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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

Eyes Open, Antennae Up

By Dan Balowon June 16, 2015

I can find humor anywhere. It’s a gift…or a curse. I waver on that regularly. About 35 years ago I was in a small grocery store across from our apartment to pick up a few things we needed. We didn’t have much storage space so we went to the store multiple times each week for few things each time, usually diapers and baby formula. To this day, I can still see the well-dressed middle age woman in …

Category: Craft, CreativityTag: Creativity, Humor, Writing Craft

Fun Fridays – June 12, 2015

By Steve Laubeon June 12, 2015

Twenty-five TV commercial jingles woven into one song. Amazing creativity. The scary part? For how many of them can you also sing the words? Confessions are welcome in the comments below.

Category: Fun Fridays

What’s in a Name?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 11, 2015

Look at this list of names: Mary Maxwell Julius Cromwell Hector Williams Lucinda Smith Do they mean anything to you? Probably not, unless you happen to have some random connection to them such as you happen to have an aunt named Lucinda. Truth is, they don’t mean anything to me, either. I just made them up. (With apologies to the many people named Mary Maxwell, et al on Facebook.) But what …

Category: Craft, Creativity, Writing CraftTag: Character Names, Craft, Writing Craft

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

Starting Your Own Writer’s Conference

By Dan Balowon June 9, 2015

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No, you don’t need to start your own writer’s conference, but the headline sounded attention-grabbing to me. Every writer needs to intentionally put themselves in a position to learn and be challenged in a variety of areas. The formal environment for that is the professional writer’s conference. Click here for a list, but you need something more consistent and ongoing as well. Not everyone lives …

Category: Conferences, The Writing LifeTag: Challenge Group, The Writing Life, writers conferences

When Your Book Becomes Personal

By Steve Laubeon June 8, 2015

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I wish every writer could see what we see as agents and editors with regard to proposals. I wish they could experience the sheer variety of book ideas presented at writers conferences and through the submission process. It is breathtaking. And sometimes heartbreaking. I wrote down a selection of the true stories that have recently crossed my desk. This small sampling shows real-life events that …

Category: Book Business, Book Proposals, Conferences, Get PublishedTag: Get Published, Personal Stories

Fun Fridays – June 5, 2015

By Steve Laubeon June 5, 2015

Sometimes you have to improvise with your art.

Category: Fun Fridays

Your Publishing History: Tell Me Everything

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 4, 2015

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When I review proposals, one element often missing is publishing history. How do I know this? I own a computer. With a Keyboard. And a Search Engine. Guess What? So do All The Editors. Granted, not every proposal piques my interest enough for me to do a search. But when I get that far, I must search your name to see your publishing history whether you have offered it or not. Because believe me, if …

Category: Book Proposals, Get PublishedTag: book proposals, Get Published

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