick in. Unlike the spider bite, the long term effects are not debilitating but positive.

So I’ll push myself out of my comfort zone, let the pain come and likely meet a few other writers who are suffering the same symptoms of conference attendanceitis. Then I'll head home with some new strategies for my writing and maybe even a few new friends.

See you all at the Inscribe Fall Conference!

Rambling Thoughts—Talents and Gifts by T. L. Wiens

I’ve never found a list of talents and gifts in the Bible that includes writing. It is clear, some people have a unique ability to get words to paper just like some musicians make notes flow together. But is it a gift? Or a talent? Maybe it’s the medium God uses to enhance the gifts and talents bestowed upon us.

A talent is something you have that you develop over time. Athletes are talented in the area of sports. Many of us tend to lean towards jobs in areas where we have talent. Writing would very much fit under this heading. I recently met a young writer very resistant to seeking out any assistance—her writing was her gift. Sadly, I see a rocky path because of this stubbornness to realize it’s okay to develop a talent. There’s a lot more to writing than being able to put together 50,000 words to make a story and few of us have a handle on all the ins and outs involved in the process without some outside advice.

A gift is a bit different because you receive this from God. It’s the result of the Holy Spirit imposing something on you to enhance your spiritual life to bring glory to God. While writing itself doesn’t seem to qualify as a gift, for myself, much of the content within is reliant upon God’s guidance. My spiritual walk will influence this more than anything but I wouldn’t call this a gift.

Is writing a ministry? I struggle with this one. Many will disagree with me but I don’t believe pastors for the most part serve in ministry. Their need to eat dictates they work for their paycheque. If they were honest, most pastors would tell us that this holds them back in their ability to let God use their mouths as He wants. They are in many ways, hirelings. What makes something a ministry? I haven’t done a complete study but something I’ve noticed is the driving force behind the person. For some, that is serving God and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. For others, it’s fame and having a long list of friends with common household names. And for some, it’s money. While writing can be a ministry, I don’t believe it is for many writers.

So I find myself evaluating my writing and realizing that means evaluating my life; especially my spiritual life. I need to make sure it all points to the glory of God whether it be a talent, gift, ministry or my job.

What is a Man? By T. L. Wiens

The strong silent man. The macho man. Tall dark and handsome. How did these become good descriptions for the perfect man? Are they God’s descriptions?

These thoughts have been going around in my head after a very interesting discussion with my son. He was blessed with the same softness my father displayed. Like my dad, my son is struggling to fit into a world where the stereotype is pushing him to be something other than who he is and labelling him as what he is not.

My dad struggled with many things. He refused to ever read the Bible aloud in public because it always brought him to tears. That wasn’t manly. And that was just one of the things that he avoided because of his tender heart. His passionate disposition could also come out in displays of outrage at injustice. Not, violent, just strong words spoken without question of where he stood on a matter. Even these displays of  passion were few and far between and seldom seen by anyone beyond the immediate family. Fears of being seen less than manly robbed my dad of freedom to be the person God created.
Then everything changed. My dad had a heart attack and we almost lost him. When he recovered, he was different. He still cried but now he pushed through the tears. I can’t tell you how many discussions we had over the next three years about his love for Jesus Christ—discussions that would never have occurred before his heart attack. And I wasn’t alone. After his death, my mom received many letters from strangers, people from far and wide. They all expressed their thanks that my dad took the time to sit down with them and share Jesus Christ’s love. My once shy, fearful dad overcame the stigma of being less than what society deemed as manly and changed the lives of strangers.

I think my dad realized the same thing I shared with my son: society’s definition of a real man isn’t God’s definition. God chose David, a man after his own heart, a passionate, heart on his sleeve man. He chose Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. And last but not least, God sent His Son Jesus Christ who showed us love in the prayers He spoke for all of us, the tears He shed over the death of a friend and the passion for His Father’s house when cleansing the temple. He also chose men like Saul, a zealous Pharisee and Luke the doctor. God doesn’t want us to define men by societal standards but by His.
I don’t want my son to live the majority of his life in a societal box fearing ridicule for being tender hearted. I want him to be free, happy and secure in the fact that God sees him and likes what He sees.

The Responsibility of Being a Christian Writer by T. L. Wiens

Recently I ran across this quote by Eddie Boyette:

“(In movies)Who really cares about historical accuracy? Movies are, first and foremost, entertainment. They are not designed to help you pass your history final. Read a book for that.”

When I read this quote, I shook my head. As a fiction writer, I realize there is no more accuracy in fiction writing than in many “based on a true story” movies. But this man is not alone in his perception of the difference between movies and books.

When the Left Behind series came out, I read a couple of the books and lost interest. Then I had a conversation with a Christian lady from my church about these books. She was reading the Left Behind books as if they were scripture. I was shocked that someone I thought had a good grasp of God’s Word would buy into something that was written and promoted as fiction.

It reminds me of the huge responsibility I have as a Christian writer to stay true to “The Bible.” The story around these truths might be fiction but I must maintain accuracy to God’s teachings. As the old saying goes, “You might be the only Bible someone ever reads” literally.

(Comment made on Answers.com 7 movies that will absolutely enrage you
http://www.answers.com/article/1205637/7-movies-that-will-absolutely-enrage-you?paramt=21&param4=fb-ca-de-entertainment&param1=dyk&param2=19344061&param5=10152433830056186&param6=20096941#slide=1)

My Email Dilemma by T.L. Wiens

How many emails do you get a day? I’m swamped with them.

I have several email accounts that serve different purposes. Each one has enough emails in the day to take up all my email reading time.

It was wonderful when I figured out how to stop getting sites like Facebook sending me updates. That really cleaned up my personal email. But I still can’t keep up. Some of the emails to tell me about updates from another site are handy. But when you belong to a few groups here and there, the numbers become staggering. I seldom have a day with less than a hundred emails. I usually have at least 1500 a week.

I love belonging to groups like Inscribe but I have to say, the emails drive me crazy. It seems there are many threads which could be sent directly to the person. I’m glad we like to congratulate each other and let people know we’re reacting to their emails but could this be done on a private level rather than on the listserv?

Then there are the private emails that shouldn’t be on the listserv. If I want to talk to a specific person about a specific matter, I do it privately. It’s not only that it isn’t the right place for such a request, you never know when this request put out for all to see comes across as rude to another reader. I’ve had it happen when I’ve offered something to someone, they’ve ignored my offer and asked another person on the listserv for the very same favour.

Many people say (especially my husband) but you don’t need to read every message. That’s true but how do I know which ones do contain important information? Sometimes the subject of one thread is carried into a second thread.

With so many social media outlets these days and writers being told they must participate in these to be successful, we need to be aware of how we’re impacting our audience. I know for me, there are certain books I won’t read because my email has been flooded by an author.

We need to communicate with each other and our audience. I try to be respectful, aware where I’m sending my emails and how that social media will remind their readers about that message. I weigh the message of my emails and select the address accordingly.

I long for the day when I open my inbox and don't see a four digit number.

Catching the Details By T. L. Wiens

Last week, I discovered the bandages I’d bought made my lips numb when I used my mouth to remove the packaging. Over the weekend, I spent time with my husband’s family observing how people react to similar situations. It’s a habit I developed long before I ever thought about writing.

Writers need to be very observant. Life around you will provide the meat for the bones of the story. Those details will bring your story to life. I find it helpful to jot down these observations and store them in a file just in case my memory fails me. Other times I jot them down at the beginning of the manuscript where I think they’ll fit in so I have them to refer to when the time comes to use them.

We have an abundance of material all around us—make sure your watching and listening even when the keyboard is far from your fingers. Writers don’t get ever get a day off—those days away from the office need to be devoted to research.

House Moving by T. L. Wiens

This might sound an odd title for a post on writing. However, having spent days moving a house, I see a lot of similarities between writing a novel and moving and renovating a house. (And when I say moving a house, I mean my husband, myself, our children and a family friend moved the house—no professional movers involved.)

1. Mapping out the plot

• Moving a house requires a lot of planning. There are many factors to consider, some that just aren’t run of the mill every day things. Every tree, power line, the width of the road, the material used to build the house, the competency of the builder comes under scrutiny. The list is endless.
   
• A novel requires very much the same amount of planning. You have to keep characters realistic, situations plausible. There are many obstacles to the author as they manoeuvre their way from start to finish.

2. Be ready for adjustments

• No matter how well you lay out a plan, it doesn’t take much to thwart the efforts. With house moving, there are things like weather, surprises when you lift the house like joists not running where they should. A power line may be lower than thought or the house higher once loaded on the beams.

• Plots are very similar. As the author, you may feel you have the right to manipulate events but sometimes, characters just won’t co-operate. or as you write, the flow takes on a life of its own.

3. This is a marathon, not a dash

• You don’t want to rush a house move. That’s when bad things happen.

• Novels take time. You need to get to know the characters intimately and no relationship is built overnight.

4. End result lies in your attention to detail from foundation to decoration

• There is no step in taking a house from one location and making it a home in another that can be ignored. If you don’t take the time to prepare a proper foundation, the house will collapse. If you take no thought into the way you’ll be using rooms and what you’ll need where, it won’t be a pleasant home.

• A story is the same way. You have to do the legwork to start with a strong foundation. Setting, characters, conflict—they need to be carefully considered. But that isn’t enough. You’ll have to decorate your story with details that paint the picture for the audience.

In the end, I’ve enjoyed the process involved with moving a house. It’s been a good reminder of the steps I need to take to produce good writing. And an even better reminder that hard work pays off in the end whether it’s a book or a home you get to enjoy in the end.

Summer Writing By T. L. Wiens

I love summer but must admit it’s not a very productive writing time for me. This year I took on some projects that have proved to be more of a struggle than usual—personal stories.

I don’t know why I would take this on in the summer when it’s hard to find a moment alone to blubber as I struggle to find words to describe past life events. But sometimes it doesn’t have to make sense—just be what you’re directed by the Holy Spirit to be doing.

So, to the rest of you, I wish you a wonderful summer. If you’re not writing, I hope you’re at least collecting thoughts to be put on paper later—like winter.

My Editing Journey by T.L. Wiens

When I started writing, I didn’t like editing at all. I didn’t know how to receive criticism. It felt like a personal attack. But times have changed.

During my last meeting with my local writer’s group, I got praise. In fact, for twenty minutes or so, I listened to compliments on my writing. I’ve never been more uncomfortable. A part of me doesn’t want to hear praise. Praise is like reaching the top of Mount Everest—there’s no higher peak to attain to.

I’ve learned not to take criticism personally and have come to realize most editors really want you to improve. And some praise is good although for me I still prefer not to get it.

Writing seems like a solitary journey between author and page but in reality, we writers need the help of editors and critiques to reach our mountaintop. When’s the last time you heard of a solitary mountain climber reaching the top of Mount Everest?

Praise The Lord! By T.L. Wiens

Last year I watched my second oldest brother go from a vibrant talented man to a shadow of his former self. Doctors did tests. The final diagnosis-a heart condition with no treatment. No chance of survival.

Last week, my brother returned to the doctor. They did more tests. This time his heart was fine. No sign of the issues that had my brother so weak he couldn't walk across a room.

I saw my brother on the stage playing his guitar, his voice once again strong enough to perform, singing God's praises.

I know this isn't specifically writing related but please join me as my family and I bow our heads and hearts in praise and adoration for Jesus Christ, Lord, Saviour, Healer!

Merry Christmas! Or is it? -- by T.L. Wiens

Merry Christmas!

How can two words create such controversy? Quite by accident, I sent out a Christmas greeting to a large group when I hit “reply all” instead of “reply to sender.” It was a Christian group so I shrugged and thought it would be fine. I was so wrong!

The letters started to come in—nasty letters condemning my wishing of blessing as the world stops to celebrate. I want to be clear—my original note was in praise of Jesus Christ and my thankfulness for His gift to us of His life.

The Bible doesn’t in any way command us to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I accept if others don’t want to but what I don’t understand is why they hinder those of us who do want to set apart a time to remember Jesus’ coming to earth. I think it’s kind of sad when the people who talk to me about being upset about Christ being taken out of Christmas are not followers of Christ. I think it’s sad that we as believers aren’t out there sharing salvation at a time when the world stops to consider a baby in a manger who became the man Jesus Christ, Savior of the world. I fear it will be Christians who stop the world from these considerations.

So, I wish all you in the Inscribe family a Merry Christmas! I pray it will be a time to remember a gift that yes, we should remember with joy every day we live and take the time during the Christmas season to stop and just praise God for His goodness and mercy while the world is watching.

Permission to Write by T. L. Wiens

Sometimes with life whirling all around me, I feel guilty about sitting at my computer and writing. It feels selfish and unproductive. Then one month of the year lifts all those feelings--November.

I've taken part of Nanowrimo for several years. It frees me to create. I don't feel guilty about not editing another piece or keeping the house as clean as I could. This month is for me and my need to get words on paper.

They aren't useless words or a waste of time. Although I admit writing is somewhat of a personal therapy for me, it is also a ministry. When I get those phone calls or letters from people that thank me for writing a book or story, I know I'm doing what God called me to do.

In a world where everyone is told people don't read anymore, it can be hard to keep at it. Yet, every time I do a presentation at school, these students in general, like to write and read. That pushes me on. I hope it's an encouragement to all writers out there. After all, before a movie or television show ever comes to be, a writer has put it down on paper.

Down Time by T. L. Wiens

Summer is a busy time. Family gatherings, days at the beach, the extra yard work and farming swallow up my time, energy and creativity. I don’t get much writing done. I know the list is different for everyone, but no matter whom I talk to, summer is a hard time to write.

Then the leaves start to turn, the garden is readied for winter and the crops are in the bin. The old urge to sit down in front of the computer takes hold. The ideas held dormant for the last couple of months start to form into stories.

I always get a little afraid when summer comes—have I lost my love for writing? Will I ever feel the urge to create a story again? Will this avenue of communication with God never reopen? That’s the real fear—my writing is very much a way of understanding God. He shows me so much of His character and the answers to problems around me through my writing.

But here we are—fall is upon us and the call of the keys is loud. In summer, I have so much of nature around me—God’s beauty. I have fellowship with friends and family. As winter approaches, I already hear God’s voice.

A Writer's Worst Nightmare by T. L. Wiens

I recently agreed to swap reviews of my books with another author. I’m not sure what made me even consider it but I was committed to read the two books I received in an email.

I don’t know what I expected but I got a menu guide to all the restaurants in the area where her books are set as she described in detail every meal eaten by her main characters. The plots were cliché and predictable.

This author can describe menus and settings so she must have some writing skills. So what happened that she published these books that are amongst the poorest I have ever read? Judging by who published her book, I’d say she was a victim of bad publishing, poor editing and well meaning friends of family not being honest with the quality of her manuscripts. She was published by Publish America.

Here’s what the Preditors and Editors site had to say about Publish America: “PublishAmerica (aka PA, aka AmErica House): Conflict of interest. Also runs literary agency. A vanity press with a poor contract. Numerous writer complaints. Author mill and plagiarist. Strongly not recommended. Rated F by the BBB.”

A simple search turned up a lot of complaints about this publishing house.

The lure to publish can be so strong and if you don’t know anything about publishing, it’s easy to fall prey to the promise of your words in print. After reading these books, I am reminded just how wrong things can go without checking things out. And it can be so daunting. I’ve been going through my “2012 Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market.” Even with this resource, I’m overwhelmed. Thank goodness I have years worth of experience only one email message away.

Inscribe is a wonderful place for authors. If only the author of these books would have had a group like this to turn to when she began her journey into publishing. We can share with one another and ask the questions that need asking. We’ve all made mistakes. We’ve all stuck the wrong word in the wrong place at some point in our careers. As fellow authors, we have so much we can do for each other and there’s no fear of looking silly. It is truly a blessing to be part of such a wonderful group.