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Begin at the Beginning

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By Vonda Skelton | February 19, 2008

February 19, 2008

I knew I wanted to be a writer after I wrote my first poem in first grade. In high school I worked on the newspaper and the literary journal and in college I knew that one day I would write a book. The next thing I knew, I was forty.

Since I figured my life was half over, I thought I'd better get started. So, like lots of other writers, I sat down and wrote a book. Took me about three months and I was sure I had written the great American novel for kids. I remember the day I dropped the first batch of ten envelopes in the mailbox and thought, "Oh my. What am I going to do when five publishers want my book at the same time? Oh, my!"

Before the stamps were dry, the ten rejections were back in my mailbox. (Yes, those were the days when you had to actually lick the stamps!)

Last week I was packing my car after speaking at a school when a precious lady came up to me and said, "I've written a book. Could you tell me how to get it published?" I could see the excitement and anticipation in her face, and knew I must have looked and sounded exactly like that…back before I knew.

After a few questions, I discovered that–just like me and many other new writers–she had never taken a class or attended a conference. Just like me, she had written a book and expected to sell it by following a simple plan of 1-2-3. Oh, if only it were that easy! (And if you're that precious new friend and you found your way here, I'm so proud of you! You're headed in the right direction!)

Lesson #1: Take the time to learn the craft. If you don't get anything from this post, I hope you get this: There are no shortcuts. I once heard bestselling author, T. Davis Bunn, say something like, "Would someone decide he wants to be a concert pianist, learn to bang out Chopsticks, and then expect to play Carnegie Hall? Would someone decide to be an artist, slap a little paint on a canvas, and then expect a buyer to pay her for it? Of course not! But that's exactly what we do when we simply sit down, write a book, and think it's going to be sold."

So, instead of jumping straight into a book, start at the beginning. Find a local writer's group, take a class at the local community college, and attend a writer's conference. Join online writers' communities and newsletters, such as The Writer's View 2, Right-Writing.com, AbsoluteWrite.com, and SpiritLed Writer. Join writers' organizations, such as American Christian Fiction Writers, Christian Writers Guild, and Christian Writers Fellowship International. It doesn't mean you can't be working on your book from the beginning, but you need to learn the craft in the process.

Lesson #2: Start with short pieces. Many of us start out with a big plan–to write and sell a book. And it could happen. Possibly. But your chances for publication increase if you start out small by submitting articles and stories. And the chances of publishing a book are much greater if you've already proven you can write publishable short pieces.

My friend, Jo Rae Cash, did it right. Like me, she had always wanted to write. Like me, she knew that one day she would write a book. But unlike me, she went about it the right way.

Two years ago, Jo Rae heard about our local writer's critique group and quickly rearranged her schedule in order to attend. When we offered our annual fall writer's retreat, she signed up. Every time I would post a new call for submissions, she submitted a piece. She worked, she studied, she took the instruction to heart.

Jo Rae has now had at least ten articles and devotions published and has contributed to four books: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Kids in the Kitchen, Chicken Soup for the Tea-Lover's Soul, The One-Year Life Verse Devotional, and the upcoming book, Christmas Traditions. And now she's working on the first book of her own–a Bible study.

If you're willing to look at some smaller opportunities, here are four calls for submission:

  1. The Spiritual Mom–stories about mentors
  2. God Allows U Turns –stories about parenting, boomers, and writing
  3. A Cup of Comfort –stories about military families, new mothers, and adoption
  4. Chicken Soup for the Soul –multiple needs

But anthologies aren't the only avenue for the new writer to see his or her work in print. If you're interested in writing devotions, author and blogger, Eddie Jones, is open to submissions for his devotional blog, ChristianDevotions. Email Eddie for guidelines at .

So, are you serious about writing? Then you'll want to learn the craft and start small.

And don't forget the importance of writers conferences. Here are three opportunities to save money if you're considering the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in May:

  1. Cecil B. Murphey Foundation Scholarships
  2. $10 off for The Christian Writer's Den members–if you're reading this, you're one of us! Email me so I can add your name to the conference list and then let them know when you register.
  3. $15 off for each announcement you arrange in a newspaper or on the radio–up to $45. Contact Yvonne Lehman , Director, to report your contributions and get your discount.

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I'm still hoping to send a free copy of Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe to someone who would be willing to spread the word in the following states: Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Vermont. If you know someone who lives in these states, please forward this opportunity. I'd love to hear from them!

And best of all, I want to leave you with these words from Paul. They were for Archippus, but they apply to us as well:

"See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord."                                                Colossians 4:1
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I pray God's blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Three Little Words

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By Vonda Skelton | February 12, 2008

February 12, 2008

Okay, be honest–you think this is just another sappy essay about Valentine's Day and the meaning of love, right? Wrong. Believe me, I'm not writing about dating, marriage, or conversation hearts. The three little words I'm talking about today are powerful.

Let's face it, most writers write because we feel we have something of value to say. We have something we're passionate about and want to share it with others. (Well, that…and a paycheck. Here's lesson #1: You need to know up front–if you're counting on making gobs of money for your writing efforts, you're probably in the wrong business!)

Most of us write because we hope that someone will learn from our mistakes or be encouraged by our successes; that our stories will entertain readers and perhaps even change lives for eternity.

I hope you'll enjoy these words about words, taken from my new book, Seeing Through the Lies:

I've always loved drama. From the time I was a little girl, sitting in front of a black and white TV, I knew that movies and scripts could reach down inside and grab a part of the soul that few things could ever touch.

By the time I was a teenager, I knew the power of the stage, the power of scripted words. And nothing proved it better than Frank Zeffirelli's movie, Romeo and Juliet. The story. The costumes. The music. The words. I was captivated! I must have watched it a hundred times, and yet every time, it was as if I were seeing it afresh, anew.

My heart danced the night Romeo and Juliet danced–their faces and their lives hidden behind the masks, falling into a forbidden love. A love of good and evil.

Two sides. Two families. The Capulets and the Montagues.

You know the story. Romeo and Juliet fall in love, secretly marry, and spend one night together. The next day, Romeo kills Juliet's cousin in a battle between their families, and then must escape to save his life. Unaware of his daughter's marriage, Juliet's father decrees she will marry another man.

Juliet is afraid to reveal the truth, so she meets with the priest and together they devise a plan that will allow the couple to be together forever. It is a fail-proof plan. With the help of a sleeping potion, Juliet will feign death, and Romeo will return to the city and retrieve her from the tomb. They will escape to live their life of love together, and no one will ever know the truth. A messenger is sent to deliver the fail-proof, scripted plan to Romeo.

But before the messenger reaches him, Romeo hears the terrible news that his beloved wife has died. So he devises his own plan–to join her in death. He mounts his horse and takes off for the city. But Juliet's messenger and Romeo pass each other in the night. The grieving husband continues toward death, unaware of the truth.

It is a fateful mistake.

Romeo arrives, locates the tomb and–thinking his true love is dead–drinks his own poison in an effort to join her. Death comes quickly and Romeo falls across his wife's body. Moments later, Juliet awakens to find her Romeo dead. Unable to imagine life without her husband, she tries to drink from Romeo's vial, but finds it empty. She eagerly kisses her still-warm lover, hoping to find poison on his lips. When she finds none, she grabs his sword and thrusts it into her own body.

Her blood drips to the ground.

I sat there in the theater, my eyes glued to the screen, my body jerking with the sobs of emotion–unable to see the images through the tears filling my eyes and streaming down my face. My heart was broken for the two lovers, the two innocents who were merely on opposite sides of a battle, a battle they hadn't chosen.

Joint funerals unite the city. The music and visuals carry us through the pain and agony.

Two families. Two sides. Joined in grief. Good and evil, exposed in death.

A voice cries from the screen:

"All . . . are . . . punished!"

Three scripted words, spoken to bring the emotion of the story to one pivotal moment. It works. I grieve, along with the Capulets and the Montagues. I can hardly stand it.

And it's only a movie.

But two thousand years ago, there was another script, another drama. Two families. Two sides. Good and evil. God and Satan.

Jesus knew the story by heart. Before time began, He sat down with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the three of Them wrote the script . . . scene by scene, line by line, word by word.

Directed by the words of the prophets, the story unfolds. The cast-often without their knowledge-follows the plan and brings the story to its pre-ordained conclusion. No actors. No lines to learn, no songs to sing. Because this time, it's real.

And the story–although a script–is true.

But this drama wasn't written to generate emotion; it was written to bring freedom and new life for all mankind. The only way to unite a holy God and unholy man was through the sacrifice of a perfect, sinless lamb–Jesus. He would have to die.

No sleeping potion to feign death. No escape from the Father's decree. Sin required a blood sacrifice . . . and Jesus willingly signed up for the part. After all, He was the only One Who qualified.

And His blood fell to the ground.

But the story doesn't end there. Because from the cross, at the height of His suffering, Jesus cried the three words scripted thousands of years before:

"It . . . is . . . finished!"

Three words, spoken to bring the sin of man to one pivotal moment. It works. I grieve, along with the sinners and the saved. I can hardly stand it.

Jesus, the sinless Grace-giver, received no grace that dark and mournful day. But because of His sacrifice, we–an unholy people–are united with a holy God.

We simply choose which script, which three little words, we want to follow: "All are punished" . . . or . . . "It is finished."

Three powerful, little words that touch eternity. (Taken from Seeing Through the Lies, pg. 178-181).

Lesson #2: The choice is yours.

Now, for a little Valentine's fun, you can read my article, Pucker Up! The Health Benefits of Kissing, published in the February, 2004 issue of HomeLife Magazine.

Thank you for taking time from your busy schedules to hang out here at The Christian Writer's Den. Please help us by sharing this blog with your friends and family, whether they're writers or readers. I believe we'll all be encouraged.

I pray this passage will inspire you as you pen words that touch eternity:

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

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

Vonda

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DON’T Write What You Know!

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By Vonda Skelton | February 5, 2008

February 5, 2008

If you've been writing for any length of time, you've probably heard the adage, "Write what you know." I understand the reasoning behind the statement, but I'm afraid I have to disagree. Now, before you post nasty comments and threaten to cancel your RSS feed, please hear me out.

Last week I had breakfast with two writer-friends, and one of them (who just happens to also be a freelance editor) was telling about a recent chapter she had critiqued. She said the writing was good, with perfect sentence structure and beautiful language. The problem was what he wrote. (NOTE: The specifics of the manuscript have been changed to protect the author's identity, but the situation is entirely true).

For three pages, the character prepared breakfast, sipped coffee, read the paper, and then took the reader on a step-by-step description of repairing a car engine. Using technical terminology and painfully explicit detail, the author seemed to want the reader to be impressed with his knowledge of car engines. Or perhaps he wanted the reader to "be there." But the truth is, the reader was long gone–bored to death by the very details the author had so eloquently included!

The truth is, in our zeal to create realistic scenes, it's easy to include too much information–especially if it's something we're very knowledgeable about. We want to WOW the reader with our level of expertise, share the scope of our experience, and teach them a thing or two about the subject we're so passionate about. But we have to remember that the reader probably doesn't share our love of car engines or sailboats or nursing procedures. Most likely, the reader wants a few sentences to get an idea of what's going on, and get on to the meat and emotion of the story.

And it's not limited to fiction writing. With magazine articles, there's a good chance you'll have much more information than you need. The first draft of most of my articles ends up being about twice as long as my word limit. Which means I have to cut, cut, cut. And yes–I'm cutting good stuff with lots of good information. But reality is, I don't have to give them everything I know. The reader doesn't want to read everything there is about a subject.

But what if the opposite is true? What if you don't know anything about the subject? No problem! There are lots of people willing to lend their expertise–especially if they know you're writing a book or article! And with the internet, knowlege is simply a click away.

So instead of "Write what you know," here's my three-fold adage:

  • Lesson #1: Don't write everything you know. Don't use your blank page to deliver a tutorial about the technical steps of starting an IV or faux painting a wall or tying a sail knot. And don't let your character do it, either! Give the reader just enough information to grab and maintain his or her interest. Just enough to engage them emotionally and let them experience what the character is feeling. Details are good. Information-dumping is not.
  • Lesson #2: Write what you're passionate about or familiar with. Familiar topics will be more interesting–and probably easier–for you to write, especially when you're starting out. I've written about many things that don't really excite me–things like tooth whiteners, medicine cabinets, and heartburn. But I am passionate about good health and taking care of our bodies. These topics were simply off-shoots of my passion and experience.
  • Lesson #3 (Bonus this week): Write what you can research. Again, I didn't know very much about tooth whiteners or medicine cabinets or heartburn. But there were many out there who did, and they were more than happy to tell me what I needed to know. And with the internet, we have an endless library of information right at our fingertips!

So, do you see that "Write what you know" is not an all-or-nothing concept? It's taking your knowlege, experience, and passion, and judiciously sharing them with your readers in bite-sized pieces. Write less and you'll often have more.

Now, last week I asked for permission to announce your successes, and some of you responded (or had sent them to me earlier). Kudos to these writers for their recent accomplishments (Drumroll, please!):

  • Linda Hughes (GA)–article, Sharecropper's Daughter, in Georgia Magazine
  • Vanessa Ore (NC)–play, Where are You, Christmas?, presented at Hickory Grove Baptist Church North, Charlotte, NC
  • Marilyn Lyttle (FL)–article, Clubhouse Magazine (a Focus on the Family publication)
  • Jo Rae Cash (SC), Barbara Parentini (NC), Elaine Carr (SC), Nancy Foss (NC), and Kelli Taylor (SC)–devotions in The One-Year Life Verse Devotional by Tyndale House
  • Jean Wise (OH)–book review in Boomer Babes Rock Dreamzine and article in SpiritLed Writer.

We'd love to share your joy! (After all, the Bible tells us to encourage one another.) If you've had a recent publication, just email me with "Publication Kudos" in the subject line and I'll announce it next month. And if you haven't been published yet, I hope this will encourage you. Remember, each of these successes was most likely preceded by stacks of rejections, years of preparation, and hard-earned money spent on conferences and workshops.

Speaking of conferences, you can get a $10 discount for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in the Asheville NC area May 18-22–just for being a part of our group! If you're interested in getting the Christian Writer's Den discount, just email me . Be sure to put "Blue Ridge Discount" in the subject line. I'd love to see you there!

sttlcover100pxWe still have a few states waiting for a free copy of my new book, Seeing Through the Lies . If you're the first one to respond from a state listed below and are willing to be an influencer, please email me and I'll send you a free book! (Feel free to pass the offer on to your friends, too!)

Connecticut, DC, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin

And lastly, I hope these words from Paul encourage you today:

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. I Corinthians 2:4-5

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

Vonda

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