April 9, 2005 10:03 AM
Writing advice
People often ask me how to get started on a writing career. After responding to another request the other day, I decided to post my advice here.
My first recommendation is to attend a Christian writers' conference. There you'll begin working on three aspects that you will be working on throughout your writing career -- wherever that takes you:
1) Perfecting your craft -- no matter how well we think we write in the beginning, it's just not good enough for people to pay to publish and pay to read. Everyone needs more study (just like becoming a professional musican, but for some reason people tend to think writing well is easy).
2) Building your reputation -- marketing, networking, developing a support system and a base of contacts who will be getting to know you and watching your progress for years to come.
3) Nurturing your spirit -- when I originally started writing, I thought it was all about God using my writing to change people's hearts. Perhaps there's been a little of that. But the surprise has been how much God has used my writing to change my own. A a lot of interior growth must take place in order to be an effective Christian writer. I am most comfortable around other writers because though we write about different things, we have shared a similar journey.
I attended my first conference at Mount Hermon in 1994. I'd been homeschooling for a number of years and at that time had 7 kids under 12, plus Jasmine who was 19 and being a Mommy Apprentice. People wanted to know how I managed, and I realized that my early training as a Montessori teacher had given me some insights into children and how they learn that made our lives surprisingly manageable.
I went to Mount Hermon with a book proposal and too much confidence. By the end of the conference I realized I had a whole lot more to learn. I published two magazine articles that year and almost didn't go back a second time because I thought I'd missed God somehow on the whole deal.
But I did return -- much humbler -- and took all the beginning classes. When I came back the third year, I'd published 37 articles. When asked at a microphone how I'd done that, I said, "I just went home and did everything everyone told me to do," which drew a big laugh.
Imagine that?
I also had a stack of 121 rejection letters.
Anyway, since then I've published over 700 print articles in 50some publications, published 3 books and completed three more that will be published this year. I'm not saying that to toot my own horn. I'm saying that because I believe in the power of God's call on a person's life. If God is calling you to be a writer, it is important that you answer that call.
In the beginning, I only had a few ideas. And while at first the discipline of writing was extremely difficult -- like getting up and running every day -- after a while it was as though we'd struck oil and I was bubbling over with new insights and ideas. And the writing flowed.
God doesn't call the equipped; he equips the called. (I once googled that to find the original quote and it is attributed to everyone from Aristotle to Oprah!). Many people helped me learn to become a good writer. Now I attend Mt. Hermon as a teacher myself.
My second recommendation is the book On Writing Well, by William Zinsser -- the best book in the world on how to improve your writing. And a fun read -- because he's a good writer.
And my third recommendation is to set yourself a quota -- a certain number of words per day. Bloggers now have more motivation to write, because they have daily readers. Which is wonderful -- I love so much of what I read in the blogosphere.
And my advice here isn't meant for bloggers, but for writers who want to be published. While blogging provides feedback on your substance, there's no critique of your style or construction.
For that, you need to hang out with writers. You need to come to a writers conference. Click here for a list of many throughout the country or google, but the one considered best is Mount Hermon, and I'm partial to it because it's my writing home. Feel free to chime in a comment about others you like.
But if you're called, don't think too hard about it, just do your best to follow. As St. Augustine said:
"God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination."
Comments
Barbara, thanks for your comments. I often feel like there is something inside of me longing to write, but I can't seem to get it out. I am going to pick up that book from our library. I am a bit frustrated at the moment with blogging for various reasons.....sorry to ramble, I just need to do it.
Posted by: jenny | April 9, 2005 2:27 PM
Hear hear! I can echo what you say, Barbara. It's been a 12-year journey for me, and my start came at Mount Hermon too, three years ago. Since then I've sold five books with more on the way. I'm amazed. God is good. But, it takes a bucket load of work. You have to love, love, love writing and know that the Lord has called you.
Posted by: relevantgirl | April 9, 2005 4:41 PM
Barbara, you were the first person I met at my first Mount Hermon conference, and you were such an encouragement. Your advice is the best!
Posted by: Kathleen Popa | April 9, 2005 8:04 PM
Barbara, I have had a long desire to write, and now feel like I"m being "called" to do so, especially since comming accross your blog at the beginning of this year. Your writing seems to convey your heart so clearly and the tone . .. . it's just so welcoming and refreshing. I've already read one of your books and am looking forward to your new one in May. You truly are inspiring, not only in the writing arena, but in your parenting as well. I've only got one little guy and your wisdom from raising 11 has been so helpful. I tried clicking on the 'email me' portion of your blog, but my computer isnt set up right (or something) to let me do this. . . . would it be possible for you to send me an email (tracymayhue2002@yahoo.com) - then I could write back to you??? Many blessings to you and your family.
Posted by: Tracy | April 15, 2005 10:23 AM
Barbara,
Writer may be interested in a link to the president of Thomas Nelson's blog:
http://michaelhyatt.blogs.com/workingsmart/2005/04/recovering_the_.html
Posted by: Jschutt | April 18, 2005 9:54 AM
Thanks, Barbara for information and inspiration. I'm taking your advice. My husband & I will spend our 10 year wedding anniversary at a Christian Writer's Conference. (He's an aspiring novelist.) On Writing Well become one of my "in progress" books and most importantly, I'll remember to care for my spirit because w/out Him I can do nothing.
I even jumped into blogging, despite the perils of consumption! (It of me, that is.) Any suggestions about that would be welcome.
Posted by: Lexie | April 19, 2005 12:50 PM
