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Just Write by James Scott Bell (book review)

February 25, 2023 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Writers are given a wealth of opportunities to cultivate a successful writing life, break out, and find an audience for their work. Yet so many writers, from beginners to veterans, find their careers stuck in neutral.

The solution is simple: Just write. Write yourself past fears, doubts, and setbacks, and use your desire for writing excellence to deeply immerse yourself in the craft.

In Just Write, best-selling author and veteran writing coach James Scott Bell shows you how to develop unforgettable stories while leading a rewarding writing life. You’ll learn how to master the nuances of fiction, discover what readers really want, and persevere through the challenges of getting started, conquering writer’s block, and dealing with rejection. Look inside to discover how to:

BRAINSTORM NEW CONCEPTS for your fiction and develop a believable premise.

CREATE MEMORABLE CHARACTERS that keep your readers coming back for more.

STUDY CLASSIC & CONTEMPORARY NOVELS to improve your writing.

EFFECTIVELY MARKET YOURSELF as a writer.

MANAGE YOUR TIME to maintain peak efficiency.
Fulfilling writing careers are developed through hard work, an investment in practice, and complete dedication to the process. Don’t succumb to excuses or procrastination. Dive into your career with gusto and enthusiasm. Fall in love with writing every day. Just write.


I’m a fan of JSB’s instructional books, so I was excited to pick up this one. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it would be good.

I was right.

If you’ve read any of his other books on writing, the first half of the book might be a bit of a repeat. Still, as I read it, it reminded me of some things I’d forgotten, and I went back to manuscript with a breakthrough idea for my previously stuck story.

Never underestimate the power of reminding yourself about things you already know.

What I wasn’t prepared for, however, was the second half of the book. “Creating a Rewarding Writing Life” really doesn’t do it justice. This book should be called Just Write: Creating Unforgettable Fiction and the Truth About (and encouragement for) Indie Publishing. I wouldn’t hesitate to give this book to any author considering self publishing. I would INSIST that frustrated indie authors read it. JSB is honest about what it means to self publish and he gives great advice for authors.

Another great book. I’ll definitely re-read this one.

(Note: most of his examples are older and for thriller/suspense. They might not translate perfectly for other genres, but the idea still works.)

Get your copy here!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Filed Under: writing Tagged With: book marketing, book review, fiction writing, independent publishing, indie publishing, James Scott Bell, marketing tips, self-publishing, writing fiction, writing tips

How I Write: Terri Wangard

May 10, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Not all editors are created equally, as Terri Wangard discovered in her early writing days. She persevered, though, and is now a multi-published author. Today, she shares some of her tips and the strategies that worked for her.

Welcome! I always like to start with the fundamentals: what do you write and how did you pick your genre?

I first started writing contemporary romance in the early 2000s, until I put writing aside for a few years. After reading Debbie Macomber’s Twenty Wishes in 2008, I decided to write again. This time I was inspired by letters written in 1947-1948 by distant cousins in Germany to write a WWII novel. An editor told me I’d probably need to write a series, so I kept going. My last two books are WWI era, but I have ideas for going back to WWII.

What’s the most difficult part of writing your genre? How do you work through those challenges?

Maintaining the historical accuracy. I believe that’s so important. I may go overboard. My first three books (the Promise For Tomorrow series) are based in the 381st Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. The group’s flying schedule is readily available. I slavishly stuck to it. Only one mission did not occur, and I noted that in the Author’s Note at the end. With my Lusitania novel, that too has a strict timeline.

How long does it take you to: write the book? Edit it? Finalize it?

Too long! Writing a book takes a year. I’m a weekend writer. I know others work full-time and still manage to write a little each day, but that doesn’t work for me. My job entails enough computer work. I’m prone to migraines and don’t need more time staring at a screen. After I finish and get beta readers’ opinions, I get a proofing copy and fill it with post-it notes where I want to check a fact, use a better word, tighten it. My biggest challenge in finalizing a book is getting all the formatting codes right. They tend to change, and I end up with blank pages.

If you’ve written multiple books, which was harder: the first book or the following books? Why?

My last book, and I’m not sure why. Half way through, I totally bogged down. Finally, I set it aside for half a year and wrote a contemporary novella. Then I was ready to dive back in and got it finished.

How do you combat writer’s block?

If it’s minor stuff, like how to turn a phrase, I’ll play games—spider solitaire, free cell—until I’m ready to go. Depending on the weather, I may go for a bike ride. If I’m having a major problem, like with my new book, I set it aside. That was the first time I interrupted a book and worked on another project.

How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different? Describe your strategy.

Lots of research. Lots of notes. I don’t make a complete outline, but I have an idea of what each chapter will feature. Changes do take place. I guess that puts me somewhere between pantser and plotter. My biggest problem is keeping track of my notes and finding them when I need them.

If you’ve ever worked with a freelance editor, how did you find that editor? How would you describe the experience?

Before my first book was published, I sent it to an editor, who made worthwhile suggestions. I sent her my second book. The results shocked me. Nothing was right. DNEs (data not in evidence) were all over the manuscript; apparently everything should have been revealed in the first few pages. She suggested I should be writing for young adults. At the same time, this novel was a Genesis finalist. I took the critique to the ACFW conference, where I had a mentoring session with Gayle Roper. She advised me not to take it to heart. (Whew!) With my last two books, I worked with two different editors, who both were helpful.

How do you self-edit your manuscript?

Since I self-publish, I order a proofing copy and read through it for any typos, anything that needs to be verified, or I may decide something doesn’t need to be there, or is repeated, and delete it. With my latest book, The Storm Breaks Forth, I read the book backwards, as suggested by author Lisa Carter.

Terri Wangard grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the Lombardi Glory Years. Her first Girl Scout badge was the Writer. These days she is writing historical fiction, and won the 2013 Writers on the Storm contest and 2013 First Impressions, as well as being a 2012 Genesis finalist. Holder of a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in library science, she lives in Wisconsin. Her research included going for a ride in a WWII B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Classic Boating Magazine, a family business since 1984, keeps her busy as an associate editor.

www.terriwangard.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/
Twitter: @terriwangard
Instagram: terriwangard

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: ACFW, historical fiction, indie publishing, panster, plotter, self-publishing, Terri Wangard, writer's block, writing process, writing tips

How I Write: AnnaLee Conti

January 11, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Many people dream of writing books, but not many succeed. There are a dozen different excuses, but AnnaLee Conti hasn’t let any of them stop her. This former Alaskan started her journey with a typewriter and celebrates another book release this month.

Thank you for being here! Let’s start with what you write. How did you pick your genre?

After writing short stories, articles, and church school curriculum on assignment for Gospel Publishing House for 25 years, I published my first book in 2002.  Frontiers of Faith is the story of my grandparents, who went to Alaska as pioneer missionaries in 1917, and their adventurous 65-year faith journey. As I researched that book, I discovered stories of people they ministered to in Alaska that triggered my imagination to write my Alaska Waters Trilogy of historical Christian fiction (Till the Storm Passes By, A Star to Steer By, and Beside Still Waters). The trilogy is the life and death saga of a fictitious Norwegian immigrant family who battle the beautiful but often treacherous waters of early twentieth century Southeast Alaska to find love and happiness in the midst of tragedies.

My current project, which will release this month, is Footsteps of Faith, a sequel to Frontiers of Faith. It is the faith-building true story of God’s direction, provision, and protection in the lives of my parents and my husband and I as we followed in the ministry footsteps of my grandparents.

What’s the most difficult part of writing your genre? How do you work through those challenges?

To me, the most challenging part of writing historical fiction, as well as biography, is making sure it is historically accurate. I did family interviews and research online, in books, and in magazines. Since I grew up in Alaska, I knew the settings and much of the history firsthand.

How long does it take you to write the book? Edit it? Finalize it?

In 1982, my mother-in-law invited me to her home to write the first draft of my first book in one week, weaving together the short accounts my grandmother had written about their experiences and filling the spaces in between. I holed up in a bedroom in her house and wrote, using an electric typewriter, stopping only for meals, which she prepared. Due to the downturn in the economy, though, I was unable to find a publisher. In the next few years, I retyped the manuscript into a Smith-Corona word processor. In 2002, I discovered a print-on-demand publisher, First Books, now called Author House. I was able to get the word processor disc converted to Word, and my uncle paid to have it published. I reimbursed him from book sales.

For years, I’d been writing fiction in my head. In 2007, I joined a writer’s critique group at the local library to begin fulfilling my lifelong goal of writing novels. I learned a lot from that group that included published authors, and began writing a minimum of one chapter a week. My first novel took me about four to five years to write, edit, and finalize. The next two I completed in two years each.

During those years, I started a blog, “Nuggets of Faith,” including many stories from my life. When I read the book, How to Blog a Book, by Nina Amir, I decided to develop those stories into a memoir that is soon to be released as Footsteps of Faith.

What’s your favorite book on writing? What do you like about it?

I have four shelves of books on writing. They have all been helpful, but Writing Deep Scenes, by Martha Alderson and Jordan Rosenfeld, was the best, especially the section on writing emotion from a deep POV.

How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different? Describe your strategy.

Before I begin a book, I usually have a general idea of the beginning, middle, and end. I don’t make an outline per se, but I do develop a timeline since my stories have a historical setting with certain fixed dates. When I sit down to write, I reread the previous chapter to get me back into the flow of the story.

What advice do you have for new authors?

For a number of years, I adjudicated creative writing for fine arts festivals for teens in our denomination. The one recommendation I gave repeatedly is to study the art and craft of writing. Schools today do only a superficial job of teaching grammar, spelling, sentence construction, etc., so new writers must devote themselves to study on their own.

Then I tell them to read lots of good books and write a lot. Thirdly, I tell them to never give up. A quote by Raymond Obstfeld encouraged me: “The main difference between successful writers and wannabe writers is not talent but perseverance.”

I would add that “I am a failure” is different than “I failed.” We can learn from our failures if we don’t give up. Only when we quit trying are we truly a failure.

How do you self-edit your manuscripts? What does your revision process look like?

Even though no one recommends it, I tend to do a lot of editing as I write. My writing group gives me good feedback on content editing and revision. I worked in editorial at Gospel Publishing House for four years and learned how to do technical editing, copyediting, and proofreading, so I do that myself. I always print out my books and edit from hardcopy. My husband also reads my manuscripts and tags needed changes with sticky notes. My editors at my publishers rarely make changes.


An ordained minister, author, and teacher, AnnaLee Conti grew up in a missionary family in Alaska in the fifties and sixties. She earned a B.A. in music and elementary education at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and an M.A. in Bible at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. For 25 years, AnnaLee wrote many articles, stories, devotionals, and curriculum for Gospel Publishing House and has published five books.

For more than 35 years, AnnaLee served as Minister of Christian Education and Music in the churches she and her husband pastored in New York State. In addition, she served on leadership teams in Christian Education and Women’s Ministries at the state level, conducting seminars and organizing conventions. She has taught grade school, GED classes, Berean School of the Bible (an extension of Global University, Springfield, Missouri), and continues to teach classes in the New York School of Ministry, which trains pastors and teachers for ministry in local churches. AnnaLee and her husband, Bob, are now retired and reside in the Mid-Hudson River Valley. They have one son, who lives nearby, and five adult grandchildren, who give them much joy.

Website: www.AnnaLeeConti.com
Email: FrontiersofFaith@AnnaLeeConti.com
Blog: “Nuggets of Faith” at https://www.AnnaLeeConti.blogspot.com
Facebook.com/AnnaLeeConti.Author
Twitter: @AnnaLeeConti
www.goodreads.com/author/show/2562235.AnnaLee_Conti
amazon.com/author/annaleeconti

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: Alaska fiction, AnnaLee Conti, author interview, biography, historical fiction, How I Write, indie publishing, interview, writing process, writing tips

How I Write: Beth Steury

November 16, 2020 by Karin Beery 1 Comment

Did You Know …

Getting your first book published is thrilling, but the work doesn’t stop there. You have to keep writing, keep growing, and keep working hard.

Beth Steury’s here to talk about her writing strategies, her decision to self-publish, and her advice to new writers.

Welcome! How do you prepare to write your books: pantser, plotter, both, something completely different? Describe your strategy.

I think I’m a “plantser,” a combination of pantser and plotter. I definitely did not create detailed outlines for my YA series, but I did have a solid idea where the plot would go for books one and two. For the final book in the series, see the next question!

Which was harder: the first book or the following books?

Book three is proving to be the hardest. While the first two books came together with relative ease, the final book is presenting more of a challenge. I recently heard a well-known, much-published author admit, in reference to her current work-in-progress, “the plot is eluding me.” That’s me and book three! I love my characters and their journey. And I will persevere.

You’re self-published. Why did you decide to go that route?

I had interest from traditional publishers for my YA series, but when two different publishers ceased their fiction line while reviewing my full manuscript, I felt led to pursue indie publishing.

What’s surprised you the most about the publishing process?

While there is a fairly-steep learning curve involved in taking on the role of publisher, the reality proved to be easier than I anticipated. I entered the world of indie publishing with fear and trembling, so much so that I nearly talked myself out of taking the plunge. Discovering the Facebook group Christian Indie Authors proved to be incredibly helpful. It’s a great resource for information as well as support and encouragement.   

How did you find your freelance editor? How would you describe the experience?

I have worked with two freelance editors, both of whom I met through connecting and networking opportunities associated with American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). I think the best descriptors would be “valuable” and “worthwhile.” I feel I benefited, as did my series, from both experiences. My goal to produce a quality book/series was greatly aided by both of these experienced professionals.  

How do you self-edit your manuscript?

I begin each writing session by reviewing that I last wrote. I find that a stronger verb or more detailed noun will often immediately come to mind during this very initial stage of editing. Two major concerns of mine, consistent characterization and story flow, usually each get a dedicated edit. Typically, the all-important beginning and ending gets tweaked many times.

What conference do you most want to attend? Why?

I would have loved to attend the Mount Hermon Writers Conference, but I understand the conference has been permanently cancelled. Possibly the Write-to-Publish Conference in Wheaton, Illinois then. In general, I adore writers’ conferences! I relish the time spent with fellow writers. I love immersing myself fully in the writing world. I love how the conference experience allows me to focus only and fully on writing. A friend and I tucked ourselves away in a lake house to attend this year’s online ACFW Conference, to more fully capture the conference experience.

What advice do you have for new authors?

WRITE.

It doesn’t matter what you write or how well you write, simply write. Take advantage of every possible writing opportunity whether it be for the Women’s Ministries newsletter, the family Christmas letter, the neighborhood watch fundraiser flier. Explore topics and styles and genres. Try to discover what works best for you: daily word counts, timed writing sessions, legal pad scribbling, note-taking apps on your phone or a laptop. If turning the weekly grocery shopping list into a poem sounds fun, go for it.

Just WRITE.


Beth immerses herself in the YA world via substitute teaching, connecting with the teenage staff at the fast-food joint where she claims the back booth as her office, and reading YA fiction.

She’s a cheerleader for saving sex for marriage. Her “Waiting Matters … Because YOU Matter” blog helps people of all ages navigate the choppy waters of saving sex for marriage and “renewed waiting.” In her “Choices Matter” YA series, a relevant cast of high school-aged characters face real life choices and consequences in the often-messy, rarely simple world of friendship, family matters, and dating relationships. The mini books of the “Waiting Matters” series offer practical, candid advice for making wise life decisions. 

Beth is also a genetic genealogy enthusiast who used DNA to find her birth parents. Her journey to find and connect with her biological family is chronicled in “A Doorstep Baby’s Search for Answers”. Her “Slices of Real Life” posts find GOD in the day-to-day moments of real life. All of Beth’s writing endeavors can be found on her website at https://bethsteury.com

Facebook:       Beth Steury, Author
Twitter:           @Beth_Steury
Pinterest:         Beth Steury, Author
Goodreads:      Beth Steury, Author
Amazon:          Amazon Author Page

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, Beth Steury, indie publishing, self-publishing, writing advice, writing fiction, writing tips, YA fiction

4 Things To Do If You’re Going to Indie Publish by Patty Hall

October 17, 2016 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

stool-576147_640Not that long ago, self-publishing your book was considered equal to sporting a scarlet letter on your chest. It was embarrassing because it meant you weren’t ‘good enough’ to be considered by traditional publishing houses. Now, with Amazon and the array of affordable tablets on the market, that tarnished letter has become much more respected, to the point that publishers are encouraging their authors to jump into the fray. Indie publishing gives writers control over their careers as well as a freedom to write on subjects some publishing houses feel uncomfortable with.

So how do you get started? Here are four things I think every author considering going indie should know:

  • Produce material.

The more full-length novels or novellas that you put out, the more you’re going to sale thus increasing your take home pay. When I published my first story, Christmas Lessons, I did okay. It sold about 2000 copies in those first six months, but after that, sales just dried up. Then I published several more novellas and a full-length novel, and a friend of mine asked if she could use some of my novellas for collections. Before I knew it, sales took off and haven’t slowed down. My little check from my first novella increased each time I put out new material. Now I bring in between $200-$500 a month from my indie books.

  • Cultivate a support system.

I’m extraordinarily blessed to be a part of a group of writing friends who not only encourage me but answer questions about indie publishing. Need to know how much to space out the lines when you’re publishing with Amazon? Looking for someone to do the cover art for your next novella? That’s what these friends do, as well as love and pray for me. But it didn’t happen overnight. It takes time. A few good places to look for your people is on Facebook. There are several indie author’s groups like ACFW Indie Authors, Christian Indie Authors, Clean Indie Authors and IndieGypsy.

  • Hire an editor.

There is nothing more embarrassing than getting a review on Amazon that reads something like this: Great story and characters but the author wouldn’t know the King’s English if it bit her in the backside. Ouch! With so many people throwing stuff out there these days, you have to make yours stand out above the rest, and a good edit can do that for you. A good rule of thumb—treat every manuscript as if you’re sending it to Harper Collins or Random House. Make it as clean and the content as clear as possible. We owe it to our readers.

  • Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received in my journey to publication was to have at least three avenues of revenue coming in, or three legs of the stool that is your writing career. Don’t just depend on what you’re going to make off of your indie/traditional books—look at ways to use your expertise to bring in money. Editing and cover design are two ways to do this. Or, you can be like me and write articles and devotions for different magazines. Whatever it is, share what you’ve learned in your writing journey.


patty-hallPatty Smith-Hall is a multi-published author with Love Inspired Historical and Barbour. She currently lives in North Georgia with her husband of 30+ years, Danny; two gorgeous daughters and a future son-in-love. Her new release, Mistletoe Courtship is available on Amazon.

Filed Under: writing Tagged With: indie publishing

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ABOUT ME

Editor. Teacher. Novelist.
A passionate lover of fiction, Karin doesn't just write novels, she helps others write their best stories! A certified substantive editor with the Christian Editor Connection, her goal is to help authors to put her out of business by equipping them with the tools they need to become better writers.

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