Writer’s Digest - 10 Creative Ways to Beat Writer''s Block Fast

Writer’s Digest - 10 Creative Ways to Beat Writer''s Block Fast

Speculative Faith: The ‘priesthood of artists’ and Godly criticism

As a Christian writer, the discussion of how artists honor God intrigues me. This is a thoughtful discussion of the priesthood of artists. Speculative Faith: The ‘priesthood of artists’ and Godly criticism

If Jesus came today

Must Christians Ensure That the Narnia Films Succeed?

Must Christians Ensure That the Narnia Films Succeed?

Marching on

After the peaks come the valleys.  After the highs come the lows.  Cliches, all, but still true.

After winning NaNoWriMo this year, I've been working through the frustration of wondering if those 50,000 words have any value whatsoever.  I've been tempted to set the novel aside, half-done, and try something else.

This is not unusual for me, sadly, and I decided it's time to quit it.

Not quit the writing but quit the second-guessing.  God clearly told me to write the story.  I don't know if it's this story and I don't know what the outcome will look like.  But I write.

Sometimes it's the eating of the elephant:  one bite at a time.

What writing goals provide

After joining ACFW's NovelTrack challenges in July and October, followed by National Novel Writing Month's 50,000 word challenge, I'm reflecting on what I've learned through these.

Thanks to NaNoWriMo, I've walked through the valley of the third week, where I was sure my novel was disgusting and why was I doing this anyway?

If not for NovelTrack, I probably would have.  Here are the stages I've seen so far in NaNo:

Week 1

Excited, sure this was my break-through novel.  I loved the genre, loved the characters, loved the setting.  I logged well over 1700 words a day and the time flew by.

Week 2

 Still excited at seeing the word count rise.  The plot was murky at times but I wrote.  Words on the page, right?  I could clean this thing up in the edit stage.

Week 3

  Why am I doing this again?  I am no writer.  This plot is transparent and disorganized.  Obviously, I shouldn't have chosen this genre.  Could I switch to re-writing the story I wrote last summer?

Week 4

 OK, the plot is smoothing out a bit.  I can see a theme developing and I'd sure hate to leave my characters hanging where I last left them.  I'd better keep writing.

I think these writing challenges teach me to spell better, as in "writing challenge" is spelled "persistent."  So many threads of fiction writing - character development, dialogue, plotting, description, theme - are starting to weave themselves together.  I am learning.

And keeping on writing.

New contest

Alison Strobel has a contest going at her blog to support Sandi Rog, who has been diagnosed with cancer just as her debut novel, The Master's Wall, was released.  I posted a report on Sandi's story recently.

Check out Alison's contest here.  And keep praying for Sandi's healing, please.