5 Things I Learned about the Art of Writing in 2012 - Janis Cox

This was a year of learning - big time learning. I went from writing a few posts on blogs to writing more frequently. I published my first book - Tadeo Turtle. I started into the new job of marketing. What did I learn this year?

1. I need my time with God more than ever before.

My morning time (about 1- 2 hours) has become the steadying factor in my life. As I read my Bible, pray and meditate with Him - I start the day right. Not on my own. I started a new daily practice at the end of November and love it. I read Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. What an excellent start to each day. I remember my Maker, Redeemer and Friend - Jesus speaks to me.

2. I need a deadline.  

Never before have I needed to put so many to-dos and dates in my calendar. But deadlines make me write. Even my own - made up deadlines. Kimberley Payne, my friend and co-blogger at Family and Faith Matters, has me work toward certain deadlines. I am afraid I don't always make it - but I am working on this. Talk about organized - Kimberley must be the top one in this field.

3. I need to work with others. 

This year has been the "joining" of forces to find encouragement and inspiration. Over 2 years ago I started Under the Cover of Prayer with a group of willing partners. I love reading their posts - that encourages me as well as others. This year Janet Stobie, Kimberley Payne and I started a new venture - Family and Faith Matters - a blog for moms to equip them for faithful living. We now are recruiting others to be guest bloggers - writers who have children's books and would like to write on money, creativity and crafts, fitness and health, prayer, time management and education.

If you are interested contact Kimberley. And as writers I think we need this more than ever before. We can have a powerful voice if we stick together and help each other.

4. I need to find my audience.

Yes, I need to find out who wants to hear what I write. I didn't plan on writing a children's book. That just happened. My primary focus has always been prayer. That is why UTCOP (Under the Cover of Prayer) is so special to me. Now I am going down another road - moms - and children. Maybe grandmas too. So my writing is shifting to focus on my target audience - moms. I am working on this one.

5. I need to get more organized.

I am a left-brained - right-brained person. I know that sounds strange. But really I have been task-oriented and control central all my life. Now I am learning to paint - to meditate and to create. That is a brain switch. So where does that leave me - scattered. I have too many ideas, little time and no organization. So - there is my quandary. I have to organize my life to include both sides. Any ideas?


I would love to hear from you. What did you learn about writing this past year?

 

Janis, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. She has published a couple of devotionals and a number of articles.

As owner of Under the Cover of Prayer she writes often.

Her children's book, Tadeo Turtle, is now available. An accompanying curriculum can be obtained as well.

Email her at Janis or visit her at www. janiscox.com.

Why Do We Write? - Donna Fawcett and Duke

We're pleased to welcome Donna Fawcett and Duke the Chihuahua today at InScribe Writers Online as our special Guest Bloggers.


Duke and I have had a very fulfilling year. He has quite an eye for editing although he wouldn't call himself an editor and I must admit that he thinks in an abstract way--something I value in order to stay on track. I asked Duke what we should share in this blog post and he immediately jumped to your suggested topic of  Closing Out the Year Right.

We conversed about it and this is what he had to say:

"Writing isn't just a career. No matter what a person--or dog--believes in, writing is an expression of that belief. We, as authors and writers, strive to convey our beliefs to the reader whether it is a conscious or unconscious effort. Knowing this, Donna and I always return to our main focus--why do we write?

We need to answer that question continually in order to fulfill our mission as writers. So why do we write? Do we write simply to be read? Or do we have a deep-seated desire to share truth with those around us? If so, what exactly is that truth? Donna and I look to the Bible to find our truth and once we've found it, we look for the most professional way of sharing that truth. We can't afford sloppy writing because it hints at sloppy subject matter and there is nothing sloppy about Biblical truth!

As you close out your year, ask yourself why you write. Ask yourself what you believe in and why you believe in it. Push the line and search your heart for the answer to the question 'why do I believe what I believe'. You need to know all of that. If you don't, your readers won't find that your writing carries the conviction needed to convince them. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a rather delicious-looking bowl of kibble waiting for me."

While I agree with Duke's assessment of the purpose of writing, I must admit that he needs a bit of tweaking in the manners department. At any rate, it is very important for a writer to understand the 'why' behind writing. For myself, I know I have been put on this earth to glorify God. My writing is an extension of that glorification. Its purpose is to show Christ to readers in a way that will draw them--not preach at them. As Duke and I approach year's end, we remind each other to look to the reason not only for the season but for all that we do.

~ Donna Fawcett

Duke and Donna have recently published their fun, new book entitled Duke the Chihuahua Writes! A Tutorial for Beginning Writers.

It's available on smashwords.com and can be purchased for $.99 US.

Donna Fawcett is the former creative writing instructor for Fanshawe College. Donna has had the honour of receiving awards for her writing (Inscribe contest finalist, The Word Awards Best Contemporary Novel for Rescued and Vengeance, Best Song Lyrics for Heaven's Light, Polar Expressions finalist, top ninety in The Writer's Union contest, Canada Reads Pick of the Day.) Donna teamed up with Duke the Chihuahua after recognizing his incredible gift for finding the flaws in her writing. Donna suspects that Duke would love to find the flaws in many other areas of her life as well, but isn't willing to give him that opportunity.  You can find Donna at: www.donnafawcett.com.

Duke the Chihuahua is a canine turned writer/proof reader. In spite of his diminutive size and lack of chompers, Duke can tackle the scariest manuscript and take more than a bite out of the sloppy writing there. Duke and his side-kick, Bee (a juvenile German Shepherd) feel it is their mission in life to keep author, singer, songwriter Donna Fawcett on the literary straight and narrow. Here is their link: www.dukeandbeewrite.com.

 

Looking Forward - Susan Barclay

It's natural, as the year comes to an end, to look back and reflect on the events of the past twelve months, to consider how far (or not so far) one has come in that period of time, and to consider the year ahead.

Often it's a time when people create 'resolutions' or formulate goals. From my experience and from what I've heard from others, resolutions are usually broken within a couple of weeks. Instead of recommitting and moving forward, people tend to throw their hands up in despair and stop their self-improvement efforts.

Personally, I have moved from making resolutions to setting goals.While I admit that attempts to accomplish my 2012 goals using the Pick Four system failed, I still managed to complete two of the four on that list - finishing a Christmas short story (published in the anthology All Wrapped Up) and losing weight (17 pounds!).

As I look toward 2013, I have jumped on the Jan Plan wagon, which I found out about on one of the blogs I follow. According to the original post, "The Jan Plan will involve committing to finish one project. One. However you define 'finish'. Just doing what you have to do to get one project out of your unfinished knitting basket." My one project will be the completion of a short story I started this fall. If I successfully "get 'er done", I imagine there will be a Feb Plan, Mar Plan, etc. Please think about joining me and signing up for the challenge!


In the last couple of days, I've also been thinking about how to grow my character this year to become a less critical person. Yes, I admit this is an area in which I struggle. I can be critical of others as well as myself, not even attempting to extend compassion, understanding, or grace - especially if I'm around other judgmental people, who are quick to see the sawdust in another's eye while ignoring the plank in their own (Matthew 7:3-5). From the thoughts and mutterings I was wrestling with yesterday, I know this isn't going to be easy, but I'm determined. It will require me to learn more of God's Word, lean into and depend on Him, and remember that through Christ I have all I need for godly living (2 Peter 1:3). If I come to your mind this year, won't you pray for me?

For more of my writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.ca

Sunday Morning Blues - Ruth L. Snyder

The phone's insistent ring interrupted my quiet Sunday morning. "Good morning. Is Kendall there? My furnace is beeping and it's only 15 degrees in my house." It was my mother-in-law.

I glanced at the thermometer. It was -31 Celsius outside. I passed the phone to my husband and then mentally reviewed my "to do" list:

• Set the table for breakfast
• Wake up our five children
• Make cake for church coffee fellowship
• Get dressed for church
• Make sure all our children were dressed for church
• Have breakfast
• Clean up from breakfast
• Drive to church
• Shovel the snow off the walk at church
• Make coffee, tea, and juice

Kendall layered up and went outside. I thought he had left to fix the furnace until he came back in the house, stomping the snow off his boots. "The alternator isn't working in the van. I'll have to drive it over to fix Mom's furnace. The other van has tools on the seats. You'll have to move them so the kids have a place to sit."

I nodded, but inside I was grumbling. One more thing to add to my list. The morning rush continued. No more complications. Everyone was dressed, we had eaten, and we were getting coats on. Our fifteen-year-old daughter had helped by moving most of the tools. Just as I was going out the door, Kendall came in. "I remembered that I had the key to the church. I'll trade vans with you. The furnace still isn't working, so I'm going back to finish the job."

We arrived at church. Several centimetres of fresh, fluffy snow blanketed the sidewalk. I unlocked the church, plugged in the coffee maker, and recruited a couple of my children to help shovel snow. By now my head was pounding. I was scheduled to have an abscessed tooth removed in a couple days, but in the meantime it was painful. Thankfully the snow was loose and easy to shovel.

Back inside, most of the children found books to read and I returned to the kitchen to make coffee and set out the supplies for our weekly fellowship time after church. The early coffee crew soon began to drift in. Then it was time for church to start.

My next task was to figure out how best to configure the seating arrangement to discourage fighting and fidgeting. I sat between my youngest son and one of my twins and held our four-year-old daughter on my lap. The twin that didn't get to sit beside me was upset and started acting up. The pre-service singing time became a balancing act of finding the appropriate hymn and sorting out grievances before they were resolved physically. I tried to focus on the words.

After the opening hymns and announcements our pastor called the children up to the front of the church. I opened my wallet and distributed offering money. Then I sighed in relief as all the children made their way to Sunday School. My mind was still going at warp speed when I joined the congregation singing the offertory. We sing the words every Sunday, but today they hit home in a new way.

"Father God, we today bring our gifts to the altar. All our prayers, work, and play, all our hope for tomorrow. All of our failures and our success in this day we're living. All we are, and hope to be, in Christ's sacrifice giving."

"Lord, forgive me for my grouchy attitude. Thank you for your many blessings in my life. Still my heart and my thoughts and help me to hear from You today. I bring You the gift of myself - all my failures and my successes. Amen"

At times we may feel like life is conspiring against us. I often remind my children that we cannot change what happens to us, but we can change our attitude. Obviously I need that reminder too. I'm thankful that God is patient with me and catches my attention. Hopefully I'll be able to avoid the Sunday blues in 2013 - not necessarily because circumstances are different, but because I choose a positive attitude.

www.trusteesnyder.blogspot.com
(Education information)
www.ruthlsnyder.com
(Ruth's writing and family life) 
www.earlyyearssuccess.com
(Information for caregivers of children ages 0-5)
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