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Writing Tips from Cherrilynn Bisbano

January 30, 2023 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

What is your favorite craft book?

Writer to Writer by Cecil Murphy. Cecil gives tips and tools for everything from book proposals to grammar.

Which do you think is the most underrated craft book? Why?

Writer to Writer by Cecil Murphy. This book has bite size nuggets of writing advice. A writer can read for hours or just glean from one minute of scanning the book.

What is your favorite (or most anticipated) writers conference?

Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. It’s like writers heaven with worship, workshops, and great food. I have the honor of teaching book proposals this year.

What’s your favorite other source (YouTube, podcast, etc.) for writing tips/info?

I’m old fashioned and love to hear a person’s voice. I phone a friend. I’m blessed to know many writers who are best-selling authors and take the time to help others.

Who is your writing mentor/inspiration? Why?

Cecil Murphy. He’s honest about my writing, yet kind. He told me where my writing needed improvement and gave me the tools to improve. He helps many writers behind the scenes. I’m inspired to help others now.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received? Why was it bad?

Only write what you know. Personally, I love to learn. I immerse myself in study, talk to the experts, and then write about the topic. If I stuck with just what I knew, my books would be boring, and I’d miss out on the adventure of learning.

What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever received?

Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare your writing to your previous stuff. If your improving, keep learning and never stop. No one is a perfect writer.

What would you say is the best writing tip for new authors?

Listen and learn. Go to as many writing conferences as you can. They are an investment in your writing.

What is your best self-editing tip or advice?

I know this seems lazy, but use Grammarly, Pro Writing Aid, or another document checker before you hit send, even if your manuscript was professionally edited.

Please share your most encouraging tip for frustrated/discouraged writers.

When I’m frustrated or discouraged, I walk, pray, or call a writing friend. Every writer gets frustrated and discouraged—it’s part of the job description.

I think of writers like Stephen King, Jerry Jenkins, and others who received many rejections, even after writing a best-selling book. Rejection is part of the writing process. Your book may be good, however, the publisher may have one like it, or it’s not the genre they are looking for at the time.

Thank you for the opportunity to share. My passion is helping writers achieve their goals. If I helped in any way, I am grateful.


Experience Immanuel Daily is a 30-day devotional that can be used as an Advent reader, personal, or group Bible study. It uses Bible characters to demonstrate how Immanuel manifests himself through trials, daily tasks, and emotional difficulties. The book will be out this year.

Cherrilynn Bisbano is an award-winning writer in both fiction and non-fiction. Her passion is helping other writers fulfill their dream of completing a book, article, or memoir through coaching, teaching on-line or at conferences. She loves Christ, chocolate, coffee, and cats. She is an avid sea glass hunter who loves spending time with friends and family. Cherrilynn’s husband of 24 years joins her in editing projects. Her 21 year old son is a musician and attends Ground 40 ministries.

www.cherrilynnbisbano.com
Facebook: Cherrilynn Bisbano Author
Instagram: Cherrilynn3
LinkedIn: Cherrilynn Bisbano
Twitter: @bisbanowrites

Filed Under: best practices, writing Tagged With: editing tips, fiction writing, self-editing, writing books, writing conferences, writing fiction, writing resources, writing tips, writing tools

An Independence Day Reminder

July 4, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

As we celebrate today with fireworks, parades, and hot dogs, please also take a moment to remember what and why we celebrate. To help, here’s our Declaration of Independence:

In Congress, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.–Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Filed Under: best practices Tagged With: holidays

10 Easy Ways to Succeed at Freelancing: #5, Get a Calendar

June 13, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

You may have noticed that last month’s tips for successful freelancing didn’t go up. That’s because I forgot about it. Why did I forget to share freelance tips? Because I didn’t write it down. And by “write,” I mean “write”—with a pen and paper.

Here’s your quick and easy tip for succeeding at freelancing this month: find a calendar that works for you and use it.

I’ve heard people argue about how outdated day planners are; they insist that “real” professionals do everything online. I disagree. Real professionals do whatever helps them meet deadlines and be professional.

I’m a pen and paper girl. My favorite time of the year is when the new Franklin Covey catalog comes out. I’ll have my 2023 planner by October 2022 because that’s the system that works best for me.

If you hate day planners, don’t use them. There are lots of online calendar programs and apps—you can use Google’s free calendar or pay for a more advanced system. There’s no right or wrong answer as long as you’re using whatever method helps you track and remember your deadlines.

That’s all for today. Now I’m going to mark my calendar so I remember to post another top ten freelancing tip in July. Don’t forget to leave yourself a note to check it. Until then, follow me on Facebook and signup for my newsletter for more writing, editing, and publishing tips throughout the month.

Filed Under: best practices Tagged With: 10 Easy Ways to Succeed at Freelancing, freelance, freelance editor, freelance life, freelance tips, freelance work, freelance writer

Why Read? by Sandra Glahn

May 3, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

I teach a seminary course in Theology and Literature, and I asked my students on the last day of class to tell me why people should read. I got my main points from them:

Read for information. Want to learn about women at the time of the earliest Christians? You can find books about that. Want to learn how submarines work? Your library has resources. Reading can expand our knowledge. In the days of Martin Luther, when a man was ordained, he marked the occasion by gifting the local monastery with a book—because books were so rare. Fast forward five hundred years—we can download scores of classics for free, find inexpensive paperbacks, and shop in stores full of used books. We can get PDFs of academic articles from all over the world, and we can have the latest Nobel winner delivered to our door. Reading is the doorway through which we enter all these worlds of ideas.

Read for empathy. Reading is the closest we’ll get to omniscience. Through reading, we can get inside the mind of another and see the world from his or her perspective. According to Harvard Business Review, “We may be assuming that reading for knowledge is the best reason to pick up a book.” But research “suggests that reading fiction may provide far more important benefits than nonfiction… Reading literary fiction helps people develop empathy, theory of mind, and critical thinking.” And empathy can change us. For all its weaknesses, the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, published in two volumes in 1852, allowed nineteenth-century literate Americans to see the world through the eyes of enslaved persons. Consequently, Stowe’s work “helped lay the groundwork for the [American] Civil War.”[1] Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy is helping later generations to feel the effects of an unjust prison system and advocate for change.

Read for exposure to people and places. Earth is currently comprised of 196 countries. One of my friends has a goal to read a book set in each one of them. Why? So she can better understand the world. She won’t get to travel to all 196 countries, but she can enter far-off places through her imagination. I will probably never visit totalitarian North Korea, but the Pulitzer winner The Orphan Master’s Son allowed me to experience life under its cruel dictatorship without having to suffer its abuses.

Read for companionship.  When my husband and I experienced a decade of infertility and pregnancy loss, I often felt alone in my grief as my church experienced a baby boom. Reading books by others who had gone through the same trauma helped me feel less alone. As I read, I thought, “You too?

Read as a spiritual discipline. In his book Under the Unpredictable Plant, the late pastor Eugene Peterson lists reading as one of the spiritual disciplines. When he was a young pastor lacking role models, he holed himself up in his office for several hours a week and read great novels. One such work was The Brothers Karamazov. Dostoevsky’s book shows grace embodied in the lives of several characters. Les Miserable’s “candlestick” scene provides another such picture of what grace can look like lived out in human interaction. 

The Count of Monte Cristo showed me why revenge never satisfies. Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time convinced me that “perfect love casts out fear” long before I realized she was quoting 1 John. Mako Fujimura in his book Culture Care helped me see the need for “slow art,” described by David Brooks of the New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time.”

 Why do you read? How have books changed you?


Dr. Sandra Glahn is professor of Media Arts and Worship at Dallas Theological Seminary and author of numerous books, including Latte with Luke (AMG). You can find her at aspire2.com, or follow her on Twitter: @sandraglahn

[1] Kaufman, Will (2006). The Civil War in American Culture. Edinburgh University Press.

Filed Under: best practices Tagged With: author interview, reading, reading fiction, reading nonfiction, reading tips

10 Easy Ways to Succeed at Freelancing: #3, Professional Impressions

March 17, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Have you ever watched the movie Legally Blonde? In it, Elle Woods prints her resume on pink, scented paper to help it stand out. It stands out, alright, but not in the right way.

The same is true for freelance writers and editors—how you present yourself will make you stand out. It’s up to you to make sure you stand out in a good way. Here are four easy tips for making the best professional impression.

Follow the Submission Guidelines: Nothing screams “amateur” like not following the directions. In fact, so few people follow the guidelines that people who do follow them stand out as the kind of people publishers want to talk to. Do yourself a favor and learn those guidelines!

Know and Follow Industry Standards: Following the directions will get your foot in the door, but if your query letter or pitch are written in Comic Sans font with 2.5” margins (on pink, scented paper), the real message you’re sending is, “I don’t believe in myself, so I’m hoping the gimmicks will get your attention.” They will, but not the way you want them to. Times New Roman 12-point font is your friend.

Mind Your Manners: It’s amazing how far a “please” and “thank you” will take you these days, not to mention a polite, “Dear, So-So” and a “Sincerely.” Once you’ve developed a relationship with someone, it’s fine (and appropriate) to become more casual in your correspondence. Until then, however, mind your manners.

24-Hour Rule: When you do receive an email or message from a publisher or client, respond within 24-business-hours (if you get an email at 4 p.m. on Friday afternoon, respond by 4 p.m. Monday afternoon). Even if you can’t help them in that time frame, send a quick, “I got your email,” so the sender knows you received it and will take care of it.

By following these four simple steps, you’ll set yourself apart as someone publishers and clients want to talk to, and if they want to talk to you, you’re one step closer to getting the job!

Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook and signup for my newsletter for more writing, editing, and publishing tips throughout the month.

Filed Under: best practices Tagged With: 10 Easy Ways to Succeed at Freelancing, editing tips, freelance, freelance life, freelance work, writing tips

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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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