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How I Write: Shadia Hrichi

May 16, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

I talk with a lot of novelists here, but today we’re going to chat with a Bible teacher because I love learning about all kinds of writing. If you’re interested in writing Bible studies (or other instructional books), today is your day, and Shadia is your girl!

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

I write women’s Bible studies that center on “messy” stories in the Bible that are often overlooked or even avoided. I am drawn to these stories because I can relate to them. But with each one, I also want to know what I have been missing, and what fresh insights will I discover about God through the story? For example, my latest Bible study centers on Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah, who disguised herself as a prostitute and slept with her father-in-law. Talk about messy! She took risks, and God used her actions to alter the trajectory of human history!

At the same time, Tamar’s story gives me hope. I look at her story and think: if God can step into kind of mess and turn it into something beautiful, He can certainly help me get through whatever I’m dealing with.

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

Usually, the hardest part is when God asks me to share something difficult from my own experiences. As a Bible teacher, I love studying God’s Word and writing studies that encourage readers to really dig deep into their Bibles. But when God taps me on the shoulder and essentially says, “Let’s make it personal,”that’s sometimes hard. And yet, those stories are often what God uses to help the reader connect to me as the author, so that they feel like we are journeying through our stories together.

How long does it take you to: write a bible study? Edit it? Finalize it?

I typically structure my Bible studies to be divided into 6 or 7 weeks (however, because the studies are in-depth, I often recommend readers double that time to get the most they can out of them). I usually spend one and a half to two weeks writing each day of homework, including editing and rewrites. Once a full week of study is drafted, I’ll then reread the full week several times and make additional edits. Once I’m satisfied, I send the week (chapter) to my team of five beta readers for their input/suggestions/feedback, after which I’ll make even more changes. Each study takes an average of 14 to 16 months total before it’s ready to send to the publisher.

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

The first Bible study was definitely the hardest. When I wrote my first in-depth Bible study on Hagar, I had to think through and create many structural elements to organize the days and weeks of the study in a way that was both functional and appealing to the readers. A study that is merely academic is not always interesting, so I added special features to the structure, such as Pause to Ponder sections for personal reflection and Your Turn sections for personal application. These types of structural elements became the template for the next studies.

I’ll never forget the first developmental edit I received back from my publisher. The publisher asked me to cut 10,000 words from the last two weeks of the study. The editor explained that readers would be unprepared to suddenly discover the last weeks required more work. I realized he was right, but ouch! Ten thousand words was hard! (Believe me, I never made that mistake again.)

How do you prepare to write your books?

I actually created a 10-step form to help me outline my Bible studies before I write a single word. The form guides me (or any writer) through a series of steps whereby I brainstorm answers to specific questions.

For example, my first step is to list the primary and secondary themes for the study. That may sound simple, but having a topic in mind for the study is different from identifying the primary themes of the study. I include questions on the form to help me narrow down the key themes. Step two is to brainstorm the main takeaway for the reader (this is something you envision will appear on the back cover of the printed book). There are 10 detailed steps in all. Several will take days to brainstorm and complete, but once I complete all of the steps, I have everything I need to begin writing.

I’ve taught these 10-steps at writers conferences, and the workshop is now available on my website if that’s something your readers might be interested in.

What advice do you have for new authors?

Wherever you are in your writing ministry, before you go any further, gather a prayer team to support and encourage you. Writing is HARD for anyone, but for the Christian, you also contend with an enemy who will stop at nothing to keep your words from ministering to others. Schedule monthly prayer meetings at home or on Zoom. Communicate with your prayer team regularly via email, so that they can print your prayers and praises and pray for you.

Writing is not only hard, but it’s a solitary experience. Staying in touch with a committed circle of prayer warriors and sharing your struggles – and triumphs – in your writing journey (or in ministry in general) will provide a strong foundation of support and much needed encouragement.

What does your revision process look like?

I like to physically print the pages and go through them word by word with a simple red pen. First, I’ll read it silently and look for breaks in the flow, questions that aren’t clear, or anything else where I see room for improvement. After that edit, I’ll type in the changes, print the pages again, and grab the red pen.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Several times.

Once I have a working draft that I’m satisfied with, I’ll print it out again; only this time, I read it out loud all the way through. I may pause briefly to make some quick notes, but my aim is to read it straight through to hear the flow and rhythm of the study. Finally, I’ll read it again silently and make further edits until I believe it is as good as it can be.

But I’m not finished. Then, I sleep on it and re-read it the next day (or a few days later). God usually shows me ways it can be improved even more. After those changes, I send it to my beta readers along with a document I put together called a “chapter evaluation form” and wait to read their suggestions, which always help to make the manuscript even better. After all, God describes his church as “one body; many parts.” We cannot do this alone!


Shadia Hrichi is a passionate Bible teacher, author, and speaker who stirs the hearts and minds of her audience through personal story, illustration, and her unwavering confidence in the authority of God’s Word. She holds a master’s in biblical and theological studies as well as a master’s in criminal justice. Shadia is the author of several Bible studies, including TAMAR, HAGAR, LEGION, and WORTHY OF LOVE, and is the recipient of the 2022 WCCW “God’s Word is Alive” Award.

In addition to writing and teaching, Shadia leads Online Bible Studies, and provides coaching for writers, theological review of manuscripts, and online workshops. Visit her Just For Writers page for details. Currently residing in northern California, Shadia often speaks at churches, conferences, women’s retreats, and loves to join women’s Bible study groups on Zoom. Each week, she makes it her aim to head to the beach for “a date with Jesus.” Visit https://www.shadiahrichi.com

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, Bible studies, editing tips, nonfiction, writing nonfiction, writing tips, writing tools

How I Write: Lori Hatcher

April 4, 2022 by Karin Beery 3 Comments

For all of my nonfiction writers and readers, today’s interview is for you! Lori Hatcher writes Christian devotions, and today she’s talking about her experiences writing and editing those books (including her lastest — see more at the end!).

Thank you so much for being here! Why did you decide to write devotions?

I didn’t pick my genre. My genre picked me! Devotions are my sweet spot. I’ve always loved writing devotions, but for a long time had the (wrong) impression that devotions were the “kindergarten” of Christian writing. You know, something I needed to grow out of as I gained writing skill. The more devotions I wrote, however, the more I discovered it takes great skill to communicate spiritual truth in a small number of words. Now I consider devotion writing the post-graduate of Christian writing (smile).

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

The wordcount! Some projects I write for allow as little as 150-200 words to craft a cohesive and meaningful piece. It’s easy to write long-form content, but extremely challenging to compose a devotion with a hook, a body, and a conclusion in only a few hundred words.

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

A normal contract for me has been 5-6 months. I spend five months writing, then I let the manuscript cool for a few weeks, then edit it one more time before I submit.

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

Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible was much easier to write than Refresh Your Prayers because it had a natural order. The devotion on Leviticus followed the devotion on Exodus, which followed the devotion on Genesis. In Refresh Your Prayers, my editor and I spent a lot of time dividing the book into sections and finding a logical sequence for the devotions within the sections. We began with What Is Prayer, then moved to The God To Whom We Pray to, then Why Pray?, and What Should I Pray? And within those divisions, we also had to order the content.

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

Both! I plan a general framework first. I write five-minute devotions for busy people, so I knew each devotion had to be no more than 800-900 words. In Refresh Your Prayers, this included an Uncommon Power statement, a Praise Prompt, and a Live It Out challenge. As I crafted each devotion, I prayed for inspiration, studied a ton of Bible verses about prayer, and then selected a real-life story to go with every prayer principle. I call this I guess you could call this plotted pantsing  😊.

What advice do you have for new authors?

Dedicate your writing to God and pray about every aspect of it. Ask Him to guide and inspire your writing. Invite Him to direct your paths and open the doors He wants you to walk through. Trust Him to move you along at the pace He knows is right. Surrender your efforts to Him. Thank Him for allowing you to write for Him. When praise comes your way, give Him the glory.

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

I’ve had the privilege of working with Rachel Kirsch, an amazing freelance editor, on Refresh Your Faith and Refresh Your Prayers. She was assigned by my publisher, Our Daily Bread. The experience was a wonderful learning opportunity. Rachel provided me with a style sheet that guided me through the preferences of the publishing house (ex. Capitalized deity pronouns, books of the Bible spelled out). She helped me organize the devotions into a logical sequence, suggested additional topics she felt were important, and challenged me not to avoid hard topics. My books are so much better because of her guidance and partnership.

How do you self-edit your manuscript?

I always read it aloud or have my computer read it to me. It’s amazing the errors I catch this way. Sometimes I’ll run it through ProWritingAid, a super helpful (free) online editing software. When I’ve polished it as much as I can, I send it to my critique partner. She’s my second pair of eyes. When the manuscript is complete, I let it rest for several weeks to give my brain and eyes a break. Then I print it (yes, all 55,000 words) and read it aloud again, making notes on the hard copy. When I’ve made those edits, I know I’m ready to submit.


Lori Hatcher has been on a lifelong quest to know and love God more. Her deepest desire is for others to join her on the journey. As an author, blogger, editor, women’s ministry speaker, and career dental hygienist, she writes for Our Daily Bread, Guideposts, Revive Our Hearts, and Crosswalk.com. She’s written three devotional books, including Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible, and Hungry for God…Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women. Her latest book, Refresh Your Prayers, Uncommon Devotions to Restore Power and Praise releases March 1, 2022. Connect with her at www.LoriHatcher.com or on Facebook, Twitter (@lorihatcher2) or Pinterest (Hungry for God).

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, editing tips, self-editing, writing devotions, writing nonfiction, writing tips, writing tools

Editing Secrets of Best-Selling Authors by Kathy Ide (book review)

April 1, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Successful writers spend a lot more time editing than they do writing. They know that first drafts need extensive revisions to ensure their stories or messages come across clearly and effectively.

In this book you’ll find a wealth of suggestions from best-selling authors who have studied editing techniques and implemented them in their books, which have touched the hearts and lives of readers around the world.

If you’re an aspiring, beginning, or intermediate writer, this book will help you polish your manuscript and get it ready for publication. If you’re an established author, these tips can help you edit other writers’ manuscripts, either in a critique group setting or as an editorial freelancer.


For years, the go-to self-editing book for novelists has been “Self-Editing for Fiction Writers” by King and Browne, but I think this book has supplanted that book and made it my must-have recommendation for writers and editors alike.

“Editing Secrets of Best-Selling Authors” doesn’t go into as much detail when it comes to self-editing, but it identifies and addresses MANY more issues than appear in King and Browne’s book. Ide’s book also looks at nonfiction editing, as well as identifying different types of editing. In my opinion, if you’re looking for a comprehensive explanation of what’s involved in a self-edit, this is the book for you.

This is also a book I’ll recommend to people wanting to start their editing careers–the detailed lists of what’s involved in the different types of editing for different types of books will give new editors a good idea of the type of work they’ll need to master and provide to their clients.

Without a doubt, this book is on my must-have shelf for writers and editors.

Rated G. Get your copy here!

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Filed Under: book reviews Tagged With: book review, editing fiction, editing nonfiction, editing tips, fiction editing, Kathy Ide, nonfiction editing, self-editing, writing tips

How I Write: Linda Rondeau

March 21, 2022 by Karin Beery 1 Comment

Linda Rondeau’s been on both sides of the manuscript — as an author and as an editor. Today she shares about how she strengthened her writing skills.

Welcome! You’ve written several books in your career. Which was harder: the first book or the following books?

Writing is hard, whether the first or the most recent book. After fourteen published works, I’m still fearful when I start a new manuscript. I think the first book was the easiest because I was not encumbered with fears of failure; I was too enthralled with the ride. After the first book was published, I was overcome with the responsibilities of the aftermath—thinking about marketing as I was writing.

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

The best book on writing I have read is On Writing by Steven King. The first half was about his life and how he came into writing. The second half was basic concepts. I liked the book because he understood and encouraged every writer to follow their own style. It can be harmful for an author to think there is only one correct way to manage a manuscript or to even create one. While traditional concepts may be helpful, they are not commandments. Like the pirate’s code, they are guidelines.

What’s your favorite writers conference? What do you like about it?

I have to give the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference two thumbs up, at least for me. I attended the first one in 2001 and received the Writer of the Year award for a poem. God had called me to write in June of 2000, but I had no clue what I needed to do. At that conference, God cemented his call and reinforces that call each time I attend. Though the conference is managed by different folks, I still feel that same anointing.  

What’s your writing day like?

I must laugh whenever asked this question—I never know what my day will bring.

When my husband and I married, we made only one promise to each other: never a dull moment. Very few of my days resemble one another. I might have a plan when I wake up, but the Hubs and God are very good and rearranging my lofty ambitions.

I do have a few habits involved in my day-to-day life, certain must-do activities in order to function. When I get up, I’m in fog territory. I grab a cup of coffee and do brain exercises to wake up. Then I have my quiet time with God. I look at what I had written down as must do, should do, and maybe can wait a few days. I do try to plan out my writing and marketing tasks as well as my editing expectations, but I’ve learned to be flexible.

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

So many things I had to learn in this process. Perhaps the most humbling was how much editing my works would require. The carpenter’s house barely stands and the plumber’s pipes are always leaking. No matter how much we think we know about writing, we are unable to be adequately objective of our own manuscripts. I was surprised because I thought I had a good command of English, grammar, and syntax. I was humbled as I learned the craft. Writing fiction is much different than writing  a term paper!

What advice do you have for new writers?

Don’t be in a hurry to get published. Learn the craft, get involved with writers’ groups, take online courses and/or attend writers’ conferences, join a critique group, and be patient. Good cooks are not born as good cooks, though they may have talent. To become a master chef takes preparation, thought, and practice.

Don’t start with a book. Perhaps start with a blog. If you’re writing fiction then start with some flash fiction, then perhaps short stories, and then evolve them into books.

How do you self-edit your manuscripts?

I often tell writers the person who edits their own work has a fool for an editor. I’m an editor and I desperately need a pair of objective eyes on my manuscript. That said, there are things we can do to polish our manuscripts other than proofreading. I go over each chapter a dozen times or more. I will look for inconsistences in description. Did my character with blue eyes all of a sudden have brown eyes? Did I change the name in places? I highly recommend the book Self-editing for Fiction Writers.

What does your revision process look like?

Revision is not the same as self-editing. Besides some of the above, I put my manuscript aside for a minimum of three-five days. I need to look at my work with fresh eyes and a less fatigued brain. Ideally, Steven King recommends six weeks or more. I often don’t have that much luxury of time.

While some authors prefer to work chapter by chapter, I prefer to complete the story first. Because I’m a more intuitive writer, I can’t really critique myself on story development until I’m finished.  Then, I examine the work for cohesiveness, consistency, impact, and relativity. Rather than look at the trees, I examine the manuscript as a forest.


Award-winning author, Linda Wood Rondeau writes stories that grip the heart, inspired by her nearly thirty years of social work. When not writing or speaking, she enjoys the occasional round of golf, visiting museums, and taking walks with her best friend in life, her husband of forty-five years. The couple resides in Hagerstown, Maryland where both are active in their local church. Readers may learn more about the author, read her blog, or sign up for her newsletter by visiting www.lindarondeau.com.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lwrondeau
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/linda-wood-rondeau
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Wood-Rondeau/e/B006FNG1BI
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/lindawoodrondeau
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorlindawoodrondeau/ 

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference, editing tips, fiction writing, Linda Rondeau, self-editing, Stephen King, writing conferences, writing fiction, writing 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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