A new year always brings a new beginning and 2019 is just around the corner. Most people look forward to the opportunity to begin things anew, to set new goals or reaffirm old ones. The age old favorite is losing weight and getting healthier. The self promise to go to the gym more often and eat better usually falls off the list of New Year Resolutions by the end of January. So do most resolutions, for that matter.
 
Are writers just as bad about sticking to resolutions? Maybe most of us are. I’m guilty of that for sure. I spent some time reading a few articles online to see what resolutions are most popular among writers. Many of them would go a long way to making our writing lives better if we could only stick to them. I thought I’d go over a few of them and likely pen down a few on my list as a challenge for 2019.
 
The two most popular resolutions are to be more realistic in setting your writing and reading goals. For example, instead of having a goal of writing a lengthy novel or setting a word limit such as writing 3,000 words a day, it might be more realistic and helpful to set a time limit for your writing. Instead of focusing on that huge project or a word count, start out by resolving to write for 30 minutes or an hour each day. Let the words come to you instead of trying to force the words.  Another option is to reach out to some of your fellow writers and have a joint goal-setting session. It might be helpful in keeping yourself and others motivated during the year, kind of like joining the gym with a friend instead of trying to lose weight or get in shape alone.
 
As far as reading goals, most of us are well read and enjoy reading more than the average person. We’re sort of wired that way. However, maybe this year we read more things outside of our genre and look for more reading recommendations from our peers and on other sites such as Goodreads. Reading things outside of our genre is a great way to learn and grow as a writer, to pick up on new tips and ideas to help us with our own work.
 
Another popular resolution I found was to spend more time in the company of other writers. This is another great way to pick up on new tips and ideas, to grow in our craft. A good way to meet fellow writers is by joining online communities, but the best way is to seek out a local guild or other organization. Take advantage of those meetings and friendships. Those of us that already have done that will attest to just how valuable they are!
 
Also on the list of most popular resolutions was to try something new. For example, if you are a writer that relies on a schedule such as writing first thing in the morning, maybe try writing in the evening a few times. Changing things up in your routine might be a great way to discover new motivations or inspirations.
 
Spending more time revising work and spending more time on social media made the list. For many of us, those are the two least favorite things we like to do even if they are necessary. However, adding another round of revision to our work is never a bad idea. Letting something you’ve written simmer for a few more days before one last review or revision could provide the needed break you need to see your work with fresh eyes and discover ways to make your story even better.
Think about making a list of your own resolutions, either for yourself or together with a couple of other writers. What makes your list for 2019? As always, we’d love to see you share those with us in the comments below. 

Some of the best stories are the ones that are true. Claudia Randolph of Jonesborough, TN had a touching story to share but had never written a book before. With the help of Madelyn Rohrer, Johnny Come Back: Eighty-four Days of Miracles is now availble on Amazon. 

Here is the description from the back cover:

Miracles are defined as extraordinary events, manifesting divine intervention in human affairs. They happen every day. Sometimes we call them blessings, marvels, unusual happenings, or strange phenomena. They can be large and easily recognizable or small enough that they could just as easily be missed, but a single “miracle” can alter one’s life in an instant. That unexpected change can be brought about by an event, a person, or something we often refer to as “perfect timing.”  Believing in miracles is to acknowledge divine intervention.

Walk with Johnny Randolph in this true story of his struggle to survive eighty-four days of life-threatening situations and recuperation. Join Claudia, his wife, seasoned Emergency Department Registered Nurse, caregiver, and advocate as she remains steadfastly by his side while dealing with her own struggle between medical knowledge and a deeper faith in spiritual healing. It is their story – what they saw, what they heard, what they felt.

Experience their eighty-four days of trials and miracles.

You can find the book at the link below.
​https://www.amazon.com/Johnny-Come-Back-Eighty-four-Miracles/dp/0578408104/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543608282&sr=8-1&keywords=johnny+come+back

​Most of us in the guild have written a countless number of pages over the years that include novels, short stories, and poetry. Most of us admit to being addicted to reading everything we can get our hands on and still complain that there isn’t enough time in the day to read everything we want to. Among those books we’ve combed through a thousand times are books that help us in our craft, books that inspire us to creativity, and books that touch our souls.
 
A writer’s life is more like a journey than most people could possibly understand. We’re wired differently. If you’ve spent an afternoon among a group of writers, you might. At fairs, conventions, and book signings, we’re always asked, “What do you write?” That question sets our minds and souls in motion, no matter how awkwardly (or perfectly) we may answer it.
 
Author Simon Sinek (Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action) said, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”
 
Writer’s need to ask themselves this question and give some time to seriously reflect on it beyond the usual answers like “I have to.” It’s a passion and a need. That much is true. However, it’s important to have a deeper understanding as to why we write because we all have those days when you are frustrated and don’t feel like a writer. There will be days when you doubt yourself or have writers block or simply just don’t feel like writing. There will be days when you write and absolutely hate what you just put down on paper. There will be days when you not only doubt yourself but the people closest to you will doubt you, too.
 
I have to. It’s like breathing. To a writer that is completely understandable. But the reasons behind that are sometimes not so obvious at times. Some of us write for ourselves. It is a way to deal with stress or deal with past hardships and trying to come to grips with events in our lives. Some write to share our wisdom or experiences with others to help them through similar situations.
 
In 1946, George Orwell wrote a famous essay called "Why I Write" to describe his journey to becoming a writer. He had four specific reasons for writing, one of which was to “push the world in a certain direction.”
 
As you continue on with your journey as a writer, it’s a good idea to visit that question for yourself from time to time. Write a short essay on the reasons why you write (writing prompt homework to share with the guild!!!). I think we could surprise ourselves with some of the reasons why.

,November is quickly approaching. The leaves begin to change colors, daylight ends a little sooner than we hope, and an autumn chill falls on us here in the mountains. Most people think that it’s a great time of year to cozy up with a good book and some hot chocolate. Not us writers. Most of us look forward to cozying up with a notepad or a computer and creating a good book. November gives us the perfect excuse to dive into our imaginations and exercise our artistic craft to the best of our abilities. After all, November is NaNoWriMo, also known as National Novel Writing Month.
 
If you are a member of the Appalachia Authors Guild and reading this right now, take this as our challenge to you to participate in NaNoWriMo. The goal isn’t an easy one. The challenge is to write a novel during the month, or at least get a start with the goal of writing 50,000 words or more. For some of our more seasoned authors, this challenge is just another day at the keyboard. However, for many of us it is an opportunity to jump head first into the challenge and encourage each other along the way. Even if you don’t finish an entire novel in a month, you will have likely had one of the most creative and accomplished periods in your writing career.
 
So, let’s take a count. How many of you are accepting the challenge? If you aren’t a member of the guild, we hope you’ll consider joining right away, reaching out to us, and finding encouragement and friendship along the journey in this art form that we are all so passionate about.
 
If you accept the challenge make sure to mention by commenting below. Don’t forget to update us on how many words you completed by the end of November. Make plans to be creative! Make a commitment to succeed. 

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​Our guild held its second writer’s workshop on August 14th at the Small Business Incubator in Abingdon. This was only the second of many to come and I think that many of our members (and future members) will be pleasantly surprised at the value these gatherings provide. Workshops are a great way for writers to come together and share their best experiences and practices, to encourage one another, and walk away with new tools in your arsenal that can help with current and future writing projects.
 
If you’ve never been to a workshop you should consider coming to the next one just to get a feel of what they can offer you as you embark or continue on your journey as a writer. In our first workshop Vicki Fletcher led the discussion and presentation all about formatting your document and self publishing. Even the most experienced writers walked away with good information, and the group discussions provide an opportunity for round table question and answer sessions that were helpful to the entire audience. The second workshop was called Kick Starting Your Book. Once again, those attending were able to engage in discussion about best practices. This session included working on writing prompts to better understand character development and the steps in the creative process.
 
Here are four of the reference books we discussed during the workshop. They are all available on Amazon and other online book retailers. Do you have a book suggestion? Let us know!
 
Write Characters Your Reader Won’t Forget: A Toolkit For Emerging Writers, Stant Litore
Master Lists For Writers, Bryn Donovan
The Emotional Craft of Fiction, Donald Maass
On Writing, Stephen King

There is nothing that compares to the satisfaction of finishing the rough draft of your manuscript, short story, or article. Writing isn’t an easy art form! It’s incredibly difficult and tedious work, at best. No matter what you are writing, you are trying to tell a story and get your point across. You are trying to appeal to your reader on a personal level, whether you are writing a suspense novel, a movie script that is a real tear-jerker, or an article about the need for community support to save the local animal shelter.
 
No matter how great it feels to complete the first draft, remember that it is only the first draft. If you want your reader to enjoy and fully experience what you intend for them to, your work is only beginning. The hardest part is yet come.
 
Most self-published writers struggle with the process of editing and proofreading. You know that old phrase, if you want to hide something, put it out in plain sight? Well, that holds true for writers when we edit and proofread our work. You can read a sentence ten times and still not realize that you wrote they’re when you meant their. It happens to the best of us. This blog entry will focus on tips for editing and proofreading. If you have some tips you’d like to share then please comment at the bottom.
 
Editing and proofreading are two different things. Editing means that you are making structural changes and rewriting entire sections of your work. Editing is correcting grammar and spelling as well as your writing style. It is going back and tackling your draft for content. All of these are pretty important. Proofreading, on the other hand, is going back over your work to correct the small stuff such as format and spacing.
 
I spent some time digging around online for a few nuggets of advice to help with the editing process. I found a ton of things! I’ll obviously not include everything here, but encourage you to research this topic for yourself. You’ll find more advice than any reasonable person can handle.
 
READ YOUR DRAFT LIKE A NEWS REPORTER WOULD READ IT.
Ask who, what, when, where, and why! Oh, and don’t forget how. These are all the questions that your reader will want answered from your book. They will ask these questions about plot, characters, and meaning. Make sure you cover these major topics if you want your reader to be emotionally invested in your story.
 
TAKE A BREAK!
When you finish your first draft give it some time before you start the editing process. Wait a day or a week. The more distance you put between you and your rough draft, the more likely you will spot awkward phrases and mistakes.
 
READ IT OUT LOUD.
This might help you understand a rhythm to your writing that you had not noticed before. Also, when you stumble upon something poorly written or not as smooth as the best parts of your draft, you will notice it right away. The parts that need editing will likely stick out like a sore thumb.
 
KILL ALL OF YOUR WEAK ADJECTIVES.
I’ve learned the hard way that weak adjectives can absolutely ruin a good story. Keep your thesaurus handy and make sure to avoid weak adjectives. Why use afraid when you can use terrified, aghast, or spooked?
 
BLOCK TIME FOR EDITING.
Don’t burn yourself out during the editing process. If you stay at it for too long it becomes more likely that you’ll miss some of your mistakes. Block out a time frame that works best for you. I find that editing for thirty minutes at a time with fifteen minute breaks in between works best for me. I block off that time for a total of no more than three hours a day.
 

​Writing is a pure joy for most of us. But, like most things in life, it takes a lot of work to be creative. Words don’t always start flowing onto your page from the word go. If only it were that easy! However, nothing worth doing is ever easy. I can’t count the number of days that I’ve sat down at my computer and could think of nothing to write about. That’s why I’ve built a habit of relying on writing prompts during times like that.
 
When my mind is drawing a blank all it takes is just a gentle nudge to get me on my way. That’s true with most writers. I keep a book of 300 writing prompts on my desk. I’ll thumb through the pages until I find one that is intriguing and I’ll write about that with three simple rules. If you find yourself in need of a writing prompt I strongly suggest you consider these rules.
 

1. Set your timer for 15 minutes. Write for the entire time. Don’t stop! Usually once your time is up you’ll find yourself still wanting to continue. That’s a good thing. Put your writing prompt away and get to work on your book.
2. Don’t stop during the process for any reason. Don’t stop to edit. Don’t worry about your spelling or grammar. Just keep writing. You can always go back and clean it up if you decide to use it for another writing project.
3. Let your thoughts go. Write them down no matter what they are. Good, bad, or ugly.

 
Writing prompts are a great way to get your creative juices flowing, especially at times when you are staring at a blank page and having trouble getting started. One of my favorite prompts is to imagine that you are on an international flight. The person next to you asks you what you do and where you are travelling to. You realize that you can tell this stranger anything, be anyone you want to be other than yourself. What do you tell them?
 
Do you have a favorite prompt or a few you suggest to others?

​With writing, as with most things in life, having a regular routine helps to keep a writer doing what he or she is supposed to do. Write! A quick internet search on the topic will result in countless pages of advice from successful business leaders to the most well known and bestselling authors. I spent some time reading through these pages and looking for some of the best advice I could find from some of the best writers in the world. I also turned to some amazing writers here in our back yard that also happen to be members of our guild. I took away one very good piece of advice. No matter what other writers do, find a routine that works best for you and stick to it.
 
Whether you take time early each morning to write, or prefer to write just before going to bed, it is important to develop that habit and commit yourself to sticking to it every day. Even if you aren’t in the mood to write, or have no idea what you want to write about, it’s important to force yourself to write something. Bad writing is better than no writing. It’s a lot easier to edit a poorly written page than it is to edit a blank one, according to Jodi Picoult, a New York Times bestselling author.
 
Hemmingway said, “I write every morning. When I am working on a book or a story I write every morning as soon after first light as possible. There is no one to disturb you and it is cool or cold and you come to your work and warm as you write. You read what you have written and, as you always stop when you know what is going to happen next, you go on from there.”
 
That’s pretty solid advice. Many of the writers in guild have a routine that they follow, as well. And each one that I talked to seemed to have certain things that worked for them and they try as best as they can to keep to the script, so to speak.
 
Victoria Fletcher, guild President, stressed how important having a routine is to her work. “To me, routine is everything. I have such a busy schedule that without routine, nothing would get done. Being organized helps but without a set routine to follow, my publishing business or my own personal writing would not happen.” 
 
One good habit to develop when you are writing is to make sure that your cell phone is off and you aren’t using the internet unless it is vital to researching something that you are working on at that moment. Minimize all distractions. If you love coffee and need a couple of cups to keep you going, make sure that there isn’t an unscheduled break for watching the news or checking your email when you make that quick run to the coffee pot for that second cup.
 
“For me, a routine is the difference between finishing a book in a month or two vs. a year. I think if you really want to get your books out there and tell the stories you have inside your head, you have to treat writing as a priority. I try to start and end my day with an hour of writing. Even though it makes me feel great and productive to accomplish this, it's the first thing to fall by the wayside if something else comes up. Even after years of trying to make daily writing a habit, it's still difficult to do sometimes. I think you just have to set that routine and make the conscious choice daily that it's not optional.” - Willie E. Dalton author of The Dark Side of the Woods.
 
I know how tempting it is to wait until the right idea hits or until conditions are perfect for writing. If we wait for that time to come then we’ll never have one page to show. That’s why a writer develops a routine. Good writing can be cleaned up. No writing, well that’s another issue entirely.
 
Whatever your routine is we invite you to share it with us in the comments below. Somewhere there is a struggling new writer trying to start of complete their first book. What advice would you give them?
 
 
 

Many times new writers set out on the journey of writing their first book with excitement and a good bit of planning. However, there is a common trap that some of us fall into, especially when we are new to the writing process. It’s easy to overlook the difference between plot and theme when you set out to write your story. It’s easy to spot when you’re reading a book, but sometimes it’s a bit more of a challenge when you start the writing process.
 
It may sound elementary, but it is certainly not. If you are reading this before you’ve actually started the writing process then consider your plot and theme for one more day before writing, but by all means take as long as you need.
 
Here’s the simple difference. Plot IS your storyline. It is how your story unfolds and comes alive on the pages of your book. Events that happen, what your characters are facing and their ensuing adventures…these are all part of your plot. The theme of your story is the thoughts or emotions that are being dealt with. Common themes are love, revenge, perseverance, war, etc… Theme is the “moral of the story,” it is the underlying message that you are trying to convey to your reader. Themes are important because they solidify your story. They make it more meaningful than just telling a story.
 
What is the theme of your book? What are you trying to leave in the hearts and minds of your reader when they put your book down?
 
I pride myself on being well read. One of the most recent literary fascinations of mine has been Jack Kerouac. After reading The Dharma Bums I took some time to reflect on the theme of the book. I’ll not offer any spoilers here, but read that book if you haven’t. So over the past couple of years I’ve been in love with the theme of “the place where you lose yourself and find yourself.” That was where the journey took the characters in Pot of Gold, one of my own books. The theme, if you want to assign it one word, was perseverance. Keep on with the journey and trust that it will lead to good things, even when your frustration level is maxed and you feel like giving up. How often have you come across that theme in books that you love?
 
So think about what theme is best for your story. Mull it over for a day or two before you start banging on your keyboard. A strong theme can be the difference between a good story and a great one. 

Are We Really Artists?
Thoughts on being rejected by the Virginia Highlands Festival
J.C. Schweingrouber
 
The Virginia Highlands Festival has been an amazing annual festival for our region here in Central Appalachia for as long as I can remember. It is full of family friendly events and you can find vendors from all kinds of businesses coming to this event to display their products. From antiques to face painting, you can find so much entertainment at this annual fun-fest.
 
Long before I joined the AAG I always sought out local artists at events like this. I’ve always had a soft spot for supporting local artists. They are the heart and soul of the place they call home, and here in Appalachia it is our artists that define and represent who we are as a culture and people. Their role in our communities, in my opinion, is vital. The Virginia Highlands Festival has always had open arms for our artists. Artists from all different genres. However, something changed this year. Artists are welcome to be a part of the festival, just not all artists, it seems. The AAG was informed that we were no longer considered "artists" and were excluded from the Juried Arts show at the Barter Green. As of this moment the guild is not included anywhere at the upcoming festival. It left members of the guild scratching their head and very disappointed at missing an opportunity to show their craft to the public. It left the leadership angry at first, but ultimately broken hearted. After asking the festival committee to reconsider, they refused to budge.
 
It came down to one simple question. Are writers artists? The festival committee, despite thinking otherwise for years, this year said “NO.”
 
I sat down to ask myself a tough question. Are writers artists? I’ve been writing books for years. I thought I was an artist. What about all my other fellow members of the guild? I look at them as artists. It seems that the committee chose to only consider those that have a venue to showcase their art as actual artists. The painter has a studio. The craft maker has a workshop. A sculptor has a studio. A musician can share his or her art with the world through sound. A writer…well, most of us just have a desk in the back corner of our house or apartment.
 
I have a friend in Cincinnati who has been a writer for almost three decades. He is a technical writer and works on instruction manuals for various corporate products. Would I consider him an artist? Not at all. Shakespeare, on the other hand, was an artist. Mark Twain was an artist. I have never met a person that wouldn’t say that Emily Dickenson or Robert Frost were not artists that stirred the souls of a nation. Some of today’s greatest storytellers that use the written word are always referred to as artists.
 
You see, writers are artists with a different type of canvas. Our mind and the blank page in front of us is our canvas. Our studio is a bit hard to find because it’s stirring around in our brains, somewhere down in our soul. It’s a bit harder to invite someone into our studio and show them around. It’s not a visual art that we provide. Some choose to see merely words on a page. No different than a textbook or a leaflet left on their door while they are at work.
 
We don’t need a studio. Our workspace is in our head. We are artists with a unique way of creating art. Other artists use a visual or audio medium to share their work. You see it with your eyes or you hear it. With writers, our canvas can be as small as a poem that declares undying faith and love for life, or it can be as vast as the universe and beyond. You see, we stir our imaginations and spin tall tales and legends, the paint on our canvas are stories that only the minds’ eye can see. Our art spurs on the imagination and tugs on the heart strings of those that appreciate it.
 
You see, our art also brings history to life, puts the reader into another place or time, sends them on adventures, or leads them closer to God through the stories we paint on our canvas in our own way. The words we paint on our canvas can take a reader back to the street they grew up on as a kid to live vicariously through a character, or take them worlds away to save the galaxy.
 
It’s quite a picture we paint, each of us individually. I don’t think that the good people on the committee meant to insult the writers of the region with the slight. They just haven’t walked in the shoes of a writer or experienced the effort, the heart and soul we pour onto every page. Although we are excluded from the festival, we remain supportive of all of our fellow artists out there that work hard to bring their work to share with the public. I hope that they will also be just as supportive of us.