Wednesday, May 15

Being a beginning writer


I've loved to write since I was a girl.

I'm drawn to putting my thoughts into words, then stringing them together on a page.  In the last several years God has put a dream in my heart:  to someday be an author of a real book you can hold in your hands. 



Writing is something I'm thinking of constantly - it just won't go away.  So I figured instead of running away from it, or shooing it away because this season of life isn't conducive to it,  I'd invite it in and see what happens.  So lately, I've been reading books about writing and doing some research online about writing.  Well... and um, I've been writing too.  I'm a non-fiction girl - I like to write from the heart; so I can grow, and the reader can too.  It's a scary thing to say you've been writing, because it feels like I'm saying I think I have something worth publishing.  Time will tell if I actually do, but for now, I'm going to obey the voice that tells me to write and not worry about the rest. 

All of this reading and research has inspired me tremendously.  So instead of keeping all of my new-found knowledge to myself, I thought I'd share it here.  Who knows?  Maybe some of you are budding closet writers like myself, and could use some encouragement and some direction.  And if you aren't, maybe you could share this with people in your life who might be wanna-be writers as well. 



I love reading about the writing process of published authors.  My favorites are those who write the kind of books I see myself writing, and who are moms like me.  Knowing that other moms with children living at home can do it, helps me think it's not crazy for me to think about.  Even though it feels crazy most of the time. 

These two gals blog about things that are so helpful to me.

Emily Freeman
     On Writing (all of Emily's posts on writing in one spot)


Lysa TerKeurst
     Writing/Speaking (all of Lysa's posts on writing and speaking)





There are countless books and articles on the subject of writing - here are my current favorites:

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
The Creative Call (An Artist's Response to the Way of the Spirit) by Janice Elsheimer
Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark

And then there's that much needed thesaurus.  Here's my personal favorite:

Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus

*I love how this thesaurus adds words and phrases such as "out to lunch" or "kick up a fuss."  Should you hug a thesaurus?  I don't know, but I might have.  I love it that much.   



These articles are great too:

When You Don't Have a Cabin or a Dog... But Are Still Called to Write by Sarah Mae

"A Message Growing Inside of Me" an interview with Emily Freeman

Every Book Starts With a Sentence by Lysa Terkeurst

How to Get Published by literary agent Rachel Gardner



There you go...  just a bit of the information that has has been building up inside me.  Carving out time to write and learn about writing with seven kids and a husband is slightly insane.  But one has to start somewhere if God is whispering "write" into their ear.  So I'm starting.  Staring to pray, seek, learn, write, and believe. 

I may be writing for an opportunity years down the road, or it may be just for this blog audience, but I don't care - I'm doing something I love.  And that is a reward in itself. 

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4 comments on "Being a beginning writer"
  1. Love this - thanks!! Looking forward to coming back to this again and again until I read all the links. :)

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  2. Hi Amanda!

    I love your blog - so encouraging. I would like to recommend Michael Hyatt's blog to you if you are interested in being published. He has wonderful advice to writers...

    http://michaelhyatt.com/

    Bless you!

    Laurel

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    1. Thank you, Laurel! I am very familiar with Michael Hyatt. Love his stuff. I'm trying to take a break from his site because I was getting stressed out reading about platform, etc... His stuff is really good though, thank you! :)

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