This summer, I’m honored to have been asked to join the faculty for the North Texas Christian Writers upcoming Effective Storytelling Mentoring Workshops. I’ll be teaching fiction alongside my awesome writing friend, Henry McLaughlin, and another dozen amazing authors and writing professionals. The list includes founder Frank Ball, media guru Thomas Umstattd, Jr. and novelist Jim Pence among many others. And of course, my writing buddies Teri D. Jones and L.A. Freeland. Check out the full list and biographies here.

The format includes two full days of instruction, keynote addresses and hands on activities by the participants using their current work in progress. There’s also a writing contest, so check the rules out here.

If you’re in the DFW area and looking to make your writing stronger in any genre, come check out this year’s workshop. The dates are June 14-15, 2013 at Bethesda Community Church in Fort Worth, TX. Here’s the link for more information and registration.

Author in the Making

These past couple of weeks been a pretty crazy roller coaster ride. I entered the 2013 Pitch Madness Contest hosted by the amazing Brenda Drake, Shelley Watters, Sharon M. Johnson and Summer Heacock, and have been anxiously awaiting the results. My pitch, The Breakout, advanced to the second round, but not into the top 60 – the 60 pitches that 14 amazing agents would read and choose their favorites from. I was disappointed, of course, but then got an email a few days later that the Slush Zombies saved 4 pitches. And thanks to Shelley Watters and her fabulous Slush Zombie, mine was one of them!

So the agent picks went on for three agonizing days, but finally, the results came in last night. My pitch was selected by an awesome agent – the one I was hoping would pick mine!

Now the waiting begins again, but I wanted to thank all the Pitch Madness Teams for all their hard work, and of course, the fabulous Slush Zombies. Fingers crossed!

What creative thing have you done today?

I am not a car girl, but I love to watch BBC’s Top Gear. Yet, I don’t watch it for the expensive cars or races. I watch for the adventure that takes place every week. You never know where the hosts will end up – or what they’ll catch on fire. There’s always a story to be shown, whether in a Ferrari, in a Pinto or in a mini-van. That’s the beauty of the show – the creative story telling.

Our writing should be the same. We should always look for creative ways to show our stories, to show the conflict or journey of our characters. And from watching the show, I’ve learned a lot more about story telling than I have about cars.

Five Lessons I’ve Learned from Top Gear:

1. Faster is Not Always Better – Our stories need time to percolate. Sometimes the first thought we have isn’t the most creative or isn’t the least predictable. When we strive to put out our best work, it takes more time, but our patience will be rewarded.
2. Road Test Your Work Before You Send It Out – Critique partners, writers groups and beta readers are vital to making your story the best it can be before you send it out to agents or editors. You can get a feel for what’s working or what isn’t, and still have time to make changes.
3. You Don’t Have to Know Everything About Writing to Be Successful – When there’s something you don’t know about writing your story, don’t be afraid to find out. Ask someone – a mentor or writing friend, writing books, conferences, blogs, online classes, etc. The list goes on and on with resources there to help you learn the ins and outs of writing and publishing.
4. A Little Humor Can Liven Up Your Story – The BBC Top Gear hosts are so funny. You don’t know what they’ll say or do next, which is what makes the show so successful in my opinion. A little humor can lighten the tension, or may bring the reader into the story more, even help them identify with the characters.
5. An Adventure in Fiction Can End Up in a Totally Different Place Than You Thought – When I start a story, it never turns out exactly as I planned. Like the show, it goes through ups and down, maybe a few fiery crashes – or a near dive off a cliff – before I find the best ending. So don’t be afraid to go on the journey, think of all the possibilities.

After all, isn’t that why we write fiction? To explore new ideas and stories, have some fun along the way?

What do you love most about fiction?

I am very pleased to announce that my entry to the San Francisco Writers Conference Contest recently won best Children’s/YA novel. Participants entered the first 2,500 words of their novels to be judged by a panel of experts. Finalists in four categories were announced back in January, and the winners were announced at the conference. I’m honored to have been chosen.

Thank you to the all the contest judges, the SFWC organizers and the contest director.

For more about The Breakout, click here.

And don’t forget to check out the other contest winners here.

If you’re interested in the competition, here is the website for the San Francisco Writers Conference.

Ever find yourself stuck in your writing? Or you don’t know what to do next? Or maybe you’ve wondered how professionals will react to your work? Check out these websites and learn from some of the best:

1. kidlit.com – Literary super agent Mary Kole blogs about what makes children’s fiction stand out from the pack. Her site is loaded with tips to hone your fiction and catch an agent’s attention.
2. goinswriter.com – Jeff Goins blogs about writing, blogging and encourages aspiring writers. He challenges writers to be honest and not be afraid to write the truth. His tips on successful blogging are a must for anyone starting a blog.
3. novelrocket.com – Novelist Gina Holmes, along with numerous other contributors, give fiction authors the tools they need to hone their craft and make their stories shine. Posts include tips and advice from literary agents, published authors and much, much more.
4. advancedfictionwriting.com – Randy Ingermanson, known as the “Snowflake Guy,” gives tons of advice on how to write fiction, from concept to completed novel. His Snowflake Method is a great way to help you plan your novel and see it completed.
5. writetodone.com – Mary Jaksch’s website has articles from hundreds of contributors, all with the focus of helping writers grow. From fiction to non-fiction, blogging to copywriting, she’s got it covered.
6. killzoneauthors.blogspot.com – Thriller and mystery authors, including James Scott Bell, unite on this awesome site dedicated to those genres. Daily tips and insight into creation of thrillers and ideas, and everything else thriller/mystery related.
7. margielawson.com – Margie Lawson uses her expertise in psychology to bring powerful emotion to writer’s stories. She offers online classes (very affordable) with other writers to help you hone your craft and deepen your words. Classes vary, but cover topics like emotion, body language and deep editing – just to name a few.
8. literaryrambles.com – Casey McCormick and Natalie Aguirre interview literary agents and research the most recent information to help writers find the right agent for them. A great resource if you are on the hunt for an agent.
9. queryshark.blogspot.com – Literary super agent Janet Reid critiques query letters online, giving her advice from years of experience of how to improve your query. You can read all submissions and her advice.

What writing websites have helped you on your writing journey?

The Struggle
As I’m walking this pregnancy journey, my brain has been more unfocused these days. My creative output isn’t what it was pre-pregnacy. And I forget simple stuff. My doctor calls it “prego brain.” While I love the idea of our coming child, I’m not a fan of the prego brain! It’s so annoying.

So how do you overcome the beast of un-creativity?

Tips to Unleash Your Creativity

• Butt On Chair Time: Even when you don’t feel like writing or creating, write anyways. When I look back over some of the things I’ve written the past few weeks, I’ve found some sparkling lines mixed in along with some great descriptions. And the word count adds up faster than I thought.
• Rest: Get plenty of sleep.
• Go for a Walk: Observe nature or the world around you. I always find something new to write about or a creative way to express a thought when I’m out in the world.
• Try Something New: Maybe it’s taking a pottery class or learning how to build a bookshelf. Go for a hike in the mountains or on a trip to that museum you’ve always wanted to go to but never taken the time for.
• Debate an Issue or Idea from the Opposite Viewpoint: It’s easy to defend your own point of view, but what if you’ve got a character or situation that doesn’t agree with your ideals? Try writing a paper or debating with a trusted friend about the topic to deepen your story and your characters.
• Create During Optimal Hours: Are you a morning person or a night person? Whichever it is, use those hours to your advantage. I write best in the morning, so the earlier I start, the more creative my thoughts are.
• Write on a Blank Page: When I’m stumped, if I open up a blank spiral page or a new Word document, I’m less inhibited about “messing up” my previous words. For me, there’s something about the act of writing in a separate page that gives me permission to write really bad, whatever comes into my head. If I open up the actual document my novel is saved in, I always hesitate to write new things because I’m afraid I’ll mess it up.
• Freewrite Everyday: Julia Cameron suggests the use of “Morning Pages” in her book The Artist’s Way. The basic premise is to freewrite first thing in the morning, three pages or fifteen minutes – whatever comes into your head, without checking for grammar – in stream of consciousness style. As I do this, words begin to flow and that latch pops off the creativity lock. It’s amazing how it works.

What ways have you found to inspire your creative muse?

A few weeks ago, I entered my unpublished novel, The Breakout, in this year’s San Francisco Writers Conference Writing Contest. I’m super excited to say that it is a finalist in the Children’s/YA category! Winners will be announced at the conference, February 15th.

For a brief summary of the novel, click here.

I wish all the finalists congratulations and good luck! Check out the complete list of finalists here: SFWC Finalists. And thanks so much to the San Francisco Writers Conference and the contest director, Laurie McLean, for this contest. Being chosen is such a thrill and encouragement. Good luck to everyone!

We’ve all complained there aren’t enough hours in the day. I know I’m guilty. If there were just a couple more hours, I could get it all done. Yet, we all have 24 hours in a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Why do some people seem to manage their time better, get more stuff done, become more efficient or successful?

In our society, we’re plagued with busyness. So how do we overcome it?

Finding Quality
We weren’t designed to be robots. We weren’t even designed to be producers. Yet somewhere along the way, our culture has turned us into would be robots that get our self-esteem from our quantity of production.

But I’ve found my life to be more fulfilling, more successful and more joyful when I pursue quality in my life over the quantity. I have to cut out as many unnecessary things as I can to focus on what’s important. For example, my husband and I recently found out we are expecting our first baby in August. While the planner in me wants to get everything cleaned up and the nursery ready yesterday, my body and mind say slow down. I can’t get as much done as I want at one time. Through this pregnancy, I’ve found it’s okay to enjoy the moment and not feel guilty that I’m not doing something. The dishes can be done later. The clothes folded in a little while. I’m enjoying the rest while I can, before baby comes.

Turn the Time-Eaters Off
According to Nielsen, the average American spends 34 hours a week watching TV. Ouch. I didn’t realize we watched so much. That’s nearly 5 hours a day. And that’s not counting the hours we spend at movie theaters or on social media outlets such as Facebook.

Sure, it’s good to enjoy life and have fun, but sometimes, I have to ask myself if I’m overindulging. So maybe today, I’ll turn the TV off. Or I’ll ask myself, are my daily activities pushing me closer to my goals? Are they helping me grow as a writer or strengthen my family? Or are they Time-Eaters, the busy things that make me feel like I’ve accomplished something today?

How about you? Are all of those extra rehearsals and practices sucking up too much time? Are there moments when turning off the TV would help out? Are you filling your day with noise rather than with things that matter?

When we go through our day without enjoying art or beauty in the world, maybe there’s something missing. By pursuing quality in the things we do, over quantity, we step out of our mediocre life. Get in tune with your spirit life, family, nature, art, music, literature – the beautiful things that lift us up, not tear us down.

10 Tips to Find the Quality Over Quantity in Your Life:

1. Get plenty of rest and exercise. They are good for you body, mind and spirit. When you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be at your best.
2. Eliminate Time-Eaters. Can you cut a few hours out? Or DVR programs and fast forward the commercials. My husband started doing this for sports games and it saves an hour or more per game. Wow.
3. Make time to read. Even if it’s only a chapter a day. It’s rewarding, fills me with creative ideas, helps me grow as a person.
4. Upgrade your technology. If your laptop is slow and zapping your time, update it. You’ll save valuable time.
5. Check you’re tools. Are there newer, more efficient programs and apps to help with work and life tasks? Upgrade, upgrade, upgrade!
6. Make a schedule for your day. Give yourself larger time blocks to get those activities done. And make sure to include family time, me time, God time, friend time, etc. Don’t starve your spiritual and family life.
7. Turn off the notifications. That’s right – email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Set a scheduled time to check those things once or twice a day, rather than all day long.
8. Let go of perfectionism. Is it really necessary to organize your clothes in color order and style? Are there repetitive chores that could be done less often?
9. It’s okay to say no. If people are always asking you to do stuff for them, learn to say no to what’s not important, giving you and your family more time.
10. Get help. Get the skills or advice you need to help manage your time better. There are tons of great books and websites out there. Or ask a friend who seems to have their time under control, what’s their secret?

Further Reading:

• Top Ten Time Wasters, Natalie A. Gahrmann
• Your Clutter is Killing Your Creativity (And What to Do About It), Jeff Goins