Spiritual Growth Category
Putting Fire in Your Fiction–Part III Tension
Posted on June 10, 2015 Leave a Comment
Tension drives fiction. “Conflict is story…What many do not grasp, though, including many published novelists, is that what keeps us turning hundreds of pages is not a central conflict, main problem or primary goal.” Although those are important, author Donald Maass says that “Keeping readers constantly in your grip comes from the steady application of […]
The Value of True Friendships–Part I
Posted on June 9, 2015 Leave a Comment
What are your friends like? Do they encourage you? Do they support you? Do they influence you in a positive way? Do they go out of their way to help you in time of need? Do they remember important events in your life? If you answered “yes” to these questions, even most of them, then […]
New Book Review Up
Posted on June 8, 2015 Leave a Comment
I’ve just posted a book review of Tried & True under the Book Reviews tab. Check it out, and check out Mary’s book. You’ll like it. I did. Very much. 4.75 stars. Here’s the link: https://donnalhsmith.com/book-reviews/book-review-now-and-forever/ I received this book in exchange for my honest review from the publisher.
Here We Go Again–Another Rejection
Posted on June 2, 2015 4 Comments
Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Nine rejections in a year. Maybe that’s not a lot for most writers, but for someone healing from rejection issues like me, it’s like having a hundred. I’ve read posts by other writers who say they have so many rejections they could paper a wall with […]
Handling Jealousy and Envy
Posted on May 26, 2015 2 Comments
If you look at my page on Rejection Issues, you’ll see that one of the symptoms is jealousy and envy. In the past, I would admit to some jealousy and envy on my part of other people, because they got the breaks, and I didn’t. It seemed like others always got the breaks, while I […]
Writing Ideas – Part II
Posted on May 13, 2015 2 Comments
How do you know your story is worth telling? How do you evaluate whether or not your idea is a good one? Will it be a “page turner” or a “book closer?” Will readers stay up until wee hours of the morning just to finish the book of your idea, or will they yawn and […]
Rejection Issues–Healing Part II
Posted on May 12, 2015 Leave a Comment
On this website you can find the classic symptoms of rejection, or what is clinically known as Avoidant Personality Disorder. You can check those out here. When I was growing up, I had all the classic symptoms, shy, uncomfortable in new situations where I didn’t know anyone, hard time making friends, etc. One side effect […]
Do Not Judge–Part I
Posted on May 5, 2015 2 Comments
In today’s world we have to make all kinds of judgments. We make decisions based upon these verdicts about the weather, about what to purchase, and even about people. The meanings of the word “judge” I’m looking at today are 1) to form an idea, opinion, or estimate about any matter, and 2) to criticize […]
Extraordinary – What Makes It?
Posted on April 28, 2015 Leave a Comment
Webster’s – 1) not according to the usual custom or regular plan; 2) going far beyond the ordinary degree, measure, limit, very unusual, exceptional, remarkable; 3) outside the regular staff, sent on a special errand, having special authority or responsibility. I believe we are all created to be extraordinary. Some things came out of my […]
Forgiveness is Key–Part II
Posted on April 21, 2015 2 Comments
I was recently at a writer’s conference with other Christian writers. I met one of the speakers for the first time, even though I’d emailed her before. She was pleasant to talk to and I felt a connection with her which I hope we can develop further. I attended her fiction-track session and it was […]
Donna L.H. Smith 