Pinterest Basics & Insider Tips, Part 1

by Bethany Jett @BetJett

We’ve spent the last few months covering the Instagram platform, and now it’s time to move to Pinterest!

Pinterest isn’t really a “social media” platform. Instead, consider utilizing Pinterest as a search engine for your audience. After all, there are times when I choose to search Pinterest instead of Google. And if you’re a Pinterest-user, I’d guess you do, as well.

Today we’re going to do a light overview on some Pinterest basics, starting with…

Unforgetting

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea

Have I ever mentioned that I have a terrible memory? Maybe I did. Or maybe it slipped my mind. But hey, I remembered to buy all those vitamins that are supposed to help with memory. I’m pretty sure I’ve been forgetting to take them though. In the old days, people tied a string around a finger to help them remember. Guess I could try that.

I’ve always wished I had a photographic memory. Someone told me I actually do have one—it’s just not developed. That’s probably it. I always seem to be a few pics short of a full roll.

Basic Etiquette for Sharing Online Content

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

A lot of people have asked me to share a blog post about the online etiquette for mentioning and/or sharing content online. 

Mentioning and sharing content from sites we find valuable is the ultimate compliment, and a great way to encourage other bloggers and writers.

Before we begin, let me clarify something. Sharing links or a short quote from another site isn’t a copyright infringement. For those concerned about copyright information, here’s a link to a blog I wrote on CopyrightBasics for Bloggers.

What Is BookBub—And Why Do Authors Need to Know?

by Cyle Young @CyleYoung

As an agent, I often come across authors and industry professionals who have no idea what BookBub is. 

BookBub is currently the single best promotion opportunity for any eBook and it is highly sought after by authors and publishers in the “know”.

5 Questions to Refresh Your Writing Purpose

by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

5 Questions to give you the writing nudge you need.

Writing a book is no sprint—it’s a marathon. A cross-country marathon. 

As you run through fields of modifiers and metaphors, you eventually encounter hills of writer’s block. Ducking distractions and swatting flies of doubt and anxiety, you barrel forward closer and closer to the finish line.

By the time you reach the last leg of the race—the final editing of your book—your energy and enthusiasm reach an all-time low. What’s a runner—that is, a writer—to do?

Tips to Meet Those Writing Deadlines

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowell

How well I remember hearing the phrase, "Interruptions are my ministry!”

At the time I was on the staff of a large church and I totally got it—at any given time I was called up to meet with a parishioner or counsel a walk-in or fill in for another teacher. I was also mothering four young children and learning that key parenting moments occur when there's a knock on the bedroom door or a phone call from school or a simple cry of "Mama....." from another room.

In all those cases it was the distractions from my immediate task that propelled me to an even more important task. I get that.

Proofread Your Social Media Posts

by Molly Jo Realy @RealMoJo68

Even social media typos can challenge our
credibility as writers.

We see it a lot. Those nasty little things we call typos. They’re everywhere. And *gasp* we’re even responsible for some of them. Oh, call the writing police and throw me in jail!

Folks, that’s why we have editors. Amazing, awesome, hand-holding editors who take the reins and shape our story into what we want it to be. They can see beneath our fast-typing mistakes. They interpret the message from what we mean to what it’s supposed to be.

Why I Stopped Chasing the Dream

by Any Lee @WordsByAndyLee

I once had a dream that Prince Charming would sweep me off my feet, throw me on his horse, and we’d ride into the sunset to live happily ever after.

The dream came true. Prince Charming did sweep me off my feet. We jumped into his black 1990 Trans Am, and we rode off into the sunset for a forty-eight-hour honeymoon. There was a war brewing, and my soldier needed to be back to work on Monday, and I had to teach the first day of school. They frown on requesting a substitute on the first day.

Memes for Writers

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Today I'd like to do something a little different. Summer is full on us, so I thought we'd celebrate the beauty of the season with a roundup of memes.

I took every picture below and added the quotes through PicMonkey, so you're welcome to share them on social media. If you want to learn how to make your own: Step-by-Step Instructions for Adding Text to Images screencast is the place to begin. 

Be silent or let thy words be worth more than silence. Pythagoras

3 Ways to Kill Your Publishing Career

Edie here. Today I'm excited to welcome back Jennifer Slattery. In addition to being an amazing author, she's an excellent teacher in the publishing industry. Since her new book, Healing Love, is about to release, I convinced her to drop back by with more insight into the writer's life. 

3 Ways to Kill Your Publishing Career
by Jennifer Slattery @JenSlattery

Perhaps you’ve sensed God’s call to write, maybe you even jumped in with passion and determination, fully convinced He’d bring your every dream to pass. But that was ten, twenty, maybe even more years ago, and you’re beginning to wonder, “Will I ever get published? Will these thousands upon thousands of words clogging my computer files ever see the light of day?”

I believe when God calls us to do something, He’s got the how and the when mapped out. Though His idea of what our writing career will look like may be different than ours, I fully believe He’s able to perfect that which concerns us and that He always has our best in mind.

Composite Characters: Do They Have a Place in Creative Nonfiction?

by Marcia Moston @MarciaMoston

It was a familiar situation, a mix of writers—some fiction, some nonfiction—coming together for their monthly critique meeting. Michelle was working on a nonfiction submission. She felt she had included too many characters for such a short piece and asked the group what to do.

Sitting across the table, Elizabeth, a solid fiction writer, saw no problem. “Just combine the characters.”

I yelped. “You can’t do that. That’s not a real person.”

Are Helping Verbs Really Helpful?

by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

In school we learn about helping verbs, also called auxiliary verbs, and the support they are to other verbs. That is a good thing. Everyone needs a helper occasionally.

Maybe you have forgotten what those helping verbs are. Is, am, are, was, were, been, being, are the most common. Helping is not the only use of the helping verbs. Other times they are used as a complete predicate. Think of the way you function—sometimes you are a parent, other times you are a friend, sometimes in the spotlight and other times not. The function of the verb makes it a helper or not. Many times these verbs are functional and needed.

The Importance of Book Influencers

by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

Ding. The computer chimes and you’ve got email. There’s a nice note asking if you will consider being an influencer. That’s nice. We all like the thoughts of influencing others, but in this case, a number of questions come to mind. Things like influence what? For whom? What’s in it for me?

Let’s take time to learn what an influencer is and then we’ll address what remains.

When Marketing Leads to Ministry

by Lori Roeleveld @LoriSRoeleveld

When I began this writing adventure, I had an attitude about marketing and sales. You see, I wasn’t going to concern myself with such worldly ideas, because, like The Blues Brothers, I was on a mission for God. I may or may not have harbored some unkind and judgmental thoughts about people who invested significant energy discussing branding, platform building, and target audiences. I was simply going to write and trust God to be my marketer. Boom. Mic drop. Thank you, very much.

The Life of Breath

by Sarah Van Diest @SarahVanDiest

We know this to be true. When we stop breathing, we stop living. There is no life when breath is absent.

It’s allergy season here in Oregon, and other places, too, I’m sure. And because this winter was Portland’s wettest on record, there is now no shortage of growing, blooming things. 

An afternoon doing simple gardening can turn into a night of sneezes and snores. Last night was a perfect example.

Avoiding the Debris of Life

by Beth Vogt @BethVogt

Snags and debris. We’re not going to make it through life without running it to one or the other … or both. 

Snags are impediments to progress … irritants, interferences, interruptions … we want to go one way and they push and prod us another, holding us back from our goals.

But debris … that’s another kind of danger that can weigh you down, pull you under, and drown you.

Snags can leave marks — a scratch here, a bruise there. Debris, however, can be lethal. Emotional debris like guilt … regret … shame … fear … they pile up on us and dishearten us. 

Best to heed Anne Shannon Monroe’s words and “Pull yourself loose and go on.” 

How?

• Ask for help from someone standing on firm ground — someone who sees the truth you’ve lost sight of. 
• Recognize the debris for what it is: garbage. Nothing more, nothing less. 
• Regain your focus. Realize you are stuck — remember where you’re headed — and start moving again. 

In Your Words: What snags have you run into recently? How do you avoid debris that stops the forward motion in your life? 

TWEETABLE

Thoughts on avoiding the debris of life - @BethVogt on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Beth K. Vogt believes God’s best often waits behind the doors marked “Never.” A women's fiction novelist with Tyndale House Publishers, Beth is a 2016 Christy Award winner, as well as a 2016 ACFW Carol Award Winner and a 2015 RITA® finalist. In 2016, she continued her destination wedding series published by Howard Books with You Can’t Hurry Love (May) and  Almost Like Being in Love (June). Visit Beth at bethvogt.com.

What to do AFTER a Writing Conference

by Bruce Brady @BDBrady007

Recently, a friend of mine, Cherrilynn Bisbano, posted a meme for 1 Chronicles 28:20 from The Living Bible translation. It says, “Be strong and courageous and GET TO WORK (emphasis added). Don’t be frightened by the size of the task, for the Lord my God is with you; He will not forsake you. He will see to it that everything is finished correctly.”

The Unglamorous Life of a Writer

by Lynn Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

If you’ve hung around the writing world for long, you’ve heard it before . . .

• Being a published author does not magically fix all your problems.
• Being a published author does not mean you’ll spend your days fending off random fans when you’re buying groceries.
• Being a published author does not mean you’ll spend your days in a lovely office overlooking a serene pastoral setting as you churn out novel after novel. 

But . . . come on. It has to help. Right? It has to be more good than bad. At least when you get “The Call” or reach new writing milestones, there will be parties and well-wishes and celebratory balloons falling from the ceiling. Right?

5 Tips on Writing a Legacy Letter to Your Family

by Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Families are funny.

Sometimes a family member can be a best friend. But all too often, childhood competition and conflict break families apart. Even as adults, the ties of family – which we’re told should be the strongest – don’t always survive.

I’m one of five siblings. We weren’t close growing up but we’ve settled some of our differences and found common ground we can all deal with over the years. Not easy, but greatly rewarding.  But one of my best friends can’t even talk to her sister because of the hurts they both carry.

Pinterest for Writers – Research and Collaboration

by Cynthia Owens @EfficiencyADict

Pinterest is a great tool for writers!

Today I get to write about my favorite social media format: Pinterest. People visit Pinterest to relieve stress, find information, get inspired, and just plain have fun. It’s a great place to go for entertainment and education. It’s also a great tool for writers.

Now, gentlemen, don’t check out. Yes, Pinterest has been heavily skewed toward female users in the past, but the number of men on the site is growing. Don’t believe me? Check out this article from Business Insider to see cool things men are sharing on this hot media platform: How Men UsePinterest. 

How to Write a Good Tweet—It’s Easier Than You Think!

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Use this simple method to compose effective tweets.

Twitter, as many of you already know, is my Social Media Sweet Spot—my easy button, if you will. It’s my go-to place to send and receive information. Because of that, I compose all my social media updates from a Twitter mindset. So no matter where I'm sending the update, I compose it with Twitter in mind.

I know that Twitter is NOT the sweet spot for many of you reading this blog.

The Writer’s Fleece

by Danetta Kellar @DanettaKellar

Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised—look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” And that is what happened. Judges 6:36-38a, NIV

Much can happen between the magical moment an idea rises up like joy in the heart of a writer and the day that idea is printed between two covers and placed on the bookstore shelf. The journey is arduous and joyful, agonizing, yet fulfilling. It requires courage.

You Write Like a Woman

by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth

A few years ago, I attended my first writers’ conference, the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. The sweet lady who critiqued my first chapter looked me in the eye and said, “You write like a guy.”

I thought, Great. John Steinbeck, James Patterson, or Jerry Jenkins?

Not what she had in mind.

She went on to explain I had the action and the setting, but I was leaving out the personal side, the emotions and internal thoughts of the protagonist.

Twelve Promises Every Writer Should Make to Themselves

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Don't be your own worst enemy when
it comes to writing!

The writing life isn’t an easy one. It’s one filled with joy, but also has its painful side. With any lifestyle that requires the courage to follow a dream, there are frequent roadblocks and obstacles. 

Many of these are imposed from others. Just announce that you’re following your heart and people seem to come out of the woodwork to tell you why it can’t—and/or shouldn’t—be done. In addition to the naysayers, we can also be responsible for causing our own stumbling blocks.

Today I want to focus on the things we can do—promises we can make to ourselves—that will make things easier.

Query Letter Writing: A List of Dos & Don’ts

By Mark Gottlieb @Mark_Gottlieb

As a literary agent in major trade publishing at the Trident Media Groupliterary agency, I often have to explain the elements of a good query letter to new clients. This post is intended as a description of what goes into a good query letter, for new authors unfamiliar with what literary agents and editors are looking for in a query letter intended the book-publishing world.

Writers Who Deliver a Powerful Story

by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

A book has to grab me in the first sentence and then on to the first paragraph or I’m finished. Which means as a writer, I’m my worst critic.

Reading excellent novels invites me into a story world where I lose track of time. I meet new characters who have a compelling story, dive into unique personalities, and share an adventure with them. I admire how they solve problems and face life. In short, I want to get lost in their world.

The Importance of Secondary Characters in Your Manuscript

by Eva Marie Everson @EvaMarieEverson

It’s not unusual to find me searching my video apps (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc.) looking for the “oldies.” Classic television holds a special place in my memories—as a child, I’d rather watch TV and read books than pretty much anything else. I loved everything with a story.

Intro to Instagram, Part 3 - Microblogging & Hashtags

by Bethany Jett @BetJett

In April I promised to write the third installment of the Instagram Series. Then I got pseudo-spammed on LinkedIn and that experience overtook last month’s post. Let’s dive back into the world of hashtags and microblogging. It’s important to do both well, and for today’s post, I’d like to direct you to Sarahat @TheBirdsPapaya, who does an amazing job at both microblogging and hashtags. It wasn’t until her success on Instagram (56k followers) that she started a “real” blog on her website.

God's Math: Half and Half and Half

by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea

Glass half full. Glass half empty. Doesn’t really matter so much to me. As long as mine is the full half. And also the glass should be a mug. Large. And also it should have coffee in it. And also both halves should be full. And it should all be mine.

I think I like my coffee with half and half. And at least another half. I might also need another side of math.

I saw a bumper sticker recently that said, “I want my coffee and I want it now.” I thought, “I want your coffee, too. And then after that, I’ll want my own coffee.” Judging from this alone, it’s obvious I can be pretty selfish when it comes to coffee.

What Could Be...

by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

A Creativity Quote to Share

As writers, we tend to look at things a little differently. Instead of hiding our unique point of view, we need to learn to embrace it as the gift it is. 

Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.

I invite you to use this image any way you like online. Post it to your blog, share it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, anywhere you'd like. All I ask is that you keep it intact, with my website watermark visible.

Don't forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie

TWEETABLE
As writers we often have a unique perspective - @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

4 Things to Do When You Can't Go to a Writing Conference

by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

You’re about to die. Every second post that pops up in your Facebook feed is from a writer friend. They’re gushing about how excited they are to attend the writers conference—you know, the one everyone who’s serious about writing attends. The one where agents and editors and publishers gather. The one where relationships form that lead to book deals, contracts, and writing partnerships.

And you’re stuck at home.