Novelist's Café

Hey Debra. I responded to your comment on my Mom's...

2010-03-04T18:20:33.765-05:00

Hey Debra. I responded to your comment on my Mom's post (Marti's Journal) on my blog. Just wanted to let you know so you could stop by.

http://truthngraceministries.blogspot.com/2010/03/martis-journal-january-19-2010.html

This is wonderful advice. I too often get bogged ...

2010-03-03T20:27:09.153-05:00

This is wonderful advice. I too often get bogged down by the "shoulds" of writing. Thank you for this inspiring post.

By 5 pm on Friday I expect an email telling me wha...

2010-03-01T20:53:56.467-05:00

By 5 pm on Friday I expect an email telling me what you submitted. How's that for accountability?

Good gracious, those guidelines are a fire hazard. Can you get rid of some and find them online? ha ha

That's beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Nikole. You ...

2010-02-24T20:14:13.508-05:00

That's beautiful. Thanks for sharing, Nikole. You know...there's probably a story in that somewhere. I just can't shake that feeling as I re-read your comment. :)

Deb

My glasses were plastic and always dirty. I was p...

2010-02-23T17:24:09.866-05:00

My glasses were plastic and always dirty. I was put into special education because I did not do well in a classroom environment. My friends were "special." I would not have befriended them had I not been put into that class one period a day. When the bullies and name callers came, I became a vicious protector. To this day, I do not remember their names, but I do remember the friendship.

I've always liked that quote :) It's nice to keep ...

2010-02-12T14:08:17.895-05:00

I've always liked that quote :) It's nice to keep in mind when writing the rough first draft.

I think my distraction has always been church mini...

2010-02-09T12:11:57.841-05:00

I think my distraction has always been church ministry. I love writing and consider writing for free and writing for pay both equally valuable. It builds a resume. However, church ministry distracts me from my goal. So I have one ministry a month; I market myself during the week; then, I write my book on the weekends. Our pastor once did a sermon called, "Good Distractions." I let go of some ministries to unpopulate my time so I can spend more time reading.

Great advice! I especially like what you said abou...

2010-02-08T08:59:09.759-05:00

Great advice! I especially like what you said about how quickly that path can change- 20 minutes or less! This is a continual battle for me. Focus. Refocus. Refocus again.

This is great Kate! The point of writing prompts i...

2010-02-07T17:16:07.654-05:00

This is great Kate! The point of writing prompts is not to come up with award winning writing but to actually get down to the business of writing. Thanks so much for sharing! I really enjoyed reading your writing. :)

Deb

What a great prompt! I free wrote for 10 minutes o...

2010-02-03T21:21:20.453-05:00

What a great prompt! I free wrote for 10 minutes on it. Here are the results. Nothing spectacular but the process was fun nonetheless. Thank you for the opportunity.

I peeked around the corner of the entryway. The stone slab cold against my face. I pulled back quickly as I saw Camilla emerge from a door not 100 feet from my hiding place. “What?” I thought to myself. “How did she get here first?” I was outraged. Silently pounding my fist against the granite I took a deep breath and glanced around again. She was out of sight. I scurried across the hallway to the room she had come from.
A tattered purple cloth hung limply across one corner of the room, sectioning it off from view. Ducking under it I quickly took stock of the space. Certainly not where I would have stored a priceless gem. I ran my hand across the stones, searching for a crevice or crack to indicate a hidden chamber. My figures grasped the correct stone and pulled it away, only to reveal what I had suspected...that Camilla had already found the gem. I dropped the stone, immediately regretting the clatter it made.
I jumped to my feet and fled the room. I took a quick right upon exiting the room and sped up a narrow staircase. I reached a mezzanine level from which I could observe the floor below.
It took a moment to catch my breath but soon I was able to hear the rain against the worn walls of the castle. As I listened Camilla scrambled across the floor below.

Deb, I could see myself in your post even though ...

2010-01-30T00:16:21.148-05:00

Deb,

I could see myself in your post even though I don't write fiction. I have spent so long waiting for the right time to send my book proposal to publishers. Now I am trying to step out of my fear, put the final touches on the proposal, send it to publishers and leave the rest to God.

I loved reading your posts. You encourage me. Thank you.

Lee
asacredgift.com

Great post, Deb. Kind of a kick in the pants (LOL,...

2010-01-23T06:16:20.141-05:00

Great post, Deb. Kind of a kick in the pants (LOL, almost a pun considering the subject of your post), since I'm now thinking about all of the things I've missed, but still a good point. LOL :)

I think a lot of times I hold off because of fear. Fear that my writing isn't good enough, that the editors or readers won't like it, that it won't work out... and the list could seriously go on for miles.

But I usually try to work as hard as I can and do the absolute best that I can. And then I take a deep breath, and send it out. Take a risk, try something new. It may NOT get accepted, the person reading my writing may NOT like it, but the important thing in the end is that I tried... because sometimes if we wait too long, we miss that chance, and never get to try.

As soon as I read this quote, I loved it. Thanks f...

2010-01-21T12:38:13.669-05:00

As soon as I read this quote, I loved it. Thanks for stopping by, Mia and Kate. :)

Deb

This is absolutely brilliant! What a wonderful qu...

2010-01-20T21:02:23.135-05:00

This is absolutely brilliant! What a wonderful quotation.

Wow, I absolutely love that quote! Thanks for shar...

2010-01-15T08:14:57.616-05:00

Wow, I absolutely love that quote! Thanks for sharing :)

I just emailed you with the details but feel free ...

2009-12-22T22:08:31.248-05:00

I just emailed you with the details but feel free to email me back if you have more questions or comment, whatever works for you. :)

Debbie

Great advice! I could use some simplification so I...

2009-12-18T20:09:33.171-05:00

Great advice! I could use some simplification so I'll have to think on this one. I'd like to know more about your switch in servers. I keep hearing a lot about this, but I'm techno-challenged. I'm curious as to what, why, how and so forth. If you could email me that would be great.

You shouldn't have procrastinated then, BJ. Seriou...

2009-12-05T22:19:09.012-05:00

You shouldn't have procrastinated then, BJ. Seriously, NaNo is great fun each year. And each year, I talk some new unsuspecting writer into it. Wanna be my next convert? :)

Deb

Darnit... I guess I'm too late to start now... I'...

2009-11-30T08:27:09.740-05:00

Darnit... I guess I'm too late to start now...

I've enjoyed your tips, Debra :)

Thank you, Kate. :) Deb

2009-11-24T18:27:09.403-05:00

Thank you, Kate. :)

Deb

Great advice! Thanks so much for your posts, they...

2009-11-22T19:12:46.451-05:00

Great advice! Thanks so much for your posts, they are pragmatic and encouraging.

Hi Chris, Thanks for stopping by. How's your work...

2009-11-19T17:47:49.841-05:00

Hi Chris,

Thanks for stopping by. How's your work coming along? :)

Deb

That's a good point, David. It is important to rem...

2009-11-19T17:45:59.342-05:00

That's a good point, David. It is important to remember not to force the POV change. If it happens naturally and you realize this character is more interesting by all means, change the POV. Thanks for the insight, David.

Deb

Work isn't work if you make it fun. So important t...

2009-11-16T20:14:33.898-05:00

Work isn't work if you make it fun. So important to remember if you choose writing as your career path.

Every piece of writing can always use just one mor...

2009-11-12T17:36:49.115-05:00

Every piece of writing can always use just one more rewrite. At least that's what I tell myself. :)

Deb