The Motivational Editor

Helping Writers Go from Unpublished to Published

Writing Skills

Who’s the big bad wolf in your story?

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Big bad wolf chasing 3 little pigsWhat was the big bad wolf’s goal in the story of the 3 little pigs?

To have dinner. He needed to eat and the 3 pigs met the bill. The wolf was doing what came naturally to him.

There was nothing evil about eating the pigs, but of course to the pigs, who stood to lose their lives, the wolf was evil.

At the heart of every story is a protagonist with a goal. It doesn’t matter what the goal is, just that it is essential to the character and without reaching it he/she suffers great loss—physical death being the ultimate loss.

In the case of the wolf and the three pigs, each faced the same loss if they didn’t meet their goal—death.

What would the story have been like if the wolf told it? [Read more…] about Who’s the big bad wolf in your story?

6 Tasks to Accomplish with Act 1 of Your Novel – Part 4

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You want to write a best seller. What writer doesn’t?

First you’ve got to come up with a good story idea. Then you’ve got to get that idea from Point A to Point Z and figure out everything in between. (That’s my hardest struggle — plotting.)

You’ve got to hook your reader —  and keep them reading.

Or your chance at that best seller list gets fried like a fly on bug zapper.

The truth is debut novels usually don’t make the best seller lists, but that’s no reason not to put your best effort into every book you write.

If you’ve been following this series, you’ve learned ways to write a stronger story and thus increase your chances at getting published and selling lots of books.

Here’s what I’ve discussed so far in 6 tasks to accomplish in Act 1: [Read more…] about 6 Tasks to Accomplish with Act 1 of Your Novel – Part 4

Coming soon to an e-reader near you

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It’s done.

I hit the send key last Friday.

After two years of fighting with myself and the manuscript — and spiritual forces of darkness — the revised second edition of my book, titled Carried by Grace, is now with the publisher ready for her to work her layout magic.

Help! My Husband Has Sexually Abused our Daughter: A Devotional Guide for Mothers of Victims was my first book. I knew nothing about the publishing world and did a lot of things wrong in my efforts to find a publisher. No one really wanted to touch the topic, especially from an ignorant newbie author who didn’t have anything else in the works.

So I went the POD publishing route. And marketed the book to Focus on the Family. The book made their approved list, was carried in their online bookstore, and placed on the list for their counselors to send out to those who needed help.

When my publishing contract came up for renewal five years later, I decided not to renew. I had learned a lot about writing in those intervening years and decided to revise the book, make it better. Several times since taking it off the shelves, the counselors at Focus on the Family have asked me when it will be available again. They sent it out regularly to hurting moms facing that situation.

That’s what writing is all about for me — ministering the hope of God to others and offering them encouragement for wherever they are in life.

Many writers have a similar purpose that drives them to write. They’re passionate about helping others, whether it’s through writing nonfiction or fiction.

I want to encourage you.

Keep plugging away at that manuscript.

Learn all you can about the craft and write, write, write.

Be diligent at finding a publisher or to research self-publishing options.

Persevere to reach your dreams as a writer.

I’d like to share a quote from Carried by Grace and reveal the new cover.

Carried by Grace book cover“I sat that August morning in the living room staring out the front window. A few days earlier my daughter had threatened suicide and been admitted to a local psychiatric hospital. My husband sat in jail, arrested for sexually abusing her. My eyes burned from a night of tears and fitful sleep. The rosy hues of sunrise promised a warm Colorado summer day, but as I pulled my knees tightly to my chest I felt swallowed by darkness — like Jonah in the belly of the whale. Grief consumed me and fear of what was ahead nearly paralyzed me.”

How do you hope to minister to the wounds and hurts of others? Share your desires in the comments below.

Where in the world is your story?

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Garden of the Gods, ColoradoHave you ever started reading a book thinking it was contemporary fiction and then 2 … or 3 … or 4 chapters later realized it was historical?

Or maybe you’ve spent the first several pages trying to figure out where the story takes place — big or small city, where you live or in a foreign country?

What do issues like this do to your reading experience?

Does it jar you out of the story when what you thought was really isn’t?

Do you have to step back and reassess before you can dive into the next paragraph?

How do you keep from jerking the reader out of your story? How, instead, with every word you write, do you submerge the reader in your story — seeing, tasting, touching, and experiencing the world you’ve created for them?

Parts 1 and 2 of this series discussed how to hook your reader and create a leading character your reader can bond with. Part 3 of this series will add one more piece to writing a story that will keep your reader reading. [Read more…] about Where in the world is your story?

Six Tasks to Accomplish in Act 1 of Your Novel – Part 2

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dragon reading a bookAs a writer you know you have to hook your reader.

And you know you do that by writing a compelling opening line/paragraph.

But where do you go from there? How do you keep that reader interested and turning the page, instead of slamming the covers shut?

The secret lies with your main character.  [Read more…] about Six Tasks to Accomplish in Act 1 of Your Novel – Part 2

What Drives Us to Write?

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Today I have the pleasure of interviewing longtime friend Joyce L. Villeneuve. Joyce is a senior marketing and communications consultant and successful entrepreneur in the advertising, photography, and public relations fields.

I knew Joyce long before either of us became published authors. We worked together in Colorado. Joyce is now the author of two books: Courage to Forgive, released in May 2010, and Finding Forgiveness in God’s Word released earlier this year in April.

Author Joyce L. VilleneuveJoyce played a key part in my healing process some 12 years ago concerning my husband’s abuse of my daughter. [Read more…] about What Drives Us to Write?

6 Tasks to Accomplish with Act 1 of Your Novel – Part 1

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bend in the roadAs writers we know we have to hook our reader at the onset — no matter what it is we’re writing.

But as novelists, the opening act of our story needs to accomplish six tasks to keep our readers interested and wanting to know what’s just around the bend. For the next several Tuesday Writing Tip posts, that’s what I’ll be discussing. Included with this series is the opportunity to win James Scott Bell’s book Plot & Structure. You’ll find the giveaway details at the end of this post.

You may know what those 6 things are already without even realizing it. You’ve gleaned them from your own reading most likely, but, like me, may not be consciously aware of them. What’s #1? [Read more…] about 6 Tasks to Accomplish with Act 1 of Your Novel – Part 1

The Dreaded Rejection Letter & Why Editors Write Them

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Rejected manuscriptRejection letters.

Most writers dislike them. At least most of my writer friends do.

Rejection letters are discouraging and leave a nasty feeling in the pit of your stomach.

As the editorial director for CrossRiver Media, I can tell you I don’t like writing rejection letters anymore than I, as a writer, like getting them.

And, I will venture to say, [Read more…] about The Dreaded Rejection Letter & Why Editors Write Them