The Waiting Room with Guest Jan Drexler

All writers have one thing in common. We have a chair with our name on it in the waiting room.

It doesn’t matter if you’re multi-published, pre-published, award-winning, or just starting out, you know this room. There’s even a coffee mug with your name on it and your favorite brand of chocolate on the table next to your chair.

We wait for contest results, word from our publisher, feedback on that submission to our critique group…or we just wait for an idea that’s worth putting down on paper.

Even after we get good news, it’s just a gateway to more waiting! 

- Did you finally land your dream agent? You get to wait while she sends your manuscript out. 

- Did you finally sign that contract? You get to wait for edits, and more edits, and then your cover, and then your release date. 

- Has your book just been released? You wait for the reviews.…Has anyone read it? Does anyone like it? Anyone?

Since we’re always waiting, how does that affect our writing? Well, don’t let it. Put the waiting on the sidelines and keep moving ahead.

1)    Don’t get impatient!
 
When I get tired of waiting, I’m quick to jump on some well-meaning advice of what to do to make sure I get what I want right now! (Not unlike following the latest diet craze!) But before long, I’ve worn myself into the ground with a flurry of activity and worry.

I’ve learned not to let my impatience put myself ahead of God’s plan. Whenever I do, I remember Abraham and Hagar. As hard as it is, I need to wait on Him.

I’ve also learned to keep myself from getting lost in a frenzy of “should”. I should be blogging more, I should be on Facebook more, I should email that editor one more time….
But I know I need to wait on God. His timing is always perfect. Mine never is.

2)    Redeem the waiting time.

The time when I’m waiting is the time to keep working (and yes, I learned that tidbit right here on Seekerville!). Yes, I might have two manuscripts out there in the Never-Never land of the publishing world, but meanwhile, I’m still a writer. It’s time to start on that next project!

Another thing is to keep learning. I read, read, read, read, and read. I spend much more time reading than is good for the dust in my house or the piles of laundry. One thing I learned long ago is that in order to write well, you need to read well. So I read my targeted publishers. I read craft books. I read classics. I read for fun. 

When do I do all this reading? I schedule time for it. If I don’t make time, it won’t happen.

And I keep talking. I socialize with other writers whenever I can. 

But it isn’t easy – after all, like most writers, I’m an introvert. So I set some goals for myself: 

1-    Find (or create) a local writer’s group. 

2-    Join #1K1Hr on Facebook. 

3-    Visit Seekerville every day.

And yes, I’ve met those goals and am working to keep them going. We recently had the first meeting ever of the West River Christian Writers!
 

3)    Don’t let doubts slow you down.

Doubts and second guessing aren’t just for pre-published writers. Once I sold my story, they just kept on coming. 

What if I can’t do the edits? 

What if they never buy another book? 

What if….

I know if I let them, doubts will freeze my writing. I have to kill them.

How? I keep a document on my desk top called “to read when the going gets tough”. Whenever I get a bit of praise from someone, I copy it onto that document, date it, and include who said it. Whenever doubts start to drag at my feet, I read through those little snippets and I have the energy to start again.

But the most important way to keep doubts at bay is that I have a vision of what I want my writing to be, and I keep working toward that goal.

This is the most important part. God has called me, and you, to this task, has given us the talent, has provided the resources. Do you think He’s going to leave us treading water?

Maybe. Because the key to following God’s plan is to realize that we need to be willing to accept God’s plan as He ordains, not as we wish. His goal is to make us holy, just as He is holy. That may mean we tread water for a time. It may mean that we need to shift our goal, our audience, our dream. 

We may have a vision, but that’s only the “what”. The “how” is God’s business.

So here we are in the waiting room, ready to get the conversation going. Tell us, what are you waiting for, and how do you handle the waiting time?

I’ve set up the buffet this morning with strawberry shortcake and your choice of toppings, so help yourself! 

Jan Drexler, a recent graduate from Homeschool Mom-hood, devotes her time to the voices in her head who have been clamoring for attention during the last few decades. Instead of declining Latin nouns and reviewing rhetorical devices, her days are now spent at the computer where she gives her characters free rein. 

She lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband of thirty years, their four adult children, an extremely furry Husky, and Maggie, the cat who thinks she's a dog. If she isn't sitting at her computer living the lives of her characters, she's probably hiking in the Hills or the Badlands, enjoying the spectacular scenery.

You can reach Jan here:

Website: www.JanDrexler.com
Fun blog: yankeebellecafe.blogspot.com
Twitter: @JanDrexler
Facebook: Jan Drexler (author)
"Like" my page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/jandrexler

The Prodigal Son Returns

 Returning To His Amish Past

From her first glimpse of his big-city suit, Ellie Miller knows Bram Lapp is trouble. The handsome Englischer says he wants to reclaim the life he left long ago. Even if his smile disarms her, all of Ellie's energy must go to her children and their struggling farm…and to atoning for her mistakes.

A criminal's trail has brought FBI informant Bram to Ellie's warm and welcoming Indiana community. Now he's posing as the kind of man he once hoped to be. Someone steadfast and upright. Someone who might be worthy of Ellie. Because no matter how much she claims she doesn't want a second chance at love, he knows he's found the home they were meant to share.



Today Jan is giving away two copies of The Prodigal Son Returns, her debut release from Harlequin Love Inspired Historical. Be sure to comment and let us know you want your name in the bonnet. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

Welcome Guest Lindi Peterson!

Missy, here. I'm excited to welcome back critique partner extraordinaire Lindi Peterson to Seekerville today! Lindi has a new release coming soon from Belle Bridge Books, so read on for a chance to win a copy of Rich in Love! Now, here's Lindi...

The Story of Us...And Them

by Lindi Peterson

Yeeee!!  That’s me screaming—I’m back in Seekerville! The place where food is a must, learning and laughing go hand in hand, and the best writers you’ll ever want to meet hang out.

Seekerville rocks! A big congratulations for your Writer’s Digest Top Website Award. You certainly deserve it.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about story. Realizing the difference between story and plot has made a huge difference in the way I approach my first drafts. It’s also helpful for synopsis writing. I have to thank Alicia Rasley for her synopsis notes that differentiated the difference between story and plot. I’ll never forget it. I keep those notes with me ALL the time. Whenever I am writing a new story.

Dictionary.com defines story like this:

Story**** a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader; tale.

Dictionary.com defines plot like this:

Plot****Also called storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story.

This is how I see it. Story comes before plot. (Stay with me here!) Notice how in the story definition there are the words, designed to interest, instruct the hearer or reader.

The plot is the main story of a novel, play, short story.

Before you get to the main story you need to know YOUR story. And by yours I mean the one the characters in your head are trying to get you to write or type onto that blank piece of paper staring at you.

Readers want to know their story, not their plot. What makes the difference is one little word. One word that writers dread hearing sometimes. One word that doesn’t come into play until the third or fourth revision for some of us.

The word?

Photo credit: Crestock/Odina222

Emotion.

Emotion can take a plot and turn it into a story.

RayAnn Phillips sat on the fast moving train through the city she’d only been in for two days. She held the paper with the address of her new employer in her hand so she wouldn’t have to search her purse when she got off of the train. The city was much bigger than Rossville. She would start her new job in less than an hour, provided she could find the place. Her stop proved to be the most popular. Many bodies pressed into her and she hoped the address would be easy to find when she arrived on the street.

This is a short excerpt. Do we know what is going on?

We do.

Do we care?

Not sure.

RayAnn Phillips wasn’t used to sitting close to strangers, so she scooted as close to the window as she could as she sat on the fast moving train, scrunching her purse, lunch tote and her umbrella on her lap, while holding tightly onto the paper with the address of her new employer. The unfamiliar landscape of city streets whisked by and she realized her toes and palms were sweating. Her second day in the city was her first day on the job, and both had her wondering if she had left her sanity back in Rossville, along with her family and cheating ex-boyfriend. The auto-voice announced her stop, startling her. The train did move fast. Swallowing hard, she double checked to make sure she didn’t leave anything on the train and joined the crush of people exiting. But even being pushed from every side couldn’t shake the loneliness inside. As if mocking, a gray sky greeted her as she stepped onto the street. Refusing to give way to the tears that threatened, she breathed in hope and stared at the address. The address that she could no longer read as the numbers had bled together.   

We know the same ‘plot’ information in paragraph 2 that we learned from paragraph 1. RayAnn, formerly from Rossville, was in a big city about to start a new job. Oh, and she’s on a train.

But from the second paragraph we glimpse a bit of her ‘story.’ We know she’s nervous, lonely, and heartbroken for starters. That’s HER story. The city, the train, and the new job are things moving her along through her journey in life. Her nervous, lonely, heartbroken journey. That’s what readers care about.

We all have a story. Now I’m talking about everyone who is reading this post. We are in God’s story and He’s created a storyline for every one of us. We are all gifted in different ways. For those who are called to write, that’s why we don’t give up. Because that’s our role in the story God has created for the world. When we’ve tapped into the vein of what God has put a passion in us to do, we are falling into 

                  Photo credit Crestock/Fotovika

God’s story.

Can you picture God’s storyboard? How amazing it must look! And you know, I’m guilty of messing up His story sometimes, not knowing which way to go, what to do in certain situations. I’m sure God is up there shaking His head as His storylines become blurred and go off in the completely wrong directions at time. But with prayer, fellowship and knowing who He is, we live in Him, and He in us. Then His storyboard is back on track. We bring to life all the emotions needed for a great story. Let’s remember to tap into those as we write the stories the world was meant to read. As we pour into characters, their stories come to life, and in turn those emotional journeys pour into readers, who in turn tell others about what they’ve read.

Here is an excerpt from my upcoming release Rich In Love.

Brief set up. Heroine Ann Thomas is in Florida at the reading of the will of the father she’s never met. She’s staying in his home, (mansion!) and is supposed to be downstairs for a dinner. She’s broken the heel on the only pair of shoes she brought so Anastasia, ‘the help’ has some extra clothing items she’s going to let Ann borrow for the evening. Ann is in her bedroom waiting on Anastasia. Oh, and Ann has a Jimmy Choo shoe obsession that she can’t afford to fuel. :)

My door opens. I can hardly see Anastasia through the jumble of material she’s carrying.

         Actually it’s only two dresses. She has two pair of strappy sandals dangling from her arm, high heels jutting toward me.

         “Okay, pick one. Coral sundress with tiny black polka dots or this very cute chiffon flowery print.”

         Both dresses are beautiful. “I’ll take the coral.”

         “I knew you would. Here.” She hands me the dress.

         “Where did these come from?”

         “From me. I wanted to help Mama with dinner, and I couldn’t decide what to wear. So I brought a couple of choices.”

         “Thank you. I’ll go put this on.” I head for the bathroom.

         “All right. The shoes are on the bed. See you downstairs. Pronto.”

         Even though I know she’s gone, I still dress in the bathroom. I’m a pretty modest person. After slipping the dress on, I hang my ‘funeral’ dress back in the closet.

         The coral dress is soft. It fits me well. I don’t recognize the name, but I’m sure it’s expensive. It just feels like it is.

         I walk to the bed, stopping about a foot away. The sandals sit on the bed, proud and tall. I know, without a doubt, they are JC’s.

         Stepping closer, I can see the white label with those lovely words, Jimmy Choo. Anastasia has left me a pair of JC shoes to wear for the evening.

         Is this how Cinderella felt? Fluttery heart and all smiles?

         My foot tingles, I swear it does, when I slip the shoe on. My bad pedicure clashes with the elegant shoe, but I don’t have time to do anything about it. I’m already late for whatever it is that is happening downstairs.

         After buckling the strap around my ankle, I quickly put the other shoe on. Coral suede JC platform sandals now adorn my feet. Cautiously, I take a few steps around the bedroom. It’s like I’m walking on air.

         I’m not sure what kind of impression I’m going to give to whoever is waiting downstairs.

         But I’m sure it will be the wrong one.

            

We learn a little about Ann’s story from this excerpt. She’s modest. She’s not used to high-end fashion. She’s nervous about going downstairs, but wearing a pair of JC shoes give her confidence she doesn’t normally have. And she’s going to project that false confidence on the people at the dinner. I think every female knows that sometimes, right, or wrong, wearing something pretty makes us feel better. No, it’s not a permanent fix, but for the moment, we’ll ride that feeling.

Make sure you have a good plot for your characters, but don’t forget to tell their ‘story’ as they walk through the journey on the pages. Picture God’s story board, find your place in His story, pour into your characters the same passion and emotion we live in, and you will have a great story to tell.

I’m giving away 2 copies of Rich In Love. Print or Kindle version. Winner’s choice. As soon as it releases, I’ll send the copies. **Please let me know you'd like to be entered in the comments.**

Thank you Seekerville for having me today.

Rich In Love

When Ann Thomas is summoned to Florida for the reading of the will of the father she never knew, her life is forever changed. She learns she has a half-sister, she has the chance to inherit millions, and her name is really Angelina. Brett Hamilton, CPA, is assigned to help Ann spend a lot of money in a short period of time. As soon as his ‘assignment’ with her is over, he’s headed to Peru to be a missionary, something he’s felt called to do his whole life. Ann still lives with the pain of having a mother who chose world missions over her. Can Ann risk giving her love to someone who might give it back, or should she ignore her growing feelings towards Brett to keep her heart safe?

Bio:

I can't help but think my love of reading led to my passion to write. I've always had stories running around in my brain. That's probably why I wasn't very good at math. The fictional characters living up there pushed the numbers out of the way.

It's an honor to be able to bring the characters to life and put their stories on pages.

I live in a small town Northwest of Atlanta, Georgia, with my husband, 2 cats, 1 dog and 2 birds. (The cats rule, by the way!) We're a few hours away from the beaches of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, a couple hours away from the mountains of Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. The best of both worlds, I say.

When God reeled me in and showed me true love, my stories really came to life. For when we know we are loved well, we know we can love well.
My tag line, Happy Endings Are Just The Beginning, guarantees the reader a happily ever after. www.lindipeterson.com

The Weekend Edition

Welcome to another Weekend Edition. 

We're relaxing this weekend and enjoying spring.

 Favorite spring bloom? Peony. Yours?

   
We Have Winners


 Please see our rules for giveaways in Seekerville. Be sure to contact us with your snail mail address if you are a winner at seekers@seekerville.net  Don't be shy. Remind us if we get behind per our rules.

Cathy Shouse was be our guest blogger Monday in Seekerville, with tips for surviving contests entitled "Survivor: Contest Island Edition." Winner of The Bride Wore Spurs, Love Inspired Historical, is Cindy Regnier. 


Love Inspired suspense author Debby Giusti shared highlights of Barbara Vey's Reader Appreciation Luncheon along with information about next year's event, featuring bestselling author Debbie Macomber.  Winner of one of Debby's books, winner's choice is Sherida Stewart.

 
All of us in the brain fry club were eager and excited to have Pinterest expert Melissa Taylor with us Thursday with "Pinterest Marketing Strategies for Authors". She's the author of Pinterest Savvy: How I Got 1 Million+ Followers (Strategies, Plans, and Tips to Grow Your Business with Pinterest).  Winner of the Kindle copy of this book is Debra Marvin.
 

 Friday we welcomed Inspirational RITA finalist  Becky Wade to Seekerville! Becky will be talking about "The Art of Incorporating Detail." Winner of Undeniably Yours is Rose Ross Zediker.

 Next Week In Seekerville


Monday:Join Belle Bridge author Lindi Peterson as she brings us "The Story of Us...and Them." She'll be giving away IOU's for two copies of her upcoming release, Rich in Love!


Tuesday: Debut Love Inspired author, Yankee Belle Chef and Seeker friend, Jan Drexler is our guest this week with her post "The Waiting Room." Jan is also giving away two copies of, The Prodigal Son Returns. 



Wednesday: Thomas Nelson and Love Inspired author Debra Clopton is back with us today. Debra will talk about 'Synopsis That Hook and Sell." She's also giving away a copy of her latest Love Inspired release, Her Unforgettable Cowboy. 


Thursday: Today Love Inspired author Tina Radcliffe will be talking "The Art of Critique." And we'll see if we can pair up some of you critique-less in Seekerville. There will of course be a giveaway!


Friday: Don't miss "Pipe Cleaners and Spaghetti Noodles" with guest Pepper Basham today in Seekerville. She's sharing some unique time management tips!

Seeker Sightings

Tina Radcliffe may or may not be the featured author at the ACFW Author Interview posted Monday, May 20th. If not then it must be the next week. Her assistant is on vacation so she is as usual ...clueless.


Good news! She is for sure guest blogging in the Yankee Bell Cafe on Friday, May 24th and sharing live pictures of her recent endeavor. You'll have to stop by to find out what it is.

Sandra Leesmith's 1989 release, Love's Miracles, will soon be available in Kindle format - edited and re-packaged as a sweet (albeit intense) post-Vietnam War romance. To spread the word, there will be a blog tour from May 20th-31st, with interviews, reviews, and a big giveaway on various blogs, including some of our friends of Seekerville! You can learn more and keep up-to-date
on all the news by visiting the blog tour page.

CHRISTIAN FICTION SCAVENGER HUNT!!!  Win an iPad Mini loaded with 31 brand-new releases of CBA authors (including Missy Tippens and Julie Lessman) PLUS tons of bonus giveaways including Julie Lessman's bonus giveaway of a $50 gift card, choice of her books and choice of three top CBA books AND two separate giveaways of Love at Any Cost. It all starts here on Friday, May 17.

May 6-20, 2013:Win your choice of any of Julie Lessman's books at an interview on Juanita Noble's blog.

Random News & Information 

 Lauren Oliver Stars in the ‘How a Book is Made’ Video Series (GalleyCat)



 Why Literary Agents Attend Writers Conferences (It’s Not What You Think) by Karen Dionne (Backspace)


Freedom! (Writing From the Edge via K.C. Frantzen)


Are There Different Types of Virtual Book Tours? (The Future of Ink)



5 Lies Unpublished Writers Tell Themselves (and the Truths That Can Get Them Published) (Writer's Digest)


How to (Really) Make $1,000,000 Selling E-Books – Real-World Case Studies (The Blog of Tim Ferriss via The Passive Voice)


At Morrow/Avon, Erika Tsang has been promoted to editorial director while Amanda Bergeron moves up to editor. (Publishers Lunch)


Amazon Publishing launches Kindle Love Stories podcast, focused on romance books (paidContent)



 10 Questions Writers Must Ask Before Quitting Their Day Job (Writer's Digest)


 Lizzie Bennet Diaries producers bring in fans and Theatrics to finish unfinished Austen (paidContent)



10 Bible Verses for Christian Writers (Rachel Kent, Books & Such Literary Agency)



The Quickest Way to Advance Your Career (Michael Hyatt)



 Evatopia, Inc. Launches a New Adult & Young Adult Imprint  AND  Algonquin Books Launches New Children’s Books Imprint (GalleyCat)



 We can't leave without some special news from a special author. We'll let her share in her own words!


"I GOT THE CALL! Guideposts Books have bought my Christmas story, Riding on a Christmas Wish, to be included in their hardcover fiction release, A CHRISTMAS CUP OF CHEER, a collection of 15 short stories to be released this Christmas."

Congratulations to Anita Mae Draper, who has been around Seekerville pretty much as long as the Seekers have!




 That's it. Have a wonderful week, Villagers.

Welcome our Guest Becky Wade

The Art of Incorporating Detail

by Becky Wade

    I read two types of novels:  

         I read novels about characters. 
    

         I read novels that are so powerfully authentic that I become the characters.  Magic happens for me within the pages of the second type of book.  I feel the emotion, I see the setting, I hear the dialogue, I smell the air.  Whenever a story comes alive like this for me, I first wonder how the author managed it.  Then I begin to wonder how I can write one.     

            The answer is mysterious and something I expect to spend my whole career chasing.  But I think one facet of the answer is this:

            Before a reader can BE in it, she has to SEE it. 

            And in order to see it, our readers need detail.

            I've read several books lately that were, in my opinion, too vague.  I couldn't visualize the hero's face exactly.  I didn't know what the room  the character were standing in looked like.  I had no idea what the heroine was wearing.  Many of us authors are impatient with detail.  We'd rather keep our stories lean and focus on plot and dialogue.  But it's a mistake to veer too far to that extreme because without description our books won't feel real to our readers. 

            Have you heard the expression, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader."?  For my purposes today, I'm changing it to, "No details in the writer's imagination, no details in the reader's imagination."

            Here are some practical ways to add detail to your novel:

Before you begin writing a character, ask them a long series of questions.  Maybe you already have a character 'interview' you use.  If not, and if you'd like to try the technique, you can visit my web site here and check out the questions I ask each of my characters before I begin writing them.

Spend time at the outset of every scene sinking into the setting.  What does it look like precisely?  What does it smell like?  Sound like?  What's the temperature?  Time of day?  Season?  Does your hero have a five o' clock shadow?  Does your heroine have bags under her eyes?  How are they both dressed?

Now view the same setting through your POV character's eyes.  If you're about to write a scene from a male's POV, remember that he'll notice fewer details than a woman and he'll think about what he's seeing in blunt, common sense terms.  This is not the time to wax eloquent.  A man is not going to think, for example, "The moonlight slid lovingly over the stately old elm tree before bumping and unfurling like a ribbon into the meadow."  A much more realistic way for him to note the same detail, "Through the dark he could make out a tree and behind it some open grass."

Once you have the external landscape firm in your mind, investigate the internal landscape of not just your current POV character but the other characters in the scene.  Make sure you understand exactly what they're feeling, down to the smallest degree.  Only then can you honestly transfer their reactions onto the page.  If you'd feel envious in the situation you're about to write, then don't blot envy from your character's reaction.  Your character's envy is a detail that makes your story more authentic. 

Beware of inserting chunks of description into your scene in unnatural ways. 

1.  Think for a moment.  When do you notice detail about a room or about a person?  Likely, it's when you first walk into the room or first meet the person.  Then, as you stay in the space or study the other person, your brain may catalogue additional small bits and pieces of information. 

2.  Alternatively, you are likely to notice details during a time when you're idle.  For example, when you're waiting in line, when you're left alone in a room, during a pause in conversation, or when the person you're with turns away to greet someone else.  All these realistic breaks give your POV character natural opportunities to take in more elements of setting.

3.  Use detail sparingly during dialogue.  Consider the following (terrible) example:

            Her small hands fisted.  She stamped a foot covered in a brown high-laced leather boot.  "I'm furious!  How could you do this to me?"

            His gaze took in her hair, falling in loose curls down to the middle of her back.  Streaks of pale honey marked the blond locks. A small silver comb studded with diamonds held back a strand over her right eye.  "I did it because you deserved it."

            She frowned, furrows creasing her forehead.  Angrily, she walked to the window and back.  Her hand raised to her lips.  She chewed on the fingernail of her pinky finger.  "I did nothing to deserve this."

Do you see the problem, authors?  Too much description between spoken words suffocates the scene and refuses to let it live.  If these two characters are in the middle of a fight, your hero is going to have his hands full just processing (mentally and emotionally) what your heroine is saying to him.  If he notices anything about her appearance, it'll be in flashes.  Far better in this situation to keep the dialogue as the hero of the scene and the details spare.

            You'll know you're beginning to master The Art of Incorporating Detail when you the author know far more about your character and your setting than you show your reader.  Your story world needs details in order to come alive!  Have an arsenal of them ready but don't use them all.  Lace them in as naturally as you can, from your character's unique POV, choosing only the most powerful.

Leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for a copy of Undeniably Yours.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Becky Wade makes her home in Dallas, Texas with her husband, three children, and one adoring (and adored) cavalier spaniel. Her CBA debut, My Stubborn Heart, has been named a finalist for Romance Writers of America's RITA Award.  Her new contemporary romance, Undeniably Yours, is available now!

~~~

www.beckywade.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorbeckywade

Twitter: www.twitter.com/beckywadewriter

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/beckywadewriter/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5298259.Becky_Wade