I Want to Be a Writer Like Castle

by Rachael Phillips 

Perhaps you are of noble literary stock, having sworn off television forever in order to perfect your craft. I, however, am married to a man who enjoys this kind of “together time,” and lately, we have succumbed to the Castle series.

For you who study adverbs together instead, Rick Castle is a internationally best-selling author who writes mystery and suspense novels. He works daily with a gorgeous, street-savvy New York City detective, Kate Beckett. Together, they put all the bad guys and girls in jail—she, wearing the appropriate bulletproof vest labeled “police,” and he wearing one labeled “writer.”      

Castle produces a new best seller with every episode—except when writer’s block strikes. Then he releases one every other episode. All this is accomplished in exactly one scene out of hundreds in which Castle actually plants his rump in a chair, sits at a computer and writes ... for exactly 13 seconds.

His reviews soar to the moon and back. Readers bow down and worship him on the streets. He never has to worry that his book-signing attendees only ducked into the bookstore to find Karen Kingsbury and/or a restroom.   

Did I mention he’s a millionaire? With a few estates dotted here and there that he kind of seems to forget about?

Unless my memory is worse than I thought, I don’t have extra mansions stashed away in Martha’s Vineyard.     

But, then, no muggers, mobsters, crazed scientists, crooked politicians, loco cowboys, pathological doctors or salivating tigers have chased me lately.

Hordes of readers do not visit shrines built in my honor. But one recent widower told my husband, his doctor, “I always look forward to Wednesdays, when the paper publishes your wife’s column. On Wednesdays, I know I will laugh.”

So, curled beside my honey on the couch with our February-appropriate lap robes, I can live vicariously through Castle’s blessings. And count my own.

Except for one thing.

I really want one of those vests with “writer” on it to wear to conferences.

Really.  

      

             

How to Tame the Post-Deadline Bear

by Rachael Phillips

 

Two weeks ago, I emerged from my writer’s cave after finishing a book. Friends and family urged me to celebrate the accomplishment. Those who know me best, however, stayed out of my way because I resembled a grizzly bear that awakened from a long hibernation—groggy, growly, and ready to snap at anything that moves. Not only could my appearance, as well as demeanor, have terrorized the neighborhood, but my writing ability plunged to an all-time low.

Now, having recovered somewhat, I join my husband in offering a few survival tips for those near and dear, including critique partners and writing friends, in how to tame a post-deadline writing bear.

Let the bear sleep. In fact, encourage the bear to snooze extra minutes in the morning, to retire early at night, to take naps. Nothing will increase the life expectancy of those in a writing bear’s path like a few additional zzz’s. Conversely, nothing will guarantee the loss of at least one limb like the question, “Why are you so tired? You don’t work.”

Give the bear some honey. In the face of bared fangs, this presents a challenge even tougher than letting her/him sleep. But trust us, it works. When insecurity looms 3.5 seconds after the author hits send, pour on reassurance: “You’re a good writer. You worked hard on this book.” Even better: “We prayed about this book. God will use it.” Accompanied by bear hugs (also chocolate and other sweet things), this approach can’t go wrong.  

Kick the bear in the butt. Only use this tactic when the other two have been applied assiduously. If, after generous amounts of sleep and support, the bear remains unbearable and spends valuable writing time playing infinite games of free cell or watching Saved By the Bell reruns and the insurance channel, do what you’ve been aching to do for months. Give the bear a good boot in the bootie: “God has gifted you. Is this the way you propose to use His gifts?” Then again offer honey from the Rock in the form of questions like “What would you really like to write? What has God been saying to you that should come out in your next book?”

So far, these tips have helped tame this writing bear recover. Any hints on how to handle the animal at your house?  

 

 

 

 

 

Editing an Invisible Manuscript

By Darren Kehrer

During this time of year, my retail life dominates every minute of every moment of every day. This being my “full time job,” my writing life takes a back seat during this Holiday season. Until the Lord changes that, I have to make the best of it.

That stated, I’ve recently had an experience that has served to inspire my forthcoming writing journey (or more accurately, the continuation of). Recently, NaNoWriMo inspired one of my writing mentors. It inspired him to write every day and to keep to a writing schedule. The overall result was a focus to write each day (sounds simple, right?).

During one of our many lunch conversations, he said something to me that should be labelled as the 1st commandment for all fiction writers:

“You can’t edit a manuscript that doesn’t exist.”

Has there ever been a more truthful statement about writing?

Yes my current writing time is down to the bare essentials, but I have truly enjoyed watching his excitement grow as I get texts, emails, and have conversations based upon his ever-growing manuscript. It has been wondrous to watch the story grow and develop (and being slightly part of that entire event).

For me, this process of observation has built up a great anticipation for the “after the Holidays” time that all retail employees look forward to. In my case, this means I’ll be getting back into my writing routine to get my manuscript back on track.

Beware of Blog Overload

Writers have always faced obstacles. Lack of skill with grammar. Lack of inspiration. Lack of technique. Lack of knowledge concerning the publishing process. Lack of a literary agent. The list goes on, but so often the barriers seem to be a lack of one item or another. In an effort to solve these deficits, some would-be authors get bogged down in a massive, new quagmire: blog overload.

Yes, blogs can be great. By following the blogs of experienced agents, editors, and fellow writers, any aspiring author can tap into unlimited knowledge concerning the publishing biz. Without visiting the library or even subscribing to Writer's Digest, you can receive a wealth of advice and insider information for free! All you need is a computer, a mouse, and one finger for clicking.

There's the danger. Free insider tips can become intoxicating. You want to write better, right now, so why be stingy on yourself when the info comes gratis? Your finger goes to work clicking and subscribing to blog after blog. Some of these web logs are more helpful than others, but hey, since they're free, what's the harm in following them, right? Besides, your fellow writers appreciate it when you subscribe. They're delighted when you leave comments on what they've written.

Before you know it, you've clicked your way into a veritable Niagara of writing lore. Your craft gets swamped by endless cascades of tips, questions, answers, pet peeves, query letters, good proposals, lousy proposals, success stories, horror stories, examples to imitate and bad examples to shun. If finding time to write was hard before, now it becomes nearly impossible because the multitude of blogs consumes all your spare minutes. Worse, each blog that gushes about yet another writer's new contract for a 20-book series paralyzes you.

"Why don't I get offers like that?" you wonder. "What do they know that I don't?" So you plunge back into the endless current of blogs in search of the ever-elusive secrets to success.

Don't. Blog overload can smother your writing career. Whittle down that list of blogs you follow. Pick three, maybe four, that deliver the most precious nuggets of gold and stick to them. Don't worry about that new friend from the conference being offended if you stop commenting. Don't fret about not having your name and avatar plastered in daily comments all across the web.

Now, use those freed-up minutes to add new sentences and paragraphs to push your manuscript forward each day. This way, you'll still be learning, but you'll also be applying that new knowledge and creating manuscripts of your own.

Happy writing!

Rick Barry has been freelancing articles and short stories for over twenty years. His two novels to date are Gunner's Run and Kiriath's Quest.

Writers are weird.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Recently I drove a friend of mine to a downtown Indianapolis hotel because her son had an early appointment at Riley Children’s Hospital the next day. On our way there, on downtown Meridian Street, a police car zoomed out in front of our car and stopped. The officer jumped out, drew his gun and shouted at a suspect to get down on the ground.

My passengers (my friend and her mother) screamed and ducked.

I grinned ear to ear and took in everything. “Oh this is awesome. Check out that gun!”

I memorized every detail – the size of the gun, the stance of the officer, the way he held his weapon, his tone of voice, how neatly pressed his shirt was, and his tall, skinny frame. I studied everything carefully, thrilled to be witnessing a real-time live crime drama.

My friends, frightened and shaking, stayed on the floor.

It reminds me of the time in Kansas many years ago (okay, over 30 if you must know) when my boyfriend and I had a gun held to our heads for being parked in a farmer’s field looking at stars through my boyfriend’s zoom lens camera. (We really were looking at the moon and the stars. Honest. Really. Why don’t you believe me?)

The owner of the field pulled his muscle truck up behind us and put on his fog lights. Minutes later his son pulled up and did the same.  They got out of their trucks and walked up to our car.

They were drunk.

They had rifles.

They cocked them, held them to our heads and yelled at us for being in their field

I prayed while my boyfriend cried.

Somehow we negotiated our way out of the drunkard's line of fire.  As soon as we escaped unharmed I turned to my boyfriend and said, “I can’t wait to write this down!”

He left me because of that.

Writers are weird. They can’t go through anything without filing it away as “research.”

Some writers scream when they see a stick up and then there are those of us who just can’t wait to write it all down.

Are you as weird as I am? What experiences do you remember hurrying to write down?

 Karla Akins is a pastor's wife, mother of five, grandma to five beautiful little girls and author of O Canada! Her Story.  Represented by Hartline Literary Agency, she lives in North Manchester with her husband, twin teenage boys with autism, mother-in-law with Alzheimer's and three rambunctious dogs. Her favorite color is purple, favorite hobby is book-hoarding, and favorite food group is cupcakes. When she's not writing she dreams of riding her motorcycle through the Smoky Mountains.

Do I Have Answers for You!

by Rachael Phillips

This summer at family reunions, weddings and anniversary celebrations, you, a writer, no doubt have encountered numerous questions regarding your career. Though you are a wordsmith, a master of communication, you often find yourself at a loss for answers. Fear not. After extensive research (mostly eavesdropping in restrooms at writing conferences), I offer succinct replies that should help you navigate such inquiries with aplomb. For example:    

Q: Where do you get your ideas?

A: I plagiarize.

Q: You work at home, don’t you? I wish I could. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about looking good, either.  

A: Yes. [Staring hard at questioner’s hairdo and outfit.] Are you sure you don’t work at home, too?

Q: Writing is a nice little hobby, but I’m sure you have tons of time. Would you please: unlock the door for my plumber/move my baby grand(s) up the stairs/watch my kids, who have head lice/sand and paint our fleet of church buses?   

A: No.         

Q: Did you know God told me you’re supposed to write my book for free?

A: [Big smile] That works. He told me you’re supposed to be my free maid for a year.

Q: Do you write only when you’re inspired?

A: William Faulkner answered that: “Yes. And I get inspired every morning at nine.”

Q: You keep saying you’re a writer. When are you going to publish a book?
A:  It’s only a matter of time before someone appreciates my brilliance. Yours? I’m not so sure.    

Q: My brother/cousin/cocker spaniel published his book with Premier Predator Press. Why all this bother with agents, editors and publishers? Why don’t you just sign a contract with the PPP?      
A: I prefer to keep my literary integrity. Also, my gold fillings and my first born.       

Q: How did you get your agent?

A: I held her at gunpoint.

Q: I’ve never actually written anything, but would you introduce me to her?

A: No. She has her own gun, now.

Q: A writer. Wow, is your family proud of you?

A: Absolutely. I’m sure they’ll tell me so, once I track down their new identities.  

Confession of a Freelance Writer

A cold, blustery wind blew from the west, sneaking its way through the crevices in my hundred year old farmhouse. Earlier that day I’d bustled the children off to school and hubby off to work. A rare day with no call from the school to substitute and no place to go until that evening, I was home alone. With just the dog and a steaming cup of coffee to keep me company and keep me warm, I snuggled on the couch with my laptop and wrote. And wrote some more.

The blowing wind and the hum of my computer masked the crunch of tires on gravel. Suddenly the hair on the dog’s back went up and then came a thundering knock on the back door. My heart hammered with panic and I shushed the dog, remaining completely still. He’ll go away if he thinks no one is home. There was no way I was answering that door. I was still in my pajamas…and it was 2 o’clock. In. The. Afternoon.

There’s a dirty little confession for you. Sometimes when I’m home alone and the day looms gray and drab and my calendar is blessedly empty, I get involved in my writing and just don’t bother to change into something more professional. It appears I’m not the only one.

At the same time that clothing companies are catering to teenagers and adults who like to wear their jammies every day, all day long, some opponents are raising an outcry. Some rail against the public wearing of pajamas calling it everything from slovenly (saying if you’re dressed for bed you won’t be at your best) to a health hazard (because people usually don’t shower before they put on nightclothes and bacterial infections could lead to death—seriously, this is what someone argued!). They wonder what will become of our nation if we permit people to wear their pj's in public. Will underwear be acceptable next? Maybe we’ll become so lazy as to not wear clothing at all? I think not. (And for the record, when my kids were little and we had “Pajama Day”, they always took a bath that night and changed into clean jammers. Take that, Commissioner Williams!)

Michael Williams (see health hazard reference above), a Louisiana parish commissioner ,even went so far as to negate the wearing of nightclothes in public by proposing a law. (At this writing it has been put to bed for the time-being.) How would you like that job added to your list of duties if you were a Louisiana police officer? Upholding the peace, responding to emergencies, risking your life, and barring the wearing of bedclothes.

I won’t be sporting my sleepwear to the grocery, the bank, or my child’s sporting event. But to say that people who don’t change out of their nightshirts into neckties are lazy or unproductive? To this I say, “Hogwash!” If I can get an entire day’s worth of work or writing done, not dirty more laundry, and stay comfy in my flannels that’s a win-win-win. The only thing I can’t do is answer the door to the UPS guy.

Nikki Studebaker Barcus

You've Got the Power

I did something today I've never done before. I walked my 70-year old mother through her first on-line shopping experience. I'll spare you all the gory details, but just picture this: I have the computer; she has the need for new pants. We're on the phone together and she knows nothing about websites, on-line shopping, or the number of the specific Levi's she wants to purchase. So, as I try to find the perfect pair of pants for my gray-haired momma who is under 95 pounds and stands 5-foot, 1-inch, including her cow-lick, I’m also trying to help her understand the art of on-line shopping. We successfully found the jeans of her dreams and I got them for 25% off and free shipping. But I digress.

This experience prompted me to post about it on Facebook which elicited a rather interesting and lengthy conversation with some friends about the lack of techno- know-how of our aging parents.

 I thought about my own journey with technology. Before I graduated from high school 20 years ago, I learned to type on a typewriter. College afforded a little more technology but computers were basically fancy word processors, to use one you went and waited your turn in the lab, and I didn’t even have an email account.

 Since starting this journey of writing, I’ve learned to cut and paste—on a screen, not with art supplies, post a review, send a fax, create and update a blog, post a status update and a tweet, and a slew of other things that seem commonplace today.

 And I’ll likely learn new things, things that haven’t even been thought of yet. And I’ll do it because it is my job. Just as a surgeon needs to comprehend his instruments or a chef needs to know his recipes, I must make it my business to master my business.

 There are a few ways you can learn technology even when you feel like you’ve just stepped from the pages of Stone Age Today.

Ø  Read books, study on-line, or ask questions. Use the knowledge gained by others to your own advantage.

Ø  Take classes at the local community college, library, or computer store. Often they're free or inexpensive.

Ø  Ask a teenager. Chances are whatever new-fangled thing you need to learn, he or she already knows and will teach you in exchange for food.

 So, I’m curious. Are you letting lack of technology know-how hold you back or are you on the cutting edge of all things geek? What do you do when faced when learning something new? How do you stay current in this ever-changing world?

Nikki Studebaker Barcus

Making the Most of the Time

A forty-something friend posted this message to her Facebook page on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

People are up far. too. early. - and are far. too. productive.! - on a day off. Clearly, we define 'holiday' differently.

I replied:

Are you kidding? I'd made a trip to the store, had breakfast, and wrote a couple of pages on my novel before 9 AM. And Judy went to the office. We old folks gotta "make the most of the time," 'cause we have less of it.

Funny, my friend didn't respond to that. (Maybe she'd gone back to bed.) But I stand by what I said, because I do feel a greater urgency to be productive as the years speed by. That exchange also started me thinking about ways I've learned to make better use of my time as a writer. Here are three obvious (but oft-neglected) principles:

1. Put First Things First. That particular morning, I began writing right after my devotional time. Before checking my e-mail, putting out the trash, washing the dishes, or doing a dozen other good things that I usually do before I start writing.

Following James Scott Bell's advice, I wrote my "nifty 350" (first 350 words) before taking a break to do any of those "good" things. Since I'm slow to warm up on a Monday, that first 350 took an hour to write. But after checking my e-mailbox and assauging my guilt with the other chores, the next 350 came a lot faster.

On many days, I've put those "good" things first and never did any writing at all. I've come to realize that all those "good" things are not the first things I need to do as a writer.

2. Write What's Ready to Write. Writing historical novels, I spend a lot of time on research. If I'm not careful, research can take the place of writing, especially if I get bogged down trying to mine the facts about a particular person or event related to my story.

My second novel takes place in 1932, when one of the main characters attends the Democratic Convention where FDR was first nominated as President. I discovered a wealth of research information about that event -- books, newspaper articles, even You Tube videos. Before I realized it, I had invested two weeks in research with no writing, and the end of research wasn't in sight.

So I started writing the next chapter while I kept on researching the convention. Eventually, I had to stop indulging in all that delicious research and finish my chapter about the convention; but in the meantime, I'd written several thousand words beyond that.

3. Resist the Temptation to Edit as You Write. We all know this principle, don't we? And at some time or other, we all violate it, don't we?

Certainly, we need to allow generous time for revision. Theodore Rees Cheney says about 75 percent of our time should be spent in revision, the other 25 percent in writing. I'll not debate that idea, but simply make this observation: If I spend all my time revising, my work will stall like a stunt plane in a steep climb. And we know what happens after that!

Scripture counsels us to be "making the most of the time because the days are evil." Take it from a sixty-something guy: The days are fleeting, too, so I want to squeeze from them every drop of juice I can get.

Becoming a Yes Man (or Woman): Gifts from the Writer

Photo Credit: Davide Guglielmo

Just spend a few minutes on Facebook, wait in a check-out line, or watch television and you can't miss it. Finding the perfect gift is on nearly everyones mind. I enjoy searching for, and snagging, that ideal present for everyone on my list and can hardly contain my excitement when I find just the thing that I know will light up someones face.

In my September post to Hoosier Ink,  I supplied you with hints on ways to say no to the countless bids for your time, treasure, and talent.  (Click here to read it.) But today, in this season of giving, I want to give you some ideas of gifts writers can bestow on their family, friends, church, community, and the world. Writers are wordsmiths, so use your word power to bless in some of these ways by saying yes--whether they've asked or not.

Gifts to Give Your Friends and Family:
*Write special poems, stories, or thoughts for special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, or graduations. Your family and friends will treasure your words much more than ready-made cards.
* Record all those family stories for the generations to come.
*Keep the family connected by hosting the family blog.
*Create personal devotions or short stories for the special people in your life.
*Offer to write reference letters for couples in the process of adopting.

Gifts to Give Your Church:
*Write content for the weekly bulletin, newsletters, or the church website.
*Create newsletters for individual ministries within your church.
*Donate devotions, articles, poems, skits, or plays you've written to leadership for in-church use.
*Edit/proofread the writing of others for churchwide use.
*Write reference letters/letters of recommendation from the notes given to you by adopting families or your pastor.
*Aid your pastor by using your research skills to help your pastor prepared for his sermons.
*Teach a class based on your research or topic of your manuscript.
*Write curriculum to accompany current sermon topics.

Gifts to Give Your Community:
*Write grants or proposals for nonprofit ministries and organizations.
*Donate a portion of your royalties to nonprofit groups that have a connection with a topic in your book such as adoption, domestic violence, troubled teens, refugees, orphans.
*Write newsletter or website content for nonprofits.
*Write grants and proposals for funds for community or para-church organizations.

Gifts to Give Your World:
*You may be able to employ many of the ideas above for worldwide ministries and organizations.
*Link you social media sites and your website to worthy ministries around the world.
*Play FreeRice. What writer can't improve his or her vocabulary and grammar (amoung other things)? FreeRice is a non-profit website run by the United Nations World Food Programme and for every question you answer correctly, they donate 10 grains of rice to hungry people around the world. Click here to play.

In this last week before Christmas, you can easily find the perfect writing gift to give to your family and friends, your church, your community, and/or your world. Writing is always the right size, people are happy to receive it, it is practical and fun, and doesn't have to cost you a thing except maybe a little time. So break open the laptop, fire up the desktop, or sharpen that pencil and start giving. What other ways to do use writing to give back?

Nikki Studebaker Barcus

Beware of Easier Stuff

Why is that so many writers with good ideas for articles and stories don't sit down and write them? Sure, there must be multitudes of reasons, but I've noticed one particular principle in my life that I suspect is at work in others also. I'd like to share that simple truth:

Everything is easier than writing.

Yup, that's it. Let me draw upon electricity to explain. It's a well-known adage that electricity takes the path of least resistance. Electricity has no brain. It can't make decisions. But by nature it will automatically skip traveling down a wire a long distance if it comes into contact with a shorter wire, or another piece of metal, or even water (a "short circuit"). People, too, will often opt to do what's easier--even if it's not important--than to do what's harder and potentially more important.

For writers (or those who wish they were writers), that tendency translates into a lot of other "stuff" getting done that has nothing to do with writing. So writer X sits down at the computer and glances at the clock. She has one hour to begin chapter one of the story that's been rolling around the back of her mind. Suddenly, the short-circuit strikes: "I haven't checked e-mail today." So she opens her e-mail program and finds ten or fifteen unopened messages. She begins wading.

Twenty minutes later, the emails are out of the way, and she still has forty minutes left to start that chapter. Instantly, the short-circuit strikes again. "Good grief, I never cleaned those grimy fingerprints off the window?" Even though she realizes this is supposed to be writing time, she goes to fetch a bottle of Windex and a paper towel. The offending fingerprints are soon history, but as long as the Windex and paper towel are already in hand, she quickly checks the other windows, plus the front of the microwave, to banish smudges on those, too.

Ten minutes later, she still has a half hour of potential writing time left. But wait--there's the refrigerator. How can she create when her stomach wants a snack? It won't take but a jiffy to make a quick sandwich...

Back at the computer with the sandwich, she wiggles the mouse to bring the monitor to life. Twenty-three minutes left to get some sentences down. The cursor is still blinking in the blank Word document and waiting for her to begin the story. Just then, her mind flits to another time sponge: Facebook. Have her friends posted new pics of their kids or pets? Are there witty comments that she can add to someone's discussion? And, good grief, she's had that same profile photo forever. Isn't it time to crop and upload a fresher-looking one? So off to Facebook she goes. After twenty minutes on that site, she glances at the clock again. Only three minutes left before she has to leave for work? She can't possibly write anything worthwhile in three minutes. She shuts down the computer and walks away after an hour of doing "stuff," but frustrated that that her story still isn't even begun.

If you've never lived out such a scenario, then blessed are you among writers! Even after two published novels and hundreds of published short stories and articles, I still sometimes have days when I stumble into the wasteful time short-circuits. Then I must sternly remind myself that writing time is solely for writing. The other stuff will simply have to wait. When I take that strict position, sure enough, the other stuff does wait while I advance my story.

Writing is hard. Other stuff is easy, sometimes even brainless. Left unguarded, writing time easily gets frittered away.

If some of you reading this have established specific habits or routines to help safeguard your writing time, please share them for others to consider. (For instance, I heard of one woman who lights a candle when it's time to be creative. As long as the candle is burning, she won't let herself do anything but write.) Let's help each other to see the danger of "other stuff" and to commit to the keyboard!

"To Be Read?" Or "To Have Said?"

Here's a question for thought. On Oscar night, 1982, who would you rather be? David Putnam, the producer who walked up to the stage to receive the Best Picture trophy for “Chariots of Fire?” Or fellow producer George Lucas whose “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was the big money maker for the same year?

1981 movies too long ago for you to remember? All right, let's set the chronometer forward a quarter of the century and look at two other movies: “The Illusionist” and “The Prestige”. I find it fun looking at the Amazon reviewers argue about which was better. My opinion? “The Prestige” was the better movie but “The Illusionist” was the one I enjoyed watching better.

While both movies dealt with turn-of-the-century illusionists and released the same year, comparing them is like the cliché of apples and oranges. “The Illusionist” was an old fashioned movie, with a clear cut hero, a clear cut heroine, a clear cut villain, and a likeable antagonist. “The Prestige” had two leads that did not fit the nice neat molds. On the other hand, it made you think more. It strove to be a higher form of art.

Yes, you can say I'm dealing with the philosophical debate of making great art or good money. Should we aim to please the people even if we're being imitative rather than innovative? Or should we seek to make the critics notice, doing something that is more creative but may not have mass appeal?

Let's get real for a moment. Any true artist has enough pride in their work to do their best and not produce garbage, but also knows they need to reach enough people for their project to be profitable. However, there will be times when we debate on whether to take a risk that may lessen our audience or not. There's no right across-the-board answer.

But is it really money vs. art? No question about the money side, but let me propose that there is either a conscious or an unconscious message to the art. I recently read Saving Leonardo by Nancy Pearcey which looks at how worldview affects art. She mentions that Gian Carlo Menotti was criticized for his one act opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors” because the music was too beautiful.

As Christian novelists, is our goal “To be read” (i.e. getting books off the shelves and into hands) or “To have said” (i.e. having a clear message)? As I said, most of us would answer this question “Yes.” We want both. But, as I also said, we will lean one way or another as we write.

I have written two complete novels, over 20 years apart. The first one was basically written to become a popular adventure movie. I had no real message in the story. What's funny is that while I wrote it as popular fiction, it was probably too Christian for the secular market and too secular for the Christian market.

The reason I wrote the more recent novel was because I had a purpose for it. I thought I could get more people interested in apologetics by writing a novel about a murder mystery at an apologetics conference than I could writing a non-fiction tome. As I wrote it, I had no plans to write a second novel unless I felt led to. And you guessed it: my hunch is that the message novel is more marketable.

This question will affect certain aspects of your story, though. Some of you may have seen a question on the ACFW loop about whether it's appropriate to use a phrase that was considered vulgar when I was younger but has become more common place. Using it would be more realistic, but it might also be offensive to some readers (as well as making agents or editors nervous). On the other hand, I read a novel where the author made some very strong points that represent a theology that not all Christians share.

Let me get practical. In a couple of my works in progress, I've debated dealing with homosexuality and the tension between that lifestyle and conservative Christianity. I came to the conclusion it is not necessary in the story I'm working on now. I'm not as sure about the third installment. I know that this is a risk, but what is more important? To deal with the story and offend some people? Or keep everybody comfortable?

I'd love to get your feedback. This is a great philosophical question, and I don't believe there's a wrong answer.

Zucchini vs. Butternut Writing and Other Garden Goodies

by Rachael Phillips

Having repented of last year's neglect, I decided to give substantial attention to my garden this summer. I did so partially because of writing reasons. Last summer, I held myself to a do-or-die deadline. I wrote all day six days a week and sometimes seven. Mornings, I didn't fuss with my hair or brush my teeth until I accomplished my word count. I rarely stuck a toe outside. While this bordered on OC behavior, at least, I didn't follow the writing credo of another morning person: having awakened, she did not allow herself a first visit to the bathroom until she'd written 500 words.

Bladder infections aside, there is something to be said for single-mindedness. I met my deadline and felt good about the quality of the resulting work. But I missed breathing the summer morning air, fragrant and fresh as if God just created it. (Sizzling melt-the-blacktop afternoons don't inspire me; they remind me of Hades and Nevada.) As the summer progressed, I often found myself at a writing standstill, hovering around windows like a kid who'd been grounded for life. By fall, my brain felt dusty, cobwebby and empty as a deserted barn.

I decided this summer would be different. Most early mornings find me digging and weeding in my garden or flowerbeds for an hour. A price must be paid for such radical rebellion. My creaky fifty-something body begs for mercy. Plus, I do find meeting my daily word count a challenge without those first fertile sixty minutes of the writing day. Still, I think the benefits outweight the time deficit. After hoeing, weeding and raking, my body sighs with relief when I sit down with my laptop. Eager green tendrils of thought--some related to writing projects and others a continent away--grow and flourish in my new-found freedom.

For example: this morning, as I raided my squash patch, I marveled at the differences between the growing habits of zucchini and butternut. Zucchini plants don't grow vegetables; they give birth to them. They remind me of my most prolific writing days. Ideas pop into my mind, fully fleshed out, and words leap from fingers to the page as if I'd received a gigantic dose of literary Miracle-Gro. However, after a while, they all start to look and taste alike, no matter how I disguise them. Butternut squash is a different matter. Only a few funny curved miniatures poke out of languishing blossoms. They grow very slowly, and a gardener wonders if she'll see the next millennium before these things ripen. Covered with vines, they often slip from memory. But eventually, they mature, offering distinctive flavor that developed only because they absorbed days and days of sunshine, rain and irrigation that shot my water bill through the ceiling. Butternut writing requires similar patience. A character may take numerous drafts to ripen. A sub-plot that grows in obscurity finally appears at just the moment your story needs it.

By now, a few of my readers may feel lost ("Um, did I stumble on a vegetarian blog?") But I hope these fresh-from-the-garden observations encourage other writers to discover unrelated pastimes that release them to create. Mine happens to be gardening. My agent, Wendy Lawton, makes pottery. Camy Tang, a multi-published writer, knits. What hobby or activity spurts fresh juices back into your writing?

Hello, My Name is Nikki...and I'm a Writer

by Nikki Studebaker Barcus

I recently made the front page of the local newspaper highlighting two recently published pieces in Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Before you call to schedule me for your next national meeting or to endorse your latest book, I must tell you that my picture and interview were next to the picture of the Easter egg hunt in the nearby town with no stoplight. However, the interviewer did a very nice write-up and I was honored to be featured in the same paper that announced my birth, my graduations, my wedding, and the birth of my three kids.

The piece ran nearly two months ago, but just this week I've had no less than three people mention it to me. The secret's out, folks. A year ago, when asked what I did for a living, I would answer that I trained as a teacher but now stayed home with my kids. But in the last nine months I've changed my answer. I tell them I'm a freelance writer. People must not know many writers, because they usually register a look of shock, their eyebrows shooting to their hairline, before they ask the second question, "What do you write?"

At first, telling people I wrote for a living seemed a little pretentious. I mean, I barely keep the family supplied with milk and toilet paper (the two things we seem to run out of most often) with the income I generate from my writing, but hey, it's a start. But I've found that claiming my position as a writer cemented it in my head--it became real for me. The more I said it, the more I believed it myself. I gained confidence in my ability and the increased accountability served as a type of positive pressure to keep producing quality work.

A few weeks ago, I worked crossword puzzles on my Kindle as my teenage son made the rounds through the stations during sports physicals. As I pondered 24 Down, I listened to one doctor question my son (I'm a mom, I can multi-task like that). He checked his height and weight, asked about the sports he competed in, and whether a parent accompanied him that night. "Is that your mom over there?" he asked, motioning toward me with his pen. "Oh, she's that writer in the newspaper, right?"

Yes, sir. Yes I am. My name's Nikki and I'm a writer.

How about you? Do you tell people you are a writer or an author? If so, do you get the same questions? Do you find it helps keep you motivated? If you don't tell people, why not? Are you waiting for something? Think about giving it a try this week. Here, let me help you get started. Just fill in the blank with your name:

Hello, my name is __________ and I'm a writer.

God's Forge and Writing

I was reading through Psalms this week and ran across this verse: “Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.” Psalm 105:19. We all know how Joseph’s story ends (he becomes second in command and reunites with his family), but I had never thought about all those years of his life that pass within the thirty seconds it takes to read in Genesis.

Here is a quick synopsis: Joseph was betrayed by his family and sold into slavery. While in Egypt, he served as a slave. He was tempted. He was lied about and unjustly imprisoned. Then he watched others released from prison while he languished in that dark place for years.

As I thought about Joseph more, I put myself in his place: the heartache brought on by the betrayal of his brothers. The fear he might have had as he was handed over to the merchants for gold. Perhaps discouragement, yet a choice to make the best of things as he took his place as a slave in Potipher’s home. The split second decision to run when Potipher’s wife tried to seduce him. The disbelief when Potipher believed his wife’s lies about him. Then the kicker: thrown into prison for doing nothing wrong.

Joseph sat in that prison for years. He was totally surrounded by darkness, both physically and emotionally (at least I would be). All he has known in his life are lies, betrayal, and hardship. He sits there day in and day out, facing a bleak existence. Perhaps he tries to hold onto the promised visions he’d had that God was going to do something great with his life, but he can’t see how that’s going to happen now as he stares at those dark dungeon walls.

Even darker thoughts may have invaded Joseph’s mind. Should he have given in to Potipher’s wife? He wouldn’t be here now if he had. Or could God be trusted? Why hadn’t God kept his promise? Why had God allowed him to be imprisoned? Maybe jealousy tempted him as he watched Pharoh’s cup-bearer leave prison. The deep, painful depression as he waits for the cup-bearer to keep his word and get Joseph out of prison, only to have days turn into weeks turn into months.

Until the time came…. God tested Joseph’s character.

I feel like I’m in God’s forge right now. When I picture a forge, I see a dark room filled with heat, sweat and pain. I see a hammer slamming down on a heated piece of metal. It takes the heat, sweat, and pain to turn ordinary metal into something extraordinary and useful. But the process can feel dark and painful.

When I read the verse above this week, things clicked for me. I put my name in that verse: “Until the time came to fulfill her dreams, the Lord tested Morgan’s character.” Yikes!

Now unlike Joseph’s dreams (which were prophetic and a promise from God), my dreams are simply aspirations of mine. I am a writer. And like most writers, I would like to be published. But is that God’s plan for my life? Is my “writing in the dark” a time when God is testing my character?

I think so.

I do not know what kind of future God is preparing me for (he certainly has not promised me a book contract). But I do know that he considers my faith “more precious than gold” (1 Peter 1:7). So into the forge I go so God can shape me into the woman I need to be.

To Everything There is a Season: Spring

To Everything There Is a Season. In my office, right on top of my computer monitor, I have a little sign that sports these words. It is there to remind me that life is an ever-evolving journey and if I don't like the place I find myself in today, never fear, tomorrow the view out my window will be different.

One of the many hats I wear is that of "farmer's wife". Normally springtime on the farm is a flurry of activity, getting the crop in the ground. This year, however, spring apparently didn't get the memo. Cold, wet days with little sunshine are not ideal planting conditions. Now I've added to my job repertoire "farmer's therapist". I can sympathize with my poor, frustrated hubby, because I realize how similar writing and farming can be. Let me explain.

Preparation
Before the seed can go into the ground, my hubby must prepare the soil. Plowing, fertilizing, praying. As writers, we prepare too. Whether you're a "plotter" or a "pantser", at least a little planning is first on the list of every new writing project. Research, plotting, praying. Getting it in our head before we get it down on paper.

Planting
There is more involved in planting than just pushing a little seed into the ground. Sowing, waiting, praying. Watching for those little shoots to burst forth from the ground. Praying that the fertilizer will make them strong. Guarding against weeds or pests that might choke out the tender plants. Keeping an eye out for hail or standing water or scorching heat that might damage the fragile leaves, stems, or roots. Praying that the one tiny seed that goes into the ground will result in tall, healthy plants heavy with bounty. Writing, rewriting, praying. Writers plant the seeds of words and ideas. We rewrite and delete, making our writing strong. We guard against pet words, passive writing, and head-hopping. We keep an eye out for industry changes, trends, and keeping a consistent voice. And, always, we pray that God will take our words and multiply them.

Partnership
My hubby needs other people to help him on his way to harvest. Helping, supporting, praying. I run him between fields, helping him move equipment and seed. He heeds the advice of industry experts regarding pest infestations or weather cycles. I support him with food, running the house in his absence, and in prayers for safety, rest, and yields. Writers may write in solitude, but they aren't alone. Helping, supporting, praying. We network and grow in our craft with the help of those that are a little further down the writing road. Critique groups and writing buddies move us out of our comfort zones, pushing us to higher levels of writing. Industry experts support us with advice on trends and the ever-changing publishing world. And we share in one another's burdens and victories, always lifting up prayers for encouragement, perseverance, and steadfastness to the faith.

Wherever you are on the road to publication, I pray for you today. I pray that you remember there is a season for everything. I pray that you are diligent and persevere. I pray that your hard work is rewarded. And always, I pray for you that you remain steadfast to the faith that is the root of all we do.

Are You Ready for the Winner's Circle? (Redux)

If you'll indulge me, this is a partial "rerun" of my very first Hoosier Ink blog written about this time last year. I embellished on it after this year's running of the Kentucky Derby, but it ties in with the Christian testimony of the most winning horse jockey ever at Churchill Downs, Pat Day. Pat is now a resident of Louisville, active in several local ministries and a vocal advocate of the grace that can only come from the Almighty. In my estimation, it's worth hearing again and again, and there's a valuable lesson in it for writers. But first, a little insight into the Derby since there seems to be a definite mystique and fascination with that particular event.

In the first week of May every year, Louisville, Kentucky, is invaded. Athletes, B and C-list reality stars and celebrities, society mavens, and horse owners and trainers from all over the world congregate for swanky parties, balls, and charity galas. There are parades, fashion shows and concerts by major recording artists and local bands. Leading up to Derby week, there is a balloon race and what is now termed the largest fireworks display in North America, with a gorgeous waterfall of fireworks cascading over the sides of a bridge spanning from Indiana to Kentucky. All this merriment and hoopla culminates in the shortest annual sporting event in the world, the Kentucky Derby.

This year was the 137th Run for the Roses, and it is steeped in Kentucky lore and tradition. Fancy hats! Mint juleps! Derby pie (pecan pie with chocolate and a touch of bourbon)! Millionaire’s Row at Churchill Downs! Untold amounts of money are spent before, during and after the race in merchandise, wagering, tourism, and all manner of commerce. It's a huge boon for the local economy, and there's always a festiveness in the air unlike anything I've ever experienced.

I must admit to tears in my eyes every year when I hear “My Old Kentucky Home” play at Churchill Downs almost immediately preceding the actual horse race. As a college sophomore studying abroad (more years ago than I care to remember), I was staying in a hotel near Munich, Germany, that first Saturday in May. To be honest, I wasn't even thinking of the Kentucky Derby. But when we turned on the radio and found a U.S. military station, I heard "My Old Kentucky Home" come over the airwaves clear as a bell. I dissolved into tears and bawled like a baby (it was near the end of my three months away from home and I was ready to go back home to McDonald’s and Fritos). As much as I loved that trip to Europe and the experiences it offered, there's nothing like coming home again.

Guess you have to be here to understand the mystery and the craziness that is the Kentucky Derby. As a Christian, I have to shake my head over the fact that most downtown offices don’t let employees off early to observe Good Friday, but almost everyone gets off to pay homage to horse racing the Friday before Derby. You must understand that in the gorgeous, rolling hills of Kentucky, the thoroughbreds bathe in marble tubs and are more pampered than most people. It's a way of life foreign for most of the rest of the world.

Yes, in many ways the excess is nothing short of obscene, but in other ways, I find it absolutely fascinating. I’ve never been to the actual Kentucky Derby, and have no intention of ever being in the infield. I usually watch the Derby from the “best chair in the house” in our family room. Even those many years I lived away from Kentuckiana, I almost always watched the mile-and-a-quarter race, the most prestigious and first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown.

In late May last year, I was privileged to hear one of the most winning horse jockeys of all time, Pat Day, speak at an event. He’s a devout Christian now and actively involved in several local Louisville area Christian ministries. What a testimony he shared, complete with a lesson for the writer in all of us. I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to hear Pat's testimony and speak with him personally. In some ways, his story put another “spin” on the whole insanity that is the Kentucky Derby (he won one Derby and many other races).

Here’s my abbreviated version of Pat’s story from his message that evening:

Pat Day didn't want to be a jockey, but God sure made him one.

Growing up in Colorado, Pat was hired as a teenager to help out on a ranch owned by a family who'd moved from Texas. Known as Bible thumpers and "Jesus freaks," they demonstrated a rare, gentle compassion. The lady of the house eventually began telling him about the Lord, hauling out her flannel graph board and her biblical figures. Pat sat and half-listened, hoping no one would see him there. One afternoon, sitting at the kitchen table, he prayed the sinner's prayer, as much to satisfy this kind Christian woman as much as anything else.

He had aspirations of being a champion bull rider, but kept getting thrown off, time and time again. He climbed into the saddle, becoming the most reluctant horse jockey, and found he was good at it. Really good. So he kept at it, and he started winning races.

Becoming one of the most winning jockeys on the racing circuit in the early 1980s, Pat won a major event in New York. When legendary sportscaster Jim McKay interviewed him on live television, Pat remembers saying, "I did it! I did it!" He didn't thank the owner, the trainer or the horse. He claimed the victory for himself. To this "Day," it is one of his deepest, most cringe-inducing regrets.

Not long after, lying in the dark of his hotel room, Pat turned on the television and listened to the program of a well-known televangelist. He listened to the words of Christ's sacrifice for our sins, and drank in the words of grace, redemption and forgiveness. Lost in a haze of booze and drugs at the time, it was only then that he remembered praying at the kitchen table with the loving Christian woman in Colorado all those years before. It was also on that night that Pat realized his personal need for the Savior to save him from himself.

Pat Day may be diminutive in size, but he is certainly statuesque in the eyes of our loving Father.

How many of us writers, like Pat, have a goal in mind, only to be thrown out of the saddle, again and again. It's all in how we react that makes the difference. We can stay on the ground, wallowing in our misfortune and misery, or we can stand up, dust off the seat of our pants, and get back in the saddle. Contest scores, critiques, rejections – and skewered customer ratings if anyone knows my trials the last few days – can be humbling, but they prove how hardy we are. The Lord has gifted us with words. Let's use them wisely. Stand up, not be ashamed of the gospel, and proclaim His glory and His word, and He will prevail. And when we reach a goal, no matter how small, or how significant, let's give the glory to the greatest Creator of all.

Blessings, my friends. Let your light shine!

Below is the link for Pat Day's website. As he says, "The Lord has orchestrated a great career."

http://www.derbylegends.com/pat-day/

Writing in the Dark

I began writing about six years ago. Little did I know the steep learning curve that came with that particular “hobby” or the things God would teach me through the process.

At first I wrote scenes that came to me. I fiddled around with plots, never quite knowing where I was going. As I wrote, life continued to roll by. God move my family a couple times. I had a daughter, then along came the twins. When the twins arrived, I put writing away. My days were consumed with diaper changing, feeding children, and keeping the house from burning down (forget about cleaning it… Dan did that, bless his heart lol).

By this point, I came to realize writing is hard. I thought about putting the whole endeavor behind me. After all, when could I write with four little ones running around the house? But I could not shake the bug. I had to write. I had to finish the story inside of me.

When the twins were about one, I went back to writing. Sometimes only a hundred words a day. Sometimes I went weeks without writing because my family needed me. Life interfered again and my family found ourselves on the not-so-thrilling roller coaster ride of unemployment. It was then I started channeling the fear, heartache, and my deep search for God into my writing. I finally began to understand my characters. I understood their search inside themselves to choose the easy way or to choose God’s way: many times a path of hardship. I now had a plot.

We finished the roller coaster of unemployment (and lived!). By now I was half way through my first book. I was on a roll. I began to have goals of finishing the book and trying my hand at finding a publisher for it. Then I heard God speak. I knew in my heart he was telling me to wait an entire year. I balked at the idea and pushed forward with my own goals. God slammed back (note to anyone thinking about going through a door God is closing… don’t! He can slam hard lol).

I stopped fighting God and listened to him. I quietly put my goals of publishing away and instead continued to write. I finished my manuscript halfway through that year. I had two trusted friends critique it. They found all the things I knew in my gut I needed to work on with the story. I cried (yeah, its hard to work on something for years and find out you’re not quite there yet), then picked myself up by my flip-flops straps (I don’t wear boots) and began to work on the rewrites in earnest.

I learned a lot that year. I learned to finish a book. I learned to push through writer’s block. I learned to take criticism and use it to make my book better. And I was learning to put my work as a writer into God’s hand.

December came around again. Instead of my own plans, this time I asked God his. I felt his nudge to go ahead and start exploring the world of publishing. I signed up for the Mt Hermon conference. I tidied up my one page and pitch. And unlike last year, I totally felt scared about the prospects of publishing.

I met some amazing people at the conference. I had people interested in my manuscript. And I learned even more about writing. I came home refreshed.

During that year I also came to realize how much I had learned about the gospel through the writing of my story. Its not just about being saved from hell: it’s about being saved from something inside of us, something we cannot save ourselves from. It’s about God saving us and healing the darkness inside of us. What a beautiful picture!

The story of my writing is not done yet. No, I don’t have people knocking down my door wanting to publish my book. In fact, no one has knocked. But I felt God speaking to me again last week.

He is asking me to write in the dark now.

I can’t see where my story is going to go; I don’t know if it will ever be published or if it will only be something I leave behind for my children to read some day. What I do know is that I need to be faithful in the little bit of writing I do each day. And leave the rest to God.

The Royal Wedding

There’s been much criticism of Americans who anticipated the British Royal Wedding and watched it with giddy excitement. “Why would you watch a monarchy’s happy day when we fought to be free from it?”

Well, folks, I’m a Daughter of the American Revolution, my ancestors on both sides of my family fought in that war, and I admit to watching the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton with breathless anticipation. I got up early to watch it live and soaked up every second. (I may or may not have worn a tiara myself on the happy day.) Here’s a list of the reasons why, as a writer of fiction, I watched it with keen interest:

1.       It was history in the making. The bride’s dress, tiara, and bouquet will be in history books and textbooks forever and I’ll get to say: “I was ‘there’ to see it.”

2.       How often do you get an up-close, real-time opportunity to watch a “commoner” become a princess? How often do you get to watch a wedding in London at Westminster Abbey in real time? And how often do you get to see and hear the Archbishop of Canterbury conduct the ceremony—bushy eyebrows and all?

3.       It’s what fairy tales are made of. Small-town girl meets a real prince at college. They fall in love. They break up (conflict) and get back together again. They secretly plot to get married. They hold on to their secret for months—years maybe.

4.       They get engaged. Publicly this time.

5.       The prince gives the commoner girlfriend his deceased mother’s $600,000 engagement ring.

6.       They have a royal wedding complete with tiara, carriages, and balcony kisses.

Tell me that doesn’t ignite your imagination. Tell me that’s not the stuff of award-winning best-selling books.  My mind reels with questions. How did Kate feel wearing the queen’s tiara on her wedding day? What was she thinking as she walked down the aisle? Did she get tired of waving at the crowd? What’s her closet look like? What does she eat for breakfast? When she was dating the prince did they play hide and seek in the palace? What was it like for her mom and dad to watch their daughter marry a prince?  How would I feel if that were me?  

Good writers never waste such moments as a royal wedding. They notice every detail and record each expression and emotion for future reference. 

Watching the royal wedding and feeling the excitement of history in the making was important to my job as a freelance writer. I mean, let’s face it. I’m thankful I don’t live under a monarchy, but where in Indiana am I going to see a footman or a royal guard wearing a tall bearskin hat?

As a writer it was my duty to watch the royal wedding. To neglect the opportunity for free research would have been unconscionable.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Crash

by Rachael Phillips

The first time I finished a major writing project, I expected my world to light up the minute I sent it off to the publisher. That glorious, long-awaited day, I would rise from my computer for the first time in weeks to replenish the empty fridge and launder 257 pairs of socks. Fresh from the triumph of completing a manuscript, I would even dare enter and clean my bathrooms. I would return to the world of human contact, and my temporary writer's psycho psyche would morph into normalcy.

Why I assumed that, I don't know, as I've never been normal. I did not anticipate the Post-project Crash that accompanied not only my initial publication, but every one since. I include below a few scenarios in hopes other authors will apply 24-hour sleep cures and appropriate megadoses of dark chocolate before serious problems arise. Because no matter how many times we edit our manuscripts, no matter how many former friends we rope into reviewing them, strange things happen upon submission. Once we press that send button, thoughts of possible errors wiggle and niggle into our consciousness like virulent tadpoles, including:

Formatting Errors. Did I space four lines between the title and first paragraph or five? And those scene dividers--what if the judge/agent/editor is allergic to asterisks? Authors debate whether they should re-check the manuscripts they sent to attain peace of mind, or whether they should remain ignorant forever. [Gasp!] What if I left an extra space at the end of the third to the last paragraph?

These may be painful, but can't compare with Comma Panic, a syndrome in which wild-eyed sufferers cling to their Chicago Manuals of Style like cats to a bedspread until they--the writers, not the cats--have documented the reason for each and every comma in their manuscripts. The discovery of even one comma misuse precipitates fresh panic that can only be soothed by starting the review process all over again, reciting comma rules aloud as penance.

Research Terrors also have been known to strike novelists without warning. Historical fiction writers are particularly susceptible, often scaring their spouses into spasms at 2:00 a.m. with screams of literary terror.

Spouse: What?! What is the matter with you?
Writer: [weeping, hiding face in hands] Lord, forgive me. I said Zelda "curled her bangs."
Spouse: Who's Zelda?
Writer: [ignoring spouse] Curled her bangs. No one called them bangs back in 1722. What will I do? What will the publisher do?
Spouse: [pressing six pillows over head] Call the hair police?
Writer: [gnawing knuckles] For something this bad, they might take me straight to the historic hairstyle firing squad. [pauses to mop tears] Ooooh, nooo. Did I call Percy's trousers pants?

Yes, my personal experience has taught me only prayer, time and cleaning bathrooms have effected a cure for these maladies. How about you? Any advice for the author who has just hit the send button?