I Just Want To Write - or do I?

Okay, so today it’s eleven days to Christmas.

Do I have our Christmas tree up yet? No.

Do I have any decorations up yet? No

Do I have our annual Christmas greetings sent yet? No.

Do I have our gifts bought. YES!

Why?

I just want to write! With about three-quarters of Her Outback Cowboy (working title) written I’m now at the stage where the hero and heroine have to get busy resolving their differences. Jennifer has to come to grips with what has happened to her the last few years.

David and her father need to know the truth of her years in Texas with her mother and why, when she became an adult, she never returned even for a visit to see them and the home in the Australian outback her sixteen year old self fought so hard not to leave.

Her Outback Cowboy manuscript has been waiting for years now while I wrote the Baragula series. Now I am impatient and longing to finish it!

 So, today I simply have to get moving. Right now, Jennifer isn’t sure just where her future lies.

I know where mine is – at least the next couple of days.

Jennifer – and blog and Facebook readers – just have to wait!

Past time for me to get busy on preparations. These next days are more important than Jennifer and Dave’s story.

IT’S CHRIST’S BIRTHDAY TO CELEBRATE!

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.

WHEN WORD WRITERS GET AWAY



With Jo Wanmer and
Anne Hamilton

Writers do enjoy spending time together. Well, at least this writer always does and I love weekend conferences with more time for one on one fellowship.





Ruth Bonetti with George
and Rita Galieh



My husband, Ray, and I arrived home from Queensland to cool Tasmania only last night from The Word Writers Getaway. This was organised by Rochelle Manners, the publisher of Wombat and Even Before Publishing books. Omega Writers is a major sponsor. The Omega CALEB book awards were announced this weekend.

All except one cabin bag has been unpacked, our clothes are washed and on the clothes-line but I am still sorting out books, workshop notes and all that has to be thought through after an event like this. I hardly know where to start sharing with you this wonderful time with other Christian writers, so am just going to mention just a few thoughts this time.

The original Alpha2Omega seminar in 1999 was the first time I met some of my favourite Aussie Christian authors from around Australia. This year is now the fourth opportunity to share together in Queensland and so there were many hugs with friends made at these events. It was exciting to meet new folk for the first time, including writers from New Zealand and especially those who have until now only been “internet friends” like Skye Wieland.

My two hour workshop on the structure of the novel went quite well except, as usual, Mary did not finish all her notes, talked too much and so no time for a second writing exercise as I’d planned! I have to confess that during the last fifteen or so minutes I was beginning to feel very weary – a left-over from my recent ill-health.

We talked about how important it is to choose an interesting,  intriguing plot with believable characters and conflict that takes more than a letter or conversation to resolve. Hopefully the writers will study in more depth some of the techniques I only had time to touch.  

Unfortunately time ran out before spending as much time as I would like to about including the spiritual elements when plotting a novel. Hopefully I did mention how important it is to show the reality of characters’ faith by how it is shown by their actions and not just having them pray and go to church meetings, etc. Of course, even if briefly, the GMC of novel writing had to be mentioned: Goal, Motivation and Conflict. I believe this is particularly so in the lives of characters’ spiritual lives.

There were sessions about book trailers and how they help promotion, eBooks, online presence, writing irresistible book proposals getting and writing reviews. I spent two sessions in the “Editing Room” talking to writers about their current manuscripts and look forward to future contact with them.

So much more to share about that weekend: the great book stall, the launch of several new book, the Sunday morning church service. However, I may share more another time but do check out other blogs about the Word Writers Getaway at Alexander Park Conference Centre on the Qld Sunshine Coast.

It was a busy time. I talked so much, enjoyed listening so much that only thought to get out my camera a couple of times! Dah!!

There were a few changes mentioned for future events like this. But more of that next time – perhaps.



Speakers and presenters of workshops and panel sessions.

SEASONS –IN A WRITER’S LIFE

For me, this tree a few kilometres from our house stands out as a never ending sentinel to the changing seasons here in our corner of beautiful Tasmania. There are a few other trees further along the road that change also with the seasons but this one just stands out to me as we drive past. Even though most days we are still enjoying warm sun, right now the leaves are showing the signs of cold nights, warning that our winter of short sunlit days and freezing winds are on well on their way.

Yesterday was our ANZAC day of remembering soldiers of Australian and New Zealand forces who lost their lives for us to be able to live in peace and freedom. So many stories told by returned soldiers over the years. We pause and remember, listen to stories on the radio. We watch T.V. news of ceremonies and dawn services all over Australia - and Gallipoli. We watch documentaries about past wars, past stories of individuals. We read stories of tragedy, of triumphs, of loss and grief.

Today I realised anew how many young men and women have gone through that terrible season of their lives in too many wars.

And what about writers? Sometimes writers do feel they are in a different kind of “war”.

Recently I have been pondering on the different “writer seasons” I have been on during the last forty-two years. Or has it been an even longer journey than that?

And what season did it all commence for me? Winter? Spring? Summer? Autumn? I have to be honest and say I personally am not quite sure. I have always enjoyed “writing” in some form or other from letters to the diaries I started when I was fourteen years old. I’ve shared many times how my husband read them and challenged me about having a talent for writing. See my website by clicking here.

But what can I call the season when I actually decided to try and write that first novel, decided to try and become “A Published Writer”? Some might say it was in the hot days of summer I started to study Fiction Writing and eventually began that first fiction manuscript. However, autumn soon followed with the desire growing cooler as I discovered it was no easy task to keep writing, keep persevering until I could write The End.

The heat of excitement and anticipation of receiving a publisher’s contract soon turned to those cold, icy days of reality – rejection letters in a winter season.

My tree loses its leaves in winter. The branches become bare. The wind lashes it but the roots are deep in the soil. Although we cannot see it, winter is the busiest time for that tree. It is being nourished deep within the earth so the green shoots can one day burst forth.

And so the seeming winter season for a writer should also be the time of digging deep, of learning, of being nourished both physically as well as in the things that build the writer’s own character. There is still so much to be aware of, to know about a writing career in readiness for the seasons still ahead:

How and where to submit that manuscript.

How to cope with rejections.

How to re-write and re-write and re-write.

For me it is still about learning more about telling a page turning story, the structure of a novel, grammar and punctuation(Ouch!) All the time learning, growing as a dedicated writer both physically and spiritually.

My tree is also the first on that road to show that faint hint of green. Spring, new life and hope, is on the way.

Spring for the writer may include those “light bulb” moments when something read or told about the craft of writing fiction becomes understandable, doable. Green leaves start to replace the seeming barrenness. Hope grows stronger as I persevere.

Then when fully developed in its summer growth, the manuscript finds an editor who likes it. It is published at last. Great rejoicing. But then the next season hovers once more. Hopefully this autumn is shorter than that first one, but there will be readers who did not like my precious baby. Reviews are not always as glowing as you would like.

At the same time the next manuscript is already being written. Perhaps as autumn begins to colour the leaves, there are problems with the plot, the characters won’t behave. Winter is closing in again but I must remember that difficult season is all part of the writer’s life, the continuing learning curve. It should still be used to bring new strength, new nourishment ready for the excitement of spring and the heat of summer.

The scriptures remind me, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV)

God knows the season I am in right now. He knows the season you are in. The most wonderful thing to be sure of is that no matter what the season my life is at any time, God is there. He never changes. His love and mercy endures for ever!

And so as autumn fades into winter, I continue to cling to Him through all the seasons for strength and wisdom.

And keep writing!