Seasons of Writing

     This is the month when seasons change. Fall officially begins with the equinox on Saturday, September 23, when daytime and nighttime are of equal length. The Farmer’s Almanac says our first frost in central Indiana will occur soon afterward, on or about October 11. If you grow flowers or vegetables outdoors, it's time to trim your hibiscus and other perennials, then cover the stems with straw or mulch to keep the plant from freezing. Time to dig up marigolds and other annuals so your flowerbed will be ready for a fresh planting. If you have root crops that over-winter, such as turnips, make sure they are well covered with mulch so they don’t freeze. You can harvest and cook them all winter.

     Writing projects are like those plants. They require different kinds of care as the seasons change. If we keep them well-nourished and protected from harsh weather, they can provide beauty and food, even when the weather is harsh. Think with me about the various seasons of writing:

      Winter. From time to time, your best markets will be glutted with manuscripts and editors will ask you to stop submitting new material. What better time to pull out some manuscripts that didn’t hit the target when you first submitted them? Spend some time polishing and correcting them to submit when editors are soliciting new material again.

     Spring. This is a good season to submit manuscripts that you reworked when markets were inactive. Scan the Internet to see if any recent events may draw new attention to these pieces. The Christian Writers’ Market and other sources can alert you to new markets that are eager to launch with fresh, imaginative material like yours.

      Summer. You’ve been waiting for this season. There’s strong demand for new manuscripts, competitive pay for books and articles accepted for publication, and agents visiting writers’ conferences to scout out writers with promise. This isn’t the time to find your cupboard is bare. Be ready to query agents and editors with proposals that you’ve prepared to pique their interest. They are aggressively looking for material to publish in the next active season, so make it yours!

     Autumn. Here we are again, ready to turn the corner from the most active season to the most dormant. What you do now will determine whether your well-cultivated projects survive the harsh blasts of winter. Do you have a book proposal that several editors rejected with suggestions for improvement? This is a good time to act on their recommendations, so lay out a timeline to correct those manuscripts in coming weeks.

     As the sage of old wrote, “To everything there is a season.” Every season is a different opportunity to write for success. Will you make the most of it?      

 

Joe Allison writes both fiction and nonfiction, and has been a member of the Indiana chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers since 2010. He lives in Anderson, IN, with his wife Maribeth.         

Watch for Opportunities

By now you are either wound up by the hype of conference preparation or praying for a last minute miracle that would allow you to attend.  Even those who’ve decided long ago that this was not a conference year may be experiencing closet wishes.  I know I am.

                I’m not going to expound on how to put a one sheet together or practice elevator pitches. There are plenty of resources for those. Instead, I want to suggest you go to conference with specific goals. I don’t mean “to get published”.  Sure, that’s the destination, but looking to the specifics will affect your ETA at that goal.

1.       Evaluate where you are. Are you at the beginning of the journey? One characteristic of the beginner is to worry about needs that are beyond their current position.  If you’re unpublished, creating a network of friends, recognizing established faces, learning your craft is critical. Focus on those things. If you’re published and have an online presence, finding critique partners or getting to know personally those on your on-line critique groups, talking with agents and publishers moves to the forefront.

2.       Think through what you require. You may see the big picture and believe you need to know it all now, but truthfully, you can’t take it all in. Focus on what you need right now. Think about a survivor show or Ninja warriors where contestants climb a wall or swing themselves over some goop. They focus on searching out the next hand hold. That’s what you need to do. Rather than trying to convince everyone you are ready, humble yourself to say, “This is where I’m weak. I need this information.” I think this is an important time to listen to those next to you at meal times and do a little learning outside the classroom. Other people’s experiences are invaluable.

3.       Arrange your priorities. As you listen to others, your idea of what you need may shift. True, writing is a lonely one-man task, but it will pay to remember that the publishing community is made up of people. This is the perfect time to put “be sociable” at the top of the list. You don’t need to be an extrovert to make use of conference to practice friendly exchanges. If speaking to strangers scares you out of your mind, at least take the time to speak to your teachers. Tell them you appreciate their class. Mention one thing they taught that has helped you. Think of it as a challenge or as a necessary accomplishment to receive a high grade, whatever works for you.

ACFW conference is a fantastic event. It will hold many opportunities for you. Most of them will not be what you expect. So, watch for the opportunities God brings your way. He’s the Creator, and I can guarantee that he has created something special for you if you will open your hands to receive it.

God bless each of you and may this year’s conference be one you will remember always. 

Mary Allen lives in the Midwest. She was La Porte County Poet Laureate from 2010-2011 and took third in this year's competition. She serves as Arts in the Park Poetry Chair. Mary can be found on  The Barn Door.net, has published numerous articles, and has two real-life inspirational stories in "Kernels of Hope" by Majesty House. She has released a book of poetry, "Journey to Christmas", about thoughts and feelings of those involved in the first Christmas.

The Preparation of Prayer

Photo credit: Stock.xchng

It is likely that if you are reading this shortly after it posts I am currently running on too much caffeine, too little sleep, hoarse from cheering, and slightly emotional. You see, tomorrow morning I join twenty-two 7th and 8th grade students from my youth group as we converge with hundreds of others for the annual youth conference. Four days of staying up late, eating junk food, laughing, cheering, worshipping, and growing together.

There is much to prepare before I head off with Son #1 and the rest of our junior high youth group. Packing, getting the house if order, writing out the schedule for the other two kids while they stay home with Dad, are just a few. But the most important preparation is one that works no matter the ministry--prayer.

As I pack my clothes, I ask God to clothe these kids with righteousness. I pray He outfits them in the wardrobe He sees best for each one. I pray they learn to put on the full armor of God.

As I pack enough junk food to put down an elephant, and throw in a few healthy alternatives, I beseech Him to fill them with spiritual nourishment during the next four days. I pray they hunger for His word and to do His will, while at conference and beyond.

As I pack my coach's t-shirt, I pray for a spirit of unity among our group and for the students to always come out on top in the battles set before them, on and off the court. I pray that they will be good sportsmen in life, as well as in the games. I pray victory for their lives and futures. I pray the competitions will wear them out just enough that they can sit still and focus on the message.

As I  pack supplies for them to decorate their doors, I pray these students embrace their individuality and that they radiate a joy and peace from the inside, not just look good on the outside.

As I pack my camera, I pray that they will capture their own "snapshots"--those memories of special moments with friends and times when they knew God spoke just to them or felt real.

As I pack the Visine, because I always need it, I pray their eyes will be opened to the truth of the gospel. I pray for any who have not yet made commitments to have the scales removed from their eyes.

As I pack my bedding, I pray they are covered by a blanket of protection. I pray against injury and attacks from the enemy, especially in the forms of distractions, temptations, and fatigue.

I'm preparing by praying. I'm praying for relationships to be cemented, lives to be surrendered, and eternity impacted all in the span of four days. And God always answers.

Prayer needs to be applied to every ministry. Do you pray before you write? Do you pray while you write? Do you pray your reader might find freedom through a character's arc? Do you pray that God might use your fiction to impart His truth in the life of someone? Do you pray that relationships might be mended, lives surrendered, and eternity impacted in the span of 200-and-some pages?

If you, do, remember that God always answers. If you don't, why not start today? Because prayer prepares the soil of ministry.

Nikki Studebaker Barcus