FAITH WITH CREATIVE HEARTS AND HANDS

I’ve just had the delight again of spending a week at the Poatina Faith and Arts programme. Click HERE to read about the programme offered. There were seven different electives this year. For the second time I was privileged to be the leader for the Creative Writing - Fiction elective. About eighty very creative folk of all ages shared a very busy programme. As well as several hours each day in our chosen elective, there were very special worship, teaching and personal sharing times as well.

The village of Poatina has a very interesting history. It began in 1950 as the accommodation site for the workers on the hydro-electricity projects many years ago. When it was no longer needed the whole village was eventually sold to the Christian organisation, Fusion Australia, in 1995. Do check out all about it by clicking HERE

This was my view of the Western Mountain Tiers from my bedroom window this year. It was unusually hot for the first few days and the smoke haze from fires to the south and north of us almost hid the mountains. Thankfully there were none of the ferocious fires in our immediate area that caused such devastation in other parts of Tasmania. However, then one day it even snowed not that far from us and the wind had the bite of winter once more - but that is Tasmanian weather!





  Music elective lead us in a special worship song
they had been developing in their elective.
 Usually we had guitars, saxophone, drums
and great freedom in worship "styles".

 



Three of the glass furnaces inside the new Arts centre building.  
We enjoyed a glass blowing demonstration during one session and a tour of the rest of the huge building still under construction for various other expressions of art.



Two writers pause for the camera
Later we organise the group photo



Will I go again next year? Most certainly if I am able to - and there is need once more for this elective. A week away in early January may not always be possible. All this fabulous week is done by volunteers - who still need to help pay for their accommodation and food. This year Omega Writers were able to sponsor me with a donation of money which was really tremendous!

Nervous Workshop Presenter

I wonder if other authors feel as inadequate as I sometimes do after presenting workshops for other writers.

Fortunately I had managed to get a large part of the two hour workshop on structure of the novel prepared before illness struck at end of August. The last couple of weeks before flying to Queensland to the Word Writers Getaway I did manage to finish it but, being the perfectionist my husband calls me, I still felt under-prepared despite my nine pages of notes.

I did spend quite a lot of time talking about choosing and plotting a very interesting, intriguing story. There are many articles and even books for writers about the different ways to plot a story. This alone shows how important it is to study the elements of writing a novel before ever trying to write that manuscript – especially that first manuscript. I still need to study and try to put what I learn to ever improve my writing. As I try to finish my 19^th inspirational romance manuscript, I know now only too well that trying to take “short cuts” in plotting a novel simply does not work! And there is still one of my manuscripts sitting in a drawer waiting for a rewrite after being rejected years ago.

It is also important to write only what I myself am passionate about. I wonder if anyone who has read my books have picked up at least one aspect of Christians’ relationships with the opposite sex I am passionate about?

Another essential element in creating a novel that has a good structure is choosing and adequately portraying characters. There are other elements of course we need to know about to try and capture the readers so they have to turn to that second page, but creating characters that make them care enough about them so they want to keep reading – and enjoying – the whole book is vital. I know my Creator knows me inside and out - even better that I do myself at times. So as the creator of my fictitous characters, I need to know them like that also.

Some of those other elements of course include choosing point of view, whether to use third or first person, how to make dialogue real, goal of characters, the conflict, the motivation driving the main characters, more hints how to create and maintain tension. In fact, each element needs a workshop of its own. Each needs to be studied. Then the writer has to try and put them into practice in that writer’s own unique style with the aim of captivating the reader for the full length of that book to a “satisfying and knockout ending” as James Scott Bell describes in his book Plot and Structure.

I highly recommend this book which is published by Writers Digest. The blurb on his website states:

"Since its publication, Plot & Structure has consistently been one of the top selling books on the craft of fiction writing. From story idea to strong plot line, this book will show you how to write a solid novel, every time out. You will never have a structural weakness again. These principles will free you to add your talent and voice in the most successful form possible. “The best book on writing I’ve ever read!” - Colleen Coble, Bestselling Author

This is available in print and e-book and there are other helps for writers on his website. Do click on his name above to go straight to it.

To help me choose what topics to offer to present at future workshops, I’d love to hear comments from beginner novelists what they need to study, or what authors now wish they had known more about before their first book was published. Is there a reader who would like to make any suggestions too about weaknesses they have seen in novels?
Yes, you guessed it! I am going to be the leader again at the Faith and Arts Creative Writing - fiction at the Tasmanian Poatina Faith and Arts week in January. Click here to go to their website.

How Much Have You Forgotten YOU Had To Learn?

My first two novels

During the last few years as time has permitted me, I have been privileged to have opportunities to try and help other writers attempting their first novel. Some of the mistakes in some of the manuscripts really made me blink. After reading the first few chapters of one I even groaned and muttered, “Where do I even start with this one?”

What actually decided me to mention that in today’s blog was the prayer of our delightful grandson last night. His Dad, our own precious son, had just left very early in the morning to catch a flight on the first leg of a long trip overseas. Our grandson is now just over ten years old. He thrilled Ray and I with his maturity and faith as he asked God to keep the traveller safe and watch over himself and the rest of the family. As he prayed, I have to confess having to remind myself he is still only ten years old!

I was dwelling on this again today and my thoughts went back many, many years ago to another ten year old. I suddenly remembered how I used to pray too to the Lord I knew without a doubt loved me. Certainly since then I have been learning more and more about that same Lord, more about how He wants us to pray in intimate fellowship with Himself. Even when the answers are not always what I want, I am even more sure He is listening, is always faithful to His word, and yet have I forgotten just how much I have had to learn over the years about God and His ways?

My first novel I started writing over twenty years ago. There had been a fairly brief course about writing fiction, including setting, plotting, characters and other basic elements of a novel. Even though I did buy “How to Write” books as well over the years, learning the theory and then trying to put it into practice are often two different things. Now I look back and realise just how much I gradually learnt – and not only with that very first attempt. Fortunately for that first novel I had one editor who pointed out what we now call “head-hopping” or my bad use of Point of View. For many years I did not even know the technical term for that problem. I won’t even attempt to mention the grammar I had to learn and still get wrong sometimes!

Today I am very aware that even after having written seventeen stories I am still learning how to improve my writing to try and give my readers an enjoyable “Emotional Experience”.

One problem I have noticed writers need help with I am presenting in a workshop at The Word Writers Getaway in October – “The Structure of the Novel”. It is still not too late to register so do check out the session topics available. There just might be one to help you or a writer friend you know.

There is danger in taking for granted beginners know things we have had to learn ourselves over years and now are very familiar with – even if we still fail sometimes to put them into practice properly. Now I am trying to pass on writing techniques to others, it is important to never forget just what I had to learn – and too many times the hard way from editor requests for revisions.

I would love to have comments about specific things you remember you had to learn about while writing your manuscripts.
Perhaps there are mistakes (besides typos) you see in published books you wish the writer had known about?

WHAT THIS WRITER DOES BESIDES WRITING

I know I seem to too often mention how busy life is here for me in our relatively quiet little village in Tasmania. Well, perhaps I do need to say that very important word, “No” far more often. I thought today I would share some of the things I have been involved in recently that is keeping me busy–perhaps at times too busy!

Published authors involved in writers’ groups may receive manuscripts from other writers to read and comment on. I have certainly had several of those over the years and, while I do very much enjoy trying to help unpublished writers in this way, it has the danger of taking too much time away from my own writing.

And so, what do I do? I lead with my chin and agree to being the presenter/leader of an elective for fiction writers at the Fusion Faith And The Arts week long event. This was held at Fusion’s village of Poatina in January. A beautiful place and do click HERE to check this unusual village out.

While I did come home weary, it was a very exciting and worth while time of fellowship and input into other writer’s efforts as well as getting to know other great folk involved in various other artistic works. This is an annual event and click HERE to find out more about FATA. It was a real privilege to be involved this year.



With Valerie Parv at
RWA National Conference

 Then I came home and straight back into being involved in planning and organising another exciting event. Romance Writers of Australia had contacted their members in Tasmania last year to see if we would consider having a RWA Roadshow here this year. These day seminars have been held successfully in places like Perth, Adelaide and North Queensland to try and give writers a “taste” of our annual National Conferences. However, these are only held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and too many other areas miss out. Since these annual conferences commenced way back in 1991 I have only missed a few. Let me assure you, that while I am looking forward so very much to this one day here in Tasmania, I know it can only be a teaser for the wonderful RWA four day conferences held each year.

I couldn’t go to Melbourne last year and am especially looking forward to this special, yummy “Taster!”

And here is the first announcement, the Teaser for the Taster!

Tasmanian RWA Roadshow
When: Saturday 19th
Where: LINC Tasmania – 8 High Street, Launceston

Time: 9.00am – 5.30pm (with optional dinner afterwards)

Cost: Members $55 (GST incl.) Non-members $66 (GST incl.) – includes lunch
More information about our special guest speakers from Victoria, their exciting elective workshops as well as registration will be available very soon at: http://www.romanceaustralia.com/roadshows_tas.html

Oh, and before I finish this post, I have to also mention my involvement in the Tasmanian Baptist Womens' Ministry committee. Our Conference Day happens on Saturday March 24th . Our theme this year is Where is God in Your Life? Is it obvious to you right now too that I sure need Him with me every moment?

I always enjoy these times of Tassie BWM fellowship. A really great day has been planned this year with a special speaker, Jan Adams, and others doing very important and interesting electives like:- 

Where is God in tough economic times? byAnthony Plisek.

Anthony is Senior Financial Counselor at Anglicare Hobart.

Registration Forms will be available this weekend .

So, once again I’ve lead with that softening chin of mine and am presenting the Bible Study elective, Where Is God In Your Day. And now I’m off to start preparing it! Perhaps God will again try to tell me what to say "No" to and hopefully I'll be listening!

MORE ABOUT THESE EVENTS NEXT WEEK!

And until then I might even be able to write more of my Her Outback Cowboy manuscript? Another perhaps?

Oops! For a moment forgot about the Society Women Writers Tasmania meeting next Monday – and helping to organise their Short Story Contest!

The Swing’s False Impression

Every time our young grandchildren visit they head for the swing set in our yard. Each child enjoys the sensation of being pushed, or being self propelled. There is something relaxing, mesmerising even in going backwards and forwards on a clear sunny day. When grandad wears out or they think of doing something else the swing stops. They get off and the swing becomes still. It hasn’t moved. After all the energy exerted, all the time spent, enjoyable or exhausting though it be, nothing has advanced.

I thought how much of a parable the swing is of so much we do. Whether it is in our personal life, business scene or church work we exert so much energy, maybe enjoy the movement and the moment, but end up getting nowhere. The swing gives the impression to those on it that something is being done, possibly achieved. In reality the person or committee is simply filling in time for no real movement or gain.

I’m glad Jesus didn’t say “come join me on my swing!” Although I have to admit that is the impression often presented by some! The Lord speaks to the heart and says “Come follow me…!” He is on a journey. He has a mission to complete. He has a destination in mind. He has work to achieve and He calls us to join Him in His walk.

To be honest there are times when I would have liked to exchange the stepping out for the swing. It would have been less demanding, costly, or emotionally draining. But then I would never have discovered the grace of our Lord or the depth of His word’s wisdom or the joy of accomplishing the task set before me.

The swing is a great temptation for its false impression of activity. It is an illusion for achieving something. It becomes an even great worry when those on the swing want God to do the pushing. Sorry. He is on the outback track or the city pathway or the suburban side street.

There are many swings set up along the roads of life. They tempt us to stop and have a go. The trouble is too many of us once settled rarely want to get off. Fortunately the Lord doesn’t abandon us to the futile motion of the swing. He calls, warns or even pulls down the swing we are on. Why? So that we might get back on track to follow Him in the task He has set for us.

Anyway, walking is much more beneficial to physical and spiritual health!

Ray(with his walking shoes on) Hawkins

Ray is presenting a workshop on writing devotions at The Word Writers Fair in Queensland on November 12th. There is still time to register for this great weekend for writers. http://www.thewordwriters.com/

As well as other great workshop electives to choose on the Saturday, Mary is also presenting a workshop for anyone who is seriously considering writing a novel. See details of the weekend on the website. She  is also one of the mentors for the Friday programme. Of course, the CALEB Award dinner on the Friday evening will be a nail-biting time when the winners - especially for the fiction book award as Mary's Justice at Baragula is a finalist! - are announced.

Creativity and Writing

Last Sunday, I had the privilege of being the guest speaker at a special church service for their Chat and Choose group. Many beautiful arts and craft items were displayed. I was in awe of the imagination, the skilled hands that had created so much beauty from large patch-work quilts to the fine tatting and other numerous items.

It has been a very busy time in the Hawkins family and I had found it difficult to not only make the time to prepare but also to decide what message the Lord wanted me to share. To start with, while I enjoy speaking appointments to women and writers’ groups I was rather intimidated to be the preacher delivering the sermon. After all, my husband is the minister! But our roles were to be reversed that day.

As always after prayer and reading the scriptures, the brain began to churn. For some reason I could not get past the thought of God the Master Craftsman, the Creator who looked at all He had made and thought it was “good.” How many times in the past had I read and studied those first chapter of Genesis? This time the thought of God’s valuation of all He had created as “good” really struck home. I looked again and again at that verse twenty-seven: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” And then later, in that last verse thirty-one of chapter one we are told, “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.”

But I thought of Adam’s sad rebellion that brought death and destruction to The Creator’s wonderful, amazing efforts. How would those hard-working craft members feel if their display at church was destroyed? How would I feel if I saw my creative writing work, my books ruined, destroyed? How would I feel if someone thought so little of all my hard work that I think of as “good” they turned away from me, even hated me? 

And although that “image” of God in humankind is now distorted, is part of our desire to “create” and love beauty still from our Creator? He loves us so much He is still reaching out to those who have turned away from Him, rebelled.

I am so very, very thankful our God is still in the “Creating Business!” that He loves us still, was prepared to let His Son suffer what should be our punishment so we can enjoy intimacy with Him again.

Let us never forget the love behind the truth of 2Corinthians5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

And the words of an old Sunday School days hymn written by another writer many, many years ago has been resounding through my head today.

I am so glad that our Father in heaven
Tells of His love in the book He has given.
Wonderful things in the Bible I see
This is the dearest that Jesus loves me.
I am so glad that Jesus loves me!

The Preparations Continue - for Life's Journey.

Well the last few days I have managed to finish preparing the Romance Writers workshop for the Word Writers Fair. Or at least this "perfectionist" certainly hopes she has finished preparing!
I've also been spending far too many hours agonising over suggestions for the back blurb for Justice at Baragula to send off to Ark House Press with other hopefully helpful ideas for the cover art of this Book Three of this series.

A few minutes ago I also finished the notes for my talk to readers at the Toowoomba Library on November 13th. Reviewing how I've reached this stage in my writing career is actually very humbling.

First of all there is that battered looking Exercise book which became my first diary. I never dreamt then that expressing my hopes, dreams and feelings in it was only the forerunner of twenty years later and that little green folder. On the very first of that folder I wrote, "DESIRE & AIMS OF WRITING A CHRISTIAN NOVEL." Then there are pages and pages about the theme, the characters, even a brief summary of each chapter. How different that eventually published book was but the Writing Journey God is still taking me on stills leaves me with a sense of awe and immense thankfulness. 

Writing now with a computer and years more experience is so different from that first attempt, that first novel which eventually became my first book, "Search For Tomorrow." Damged Dreams was my first submission to Mills & Boon but Priority Care was my first contract in those medical romance novels and a revised Damaged Dreams became my second Inspirational novel with Barbour publishers in their Heartsong Presents Book club

Now my new novel next year, Justice at Baragula, will be my 19th title. This never ceases to amaze me, humble me, and I love sharing with folk the journey God has taken me over all these years of writing.

My darling husband and I come from different backgrounds. He also looks back, so let us mediatate for awhile as he shares a few thoughts with us on Life's Journey...

The Hawkins Family motto.

I bought the Hawkins heraldic shield for my Mum and Dad. After their passing, I claimed it. The words are ‘Toujours Pret’ - which, I’m led to believe mean ‘always ready.’ People who know me would either smile or cringe in applying that to me.

My nature seems to be ‘she’ll be right mate’ and ‘we will see which way the ball bounces before we decide what to do.’ Over the years I’m sure it has given ulcers to many and caused concerns in planning circles - especially in my younger days.

I’m thankful to God for many things, not the least for taking an unready, rather careless young man and giving him a major make-over. If He hadn’t, I would never have been ready to stand in His company and be accepted.

Life’s journey is a mystery waiting to be solved. Often we can misread the clues, go up detours only to be disappointed, hurt and hurting others, confused. We suffer apathy or misplaced enthusiasm which can play on our mind over time. However what I have come to realize as my journey is now a long way down the track, God has journeyed with me. I often didn’t recognize His presence or appreciate His interventions, but He was making me live up to my family motto.

I still have some way to go, perhaps a few false starts, but I do have a desire to be always ready. For what you may ask? The expected and the unexpected! To be available for family and friends, to use my resources rather than hoard, to share my faith when and where possible are among the list. To recognize my Lord may blow the whistle for full-time on my life, and to be ready to give an account of how I played the game according to His rules. It is my hope that the family motto will be worn more faithfully and fully by my children and grand-children.

Do you have a family motto? How does God fulfill or transform it in your life.

SPEAKING APPOINTMENTS AND OTHER EXCITING NEWS

       Okay, so last week I mentioned I am a “List-maker.” I also mentioned after arriving home from our August trip that I needed to prepare for the next one in November. Well, that time is well and truly now becoming more urgent and very high on my list of “To Do” things before we leave.
Booking our trip across Bass Strait to the Australian mainland had to be made many weeks ago.
Registering for the CALEB Award Dinner in Qld has also been done quite a while ago.
The speaking appointment at the Toowoomba library on November 13th has been finalised.
I have been reading manuscripts and in touch with the three writers of them I will be tutoring in the mentorship programme while in Qld.
   
        But I’m getting ahead of myself. Will share more about those in the next blog.
Two days ago our church women hosted a “Share Day” organised by our State women’s ministry team for Christian women from around our Island state. Did I make a list for that? Sure did! And now that day was a success, preparing for our trip to Queensland requires not just one list but several!
        Today I have been trying to attend to the most urgent thing at the top of my current list, preparing a workshop presentation at that Word Writers Fair  day in Queensland on Saturday November 6th.
It still isn’t too late to register and do check out the website. You can choose seminars on:-
Time Management for Writers, Writing articles for magazines, How do I Write a Book, talk with Children’s Picture book published author, Stay motivated to completion, Writing for teenagers, Books for kids, or choose to go to the panels offered on various subjects. I am sharing on one called Reaching out for God through fiction.
        The workshop I am preparing is simply titled “Romance Writing.” In just over an hour, what are the most important things I need to share with the writers? If anyone would like to leave a comment what you think I should touch on, do, please do so!
        There is so much I could share. Will those at the workshop be beginner writers? Will some have written other books but wondering about trying to write a romance novel? Many times, romance authors like myself are told that of course there is always a “formula” to writing a romance novel. That is usually accompanied by a smile that indicates that, after all, those “little books” are easy to write. Perhaps for some writers they may be “easy” but over many years I’ve yet to meet a successful romance author who has found them “easy.” If it was so why do many, many writers receive rejection after rejection on their manuscripts? Is there a formula? Except that a hero and a heroine find true love and face a “happy ever after” future, sadly, I have yet to find that famous formula!
        So, what are some of the “special elements” that a writer targeting the romance genre market needs to know? This is proving to be a real challenge for me and I am trying to share some of the things I have learnt are “essentials” for writers of romance to know.
        The week after the Word Writers Fair I am also a tutor for a live-in mentorship programme for Christian fiction writers. As I mentioned, I have the three manuscript drafts already being worked on by the authors who will be under my care. When I read most "new" writers' works, there are times it makes me realise how much I have been learning myself over the last seven years since my first novel contract. Some of that “learning” has been by making mistakes – in other words learning the hard way. If I can help other writers from making similar mistake, I will be very happy!

    Oh, and the “other” exciting news mentioned in the heading?

My Return to Baragula is a finalist in the Fiction category of the Caleb Book Prizes.

Book three, Justice at Baragula has been accepted by Ark House Press and tentatively scheduled for release April 2011

Am so thrilled about both, but I have read the other three great books in that contest that have also finaled!

Mmm. . .wonder if I’ll be able to eat – or enjoy - that award dinner on November 6th before the winner is announced!

BACK HOME but PREPARING TO BE OFF AGAIN!

This week I thought I’d tell you a few things that have been happening here to my husband and I. As well of course, there are those other plans for another trip to the Australian mainland in November.

But first of all, I received a lovely photo sent to me by a lovely fellow writer – and a clever photographer – from the RWA Conference at Coogee beach in Sydney. Had to share this one with you!
Remember, if you click on a photo on my blog posts, it will enlarge and be clearer.

The two writers on the top of the left cube are Cathleen Ross   and Kandy Shepherd who organised the RWA conference this year. The writer beneath them is Kylie Griffin, this year’s Golden Heart winner. Also on that cube are Kerri Lane with Sandra Allan. The photos on the cube on the right include Barbara Hannay and Anne Gracie next to me, and underneath us are Kandy Shepherd, Nalini Singh and Christine Stinson. The other side of the cube is from the “Goal, Motivation, Conflict” Friday session  with Debra Dixon of America. Many thanks to clever Robyn Aldridge! She has called this RWA Sunrise Cubes

And so, RWA conference and the other speaking engagements in New South Wales in September are behind me. Now we are planning for more speaking appointments in Queensland in November! I will be on a panel about “Reaching out for God through fiction” and doing a seminar workshop session on writing romance at the Word Writers Fair in Brisbane area. The award dinner for the CALEB book contest organised by the Omega Writers is on that same Saturday evening, November 6th.
And I have been thrilled today to learn that my Return to Baragula and Outback From Baragula have been short-listed in the Fiction category! Whoopee! There are also encouraging reviews of the books on the CALEB page.

Do click on the Word Writers Fair, Omega Writers and CALEB and you should go to the websites to read all about these events, including the full list of other great books that have also been short-listed in all the categories.

Don’t forget to make sure you let folk know about the Word Writer Fair so they can register ASAP. I believe places are filling already so register NOW! I am so looking forward to sharing with writers at the seminar and then being a tutor for the Omega mentorship live-in programme the following week.

And if all this isn’t enough excitement for one trip, arrangements are being made for me to share with writers as well as readers of Christian fiction at the Toowoomba library. Will post more information about that event later.

And how are we travelling to Qld this trip? We studied the plane and car hire fares carefully, compared them and other expenses with the only other way to leave our beautiful island. We also need to take books with us and have space to bring books back too! So we are now booked on the Spirit of Tasmania, the ferry that sails overnight across Bass Strait to Melbourne. We will be taking our time driving –and I’ll try and remember to take photos to share with you.

Would love to hear if there is any chance I will be able to meet any readers of my blog – somewhere between Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and southern Queensland!