Latest Blog Posts

A Positive Rejection

8
By Vonda Skelton | January 29, 2008

January 29, 2008

In order to protect the not-so-innocent, we'll call him John. He was tall, handsome, and athletic. The desire of every eighth grade girl. Oh, if only he would chose me as his partner–my life would be perfect!

Well, you know the story. I lined up, alongside three-fourths of the female eighth-graders, and applied for the role of John's girl. But he said I wasn't a good fit. I wasn't his type.

In other words, I was rejected.

It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Two years later, I met Gary, the love of my life. We've now been married 38 years–and are still happy about it! But it wasn't until I ran into John twenty years after high school graduation that I realized how blessed I was to have lost that competition. Let me just say, it was a positive rejection.

Rejections are part of the writing life. We look over the field of options and decide on the magazine or book publisher or website we desire to partner with. We line up alongside hundreds of other writers and apply for the role. And chances are, we don't win the part. They tell us we aren't a good fit. We aren't their type. In other words, we're rejected.

It can be the best thing that happens to us.

Years ago, soon after the publication of my first sold article , I submitted a piece to HomeLife Magazine (LifeWay–I had met the editor at a writer's conference). It was a good article. I was sure they would choose to partner with me–and then my writing life would be perfect!

The article was promptly rejected. We weren't a good fit, they said. The article wasn't their type. They did say, however, that they would pass it along to the editor of Christian Health Magazine, a magazine I'd never heard of.

When I received Christian Health's email rejection, I wasn't surprised and wasn't even too disappointed. After all, I hadn't submitted to them in the first place! But as I read the note, I was surprised at the last paragraph. "Even though this particular article wasn't appropriate for our magazine, we do like your writing style. Would you consider writing a 1000-word article on Folic Acid?"

So I became a writer for Christian Health.

A few articles later, the editor of Christian Single Magazine, another LifeWay publication, called me at home. "We've been introduced to your writing through the editor at Christian Health. Would you be interested in writing a monthly column for us?"

So I became a writer for Christian Single. (Yes, I am a married, 56-year-old grandmother of four…and I write for Christian Single Magazine.)

But here's the punch line: A couple of years later, I received an unsolicited email from the new editor of HomeLife Magazine. Yep–the original magazine of this story. I had never contacted the magazine again since that first rejection, but the editor said she was aware of my articles and impressed with my work. "Would you consider writing for us?"

So after a round-about detour, I became a writer for HomeLife Magazine!

I can't help but think back to that original rejection. At the time, I was devastated. All I could see was my failure. They didn't want me. But now I see it was a rejection with a positive ending. Instead of writing for one magazine, I ended up writing for three magazines within the same publishing house!

This type of story plays out time and time again in the writing world. Yesterday I heard from another writer who recently experienced positive rejection. After submitting her novel to a major Christian publisher last year, the author was disappointed when her manuscript was not accepted. But that wasn't the end of the story. Just this week–without her seeking the role–that same publisher invited her to be part of a team of writers for a new series of books for girls. Instead of writing one book for this publisher, she now has the potential to write several!

Lesson #1: Oh, dear writer, can you see that God has a plan? Can you see that He has a plan for your writing life? My plan was so small the day I submitted that article to HomeLife. One article. One magazine. One chance. I remember how disappointed I was when I added that rejection to the pile. By that time, I had probably collected 70 or more rejections, had invested lots of money in conferences and classes…and I had one check to show for it. How much longer do I keep trying? I asked myself.

How much longer will you keep trying? The Bible is full of examples of men and women who kept trying, who hung in there when things were hard. Do you think Hannah was disappointed time and time again when she didn't get pregnant? How many times did Moses have to return to Pharaoh? How long did Joseph wait for fulfillment of his dream? How many times was Paul beaten and chained? Hannah and Moses and Joseph and Paul were rejected. And yet God chose each of these people for a very specific role.

If God has called you to be a writer, He has a specific plan for your writing life. It may not be the route or the timing or the publications you have in mind, but He has a plan. And often, those plans include rejections. Rejections that can even turn into positives.

Lesson #2: We have to come to the point of submitting our work, our successes, and our perceived failures to Him and His plan–whatever that is. Then, whether we ever achieved the world's perception of success or not, our writing lives will be perfect–because we'll be doing whatever it is He has chosen for us to do.

Whether God's writing plans for your life include lots of publications or lots of rejections, He can use your words for His glory.

And that, my friends, is a positive.

Now, I want to hear about your successes! Each month we'll be offering congratulations to writers on this loop who have published works. If you have an article, book, devotion, or other writing published this month, please email me by Saturday, February 2, and I'll announce it to the group. Please be sure to list your name, the publication, and your state. Your experiences will be an encouragement to others!

And the states I listed last week are still available for a free copy of Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe. So, please forward this offer to your friends. Even if they don't live in one of these states, they may know someone who does. There are free books sitting here in my office, waiting for a new home!

And now, I leave you with these words. I hope you'll meditate on them as you go through your week.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

Read entire post »

 

Writer’s Conferences: The first step on your writing journey

2
By Vonda Skelton | January 22, 2008

January 22, 2008 

I sold my first article over grits and bacon at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. I arrived early for breakfast and claimed my spot at Jesse Florea's table. As an editor at Focus on the Family, Jesse was sure to see that my article, Catch Your Child in the Act…of Being Good, was a perfect match for Focus' parenting newsletters. I was the first one at his table that morning and claimed two places-one for him and one for me. My heart pounded as I watched Jesse enter the dining room and head for his spot.

Within minutes, the table full of eager writers attacked him with questions regarding guidelines, submissions, and editorial needs. And even though I felt sorry for Jesse, I added my own din to the I-want-to-be-a-writer clamor. He stopped, took the proffered article from my hand, and read. He smiled. I thought I was going to throw up.

"This sounds like something we could use," he announced.

"It does?"

"Yeah. Send it to me when you get back home."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'm serious," he answered. "Your writing's good. And I know just where this would fit."

"You do?" (Can't you just hear the confidence oozing from my voice?)

He reached in his pocket and handed me his card. "Here's the address. I look forward to getting your article."

And with that, he was off. Just walked away, backpack slung over his shoulder, breakfast tray in hand. Totally unaware that he had at that very moment been part of a miracle: After 63 rejections, I had finally sold an article.

Instead of throwing up, I cried.

Of course, I know now that the article hadn't really sold at that moment. There was still much to do to seal the relationship. But on that day, over grits and bacon, Jesse Florea said I was a good writer and that he would like to use what I had written. Wow.

I've gone on to write many articles for Focus on the Family publications, as well as articles, books, and scripts for many other publications. So you can see why I'm a firm believer in writer's conferences. I mean, where else can you find such a varied collection of writing classes to choose from? Where else can you mingle with editors, agents, and publishers? Where else can you meet other writers who understand your pain? When I look back, I realize I was introduced to most of my writer-friends and contacts in this industry by attending writer's conferences.

But here’s Lesson #1: Don’t expect that your first attendance will necessarily assure publication. My Focus on the Family acceptance experience took place during my second year at Blue Ridge, after attending several other conferences. By that time, I had taken many writing classes and read a library of books on writing.

Lesson #2: There is much to learn about the craft of writing. It’s a process. You have to be willing to put in your hard work, time, and money. There are no shortcuts.

Be sure to check out my article, Making the Most of Writer’s Conferences and then begin your search for the right conference for you. I’ll be teaching at several conferences this year and would love to see you there:

  • Foothills Writer’s Guild Writer’s Workshop , March 28-29 in Anderson, SC
  • Gideon Media Arts Conference & Film Festival , April 14-18 at Ridgecrest, NC
  • Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference , May 18-22 at Ridgecrest, NC

I’ve also taught at and/or recommend these conferences:

  • North Texas Christian Writer’s Conference in TX
  • Glorieta Christian Writers Conference in NM
  • Delaware Christian Writers Conference in DE
  • Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference in PA
  • Colorado Christian Writers Conference in CO
  • Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference in CA

You can also find a list of conferences at Shaw Guides.

So if you’re serious about writing, you’ll be serious about attending a conference. Maybe you’re like me and you feel like you can’t afford a conference. I didn’t feel like I could either, at first. So instead of gifts, I asked my family to give me money for my birthday, Christmas, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. They did and I went. After the first year or two, I started looking at writers conferences as my “education” in my career choice. In the same way that I had to pay for my education in nursing before I became an RN, I needed to pay for my education in writing before I became a writer. (See Lesson #2: There are no shortcuts.)

So start saving your pennies now and before you know it, you could be sitting at the table, eating your grits . . . and making the writing connection that could change your life!

And a quick reminder that I still have a free book for the first person from each state listed below who will agree to help spread the word about Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe. If you know someone who lives in one of the states, please feel free to forward the offer to them.

Arizona, Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin

And don’t forget to sign up for an email reminder each time a new Tuesday blog entry is posted on the Christian Writer’s Den. I’d hate for us to miss our time together! Thank you for passing along The Christian Writer's Den to your writer and reader friends. The more we have, the more we can learn from each other!

And lastly, here’s our verse for the week. I hope you’ll meditate on it and hear the message God has for you.

Do not be afraid, keep on speaking, do not be silent. Acts 18:9

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

Read entire post »

 

Things are never as simple as they seem…

2
By Vonda Skelton | January 16, 2008

January 16, 2008 

Well, things are never as simple as they seem for people like us. "It's easy," they say with a yawn . . . and we believe them. It's not that they're lying or anything. It's just that we're from different worlds. They're iPods, Blackberries, and Wii's; we're transistor radios, typewriters, and Atari.

We just don't speak the same language.

Yesterday I announced the opening of The Christian Writer's Den blog, and you were most encouraging–thank you! I heard from many of you who were excited about our weekly gathering and were looking forward to learning more about the writing process, either as a reader or a writer. But there was one little problem: The sign-up process was too difficult for many of us–me included!

But have no fear! My handy-dandy, A+, top-dog webmaster, Steve, has come to the rescue! Now, at the click of a button, you can get an email reminder in your email inbox every time there is a new Christian Writer's Den blog entry. At that point you have two ways you can enter The Den–either by simply visiting my website or going to your Reader (You more advanced people feel free to head on over to the Reader. The rest of us cavemen and women will visit ).

You'll notice now that there is a note under Latest Blog Entries that says, "Subscribe to by email." Simply click on that and you will be given the very simple steps to receiving your email notification. And if you're interested, Steve has also added a Help page that explains more about RSS Feeds and how to use them. But don't feel like you have to use it. The easiest way is to do it by email. (Thank you, Steve!)

I'm sorry for any confusion and frustration this little detour might have caused you, and I hope you won't let it dampen your excitement for our new adventure. I said yesterday that I was tip-toeing into the 21st Century. I realize now that I'm not going willfully. The truth is, technology is dragging me kicking and screaming across the threshold. And sometimes it's not a pretty picture!

Oh, and don't forget to check out the free give-away below. Delaware and Oklahoma are already taken. Check and see if your state is on the list–you could win a free book!

See you next Tuesday!

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your heart,

Vonda

Read entire post »

 

The Christian Writer’s Den is now open and ready for you!

18
By Vonda Skelton | January 15, 2008

January 15, 2008 

Okay, those of you who know me personally are probably asking, "Is she crazy? She doesn't know anything about maintaining a blog!"

Well, you're right–I don't! But my handy-dandy, A-plus, top dog webmaster, Steve, says I can do it, and I'm gullible enough to believe him. So here goes…(GULP!)

  • Have you ever thought about writing, but had no idea where to start?
  • Are you looking for a place to hang out with writers from all walks of life and at all levels of experience?
  • Would you like to hear about writing opportunities, calls for submission, and writer's guidelines?
  • Would you like the chance to hear success stories from published authors and learn from their mistakes?
  • Want to read book reviews, hear about writer's conferences, and announce your own writing accomplishments?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then you're at the right place! Grab your mug (make mine blonde and sweet, please), kick off your shoes, and relax–you're among friends!

My plan is for us to "meet" every Tuesday for a short visit together. The focus will vary from week to week, but my prayer is that you'll always walk away with something that will encourage, instruct, and inspire you.

But that's not all! Give-aways, contests, and special guests are on the horizon! As a matter of fact, more information will be coming soon, but you can go ahead and mark your calendars now for April 29, when author Allison Bottke joins us to talk about writing her latest book, Setting Boundaries with Your Adult Children . Allison writes both fiction and non-fiction and is the founder of God Allows U-Turns ministries–and she has agreed to join US! This is an opportunity you won't want to miss!

(Drumroll, please!) And now for the very first official Christian Writer's Den give away!

sttl_cover_100px As many of you know, my new book, Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe , will be officially released in a couple of weeks, but the push is on now to get the word out. (Lesson #1 for writers: Every author has to market his or her books. The publisher's biggest marketing dollars go to the publisher's biggest authors–and in case you haven't noticed, that would not be me.)

I would love to have at least one copy of Seeing Through the Lies in every state across America as quickly as possible. So far, we're off to a great start, but we still have many states that need an "inaugural" copy. If you're willing to be an influencer and your state is waiting for a copy, email me . (Lesson #2 for writers: An influencer is a person who agrees to promote a book through endorsements, book reviews, and by telling others about it.) If you're the first to respond from your state, I'll send you a free influencer's copy! Sorry, but only the first responder from each state wins a book. And if your state isn't listed, but you know someone who lives in a targeted state, please pass along the offer.

Here are the remaining states:

Arizona Connecticut Delaware DC Hawaii Maine Massachusetts Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey North Dakota Oklahoma Rhode Island South Dakota Utah Vermont Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Just remember–the recipient must be willing to help spread the word through reviews, endorsements, and introductions to bookstores and women's groups. Oh, and I'll need a mailing address, of course. Thank you for your help! I appreciate it more than you know!

So, I guess that just about wraps up our first session. I hope you'll join me every week as we learn from each other and share our triumphs and our tears with the only ones who truly understand–other writers.

I leave you with this verse. I hope you'll meditate on it as you go through your week.

Therefore, this is what the Lord says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless words, you will be my spokesman." Jeremiah 15:19

I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts.

Vonda

Read entire post »