Re-Energized

That's me. Conference is over, the jet lag has left, and the laundry is caught up! Hooray! Life is waiting for the new and improved me.

To benefit the most from conference that I can, I've been on a goal setting roll (won't bore you with the details here, but I've written them in pen in my calendar), devised a realistic writing and blogging schedule (I've got to get control of my blogging time, even with the treadmill laptop table being used these days), organized and filed all those wonderful notes from conference, framed Debbie Giusti's beautiful writer's prayer for my office (I've never seen a more perfect prayer for a writer--I do hope you'll check that link out. You'll be blessed if you do!) And I've emailed a few non-blogging people I met at conference, and visited several new blogs of other's I met, so that I can keep in contact that way.

As far as revisions go, I've completed the initial chapters of two of my novels, and am working fast and furious to complete the remaining fifteen chapters in one (this last revision round is just to freshen the visceral responses, really, so it's going at a steady clip, thank goodness), and then I'll delve into finishing the first draft of the other novel closest to me now so that the layering can begin in the revision rounds. All that said, by Christmas, I intend to be brainstorming my second novel in the Emmanuel series, and feeling good about the first novels in both my Emmanuel and Olive Series for sending out proposals in early 2010.

Some time between now and Christmas I also need to work on updating my website, get it to blend more with this blog, and update the content as well. I'm recruiting my eldest to help with the layout--this could prove to be interesting!

Thanks to conference I now have measurable goals (at least for the next three months), and a hubby quite willing to hold me to them, so little time will be waisted. What about you? Have you defined some goals, and have you got an accountability partner who will hold you to it? Do you consider your writing in a career mindset? If so, lets hear those goals and the accountability you have in place.


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

My Ear Finally Popped!

Seriously, six days after flying back from Denver, I endured several hours of crackling, wet ear imbalance. I kept tilting my head and pulling on my ear lobe because there was this squishing, crackling sound driving me nuts inside it. Today (Sunday), it finally feels free and clear.

That's a long time to endure inner ear imbalance. No wonder I was so tired all week, and unable to keep focused.

Starting today, I will have no excuses. Not one. I must get on a roll with my writing chores. One of the great rewards of attending a writer's conference is the boost it gives us to get back on track in our writing journey. So...

How many look at goal setting after conference?

How many tweak or define a new writing schedule after conference?

How many love to get re-organized after conference?

Not to mention all the revisions we're eager to do with all the great tips and pointers we learned at conference directly related to improving our manuscripts.

Oh, and what about following up with people we connected with at conference? Have you thought of a plan on how to keep in touch? What if they don't blog, how then will you keep the lines of communication open?


All these things are running through my mind as of late. On Wednesday, I'll answer my own questions here, but in the mean time, what about you? Have you considered these things? Other things that I ought to add to the list? What am I missing as a healthy follow-up to conference?


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Love Is...

Expressing Gratitude.






How many times do we say "Thank You" or "I appreciate all you do" to the one's we love?

Even better, how many times do we bring that struggle for fresh writing into creating a unique and touching way to extend our gratitude to those we love?

Sunday evening, I bolted off the Air Canada plane, reached customs before the crowds from 11 different international flight arrivals converged on the officers, and got through in no time. Next, I was lucky enough to be one of the first to gather my checked bag. On a roll, I found post "D" immediately and had the attendant call for the pre-arranged limousine--thanks to my considerate hubby. Yes, hubby encouraged me to book a limousine service to take me to the Toronto airport on Wednesday last week and pick me up on Sunday evening because he didn't want me to have to deal with stop after stop due to other shuttle patrons.

On Wednesday, I sat in a comfortable leather-interior luxury car, but on Sunday evening, it was little old me alone in a stretch limousine with tinkling wine glasses and a t.v. available. I used neither, but boy did I feel like a queen being chauffeured in a black, looking-brand-spank'n-new stretch limousine. Gratitude abounded. And in between conversing with the very nice driver, I did consider how I might thank my hubby for all of this. A huge surprise wife kiss? He always likes those. Or maybe I could make him his favorite dinner, even it isn't the best for his cholesterol issues? Or would a simple thank you along with an explanation of how great it felt to sit in luxury while getting home the fastest way possible be the best way to extend my gratitude?

But then when I got home, this is what welcomed me...

along with two overly-hyper dogs, three smiling girls with outstretched arms, and my dear hubby waiting in the backdrop for his turn to greet me.

I completely forgot to thank him, because what I was greeted with felt so much like their way of extending gratitude toward me. It wasn't just a welcome at 10:45 pm that I was receiving. Everything about it made me feel like I was appreciated--this was their way of thanking me for all I was going to do for them again. It would seem that five days away helped them realize that I do do some things after all! Praise God for such insight to fall upon my teen girls!

Anyway, since I was so full of taking in all their gratitude and welcome greetings, I forgot to take a special moment to thank my hubby for all he does for me. So this week I'll set out to find a way to freshly reveal my gratitude for all he is, and all he does. How about you? Is there something you need to thank a loved one for? How will you show your gratitude this time?


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Processing ACFW -- Part 2

What did I learn?

Donald Maass's early bird was so thorough and thought-provoking that he was a huge challenge to follow. I think for me, that drew the Denver haze into every other session I attended, blocking me from absorbing as much as I'd like to have from all of them. I'm really looking forward to receiving the CD's of all the classes so that I can listen and draw from all the teaching that was presented at the conference. Because right now, it's all just balled up into what resembles a ball of colourful elastics. I can't seem to unravel the mass of knowledge thrown at me last week, it's all stretched and twined together, making my brain hurt to try and unscramble it all.

I can't seem to get micro-tension on every line out of my mind. Or empathy and how to derive it in words that draw the reader in not just to the story unfolding but to really feel for the characters within it. Or visualize the plotting charts that I could really use from Susan Warren's presentation. Or all the different ways that we can read our characters through their movements. Or how fresh we can write a smile--honestly, I had no idea that smiles could be so complicated!

Anyone who says they know it all with respect to writing, has got to be deceiving themselves monstrously. There is no end to learning fiction writing, and after this conference, I'm totally convinced that it's practice, writing, writing, and some more never-ending writing that is key to success in this business. And, yes, a sprinkling of writing lectures throughout that never-ending writing journey is sure to help you narrow in and fix yet another weak area of your writing. The process never ends, and so it never should.

Happy writing everyone!


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Processing ACFW-- Part 1

The haze that masked the full beauty of the Denver foothills has followed me home. My misty vision, however, isn't the result of smog, but rather one of awe, and definitely sleep deprivation. This old girl doesn't do time zone changes so well, I discovered. Thanks to my 4:00 a.m. treadmill time for the first two mornings, I did manage to stay somewhat alert in all the sessions I attended, but just in case I'm wrong on that, I ordered the complete DVD recording set and looking forward to listening to ALL the sessions over the coming months.


Okay, so what did I learn at the 2009 ACFW Conference--my first one with this organization? Since my brain is still processing it all, here's my first rundown. As the fog clears throughout the week I'll get a little more serious, I suspect!

• Apparently, I do have a Canadian accent. But seriously, you all, you're the ones with the cute drawls and extra little words that slip into your pronunciations at random. It's the darnedest thing. Really it is!
  
• In general, Canadians are made short, and Americans are built on stilts. At least it felt that way in my little blog friend circle. (You guys are absolutely the greatest! I love you all, and feel so privileged and grateful for getting to meet so many of you in person. You guys certainly made this shy Canadian lady feel so much more at home in your home land. Praise God for each and every one of you.--Oops, guess the mist lifted a little there for some serious stuff to emerge. There is hope for me yet!)
  
• And one final note for today before the picture showcase. American coffee, even the hotel's version of Starbucks, is really disappointing! I actually offered to pick my girls up from school today, even though a perfectly good bus would be there waiting for them too, just because I need to be reminded of what a real cup of coffee, brewed by someone other than me, tastes like. Since there happens to be a Tim Horton's coffee shop near their schools, I'm wishing their classes would end way early today, let me tell you. Canadian Tim Horton's coffee is real coffee, Canadian Starbucks coffee is real coffee! I don't know what you guys do to yours, but whatever it is, it's really sad! Come visit me in Canada, and I'll show your taste buds what real coffee is supposed to be like!
  
  
  
  

  Back row: Jody Hedlund, Katie Ganshert, Jessica Nelson, Jeannie Campbell Front row: Ralene Burke, Me, Krista Phillips, Cathy Bryant

Me and my conference roomie, Jody Hedlund.

Jeannie Campbell and I at The Book Therapy Pizza Party

Jeannie Campbell and Katie Ganshert on Friday evening at the Book Therapy Pizza Party.

Dinner Thursday evening. Me, Jeannie Campbell, Jaime Wright Sundsmo, Jessica Nelson,

Katie Ganshert, and Jody Hedlund.

At breakfast Saturday morning we were blessed with Debbie Macomber joining our table. I just had to get a picture with this amazing keynote speaker and author. A beautiful woman all round.

Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Love Is...

The Opposite of Distance.







Many of those who regularly read this blog are away from dear ones this week, same as myself, so I thought this a fitting Love Is topic. How do we stay close to our loved ones when we're physically hours away from them?

There's an old phrase that goes "Distance makes the heart grow fonder." That's as much of that phrase as I knew for a very long time...until I met my husband, that is. I remember offering this quote to him way back as I headed to Toronto for a work term while he was set to stay in Waterloo for his final stretch of courses to get his BMath. My dear boyfriend's response back then was, "You know Eileen, that's only half the quote. It ends: for want of another."

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder for want of another."

Seriously, that is totally not want I wanted to hear while saying goodbye!

But there is amazing truth to it, too. I'm happy to report that during that four month stretch, we saw each other every weekend, and I don't think there was a week day that went by that we didn't talk on the phone either. Some might think that's overkill, but for us, it's what we needed, and our relationship grew with all those interactions.

So as I go about the busy ACFW Conference schedule, my family, hubby and daughters will not only be near to me in heart, but I'll be touching base at home each day either with a phone call, text messaging, emailing, or instant messaging when we can all connect at the same time even with the time zone difference. Because that's what works best for my family--daily contact.

When you're apart from your loved ones, do you feel the need to connect in some way? Do any of your loved ones feel that need? If so, I encourage you to find a way to do just that, connect with one another.


Surrendering to Him,

Eileen

Five Basic Plot Elements

Plot is one of those words that even after writing for six years I still feel I don't truly understand. And so I thank Donald Maass for his very simple definition of plot: "Plot is the organization of a story: its events and their sequences."

Whew, I can breath easier now that I see Maass's definition resembles what I thought all along. Why couldn't all the stars of writing define it so easily!! But I digress. According to Maass there are five basic plot elements, and here they are:

A story must have "a sympathetic character, one whom we know in some detail." Your readers need to care deeply about what is and will happen to at least one character in your novel, and in order for us to care, obviously we need to know enough about them to care.

Secondly, conflict has to be on the pages. There has to be a strong presence of conflict, the more complex the better.

And that conflict must be reinforced throughout the novel. Conflict needs to grow and alter throughout the story to keep it fresh and keep the reader on their toes reading.

Fourthly, there has to be a climax in the plot. Some call it the black moment, the point at which all seems lost.

And lastly, there needs to be resolution, a conclusion. An ending that satisifies in one way or another.

String these five elements together and you have the makings of a basic plot. Now the trick is to mold them into the makings of a breakout novel! Any ideas as to how we do that?


Conference update: I leave this morning for the ACFW conference and I'm so looking forward to meeting many of my blogger friends in Denver this week. My prayer for all attending is safe travels, to be a blessing to each other, to be filled with writerly enthusiasm and knowledge throughout the conference, and to build lasting friendships. May we be God's instrument to encourage and help one another, and may we find great joy in rejoicing with one another and discovering His desires for each of us! Amen.

Surrendering to Him,

Eileen