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How I Write: Joan Benson

July 18, 2022 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Writing can be an isolating endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be–there are ways to connect, and author Joan Benson has made some great connections that have helped her on her writing journey.

Thanks for being here! Let’s start with the most important question: what do you write? How did you pick your genre?

My debut traditionally published novel, His Gift, is historical fiction based on a true story from my mother’s life. Because the main character of His Gift is 18, the novel is technically YA. However, many of my readers have been adults of all ages. The story resonates with anyone of any age who has dared to dream and experienced loss.

Since the writing of His Gift, I have co-authored four children’s picture books called The Cornerstone Series. These stories are written to help little ones grasp biblical truth despite anti-Christian ideologies pressing on every side.

I currently am working on a contemporary fiction novel (YA-NA) dealing with the topic of the value of human life. So, I guess you can see that I write according to the purpose I feel God has given me and which audience he has laid on my heart. This defies most marketing branding, but it seems to be who I am as a writer.

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

For historical fiction, the hardest part was getting an innate sense of the era. My mother’s diaries gave me some direction and an idea of her voice as a teen. However, they were scant in comparison to the length and depth of a novel. I did a lot of online research in the beginning. Then, when I couldn’t locate the information I wanted, I hired library researchers at the Detroit Library to dig through microfiche and old newspapers. Finally, I was able to make an in-person visit to the actual setting of the story in Michigan. That was a thrilling adventure, and I am grateful I could do such a trip. I realize not all historical fiction authors can do first-person research.

The next challenge was using the historical details without making the novel read like an encyclopedia. All that research was to make the story sing with authenticity, not detract from the storyline.

What’s your favorite writer’s conference?

My favorite writer’s conference is my most recent. I had the privilege of God “making a way where there seemed no way” for me to attend the Greater Philly Christian Writers’ Conference in the summer of 2018. My husband had some health issues, and we also had two small dogs he would have to care for. Even still, he encouraged me to go. I met a younger writer who wanted to attend the conference, and though we had never met before, after twelve hours of road trip, the Lord knit our hearts together as only He can do. The conference was a blessing filled with learning and networking. Even more, I met my wonderful agent, David Fessenden there. Since my husband’s health problems do not allow me to travel now, the Lord used that conference to position me with an agent, a publisher, and many lifelong connections.

In addition, the Lord and I had some serious heart-to-heart talks in the wee hours of the night, even as exhausted as I was from the long and busy days. After these times in deep prayer, I was certain of the direction he wanted me to go with my future writing. It was surely a God-encountering conference for this author.

What’s your writing process—plotter, panster, or something else?

I would say I began writing as I felt the inspiration, more of a by-the-seat-of-my-pants, i.e., a pantster, as they say. As a former educator, reading specialist and writing coach, I knew the plot structure I needed before I began. However, I let the muse lead me from one element to another not knowing for sure how it would develop.

How did you find your agent? What advice do you have for new authors trying to find the right agent?

I found my agent at the GPCWC, as I mentioned. He liked my historical novel and saw promise for it when others did not. He also was willing to take a chance on me with a bare essence of an author platform in place. Some agents and editors thought people would not want to read about The Great Depression, and I’m sure some readers feel that way. However, given the Christian theme of overcoming loss, His Gift lifts the reader to see how God steps into our messes, often redeeming them and showing us His grace.

As for picking an agent, I guess it would be a matter of finding someone who likes what you do, and if he or she does, then there will be a mutual benefit and blessing. Conferences are probably the best place to meet potential agents. Be prepared with a gracious heart and your proposal ready according to the recommended standards. Then pray for God’s leading!

What’s surprised you most about the publishing process?

One of the most surprising things about the publishing process was the rigor of in-house editing despite my ability to “write clean.” My editor even told me so while we still had to make several rounds of jot-and-tittle perfecting. I also didn’t realize the impact of Amazon reviews and how important it is to get ranking immediately when the book is first launched. I learned if you are independently published instead of with a traditional publisher, there were more ways to advertise on Amazon and control the book’s exposure through KDP. Amazon has more recently added ways for traditionally published authors to develop advertising, but it wasn’t so in 2020 when my first release came out.

What advice do you have for new authors?

My advice for new authors is the same as what I was told as I began this journey. I wondered how I would know when to stop revising. It seemed like I could revise until the cows came home, and every time I reread, I could see another way to improve it. My mentor, Craig von Buseck, multi-published author and teacher, said when the story was “told,” and I had done my due diligence, stop, knowing the next book would be better than the last. Wisdom.

Other advice would be to read-read-read whatever genre you write, and then write-write-write what the Lord is leading you to write. The more you do both, the more efficient you will be. I would never advise someone to write to the market, looking for a niche in which you can publish. Write your dream, your passion, your hope.

What does your revision process look like?

Oh, the revision process is such a tangled web, is it not? I tend to revise as I write. I think that’s the teacher in me. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t leave mechanical mistakes, especially when I change one part of a sentence, but don’t revise the whole of it. Often revising as you go slows down the drafting process and many writers find it better to just get the words on the page. So, I try to “write clean” as I draft, but then go back and nit-pick both for content, plot structure, dialogue, etc. It really depends on who you are and how you think to find the best revision process, in my opinion.


Joan C Benson is a wife, mother, grandmother, and author/speaker. She has been writing professionally for over thirty years, in addition to her career as an educator, serving primarily as a reading specialist. Her debut historical fiction novel, His Gift, was released in 2020. She has been published in multiple Christian magazines including LifeWay’s “ParentLife,” and Regent University’s “The Christian Leader.” She has published devotional writings on CBN.com. Joan also contributed to children’s ministry curriculum for LifeWay Publishing for twelve years. She and her husband, Jan, live in Chesapeake, VA, with their Bichon Frise, Cupcake.

Buy links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1649490305/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-gift-joan-c-benson/1137413827?ean=9781649490308

https://www.joancbenson.com/

www.bensonjj.blog

https://www.facebook.com/YIHAVEHOPE

https://twitter.com/11Ccaj4life

https://www.instagram.com/joancbenson/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20555254.Joan_C_Benson

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, fiction writing, historical fiction, picture books, writing fiction, writing tips, writing tools, YA fiction

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

How I Write: Jenny Fulton

July 13, 2020 by Karin Beery Leave a Comment

Writing fiction isn’t easy; writing in multiple fiction genres is definitely not easy, but Jenny Fulton is making it work. Writer of YA and children’s books, today she’s talking with me about how she writes.

Welcome, and thank you so much for being here today! Let’s start with genre: how did you pick yours?

I think my genre picked me, or God led me to it. Without ever having written an entire book, I was hired to write a YA Speculative Fantasy novel. Through this process, I realized how much I really enjoy tying in the supernatural elements to the physical ones.

Looking back, I can see how this interest has nearly always been there. When I was young, I collected angels and loved fairy tales. This inclusion of the spiritual seems to show up in anything I write now. I’m currently working on some children’s books that merge angels and fairies, and writing a Bible study on the book of 1 Corinthians that highlights of the work of the Spirit.

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

With children’s books, the difficult part is a creating simple, meaningful, and endearing story that both children and adults will enjoy. The word count is limited and descriptions are left more for an illustrator to bring out than for the writer to describe. Since I’m not an illustrator, I’m left with the options of either pay to have someone illustrate my books and go the self-publishing route or depend upon the books getting picked up by a publisher who will find the illustrator. Either way, I’m dependent on others in order for my books to be published.

As far as the Speculative genre, I think the most difficult part of that is giving myself permission to not be completely theologically accurate with the depictions of angelic and demonic figures. I want to communicate an idea and a spiritual truth through them and not worry about the accuracy. For example, when I was young, I loved the idea of beautiful, delicate guardian angels as depicted in some of the paintings. Now, are angels these delicate fairy-like creatures or are they strong masculine warriors? Does it matter? When I was young, they represented a security in knowing God was with me. This is the ultimate truth I want to communicate in my Speculative genre, regardless of what form His presence takes.

What’s your writing day like?

I have three young girls ages 7, 3, and 21 months, so my writing times are very limited. I wake up at 5 am and, on the good days, I have until 6 am before my girls wake up. Sometimes, depending on the project and how the morning goes, I’m able to think about what I want to write about so that by the time naptime/quiet time rolls around in the afternoon, I already have an idea of what I’m going to write about. I can usually get about an hour in during the afternoon, but with my 7-year-old hanging out with me, there’s no guarantee of how much uninterrupted focused time I’ll have. So, I work with what I have, do what I can, and try not to put pressure on myself to do more. I’ll have plenty of time to write as they get older.

How do you combat writer’s block?

I try not to put too much pressure or stress on myself. I find that the more pressure and expectations I place upon myself, the more likely I am to get blocked. I remind myself that God has always given me what I need when I need it, and this includes the time and words to write. Sometimes when I’m blocked, I’ll talk to other writers and artists, or take a break to do some reading for fun. Some days, I need to put away any thoughts of writing and just rest.

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

I usually outline first to get an idea of where I’m going with the story and why my main point or goal in writing the story is, and then within each scene do a free-write to get my ideas on paper and try to communicate the scene that’s playing out in my head.

Now my favorite part of the writing process—editing! Have you ever worked with a freelance editor? How did you find that editor, and how would you describe the experience?

I found my editor on a Facebook writer’s group, looked her up, looked at her work, and emailed her to find out about her rates. It has been a great experience. She has edited a couple of my children’s books at a very reasonable price and provided some great feedback.

How do you self-edit your manuscript?

I usually read my work out loud because I find that I catch more errors that way. I tend to skim more when I read silently, but reading out loud forces me to slow down and notice errors I would otherwise miss. It also helps me determine how well the writing flows. If it doesn’t come smoothly from my tongue, then I need to change something.

What does your revision process look like?

As I read my work out loud, I make notes about what I want to change or add. For the YA Fantasy books, I read them out loud to my husband and made notes about his feedback. Then I went back and started making the adjustments. Sometimes, if I was doing some major revisions, I’d check with him afterward to see if the revisions were working.


With her quarter-Navajo blood, Jenny’s been referred to by family members as a “white Navajo.” Her full-blood Navajo grandma grew up on the Navajo reservation and married a full-blood German missionary. Jenny grew up hearing stories of the supernatural workings, especially as they revealed themselves on the reservation. As a child, she collected angels and loved anything related to fairy tales.

As an adult, she’s a published YA fantasy author and freelance writer with a B.S. in elementary education, an endorsement in K-12 ESL, and over ten years of experience teaching in a variety of cultural and educational settings, both abroad and in the United States. Her days are now spent raising three young daughters and writing as much as time and opportunity allow.

Website: heart-soul-mind.org/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JennyFultonWriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorFulton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennyannfulton/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jafulto/boards/
Faithwriters: https://www.faithwriters.com/member-profile.php?id=37392

Filed Under: interview Tagged With: author interview, editing tips, freelance, Jenny Fulton, writing tips, YA fiction

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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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