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Blog Entries for: January, 2010

Where is Our Power

January 18, 2010

By Evelyn W. Davison

Everywhere eyes can focus today, they see trouble.  Troubles are right there in your "River City."  America is in a changing mode that is being driven mostly by greed instead of need.

Is God still involved in the lives of those whom He created? Is life doomed? Is there hope? Our structure is shaking and people are wavering in their faith, yet, there is power available.

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January 18, 2010 | View or add comments

Out of the Overflow

January 12, 2010

By Gerry Wakeland

"For out of the over flow of the heart the mouth speaks." — Matthew 12:34 NI

At the recent writers conference at the Ghost Ranch there seemed to be a common thread that was articulated in many ways by the attendees, the presenters, the editorial staff, even the staff at the Ranch. The theme was this - as Christian communicators, ministers of the gospel, it is imperative that we operate out of the "overflow." We heard this time and time again. In fact, I've read it over and over in the evaluations. But what exactly does this mean?

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January 12, 2010 | View or add comments

Leading Like Jesus

January 10, 2010

By Alan Fadling

In this season of reflection and writing, I've been focusing a lot on Jesus. I wonder about how He led. Did he do it like a modern C.E.O.? I also think about the structures of His community. Were they mostly organizational structures or organism structures? Business structures or community structures?

What kind of structure best supports the work of ministry? Every church I've served or attended has drawn fairly heavily from contemporary business practices for its structure. This tends to create a bias towards more organizational than organic approach to life and ministry.

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January 10, 2010 | View or add comments

Partnering with Pros - Professional Organizer Marcia Ramsland

January 10, 2010

By Linda Jewell

Did you resolve to lose weight in 2010? Follow Marcia Ramsland's "30-lb. Paper Diet" to shed piles and files from your home and office.

CLASS graduate, international speaker, writer, and professional organizer Marcia Ramsland, The Organizing Pro, can help you organize your home, office, and time systems so you can get more done in your life.

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January 10, 2010 | View or add comments

Sell More Fiction in 2010

January 10, 2010

By Rob Eagar

Enhance Your Author Website

Does your author website provide an environment for readers to experience your personality and story settings? Analyze your site to see fi these elements are included:

a. Use captivating images - Utilize artwork from your book covers and other pictures to express the exotic aspects of your stories. Give glimpses of the world created by your story.

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January 10, 2010 | View or add comments

Trigger-Happy Prayer

January 8, 2010

By Ron Benson

I Thessalonians 5:17: "Pray without ceasing."

Easy for you to say, Paul! You're all "apostley" and holy and perfect. What about us normal people?

I love to pray. It's my constant ceasing that gets in the way. I want to pray more in 2010. What sincere believer doesn't? But how do we stop all that ceasing?

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January 8, 2010 | View or add comments

Book Review - The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith

January 8, 2010

By Robin Stanley

James Bryan Smith opened his keynote at the 2009 CLASS Christian Writers Conference with a surprising statement: "I give you permission to commit the sin of jealousy." We all laughed, and Jim went on to describe himself as a Forrest Gump kind of guy who stumbled into some great moments with some great people, including Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Rich Mullins and more.

This self-proclaimed "nobody" allowed these "somebodies" to mentor and shape him. Not to become more like them, but to become more like Jesus. We who know Jim or have opportunity to read his work get to realize the benefits of his transformation. He pours himself out in humility, love and friendship. He lives what he teaches.

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January 8, 2010 | View or add comments

Tracking Writing Submissions - Simple Project Management

January 7, 2010

By Kristen Clark

I started writing for publication only a few years ago but soon discovered I needed a tool for tracking my submissions. I spent too much time looking for that essay I wrote last year (or it could have been the year before) and remembering only vaguely why it might be a great piece and searching my brain for some inkling of the titles. As a writer, my goal is to keep my work circulating until it sells. Unfortunately, publishers have different requirements for submission and keeping track of them all was exasperating. Besides the fact that I was in constant fear of submitting a story to a publisher who had rejected that same story under a different title a year earlier. I couldn't imagine anything less professional!

Thankfully, my experience as a project manager in corporate America quickly reminded me that a simple table with rows and columns would do the trick. I pulled up Excel on my laptop, opened a new spreadsheet and started labeling columns to help me track my submissions. I started with the basic fields of information: publisher and contact information, submission deadline and publication date, submission process and title of my work. I later discovered other pieces of information were equally helpful and I added writing genre, word count and pay rate. The next thing I knew, I had a simple and easy-to-use tool for tracking my submissions.

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January 7, 2010 | View or add comments

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