Most children love animals, but how can you make the most of this natural affection in your stories? Here are some ideas!
Do You Need Adults in Your Story? (Video)
How Many Characters Should You Have in Your Story? (Video)
How To Grab Your Readers’ Attention From the Start (Video)
The beginning of your story is essential – if you don’t grip your readers from the start, they may not go on to read the rest of the book!
Here are some tips/ideas how to grab your readers’ attention right from the very beginning of your story.
I hope you find this video helpful! If you did, please feel free to do the FREE mini course on Gripping Beginnings, and pass the information on to your writer friends!
How to You Get Your Message Across? (Video)
When Should You Start Posting on Social Media?
Should you start posting about your writing on social media as soon as you start writing?
The answer is YES!
I know, it is a huge step!
Even if you have only just begun your story, you can begin to put up little posts. If creating an author profile seems too much of a huge step right now, begin to mention your new idea to your family and friends.
Why? Here are four excellent reasons:
- Once you have written down your intentions, you are more likely to keep going (you can’t lose face now, can you!)
- It makes your novel more real in your own mind. Yes, you really are writing a novel!
- Once you get your book out into the world, all the people who have been following your progress will want to buy you book. š
- You can ask for prayer support!
Happy posting! Don’t forget to let me know how it goes over on our facebook community page. Did you get some immediate feedback? How did it make you feel?
Stay safe,
Janet
P.S. If you don’t yet belong to our facebook writing community, ask to join and I’ll let you in! And do invite all your writer friends – everyone needs encouragement. š
Creative Writing Fun and Games!
I do hope you are keeping well in these difficult times.
Many writers are struggling to be creative right now, so here’s a fun idea to kick-start your creativity with a group of writers or family members. Writer-for-a-Reason Jan sent in this excellent game, which you could easily adapt to do with a group on Zoom/Teams/WhatsApp:
āA fun game we played at Christmas might appeal to your readers. Each player writes on 2 slips of paper a first line and an unconnected last line of a story which are then distributed, one of each, to all players. Armed with these random beginnings and endings ā write your story! (any length). Needless to say the results can be quite surprising!
A time limit could be useful ā perhaps 10ā15 minutes.ā
What do you think? It’s also a brilliant way to get your children involved with creative writing, if they are getting bored at home ā maybe they could do this with their friends?
Let me know how you get on. If you have any other ideas to pass on, please do pass them my way! And as always, please do share/forward/subscribe. š Sharing is caring!
Keep safe,
Janet
How Can We Make Plans?
Here’s your creative writing tip for the week! Except it’s not so much a writing tip as an encouragement…
I usually sit down around the beginning of the year and prayerfully consider some things I’d like to work towards/achieve. This year I didn’t do that.
How can we plan, when everything is in such a turmoil? When we really do not know what’s going to happen tomorrow, let alone next month?
So, instead of planning, I’m working on some daily goals. This includes an hour or writing every day, at least five days a week.
May I suggest you think about a realistic daily or weekly goal for your writing? Nothing too long-term, but something that will keep your story moving forward?
Books of hope are desperately needed right now.
If you have been called to write, someone, somewhere, is waiting for your story. Children are feeling anxious and afraid. Some of them have lost loved ones. They have all had freedoms taken away. They miss their friends, their support networks, their churches and youth groups. They miss their sporting events, their clubs, their hobbies… but reading is at an all time high!
So even though it’s tough to get motivated, even though your emotions swing, even though creativity might be at a low ebb, please can I encourage you to write anyway.
Even if you only write three times a week, your story will creep forward. And maybe, by the end of the year, your story will be ready to build faith and hope in someone’s life!
Can I suggest that you:
1. Pray about and write out your goal before you close this email?
2. Let me know what you’ve planned?
3. Start today.
Doing these three steps will help you towards success!
Grace and peace to you for 2021,
Janet
P.S. Please pass these writing tips on to your writer friends and encourage them to subscribe. Let’s make this year count. š
Creating Your Characters
Join the Online Writing Course
I do hope you are well. What a strange Christmas this is going to be. So much loss on every side. And yet, despite our heavy hearts, we have good news to share. What better way to do it than through story?
We need to keep writing, because children are starved of company: books can be good friends you can happily spend hours with.
Children’s mental health is a concern: good stories can bring hope and perspective.
Children are short of spiritual input: many of their usual church activities are scaled back, at present. And many are hungry for good news: Christian books can bring good news of great joy, even in dark places.
So this week I want to give you all the information about the Write for a Reason Academy, which will be starting in a couple of weeks. This ten week online course is for Christians who write novels for children/teens… or who would like to have a go at doing so.
If you feel you have been given a gift to write novels for children, but are struggling with the process of actually getting exciting stories finished and out into the worldā¦
Itās time to join up.
Most people who write stories in order to share their faith face one or more obstacles that prevent their dream from becoming a reality.
Do you suffer from any of the following?
* You feel like you need to keep constantly learning, so you read books and blogs and keep learning āhow toā rather than actually getting your novel started, let alone finishedā¦
* Or the oppositeā¦ you feel you could do with some training in writing fiction for kids, because youāve never done any!
* Maybe you feel pressured/guilty, because you know you have been called to write, but struggle to find the timeā¦ then when you do finally sit at your desk, you canāt concentrate!
* Or perhaps you get stuck because of the fear of judgement and rejection that comes from doubting your writing is good enoughā¦
This course will help you address all these issues, so you can be set free to enjoy your gift!
IN THIS COURSE YOU WILL DISCOVER:
- Exactly who you are writing for, and why
- How to create characters to engage and inspire your readers
- How best to include your message/theme
- How to plot and plan for tension and pace
- How to write gripping beginnings and satisfying endings (what you need to include, and what to leave out)
- How to find your narrative voice
- Why nobody else can write your novel but youā¦
- And lots more!
These are all ESSENTIALS for good stories.
Every module will bring you closer to your goal of writing exciting, relevant, fun novels for your target readers.
Every module includes:
- lessons (videos and written teaching)
- reading and writing exercises
- lots of encouragement!
By the end of the course you will be buzzing with exciting ways to breathe life into your storiesā¦ PLUS you will have a complete story plan for your next novel!
If you are writing to share the good news of Jesus in some way, your novel will already be extra special, because it has eternal value. But it stands to reason that the better written it is, the more children will read it and enjoy it ā wouldnāt you agree?
In the parable of the talents, the servants who received the gifts had to put them to WORKā¦ the servant who buried his talent got into trouble ā donāt let that be you!
Itās time to get to work.
āI was surprised at how much the course taught me. I didnāt know as much as I thought I did!! The presentation was clear and easy to follow and the teaching was clear and well thought out. I would happily recommend the course to a friend.ā ā Nicolette
This online course is for you if:
- You want to make sure your story is the best it can be
- You realise that having some training will help you
- Youāre willing to invest time and money to put your talent to work
- You donāt want to procrastinate any longer
- You need to get past the self-doubt (you can do it)
- You want to get your story into childrenās hands as soon as possible
āThank you for taking the time to educate those of us who feel we have a story just waiting to erupt from the depths of our souls.ā ā Leilanie
In my role as a publisher, I have learnt a few things about great novels. I would love to pass on my knowledge to you, to help you make your stories the very best they can be!
I am a Christian, and this course reflects that, but whatever your beliefs, you will find plenty to help you in your own writing journey.
When you sign up for the Academy, you will gain IMMEDIATE access to the pre-course runway, which Iāve designed to help you get ready for the weeks ahead (this includes some fun writing prompts!). The Modules will then be released to you week by week, beginning 4th January.
I hope you will join me in the Write for a Reason Academy. I would count it a privilege to help you in the next step of your writing journey.
The ultimate goal of every aspiring writer-for-a-reason is to reach more readers with the good news of Jesus through story. I hope you will allow me to help you to do just that.
Registration for the Academy is open until December 31st.
With the right knowledge, support and encouragement, you can take your writing to the next level, then go on to inspire your readers.
So donāt waste any more time ā nobody can write your story but you, and if youāve been called to write, itās for a reason. Someone, somewhere, is waiting for your story.
The 10 Modules
The Pre-Course Runway
Purpose: To get ready for the weeks ahead.
Module One: Reaching Your Target Audience
Purpose: To know who you are writing for, and to get to know their world.
Module Two: Creating Your Protagonist
Purpose: To create a protagonist (main character) your readers will love and be inspired by.
Module Three: Creating Secondary Characters
Purpose: To create engaging secondary characters. We need them!
Module Four: Choosing Your Narrative Voice
Purpose: To consider all the options and choose your narrative voice for your next story.
Module Five: Weaving in Your Theme
Purpose: To know what your theme is, and how to make your āmessageā work in the context of your story.
Module Six: Creating the Perfect Setting
Purpose: To choose a great setting for your story, and build your fictional world.
Module Seven: Gripping Beginnings
Purpose: To work on a gripping beginning for your story, to draw your readers in.
Module Eight: Satisfying Endings
Purpose: To work out a satisfactory conclusion for your story, that your readers will love.
Module Nine: Conflicts and Resolutions
Purpose: Work out all the terrible things that are going to happen to your characters between your beginning and ending. Eek!
Module Ten: Your Complete Story Plan
Purpose: To have a complete story plan in your hands, ready to begin writing your novel in full.
One module will be released to you every week, from 4th January. Each module will include a mixture of videos, teaching and practical assignments. And theyāre fun!
Is it time for you to invest in your writing?
Because of the terrible times we are going through, I have halved the price of the course:
Full Payment
Was: Ā£295.00
Now: Ā£145.00 Click here to join the course and pay in full.
Monthly Payment
Was: Ā£49.00 x 6
Now: Ā£25 x 6 Click here to join the course and pay over six months.
Whichever way you choose to pay, you will receive exactly the same material:
- Ten teaching modules (40 lessons)
- Writing exercises and assignments
- Membership in a private Facebook group
Some FAQs:
How much time will I need to complete the course?Good question! I suggest you set aside two evenings a week, but if you donāt get all the assignments done then, no worries ā you have permanent access to the course, so you can take as long as you like.
Will there be any individual teaching? No, sorry. This course is the best way to help as many people as I can. However, Iām always around for any queries, and love interacting with students. We have a private Facebook group, which is a great place to ask questions and discuss your progress.
I have never written anything before. Will this course be too advanced? Not at all. Beginners are warmly welcome. The course follows a simple step-by-step format. You will be amazed how much you will learn in ten weeks!
I have written stories, but Iām not sure if theyāre good enough.If you have any doubts about your writing, you need to join the course. Even if you know the basics, you will learn lots of ways to improve your stories, and gain confidence in your ability. Guaranteed (see below).
Iād love to do the course, but I canāt afford it/am busy right now. Will you be running it again? Another great question! I hope I will run the course again, but I can not guarantee it, especially in these uncertain times. If your issue is time, I suggest investing in the course now, then doing the work as and when you can fit it in.
What if I miss a week?
The modules are released every week, so if you work better with a deadline, you will get it done! However, you have access to the course for its lifetime, so you are free to go at your own pace.
Guarantee: I hope you will enjoy every minute of your time in the Academy, but if you donāt think itās for you by Module Three, I will refund your money in full. So why not give it a try, risk free? (Nobody has ever yet asked for a refund, but I want to help you, and if I’m not helping, I don’t want your money.)
So that’s the Write for a Reason Academy! If you have any further queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Here are the links again:
Click here to join the course with the six month pay option.
Click here to join the course and pay in full.
Hope to see you there.
And if I don’t speak to you again before Christmas, may the Light of Life fill your hearts with the joy of His wonderful presence.
Janet