It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Yet, most people I know never pick up pen and paper to record any of the things that happen to them. It seems I rarely meet someone in today’s world who keeps a journal, and yet, it is so critical. Here’s the rub. No matter how exciting or rewarding the event, it’s highly unlikely you’ll remember that accomplishment ten years from now. When it’s happening, you believe you will. After all, at the moment you experience it, you’re at the height of emotion. No way you’ll ever forget it, right? Wrong! Here’s a test. Imagine the last time you were around one of your aunts or uncles after a long separation. Most likely they said something like, “Oh little Becky, do you remember when […]
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Memorialize Your Accomplishments, Part 2: Celebrate Others’ Successes
Nothing will help you memorialize your successes like joining in the celebration of others’ accomplishments. Doing that not only brings joy to the other person, but reminds you of your own achievements. It also just feels good. I attended the very first MBT Story Crafter’s Retreat way back in 2009. There, I met the now famed Ponderers. We all came with a dream of being published authors. Through the years, we’ve had lots to celebrate: Lisa Jordan has two published books: Lakeside Reunion and Lakeside Family. Beth Vogt has two published books: Wish You Were Here and Catch a Falling Star that just released this week. Melissa Tagg will release her debut novel, Made to Last in September. Pat Trainum signed a two book contract with Revell. Ginger Takamiya won […]
Read the RestMemorialize Your Accomplishments, Part One: First Encounters
When Lisa Jordan got her first book contract with Love Inspired, I got to go along for the ride. We talked and emailed back and forth sharing the adventure. We were also prayer partners. One day as I put fingers to keyboard, I felt the Lord leading me to pray that she would experience all the splendor of her very first time… at publishing. I realized that, even though she may publish hundreds of novels, she would NEVER again experience her first novel contract, launch, print. I meet with people every day of my career who look back over their lives wishing they’d taken more time to enjoy the journey. They were so focused on the end result, they don’t remember their first encounters. They rushed right by them with […]
Read the Rest10 Commandments for Writers by James Scott Bell
I’m on the road at the Romantic Times convention this week so I asked the wise and noble James Scott Bell if he’d fill in for me. He graciously accepted. Thanks Jim! 10 Commandments for Writers When I first started to teach writing in the late 90s, I jotted down what I thought should be the 10 Commandments for Writers. I looked at it again recently and thought, You know what? It still holds up. I’ve tweaked them a little bit, but they remain essentially the same. Here they are: 1. Thou Shalt write a certain number of words every week This is the first, and greatest, commandment. If you write to a quota and hold yourself to it, sooner than you think you’ll have a full length novel. (I […]
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