Check out my new blog....

http://momcare.blogspot.com/

Are you a supermom? A recovering supermom? A wanna be supermom? Need help?

Then this blog will be for you.

If not, then this blog will be for someone you know....spread the word.

Is Self Publishing an option for you?

Nick Harrison has a blog post up about self publishing. I have been mulling this over for some time.

My current WIP is a collaboration with another writer. It wont be a huge book - maybe 40,000 words and we need it done as soon as possible to use as an accompaniment for my speaking engagements to moms.

My personal concern is, of course, getting my investment back. Although my platform is growing slowly, I know it will take hard work and gumption to promote it. My partner doesn't have the time to spare, so it will mostly fall on me to get the word out. Actually, that doesn't intimidate me, but writing that check does.

I'd like to know what you all think about SP and if you would ever consider it if you were in the same circumstances as me.

Im featured at Author Haven today...

Author Haven has graciously let me plug the Spokane conference on their blog today. Check it out and read the story behind it all.

http://authorhaven.blogspot.com/2010/12/author-haven-follower-highlight-jan.html

Realistically speaking...

do you think you will get much blogging or writing done over the holidays? I've been wondering if I should just give it a rest. Every time I sit down to do either, I am plagued with all the things that must get done this week. Cooking, cleaning, wrapping, last minute shopping, cards, Christmas programs and the like.

I think it's time to take the pressure off and tell myself, it's alright to wait till after the holidays to write.

I can take this time to daydream about my characters and plot. I can take this time to gather information at my leisure. There are many things I can do to prepare myself to dig in again in a few weeks. Right?

How about you? Do you plan on pushing through this busy time of year writing as usual or will you take a break?

Re-reading some good stuff...

Wow, it's easy to slip into holiday oblivian and neglect the things you like to do - like blogging.

But Im not going to post about Christmas....I refuse. I need some good writing inspiration so I went hunting. Pulled out a bunch of my non-fiction books and Im reading all the highlighted and underlined passages.

I love going back to the words that caught my attention and reviewing to see if I made any life changes because of them. What I discovered is that, yes, I did. Not many changes, but some. That's good.

I will be using some of what Im reading to enhance my non-fiction WIP. Here's some of the titles:

Strong Women, Soft Hearts by Paula Rinehart
A Woman of Significance by Donna Morley
To Be Told by Dan Allender
The Search for Significance by Robert McGee
Recapture the Wonder by Ravi Zacharias

Just to name a few.

Do you ever go back and re-read?

Need bigger shoes? Or just bigger faith?

Do you have a dream? Are you squeezing yourself into shoes that are too small? Do you BELIEVE enough to try filling bigger shoes?


This video was sent to me by a new friend. She is a Christian speaker and this video will give you lots to think about over the weekend.


http://bhisgirl.blogspot.com/2010/03/if-shoe-fits.html

Blessings

Jan

On the Classics and Rules

I've never read all of Jane Austen's novels. As I was browsing at Barnes and Noble yesterday I decided to pick up a copy of two of them. I thought I needed a good dose of classic writing. I started with "Northanger Abbey", published posthumously in 1818. The book was written in 1803, but the publisher hung on to it until after Jane's death.

The first thing I noticed as I read was:

RULES, RULES. What happened to the rules? The rules of writing, I mean. I think I was born too late. I should have been a 19th century novelist.

Sentences that last a paragraph, and punctuation added at will. That's for me.

The amazing thing is, it's such beautiful writing. Jane tells a story like none other. And how about Bronte, Dickens and Twian? All brilliant, all successful.

I like good storytelling. I don't like rules. I just hope I become better at the former and not so concerned with the latter.

Do you find yourself bound by rules, or can you ignore them and let the story flow?

So much encouragement....so little time.

I sat next to a lady at a church women's event last night. A mutual friend introduced us and told me that she wanted us to sit together. My friend went on to explain that this lady wrote poetry and she was hoping I would encourage her.

This is starting to happen to me a lot. I am always happy to talk about writing!

But I am finding that there are a great many writers out there that have neglected their gift and given up on writing. I am becoming more bold about how I talk to these people. I usually come right out and tell them they need to get on the stick and write. No more sugar-coating. No more pampering.

I completely understand the urge to give up. Ive done it many times! But I know there is no point in giving up because we always go back to it, and then we have lost time when we could have been ahead of the game. I tell them to get to a writers group or go to a conference.

So I will keep on exhorting and encouraging. I love seeing the expression on their face when they "wake up".

Any authors out there? Got books?

Im watching the snow melt and drip off the pine tree outside my window. Winter is in full force here in the Northwest. But I also know in just a few short months our Inland Northwest Christian Writers conference will be under way.

So much to do before then....but God continues to open doors and put things in place.

I would like to put out a call for help in one area...

We are trying to keep expenses to a minimum so that tuition can be affordable. Thus, I am in need of some donated books for giveaways and prizes during and before the conference. If there are any authors out there who would offer an autographed copy of their book(s) to give away for the conference, I would greatly appreciate your contribution. Of course you would also be mentioned as a contributor at the conference, and hopefully that will bring attention to your projects.

Please comment here if you are willing to help and include your email address so I can contact you. If you would like to check out the conference website it is listed above this post.

Thank you so much in advance and everyone have a wonderful weekend.