Sunday, October 20, 2013

A Step in the Write Direction--October 21, 2013--Writer's Tips

A Step in the Write Direction
October 21, 2013
 
Update: A pretty quiet week. This was the week I was supposed to be on staff at the CLASS conference in Albuquerque, but had to bow out because of my husband’s health. My writer friend who attended, though, had some very productive appointments….For those who sent me submissions for my friendship gift book, I did get a rejection this week from the publisher for that book and the mother’s gift book. She said they’re “going in a different direction,”  but that she’ll contact me if things change. So, back to sending them out again….I sent out 135 brochures last week to Mesa area churches for speaking. If you’d like a brochure to give to your program/ senior adult/ladies’ ministries director, email me….I’m also setting up dates for one-day “A Step in the Write Direction” workshops next spring. All I need is a church and a registrar. If interested, I’ll send you the topics covered.
 
Thought for Today: "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent" (Calvin Coolidge).
 
Laugh for Today:
"Moses had indigestion like you do," Bobby told his mother at the dinner table one Sunday. 
"What makes you think that?" his mother asked.
"Well," Bobby said, "our Sunday school teacher said that when he went up on the mountain, God gave him two tablets."

 
Song for the Week: (This was written by my nephew, Dave Clark, during his 19-year illness for which 29 doctors at Mayo Clinic could find no cure—until God stepped in! His story is told in my book Healing in God’s Time.)
 
I said, “Lord, I know you’ve already taken me
To places that some will never see.
And I know that I’ve been blessed, but Lord, I must confess,
The journey’s almost got the best of me.”
He said, “Child, I know the miles have got you feeling low,
And you wonder how much farther you can go.
The pain you feel is real; I know exactly how you feel,
And there is only one way I can know:
 
(Chorus): “I’ve been there….I’ve faced those lonely trials,
Child, I’ve been there,
I’m familiar with the miles,
So if you’re walking through the valley
Of the heartache once again,
You’re only going where I’ve already been.”
 
I said, “Lord, it’s hard to keep from feeling like I do,
And I question why the test you’ve put me through.
Yet in my darkest  hour, I felt a healing power
That only comes from walking close to you.”
He said, “Child, it’s hard to watch the hurt you’re going thru,
And the questions that you ask are nothing new.
Sometimes the Father’s plan is so hard to understand,
There’ve been days that I’ve felt the same as you.
 (back to chorus):
 
(Ending): So if you’re walking through the valley
Of the heartache once again,
You’re only going where He’s already been.
 
“I’ve Been There,” Dave Clark. © 1986 by Emmanuel Music (ASCAP). Used by Permission.
 
Writer’s Tips (Bits and Pieces this week):
 
Editing Hints: (Hope your writing isn’t like this!) I thought this email from my anthology publisher was humorous. “It is so funny how writers reply to an email when I asked for their phone number. One simply gives it to me. The next person says, ‘Well, I have two numbers but I am never at home but I will give you my daughter’s number and my aunt Mary’s number but she is in the hospital with a lung problem. Did I tell you that I want 5 copies or did I say I want 6. I just can’t decide because I don’t know if Johnny would like to read it or not, but here is my cell number also just in case you call when I am at the drugstore where I seem to live these days because of my heart problem that started….’”
 
Puzzle: The seven letter word therein contains 17 words without rearranging any of its letters Can you get them? (Answer at bottom.)
 
Spelling hints:
forego (before); forgo (go without)
e.g. for example
i.e., that is, in effect
eight-foot boards (adjective)
except – “x” excludes; accept – think of 2 c’s snuggling together, they accept each other
setup – noun; set up – verb
Church – upper case when referring to the Roman Catholic Church, or whole body of Christians
gibe – to tease; jibe – to agree
apart – separate; a part of – union
silicon – an element; silicone – contains silicon
desert – dry; can’t afford 2 s’s; dessert – you want 2
altogether – completely; all together – in a group
beside – next to; besides – in addition to
resister – person; resistor – electric current
all ready – prepared; already – happened earlier
 
Answer to puzzle: The word therein contains the following 20 words in order:
the, there, he, in, rein, her, here, ere, I, therein, herein, tin, then, thee, hen, hi, ten, thin, tern, teen.
How many did you get?
 
Have a good week spreading the
gospel through the printed page.
 
Donna Clark Goodrich
dgood648@aol.com
www.thewritersfriend.net
http://donna-goodrich.blogspot.com

"A Step in the Write Direction--the Complete How-to Guide for Christian Writers"
"The Freedom of Letting Go"
"Healing in God's Time"
"Christmas Anthology"
"Mother/Grandmother Anthology"
"Preparing Your Heart for Christmas"--Advent devotional
Ohio Cookbook
Michigan Cookbook
"How to Start and Run a Christian Writers' Group...Critique Group...Conference"
 

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