Words

March 14, 2007 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

Opening lines…

I’ve discovered you can tell a lot from the opening lines of a book.

The opening is a promise of what’s to come. A promise of mystery, or romance, or intrigue.

Here are some first lines you might be familiar with. See if you can guess what they are. (Answers are at the bottom of the blog.)

1. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

2. “All children, except one, grow up.”

3. “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.”

4. “Pet and Patty began to trot briskly, as if they were glad, too. Laura held tight to the wagon bow and stood up in the jolting wagon. Beyond Pa’s shoulder and far across the waves of green grass she could see the trees, and they were not like any trees she had seen before. They were no taller than bushes.”

The reason that first lines are so important is because a writer is a creator. Books are designed. They don’t simply appear by chance. They have a purpose, whether it is simply to relay information, give instructions, or to take you on a journey of discovery.

Writers are creators. And our Creator was a writer. He used the pens of many men, to achieve His desired communication with us.

God wanted to relay information. He also God wanted to give instructions. But more than that, God wanted to tell us a love story, which can also be considered a journey of discovery-a journey to Him.

You can call it a Divine Design, and hints of it can be seen in the opening line of God’s Good Book.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).

That tells us many things about God all at once:

His power.

His greatness.

It tells us He had a plan.

He had a purpose.

He had good things in mind for us.

But that’s not all. God not only gave us a great opening line in His word. He gave us the Word, Jesus Christ.

John 1:1-5 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.

“The story of Jesus being life for us, and the light of men, is the greatest of them all. And because of Jesus, God can create a beautiful story with each of our lives. Decided to make Jesus the Lord of your life can be the plot twist to turn your story from tragedy to victory!

Today, can be the opening line to your beautiful romance and the start of a grand new adventure with God. All you have to do is have a heart eager to seek God and love Him. Then, as you prayerfully open your life up to His pen, God will writes His Story through the moments of Your day-one pen stroke at a time as your romance flourishes and the adventure of a lifetime takes you closer to Him.

Answers:
#1 Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
#2 Peter Pan, J. M. Barrie
#3 Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
#4 Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder

And…don’t forget to stop by the these locales on the A Valley of Betrayal blog tour!

http://splashinginthedeepend.blogspot.com/
http://supernaturalcraving.blogspot.com

March 12, 2007 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

Guest Blogger Stacy L. Harp

This is a great article from Stacy’s recent newsletter. She was kind enough to let me share it with you…

Becoming Sold Out

This week I wanted to talk to you about being sold out because I often am asked by authors how they can sell all of their books. In fact, many when they fill out my inital inquiry form tell me that their goal is to sell 5000 books or sometimes even more.

However, what I’ve observed is that rarely are these authors willing to pay the cost. If they are self published they usually had enough money to publish their book, but didn’t budget for marketing. In other words, they want me to do the work for them without them paying the cost.

Which got me thinking about the whole idea of being sold out and what we are truly willing to do to be sold out. My hope and prayer is that all Christians would be sold out for the gospel. Sold out to Jesus and sold out to living for Him in the best way we can.

However, many Christians do not want to pay the cost so that they can be sold out.
They don’t budget time for the study of the Word of God and instead expect to have all the blessings from God without the effort.

So how do we become sold out? Easy, do the work. If you’re an author who wants your books to sell, do the work it takes to get them sold. Pay people what they are worth, or be creative and raise money for yourself if you believe in your product.

As a Christian if you want to be sold out, do the work. Offer yourself to the Lord honestly, and strive to do what He tells us to do. Step out of your comfortzone and exercise your faith and walk with God. It’s only when you’re out of that safe box that you will see your dependence on God and allow Him to work in and through you. Once you experience God’s faithfulness to you, you can’t become anything less than sold out for him.

God is always faithful, and He will reward those whom He loves.

And if you’re an Active Christian you are sold out.
Your buddy and pal,
Stacy
www.activechristianmedia.com
www.blogforbooks.com

And…don’t forget to check out today’s stop on the A Valley of Betrayal blog tour!
3/12http://reviewsbyjeanette.blogspot.com
www.mom2momconnection.com

March 7, 2007 by Tricia Goyer 5 Comments

Doing What Works

Last weekend I had a special day out with my grandma. We went to lunch, went shopping, and I found some items on clearance for 85% off! Grandma found a few things too, but my shopping bag overflowed. I mean 85% off … how can you beat that?

Come to find out, this is a typical Gen X trait. I can’t pay full price for anything. Another Gen X hobby is shopping on-line. I have my favorite e-shops such as Red Envelope. I first found out about this place when my sweet agent sent me a gift in a lovely red box. I’ve followed suit, sending gifts to editors, family, and friends … shopping from their Sale Shop, of course. (Shhh . . . don’t give away my secret.)

Of course, the good deal doesn’t end there. My husband showed me a cool trick that I thought I’d pass on to you. He showed me how to search for coupons on-line.

The cool thing about on-line coupons you just have to search for them and plug them in at check out … how easy is that? With them I’ve gotten free shipping, 20% off my order, and more. For example, this link goes to Target. When you click on the coupon you want, it will log you into the Target website and automatically make sure you get this discount at check-out.

(Oh, the have bookshelves for 50% off for all those Tricia Goyer books you’ve been buying!)

Why am I sharing all this? Because as a Gen Xer, I like things that work and things that provide a savings . . . in this case saving me money. The above is a good example.

In life and writing I think things that work, too, saving me time . . . and here are a few examples:

1. When it comes to ANY kind of writing, the first thing I do is just start writing. Seriously, I open up a blank document and “clear out” my mind. Today, I did this for a new Gen X book I want to write. This morning I had nothing, and this afternoon I had enough of the idea down to email a basic outline to my agent. For me, the best way to deal with a blank page is to make it un-blank!

2. When it comes to kids, I’ve trained them to help around the house. Even before my oldest son could read, he used the washing machine with the help of a little angel stick on the dial to show him where to start. Not only does this help me, my kids have pride in their work … and they’ll make good spouses some day! (I’m taking applications.)

3. When it comes to being at peace in my world, I submit to the Prince of Peace. Every day I start my day by reading my Bible and praying. What a different it makes! As I turn my thoughts to God and submit to my will, my steps follow Him and not my own desires. What a difference that makes too.

So, what things work for you? What saves time, or money, or saves you from angst in your life? I’d love to hear!

Also, don’t forget to stop by the next stop on the blog tour:

http://www.ambermiller.com/

March 1, 2007 by Tricia Goyer 3 Comments

More blogging advice…

Well, just when you thought you were sick of hearing about blogging, I got this great information from Heather Ivestor from Mom2momconnection.com. So, of course, I thought I’d share!

Six Tips for Building a Savvy Blog Readership

If you’re starting a new blog, you’re probably wondering how to build up a readership. That’s the whole point, right? You want to build up an audience with people you connect with.

The great thing about building up a readership is that people will start linking back to you. Search engines love this. When you’ve got a lot of links back to your blog, you’ll be ranked higher in the search engines.

This means when people are surfing for information on topics you blog about, the chances are higher they’ll surf on into your blog. That’s why the blogosphere is all about community.

You can’t expect much, though, if you aren’t willing to give a little — by contributing your time and energy to help others in your blogging community. The good news is that helping out is fun — and will help you discover your niche in the blogging world.

Here are a couple of good articles that explain how to build up a readership:

This post explains all about Technorati, and what you can do to make Technorati work for you:
http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2006/12/blogging-101-ten-technorati-tips.html

This site, Blogging Basics 101, is full of information for new bloggers, and even seasoned bloggers who have more advanced questions. The authors focus on Blogger and Typepad blogging specifics:
http://www.bloggingbasics101.com/

I’ve been blogging for about a year and a half, and I’ve enjoyed surrounding myself with a community of like-minded people. I’ve developed friendships all over the world — and it’s an easy way for me to network with people in my profession without ever having to leave my home.

Here are my top six tips for building a savvy blog readership:

1) Write interesting content that people WANT to share with their readers. They should link back to you if they quote you directly.

2) Leave thoughtful comments on other people’s blogs. This is fun and a great way to find other people writing about the same interests you have.

3) Participate in blog carnivals, or other gatherings of bloggers. If you want to build up a readership fast, then sponsor your own carnival or contest and promote it — so people will come to your site and link back to it.

4) Join blogrings and promote them on your site. This is a great way to discover blogs where you can visit and leave comments.

5) Offer to host a blog tour for an author on book tour or some other type of activity that’s going on. You can end up with free products this way in exchange for your time and blogging efforts.

6) Post frequently, or at least consistently (such as twice a week, on certain days). Then your readers will know when to expect new posts from you.

Some bloggers consider it a breach of blogging etiquette (netiquette?) if you ask directly to be linked back to them.

But it’s definitely OK to let someone know (by email or comment) that you’ve written something on your blog they might be interested in. For example, if you review a book, it’s a great idea to contact the publisher or the author and let them know. They may even link back to you, which is a nice way to reciprocate.

Gratitude and thoughtfulness go a long way in the blogosphere. Happy blogging!

Heather Ivester is a columnist and author who blogs at Mom 2 Mom Connection,
http://www.mom2momconnection.com/.

February 15, 2007 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

I’ve Been Tagged…

by Lena Nelson Dooley to tell 6 weird things about myself…

Weird? I am sooooooo not weird, odd maybe, but not weird! 🙂

Okay, here goes it…

1. I don’t like talking on the phone. I like email much better. Most of the time when someone calls I let the phone ring–bad, I know!

2. I love (I don’t know if love is a strong enough word) People magazine. I subscribe even. I find people so interesting … I love reading about people’s quirks.

3. I almost never paint my nails or have them done, BUT I can’t type if I cut my nails. I need them long to work, go figure.

4. I love to read people’s facial expressions and try to figure out what’s going on in their heads. Most of the time I’m right.

5. I’d rather wear sweats and t-shirts any day than dress up. Comfy rules. Fluffy socks are the best.

6. I have to have something to drink when I’m at my computer. No, not THAT kind of
drink . . . Coffee, Diet Pepsi, and Zipfizz are my top choices. (Red Bull if the deadline is urgent!)

Okay, Tag you’re it: Gina, Cara, Leticia, Amy, Julie Carobini, Jessica, Lesley,

Oh, and don’t forget to leave comments on the blog for a chance to win your very own copy of Vally of Betrayal…one for you and one for your sweetie!

February 8, 2007 by Tricia Goyer 1 Comment

What a Character?!

One of my favorite things about writing is creating characters. I love figuring people out. I want to know what makes them tick. I search hard to figure out their greatest hopes, dreams and fears. I want to know what they want most of all, and then put conflict in their lives that will keep them from that one thing. (Mean, I know.)

Of course, I can’t stay mean for the whole book. In the end my characters either reach their one goal, or they decide on a new, better goal. (One they wanted all along but didn’t realize.)

When I first started writing I didn’t understand this concept. When I thought “character” I thought of looks, personality, and clothes (yes, clothes) first. It was like playing Barbies. Or those new Dress Up Games that all the teens are doing now. (It’s a game I had to try. How do I look? And if you didn’t know, the little dress up girl is an avatar. See I’m a hip mom!)

I look pretty, don’t I? And that Oscar is a nice touch, BUT it’s far from the real me. And the same is true for your characters. To know them, really know them, you need to go deeper. Believe me, it will make all the difference to your readers.

If your working on a fictional character, here are some good questions to ask:

What does my character want more than anything?
What will keep her from her goal?
What are her inner strengths?
What are her inner weaknesses?
Why does she want to reach her goal?
What will she do to achieve it?
How will her strengths help her achieve it?
What is opposite of her goal? Would there EVER be a time she’d consider doing the opposite? When … Why … ?
Who can help her achieve her goal?
Who will stand in her way?
What would cause my character to change her goal?
If her goal changes, how is the new goal better/different than before?

These questions are a great place to start. I also recommend three other books that really helped me:

Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook, Donald Maass
Getting into Character, Brandilyn Collins
45 Master Characters, Victoria Lynn Schmidt

After all, your character is more than just a pretty face. Right? (Although I have to admit these avatars are pretty cute and fun to play with!)

September 8, 2006 by Tricia Goyer 10 Comments

7 Questions for Tricia Goyer

Okay, a while ago I asked my blog readers to ask ME some of the questions I’ve been asking my writer friends. Here are my answers . . .

1. Letica: If you could be in any time period past, present or future which one would it be? And why?

Tricia: Well, first I thought World War II. I could get some great research . . . but I don’t know if I’m tough enough! Then I thought it would be great if I could go to the future far enough where travel is even faster and cheaper, then I could meet my friends, who live across the country, for lunch!

2. Cara: Tricia, you write fiction, books for youth, AND nonfiction. Out of the three, do you find any of them easier to write?

Tricia: Non-fiction is easier. I really, really love my fiction novels once I’m about 1/2 way through the book and know my characters and where the story is going, BUT the first 1/2 is murder. I question everything and research far too much.

With non-fiction I break it into sections, and can tackle a piece at a time. It’s harder to do that with fiction where everything flows.

3. Cara: Tricia, how has your family influenced your writing?

Tricia: If I didn’t have my family, I could hide away and write for hours . . . but I’m sure my writing would be flat and lifeless. My family reminds me of the color added to The Wizard of Oz. They bring joy, frustration, laughter, tears, and fun. They color my life and my writing.

4. Cara: Lake breezes or mountain vistas?

Tricia: My dream is to buy a house on the lake some day. My friend has a house like that, and I could sit there all day and soak it in. BUT I do have mountain vistas. As I’m sitting here looking out my office window, I have a perfect view of the Rocky Mountains which is about five miles away as the crow flies. I know many people fly from around the world for this view and I’m thankful.

5. Cara: As someone who does the same, tell me how YOU balance homeschooling and writing?

Tricia: Good question 🙂 I have a small office that has a desk wrapping around three walls. I have my corner and each of my kids have their own section with their computers. In the morning, they filter in and get started on their schoolwork. Now that they are older, a lot of their curriculum is computer-based. They work on their school work, and I work on my work.

I’m not sure if I was made this way, or God has helped me develop this ability, but I can stop and start my writing as needed. I can be in the middle of an emotional scene, stop and help with a multiplication project, then jump back into the writing.

I also think of homeschooling as a lifestyle, and I don’t simply focus on homework. We go on walks together, exercise together, do chores together, go to the library, watch educational movies, do devotions together, etc.

Actually, I’m not a scheduled homeschooler, but everything gets done during the day. Since they’ve been homeschooled their whole lives, the kids know what is expected of them such as work has to be done before play. I think this is important because for the rest of their lives in the real world they’ll have to be self-teaching and self-motivated to succeed in life. And I’d like to think I’ve imparted that to my kids.

6. Cara: If you could jump in the car with enough gas money to take you anywhere, where would you drive?

Tricia: I’d load up my family and go to Washington, D.C. We’d check out the country on the way there . . . and then fill up on museums and historical sites when we got there!

7. Cara: Honesty, wisdom, or humor, which do cherish most in a friend?

Tricia: Honesty. I have wise friends. I have funny friends. But the friends I cherish most are those I turn to who I know will encourage me when I want to be encouraged AND rebuke me when I need to be rebuked. They tell me what I NEED to hear, not just what I want to hear. And I know they do it because they love me.

April 26, 2006 by Tricia Goyer 5 Comments

Random Thoughts about Family and Writing

Keeping “Family First” is tough when it comes to writing. The hardest part is not getting frustrated trying to do it all! Sometimes I get impatient with my family when I have a deadline. Other times, I’m sluggish because I have to work when I want to be having fun with my family. It’s a tough balancing act.

Of course, my dedication to writing isn’t all bad. When I first wrote, I did it while my kids were napping or after they went to bed. It was “my time” away from the cooking, cleaning, and diapers.

Once the kids got older they had to learn that “mom had work too.” I wasn’t always there to entertain them. This actually turned out to be a good thing. As the kids got older, they knew how to entertain themselves. And since all three of them were home together every day, they were always busy creating forts or producing skits. They became best pals!

Having kids who know how to keep themselves occupied is huge. I have a lot of friends whose kids need to be entertained. They have to have mom there, providing them with things to do or shuffling them from one activity to another. So in the end, my writing time has become a great benefit to my family.

I also feel it’s beneficial for my kids to see Mom doing big things. It gives them confidence in their own interests. If mom can think up an idea, work hard, and produce a book . . . why can’t they follow their dreams?

My writing also expands my kids’ vision. For instance, my kids hear me talk about my travels and/or the people I interview. Expanding our horizons and connecting with others become common place.

Then again, there is another person effected by my writing. My husband John has always been my biggest cheerleader. He believed in me long before anyone else. Even today he listens to my ideas and gives me great feedback. He’s put up with my trips (to writing conferences, speaking events, book conventions), and he understands when I sometimes get too carried away at the bookstore ($$$!). Also, as I grow as a writer, I also grow in all areas of my life. I honestly feel I’m a better wife due to the lessons I’ve learned on this writing path.

And personally, I feel I’m also a stronger person because of my path to publication. Writing has opened new doors for me, and it has helped me become more confident. Writing makes me happy . . . and a happy wife is a good wife and mom.

Also, I feel this career is in line with the Proverbs 31 woman. (Who can forget her?) Whether she was reality, or a mere symbol, who this woman was in Christ made the difference in all areas of her life. The Proverbs 31 woman not only focused on her family, she also used her creative talents for God’s glory . . . and her husband and children rose to call her blessed!

Also, as children of God, we NEED to feel like what we do fulfills our God-given dreams. These dreams matter. In my opinion, too many women pour so much into their families that they no longer feel there is any of “them” left. Even taking one small step, followed by another, helps us to feel like we’re making progress in following God’s dreams.

Of course, balance is everything. I’ve really had to learn when to stop for the day. I usually keep my writing to afternoons. My kids get my mornings (through homeschool) and my husband and family get my evenings. Once my husband’s home for the day, I’m around. I cook dinner and spend time in the evenings with him. I’m sure I could get a lot more accomplishing (writing-wise) if I turned everything over to him and ran upstairs for free writing time, but my marriage is too important for that.

I’ve also had to come up with “management tips” for life.

1. I plan all my errands for one or two days. Running to the store, post office, etc. everyday would be a BIG time killer.

2. I’ve trained my kids to take part in household chores. My oldest son does all the floors and trash removal. My youngest son sets and clears the table and puts the food away. He also cares for our pets and gathers all the dirty laundry. My daughter does all the dishes and keeps the kitchen clean. It’s great training and a big help for mom!

3. I hire someone to come in a clean for four or five hours every few weeks. It’s been so worth the cost—both for writing time and my peace of mind.

Balancing family and writing is never easy, but I try to keep my priorities straight. They old saying goes, “You’ll never get to the end of your life and say, I wish I would have worked more.”

Finally, my writing benefits from these priorities too. When it comes to putting words on the page, I just do it. Since I have kids I have to sit down and produce. There’s no letting my mind wander, no playing around on the computer. And I actually think that because of this I get a lot more done than others I know who have all day to write.

My family is also my inspiration. They have shown me how to love, how to cry, how to rejoice. My writing would be flat and lifeless without those I love most.