A Step in the Write Direction--December 24

A Step in the Write Direction

December 24, 2012

Update:

I know you’re all busy getting ready for tomorrow. Me—I’m finishing up a 192-page editing job. One more gift to buy and wrap (will probably try Target rather than tackling Wal-Mart), then clean house. Our son and daughter who live here in town will be here. We’ll have our main meal at noon as our daughter has to work later (she works in a hospital which doesn’t take holidays!). We miss our other daughter and family especially at Christmas. It was a year December 1 since they moved to Oklahoma where our son-in-law took a new church.

Have you jotted down any goals for the New Year? Our writers group just looked at the ones we wrote for last year, and I’m happy to say I met most of them—four new books came out in 2012. Still have a bunch of manuscripts finished that I need to market. That’s my weakness! I have 2 gift books, 5 devotionals, and 5 calendars that are looking for a home. Maybe this will be the year!

I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. If you’re experiencing a loss, I pray God will give you comfort and peace as you go into 2013. As our pastor said yesterday, Christ came into a dark world, but the Light overcame the darkness.

Thought for the Day:

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” (Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go, 1990)

Laugh for the Day:

So the world was supposed to end last week? That's sad. I never found out who let the dogs out, the way to get to Sesame Street, why Dora doesn't just use Google maps, why we don't ever see the headline "Psychic Wins Lottery," why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed, why "abbreviated" is such a long word, why lemon juice is made with artificial flavor yet dishwashing liquid is made with real lemons, why they sterilize the needle for lethal injections, and why do you have to "put your two cents in" but it's only a "penny for your thoughts"? Where's that extra penny going to? Why did Joanie love Chachi? Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane? Does “The Alphabet Song” and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” have the same tune? Why did you just try to sing those two previous songs? And just what is Victoria's secret?

You see, the world just has to keep going. I have too many questions....and do you really think I am this witty? I actually copied this off Facebook! (Source unknown!)

Writing Hint:

I’m in the process of editing a manuscript that is very well-written; however, the author uses a variety of font styles and sizes throughout, words in all caps and boldface, a lot of italics, and sometimes red type. Unfortunately, when an editor sees this manuscript, his first thought may be of all the work he’ll have to do IF the committee does accept the book. (As I was working on this manuscript again this morning, it dawned on me: The author’s words are strong enough; she doesn’t need the caps, bold, and often-used italics for emphasis. On the contrary, all the different fonts distract the reader from the meaning the author is trying to put across.)

Make it as easy for the editor as possible! Omit words in all caps, don’t use bold, and use italics sparingly. Let the editor see your story or message, not your cleverness in using all the fonts you can think of. One editor said, “You write; we’ll typeset!”

Advent Devotion

Day 21

The Light of the World

I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall

not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John 8:12).

It was not how I planned to spend Christmas Day. Locking the door of my car in the darkened hospital parking lot, I made my way toward the entrance. For the past five days I had gone to my husband’s room at 8:30 a.m., left for an hour or two in the afternoon, and returned around 5 or 6:00 p.m. Now he faced surgery the next day.

At the entrance, I stood for a moment, enjoying the decorations on the hospital lawn. Lights everywhere—on the trees, on wire-formed deer, on wooden wagons full of gifts. Lights spelling out Christmas greetings. “He really is the reason for the season. He is the Light of the world,” I realized anew.

Entering the hospital, I thanked God that His Son came into the world for just such a situation as I was going through.

· He came to give assurance—in my dark moments, when the doctor told me that my husband was “high risk” and might not pull through the surgery.

· He came to give comfort—in my fear when the surgery had to be postponed because of unexpected heart problems.

· He came to give joy—in the waiting room when the surgeon said everything came out okay.

Lord, thank You for sending Your Son to bring light to my world. May I walk in that Light during this Christmas season, as well as the rest of the year.

Donna Clark Goodrich

www.thewritersfriend.net
"A Step in the Write Direction--the Complete How-to Book for Christian Writers"

 

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