April's Focus: Courage

Last month we talked about the joy of discovering nuggets of revelation from God and the responsibility of responding when He nudges us to act. Our Take Away Thought, in part, said that we need to pray for courage to respond and follow through. This month I’d like to pursue the topic of courage a little further.

Recently I combed the Writer’s Guide in search of a market for my children’s book. I used all the discernment I could summon to read between the lines and make viable choices. Even though I eliminated many, I was left with fifteen options. Where do I start? If only a few publishers were possibilities, it would be easy, but fifteen intimidated me. I was discouraged in a situation that calls for courage. I need courage to make a choice that could prove to be a poor choice, to follow a path that may dead end, to be prepared for a dozen plus rejection letters. Mostly, I need the courage to fail. That courage does not come from within me.

If I look at myself - my time, my effort, my need for affirmation, my possible rejection - I won’t find courage. But if I look to the One who knows when I sit and when I rise, who perceives my thoughts, who knows my going out and my lying down, who is familiar with all my ways (Psalm 139), I do receive courage because nothing is unseen by God and nothing is wasted with God.

In Ephesians we read that He works out everything to conform with His purpose and His will (1:11).

In Proverbs we read that our steps are directed by the Lord (20:24).

And from Romans we know that God works out all things for our good (8:28).

So let’s not hold back! Let’s go for it and trust Proverbs 16:9, that in our hearts we plan our course, but the Lord determines our steps. It may be failure that leads us to the very place God’s wants us. But if we don’t take a step, we’ll go nowhere.

Take Away Thought: If we believe the Lord determines our steps, we must cooperate and take one because, when we sincerely honor God first, there may be detours, but there are no dead ends. 

NEXT MEETING - MAY 3 - SOCIAL MEDIA

Our next meeting is APRIL 5 at 10am

Last month's meeting's success warrants a repeat performance in April. Come prepared to share an update of your writing/publishing journey and bring five copies of two pages for small group critiquing. Be mindful that we will meet at our regular time, 10am to noon. 

Write for yourself or write for others but, above all, write for Him.

March's Thoughts to Ponder

Discovery's Responsibility

In February we talked about the joy of discovery. Our Take Home Thought was “Stir the anticipation of discovery; still the angst of the unknown.” Discovery, or revelation, is a joy, but it also raises our level of responsibility. Every new nugget is a treasure for which we are responsible.

It may be something we need to tend to personally - an action or attitude that needs our attention.

It may be something we're to pray about - something between us & God.

It may be something we’re given to share - a nugget that will help someone else. (Isn’t that true of all discoveries, in one way or at one time or another?)

As writers, we need to be sensitive to God’s nudges to share the revelation of grace and truth He shows us. We are responsible for our discoveries, just as we are responsible for our gift. 

1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” 

                Gift - given by God 

                Faithfully - loyally, devotedly, dependably 

                Various forms - How many venues & genres are available for us?

Why do we use these gifts? Verse 11 tell us why - “… so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.” 

Take Home Thought: When the nugget and the nudge collide, we must respond with our gift. Pray for the courage to follow through.

New information!

NJCWG is now on facebook! Please visit and LIKE our page: https://www.facebook.com/NJCWG 
We will be sharing pictures and links to helpful articles (like those below) as they come along, rather than in one digest-type post here on the blog.

How to crush writer's block 

How to avoid 10 common blog writing mistakes 

If we think we have to write a whole book, we can become paralyzed and overwhelmed 

Stephen King: The adverb is not your friend.

Hemingway app to make writing strong and clear

Cecil Murphy is running a series on How To Build Your Platform as a writer. His assistant Twila Belk will follow his series with hers from a marketing point of view. 


Next meeting: April 5 at 10:00

March meeting reminder

Our March meeting is this Saturday, March 8. 

Note the time change: 11am - 1pm (for this meeting only)

Come prepared to share where you are on your publishing journey and  

 bring two pages to critique. (Please do not email them beforehand.)

Because of the critiquing, it would be helpful to know if you are a regular

attendee but will not be coming to this meeting. Thank you, Barbara

The Joy of Discovery

In January we talked about creation & its complexity - so complex that we are still discovering aspects of this incredible world. Then Chris Parker led us on an exploration of common, everyday sights & sounds to mine details we often overlook. At our February meeting we searched the Market Guide, stretching to understand implied meanings & mysterious symbols and find markets we may never have heard of before. Discovering, exploring, searching - these verbs are critical to us as writers, for our writing and also for finding venues to share our words.

When we put a foot forward to discover, explore & search, our attitude is important to our success. There are treasures to be found, but fear of the task - of going where we’ve not gone before - will slow us down.

Mysteries to uncover and the curiosity that sets us on a search are gifts that are never exhausted. Paul says in Romans, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” He goes on to say that God’s judgments are unsearchable and His paths are unfathomable! (11:33) There is no end to the discoveries that await us.

The Bible also speaks to our ability to explore & employ these discoveries. Paul tells us in Ephesians that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (3:20).

Take Home Thought: Stir the anticipation of discovery; still the angst of the unknown. 

Note date & time change for our March meeting:

• March 8 (2nd Saturday rather than the 1st) 
• 11-1:00 (rather than 10:00) 

Assignment for our our March meeting: 

• Report where we are on our publishing journey
• Write two pages and bring them for critique - since our group has grown it would be burdensome to critique everyone's work so we will spend time at the meeting, in small groups if necessary, to critique each other's work. Remember the guidelines, especially to state your market.

Hope to see you in March - I look forward to hearing what you've discovered and reading what you've written! 
Write for Him, Barbara
 

Helpful links for writers and change of date notice

Calendar note:
Next meeting will be on Sat. March 8 (not 1st) at 11:00 (not 10:00).
More details to follow, but wanted to give you a heads up. 

A beautiful prayer/hymn for writers: 

http://bobhostetler.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-writers-hymn.html?spref=fb&m=1

At our last meeting, we discussed sources for free ebooks -

     Vessel Project:

     http://vesselproject.com 

     BookShout:

     http://www.bookshout.com/

     Free Books for Kindle facebook page:
     https://www.facebook.com/ChristianBooksforFree

     Free Ebooks:
     http://www.free-ebooks.net/

     Pixel Of Ink:
     http://www.pixelofink.com/category/free-kindle-books/

Info on social media: 

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2014/02/03/is-this-the-social-media-marketing-tipping-point/

75 Books every writer should read:

http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2010/01/75-books-every-writer-should-read/

What drives an editor crazy:http://www.chipmacgregor.com/uncategorized/what-drives-an-editor-crazy-5/


Enjoy this one. How to publish your book:
http://visual.ly/how-publish-your-book

NJCWG Meeting this Saturday, February 1

Susan Panzica will maneuver us through The Christian Writers' Guide.

• Learn what those mysterious symbols & abbreviations mean.
• Search for a potential market for the piece you've been writing - you will be asked to share this with the group
• Bring paper for notes or be willing to write in your market guide (Copies of previous Market Guides will be available to borrow if you don't own one.)

See details at right for location and time.

Thoughts from January's meeting

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” So reads Genesis 1:1. God spoke the word and the world came into being - day & night, land & sea, plants & trees, sun & moon, fish, birds & animals. Within each created thing was all that was necessary to sustain and/or multiply it. Talk about words being “pregnant” with meaning! 

Being created in God's image, our noblest desires mirror His. As writers we want  our words to go beyond their structure and definition to import truth and life and hope and beauty and sustenance.

We write from a desire to create - to express, to expand, to convey truth. Our ability to create is God-given. Without Him working through us we have nothing worth saying. When we weave words together to  create a picture or convey a thought, it is His creativity flowing through us.

Thought to ponder

If the simple truth is that all creativity is from the Creator God, what better way is there to equip ourselves for creative writing than to have an intimate, mentoring relationship with Him? 

Looking forward to seeing you Saturday,

Barbara