A couple weeks ago, I attended the 32nd annual Montrose Christian Writer's Conference up in Montrose, Pennsylvania. This was my third year going, and let me tell you, it was another GREAT year! There were 4 major morning classes, and a variation of different workshops to attend in the afternoon. Another feature was a free 15-minute meeting with an editor/agent in attendance to show them your work, get their feedback, and even present a book proposal to them! *gasp* I have yet to present a proposal but I have met with authors to get their feedback on a chapter and I've paid for a critique (which includes a 30 minute meeting with them to talk about the work you've sent to them ahead of time.) This year, for the first time, I stayed overnight. I do live close enough to commute (an hour away) but I wanted to get the full experience and stay on campus. The building in the picture above (Dreyer Lodge) is where a majority of the conference happens. Isn't it beautiful? Over lunch one day, the leader of my local writer's group (shout out to Donna Spudis!) asked if I could share three things I learned from the conference at our next critique group meeting. Last week, I was able to share those things I learned and I thought I'd share them with you as well! #1: Italics For as long as I've been reading (and writing), I've noticed how authors italicize the character's thoughts. I applied the technique to my own writing and have been doing so for a couple years now. Until I learned. . . italics aren't as popular as they once were. Instead writers these days should write in "close third." Example: Everything I touch, breaks. ~character's thought~ Close third: The fractured glass reminded her of the many lives she'd broken. #2: Know why you're doing this. Every morning, a different author gives a "morning challenge" before we go off to our major morning classes. On Thursday morning, Roseanna M. White told us to, "Know your why." Why do we write? Why do we do this? This is great practice. So often I get caught up in the story and in my characters that when someone asks me "why" I wrote this story or "why" my character reacted this way, I draw a blank. In fact, at the very first major morning class, taught by Gayle Roper, she asked us: Why did you decide to write this story? After I gave a brief synopsis of my story to one of the writers over lunch, she asked me something along the lines of, "What made you want to write this story?" Writer friends, answer these questions ahead of time so you'll better be able to answer them! :) #3: Confirmation helps you see the problem. This lesson was unique because I didn't necessarily learn it from one of the classes, but I experienced it. I showed a chapter of my current work-in-progress to one of the editors there (you know who you are!) and she pointed out something I could do to add to my character's reaction to a certain problem that she'd suffered through. On a whim, that afternoon, I attended a free critique group in Dreyer Lodge's chapel and the author heading it also mentioned the SAME thing! Yay, confirmation! That's why I say that confirmation helps you see the problem. It's why you have beta readers go over your stories so that if they point out some of the same things, then you know that's definitely an area of your story that you need to change! One thing you'll notice, if you attend, are the stuffed animal ducks scattered all around the place. Writers are "odd ducks" to some people and that's where the ducks come in. ;) Want an example of odd duck-ness? I took a picture of my door, my room key, and the hallway outside of my room because of the inspiration I had for a future story about a haunted hotel, a handsome locksmith (hence the key), and a heroine in danger. There you have it! ;) I may have gone overboard in my book buying this year, but I just couldn't resist! Lol! ;)
Finally, a shout out to so many people who made this conference great! Thank you to Marsha Hubler, the fabulous director of the conference. Your "words of wisdom" are my favorite part of the mornings! ;) Thanks to Gayle Roper for the major morning class and the signed book! I can't wait to read it! Thank you to Roseanna White for signing every book for me, for your helpful afternoon classes, and the feedback you gave me for my first chapter! You became one of my favorite authors to read after my first conference (two years ago!) I was so blessed to be able to attend this conference and I am patiently counting down the days till next year! :)
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I've been working on rewriting a story for the past couple of months. This meant lots of plot work, new twists to the character's back stories, and etc. One afternoon, I while I was going over the structure of the story and trying to shape the main character's character arc, I noticed a new theme. One I hadn't intended to write into it, but there it was.
My character has a history of failing to some degree. She feels like she failed nursing school, she failed her first patient, and she had a friendship that failed way back when she was a teenager. That day was when I noticed she was afraid of failure. Aren't we all? There are times, I'll admit, that I'm afraid to send my writing out into the publishing world. I'm afraid of the rejection letters that are inevitable in the life of every blossoming writer. I'm afraid of what they will think of my words. . . of the message I send out into the world. Will they love it? Hate it? Brush it aside as something not worth their time? After all, publishers get a bazillion queries, book proposals, and the like. What are the chances of having your story singled out of all those others? Well, back to the story. (No pun intended!) The past two days I've been pondering this new direction in the story's theme and trying to find verses that speak on the subject, and that's when I remembered a verse I'd heard awhile ago. "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me." (Micah 7:8) And there was another passage from Psalm 37 that I looked up as well. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand." (Ps. 37:23-24) I reread the verse from Micah tonight and hit me. This is one characteristic of a Christian that stands out. When we sin, we don't sit down in defeat. We get back up, repent, and our relationship with the Lord is restored. And we do that many times in our lifetime. What makes us stand out? When we fall down, we don't stay down. With God's strength and grace, we get back up and try again. I feel like those passages and the character's journey with that theme resonated with the season I'm currently in. Don't let the enemy rejoice over your defeat. Get back up. . . and determine to try your very best. Over and over and over again. Don't let your fear of failure hold you back. If you fail, you'll learn and grow. Then you'll get back up and start over again. So take courage, readers! If we're more than conquerors through Christ, don't settle for a seat on the ground. Brush that dust off of you and rise up, taking hold of God's strength, and keep on keeping on. :) Do you lack confidence?
Maybe you lack confidence in yourself, in your abilities, in your hobbies, or in your relationships. Whatever area of your life this hits, I want to be a voice that encourages you today; a voice that tells you a truth we all too often lose sight of: you are not alone in this struggle. This deficiency of confidence doesn't discriminate. It can happen to anybody. Take writers, for instance. Would you believe me if I told you I've been struggling with confidence in my writing for the last couple of weeks? Yeah, writers seem to get hit with this A LOT. Even seasoned writers, so I've heard. There's something so debilitating about it. Doubts creep in, you're second guessing every word you type down on the page, and then fear hits. It's understandable that your confidence just drains away! There are so many holes where those thorns poked you that the confidence just seeps right out. Amuse me for a few minutes. Picture this: I wrote a story nine years ago. 3 years ago, this same story underwent a MAJOR rewrite and revision. After finishing it, I got it critiqued; I tweaked it a little more and sent it off to some beta readers to get their spin on it. Their comments and suggestions were helpful and inspired me to dive into a risky third rewrite. (Why do I always feel like I'm rewriting? ;P ) I picked it up for the rewrite and started it. Once. *crumples paper, throws it in the trash can* Twice. *Sigh. This won't work* Three times. Finally, I settled with an opening that I enjoyed crafting, and the story took off from there. . . running straight into a speed bump. Whoops! Confidence waned, and my mind was so mixed up. I had no idea how to incorporate all the jigsaw-puzzle pieces of the story into one legible picture puzzle. I admit there were times I was tempted to throw it all out and start over again. And this was the point where I knew I had to remind myself of why I was doing this hard task of writing, and Who I was doing it for. Writing isn't about talent. It's not about how confidence or unconfident I feel. It's about me realizing that if it wasn't for God equipping me, I wouldn't be a writer in the first place. Isn't that humbling? It's only because of Him that I can write at all. Through Him, I can do all things (Phil. 4:13). Without Him, I can try swimming on my own but I'll end up floundering and drowning if I don't reach out for the life ring. I need Him. My confidence--and your confidence--can only come by trusting completely in Him. Trusting in His plan for your life and for the calling He has placed upon YOU. Only then can that book, that poem, and that song have the power to change lives and hearts, for His glory. :) |
AuthorHi! I'm Carolyn, a writer seeking to glorify God with my words. Archives
February 2024
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