Do you want to be a published author?

I've always wanted to be a writer. As a teen I found joy writing little stories and poems. My grammar and spelling was horrible so being a published author wasn't something I thought possible. About ten years ago I started writing seriously. At first I didn't believe I would ever publish. I didn't think I was good enough. When people asked if I was working on something the answer was always, YES! I sounded excited and it was a real thrill to share my ideas.


But if someone asked if I was published, my head would turn, my countenance would change and I'd softly reply something like...."It's almost ready" or "It's done but I'm in the process of sending it out." Both of those remarks were code for "nope - not gonna happen anytime soon".


I've told you about meeting Vikie Crumpton of Baker Books and how she encouraged me to "just do it!" She inspired the feeling of urgency. She helped me to feel "challenged" to get my work out there. Still those questions nagged at me. What if I'm not the best? What if I make a mistake? What if it isn't that good? What if....what if....what if...?


Quit your Day Job, by Jim Denney is packed with tons of helpful tips and writing ideas. If you don't have his book - get it! He's also very encouraging. In his last chapter he discusses the enemy of writers. Enemy No. 3 is self-doubt. The following is quoted with permission from Jim Denney's book. Later this month he has promised to do a blog interview with Just Write.

"Self-doubt is the most common to all writers' afflictions - more common than writer's block and carpal tunnel syndrome combined. Self doubt is really a form of fear. We are afraid of what we might find out about ourselves - that we are not as talented or brilliant or creative as we thought we were. We are afraid of rejection - that editors and readers will see our work and condemn it (and us with it). We are afraid of failure - that we will put our work out into the marketplace, and it will be a resounding flop. Most paradoxical of all, we are afraid of success.......

To be a working writer, you must overcome those fears. A working writer willingly accepts the burdens of success and chooses to live courageously. Understand, courage is not the absence of fear. It is doing what you have to do despite your fears. And that means that you persevere, you press ahead, you write, disregarding your fears and self doubt."

As we all look forward into 2009 and all those writing challenges and writer's conferences - let's pray for courage. Courage to get our writing into the hands of editors and publishers. Courage to have passion about what we write and courage to "just do it"!

You are called to write,

Debbie

We Can Lead The Way !

It's impossible to get through the day without talking with someone about the recession - depression - hard times. It seems that every level of our society is suffering right now. One young woman even scrunched her nose and said, "Maybe we should just eat worms and die."

YIKES! While I do feel for young people whose dreams are being challenged before they even get started, I hope our country has more courage than that!

Writers are the true hope of this country

Throughout dark times of history it was always the writer or the speaker that proclaimed some hopeful statement at the top of his lungs. Statements that touch hearts and reach into dark cells of depression. Statements like, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself."

My grandfather sat by an old radio and listened carefully to the fireside chats of President Roosevelt. With tears in his eyes he hung on every word. He had lived through the depression and desperately needed hope. President Roosevelt was able to lift an entire nation with his speeches.

Writers have the ability to shine light on possible answers and strengthen the resolve to make progress.

If you are struggling with financial issues, you may may wonder where you will get the strength to be encouraging to others.

When I was in third grade, I was very shy in school. We had moved from the south to the north and I was in unfamiliar territory. I had a nasty teacher that loved to yell. I tried to keep quiet and out of sight. I was sure that if I could become invisible she would never call on me. But....the day came when she did. I swallowed hard and ignored the butterflies in my stomach. I gave the right answer but would have preferred to go to the nurses station. Instead she asked me to write it on the board. I remember standing on wobbly knees, terrified of her evaluation of my writing skills and cringing with every scratch of the chalk on the board.

To my surprise, she not only complimented me, she patted me on the back. I stood there in front of the class with her hands on each shoulder as she continued to talk about the lesson. To this day, I don't remember what the lesson was about or the correct answer I gave. All I remember is that from that moment on, I determined to live my life - not hide from it.

I practiced involvement to such a degree that I proudly accepted a nickname given by friends at college. "Motor mouth" may seem silly to others but for me it was a declaration that I would never shrink from life. (My best friend "Jet Jaw" seemed to support my efforts...ha ha)

I urge you to join with me and let the world know that there is hope!

This world needs our thoughts and our viewpoints. As Christians we have a deeper understanding of this world and it's purpose. So shake off those wobbly legs, dust off the keyboard and let's get busy shinning the light of hope.

"And the Lord said to me, 'Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear, so that anyone can read it at a glance and rush to tell the others.'" Habakkuk 2:2

Merry Christmas - you are called to write,

Debbie

Now is the time for all good authors.....

I'm not sure how typing is taught to the current generation, but I'm sure it's different from my high school experience.

My first typing class dates me. I remember sitting in a class with 25 desks perfectly aligned. Each desk had a standard (non-electric) typewriter. You know the style. At the end of each sentence you had to return the carriage. All the keys had masking tape on them so there was no advantage to looking at your fingers. The teacher would call out letters as if we were marching to a tune....the tune of 25 plunks as each key hit the carriage drum and bounced back. Every so often you would hear someone say, "Oh no, shoot" or "phooey" as they discovered several keys lodged in a pile on the carriage.

After a month or so of finding our way around the keyboard we smiled as we proudly typed, Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. Over and over we typed similar sentences trying to memorize every key as our fingers danced to the rhythm.

I have forgotten most of the sentences we typed, except for, "Now is the time..." It was easy to remember this one. It seemed patriotic. It called to a deeper sense of purpose. I was a teen when John Kennedy announced, "Ask not what your country can do for you....ask what you can do for your country." I was energized and felt that I was important. I felt privileged to be in a country where I could take up the cause to help others.

Authors....we must continue that cause. Even with media and television, it is still the written word that slices through the hardest heart. We have a job to do. No matter how this election turns out, our writings will continue. We have the ability to change lives by what we write.

I hope you will take the time to type this line several times and let it take root in your heart. "Now is the time for all good men/women to come to the aid of their country." Your voice needs to be heard. When you feel alone and your writing seems to be an endless debate of grammatical rules - don't give up. "NOW is the time for all good men/women to come to aid of their country."

More than ever, non-Christians need our words. If you knew that plowing through that unedited manuscript and getting it to a publisher would mean 150 souls would be saved - would you do it? Would you do it for a hundred? How about 75? How about 32 or 22 or even 11? Would you work hard for a month if you knew that 2 people would meet you in heaven and thank you for your service?

"Now is the time for all good AUTHORS to come to the aid of their country."

Will you join me?

God loves you and has called you to write,

Debbie

Grammar Monster

Authors have to face a lot of writing monsters. There are times every writer feels like this picture as we wait for the next creative idea. What is your writing monster?

Maybe it's the monster of procrastination. We often feel like we could find those "illuminating" words if we only had our house clean or our e-mails sorted through. We are sure we will be more productive if we finish the bills, take a walk or wash the car - first.

The monster of preparation doesn't feel like a monster - after all the research must be done. But if piles of documents clutter our desk and loaded pod casts cause our computer to crash, the monster is winning.

The monster of friendly phone calls can delay writing for most of the day. If only our friends could understand that writing is a job and takes as much time as any other profession.

The monster of duty can take a huge bite out of our day. "You're not really busy today are you? Can't you pick of the kids?" or "Since you are at home all day can you take widow Sims to the doctor - the church would really appreciate it."

The monster of needs is a legitimate monster that must be fed, but can turn quickly and demolish creativity and stomp on our deadlines. The need to be with my husband can morph into a four day vacation from work. I need to spend time with my children can become an entire week that leads us further from our goals. I need a break from writing can become years of unfulfilled goals. We must take care of our needs while finding a balance that returns us to our committed goals.

My personal monster is grammar. As a well-known writer suggested at a writer's conference, I try to "throw up in the computer in the morning and clean it up in the afternoon." Unfortunately, just when I'm hitting that afternoon slump, the grammar monster attacks. "Is this passive? Does that verb need a dangling modifier with a participle injunction for the creative facility of noun usage." Yeah, I know. Doesn't make sense, but sometimes neither does grammar.

I think it's important for authors to play games. We need to relieve the tension of a paragraph that just won't sit on the page. I have decided that I'm a dragon (monster) slayer and that it's my job to chop at all the monsters until I have a piece of writing that speaks to the public.

Grammar monster - chop chop - "Take that you evil misspelled word."

Procrastination monster - chop chop - "Get away you demon, I will create!"

Well...you get the idea. I am convinced that a writer is like a laser of light cutting through the darkness to bring hope.

We must always remember our goals, our God given talents and how much this world needs to hear the truth.

If we slay our monsters, we will bring light to the world and that will always make us smile.

God loves you and has called you to write,

Debbie

Writing is like Smashed Apples

If you've read my other two blogs you know that IKE made a visit to Ohio. When I found out I had no cable, Internet or phones; my first thought was this is good. I'll have time to write, write , write.

Unfortunately, clean-up after a storm like IKE takes more than a few minutes. It took almost an hour to corral the apples that littered our driveway.

While I was thinking and praying about the faith and parenting lessons in those fallen apples, I also thought about my writing. How many times did I think a day would be filled with productive writing only to be disappointed? I'd sit at my computer ready to flow with great nuggets of wisdom and instead have the phone ring with an emergency. "Can you come quick?" The caller begged.

Finally, I had my notes in front of me and again the wonderful idea hit. It was perfect! The right words in the right order were filling my brain and pushing at my fingers. I clicked on the appropriate box and prepared to fly through my thoughts. I looked up to find that my computer had crashed and would not budge.

I grabbed a piece of paper just as the phone rang. It was mom. For over an hour she cried and told me about the death of a friend. Later that night, I switched to my laptop. I typed away. Finally the words were coming together. Finally the notes were in place. Ron called with bad news about the car but it didn't matter....the words were there on the screen.

Laptops are wonderful when there's nothing else, but there are times mine carries out the vengeance of all my past sins. If I move my thumb slightly over the pad as I type, it will highlight several paragraphs and wipe them out before I realize what has happened. A computer geek told me what to do to get it back...but on this particular day it didn't work.

I stared at the screen with only one sentence remaining. Tears rolled down my cheek. It had been perfect. Just the right words....just the right message....just the right article....and now it was gone.

Like hurricane IKE ripping apples from my tree, my day had ripped a beautiful idea from me. I tried to recreate those words, but they just wouldn't come. Finally, I walked away...sad.

Have you ever had that happen? So excited about a project only to lose it?

When I was little I remember a book that used to sit on our coffee table. It was called Apples of Gold. It was full of positive uplifting sayings and thoughts. Mom had another devotional book that sat beside her bed called, "God's apples of gold".

A word spoken in season, how good is it" ! "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver" . Proverbs 15:23, 25:11 (NKJV)

As I raked up the apples from IKE many were smashed and some were bruised beyond the point of usable. But there were a few apples that could not only be saved but would produce beautiful pies. Thinking about the idea that I thought was lost, I returned to my now happy computer and began to write. I didn't reconstruct the exact words or even the exact thoughts. What I did do was make an apple pie. I took my enthusiasm and the general idea and mixed it with some patience and relaxation and found that I like the new one much better.

We are called to write. We are called to write when it's sunny and everything is as it should be. We are called to write when it's raining and our hearts are sad.

I am sure though, that we are at our best when we are called to write after the destruction of a storm.

I pray that you will find "Apples of Gold" in all your writing.

God loves you and has called you to write,

Debbie

Inspiration

Inspiration is very hard to come by. It's based on our physical, mental and social health. We writers are a strange brew. We sit alone for hours working with words and yet we crave a hug or a touch or a simple - "Wow that's great!". We agonize over verbs and tenses while we secretly hate our jobs. We push on to find that phrase that will inspire others knowing that at the moment we are not inspired. I've often wondered how I could possibly describe the dichotomy of emotions we face.

I'm not sure this poem fully describes our pain but it does describe the one thing we long for. We crave for someone to "get it". We want more than anything for others to read what we write and understand the deeper recesses of our thoughts. We want them to see the world as we do and to love it as much as we do.

We "fight" to make a difference in our world. We fight with ourselves, with the busyness of life, with the verb that just doesn't ring true, and with the tired eyes that just won't give up. We fight to touch another human being with our thoughts.

I hope Lois A. Cheney touches you. This is poem #59 from her book, God is no fool.

fifty-nine

Thank God.

Thank God for those who see into us, through us, and to the self that is beyond ourselves.
There have been those few who refused our superficial roles, who have seen beyond our clever chatter; who have waited beyond our preoccupation.
Reaching through our facades, which we have very carefully built, they have seen a beauty which we all have, but which, for most of us lies buried deep inside.
The beauty was planted there by God.
He then touches those few, who through love, touch us.
Much of the positive which we do and think is in response to those who have smiled past the shell into the white light.
Thank God and thank them, and pray we never stop trying to measure up to what he and they believe we can be.


Wow! Don't you just love that? Isn't it so true?

God loves you and has called you to write,

Debbie

Finally !!!

My new book has been completed, edited and is now with the typeset proof reader. I've redesigned my website and eliminated all but three blogs. Once again I'm ready to hit the floor running. (check it out http://www.debbiejansen.com/)

I think one of the hardest requirements for a writer is that it must be a way of life. It's difficult to schedule your time and determine what will be a part of your life and what won't.

I'm not suggesting that it's too big of a job - absolutely not, but it does take planning. And I think for many new writers that planning stage is the hardest. For example, a new writer must....

• Teach family and friends to understand that time in the office or quiet time looking at the clouds is actually work time and should not be interrupted.

• Let go of treasured activities in order to make time for the writing process. No one can do it all and if your life was full before you decided to write - something has to go.

• We want that book done NOW. We have to learn that it's a process and we simply can't lock ourselves in a room until it's done.

• We must read, research, read, research....with all that reading and research when do we stop to actually write?

• We see stories in our heads 24/7. We must carry paper with us all the time just in case those words begin to flow. How discreet can we be when the words are flowing in the middle of a theme park?

• We are CEO's as well as writers. We must be involved in promoting, scheduling, taxes, finances, selling, speaking, web design, blogging - in other words we are a one man/woman band. That's hard!

So, what are you saying Debbie? I'm not good at multi-tasking, should I quit?

Heavens NO! I'm an old person and I'm not good at multi-tasking either. Quitting will not solve that issue - planning and practicing will.

I've gone through a lot of plans. Still searching to find the most perfect one. Along the way, I've discovered some answers that have made my writing time more productive. I'm still working on other issues.

This week I'm working on "accepting". I'm taking a lot of deep breaths and telling myself that it's okay to let some writing wait one more day. I'm not on a deadline and until I am, I'll just keep working a little each day until it's done. (How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.)

In his book Writing for the Soul Jerry Jenkins states, "Get serious about your career by declaring yourself a writer. Do it now, and don't look back......Your results will mirror your commitment. Put in the necessary time and do the rewrites to make your own success inevitable. Make your own breaks. That's what separates hobbyists from real authors. Study, do the research, develop a thick skin, work hard, learn to take editing, and learn to edit yourself. Have you arrived yet? Neither have I."

Cool huh? Jerry is still practicing just like we are.

God loves you and has called you to write

Debbie