Novel Writing

July 24, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 138 Comments

My Writing Desk | Debra Clopton and Margaret Brownley

Debra: I’m glad to be here on Tricia’s blog and invite you into my cozy office! Okay, I will confess, these pictures are not of my office today—they are of my office a couple of months ago. Today I just finished two back-to-back deadlines so my office is a national disaster area!!! I’ll clean before I start my next book—so next week it will look like these pictures again and the endless loop of clean to disaster will continue.

As you can tell I love yellow, reds and sunshine. My desk is large and when I’m working there is hardly a clear spot on it! I only use a laptop because I move around constantly but even still, my desk is my main hub with all the research material there for easy access. When weather permits I love to write outside. My husband travels with his work and I go when I can so I work on the plane and in the car’s passenger seat a lot! Some of my best lines have been written on a plane, which is the case for my latest release, A Bride for All Seasons. That book idea and first paragraphs were written flying somewhere over the USA. Behind my desk is a cabinet with a photo of my boys as toddlers, my Bible, and writing supplies. On the wall is a wooden cross that was hand-carved by a wonderful friend from church. A stone wall hanging with 1 John 4:19 “We love because God first loved us.” Above everything is the sign that reads, “I love you to the moon and back,” a gift from my granddaughter whom I also love to the moon and back. On the bulletin boards I have more important “stuff.” Family photos first and then notes and reminders, also a note from a reader. I can’t put them all up, but they are each special to me and I keep them all in the red boxes above in the attic area in this photo. They encourage me and remind me who I’m writing my books to.

Photo two shows my nifty table which folds out larger for when I’m editing and need to see my manuscript in chapters. On the table are some of my awards. Booksellers Best, A Golden Quill Award, an Inspirational Readers Choice Award—which is the pretty silver heart trinket box and is the first award I ever won with my first book, it holds other award pins. In the container behind it are my three Carol Award Finalist pins and my most precious awards of all—special cards from my family over the years along with a picture of Bogie, our beloved family pet when my sons were growing up. There are also a couple of toys that have special meaning from when my sons were smaller.

And finally my recumbent bike with the slanted desk for my computer. This helps me to accomplish work and exercise at the same time. And then in the opposite corner my crammed full bookcase sits beside my comfy chair. Lots of books are written in that chair—and more to come!

Thanks for stopping in—until next time live, laugh and seek God with all your hearts!

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Margaret: Before I give you a tour of my office I must warn you; I consider a neat and orderly office proof of a sick mind. Those of us with CDS (chronic disorganization syndrome) know that nothing attracts the muse quicker than a storm of papers, books, candy wrappers, and Post-its.

Monet helps too, which is why my room is painted Monet purple. The family complained about hearing me on the computer in the middle of the night, so my husband sound-proofed my room with cork. The thing I love most is my balance ball chair, which allows me to sit for hours without fatigue or muscle pain and lets me believe I’m exercising.

On the walls are charts, maps, notes, deadline reminders, and The Writer’s Prayer. I find the prayer to be the most useful. I keep a daily word count on my calendar. Some of my favorite Disney characters keep me company (though someone walked off with Woody). What you don’t see are ALL the bookshelves that make up my research library. Also hidden is the window overlooking the pool, the vertical files and my chocolate stash.

Guess how many books in my library and the person coming closest without going over will win a copy of A Bride for All Seasons. Leave your guess in the comment section below. Don’t forget, you’re only seeing half the library. Good luck! *The winner will be announced Monday, July 29.

*UPDATE* The winner is Martha! The correct answer is 1,213, and Martha guessed 1,205. Congrats, Martha! Tricia’s assistant will be in touch to get your mailing address.

Debra Clopton is an award winning author of sweet, heartfelt, western romance that face life with a smile. With over 2 million books in print, Debra has her first book coming as a movie starring LeAnn Rimes. Margaret Brownley is a NEW YORK TIMES best-selling author and has penned more than twenty-five historical and contemporary novels. Find out more about them here.

July 20, 2013 by Tricia Goyer Leave a Comment

A Daily Dose of Faith for Writers

Have you ever had a character from a book impact your life? Has a character’s faith ever rubbed off on you? As a Christian fiction writer, I always have drama, conflict, romance, and resolutions within my novels, but equally important is how I display my character’s faith. It’s something all Christian authors think about. I love this quote by Jan Karon:

“In my books I try to depict not a glorious faith with celestial fireworks, but a daily faith, a routine faith, a seven-days-a-week faith. Father Tim’s faith is part of his everyday life. He has simple prayers, not polished, pious prayers. He follows the Apostle Paul’s command that we pray without ceasing. I try to depict how our faith may be woven into our daily life, like brandy poured into coffee. I believe that spirituality needs to be basic, common, everyday.”

Of course, the only way to display daily faith accurately is to live it. As a writer, I can research many things—location, occupation, affliction, and affection—but a true connection to a loving God cannot be made up.

So if a character’s faith journey has impacted you, I guarantee an author’s faith journey has been impacted first <click to tweet>. I can speak for many of us Christian authors that God deals with our hearts before one written word goes onto the page.

For me, a successful Christian author isn’t measured in book sales (although those do come in handy, ensuring we can be given the opportunity to write more!). Instead to me a successful Christian author is one who finishes her books, her career, and her life with the flame of God shining bright within!

Read the rest of this post here!

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July 16, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 4 Comments

My Writing Desk | Krista McGee

I have perfect posture. I can’t take any credit for it, though—there’s about a foot and a half of titanium steel back there—a result of surgery to correct severe scoliosis. My entire spine is fused, and the rods keep it all in place (no, I don’t make the metal detectors go crazy in airports nor do magnets stick to me—I had the surgery when I was 13, so believe me, my friends tried!). Though I don’t really have much back trouble, most desk chairs are made to mold to a normal person’s back, and I don’t have a normal person’s back. So most desk chairs make my back hurt. A few years ago some friends of ours recommended I try using a medicine ball to replace my desk chair. I tried it and was hooked! The seat is as soft or as firm as I want to make it, and I can lean as far away or as near my desk as I want. Perfect! My desk is in the corner of my bedroom, and I face a window that looks out at the beautiful Florida sky. Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home!

About Krista: When Krista McGee isn’t living in fictional worlds of her own creation, she lives in Tampa and spends her days as a wife, mom, teacher, and coffee snob. She is also the author of “Anomaly,” “First Date,” “Starring Me,” and “Right Where I Belong.” Find out more about Krista at her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

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Krista McGee is celebrating the release of Anomaly, the first book in her new YA dystopian series, with an iPad Mini Giveaway!

One winner will receive:

An iPad Mini
A $25 iTunes gift card (download Anomaly to the iPad!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced at Krista’s website on August 2nd.

Spread the word about Krista and her giveaway HERE!

July 5, 2013 by Tricia Goyer 19 Comments

How to Write a Novel

I’m sure all my fiction writer friends agree that one of the questions we get asked the most is, “How do you write a novel?” First, because readers are curious as to how a story that is fresh and exciting and filled with true-to-life characters comes out of an author’s mind. Second, because they have an inkling to do it themselves.

The truth is that almost anyone can write a novel . . . but (did you guess that was coming?) it takes a lot of time, persistence, and skill. Much more than I thought when I first started writing. <click to tweet>

I sat down to work on my first novel in 1994. I had a notion for a story, and the first three chapters came pretty fast—fast enough for me to submit it at the Mt. Hermon Writer’s Conference. I was worried when I attended because, “What if more than one publisher wants my story?!” The story was fresh in my mind, and the writing was exciting. I thought I was well on my way. (I laugh at myself now, but at least I did it. I put the words on the paper!)

The truth is, I was dipping my toes in a tide pool when the ocean of publication awaited. I had a lot to learn, and it took me almost ten years to learn it. My first novel From Dust and Ashes was published by Moody Publishing in 2003, and it’s still in print.

How do you write a novel? First, you have to start. If you’re waiting for permission, here it is: Sit down and begin that book, even if you don’t know much about fiction writing. The best thing you can do is to start getting words onto paper. 1) You may be surprised by how much you enjoy it, and 2) you’ll also be surprised by how much you need to learn.

How do you write a novel? Next, pick up a few good books on novel writing. These are ones I recommend:

The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

A Story is a Promise by Bill Johnson

Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook by Donald Maass

How do you write a novel? If you’re really serious, attend a writer’s conference. Here is a list of hundreds of them all across the country.

Why should you attend a writers conference?

There are professionals who tell you want you need to know. Yes,they are literally training you to be their future competition.
You can often submit your writing for critique and key advice you can trust . . . unlike hearing from your friend, spouse, or mother who tells you it’s perfect just as it is.
You start to build relationships with key people in the industry. Need I say more?
You can build a network of friendships with other writers for support and help.

I have become good friends with many of the editors, agents, and professional writers I met at my very first writers conferences. Knowing the right people has brought me work. When an editor gets a project from me on their desk, I have the upper hand over someone they’ve never met.

My writer friends have also been my support throughout the years. We’re encouraged one another and prayed for one another. We’ve critiqued our work and brainstormed books. I guarantee I wouldn’t be where I am today without attending conferences.

Think that writing a novel will take time, money, and effort? You’re right. <click to tweet> But I’m here to tell you that if you put in the investment, you just might be holding your own book in a few years . . . and you’ll be well on your way to fulfilling a dream and launching a career!

So, what are you waiting for? Today is the perfect day to start a novel!