I have been starting my days off in prayer and journaling — asking God for direction in my day. I do have to say He’s blessing my attempts to seek Him first (Matthew 6:33).
Last week I got Jerry Jenkins’ Writing for the Soul. I devoured it in a few days. I couldn’t put it down. It was that good. I highly recommend it to anyone who has thought of writing whether it be a devotion, an article or a book.
Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 Ministry fame, has started posting answers to common writer questions. Writing a Book – answers part one has some great tips in it. [Side note: I feel all giddy because Lysa actually commented on another post here, but I know I sound like a lunatic for telling you!] Lysa sounds like a really nice, down to earth person. I kinda wish we lived closer to her so I could just go to her church and soak up all her wisdom 
But we’re about 2.5 hours away and that would make for a very, very long Sunday morning drive!
In my quest to learn more about writing and the whole publishing industry, please keep me in your prayers. I am trying to overcome some negative thoughts that come in my head. For instance, it seems like every writer I’ve been reading about has a journalism degree. Ugh. I went to school for commercial art and web design. Another tip is to start small – like writing for your church’s newsletter. Well, we’re kinda in between churches, but even when we do find one, I know there will be some time there getting to know people before we start to really serve. I am trying to focus on the fact that Jesus called fishermen (not college educated men) to be disciples, and that all I need to know I can learn from God and the others He places in my path.
I was very interested to read your comment on Lysa’s blog about putting things you want published on the web as blogs. What other feedback have you gotten about this? I just quit work to write and am looking for non-fiction avenues while I write children’s fiction. I debate whether to put pieces for feedback “out there.” But, enough about me. What did you find out? Thanks for your insights.
And, actually, another question, do you writer’s forums are worth the research to find one? Again, I worry about ideas being “mined” by others first, especially in fiction writing. See my blog entry about my daughter stealing my characters for a school project!