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Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Karen » Page 12

Karen

How Things Used to Be

By Karen Ballon November 16, 2011
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My family and I have discovered a new TV channel we absolutely love: ME TV. No, it’s not about being egotistical. ME stands for Memorable Entertainment, and its lineup boasts all the old shows that we used to watch when I was a kid. No fooling! It’s like my youth has been reborn! Everything from Rockford Files to Wagon Train, Perry Mason, to Dick VanDyke, Hawaii 5-0 (the REAL 5-0) to Family Affair, Columbo to The Guns of Will Sonnett…so many shows that, even at the earliest age, caught my imagination and introduced me to the power of story. Each show, in it’s own way, drew me in, making me a part of the drama, adventure, or romance. I knew, even back then, that I wanted to be a part of all that. Of weaving stories. Of letting them bring truths to life in a way that engaged the heart, imagination, and mind.

But as I’ve watched these old shows, I’ve discovered something. Something that absolutely astounded me. God is there. Up front and center. In these TV shows—Prime Time shows–shows that, all those years ago, visited countless homes every week, characters—beloved characters—quote Scripture, pray, and read the Bible. Faith is as much a part of these stories as anything else, and it’s woven in seamlessly. Even, at times, masterfully.

And here’s the thing: I didn’t remember that about these shows. As I’ve wondered why, I realized something. My not remembering wasn’t because the faith aspect wasn’t well done, but because it was a natural part of things back then. Not only of the shows, but of life. When this realization hit me, I found myself inexplicably moved. And saddened.

Moved, because God’s truth is so beautifully represented. Because the power of God’s Word and love is demonstrated so honestly, so realistically, that I want to jump up and cheer. The faith element isn’t tacked on or “Hollywood.” It’s just a part of the fabric of the characters and the story. And it’s perfect.

And saddened because of how much we’ve lost. After a few days of watching these old shows, I found myself fighting tears. I turned to my dad during a particularly moving episode of Wagon Train, where they offered a simple but beautiful prayer for God’s intervention during a crisis. “That’s what America used to be,” I said to him, pushing the words past a sudden tightness in my throat. “I miss that America.”

Friends, we’ve lost so much. Not just in the shows we watch on TV, but in our lives. Because odds are, if a TV show today showed the reality of faith and God as unashamedly as these old shows, there would be an outcry. Complaints about what folks were being forced to watch, about not being “tolerant” of other world views. But more than that. My heart breaks because, back then, Americans were proud not just of their country, but of the fact that we were people of faith. People who prayed for each other, people who acknowledged God freely, in every aspect of life. Who recognized and celebrated the positive impact of Truth. Shoot, people who understood there was Truth!

That’s why I believe so much in what we as writers, editors, agents, and speakers do. We may not have those kinds of shows on TV today, but we—you and I—can bring such stories to life in the pages of our books. So stay the course, friends. Let God’s love and truth shine bright in the stories and books you craft. Remind your readers that we are still, no matter what the world wants to think, people of faith. People who pray for each other. People who are moved and inspired by Scripture. People who understand that what makes us American isn’t freedom from faith, but freedom of faith.

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Category: Christian, Craft, Encouragement, Faith, Karen, PersonalTag: Christian, Faith, Trends, Writing Craft

Beautiful Words…100 of Them!

By Karen Ballon November 9, 2011
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As someone who has studied other languages (French, Spanish, and Russian), I love the physicality of words. When you speak either French or Russian, your whole lower face gets a workout. It's as though you're tasting the words as well as speaking them.

Happily, English has words like that as well. Consider the following:
• impecunious
• circuitous
• mellifluous
• exsanguinate
• …

Read moreBeautiful Words…100 of Them!
Category: Craft, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Creativity, Karen, Writing Craft

What Makes a Christian Book “Christian”? (Part Three)

By Karen Ballon October 5, 2011
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So, there I were, surrounded by publishing professionals, faced with the question of whether or not we liked--or respected--our end consumer: the reader.

Publishing folk are a freaky bunch. They love to think and debate and share ideas and dissect and explore. Get a whole room of editors going and nothing is sacred. At the same time, everything is. At their core, publishing professionals …

Read moreWhat Makes a Christian Book “Christian”? (Part Three)
Category: Book Business, Get Published, Karen, Theology, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Ideas, Karen, Theology, Trends, Writing Craft

What Makes a Christian Book “Christian”? (Part Two)

By Karen Ballon September 28, 2011
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So what are some of the answers I’ve been given to the question "What makes a Christian book Christian"? Consider the following:

Written from a Christian world view
Story offers hope
Core of the story shows importance of faith in Christ

Similar to the things you all wrote in your comments (though I think your responses went far deeper.) But I’ve also been peppered with the following …

Read moreWhat Makes a Christian Book “Christian”? (Part Two)
Category: Book Business, Get Published, Karen, TheologyTag: Book Business, Get Published, Ideas, Karen, Theology, Trends, Writing Craft

What Makes a Christian Book “Christian”? (Part One)

By Karen Ballon September 21, 2011
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I had this discussion over a year ago on my blog, but thought it would be a good discussion for all of you, too. In some ways, publishing is in a state of unbelievable flux. In others, it's utterly grounded and unshakeable. Good and bad on both sides.

But here’s what I find fascinating--and a bit worrisome. There’s a seemingless endless debate on what makes a Christian book Christian? Is it the …

Read moreWhat Makes a Christian Book “Christian”? (Part One)
Category: Karen, TheologyTag: Book Business, Ideas, Karen, Theology, Trends, Writing Craft

En-TITLE-ment: Finding the Perfect Title (Part Three)

By Karen Ballon August 31, 2011
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Remember that old adage for retailers, “The customer is always right?” Well, for novelists seeking the perfect title, that should be “The audience is always right.”

Tip #4: Remember Your Audience! Novelists do a great job, on the whole, of keeping their audience in mind as they write. But sometimes when trying to come up with a catchy title or cover image, they go a bit far afield of that …

Read moreEn-TITLE-ment: Finding the Perfect Title (Part Three)
Category: Book Business, Craft, Creativity, Get Published, Karen, Marketing, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Karen, Titles

En-TITLE-ment: Finding the Perfect Title (Part Two)

By Karen Ballon August 24, 2011
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First, here are the answers to last week’s questions:

Name That Tone!
The Boneman's Daughters--chilling
Redeeming Love--romantic
The Shunning--Amish
The Riddlemaster of Hed--fantastical
A Vase of Mistaken Identity--whimsical
Without a Trace--suspensful
Three Weddings & a Giggle—humourous and romantic
Name that Genre!
Kidnapped--adventure
Sister Chicks Down Under—witty women’s …

Read moreEn-TITLE-ment: Finding the Perfect Title (Part Two)
Category: Book Business, Creativity, Get Published, Karen, Marketing, Writing CraftTag: Karen, Marketing, Proposals, Titles

En-TITLE-ment: Finding the Perfect Title (Part One)

By Karen Ballon August 17, 2011
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One of the most difficult—and important—things we did when I worked in the publishing house was come up with titles for our authors’ novels. Sometimes it was a breeze, either because the author’s title was spot-on or because the story lent itself organically to a certain title. But more often than not, it was a long process of back-and-forth with the author, marketing, and sales. So how can you, …

Read moreEn-TITLE-ment: Finding the Perfect Title (Part One)
Category: Get Published, Karen, Marketing, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Craft, Karen, Pitching, Titles, Writing Craft

Show or Tell: How Do You Know?

By Karen Ballon August 10, 2011
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As we discussed last week, it’s okay to tell at times, but in fiction you want to show the important, emotion-laden scenes. That way the reader gets the vicarious experience along with the character. So how do you know when you’re telling rather than showing? Here are a few tips:

Beware the dreaded –ly adverbs.
“Get out of my novel, you –ly adverbs!” Alice said angrily.
Ah-ah-ah! Any time you …

Read moreShow or Tell: How Do You Know?
Category: Craft, Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Karen, show don't tell, Writing Craft

Show, Don’t Tell

By Karen Ballon August 3, 2011
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I’m From Missouri—SHOW me!

Okay, truth be told, I’m from Oregon. But in the 30 years I've been editing fiction, I've discovered a number of issues almost all writers face, regardless of how much they've written or been published. If I had to pick the top issue I see over and over, it would be Show, Don't Tell.

What, you may ask, does that mean? It's actually pretty simple. It's the …

Read moreShow, Don’t Tell
Category: Craft, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Karen, show don't tell, Writing Craft
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