Do you want it enough?

Have you ever had a dream you longed to come to life so much that you’d do just about anything? Enough you cut out most T.V.? Enough you gave up hours of sleep to see what would happen?

When I first started writing in 2005, I had two young children (five and two), worked four days a week as an attorney, and was very active in our church. Yet, the fire to write had ignited, and I tested the dream. I started plotting and brainstorming, then I wrote. I gave myself two years to work hard and see if I could write anything publishable.

Soon I had cut T.V., a practice I’d adopted while working full time and going to law school. I allowed myself one show a week. During law school it was E.R., which came on at 10 p.m. Thursdays, the perfect time to stop the studying and relax. It’s a practice I still have today, when I allow myself to follow Castle.

Throughout 2005 after a commitment to a weekly word count, what became my second published book, Deadly Exposure, slowly grew. Then after attending my first ACFW conference, I wrote my first published book Canteen Dreams in three weeks of very late nights, and I discovered something critical: When my passion collides with a story, the words flow freely.

Fast-forward seven years, and in April my 13^th novel will release. Today those late night writing hours continue. Now I have four children (ages eleven to one), I still practice law a bit, I teach law at a Big Ten University and local community college, and continue to be involved in ACFW and our church. But much remains the same. To write a book like A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island, I have to find the combination a passion for the story and commitment to write set word counts in the pockets of time around an active family.  

For A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island, the setting provided a unique escape with its step back from modern hustle and bustle to a time when horses and bicycles provided transportation.  Next a passion of mine is exploring the ways God is with us when we can’t see Him. For Alanna, this occurs when life forces her to return home and confront the past she’s avoided for 11 years. An attorney Alana wants to avoid the cloud of the past and a love she abandoned.  When she uncovers a family secret and an old friend is murdered, she has no choice but to confront the past and its lies.

If writing is your dream, are you willing to do what it takes to make room in your life to do the work? Examine your schedule. If it’s truly important to you, you can find pockets of time to write. Even 500 words, five days a week, will result in a complete first draft in a year. So clear your calendar, sit down, and write.  Dreams, even writing dreams, come true. 

Cara C. Putman lives in Indiana with her husband and four children. She’s an attorney, teacher at her church, and contract lecturer or adjunct faculty at a local community college and Big Ten University. She has loved reading and writing from a young age and now realizes it was all training for writing books. An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska and George Mason University School of Law, Cara loves bringing history and romance to life.  You can learn more about Cara and her books on her website, Facebook, twitter, and pinterest.

Goal Setting for Dream Getting

by Mary Allen

Hoosier Inksters have one thing in common: we’re involved with writing because God compels us in that direction. God has placed a dream inside each of us. He’s created unique gifts and talents and has a special plan for how, where, and when they are to be used in the tapestry of life.

That dream may be to have one book published, become a literary agent, write a movie script for Hallmark, or be a bestselling inspirational author. Whatever it is, it seems too big to be true, yet you can’t shake the feeling you should do it.

Dreams can come true. God says he’ll place within our hearts the desires that will best accomplish his purpose for our lives. That means you don’t have to fight that dream. You can acknowledge it.

The dream may be years from fruition, but everything you experience, especially what seems detrimental to its accomplishment, will only create a better harvest, if you don’t grow bitter. This is where goals enter the picture.

A goal is a step that moves you closer to your dream, big enough to be an interesting challenge yet small enough to be attainable. A goal could be to work at a horse ranch doing research for your next wip, hold a book signing, develop a blog, complete a course, or attend ACFW conference.

An unmet or frustrating goal is too large. Maybe your goal is to write a novel in a year. It’s the same goal you’ve had for five years but so far you’ve completed two chapters and that was because you were recovering from surgery and couldn’t work and run three kids between events. A goal to create one fresh page every week day— even if terribly flawed—is much more doable. One page can even be done while waiting for the kids to come to the car after practice. Those pages add up and a habit will be bred that can be built on and from that a book will be born.

Goals are meant to free, not shackle, us. Some people may spreadsheet their goals while others will work from a free-form list of three points. That’s okay, but setting appropriate written goals carries benefits of simpler lives, happier dispositions, and greater satisfaction.

Why am I talking about this in December? It may take a whole month for this topic to simmer in your subconscious before you can face your deepest dream. In thirty-one days you might wildly imagine many goals you want to accomplish next year to further that dream. In 774 hours you can purpose one hour to quiet yourself before your Maker and ask him which of those goals he wants you to do.

The bottom line is readiness to be used by God. Remember, you’re not in this alone, he bears it with you. He said, “Be yoked together with me, go my direction, and my burden will be bearably light.” Matthew 11:30 MAPV

What goals did you set this year and how have you taken steps to accomplish them? What about next year? What dreams do you have? Do you have a record of progress, that is goals met? Have fun with this.

ACFW Conference 2020: A Look into the Future

Today's posting is a "speculative" one about what the ACFW conference of that time period might look like. Gear up and get ready to depart. Let's jump into our time-travelling Delorean, accelerate up to 88 mph, and head Back To the Future!

To Infinity, and Beyond:

As you well know, technology is expanding at an exponential rate. At some point in our history, technological devices that we use on a day to day basis now, were once considered "impossible" or "fancies of the imagination." Inventions such as the combustible engine, the telephone, travelling at the speed of sound, computers smaller than refrigerators, and even the ability to "send electronic mail" were all considered creations of science-fiction, crack pots, and foolish dreamers.

Given where we are today, technologically, and considering how popular Christian Fiction has become recently, what will the 2020 ACFW conference look like? What things might we see?

• Let's assume that the conference will be held back in Indianapolis again (naturally).
• Let's also assume that Christian Fiction will continue to grow and that more and more Christians will be called to tell their story (and thus want to perfect their talents) and desire to attend our conference.

Getting There is Half the Fun:

The technological evolution in air travel will allow the trip to be much faster, cheaper, and be scheduled at a moments notice (really, no joking). By 2020, high speed rail trains between cities will be more highly developed. Both air and train travel will be able to bring you directly to the event. The planes of that time will be VTOL (vertical take off and landing) capable and the MRTV's (magnetic repulsor transit vehicles) will have "train" tracks through major structures in each city and have stops at key destinations (aka our hotel). The end result is that more people who want to attend the conference will be able to do so. The numbers of attendees will be 5-10 times the 2010 final count (better start planning now guys and gals).

I Can't Make it:

Now, for those writers who want to attend but are unable to do so, they will not have to worry. The entire conference--main events, classes, training sessions, and panel discussions will all be streamed live right into whatever device the off-site participant is using (perhaps an iPhone 10-G or iPad-Extreme type of device). Imagine those attendance numbers now.

Going Green:

Instructors will be able to broadcast outlines and reference notes directly to the attendees in real time via the techno devices of the time. Localized push technology will let the speaker send documents to everyone in the room electronically. Carry that one step further, providing that you registered for the event, the off-site attendees might be able to ask questions and correspond with the speaker.

Finding your Way:

Trying to locate your friend in the sea of people? Just use your communication device to map out exactly where that person is in relation to you and display it (assuming that the location function is turned on by choice) on your communication device. You can even set it to locate "Indiana attendees" or "speculative fiction writers" to help you network. Need to know the physical layout of the event, tap into the app on your device and it will show you your present location and exactly how to proceed to where you need to go via the localized GPS mapping service of the facility.

Now onto the even cooler stuff...

Now You See Me:

I mentioned before that, for this exercise, that the convention was being held in Indianapolis, but with the continued progression of communication technology, there is no reason that the ACFW yearly convention cannot be in multiple locations at the same time! Holographic projection has come along way in the last few years. Seriously, it's not just science-fiction anymore. Just google it. By 2020, "we" should have more of the bugs worked out. With real time streaming, you can attend events 5 states away. It's not to far fetched to say that you could have a room of attendees 5 states away watching a presentation by a guest speaker on a real stage...a stage with a holographic projection of the presenter. With multiple HD image scanning and multi-faceted laser projection technology of today, this next step is almost here.

The End, or Just the Beginning:

Well, there you have it. Time to come back to good old 2010. If you look back at the technology of 2000 and how far we have come since then, the things I have projected here are really not that far fetched. Remember, "With God, All Things Are Possible." (Matthew 19:26 NIV). "All" means ALL. Technology only matters in how we use it. Using it for the Lord is the best and only way to use it. The future history is still the best history to come.

Oh,...and let's not forget, there will be stations through out the conference where you can get a 15-minute massage from a trained professional for a fair price. The "Shoe-Shine guy" will still be there too (and by then, he has been hired to travel with the ACFW conference to help us put our best foot forward).

Want to Succeed at Conference? Bring these to ACFW 2010!

I'm going to the ACFW Writer's Conference September 17-20. It will be my first time, and I'm so excited I wake up every morning like a little kid waiting for Christmas. I mentally count down the days until I go. I've already started packing, and I'm full of butterflies and eager anticipation.

I've made a checklist so I don't forget anything and thought I'd share part of it with you.

1. Prayers. I'm loading up on them. Prayers for the people in charge of the conference, the speakers, the attendees, the hotel staff, protection for travelers, for supernatural energy and wisdom for all, and for myself that I won't forget any of the other things on my list (Philippians 4:6).  
2. Fruits of the Spirit. I figure if I have these along: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22-23), they will pretty much cover me for the other stuff I might forget.
3. Positive Attitude. I refuse to let the devil beat me up with my insecurities. In fact, I think I'll just ignore him the entire time I'm there. (Which is what we're supposed to do all the time, anyway, right?) I have the mind of Christ. What more do I need? (1 Corinthians 2:16.)
4.  Trust. I can trust God with my writing career. He knows the sacrifices I've made to be at conference, and He will guide my steps and orchestrate the right meetings for me. He loves me more than I love myself. He created me to write. I can completely trust Him to use my gifts for His purpose. It's His purpose that matters. Not mine. He sees the big picture. I can't. I will trust in Him with my whole heart and seek not my own understanding. I will acknowledge Him and He will direct my path(s) at conference (Proverbs 3:5-7). Whew. What a relief!
5. Hope. I think we all have this packed if we're attending conference. Hope to learn how to be better writers, hope to meet the right people, hope to make new friends, hope that Jesus is coming soon! Wouldn't it be cool if He came at conference? Isn't that what it's all about anyway? (Psalm 39:7.)
6. Grace. Grace to accept God's answers for me at conference. This might seem a little obvious, but how I handle my disappointments, I believe, matters to God. He is more interested in my character than my success. I also need to be gracious to fellow writers, editors, agents and those who serve at conference. If I put other folks' needs before my own desires, grace will be automatic. I pray I'm gracious even when I'm exhausted. That's why I'm packing extra in this department (Ephesians 4:32).
7. Teachability Sponginess. Okay, so "teachability" isn't really a word. I made it up to remind myself to be teachable at every moment. It's how I want to be not only at conference but in life. There's no way I know everything. I never will. As someone who loves to learn, this is exciting! I can hardly wait to discover all sorts of new things about writing, whether in classes, or in my critique appointment. But I expect to learn more than just writing. I hope to keep my heart open to learning by watching others, listening to others, and soaking it all in. I just hope I'm porous enough (2 Timothy 2:15).
8. Faith. Without it, I can't please God. I know I already packed it along with the fruits of the Spirit, but I'm packing extra because without it, I can't believe that God has my best interest at heart. (Hebrews 11.)
9. Ears open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I don't want to miss anything God has for me. I pray I'm sensitive to that still, small voice that loves to speak to me. Otherwise, He can't lead me where I need to go (John 16:13).
10. Eyes to see ways I can be a blessing. I want to be sensitive to the needs of others. I pray I can be as much a blessing to people at conference as the ACFW organization has been to me. I want to "pay it forward." I've been given so much - how can I not want to give back? (Luke 6:38.)
11. Peace. If I pack plenty of number 1 (prayer), I'll have plenty of number 11 (peace). (Philippians 4:6-7.)
12. Humility. See all the above. And the example of Jesus' humility in Matthew 11:29: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Oh, how much I want to be like Jesus! For "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" James 4:6).
13. Love. It fulfills all things. If I keep this at the forefront of everything I do, I'll be okay (Romans 13:8).
14. Smile. With all the above things packed, I'm sure to have one of these! Besides, since registering for ACFW 2010, I haven't been able to wipe the grin off my face!

Only 14 more days until conference! What do you have packed?

Thinking of giving up the dream? Consider this…

I have a dream…sounds poetic doesn’t it? But seriously, most of us, or at the least many of you reading this blog, dream of publication. Ultimately, we have hopes and dreams of someday seeing our work in printed form. Some just want fame. Some want the added income the royalty checks bring in. Some want to be able to walk into their local library and see their books on the shelf.

Whatever reason you have for wanting it, it’s important to you. It’s significant and the dream is worth having. But what you might not realize is how important it is to those around you. Specifically your children.

I was at the state meeting we had a few weeks ago talking to a couple of new friends and we were talking about motivation and how we struggle to find time to write and to really keep fighting for our dream of publication. I told one of the girls that I’d recently realized I have to keep pursuing this elusive dream because what would happen to my little boy if he watched his mom want something so much and then just give up. He’d think it’s okay to let go of his dreams. I can’t be that mom. I can’t be that example. I have a dream and as long as I am able to pursue it, I will! What about you? Are you ready to quit putting your dreams on the back burner and start fighting for what you want?