Uncertainty by Jim Hart

There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. Situations arise and change - seemingly by the minute. Some directly affect us, others indirectly. Some, such as Family Christian Store’s filing for bankruptcy, have already begun to have an effect on the Christian publishing world. There’s some uncertainty associated with that. Couple that with the ever-shifting landscape of editors and publishers transitioning to new positions, and CBA publishers who are reducing or eliminating their fiction program, and we find still more uncertainty.

Two days ago we received the news that yet another large CBA publisher is closing down their fiction line. This is just one more venue that is not available for Christian fiction. It makes it tough on writers, agents, and also the readers. It pushes more and more great talent towards smaller independent publishers with a POD model, or to self-publishing.

In the face of some of this uncertainty I’ve been reminded how ‘certain’ and dependable Jesus is, in spite of all other uncertainty and concern about the future.

What can we be certain Jesus will do for us:

1)      Save us. I had to put that first. Not because I’m trying to make this super-spiritual, but to remind us that without Christ saving us, then we would not be writers, agents and editors in this field.

2)      Pour into us a message that someone needs to hear. We may jump to thinking this only applies to non-fiction, but we all know that a great fiction story can inspire and encourage. And we can’t minimize the place of fiction that may serve just to entertain the reader.  We serve, and worship, a creative God. I think it pleases Him when we use our creative talents in ways that honor Him and point to His Kingdom.

3)      We can be certain that He has given us the ability to be writers.

4)      We can be certain that He will guide us to the resources that are needed to become a better writer – classes, conferences, critique groups, and contests.

5)      We can be certain that He will guide us in growing an author platform. (Oh yes – I did say that.)

6)      We can be certain of His Word and His promises. Proverbs 3:5-6 is a foundational promise: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

7)      And finally, we can be certain that if He has poured into you the message of your books, then He is certainly able to get that message into the hands and hearts of people who need to be strengthened and blessed by that message!

Scripture describes the Lord as our Rock - a firm and certain foundation for our life. In the face of any and all uncertainty, including the publishing industry, we can stand secure on our Rock.

Guest post by Terry's client Donn Taylor

Writers and the Power of Definition (I)

            Years ago an astute editor compared the rhetorical struggle for definition to a movie scene in which hero and villain struggle to possess a gun. The one who controls the gun lives, while the other one dies. Thus in any rhetorical dispute, the one who first defines the issue seizes the rhetorical high ground, forcing his opponent to fight an uphill battle.

            We see this principle operating in the news every day, often with emotions not too different from that struggle over the gun. In discussions of abortion, is the fetus defined as a human being or as a mass of tissue not greatly different from a wart? Is the Confederate battle flag defined as a symbol of slavery or of courage against an oppressive federal government? And how is religion defined under the First Amendment? Is "religion" restricted to what is done on Sundays in churches, or is it the guiding force of every action of the devotee's life? If the latter, what defines the difference between a Christian's refusal to support an event that violates basic tenets of his faith and a Muslim's practice of honor killing? If being "judgmental" is defined as evil, what is more judgmental than defining someone as judgmental?

            Christian writers who wish to write about real-life situations must take prayerful care to correctly define the issues they write about. This applies not only to today's hot-button issues named above, but to universal questions that define the writer's worldview. How do they define the universe we all live in? Is it the random interplay of material things and forces? Or is it the working out of a vast design by an all-powerful Designer? The nature of the small fictional universes writers construct will depend on their definitions of the greater universe outside.

            "Naturalistic" writers (Thomas Hardy, Theodore Dreiser, etc.) defined the universe as merely an impersonal or even hostile operation of natural forces. Other writers have defined the universe as absurd, a succession of chance happenings that have no logic or purpose. Examples in point include Albert Camus' story "The Guest" and (I believe) Larry MacMurtry's Lonesome Dove novels.

            On the other hand, Jonathan Cahn's The Harbinger portrays 9/11 and the 2008 stock market crash as a minutely detailed working out of God's purposes according to the pattern of Isaiah 9:8-21.

            As all writers must arrive at their definitions of the universe and work within those definitions, so they must define for themselves the truth and the moral implications of each conflict they write about. And they must take care not to be fooled into accepting someone else's definitions.

            In particular in these days of hostility toward Christianity, Christian writers must guard against accepting definitions from the popular culture, lest they lose the cultural battle before they begin.

           

What do Genes Have to Do with Your Writing?

In his Ted Talk titled: TheHidden Influence of Social Networks, Nicholas Christakis states that the % in the variation of how many friends you have is related to your genetic makeup.

Interesting.

It is easier for some to ‘connect’ online with others, or stand in front of a crowd of people, and be transparent. Others are better at research; preferring isolated rooms filled with leather bound musty old books, to conversation with living humans.

Which got me to thinking what influence our genetic makeup has on our writing. A workshop I like to teach- The Mindset of the Writer- was prompted by a read of the book, The Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.. The boiled down essence of the book is: ‘it is not just our abilities and talent that bring us success, but whether we approach our goals with a fixed or growth mindset’.  Think ‘Tortoise and the Hare’.

The bible tells us that God has gifted us individually with unique and individual talents. True. Yet sometimes he places a dream inside us that is bigger than we or our abilities are at the time.

Many an ignorant guidance counselor foiled the dream of a young person, pounding their square peg into a round hole, because he/she believed it was best. “You can not make a living painting pretty pictures, dearie”.

Google ‘starving artist syndrome’.

Fortunately times have changed. With online sales outlets, like Etsy, Pinterest, and self publishing, creative people are finding a way to get paid for what they love to do.

Jamie Ledger posted in his blog speaking to the starving artist syndrome, that this problem isn’t usually the lack of resources as much as it is the lack of resourcefulness.

How can a writer become more resourceful and make up for the lack of what they did not get through genetic inheritance?

Expand your thinking and liberate your mindset.

You’ve long dreamt of becoming a writer. Words come to you. You have stacks of notebooks full of scratches, and receipts with book ideas and precious sentences written on their backs.

I suggest you draw a circle of prayer about your writing dream and then sit down and write, more, and read a little about writing, but write more.

So what do genes have to do with writing? Something. But not everything.

Mark Twain said “Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.”

Write!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anticipation and Response by Andy Scheer

I hope the action in your novel's not like the fireworks display this weekend.

I'd been looking forward to the show, in a town an hour away. We'd arranged to spend the night with family, whose house was a twenty minute walk from the fireworks park.

We arrived a half-hour before we expected the show to start. We set up our chairs, watched a volleyball game, and waited.

Clouds blew in and a few sprinkles fell. We kept waiting.

Outside the park, a few people set off their own fireworks. But it wasn't the main show, so we kept waiting.

The rain increased, and we put on waterproof jackets, occasionally checked our watches, and kept waiting.

For a half-hour, we sat in the rain, watching the ball field where the fireworks would be launched. Bright lights blazed. People a few blocks away kept launching an occasional rocket, but nothing like the big event.

The expected showtime came. Still we waited. Finally the rain stopped.

A half-hour late, the ball field lights dimmed. For several minutes, nothing.

At last the fireworks began.

I'd seen nothing like it. One after another after another—with no time between rockets. While one shot faded, another was spread in all its glory and another had just exploded. Meanwhile another three had been launched in quick succession.

Many of the people appreciated the nonstop action. But it left me breathless – and disappointed.

With no time in between, I couldn't savor each explosion's artistry. And I had no time to anticipate the next. They launched forty-five minutes worth of fireworks in fifteen minutes.

Considering the organizers had delayed the show for thirty minutes, I thought they'd have recognized the power of anticipation.

Who Do You Write For? By Linda S. Glaz

So many decisions to be made as you sit down at the keyboard with hundreds of ideas swirling in your brain. Some call them voices trying to escape from head to paper. Others say they are inspiration begging to come out. Whatever the creative beginning, you have decisions to make before you launch your career.

Are you writing romance? Science fiction? Who will be your target group?

Women 18-35. Men 35-50. Married women, young women, older women who want to be young again? Maybe you’d like to write for the new adult market, tackling topics that every high school graduate will face soon enough. Or maybe that frightens you more than Dracula.

Before you can begin, even as a pantser, you need to have some idea where you’ll be going and with whom. For whom.

Yes, I’m a pantser, and I really dislike having constraints placed on me. I want my characters to have the opportunity of developing as they go. Discover halfway through the novel that the original murderer didn’t do it at all. And Robert in no way loves Evelina, even though I had intended for them to marry. So why do I need to know who I’m writing for?

Robert and Evelina will probably have different jobs if I’m writing YA. They might live on another planet if I’m writing science fiction for YA. They will no doubt be widow and widower if I’m writing a romance for women 50 and older.

Who do I write for? Even without constraints, I have to know WHO I am writing for otherwise I will insult and patronize them from beginning to end. Good writing is good writing, and knowing who we will be writing for is paramount to success.

Technology is great by Terry Burns

Yes, technology is great , , , when it works

My computer gave out on me. Guess that's not surprising, it's 6-8 years old and that's a lot of usage for a laptop. It had been worked on several times and the third replacement keyboard was missing a lot of the letters where they had been rubbed off.

It is very frustrating to realize how much of your life, and your job as an agent is contingent upon being able to access the files on your computer. It is more frustrating to see how much of what you need to do depends on being able to have online access for communication. I can access email on my phone, but I can hardly do business that way.

Then there's "moving in" to the new computer. All of my document files are stored in dropbox so that was just a matter of getting new access set up to them but all of the programs have to be reloaded, contacts, favorites links, a lot of things to get fully functional. For all practical purposes it put me out of business for the better part of a week.

But I guess I'm just grousing.

Time now to get ready for the 4th of July. We're going to have people over, and Sunday will be involved in a patriotic choir program at church. Should be a good weekend. But in the midst of all that it has me thinking. This nation was founded by God-fearing men who spent as much time on their knees as they did debating the formation of the new government.

So much is happening in our country today that I can hardly recognize it. As we celebrate the birthday of our nation we should take a moment to be grateful to those founding fathers, and to all of those who have put their lives on the line over the years to protect that freedom.The future of our nation is now in our hands. As we celebrate the 4th, join me in praying for the future of our nation.

And have a great holiday weekend.