July is here!

Summer is well under way. I hope you're making time to stretch and write. The following was NJCWG's June meeting focus. If you didn't make the meeting, I pass these words on to encourage your writing gift. If you did make the meeting, I pass these words on to encourage your writing gift again. 

Thoughts to ponder

Focus: Making an Investment

Many of us are familiar with the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25 (v.14-30). A man was going on a journey and entrusted his estate to three of his servants. One was given five talents to care for, another two talents, and another, one talent. Each of the first two servants “put his money to work” and it multiplied. The third servant wanted to keep the money safe, so he hid it.

When the master returned he was pleased with the first two servants and said, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things…”

The third servant said to his master, “I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.” The master was displeased and called him wicked and lazy.

What do you think the master expected of the servants? I don’t believe he praised the first two b/c they made money for him - he commended them for being faithful. They saw their entrustment as precious and made an attempt to grow it. What if their investment didn't double? Would the master have praise them? I believe he would have. The servants had no insurances that the money would double, but they did their best.

The third servant was called wicked and lazy - how harsh! Just what did he did wrong? In his own words, he let fear dictate his actions. He didn't respect the money he was given as an entrustment. He didn't make an effort to research possibilities but took the easiest way out and buried it.

As a writer this parable encourages me in two ways. First, I will not allow fear to hold me back - burying my talents is not an option. Secondly, although I can’t ensure results, I will be faithful and take action - investment is my only option.

Take home thought: Am I investing the talents entrusted to me?

May your summer investments reap a great reward! 

Barbara

June Meeting Date Change

NJCWG's next meeting is June 14

We will meet upstairs in the conference room at 10am

Please bring two pages for critique & clear, measurable summer goals

This will be our last meeting until September

Remember that May 31 is the early registration deadline for the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference - there is a slight increase in cost after that. Check it out - philadelphia.writehisanswer.com

 

Thoughts to Ponder, from our May meeting 

Telling Secrets

Solomon said, “Of making many books there is no end…” (Eccl. 12:12)

A quick search showed me that in the US in 2011 (the latest year listed), 292,014 new books were published. That same year the United Kingdom published 149,800 titles. In 2012, China published 241,986 books. The total of those three nations is 683,800. This says nothing of periodicals and e-zine publications or blogs.

Between Solomon's observation and the staggering number of titles being published, the amount of work writing involves, and publishers’ demands for an impressive platform, why bother? Why not spend our time reading books instead of laboring to add to their number? Why should we write?

I offer three compelling reasons from I Corinthians: 

1.  Chapter 2:16 tells us, "...we have the mind of Christ." 

2.  Then, in 3:17, we read that we are God's sacred temple and the Holy Spirit lives in us. 

3.  Following that, in 4:1, we're told that we have been entrusted with the secret things of God.

What compels us to write is not our talent or creativity, not to gain fame or royalties, not to fill our time or spout our opinions, but to share what has been given us - a perspective and a story from God Himself.

We have Christ’s mind; the Holy Spirit resides in our temple; we have been entrusted with the secret things of God. More specifically, the passage says, “men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.” The world may not know it, but they’re looking to us for answers. We have a unique voice. We must write!

Take Home Thought: 

“Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him….” (Matt 12:34-35) 

Write good things from the fullness of your heart! 

Be a blessing,

Barbara

May Meeting - Social Media, Who Needs It?

Social media. Who needs it?

If you’re a writer, you do!

Come to the May 3^rd meeting and find out the WHAT, WHY, and HOW of social media as it relates to writers. 

Presenters Susan Panzica, Elise Daly Parker, and Tanya Dennis will answer your social media questions afterward, so please email your social media questions to NJCWGroup@gmail.com.

NJCWG meeting:

Sat. May 3

10:00 - 12:00

High Mountain Church

681 High Mountain Rd., No. Haledon, NJ


And speaking of social media, don't forget to "LIKE" our facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/NJCWG

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