Write Now Editing

How I Write: Kimberly Novak

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I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it a thousand more times–there’s right way to publish book. It all depends on your goals and motivation.

Children’s book author Kimberly Novak is a perfect example of that. By understanding her publishing goals, she found the right path for her book, and she shares her experiences with us today.

Welcome!

What do you write? How/why did you pick your genre?

Creating inspirational gems for God’s glory is my writing focus. My background in spiritual direction fuels my passion for writing in a way that enhances the reader’s relationship with the Lord. Much of my writing comes from life experiences or those God has inspired. Most recently, children’s Christian fiction has become dear to my heart as a creative way of sharing the power of prayer with the younger generation.

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

In my quest to produce authentic faith-based content, I look to the wisdom in The Art of Spiritual Writing by Vinita Hampton Wright. I keep this manual prominent in my writing space and refer to it often. Within its pages, Vinita covers the craft of spiritual writing from its meaning through publishing. Among the detailed and simple-to-follow suggestions are relevant self-care notes for the writer.  Also noteworthy is my favorite chapter, “So, Where Is God in All This?” I recommend this book as a must-have tool for the Christian Writer.

What’s your writing day like?

I pray daily and allow God to guide my writing time. I seek my notebook for inspirational notes, words of wisdom, and topic outlines. Often, I will jot notes down by word or phrase, returning later to create something that makes sense. I allow my writing day, as in all days, to be led by God. If He wants words on paper, it will happen.

How do you combat writer’s block?

I am motivated and inspired when listening to Christian Music or soft instrumental music. The practice of having music on in the background stirs creativity while giving me energy as I go. Entering into prayer is also another big way I combat writer’s block. Asking God to guide my mind, allowing me to know the words and topics that benefit His glory.

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

I am very visual and use this method to outline many projects. The best and most creative way I have done that is by using masking tape to mark off three columns on my office wall. The tape lines mark the beginning, middle, and end. My notes are usually written on post-its and in random order. When I am ready to get the outline going, I place the sticky notes in the column I feel they belong. When the notes are all placed, I arrange them in an order that makes sense.  This method is fun and an excellent tool for getting creativity flowing.

Are you self-published or traditionally published? Why did you decide to go that route?

Bella’s Beautiful Miracle is self-published. The decision was made when I met a Christian singer, one I consider a mentor. During that conversation, I asked her if she had any insight for an unknown author looking to share the message of God’s Love. Her response was, “If you have a message to share, get it out there.” Using that guide, I knew I wanted to publish the book without painstaking years of manuscript submissions. I sought out predominantly Christian and Catholic Publishing Houses. After much research, manuscript submissions, and a few rejections, I knew Trilogy Christian Publishing was a good fit for Bella and her miracle.

What advice do you have for new authors?

I offer the same advice I received. If God has placed a story on your heart and the ability to share it, go for it!  Don’t wait until the perfect time, publisher, or financial situation. Take everything you receive to God through prayer and allow His guidance. If something does not feel right, it probably isn’t but ask God to decipher that for you. Have fun and enjoy producing wonderful works and projects enhancing the lives of others.

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

I have worked with several freelance editors. One for Bella’s Beautiful Miracle and others associated with contributing author articles. It is essential that I work with an editor familiar with spirituality and God’s word. I have been lucky that the freelance editors I worked with were within groups I belong to or referred by my peers. I have also experienced incredible editors in the writing departments at local colleges who were very helpful and accommodating.

Kimberly Novak is a wife, mother, author, and spiritual director. Her passion for inspiring and motivating those on a spiritual journey has bloomed into various ministries. Kimberly’s mission is to enhance each journey by guiding others where the light of strength is…God’s love. Find her blog and A Little God Time at www.kimberlynovak.com. Her debut book, Bella’s Beautiful Miracle, A Caterpillar’s Journey, is available now.

Website: www.kimberlynovak.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/kimberlynovakauthor

Twitter: @knovakauthor

Instagram: knovakauthor

Book Purchase Link: Bella’s Beautiful Miracle, A Caterpillar’s Journey

How I Write: Penelope Kaye

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“Does editing ever end?”

Author Penelope Kaye has dipped her quill into several markets, but her passion is children’s picture books. That’s not a market I read OR edit, but Penelope’s advice is truly limitless — it doesn’t matter if you’re writing children’s books or writing adult novels, keep reading for great writing tips!

Thank you so much for being here. What do you write? How did you pick your genre?

I actually write in several genres—Christian nonfiction, children’s picture books, poetry, devotions, articles, and newspaper columns.

My favorite is picture books, both Christian and secular. I began writing seriously in my late 20s, to the point that writing consumed me. When I committed my life to the Lord, the desire for writing completely left. About two years later during a worship service, I saw a picture of a large number of children swarming me and Jesus handing me a gold pen. I knew God was calling me to write stories for little ones. My desire for writing returned, but it took many years before I learned to write from God’s heart.

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

For a picture book for pre-schoolers, it takes about two hours. For my adult works, it’s usually months.

As far as the editing process, does editing ever end? Honestly, it’s hard to give a specific time frame for that question. I go back over the manuscript numerous times. I read it aloud. I read it backwards. I read it to others to get their feedback. Then I leave it alone for a few days and come back to it for more editing. (For my adult books, at this point I engage a professional editor.)

All of this can take days, weeks, even months before I feel it’s ready to submit to a publisher. And then when I think I’ve reached perfection, another round of edits comes from them. But it’s always rewarding to see the beauty of your heart’s desire when you hold your first copy.

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

My hardest book was the first one, Making Crooked Places Straight. I had to include a lot of personal examples so readers could relate to the topic of spiritual warfare. Consequently, I had to deal with a lot of spiritual warfare while sharing painful experiences.

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

I derive my stories from titles, and the titles for my books come from literally anywhere—conversations, sermons, workshops, when I’m out and about or on the internet. At the same time, I hear or see a phrase that grabs my attention and I immediately get a picture of a scene or a character, which then drives the story.

Why did you decide to use a hybrid publisher?

I work with hybrid publishers so I’m able to keep all of the intellectual property, which is extremely important to me. I can create other items to sell or give away without a publisher’s approval. Hybrid publishing also gives me the final say in the layout, formatting, editing, etc.

If I’m not happy with any aspect of the direction things are going, I can freely share those concerns with my editor. I don’t sign off until I’m satisfied. I’m not a perfectionist, but I do strive for excellence.

Hybrid publishing also frees me from the actual printing, uploading files, contacting major distributors, etc. I do have the bulk of the responsibility of marketing, but every author does at this point.

I’ve worked with hybrid publishers for all of my books, and each time has been a tremendous learning curve. But it’s been worth it. This latest project especially became a team effort, and we had a great flow of suggestions back and forth that resulted in a beautiful picture book.

What advice do you have for new authors?

Attend writer’s conferences. Several of them. You may have the gift of writing, but if you don’t understand the craft of writing, your manuscript will go nowhere. I never would have had an award-winning book without the knowledge I gained from conferences. I cannot even begin to place a value on them.

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

I have worked with two freelance editors. I actually met my first one at church. She was a retired college English professor, and I had wanted to meet her for a long time. We attended different services, so I kept missing her. One day we connected, and I asked her if she would be willing to help me with my manuscript. Long story short, circumstances allowed me to sit with her for hours editing page by page, line by line for five chapters. The knowledge and understanding I gained was phenomenal. Took my manuscript from grade-school level to a doctorate level.

I connected with another editor (for the same manuscript) after one of my endorsers recommended I engage a professional editor to polish things up. Again, she provided outstanding work.

What does your revision process look like?

Messy. I cut and paste; shift words, sentences, whole paragraphs; backspace repeatedly; delete words, sentences, whole paragraphs; and sometimes start all over.

If, in the midst of the messiness, I can’t make the words gel, I print off the page and cross out, draw arrows, scribble, write notes until I’m satisfied. Then I go back to the computer and add it to the text.

A teacher who loves to write, Penelope Kaye has taught in a variety of venues over the years. Her writing includes poems, newspaper columns, and children’s church curriculum, as well as writing and choreographing several children’s holiday programs. Author of the award-winning book Making Crooked Places Straight as well as a writer’s how-to book called Land Media Interviews Without a Publicist, she annually reviews children’s picture books for the highly respected High Plains BookFest. With more than thirty visits to Yellowstone National Park, she is thrilled that the setting of her first picture book, I Do Not Like the Rotten Egg Scent in Yellowstone National Park, encapsulates her vivid memories of majestic landscapes, unpredictable buffalo, Old Faithful eruptions, and, of course, the rotten egg scent. Penelope lives in the Mountain West and enjoys walking, completing word puzzles, and eating blueberries anytime of the day.

Link for website: https://ps2710.com/
Link specific for children’s books: https://ps2710.com/just-for-kids-books-new
Link for children’s letter: https://ps2710.com/letter-just-for-you
Link for children’s freebies: https://ps2710.com/justforkidsresources
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/Penelope-Kaye-author-718916071559856
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3anTfG1

How I Write: Nancy I. Sanders

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Are you still waiting to finish your manuscript before you submit it? Author Nancy I. Sanders has a different approach you might want to take. With more than 100+ published books, you can trust her advice–been there, done that, and now she’s sharing her secrets with us. (Thank you!)

What do you write? How/why did you pick your genre?

I write for children. With over 100 books published, some I write because the topics interest me. Others I write because a publisher is interested in that topic. And others I write because they seem like a good fit in the current market which means there’s a strong possibility a publisher will offer me a contract. That’s why I wrote my newest book, the gold-medal winning Bedtime With Mommy because I felt it was a good fit in the current market. A publisher picked it up just a month after I finished writing it! And it already won a gold medal!

Wow—congratulations! How long does it take you to write the book?

Before I write it, I like to brainstorm ideas for a potential manuscript. Bedtime With Mommy took me about 6 months to brainstorm the idea after reading tons of baby board books and studying publisher’s catalogs for a unique idea to a universal topic. It then took me about a month to write and edit it.

When I wrote The Bible Explorer’s Guide: 1,000 Amazing Facts and Photos, it was an assignment so I just had two months of intense research, writing, editing to write the manuscript for that deadline. Plus, I had to recommend all those images, too!

When I wrote my nonfiction biography for middle grade and young adult, Jane Austen for Kids, it took me one day to brainstorm for it. (The idea hit me while reading a Jane Austen novel and I instantly knew it would be a perfect fit for my publisher I already had several titles with.) The editor requested the proposal in one day after receiving my pitch. And then it took me about two and a half years to research and write it. That included traveling to Paris and England and attending a Jane Austen convention in Huntington Beach, CA and taking my own photos for the book. Once it was with the publisher, it took several months of back-and-forth editing before sending it off to the printer.

That sounds like a lot of fun. 😊 How do you combat writer’s block?

The short answer: I create an environment for my brain to enjoy playing with words. The long answer: I teach an entire audio class on this (with lots of handouts!) that’s called GETTING IN THE WRITER’S ZONE. It’s available for just $29 at The Serious Writer Academy.

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

I’ve learned to plot the entire book from beginning to end even before I start. (I’ve had to do this with numerous publishers who require a proposal with a page-by-page synopsis for a picture book or chapter-by-chapter synopsis for a longer book before the book is written. That’s because like many career writers, I often sign a contract to write the book before the book is written.) But then whether I’m writing fiction or nonfiction, picture books or chapter books, I allow myself to take detours as the characters and events demand while they’re coming to life in the first draft. So I do both.

If you’re self-published, why did you decide to go that route?

I’ve self-published my two books on how to write children’s books because I wanted total control of the books including how long they stay in print. Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published, and Build a Successful Writing Career is an insider’s peek at the strategies I’ve used to build a successful career as a children’s writer. Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Beginning Readers and Chapter Books gives the nuts and bolts of writing for young readers.

If you’re traditionally published, why did you decide to go that route?

I’ve had 100+ books published by traditional publishers because as a career writer, that’s where I earn my solid income through both work-for-hire contracts and royalty contracts.

What’s surprised you the most about the publishing process? That many career writers land a contract before they write their book. It’s not mentioned at writer’s conferences, where they usually just talk about sending in your completed manuscript to try to get a contract for it.

What advice do you have for new authors?

Learn to get published frequently and often by writing for the no-pay/low-pay market such as Sunday School take home papers and children’s magazines. It’s like taking a college course on writing…for free! Also, learn to earn income while you’re writing by signing contracts before you write the book. (I tell how to do this in my first how-to book.) And then always also be working on writing manuscripts that are near and dear to your heart. In other words, always be working on three different manuscripts for three different goals.

What does your revision process look like?

I’m a list person. I make lists of words that support my topic. I make lists of universal themes that tug on every child’s heart. I make lists of funny stuff that makes kids laugh. I make lists of sensory details that fit the background of my story. The list goes on! So after I get my first handwritten draft finished of a paragraph, stanza, scene, or chapter, I type it into the computer. Then I pull out my lists and the fun begins! I plug in a certain number of funny stuff if it’s a humorous book. I plug in a certain number of words that support my topic. I plug in a certain number of sensory details, etc.

Nancy I. Sanders is the bestselling and award-winning children’s author of more than 100 books including the gold-medal winning board book Bedtime with Mommy. Her book The Bible Explorer’s Guide: 1000 Amazing Facts and Photos (Zonderkidz, 2017) was co-winner of ECPA’s 2018 Young People’s Literature Award. Jane Austen for Kids (Chicago Review Press, 2019) explores the daily life, faith, and writings of one of the most beloved authors in literature. For more information about Nancy, visit her website at

Website: http://nancyisanders.com
Blogzone (for writers): https://nancyisanders.wordpress.com  
Christian Children’s Authors group blog: https://christianchildrensauthors.com/
Write2Ignite group blog: https://write2ignite.com/blog/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancyisanders
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancyisanders   
Facebook Author’s Page: https://www.facebook.com/NancyI.SandersAuthorPage/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyISanders
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nancyisanders/
Amazon Author’s Page: www.amazon.com/author/nancysanders
Teachers Pay Teachers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teacher-Plus-Writer
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/95924.Nancy_I_Sanders
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyisanders/

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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Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

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Substantive Fiction Editing: A substantive edit looks at the big picture. Start here to tackle the big issues before moving on to the nit-picky details. Substantive edits not only point out … [more]

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Lover of all things fiction, I also love University of Michigan football, the Detroit Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings, kayaking, gluten-free cupcakes, and my husband.

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