A Key Word – In 2006, my family and I were on our way home from vacation in Florida. I had always wanted to write a book and one word kept coming to mind: Warts. “What do ‘warts’ have to do with my book, Lord?”I asked. No answer. So, I began pondering how ‘warts’ could be a clue.
The Key Word is the Seed – As I thought of ‘warts’ in different situations, I began to see a middle school boy with warts, being teased viciously by some of his classmates, bullies! He had to create a safe place at home to get his mind off of their taunts, a place where he could distract himself from hurt, anger, and retaliation. His best friend, Kevin, knows James’ problems and helps him navigate through school without too much fighting back, physically that is. From there, the seed of the story opens up and begins to sprout into many situations and struggles that help James and Kevin grow as Christians.
A Seed Thought Grows into Scenes and Chapters – Now you have a purpose for writing, a story to tell! This is fiction. My story took-off like a rocketship, because James needed to solve his problem with the bullies. Do Christian kids fight if teased, pushed, threatened, and made fun of? Warts don’t just disappear! Bullies don’t just disappear! Deal with those ugly warts and find ways and means to circumvent or face those bullies!
I Added the Supernatural; This is Called Speculative Fiction – I decided to have the boys, James and Kevin, enter into the computer game they create. Now, James has his way of escape: a place of wonder, enchantment, and terror! Yes, away from his school bullies, but not from new bullies, the size of a house or three-story building! Inside this game, they enter a land ruled by two competing dragons!
Keep Writing! You’re on a Roll! – Let the story tell itself by pondering, Who?, How?, Why,? Where?, When?, What?, and Which? Write a scene or start a scene, and then walk away. By walking away from the scene, I begin to think ‘What could happen next?’ I write down ideas, thoughts, and actions that could take place in the story to make it scary, hard-to-believe, and unexpected (but real) for the reader. Then, get back to the keyboard and write more into James’ life, Kevin’s life, Jessie’s life, and Christopher’s life. Build characters into your story, each with their own unique personality.
Seeds that Become Plants Need Pruning – Editing is pruning; plants do better if they’re cut back proportionately, and dead parts are removed. Your writing requires attention to punctuation, style, voice, and omitting needless words. Rereading and reading out loud help in this ‘pruning’ experience. Also, attending a writer’s critique group can be very helpful. Check for an American Christian Fiction Writers group in your area. Well worth the effort and experience!
A Professional Editor is Highly Recommended – I remember getting a recommendation from a lady at our church, for a good editor. This editor helped with my entire trilogy. She was from a publishing house here in my hometown. The cost was reasonable, and her expertise made each manuscript so much better. Asking relatives for their help is not the same as asking someone in the editing/book publishing industry. Allow a professional to glance at your work; maybe trade something in kind for their preferred opinion. For a small price, The Christian Writers Market Guide, is ideal for finding help in many areas of writing.
Try the Internet – Jerry B. Jenkins (chief author with Tim LeHaye of the Left Behind Series of books) has recently been offering free classes/workshops online for writers. But be careful! Not everything on the Web is free or helpful. I highly recommend Jerry Jenkins and other Christian authors, agents, and publishers, found in The Christian Writers Market Guide.
That’s all for now…let me know what helped, what didn’t…