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Episode 35: The First Page

I’ve never struggled to write a newsletter. Not once. Until today…and the irony of the situation is not lost on me. This week’s episode of the Christian Indie Writers’ Podcast is titled The First Page. 

We’ve all been there. We have our idea. We know what we want our story to be. We can’t wait to get started. Getting started should be easy, but it doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes we find ourselves staring at a blank screen, the blinking cursor mocking us relentlessly. I can attest to this…because it’s what I experienced this today! 

But, my friend, don’t be discouraged! We’ve all been there, and I promise you, if I can break through that first page barrier and write this newsletter, you can conquer your first page as well. 

In this week’s episode, the ladies and I discuss exactly that and share some tips and suggestions that have worked for us. Check out our YouTube channel to watch, and while you’re there, don’t forget to like the video and subscribe to our channel. We really appreciate your support! 

Blessings, 

Jen 

Episode 31: Reading in Your Genre

When I was about 12 years old, my grandmother bought me my first Janette Oke book. I devoured it, and she bought me another. And another. I didn’t know it at the time, but my grandmother was not only influencing my taste in literature, she was influencing my spiritual life by exposing me to stories of love that were greatly influenced by faith in God and His hand in these characters’ lives. And, incidentally, she was also preparing me for my future as a Christian romance author.

It’s really no surprise to learn that most writers are avid readers. However, the types of books we choose to read varies greatly. Some, like me, seldom stray from their favorite genre. Others, like Tina, read across many genres. It should come as no surprise, I suppose, that I only write romance, yet Tina writes across multiple genres.

In today’s episode, the ladies and I have a chat about reading within (and outside of) our chosen genres. So, grab a cup of coffee, put on your fuzzy slippers and give a listen to our discussion. And let us know your thoughts! We really want to hear what you think about reading and genre writing in the comments of our YouTube webcast HERE or on the iTunes podcast episode HERE.

Until next week, keep writing the stories God has given you!

For Him alone,

Jen

Episode 32: The Art of Research

The other day, my son asked me why Friday the thirteenth was considered an unlucky day. Finding the answer was as simple as sitting down at my computer and clickety-clacking on the keyboard.

Amazing.

I don’t know about you, but I’m old enough to remember life before the internet. I remember, upon being assigned to write a report, pedaling my bike up to the library to do the necessary research. In those days, asking the librarian to help you locate a book was tantamount to asking for a particularly long and exasperated lecture on how to use the card catalogue for yourself. There was no efficient clickety-clack of keys to provide almost instantaneous book location information, much less today’s rows of multiple terminals which allow patrons to find the information for themselves. So, those of us on a quest for information would head straight to the card catalogue, pull open its tiny drawers, and thumb through yellowing pieces of cardboard to get a hint on where in the library we might find information on pilgrims, potatoes, General Eisenhower, etc. Armed with a location code as long and as potentially confusing as modern-day GPS coordinates, it was off to the indicated shelves.

Kids today will never know the feeling of hopeful anticipation we (ahem) older folks had as we found the right row of shelves and started down it, glancing at the numbers on the book spines as we endeavored to locate the section where our book would, hopefully, be found. Then the real hunt began. All the books in the same subject matter were grouped together, and often had numbers very similar to one another. Though they were supposed to be standing on the shelves in number order, they were often plucked from their correct locations, browsed, then shoved back into a random spot on the shelf, resulting in much squinting and chin tapping as one tried to locate a particular title. Then it was possible that after all your effort, the book you wanted had already been checked out by another patron.

Today on the podcast, we talk about research in these modern times. With the advent of the internet, we have a world of information available at our fingertips. With so much false information mixed in with the good stuff, how does a writer find reliable sources of information online? Or, is it perhaps wiser to eschew online sources in favor of good old fashioned paper – reference books or county records or journals? What are some strategies or preferred methodologies to follow when doing research for writing? What are some “tools of the trade?” Come join the conversation as we answer these questions and more.

See you there,

-Jamie

 

Episode 27: Tropes

This week our encouragement for writers focuses on one aspect of improving your writing craft. Tune in to the podcast each week for more encouragement for writers and self-publishing tips!

 

Imagine you are six years old. Papa has come in to your room to tell you a good-night story. He tells you, “this is a fairytale about a knight, a dragon, and a princess.” 

You snuggle under your down-alternative comforter, prop your head on your copper-cooling memory foam pillow, and settle in for a good, old-fashioned fairytale, where the dragon is beastly, the princess is imperiled, and the brave and handsome knight rides to the rescue. 

But, what if, in Papa’s tale, the Princess is a World War II fighter pilot, the dragon is a personal trainer with a penchant for self-help books, and Prince runs away to Kansas to open a combination coffee shop and 10 minute oil change? 

Chances are, while you may learn to appreciate this “different” sort of story, you’d feel a bit confused, or maybe just a bit disappointed. That list of things you expected to happen in our imagined story are examples of genre Tropes. Whatever genre you write in, you want to make sure you are delivering what the reader expects, which means you need to be aware of the Tropes of that genre. 

On today’s episode, we discuss tropes and their importance in your story. Let us know what you’ve discovered about your genre in the comments below. And, don’t forget to join our Patreon for even more fun and informative content. 

 

Until next time, 

Jamie

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