WOTH Writer's Blog

Read My Writing: O Little Blog on our Blogroll

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Not trying to be mysterious. Just elusive. My holiday vacation has started and I am putting our fun and inspiring series, "Read My Writing," on hold until the New Year. I hope you all are OK with that.

In the meantime, please read each other's writing. And wish one of our dear bloggers a "Merry Christmas" while you are on their site. We all love it when we know someone has read our writing.

My love and friendship to you as you serve all over the globe. Joy to the World!

Read My Writing: Compelled to Respond

2011-12-13T13:28:00.006-07:00

When we read courageous pieces our hearts are stirred. Sometimes we are compelled to respond. This woman was. So our featured piece is her response to our post last week.

Prayer for Those Faraway

by Grace @ Sacred Space

I've been reading blogs this morning from sisters around the world that I am virtually connected to through Women of the Harvest . Real women with messy lives living in challenging circumstances. Many of us glamorize missionaries, or think that they are somehow more spiritual than the rest of us, that they've been given extra measures of strength to live in difficult circumstances. Not true. I so admire these women and families who have followed the Shepherd to the field where He leads them. And, I pray that all of us will listen to the leading of the Shepherd in our own lives and that during this Christmas season our feet will bring good news of peace to a broken, fearful world.

"Dear Jesus, I abide with you this morning for my sisters around the world who have left homes, family, familiarity and comfort to take your message of salvation to your children. It's December Lord, and good or bad, we all have expectations of what this month should bring.

I pray for those far from families they love and long to be with, comfort them Dear Comforter. Give them joy like Peter knew...beyond expression!

I pray for those who are lonely and disillusioned, strengthen them Lord. with the strength you gave David when he was in a foreign land feeling so alone.

I pray for those whose marriages are being tested beyond what they think they can handle due to internal and external pressures inherent in marriage, but exacerbated in foreign cultures; give them patience and endurance as they hope in Your ability to give them wisdom and discernment.

I pray for mommies who are trying to love, discipline and educate their children. That is a challenge in 'normal' life, but even greater on different soil.

Give us all sensitive ears to your still, quiet voice as You guide us each moment to the path of life, the path of peace, the path of restoration every moment. Bless my precious sisters, Your chosen daughters, abundantly this Christmas Lord. Lift their heads to You and not to people near or far that they feel could meet some need they have. Remind them of Your lavish love, Your deep delight in them, and let them hear Your voice singing over them, rejoicing that they are Yours. Hold them close. In Your tender mercy, amen."

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Thank you, Grace. I love when the Spirit moves. Amen. [I couldn't help noticing that your prayer post was after a two month pause in your blogging--love that!]

Read My Writing: Courage

2011-12-06T09:13:00.017-07:00

"What makes a King out of a slave? Courage.

What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage."

What makes you write posts that speak of things you've longed to say? Courage.

A WOTH Shout-out for those who bravely bared their souls:

Lisa @ The Task at Hand: How she feels about short-term teams in "Blurb. blurb. blurb. blurb"

@Sparrow Tracks: The toll ministry/church has taken on her soul in "slow burn"

Sarah @ Whispers on the Journey: She ponders placing too much power into the hands of one in "Should We Dump the 'Lone Star' Pastor Model?"

Laura @ Laura in Lisbon: She muses about her mixed-up cross-cultural life in "Confusion..."

Our featured post:

shock, outraged and bitterly disappointed...

by Alida @ Blackpurl's Knitpickings

Not long after Stella played the piano while Ticha sang "I Surrender All," a small church in Kentucky has voted to ban interracial couple from membership.

The statement said all people are welcome to attend the church, but that the congregation would not receive interracial couples as members, "nor will they be used in worship services" and other church functions, according to a copy supplied to the Herald-Leader by a church member.

Seriously?! This is 2011 for goodness sake.

How is it possible for Christians to act this way?

Stella's father had this to say about the decision of the church:

"It sure ain't Christian it ain't nothing but the old devil working"

Tom and I married on December 13, 1981.

We faced this type of opposition back then. Twenty nine years ago we went shopping at a mall in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A young blonde salesgirl asked Tom if she could help him with a pair of shoes. After getting him settled she asked if she could help me as I wandered around looking for another pair for Tom to try on. When I said "that's okay... we're together" she went into the stockroom and didn't come back out.

We were refused service at a restaurant in Missouri. In Kansas, back in 1985, when our first child was stillborn someone asked our pastor if it was because we were being punished by God for being a biracial couple. We moved to California in 1988 and left all of that behind. There we found more couples like us and our children grew up feeling they were part of a normal typical family.

Spencer and Nathan

When our oldest, on the right, was asked at age 5 by a neighborhood kid why his mom was black he quickly answered "because God made her that way!"

I am shocked by this church's stance. Outraged. Bitterly disappointed. Maybe these people have not read their Bibles. Maybe they don't know that Moses was married to a Cushite (Ethiopian)? Surely their Bibles include the book of Numbers. Maybe they just haven't read chapter twelve?

My prayer is that Stella and Ticha can find a more loving congregation to be a part of. I pray that they know that not all Christians think this way. I pray that they will have a long and loving relationship and that this bigotry does not stand in the way of that. And I pray that when they are counting down the days until their 30th anniversary this will be just a dim memory.

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Thanks, Alida, for telling us more about your courageous life in the face of prejudice. Each specific incident, written simply and straightforward, spoke strongly to your readers. You are not alone in your outrage. As a follow-up to the story of the couple in Kentucky, the church reversed their decision...it looks like when we have the courage to speak up, it can actually turn the tide.

And Happy 30th Anniversary, Alida!

Are you all enjoying reading one another's lives per blog posts? I am. Not sure what next week will hold, that depends on what you write...

Read My Writing: Topical Points of View

2011-11-28T15:43:00.009-07:00

One subject, many points of view. I went out to the blogroll and found a plethora of Thanksgiving posts. Many of you have even moved on to Christmas, leaving all things orange and brown in the dust. But we will pause with thanksgiving today and read what you have to say.

I've included two excerpts that I found interesting from a cross-cultural standpoint: one tells of making a traditional Thanksgiving dish in another country, the other tells what it is like being from another country in the midst of an American holiday.

A WOTH Shout-Out to those of you who wrote topically this past week about Thanksgiving:

Spicy Mango Wings in Belize

Baked Pies Perched on Ant Traps in the Philippines

Hors d’oeuvres and Thankful Tree in the Middle East

Dia de Accion de Gracias (Day of the Action of Thanks) in Paraguay

Tropical Thanksgiving in Vanuatu

Radio Station locale for a Haitian Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Prayer

Comparing the Menu Midwest vs. East Coast in the USA

Greek Gratitude List

an excerpt from “Cooking Thanksgiving - Turkana style” by Lynn, Kenya

Happy Thanksgiving! As you wake up this morning, I will be putting the finishing touches on my part of our Thanksgiving feast. We are celebrating in the evening as it is just a normal workday here in Turkana. Here is a small wordy glimpse into how I have to cook...my job is to fix the green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, my grandma's apple salad and to bring the cranberry sauce.

...The sweet potato casserole brings its own challenges. We do sometimes find sweet potatoes here in the small shops in Lodwar. I found some yesterday. The thing is, they are white on the inside not orange. One Thanksgiving two of my teammates decided that they wanted orange sweet potatoes so they used food coloring. At one point we had bright pink mashed sweet potatoes and we were all rolling on the floor in stitches! They did eventually get them to be orangish. This year I found a recipe that uses both carrots and sweet potatoes. So, I am hoping the orange carrots will help get the color right. This recipe calls for 1 cup of sour cream. You can't just run out to the store and get sour cream here. So, I use a canned cream and mix it with 2 Tbs of vinegar to make it sour. [for the rest of her yummy menu "Turkana-style," click here.]

an excerpt from “A letter to Americans outside America” by Wendy, Japan

Dear Americans,

I have to admit that I feel ambivalent about your Thanksgiving.

Giving thanks is important, I acknowledge that and I practise it every day. And I appreciate that your holiday gives us a 3 1/2 day weekend at CAJ — a welcome break from school and work. But it is your celebration. Not mine. It is full of things that you grew up knowing, food and fellowship that you will always associate with good times.

Where I grew up, this time of year was associated with the increasing heat of the days and nights. With exams, tests and assignment and the imminent end of the school year. With end of year parties. With the anticipation of a long summer break. The cricket season was heating up and the school year winding down.

But never did I associate the end of November with all things orange and brown. Never did I think about turkey or pumpkin pie. Never had I even wondered what holiday Americans celebrated at this time of year, before I came to Japan. We Australians have no equivalent to your Thanksgiving. Our history is very different to yours in so many ways...Your Aussie friend, Wendy. [for the complete post, click here]

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Thank you, Lynn and Wendy! Here's what stood out from your posts: the visual of pink potatoes (Lynn) and a point of view I had never considered and the courage to write it (Wendy). To the rest of our writers, here's my prompt for you: Is there something that would take a bit of courage to write about, something that you've been wanting to get off your chest, something that you've been wondering if you are alone in the way you feel? Then I challenge you to "do a Wendy" and write it out...I'll come looking for it this week :).

Read My Writing: Have a Banana

2011-11-22T00:00:00.007-07:00

Last week I encouraged the use of dialogue in your blog post. Here are 3 who found the quotation mark key on their computer and put it to use to convey a bit of their musings. For those of you who would like to use dialogue but need a tutorial, these two past posts might be helpful in writing and punctuating dialogue correctly (thanks Robin for asking!).

A “Well-Done!” WOTH shout-out goes to:

Sarah @ Whispers on the Journey

Barbara @ Earthen Vessels

Karen @ Parent of a Missionary…My Reflections

The next featured blog post comes from Missy @ Till All Have Heard. She has just returned to Papua New Guinea from home assignment. I’m sure most of you can commiserate with her question: what's for dinner? And those of you who live in remote or underdeveloped regions of the world know the answer is more than just looking in the pantry for a few food items; it is an all-day affair.

Pay attention to how she uses detail to aid in telling her story of preparing meals in another culture: price of items, utensils used, time, distance, food items. It's what adds interest and draws in the reader. She had me at the $15 chicken.

I think this would be a great piece to add to your support newsletter or in a church/agency communication. All can relate because eating is universal; fixing dinner, a necessity.

What’s for Dinner?

By Missy @ Till All Have Heard

There is a bit of heaven here in this mission community—especially the way families eagerly sign up to cover the first three days worth of meals for new arrivals to Ukarumpa. With all the unpacking, settling in and finding your way around the center, it’s very nice not to have to concern yourself with cooking. But when you’ve arrived on a Friday and the store is closed till Monday, and McDonalds is just a mirage from another life, the “meal list” is pure necessity.

But now the honeymoon is over and I’m struggling to make three meals a day for this family. This ought to be old hat by now. I mean, I have lived in PNG for 5 years already. And I really didn’t even take advantage of all the convenient and microwaveable foods available when we were in the States. I guess I just wasn’t prepared for the changes that have taken place in the food department of PNG during the past three years.

Yes, I knew prices were high, but $15 for a chicken! I haven’t even seen the prices for beef yet, because the store hasn’t had any since we arrived. And what do we eat for breakfast when cereal is over $9 a box, eggs are $7/dozen and oatmeal can’t be found? The answer is bananas and toast (if I remembered to make bread the day before.)

My whole day seems consumed by planning and preparing the next meal. Jon tells me to keep it simple. But what does that mean? Carrot sticks aren’t even simple when you have to be at the market between 6:00 and 7:30 AM on Monday, Wednesday or Friday to buy them. Wash them in a water and bleach solution. Pare them without the aid of a decent vegetable peeler, and slice them with the equivalent of a butter knife. (I’m serious…the house we’re living in did not have a single sharp knife—not even a dull, sharp knife. I shudder to think what I’d be doing if I hadn’t brought my own from home!)

I wonder how long the kids will accept my suggestion of “have a banana” for a midday snack?

But I truly do thank God for the market where the local people sell their garden produce three mornings a week. I can find just about any type of vegetable there and many tropical fruits. Prices are pretty good—comparable to your home-town grocery store. So let us eat fresh veggies, and roasted veggies and minestrone soup, beans, and more beans, and for dessert…bananas.

The upside…maybe in three years I’ll be thinner and healthier. Or maybe I’ll just resemble that banana.

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Thank you, Missy! How’s your Thanksgiving menu shaping up in Papua New Guinea?

And for the rest of the writers, perhaps writing about the nuances of your cross-cultural Thanksgiving dinner would be fun to blog about too. I’m always intrigued with who can scrounge up a turkey-like meat for the festivities and who brings out their long-concealed can of pumpkin for the pie.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear writers! You are expanding God’s Kingdom and for that, we at Women of the Harvest, are grateful.

Read My Writing: Make Your Writing Interesting with Dialogue

2011-11-15T00:00:00.001-07:00

In requesting permission from Sarah @ Whispers on the Journey to publish her post, I told her that I loved the use of one little slice of life story, accompanied with actual dialogue, to capture an aspect of her cross-cultural life. I found it quite interesting. See what you think.

Answering Awkward Questions

by Sarah @ Whispers on the Journey

I answer really awkward questions without blinking.

I didn’t used to. I used to have a filter.

But tonight in my auto ride with a chatty driver – I realized just how far my American-filter for awkwardness has been stretched and disfigured. He was asking me questions about salary figures, marital status, why I chose to wear South Asian clothing, and my opinion on world politics and religion.

And I answered all of them. I chatted freely about my choice of clothes, the nature of man and Christianity. About how I’m not married because I’m “waiting for God’s choice” (this is the best answer that gets my parents off the hook for not currently searching for a husband).

The even weirder thing is – I now ask these questions too. I once struck up a conversation with a random girl in Dominoes pizza. We were both waiting for our take-out order. I plied her with questions. Married? Work? Where? Live with your family? Why not? And they’re ok with that?

She saw nothing wrong with answering all of those questions and more. I saw nothing wrong with asking them of a complete stranger.

There’s only one question I hate getting asked now.

But it’s not the one you might expect.

I hate getting asked how much I paid for something.

Not because I necessarily mind the question or find it impolite. But because if it’s a South Asian friend asking, my answer will inevitably be followed by “tsk tsk” and a lecture on how I could’ve gotten it cheaper somewhere else. (Or, I like to insert here, if I looked more South Asian!)

My neighbor once saw me coming in from the market with a bag of rice. She asked me how much I paid for it.

“26 rupees a kilo,” I replied innocently.

“Aww – you can get it for 23 rupees a kilo around the corner!”

So if it’s about where my money comes from, what I do every day, whether or not I’m married, if I live alone, what I think of corruption in politics and why I chose to wear the clothes I do – please ask!

If it’s about how much I paid for my rice – keep it to yourself!

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Thanks, Sarah! Comments, writers? Could you all, in the next week or two, use dialogue to convey an incident between you and a national, and post it on your blog? This is the technique used in fictional pieces: telling the story through dialogue. I think it works great for telling about your cross-cultural lives too. I know you run into all types of interesting characters...why not introduce your readers to them.

And just to give us a peek, what if you posted a brief conversational exchange in the comment section this week...kinda like I said this, then he said that, etc.

Read My Writing: My New Addiction...what???

2011-11-09T10:42:00.008-07:00

Read My Writing continues with this post, "My New Addiction," from Robin @ A Common Woman. It proves that a good title will draw you in. Addiction??? Is this a woman of God confessing something that could potentially be scandalous in her line of work, on her blog, for all the world to see? Confession may be good for the soul, but it also makes for good reading. Click goes my computer.

Once I've landed on her blog and read it, I am doubly endeared to her: I love her humor and find that I share her interest in collecting pottery. Robin casts all fear aside in the possibility of her readers judging her "addiction" and reveals not one, not two, but multiple pieces in her collection. In her own funny way she busts the myth of missionary women living lives of extreme deprivation. Women on the field enjoy lovely things and even use their money to buy them.

Can you relate?

No guilt or condemnation here...I'm just breathing a sigh of relief, because you see, "My name is Cindy...and I have an addiction too, I collect Homer McLaughlin pottery."

My New Addiction

by Robin, www.acommonwoman.typepad.com

Yes, I have addictions. Some are small, and inexpensive. Like Peanut M&Ms. I like to pretend I always have them on hand because Darling Husband loves them, but I do too. I believe Peanut M&Ms are healthier than the plain kind, because there is a peanut in the middle. And nuts are good for you!

My newest addiction revolves around Polish pottery. I love it. I yearn for more pieces to grace my shelves. My husband doesn’t get it.

I’ve discovered a great many ex-pat women living in Europe suffer from the same addiction. There seems to be a secret competition to see who can collect the most Polish pottery. Pottery also signals a woman’s intentions. If a woman says she is returning to the States for a short visit, BUT takes her Polish pottery with her – she's not coming back. Home is not where the heart is, it’s where the Polish pottery is.

Last week, I had the opportunity to go to Boleslawiec, Poland and buy pottery. I may not know how to pronounce Boleslawiec, but I know it is the birthplace of Polish pottery. Imagine, store after store stacked to the rafters with pottery. The Disneyland of pottery – my happiest place on earth.

If you aren’t able to make the trip to Boleslawiec, I’ve heard that T.J. Maxx sometimes has Polish pottery in stock. I’m hoping to check out the rumor the next time I’m in the States.

In the meantime: My name is Robin, and I have an addiction……

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Thank you, Robin! Your photos are beautiful and artful. They add to the pleasure of your words. Well, writers, what is your response to this post?

Read My Writing: What For?

2011-11-01T00:00:00.002-06:00

We’re beginning a new series, Read My Writing, which will take us through to the end of the year. It will look different each week. By featuring someone's writing from the blogroll weekly, we will discuss and give feedback to an element—topic, style, genre—of her writing. It is my hope that this will begin to feel like a writers group where iron can sharpen iron and friends can encourage one another.

Suzanne is our first featured writer. There's a header on her blog that caught my eye: "What For." With curiosity aroused, I clicked through. Here's what she posted.

What For?

by Suzanne @ www.suz-mae.com

I write for the delight it is to put my day into words and photographs. My kids. My husband. My experiences. My thoughts. The things we do. The stuff I cook. Things change for me when they go from swirling around in my over-stimulated multi-tasking head to being typed in black and white 'Georgia' font on my screen. Things become clearer. I get perspective. I see God more. I appreciate more. I see more beauty. I have more joy.

I write for my children. I want my kids to know that caring for them and their father every day is one of the most important, the most rewarding, the most special thing I have ever done. And that their stories, our stories as we build this life together are worth recording, archiving, reading and re-reading. Daily they each hear me say "You are one of the best things that has ever happened to me." I mean it. I mean it with my whole heart and this blog proves it.

I want them to be able to picture their childhoods abroad and at home. I want them to know the adventures they went on. I want them to know that they were a part of something much bigger than themselves. I want them to be able to read my words and feel the joy they have brought to me every step of the journey through those words. I want them to know that their Mama loves them more than life itself and that I take joy in their every accomplishment. But also that I struggle, I share, I laugh, I think, I cry and I write about it all.

I write for my sixty-year-old self. I want to remember all these beautiful moments in our life as a family learning, loving, living together. The good, the bad, the hysterical and the heart-melting moments. I don't want to forget a thing.

I write because my kiddies' grandparents, aunties and uncles are half a world away. We miss them. They miss us. I want my words and photos to bring us a bit closer.

I write for Jesus, that He would be glorified in my life and in my writing.

This blog is just me living life. Walking it out. Cooking stuff. Learning to hear God. Raising my little blessings. Attempting to do the right thing. Making people laugh. Trying to be Holy. It's me creating, processing, thinking. This is my life, my heart, my journey.

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Thanks, Suzanne, for letting us see your "What For's." Now, writers, what about the rest of you? Please articulate [in the comment section] a few reasons you write your blog, your journal, your stories. We'd love to read your writing.

Break Time

2011-10-25T14:52:00.002-06:00

Hi Writers!

We're taking a break this week, but you keep writing...see you next Tuesday.

About Face[book]: What's Your Personality?

2011-10-19T12:24:00.010-06:00

So what makes a good status update?

"Personality," says Adam Ostrow, editor in chief of Mashable.com, an online publication that covers social networking. "Personality is really what drives people to (follow) you…”

Anne Trubek, a writer and associate professor of composition and rhetoric at Oberlin College who is studying status updates as a developing 21st-century literary form, sorted them into four categories for her column in the online magazine GOOD:

The prosaic (Jill is baking bread);
the informative (Jack loves this article from GOOD, followed by the link);
the clever and funny (Johnny thinks Obama should be sworn in a few more times, just to be EXTRA safe); and
the poetic or nonsensical (If Jim were a cloud, he would rain Earl Grey tea).¹

So what’s your personality? Clearly you can deviate, but I’m sure each of us has a predominate style.

Now let’s talk funny and clever. We’ve learned [myself included] through this Facebook blog series the following: stay positive, use photos/videos, and be funny when you can. I say be funny at least once a week. As I perused my FB friends I found I have very few funny friends. Is that a reflection on me? Am I too serious? Or have we all forgotten how important humor is in everyday life?

I have the only three examples of humor that were connected to my circle of FB friends and they made me laugh.

First is just a status update from an 18 year-old that garnered 17 likes:

“Cigarettes are a lot like hamsters, perfectly harmless until you put one in your mouth and light it on fire.”

Next, keeping with the rodent-related humor genre, this photo secured 19 likes with 9 comments, many of which contained “LOL.”

And finally, this one proved all the research correct…it was shared 184 times.

I like these comedians-Tim Hawkins (on Corporate Worship Songs), Anita Renfroe (In Tha Mutahood) - and am starting to use their material for my Friday post on the WOTH FB page. Know any others?

If you have some funny, humorous, and clever resources, please share. I can't think of a better ending to this Facebook series than laughing…out loud.

¹source: http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2009-06-09-status-writing-online_N.htm

About Face[book]: Linking to the Cause You are Passionate About

2011-10-12T09:50:00.011-06:00

Back in February we asked the question: Is Marketing a Dirty Word? The writer, Elizabeth Givens, put it well when she answered with this: "I've just spent the morning writing "marketing" materials. My goal will use what I've written to secure prayer, funding, and people for the least-reached of the world. I have no underhanded motives--but as I wrote, I targeted each piece to a different audience." Utilizing your personal and ministry Facebook pages can help you target those you want to reach with a specific message as you serve out your cross-cultural life and the cause which you are so passionate about--expanding God's Kingdom.

As we continue, I'm working from the premise that:

1. Most of you have personal blogs.

2. Some of you have ministry blogs/websites.

3. Most of you have an agency website.

Using one of our unsuspecting bloggers listed in our sidebar, I am going to show how to get some interest going for you personally and for your ministry simply by posting on your FB pages.

1. Jamie Jo has a personal blog...and she has a personal FB page [with friends she feels comfortable enough with to talk about...] On her personal blog, she tells stories that appeal to her best girlfriends, but also she tells of things she'd love them to know about so that they can pray more intimately with her.

Weekly FB Plan of Action: post her current personal blog post (link) on her personal FB page with a funny blurb to go with it: My Favorite Body Builder.

Reason: Keeps your cross-cultural life in front of your friends so they don't forget you!

2. Jamie Jo has a ministry blog...but I'm not sure if she has a ministry page on FB. So I'm advocating she create one. Then she can start a campaign for her supporters to "Like" this page when she sends out her next email newsletter.

Weekly/Monthly FB Plan of Action: When she posts her detailed ministry updates on her ministry blog, she can alert her supporters on the ministry FB page to go check out what's going on in her field of service with this provocative status update/link: What caused this teen to say, "I was abruptly stopped in my tracks of selfishness." Of course, she can post this on her personal FB page too!

Reason: Keeps your cross-cultural life in front of your supporters so they don't forget you.

3. Jamie Jo works for a particular agency that has a website full of current interesting information.

Occasional FB Plan of Action: Link out directly to any articles, information highlighted on the website that would be of interest to her supporters/friends.

Reason: Keeps your friends/supporters informed on the bigger picture of expanding God's Kingdom.

Keeping your friends and supporters engaged in your life overseas is crucial. Facebook is a tool that can make that easier for you. Being a good writer can only help in this process. A cleverly worded FB status update with a great photo will generate a curiosity that will drive people to your current blog post and read about the life you are passionate about. I want to commend Jamie Jo for posting a gift that contained chocolate last week on her FB page...it looked so yummy and beautiful that I was drawn in for a closer look. She obviously read last week's post on the "Topics People Love."

What have you done on Facebook to garner interest in your cross-cultural life?

About Face[book]: Content is Queen

2011-10-04T00:00:00.003-06:00

Once you’ve established your goals for your Facebook page, the next step is to post content that accomplishes your purposes. Keep in mind the three “somethings” as you type out your 420 characters for your friends to read. Will you want them to do something, think something, and/or feel something?

Kivi Leroux Miller from NonProfit Marketing Guide.com has some positive marketing tips that can work well for your personal and ministry FB pages. She suggests letting the 3 G’s influence your content:

Be Genuine: This is where your personality can shine through and you can build up that rapport that makes people love your cause. Think about whether the post helps your core fans/friends to really understand you better and to see your personality.

Be Generous: It’s all about being a helpful human. The story isn’t about you. It’s about being helpful to your supporters, friends, etc. Give them stuff that helps them in some way. This includes resources from other organizations.

Be Grateful: Being grateful is what you do in response to generosity from others. You can say “Thank You” directly or you can go the “actions speak louder than words” way and share a link, retweet, or otherwise pass on information from others who have been kind to you, as a way of saying thanks.

What to Write

Entice people with questions (how/why questions are the most shared) Ask for advice with a question posed: People love to give their advice.
Conjure an air of mystery: Posting an update that is mysterious leaves your FB friends asking for more. “In 5 more days…”
Keep your kids’ stuff to a minimum. You are interesting, you know.
Don’t think too hard on what to say; just be succinct.
Give them something…a recipe, a link, a video, a new tune
Give users a specific call to action. Directly ask people to “like” or “share” the post if they, too, enjoyed or agreed with what you posted.
Encourage Shares/Mentions.
Create polls to get people to interact.
Put fans in charge: post 3 photos and ask them to vote on the best.
Reward you loyal followers: re-post photos they submit; give a shout-out, etc.
Be witty in your wording, twist a phrase, use a song/movie/book title to express your thought.

Discuss Topics People Love

These are topics that have a proven track-record for getting a response.

Music: bands, songs, etc
Chocolate
Current disasters
Current sporting events
Seasonal changes
A cause you’re passionate about
Gifts you’ve received or given
What you should be doing instead of posting on FB.

(Gentle Reminder: All these topics are enhanced because you have the international locale to draw from.)

Your adventurous spirit of living the cross-cultural life will lend itself to posting some interesting topics that are new to your audience—stateside or living in another culture. Even posting something as simple as “Received this from my next door neighbor” along with a photo of the unusual cultural gift is captivating to those of us living in the land of Walmart and Target.

You must believe there is nothing mundane about the life you are living overseas. So start sharing it with brevity. I’d love to know what kind of chocolate you can get in Turkey. Have you found some cool music in your country of service? Oh, and don’t forget to link us out to funny videos, passionate news stories and clips, stirring photos and all things that creatively show your cross-cultural life.

Next week: Maximizing your FB presence to enhance the "cause you are passionate about."

About Face[book]: You Only Get 420 Characters

2011-09-27T00:00:00.003-06:00

When I say that you only get 420 characters, I’m not talking about how many people you can "friend" on your FB page. Nope. I’m referring to the total sum of letters, punctuation, etc. you are given to write each status update. Did you know that 5 trillion pieces of content are shared each week on Facebook? Was your status update one of those?

Maximize your 420 characters with these tips. Hopefully, it will help increase your fan/friend base and keep you connected to your supporters. For example, did you know sharing increases when you post in the morning? And another proven tip: Always post on Fridays. That day has more active viewing than any other day of the week.

More tips:

First, apply these researched tips (complete with graphs!) from Dan Zarrella of The Science of Social Media and improve the odds of getting your posts read, liked and shared.

1. Simple language gets shared more.

2. Use these words, get shared more: How, Why, Most,World, Facebook.

3. Positivity gets shared, negativity doesn’t. Look for the hope.

Second, use these grammar tips.

1. Use nouns and verbs. Avoid adjectives and adverbs.

2. Write direct and succinct: 1-4 lines max with 1-2 lines the best.

Third, be personable.

1. Post a profile photo; if you can’t for security purposes, use an avatar.

2. Complete the info section; show how interesting you are.

Fourth, include these elements.

1. Posts with video/photos get read more.

2. Add links.

3. Use humor. (remember: positivity gets shared; negativity doesn’t)

Next week we will cover content, including humor. Specifically, what you can write about to keep your 420 characters, I mean, your friends/fans engaged and coming back for more.

About Face[book]: Goals for Your FB Page

2011-09-20T11:39:00.008-06:00

The stats are in about the subscribers to the WOTH onlineMagazine: 75% are on Facebook. The majority of you have personal pages keeping you connected to your stateside family, friends, and supporters. Some of you might even be running ministry, business or even public figure pages as well.

Facebook is not the latest cyber-fad. With 200 million active users logging in daily worldwide, it seems (in the U.S.) every business, non-profit organization and ministry is using some form of Facebook to get their message out. Slowly the American public is being trained to go to Facebook to see what these entities have to offer. Case in point, as I was shopping in Goodwill on Saturday, the message overhead was promoting the Goodwill Facebook page with this enticement—coupons. And yes, I went to check it out.

It works to ask people to visit your FB page, especially if you give them a reason to come. This is important for you to know. Even if you find yourself a bit skeptical and resistant to use it, rest assured, many of your stateside support-base are on FB daily.

Wanting to tap into that audience, many of you may be wondering how to get a healthy following on your Facebook page. From the words you choose to the content you post, I will cover in upcoming posts proven techniques in making your FB page a center of lively conversation and a beacon for what God is doing in your life and in your ministry.

Interested?

Please consider this first before you start building this presence. Make sure you can commit to keeping it current. Can you post something at least weekly, once a day max? Ask yourself: What’s the goal of maintaining my FB page? If you are writing not only for a personal connection, but as a ministry one as well, consider these 3 choices to frame your goals around. Will you want people to:

Do Something: support you, join your ministry, pray for you, share your posts.
Think Something: be informed about your life/ministry and the people you serve in your corner of the world.
Feel Something: develop a deeper connection to you by conveying posts that will allow them to feel a range of emotions about what it’s like living overseas.

With those goals in mind, next week we will get down to how to meet those goals successfully. If one of your goals is to get people to hit the “share” link, here’s a teaser from next week: Research has shown that the posts that get shared the most are succinctly worded in 1-2 lines.

I encourage to go out to www.facebook.com/womenoftheharvest, see what we’re doing on FB and Like Us!

Writing with an Open Hand

2011-09-06T09:05:00.004-06:00

In 1991, I completed writing the biography of Larry and Shirley Rascher, missionaries to Irian Jaya (Incessant Drumbeat: Tragedy and Triumph in Irian Jaya). I have never felt more strongly that the Lord wanted me to do something than to write that book.

I knew I was supposed to write the book, so I figured publication was up to the Lord. I would be faithful in submitting it to publishers and see what He had in mind. But frankly, I felt so strongly that it was His project and not mine that I wasn’t discouraged by the rejections. One after another, Christian publishers declined, replying “no one buys missionary biographies.”

One day Shirley Rascher suggested that I submit it to Christian Literature Crusade, a small Christian publisher with a book ministry around the world. I called their office to learn the name of the editor to whom I should address it, so that it wouldn’t languish in the wrong pile. The receptionist said that their senior editor had recently retired, and gave me the name of an interim one.

I sent it to him and he quickly replied, accepting the manuscript for publication, saying that he and his wife were missionaries in Indonesia when the Raschers were there, and “were touched by their story, as were people around the world.” So you see, for this slice of time a man was in the publisher’s receiving chair who had great respect for the Raschers and their story.

Not only was the Lord involved in securing a publisher, He also oversaw the timing of publication. When I received the book’s galleys to proof – a proof for which the book is formatted in pages, so it looks like a book – Larry Rascher was dying of cancer. When we began the process, he was hearty and well. I took the galleys to his home, where the Rascher children had gathered from around the world, and showed it to him. It was to be his legacy. Little did we know at the outset.

I cannot claim that every book I’ve written has had God’s handprints on it so certainly. But I have learned that God cares about the gift He’s given us to write, and He wants us to use the gift. The “good” that comes from any one project may simply be to hone our craft so that another project, a project of His particular blessing, will be the best that it can be.

So write. Journals, columns, manuals, essays, articles, books. Be available and obedient. Write, keeping your projects in your hands that are open, palms up. Long ago I listened to a tape on writing where the speaker said that unfortunately too often among Christians the writers aren’t livers, and the livers aren’t writers. Sometimes you will be in a season of life where you’re living so fully that writing isn’t possible. That’s good! Live. Write. Live. Write.

[Editor's note: I had the rare treat of stepping away from my computer and actually meeting Mary Beth for coffee last week. I love that! She is so kind and generous with her writing expertise, and like a true journalist and writer, very curious in nature and eager to know my story too. Mary Beth is currently in the midst of writing a novel and launching her personal historian business. In fact, she is headed to a Personal Historians Conference in Las Vegas in October...for all of you interested in that, here's the link to the Association of Personal Historians website and conference. Thank you, Mary Beth, for inspiring us to write. ~Cindy Blomquist, WOTH Editor]

Tell the Story | Think Small

2011-08-30T00:00:00.001-06:00

Sometimes a writer has a great story to tell. But sometimes the story is someone else’s, and the writer is the vehicle to bring the story to life.

In my blog post last week, I mentioned writing the story of Larry and Shirley Rascher, missionaries to Irian Jaya. My husband Alex and I met Larry at our church’s missions festival many years ago. He was the missionary assigned to tell stories to our fourth grade Sunday school class. Larry was a born storyteller, and brought a skull, spear and shield as props. After class, the three of us lingered and Larry told us about the drowning of his two children. He said he didn’t know why he was telling us; he never told that story unless someone asked him. The story haunted me for weeks.

A year later I ran into Larry at a conference. “Hi, Larry. I met you….”

He remembered me. “Aren’t you a writer?” he asked. Had I told him that? It was my secret identity; in real life I was a busy stay-at-home mom.

“Well, yes,” I said, flattered.

“People have been after us for years to write our story,” Larry said. “Would you consider doing it?”

My mind reeled. But I’d have to go to Irian Jaya! I thought.

At the same time he said, “Of course you’d have to go to Irian Jaya.”

I left our brief meeting in a fog. Somehow I knew that I, the stay-at-home mom, would write this story, and that I would travel to Irian Jaya. And I did. It was more than twenty years ago and remains the greatest adventure of my life.

If you have a big story to write – yours or someone else’s – don’t let the entirety of what you’re attempting overwhelm you. Writer William Zinsser suggests this:

…think small. Don’t rummage around in your past – or your family’s past – to find episodes that you think are "important" enough to be worthy of including in your memoir. Look for small self-contained incidents that are still vivid in your memory. If you still remember them it’s because they contain a universal truth that your readers will recognize from their own life.

Here’s an example of what I think he means. When I flew to Irian Jaya by myself - because the Raschers were to meet me there – I cried the entire flight from Denver to Los Angeles. What in the world was I doing, leaving my husband and three young sons at home to do this wild thing? Yet I’ve never felt more strongly that this was the Lord’s will.

In LA I boarded a fourteen-hour Indonesian airline flight that refueled in Hawaii (in the middle of the night – ha!). As we crossed the Pacific in darkness, the Big Dipper was perfectly framed by my little square airplane window. As I gazed at it, I had the sense that the Lord was pouring out his blessings upon me. He knew where I was going. He would protect me and be with me.

Rather than giving a travel log from Irian Jaya, I believe Zinsser is saying tell about the small, telling moments like this.

Capture these stories, one after another without concern for order or form. Then spread them out on the floor and see what theme arises, see what order seems right.

Writing in Sorrow

2011-08-23T00:00:00.002-06:00

Just as there is a time for every season, there is a time—and a way—to write about a heavy trial or great trauma in your life. Frequently I will hear a friend who has lost a loved one to death or suicide, or has been stricken by disease or has suffered a desertion say: “I want to write a book about this.”

This compulsion, I believe, is often fueled by the need to process a horrific experience –and writing is an excellent tool. Definitely it is a time to journal feelings and happenings while they are fresh and even raw. But in the throes of intense emotion is rarely the time to write a book—at least one aimed toward publication. Rather, it’s time to let the experience of writing work its healing potential, perhaps for your eyes, or for a few eyes, only.

Our son, Drew, was a junior, sitting in class taking a chemistry test at Columbine High School the day that two disturbed students opened fire in his school. The layers of tragic and heroic events and the spiritual warfare that followed in the community made my writer-juices bubble and boil. I would write a book on Columbine: stories of healing and hope.

Thankfully, publishers were not interested and I had the sense to drop it, as days, months, and years rolled on that were filled with hope in our community, but also dissension and sadness. Finally, ten years after the event two well-researched books have come forth, with the needed perspective on the event. It was my season to journal about Columbine, but it wasn’t the time to write a book.

In 1989, I wrote Incessant Drumbeat, the biography of Larry and Shirley Rascher who were career missionaries in Irian Jaya (West Papua, New Guinea). Their story included a shipwreck during a tsunami and the drowning of their two toddlers. They had rarely even talked about the story with their older surviving children who were not on the boat that day.

I’ll never forget the end of my first evening of interviewing the Raschers, who at the time lived close to me. “I have one thing to ask of you,” Larry said on the front porch, as I was leaving. “If we’re not going to finish, let’s not get started.”

He and Shirley would have to re-live that time. They were up to it for good purpose, but not if it would come to naught.

Be sensitive to the time, and the way to tell a difficult story. And remember that there are great blessings from journaling—from writing for oneself, or one’s family and friends. Whether or not to seek to publish a story is a different matter that may well need time and perspective.

Co-Authoring: What is Your Strong Suit?

2011-08-16T00:00:00.000-06:00

When Mimi Wilson and I began writing together, we each had three young children. Mimi was extremely creative, and had rich experiences from having grown up in Africa. She was a gifted communicator through the spoken word, but she was dyslexic, and my role was to record and “word-smith” her ideas.

When we self-published the original edition of Once-A-Month Cooking in 1982 (titled Freeze and Save – her husband called it Thaw and Chaw), Mimi had devised this cooking method to save time in the kitchen, save money, and be prepared at all times to extend hospitality.

She called me one day in 1981, and told me that she had just prepared 30 dinner entrees one after another for her freezer. Would I like to see if the Denver Post wanted us to write an article on how to do it, she asked.

“Why don’t you call the Denver Post,” I said. Mimi has marketing savvy – and more guts than I do. She called them, and they sent a photographer and a reporter to her home within the week to do a food feature. A year later, when the Rocky Mountain News expressed interest in an article, we wrote up the cooking method in book form – Freeze and Save – to offer for sale.

This started an adventure that has taken us through the production of a demonstration video, a CD-ROM version, and numerous updated editions for Christian publishers and a secular publisher. We’ve experienced “way down” as well as “way up, ” moments, and perhaps the greatest benefit of our partnership has been the ability to share it all. No one quite understands like your writing partner.

But at one point I began to feel second-rate, unimportant. Mimi was the primary speaker, the “up front” partner, and sometimes, even in front of me, people referred to it as “Mimi’s book.”

One day I was in the bedroom ironing when the Lord spoke to me. Not audibly, but it is one of the few times in my life when I can say He did with certainty. He said, as I ironed, “If she is Moses and you are Aaron, what is that to you?”

This may sound obtuse to you, but it made perfect sense to me. We each had individual roles that coincided with our giftings from God. Why should I covet her gift – or her exposure? Was I not thankful, and did I not enjoy, the job God had given to me?

From my long-time partnership with Mimi that is precious to me, and also from the experience of managing a book brand for MOPS International (Mothers of Preschoolers), I have learned that although writing and speaking usually go hand-in-hand, most communicators are either a writer who also speaks or a speaker who also writes. In Mimi’s and my partnership, although we both do both, she is definitely the speaker who writes, and I the writer who speaks.

Which are you? Determining this, and giving more weight to your “strong suit” can be freeing and enable you to soar as God has intended for you. It has been a great strength of our collaboration that Mimi and I are differently gifted and don’t “step on one another’s toes.” Are you a writer who speaks, or a speaker who writes?

What Does It Mean? --Kimberly Rae

2011-08-09T00:00:00.003-06:00

A few days ago a man called me from a newspaper. He interviewed me over the phone, asking questions about my book, human trafficking, etc.

Then he mentioned that he'd heard my book, Stolen Woman, was written from a Christian perspective.

"Is that correct?" he clarified.

"Definitely," I said.

Then he paused, and after the silence said, "What . . does . . . that mean?"

I was stunned, unprepared for those four words placed into such a question. What does it mean that I wrote this book from a Christian perspective?

I tried to think of a good answer as the silence extended through the phone. It was not just the things left out that make a book Christian, as some descriptions I've read explain: no drinking, no drugs, no sex. No, it is so much more than that.

It is not just what is left out, but what is put in. For me, writing from a Christian perspective means that Jesus Christ is over all, and in all. Life is incomplete without a relationship with God, and all things in this life should carry His involvement.

Now, I didn't tell the reporter all of that. It went by quickly, but I think I told him about how a trafficked girl needs more than just her circumstances changed. That rescuing her from something bad isn't enough. For many of them, were they to return home, they would not be accepted by their family or community. Or perhaps the person who sold her the first time might sell her again. Being rescued does not always mean being given hope.

So I said that they need not just to be rescued from something bad, but to something good, and in my opinion, the best gift you can give someone is Jesus. Jesus, who will be with her no matter what happens to her in the future. Giving Jesus means giving hope.

I doubt I articulated it very well, but hopefully my point came across.

We have such potential as writers. Because I am writing about trafficking, something people care about, it has given me inroads to relationship I would never have had otherwise. I desperately wanted to be out there rescuing women and children myself. Instead, God has limited me, humbled me, and taken away what once was my identity as someone doing something important. And then, He gave it back. I am doing something important now, but I don’t see it the way I used to. It’s not about me proving my own significance or worth by doing some great thing. It’s about God. And God is graciously allowing me to be part of what He is doing (not the other way around!).

You, as a woman serving cross-culturally, have experiences that most people will never have. It gives you a voice that God can use for wonderful things.

So write. Write for God’s glory. Write from a Christian perspective. And, from my latest experience, I would recommend preparing a ready answer for when someone asks you what that means!

[Editor's note: This is Kimberly's final post. Thank you, Kimberly, for your instruction and inspiration! You keep writing too.]

Ever Wanted Your Book In Print? -- Kimberly Rae

2011-08-02T00:00:00.007-06:00

The idea of holding a book in your hands with your name on it is a dream many of us have had at one time or another. Was yours a fleeting thought you laughed away? A great idea you haven’t quite gotten around to writing? A 3-ring binder where you stashed scores of pages, but never had the nerve to send it away?

Traditionally, if you wanted your book in print, you had 2 options:

Get a publisher—which is much harder than it sounds, wait months for them to print your book, go on whatever book tour or other marketing events they planned for you, and get paid a small percentage of the royalties and possibly a few complimentary copies of your book for your own use.
Self-publish—not hard, but possibly unpleasant due to the thousands of dollars you have to spend up front, the hundreds of copies you might have to buy to get the initial print run, the lesser quality, total lack of marketing, and the not-as-good aura that comes with having to admit you published it yourself.

Fortunately, for all the dreamers out there, and especially since the economy has made getting accepted by a mainstream publisher harder than ever, there is now another option, fast becoming a major trend in the publishing world.

It’s called print-on-demand publishing.

I know about it because that’s the route I chose for my novel, Stolen Woman.

I chose print-on-demand for several reasons:

1. Timing. Human trafficking is a huge subject right now, and this gets my book in print fast.

2. I get a much larger percent of the royalties.

3. Freedom to make the cover and interior exactly how I want it, including a 2-page spread on my favorite human trafficking rescue ministry.

4. Freedom to stay at home and be a mom, marketing when I have time, so I don’t have to sacrifice my family for my work.

5. I can get the books I need, and only the books I need, so I won’t end up with 1,000 unsold copies filling up my basement (and depressing me!). I pay the same price per book whether I order 1 or 100.

6. I keep the rights to the book. That means, if a mainstream publisher does want Stolen Woman in the future, that option is still possible.

I can’t vouch for all of the options, but I can for www.Createspace.com , the Amazon subsidiary that I’m using for Stolen Woman.

So far, it’s been great. Their website explains things very clearly for techno-challenged people like me, and I even got to talk to a real-live person when I called with a question. I spent less than $50 by the time the first copy of the book was on its way to my house.

If you’ve been playing with the idea of a book, but maybe it’s a family memoir you want to give as Christmas gifts, or a book you’d like to print just for yourself, print-on-demand is a great way to go.

Here’s to being published, and holding your own book in your own hands!

First Book Signing Fiasco -- Kimberly Rae

2011-07-26T00:00:00.018-06:00

My first book signing was this past Saturday, and it almost didn't happen.

I went up the mountain where I'd scheduled with a shop lady to set up outside her little store. Unfortunately, she being new did not know the rules that basically said I couldn't do that. Another very nice shopkeeper told me about the rule, and yet another not-so-friendly shopkeeper emphasized the various rules I was apparently breaking right at that moment.

My husband helped me pack up and we got ready to drive home. So much for my very first book signing.

Fortunately, the library nearby happened to be having an outdoor book sale that day. Providence! I asked some nice lady who asked some other guy if I could set up my little table near their setup and they agreed. Things were looking better, until I drove around to the parking spot they'd saved for me and there was this tiny elderly lady sitting in a folding chair in the parking space. I waved at her to show her that I was the one she was saving it for and she scrambled out of the way, not smiling.

I got out and started setting up when the same lady asked me, "Who are you?" in a tone that implies, "What in the world are you doing, young lady?!"

Oh dear. Come to find out, she was the person in charge, no one told her about me, and seems she thought I was trying to run her over--or something unhappy like that. Well, that wasn't a good way to start the day. I remembered that verse in Proverbs about how a gift in the hand pacifies the king, so I brought a copy of my book over to where she was whispering about me to a friend, and I apologized for not asking her first (not like I knew I should, but oh well) and I wanted her to have a copy of my book. Well, she said it wasn't necessary, but I said I wanted to, and finally she relented to accepting it for the library.

I set things up, then spent a few hours chatting with people about my book and life overseas and such, and selling 12 copies. Definitely less than I'd hoped for, but considering the weather, the broken rules and the unhappy lady, I was very thankful I'd sold any at all!

In the end, I made some friends, sold some books, and the elderly lady turned out to be a very nice person who wished me luck and even gave me some free books for my kids. (And I learned a lesson or two about finding just the right person to ask--which I will hopefully do ahead of time next time.)

Second book signing, here I come. I'm excited about the possibilities, and I will try very, very hard not to offend whoever knows the rules or is in charge, or anybody else if I can help it!

Writing What You Know --Kimberly Rae

2011-07-19T00:00:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I have wondered why God sent me overseas for so many years, then brought me back. I spent so much time studying and adapting to different cultures, I learned a new language, I was ready to give my life to overseas missions.

Then my health problems brought my whole family back to America. As far as we can tell, back to stay.

I would be lying to say I haven't wondered why. So many people are not willing to go. We were willing, so why keep us here?

God does work in mysterious ways, and some questions will never get answers until heaven. But sometimes God lets us see glimpses of the answers here in this life.

I think my glimpse has come in the form of a book—my book on human trafficking titled Stolen Woman, newly released this summer. Writing it was like going back for a visit. And the main character's experiences—being young, idealistic and desperately wanting to do something of significance—all of that was written more from memory than imagination.

They (whoever they are) say you should write about what you know. I did. I wrote about a girl who appears competent and confident but is really insecure, and wants to make a difference to show herself and God that she is worthwhile. I wrote about arriving into a world that has too much evil, too many orphans, too many trapped women, and the painful realization that none of us can save the world, no matter how much we care.

I wrote about learning that God’s value of us is based on the extent of His love, not the extent of our abilities or achievements.

All of this I know. And I know about Asia, about the street kids in my book, about the missionaries who have their own faults and inconsistencies, about the color and life and noise that make up a foreign culture.

I'm certain that my years serving cross-culturally were not for the sole purpose of being able to write a good book; however, I see that being able to write from real experiences and thoughts and feelings creates a much more powerful story than I could have created from research.

So, it seems, those nebulous "they" people were right. Writing about what you know is more powerful. Despite not being able to go out there myself anymore, I get to verbally take readers overseas, and introduce them to missions and the needs of the world.

Who knows? Maybe someone will read my book, and God will use it to call them to overseas work. Maybe my book will result in women being rescued that I could never have reached. It's just a glimpse, but that would be a good answer to the question of why God sent me, and then brought me back. I know it's not the whole answer, but it is enough of an answer to remind me to trust Him with the rest of the question.

So I shall continue to write what I know, and let God use it however He will.

The Interview Challenge: Writing Up the Interview -- Cindy Blomquist

2011-07-12T00:00:00.002-06:00

Now that you have done your interview, it is time to write it up. There are two ways to do this: the narrative essay or the question and answer format. The essay is a more subjective style where you write more from your experience with the person, dotting it with anecdotal information, research and quotes from your interviewee.

When you write from the Q and A style, you are giving a more objective approach by letting the interviewee speak for herself. To keep this type sharp and informational, pose short questions that are interesting, perhaps even reflecting your style of speaking. Their answers will be written using their exact words—no paraphrasing allowed, but you can edit out any ramblings or extra filler words, like, “you know.”

Both formats will need an introductory paragraph. This is where you explain to your readers who is being interviewed, and why, when, and where. Tell them your goal for the interview –that will become your thesis statement—and what topics you will be covering. Include in this paragraph a few sentences that describe your setting—if you are in an environment that is familiar to your subject, this description will start revealing who this person is. Physically describe your interviewee: what does she look like, what she is wearing, what spills out of her purse, what mannerisms she tends to exhibit. This will be another important, unspoken layer to your portrayal.

Keeping your thesis and the topics you want to cover in mind, start crafting the body of your written interview. Use your chosen topics as subheadings; then place supporting quotes and stories that fit under each heading. This will provide a necessary structure to your article and help you plan the transitions to get you from one topic to the next.

Incorporating quotes into your text can sometimes be awkward. Using the words, “Freda says, ‘…’” all the time is a bit monotonous. Varying your conversational tags is crucial for an interview essay. Here is an informative resource that I often use that will hopefully be helpful to you in the area of integrating quotes into your text: Transitions to Incorporate Quotations or Paraphrases.

The best interviews will reveal something new about your subject. As you draw the article to a close, your concluding paragraph should refer back to any disclosure that proves interesting, provocative, or newsworthy. If your interviewee reveals future plans, place them in the conclusion. Save their snappiest quote for the ending: this is a great way to leave your readers remembering the person you selected to interview.

READERS: Did you take the Interview Challenge? If you did, please submit it to editor@womenoftheharvest.com. I will publish it on this blog and we can all enjoy getting to know someone new!

The Interview Challenge: Let's Do It --Cindy Blomquist

2011-07-05T00:00:00.005-06:00

An interview is like having a conversation, with one caveat. “The goal of a conversation is to exchange information; the goal of an interview is to receive information,” says John Sawatsky, Canada’s premier investigative reporter and expert on interviewing.

Sawatsky elaborates with the suggestion of sounding conversational, but being careful not to engage in conversation. Remember, you are the CEO of this meeting. You are there to gain information, so don’t lose control of the “conversation.”

The time has come. The location is set. Your questions are prepared. Fresh batteries are in your recorder. You are ready to sit down with your person of interest and conduct the interview. Take a deep breath, shoot off a quick prayer and remember the following tips.

Conducting a Great Interview: 12 Things You Need to Know

1. Have an interview template: capture all the contact information, job title: “how would you like me to describe you,” interview questions, topics, stated goal.

2. Introduce yourself; be yourself; be enthusiastic.

3. Remind the interviewee why the interview is happening.

4. Decide how you are going to record your interview. Ask permission if you will be using a recording device. Have a back-up system to recording: record it and take notes. Be proficient with your equipment.

5. Begin slowly, start with an easy question to get them talking about themselves. But get to your important questions soon after a rapport has been established just in case the interview is cut short. Ask one question at a time. People find it much easier to tell stories that to give precise answers. Keep the focus if the person starts deviating: “do you have any stories that illustrate that point?” or “how does that relate to...”

6. You should be talking 10-20% of the time. Maintain eye contact; nod gently as they speak to encourage them to continue talking.

7. Don’t interrupt; it upsets the person’s train of thought.

8. Listen hard. A common mistake is to be thinking of the next question while the subject is answering the previous one.

9. Endure awkward silences--sometimes this gives the necessary space for the interviewee to be more forthcoming, especially around sensitive topics. Sit quietly and see what comes next. The interviewee may want to say something important that you were not expecting.

10. Be prepared to improvise and adapt. You want spontaneous answers.

11. Ask your interviewee if there is anything you did not talk about that would be important for readers to know towards the end of the interview. This could invite her to tell something she may have been holding back--this could be her moment to be brave.

12. At the end, always say thank you.

Once the interview is over, immediately take the time to write up your impressions and make sure your quotes are accurate. Look back at your questions and your interviewee’s responses; fill in any gaps that may have happened during the course of your conversation, I mean, interview.

I hope you are going to take the challenge of interviewing someone. Next week, I’ll be practicing my interviewing skills on 100 women coming to the WOTH Furlough Retreat. I’m getting my list of questions and goals ready. Are there any questions you would like me to ask your peers? Let me know and I will.

Next week: Writing up the Interview.

The Interview Challenge: Preparing for Your Interview --Cindy Blomquist

2011-06-28T00:00:00.014-06:00

Never go into an interview situation cold. By adhering to the following tips, you will most likely be warmly received by your interviewee who will graciously open up to your questions, giving you all the information you desire, to write up the hottest interview of the century (even Gaddafi has his preference in who he opens up to--my hero, Christiane Amanpour). Hyperbole aside, through your thoughtful presence and keen intuitive line of questioning you could acquire amazing stories from your next door neighbor--who knew??

Here are 5 Things You can do to Prepare for Your Interview

1. Contact the person you want to interview.

Obvious, I know, but it is how you contact her that will set a successful tone for your eventual meeting. Introduce yourself in a friendly, professional manner, inform her of your request for an interview, and your expectations/goals of getting together. Emailing is OK, but phoning is better--a warm and enthusiastic voice on your end will create a certain amount of trust, or at the least, a willingness to meet with you on her end. In your area of the world, your only option may be to knock on the door and ask. If she agrees, set up the interview with a time and location.

2. Location.

The place you pick is key to creating the right atmosphere for getting your interviewee to open up. Noisy, crowded places kill the feeling of privacy and being heard. Consider locations where your interviewee feels the most relaxed: home, place of work, a park or a place that is relevant to her story.

3. Do your homework and research the person you are going to interview.

Background information shows your subject that you are interested in her life and eliminates the need to use your time discussing facts that can easily be accessed through some quick research. More importantly, the knowledge you acquire will give you an edge in your ability to shift any line of questioning as she begins to share her story.

4. Start thinking and praying about how you want the interview to go.

How do you see the interview going? What will you need to do interpersonally to connect with your interviewee? Immerse yourself in your subject's life; spend time getting to know her before the interview commences. Cultivate a deep curiosity about this person and the subject you are writing about.

Contemplate your goals: how will you structure your questioning to achieve a good outcome? Make a list of questions and practice asking them out loud: are they simple and easy to remember or long, drawn-out ramblings? Think about how you will write this up post-interview: Will you need to pay attention to details of your surroundings and your subject to augment your essay style article? Or will you need to keep track of your questions to accurately compose a Q & A type write-up?

5. Watch and learn from the pros.

Find someone you admire and learn from watching them do their craft. As you know, I love to watch Christiane Amanpour in action; her style and manner gets her all the best interviews with the toughest world leaders. I also admire Charlie Rose and his across-the-table interview style. Katie Couric makes me feel uneasy--not a fan. I think Bob Costas is great at making sports figures interesting and multidimensional. And I had an inkling when I first saw Oprah interview a guest that she was going to be special...she deeply moved not only the guest to tears but me as well with her line of questioning.

I hope you are beginning to feel empowered to ask a profound question with the hopes of getting an amazing answer. However, it's really the idea of cultivating a curiosity about the people around you that set this "challenge" in motion. Every life has a story. And the best stories are about the journeys people live. You are in a key position globally to start telling these compelling stories by asking a few simple questions, listening well to the responses and telling us all what you have discovered. When you take the time to prepare for your interview, you will be conveying an attitude that reveals that you are worthy to hold their stories in your hands.

Next week: The Interview.

The Interview Challenge: Asking [the Right ] Questions --Cindy Blomquist

2011-06-21T00:00:00.004-06:00

I am the girl in the room who will ask questions. Not the pesky kind [in my opinion]. My specialty is asking the questions that penetrate through the fog of confusion. Tough ones that everyone else is too chicken to ask, but are dying to know. I am curious and fearless : two qualities necessary for conducting an interview. Being respectful, professional and courteous are equally important.

Last week, your assignment was to select your interviewee and set your goal for the interview. Most interviews seek to accomplish at least one of these goals:

1. Obtain the interviewee's knowledge about a topic.

2. Obtain the interviewee's opinion and/or feelings about the topic.

3. Feature the interviewee as the subject.

This week you will develop a list of questions that will direct the course of the interview. And by asking the right kind of questions, you will hopefully attain your goal.

The Right Kind of Question

1. Ask Open-ended Questions.

These are the questions that begin with "What," "Why" and "How," or phrases like "Tell me about" or "How did that make you feel." Asking open-ended questions will cause the person to answer with more than a "yes" or "no," drawing out a more well-rounded response. These type of questions tend to be more objective and less leading than closed-ended questions.

Open-ended Questions:

Tell me about your relationship with your Team leader's wife.

How did you decide to live in Tanzania?

Why does this subject bring you to tears?

Closed-ended Questions:

Do you like your Team leader's wife?

How long have you lived in Tanzania?

Is this subject an emotional one for you?

2. Use the technique of repeating a key word or phrase mentioned by the interviewee in drawing out more information : if your interviewee says, "My Team leader's wife is so protective of her husband"--follow up with: "What do you mean, protective?" Or if she says, "This has been a hard year."--you ask: "What has happened that has made it hard?"

3. Keep questions free of your opinion/bias--usually known as a leading question. For example: "Don't you think it is inappropriate for women to wear jeans at a church service?"

4. Avoid adding a statement to your question. For example: "How do you sleep in the jungle? I think it would be hard sleeping with all the animals, reptiles, and bugs creeping around outside your bedroom window," Usually, the person will respond to your statement and not your original question.

5. Keep your questions short and simple. They produce succinct, dramatic, focused responses. It keeps the spotlight on the interviewee and her story. Add these short and simple questions to your question arsenal:

How do you know that?

What makes you say that?

What happened next?

Can you give me an example?

How often does that happen?

What's that like?

And??

What comes next? Great question. Next week, I'll talk about tips and techniques that every good journalist uses to get the best possible interview. Is there someone in your corner of the globe you are curious about, someone you feel has a story that needs to be told? That's the person you should interview... write some open-ended questions this week that will satisfy your curiosity and show that you value the voice of another.

The Interview Challenge--Cindy Blomquist

2011-06-14T00:00:00.003-06:00

Q: How do you find out what God is doing in your area of the world?
Q: How can you find out what the spiritual climate is in your ministry focus?
Q: How can you initiate and engage nationals in significant conversations?
Q: How can you keep your newsletters and blogs interesting?

A: Interviews

By utilizing the interview technique, you can enter into a conversation in a nonthreatening way by simply asking a person what they think about a certain topic and acquiring interesting information and stories. As a writer, you can then take the answers and write them up to fashion a story that would be of interest to your team, your company and even your supporters.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be exploring the subject of interviewing with the goal of getting each one of you to conduct one interview, write it up, and submit it to the "Interview Challenge" Contest! Who knows, we may discover the next Christiane Amanpour!

I found an article, "13 Simple Journalist Techniques For Effective Interviews," by Sarah Stuteville, that will get us moving in the right direction. I'll list the 13 techniques from the article and then let you click through to read more on each technique [plus there's an inspiring photo you gotta see...I see you in that shot!].

From the article: In an effort to help other aspiring reporters develop this crucial skill-I brought together some of my colleagues and journalist friends to ask them what interview tips they think are most helpful:

1. Find a good location.

2. Prepare your goals ahead.

3. Write down your questions.

4. Work on your flow.

5. Think about the medium.

6. Bring a buddy.

7. Avoid obsessing.

8. Be a little annoying.

9. Be a little sneaky.

10. Empower them.

11. Work them up.

12. Endure awkward silences.

13. Ask for what you need.

For the "Interview Challenge": This week pick someone to interview. Develop and write out your goal for the interview.

I'd love to know who you pick and why you are going to interview them...so please share in the comment section. It is the goal of this blog to keep you writing and perhaps pushing you beyond what your current skill set is, so I hope you take this "Interview Challenge."

The "Co-" Pieces: Co-Author, Collaboration, Commission - Diane Coleman

2011-06-07T00:00:00.001-06:00

I told you a little bit about Anees, my mentor and co-writer for The Truth About Islam and Cry of the Heart and Quest of the Mind. Did I tell you that his native language is Arabic? Did I tell you he has a big booming voice and laughs HA HA HA and calls me “the Queen”? Well, he does and it’s no exaggeration to say that I love him like a brother.

But brothers and sisters sometimes (often?) don’t see eye-to-eye. When Anees and I collaborate, it’s like we dump all the book jigsaw pieces on a big tray and we pass that tray back and forth, back and forth, as we pick through them for the ones we need. And—here’s the kicker—sometimes I throw extra pieces on the tray and sometimes Anees does. And sometimes these pieces don’t look like we’re working on the same puzzle at all.

HA. HA. HA.

Collaboration is a relationship like any other. It requires flexibility, respect, graciousness, honesty, generosity, mutual submission, and a very healthy dose of good humor.

I’ve found that it’s really important from the get-go for collaborators to clarify their roles in the process. One may be the visionary and the other the mechanic, as was the case for Anees and me. Both Truth and Cry are a blend of us both, a sort of cross-cultural, cross-gender, syncretistic hybrid. (An early reviewer of Truth remarked that it sounded like it was written in Arabicized English. I’m not so sure he meant it as a compliment, but I choose to think of it that way. (Arabicized English…I like that.)

If you decide to collaborate with someone—a national, or a team mate, or organization leader—you will experience the same thing. The book you create will be a happy blend of your combined personalities and experiences.

My other two books, Lead Pencil and Bruno-isms were privately commissioned. A commissioned project is like being given a publisher’s advance. The upside of this is that you know that your hard work will definitely go to print. The downside is that you must tailor the manuscript to meet the commissioning agent’s time schedule and content guidelines. You will be paid for the time you spend on the project, but may or may not receive ongoing royalties, depending upon how the book is distributed and the contract you negotiate.

Bear in mind also that you may not be identified as the real writer (true ghost writing) or you may be acknowledged with the line “With (insert name here).”

But you may want to pitch this kind of project to your company or NGO. It’s a good way to get published and build your credentials as a writer. Plus, a book written from a “field perspective” can be a great asset to your organization for recruiting and training.

In any case, you have a story to tell. Now, GO WRITE YOUR BOOK!

[Editor’s Note: This is Diane’s final post. Thank you, Diane, for your wit and informative posts. You keep writing too!]

More Pieces to Fit In: Background, Bridges, Your Next BFF - Diane Coleman

2011-05-31T00:00:00.006-06:00

Jigsaw puzzles often have large sections of background—sky or grass or trees—with lots of similar pieces. Books have background pieces too: documents, descriptions of locations and sites, newspaper articles, community events and gatherings, awards and commendations given to key characters, family/company/team photos, newsletters, correspondence, organization minutes, advertisements. The list goes on and on.

There are several ways to document these. The simplest way is to photograph them, but they can also be read aloud and recorded for later transcription or merely copied by hand. If you have access to a scanner, images can be scanned directly into your computer. Organize them with color-coded flags just like the transcript quotations.

So now you have lots of little piles of color-coded pieces that you want to assemble. And the whole thing is going to seem disjointed unless you smooth out the narrative with what I call “bridges.” These are sections of text that move readers from one topic or speaker to the next.

Quotations from different people about the same topic should fit together as if all the interviewees were in the same room when you talked to them. This is usually not too difficult to do.

But bridging between topics can be a little trickier, requiring some kind of segue way. Usually background information can be inserted to set the scene and take the reader from one topic to the next. But sometimes the transition may not be easily accomplished, in which case you need to interrupt the text with a visual break such as an asterisk line or white space. For very abrupt topic changes, a complete chapter break is necessary.

This is where you need the advice of an outside, independent, experienced editor.

A quick word about editors: they are your BEST FRIENDS. Rule of thumb: ALWAYS TAKE THEIR ADVICE.

For any writer, allowing someone else to work on your beloved manuscript (your BABY!)…well, it can sometimes be super-intimidating. And it’s hard at first not to internalize their suggestions as personal criticism. Another rule of thumb: YOU’LL GET OVER IT.

Remember, editors are as eager and enthusiastic as you are to see the final manuscript go to press and be well-received. They are your allies, not your enemies. So embrace—yes, embrace!—their comments (and them too—they like that). Even when they change what you think are your most clever passages. Even when they seem to be way too fond of their red pen (or font, as the case may be). I’ve found that in the end, they always make me look like a far better writer than I am—praise God for that!

Next week: collaborating and writing for someone else.

The Interview Piece - Diane Coleman

2011-05-24T00:00:00.002-06:00

A week or so before each interview, I give the interviewee a list of basic questions that I intend to ask. This primes the pump, gets them thinking, and puts them at ease about the process, reassuring them that I’m not out to ambush them or dig up dirt. I’m not Maury Povich (God forbid!)

But neither am I Barbara Walters. So to make sure I get everything right I use a digital recorder.

This may not be practical or safe in some of your locations. If it arouses suspicion or dampens the spontaneity of the conversation, it’s simply not worth it. But, if it is at all possible, I highly advise it. It is far superior to taking notes, allows you to give your full attention to the interviewee, and guarantees your accuracy.

I ALWAYS ask their permission to use a recorder. Most people agree when I explain why and how I will use the recording. I transcribe every interview, clean up the inevitable grammatical errors, sentence fragments, and other assorted verbal weirdnesses that everyone exhibits in normal conversation. Yes, this is time-consuming, but trust me, it will save you HOURS of work later on when you are actually writing.

Then I give each interviewee a hard copy of the transcript for their review and editing BEFORE CHOOSING ANY QUOTATIONS FOR PUBLICATION. It is amazing how relieved everyone is about this. If you’ve ever been misquoted, had your comments taken out of context, or winced at a slip of the tongue or terrible grammar, you know why.

Self-editing allows interviewees to correct inaccuracies, fix misspellings of unfamiliar names, and eliminate things they now wish they hadn’t said - which happens a LOT. Most interviewees become very comfortable as the conversation progresses and tend to reveal more than they expect to. A few transcripts have been returned to me looking like the CIA got hold of them. Sometimes I’m really sad about this because the discarded stuff isn’t “bad.” Some of it is really funny, or poignant, or devastatingly real. But - sigh - I stick to my promise and don’t use it if the interviewee is uncomfortable with it showing up in black and white.

When the edited transcripts are returned, I highlight all the possible usable quotations and categorize them according to a basic outline of topics, assigning colors to each topic and using colored sticky flags on the pages to tag every highlighted quotation so I can find it easily when I start writing.

The final extraction of these quotations can be done electronically with the original docs on your computer. Quotations can be cut and pasted directly from them into your draft, cross-checking them with the edited hard copies to incorporate any changes. The “find” feature in Word is indispensable for this.

Meanwhile, you should be actively collecting other puzzle pieces. More about that next week.

It's a Jigsaw Puzzle: Acquiring the Elusive Pieces of Writing - Diane Coleman

2011-05-17T08:41:00.007-06:00

The Truth About Islam and Cry of the Heart and Quest of the Mind were co-authored with Dr. Anees Zaka, founder of the Biblical Institute for Islamic Studies in Philadelphia. Anees is EASTERN and he’s MALE, so we’re about as different from one another as two people can get.

Yet when we work on books together, we have this “mind-meld” thing going on. Really. I can’t count the number of times that one of us thinks of something and the other e-mails the exact same idea almost simultaneously.

The two biographies, It All Began with a Number Two Lead Pencil and Bruno-isms: A Profile in Uncommon Sense, were written primarily from hundreds of hours of recorded interviews of people from all walks of life, from plumbers to financial analysts to a state senator.

And as I’m sitting here wondering how to describe these projects, all I can think about is jigsaw puzzles.

Writing a book-length memoir or biography is a lot like putting together jigsaw puzzle. Books are made up of pieces, but the pieces are far more elusive. They are sensory and fleeting—scenes, songs, smells, textures, flavors, words. Especially words. You have to collect a lot of them from a lot of sources and then figure out how they all fit together.

If you are serious about writing a memoir of your overseas experience for a broader audience, your journal, as good and deep and insightful as it is, cannot supply all of the hundreds of pieces you need for a book. Differing points-of-view and background information give texture to any story. I mean, really, your observations are great, but don’t you like it that there are FOUR gospels?

So, as a first step, maybe you ought to think about …gulp!… interviewing other people.

Don’t panic. It’s really not as scary as it sounds. In fact, it is actually a very “piece-ful” process (groan…I know, I know…I couldn’t resist…).

Your interviewee list includes people you interact with on a regular basis, those with whom you have a personal relationship, plus individuals with special insight or information to add depth to your story. We’re talking about co-workers, team members, national friends and officials, organization leaders, etc.

Don’t be nervous about asking people if they will agree to be interviewed. Most people are really flattered to be able to contribute to a book and some are downright eager! But you’ll also get a few who will be reticent and drawing them out can be a little tricky. I have found that conducting the interview in an informal setting or doing it jointly with one of their friends or colleagues often helps.

Remember that interviewing is basically just a structured conversation. With practice, you’ll get the hang of it. But afterward, extracting and organizing all that verbiage can be overwhelming. As I stumbled and bumbled my way through this process, I developed a few little techniques that turned out to be lifesavers for me. I hope they will be helpful to you too.

More about that next week.

Best Author Characteristics

2011-05-10T00:00:00.001-06:00

While we wait for our next blog host to show up--she's coming next week--I'll give you a list of best-author characteristics given to me at a workshop at the Evangelical Press Association Convention last week by the Loyola Press Senior Editor and author of The Soul Tells a Story, Vinita Wright.

Best-Author Characteristics

1. Willing to learn what the editorial process is and how best to participate in it

2. Meets deadlines

3. Responsive to editor

4. Has a worthwhile and fresh message

5. Openness: really tells the editor what she thinks and feels; the editor feels she knows the writer's opinion and won't voice a different one to someone else in the company (magazine/book publisher)

6. Understands that, even though she's accomplished in some areas, there's always more to learn

7. Listens to and does her best to process the editor's suggestions and instructions

8. Argues with the editor when she really thinks she's right; has thought out reasons for wanting to go her own way in specific situations.

9. Understands that being a good speaker, teacher, or pastor does not automatically translate into being a good writer

10. Enjoys brainstorming with the editor about the ideas in the book/article and ways to organize and present them

11. When upset, processes emotions before responding to the editor

12. Respects the job the editor is obligated to; respects her editorial opinion even though she doesn't always agree with you

The Soul Tells the Story synopsis: There is a reason artists tend to feel a sense of the sacred in their work. It's the same reason those on the path of spiritual formation find that creative exercises lead them into a deeper, more authentic experience with God. Creative work is soul work, and soul work is always creative work. Feeding one while neglecting the other will leave you restless and unsatisfied. Nurturing them both will lead you to new places of self-discovery and God-discovery. "I believe that spirituality and creativity are intricately connected, yet they are rarely nurtured and talked about that way," contends Vinita Hampton Wright. In these pages she leads you through the process and practice of integrating the worlds of Christian spirituality and creativity. You will find both inspiration and practical help for

embracing the life that chooses you
understanding the spiritual process of creativity
facing the self you have to deal with
comprehending the relationship of sexuality to both art and soul
developing a supportive community for your work
thriving as a creative person in the real world

The Soul Tells a Story helps you to turn frustrated longings into satisfying growth.

Signing Off: Blogging Wrap-up - Robin W.

2011-05-03T00:00:00.002-06:00

I want to thank you all for the privilege of hosting WOTH Writer's Blog. It was such an exciting opportunity to meet all of you, especially those serving cross-culturally. Even though this is the last post, please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding your blog. I would love to continue to help you further develop your blog.

EMAIL: webster@iteams.org

I am going to refer back to my first post, and ask the question: “Why are you blogging?”

No matter the answer, you have a blog; therefore, you want the readers. Why else post? You are posting to share. Blogging is a community, a big community with many MANY different “sub-communities.”

IF you desire the readers--GET INVOLVED. Read other blogs, comment, build relationships. Find blogs similar towards yours, and encourage their writing.

Jamie Jo, a fellow blogger said, “Comments are a blogger's paycheck.” How true! I know that I often post to start discussion through comments.

QUESTION: But how do I get people to comment and be interested?

ANSWER: Through simple comment etiquette. If someone comments on your blog check-out theirs and post a comment. If they don't have a blog, respond to their comment. First thanking them for the comment and then responding to their comment.

The length of the response is easily judged by the length of their comment. In most cases I try to give the responder a little more than what they commented.

For example: If someone simply said, “Great post, loved it.”

I would say, “Thank you so much for commenting and reading. I really appreciate the comment, it is such an encouragement.”

A COMMENT IGNORED IS TEN COMMENTS LOST.

Conclusion and Self-check:

My former housemate, a fellow-blogger, and I were talking about blogging. Why do we blog? Is it pride or desire for attention. Of course! Blogging can be very affirming, and answer all of our immediate needs. I quickly learned that for me blogging is secondary to the needs of family and ministry.

Although I know a few people who use their blog for ministry, they are not the majority. No, for me I blog for my friends and family back home. Yes I am ministering to them, but mostly I blog because people back home can feel more intimately involved in my life and I can share my love forwriting ---> a win, win situation.

However, blogging can quickly get-out-of-hand because it feeds right into our sin-nature. Our blog highlights us as individuals, and as we all slowly gain more and more readers, we need to continuously ask ourselves these questions: “Why am I blogging?”; “Is blogging taking me away from my first priorities?”; and “On a value scale, can I live without my blog?”.

In Job 34:5-6a it states: “For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, But God has taken away my justice; Should I lie concerning my right?” Job lost all his rights in birth.

Be careful of pride or self-righteousness in our own works and blog.

Signing-off from Jordan, Robin W

Special thanks to:

Cindy B (editor of WOTH)

Kinzi (my mommy blogger)

Lisa B (my housemate and encourager)

Brooke W (my editor)

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Robin on her article, "Loving Arabs without Losing Myself," published in the new issue of the WOTH onlineMagazine, May/June '11!

The Finer Details: Making Your Blog Beautifully YOURS - Robin W.

2011-04-26T00:00:00.005-06:00

“NEVER judge a book by its cover” ...well throw-away the key because I am guilty.

Often I pick a type of book, and then sort through them by looking for the most interesting; however, when it comes down to option A or option B, what is the deciding factor? The cover. How else should I shift through the thousands of books out there? You can tell so much by a cover. Is it a photo? Is it a painting? Is it pretty? Is it different?

Blogs are similar. There are thousands of cooking, travel, motherhood, faith, and just everyday life blogs out there. READERS automatically think: What makes this blog different, why should I read this blog?

Other than family, supporters, and friends—how do you gain readers or meet like-minded people? Well I am here to tell you there are few things you can do to make your blog originally yours.

simple changes, made personal:
1. Header
If a photo could express a million words, what photo would you pick? A family picture, desert landscape, a flower, a car? If a photo defined your blog...What would you pick? Your header matters. A cool website that helps you to edit photos and add text: http://www.photobucket.com/. Sign up for an account, and upload. After uploading your photos, click edit, and it will redirect you to many different features to edit photos. You can add the title of your blog, brighten up the colors, auto-fix red eye, and do many other very cool things. Photobucket is easy to use and helpful in enhancing photos. [Note: also helpful for newsletters]

Some examples of headers I have done in the past are:

How to do this? Gray Scale the photo [EXCEPT SIGN], add text.

How to do this? Fresno photo (makes it look painted), add text.

How to do this? Combine different photos, add text.

2. Widgets/Sidebar
Next to your post, what do people see? What is post important to you? There are many things you can add to your sidebar to improve travel on your blog. For me, most of my readers are subscription-based, so the first thing you will see is: "Email Subscriptions." I recommend email subscribing because it enhances the regularity of an everyday reader. They receive an email with your post as soon as it is posted. This might lower the amount of clicks on your blog directly, but it delivers posts directly to their email box. One downside is: the email often un-formats your pictures within the post.

Other sidebar/widget recommendations:
1. Photos : I have 4 photos in my side bar. One of myself, and then my three little brothers. Put a family photo in your side bar! Why? First-time reader's shouldn't have to search in your "About Me" to find your picture.

2. Archives/Search : Let people browse your old posts; make it easier by adding either archives or a search bar or BOTH. Very helpful.

3. Categories : Start to categorize your posts as you post, making it easy for readers to find the kind of post they want to read. Then add the categories widget to your sidebar.

4. Comments : This widget highlights the reader! Whenever a comment is posted--theirs or yours--it is added to the sidebar; thus, making it easy to see if someone replied to their comment.

Stay-tuned for the: EPIC Ending of this 4-part series.

Blessings from Jordan,
Robin W

[Security Blurb: Worried about who will see your blog, yet still want readers? What I did was block search engines, screen comments, and post in a different time zone. Simple things to change and helps avoid unwanted readers. Simply go under settings and change your privacy, time/date, and comments. For an individual step-by-step walk-through please email me or comment below. WARNING: WILL LOSE A LARGE READER-BASE, only do this if necessary.]

LIFE-LONG BLOGGING: How to Make Your Writing Reader-Friendly - Robin W.

2011-04-19T00:00:00.003-06:00

Did you know:

• 1/3 of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
• 42 percent of college graduates never read another book after college.
• 80 percent of U.S. families did not buy or read a book last year.
• 70 percent of U.S. adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
• 57 percent of new books are not read to completion.
• 70 percent of the books published do not make a profit.

Source: Jerold Jenkins, www.JenkinsGroupInc.com

With statistics like this, how do you get people to read your blog? How do you get supporters, not only your grandmother, to check out and read your entire post from top to bottom. Well, I am here to tell you some simple writing tricks that will assist you in getting a steady increase in your reader-base forever.

FOREVER? Yes, I am confident that as long as you write you will have readers, if you follow these simple steps in your writing:

1. Format: Forget what you learned in high school. Throw the five-paragraph essay out the window, and NEVER think about it again. Paragraph breaks should be short, 4 lines MAX. I give you permission to write an introduction using the word “I,” [he/she is too formal]. Relax, and write. Let the thoughts flow. Organization should be clear, yet recognize the fact that you aren't graded.

[QUESTION: Does this downgrade my writing? ANSWER: No, how many professional writers do you know write only in a stream of complex sentences and long paragraphs. Emerson? Right, that's it. How many of you frequently read Emerson?].

2. Thesis: Numbers and bullets are allowed. Have points? List them. However, your entire post should not be a list. Spread it out, try not to have more than 5-10 points.

3. Fonts: Bold, italics, changing colors, and underlining. Do it more often, but remember if you bold everything it loses its effect.

4. Pictures: Don't have one? Google it. You will be surprised by what kind of pictures you can find on Google Images. However, be original, think of more creative pictures—what relates yet is eye catching and can draw curiosity. Text-wrap your pictures. Slide shows are good; however it is best if you are showing-off photos to pick no more than 4 pictures per post and incorporate them within the writing.

5. Title: “My Trip to Israel” might get a lot of clicks; however, something like “Following Jesus's Steps: Holy Land Adventures” might catch more eyes. Again, be creative.

6. Content: Have a lot of thoughts? Break your posts into parts. For instance, last week I traveled to Um Qais and have a four part post. See:

Um Qais: Part 1-- The 'Informed' Tourist

Um Qais: Part 2 – 'Alive in the Ruins'

Um Qais: Part 3-- Celebrity Moments,

Marveling at Jesus, Conclusion to Um Qais

Keep a post under 500 words.

7. Be you: Whether funny or serious, Be you. Funnies will come.

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven:
... A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up;
A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
... A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away;
A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;
A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.
– Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

Stay-tuned for:
Technology: Keeping an Up-Beat Blog
How do Readers Know when you Post? Simple Improvements and Comment-Etiquette

[BLOGS] Discouraging Stats: Blogging Woes - Robin W.

2011-04-12T00:00:00.004-06:00

Have ideas? Yes.
Have a blog ? Yes.
Enjoy writing? Yes.
But STILL don't have the readers? YES!!!

Well I am here to tell you DON'T GIVE UP! You don't need to change your voice to get people to start reading your blog.

Note: This isn't an unrealistic weight loss program or campaign slogan, it is an easy way of making some simple changes that will completely change your blog.

I was in your same position when I moved to Jordan about 9 months ago, and thought that between family and friends I would have good reader base. But I was shocked to find out I didn't! So I started making some changes, and since then I have had incredible results.

In the next four weeks I will take you on a journey of creating a vision and putting it into action while gaining the most readers as possible. Whether you want to publish recipes, travel adventures, pictures, or simply everyday life—there are little things you can change to grab people's attention.

Time an issue? I promise I will NOT tell you:
1. You need to post everyday.
2. You will need to change who you are or how you write.
3. You need to get rid of your blog and start over.

So take a deep breath, and enjoy writing as I begin to break down some helpful tips to improve your blogging experience. My ultimate goal is to encourage YOU as a writer, so please feel free to contact me with any personal questions.

First you want to create a focus, a vision-statement for your blog. My blog, Love Notes to Abba, started off being very faith-based, which limited what I could write about; thus, creating instant writer's block after a few weeks. Later, I widened my focus. A common misinterpretation is that a successful blog needs a NARROW focus, but it doesn't. It needs a vision. You can see my vision on my About Me page—it is simple. I choose to write about “injustice, faith, travels, and the daily happenings of a 20 year-old girl choosing to live radically for Christ in the Middle East.”

By creating this wide vision I am able to freely write funny posts about daily life, serious posts about the news, exciting posts about travel, and life-changing posts about my faith. This mixture adds flavor and variety to my blog which keeps my audience reading.

Yet a blog should still have a constant, and never stray too far from the vision. Your readers should feel your passion as if they were walking along-side you on this journey.

So this week ask yourself these questions:
1. What is the purpose of my blog?
2. What is the focus of my blog? Have I clearly stated it on my blog for my readers?
3. Is my focus too narrow? Or Is my focus so broad that my audience doesn't know what to expect?

Stay-tuned for more on:
Themes and Layouts Made Simple, yet Beautiful
The Importance of a Title and Comment Etiquette
How To Make Your Writing, Reader-Friendly

Please feel free to contact me or post any comments. I will be checking in throughout the week.

Blessings from Jordan.

Robin W

"Why Open the Door if No Refreshing Breeze Comes In?"

2011-04-05T00:00:00.027-06:00

The title quote came from one of today's writers. The response to the "Power of 3" writing prompt is like a refreshing breeze to me. The door was opened...and the wind of well-written prose blew in. Here are the blog links of our participating writers. Be sure and let them know you dropped by.

1. Belinda: Three Things I Can't Do Without

2. Karin: Three Things I Like to Wear

3. Betsy: Three Ways to Keep My Head Above Water

4. Karen: Three Things I Want in a Relationship

5. Suzanne: Natural Disaster: Three Things I would take with me

_________________________________________________

Unable to post on her secure blog:

This I Fear

By B.R.

I would cross the Empty Quarter by camel, but I fear the nights by a smoking fire, trembling in my sleeping bag waiting for the scorpions to emerge from the darkness, dragging their spiny tails behind them. I fear the angry tribesmen I may come upon who guard their territory and honor and women ferociously even though all but the women were stripped from them years ago. I fear there may not be too many convenience stores along the way, or that my GPS device might not survive the sandstorms. I long to be the next Wilfred Thesinger in all his humble assimilation and discerning alertness, but I fear I may only curl up and die around Dune #3.

I would go sky-diving if it weren’t for the co-counselor I worked with at a summer camp. We were sitting on our bunks the first night, sharing stories when she told me of her brother, a sky-diving instructor. On one dive, his chutes just didn’t open, didn’t balloon up with the life-giving air they depended on so much. His sails flapped limply until gravity could thrust his body no further. His student landed with ease in an open pasture. If it weren’t for that co-counselor – and the field of scorpions I would inevitably land in if I were to make a successful jump – I would be on the next thrilling sky excursion you planned.

I would share who I really am with you if it wasn’t for fearing your raised-eyebrow reaction. My heart I would give to you on a plate, if I didn’t fear so much you returning the dish untouched, the contents grown cold, the chef deeply offended. There is nothing worse than mustering courage to share my story, memory, dream, only to have someone nod carefully, smile thinly, or laugh lightly, without reciprocation or questions. The awkward moment passes. So I fear that if I were to fling open the windows like that with you, there may only be darkness – or worse, scorpions – to greet me. Why open a door if no refreshing breeze rushes in? Why unlatch the shutters if no light will come pouring through the cracks?

_____________________________________

Journaling: Prompting You with the Power of 3

2011-03-29T00:00:00.006-06:00

Sometimes I very much doubt whether in the future anyone will be interested in all my tosh. “The unbosomings of an ugly duckling” will be the title of all this nonsense.

~Anne Frank

Ever at a loss for what to journal? Do you tend to write the same ol', same ol'..."Yesterday, it rained and I sat around wishing it was sunny. " As you journal, do you hope no one ever reads it? Well, this week, if you answered "yes" to any or all the above, get ready for a push in a new direction.

First: Here is your prompt for your "journal entry" : The Power of Three

Second: Pick one to write about

Three things you can’t go without.

Three countries you'd never live in.

Three favorite book characters.

Three favorite things to wear.

Three things you want in a relationship.

If you had to evacuate your home because of a natural disaster, what three things would you take with you?

Three pet peeves.

Three things you’d do if you weren’t so afraid.

Three favorite TV shows.

Three: Post it on your blog by next Monday, send the link to me at editor@womenoftheharvest.com; in the subject line put "Power of Three." I will publish your blog links in next week's post and off we all go visiting each other's blogs to read your journal entry.

No blog??? Send your journal entry to me directly, and I'll post it with mine, here.

Gentle Reminder: The only way this works is if we are all courageous!

Journaling Travels with Our Senses

2011-03-22T00:00:00.007-06:00

I enjoyed the contrast of “historical” vs. “insightful.” I’ve attached a travel blog that I think combines the two into what I would call “sensory.”
~Elizabeth Givens

Xing Ping
080721

We gather at the bus depot down the street from school at 8 am and all pile into a small blue bus headed to Xing Ping, a town up the river. The drive out is through classic Chinese countryside. Water buffalo and red Brahmin oxen plow fields alongside harvesters. A time to plant and a time to reap are side by side. Women with bare feet pound the mud in other fields.

Little clusters of houses dot the side of the road, combinations of old yellow brick, wood and metal windows and newer red brick. Homes are works in process, rarely finished. Grapes grow in gardens along with beans, pumpkin, corn, and groves of citrus trees are heavy with green pomelo and oranges.

At Xing Ping we walk to the only flat field in miles for a morning of water games. English is the language of instruction, of fun, and of learning. A shallow river runs alongside and we share the field with several water buffalo and their calves. A lazy truce separates us.

When the water games end we splinter into small groups and walk into town. The main street is lined with houses and shops dating back a hundred years. Deliberately kept historical, Xing Ping is a tourist dream, but there are few tourists on a Monday morning. A group of teen boys are clustered at one end of the street with large sketch pads, capturing the details of the ancient buildings.

The buildings have wooden fronts, unpainted, and weathered. Doors are open to small shops of carpentry, bicycles, treadle sewing machines. Through the open doors comes a hum of voices, largely the elderly men and women who don’t bother to leave the village and who are too old to work the fields. On either side of the open doors are the tattered red banners left from Spring Festival, guardians for the year of the rat.

We grab lunch at a little café – a hot spicy beef dish alongside a mild chicken. English patters across the table. A leisurely walk brings us to the river where some of the students and teachers have decided to swim.

About three a group of us head back up the little village road, through town, and to the other end where we wait for a bus. The students know which bus to catch so we simply tag along. When we board, it is another small bus with about 25 seats, but easily 50 people are inside. I grab a plastic stool on one side. A young mother with little girl sits on another stool directly in front of me. Her long dark hair is pulled into a thick braid that I long to touch. My husband, sitting to her side, makes small talk with the child, finally winning a smile.

The bus stops often on the way back to our town, picking up more passengers, and occasionally dropping one off. No one seems concerned with the crowding, the helter-skelter speed of the bus, the loud horn blaring when an oncoming truck tries to hog the road.

We pass the same fields and planters and harvesters. The cattle and water buffalo are heading home, led by strings through their noses. Many passengers nod off to sleep. The day is waning in south China.

At the depot we bid our students goodbye. Hand shakes and thank you’s all around for picking up the tab on the bus fare -- all of 60 cents for each student.

We’ve been to Xing Ping, and it was good.

Journaling Our Travels: 2 Examples

2011-03-15T12:10:00.003-06:00

How do you journal your travels?

One way to do it is descriptively:

"Went to Nairobi with Jill, Nancy and Julie in a Toyota station wagon; Moses was our driver. He was tall, lean, wore a blue dress shirt and brown leather shoes that would later get a little mussed after changing the tire. We are all good companions.

Nairobi...lots of traffic--jockeying for position but for the most part, cooperation. The roads are congested; people on the side of the street, crossing the street, looking in our car. I feel somewhat threatened every time we stop--too many thievery stories from missionaries.

Patty's house...Masai guard opens the gate to a beautiful green lawn. Three houses in this compound. Her's is glorious and beautiful. Words to remember her by: photo albums, people pictures, Zambia, Land Cruiser, red kitchen walls, African fabric, loft, Karl Larrson pictures, Dixie Chicks, kindness, coffee talk, lunch on the back porch, a beautiful moment in time.

It has been good to see a facet of missionary life and how ordinary it can be."

OR it can be insightful:

"It happened on day 2 as I exited my comfortable hotel onto a street filled with men. My heart was racing—so uncomfortable, so completely other. My eyes were trained to avoid eye contact with men. Look down, I repeated over and over.

And then I saw it. There it was…beauty—roses embroidered along the bell-shaped sleeve of her black covering. I looked down a little further and noticed the color of her shoes matched the color of the roses. And there you had it—I knew it was universal: Every woman everywhere desiring to create beauty, to be known and seen.

Fashion, in my mind, is not about stuff or status but about art. Admittedly I see life most clearly through metaphor; however, I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe women aren’t as hidden as I first thought in this culture. Their eyes, hands and feet are adorned. Is that any different than what I want to be most beautiful about me? Is beauty everywhere—even in the darkest places? I am beginning to believe it—but only if I keep my eyes uncovered."

Or it could be... loved to hear how you do it.

Journaling: Documenting Our Travels

2011-03-01T00:00:00.004-07:00

Well, I am presently out of the country, documenting my travels in my journal. I will not have access to the blog for the next two weeks, so please join me on March 15-- we will pick up on the topic of journaling then.

Assignment while I'm away: Peruse your journals for a great travel entry, send it to me at editor@womenoftheharvest.com and I'll post it. I know you all have been to some very remote and seldom seen places, so please let us in on your global experiences.

I have loved your comments on "scribotherapy." Thanks for joining in.
Bon voyage! Cindy

Scribotherapy: From the Pages of One Woman's Journal

2011-02-22T00:00:00.003-07:00

Guest Blogger: Katie Madsen is a co-worker, insatiable writer and constant journaler. I invited her to write on "Scribotherapy" (the process of using words as a conduit to understanding and feeling relief from any life difficulty) and fortunately for me, but not so for Katie, she was in the thick of it.

We write in order to heal. We hope to find solace somewhere within the lines of our journals.

In my particular case, my consolation was given before I knew I was in need of it. It was within some quiet moments one morning while listening to my friend play worship music that I penned these sporadic truths: “At the cross you beckon me, draw me gently to my knees, Lord. I am lost for words so lost in love, I’m sweetly broken, wholly surrendered... There’s no place I’d rather be than here in your arms, Lord, here in your arms... Set a fire down in my soul, Lord, that I can’t contain, that I can’t control... I want more of you... so I wait for you, so I wait for you... I’m falling on my knees offering all of me. Jesus, you’re all this heart is living for.” Have you ever been so moved by the simple truths in worship songs that you just can’t help but write them down over and over in hopes that they penetrate your soul as deep as the journal you’re carving into?

This time my soul was penetrated. My God was healing my heart on paper before I [ever] knew it was going to be broken.

That same evening, life as I knew it had turned upside down. The man I thought I was going to marry walked out on me. My heart was shattered to pieces and left [brutally] exposed. My soul had now turned to sleepless sorrow. I wrote, “Abba, I curl up in your lap now, please wrap your loving arms around me with peace and keep my gaze on you. You are my prize, my end goal, and nothing else satisfies.”

And that’s where the healing began.

It was in the days that followed that I truly began to notice the Lord wooing me to His loving gaze. He continually brought me back to the words scribbled in my journal that wretched evening.

He reminded me of His name, Abba, our intimate Father. He reminded me that he has not only rescued me but carried me through those moments where I couldn't stand on my own two feet. He reminded me that he is the true lover of my soul.

Not only that, but God reminded me of truth embedded within the pages of my journal—the truth that he so lovingly put on my heart to jot down mere hours before I realized my brokenness.

Am I unique in my journaling experience?

Scribotherapy: Use Your Words

2011-02-15T08:52:00.006-07:00

"Use your words," I have told my three sons since they were each toddlers. It was a way I had learned to soften their behavior toward each other, to get them to listen first before acting out. It was an alternative for them instead of using their fists or feet to make a point; a tool of a phrase employed to stop fights, tantrums, retaliation, or even just a day's end outburst of screaming or crying. But it wasn't until I used my own words about my life that I could see how profound that simple directive was.

Use your words to listen to what is inside of you.

Using your words is what I call scribotherapy. Like bibliotherapy, which is defined in Webster's Third International Dictionary as the "guidance in the solution of personal problems through directed reading," scribotherapy is a word and regimen I created and assign to the process of using words as a conduit to understanding and feeling relief from any life difficulty.

~taken from Writing to Save Your Life: How to Honor Your Story Through Journaling, by Michele Weldon

Do you journal? When do you feel most compelled to journal?

I usually only journal during the hard times of my life. If anyone ever found my journals and read them, they would think I was the most troubled, depressed and angry soul. But that is when I write. I practice scribotherapy.

A friend of mine is taking a three month leave of absence from her job to process some very tough occurrences in her life. She tells me that the Lord instructed her to write, to take time to grieve her losses through journaling. This will be the first time she has ever journaled.

The idea of joining the Lord in this process of journaling to find healing in our lives is an intriguing concept. I'm sure there are areas in your life that need attending to: losses, hard goodbyes, death, betrayal, disappointments, etc. I would love for you to start "using your words" to begin walking through the mire of tangled thoughts and emotions. As Michele Weldon instructed us: "Use your words to listen to what is inside of you."

Do you practice scribotherapy? As fellow writers, we'd love hear how it worked for you.

I look forward to reading what you write. ~Cindy Blomquist, WOTH Editor

Veiled Writing: When You Need Security-Elizabeth Givens

2011-02-08T00:00:00.003-07:00

How do we handle the need to communicate and tell the stories that will reach the hearts of our donors and prayer partners, and still stay safe?

Most of us have done it at some point, especially if we live or work in parts of the world where the word “m"-word is not acceptable – we Google our name to see what comes up, and then we hold our breath and hope it’s not our newsletter posted on some church website. Right?

In an Internet world of blogs and social networks, I sometimes think my friends and colleagues in my own limited-access work know exactly who I am and what I do, but are polite enough to keep up the pretense. I bring them valued services so they humor me by letting me imagine I’m living this double life…

So how do we handle the need to communicate about our ministry and tell the stories that will reach the hearts of our donors and prayer partners, and still stay safe?

Very carefully.

But you do have to communicate. You can’t assume people know what’s going on in your part of the world, or that they will pray, or that they will continue to support you if they never hear from you. Some things are pretty simple: don’t put your name on the web, don’t call your country by its real name, don’t use the word missionary. Churches are getting fairly savvy on these issues. Educate your friends, donors, and prayer partners about what you can and cannot say when you are in a secure place, and help them understand why.

The bigger question is -- can you communicate genuine issues and not tell the whole world where you work? I think you can.

People stories are what communicate most deeply to your audience, and people issues are universal. Depression, spiritual conflicts, broken marriages, fear, barrenness, rebellious children. Are not these the problems all those searching for Jesus face? Even those who are following Jesus are still dealing with the baggage of their past life.

Given a need for security, do not use real names. Collect a list of linguistically appropriate substitute names and make yourself a grid so when you write about "Sada" it always is the same woman. When telling stories of believers, ask permission to tell their story. Be sensitive in your storytelling, but don’t stop telling stories. Help your reader understand the complexities of your host culture by demonstrating life through people and events.

Last summer I was leading a large team in a limited access country. We needed daily prayer, but I was blocked from posting a daily blog. I did have email, and I had a willing daughter who posted my blog for me. It worked, and the families and friends of the team members knew where they could get daily prayer fodder, even though most of the team didn’t have Internet access.

Security IS an issue. But God is bigger and your stories are His stories. Tell them. Remember that you are the "m" educator, not just a "m." Or worker. Or teacher. Or whatever you want to call yourself!

Is Marketing a Dirty Word?-Elizabeth Givens

2011-02-01T08:36:00.004-07:00

“Great post, even if I don't like your title,” was the first comment I read on Blog #2.

I love it when people push back on a blog post! The title was “Marketing yourself and your ministry.” Missionaries are biased against the word marketing, but it describes our communication -- even if we don't like the negative connotations. “Marketing smacks of lies, or at least, half-truths” another comment says. “Missionaries should be different.”

Maybe we are deluding ourselves. We don’t like the word, so we pretend we’re not marketing. But I am marketing when I determine which of my friends will get email notes from me and who will get paper letters. Marketing is deciding to send out a prayer letter right January 2 rather than dropping a letter in the middle of Christmas cards. Marketing is always saying thank you to my donors.

“Oh, no,” you say. “That’s not marketing!” Oh yes, I say, that IS marketing. Though I agree that we are not selling a product, we are in sales. We’re offering God’s people a chance to get involved in God’s Kingdom work. Isn’t it high pressure sales that we react against? If I want to get something, it’s not marketing when I’m given information that answers my questions. The same reader is correct when she says, “We need to write honestly and openly, though, not with the idea that we are a product we need to sell to others.”

I think the bottom line is semantics. We are biased. Marketing, in our thinking, smacks of pressure sales, of phone calls we didn’t want, of products we feel we got snookered into buying. I’d like a better word, but I don’t know one. So maybe I need to let God revamp my definition of the word marketing.

I’ve just spent the morning writing “marketing” materials. My goal is that the Lord of the Harvest will use what I’ve written to secure prayer, funding, and people for the least-reached of the world. I have no underhanded motives – but as I wrote, I targeted each piece to a different audience. I can be talking about the same exact ministry but pastors don’t need or want the same information as a college student. That’s marketing, ahem, whether I like it or not.

I think someone hit on Paul about his marketing techniques way back in the 1st century. Paul loved his support team and he communicated well, but he wrote to the Thessalonians, “For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.” 1 Thessalonians 2:3ff

I’ll end where I began. I love it when people push back on a blog post!

Cyber Circles: Creating a Virtual Prayer Group-Elizabeth Givens

2011-01-25T00:00:00.001-07:00

Prayer groups are important – but times change.

Bev walked me to the door as I slipped out of the ladies missionary circle luncheon at her home. I’d been there three hours already and it was not winding down. Though I am far from young, I felt like a teenager among these ladies, but Bev, on the other hand, was the oldest woman there and probably the wisest!

“This kind of thing is dying,” she said. “It’s not going to go to the next generation.”

“I know,” I answered. “I’m sorry to leave, but I took off work to come and I’ve got to get going.”

Bev went on, “When these women began this missionary circle it was the only women’s group they had. Now we’ve got choices – Bible studies, small groups, all sorts of things. Prayer groups are important – but times change.”

It was said without rancor. Bev has seen it all. She doesn’t particularly LIKE change, but she rolls with it. Except when she says to me, “I have no computer, no email, no Facebook, and no cell phone. You can find me at my land line!” She’ll stick with the circle, but she won’t expect me to be there every month.

A few years ago a younger mom told me she would love to be part of the missionary prayer circle, but she had young children, and there was no childcare. The same issue had kept me out of the circle for years. We brainstormed how to get more people praying and decided that we should create a “cyber circle.” Today she receives the emails from all the missionaries of our church and then resends them to hundreds of people in the church who have signed up to pray. In a given week, I get 5-10 missionary emails. No wait, no turnaround time.

The secretary at another of our churches collected email as they came in and then sent them all at once. It was cumbersome and if you had an urgent prayer request, you might wait a week for it to be sent. I told this secretary about our cyber prayer circle and she immediately changed her system. Now, as soon as she gets a letter on email, it is sent to her circle of prayer partners in the church.

In a quick survey recently of twelve churches, I found two “cyber circles,” two that forwarded missionary emails to a limited list, and all the rest were still printing paper copies and making those available in various ways. A few are posting on the web – which poses other complications for people working in limited access areas.

Our challenge as missionaries is to figure out how our supporting churches handle our letters and tailor our communication to their system. If we have the relationship, we may be able to crank them up a notch and get them to create a “cyber circle”.

Everyone benefits. More readers mean more prayer, more giving, and more involvement in God’s plan to reach a lost world.

Marketing Yourself and Your Ministry-Elizabeth Givens

2011-01-18T00:00:00.006-07:00

In an era when personal communication is ubiquitous and easy, each missionary has become their own marketing director.

Jen started the email letter with “When I received my teaching schedule for the year, I thought ‘oh, this is very manageable.’” Then she proceeded to describe how the semester went bonkers and she ended up teaching seven courses. God was blessing and she loved her work but it was crazy. It’s that first line that got me reading. I could hear her voice, almost, and then her honesty about the difficulty she faced drew me further in.

When we write our supporters and prayer partners, they want to hear our voice. They want honesty. They want to know we are real people.

The bottom line is that most of what Christians know of missions, or think they know, they learned from missionary letters. If all someone knew of missions was what you write, what would they know? Are you perpetuating the myth that puts missionaries on a pedestal or are you carefully teaching about culture, contextualization, and real life experience with each email you write?

In an era when personal communication is ubiquitous and easy, each missionary has become their own marketing director. Financial and prayer support follow interest and we can generate interest when we write regularly, concisely, and interestingly. Keeping your readers involved requires work.

Tell good stories that teach what your life is like.

Write less—more often.

Sort through the ideas in your mind before you start writing and edit, edit, edit, how much you send.

Don’t overload on family news. Your prayer partners want to know about and pray for your family, but strike a balance between “all about us/me” and “all about ministry.”

Write clear, understandable prayer requests. Give enough detail so someone can actually pray today, and tomorrow, and maybe till they hear from you again. Be sure you reader can distinguish who is who in your prayer requests, even if you don’t use real names.

Use creative formatting to help your reader track through the screen. If you include pictures, size them to 50 kb or less so the email downloads quickly.

Include contact info and make sure people know where to send money! Never frustrate your reader on contact info.

Say “Thank you” often, regularly, and with deep sincerity!

Finally, remember that some people still don’t do email but may be invaluable prayer partners. Twenty years ago we used to mail 700 paper letters; now we email 350, including churches that send the email out in bulk. BUT there are 30 people who still get a paper copy and they are top prayer warriors.

Marketing your ministry should be a challenge that you take on with prayer and hard work. If God has put you in missions, it is worth your time an energy to do a good job and gather a following of faithful readers—who also will pray and give and maybe, come and join you or go somewhere else in the world.

Prayer Letters Worth Reading-Elizabeth Givens

2011-01-11T00:00:00.005-07:00

The Key to Writing a Prayer Letter that WILL Get Read

I remember arriving in the north of the Philippines about 20 years ago after a long day on bus, jeepney, and foot. I had hardly sat down at our friend's table when she slapped a letter down in front of me.

"Read this!" she said. "This is our last letter and I've gotten more response on this than any letter I've written in decades. What did I do?"

It only took a quick read to understand why people responded. Fay had told a story. Her husband was to speak at a gathering of tribal people and he got sick, so she went in his place. As I read, I could feel her concern on the trek that her language wasn’t as facile as her husband’s. I could smell the rice in the mountain paddies. The mud seemed to ooze through my toes as I crossed the river with her, and then I sat in the little clearing while she spoke and watched people’s faces as they hungrily drunk in her teaching of the Word. In short, she had taken me with her.

I'd read her letters before. They were accurate chronological descriptions of their ministry, but they were flat and dry. This couple was anything but flat and dry. This time she had invited her audience into her heart and allowed them to think, feel, smell, and walk with her. I didn't need to know what she did five days a week, or ten weeks a year. I only needed to go with her this one time and I grasped far more of what her life was like than pages of ministry details.

Today her letter would come to me on email. Unlike a full page for graphic design, now you have only a little window of space to grab the reader's attention. The beginning of the letter is vitally important. When you write, don't waste time on greetings and apologies. Jump right into the story. Tell a story first -- then follow up with schedules, prayer & praise, details.

What kind of stories? The best ones teach without preaching. I don't need a lecture on contextualization, but I'll read about why Kazak women feel comfortable with pillows and low tables, playing the dombre, and drinking tea as they learn the stories of the Old Testament. I want to hear how Hannah’s story brings tears to a gathering of Muslim second wives who are barren and why riding shot-gun to an archery contest with a bunch of vodka-swigging Mongols is core to evangelism.

I want reality. I want to smell what’s cooking in the hot oil at the market, listen to the lonely pathos in the voice of the woman you are trying to lead to Christ, hear the cacophony of the bells at the temple down the street or the call to prayer across the way.

I am guilty of writing rather dry, boring reports some months, but when I get a lot of response, it’s because there was a story.

~by Elizabeth Givens

CALL FOR ARTICLES: WOTH onlineMagazine

2010-12-21T00:00:00.001-07:00

What's in your "Fruit of the Spirit" Basket?: Ever struggled with any aspect of Galatians 5:22-23 while serving on the field?

We have a great article in the first issue of 2011, Alight with Kindness, that will launch our encouraging feature to show how God can work in our hearts, first, and then move on to change the world in a very fruity kind of way. Could it really be as simple as showing kindness to a weary world???...find out on January 6 when the next issue comes out!

If some of your fruit is a bit rotten or even completely out-of-season, I'm putting out a CALL FOR ARTICLES to talk about that very issue in the 2011 WOTH onlineMagazine. Submit your articles to: editor@womenoftheharvest.com

Start your writing career in the pages of the WOTH onlineMagazine: Sign up today to receive the encouraging, free, bi-monthly onlineMagazine that gets your cross-cultural life.

Punctuating Dialogue

2010-12-14T00:00:00.005-07:00

As I was doing a quick edit of Linsey Painter's winning fictional piece, "Rachel Asks for Wisdom," I spent most of my time looking up the proper way to punctuate dialogue. As the last post for our writing fiction segment, I would like to pass on some grammar tips that I found helpful:

1. Do not capitalize speech tags (he said/she said), unless the speech tag begins with a proper noun.

Original: “Why is everything manual in this blinking country?” She exclaimed, utterly exasperated.

Corrected: “Why is everything manual in this blinking country?” she exclaimed, utterly exasperated.

2. Do not capitalize the second half of split sentences.

“Remember,” Dr. Francie’s voice lowered as if she was encouraging herself as well, “this life is just a breath to God, He’s got things worked out on a level which we can never understand. Our job is to do our very best for God, using the wisdom He gives when we ask and to be lights pointing towards Him in this dark world.”

3. If it is not a split sentence, capitalize the beginning of the next quote.
“It just seems so unfair!” Rachel exclaimed. “In Australia we have so much, and here, where there is so much need, there is so little.”

4. Start a new paragraph for each speaker. Even when someone just acts and doesn't speak, she still gets a new paragraph.

“Would you like some water?” Dr Francie asked. It was the first question everyone in the community asked anyone walking through their front door.

“Yes, please,” Rachel replied.

The ceiling fans spun round trying desperately to keep the heat at bay. Rachel gratefully sat down on one of Dr. Francie’s cane chairs.

“I heard you had a rough night on Friday,” Dr. Francie stated, sitting down opposite Rachel.

“Yes,” Rachel replied slowly not wanting to show the depth of her emotions.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

5. Use italics instead of quotation marks for short internal dialogue.

Original: Rachel remembered her last desperate prayer. "Oh God, help me, " she cried out silently as her knife sunk into flesh.

Corrected: Rachel remembered her last desperate prayer. Oh God, help me, she cried out silently as her knife sunk into flesh.

6. If a speaker continues talking for more than one paragraph, all paragraphs except the last do not have close quotation marks, but all paragraphs have open quotes.

Dr Francie nodded. “I have been struggling with this very thing from the very first day that I got here. When I returned to PNG after completing my studies in Sydney, I was determined to make a difference in the level of healthcare. (no close quotation marks here)

“There is so much in the world that is unfair; we do what we can to tip the balance a little, eh?”

______________________________________

"Thank you, Dr. Francie, for your last inspiring bit of dialogue," remarked the editor. "At Women of the Harvest, we also want to tip the balance when it comes to more women in cross-cultural service writing fictional pieces."

One fun outcome of this blog segment on writing fiction has been Linsey agreeing to write a new chapter in Dr. Rachel's life in PNG for each of the upcoming 6 5 issues of the 2011 onlineMagazine. We will begin in the ~~Jan/Feb '11~~ Mar/Apr '11 issue with her winning entry.

"Doesn't Dr. Rachel already feel like a colleague and friend?" Cindy asked. "I've been wondering what she encountered at the hospital after she answered the emergency call. That's why I asked Linsey to keep writing. I gotta know!"

CONTEST WINNER!

2010-12-07T00:00:00.006-07:00

...CONGRATULATIONS TO LINSEY PAINTER. SHE IS THE WINNER OF THE "A GOOD STORY IS HARD TO PUT DOWN" CONTEST. WE HOPE YOU WILL AGREE.

Rachel Asks for Wisdom
By Linsey Painter, PNG

Rachel groaned and gingerly picked herself up off the floor. Her small frame ached from the physical exertion of the operation she had just preformed. Glancing at her watch, she could barely make out the time in the darkness of the house. It was 3:00 a.m. That afternoon she had been in surgery, confident and self-assured that the operation would go smoothly. Now she felt like her coffee mug which yesterday had smashed to pieces on the tiled floor.

Two months ago she had been in her element. A senior doctor in one of the best hospitals in Australia, she was respected, did her job quickly, efficiently and very well. Now she was volunteering in this small remote community in Papua New Guinea for six months. Completely out of her depth. She felt utterly uncomfortable, constantly one step behind and baffled by the culture, language and lack of hygiene.

Rachel felt defeated. She wanted to curl up in bed, fall into a dreamless sleep and wake up in her bedroom back home in Melbourne. Instead she dragged herself to the bathroom. She needed a shower, a steaming hot jet of water that would massage her back and help ease the tension. The water was lukewarm; it had rained all day and the solar water heater hadn’t been able to do its job. The water became a trickle. Rachel almost screamed remembering that she had forgotten to pump water up to the header tank in her rush to respond to the call from the hospital.

“Why is everything manual in this blinking country?” she exclaimed, utterly exasperated. It would have to do, she needed to clean up and get some rest.

Two days later, Rachel walked across the grass airstrip towards a tiny white house hidden behind two huge bougainvillea trees covered in deep purple flowers. The sun was setting in front of her. God had painted the sky different hues of orange. Dr. Frances Gale had lived in the community for over 15 years working in the hospital. She was a rather formidable figure, someone whom Rachel was only just beginning to appreciate for her depth of spiritual wisdom and cross-cultural understanding. Dr. Francie, as she was known, was not present on the night of the operation that had left Rachel reeling. She had been away at a medical conference and only just returned that afternoon, being flown in on a small aircraft that frequented the tiny strip.

“Come in Rachel,” the gentle voice called out in response to Rachel’s hesitant knock.

Dr. Francie’s generous curves were hidden under a bright, multi-colored voluminous blouse, a style worn by many Papua New Guinean women. The top contrasted her dark skin and her distinctive Melanesian tightly-ringleted hair framing her round face.

“Would you like some water?” Dr. Francie asked. It was the first question everyone in the community asked anyone walking through their front door.

“Yes, please,” Rachel replied.

The ceiling fans spun round trying desperately to keep the heat at bay. Rachel gratefully sat down on one of Dr. Francie’s cane chairs.

“I heard you had a rough night on Friday,” Dr. Francie stated, sitting down opposite Rachel.

“Yes,” Rachel replied slowly not wanting to show the depth of her emotions.

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

Rachel remembered her last desperate prayer. Oh God, help me, she cried out silently as her knife sunk into flesh. How many times had she prayed those words that day? She could still picture the young woman lying helpless on the operating table. Her labor had been too long. “We’ll have to do a cesarean,” Rachel could hear herself say. “If we don’t, they’ll both die.” She had been so confident everything would work out, sure that by now there would have been a proud mum and new baby on the maternity ward.

“I can’t help but think that if the woman had been treated in Australia, she would most likely still be alive,” Rachel said haltingly, not wanting to offend Dr. Francie. “I know that this was her only choice and infinitely better than nothing at all.”

She continued picturing the hospital. When she had first seen it, she had thought it was a condemned building. Rachel thought of the ancient ultrasound machine, which stopped working that afternoon. She tried to quell her annoyance at the staff that seemed out of their depth so much of the time and the dispensary that was constantly out of stock. Her nose wrinkled as she recalled the smell of urine which permeated the air. All this starkly contrasted her workplace in Melbourne—a hospital with state of the art equipment; numerous staff and specialists, endless supplies of medicine and clean, shiny rooms that were air-conditioned.

Now the young woman was dead. The box of tissues that Dr. Francie had on the table was empty and the wastebasket at Rachel’s feet full.

“I don’t understand,” Rachel’s voice caught in her achingly tight throat. “I asked God to give me wisdom,” she whispered, “I was so sure after praying that whatever decision I would make would be the right one.”

Rachel wiped her tears with the drenched tissue in her hand. She couldn’t get her head around the injustice of the situation. Maybe if she had operated sooner. But no, she had asked for wisdom, and made the decision to operate at that time. Now there were two new bodies in the morgue.

“Rachel, you asked for wisdom and God did give it to you,” Dr. Francie said with conviction, her hand reaching out to grasp one of Rachel’s. “The Bible says when we ask God for wisdom He gives it to us. From talking with Dr. John and reading your report, you did everything right.”

Rachel nodded her head. She knew what she had done was medically correct, but when God and people where involved, things just didn’t seem to follow logical patterns.

“Now you have to trust, even though things didn’t work out the way you would have liked them to and maybe not how they would have worked out at your hospital in Australia, God will continue to work in and through you as long as you keep asking for help."

“Remember,” Dr. Francie’s voice lowered as if she was encouraging herself as well, “this life is just a breath to God, He’s got things worked out on a level which we can never understand. Our job is to do our very best for God, using the wisdom He gives when we ask and to be lights pointing towards Him in this dark world.”

“It just seems so unfair!” Rachel exclaimed. “In Australia we have so much, and here, where there is so much need, there is so little.”

Dr. Francie nodded. “I have been struggling with this very thing from the very first day that I got here. When I returned to PNG after completing my studies in Sydney, I was determined to make a difference in the level of healthcare.

“There is so much in the world that is unfair; we do what we can to tip the balance a little, eh?”

Rachel smiled ruefully; she never before understood the incredible strength and perseverance as well as spiritual conviction it would take to work in a place where the odds were so stacked up against you. But the hospital continued to save lives, doing so much with the little they had to offer.

“The nurses at the hospital tell me the woman’s family are blaming her death on sorcery, why would they do that?” Rachel couldn’t understand their reasoning when she had already explained the cause of death.

“That is not unusual,” Dr. Francie responded.

Rachel groaned and felt the heaviness of responsibility resting on her shoulders again. She wished God had given her some miracle knowledge that would have preserved their lives. Now, instead of people rejoicing and giving thanks to God for a new baby, a family and whole village would be turning to the spirits to find out who had put a curse on the woman. What could God possibly do to redeem the situation?

“It is what many people do here,” Dr. Francie continued. “Traditionally in Papua New Guinean culture they believe that sickness or death has to do with some form of sorcery. Many times it has to do with revenge or payback.

“When I was a little girl, my grandfather was accused of sorcery. I haven’t seen him since then.

“At the hospital we try and teach people why sickness happens and how to prevent it. But it is hard to get around beliefs that have been thought of as truth for so long.”

Dr. Francie stopped and smiled at Rachel. “What you may not know is that the woman’s husband is standing up against her family’s wishes. Dr. John told me the hospital chaplain has been visiting him quite often since they first came to the hospital. There is a struggle going on, one that you would do well to pray about. Doctoring the body is only part of what we do here.”

Rachel walked away from Dr. Francie’s house deep in thought. Praying for her patients—let alone family members of her patients—was something she rarely, if ever did back home. This place was getting under her skin. She had never felt so uncomfortable with the world’s pecking order or so completely out of control in her own life. But the lack of control was forcing her to reach out desperately to God.

A week later the woman and her child were laid to rest. The community gathered for the burial service and Rachel was surprised at the number of people who had come. Death was such a huge part of every day life in PNG. From Rachel’s point of view it seemed to saturate and suffocate the culture much like the high humidity that made it hard to breathe. She still had flashbacks about the operation, waking up in a cold sweat, her hands shaking. It would take a long time before she could think about the woman and her baby without regret, but maybe now the questioning was gone.

During the service the pastor spoke of God’s timing and how it was only God who gave life and took it. He spoke of every person’s need for salvation and the assurance of life after death when one accepts Christ as their personal Saviour. There were many tears and shouts of “Amen.” Rachel wondered at the sincerity of many of the people there. Then she remembered her own brash declaration of faith which had been tested when God answered her prayer in a way she still couldn’t fully comprehend.

The next morning Rachel sat on her veranda drinking coffee out of her plastic travel mug and enjoying the view of the river below, snaking lazily past. The sun was blazing hot and the sky a gorgeous blue streaked by thin white clouds. On the opposite bank someone’s banana trees were heavy laden with green fruit. Rachel jumped as her radio squawked on the table announcing an incoming call.

“Dr. Rachel, this is Special Care,” a voice with a distinct PNG accent transmitted.

“Go ahead,” Rachel responded, her heartbeat quickening.

“Dr. Francie needs you in the operating room right away.”

“Coming,” she said automatically into the radio while standing up and moving into the house.

She would have to hurry. Rachel found herself once again praying for wisdom and that she would trust God for the outcome of her prayer. Just before she rushed out the front door, she firmly pressed the button for the water pump. This time there would be no lukewarm trickle to greet her when she returned.

"Writing dialogue is a piece of cake," she said. But what kind?

2010-11-30T00:00:00.007-07:00

“I don’t know the first thing about this subject,” the editor muttered as she typed the first sentence. “I really wish someone reading this blog would have contacted me.”

Here is something I copied and pasted from a site that will give us a taste of writing dialogue.

Some Dialogue Conventions to Consider*:

1. Each new speaker requires a new paragraph, properly indented and set off by quotation marks.

2. “Use double quotations,” the novelist ordered, “and remember to place commas and periods inside those quotation marks.”

3. “If a speaker goes on for more than one paragraph,” the count responded in his heavy Transylvanian accent, “do not close off the quotation marks at the end of the first paragraph.
“Simply place quotation marks at the beginning of the next paragraph, and carry on to the end of the quotation.”

4. Use “he said” expressions only when you must, to avoid confusion about who's speaking. You can signal increasing tension by moving from “he said” to “he snapped,” to “he snarled,” to “he bellowed furiously.” But the dialogue itself should convey that changing mood, and make such comments needless.

5. Action as well as speech is a part of dialogue. We expect to know when the speakers pause, where they're looking, what they're doing with their hands, how they respond to one another. The characters' speech becomes just one aspect of their interactions; sometimes their words are all we need, but sometimes we definitely need more. This is especially true when you're trying to convey a conflict between what your characters say and what they feel: their nonverbal messages are going to be far more reliable than their spoken words.

6. Speak your dialogue out loud; if it doesn't sound natural, or contains unexpected rhymes and rhythms, revise it.

7. Rely on rhythm and vocabulary, not phonetic spelling, to convey accent or dialect.

8. If you are giving us your characters' exact unspoken thoughts, use italics. If you are paraphrasing those thoughts, use regular Roman type:

Now what does she want? he asked himself. Isn't she ever satisfied? Marshall wondered what she wanted now. She was never satisfied.

9. If you plan to give us a long passage of inner monologue, however, consider the discomfort of having to read line after line of italic print. If you wish to emphasize a word in a line of italics, use Roman: Isn't she ever satisfied?

[* #1-9 excerpted from http://www.darkwaves.com/sfch/writing/ckilian/#13]

10. Once you've read this, write me something of the fictional nature and submit it by December 1--that's just a day away!

Again she wondered, Would anyone respond to this delicious chocolate cake kind of offer?

Check Her Resume

2010-11-23T03:35:00.016-07:00

Who is that woman?

What is she waiting for?

What was her last job?

Did she quit or was she fired?

Why does she want to be in my story?

And more importantly, where did she get those boots?

Before you sign on any character for your story, it is always advisable to check out their resume. And if you have a cast of characters that you are trying to create, filling out a "character resume" may be the tool you need to keep your unruly bunch in line on the pages of your fictional tale.

Writing Prompt: take time to answer the questions about our mystery woman in the comment section. I'd love to get to know her...from your imaginative, character-building point of view.

The Character Resume*

One useful way to learn more about your characters is to fill out a “resume” for them--at least for the more important ones. Such a resume might include the following information:

Name:

Address & Phone Number:

Date & Place of Birth:

Height/Weight/Physical Description:

Citizenship/Ethnic Origin:

Parents' Names & Occupations:

Other Family Members:

Spouse or Lover:

Friends' Names & Occupations:

Social Class: Education:

Occupation/Employer:

Social Class:

Salary:

Community Status:

Job-Related Skills:

Political Beliefs/Affiliations:

Hobbies/Recreations:

Personal Qualities (imagination, taste, etc.):

Ambitions: Fears/Anxieties/Hangups:

Intelligence:

Sense of Humor:

Most Painful Setback/Disappointment:

Most Instructive/Meaningful Experience:

Health/Physical Condition/Distinguishing Marks/Disabilities:

Sexual Orientation/Experience/Values:

Tastes in food, drink, art, music, literature, decor, clothing:

Attitude toward Life:

Attitude toward Death:

Philosophy of Life (in a phrase):

You may not use all this information, and you may want to add categories of your own, but a resume certainly helps make your character come alive in your own mind. The resume can also give you helpful ideas on everything from explaining the character's motivation to conceiving dramatic incidents that demonstrates the character's personal traits. The resume serves a useful purpose in your project bible, reminding you of the countless details you need to keep straight.
(*source: http://www.darkwaves.com/sfch/writing/ckilian/#13)

I'm looking forward to meeting your newly created characters that you will be submitting for the "A Good Story is Hard to Put Down" Contest. Remember to submit it by December 1--please see sidebar for details.

Building Character(s)

2010-11-16T00:00:00.003-07:00

I'm in love with Augustus McCrae. Tough. Soft. Humorous. Brave. Philosophical. Friend. Courageous. Moral. Immoral. Uncommitted. Totally driven. Full of regret. Full of hope. I cried when he died in chapter 96 of Lonesome Dove.

I have known the deep yearning Heidi had as she sought her beautiful mountains down in the crowded city. Until I reached Colorado, she was my little beacon and muse as I sat in a college dorm deep in the heart of Texas. I am indebted to her as I look at my mountains that are outside my window today.

And that my dear readers is the power of a character in a fictional piece.

As you are working on your piece, you are also in the process of creating characters that are telling your story. So who are they? What did you name them? What are they like? Will they be memorable?

Again, I am just one step ahead of you all in this fiction-writing process. But it is an exciting journey to be on. Here are some fun ideas about character-building that I came across in a Writer's Little Book of Wisdom, by John Long:

1. A character without a purpose is a story without a cause.

2. Give a character a valid grievance.

3. The fact that one character wants to explore Saturn and another character wants to elope with the janitor’s stepdaughter is of little importance. It’s the intensity of the wanting that fuels the story.

4. Work to make a character achieve a credible degree of salvation in an unresolved world.

5. Feelings should vibrate from what a character does, how he moves and what he says.

6. Sensual and emotional vividness give us a sense of who a character is.

7. A character without inner turmoil or contradictions belongs in vestments or in a coffin, not in a story.

8. A character faces a crisis. He must change, or die. Desperate, he takes action. Fill in the blanks.

9. Most people cannot and will not change unless financial, physical, emotional and spiritual ruin forces them to.

10. If your character isn’t a mélange of your father, boss, childhood bully, neighbor, and the corner tamale vendor, chances are you’ve created a cartoon.

11. Allow characters to reveal themselves through words, thoughts and deeds.

12. Never announce character traits to the reader.

13. Memorable characters do normal things in unforgettable ways.

14. Characters who do unbelievable things are often unbelievable.

15. Words and behavior match only in the most exceptional people.

16. It is uncanny that the degree to which we feel for a character is relative to how much that character changes in the course of the tale.

17. A character might lie, but his body rarely does.

18. Tone and body language are the internal externalized.

19. There is only one thing more important than a character’s actions: what he thinks about before he goes to sleep.

It is 10:00 p.m. I've had 3 cups of coffee, so I'm not sure when sleep will come. I am thinking about tomorrow and all the deadlines I must meet at work. No, what I'm really thinking about is the hard telephone call I had with my mother today...

One Last Crazy Contest in 2010

2010-11-09T00:00:00.001-07:00

"A Good Story is Hard to Put Down" Contest

I had this crazy idea that maybe with all this talk about fiction, we should have a contest to get you motivated to write a story. And what's crazier is the winner will be the first-ever published fiction writer in the onlineMagazine. And I have one last $15 iTunes gift card in my stash to give away before 2010 ends. So jump on the crazy bus with me and don't get off until you've submitted your best fictional effort.

So as a refresher, here's the definition of fiction:

Fiction (Latin: fictum, "created") is any form of narrative which deals, in part or in whole, with events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary and invented by its author(s). Although fiction often describes a major branch of literary work, it is also applied to theatrical, cinematic, documental, and musical work. In contrast to this is non-fiction, which deals exclusively in factual events (e.g.: biographies, histories). [thanks, Wikipedia]

Contest Rules/Guidelines

1. Write an original short story, no longer than 2,000 words in length.

2. Topic of Writing: Convey a spiritual concept (i.e. redemption, endurance, etc.) through story; if possible, set your story in the culture you are currently in or have served.

3. Submit as a WORD attachment, double-spaced, edited for grammar and spelling.

4. Submit to: editor@womenoftheharvest.com

5. Submit by Wednesday, December 1.

6. Winner will be determined by a blind reading by a selected group from the WOTH office.

7. Winner will be announced on Tuesday, December 7 and receive a $15 iTunes gift card and be published in the March/April 2011 issue of the WOTH onlineMagazine.

So there's your bus pass...will you take the ride????

A Good Story is Hard to Put Down

2010-11-02T00:00:00.005-06:00

Have you ever written fiction? I haven't, but I want too. Jamie Jo, writer and blog host at IRL*, told me recently that writing fiction is what is hot in the publishing realm. A good story will take you places where nonfiction can't. It has staying power. To Kill a Mockingbird I remember from high school...I can vaguely remember some of the words from the titles of the nonfiction tomes currently stacked up beside my bed.

Fiction can keep you transfixed. It can travel deep into your soul, leave its mark, and perhaps rearrange a portion of your heart. And isn't that the intended outcome of your cross-cultural service? Could a good story, concocted by you, get you over the threshold and into your intended audience's heart?

My biggest hang-up in writing fiction is coming up with an actual story. I don't feel real imaginative in crafting a complete story from beginning to end. However, I get hopeful about this when I hear authors talk about how the story often writes itself. Hmmmm...sounds like I need a magic pen or something. Maybe all I need is a little courage to go beyond what I think is possible and challenge myself with something new.

What if we all (yes, even you Ms. Bible-Study-Writer) thought seriously about writing a fictional piece?

Would you have it in you to write a short story?

Could you put on your imagination hat and start dreaming of a new world, with a few colorful characters, and a great storyline that would convey an idea you have been wanting to share with your friends in the country you are serving?

Through my research I came across this about developing a storyline. Robert McKee, in his book, Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting, gave this helpful tip for testing out a new plot:

Next time you're out with a friend, ask him or her if you can tell them your new story idea. Halfway through, make an excuse to leave the table. When you come back, start talking about something else, as though you've forgotten all about the story. If your friend interrupts to ask you to finish, you know you have a winner. If your friend instead seems relieved, definitely think twice about your story idea.

Let's start there.

P.S. If you are a published fiction writer and would like to help us out with a few informative posts (like writing dialogue), I'd love for you to contact me, Cindy Blomquist, WOTH Editor: editor@womenoftheharvest.com . Thanks.

NaNoWriMo Challenge: Starts Nov. 1

2010-10-26T14:53:00.010-06:00

Hi WOTH Writers! I am plugging something a friend suggested to me a year ago (after November). I cut and pasted the official press release for this fun month-long challenge. Please read and let me know if you are taking the challenge! ~Cindy Blomquist, WOTH Editor

NOVEL FEVER TAKES THE WORLD BY STORM

Symptoms include flashes of brilliance, questionable plotlines, and blatant use of mixed metaphors.

Berkeley, California (Oct 1, 2010) - At midnight on November 1, armed only with their wits, the vague outline of a story, and a ridiculous deadline, more than 200,000 people around the world will set out to become novelists.

Why? Because November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, the world’s largest writing challenge and nonprofit literary crusade.

Participants pledge to write 50,000 words in a month, starting from scratch and reaching "The End" by November 30. There are no judges, no prizes, and entries are deleted from the server before anyone even reads them.

So what’s the point? "The 50,000-word challenge has a wonderful way of opening up your imagination and unleashing creativity," says NaNoWriMo Founder and Executive Director (and eleven-time NaNoWriMo winner) Chris Baty. "When you write for quantity instead of quality, you end up getting both. Also, it’s a great excuse for not doing any dishes for a month."

More than 500 regional volunteers in more than 90 countries will hold write-ins, hosting writers in coffee shops, bookstores, and libraries. Write-ins offer a supportive environment and surprisingly effective peer pressure, turning the usually solitary act of writing into a community experience. That sense of community even extends beyond the page—so much so that more than a dozen marriages and at least four babies have resulted from NaNoWriMo over the years.

Although the event emphasizes creativity and adventure over creating a literary masterpiece, nearly 60 novels begun during NaNoWriMo have since been published, including Water for Elephants, a New York Times #1 Bestseller by Sara Gruen.

"Writing a novel in a month inspires incredible confidence in seasoned and first-time novelists alike," says NaNoWriMo Program Director, Lindsey Grant. "Completing a draft of the novel they’ve been contemplating for ages gives participants a tremendous sense of accomplishment and leaves them wondering what else they’re capable of."

For more information on National Novel Writing Month, or to speak to NaNoWriMo participants in your area, visit http://www.nanowrimo.org/ or contact press@nanowrimo.org.

The Office of Letters and Light is a California-based international non-profit organization. Its programs are the largest literary events in the world. Learn more at www.lettersandlight.org

Are You "In," or "Out"?

2010-10-19T00:00:00.001-06:00

Quotation Marks + Punctuation = ???

My red pen bleeds profusely over the writer's confusion of whether to put the commas, periods, question marks, and their one alotted exclamation point (see previous post) inside or outside of quotation marks.

Quick Lesson

1. Commas and periods go inside quotation marks:

Mary McQuire wrote the article "Going Overseas Isn't for Sissies."

"I can't believe she writes so well but punctuates like a kindergartner," Cindy said. "She seems so smart."

2. Question marks and exclamation points go inside quotation marks if they are a part of the quote. Put them outside if they apply to the whole sentence:

"Well, did you ever consider that she is from England?" asked Freda. "When it comes to grammar rules, Brits and Yanks are separated by a common language!"

Who said "England and America are two countries separated by a common language"?

3. According to my grammar books, these two rules are "almost always." For lack of time, I would be curious to know the exceptions, playing by the U.S. rules.

"Do you know of any?" she inquired.

The Cheese Stands Alone

2010-10-12T00:00:00.001-06:00

from our one entrant and deserving winner of our
"Searching for Beauty" Simile Contest

From Christine Harms:

Knowing a Haitian woman is like having a Royal Poinciana tree--she is fruitful, surprisingly colorful, and spreads her arms wide.

What a gorgeous simile...thanks, Christine, for taking the time to share the beauty of the women you serve. I'll be contacting you with your prize: a $15 iTunes gift card.

Of course, if Christine's simile is kick-starting your creative process, please submit your beautiful simile in the comment section this week.

Searching for Beauty

2010-10-05T00:00:00.002-06:00

Amidst the drab browns of this land, their beauty shines like the hand-blown glass goblets I saw hidden away in dusty heaps in a local shop last year.

~taken from “Searching for Beauty: Confessions of a Non-girly Girl”
by A.R., WOTH onlineMagazine, Sept/Oct ’10.

I love a beautiful sentence. I paused when I read the one above. The writer did a remarkable thing—she created a picture in my mind depicting the women of her region and drove home the theme of her piece in 29 well-chosen words.

I congratulated her on that one sentence alone (and then went on to publish her piece).

Writing Tidbit: Never underestimate the power of a simple simile and its more complicated sister, the metaphor.

Simile is a comparison of two dissimilar objects that uses the words like, as or than.

Metaphor is an implied comparison that brings together two dissimilar objects, persons, or ideas. Unlike a simile, which uses the words like or as, a metaphor directly identifies an obscure or difficult subject with another that is easier to understand.

Jesus knew how to keep His audience’s attention with the beauty and power of speaking metaphorically: “you are the light of the world,” “a farmer went out to sow his seed,” “I am the bread of life,” etc.

So be like Him…and here is how I’ll know…

Enter our writing contest: “Searching for Beauty”

Write a one sentence simile that depicts the women of your region.
Submit it me: editor@womenoftheharvest.com by Monday, October 11, 10:00 AM (MST) with “Searching for Beauty" in the subject line
I’ll post all the entries next week and you all will vote on your favorite.
A $15 iTunes card will be awarded to the winner! (my one e-point)

You Only Get One!

2010-09-28T09:47:00.006-06:00

One what?

One exclamation point (!) per written piece. Think of it like a diet (you know, one Reese's peanut butter cup/day mentality).

I'm not sure if this is a tidbit or another of my writing pet peeves, but you must consider eliminating the compulsion to put an exclamtion point at the end of your sentences. Let the reader be moved by your words, not manipulated by your punctuation.

When should you use one:

1) Interjections. Used to express an isolated emotion on the part of the speaker ( "Yikes!")

2) Commands. Used to express the weight behind the words ("Get out!")

So take a hint from your keyboard as you knock out your exclamation points: You only get one.

~Cindy Blomquist, WOTH Editor

Clear Out Deadwood

2010-09-21T10:55:00.008-06:00

I am jumping in for the next 4 weeks to give some writing tidbits that will strengthen your writing.

The first tidbit: clear out the deadwood. Deadwood refers to a word or phrase that can be omitted without loss in meaning.*

Look for:

Words or phrases that add unneeded bulk to a sentence and weaken its message (~~quite~~ right, ~~very~~ unique)

Common phrases that are bloated with redundant words (~~added~~ bonus, ~~currently~~ unavailable)

Unimportant words at the beginning of a sentence that push the most important information farther from the start (~~As a matter of fact~~, ~~in the same way~~)

Look for these "deadwood" words and clear them out:

actively, actually, already, always, any, appropriate(ly), associated, automatic(ally)
currently
easily, existing, extremely
fairly
much
particular, predefined, previously
quickly, quite
rather, really
several, simply, so, suitable
totally
very

Do you have any favorite "deadwood" phrases that drive you nutty when you read them in an article, newsletter, etc? Please post them in the comment section...

I'll start with: " ~~As you know...~~"

~Cindy Blomquist, Editor

*Chris Barr, The Yahoo! Style Guide (St. Marten's Griffen: New York, 2010) 288.

Marketing Your Published Book

2010-09-14T09:37:00.001-06:00

Last week we focused on the Production phase of the pipeline. In my final segment, I’d like to focus on what happens once you’ve self-published your book—and how to market it to retailers, book buyers, and other possible distributors across the country.

Once your book has been made orderable, it will begin to earn a profit—or royalty—from each sale. Royalties are the money that’s left for the author after a book is sold and all the associated costs of things such as printing, shipping, etc., have been subtracted from the retail price. With a traditional publisher, that profit gets shared between the author and the publisher with the publisher keeping the majority of the profits. But with a self-publisher such as Xulon Press, royalty rates are much more hefty—in fact, we are one of very few publishers who pay 100% of the net profits on all books sold through a third party distributor (such as Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com).

How it works is this: We get reports from all the distributors, bookstores, websites, and other retailers that are carrying your book. As an author, you’ll receive an easy-to-read statement that shows exactly how many copies sold, when they sold, and what your net profit is. We also offer online monthly statements and quarterly payments so you can keep track of what’s happening with your book and how much you’re earning.

Be advised that the royalties you accrue are directly proportionate to the amount of marketing you invest in your book. Without marketing, people won’t know your book is out there—and they won’t be aware it’s available to order unless you specifically tell them to order it from the places where it is distributed.

So what can you do as a self-published author to get the word out about your new release? The first step is to invest in some marketing tools. Marketing tools include a press release, bookmarks, business cards, postcards, posters, flyers, and anything that can be used to promote your book.

Traditionally, a press release has been the go-to tool for authors seeking to make an impact on the media—and quickly! It is a piece of marketing material that is written to appeal to potential customers and inform others about your news item. Strong copy filled with action words, concrete images, and basic facts may even snag you an interview with your favorite TV station or news publication! Additionally, when a press release is optimized for keywords or phrases, it can gain you visibility by ranking high on search engines such as Google and Yahoo.

Once a press release has been sent out to announce your book to all the local newspapers and publications, it is then time to begin scheduling events to gain you recognition. Try approaching local bookstores with a copy of your press release and asking them to host a book signing for you. Traditionally, bookstores are more willing to hold a book signing for an author if they have taken steps to promote it by sending out a press release to local media, getting book reviews, and promoting it in other local venues. These are all good ways to attract attendees to the book signing, and bookstores will be more amenable to the suggestion if they see the author is proactive about it.

If you are a Xulon Press author, your Publishing Consultant can equip you with marketing ideas and possible discounts when you first purchase your publishing program. By telling them exactly what you are looking for, they can customize a program that works for you from start to finish.

I hope this information has been useful to you, and good luck in your publishing endeavors!

The Production Phase of the Pipeline

2010-09-07T10:09:00.001-06:00

Last week, we went through the steps it takes to submit your manuscript to Xulon Press. This week, we will be looking at what you, as an author, can expect throughout the duration of the Production phase.

Once your book is considered “In Production,” the Xulon Press team will go to work to turn your manuscript into a beautiful professional-bound book. First, we will send it to our typesetters, who will set the text according to the specifications of our printer. The text will be typeset in a standard Times New Roman 12-pt. font—unless an author informs their Author Services Representative otherwise prior to typeset—and in full justification.

Our professional designers will immediately begin crafting a beautiful glossy cover to fit your book. The award-winning Xulon Press design team has generated more than 8,000 covers for authors in the past, and their meticulous work is done with a fine eye for detail—and an ear for your needs. Simply send your suggestions through your representative, and our designers will be able to take it from there.

Once your typeset manuscript and cover design are ready, they will be made available for your review online—or via hard copy for a fee. If you are dissatisfied with the work that has been rendered, you can then notify your representative that you would like corrections to be made.

If the author has no additional corrections, they will simply continue on into the next phase of production. Here, the BCC text—a 300-word block of text that appears on the back cover of a book—will be created and typeset, and then an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) will be assigned to your book by Xulon. Once all of these files have been signed off on by the author, the book will then be uploaded to the printer and made available for order.

Because Xulon Press is a print-on-demand (POD) publisher, no copies of the book will be warehoused anywhere. Instead, the book will be printed only as it is ordered. As soon as it has uploaded to the printer, the book will be listed on our affiliates, Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com, where it is orderable through a simple click of the button. Once the order is made and then processed, our affiliates will notify our printer, which can print an 800-page book in less than one minute, in any quantity, even one book at a time, fulfilling orders fast.

If you have any questions at all during this part of the process, don’t worry; once we assign you an Author Services Representative, you will have someone to help you every step of the way. You will be able to communicate with them by phone or through Author Center, a tool that has allowed for a much more effective, streamlined mode of communication between authors and their service representatives. What Author Center allows our representatives to do is push more useful information to our authors so that they have it directly at their fingertips.

Next week, we will take a look at what happens once your book has been made orderable and begins to earn royalties.

Publishing Pitfalls

2010-08-31T00:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome back! I’d like to take some time this week to look at what exactly authors need to do in order to get their manuscript ready for publication—as well as reveal some common mistakes authors make when submitting for the first time. Hopefully you will gain much more insight into what it takes to get your manuscript “clean” and in line with our guidelines.

When you sign on to publish with Xulon Press, you will have the option of choosing to print your book as either a black & white or color book. Once you have made your selection, you must then review the preparation guidelines for submitting your books according to our printer’s recommendation. These guidelines can be viewed on our website at the following locations:

For the sake of ease, I will list here some items of note. Many of these items are common mistakes that we see repeatedly from first-time authors who have never published a book before. Keep in mind that it really pays to have a second pair of eyes on your manuscript just to ensure you haven’t included any of the following:

• Do not include page numbers on your TOC (Table of Contents) or on actual pages. Our typesetters will add these in during formatting.

• Do not add headers or footers to your manuscript. Your book’s title will be placed in the header by our typesetters.

• Do not use the Enter/Return key at the end of each line as you would on a typewriter. This is called a hard return. Let the text automatically flow from one line to the other. Only insert a hard return at the end of each paragraph.

• Do not use the space bar or tab key to align or indent your text (with the exception of poetry). Any indent you want in your text should be done with the margin controller. Use the tab key only to indent the first line of each paragraph.

• Do not manually insert hyphens to indicate where a word should break at the end of lines.

• Do not alter your document’s page setup. We will do this once we are ready to format your book. Please leave the paper size set to “letter” and all margins set to normal.

• Do not insert graphics into your manuscript; these must be submitted separately to your Author Services Representative, and not within the body of the text. This rule does not, however, apply to PDFs.

If you do not feel comfortable submitting your manuscript as-is, or if you are having trouble understanding the guidelines, we offer an approved list of Xulon Press referrals who can proofread and copyedit your manuscript to get it in ship-shape. All of these professionals have experience in the publishing industry and have worked under extreme time constraints, so rest assured that you—and your book—will be in good hands.

Once your book has been copyedited and/or proofread, you are now ready to submit it to your Author Services Representative. Congratulations! From then on, it will be considered “In Production”—and the Xulon “wizards” will begin weaving their magic to turn your hard work into a beautiful end product.

Next week, we will discuss what happens when your book is “In Production,” as well as what you can expect during this process.

Self-Publishing Made Simple

2010-08-24T00:00:00.003-06:00

A Breakdown of the Basics

You’ve just put the finishing touches on that old manuscript you’ve been working on for years, and the ink has only just dried. “What now?” That is the question most authors find themselves facing upon completion of their first book. Over the next several weeks, we will be taking a look at all of the steps that are involved in publishing your book with a POD (print-on-demand) self-publisher like Xulon Press.

For many authors, self-publishing is a much more viable alternative to traditional publishing because of the cost and exclusivity of the latter; for a nominal fee, authors can get their name in print and push their book into the hands of the readers who need it most. And for “niche” books that ordinarily receive minimal marketing and distribution—such as family history books, autobiographies, or cookbooks—self-publishing is also a wonderful option.

Once you have written your book, what is the next step? First off, congratulate yourself on a job well done. Writing an entire book is no easy feat, and you are to be commended for your devoted efforts and “stick-to-it-ness.”

Second, you must select a publisher that is most in line with your needs—one that cares about helping you. For instance, when you sign on to publish with Xulon Press, you will speak with one of our Publishing Consultants before completing our Online Book Publishing Agreement. Our Publishing Consultants are there to help you customize a program that will work for you and your book—all depending on your needs. When you fill out this agreement, you are submitting your choice of publishing program as well as your complete payment. Although we do not need your final book manuscript at this time—you have up to a year to complete it—you are welcome to submit it if you are ready.

We offer a tier of programs that fit the budget of almost any author and are negotiable in price.

The Basic Program includes book cover design, interior formatting, ISBN number assignment, a listing on Google Book Preview, and more.
The Premium Program features all of those things plus distribution through Ingram Book Distributors and Spring Arbor Distributors, Amazon.com marketing, a hefty 100% net royalty rate after print cost and distributor discounts, Books-in-Print listing, and more.
The Best-Seller Program features all of these things plus placement in the Xulon Bookstore Catalog, an online bookstore page, and tradeshow placement.
Finally, our Elite Program includes everything plus a professionally produced ChristianBooksTV trailer, placement in the Christian Book Browser Catalog, our press release service with newswire blaster, a Christianity.com banner ad, and much more!

No matter what program you select—you are always able to upgrade later or add options!

To view these prices and programs, please click here.

This may seem like a lot of information, so you may want to take a moment (or five!) to digest it before making a decision. Once you are absolutely certain you are signing up for the publishing program that best suits your needs, you will submit your publishing agreement and then be considered a “Pre-Production” author.

In our next article, we will be looking at what exactly authors need to do in order to get their manuscript ready for publication—as well as common mistakes authors make when submitting.

I welcome any questions you may have about the publishing process!

"Write a Memoir" Contest: Winning Entry

2010-08-17T00:00:00.003-06:00

And the winner is...

Who is my Neighbor?
By Susan

It had been a tough three and a half years. Everyday life takes all day, but I did find time to chat with neighbors and get to know the people. In the round mud-brick home next to ours lived a woman who was part of the clan I had been named into. I knew her sister better, as she was a believer, but this woman had always been friendly to me.

One day, a small, battered hatchback pulled up next door and three men jumped out, one of them carrying a rifle. They stormed into my neighbor’s home, and I started hearing shouting and screaming. My husband had gone with the herd boys to the cattle tank for conversation practice, and there didn't seem to be anyone anywhere. Where was everybody? I ventured over to my neighbor’s door and looked inside. The men were shouting and slapping the lady around, and hitting her with the butt of the rifle, while she tried to protect the baby in her arms. My language skills were still very poor, but I could tell they kept asking her, "Where is he? Where is he?"

They noticed me standing in the doorway and one of the men came over and asked, "What are you doing here? Go away. This matter doesn't concern you."

I answered with my limited vocabulary, "This lady is my neighbor and I am concerned about her. What are you doing?"

"This is a police investigation. It is none of your business."

"But she is my neighbor so it is my business.” Was that my voice?

“Are you really policemen? Where I come from, the police don't act like this.” (This was an inaccurate and somewhat ethno-centric comment on my part. In fact they do sometimes act like that if a person is a member of the wrong ethnic group in the wrong part of town.) Disgusted, the man flashed me his credentials and turned back to continue the investigation.

I just stood there, frozen in the doorway. I felt powerless to intervene, knowing it was no use to go inside the house and try to stop them. I stood there watching, wincing, wishing there was something I could do, wishing it would stop. After some time, they brought her out of the house, shoved her into the car and rattled away. I guess they wanted to continue their investigation somewhere else. I tried to memorize the license plate number, but forgot it before I could locate a pencil and paper in the dimly lit room.

Later, I found out that her boyfriend was wanted for the murder of another man in a drunken knife brawl. She returned in a day or two, thanking me profusely for what I had done. I couldn't see that I had done anything. Maybe just being there, being God's eyes and ears, can be an influence sometimes. Even if it doesn't change the evil, it may encourage those to whom the evil is being done. Maybe that’s part of what it means to be a good neighbor.

Come Apart Before You Come Apart--Robin Jones Gunn

2010-08-10T00:00:00.004-06:00

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me.

Get away with me and you'll recover your life.

I'll show you how to take a real rest.

Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.

Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.

Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Matthew 11:28, The Message

Don’t you love that phrase; “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace”?

Now, just how do we do that?

Several years ago I copied in my journal a key phrase that Jesus said in Mark 6:31. Crowds of people were coming and going so that Jesus and his followers did not even have time to eat when Jesus said, “Come apart and rest awhile.” I jotted a note after the verse and asked myself, “What does it look like when a woman takes the time to come apart before her life starts to come apart?”

Here’s the interesting thing about what happens when we stop and rest. We might find ourselves taking extended dives into the deep places of the heart in order to revisit times when we faced an experience we weren’t able to process in the moment. Those memories were purposefully weighted and sunk with the flimsy promise that someday, if we were terribly brave, we might return to the wreckage and see if anything was salvageable.

But you see, when we’re so busy all the time we don’t have to return to the wreckage. We don’t have to do what the verse from last week told us to do – “make a careful exploration” of who we are and the work we’ve been given.

Yet here’s the surprise. When we come apart and fearlessly take those extended dives into the deep places, we find treasure in the wreckage. Not just salvageable bits of brokenness. Treasure.
When we can put our hands on that treasure and give it to the Lord, He fashions it into a gift for us to give to others. I think that is when we begin to learn something about living in the unforced rhythms of grace.

As a writer, my stories will never ring true or touch a heart or change a life unless I am first taking the deep dives. Only then can I unashamedly hold out to readers the treasure that the Lord has refined and reshaped in my own life. He redeemed all of me. I have life experience gold to offer to others. But I will never dig deep enough to find that salvageable treasure that the Lord is so eager to turn into a gift unless I come apart and rest awhile.

So how are you going to come apart and rest awhile this week? As soon as I finish typing this, I have a date with the hammock in our backyard. Tell us your place and way of coming apart with Jesus.

May the words your write be a gift to many.

Created to be a Missionary Woman--Robin Jones Gunn

2010-08-03T00:00:00.002-06:00

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.
Galatians 6:4, The Message

I feel quite honored to be here to talk about writing. And maybe just a little shy.

The truth is, when I was growing up I wanted to be you. I wanted to be a missionary. Our church, Calvary Church of Santa Ana in California, had a strong missionary base and I was certain the best way I could serve the Lord would be as a missionary. I longed to go to the remote corners of this beautiful earth and tell an unreached people group about God’s amazing love.

Alas, I was turned down a number of times from a variety of missionary organizations. When Ross and I got married we were both involved in youth ministry and continued to serve in that much needed ministry for the next 22 years. We loved it and I saw that my missionary woman dreams were being fulfilled as I encouraged all the young people in our youth group to go to the uttermost ends of the earth. Some of them did.

But I’ll tell you when the premise of the above verse started to unfold. The girls in our youth group asked me to write stories for them. And as I wrote, for two years, I would read each feeble chapter attempt to them and they would tell me everything I did wrong and everything that needed to be changed. I wrote and re-wrote and cried a little and re-wrote some more. Over those two years I received ten rejection letters for that first Christy Miller book but I saw how the story was changing the hearts of those girls. I decided that if even if the book was never published, interacting with them on creating the story was worth every long hour of writing and rewriting. Those teenage girls were my unreached people group and I was right where I needed to be, doing exactly what I was created to do. And God blessed the work.

That first book in the Christy Miller series was finally published in 1988 and has not gone out of print. I’ve written over 70 books. Thirty-three of them are about Christy and all her Forever Friends. They have been translated into a number of languages. For the past 20 years I have received letters from young hearts all over the world that tell me they gave their life to Christ while reading one of these books. And every time I read one of those letters I cry because God seems to whisper, “See? I put that desire in your heart for a reason. I created you to be a missionary woman. Just not the sort you imagined you’d be. You stayed home and I accomplished my purpose by sending your stories around the world.”

This is the blessing of getting older, isn’t it? We begin to recognize some of the patterns God has been patiently weaving into the fabric of our lives.

So let’s talk about this verse as it’s paraphrased in Galatians 6. In what ways have you made a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given to do? How have you taken the responsibility to “do the creative best you can with your own life” when it comes to this unmistakable gifting and calling to use your words and write your little heart out?

Do tell all, sweet sisters. I’ll be checking in all week and next and adding comments.

Assembling Your Memoir--Linda Thomas

2010-07-27T00:00:00.002-06:00

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor.…
You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power.…
Now, our God, we give You thanks and praise Your glorious name.
I Chronicles 29:11-13

Now that you’ve written three or more chapters (stories), and you’ve started a running list of additional stories you’ll write in the future (you will, won’t you?!), let’s consider assembling them into a finished memoir.

The beginning and the ending of your collection of stories:

Place the following at the beginning of your collection of stories:

Title: for the front cover and inside on your title page. Example: “The Mountain’s Top,” by Jane Doe.
Dedication: (to whom you are writing these stories).
Table of Contents (optional): chapter titles with page numbers.
Introduction: state why you’ve written these stories. Let your personality shine. Include what you hope readers will take away from your stories. Sign your name, date, place, and perhaps a photo of yourself.

At the end of your collection of stories, write an epilogue, and make it a grand finale—a celebration of God. Make it personal. Leave your descendants inspiration, direction, purpose, wisdom, and courage in making life’s hard decisions.

Suggestions for your epilogue:

What do you envision Heaven will be like? (You might be there when some descendants read your memoir.)

Hymns:
1. All the way my Savior led me

2. God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Bible verses and benedictions:
1. Numbers 6:24-25- The Lord Bless you and keep you….

2. I Kings 2:1-3 - When the time drew near for David to die he gave a charge to Solomon his son. “…So be strong….” (See also IChronicles 28:9 and 29:19.)

3. Ephesians 3:14-19 - … I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through the Spirit….

4. Philippians 1:9-11 - And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more … so that you may be able to discern what is best….

Since your grand finale can be emotionally draining for both you and your readers, consider ending with a little humor. I tacked this at the end of one of my memoirs; it’s a family joke that will make my kids smile:

Matt and Karen: If I die before your dad does,
remind him to lock all the doors before he goes to bed at night.

Possible formats for your finished memoir:

booklet
published book
scrapbook or three-ring binder
a spiral notebook, empty book, or journal (in your own handwriting)

Be sure to include photos and mementos!

Dear friends, thank you for sharing the past five weeks with me. I encourage you to continue learning the craft of memoir (this was merely an overview), keep writing, have fun, and give your stories to your kids and grandkids, because “…an unfinished manuscript cannot change lives. Even a finished one cannot minister in a drawer or filing cabinet. One in published form can … go where you and I will never go, to people we [might] never meet…” (Lee Roddy, writer, speaker, writing teacher).

Your memoir can shape your descendants’ values, choices, culture, and faith, and help them find their place in your family and God’s. Celebrate God and connect His stories with those of your family.

~ Linda

[Editor's note: You must enter the Linda Thomas-inspired "Write a Memoir" Contest! See sidebar for details. Thanks, Linda, for your expertise and heart!]

Endings. Edits. Inspiration.--Linda Thomas

2010-07-20T00:00:00.003-06:00

“Father … You met me at every fork of the road
with clear guidance and fresh grace.

I beheld Your glory.”

~Lloyd J. Ogilvie, Quiet Moments with God

If you’re working on three stories, you already have three chapters-in-the-making for your memoir. Congratulations! That brings us to today’s lesson:

All-important endings:
Finish each of chapter with punch and muscle. Make the end the high point of your story. A weak ending could make your story fall apart and deprive readers of its richest message. Writing the ending might be the hardest part of your story.

Tips for writing endings:

1. Pray!
2. Read Cindy Blomquist's post on "Endings."

3. Review the definition and goal of memoir.

Why are you telling this story?
What is your current understanding of what God was doing?
Include Bible verses that illustrate and validate your story.
As a result of the incident and/or writing these stories, what did you learn about yourself? About God?
How was your faith strengthened?
What new person did you become?
Cause readers to think, ponder, smile, shed a tear, and apply your story’s lessons.
Remember: your stories can shape the spiritual lives of your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other readers.

4. Take plenty of time to ponder the message you want to give readers, and make your ending pop!

Edit your work:
I’ve heard that 80 percent of what we communicate is misunderstood so we need to re-write and edit for clarity.

Set your story aside for several days, then print it and read it aloud. Eyes catch typos on paper that they miss on the computer, and ears hear choppy or ambiguous words.
Does your story make the point? (Do you know what your point is?)
Put yourself in your readers’ shoes. Will they understand your story? Have you used lingo or “Christianese” your readers might not understand? Eliminate anything that causes confusion or clouds meaning.
Read Carol Brinneman's post , "The Ideal Final Draft."
Ask a trusted friend or writer to critique your story. (Critiquing is not fault-finding; it’s evaluating and analyzing. It’s meant to help the writer.) Many, but not all, of their comments will be valid. Revise, set it aside, re-read, and revise until you’re satisfied.
Polish your story and make it shine.

Next week we’ll consider ways to compile your chapters—along with the many more chapters you’ll write throughout your life (hint, hint). That brings us to...

Inspiration:
God has been more involved in our lives than we recognize or remember, so here are ideas to inspire additional stories:

Who are your spiritual role models? Why?
How have others’ prayers kept you going?
What are the two most delightful surprises God has given you?
When have you “beheld His glory” (John 1:14)?
Other possible topics: your salvation; God’s forgiveness and grace; an agonizing decision; a closed door; wanting to quit; doubting God’s call; feeling put out to pasture.
Genesis 50:20; Exodus 4:13; Deuteronomy 33:27a; 2 Chronicles 14:11; Job 23:10; Psalm 4:8; 40:3; Matthew 10:27; John 1:16; Philippians 4:19; 2 Timothy 4:17a.
What are your lions and bears? Click here
See Carol’s blog post . Think “chapter” in place of “article.”

Next week: The grand finale! A Memoir Writing Contest! Get ready to submit what you are writing--details in next week's post!

If Your Heart Ached, Make Your Reader's--Linda Thomas

2010-07-13T00:00:00.003-06:00

“You (God) are to receive the glory for Your grace at work in me . . . .

What will people learn from me about how to deal with difficulties,

how to have courage in problems,

and how to express joy when circumstances are frustrating?

What will others learn about Your peace and hope?”

~Lloyd John Ogilvie

“May I share what I’ve learned from You without pious superiority and the lessons of life without arrogance…. I want to point away from myself to You – the Author of my life story.”

~Lloyd John Ogilvie

We learned last week that since we can’t force people to read our stories, we must write stories worth reading, and we looked at accomplishing that with leads and details. This week we’ll take rough drafts from boring and generic to vivid.

Write with pizzazz (avoid blah words):

Instead of “red,” write crimson, scarlet, or fire-engine red. Instead of “flower,” choose daisy, rose, or sweet pea.

Use specific action words—verbs that describe a precise motion—rather than a generic word that shows little to readers. Instead of “walk,” choose shuffle, prance, tiptoe, strut, or lumber.

Show, don’t tell:

Avoid telling readers, “She was beautiful.” Instead, write details as you saw them—details you want readers to see—so your readers conclude for themselves, “She was beautiful!”

This is telling: “Doris, always flamboyant, arrived smelling of strong perfume.”

This is showing: “Doris burst through the doors, glided around the room hugging everyone, even strangers, and left us swathed in billows of Estée Lauder’s Beautiful.”

In an early draft of Grandma’s Letters from Africa, I told: “A hippo stampede thundered through our camp the first night.” Later I replaced those 10 words with 139 words of showing: what I heard, thought, asked myself, did, and felt. (Wordiness is not the goal, though; be concise with your details.)

Include your emotions, feelings, and thoughts:

You want readers to feel your emotions, thoughts, joys, and struggles. Show, don’t tell: Instead of writing, “I was afraid,” describe your fear. Rather than “I fell in love” or “I was homesick,” describe those using concrete details. If your heart ached, make your reader’s heart ache.

Writing about emotions, feelings, and thoughts in a “show, don’t tell” fashion can be difficult so I recommend you try this: With paper and pencil in hand, find a quiet time to mentally relive the event—to feel again your emotions, ask again your questions, shout your praises, weep in gratitude, sob in grief. When you’re back in that moment, write!

Other tips:

• Write as if you’re having a comfortable, personal conversation with your reader.

• Avoid jargon, especially “Christianese.” Instead of “I’ve been washed in the blood of the Lamb,” explain in everyday words what that means. Explain even words like “repent.” Write in such a way that your readers discover your deepest message.

• Make ’em laugh and make ’em cry.

This week’s assignment:

• Review lessons from week one and two.

• Revise your stories based on today’s lesson. Remember: re-writing is not punishment. Make your stories shine.

• Start more rough drafts, or at least jot down a few notes. Each will be a chapter in your finished memoir.

• Pray for God’s help so readers will know about His character, trustworthiness, and grace, and more about their own relationships with Him.

• Have fun!

Remebering the Details--Linda Thomas

2010-07-06T00:00:00.003-06:00

Remember, your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the Lord your God: His majesty, His greatness, His awesome power. It was not your children who saw what he did for you in your desert wilderness and how He brought you to this place. No, you saw these things with your own eyes (Deuteronomy 11:2-7, paraphrased).

Therefore…

We will tell the next generation the praise-worthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done … so the next generation would know … even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds, but would keep his commands (Psalm 78:4b, 6-7 NIV).

Your story is important. It can make a difference in someone’s life—maybe for eternity—however “No story has a divine right to be read” (Peter P. Jacobi). In other words, you can’t force people to read your stories so you must write stories worth reading.

How? Let’s start with leads and details.

Leads

Most writers find it easier to create a lead after they’ve written the first draft. If you wrote two or three stories last week, this week you can craft a lead for each. The lead is the first thing your reader reads. It “hooks” him, catches his attention, causes curiosity, and motivates him to read.

Since this is a min-course, (Memoir Writing Lite), here are only a few brief examples:

Anecdote: a short story to illustrate or personalize the point of your piece.
Action: a vivid word-picture of the action.
Quote: a quote, song, or proverb that illustrates the point of your story.

Scene-setting: a description of your setting that makes your reader feel he’s there; builds up expectancy, suspense.

Startling assertion: a shocking statement, meant to surprise.

Question: “Have you ever noticed that.…?” Entice the reader to think how he would answer the question.

A “you” message: use “you” so your reader will identify with the person(s) in your story.

News article: one or two sentences that answer the Five W’s – who, what, where, when, why.

The flashback: the most riveting part of the action starts the story, then the writer flashes back to the beginning of the experience; at that point, use the word “had” because it moves readers to the beginning.

Feel free to use variations on the above list. Catch your reader’s attention and motivate him to read your story.

Details, blessed details

Since your lead promises readers a great story, you must follow through—you must write a story worth reading all the way to the end. Details make your stories’ settings and characters come alive. Invite readers to see each scene or person as if they are living it with you. Enable readers to hear, feel, smell, taste, and see what you experienced. (Photos, journals, and old letters will help you recall details.) You don’t need to include every detail, but select details that capture the essence of that place and the person at the time of your story.

This week’s assignment:

Review last week’s lesson, keeping in mind the elements of memoir and your purpose in writing.

Craft leads for each of your stories.

Write details into your stories so readers can hear, feel, smell, taste, and to see what you experienced.

Review Carol Brinneman’s post about strong writing. All of Carol’s posts are excellent, as are Cindy’s. I also recommend Cecil Murphey’s blog, Writer to Writer.

Write stories that inspire readers to conclude, “What an awesome God!”

Have fun!

Remember: You’ll revise your stories each week so don’t worry about perfecting them yet. Re-writing is not punishment! Every good writer revises a number of times. Revision is an art: polish your stories and make them shine.

What is Memoir?--Linda Thomas

2010-06-29T00:00:00.002-06:00

Always remember, and never forget, what you’ve seen God do,and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren!
~Deuteronomy 4:3a, 9, paraphrased

I suspect God smiles at the word memoir and at those who write memoirs—at least our kind of memoirs. In fact, I believe He originated the concept (based on verses above and many more!) So…we’re about to embark upon a holy endeavor.

What is memoir?

Memoir is not autobiography, but the two can overlap. Autobiography starts with your birth and covers your whole life, but memoir focuses on a segment of your life—a specific aspect, theme, or time period—which you explore in depth. Our theme is Deuteronomy 4:3a, 9, paraphrased: Always remember, and never forget, what you’ve seen God do, and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren! So, what have we seen God do—for us, through us, in spite of us—that we can record for our descendents?

In answer to that, I based today's post on Matthew 6:8, “…your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (See also Isaiah 65:24.) You, too, probably recall a time God met a need even before you had time to ask. If you keep that example in mind while reading the following, it will give you some context.

You’ll need more than historical facts to convey your stories’ most important messages. Pondering, examining, unraveling, musing, and reflecting are necessary ingredients in memoirs. In the writing process, you will examine what God was doing as you see it now, in retrospect. The stories in your memoir will include your thoughts—even your struggles—to understand what God wanted to teach you and how, over time, He made it clearer to you.

Looking back, what did you learn about yourself?
Do you see a pattern in your faith you hadn’t noticed before?
How did the experience change your life? What new person did you become?
Do you now have a better understanding of God’s purpose for your life?
What did you learn about God?
How did the experience strengthen your faith for future challenges?

In summary, your stories will capture how you remember God’s activities in your life and what you discovered about both God and yourself. A memoir can be a few pages or a whole book. I suggest you aim at writing a collection of short chapters.

In coming weeks, we’ll examine options for compiling your stories, but for now, here’s …

This week’s assignment:

Start small: choose two or three occasions in which God acted on behalf of you and/or your family: turning points, answered prayer, decisions, the happiest/saddest day of your life, etc. (Avoid traumatic or complicated stories; you’ll learn the craft of memoir more easily if you start with straightforward events.)

Write rough drafts, three to five pages for each occasion. Include pertinent Bible verses. (You’ll revise your stories each week so don’t worry about perfecting them yet!) These will be chapters in your finished memoir. You can write stand-alone pieces or a series of related stories.

The writing books listed in the right column are great resources.

Your stories will help shape the spiritual lives of your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and anyone else who reads them (your “spiritual children”).

Your memoir could be the finest gift you’ll ever give, so pray for God’s help!

Where's Linda???

2010-06-28T08:15:00.008-06:00

Dear Friends,

I inadvertently told our next blog host, Linda Thomas, that her post would begin today. And then she told her friends, and now, I bet everyone is wondering: "Where's Linda?"

And then, I told about 10,000 onlineMagazine subscribers the same thing today...I'm firing my calendar; it couldn't have been me.

Please come back tomorrow! We will be posting each Tuesday for the next 5 weeks on the topic of writing a memoir.

Sorry for the confusion...

with humblest apologies,
Cindy Blomquist, Editor

Arise. Shine.--Cindy Blomquist

2010-06-22T00:00:00.005-06:00

I am not a teacher, but an awakener.

~ Robert Frost

I want to awaken you to the possibility of writing a tidbit of your story in the form of a spiritual essay. By me asking the question, "What is the Lord doing in your life?", how would you answer, in a written piece, consisting of:

a stunning first sentence,
a paragraph setting up your life (Act 1),
an inciting incident (God's shining principle vs. your dull reality),
the body that unfolds your struggle (Act 2),
the climax (your spiritual breakthrough/transformation), and
the final paragraph (Act 3), elegantly crafted that does not end with " and as you can see, 'all things work together for the good.'"

The challenge of the spiritual essay is trying to convey your story so effectively that you don't even have to quote Scripture. Jesus told spiritual stories by way of parables (sans Biblical references). Am I saying don't quote the Bible? No. But what I'm trying to get across is let your story speak for itself--the unfolding of events, your honest stirrings. You have to trust that if Christ is living in you, then He will most certainly come across in how you live out your story. That's how you capture the essence of "what is the Lord doing in your life?" on the page.

Be believable. Wrestle with God...in front of all to see. Once you commit to writing your story, commit also to telling the truth/Truth. Avoid the tendency to "preach" at your readers. If you want to convey a story of trusting in the Lord, just tell the story. Let your audience draw their own conclusions. Nothing is more satisfying than being moved, on my own, by a spiritual story. I love it when I can see the Truth too.

So, wake up! Tell your story; that is my hope with writing these four posts. Know what you are going to say. Plot out how you are going to say it. Draw us in with a captivating first sentence and then release us with great care with your last. Be honest. Be believable. And believe that your story, as simple as it may seem, has power to impact others. As the writer Flannery O'Connor said, "When the book leaves your hands, it belongs to God."

It was a dark and stormy night...The End --Cindy Blomquist

2010-06-15T00:00:00.004-06:00

I find that most people know what a story is

until they sit down to write one.

~Flannery O'Connor

Don't bother submitting an article to me with a weak first sentence. If you don't grab me with your first line, then I'm on to the next one. And if you close your article by quoting Scripture...for sure it's in the dumper. Does that sound a little harsh? (Especially since Women of the Harvest loves to nurture and grow new writers.) OK, I don't have that mentality, but your readers do!

As you plot out your article, make sure you pay attention to the beginning and the ending of your story. Please spend time here or else your reader will do one of two things: 1) not read your article, or 2) be totally dissatisfied by the time the last sentence is read that they just might throw it in the trash. Sorry.

In this age of I've-got-a-lot-to-do-so-don't-waste-my-time, you must grab your audience immediately. Draw your readers in with your first sentence. How do you do that? Be provocative: Missionaries are the most entitled group of Christians. Say something that flies in the face of the norm: Getting sick was the healthiest thing that happened to me. Break open a taboo and say it out loud: My husband beat me last night. Don't be boring. I repeat, "Don't be boring."

As I alluded to in my first post, my biggest pet peeve with articles submitted to the magazine is a weak last paragraph. Why? Because I need satisfaction: a well-paced ending gives me closure and makes me feel good about my investment in reading the article. A bad ending is like a car cruising along in the fast lane about to pass up its appointed exit, only to make it by crossing three lanes of traffic without looking to see what catastrophes have occurred by this abrupt and careless behavior. Don't be that kind of writer (or driver). Allow yourself the time to wrap up your article by drawing in all that you have just said. Reiterate your thesis. Evoke a call to action. Tell me about the transformation that resulted. Drive your point home without crossing 3 lanes of traffic at 100 mph.

And please, oh please, don't use a verse from the Bible to wrap it up...more on that next week when I write my final column on writing about spiritual topics.

Plotting the Story in You -- Cindy Blomquist

2010-06-08T00:00:00.002-06:00

The last thing one settles in writing a book is

what one should put in first.
~Blaise Paschal, Pensees

Have you decided what it is you want to write about?

Donald Miller, in A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, states, “A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it. If a story is going to be good, the protagonist has to face stuff she doesn’t want to face.” Working cross-culturally has probably given you many incidences of having to face your fears. What are those? Could you develop one of those fears which you have courageously faced into a story?

If you know you have a story in you but can’t quite come to any conclusive direction or underlying message, perhaps you have not lived it out completely yet. Give that story time to cook.

But if you know exactly what it is that you have settled on, let’s proceed. Let’s give your story some structure by plotting it out. The “three-act” structure is one of the simplest and most universal ways to tell a story.

Three-Act Structure:

Act I is your setup, where you show your protagonist (you, most likely) going about her daily life, and set up details which will become important later on.

The Inciting Incident, Plot Point I, is the event that drags you into another, more exciting world.

Act II is the act of developing the story. This is the chronicle of the troubles the protagonist faces.

Plot Point II is the event that is the point of no return; this will cause the protagonist to draw upon what she has been learning when the confrontation/climax occurs.

Act III is the final act, the confrontation, climax and resolution.

This structure can work with informative pieces as well. Say you want to write about how to learn a new language.

Use Act I to set up why you have to learn a new language.

Plot Point I is your inciting incident: you just found out you are pregnant, thrusting you into a new world (medical) of needing to communicate well quickly.

Act II will now chronicle your ability to learn quickly, the frustrations of communicating with doctors, and the stress of just being pregnant.

Plot Point II is the point of no return: going into labor in a foreign land.

Act III will be the birth of your baby and how you tie it into your theme of language learning: did you accurately convey the proper words at the proper time; did the stress of needing to learn a new language actually have a positive outcome, how were you transformed?

Remember: conflict is good, lots of conflict is even better. And at the end of the story, having faced all that conflict, you (the protagonist) must be transformed. Your transformation, "the last thing you settle on," will be the driving force behind the story you are plotting out.

P.S. I found this video on developing a story for movies using the Three-Act structure that might also be a help to you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0yqUmedyOM

Let's Write a Story: Yours! --Cindy Blomquist

2010-06-01T10:32:00.012-06:00

The thing about writing a story in real life and on paper is half the effort is just figuring out what the story is going to be.
~Robert McKee, author of the"screenwriters' bible,"
Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting

As you read this blog with all its great tips on writing--use action verbs, avoid cliches, just do it--I am curious: Are you writing?

Or are you stuck? I have great ideas swimming around in my head with a few even captured in my journal; but to write something formally, well, I can't quite narrow it down to what I want to say.

Well! I'd like to walk you through the process of writing a good story (yours) in the next month by offering some things I've been learning along the way as Editor of the WOTH onlineMagazine. I may not know all the nuances of writing--I'm learning all the time; but what I do know is a good story when I read it. I hope to pass on inspiring information and a few of my personal writing pet peeves to you. For instance, my biggest pet peeve with articles submitted to the magazine is a weak last paragraph. (More to come on that in an upcoming blog.)

First assignment: Figuring out what the story is going to be.

May I suggest this question as a prompt: How's it going out there?

I start my Editor's Podcast for the magazine posing that question because I truly want to know the answer. The response to my question is usually answered by way of submitted articles.

So narrow it down this week to what your story is going to be with an answer to the question: How's it going out there in your corner of the globe?

~ Cindy Blomquist, Editor of the WOTH onlineMagazine with aspiring young writer, "Coffeebean," daughter of Coffeegirl, writer/ blogger.

Creating and Writing a Bible Study: Week 4--Bonnie Lisech

2010-05-25T00:00:00.006-06:00

Whether you’re writing a Bible study for others to teach or teaching one yourself, good “Teacher’s Notes” are essential.

They help us meet the goal: to challenge students to think more deeply in Scripture and to understand and apply biblical truth for life change.

First, I want to get the attention of my students with a good “hook.” For example, in a study on servanthood, I began with the following story: "While serving in a tiny clinic in Nepal, a nurse commonly witnessed an elderly missionary doctor tenderly carrying his patients to awaiting beds after surgery. She also said, 'It was not unusual for him to wash bedpans.'" Then I asked the question: How is this story an example of true servanthood?

Next, I write the answers to my questions. This is important as it helps me determine if each question really brings out the point I want to make. I may find I have to rewrite a question so the students will reach the desired answer.

Once I’m confident that all the questions and answers match, I often add to the answer an additional verse or passage from my studies that provides more information. I also use information from the sources I mentioned in Blog #2 to help students grasp deeper meaning. For example: When teaching Psalm 23 about the Lord as our Shepherd, it’s helpful to know the characteristics of sheep. If you understand the needs of sheep, you comprehend from the passage the care and effort taken by the shepherd to meet the needs of His flock. The picture of Christ as your Shepherd becomes more precious.

Sometimes, I add a visual illustration. For example: I suggest that the teacher show a sponge and two bowls of water, one clean and one dirty. They should tell the students to think of their hearts as a sponge that can be plunged into a spring of pure water or a pool of filthy water. Then ask: When you squeeze the ‘sponge,’ what would come out of it? What happens to the clean sponge full of spring water when it’s dipped into filthy water?

At times I add an example from my own life to illustrate a point. I discovered the worth of sharing transparently when teaching women’s Sunday School. When I revealed my own difficulties and struggles with scriptural truth, I gained a connection with the women that enabled me to teach the Word and its application with profound effect.

In John 15:5, Jesus said, “...apart from me you can do nothing.” I take from that verse that with Him, I can do anything He wills for me to do. Honestly, I admit that I was never trained to be a writer. And I’m glad, because anything I write comes from the empowering of God–and my wonderful editors: Howard Lisech, Jan Harris, and Barb Snyder.

I want to encourage you with the words Elizabeth Elliot used to challenge me many years ago. When I shared my passion to write Bible studies, she said, “Bonnie, just do it!”

[Editor's note: Thank you, Bonnie and Jan! This is their last post. Dear readers, if you have benefitted from their expertise, why not take a minute to comment.]

Creating and Writing a Bible Study: Week 3--Bonnie Lisech

2010-05-18T00:00:00.003-06:00

A good Bible study begins with a hook. What’s a hook? Something unusual, thought-provoking or personal—a story, a question, a quote—that catches the students and draws them into the study.

As I discuss writing questions, I’ll use examples based on Luke 5:1-8.

Sample hook: Has God ever asked you to do something both difficult and illogical? If so, you can identify with Simon in Luke 5:1-8.

The hook is followed by factual questions to help students understand the passage. These questions answer: who, what, when, where, and how. They begin with words like: name, list, define, describe, picture, imagine. To vary the regular “question-answer” pattern, ask students to picture the scene—the sounds, the smells, the colors; have them draw an answer, for example, a cartoon strip of a parable; or suggest they read a passage aloud as a dialogue.

Sample questions: Name the two main actors in Luke 5:1-8. Describe the supernatural incident in these verses.

The next type of question asks about the deeper meaning of the passage—why? Have students explain, compare and contrast, show causes, consider the effects or identify with the people in the passage. They could fill in a simple graph or chart that shows how two things are similar. You might draw stepping stones and have students write how one action led to another to show cause-effect.

Sample questions: In Luke 5:5, contrast the two attitudes Simon shows. How do you think Simon felt as he rowed the boat out to deep water? Why did this miracle cause Simon to say, “I am a sinful man”?

Finally, help students apply what they’ve learned. “What does this truth mean to me?” These questions encourage students to open their minds and hearts to God. They’re the most important—and the most difficult—questions you’ll write. Phrase these questions to require specific answers.

Types of application questions:

Write the most important thing you learned from this study. Meditate on this truth, then journal how you plan to apply it in your life.

Write a psalm (or song) praising God for what you learned today.

List the changes you want to make in your life to....

Name any sin this passage convicts you to confess.

Write a prayer thanking God for the truth you learned today.

Sample questions: Describe a time when you’ve felt like Simon in Luke 5:8. How will you respond in the future when God asks you to do something ‘unreasonable’?

Generally, questions should be easy to understand and focus on one thing at a time. Avoid yes/no questions; they don’t require enough thought. When you’ve finished writing the questions, go back and write the answers. This helps you see if your questions really lead students to the points you want to make. Sometimes we have the right answer, but we’ve written the wrong question.

A good Bible study uses questions that help the students grasp the facts, understand the meaning, and apply the truth of the passage.

In the next blog, Bonnie will share help for writing Teacher’s Notes.