Welcome to our new feature: Expert Advice, where we feature the amazing experts from the Write That Book Club with Tricia Goyer! If you’ve ever wondered about the expert advice our leaders provide, now’s your chance to learn more about the group experts you can connect with as a member of Write That Book Club.

---

In this episode, we’re featuring Rachel Dodge. Rachel is the bestselling, award-winning author of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional: A Chapter-By-Chapter Companion for Kindred Spirits and Praying with Jane: 31 Days Through the Prayers of Jane Austen.

Her newest book, The Little Women Devotional: A Chapter-by-Chapter Companion to Louisa May Alcott’s Beloved Classic, released December 1, 2021. Learn more about what Rachel brings to the table and be sure to stay tuned to the end of this post for a chance to enter to win a signed copy of The Anne of Green Gables Devotional: A Chapter-By-Chapter Companion for Kindred Spirits plus a bookmark and sticker!

I honestly don’t know if I’ve been given any terrible writing advice. However, I’ve received so much good advice over the years that I don’t know where to begin. I’ve had amazing teachers, bosses, and mentors over the years. I think the best advice I ever received was this: Start attending writers conferences on a regular basis. That was a game-changer for me!

Books: My creative life has been shaped by classics like Anne of Green Gables, Little House on the Prairie, Little Women, Pride and Prejudice, and The Secret Garden. In my walk with the Lord, books like Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret and Rees Howells: Intercessor made a deep, unforgettable impact on my heart. Songs: This past year, “The UK Blessing” and “There Was Jesus” were incredibly timely for me. Apps: In my writing life, Planoly and Canva are the two apps I use daily for graphics and Instagram scheduling.

I have to have continual goals and deadlines to keep myself going. I also need writer friends to keep me moving. If I keep the momentum going, I’m less likely to fall off the “writing” horse. Once I do, it’s hard to get motivated again. The trick for me has been a writing “partner.” I have a writer friend who has become a dear friend and an amazing partner in my writing/ministry life. We don’t write together, but we write alongside one another. We set weekly, monthly, and seasonal goals and send updates once or twice a week. Marco Polo helps us send video chats back and forth and help keep each other on track and motivated. It’s honestly hard to stay in a writing rut very long when you have someone who is driven and motivated who is always calling you forward and plunging ahead. I highly recommend finding a writing partner (aka a writing accountability partner) so you can set goals, brainstorm, and inspire and encourage one another.