These Feet Were Made For Writing - Tracy Krauss

Yesterday marked the three week mark since I broke my ankle after slipping on a wet floor. What does this have to do with the business of writing? Previous to this mishap, I would have said, "Absolutely nothing." After all, one doesn't write with one's feet.

I've since decided that writing involves the whole body, not just the brain or the hands. At first I thought I'd try to make the best of all the 'free time' I was sure to have. After all, with my new mobility issues, my husband was now doing most of the cooking and cleaning. I also had a ready made excuse to let go of many of my other outside commitments. Theoretically I would now have a lot more time for writing.The truth is, I've done less.

Beyond just trying to find a comfortable place to sit, I've been too distracted mentally to be very productive. I was actually surprised by this. Even when I have had the time, I just haven't felt like it. It reminds me of the passage in scripture when Paul talks about the body. When one part suffers, the whole person suffers. Of course, the spiritual application goes without saying.When someone is hurting in the body of Christ, the whole body suffers as well.

On the up side, sometimes an enforced season of rest can do a world of good. As the pain lessens I am beginning to feel the familiar stirrings of words waiting to get out - fresh ideas that may have been shoved to the background in favor of another more prominent project.

With four more weeks to go, I'm starting to get back into the groove. I'm back at work, and as you can see, my students have graced my cast with some lovely artwork. I can't help but be reminded of something Nancy Rue said at the fall conference. "See everything life throws at you as an opportunity for research." I'm taking this to heart. Don't be surprised if a hero or heroine appears in one of my novels with a broken ankle...

Website: tracykrauss.com
Blog: tracykraussexpressionexpress.com

The Business of Writing from the Heart and Writing Short

I’ve learned a couple things from writing the live concert review over the years.

          1) Just start.

          2) Keep it short.

         

It sounds like the perfect sermon.

When I began writing I assumed that before I penned  the first word I needed to do a ton of research to back up my points. I would read for hours, and find all kinds of wonderful and intriguing information. Then I would try to squeeze as much into the article as I could.

But there was a problem with that ‘viewpoint’. Looking back I can see that I was just sharing ‘points’ without my ‘view’. I was dumping knowledge but it probably ended up in the landfill. People aren’t usually impressed by facts.

I feel that people do not read for knowledge as much as they do for affirmation. We read to find ourselves on the page. We are always looking to validate our own unique pilgrimage. Have other people taken similar detours? Have they experienced the same kind of defeats and doubts as we have? If we find ourselves in a story, fiction or non, we feel validated. We find a niche in the spectrum of humanity and so we have hope to continue.

Therefore, when I start an article I pour out my feelings and impressions first. Later, after the first draft, I check my facts and I research to be sure I am credible. Heart first, facts later.

The second thing I’ve learned is to keep it short.  My first human interest story was several pages long in the newspaper. I’m surprised they printed it all! And I’d be even more surprised if anybody actually finished reading the epistle.

I’ve noticed that I like to read really short pieces and if it looks too long I will just skim for key points. Now I aim to treat my readers the same way I want to be treated. Hey, this is starting to sound like a sermon. 

Just get started. And keep it short. 

Pam Mytroen

Rebuilding by T. L Wiens

I want to say thank you to everyone for your prayers and thoughts as we dealt with the loss of the roof of our house.

This isn’t the first time my family has experienced this type of loss. Our house burned down a few years ago. We lost everything or did we? In fact, eight days after our fire we were back in a house given to us by a wonderful family. Friends, family and neighbors filled it. We lacked nothing. If God can do that, I knew He had a plan with this latest excitement. Once again, I saw Him restore and teach me through a difficult time. Matthew 6: 19 which says, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:” makes a lot of sense to me. Don’t get a strangle hold on things because they can be gone in a moment.

However, there are things that aren’t easily replaced. One of those is reputation. How we endured the hardships is far more important than the things we lost.

As a writer, I see a lot of parallels to these life experiences. A rough manuscript can be rebuilt with the help of an editor but writing that doesn’t honor God is a different story. A Christian writers, I think we have to stand up for the message God has given us to write about even when what we write may not be the popular idea of the day. In the grand scheme of things, the most important thing is to honor God in all things.

Cross-Training for Writers - Lorrie Orr

I’m no athlete so my understanding of cross-training is very simple: Do different activities to stimulate different muscles and to keep you from getting bored. The result will be a toned body, able to perform well.

As creative people, writers can use the idea of cross-training to improve and stimulate growth. Here are some examples:

- 1. If you write prose, try writing a poem, or a creative non-fiction piece.

- 2. Take a walk with your camera. Looking through a camera lens is a way to focus in on a subject, to frame it beautifully, and to see it in a new or different way.

- 3. Work in the garden. Weeding, planting, watering, pruning – these activities occupy one area of your brain but leave plenty of room for other thoughts to percolate – thoughts that could turn into stories, dialogues, or scenes.

- 4. Indulge in play therapy. Use play dough to model a character or characters that live in your mind. Let your fingers and hands work, kneading and manipulating the dough. Act out a scene. Who is this character? What is she doing? Why? What does she want and what stands in her way? How will she move forward?

- 5. Take some time to find an imaginary creature in your world. It might be an animal figure in the troweled plaster on the ceiling above your bed, or a face in a flower, or a design that captures your attention. What might this creature be thinking?

- 6 Plan a party – one that you would like to attend. Who would be there? What food would be served? What is the setting?

- 7. Paint or draw even if you think you cannot. Swirl colour onto paper in lines and patterns that please you. Give yourself permission to play.

Cross-training can free ideas that will help you write better. And it can be a lot of fun besides.

by Lorrie Orr 2013