Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Still Time to Nominate The Write Conversation!


Please remember to nominate The Write Conversation for Writer's Digest Top 101 Sites for Writers!

This year it's easy, just send an email. They're also asking for suggestions for categories. Here's a link to the entire Writer's Digest article: Call for the Best 101 Websites for Writers Nominations.

If you don't have time to read the article, here's the short version of how to nominate us:

Send your nominations to Writer's Digest at:


with the subject line: 

101 Best Websites Nomination.


Whether we make the list or not, I want to thank you for being the BEST writing community on the web!

Blessings, 
Edie

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Monday, December 30, 2019

Intentional Consistency—A Writer's Best Plan for the New Year


By Edie Melson @EdieMelson

The title of this post may seem too obvious to merit mention, but I would beg you to stick with me. Life these days is incredibly busy. We’re subdividing our time into smaller and smaller portions, leaving us with just more details to keep track of.

Saturday, December 28, 2019

TL;DR—Too Long; Didn't Read


by Cathy Fyock @CathyFyock

Too long; didn’t read, or TL;DR has become shorthand for writing which is overly verbose. Congruent with Strunk and White’s admonition to “omit needless words” and with Einstein’s statement, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler,” TLDR (or “Teal Deer”) has a long history of use on the Internet as shorthand for the need to summarize and abbreviate.

Friday, December 27, 2019

Whether You’re Walking or Writing, the Journey’s the Same


by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

When you walk in endless circles on an indoor track, there isn’t much too look at, so you study people. Record cold forced my husband and me to abandon our morning walks in the neighborhood and retreat to the shelter of a nearby recreation center. Within three days, I’d identified the regulars and learned their names. Watching them, I realized that a writers’ life lesson was playing itself out in front of me.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

When God Changes Our Plans


by Henry McLaughlin @RiverBendSagas

Several years ago, I had a plan and I was living it out. My plan was to work my second career for a Christian ministry until I retired and then enjoy a life of leisure. I was also writing as a side gig. Even I knew better than to quit my day job.

But God had other ideas. And I didn’t particularly agree with them. 

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Dipping the Quill Deeper: Extolling Humility


by Eva Marie Everson @EvaMarieEverson

A few years back I had the pleasure and honor of working on a project with Reverend Eric Eichinger who had been contracted by Tyndale Publishers to write a biography about Reverend Eric Liddell (1902 – 1945).

Thirty-one years after his death, Liddell had been made famous (again) by the 1981 movie Chariots of Firewhich told the story of his determination not to run on a Sunday, which he was slated for. Eichinger and I were to be a part of making him famous yet again with our book The Final Race (Tyndale, 2018).

Monday, December 23, 2019

Publishing vs. Encouraging


by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan

According to a song lyric by Linda Rondeau

Home, home in the industry
Where the writers and publishers play
Where seldom is heard 
An encouraging word
And the skies are so cloudy all day 

Thanks, Linda for letting me borrow the lyric. Yes, I've experienced discouragement in my writing journey. Maybe it was a rejection, or comments from a contest judge, but they threw ice cubes on my dreams.  

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Unselfish Love—the Beat Goes On


by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea

Now that all my children are adults, I can tell you that raising the five of them was very often like a game of full-contact musical chairs. Without the chairs.
            
It wasn’t so much about the wrestling—though believe me, there was plenty of that. But it was more about the music. Always even more of that. All three of my sons are in music ministries now and the two daughters are musical too. 

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Would You Nominate The Write Conversation?


by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

Well it's that time of year again, and I'm asking for a special holiday gift from all of my loyal readers. Would you help us get The Write Conversation recognized as on of the Writer's Digest Top 101 Websites for Writers? It only takes a quick email. 

This year it's easy, just send an email. They're also asking for suggestions for categories. Here's a link to the entire Writer's Digest article: Call for the Best 101 Websites for Writers Nominations.

If you don't have time to read the article, here's the short version of how to nominate us:

Send your nominations to Writer's Digest at:


with the subject line: 

101 Best Websites Nomination.

Whether we win or not, I want to thank you for being the BEST writing community on the web!

Blessings,
Edie

Friday, December 20, 2019

Recovery from a Book Launch Disaster

Edie here. Today I'm so excited to present a publishing industry giant. Terry has an incredible amount of knowledge and since he's just published a new book—10 Publishing Myths, Insights Every Author Needs to Succeed—I convinced him to come on and share some of it with us. I know you will be blessed. Give him a big TWC welcome!


Recovery from a Book Launch Disaster
by Terry Whalin @TerryWhalin


How do you recover from a book launch disaster? Over 4,500 new books are published every day.  As someone who has been in publishing for years, I understand without the author's active role, little happens. 

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Healthy Writer Habits


by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga


To be effective as writers we need to take care of our physical and spiritual health. Studies prove physical activity improves one’s well-being. Unfortunately, writing is sedentary. The following seven tips will ensure you maintain balance in these areas.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

An Epic Story Only God Could Write


by Katy Kauffman @KatyKauffman28

If we were going to write an epic novel that appealed to countless generations of readers, what characters would we create? Would they be dashing or timid? Successful or defeated? A good novelist knows that a protagonist must be an enticing mixture of courage and hesitation, splendid qualities and identifiable weak points. He or she has to be true to life.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Tips to Help Writers Fight & Win the Comparison Battle


by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel

by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel
  • “Why did she get a book contract before me when I’ve been writing longer than she has?”
  • “I sent the retreat committee my topics and video clips, but they chose a much younger speaker with almost no experience.”
  • “Our books were published the same month, yet his already has 300 Amazon reviews and I haven’t even hit fifty yet.”
  • “I don’t understand why I wasn’t asked to return as faculty when John serves at the conference every year.”
  • “I love rooming with my friend Jane at writers’ conferences, but it’s hard when she tells me every night about the editors and publishers who are interested in her projects.”
  • “We have the same publisher, but they spent a fortune on her marketing and I was pretty much left to fend for myself.”

Monday, December 16, 2019

Tips to Become a Television Guest


by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting

Hosting a television show on puppetry fell into my lap when the original host backed out. Then I discovered I needed to reapply for the grant and produce the next season of shows. I did this until I moved away. My experience made it fairly easy to get booked as a guest. Since I’ve experienced both sides of talk shows, let me share tips on becoming a guest on television.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

My One Word


by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

When I go to bed I’m exhausted until my head hits the pillow. Then my eyes pop open as I think of a new scene or two for my fiction project. I grab my cell phone, turn down the brightness so I don’t wake up my husband and begin to one-finger type away the scenes.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Choosing to Breathe During the Holidaze


by Beth K. Vogt @BethVogt

Sometimes I refer to the Christmas season as the “holidaze.” 

Yes, I’m familiar with the lyrics proclaiming this “the most wonderful time of the year.” But we also know it’s the busiest time of the year, too, with days overflowing with competing time demands. 

Friday, December 13, 2019

Writing with the Fire of a Yule Log


by Joshua J. Masters @JoshuaJMasters

“Am I writing with the fire of a yule log?” That’s a question every Christian author should ask themselves during the Christmas season and continue asking throughout the year.

No season affects the heart of man like Christmas. If only for a short time, the holiday allows people to see the world through a different lens, and isn’t that what we’d like our writing to do?

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Share Good News with the Gift of Writing



by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

I didn’t bring a gift to the birthday celebration. In fact, the gentleman celebrating his special day was the one who distributed gifts. Ninety gifts to be exact. 

Joseph Montgomery, from a small town in south-Georgia, celebrated his 90th birthday in a rather unusual way: he gave away ninety one-dollar bills to perfect strangers. 

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Make Your Writing Research Take You Further With These 7 Tips


by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

Has it ever occurred to you to use your article research to write different types of articles once your original article is published? For most researched articles, there is always a file of information you have to cut in order to stay within your word count. Save it and turn it into assorted types of articles.

There are several basic article types popular with magazines and that lend themselves well to repurposing the material. Here is a quick look at the types of articles you can use.

1. Personal Experience article—This is your story. Not all of it in one place (that would be a book!) but a snippet of one experience that you can share with readers that will make an impact on their lives.

2. Profile article—Similar to the personal experience but it isn’t your experience. You are writing about the experience of someone else. For this you must interview your subject and learn all you can about him or her.

3. Round Up article—This one is really just what it sounds like. You “round up” information on one subject from several sources and cohesively present it to your readers.

4. Calendar article—This article would be related to a season or calendar event.

5. How To article—Article that teaches the reader something new.

6. Issue article—Often “piggybacks” on something in the news. Article must be balanced.

7. Devotional/Inspirational—Makes a single God-centered point that directs readers to God and/or inspires the reader to become a better person.

For example, if you have done a profile article from a celebrity interview, why not ask a few extra questions during your time together that will help create another article. If you have spent most of your time talking about his or her career, ask about a special Christmas memory. Record the details to save for a seasonal article that centers on special holiday memories of celebrities. If your celebrity has a particular hobby or skill, use what you learn as a springboard for a how-to article. Or if he or she is a political figure and has been in the news discussing a specific issue, do a little more research for a balanced issue article. This one interview could be the springboard for multiple articles.

Each article type has specific guidelines but all are easy to master. If you've never done so, try to stretch your research today by writing more than one article from your information. If you have, share with us in the comments below how you stretch your research.

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Make Your Writing Research Take You Further With These 7 Tips - @LindaGilden on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, certified writing and speaking coach, and personality consultant. Linda is the author of 19 books and over 1000 magazine articles. She enjoys every meeting with editors and knowing we are all part of the same team. Linda’s favorite activity (other than eating folded potato chips) is floating in a pool with a good book surrounded by splashing grandchildren—a great source of writing material! www.lindagilden.com

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Being the Storyteller We Love


by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted

Grandma was a wonderful storyteller. Twenty-seven years after her death, I doubt even one cousin would fail to recognize her tales after just one or two phrases. We loved sitting around her in the living room listening to her yarns and trying to decipher truth from fiction.

Monday, December 9, 2019

How to Craft the First Point of Your Presentation: Part 2


by Yvonne Ortega @YvonneOrtega1

In Part 2, you will go through the ways to use the foundational phrase in the first point of your presentation. We covered the niche and the foundational phrase in Part 1 of How to Craft the First Point of Your Presentation

The First Way to Use the Foundational Phrase: Anecdote or Story

One of the most popular ways to craft your first point is the use of an anecdote or story.

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Is a Bible Reading Plan for You in 2020?


by Tim Suddeth @TimSuddeth


In my senior year at seminary, I had an epiphany. I was getting my Masters in Theology so that I could teach the Bible, yet I had never read it thru from cover to cover. I had grown up in church and gone to countless Bible studies so I knew most, if not all of the Bible. However, I’d never systematically read it in its entirety.

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Choose Wisely


by Lynn H. Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn


I didn’t win NaNo. I could have won, but I didn’t, and I’m not sorry.

In case you have no idea what I’m talking about, NaNo is short for NaNoWriMo, which is short for National Novel Writing Month. The goal of NaNo is to write 50K in one month. I have no idea what a typical writing month looks like for writers who write full time, but for this writer, 50K is a lot. By a lot, we’re talking double what I would normally consider a very good month.

I got close. I could have done it.

But I chose not to, and I think the choosing is why I don’t feel bad about it. 

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Start Writing Your Book in the Right Place


by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

What a silly question! It starts at the beginning, right? Or does it? Where exactly IS that beginning?

Believe it or not, most people (especially newbies), start in the wrong place. Do you?

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Don’t Throw Away Your Writing


by PeggySue Wells @PeggySueWells

Peabody Award winner, Paul McCusker is a screenwriter (Beyond the Mask), scriptwriter, director of multiple award-winning audio dramatizations, Dove-nominated song writer, and author. If you’ve listened to Focus on the Family’s Adventures in Odyssey, now in its 30th year, you are familiar with a quarter of a century of Paul McCusker’s excellent and prolific writing. 

Monday, December 2, 2019

Writing Holidays in Speculative Fiction


by Ralene Burke @RaleneB


We’re right smack dab in the middle of holiday season! Halloween and Thanksgiving are behind us, and Christmas and New Year’s are both less than a month away. Welcome to my favorite time of the year!

Many writers of fiction that takes place in our world don’t have to worry too much about holidays. They only need to be aware of what they are and where they fall in their story timeline. If a writer is writing a historical novel set in winter in 19th century England, but they don’t have the character’s celebrating Christmas in some way? Well, that’s a little weird. 

Sunday, December 1, 2019

I Must Not Allow My Life to Become a Discordant Distraction


by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

I love listening to praise music. It can send my soul soaring as I reconnect with the healing truth that comes only from God. It also anchors that truth in my brain in a way that few other mediums can do. When I hear truth sung, I recall it quicker when a situation arises, even when I don’t feel like singing.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving


From all of us here on The Write Conversation, we wish you an abundant-filled Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

A Writer's Thankful List


by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Busy cooks are scurrying about in the kitchen. Recipes are positioned for easy viewing. Refrigerators are packed full. The table is set to give the host an extra hour tomorrow. The scent of cinnamon and spice are wafting through the house better than any candle or potpourri. Mouths are watering, and smiles fill the house.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Dipping the Quill Deeper; The Three People You Are


by Eva Marie Everson @EvaMarieEverson


“You are three people,” I say as I stand in front of my fiction workshops, whether at writers conferences or one of the many day-long events I’ve been asked to attend. “You are who you are when you are in public … at work … with a group of friends … at church. That’s the first person. Then, you are the person you are when you are at home … with your immediate family—mother, father, sisters, brothers, spouse, children—and your closest friends, who are like family. That’s the second person. Finally, you are the person you are when you are all alone. Just you and God. No one else. Just you.”

Monday, November 25, 2019

Writing a Christmas Story


by Ane Mulligan @AneMulligan

A few years ago, before I got my first publishing contract, I had an idea for a novella collection of Christmas stories. After all, many authors contributed to collections and got their first contract that way. I was on a quest to publish and figured it was worth a try. 

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Don’t I Wish—Thoughts on more PRESENCE not Presents


by Rhonda Rhea @RhondaRhea


Ah, Christmas shopping. When you can find yourself completely enveloped in the smell of evergreen. And sometimes pepper spray.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Writers, Rethink Revision


by Cathy Fyock @CathyFyock

Recently, I was in a meeting with a client and publisher Kate Colbert, and she said something that got my attention. She said, “You know, your book needs revision. And by that I mean a re-visioning.” She went on to say that the true meaning of revision is not just to merely rework the sections or change a word or two, but to really re-think the purpose of the piece, the readership of the book, or other critical elements. 

Friday, November 22, 2019

4 Reasons Writers Should Clothe Ourselves with Humility


by Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2

Eight years have passed since I received this email from a writer about an article she’d submitted: 

I’ve submitted several articles to the previous editor of this magazine. She never edited my work like you’ve done. If my writing was good enough for her, it should be good enough for you.

I prayerfully responded:

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Connect with Readers through Closed Facebook Groups

by Susan U. Neal RN, MBA, MHS @SusanNealYoga

Would you like to develop relationships with your readers? You can through closed Facebook groups. Many writers have created Facebook author pages, but in a closed group, only group members can see the posts. The focus of these groups is about how the author can benefit the reader who chooses to join the group. Think of it as a Bible study in your home. You are the host who offers valuable content. During the study a relationship develops between members as you get to know one another. Facebook groups can be mutually beneficial for the reader and the author.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Are You a Humble Writer?


by Lucinda Secrest McDowell @LucindaSMcDowel


The voice at the other end of the phone was ecstatic, “I love your book—it’s so deep, so insightful! I don’t understand why you aren’t more famous as an author. In fact, you should have been the keynote speaker, not just a seminar leader at that conference. You are an amazing writer! Why haven’t I ever heard of your books before?”

Monday, November 18, 2019

Time Management for Authors is Cyclical & Varies By Season


by Karen Whiting @KarenHWhiting

Authors manage more than writing. We really have seasons throughout cycle of creating and launching books. In certain time periods, we focus on one aspect more than another.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Writers as Harvesters of Righteousness


by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

When I hear the word harvest, I immediately think of gathering something. In my mind, I see the farmers gathering up the fruits of their labor that have ripened. During this time of year near where I used to live in Ohio, farmers have gathered their grain to store up for the winter to come. The corn is in the silo, ready to feed the animals through the long cold season.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Lost Yesterdays as God Equips Us to Write


by Emme Gannon @GannonEmme

Love once blended with another. As one. Now fading as the mist of dawn. Dreams once pursued now silent. Like the still of a moonless night. Such is the exploding emotions when dreams fade.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

A Dozen Blessings of Newspaper Writing



by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

Headlines for the month of November encourage us to count our blessings, an exercise that behooves us twelve months of the year. Occasionally along the writing journey, we’re prone to celebrate and give thanks for the end product – the byline, the print magazine in hand, the final copy of that coveted book. 

But there’s much to learn along the way, many opportunities for thanksgiving, blessings just waiting to be acknowledged and celebrated.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Tips for Writers: What is a Simultaneous Submission?

PSL - Publishing as a Second Language
















by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden

Simultaneous submission is another writing term that is seemingly self-explanatory, right? Well, yes. 

Just send a manuscript simultaneously to several publishers. But there are a few things that will help you understand how the process works.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

When Writing Grows Hard


by Cindy Sproles @CindyDevoted


It’s a given that writing is not easy. Learning the craft, the art, of writing is no different than learning the craft of pottery or forging. It must be learned. Practiced. Honed. Folks don’t just pick up a pen one day and write a best-selling novel. 

Monday, November 11, 2019

How to Craft the First Point of Your Presentation: Part 1


by Yvonne Ortega @YvonneOrtega1

What are you passionate about? What could you speak or write on that you would forget to eat a meal or stay up late to prepare for it? That’s your topic. Narrow it as much as you can. Then narrow it again. 

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Clarity in the Fog


by Edie Melson @EdieMelson

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
Job 12:7-9 ESV

Most of you know that beyond writing, photography is my second love. It's been amazing to spend time really looking at the world around me and I've been blessed by the spiritual lessons God has taught me through this endeavor.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

GRATITUDE: Choosing not to Overlook the Little Things


by Beth K Vogt @BethVogt

Being thankful seems to come more easily to us in November, doesn’t it?

From the first day of the month, we’re thinking about Thanksgiving. Yes, maybe for some of us our focus has been pared down to nothing more than a national holiday that gives us a chance to feast on turkey and all the traditional trimmings. But we also can’t help but catch at least a glimpse of the “give thanks” part of the holiday.

Friday, November 8, 2019

5 Daily Questions Writers Should Ask God


by Joshua J Masters @JoshuaJMasters

Learning the disciplines of writing is important, but it’s even more essential for Christian authors to develop an ongoing focus on God as they use their gift. 

Here are five questions every Christian writer should ask God to start their day.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Move Past Writing Obstacles with These Tips


by Lynn H Blackburn @LynnHBlackburn

My family and I recently spent a lovely week on the Emerald Coast of Florida. The white sandy beaches of the panhandle are beautiful and the water is clear—a big plus for me because I love playing in the water, but I don’t love wondering what’s swimming with me! 

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Business of Writing


by Sarah Sally Hamer @SarahSallyHamer

Lots of writers just write. The joy of creating a story, of dealing with those voices in your head, is amazing. And, if that’s all the farther it goes for a writer, there’s nothing wrong with that. But many writers take it to the next step and attempt to make a career of it.