Archive for the ‘Writing Fiction’ Category

Posted on January 18, 2012 - by Linda Fulkerson

Getting to Know Lynette Sowell

It’s a good thing Lynette’s memory is better than mine, because I couldn’t remember exactly when we met, but she reminded me it was at the ACFW Conference in Denver. The first Denver conference. I knew she lived in Texas, as do many of my ACFW friends, but what I didn’t realize when I recently relocated to The Lone Star State is that we now live just a few miles apart, work for competing newspapers, and even attend the same church! It’s been great to reconnect with Lynnette, and I’m glad she agreed to share with us today.

Lynette Sowell has had a love of story from a young age. When she was a child, the reading bug bit early and the library was one of her favorite haunts. Lynette is the author of five novels and seven novellas for Barbour Publishing, and her work has finaled and won ACFW’s Carol Award. If she’s not writing, she divides her time between editing medical reports and chasing down news stories for the local newspaper. Lynette was born in Massachusetts, raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but makes her home on the doorstep of the Texas hill country with her husband and a herd of cats who have them well-trained. Besides her love of reading, she also loves to try new recipes, spend time with her family, and is always up for a Texas road trip. You can find Lynette online at her Facebook author page, www.facebook.com/lynettesowellauthor, or at her web site www.lynettesowell.com

What did you want to be when you were a little girl? How has that affected your writing?

My mother wrote in my “school years” scrapbook that when I was in kindergarten, I wanted to grow up to be a TV star. I don’t see that happening anytime soon. But writing has a similarity to acting, I find—we writers get to “try on” characters all the time. We can be anyone, at any time period. I love that.

Being who you want and traveling wherever you want is one of the fun parts of writing fiction. At what point did you know you wanted to become a novelist? What factors have influenced your decision to become a writer?

I’ve written since middle school, and sort of had the dream of being a writer one day, but I never imagined it would or could really happen. I started reading good fiction, the kind I wanted to write. And then I read a book where I didn’t like the ending—it was a romance and I thought the heroine ended up with the wrong guy. That spurred me to submit my first book proposal.

That’s hilarious, Lynette! Why did you choose to write in your genre?

I love the “happily ever after” ending of romance, so that’s where I started. I’m also a fan of suspense and mystery, so I like to incorporate those kinds of story lines too. I also like a satisfying ending as well—I realize that life doesn’t always tie up with a neat little bow. I may have some of that in future books, too.

Can you give us a glimpse into your current project?

Currently I’m writing a novel called Tempest’s Course, a contemporary romance with Gothic undertones set in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It’s part of the “Quilts of Love” series from Abingdon Press. Titles will release beginning fall of 2012. My book releases fall 2013 and involves a textile conservator who works to restore an old quilt and uncovers some long-buried secrets.

I’ll have to watch for that. Both my mother and daughter are quilters. Has becoming a novelist been everything you’d hoped it would be? What is one thing that has surprised you?

Yes, I still remember the first thrill of seeing my book on a shelf in a bookstore. It doesn’t get old. One thing that surprised me is I definitely don’t feel like I’ve “arrived.” I always thought that somehow things would be different (or maybe easier) once I was published. I find that some things are easier, but there’s a whole new list of things to deal with. Another thing I didn’t realize was the role that authors must take in their own marketing.

What advice do you have for those who wish to write Christian fiction?

Go for it! Don’t follow trends, but write what you love. And finish, finish, finish that first book if you haven’t. If you have finished writing your first book, don’t stay too attached to it. Start writing another one.

Which book are you most pleased with and why?

I think it’s Tempest’s Course, the one I’m writing now. With every book, I try to improve—whether it’s characters, setting, pacing. I like the thought of doing better, and I hope the readers appreciate that too.

What are your future goals in your writing career?

Currently I write part-time, like many authors. I would like to get to the point that I earn my sole income through writing. It’s a lofty goal, but I think it’s do-able in the future.

You’re also a part-time newspaper reporter (for my competitor!). How has that affected your writing?

I realize that every time I go out to cover a story, I’m faced with very real characters who have their own stories to tell. As a novelist, I keep reminding myself to find my characters’ stories. Not the one I think I want to tell, but the one they have to tell me. Also, I’m learning that I need to be brief enough to get my point across. Readers don’t like to have things “over-explained” to them.

Thanks so much, Lynette, for sharing with us today! For those of you who wish to get to know Lynette more, visit her blogs:

http://soyouwanttowriteabook.blogspot.com/ If you’re an absolute writing newbie, start writing now!

http://christiansread.wordpress.com/ A collaborative blog with 13 other authors

http://cherryblossomcapers.blogspot.com/ A blog highlighting Cherry Blossom Capers

Posted on January 13, 2012 - by Kav

Upcycle Your Writing

Have you heard about upcycling? It’s the new recycling. It was our grandparents way of life but after the Depression our affluent lifestyle created a throw-away society. Now we’ve come full cycle. We want to reuse and repurpose things just like our grandparents did. Waste not want not for the environment and our pocketbooks. What does this have to do with writing, you ask?  I can answer that question in one word:

Organization.

Plain and simple. Can a writer live in chaos? Not for long — I know, I’ve tried. With my life a blur of work and transport to and from my housekeeping skills slid just a bit over the autumn months. Okay, alot! And believe it or not, I found my ability to hold a thought long enough to write it down was compromised by my chaotic surroundings. I madly scribbled clever quips and heart-rending prose on anything at hand — strips of toilet paper, napkins, the grocery receipt. At least I was writing, I reasoned, until my break at Christmas arrived and I tried to piece together a story from the pile of scraps. That’s when I knew I needed an intervention. A New Year’s Intervention.

It happens the last week of every year. I get the hankering to spruce up and clean up and throw out and just plain organize myself from stem to stern. This year when the urge hit I decided to throw in an extra challenge. Organize without buying anything new. I had to use what I had around the house and it turned into a very satisfying upcycling event. take a peek!

Okay — this is sheer brilliance (and no, it isn’t an original idea. I read it in a magazine years ago. I had this big old cookie pan — so large in fact, that it wouldn’t fit in my teensy oven — added an extra cookie cooling wire rack and voila, the perfect boot tray. The wire rack keeps the boots raised up off the tray so the soles actually have a chance to dry, which means that I don’t mess up the floor when it’s time to put my boots on.  It’s small things like this that make my heart sing.

How about this for a new desk? Take two stools gathering dust in the basement, add the middle section of my dining room table (which I only use about once a year) and voila, a simple, functional desktop for my laptop. And bonus — I even had two pieces of shelving that fit across the bottom rungs of the stool. And notice the gnome. Every computer needs one.

Is it a dish drainer or an office organizer? You be the judge!

Found on the side of the curb on garbage day, this little bookcase wasn’t worth the rusty nails barely keeping it together. With a little hammer finesse and some paint it came back to it’s glory and holds my overflow of inspirational fiction. And looks — there’s still room to grow!!!!!

So, do you have any upcycling wonders to share?

 

Posted on January 12, 2012 - by Regina

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW

Write what you know.

I know. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It’s one of those pieces of advice that I heard so long ago that I don’t have a clue where it came from. Along with BICHOK (Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard), “Just keep writing,” and “You can’t fix what you haven’t written,” “Write what you know” fits right in.

Maybe it’s cliché. Maybe it’s over-simplification of the task of writing. After all, what do I know? And if I write what I KNOW, wouldn’t that be a non-fiction treatise on how to run a library or how to make a chocolate pie? Perish the thought. I can whip out a blog post, newsletter article, or a little piece of a devotional in no time flat, but it’s fiction that I want to write. What I LONG to write.

In sifting through “what I know,” I find that I don’t use nearly all the tidbits I know in everyday life. For instance, I co-wrote a fanfiction story about under-cover FBI agents solving a jewelry heist on a cruise ship. Since neither my writing partner nor I had ever actually been FBI agents, a jewelry thief, or ever been on a cruise ship, why in the world would we want to write about that?

Simple. What I know is that I like books, TV shows, and movies about BOTH of those things. And when you like something, you research. You find out what is the FBI procedures for this, that, or the other thing. You find out where their field offices are, and where a certain building in downtown Charleston is located (yet another story, I’m afraid), and you find out the exact layout of a real cruise ship, especially the shopping areas and cabin layouts. Who knows? I may never solve a crime on a cruise ship, and I may never be “Julie McCall” from the Love Boat, but I can enjoy learning about cruises!

I daresay that those who write in the paranormal genre haven’t had first-hand experience with vampires and werewolves, but they’ve done their research, read books, watched movies. Then they write what they know, from their perspective.

You know A LOT.

Think of it this way. Remember all those bits and pieces of knowledge you find you have stored away, that only comes out when you pull out the Trivial Pursuit board? Someday, those can be classified as “stuff you know.”

And then it can turn into “stuff you can write about.”

Posted on January 11, 2012 - by Brenda Anderson

Audience of One

Back in 2005, after typing The End on a manuscript for the very first time, I handed that newly birthed (yet very wrinkled) baby out to a few select friends/acquaintances, one of those being my pastor. It was vital that my theology stood on a firm foundation.

Pastor Steve has since become an invaluable supporter/encourager for this writing journey. A few years back, after receiving some discouraging news, he sent me a note that offered advice I’ve never forgotten: I write for an audience of One.

It was the most freeing advice I’ve ever received. I can write the books I choose; I can tell the stories I want to tell! Right?

Well …

Notice how that above statement is all about me, about what I can do, and not what God wants for me.

And He wants the best.

Sometimes, oftentimes even, that means going through periods of discouragement. That means listening to the advice of others. It means learning the craft and bringing our absolute best before Him. He doesn’t want our leftovers, our half efforts. He wants our best.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men … Colossians 3:23

As Lorna Seilstad said in her post on January 2nd, it’s not about me. If I’m to write for His audience, I need to listen for His voice, and I need to recognize His voice over the cacophony around me. Recognition comes from spending time with Him, reading and studying the Bible, worshiping, praying. Listening. Until the words typed on the page don’t come from my selfishness, but they’re breathed from a relationship with God.

When I sit at the computer in the morning, have I spent time with God first? Have I asked Him to guide my words for the day? Have I listened for His answer?

If not, then who exactly am I writing for?

Posted on January 10, 2012 - by JerriLynn

Who Has Time for a Muse?

I’ve been writing for a living for almost 20 years. That’s long enough to hear just about every piece of advice in the book. It’s also long enough to gather a few favorite pieces of advices. And I have.

Many of my favorites have been mentioned in this series already, but I have one that’s my all time favorite. This little piece of advice has served me well, and as a result, I have never found myself without something to write (even when I don’t have any desire to write).

I wish I had some cool story to go with this piece of advice, but the truth is, I don’t. It’s just something that was shared with me by a writer in about the same position I am. Her advice?

You don’t have time for a muse.

Hm. I thought writers were supposed to be the tortured types that bowed whenever the muse entered the room and wept whenever he or she left. This whole idea that there is no muse was an alternate reality for me. But you know what? Turns out my writer friend was right. At least, for me.

The muse is a person, character, or entity that provides insipiration when you sit down to write. And there are many writers (and authors) who truly believe that they must have a muse present, and sometimes larger than life, to provide the stories that they write down.

The problem with a muse is that they can be finicky. They always want to play when you want to work. And when you don’t want to work, they’re right there pushing you.

“Get up.”

“No. It’s four a.m. I’m sleeping. It can wait until morning.”

“Fine. But in the morning, I won’t have anything for you.”

“But I’m tired. And I have to get up in two hours.”

“Tough. It’s now or never.” And the muse means it.

If you don’t answer the call of this tough task master, she turns on you.

“Hey muse, I’ve had my coffee, now I’m ready to write what you have for me.”

“Nope. The sun’s up. I’m going to Hawii. I’ll be back when it’s completely inconvient for you.”

See? Cantankerous.

I have a problem with the concept of a muse, though, and I really hadn’t thought about it until I had the muse conversation with my friends. My issue is that when you depend on your muse for inspiration, you’re at the muse’s mercy.

For me, I think it should be the other way around. I am a control freak, I’ll admit, and I don’t appreciate someone trying to take the control from me.

So, after hearing that advice and having the muse conversation with my friend, I determined to go home that night and fire my muse. Instead, I developed a habit of writing even when the words were uninspired.

As a result, I have boxes full of writing that was nothing more than an exercise in storytelling gone awry. Those pages of words, however, taught me craft. They helped me develop my own voice. And they made me more comfortable with sitting down in front of a blank page.

Firing my muse also had an unexpected benefit. When she realized that I didn’t need her, she started feeding me more and more ideas. These days, the muse hovers over me while I’m writing, oblvious to her presence. And when I’m thoroughly ensconsed in a story (usually when I’m right in the middle of the book, where the work is the hardest) she’ll throw a new story idea at me.

Oh how I want to write that new story, since this one is so much work! But I don’t. I jot down the idea (thank you, Ms. Muse), and keep right on pushing through the difficult parts of the story. I’ll write the new one on my own schedule, not hers.

Posted on January 9, 2012 - by Kim

The Blank Page

Fill it.

That’s the best advice I’ve ever been given when it comes to this writing stuff. Actually, the advice was a bit more poetic than that: You can’t fix what’s not written.

Which is true. If it scientifically impossible to fix something that isn’t there. (And if some scientist hasn’t written a treatise on this, they should.) So if you have a story in your head and you never put it down on paper you’ll know if it is fixable. Or if it ever needed fixing in the first place.

I guess that’s the long way of saying if you don’t try you’ll never know if you could. And that applies to more than just us writers who are questing toward publication. (I think the published writers out there would agree that quest doesn’t end with the first contract either.) It applies to life.

If you never tried new food, you might miss out on something absolutely decadent. If you never tried new hobbies, you might miss out on a lifetime worth of enjoyment. If you never tried to make new friends, you might find yourself on the wrong side of lonesome.

Of course all this trying and fixing does have its drawbacks. You might end up with a drawer full of rejections. You might end up with food poisoning. You might cut a finger off or poke your eye out depending on the hobby you choose. You might get hurt if you put your hand out in friendship and have it knocked away.

Every thing in this life from the moment of conception is a risk. And we are all just human. Making mistakes and having to pick ourselves up and fix them are as much a part of our DNA as our eye color. That’s why some brilliant person put erasers on the end of pencils. All we can do is try. Fix our mistakes to the best of our ability. Start over when necessary. We can’t expect ourselves to be perfect.

After all, God doesn’t.

 

Posted on January 6, 2012 - by Dawn Ford

Don’t Stop Believing

My first actual finished writing project was a women’s study I put together to help women begin to believe in themselves and live a fuller life. It goes step by step in the process of breaking bad habits while putting better ones in their place, learning to listen beyond the spoken word, and recognizing the labels we put on ourselves or others place on us does not make us who we are but that we can become that which we aspire to be.

What makes me such an expert? Who do I think I am that I can tell others how to live a better life, when clearly I have no degree, no pedigree for which to show? If others only knew the personal struggles I had, they would see me as the hypocrite that I am and never listen to a word I had to say.

These, among others, are the words that play through my head whenever I even think about the study I put together. I used it with a women’s group once, to some degree of success, and has since gathered dust in my basement. I’m just a bit insecure when it comes to this study. Why? Because I know how imperfect I am and how deep inside me I know I am not a completely shining example for others to go by.

But, I do believe completely in the words I put together for that study. I’ve watched people live in a cycle of misery desiring a way to move beyond that into a prosperous life. Often times it’s just that we don’t see the forest because of the trees. We can’t see beyond our day because we are living just to survive. It starts first with a change of mind and attitude and works its way into a changed life. You just have to believe you can do it.

What does this have to do with writing advice? Everything. When I first put words together it was a jumbled up mess. I had stories in my heart that wanted to work their way out, but I had a lifetime of trouble and sorrow that I had to work through to get to the good stuff. I’m still working my way through some of my past demons.

But I believe. Probably stronger about this than I have anything else I have done in my life, I believe. I believe in me.

To many of you this may seem like a given thing. But it’s not for me. You see it took several years to stop seeing myself as more than a victim of circumstance. Daughter of alcoholic parents-victim. Didn’t go to college-victim. Troubled marriage-victim. But I’ve always felt there was something bigger, something more I was destined to do.

That’s where the writing comes in. I believe I am meant to write and reach out to other women through the written word. It’s been one of the strongest feelings I have ever had and it comes from a place deeper than the heart. It comes from my soul.

So the best advice I ever got was from a Journey’s song. Don’t stop believing. I didn’t realize when I put together the study but the theme was the same thing. Don’t stop believing in yourself. Even if that’s all we have is the belief in ourselves and the God who put that belief there. We don’t stop believing. We know some day that belief will be realized.

 

Posted on January 5, 2012 - by Shari Barr

Quitters Never Prosper

Don’t quit. Those two words are the most important ones I’ve heard as a writer—especially in the prepublication days.

Even after story and article acceptances began trickling in, I was tempted to just chuck it all when acceptances didn’t come my way as often as I thought they should. But I am so glad I didn’t. Perseverance is an essential trait to finding success as a writer. (A bit of stubbornness comes in handy too.)

Those days of just plugging along, selling an article here and there, and wondering if my ship was ever going to come in, led to opportunities I had never considered.

My dream had always been to write fiction, but when I got a chance to write non-fiction, I not only added credits to my resume, the door eventually opened to my first book deal.

Switching gears to the world of non-fiction was one of the best things I ever did in my writing career. Not only did it open my eyes to a new genre, it gave me incentive to keep writing. It’s really hard to quit when you know someone depends on your muse and sends you a paycheck to show how much they appreciate you.

In my early days as a writer, God had a different plan for my writing. He knew I wasn’t ready to write a full-length novel, so He opened up a door for me to write Sunday school curriculum for middle grade kids. This was more creative than I ever thought possible. No, I wasn’t writing fiction, but I was teaching God’s word and hopefully making it fun for kids in the process.

Out of this opportunity came two non-fiction book deals with the same publisher. These credits gave me confidence and experience, helping pave the way for several books in a mystery series for middle grade girls. Need I say more about why I’m glad I didn’t quit.

Even if your dreams don’t include becoming a writer, perseverance is the key to achieving your goals. Satan is the one putting those negative, self-deprecating thoughts into your head. God never whispers the word “quit” into your ear. Satan, however, loves it when people give up on their dreams, especially when those aspirations involve spreading the word of God.  God may not provide a straight shot to the pot at the end of the rainbow. He may take you on a little detour first.

Posted on January 3, 2012 - by Shannon Vannatter

Profound Advice Times Two

When I started writing, I just did it. I wrote 6 books without ever attending a writer’s meeting or conference. I’d hear about such things, but think why spend time learning to write when I can just do it? 

But it doesn’t work that way. Writers have to learn to write. They have to learn to put what they see or hear in their heads on the paper where the reader can see and hear it too. After I’d been writing for a year or so, I met a fellow writer in the office where I worked, Peggy Stirling. The first thing she asked was if I’d joined a writer’s group. 

Peggy wasn’t published, but had won some writing awards, and was related to Catherine Palmer. How cool is that? Peggy even sent my first chapter of my first badly written book to Catherine to see what she thought of it. That makes me shiver now. I really hope Catherine didn’t read it. She sent me a nice letter saying that she’d long ago had to set up a policy of not critiquing other writers simply because she didn’t have time. Last month, I signed with Spencerhill Associates, the same literary agency that represents Catherine Palmer. How cool is that?

Anyway, it took another year or so for me to actually follow Peggy’s advice. By then, I’d had a very badly written book Print on Demand published. My sales were dismal since the book was overpriced and not in stores. I finally took Peggy’s advice. In fact, she went with me to my first writer’s meeting and conference. 

I’ve lost touch with Peggy and I have no idea if she knows I got published or not. I did name my hero in my first contracted book (White Roses) after her, Grayson Sterling–a perfect name for a pastor. If not for Peggy, I might still be cranking out badly written, very telling stories—instead of taking my reader along for the ride and showing how the story plays out. 

My second profound piece of advice took place years later. I’ve talked about Kaye Dacus and writing my second contracted book (White Doves) before. Once my editor asked if White Roses could be a series, I threw together two one page synopses using Randy Ingermanson’s Snowflake Method. With a few changes and tweaks, I had a verbal promise of a three book series. But then I had to expand the synopses into chapter by chapters before the other two contracts could be signed. 

I’m a pantser. When I begin a new book, I know the main characters, the beginning, a couple of big issues or problems, the black moment (but not necessarily how to resolve it) and the end. That’s all. I have no idea what will happen in chapter two, eight, or thirteen. 

Writing that first chapter by chapter for White Doves was TORTURE. I used the Snowflake Method and eked out every possible thing that could happen with these characters. I expanded a word at a time, a paragraph at a time until finally I had three pages of exactly what would happen in the book I hadn’t written yet. 

It was enough and I signed the contract for book two of my series. I then had eight months to write the book. But I already knew what was going to happen in every chapter, what had to happen in every chapter. With no room for creativity or pantsing. And I had a deadline to get it finished.

I couldn’t do it. For the first time, I realized writer’s block was real—not a myth. I tried going for walks, taking bubblebaths, mowing the yard—all things that free my mind and usually get my creativity and ideas flowing. But I couldn’t be creative with the book. I’d already told my editor exactly what would happen. 

I attended my monthly writer’s meeting excited when I heard we’d managed to land Kaye Dacus in Little Rock. I think Kaye taught on editing. We’re talking 2009 and I’ve slept a few times since then. What I do remember—I knew Kaye wrote for Barbour which meant she had to write chapter by chapters pre-book. 

After her workshop, I asked if she was a pantser or plotter. She said she used to be a pantser, but since she’d learned to write chapter by chapters, she’s part pantser and part plotter. I told her my dilemma. She said she writes her chapter by chapter, then puts it away and writes something else, or reads a book, anything but think about the book she has to write. Once it’s totally off her mind, she writes the book. Then if she gets stuck, she looks at the chapter by chapter to jog her memory. 

I followed Kaye’s advice and it worked. Before long, the words were flowing from my fingertips. Since then, I’ve made a point to write my chapter by chapters several months in advance of when I need to turn them in. By the time, the contract is signed, the chapter by chapter is out of my head and I just start writing.

Six chapter by chapters later, my words are still flowing for the most part. Some books have been harder to write than others, but I’ve met all of my deadlines so far. So, if not for Kaye, I might still be stuck with the motherlode of writer’s block and only have one book published.

BTW: The picture is actually the cover of a book. Years ago, when all I had to prove I was a writer was over two-hundred rejection letters, my husband believed in me enough to buy me this nifty little book. The book is in the shape of a cube and is chock full of pictures and prompts to inspire writers.

We’ve discussed this before, but we probably have new readers since then, so here goes: Writers–are  you a pantser or plotter?

Posted on January 2, 2012 - by Lorna Seilstad

It’s Not About Me

Happy New Year Inksper friends!

 

With the turning of the calendar, we often start looking forward, making plans to do things differently in the new year. For example, one of my author goals is that I’m determined to get my office in order this year.

However, instead of focusing on the future, we wanted to take a moment and look back. So much goes into each of journeys in life and so many people touch our lives that it seems appropriate to take a moment and look at how we got where we are. So, we are sharing some of the best advice we ever received. Many of our posts might be geared toward advice as writers, but all them will be geared toward life.

Here’s mine.

Our high school held grades 10, 11, and 12 only. On my firstday of high school, the first class on my schedule said “newspaper.” I had signed up for the beginning journalism class, but no one had said anything about newspaper. I went anyway. The teacher, Linda Smoley, was surprised to see me.

She looked at my schedule and noticed I was in advanced English. She smiled and said, “Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to give you a proofreading test and if you do well, you can be on newspaper.” (Please note, she acted like this was a gift.)

It was a gift, but I sure didn’t feel that way at first. Little did I know, our journalism program was one of the best in nation at the time and the bar was set high.  I might have passed her test, but since I hadn’t had the journalism class, I had to learn everything from her as we went along. At first, I was given a couple of easy news stories, but then she said it was time to try something bigger and I was assigned a feature story about one of history teachers known for her pint sized antics.

I re-wrote my first feature story eleven times—by hand.  Mrs. Smoley wielded a red pen like a sword, and she only accepted something when she felt like it was the best it could be. You can imagine the tears when I faced that story yet again and again, reworking each part.

I wanted to quit.

But I didn’t.

When the feature was finished, I was proud of it. I’d learned what an anecdote was. I’d learned how to tell a story succinctly, and I’d learned the value of writing a killer lead.
I didn’t know it, but I’d learned something else far more valuable, too.

Years later, after I received my teaching degree, I came back to the same high school and worked as her assistant. One day when we were talking, I mentioned re-writing that first story eleven times. She smiled and said, “It was important that you had to do it that many times. What was important was that you did it. I knew then, you had what you needed. It wasn’t about you. It was about the story.”

It’s about the story has become one of the things that have helped me most along my writing journey. Tough critique? It’s not about me; it’s about the story. Scathing review? It’s not about me; it’s about the story. Edits–again? It’s not about me; it’s about the story.

And this pours over into other areas of my life as well.  Over and over, I have to remind myself that “it’s not about me.”  Especially in my walk with the Lord, I want it always to be about Him. He’s given me the privilege of writing not for me to receive five star reviews, but to glorify Him.  I want to make the story the best I can, because I want it to direct others to Christ as the answer to all of life’s problems.

Have you struggled with learning “it’s not about me”? If you’re a writer, is it hard to put your ego aside and do what is best for the story?

If you’re not a writer, are there other areas where you have to remind yourself that this life is not about you? How does taking a moment to look back, help us have clearer vision for the future year?

Let’s start the new year with a lot of good conversation here with our blog family.