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How I Write: Lisa Betz

January 7, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Lisa Betz isn’t afraid to write something a little different–that’s how she ended up writing first-century mysteries! Like most authors, she’s honed her own unique approach to writing, and she shares some of her tips and secrets with us today.

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

I have always been drawn to books that were a little different than what everyone else was reading (or writing). That’s how I ended up writing mysteries set in first-century Rome. My novels combine the intriguing setting of a far-off time and place with the action and suspense of a mystery, and then I throw in a dash of quirky humor and some eccentric characters.

My interest in the Roman Empire stems from many years teaching Bible studies. I have tried to absorb as much as possible about the culture and history of first-century Rome so I can bring the ancient world to life and make the Bible more relevant to modern Christians. I love learning history the “painless” way through good fiction.

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

Both were hard in different ways. Death and a Crocodile was my first attempt at a mystery, so getting the plot and structure right was a challenge. I spent a lot of time revising scenes to get the clues in the right place and the logic clear enough to follow. When I started the manuscript for the second book in the series, Fountains and Secrets, it was harder than I expected to match the voice that had seemed so effortless in the first book. I discovered I was overthinking and creating too much drama. When I relaxed, the voice flowed.

What’s your favorite book on writing?

Wired for Story by Lisa Cron. It’s a mixture of neuroscience and good writing advice. I’ve found it fascinating as well as invaluable in helping me avoid the kind of mistakes that annoy readers. She explains why some common writing misconceptions don’t work, and what to do instead.

What’s your favorite writers conference?

I’ve been attending the Lancaster Christian Writers annual one-day conference each spring for many years. It’s local and it was just the right size for me as a beginning writer. It has been an invaluable resource over the years as I have grown in my craft, offering workshops and opportunities to have one-on-one talks with writers and editors. Now I’ve graduated to being a workshop presenter at the next conference.  

How do you combat writer’s block?

My biggest struggle is overcoming Resistance. Often my feelings tell me I don’t have the energy to write, or my brain tells me it’s too weary or stressed to think right now. I’ve found that when I sit down and start working anyway, I discover I had more energy and focus than I thought.

I also suffer from what I call mini writer’s block. I get stuck on the wording of a particular sentence or on how the character should react in the middle of a particular scene. I’m learning to simply make a note of the issue that needs to be resolved and allow myself to deal with it later. [I type comments to myself in square brackets so they’re easy to find later.]

Another trick I use when I’m stuck is to jot down every possible action the characters could take (even the stupid or obvious ones). After listing five or so I usually think of one that feels like a good choice.

What advice do you have for new authors?

Read a variety of books in the genre you want to write, so you have a firm understanding of what readers expect and what makes a great book in that genre. (Every genre has its unwritten expectations about what the book should deliver.)

Find critique partners who can give you valuable feedback. We all have blind spots, so we need peers who can help us. For example, I have a critique partner who is always asking, “What is she feeling in this scene?” I tend to skip over emotions, so my critique partner reminds me to include those important descriptions.

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

I’ve hired an editor to do a content edit of all my manuscripts and it has been invaluable! I learn so much, and my books are SO much better. The editor I use is someone who I’ve gotten to know over the years through my local writers’ group. That prior connection was important.

You must find someone who “gets” you and your work. I’ve received sample edits from editors who didn’t understand my style or my story, and their feedback wasn’t as helpful.

What does your revision process look like?

I compose on the computer, but I revise better with a printout and a pencil. Most scenes take many rounds of editing. I used to try to fix all the problems in a scene with one round of editing, but I’ve learned that’s not productive. First of all, it’s impossible, secondly, it’s too stressful, and thirdly, I waste time perfecting sentences that I’ll end up cutting later.

Now I give myself permission to only fix so much in any one round of editing. I try to focus on the big, structural stuff in the first rounds before wasting time worrying about the details. (It’s really hard to ignore awkward sentences but I remind myself I can trust my process. Those sentences will be fixed eventually.)

Once I have the scenes and overall plot structure settled, I focus more on the character responses and relationships, getting the right clues in the right order, and layering setting details. The more rounds of editing I put into a scene, the more my voice starts to shine through.

I also remind myself that all that paper and printer ink isn’t being wasted. It’s an investment in creating the best product I can.


Lisa E. Betz worked as an engineer, substitute teacher, and play director before becoming an award-winning mystery writer. She brings her analytical mind, quirky humor, and positive outlook to all she writes. She draws inspiration from thirty-five years of leading Bible studies to create entertaining mysteries set in the world of the early church, and then she fills that world with eccentric characters, independent females, and an occasional sausage-snatching cat. Her debut mystery, Death and a Crocodile, was named the Golden Scroll Novel of the Year.

Website:  www.lisaebetz.com
Email: lisa@lisaebetz.com
Twitter:  @LisaEBetz
Facebook page: LisaEBetzWriter

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, editing tips, freelance editor, historical fiction, interview, Lisa Betz, mysteries, self-editing, writing, writing tips

How I Write: Susan Neal

September 13, 2021 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Writers love to write, and many of them write in different genres. Sometimes, however, it takes some trial and error before we find just the right genre for our talents and passions.

That’s how author Susan Neal stumbled into a genre that’s helping her reach tens of thousands of people with life-changing books.

Thank you so much for being here today! How did you pick your genre?

I write healthy living non-fiction books. It took me a long time to figure out my genre. I tried to write fiction, short stories, and devotions. But I received rejections with everything I submitted. I think all along God wanted me to use my nursing background and experience with losing my health to write books to help others improve their health and weight. I feel as though I had a Divine-led genre path.

What’s the most difficult part of writing your genre? 

Research is the tough part. I read clinical research articles and search valid websites for pertinent information. This takes time and effort, but I want the most accurate information for my readers. My book, Solving the Gluten Puzzle: Discovering Gluten Sensitivity and Embracing the Gluten-Free Lifestyle required loads of research regarding the four gluten related disorders, how to diagnose them, and treat each one. If you would like to discover if you may have an intolerance to gluten, take the quiz I created at glutenintolerancequiz.com.

I can’t imagine the work, but I’m sure your readers appreciate it! How long does it take you to write, edit, and finalize a book? 

Five months. About halfway through each book, I send several chapters to my professional editor. She helps with the development of the book. We go back and forth the last two months.

How did you find/pick your agent?

Cyle Young was my agent for three years. I found him at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference (BRMCWC). I sent him my unpublished Star Wars Bible study to critique. (If you plan to attend a writers conference, be sure to send a submission for a literary agent or publisher to critique, so you get that extra appointment and they get to see how well you write.) At the BRMCWC, my Star Wars Bible study won third place in the awards contest. The next morning, Cyle offered to be my agent. Entering contests is essential to an author’s writing career. When you win, other people notice.

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

The first manuscript I self-published was Scripture Yoga. I could not find a publisher to publish this book since it had such a small target market. Therefore, I chose to publish it on my own because I felt compelled to provide a safe environment for Christians to perform yoga. I went on to self-publish six other healthy living books. My best seller, 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates sold 17,000 copies in its first three years and won the Selah Award at the BRMCWC.

Congratulations! Since then, you’ve also dipped your toe into traditional publishing. What led to that decision?

Elk Lake Publishing published my latest book, Eat God’s Food: A Kids Guide to Healthy Eating. I did not feel qualified to self-publish a children’s picture book, so I found a traditional publisher.

What’s surprised you most about the publishing process? 

At first, the self-publishing process was difficult—just like riding a bike for the first time. But after I published a second book, it became easier. Therefore, I was most surprised that the publishing process was easy after I found out what to do—just like riding a bike. I became a certified writer coach, so now I help other authors self-publish their books. You can find my coaching services at https://susanuneal.com/authorcoaching.

What advice do you have for new authors? 

Understand that whether you are self-published or traditionally published, the author is responsible for book marketing. I recommend joining the Christian Indie Publishing Association to help you figure out how to market your book. Learning about the publishing industry can be overwhelming. So why not get help from an association. 

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

I asked the Director of the Florida Christian Writers Conference, Eva Marie Everson, to recommend an editor. Eva Marie had critiqued my work at a small conference, so she knew what I wrote. She matched me perfectly with a Christian, nonfiction editor.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with my editor. I learned so much from her and even took some extra coaching sessions to develop my writing further. My writing improved with each chapter and book. I’ve now published eight books.


As a Certified AWSA Writer Coach, Susan Neal RN, MBA, MHS, desires to help others publish and sell their God-given message. She is the author of eight healthy living books. Susan won the 2020 Christian Author Network Excellence in Marketing Award for Outstanding Broadcast Media for her book marketing campaign. Susan is the Director of Christian Indie Publishing Association (CIPA) and Christian Indie Awards.

You can follow Susan on:

https://www.facebook.com/ChristianIndiePublishing
https://www.pinterest.com/SusanUNeal/_created/

Tweets by ChristianIndie2

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, Christian Indie Publishing Association, CIPA, nonfiction, self-publishing, traditional publishing, writing, writing kids' books, writing nonfiction

To Write for Him: Writing with Disabilities by Patty Hall

October 12, 2020 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

“Becoming a disabled person wasn’t in the plan, but God used it to give me the desire of my heart, a writing career.”

I had a defined plan for my life. After putting my writing hopes on the back burner, I decided I would go to college, then settle into my career as a registered nurse. If the right guy came along, we would marry, and together, we would welcome our four children. We’d build our happy home in the small town I grew up in, all the while working on our individual careers. Once the kids were out on their own, we’d retire to the mountains where we’d get involved with our small-town community.

Becoming a disabled person wasn’t in the plan, but God used it to give me the desire of my heart, a writing career.

Of course, it didn’t happen overnight. For the first few years after the doctors declared me disabled, I was not just a little angry. I was fighting mad. Angry at the body that had betrayed me. Angry at the friends who suddenly talked to me differently. But most of all, I was angry at God for allowing someone to beat me up and leave my back permanently damaged. After all, I was doing what I thought was His will. I was saving people’s lives. So why did He allow this to happen to me?

The answer wasn’t easy to hear, but when I did, I recognized the truth in it. Why not? God never promised us our lives would be easy. In fact, the first chapter of James tells us we should rejoice in our trials and tribulations no matter how hard it is. When that truth settled into my soul, I let go of my anger, but I still had questions. If I wasn’t supposed to be a nurse, what was God’s purpose in my life? Surely, He didn’t want me sitting on the sidelines. What was I going to do now?

It wasn’t too long after this that my friend, Jodie gave me a prayer journal and suggested writing out my thoughts. By this time, I hadn’t written in almost two decades so for those first few weeks, I could barely manage half a page. It didn’t take long to come back to me, and soon I ‘prayed’ ten to twelve pages each day.

My writing didn’t stop there. I began to write about the people in my community—the elderly gentleman who sat on the bench outside of Walmart, handing out tracks to anyone who’d take them. Or the retired soldier sharing his testimony over a book about Pearl Harbor. My husband thought they were good enough for publication so I submitted to different publishers like Guideposts and Chicken Soup for the Soul, certain my scribblings would be rejected. But they weren’t, and I thrilled at seeing my name in print.

For the first time since the attack, I felt I was on the right path.

Door began to open, and soon, I was hard at work on my first novel. It hasn’t been easy—for the last fifteen years, I haven’t been able to sit for any length of time due to a fire-like pain in my lower back and hips. Most days, I’ve stood at my kitchen counter where I’ve written twenty-two books along with hundreds of devotionals and blog posts. In the days before my spinal fusion, I wrote my second book flat on my back. There have been times when the pain was too much that I begged God to take me home, but He didn’t, choosing instead to draw me closer to Him and growing my faith as He had with the Apostle Paul and his ‘thorn of the flesh.’

Earlier this year, God gave me a miracle. A change in my medication silenced the pain I’d had and for the first time in my adult life, I was pain-free. It’s been ten months now, and I can’t stop praising the Lord for this wonderful gift. God continues to use my weakness to strengthen my faith and gave me the deepest hope of my heart—to write for Him.


After her friend’s death in childbirth, Grace Sullivan converts her family home into a haven for immigrant families preparing for the birth of a child. But when the city threatens to close her down, her only hope is to ask for help from an unlikely source—her former friend, Patrick O’Leary.

Get your copy here!


Multi-published author Patty Smith Hall lives near the North Georgia Mountains with her husband, Danny, her two daughters, her son-in-law and her grandboy. When she’s not writing on her back porch, she’s spending time with her family or working in her garden.

Website: https://pattysmithhall.wpcomstaging.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorpattysmithhall
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorpattysmithhall/boards/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorpattysmithhall/

Filed Under: writing Tagged With: disabilities, encouragement, inspiration, Patty Hall, writing

Improve Your Writing: Read Other Genres

March 2, 2020 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Are you feeling stifled in your writing? Uncreative? Blocked?

Or maybe you’re afraid that your story is too much like everyone else’s. Too formulaic. Too predictable.

Don’t worry. You can work with that. Instead of diving deeper and expecting more from your manuscript and your genre, try taking a break.

Read other genres.

Why? Because you need a break. Your brain needs a break. And sometimes stepping outside of your comfort genre will expose you to characters, plots, twists, and subplots you’ve never considered before. You’re not going to steal someone else’s story idea, but getting out of the fantasy bubble and picking up a romance novel might unexpectedly delight you. Or bore you. Either way, you’ll leave with an idea of something you like or don’t like (and maybe a spark of inspiration).

This is my challenge to you—read at least two books outside of your genre this year. See what else is out there. Find out what other people are doing. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find something you love.

Filed Under: writing Tagged With: reading tips, writing, writing fiction, 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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