address correction

Please note the corrected email address for NJCWG below.

MEETING REMOTELY JUNE 6, 10 AM 

Image by Jagrit Parajuli from Pixabay 

Story—the long and short of it

Whether it's a long rendition in a memoir, or a short anecdote in an article, our stories have merit—when they're effectively told. Enter the discussion on Zoom this Saturday. 

Join the meeting: If you've not received an invitation to join, please email Susan at [corrected address] njcwgroup@gmail.com and she'll send you a login link.

Critiques: members are invited to submit critiques by 6 pm Thursday evening. Nothing will be accepted later. Please follow guidelines on our web-page. 

Hope to see you online,

Barbara
barbarahigby.com

Join us on Zoom

Meeting remotely June 6, 10 am 

Image by Jagrit Parajuli from Pixabay 

Story—the long and short of it

Whether it's a long rendition in a memoir, or a short anecdote in an article, our stories have merit—when they're effectively told. Enter the discussion on Zoom this Saturday. 

Join the meeting: If you've not received an invitation to join, please email Susan at njcwg@gmail.com and she'll send you a login link.

Critiques: members are invited to submit critiques by 6 pm Thursday evening. Nothing will be accepted later. Please follow guidelines on our web-page. 

Hope to see you online,

Barbara
barbarahigby.com

Let's meet remotely

This Saturday, May 4 at 10 am. Are you in? 

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

Apparently, it's child's play...

But we do need to send you an invite to log in

so please email Susan at njcwg@gmail.com

and she will include you as a participant.

Hope to see you online,

Barbara

barbarahigby.com

No meeting in April.

We hope to meet in May, but it may be June - I'll keep you posted. 

Last month's Focus Point is below. 

Market, write, research - keep your vision alive!

We may not have retreated to the era depicted in this image, but we've certainly slowed down.

Image by Bruno /Germany from Pixabay 

I hope less demands on your time means you're writing! Honestly, I'm have difficulty getting motivated. I'm keeping up with my blog and wrote an article for Tri-State Voice (here), but when it comes to my writing project I've not done much more than open the document. But that's yesterday. It's a new day and, with rain in the forecast, I will write. There, I've made myself accountable!

Kudos to Bob for asking me about some periodical markets. How about you? Shake off the lethargy, flex those fingers, and commit your brilliance to the page.

Be a blessing,
Barbara
barbarahigby.com

April's Focus Point

Let’s Talk about… Marketing Wisdom

Marketing seems to be the Achilles heel of many writers, at least it is in this room. We suffer from lack of knowledge, lack of direction, lack of courage—perhaps all three. Our discussion today will open a variety of possibilities and trigger many good ideas. What will we do with them? How will we sort through them and decide which avenues are right for us?

As I maneuver through the marketing labyrinth, I’ve depended on Isaiah 48:17:

This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: 

“I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, 

who directs you in the way you should go.” 

I look to the marketing experts—and there are many, with many methods and inspiring ideas, but I cannot and will not implement them all. The incredible blessing for us as Christian writers is the promise of James 1:5:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, 

who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 

In the governing of our lives, the exercise of our writing, and the necessity of our marketing, God will give us direction and wisdom.

Take-home thought: I will glean from the experts but follow God’s direction for what is best for me.

Meeting this Saturday

Let's talk about... 

MARKETING

March 7, 10 AM - noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

Pasquale Russo will present on the topic of marketing, an eagerly awaited discussion. Bring your personal comments, experiences, and questions. Identify the next step to move your writing project forward.

Guests are welcome, both novices and seasoned writers.
Critiquing is available for members - please adhere to the guidelines on our website.

Looking forward to Saturday,
Barbara
barbarahigby.com

February's Focus Point

Why Should We Care if our Writing is Tight?

We "write tight" to present our best work to our readers, but why should we care? Why do we labor over multiple edits, offer our work for critique, and rewrite what seemed fine the first draft?

There’s only one reason—because we want to be read. I’ve said it so often, you should be able to finish this sentence for me: “If you don’t want to be read, just journal.”

I can be impatient positioning my words, crocheting around a basic point, couching my thoughts just so, but as we’ll discuss later, it’s necessary if we want to be read and have our words received. To write relevantly, we also need to know our audience and understand how they most readily receive instruction or engage with works of fiction. This may seem a little compromising but listen to Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 9:20-23:

“To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law…so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the…so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (italics mine).

It is for the sake of the truth we present that we do our best to be read and received by others. People do not want to read loosely written work or go down rabbit trails or turn on their internal editor as they read. We never compromise the truth, but we write with integrity that produces our best work and prioritizes the truth of the Gospel.

Do we need to write tight? Yes. Do we need to check our grammar, use our thesaurus, rework run-on sentences? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Take-home thought: I will write well so my words will be read and my readers will embrace the truth they tell.

Meeting next Saturday

LET'S TALK ABOUT... 

When is Writing Tight, too Tight?

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

February 1, 10 AM - noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

We've had "write tight" hammered into our brains since we penned our first essay, 

but is it possible to write too tight? Come and share your thoughts.

Guests are welcome, whether you're a novice or a seasoned writer.

Critiquing is available for members - please adhere to the guidelines on our website.

Hope to see you Saturday,

Barbara

barbarahigby.com

January's Focus Point:

Writing Angst

I read a familiar psalm this week—Psalm 37. I listed the phrases that touched my heart and loved the way they simplified my life and instilled peace. That's when I realized I need to apply them to my writing to combat my writing angst.

Do you also have writing angst? Do you wonder what to do next or who to approach? Does lack of time or focus stress you? Do you tense when you edit or search for markets? Do you doubt your ability or insights? At one time or another, I answer yes to all of the above. And then I hear God’s whisper, “Trust me.”

These are the phrases I culled from Psalm 37 that can be applied to our writing journey:

·       Do not fret – Don’t accept angst as a normal part of your life.

·       Trust in the Lord – Does He have a purpose for your writing?

·       Do good – Focus on doing the next good thing.

·       Dwell in the land – Live in the present place God has you.

·       Enjoy safe pasture – He has provided for you.

·       Delight yourself in the Lord – Simply enjoy Him.

·       Commit your way to the Lord – Give it to God—your article, your book, your outline…

·       Again, trust in Him – Can we say this too often?

·       Be still – Rest, quiet your heart.

·       Wait patiently – But wait with expectation!

·       And again, do not fret – Back to where we started

As much as I push us to actively work on our writing, I also regularly remind us that our writing is God’s idea, His gift, and we must let Him have His way. The goals we will share today are good ideas. We need to ascertain if they are God’s ideas and His timing. Then we can move forward with trust and not fret.

Take-home thought: Ephesians 2:10 “…we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Trust Him.

Meeting this Saturday

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NEW YEAR

January 4, 10 am - noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

What are your writing goals for 2020? 

Please see the Focus Point below for inspiration. 

By sharing our goals at Saturday's meeting we will give & receive inspiration.

Be ready to also share writing practices, tips & disciplines that work for you, 

whether you're a novice or a seasoned writer.

Hope to see you this Saturday,

Barbara

barbarahigby.com

December's Focus Point

Let’s Talk about… Opening the Gift

This is the ultimate season of gifts—shopping and wrapping, giving and receiving, enjoying or returning. The Bible talks about gifts God has personally and specifically selected for us. Romans 12:6 says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” One of those gifts is what brings us together the first Saturday of the month—the shared gift of writing.

This spiritual gift is different from a Christmas gift—we didn’t shop for it, didn’t wrap it, and we can’t  return it. We received the gift of writing, nicely wrapped, topped with a colorful bow, which represents of a burst of inspiration.

Once we remove the bow (or, move beyond the thrilling inspiration), we find the unwrapping to be a painstaking process. Generally, we don’t get to tear open the wrapping paper and hastily pull out the gift. More often the unwrapping is a slow process—we rescue the bow, loosen the tape, fold the paper, and tentatively lift the lid.

Unwrapping is what our monthly meetings are all about—remembering that bright bow of inspiration, loosening the tape that holds us back, and removing the wrapping to discover the wonderful product inside.

Monthly, we encourage each other to have patience in the process, to be deliberate in our unwrapping, and to not lose sight of the valued gift inside. This is not a gift to be put on the shelf because it holds the promise of blessing others.

Take-home thought: Let 2020 be a year of unwrapping your gift and using it to bless others.  

Meeting (and eating) this Saturday

Let's talk about Creativity

December 7, 10 am - noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

This Saturday we'll meet - and eat - as we discuss and practice our creative writing gifts.

Please bring a simple snack to share, such as veggies or fruit, 

crackers & cheese, chip & dip, or Christmas sweets.

Coffee & tea will be available.

Also bring your tablet or paper & pen for a creative writing exercise.

Guests & first-timers, you are welcome!

Warmly, 

Barbara

barbarahigby.com

November's Focus Point

Let’s Talk about Courage

Making time to write, brainstorming a book or article, and sitting at a keyboard to actually type, takes discipline—but not courage. We’re in our happy place. We’re alone, comfortably dressed, in a friendly environment, playing with words, cobbling together captivating sentences. What follows is when we need courage.

Pitching, submitting, publishing, and, above all, marketing call for courage. Merriam-Webster defines courage in this way: mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

Danger, fear, and difficulty sum up the challenges of today’s topic: Marketing.

In Acts 20:24, Luke wrote, “…my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Whether our work is subtly or overtly Christian, as God’s children our writing testifies to God’s grace and our call is to complete the task given us. Seeing it through to completion takes courage.

In our discussion today, we will heed the words of Hebrews 10:24 and “Consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,” toward completing the task God’s given us in the area of marketing.

Take-home thought: God will give us the courage to market our writing for the benefit of our readers and His glory.  

Meeting this Saturday

Let's talk about Marketing

SATURDAY, november 2, 10 AM - NOON

 Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

If there's one topic that generally unsettles writers, it's marketing. But, like we tell children: no vegetables, no dessert. Let's face that helping of vegetables together this Saturday and see if we can make marketing a little more palatable. Pasquale Russo will join me and share from his writing background.

Members, please bring work for critique, as per the guidelines on our website.

Looking forward to seeing you there,
Barbara
barbarahigby.com

October's Focus Point

Choose your Verb

Verb: a word used to show action

Writers know the difference between active and passive verbs. We choose active verbs in our writing because they’re strong, whereas passive verbs are weak. Though our readers may not realize it, their pleasure in our writing is increased by our careful choice of active verbs.

We have the same choices in the act of writing – are we active or passive?

• I’m thinking about an idea for a novel -or- I’m making notes/writing an outline for a novel.
• I have so much to learn about my topic -or- I’m researching my topic, one aspect at a time.
• Someday I’m going to write a devotional book on this theme -or- I’m writing rough drafts of devotionals that will become my first devotional book.
• Since blogging is a first step for an author, I set one up and, when I’m ready, I’ll start posting -or- I’m writing three posts to publish on my blog.
• I’m considering a book about _______ -or- Every week I write a few pages in my book.

Good intentions, careful lists, and distinct goals make me feel I’m doing something, but in reality, little is being accomplished. James understood the discrepancy between active and passive living. In James 1:22 he wrote, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” He knew that mental exercise was not enough, physical effort is also required in our Christian walk.

Let’s choose action rather than passivity in our writing as well as in our living. This does not disparage allowing our work to simmer, or waiting for the proper timing, or recognizing seasons of life. But, if God has put something in our hearts, it’s not enough to think about it—we need to be proactive. Every baby step is a step forward.

What verb describes your writing activity? I hope it’s one of these: researching, outlining, querying, rough drafting, editing, submitting, SMART goal setting, marketing, etc. Wherever your writing is, let it be described with an action verb.

Take-home thought: No one will benefit from the inspired thoughts in your mind. Take steps to get them out there. Write.

Meeting next Saturday

our next meeting:

SATURDAY, october 5, 10 AM - NOON

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

Don't walk your writing journey alone. Join us for encouragement, tips, and conversation, wherever you are on the writing road.

Members, please bring work for critique, as per the guidelines on our website.

Hope to see you Saturday,
Barbara
barbarahigbyhope.com

September's Focus Point

Putting forth Effort 

In his second letter, the first chapter, Peter tells us that we can share Jesus’ divine nature. This nature is a gift that increases by knowing Him. He is the Giver; we are His cooperative followers. Peter clarifies our part: we are to make every effort to add godly virtues to our lives. Paraphrasing verses 5-7, He wrote

Because His divine nature is available to you… make every effort to add to your faith goodness… knowledge… self-control… perseverance… godliness… brotherly kindness… love.

Let’s look at what these seven qualities mean as Christian writers and how we reflect them in our writing. Goodness and godliness are obvious—as God-followers, we don’t glorify cruelty and evil, but promote righteousness in our writing. We commend kindness and love—we don’t write from vindictiveness or a mean spirit. The three remaining qualities, however, require us to “make every effort” as we include them in our writing.

• Knowledge – We research and read up on our topics, facts, and references. We discuss ideas and interview others. We cannot write recklessly or off the cuff—we are called to excellence.
• Self-control – We each know we need discipline to actually get our ideas on paper. This is why we share our goals and progress at our meetings. It is why we encourage each other to stay focused and remember our purpose.
• Perseverance – We keep on when writing is difficult, whether from complications in our personal lives, discouragement in our writing, lack of clarity, writer’s block, rejection letters…

Peter assures us in verse 8 that if we possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our “knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We don’t want to be ineffective or unproductive in our faith, nor do we want to be ineffective or unproductive in our writing.

Takeaway: God has saved us, given us His divine nature, and gifted us to write. Let’s “make every effort” to be effective and productive as we grow in knowledge, self-control, and perseverance.

Next meeting: September 7

Hope to see you Saturday, September 7, 10 am - noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

Don't walk your writing journey alone. Join us for encouragement, tips, and conversation, wherever you are on the writing road.

• Be prepared to share your current status, writing goals, and effective habits that keep you at the keyboard. 
• Members, please bring work for critique, as per the guidelines on our website.

Looking forward to Saturday,
Barbara
barbarahigbyhope.com

Image by hojun Kang from Pixabay 

Meeting this Saturday

august 3, 10 AM - NOON

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

• Join us for an informal summer chat session.

• Bring your writing questions, interests, discoveries, and projects and join the conversation.

• Members are encouraged to bring work for critique.

Hope to see you there,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

Reminder

JULY 13, 10 AM - NOON

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn (2nd building on the right)

• Join us for an informal summer chat session.

• Bring your writing questions, interests, discoveries, and projects and join the conversation.

• Members are encouraged to bring work for critique.

Hope to see you there,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

Next meeting - July 13

Due to the holiday, we will meet the second Saturday, not the first. 

JUly 13, 10 AM - NOON

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn, 2nd building on the right

Join us for an informal summer chat session.

Bring your writing questions, interests, discoveries, and projects and join the conversation.

Leave focused & encouraged.

As usual, members are invited to bring work for critique.

Hope you can make it,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay 

June's Focus Point

Best Marketing Consultant Ever!

Last month we discussed marketing and social media, reminding us that we can’t do it all! But how do we choose what we can do? I suggest three places to look:

• Look at where you are in life. God orders our day and prepared in advance good works for us to do (Eph. 2:10). He doesn’t want us frantic, He wants us to trust Him to do beyond what we could ask or even think, so don’t pile on what the experts tell us we need to do. See what fits with your lifestyle today. Ask, if there’s a learning curve, do I have the time & energy to search it out?
• Look at what appeals to you. When we quiet our hearts we will find that certain options rise to the surface—they just seem right. Follow that thread and let God’s peace serve as a referee in your heart. If that peace continues, don’t walk away from something hard—He will equip you.
• Look to your marketing consultant. We hear so many voices generically telling us what we must do to be noticed, but we have the best marketing consultant ever. The Holy Spirit knows what is specifically best for us and we can trust Him to direct us.

Takeaway: My Marketing Consultant says, “I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” Isaiah 48:17

Meeting this Saturday

June 1, 10 AM - noon

Cornerstone Christian Church, Wyckoff 

In the Barn, 2nd building on the right

Join us on Saturday and see if NJCWG is a fit for you.

All are welcome, wherever you are in your writing journey.

Hope to see you,

Barbara

barbarahigbyhope.com

May's Focus Point

When Writing = Obedience 

Write, def. #1: to form characters on a surface. We do this when we enter a date on our calendars, when we make a grocery list, when we journal. This is not the writing that brings us here today.

Write, def. #2: to compose, express, communicate. This is why we are here. It is not for ourselves—it is for others and, more importantly, it's in response to God’s prompting. 

I thought it would be a simple exercise to search the Bible for verses that tell us to "tell" but I found far more than I expected. Note the methods of telling and the forms of communication.

• Isa. 58:1 - "Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people.” (their rebellion and sins)
• Ps. 145:4-7 - “One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty… They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.”
• Matt. 10:27 - “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.”
• Luke 4:18 (Jesus quoting Isa.61) – "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed."
• John 15:26-27 - "When the Counselor comes… he will testify about me. And you also must testify...
• Col. 1:28-29 - We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
• Mark 16:15 - He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
• 2 Tim. 4:2-3 - Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.
• Hab. 2:2 - "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.”

And what do we plainly write?

• From the verses above: sin, God’s works; His splendor, majesty, goodness and righteousness; His personal revelations to us; Jesus and the Good News; from Isa. 61: good news, freedom, recovery, and release from oppression.

• Ps. 71:15-16 - My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts...

• Acts 5:20 – When an angel opened the prison doors and released the apostles, he told them, "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life." 

Where do we proclaim, tell, preach, shout, speak? 

Some of us have “temple courts,” at least occasionally. We have modern tablets (or laptops) and pursue writing in devotionals, periodicals, or and books. We also have rooftops. Our rooftops are blogs, FB, Instagram, audio, video, and more. They are know as social media, but they are our platforms for proclamation. 

Takeaway: I will not shrink from God’s calling on my life, but proclaim, tell, write His message by the means available today.

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. (Col 1:28-29)