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A little while ago, I came across another writing contest that I desperately want to enter (you can check out the Bling! Diamond Awards on my Check It Out page). This contest, however, requires a contemporary romance.

So for now, Daralis and Merek have been put aside. I know, I know. Sad news. And they’re pretty annoyed with me right now, but it can’t be helped. In order to enter this contest, I need to have the manuscript at least 3/4 finished. And I haven’t even started writing it. Whoops. Thankfully, I still have four months in which to do so.

The first step I’m taking–and something I’ve actually never done before–is to create my characters. And WOW! Has this lead me to some great story ideas, and not just for my two main characters for this book! So far, I not only have this first book, which I’m tentatively calling Saving Grace, her middle brother’s story is coming out in his character development worksheet (with a tentative title of Redeeming Isaac, though “redeeming” might work better for Grace’s other brother). And, today I got a great idea for her oldest brother’s story (he’s actually already married, but not everything is wonderful in his little world). Aaaaannnnnd, just now, Grace’s best friend and Adam’s best friend just met in my mind and there are some sparks! And differences. Lots and lots of differences. (Think city girl and cowboy and differing ethnicity’s.)

I’m super excited at what God is pulling out of my head with all these ideas! This hasn’t actually happened very often, so I’m going to take notes and start asking people for insights! But first, I suppose I should really start writing Grace and Adam’s story. 🙂

Oh! If ever you’re looking for a character worksheet in order to meet your people, check out author Jody Hedlund’s worksheet (this is the sheet I’m using for Grace and Adam).

Today was the day that the Blurb2Book contest semi-finalists (those moving on to stage 2) were announced, and I didn’t make it. Congratulations!!!! to those who did! I’m beyond thrilled for you!

I actually didn’t expect to move past stage 1 only because I realized (a little too late) that my novel isn’t quite what Love Inspired was looking for in a historical book. But I still learned…and even more importantly, received great encouragement and the courage to enter more writing contests! The Blurb2Book contest doesn’t give feedback, unfortunately, but it was the first contest I’ve ever entered, so I’m proud that I did it, nonetheless.

I won’t hear back from the other two contests for a while (one is on May 17th and the other is a long while later). I also plan on entering another writing contest that has a deadline in August–this one will actually be a contemporary story…and needs a finished manuscript, I do believe. So! As soon as my class is finished (just four more weeks!!!!), I plan on getting started on that manuscript!

Thank you all so much for all your encouragement!

…And keep it coming. 😉

You know how you work hard on something? And you don’t let anyone read it with the exception of a few other writers (who have helped tremendously with point of view and “showing, not telling”)…until that one moment you find out about a contest that could potentially lead to a publishing contract. That moment? Yeah. I just had that moment. And suddenly, I have officially entered a contest that could see me racing to finish my work-in-progress by mid July. Of course, I have to finish this crazy capstone class I just started today, too. But priorities. 😉

So while this post is short because I’m exhausted, it’s a joyful post because God is really giving me the go-ahead and courage to start putting myself out there. Whether I advance to the next stage of the contest (it’s three stages) or not, the reward of just pushing “send” and having faith in Him is enough.

Now I think I’ve deserved my pillow. Goodnight!

Oh, revisions! I submitted my first chapter for critique this past week, and received some really great feedback! I knew going in that I have POV (point of view) issues, and I tend to “tell” and not “show”. In other words, I tend to tell the reader what the character is feeling (“Nervously, she looked behind her”) rather than show the reader what the character is feeling (“Her heart thumping, she looked behind her”). Or kind of like that. 😉

Anyway, revisions can be tough. I had four very kind and wise people make changes and suggestions. The key is to take the good and dump the not-as-good. I didn’t change everything that was suggested, but I definitely had my eyes opened on the areas I need to work over again. And this is before an editor ever looks at it!

Growing up, I thought writing was easy. HA! No. It isn’t. Even after I grew up and realized that writing is harder than it looks–and even after working for an author as his assistant!–I still didn’t quite understand until I started this journey for reals. 😀 It takes not just creativity and a story idea, but technical skills, such as sentence structure and grammar, and so many other tidbits!

What I can say about writing, though, is that if it’s your calling, your God-given gift, then do it. It’s truly an incredible experience. And even better? The other authors you meet along your journey. I still shake my head in wonder at the friendships I’m building, both with unpublished writers through the ACFW and with published authors–both debut authors and those who have been writing for a couple of decades. That networking and friendship-building has probably been the most priceless part of this experience so far. Not only are writers encouraging and incredibly helpful, but the ones I’ve met so far have taken priceless time out of their day to explain something or teach me something, or even offer to critique for me in order to have my MS ready for a conference meeting.

So, as exhausting as writing can be–and the process is long–it is so very rewarding. It’s taken me a long while to come here, but I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.

This is quick. Short.

Earlier tonight, I was hangry. And I mean HANGRY. Just ask my husband. If you were to look “hangry” up on Urban Dictionary, you would see a picture of me. And if you don’t, it’s only because they haven’t updated it yet.

Instead of doing my usual tear-inducing running to my bedroom to escape for a moment, I sat down with my computer. And typed. Amid the noise of kids playing the Wii U, amid the noise of my husband’s computer game. Amid my own feelings.  I typed. I didn’t know why I was angry (until I typed the word hangry, that is), but I wrote and wrote and wrote, and man. Did it feel good!

So let me tell you something. I’ve always known that writing was therapeutic, but never “in the moment” have I sat down to take my mood out on my keyboard rather than my loved ones. My advice? The next time you’re in a bad mood, frustrated, disappointed, or, yes, hangry, write it out. Don’t think about what you’re writing. Just write.

I highly suggest it. Your situation may not change, but I can tell you that your attitude just might.

And to my family…

I’m excited for April. Not only do two of my kids have their birthdays, and not only is it my wedding anniversary (9 years this year!), but it will also be my first writer’s conference!

Wordsowers Christian Writers group will be hosting their conference on April 24-25. The more information that is released, the more excited I become! I also sent in the first couple thousand words of my current work-in-progress for a critique. This will be the first time someone who doesn’t know me will be reading something of mine.

Yeah…I have those little niggling doubts in the back of my mind that I’ll be told I “stink,” to “never write another word again,” and whatever else probably every writer struggles with (especially at first). But you know what? You can’t grow as a writer if you never open yourself up for criticism. And that goes beyond writing. It takes courage to put yourself out there, and I know that I’ll hear from readers–and perhaps other writers, editors, or publishers–who can’t stand my writing, but that’s where I grow. I’ll either take their criticism and wallow in sorrow, or I’ll take their criticism and improve upon myself. Or I’ll just ignore it all together. 😉

What I realize as I get older is that I need to care more about what God thinks of me than what others think of me. As a people-pleaser, that’s hard, but it’s all part of growth.

Okay. I didn’t plan to go there, but I did and now I’m done. Something else that’s exciting before I go: I ordered business cards!! It’s important, when you go to a writer’s conference, to have something you can hand to people when they ask for your contact information, and a business card fits that bill nicely. Much more nicely than a scrap of paper! And something I learned: it helps even more to have your photo on the card so they can put a face to the name; after all, you’re usually meeting quite a few new people at each conference you go to!

A number of weeks ago, I was lamenting my manuscript’s standstill. I’m what is called a “fly by the seat of your pants” writer, meaning I just don’t outline. I start writing and go wherever my fingers on my keyboard take me. But that isn’t always conducive to a good story!

In steps Lisa Phillips, a published author (you can find a link to her site on my “Check It Out” page), who recommended K.M. Weiland‘s Outlining Your Novel. So I bought the book and the workbook! Since then, school and kids have been keeping me busy…fine. And HGTV and Pinterest. Anyway, I’ve been productive this morning and have finished my homework that is due tonight (um…that’s not last minute, is it??) and next Monday (see? I can work ahead when the mood strikes!), so I plan on starting the workbook (alongside the book itself) tomorrow! (I would start today, but it’s already past lunch and my kiddos get out of school soon, so as soon as I post this, I’m going to make a quick lunch then peruse Pinterest to look for ideas to transform my kids’ jeans with holes in them. What?? It’s a good use of time, too!! I’m upcycling!) Who knows, I might even start this evening. 🙂

I think a little more structure will do my writing–and therefore my readers–some good. Don’t you?

And now I have that song stuck in my head!

Most publishers these days really like to see authors have followers on social media before they offer a book contract. So what do you do?

Create a FB page and a web site to get that rolling! My WIP (work in progress) is only about halfway there (well…maybe a little less than halfway!), but I took an important step today and joined American Christian Fiction Writers. I’m terribly excited that this journey is picking up speed! And I’m even more excited that you’re coming along! So keep your eyes peeled for updates as I continue work on my novel…and complaints about how school gets in my way. *snicker*