I live in a very tiny but blessed minority. For some reason, known only to God, I get to work from home and do what I love most: work with words. Over the last few years, I’ve worked more with novel writing than with anything else, and I’ve seen a lot of common mistakes. Here are a few of the most common ones, along with solutions. 1. The Info Dump Often insecure authors feel they need to dump a lot of back story at a novel’s beginning before readers will “get” the main story. It’s logical thinking: “Before you get this, you need to understand this.” But the problem is, they tend to give the info dump in the first five pages or so, those precious pages acquisition editors look at first. (Check out The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman.) While back story is often important for character and plot…
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*Don’t forget your free bonus at the end of this letter! Dear Family and Friends, Christmas is a precious reminder. Just as Jesus came as a baby, He’ll surely come again. We just don’t know when. So may the Lord find us busy living for Him while on earth. We had another busy year. Our girls, Laura (11) and Julia (8), have grown several inches and increased in their knowledge of God and life through church, family life, and homeschool. This year we’ve gone with math DVDs for Laura, since that’s not a favorite area for either parent. Both girls excel in piano. This fall they began horseback-riding lessons to feed their horse fixation. They also enjoy trying to keep up with our blue-ticked beagle, Patches. Kim stayed busy as general secretary for Shalom Ministries, based in Brooklyn, New York. She was key in organizing several Holy Land trips—and all…
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Have you ever had one of those weeks? I know it’s a cliche, but truly when it rains, it pours. At least it does for me. Have I told you about my rather odd work situation? I guess it’s a “God thing.” In 2006, I was laid off from my editing role at a Christian university in northeastern Wisconsin. Through various circumstances (which I’ve documented in other articles), God opened the door for me to start editing for various clients from home. The interesting thing is, this venture has truly been one rocky road, a true faith journey. Some months, I frankly have no idea what I’ll be doing for income. I just pray, and God provides. It’s almost mystical. Meanwhile, as my daughters get older, the more expensive their needs become. Hence, the pressure. Hence the hot flash I get every few months when I see the bills, look…
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Sorry, no time. I’ve been taking a grueling editing test over the last three days (think of it as a major exam) in hopes of snagging a major editing gig. If I qualify for this opportunity, then I may have some more steady income rolling in. That means I can then dedicate at least “some” time for my writing instead of working nonstop (as has been my habit of late). I’d appreciate your prayers that I pass the test. Thanks.
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