It’s coming! And what a journey it has been. Over four years of hard work as I’ve crawled up the steep learning curve to learn how to write fiction. It’s coming! A reluctant start This post explains how I started writing the novel. A shock which led to a change in direction – but it’s coming! “I think this is one and a half books,” the editor wrote, “not just one.” My first thought was, “Oh no. Not more decisions…
The need for writing resources Unless you are one of those rare and perhaps non-existent people who can write perfectly without outside help, then this post is for you. My switch from non-fiction to fiction was a massive leap. I felt very alone and really had no idea what I was doing. But I’m a planner, so I planned and then wrote chapter by chapter of a first draft. In some ways the first draft was the easy bit. The…
Francine Rivers’ novels have been an inspiration and a challenge in my spiritual life. But they’ve also impacted my writing. In 2012, I was staying in a friend’s home in the Philippines. On her book shelf was a copy of Francine Rivers’ ‘Sons of Encouragement’. Having already read and appreciated others of Francine’s books I pulled the book off the shelf and started reading. Five years before … During a day of prayer the idea for two Christian novels popped…
I’ve been nominated for the Leibster award by Trix Wilkins who is a ‘Storyteller Friend’ and one of my encouragers. She has written a novel in which she reimagines a more Jane Austenesque ending to Little Women. Leibster Award Rules: For those who aren’t familiar with the Liebster (I wasn’t), it is an award given by bloggers to fellow bloggers and aimed to encourage writers. The rules for the Liebster Award are as follows: Thank the person who has nominated you…
What was the ‘myth’ I believed about being an author? That it was a solitary task. In one sense it is – for large stretches of time BUT it is also a huge TEAM effort. Really that shouldn’t have been a surprise for isn’t that how God works? Through community. Over the last four years as I’ve practiced and worked towards producing a novel (very much like childbirth but much longer), God has brought person after person into the process….
So you want to be published. So do many others and that huge demand means that ‘sharks’ gather too. What do I mean by ‘sharks?’ Sharks circle because they know that many new authors are innocent and unprepared and therefore they are easy prey. But before we get to the sharks – let me list the main, legitimate publishing options. 1. Traditional Publisher – large companies Traditional publishers cover the whole range from small publishers who only publish small numbers…
What is your favourite Christian novel? I’ve never been a huge reader of Christian fiction although that has changed in the last year as I try to understand the industry I’m entering. I read ‘Safely Home’ years ago and have read it several times since. Today I re-read it. Would I still love it? I was worried that having being immersed in editing for several years and thus much more attuned to what is ‘good’ writing it might no longer…
We continue with our series of interviews with Australian authors. Welcome to Jo-Anne Berthelsen whom I met in Sydney last year at the Omega Christian writers group in Sydney. Could you tell us some of your background and how you got into writing? Besides being a mum to three children, I’ve worked as a high school teacher, an editor, a secretary and also as part of a church ministry team. I have always wanted to write but had never felt…
I was a reluctant non-fiction writer so how was I ever going to write a novel? It was not something I ever thought about. One day in about 2006 or 2007, I was having a half day of prayer. While I was praying, two ideas for novels dropped in to my head. I was horrified. “Lord, the last thing I want to do is write novels. I don’t have time for such things. Writing non-fiction was hard enough but I…
Kristen Young is the third interviewee in our ‘Spotlight on Australian authors’ series. 1) What is your background and how did you get involved in writing? I was born in the UK but grew up in suburban Australia like any other Aussie kid. But while other girls were out playing Netball and hula hoop, I was busy making spy magazines for my family to read – complete with puzzles and secret codes. It’s no wonder that I got into writing!…