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Contact us for information as to how you can submit an article to Writer's Voice! for publication on this website: opalmaedailey@aol.com
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Mission Statement Opal Mae Dailey
Editor-in-Chief Let's talk Mission Statements. What is a Mission Statement? Preferably one line or sentence that states the purpose or goal in your life or your business. It’s your "how, where, when, why, who.” What you do or how you do it may change as you navigate through life, but your mission will stay solid, serving your calling for a lifetime. My Mission Statement is "To teach the Value of Jesus and the Simplicity of His Name." This is my calling and it will be good for my lifetime. Everything I choose to do will be centered on this goal. The how-tos of my calling will change as my life evolves but my mission is everlasting. So what is your calling? How can this be accomplished now, at this time of your life? If this seems overwhelming to you maybe it is time for you to be still. God quite often says to me, “Be still and know I AM God." (Psalms 46:10) In this loony world we live in, being quiet is one of the hardest accomplishments to attain. But that is where you will find and hear the "still small voice" whispering to you. (1 Kings 19:12) Your Mission Statement is a compass that keeps you heading in the right direction. Your Mission Statement is like the Word of God, a two-edged sword ... keeping you to what is true about your life, at the same time cutting away all that is false. This is Jesus' Mission Statement: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18-19) If you know the Book of John you can tell Jesus lived His Mission Statement. You must have a vision of the path God has planned for you. The vision in the case of Writers will encompass many avenues, but a well thought out mission statement after hearing from God will guide you towards fulfilling your goal. Your mission statement will lead you to your vision. (Proverbs 29:18) Whatever genre you work in, it should fit into your Mission Statement. That's the wonderful benefit of being a writer. Next time: Logos and Branding To Market ~ To Market! Opal Mae Dailey
Editor-in-Chief "The noble man (woman) makes noble plans and by noble deeds he (she) stands." Isaiah. 32:8 NIV Your marketing should start even before you start writing your book. The number one mistake authors make is not deciding who their audience is. Only an amateur says, "Everyone." Right from the start you need to determine the age bracket, sex, educational level, and culture of your target audience. Knowing these things will help you focus your writing to meet the needs of your reader. "As soon as your book comes off the press, it makes no difference who published it. If you want to make money from it, you will have to market it." John Fuhrman
Developing Your Plan " A professional must develop a plan and work the plan." Opal Mae Dailey Now that you have zeroed in on your target audience it's time to start putting some of these great ideas into practice. You will need the following:
A business' Mission Statement is the single most important tool to direct you into position to do business. It is your guiding light. You also need a personal Mission Statement that will cover your life no matter where you go. Your Mission Statement will give you insight on how to develop your Logo and your Brand. Those two will direct you to know what you need to put your Brand out in Marketplace in order to market your product (books). Logo vs Brand The difference between a Logo and a Brand is like the two sides of a coin: related but different. Your Logo is a graphic to help the public recognize something that belongs to you--your business. On the other hand, your Brand is everything people understand about you and your business: your reputation, your quality, your reliability, etc. People will see your Logo and the many aspects of your products and instantly know what it represents. Your Brand will keep people coming back for more. It's all about knowing you and becoming familiar with what you and your business represent. This familiarity will develop trust and longevity for your business, which are precious commodities in today's business world. Platform A Platform is where and how you will continually present yourself to the world. Especially for writers, an effective platform is essential to successfully market your book. Through book signings, speaking engagements, and other public appearances and events, your Platform will present you and your book to your reading audience. Developing your message through an effective Platform will put you on the road to successful marketing. In future articles we hope to develop these ideas further to help you to market your next best seller! Until next month, "Enter into the joy of the Lord and that peace that surpasses all understanding." Philippians 4:7 Writing from a Woman's Perspective Mary Alt - Contributing Editor
Last month we got a man’s perspective on writing from the wisdom of Jerry Jenkins. Now for a woman’s voice. Another author who generously shared her wisdom is Karen Kingsbury. Here’s what Karen tells us. 10 Tips for Aspiring Authors 1. Keep Writing If God has given you a book to write, or if you feel He has placed a story on your heart that needs to be told...write, write, write. Get it finished, and make sure it is written to the best of your ability. 2. Join a Writer's Group There are many Christian writers groups for aspiring authors. In order to make your manuscript the best book it can be, you should join one of these groups and learn from others. A couple to try are Inspire Christian Writers and Faithwriters.com. 3. Join a Critique Group Once you're connected with a writers group, you should be able to form a critique group. This may be an online club, wherein you and a few other aspiring authors take turns reading each other’s work. Feedback is then given, allowing you to take your manuscript to another level. 4. Read Other Books Similar to Yours If you want to write a mystery, read mysteries. If you want to write a Christian romance, read Christian romances. If you want to write a Christian general fiction, such as Karen Kingsbury's works—read Karen Kingsbury's books. You get the idea. You must be well versed in the type of genre you wish to write. Editors and agents will expect this. 5. Get a Copy of Writer's Market This is an informational book that releases new every year and has a list of editors and agents who are acquiring new material. 6. Write a Brief Synopsis for Your Book Once you've finished your book, and you're happy with it, write a very brief one-sentence or two-sentence synopsis. This will go a long way in helping you convey the story to an editor or agent. Example: Gideon's Gift is about a sick little girl, an angry homeless man, and the gift that changes both of their lives forever. You need something like this for your book. 7. Write Back Cover Copy Next make your synopsis long enough to work as back cover copy. This will give you a way to place on one single sheet of paper, the summation of your story. Read the copy on back covers to get an idea of how long and how detailed this information should be. It should fit on one page, double-spaced. If you are writing a non-fiction book, you will also include a chapter outline at this point. 8. Write a 2-3 Page Synopsis This will be the synopsis an agent or editor will read if he or she is interested in your previous synopses. You must include all information in this synopsis. Whereas the others might have intrigue and missing information, this one must give it all away. It will give adequate information about characters, plot points, conflict, and resolution, to be a concise version of the novel. 9. Submit It's time! Submit all forms of your synopses to an agent. Karen Kingsbury is represented by Alive Communications in Colorado Springs. You may look online for other agencies, or check out the listings in the Writer's Market or Agent's Market book. Every agent may want something slightly different, but it's always wise to include these items in your proposal:
10. Pray! Nothing written or done for God will happen without your diligent prayer. Pray and seek God's will. Sometimes He is telling you to write; other times He is telling you to take a season of education toward your writing. Other times He wants you to volunteer at your child's school and put writing on hold. Try to be discerning. Writing from a Man's Perspective
Mary Alt, Contributing Editor I’m a published author (counting my now three blogs on CWGSB’s website), but I don’t have any good writing advice for anyone yet. Trying to find advice from other writers has been challenging. Although many of the great writers who are now deceased (Jack Kerouac, Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway, and, of course, the Great Bard himself, William Shakespeare) have offered advice in the past, they do not have websites to offer current writing tips for those of us who are still here. However, I found Jerry B. Jenkins most helpful and he was happy to provide us with advice. He has 185 books in print with 70 million copies, including the famed Left Behind series. Since closing down the Christian Writers Guild and establishing the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, he’s still out there educating the masses and sharing his pearls of wisdom. So, without further ado, heeere’s Jerry! (sorry, just wanted to toss in a little corn). _________________________________________________________________ In five decades of writing, I’ve learned a few things that might boost your chances for success: 1. Have something to say Boil your book’s message down to one sentence. As you write — then as you edit — that will keep you on point. 2. Know your reader When I sit at the keyboard, I keep one reader in mind. Not a room full of people, but one person. I write to an individual, “you,” not “some of you,” or “those of you,” or “many of you.” “You.” 3. Say it simply I never try to impress with my choice of words. Writers who show off their vocabularies are like girls using make-up for the first time. Less is more. Unless you’re a gifted literary stylist, let the power of your story speak for itself. 4. Practice your skills I don’t say this just because I train writers. Fifty years since earning my first dollar for writing, I’m still polishing my skills. I belong to writers groups, subscribe to magazines for writers, and read every book I can find about the craft. 5. Polish your prose Every writer needs an editor. At writers workshops I often condense the first pages of people’s stories by two-thirds. I do the same to my own work. Dare to cut, replace, and polish until every word counts. 6. Publish the right way It’s never been easier to publish a book. But beware. Many companies prey on would-be authors, promising success in exchange for expensive packages. Before you invest, investigate. Know what you’re buying and how a company defines its promises, particularly in terms of quality editing, marketing, distribution, and sales. 7. Plan to sell your book If you take the responsibilities of self-publishing, that includes your book’s sales and marketing. Here’s a link to a great article on this topic – thebookdesigner.com. Don’t wait to make these decisions until your copies are delivered. 8. Start small To get copies of your book at an economical price, you no longer have to order hundreds of copies. Thanks to print-on-demand technology, you can now order just a handful of books, then order more as you need them. Paying less for inventory means you can invest your up-front dollars in editing and design, as well as in help with marketing. This can be a great time to publish your first book —if you commit to doing it right. Which of the above steps are you lacking? What can you do to change that? - See more at: http://jerry-jenkins.com/2014/01/15/so-you-want-to-write-a-christian-book/ _________________________________________________________________ So, my writer colleagues, does this make sense? I tend to jump right into something feet-first, then I go back and read the directions. Or check out websites that I should have read and absorbed first. Or start baking a cake, then realize I’d left out an ingredient. This info is great for us impulsive types but is it good for everyone? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below. Procrastination
Mary Alt, Contributing Editor Who's familiar with the concept of procrastination? Okay, I'll go first! I do! My husband (Dr. Dmitry) used to refer to these people as the Procrastination Society. Something else I picked up at the West Coast Christian Writers Conference (WCCW) in February from keynote speaker Kathy Lipp is that she often hears from people that they're always planning on writing a book. But they're waiting for the right time to do it. People often say they'll write when they have time, or after they lose twenty pounds (twenty? Sister, I need to lose fifty!), or they're waiting for their kids to leave home, or they're waiting till they get the chance to borrow a cabin in the woods so they can write uninterrupted. She said to forget about the cabin because they all come equipped these days with Internet. Some authors have to have a certain writing time and if that works for them, fine. But what about the writers who have full-time jobs outside the home? Or what if we have small children to care for or elderly parent(s)? How about pet care? Different critters require various levels of care too. Sometimes we have to grab whatever time we can whether commuting to work on a bus or train, standing in line at the supermarket, or waiting for an oil change. Author J. K. Rowling sat in a café writing her first novel and kept her coffee cup in front of her to look like she was still drinking. Maybe we're waiting for our lives to become perfect. Life is never perfect. Life is messy. Kathy had a book contract and she was really happy about that. Then something happened in her life to mess things up. Since life was messy she wanted to cancel the book contract and asked her husband about it. He said, "Sorry, dear, we already spent the money." We still have to push onward. No matter how messy our lives are, we still have to get that writing finished. Turning messiness over to God is helpful. But he expects us to do the hard work. Kathy strongly urged us to get into a writer's group. When writers come together we support each other and give hope to our gifts. Procrastination gives people false hope which is the opposite of perfectionism. Instead, we need to be clear about God's message for us. We should show up for God's plan and, for us, it's the written word. This is just like when you have to show up for a regular job or an interview. Get into a group and support each other. This is what Jesus would want us to do. My First Writer's Conference Mary Alt, Contributing Editor For several years, my husband has been encouraging me to get out to conferences to network and meet other writers. I resisted for a long time until Opal Mae Dailey showed me a large postcard for a writer’s conference called West Coast Christian Writers Conference in Fremont, California. I’ve never been to a writer’s conference before, let alone a Christian writer’s conference. Here is what I learned at their conference in late February.
Fiction Adina Senft of Seton Hill University, Pennsylvania She asked us “where is home for your character(s)?” Usually a typical house or apartment. Maybe an alternate planet, middle earth, or a farm in Kansas. Think about what kind of environment they’re in so the character can grow. Culture of location will effect character throughout life. Think about ways to help them adapt. They learn to handle life. Home reveals something about him or her. What triggers move them from order to an adventure world? Have them kill a droid or sentence them to a prison camp. This will put your character in a different world. How do you create a world? Choose a different element. It effects details of the world, which will in turn affect your character. If writing a religious novel, it may not have as much to do about the character but shows restraints of perhaps an Amish world. What’s considered normal? Show what is valued in their world. A female in a short skirt is normal for most people, but the Amish would consider her the next thing to a hooker. Marketing and Platform Building Keri Wyatt Kent Another session I sat in on was about building a platform for your book. Agents, editors, and publishers want writers to do a lot of the promotional work themselves. This involves blogging, creating your own website, and participating actively on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Facebook has an author’s page and can be linked with Twitter and vice versa. Social media is your city or neighborhood and your website is home. If you’ve never blogged before, start by reading other blogs. Maybe you can write for others, then start a blog of your own. Tim Fall (state attorney, Tim Fall.wordpress.com) was invited to give his perspective on blogging. He started by reading other blogs, then started his own blog. When asked what he blogs, whether on legal matters or politics, he said he blogs about life and faith. Finding interested readers is just a mouse-click away. Invite them to your home base by finding them in the city. You can use Facebook to direct them to your blog or website. A website is a medium of communication. It helps identify your reader. What sites do they visit? What are their problems? Are they lonely, bored, sad, or trying to escape from the real world? Also try to decide which media works for you. If you’re writing for the young adult reader, Instagram is very popular among young people because they often contain images or pictures of something that will interest them. If you don’t have any pictures of your own to promote your book, check the website www.lightstock.com. I visited this site and its images are all faith-based. There is a small fee to use their images. How often should you use social media? Everyday. By staying active, you’re helping to promote your work and it can also help promote other people’s work. You can invite other people to join the conversation. So don’t be shy or intimidated to use social media. It’s out there for everyone’s use and we should all take advantage of it. |
Writer's Voice!
This is the blog of the Christian Writers Guild of Santa Barbara. We hope you enjoy these timely articles about Christian writing and writers. Please let us know how these articles have helped you in your life as a writer for Christ.
If you would like to contribute material or help in the production of Writer's Voice! please contact our editor-in-chief, Rev. Dr. Opal Mae Dailey. You can also leave us a note by making a comment to this blog. 
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