Karen Ball

An Amazing Legacy

By Karen Ballon June 17, 2015

I just visited my younger brother and his family. Kirk and his wife, Lyn, both went to Seattle Pacific University, so it was no surprise when Kirk shared a video made to honor Paul Lee, an SPU student killed in the campus shooting last year. What did surprise me was how profoundly affected I was by the video. That this young man so enriched and impacted those around him that they created a beautiful homage a year later…one that celebrates the joy and delight Paul took in life…

What an amazing legacy.

As you watch this video, ask yourself:

What legacy will my words, written and spoken, leave when I’m gone?

Praying we may all inspire others the way Paul did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuqtRAtEFmA

The Myth of God’s Goodness

By Karen Ballon June 10, 2015

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I’m in the process of developing a program with a friend to minister to writers who are in deep places in their lives. I’ve been asking God to show me how to encourage and share His truth with those who feel lost, abandoned, worthless, like they’ve wasted their gifts…those who are in pain and struggling… WHAT was I thinking?? There’s only one way to really minister to people in certain situations: …

Category: Christian, Personal, TheologyTag: Christian, Theology

When It’s One of THOSE Days…

By Karen Ballon June 3, 2015

I won’t ask if you’ve ever had “one of those days.” You’re in publishing. Of course you have. Probably on a far too regular basis. I totally understand. In fact, my most recent “one of those days” is today. You know what it’s like. You have your little “To Do” list all laid out, and you’re up early, equipped with coffee and ready to dive in, when it happens. Life. And suddenly your plans are out …

Category: Career, HumorTag: Humor, The Writing Life

Wordsmith Tools

By Karen Ballon May 27, 2015

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Thanks so much for all the great comments last week. I had such fun reading your thoughts and your must-edit words. It’s always so comforting to know we’re not alone in our struggles, isn’t it? So, now that we’ve confessed together, let’s take a look at some tools that can not only help you in the area of unique and effective word choices, but can actually increase your ability to portray …

Category: Craft, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Resources, Writing Craft

Wordsmiths of the World, Unite!

By Karen Ballon May 20, 2015

Did you know you’re a wordsmith? If you’re a writer, you are. A wordsmith is defined by Webster’s as a “craftsman or artist whose medium is words.” That, my friends, is you. Which is why I’m coming to you today and asking you to have mercy on your readers. (Yes, I’m making this same request of myself as a writer.) Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, let’s be done with empty words in our …

Category: Craft, Editing, Grammar, Writing CraftTag: words, Writing Craft

All Dialogue Mechanics Are Not Equal (Viva la Différence!)

By Karen Ballon May 13, 2015

While editing a novel recently, I was writing a note to explain the importance of beats. Which led me to an explanation of the importance of varying the kinds of beats we use. Which led me to a realization: dialogue tags and beats and descriptive beats are very different things. Okay, okay…yes, I already knew that. But I hadn’t really thought it over much. As a writer, I sometimes tend to operate …

Category: Craft, Editing, Grammar, Writing CraftTag: Beats, Craft, Dialogue, Writing Craft

A Simple Truth is the Key to Your Writing Success

By Karen Ballon April 29, 2015

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I sat down to write this blog and discovered something: My muse was mute. No, maybe said muse was still asleep. Actually, I think he (she? I’m never quite clear on that…) went on vacation and didn’t tell me. No postcard, no nothing. Seriously, I sat there, staring at the keys and… Zilch. Come on, I urged my weary writer’s brain, there has to be something I can write today. Just one bit of …

Category: CareerTag: Career, Writers Block

Tools from the Front Lines: Emotional Memory

By Karen Ballon April 22, 2015

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You’ve heard it over and over: Show, don’t tell. And that’s appropriate whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction. When you communicate emotions in your writing, when those emotions are vital to your scene or message, it’s more powerful to show them. Now, I’m not going to tackle the pros and cons of telling, or when and why it’s better to show. (I covered at that in a previous post, so go there …

Category: Craft, Creativity, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Emotional Memory, Writing Craft

Tools from the Front Lines: Quotations on Writing

By Karen Ballon April 15, 2015

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Okay, admit it, you love to read quotes about writing or writers. Especially if they’re from other writers. So do I. In fact, I keep a growing list of quotations that inspire me, or make me laugh, or make me think. And on those days when I’m struggling, or when I feel the right words are eluding me, I fix myself a cup of coffee, open up the list, and spend time just reading. So here, to get you …

Category: Craft, Creativity, The Writing LifeTag: The Writing Life, Writing Quotes

Tools from the Front Lines: Writers Conferences

By Karen Ballon April 8, 2015

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Last week this time, I was sitting beneath towering redwoods, the warm sun tickling my neck, watching as writers from all over the country converged to learn and commune at the Mount Hermon Christian Writers’ Conference. And I realized that, over the 35 years or so I’ve been involved in the Christian publishing world, like Steve, I’ve attended close to 150 writers conferences! Now, admittedly, I …

Category: Book Business, Career, Conferences, Get Published, TrendsTag: Get Published, writers conferences