W is for Witness ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

  

God bears witness to all

with words

the Holy Spirit has breathed

through scribes He ordained

by the Blood of Christ 

to help the blind see

~

God’s writers bear witness 

with words

written for others to see

what Jesus has done

is wonderful 

in bringing us true peace.

“I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—

    I, and not some foreign god among you.

You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.”

Isaiah 43:12 NIV

What Scripture verse motivates you to bear witness of God’s redeeming love through your writing? 

This is my final post as a blog administrator. I have been greatly blessed by all your posts. Reading them each weekday has motivated me to reach higher and wider with words. You are a gifted group of writers. Keep at it. Keep looking up. Your witness with words is wonderful.

I will be taking a break from contributing to this site. When my break is over, I hope to offer an occasional guest post.

    

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves photographing nature on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”    

   

V is for Victory ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

VICTORY:

V – Victory in writing is boosted by using strong verbs rather than leaning on adverbs and other weak words.

I – I is for insight into our ideal reader’s mind and aiming to satisfy her with treasures she’ll find.

C – C is for considering if our words are kind and true, for deleting stereotypes is the right thing to do. 

T – T is for testing our words in the Light of God’s Word, so we’re scribes of truth who avoid causing hurt.

O – O is for optimizing the opinions of others because first readers help us bless our sisters and brothers.

R – R is for rules we know how to break since following writing rules legalistically is a mistake.

Y – Y is for yes; we can do this and never give up because God is our Helper and He fills our cup. 

For lack of guidance a nation falls,

    but victory is won through many advisers.

Proverbs 11:14 NIV 

Which tip for victory spoke to you?  

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves photographing nature on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”  

U is for Understand ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Something surprising happened during my 1981 college English class. But first, let’s set the stage.

In those days I was exponentially insecure about my writing because my English professor said I was verbose. His bluntness helped me face my need to slash vast sections of early drafts. I needed to get to the point without padding projects with unimportant details.  

Our last essay of the year counted for much of our final grade. The pressure to be precise was immense. I don’t perform well under pressure. I freeze. While I was stuck in the research stage of the topic I was intrigued by, another student asked me to read her essay.

This only added to my insecurity. I was impressed by how brave the student was to already have her project completed. And the scope of her essay was deep and wide. Since I got lost in the big words and long sentences, I figured she must be smarter than me. How could I write anything worth reading when I couldn’t understand a classmate’s writing? Was I out of my league? Was I going to fail?

One thing I appreciate about my personality is that I’m competitive. I don’t like to give up without a fight.

The night before the essay was due, I pulled a near-all-nighter. My work was finally done.

The huge surprize came when I found out my classmate’s essay failed and mine got top marks.

Huh?

It didn’t take me long to realize that mine did well because I stuck to my outline. My essay gave the reader facts in easy-to-understand language. Big words and long sentences that lose the reader aren’t fun or informative. 

Overly embellished pages are quicksand that bogs readers down in unnecessary details. They’re dead ends that prevent our audience from understanding what we gleaned from research and experience.

They’re failing grades.

...whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:25 NIV

What have you learned from a humbling critique of your writing? I’m nosy to know.      

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves photographing nature on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”

T is for Tell ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Tears trickled down my face as I turned the pages of a picture book. It was a favorite of mine that I read to my children during our homeschooling years. Days earlier, when I discovered our former home in the country was back on the market, this book came to mind.

Like our old home, the country home in the book had plum trees planted out front. But unlike the characters in the book, we didn’t stay at our old place long enough to witness tree trunks thicken to a ripe old age. 

Sometimes a family must uproot before the local weeds choke out all the good cultivated within young hearts.

While our move did ward off one batch of tenacious bindweed, other wild things moved into our new garden and changed the landscape, bringing that mama to her knees again. The heart is a field that must be tended with care. Daily and deliberately. If the Master Gardener isn’t invited to help, all manner of mischief germinates. 

Thankfully, good soil can still produce goodness while weeds compete for light, water, and nutrients. All is not lost. God foresaw the dangers lurking ahead and prepared one mama for predawn weeding via prayers. The harvest will tell which plants won. Because when we tell God our hearts’ burdens, He doesn’t bury our tears under a neglected to-do-pile. He takes on our desires as if He sowed them in the first place. Because He did. 

Writers who tell their personal stories know that’s one powerful way of winning readers. Story trumps an info dump any day. Readers want to see the tears, bent knees, and hands lifted in trusting worship of the God who cares. When we trust the readers enough to be vulnerable with them, they’ll trust our words and read to the end of the story. Telling our stories makes writers and readers feel seen, heard, and less alone.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, (Ephesians 3:20 NIV)

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”

S is for Social Media ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

For writers who are also introverts social media can be a dirty duo.

I get that.

If our goal is to get traditionally published, divulging our dislike of using social media can get us canned. (I may or may not have learned this by experience.)

I don’t think social media is detestable. It’s like a seasoning that’s best used in moderation. It adds zip to an author’s platform. But too much time spent on it can overwhelm the writer and dilute their ability to write long-form projects. 

An emotionally exhausted author can’t create well when her well is dry.

Using social media to enhance a writer’s platform looks different for different personalities. An introvert with a limited supply of social spoons must find out what works best for her. Social media is about serving our target audience without making ourselves targets for overwhelm.

One person’s formula is one person’s formula. It can also vary throughout the year. For example, I cut back on my posts because I was teetering on the edge of burnout. Posting once a week on my main platforms restored my love of sharing and renewed my genuine love for my followers. (I didn’t have the heart to take a full sabbatical because I didn’t want to alarm my devoted readers. I love them.) As it turned out, posting once a week is my sweet spot for using social media. If I sense a nudge to add more posts in the future, I will.

What does serving your audience look like?

Serving means sharing what we've learned our followers like best. Mine prefer flower photography and encouraging words. Staying away from politics or other divisive topics serves well too. There’s a place for those things. At present (and maybe always), my platform isn’t it.

Social media is also a place to socialize. Several years ago, I stumbled upon what works best for me. Since I find the home feeds overwhelming, I often skip them and simply visit back those who recently visited my page. It helps me be social without getting exhausted. I do this mostly for Instagram and X.  

Social media is a wonderful way to find good reads we may otherwise miss. Think about the last few books you read. How did you find out about them? When I get to know and admire an author via their social media presence, it often leads me to download a sample chapter of their latest book. If that goes well, I buy it.      

Social media is a great way to discover readers and what blesses them best. Once we realize what passion of ours meets their needs the most, we’re wise to focus on it. I regularly pray that the words on my posts glorify God and encourage readers. It’s wise to invite God’s help. Always.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 KJV   

What do you think of social media? What do you love about it? What do you find challenging about it? I’m nosy to know.

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves to do nature photography on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”

R is for Routine ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

I fell out of my morning writing routine when I realized an old goal I was aiming for appeared unreachable. Words said to me unraveled my self-esteem as a writer and person. The words left me feeling like a misfit in a community I longed to feel safe in.  

One of my attributes is tenacity. It came to my rescue. Thankfully I didn’t pause my quiet times. I continued to write each morning in my junk journal and create a poem for each verse of the day that I chose. 

A simple routine can be a writer’s bestie.  

In the meantime, I allowed myself time to grieve and heal. Then I made new plans. Plans to prosper in whatever way God was directing me to. Something I was wondering about repeatedly bubbled to the surface. And since God seemed to be prompting me to investigate the topic, I did. My research brought me closer to answering a question I’ve had for over a decade. In a broader sense, it’s a question I’ve had since childhood.

Whatever the answer turns out to be, I’ve invited routine to be my writing bestie again so that I will be prepared for the next writing venture. I have a new target audience. It’s not kingdom people who fit in. It’s misfits of the kingdom and those who love them.

As a writer who now plans to self-publish, I don’t need to worry if my target audience is small. Nor do I need to worry if my plans won’t work in the traditional publishing world. I can write the book I wished was there for me and for people like me. I can love on the misfits with the love God has lavished on me. Routine will help me get there because it’s a bestie we can rely on.

Routines are reliable friends who help us show up so words can be downloaded from a heart that longs to meet the needs of its readers.

The simpler a routine, the better. I wrote the first draft of this blog post as my first step in stepping back into my preferred routine. My husband is at work, my cats have been tended to, and I’ve already had quiet time and breakfast. 

Now that I’ve already crafted my working title for the devotional that I’ve been saving all my unpublished poetry for (A Messiah for the Misfits), I’m invested. My routine of sharing a poem once a week on my Facebook page has acquired a following who appreciate them. I’ve learned what blesses my target audience the most. (Let’s not underestimate the helpful lessons we learn through engagement on social media.)  And my quiet time routine of choosing a Bible verse of the day and writing a poem to go with it has granted me a lengthy list to work with. 

A simple routine girded with faith is a firm foundation for godly grace.

Great works start with a humble routine.

What simple step could you take to help routine be your writing bestie? 

Blessings.  

We're the Messiah's misfits. You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. You might be well-thought-of by others, but we're mostly kicked around.

1 Corinthians 4:10 MSG

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves photographing nature on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”

P.S. God’s orderliness is clearly seen in creation. He understands our need for the steady hand of a reasonably predictable routine. God is also the God of miracles. Sometimes the unexpected upheavals that happen in our lives and routines are necessary roads to a deeper relationship with Christ. 

Q is for Quit (Five Reasons Not to Quit Writing) ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

One: Self-publishing is always an open door

Two: No one writes the way we do. Only we can reach certain readers with the encouragement God has given us.

Three: Even if we choose not to publish our writing, it’s a cathartic exercise that helps us make sense of the world.

Four: God doesn’t want us to bury our talents under fear of failure.

Five: If we sense from God we’re supposed to keep writing, then write we must. Obedience brings us the blessing of His peace. Writing to please God is the best place to start. And it’s a compelling reason not to quit.

I made this post short because right after I started the first draft of it, I decided to record it as a podcast on my YouTube channel. If you need encouragement, follow this link. Otherwise, please add your reasons in the comments for not quitting writing. As always, I’m nosy to know.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 28:7 NIV

P.S. December is the letter X. Since it’s InScribe’s 25th year, Let’s end our ABC’s of Writing Inspirational Poetry and Prose with the XYZ’s of how InScribe has been a blessing to writers. 

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves photographing nature on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”

P is for Praying Writers ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

 

By day the LORD directs his love,

at night his song is with me—

a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 42:8 NIV

For years I’ve prayed for God’s will to be done in my writing. Often, I learn His will the long way. (Saying the hard way doesn’t work for me because God can use all things for good.)

Recently I shared with someone that my mental health suffers when I spend much time on social media. I also said I was tempted to give up pursuing getting traditionally published. My honesty was appreciated and my contract with that person was terminated. 

A mix of grief and relief overwhelmed my thoughts for a few days. Eventually, relief took full reign. 

My goal of getting traditionally published was obviously not God’s goal for the moment. But He knew I needed to learn the long way. Being a highly sensitive person and pursuing a book contract don’t go well together for me. Now I know. 

My writing isn’t terrible, but I’m terrible at being fully engaged with social media. I love a quiet and creative life. And even though I love my Facebook page community, I needed to cut back there too so that joy was still present.

Self-publishing (or a small traditional publishing contract) may be in my future. I’m praying about that now. In the meantime, I’m making room for my sensitive side to flourish. One step I’ve taken is to give my notice of no longer administrating this blog. I’ll stay until the end of November at the latest. (Please join me in praying for someone suitable to step up to this wonderful opportunity to draw closer to fellow InScribers. You all are awesome writers, and I’ve learned so much from you.)

A praying writer trusts that God knows best. His ways are best. And even if we must wander in the wilderness for awhile, we don’t wander alone. He is present. He is training us. He is good no matter how long the journey is. 

Prayerful blessings.

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and YouTuber who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her happy place is making junk journals to sell in her Etsy shop. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”     

O is for ONE: One Step at a Time ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

One step at a time gets us to our destination. Procrastination doesn’t.

Recently I read a wonderful Christian living book by Drew Dyke. JUST SHOW UP: How Small Acts of Faithfulness Change Everything was the perfect read for me because it helped me see and believe that one-step-at-a-time living works. As Drew said in a podcast interview:

Your focus is to be faithful.

We can be faithful to complete anything if we are determined to keep taking one step at a time. Baby steps like showing up to write the first draft of a blog post soon became a Word Doc that could be completed and edited later.

One step at a time completes a journey in time.

One step at a time makes a manuscript shine.

Perfectionism can be subdued by pressing ahead and telling the nagging inner editor it will get its chance to play later. First drafts are just one step of many. Writing is one step at a time. Editing needs to wait its turn. 

One step at a time works for all areas of life. Getting in shape, doing housework, renovating, decluttering, decorating, and artwork can all be broken down into small steps. Each time we complete a step, we’re building momentum and confidence that we can do the next thing. Step by step we climb the ladder of a project or goal. One rung, one step, one day, one moment at a time brings us closer to completion. 

Not despising small steps helps us get big things done.  

I’ve been writing a poem a day for several years. They’re not great works of art. But one step at a time created material I was able to share on my Facebook page. Now I’m posting them less often so that I can do the next step of editing hundreds of poems to create a devotional book. One step at a time takes time. But since time flies by fast, it doesn’t take long before we’re ready for step two.

What big project are you dreaming of that could be done one step at a time?

Refuse to worry about tomorrow, but deal with each challenge that comes your way, one day at a time. Tomorrow will take care of itself. Matthew 6:34 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep."

N is for Never Say Never ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Recently I listened to an author being interviewed on CBC radio. He didn't say never to a suggestion that he write a book that was way outside his present genre. Since he wasn’t well known at the time, he figured it wasn’t wise to ignore an open door. He said yes.

He studied how successful authors wrote in that genre and then he wrote several best sellers. He’s still writing for that new-to-him target audience. Not quitting the challenge meant he became popular in an unexpected way. (Since horror isn’t my thing in the least, I won’t bother looking up who the writer was. I just happened to catch snippets of the interview while putting dishes away. By the way, he was a comedy writer first. That's quite the leap from comedy to horror.)

As inspirational writers, we must never say never to the open doors God gives us. Unless God signals it’s time to toss in our writing utensils or retire from a project, we must keep writing. (Rests are good. But not early retirement.) And we need to keep our minds and hearts open to alternative ways to reach our readers. We never know what new angle the perfect direction for us is to go.

- Maybe God has a detour for our writing life that’s much more suitable for us.

- Maybe He wants us to revise what we’ve written to reach more people.

- Maybe we’re supposed to humble ourselves and share a story that going to cost us much more than we planned. 

- Or maybe we’re going to get an opportunity to write about one of our never-touching-that-topic. 

Whatever way God has for us is the right way. His plans are always good. His ways are always wise. Wise writers always say yes to God and never say never.

What helps you tackle an unexpected writing detour when the way seems hard?

Blessings.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

 

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” 

M is for Memoir ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Writing a memoir is both easy and difficult. 

My favorite genre to read is memoir. Like a novel, it’s a story. Unlike formula fiction, it’s rarely predictable. The journey is usually full of surprises. Things often happen that are too strange for any other genre. Those readers would say, “Yeah, right,” and toss the book across the room. 

With memoir, the crazier the plot, the more engaged fans become.

For older authors—like me—it’s often easier to write memoir than fiction because we don’t have to remember details about what our characters did several chapters ago. It’s all recorded in our memory. (Unless the writer isn’t telling the truth.) Truth is critical in a memoir. And besides, if you tell the truth, you never need to remember what you said. It’s scandalous when a memoirist lies. (It’s okay to have a disclaimer at the beginning of the book letting readers know you changed some details to protect the identity of others.)

While writing my recovery memoir, I discovered an intriguing pattern I hadn’t noticed before getting those years down on paper. Putting our stories in a Word Doc grants us a bird’s eye view we may otherwise have missed.

God’s loving control becomes more evident when we comb our experiences for nuggets of wisdom and hope. 

Now for the difficult part of writing a memoir:

Since I’m a nobody in the eyes of the publishing world, I need to self-publish my memoir if I want it to be read by people other than my critique partners. Even that was challenging. Seeing their empathy regarding some hurtful events awakened grief in me. Any denial that I had regarding past pain was obliterated by their compassion. I left the group because I feared the intensity of my own feelings. I felt like a betrayer of my family’s secrets. Obviously, it wasn’t time for this story to be revealed yet. 

Sometimes we need to wait until the challenging people from our past are safely tucked away.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean denial. But it does mean we shouldn’t cause harm to those who hurt us. And unless we’re nudged by God to press charges, we need to let go and trust He who numbered our tears. 

And we need to pray for people who were enemies in our past. We’ve been forgiven of much. And we’re also called to forgive much. 

Since setting the editing of my recovery memoir aside, God healed much more of my heart. Compassion for my abusers has replaced the fear that used to well up whenever I thought of them.

Time plus God’s grace heals old wounds. 

When I read a memoir written by someone who is obviously not bitter or fearful about their past, it’s a pleasure. Readers must not be overwhelmed by a memoir. The book should inspire them to consider the amazing way God’s grace can rescue and heal us when we’re down. Although some memoirs document a hard life, a spiritual memoir that inspires us to press into the softness of God’s hands is always a good read.

This is how believers can be honest about their difficult past and bless readers in the present.  

What recent memoir have you found inspiring?

Do everything in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” 

L is for Listen ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

A lot of what we write is the fruit of listening. When we pause and listen to the words of others, and of the world around us, we glean writing prompts. 

Nothing is more motivating for a writer than to have a topic tug at her heartstrings and beg her to tap deep into the subject. Do you love it when this happens? I do.

Journalling helps us pause and ponder life.  It’s a safe zone to zone in on what’s troubling us or what’s bringing us joy. Current world events found me contemplating my lack of empathy for those I don’t relate to. This brought me to the humble place of asking God’s forgiveness for my cold heart towards people I don’t understand. The fruit of this was that I now pray for places and organizations in the world I consider hostile.

Praying for difficult people may not bring immediate world peace, but it immediately brings peace to our hearts and minds. It helps us be godly hearers and doers of The Word. It helps us listen to the Holy Spirit.  

When we listen to hate with love, we become part of the solution. We enter the battle in the spiritual realm. We fight for both sides to win peace and safety. We pray for God’s will to be done. 

No person is perfect but Christ. When we listen with this truth in mind, it helps us hear the other side of the narrative we may have avoided paying much attention to. We discover a way to have genuine empathy for those we deem disruptive. Like Jesus did, we must love the perpetrator and pray about the problem.

Inspirational writers are called to inspire readers to listen to the Light. Our world seems darker than it did a few years ago—in so many ways. Now it’s more crucial than ever that believers be wise and not stir up hate regarding those walking in darkness. Love draws people to the Light. Empathy softens lost souls and creates a thirst for Living Water. 

Whether the difficult people we encounter via the news or daily life are hurling unusual beliefs on the airwaves or bombs on the streets, we’re still called to love them. We don’t have to agree with things that aren’t Biblical. But we do need to walk in love. Listening to others and seeking to understand their view of things is a sign of respect. It’s love in action. It’s deep listening. 

L is for listen. And love. 

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

Luke 6:27-28 NIV

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” 

K is for Keep: 8 Tips to Help Writers Keep Writing ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Keep your heart with all diligence,

for out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23 NKJV

Definition of keep according to Oxford Languages:

1. have or retain possession of.

2. cause to continue in a specified condition, position, course, etc.  

The main difference between unknown writers and successful authors in the inspirational publishing world is that godly writers keep at it until the work God wills us to do is done. 

I wonder how many books the world needed didn’t get put in print because the writer gave up too soon. 

A keep-at-it mind and heartset are necessary for Christians and creatives alike. (I’m targeting my struggling heart here.)

Here are 8 tips to help us keep writing:

1. We don’t have to give up on a project because even if it doesn’t become a book, it can be revised and edited into a series of blog posts or podcasts. 

2. No writing is a waste of time. Sentences, pages, or chapters an editor suggested being killed off can be saved in a separate “darlings” file and used in other projects. 

3. Thanks to self-publishing, we never need to abort a book idea we believe in.  

4. If our favorite project didn’t get published, the work we put into completing the manuscript developed our craft. Often the early ones aren’t the first works to stick. Sometimes they get published later after they’re reworked. Plus, the research we did putting pages together, taught us helpful lessons for life. (I’m finding this to be true regarding my current projects about practices that bless relationships.)

5. Tackling a blank page is like crossing the Red Sea, a writer’s inertia doesn’t recede until we dip our toes in the water. 

6. We must never underestimate the potential of first drafts. Writing rubbish gives us something to turn into rubies.   

7. Let’s find a writing quote, Bible verse, or statistic that inspires us. Maybe we can turn it into a prayer for God’s help too. 

8. When we want to toss our pen, we can Google the following phrase and find lots of inspirational links that help us feel less alone and motivated to keep writing: encouragement for writers who want to give up.

I’m nosey to know which tip spoke to you today. Feel free to add more to this list. (I may or may not be asking for a friend.)

 

Blessings ~ Wendy Mac  

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” 

J is for Just Do It: Part 2 of 10 Habits for an Ideal Writing Life ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

  

* This is continued from Part 1

6.  Finish

Whatever we start, we need to complete. Fill the pages and go back later to polish them. Otherwise, we may get stuck and not finish the project. Too much editing at the beginning can curb our passion for the story. Let’s lock the editor part of our brains in the closet so our creative side can come out to play. 

  

7. Keep Quiet

Let’s not share our story ideas until after we’ve got them down on paper. It may work for some writers to talk before they've written. But for many of us, it's a motivation killer. Plus, we may forget what our idea was because we didn't get it on paper "write" away.

Sometimes people don’t catch the vision and they may unintentionally discount our ideas. We must find a safe place to brainstorm. Safe means our creativity will be fanned into producing the first draft of a great idea. Unsafe means we’ll feel shame instead of inspired when talking about our writing.  

8. Drum Up a Dream Team

A dream team is a person or group of persons who help you publish the best book possible. It may include a literary agent, editor, beta readers, critique group, publisher, etc. Whatever publishing route one chooses to pursue, having help along the way will help our book go a lot farther in the world than just our family and friends’ reading lists. 

One aspect I overlooked was the importance of a prayer team behind my writing. I struggled with pride and insecurity to ask for it. After hearing a motivating podcast series about this topic, I finally set one up. A writer's prayer team is oxygen to the author's spiritual health.  

Here’s the link to a podcast I highly recommend: Prayer Teams 

9. Love Your Target Audience

When we remember that reading a book is an investment of time the reader will never be able to reclaim, this motivates us to write the best work we can. 

Our target audience expects certain things to happen in our book. The genre we write in must not veer much—if at all—outside the guidelines for it. And we must keep all our promises and answer all the questions we stirred up in our audience. Loose ends tend to lose readers.

Let's be a blessing to our audience.

10. Cultivate Community

Communicating with readers through social media and email builds a bond with them everyone benefits from. Hearing that our words blessed someone is worth more than a royalty check.

Nothing tells a reader better that you're genuine than when you respond to a comment that they've written on your blog etc. I doubt many of us will be too busy to at least click like to a kind word posted on our Facebook page etc. It's worth the effort to love our neighbor as ourselves. It's not only neighbourly and good business practice but also biblical.

 And speaking of the Bible, the following verse convicts me of my unnecessary procrastination every time I read it:

If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. Ecclesiastes 11:4 TLB

 

     I’m nosy to know what you would list as the 11th good habit?  

Now here’s the link to the article that inspired my good writing habit series: Writer’s Digest 

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” 

I is for Ideal: Ten Habits for an Ideal Writing Life ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

One of my habits is to write my blog posts ahead of time. I was going to write H is for Habits for August. But when I went to my InScribe file, I spotted a draft for “H is for Honesty” that I’d written weeks prior. Thankfully, with some editing, I can now share “I is for Ideal” habits, ones I hope to take on with more fervor. 

(At the end of part 2, I’ll share the link that inspired me to write these posts.)

Ten Habits for an Ideal Writing Life: (Part One)

1. Read

Reading regularly and widely broadens our vocabulary and increases our knowledge. The more we know, the more writing prompts and ideas we’ll experience. It’s especially important to be familiar with the genre we write in. Meanwhile, reading outside of it inspires our creativity and develops our voice in ways we may have missed otherwise. Agents, editors, and publishers often seek unique voices who can help readers see old topics from a new vantage point. 

Freshness impresses.

2. Time

The best time to write is when you’re sitting at your computer according to your predetermined schedule. It’s not wise to wait until we feel like writing. Although I adore writing in my journal each morning, it’s not the same as writing a book. Like my quiet time, I need to keep a set time for working on manuscripts and shorter projects. In July I realized that I needed to bump my social media and InScribe routine to later in the morning because they were robbing my most productive writing hour. When I write before facing the world, my writing spins a lovelier web. 

We need to find what schedule works best for us and then guard it with all our hearts.

3. Goals

We’re all familiar with the advice that aiming for nothing nets nothing. It’s also not helpful to aim too high. When we’re kind and reasonable with ourselves, we set word count targets that don’t discourage us.

In mental health circles, it’s often suggested we aim low, so we get a bit of a high for always meeting our targets. It’s more likely we’ll do a lot better than the easy goals we set. And then we’ll feel invigorated by the success. It’s also helpful not to compare our goals with other people’s. 

4. Space

Our writing space can help or hinder our workflow depending on how seriously we take our personal preferences. I’m a writer who works best in quiet solitude. When it’s noisy outside my creative space window, I play calming classical or turn a fan on so that I’m not distracted by the birdsong and sirens. Some people love to write in cafes. (Hmm. How do they avoid listening in on conversations? I’d spend the whole-time people watching.) Do what works. 

For me, that means treating my writing like a day job. I get up earlier than the rest of the family and drink my first cup of java alone in the den. Sometimes I write several short poems before I get to my writing projects. Silent solitude is my soul’s caffeine. But you may find noise and bustle your best writing buddies. Do what works for you. No judgment here. (Are you immune to the eavesdropping bug?)

5. Boundaries

Boundaries safeguard the gifts God gave us. It’s okay to say no to things that will interfere with your ability to write at regular times. I’ve been the grandmother who woke at 4 am so I could squeeze in writing time before babysitting. That season proved to me that where there’s a broken boundary, there’s a new one available to make up for it. I went to bed early and spent little time watching movies etc. 

I don’t miss that schedule, but I’m glad I got to help my family members during that busy season. Writers have every right to treat their writing time as a job rather than as a hobby. We may need to teach others to respect our need for uninterrupted work time.

God will give us the grace, wisdom, and power to do so if we commit our way to Him.

      

Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. Psalm 37:5 NLT

 

 Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”  

H is for Honesty ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Be strong and take heart,

    all you who hope in the Lord.

Psalm 31:24 NIV

A sweet friend of mine—who now resides on the other side of Heaven’s gate—often laughed at me. Whenever she asked me how I was doing, I told her. She said she loved my honesty.

Honesty is a good quality if it’s handed out with tenderness. Bluntness isn’t best for most interactions. 

I do have people in my life who are blunt with me. And I am with them. It works for us. But we also share a lot of kindness too. We’ve earned each other’s honest-to-goodness trust and freedom to shoot from a relaxed upper lip. 

We can speak deeply because we love each other deeply.

Readers love thoughtful honesty too. They appreciate from-the-heart poignancy. However, gratuitous writing isn’t wise for inspirational writers. Honest writing is wise when done well.

One of my favorite writing quotes says to “Be brave or go home.” (I can’t remember who said it.)  Honest writing takes bravery. In my June monthly newsletter to subscribers, I was more honest than usual. Hints kept showing up in my world that I needed a prayer team behind me. The closer we get to potentially publishing an honest book that will bless readers, the more attacks the enemy of honesty will make against us.

My honesty paid off. I now have a small team praying for me. Peace and enthusiasm have returned to my heart and pen. I’m not 100% out of the toss-in-the-towel woods yet, but so much good emotional and spiritual growth has happened since I asked for prayer.

I hope my example encourages you to be honest with your readers. It’s always a gift when we read from-the-heart writing. There have been times I’ve been awed and blessed by someone’s honesty.

Have you ever wanted to hug an author for making you feel less alone? I sure have. 

Each book Michele Cushatt writes makes me want to send her a bouquet of hugs. She cares about her readers. Her honesty helps us see and understand how honest we can be with God too. He’s not afraid of our bluntness when it’s expressed with faith that He sees us in our wilderness experiences. Like King David in the Psalms, we can bleed our hearts bare before our loving Lord. He sees. He hears. He cares.

Who is your favorite from-the-heart author? How does this writer’s work make you feel?  

Blessings as you boldly write for God’s glory,

Wendy Mac 

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” 

 

G is for Grace ~ by Wendy L. Macdonald

Grace is the grease that keeps my writing wheels from rusting out when I’m stuck in a rut.  

Who enjoys rejection?

Grace is the reason we don’t toss our pens and run the other way. 

Who will tell the grace story in our voice and reach the people God has placed us among? 

What is grace?

My old dictionary used words like kindness, mercy, and pardon in its definition. Christ is the King of kindness. Without Him, we wouldn’t have an eternal reason to write.

By grace, we were found and rescued. By grace, we will arrive in Heaven. And by this same grace, we hope to leave published pages that point to Jesus. Through our writing—and by God’s grace—we can write His Name across the publishing sky for many to see.

While I was at a recent writer’s retreat, I felt as close to home as I’ve ever felt. I wasn’t the only one who relied on grace. Writers need lots of it. Writers belong to a tribe that loves to write and must write.

It’s how we make sense of our place in a world that often doesn’t feel like home.

Grace helps inspirational writers accept when they’re not accepted. It empowers them to get busy putting words together that their segment of the reading world is waiting for.

Grace gives us work to do and helps us get it done.

It’s an honor to live a grace-filled life. Whatever gifts we’ve been given are meant for sharing to a needy world. Let’s not worry for a second if we don’t fit in as well as award-winning worldly writers.

Our rewards are in Heaven and in the satisfied sighs of other hungry-for-grace people who feel less alone because they read our words.

I’m nosy to know how grace helps you keep your pen on paper.

Grace is the Word

G is for grace

And for goodness and God

And is much needed by writers 

Who tend to be odd

G is for grace

And for grit and guts

Because without all three

We’d stay stuck in our ruts.

~ wlm

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

2 Corinthians 1:2-4 NIV 

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” Her main website is wendylmacdonald.com where she enjoys interacting with readers.

E is for Earmarks of Good Editing ~ Wendy L. Macdonald

 

 

(This will be a short post to leave room for an important message at the end of it.)

Earmarks of a well-edited and prayerfully written manuscript include more than just good grammar and correct spelling. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, the writing should grab the attention of the reader in the first sentence. And since the reader has opened the book in the first place, that proves another earmark was present: The title and/or back jacket blurb had an effective hook.

Now that the reader bit the bait, the next milestone is when the reader sets aside her plans to watch a favorite program and flops on the sofa and flips through pages instead. This is because another earmark was achieved: The author kept the unspoken promise to continue with the same quality of writing she produced in the first five pages. And she made sure to continue creating questions in the reader’s mind. Each chapter should answer the hook placed at the end of the previous chapter. And each chapter should end with a new hook to encourage the reader to keep reading.

It's also an important earmark to tie up all loose ends. All the questions should be answered in a satisfying way by the end of the book. There are exceptions—such as in a series. But the ending must satisfy, or the reader won’t read another book by that author. 

The happy thing about the book world is there are too many good books and not enough time to read them all. This is also why writers need to meet as many earmarks of a well-edited manuscript as they can.

I’m going to end my E post here because I want to mention something about the contributors to this blog: I appreciate you. The posts you’ve all been sharing here are wonderful. It’s a delight to read them. Thank you so much for showing up and showing us your stuff. You’re rocking it. 

As always, I look forward to seeing what you come up with this month. Enjoy E.  

Blessings,

Wendy Mac

P.S. Sandi Somers will be helping with the blog administration for a few days while I’m out of town later this week and next.  

D is for Deadline ~ Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Deadline can be a scary word.

One reason I’m glad I volunteered to be a regular writer for this blog is that it’s teaching me to fear deadlines less. 

Each writer needs to find out what works for them. Finishing a college writing project in the 80s on the night before it was due landed me still awake at 3:00 AM. The only reason why I got an A on that assignment was because I chose an intriguing-to-me topic. After spending weeks researching it prior to sitting down and writing the first draft, I knew what I was talking about. 

Looking back on it now, I suffered more than I needed to. It would have been better if I hadn’t procrastinated for so long. That first draft could have been written a week or more in advance rather than on the night before. The stress I felt is still fresh in my mind.

The first draft of this post was written a month ahead of time. Not that I was in the mood. But the word deadline was on my mind because I’ve been wondering if my time will soon come to have writing deadlines written on my calendar regarding bigger projects. All the practice I’ve had at showing up here—and on another blog that I used to write for—will hopefully help me not fear my deadlines, nor procrastinate regarding them.

Deadlines that involve other people can be the scariest. We don’t want to let others down and we don’t want to be looked down upon. Letting someone know you’re going to be late is an option if we’re not going to be on time.

Stuff happens. Grace happens too.

Years ago, I didn’t show up for work once. Not because I forgot. It was because I said yes to a shift I really should have said no to. Later, when I apologized and explained my anxiety about working in that department, I was forgiven and never asked to work in that position again. Instead, I got to stay in my preferred area. Apologizing when we miss a deadline goes a long way to restoring trust. It probably took me a lot longer to forgive myself than it did for them to forgive me.

The secret to fearing deadlines less is to respect them more.

Keeping them also shows respect for others and ourselves. Our reputation is especially important in the inspirational writing world because Christian publishing is a small community. You never know who you will be working with next. You never know who you may need to ask a favor of too. 

Thankfully a lot of grace abides in this community as well. 

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much..."

(Luke 16:10 NIV)

What is your favorite tip for meeting writing deadlines? I’m hoping to learn from you. 

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.” She enjoys interacting with readers on her website and Facebook page.

C is for Conquer ~ Wendy L. Macdonald

 

Some days are harder than others to conquer the blank page. Through experience, I’ve learned not to bother waiting for confidence to show up. Instead, I sit down and write. Because I pray regularly for my writing to be according to God’s will for me, I trust He’s leading me even when I don’t feel led.

To turn a Tina Turner phrase a bit: What’s feeling got to do with it? 

Feelings are fickle. Faith is where it’s at—especially for inspirational writers. 

Some of the best writing sessions happen just because we dared to show up. And when we pick up a pen even though we’re feeling down about our ability, it’s an opportunity for God to show up big with His.  

For Christian writers who know they’re supposed to be writing, generous obedience begets generous blessing. First, there’s the satisfaction of having done the right thing. And second, there are the epiphany moments that often accompany our obedience.  

God doesn’t need us to be full of self-confidence before we can write for Him. We just need to place our confidence in the One who called us to write. Each weekday morning, I face the crossroad of choosing to write—despite how I feel—rather than giving in to the easy road of dabbling in hobbies.

Since choosing to show up no matter what, I’ve written thousands more words than I did at this time last year. Not because I’m feeling confident as a writer, but because I have confidence God is going to show up on my pages too. 

Without the Holy Spirit, we’re hopeless. 

Since believers are never abandoned by our Helper, we don’t need to abandon our calling.

The Spirit gives us faith to overcome our difficult feelings. 

Here are some tips to help us conquer the blank page:

• Establish a routine of showing up to write when you’re at your peak energy level.

• Include cozy rituals that bless your creative side. (e.g., nice background music, a lovely, scented wax warmer nearby, a fresh cup of coffee/tea, or whatever works for you.)

• Have rewards ready for you to enjoy when your writing session is done. (For me this includes crafting and craft video time.)

• Avoid slave-driving your muse. Know what your limit is and quit before you’re burned out. (I learned this the hard way. Rests and recreation are necessary for good mental and physical health. I take Sundays off and consider Saturdays optional.)

• Pray about your writing so that you can have the confidence God will help you conquer distractions, discouragement, and blank pages. 

• Have a handy list of Bible verses that inspire you to conquer fear, blank pages, and other distractions. Here’s a link to some great Scriptures for writers: 10 Bible Verses for Christian Writers

  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

             Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

When the music of our passion wanes, may faith cause words to wax eloquent on the page.

I hope this inspired you to write & conquer. (This post is an example of practicing what I preached. Nothing in me felt like writing. I’d already shown up and had success with my early morning writing, but I felt empty to pour out more. Instead of giving in to my feelings, I opened a Word Doc and obeyed the nudge to show up. And I’m so glad I did. (It also helps to write first drafts weeks in advance so that we have a chance to edit them with fresh eyes before posting them on the blog.)

Blessings as we continue to show up and show discouragement where the door is.  

I'm nosy to know what your favorite motivational writing quote is?

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”