How to Handle Disappointment – Part I
Posted on January 19, 2016 Leave a Comment
Webster defines disappoint as “to fail to satisfy the hopes or expectations of, to leave unsatisfied.” Another meaning is “undo, frustrate, thwart.” They’re going to us from time to time. It’s how we handle them that matters. Click to Tweet #handledisappointment #forgivereleaseadvance
It says in the bible that hope doesn’t disappoint, but it’s our hope in Christ that doesn’t disappoint. Our hopes, dreams, expectations of others will disappoint. We live in a fallen world, and people are not perfect, so they will hurt and disappoint us.
I recently emailed a friend to see if she was going to go to a regional writers’ conference we were both at last year. (See Please, Get Your Facts Straight). She actually won something there, but it turned out a disappointment because promises weren’t kept, advice wasn’t given, and my friend’s book is still unpublished.
Neither of us is going back this year. I’ve dealt with my huge disappointment a year ago and yet the memory still stings a little, as when a scar is bumped while it’s healing.
The important things to remember are:
- Forgive what happened, people, events, etc.
- Release the pain (this is vital)
- Advance (move forward, take a step)
In the next few weeks, I’ll concentrate on each of these three. Because we can’t move forward until we release the pain, disappointments, and hurts from the past. It’s a process, but we can move past the wounds into a freedom, joy, and abundance. Click to Tweet #handledisappointment #forgivereleaseadvance
Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript—Part IV
Posted on January 13, 2016 Leave a Comment
This week, I’m shifting the focus from synopsis to the manuscript itself. When a request for your manuscript does come, you’ll need to know precisely what to send and how to organize it, and what to send. This week, we’ll talk about Submission Tips for your manuscript.
What should your manuscript look like? How should it be formatted? What should be included in a package? What other things should I think about?
We’ll be talking about all those things in the next series of posts from this resource.
Turn Negatives Into Positives
Posted on January 12, 2016 Leave a Comment
I won’t get too preachy here, but watching the 1995 movie “Joseph” last night stirred my soul again to turn a negative into a positive. The story of the biblical Joseph, the son of Jacob is an inspiring one. You could almost wonder “what does it matter?” It matters much. Let’s look at it. Click to Tweet #-2+ #doitright
Writing Resource—Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript—Part III
Posted on January 6, 2016 Leave a Comment
This week, I’m continuing my series on tips for novel synopsis formatting. Here’s the only place you can “tell” rather than “show.” Click to Tweet #amwriting #synopsis
New Year’s Resolutions—NOT!
Posted on January 5, 2016 Leave a Comment
Many people make New Year’s resolutions every year, then fail to keep them. I learned a long time ago that although you or I may want to change our lives with a new start, our human frailties get in the way, and we fail miserably. This year, I resolve to change in only one way. Instead of making a list, I’ll focus in on one thing. #onething #noresolutions Click To Tweet
Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript – Part II
Posted on December 30, 2015 Leave a Comment
This week, I’ll begin a series of posts based on this resource. Even though it’s six years old, it’s still a great place to start. Since I’m a fiction writer, I’ll deal with Chapter 5: Novels. I recently re-posted from February, the first article from this resource that discussed cover letters. Today, let’s talk synopsis. A synopsis provides the main storyline of your novel. Click to Tweet #amwriting #synopsis
The Day After Christmas
Posted on December 28, 2015 1 Comment
It’s a few days after Christmas this time. But I wanted to update you. My wrist finally totally healed back in April, Easter Sunday, no less! This year has been quite amazing. I’m still not a commercialist when it comes to Christmas. My husband and I spent much of the day with friends. I have said before, but he and I are it for family in this area, but we have friends, and as George Bailey was told in “It’s a Wonderful Life” – “no man is a failure when he has friends.” I think that’s good to know. I may post another year-end review should WordPress send me one. And Wednesday, I’ll post a new writing resource post. Have a blessed day.
What will you be doing today? Exchanging gifts, hitting the After-Christmas sales, seeing extended family, going back to work? Is the “day after” Christmas a time to get things back to normal? Was Christmas Day just another day for you?
I’m not sure what I’m doing today yet. I definitely will not be doing the After-Christmas sales. My husband will be going back to work. I have no gifts to exchange or take back to a store, so I don’t know. Maybe I’ll do some reading. Maybe I’ll watch a movie or listen to a CD. Maybe I’ll get in touch a few friends and ask how their Christmas Day went.
Chances are though, that I’ll be looking forward to next year. It’s only six days away. Amazing to think of it. This year has gone so quickly, although if you’d have asked me last spring, I would have said it…
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Writing Resource – Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript
Posted on December 21, 2015 Leave a Comment
These are general tips, but each publisher and each agency will have their own formatting guidelines. This resource is also six years old. It may have been updated since I got it. Have a very Merry Christmas!
From the Back Cover:
“Prepare and Present Your Work Like a Pro!
Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript, 3rd Edition, ( by Chuck Sambuchino and the Editors of Writer’s Digest Books ) gives you all the information you need to craft a winning submission. Fully updated, this comprehensive resource now features more than 100 sample letters and manuscript pages, expanded instruction for electronic submissions, updated formatting and submitting guidelines, and new insider tips from top agents and editors.”
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Writing Resource – The Scene Book
Posted on December 16, 2015 Leave a Comment
I’m taking some time off this holiday season, but I wanted you to continue to see posts. So, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll refresh your memory with a re-blog of a past post. Have a blessed day.
One of my former Christian Writer’s Guild mentors is named Sandra, but she is the not same Sandra Scofield who wrote The Scene Book, A Primer for the Fiction Writer. My Sandra recommended it to me to help me craft scenes better. I haven’t read all of it yet, but I will be. The book offers examples and information on how to construct scenes in your novel. Every chapter has exercises to help you incorporate what you’ve learned into what you’re writing.
Let’s look at it.
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In the Meantime
Posted on December 15, 2015 Leave a Comment
I’m almost in the same position now as I was a year ago. Not much has changed. I continue to write other things, while working on an umpteenth re-write of Meghan’s Choice. I’m also working a couple different novellas, one for a collection with three other writers. Blessings to you all today.
Photo from Flickr
As I continue to wait to hear from publishers and contests, I’ve decided to be proactive and continue to write something. A new friend said she continued to write full novels until finally one sold, then she had others to tweak on the heels of her first sale. In my life, I’ve put the cart before the horse many times, but there is something to be said about doing something while waiting.
So, what I’m going to do in the meantime is write a novella. I didn’t do NaNoWriMo, as you know, but I can still probably knock out a novella during the holidays. I’ve already started it. It’s Lighting. And I decided rather than revise the story, I’d just rewrite it in a bit different way. I got to it again yesterday.
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Donna L.H. Smith 