Sticking to the Plan

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Happy Monday from Jeanette. I’m finally getting caught up after the Mount Hermon Writers Conference. This year I didn’t come home nearly as exhausted as I have in the past. Knowing that I could not afford to return to my family completely wiped out, I made up my mind to pace myself. And this time I actually did it.

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A Balancing Act

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What a difference a few feet can make. After writing at the kitchen table for several years, I upgraded to my very own desk in our spare bedroom. The move made my work easier but I missed being next to double windows. I had a great view of the hallway, but I kept wondering how the desk would fit in that small corner between the two bedroom windows. Last month I finally made the switch—and now that I have a window on the world, I’m seeing some interesting things…

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Reflect, Refocus, Recharge

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Greetings from Jan! Today I’m busy packing and making preparations for the Mount Hermon Writer’s Conference where I’ll be teaching a Head Start Mentoring Clinic and running the manuscript retrieval process for editors, critiquers, and writers. One of my other delightful tasks for the week will be to give a workshop for the writers about midway through our time there. We will stop to take a few deep breaths. We’ll step away from the busyness of the conference into God’s waiting arms to catch a glimpse of his hand in all our circumstances. In that place with him, we’ll reflect, refocus, and rechage. As our spirits quiet,…

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Why I Love New Writers

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Jeanette here, wondering how March got here so fast. A little over a week ago I had the fun of teaching at the Castro Valley Christian Writers’ Seminar. This is a conference that attracts a lot of beginning writers. Today, as I continued work on a buddy program for the upcoming Mount Hermon Christian Writer’s Conference, I couldn’t help reflecting on why I love new writers.

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Writing and Integrity

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As I get to know other CAN writers one thing stands out and that is integrity. That’s something all writers should aspire to have. Each writer is committed to do his or her best, share information on promotion with others, and meet deadlines. I want to chat about how integrity helps a writer.

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A Lenten Challenge for Our Writing and Speaking

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Jan here. I’m enjoying a quiet day of reflection and challenge, especially around the idea of Lent. Lent is not a tradition that I grew up with, but I’ve enjoyed watching and hearing how individuals and various faith communities observe it. I like its call to be intentional about letting go of earthly distractions and drawing closer to God—particularly in relationship to preparing our hearts for taking in the passion of Christ, his suffering and resurrection, and what that means to each of us personally as his children in living this life in him. So I’ve felt stirred to consider ways to incorporate the parts…

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Starting Places for Greater Creativity

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Hello! Jan here hoping to generate some freshness into not only our nonfiction writing, but also our speaking. Today is the Friday before Valentine’s Day. My childhood memories create a picture of schoolchildren across the country stuffing decorated boxes with sentiments and enjoying cupcakes with red sprinkles and candy hearts. What does that have to do with writing and speaking? Starting places for infusing very needed freshness into what we do . . .

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Impossible Dreams

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I’m so grateful for the many writing opportunities that God has given me. I frequently thank Him for the two daily devotional books I’ve had published and for the two-book contract that I’m completing now. Still, I find myself dreaming of doing a different type of writing—another genre that seems so out of my league that I’m embarrassed to admit it. Something that looks so difficult and daunting that it seems impossible. And when I think about impossible dreams, I always think of Kathrine Switzer.

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Sharing Success

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Last week my friend Diane pulled me aside after choir practice and placed a package in my hands. “I wanted you to have the first copy.” Her first book was finally in print! Over the past few years I have seen this book evolve as Diane brought individual devotions to our writer’s group, asked me to edit/critique the first draft, and started submitting to publishers. I was almost as excited as I would have been over my own book.

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This is the Year that God has Made-What Will You Do With It?

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Aloha from Karen,    This is a new year still-although the first month will end soon. God has given us more  time. It’s up to us to use it wisely and make good choices for our writing    and marketing. For me, there will be a new book released next month (102 Wiggly Bible Rhymes and Rhythms) and that means I’m already doing some new marketing. With the new year we can reflect on what has been changing and what new trends may be out there in marketing. I’d like to mention a few things I’ve noticed.

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